Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
I would like to say something more on human hands. The hands of men are quite different from that of other animals. Chimpanzee and gorilla are known for their close resemblance with men and they have great strength in their hands but they can not be compared with the strength, multifunction and versatility of human hands. If they hold a baseball bat, human holds it by separating the thumb and other fingers but a chimpanzee holds it with all the fingers in same direction. This is the big difference; men can grip a bat correctly and firmly but a chimpanzee can not. The gap of difference between man and chimpanzee becomes even bigger as we study more and more about them.
Nowadays there are some zoologists who treat a chimpanzee or a gorilla or an orangutan as their family. They become friends of the wild animals. They protect them from the hands of a poacher as they study them. When they pour out their affection for a long time there developed mutual trust between them. Men learn their language and teach them men’s language.
However, I have never heard teaching them how to play the piano. Probably it will be impossible. Besides music experience involves delicate motion which is impossible for them. I neither heard that they taught them how to sew. It is clear that their hands are not skillful enough to sew clothes.
The hand is the most important gift of God, which make human beings a unique creation. Just as the hands of Jesus that broke “Five loaves and two fish”, our hands also may be used in such precious work. It would begin by sharing of a meal together.
20100511
Five loaves and two fish (29)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
In the preceding meditation, I mentioned that the hand of man is none other than the hand of God. Here the hand of man signifies the real hand while the hand of God is the instrument accompanied with the hand. However, it is clear that hand is the most important tool in creating a man materializing the plan of God.
Generally, the closest anthropoid is Homo sapiens (a man of thinking) and Homo erectus (pithecanthrope) is the next older and Homo Habillies(a man of using tool) is the oldest of the three. Recently some confusion has occurred in this a chronicle because of finding of Homo Habilllies who had lived in the next generation of Homo erectus. Whatever the order may be, it is clear that we see the character of human as thinking, standing, walking and using a tool.
Homo Habillies used a tool with his hand. It is a deceptive cause to go ahead in a competition with other animals. When they wanted to use their hand freely then definitely they should walk with two feet. They could use their hands even though it was not meant for standing straight. At this point there is high possibility that Homo Habillies was in the contemporary of Homo erectus.
Today we are also receiving such Homo Habillies’ genetic effects. It means the blood of the ancient anthropoid that made a tool with their hand 18 billionaires ago is flooding to us. Our descendants also may live by using this hand. They may make a spaceship with this hand and migrate somewhere else inhabitable in universe. After all, there is not other important hand than Jesus’ hand which breaks the loaves. I hope our hands also busy in breaking loaves in this manner.
In the preceding meditation, I mentioned that the hand of man is none other than the hand of God. Here the hand of man signifies the real hand while the hand of God is the instrument accompanied with the hand. However, it is clear that hand is the most important tool in creating a man materializing the plan of God.
Generally, the closest anthropoid is Homo sapiens (a man of thinking) and Homo erectus (pithecanthrope) is the next older and Homo Habillies(a man of using tool) is the oldest of the three. Recently some confusion has occurred in this a chronicle because of finding of Homo Habilllies who had lived in the next generation of Homo erectus. Whatever the order may be, it is clear that we see the character of human as thinking, standing, walking and using a tool.
Homo Habillies used a tool with his hand. It is a deceptive cause to go ahead in a competition with other animals. When they wanted to use their hand freely then definitely they should walk with two feet. They could use their hands even though it was not meant for standing straight. At this point there is high possibility that Homo Habillies was in the contemporary of Homo erectus.
Today we are also receiving such Homo Habillies’ genetic effects. It means the blood of the ancient anthropoid that made a tool with their hand 18 billionaires ago is flooding to us. Our descendants also may live by using this hand. They may make a spaceship with this hand and migrate somewhere else inhabitable in universe. After all, there is not other important hand than Jesus’ hand which breaks the loaves. I hope our hands also busy in breaking loaves in this manner.
20100417
Five loaves and two fish (28)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
Jesus ‘broke’ the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. It is a very simple action if we see it externally. Jesus probably held the loaves as he was getting ready to break them. If Jesus was not a left-handed he must have taken hold of it with his left hand and broke it with his right hand. Now the loaves handed over from Jesus’ hand to the hand of the disciples and they were again handed over to the hands of the people. It is a simple act of transfer of food from one hand to other hands one after another and it eventually solves the problem of hunger of the people and this further leads them to the stream of salvation.
The hand of people is a decisive instrument to actualize God’s salvation on earth. We arrange something to eat on the earth by this hand. The hand to cook something to eat in the kitchen is the power of salvation. We make a car with hand and do the farming with it. See the hand of a surgeon. Their hands save people’s life. Look at the hands of pianist and artists. And look at the hand of a poet who holds pen and writes a poem. Look at the hand of a pastor who prepares a sermon by tapping at the computer keyboard. The hand of man is the hand of God.
There is a scene in “The Creator”, the painting of Michelangelo that God breathed life into Adam. It is the scene that Adam who was not bestowed a soul, formed out of dust was positioned below and God who was breathing soul to him was positioned above facing each other. The center of this picture is the work of hands. God was breathing not the way of the laying on of hands but the way of breathing. Michelangelo, a scientist and artist who works by hand might feel God’s inspiration in his hand first before head. Yes. The hand of man is none other than God’s hand.
Jesus ‘broke’ the loaves and gave them to his disciples to set before the people. It is a very simple action if we see it externally. Jesus probably held the loaves as he was getting ready to break them. If Jesus was not a left-handed he must have taken hold of it with his left hand and broke it with his right hand. Now the loaves handed over from Jesus’ hand to the hand of the disciples and they were again handed over to the hands of the people. It is a simple act of transfer of food from one hand to other hands one after another and it eventually solves the problem of hunger of the people and this further leads them to the stream of salvation.
The hand of people is a decisive instrument to actualize God’s salvation on earth. We arrange something to eat on the earth by this hand. The hand to cook something to eat in the kitchen is the power of salvation. We make a car with hand and do the farming with it. See the hand of a surgeon. Their hands save people’s life. Look at the hands of pianist and artists. And look at the hand of a poet who holds pen and writes a poem. Look at the hand of a pastor who prepares a sermon by tapping at the computer keyboard. The hand of man is the hand of God.
There is a scene in “The Creator”, the painting of Michelangelo that God breathed life into Adam. It is the scene that Adam who was not bestowed a soul, formed out of dust was positioned below and God who was breathing soul to him was positioned above facing each other. The center of this picture is the work of hands. God was breathing not the way of the laying on of hands but the way of breathing. Michelangelo, a scientist and artist who works by hand might feel God’s inspiration in his hand first before head. Yes. The hand of man is none other than God’s hand.
Five loaves and two fish (27)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
I would like to meditate John 1:14 that I quoted yesterday. According to John, incarnated Jesus’ glory is the glory of the only son of God. What does it mean? Is it Jesus’ glory? Jesus lived on earth with the same limitations and condition like each of us. Most of the time the Bible depicts somebody with messianic and supernatural power according to the belief of the early Christian community but we have to consider the fact of the historical background. He ate, excreted, caught cold, felt lonely and was even joyful at times like us. Then what is the glory that was revealed to him?
John’s gospel described it as the glory that revealed to the only son of God. It doesn’t mean that God bear a son like man. It is a sort of religious metaphor to point out the one who has the same true nature with God, though he is not God himself. It means that the glory of the only son is exactly the glory of God himself. According to this logic, Jesus’ glory is no other than God’s glory.
At last, we came back to the term of ‘glory’ again. Glory is a theological term which is applicable to the creator only. We cannot describe it in detail. The creature cannot recognize the creator directly but glorify him alone. We can put in this way; the power of creation is, that is to say, glory. According to John verse 1:3, logos is the very power of creation.
We can say that Jesus’ ‘Five loaves and two fish’ points out the power of the creator. He broke himself and gave it to us as he broke ‘Five loaves and two fish’. Only the creator can give us life.
I would like to meditate John 1:14 that I quoted yesterday. According to John, incarnated Jesus’ glory is the glory of the only son of God. What does it mean? Is it Jesus’ glory? Jesus lived on earth with the same limitations and condition like each of us. Most of the time the Bible depicts somebody with messianic and supernatural power according to the belief of the early Christian community but we have to consider the fact of the historical background. He ate, excreted, caught cold, felt lonely and was even joyful at times like us. Then what is the glory that was revealed to him?
John’s gospel described it as the glory that revealed to the only son of God. It doesn’t mean that God bear a son like man. It is a sort of religious metaphor to point out the one who has the same true nature with God, though he is not God himself. It means that the glory of the only son is exactly the glory of God himself. According to this logic, Jesus’ glory is no other than God’s glory.
At last, we came back to the term of ‘glory’ again. Glory is a theological term which is applicable to the creator only. We cannot describe it in detail. The creature cannot recognize the creator directly but glorify him alone. We can put in this way; the power of creation is, that is to say, glory. According to John verse 1:3, logos is the very power of creation.
We can say that Jesus’ ‘Five loaves and two fish’ points out the power of the creator. He broke himself and gave it to us as he broke ‘Five loaves and two fish’. Only the creator can give us life.
20100414
Five loaves and two fish (26)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Here ‘the word’ is a translation of the Greek ‘Logos’ which means language or reason. The philosophical term of the Greek has been accepted as a divine meaning.
In early Christianity era, Neo-Platonism of the Hellenistic philosophy blossomed and Plato took an active part in it. There was dualism in the center of this idea. They thought soul and flesh are of different entities. Soul is sacred while flesh is ugly. Soul is eternal but flesh is temporal. Soul of human is also eternal. So they thought the soul of human that is believed to be the essence of eternal life was not created. On the contrary, according to Christian faith the soul of human was created by God.
In addition, the early Christian fathers were deeply influenced by Greek philosophy, especially the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle and they did not give up the tradition of the Old Testaments. The most glaring example is the concept of incarnation. Augustine said that the Plato’s philosophy is most similar to Christian faith except incarnation. The belief on the theory of incarnation of the theological concept is the point of distinction between Plato’s philosophy and Christian faith.
The concept of incarnation that underscores the transformation of the body from the invisible and eternal God to a visible and temporal human body is not compatible with Plato’s philosophy. Yes. Not even a moment the body in Christian belief was neglected. The body requires “Five loaves and two fish”. Jesus was in humanly body which was broken and gave it to us. This is certainly a clear indication of the gift of salvation that Christians believe and talk about.
John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Here ‘the word’ is a translation of the Greek ‘Logos’ which means language or reason. The philosophical term of the Greek has been accepted as a divine meaning.
In early Christianity era, Neo-Platonism of the Hellenistic philosophy blossomed and Plato took an active part in it. There was dualism in the center of this idea. They thought soul and flesh are of different entities. Soul is sacred while flesh is ugly. Soul is eternal but flesh is temporal. Soul of human is also eternal. So they thought the soul of human that is believed to be the essence of eternal life was not created. On the contrary, according to Christian faith the soul of human was created by God.
In addition, the early Christian fathers were deeply influenced by Greek philosophy, especially the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle and they did not give up the tradition of the Old Testaments. The most glaring example is the concept of incarnation. Augustine said that the Plato’s philosophy is most similar to Christian faith except incarnation. The belief on the theory of incarnation of the theological concept is the point of distinction between Plato’s philosophy and Christian faith.
The concept of incarnation that underscores the transformation of the body from the invisible and eternal God to a visible and temporal human body is not compatible with Plato’s philosophy. Yes. Not even a moment the body in Christian belief was neglected. The body requires “Five loaves and two fish”. Jesus was in humanly body which was broken and gave it to us. This is certainly a clear indication of the gift of salvation that Christians believe and talk about.
Five loaves and two fish (25)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (Mark 6:41)
I mentioned in the preceding meditation that we should not miss two levels of report and interpretation. As we see in this point of view, the expression of breaking the bread and giving it to his disciples is the interpretation of the Bible author in keeping with the conduct of Holy Communion service. As time goes by the religious tradition in which the “Five loaves and two fish” are involved with are handed down through many people of the world. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."(Mark 14:22) It indicates that the “Five loaves and two fish” and Eucharist raised fusion of horizons with the verbs “broke and gave”.
We often hear that Jesus gave himself up for us all but we do not feel it in our real lives. We think of it as a messianic role in which Jesus had to be crucified to take up my sin. It is not wrong but Christian faith cannot be explained in this manner. The word ‘Jesus broke his body’ is connected with a profound situation.
It is the incarnation. The Word became flesh. The invisible God became the visible one. Jesus is a visible God. He is God with the same body like ours. Here is the tension of Christian faith. Body has its limitations. But God is an unlimited being. It is a contradiction that infinite God has a finite body. Christianity began from this shrouded contradiction. To say in Barth’s way, ‘an impossible possibility’ has happened to Jesus. The confines of God and Men are found in the person of Jesus. At his point, Jesus is the only true God and true Man. He is the true “Five loaves and two fish”.
I mentioned in the preceding meditation that we should not miss two levels of report and interpretation. As we see in this point of view, the expression of breaking the bread and giving it to his disciples is the interpretation of the Bible author in keeping with the conduct of Holy Communion service. As time goes by the religious tradition in which the “Five loaves and two fish” are involved with are handed down through many people of the world. “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body."(Mark 14:22) It indicates that the “Five loaves and two fish” and Eucharist raised fusion of horizons with the verbs “broke and gave”.
We often hear that Jesus gave himself up for us all but we do not feel it in our real lives. We think of it as a messianic role in which Jesus had to be crucified to take up my sin. It is not wrong but Christian faith cannot be explained in this manner. The word ‘Jesus broke his body’ is connected with a profound situation.
It is the incarnation. The Word became flesh. The invisible God became the visible one. Jesus is a visible God. He is God with the same body like ours. Here is the tension of Christian faith. Body has its limitations. But God is an unlimited being. It is a contradiction that infinite God has a finite body. Christianity began from this shrouded contradiction. To say in Barth’s way, ‘an impossible possibility’ has happened to Jesus. The confines of God and Men are found in the person of Jesus. At his point, Jesus is the only true God and true Man. He is the true “Five loaves and two fish”.
20100409
Five loaves and two fish (24)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
Breaking the loaves Jesus gave them to the disciples to be distributed to the crowd gathered there. He also divided the two fish among them all. Here are the five loaves. The account of the five loaves and two fish does not explain in detail to show whether Jesus gave the loaves and fish without dividing into halves or three parts. We do not also know whether the disciples distributed the bread and fish to the crowd without dividing them into small pieces. The pieces of bread might not be very big ones. According to the tradition of John’s gospel, this bread and fishes were brought by a child. Why John’s gospel did particularly mentioned about a child that the synoptic never mentions about? It signifies the fact that “Five loaves and two fish” might not be a big food material, as they are prepared for a meal or two of a child. Though the child brought it to the disciples instructed by his father, “Five loaves and two fish” is nothing but a meal of a family. The size of bread might not be bigger than a big dumpling. It is not easy to divide in a small piece for serving the public.
The author of the Bible does not report a certain historical incident in a demonstrative manner. It reports some incredible incidents that had happened to Jesus through memory, tradition and also some theological interpretation. Report and interpretation are the two pillars of the Bible. The Bible is a report one side and interpretation on the other. Report has more factual information while interpretation provides information on events. Despite this apparent differences report and interpretation serve the same purpose. These are complementary to each other. At this point, the story of “Five loaves and two fish” also is a fact on the one hand and an event on the other.
Breaking the loaves Jesus gave them to the disciples to be distributed to the crowd gathered there. He also divided the two fish among them all. Here are the five loaves. The account of the five loaves and two fish does not explain in detail to show whether Jesus gave the loaves and fish without dividing into halves or three parts. We do not also know whether the disciples distributed the bread and fish to the crowd without dividing them into small pieces. The pieces of bread might not be very big ones. According to the tradition of John’s gospel, this bread and fishes were brought by a child. Why John’s gospel did particularly mentioned about a child that the synoptic never mentions about? It signifies the fact that “Five loaves and two fish” might not be a big food material, as they are prepared for a meal or two of a child. Though the child brought it to the disciples instructed by his father, “Five loaves and two fish” is nothing but a meal of a family. The size of bread might not be bigger than a big dumpling. It is not easy to divide in a small piece for serving the public.
The author of the Bible does not report a certain historical incident in a demonstrative manner. It reports some incredible incidents that had happened to Jesus through memory, tradition and also some theological interpretation. Report and interpretation are the two pillars of the Bible. The Bible is a report one side and interpretation on the other. Report has more factual information while interpretation provides information on events. Despite this apparent differences report and interpretation serve the same purpose. These are complementary to each other. At this point, the story of “Five loaves and two fish” also is a fact on the one hand and an event on the other.
20100408
Five loaves and two fish (23)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
If Jesus’ resurrection is our real meal as mentioned in the foregoing meditation, then some would say that our daily meal does not have any spiritual connection? No. It is not. The meal we take every day is also an integral part of God’s grace and the meal of life has the same meaning. The only difficulty is that we do not know how to merge the relationship between a real meal and resurrection more precisely. It is our cognitive limitation that we have to bear and also our religious homework to solve.
The best alternative way we can chose now is to accept a meal as a reality of resurrection life. It can be a practice to eat a meal in holiness. We might experience mystery and holiness of life from a bowl of meal. It is, that is to say, identification itself with a meal. We experience a mystery that a meal becomes me and I become a meal. Is it really possible? Generally we think a meal as an instrument to maintain life and so it is not easy to experience such personal identification with it. However, if we open our mind, it can be possible.
A few days ago I had a chance to eat a lunch at my office. When I opened my lunch box there were four side dishes, fried anchovy, cubed radish kimchi, scrambled eggs and boiled vegetable. First I took rice and chewed then it soon taste sweet. I again took a fried anchovy and chewed it well. At that moment, I felt rice and anchovy and I became one. It was a ruptured experience. Is not it an experience to eat a holy meal?
If Jesus’ resurrection is our real meal as mentioned in the foregoing meditation, then some would say that our daily meal does not have any spiritual connection? No. It is not. The meal we take every day is also an integral part of God’s grace and the meal of life has the same meaning. The only difficulty is that we do not know how to merge the relationship between a real meal and resurrection more precisely. It is our cognitive limitation that we have to bear and also our religious homework to solve.
The best alternative way we can chose now is to accept a meal as a reality of resurrection life. It can be a practice to eat a meal in holiness. We might experience mystery and holiness of life from a bowl of meal. It is, that is to say, identification itself with a meal. We experience a mystery that a meal becomes me and I become a meal. Is it really possible? Generally we think a meal as an instrument to maintain life and so it is not easy to experience such personal identification with it. However, if we open our mind, it can be possible.
A few days ago I had a chance to eat a lunch at my office. When I opened my lunch box there were four side dishes, fried anchovy, cubed radish kimchi, scrambled eggs and boiled vegetable. First I took rice and chewed then it soon taste sweet. I again took a fried anchovy and chewed it well. At that moment, I felt rice and anchovy and I became one. It was a ruptured experience. Is not it an experience to eat a holy meal?
20100406
Five loaves and two fish (22)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
According to John’s gospel, Jesus is the meal of life. Jesus is quoted as saying, “I am the bread of life. Hew who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) However, it does not guarantee that we will not be hungry and thirsty despite our belief in Jesus. There are many extremely poor people even among Christians.
The key point here is what life signifies when we say Jesus is the meal of life. Early Christians were hungry and lonely in this world like us today. Such problems are not solved immediately though we believe in Jesus. They experience entirely different level of life from Jesus. The core of this difference is the resurrection. Jesus who has risen from the dead was an eternal and real foundation of life.
Life given by God in this world has no eternity in itself. Man has to die sooner or later though he continues to eat. Man cannot get real satisfaction anywhere in this temporal world. Of course, he may be able to attain peace and satisfaction to some certain extent as he acquires knowledge and get sufficient income to sustain his livelihood, but this satisfaction has its limitation and is not eternal. The temporal short-lived comfort and satisfaction is comparable to the enjoyment of a chronic drug addict whose life style cannot be called the right stream of life.
Now we cannot explain in detail exactly what the eternal life was that the early Christians experienced after their conviction of Jesus’ resurrection. Since the reality of our act on earth will be revealed at the end of the world, we have to patiently wait that particular day. Hence, Christian faith involves patient waiting. Our present life is not an end in itself but a gift from God to prepare for the next life.
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According to John’s gospel, Jesus is the meal of life. Jesus is quoted as saying, “I am the bread of life. Hew who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35) However, it does not guarantee that we will not be hungry and thirsty despite our belief in Jesus. There are many extremely poor people even among Christians.
The key point here is what life signifies when we say Jesus is the meal of life. Early Christians were hungry and lonely in this world like us today. Such problems are not solved immediately though we believe in Jesus. They experience entirely different level of life from Jesus. The core of this difference is the resurrection. Jesus who has risen from the dead was an eternal and real foundation of life.
Life given by God in this world has no eternity in itself. Man has to die sooner or later though he continues to eat. Man cannot get real satisfaction anywhere in this temporal world. Of course, he may be able to attain peace and satisfaction to some certain extent as he acquires knowledge and get sufficient income to sustain his livelihood, but this satisfaction has its limitation and is not eternal. The temporal short-lived comfort and satisfaction is comparable to the enjoyment of a chronic drug addict whose life style cannot be called the right stream of life.
Now we cannot explain in detail exactly what the eternal life was that the early Christians experienced after their conviction of Jesus’ resurrection. Since the reality of our act on earth will be revealed at the end of the world, we have to patiently wait that particular day. Hence, Christian faith involves patient waiting. Our present life is not an end in itself but a gift from God to prepare for the next life.
.
Five loaves and two fish (21)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
What does it mean by eating a meal in holiness? It does not mean to maintain regular prayer before eating nor to categorize some food items as eatable and none eatables as followed by the Israel people in the Old Testament. Some Christians strictly insist on keeping wine and cigarette out of their religious life. They may be pursuing holy life in their own way.
Early Christianity called the believers as ‘saints’ who are a group of holy people. The word ‘holy’ is ‘hagios’(ἅγιος) in Greek, meaning to keep something different from other things. As Christians are distinct from worldly people, there might be some necessity of keeping some food items under categorization as sacred and unsacred. However, according to Jesus’ teaching, many unsacred things come out from inside a man though no unsacred enters into his body through mouth.
The word Christian does not imply that they lead a holy life in all their way of life. It does not also imply that they maintain morality more carefully than any others do. Those who are sincere and exert themselves to maintain moral integrity could do so regardless of their belief in Jesus. The sacred life of Christians comes rather from outside than inside which means the righteousness of Jesus Christ is that shines. Our religious existence is judged only by Jesus Christ.
At this juncture, the question of eating a meal in holiness should also be the outcome of our relationship with Jesus Christ alone. How can we be connected with Jesus in eating?
What does it mean by eating a meal in holiness? It does not mean to maintain regular prayer before eating nor to categorize some food items as eatable and none eatables as followed by the Israel people in the Old Testament. Some Christians strictly insist on keeping wine and cigarette out of their religious life. They may be pursuing holy life in their own way.
Early Christianity called the believers as ‘saints’ who are a group of holy people. The word ‘holy’ is ‘hagios’(ἅγιος) in Greek, meaning to keep something different from other things. As Christians are distinct from worldly people, there might be some necessity of keeping some food items under categorization as sacred and unsacred. However, according to Jesus’ teaching, many unsacred things come out from inside a man though no unsacred enters into his body through mouth.
The word Christian does not imply that they lead a holy life in all their way of life. It does not also imply that they maintain morality more carefully than any others do. Those who are sincere and exert themselves to maintain moral integrity could do so regardless of their belief in Jesus. The sacred life of Christians comes rather from outside than inside which means the righteousness of Jesus Christ is that shines. Our religious existence is judged only by Jesus Christ.
At this juncture, the question of eating a meal in holiness should also be the outcome of our relationship with Jesus Christ alone. How can we be connected with Jesus in eating?
20100402
Five loaves and two fish (20)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
“To eat and drink” is the core activity of the Passover supper, which was Jesus’ last supper and which we occasionally observe. The administration of the Last Supper entails a unique activity performed in the most religious and urgent manner in the holiest time and occasion.
If we deeply think about the activity of eating and drinking, it is a mysterious phenomenon. Bread and wine enter in to our stomach through our mouth and gullet. A stomach naturally does the secretion of gastric juice and decomposes food through an action of compression and relaxation. The decomposed food is then gets assimilated to human body through the small intestine and the large intestine. The last step is the excretion. The digestive system of man is a little different from that of the animals but the general mechanism of food intake and excretion of waste for the sustenance of life is the same.
We should not miss the point that there is universal requirement of eating and drinking of something. It is something that occurs universally to all living beings. Here the meaning of universality has the direct implication with God’s nature of holiness. The things that we eat and drink are also a medium of connectivity between the Holy God and us.
The religious symbol of sharing of the Eucharist is the conspicuous expression of our connectivity with the Lord Jesus Christ. We the Christians experience the oneness of the body of Christ by sharing small pieces of bread and wine which represent blood and flesh of Jesus. Rather than prayer and praise or hearing the word of God, participation in the Eucharist gives deeper sense of spirituality. Those who have participated in it should treat our daily bread holy like the body of Christ. We have to continually maintain the practice of having a meal in a holy manner.
“To eat and drink” is the core activity of the Passover supper, which was Jesus’ last supper and which we occasionally observe. The administration of the Last Supper entails a unique activity performed in the most religious and urgent manner in the holiest time and occasion.
If we deeply think about the activity of eating and drinking, it is a mysterious phenomenon. Bread and wine enter in to our stomach through our mouth and gullet. A stomach naturally does the secretion of gastric juice and decomposes food through an action of compression and relaxation. The decomposed food is then gets assimilated to human body through the small intestine and the large intestine. The last step is the excretion. The digestive system of man is a little different from that of the animals but the general mechanism of food intake and excretion of waste for the sustenance of life is the same.
We should not miss the point that there is universal requirement of eating and drinking of something. It is something that occurs universally to all living beings. Here the meaning of universality has the direct implication with God’s nature of holiness. The things that we eat and drink are also a medium of connectivity between the Holy God and us.
The religious symbol of sharing of the Eucharist is the conspicuous expression of our connectivity with the Lord Jesus Christ. We the Christians experience the oneness of the body of Christ by sharing small pieces of bread and wine which represent blood and flesh of Jesus. Rather than prayer and praise or hearing the word of God, participation in the Eucharist gives deeper sense of spirituality. Those who have participated in it should treat our daily bread holy like the body of Christ. We have to continually maintain the practice of having a meal in a holy manner.
20100331
Five loaves and two fish (19)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
I would like to add some more points on Eucharist that I mentioned in the foregoing meditation. Historically speaking Eucharist was originated from the last supper in which Jesus took the Passover supper with his disciples just before his crucifixion.
Jesus commanded his disciples saying, “"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) Even Paul also received the same command. (1Co 11:25)
Passover supper, the foundation of Eucharist is the supper that every family of the Israelites who were living as a minor nation in Egypt ate the night before they left Egypt. They killed sheep and sprinkled its blood on the doorframes. It was a mark of passing over of the angel of dead who killed the eldest son of the entire Egyptian family and the eldest animal of the livestock of every family in Egypt. They had to eat the unleavened bread and bitter vegetable with your cloak tucked into your belt. (Exo. 12:11)
At the very day, Israelites experienced the absolute mayhem of life and death. There was wailing from every house of Egyptian neighbor with whom they had lived together for a long time. They had to leave Goshen a place where they used to live in. No one knew what was in store for them as they marched forward to occupy the land of the Canaanites. Relieving from the grip of Pharaoh’s hand in Egypt was a joyful experience of freedom but it was also a great adventure for them. They shared the supper together in such risky moment.
What does it mean by having a supper in the given unfavorable situation and the question of life and death? No wonder, man should continue to eat even if one’s house is in the state of mourning. Even a criminal under sentence of death longs for a delicious meal and a puff of good cigarette. The word “Passover” means the act of passing over of the angel of death on the house the doorframe of which was sprinkled with the blood of the lamb thereby sparing life to the house of the Israelites. Then they might eat bread and drink wine.
I would like to add some more points on Eucharist that I mentioned in the foregoing meditation. Historically speaking Eucharist was originated from the last supper in which Jesus took the Passover supper with his disciples just before his crucifixion.
Jesus commanded his disciples saying, “"This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) Even Paul also received the same command. (1Co 11:25)
Passover supper, the foundation of Eucharist is the supper that every family of the Israelites who were living as a minor nation in Egypt ate the night before they left Egypt. They killed sheep and sprinkled its blood on the doorframes. It was a mark of passing over of the angel of dead who killed the eldest son of the entire Egyptian family and the eldest animal of the livestock of every family in Egypt. They had to eat the unleavened bread and bitter vegetable with your cloak tucked into your belt. (Exo. 12:11)
At the very day, Israelites experienced the absolute mayhem of life and death. There was wailing from every house of Egyptian neighbor with whom they had lived together for a long time. They had to leave Goshen a place where they used to live in. No one knew what was in store for them as they marched forward to occupy the land of the Canaanites. Relieving from the grip of Pharaoh’s hand in Egypt was a joyful experience of freedom but it was also a great adventure for them. They shared the supper together in such risky moment.
What does it mean by having a supper in the given unfavorable situation and the question of life and death? No wonder, man should continue to eat even if one’s house is in the state of mourning. Even a criminal under sentence of death longs for a delicious meal and a puff of good cigarette. The word “Passover” means the act of passing over of the angel of death on the house the doorframe of which was sprinkled with the blood of the lamb thereby sparing life to the house of the Israelites. Then they might eat bread and drink wine.
20100330
Five loaves and two fish (18)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (Mark 6:41)
From Heidegger’s explanation about things on earth I could taste the presence of spirituality among the creation. I learned much spiritual insight from Heidegger. The most amazing thing was the power to think of the existence, thought, language and world. At this point, theologians, Natural scientists and the philosophers are good teachers for me. Through them I come to know more precisely how God created world. They are good teachers who precisely explain how God created world.
As I have mentioned in the foregoing meditation, thing is a combination of quadrate according to Heidegger. In Shakespeare’s point of view, thing is a playground of the elves. The entire things found on the earth possess life in the eyes of philosophers and writers. Thing has rather holy power in a holy place. Bread is a combination of earth, heaven, sacred thing and thing to be disposed off. Bread is sublimated to a spiritual reality.
Here the word, ‘spirit’ is a term to indicate the deepest world of existence. It has not identified yet what it is. The Bible also gives an inking only and does not mention explicitly. Christians should understand such context exactly. The biblical terms such as spirit, the Holy Spirit, God, creation, the end etc do not point out a certain fixed reality but a certain ultimate reality which cannot be categorized by our cognition.
The meaning that bread is sublimated into a spiritual reality is to approach thing at the deepest place of existence. Bread is sacred. Bread is God’s flesh. We accept bread as Jesus’ flesh in Eucharist. To make Eucharist as a part of our life is a great a source of salvation.
From Heidegger’s explanation about things on earth I could taste the presence of spirituality among the creation. I learned much spiritual insight from Heidegger. The most amazing thing was the power to think of the existence, thought, language and world. At this point, theologians, Natural scientists and the philosophers are good teachers for me. Through them I come to know more precisely how God created world. They are good teachers who precisely explain how God created world.
As I have mentioned in the foregoing meditation, thing is a combination of quadrate according to Heidegger. In Shakespeare’s point of view, thing is a playground of the elves. The entire things found on the earth possess life in the eyes of philosophers and writers. Thing has rather holy power in a holy place. Bread is a combination of earth, heaven, sacred thing and thing to be disposed off. Bread is sublimated to a spiritual reality.
Here the word, ‘spirit’ is a term to indicate the deepest world of existence. It has not identified yet what it is. The Bible also gives an inking only and does not mention explicitly. Christians should understand such context exactly. The biblical terms such as spirit, the Holy Spirit, God, creation, the end etc do not point out a certain fixed reality but a certain ultimate reality which cannot be categorized by our cognition.
The meaning that bread is sublimated into a spiritual reality is to approach thing at the deepest place of existence. Bread is sacred. Bread is God’s flesh. We accept bread as Jesus’ flesh in Eucharist. To make Eucharist as a part of our life is a great a source of salvation.
20100325
Five loaves and two fish (17)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (Mark 6:41)
In order to have better understanding about the connectivity between the “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven as the world would view to penetrate the depth of things, we need to give ear to Heidegger’s explanation about this thing. I quote it as the following:
“An article of a thing can be a cup, a chair, a trail, a tray etc. According to different nature of existence, a tree, a pond, a brook and a mountain exists as a thing. A thing exists every time and takes reification according to their own way and becomes a heron, a roe, a horse and a bull. Thing stays every time and nullifies itself according to their own way and becomes a mirror, a buckle, a book, a painting, a crown and a cross.” (Das Ding 181)
The bread was in the form of wheat just before it came to Jesus. Prior to this particular incidence, the wheat (present bread) was hidden invisibly as a kernel of wheat covered with husk of the wheat. One day it revealed itself to the world in a concrete form exposing to nature of the earth, heaven, rain and carbon. As we eat of this bread, it immediately enters into the stomach and some part of it changes to nutrition to be absorbed by the body to preserve man’s life and other part of it will be changed to waste to be excreted. These may be again take reification in a certain manner.
Heidegger stipulated that thing is an assemblage of the quadrate namely, earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct. For him this world is a mirror play that is displayed by overlapping of quadrate. It is reflected to a mirror this way or that way. Do not misunderstand. It does not mean that God’s creation in this world is meaningless. Rather it is just the opposite. “Five loaves and two fish” is a unique event of holy creation which is accomplished by a harmonious combination of the quadrate-earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct.
In order to have better understanding about the connectivity between the “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven as the world would view to penetrate the depth of things, we need to give ear to Heidegger’s explanation about this thing. I quote it as the following:
“An article of a thing can be a cup, a chair, a trail, a tray etc. According to different nature of existence, a tree, a pond, a brook and a mountain exists as a thing. A thing exists every time and takes reification according to their own way and becomes a heron, a roe, a horse and a bull. Thing stays every time and nullifies itself according to their own way and becomes a mirror, a buckle, a book, a painting, a crown and a cross.” (Das Ding 181)
The bread was in the form of wheat just before it came to Jesus. Prior to this particular incidence, the wheat (present bread) was hidden invisibly as a kernel of wheat covered with husk of the wheat. One day it revealed itself to the world in a concrete form exposing to nature of the earth, heaven, rain and carbon. As we eat of this bread, it immediately enters into the stomach and some part of it changes to nutrition to be absorbed by the body to preserve man’s life and other part of it will be changed to waste to be excreted. These may be again take reification in a certain manner.
Heidegger stipulated that thing is an assemblage of the quadrate namely, earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct. For him this world is a mirror play that is displayed by overlapping of quadrate. It is reflected to a mirror this way or that way. Do not misunderstand. It does not mean that God’s creation in this world is meaningless. Rather it is just the opposite. “Five loaves and two fish” is a unique event of holy creation which is accomplished by a harmonious combination of the quadrate-earth, heaven, sacred things and thing to be extinct.
20100324
Five loaves and two fish (16)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
The incident of “Five loaves and two fish” gives a completely new meaning through Jesus who looked up to heaven and gave thanks. Though “Five loaves and two fish” are the mere product of the earth, it is closely interlinked with heaven. From an object bound to the earth it turns out to be an object that has invisibly connected with the limitless heavens. It has all the characteristics of solidity, unique identity of limitation and limitlessness. This visible thing has now gained the invisible power.
Some of you may consider that the above statements are too abstract to understand. They may say so. A lot of the words of expression from Christian faith are abstract and ideal. Abstract is the opposite of concrete concept and ideal is the opposite of reality. We who are familiar with concreteness and actuality as reality usually feel abstract and ideal as unreal.
In fact, there was time when Christianity excessively inclined to abstractness and idealism. It was a sort of faith that they did not care how the world turn out if they could go to heaven by believing Jesus. Because of this dogmatic faith, Christianity was called as the opium. Some scholars criticize that this happened because the fore-fathers accepted Plato’s idealism.
Plato’s concept ignores the practical principle of life in this world but dwells on the world view penetrating into the deeper level of incident of the world. It believes that this world is moving around and not regulated by a certain mechanical principle. The Fathers accepted Plato’s concept because this concept is correspondent with God’s concept of Christianity. I say it again; this idea is not the idea ignoring this world but hermeneutics to see the deeper dimension of the world. It is the hermeneutics that “Five loaves and two fish” is connected with heaven from where the “Five loaves and two fish” came down.
The incident of “Five loaves and two fish” gives a completely new meaning through Jesus who looked up to heaven and gave thanks. Though “Five loaves and two fish” are the mere product of the earth, it is closely interlinked with heaven. From an object bound to the earth it turns out to be an object that has invisibly connected with the limitless heavens. It has all the characteristics of solidity, unique identity of limitation and limitlessness. This visible thing has now gained the invisible power.
Some of you may consider that the above statements are too abstract to understand. They may say so. A lot of the words of expression from Christian faith are abstract and ideal. Abstract is the opposite of concrete concept and ideal is the opposite of reality. We who are familiar with concreteness and actuality as reality usually feel abstract and ideal as unreal.
In fact, there was time when Christianity excessively inclined to abstractness and idealism. It was a sort of faith that they did not care how the world turn out if they could go to heaven by believing Jesus. Because of this dogmatic faith, Christianity was called as the opium. Some scholars criticize that this happened because the fore-fathers accepted Plato’s idealism.
Plato’s concept ignores the practical principle of life in this world but dwells on the world view penetrating into the deeper level of incident of the world. It believes that this world is moving around and not regulated by a certain mechanical principle. The Fathers accepted Plato’s concept because this concept is correspondent with God’s concept of Christianity. I say it again; this idea is not the idea ignoring this world but hermeneutics to see the deeper dimension of the world. It is the hermeneutics that “Five loaves and two fish” is connected with heaven from where the “Five loaves and two fish” came down.
Five loaves and two fish (15)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
Taking the “Five loaves and two fish” Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks. The heaven is God’s dwelling place and this is also the same place where the ultimate life is in store for us. “Five loaves and two fish” is the most familiar and commonly known topic in our daily life. However, when a man looks up to heaven holding the “Five loaves and two fish” its activity is closely connected to the ultimate life. The communication between a common daily life and the ultimate life is the very Christian Spirituality.
Our daily lives today have become a mere instrument to eat and live. Our 24 hours of thought and activities on earth are normally devoted only to action on how to earn money and lift up our own position. It is not easy to escape from such real world. And it is not proper to avoid the stark reality of this world. It is very clear that whatever we do in this world our action should be reflected to the ultimate life as long as we live as a Christians.
There would be many people who would like to live like that but could not follow it practically. I am also one of such people. It is not easy for me to let the ultimate life be a center of my life, the life in which the Holy Spirit leads. That may show my poor spirituality.
We have to live spiritually as far as possible, irrespective of our capability. It means we have to find out the way to communicate between our “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven where the ultimate life is hidden. What is it specifically?
It is our concentration on God as we pray ceaselessly. All other ways are temporary. When we concentrate on God, we heartily and reverently look up to heaven and pray with “Five loaves and two fish”.
Taking the “Five loaves and two fish” Jesus looked up to heaven and gave thanks. The heaven is God’s dwelling place and this is also the same place where the ultimate life is in store for us. “Five loaves and two fish” is the most familiar and commonly known topic in our daily life. However, when a man looks up to heaven holding the “Five loaves and two fish” its activity is closely connected to the ultimate life. The communication between a common daily life and the ultimate life is the very Christian Spirituality.
Our daily lives today have become a mere instrument to eat and live. Our 24 hours of thought and activities on earth are normally devoted only to action on how to earn money and lift up our own position. It is not easy to escape from such real world. And it is not proper to avoid the stark reality of this world. It is very clear that whatever we do in this world our action should be reflected to the ultimate life as long as we live as a Christians.
There would be many people who would like to live like that but could not follow it practically. I am also one of such people. It is not easy for me to let the ultimate life be a center of my life, the life in which the Holy Spirit leads. That may show my poor spirituality.
We have to live spiritually as far as possible, irrespective of our capability. It means we have to find out the way to communicate between our “Five loaves and two fish” and heaven where the ultimate life is hidden. What is it specifically?
It is our concentration on God as we pray ceaselessly. All other ways are temporary. When we concentrate on God, we heartily and reverently look up to heaven and pray with “Five loaves and two fish”.
Five loaves and two fish (14)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
Looking up to heaven, Jesus gave thanks to God. Given the “Five loaves and two fish”, God’s act, at our disposal, why can we not give thanks to God who blesses us with food now and even in the future? To say, the provision of “Five loaves and two fish” as God’s act, would also mean that this is a part of universal incident. Yes. A kernel of rice that looks insignificant is also a universal incident in accordance with God’s will. Those who seriously feel it would certainly give thanks to God.
The weight of our universe in our present life is incessantly getting reduced. Men hardly think about the universe which is far beyond our real world where we have to struggle for our survival. The trend of such thought would be highly fallacious. The entire realities seen before us are basically of universal incident. The Earth itself is a part of the universe. It signifies that the entire things and happenings on the earth are from the universe. I say again, our entire lives including “Five loaves and two fish” are basically parts of universal incidence.
If you feel that such level of understanding is too deep to penetrate, then think about where “Five loaves and two fish” have come from and the place where eat the five loaves and two fish, come from. Obviously it is the earth. Whether it a thing of beauty or a thing of ugliness, everything will turn to the same soil when they perish. The concept of beauty or ugliness is not found in the natural matter such as the soil of the earth which is a part of the universe.
If the “Five loaves and two fish” and we the people who have taken it are a part of universal happening, then holding the “Five loaves and two fish” we aught to look up and give thanks to God, the creator of all things.
Looking up to heaven, Jesus gave thanks to God. Given the “Five loaves and two fish”, God’s act, at our disposal, why can we not give thanks to God who blesses us with food now and even in the future? To say, the provision of “Five loaves and two fish” as God’s act, would also mean that this is a part of universal incident. Yes. A kernel of rice that looks insignificant is also a universal incident in accordance with God’s will. Those who seriously feel it would certainly give thanks to God.
The weight of our universe in our present life is incessantly getting reduced. Men hardly think about the universe which is far beyond our real world where we have to struggle for our survival. The trend of such thought would be highly fallacious. The entire realities seen before us are basically of universal incident. The Earth itself is a part of the universe. It signifies that the entire things and happenings on the earth are from the universe. I say again, our entire lives including “Five loaves and two fish” are basically parts of universal incidence.
If you feel that such level of understanding is too deep to penetrate, then think about where “Five loaves and two fish” have come from and the place where eat the five loaves and two fish, come from. Obviously it is the earth. Whether it a thing of beauty or a thing of ugliness, everything will turn to the same soil when they perish. The concept of beauty or ugliness is not found in the natural matter such as the soil of the earth which is a part of the universe.
If the “Five loaves and two fish” and we the people who have taken it are a part of universal happening, then holding the “Five loaves and two fish” we aught to look up and give thanks to God, the creator of all things.
20100319
Five loaves and two fish (13)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (Mark 6:41)
The practical expression of ‘Looking up to heaven’ would mean to outwardly to set one’s mind on the place where God dwells but internally it also means to give one’s mind to an ultimate mystery of life. Five loaves and two fish are more than a mere food material. This implies the mystery of life. Many Christian would know the meaning of mystery of life very well as it often referred to but many cannot fully understand the real meaning it carries.
Now we can maintain our life by eating something. Deeply think about its reason. Why can we not maintain our life if we do not eat? Everybody knows its physiological reason. As chewed food passes to the stomach and to the small intestine and the large intestine, and it changes into a nutriment which is necessary for our bodies. No life on earth can exist or live without having food. Even fungus is not excluded from such natural mechanism. The mode of food intake defers from one living being to another but basically all living things including plants need food in order to maintain their lives. Why should they depend on food for their survival? Is this the right system of life on earth?
According to Jesus’ teaching, we will be like angels at the time of resurrection where there will be no concern for eating and drinking. This teaching talks life the mechanism which is totally different from the life mechanism on earth. We should not consider our present system of life as the only absolute one in life. When we are aware of this fact, we come to know the preciousness of our life today. We come to know how marvelous fact it is to maintain our life by eating something. Those who truly acknowledge the certainty of this fact would look up with a thankful heart before taking the food. This would so happen because even to eat something is a mysterious thing.
The practical expression of ‘Looking up to heaven’ would mean to outwardly to set one’s mind on the place where God dwells but internally it also means to give one’s mind to an ultimate mystery of life. Five loaves and two fish are more than a mere food material. This implies the mystery of life. Many Christian would know the meaning of mystery of life very well as it often referred to but many cannot fully understand the real meaning it carries.
Now we can maintain our life by eating something. Deeply think about its reason. Why can we not maintain our life if we do not eat? Everybody knows its physiological reason. As chewed food passes to the stomach and to the small intestine and the large intestine, and it changes into a nutriment which is necessary for our bodies. No life on earth can exist or live without having food. Even fungus is not excluded from such natural mechanism. The mode of food intake defers from one living being to another but basically all living things including plants need food in order to maintain their lives. Why should they depend on food for their survival? Is this the right system of life on earth?
According to Jesus’ teaching, we will be like angels at the time of resurrection where there will be no concern for eating and drinking. This teaching talks life the mechanism which is totally different from the life mechanism on earth. We should not consider our present system of life as the only absolute one in life. When we are aware of this fact, we come to know the preciousness of our life today. We come to know how marvelous fact it is to maintain our life by eating something. Those who truly acknowledge the certainty of this fact would look up with a thankful heart before taking the food. This would so happen because even to eat something is a mysterious thing.
Five loaves and two fish (12)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.(Mark 6:41)
Jesus looked up to heaven holding “Five loaves and two fish”. Looking up to heaven is the same as looking up to God. The people of the ancient time thought that God dwells in heaven. In those days, when there were no scientific discoveries of the celestial world, they thought that heaven was a mysterious world. They thought God is in the mysterious space.
When I looked outside from my library, I found that half of my sight is the earth and the other half is the heaven. The earth consists of forest, field, a paddy field, village and mountains. Heaven keeps changing with the passage of time and with the change of the heavenly bodies. It is filled with cluster of clouds or indigo twilight or stars at night. We now roughly know the form of the heavens with the help of the information of space through physics, but the ancient world never knew anything about it. The ancient people did not have the access to heaven and know its information. Thunder, light, rain, meteor and cloud are the absolute celestial objects of mystery.
It would sound rather awkward if we have the notion that the ancient people are unenlightened. In support of this fact there are two reasons. First, the idea about heaven in the Bible concentrates on not heaven itself but more importantly on God. They were meeting God in their limitation of information that they knew. The other point is that our knowledge about space physics is not much better than ancient people. Our knowledge is always relative. Our knowledge seems a little better than our descendants. We cannot make the difference of quantity of knowledge as a criterion of God cognizance. So we also have to live today with a thanks giving heart by looking up to heaven.
Jesus looked up to heaven holding “Five loaves and two fish”. Looking up to heaven is the same as looking up to God. The people of the ancient time thought that God dwells in heaven. In those days, when there were no scientific discoveries of the celestial world, they thought that heaven was a mysterious world. They thought God is in the mysterious space.
When I looked outside from my library, I found that half of my sight is the earth and the other half is the heaven. The earth consists of forest, field, a paddy field, village and mountains. Heaven keeps changing with the passage of time and with the change of the heavenly bodies. It is filled with cluster of clouds or indigo twilight or stars at night. We now roughly know the form of the heavens with the help of the information of space through physics, but the ancient world never knew anything about it. The ancient people did not have the access to heaven and know its information. Thunder, light, rain, meteor and cloud are the absolute celestial objects of mystery.
It would sound rather awkward if we have the notion that the ancient people are unenlightened. In support of this fact there are two reasons. First, the idea about heaven in the Bible concentrates on not heaven itself but more importantly on God. They were meeting God in their limitation of information that they knew. The other point is that our knowledge about space physics is not much better than ancient people. Our knowledge is always relative. Our knowledge seems a little better than our descendants. We cannot make the difference of quantity of knowledge as a criterion of God cognizance. So we also have to live today with a thanks giving heart by looking up to heaven.
20100317
Five loaves and two fish (10)
Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. (Mark 6:39,40)
After receiving the five loaves and two fish, Jesus directed the disciples to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. Someone should a have proper seat for eating. Proper seat is necessity not only for the sake of comfort while eating but also for space adjustment with the crowd gathered in the particular region of the desert. Just imagine the scene. Thousands of people were sitting in groups on the green grass and probably Jesus was in the center of the crowd. Perhaps the glowing western sky of the evening set a beautiful background of the historic scene.
As we study further on, “Five loaves and two fish”, we find that it be related to the Eucharist. The Eucharist is placed in the center of Christian worship service. Then this “Five loaves and two fish” is a sort of worship in the desert. If we widen our theological imaginative power, the “Five loaves and two fish” is an introduction of a new worship service. Worship in the desert is the same with the worship in the temple. It is not sure whether the author agrees on this point but it will not be wrong even if we interpret it in this way. As God reveals, Bible can be interpreted on the same line of the author’s writing. However, it does not mean that all arbitrary and subjective interpretation will be possible.
The term “the people sit down in groups on the green grass” could signify the order of worship service. Yes. The Holy Spirit, the central focus of worship service is the spirit of freedom and order. Our worship service should maintain freedom and order at the same time. It does not mean the spirit of freedom rules over one part and the spirit of order on the other. Freedom and order are to be at work simultaneously. For example, hymnal and prayer have its own unique form and we experience the spiritual freedom in it. We have to retrospect the way we have conducted our worship service and see whether freedom and order functions in tandem with the way it should.
After receiving the five loaves and two fish, Jesus directed the disciples to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. Someone should a have proper seat for eating. Proper seat is necessity not only for the sake of comfort while eating but also for space adjustment with the crowd gathered in the particular region of the desert. Just imagine the scene. Thousands of people were sitting in groups on the green grass and probably Jesus was in the center of the crowd. Perhaps the glowing western sky of the evening set a beautiful background of the historic scene.
As we study further on, “Five loaves and two fish”, we find that it be related to the Eucharist. The Eucharist is placed in the center of Christian worship service. Then this “Five loaves and two fish” is a sort of worship in the desert. If we widen our theological imaginative power, the “Five loaves and two fish” is an introduction of a new worship service. Worship in the desert is the same with the worship in the temple. It is not sure whether the author agrees on this point but it will not be wrong even if we interpret it in this way. As God reveals, Bible can be interpreted on the same line of the author’s writing. However, it does not mean that all arbitrary and subjective interpretation will be possible.
The term “the people sit down in groups on the green grass” could signify the order of worship service. Yes. The Holy Spirit, the central focus of worship service is the spirit of freedom and order. Our worship service should maintain freedom and order at the same time. It does not mean the spirit of freedom rules over one part and the spirit of order on the other. Freedom and order are to be at work simultaneously. For example, hymnal and prayer have its own unique form and we experience the spiritual freedom in it. We have to retrospect the way we have conducted our worship service and see whether freedom and order functions in tandem with the way it should.
Five loaves and two fish (11)
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. (Mark 6:41)
Jesus took “Five loaves and two fish” and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks. The author keeps silent about the content of the thanksgiving. Was it similar to our normal way of thanks giving to God in prayer when we eat? Following the Jewish custom of prayer before meal, surely Jesus must have prayed, “Praise the Lord Jehovah, the King of the world!” As he continued, he must have prayed, “You made bread from the earth.”
There is no other more sincere prayer than the prayer made before a meal. The first act of a newly born baby is to breathe. A doctor normally beat buttocks of baby to give an impetus to take normal breath as it comes to the world. The baby has to leave the womb and its dependence on the mother in breathing so as to live in this world. After breathing, a baby instinctively sucks mother’s breast for a while. If there is no milk from his mom then a baby should beg for cow’s milk instead. As such, meal is highly essential for the sustenance of our life. Therefore food is also a holy aspect of God’s provision.
Think of an ape-man. They always suffer from the shortage of food. Except sleeping hour, most of their time is spent in preparing and searching for meal. This mode of life is similar with other wild animals. It is not long that we gave up such style of livelihood. Nowadays we give a formal prayer before each meal. Mere formality of prayer could be the result of our shallow understanding about the depth of life and the world. To understand the world in depth is to experience the intimate relation with the God, the creator. The intimate relationship with God heart is found in Jesus’ blessing.
Jesus took “Five loaves and two fish” and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks. The author keeps silent about the content of the thanksgiving. Was it similar to our normal way of thanks giving to God in prayer when we eat? Following the Jewish custom of prayer before meal, surely Jesus must have prayed, “Praise the Lord Jehovah, the King of the world!” As he continued, he must have prayed, “You made bread from the earth.”
There is no other more sincere prayer than the prayer made before a meal. The first act of a newly born baby is to breathe. A doctor normally beat buttocks of baby to give an impetus to take normal breath as it comes to the world. The baby has to leave the womb and its dependence on the mother in breathing so as to live in this world. After breathing, a baby instinctively sucks mother’s breast for a while. If there is no milk from his mom then a baby should beg for cow’s milk instead. As such, meal is highly essential for the sustenance of our life. Therefore food is also a holy aspect of God’s provision.
Think of an ape-man. They always suffer from the shortage of food. Except sleeping hour, most of their time is spent in preparing and searching for meal. This mode of life is similar with other wild animals. It is not long that we gave up such style of livelihood. Nowadays we give a formal prayer before each meal. Mere formality of prayer could be the result of our shallow understanding about the depth of life and the world. To understand the world in depth is to experience the intimate relation with the God, the creator. The intimate relationship with God heart is found in Jesus’ blessing.
Five loaves and two fish (9)
"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish." (Mark 6:38)
In the given topic, “Five loaves and two fish” we need to give attention not only to the five loaves but also to the two fish. We do not know exactly whether it was some pieces of cooked salted fish or some fried ones or simply dried ones. However, it is very clear that those fish have swum in the Sea of Galilee sometime ago. Were they so unfortunate for this destiny? They were fished by a fisherman and now became a part of the “Five loaves and two fish”.
A fairy tale writer may write a beautiful story out of this incident by making the two fish as heroes. For our convenience sake, let us call this fish “Cyprinus carpio”; one the elder brother and the other younger sister. They were inquisitive brothers and sisters. Though their parents repeatedly cautioned them about the danger of net dropped down by man, they could not resist their curiosity to go to the center of the lake where many other friends also came out to play. Eventually they were caught in Peter’s net. They were then salted for a while and sold to someone and now are they are being served as lunch in the desert where Jesus was teaching the kingdom of God. There among the crowd was Peter who caught them.
Throughout my lifetime, this world remains a very strange and mysterious place to live in. Sometimes cause and effect in this world appear to have correlation with each other but sometimes they do contradict. This face of contradiction shows that the visible phenomenon is founded in depth that we cannot understand the reality of its nature of existence. How can we explain the complete story which was intricately woven in the two fish? Nobody can fathom the depth of existence and nature of its connectivity. Such expanse of knowledge would be the domain of God and God himself. Oh, what a little thing do we know now?
In the given topic, “Five loaves and two fish” we need to give attention not only to the five loaves but also to the two fish. We do not know exactly whether it was some pieces of cooked salted fish or some fried ones or simply dried ones. However, it is very clear that those fish have swum in the Sea of Galilee sometime ago. Were they so unfortunate for this destiny? They were fished by a fisherman and now became a part of the “Five loaves and two fish”.
A fairy tale writer may write a beautiful story out of this incident by making the two fish as heroes. For our convenience sake, let us call this fish “Cyprinus carpio”; one the elder brother and the other younger sister. They were inquisitive brothers and sisters. Though their parents repeatedly cautioned them about the danger of net dropped down by man, they could not resist their curiosity to go to the center of the lake where many other friends also came out to play. Eventually they were caught in Peter’s net. They were then salted for a while and sold to someone and now are they are being served as lunch in the desert where Jesus was teaching the kingdom of God. There among the crowd was Peter who caught them.
Throughout my lifetime, this world remains a very strange and mysterious place to live in. Sometimes cause and effect in this world appear to have correlation with each other but sometimes they do contradict. This face of contradiction shows that the visible phenomenon is founded in depth that we cannot understand the reality of its nature of existence. How can we explain the complete story which was intricately woven in the two fish? Nobody can fathom the depth of existence and nature of its connectivity. Such expanse of knowledge would be the domain of God and God himself. Oh, what a little thing do we know now?
Five loaves and two fish (8)
Five loaves and two fish (8)
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
Passing through a number of hands invisibly, the five loaves and two fish finally came to Jesus who was teaching the kingdom of God in the desert. In the process of this incident, not only the hands of different people involved but also much more importantly some fundamental elements did. It is true and generally acceptable.
Bread is made from wheat flour. Wheat flour is made by grinding wheat. Wheat grows in the wheat field. What has been the life giving force to the wheat plant till it reaches the stage where a kernel of wheat is fully developed to bear good fruit? The earth is the foundation of the entire life incidence. Wheat grows by taking its root in the ground which includes proper absorption of water and bacteria. It also needs air like nitrogen though it is a minor requirement. The lives play on the ground of the earth like an orchestra.
The same thing happens on the ground. Will the new sprouted wheat shoot first meet morning dew or fog or a butterfly or a bird as it comes out of the ground? A shoot begins to meet a totally new world by sprouting out of the ground. Imagine how it would be on the day of raptures. We may have such unprecedented experience when we are resurrected. A shoot receives the sun’s ray which is never known in the ground. The presence of the ray of the sun is indirectly felt in the ground but now the newly sprouted shoots of the wheat face it directly.
This interface between two natural bodies is like a couple who meet face to face after sharing their sweet heart love through letters. The process of photosynthesis and assimilation of carbon would make a shoot of the wheat feel a sense of dramatic transformation in the process of its growth. Going through different phases of changes in its life, a kernel of wheat finally bears abundant fruit. Such long and unseen process is hidden in five loaves and two fish. It is really a marvelous universal life incident truly taking place on the earth.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
Passing through a number of hands invisibly, the five loaves and two fish finally came to Jesus who was teaching the kingdom of God in the desert. In the process of this incident, not only the hands of different people involved but also much more importantly some fundamental elements did. It is true and generally acceptable.
Bread is made from wheat flour. Wheat flour is made by grinding wheat. Wheat grows in the wheat field. What has been the life giving force to the wheat plant till it reaches the stage where a kernel of wheat is fully developed to bear good fruit? The earth is the foundation of the entire life incidence. Wheat grows by taking its root in the ground which includes proper absorption of water and bacteria. It also needs air like nitrogen though it is a minor requirement. The lives play on the ground of the earth like an orchestra.
The same thing happens on the ground. Will the new sprouted wheat shoot first meet morning dew or fog or a butterfly or a bird as it comes out of the ground? A shoot begins to meet a totally new world by sprouting out of the ground. Imagine how it would be on the day of raptures. We may have such unprecedented experience when we are resurrected. A shoot receives the sun’s ray which is never known in the ground. The presence of the ray of the sun is indirectly felt in the ground but now the newly sprouted shoots of the wheat face it directly.
This interface between two natural bodies is like a couple who meet face to face after sharing their sweet heart love through letters. The process of photosynthesis and assimilation of carbon would make a shoot of the wheat feel a sense of dramatic transformation in the process of its growth. Going through different phases of changes in its life, a kernel of wheat finally bears abundant fruit. Such long and unseen process is hidden in five loaves and two fish. It is really a marvelous universal life incident truly taking place on the earth.
Five loaves and two fish (7)
Five loaves and two fish (7)
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
Now just imagine how the five loaves and two fish might have passed through a number of hands before it was finally handed over to Jesus by a disciple. The owner of the five loaves and two fish might have handed over it to a disciple standing closest to him. The previous night that person might have told his wife, “I would like to go to Jesus, and could you prepare something for it?” It is uncertain whether his wife willingly or reluctantly prepared the “Five loaves and two fish” for her husband.
We can weave this story further. Through the power of imagination we can add some more creative inputs to this story. The wife who was requested by her husband to prepare food might be in agony in many ways. How could she prepare food under the situation of barely managing to stay alive with the aid of herb-roots and tree-barks? However, she could not decline the insistence of her husband who was to take a long-awaited precious trip. She might have borrowed five loaves and two fish from a neighbor who were close to her family. She might have told her husband, “Honey, I don’t know who Jesus is but go and meet him if you really want to meet him. Here I’ve prepared five loaves and two fish.”
Here five loaves and two fish which were placed before Jesus through the disciples’ hand had come after passing through many hands. It was the hands of his wife and a neighboring woman. Going still a little further it might have reached a baker and a fishmonger. Likewise the fabric of living is connected like net. Nobody or nothing exists independently. Any visible thing or any incident that is revealed in our sight contains in it someone or some story that we never be able to follow. If we do not consider these things, the essence of our living would be nothing but a superficial experience.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
Now just imagine how the five loaves and two fish might have passed through a number of hands before it was finally handed over to Jesus by a disciple. The owner of the five loaves and two fish might have handed over it to a disciple standing closest to him. The previous night that person might have told his wife, “I would like to go to Jesus, and could you prepare something for it?” It is uncertain whether his wife willingly or reluctantly prepared the “Five loaves and two fish” for her husband.
We can weave this story further. Through the power of imagination we can add some more creative inputs to this story. The wife who was requested by her husband to prepare food might be in agony in many ways. How could she prepare food under the situation of barely managing to stay alive with the aid of herb-roots and tree-barks? However, she could not decline the insistence of her husband who was to take a long-awaited precious trip. She might have borrowed five loaves and two fish from a neighbor who were close to her family. She might have told her husband, “Honey, I don’t know who Jesus is but go and meet him if you really want to meet him. Here I’ve prepared five loaves and two fish.”
Here five loaves and two fish which were placed before Jesus through the disciples’ hand had come after passing through many hands. It was the hands of his wife and a neighboring woman. Going still a little further it might have reached a baker and a fishmonger. Likewise the fabric of living is connected like net. Nobody or nothing exists independently. Any visible thing or any incident that is revealed in our sight contains in it someone or some story that we never be able to follow. If we do not consider these things, the essence of our living would be nothing but a superficial experience.
Five loaves and two fish (6)
Five loaves and two fish (6)
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
It looks strange that they had only five loaves and two fish when this historic incident happened in that particular place where a crowd of five thousand people gathered. In the ancient times, there was no fast food shop or hawkers. So people used to take with them food and drink wherever they go. It sounds reasonable that some people could have forgotten to carry their food but it would be highly incredible if we are given to understand that there were only five loaves and two fish with a person in the mammoth gathering. There could be a hidden fact that the author of the Bible did not wish to describe the reality. Such facts will be dealt with at length in the following meditations; and as of now I would like to point out the situation itself.
There are a great number of people but only a few did the needful work in the very hour of great need. This picture of laudable work done by a few could also be applied to the movement of the kingdom of God. Five thousand people gathered there but non of them did not have the far-sighted understanding of the impending grave need of the huge crowd. History flows in this way.
There might be some people who did not take out their food initially out of their stinginess, but mostly they did not know what exactly ‘Five loaves and two fish’ was all about. What does the “Five loaves and two fish” mean to us? What is the insignificant thing in us that could do some incredible and laudable thing for us? People may not be able to do this. Out of what we have, there is always a possibility to make it the “Five loaves and two fish”. Once it is revealed its reality at the proper place and time it could produce marvelous power.
Is it not the very Christian faith, the discerning power to bring out five loaves and two fish at the proper place and time? I hope our entire life would replete with incidents of such five loaves and two fish. I pray I may see it.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
It looks strange that they had only five loaves and two fish when this historic incident happened in that particular place where a crowd of five thousand people gathered. In the ancient times, there was no fast food shop or hawkers. So people used to take with them food and drink wherever they go. It sounds reasonable that some people could have forgotten to carry their food but it would be highly incredible if we are given to understand that there were only five loaves and two fish with a person in the mammoth gathering. There could be a hidden fact that the author of the Bible did not wish to describe the reality. Such facts will be dealt with at length in the following meditations; and as of now I would like to point out the situation itself.
There are a great number of people but only a few did the needful work in the very hour of great need. This picture of laudable work done by a few could also be applied to the movement of the kingdom of God. Five thousand people gathered there but non of them did not have the far-sighted understanding of the impending grave need of the huge crowd. History flows in this way.
There might be some people who did not take out their food initially out of their stinginess, but mostly they did not know what exactly ‘Five loaves and two fish’ was all about. What does the “Five loaves and two fish” mean to us? What is the insignificant thing in us that could do some incredible and laudable thing for us? People may not be able to do this. Out of what we have, there is always a possibility to make it the “Five loaves and two fish”. Once it is revealed its reality at the proper place and time it could produce marvelous power.
Is it not the very Christian faith, the discerning power to bring out five loaves and two fish at the proper place and time? I hope our entire life would replete with incidents of such five loaves and two fish. I pray I may see it.
Five loaves and two fish (5)
Five loaves and two fish (5)
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
When Jesus enquired how many loaves they had, the disciples checked with the people gathered there and found five loaves and two fish. Jesus talked only about bread but the disciples tried to find out fish too. The place where people were gathering was near Galilean lake and they might some dried fish scattered around them. When we think deeply, we learn that the Earth is really a mysterious planet. It produces abundant food materials for us to eat and many other things for our livelihood.
We eat corn, potato and bread. According to a farmer who collects it from a field, a corn produces a stalk and a stalk has a pair of ear corn. An ear corn has around three or four hundred corns. In this case, a corn multiplies seven hundred times. A Potato also multiplies at least 100 times. Fish also has the mighty power of reproduction. Fish like yellow corvine, mackerel and hairtail lays eggs thousands and thousands at a time. It is really a marvelous power of production.
On earth there are frequent incidents like the miracle of “Five loaves and two fish”. Though the same incidents of supernatural phenomena shown in the gospel do not exactly happen, there exists the natural power of the earth which shows its strength of productivity. In this connection, there is no distinction between naturalness and super-naturalness.
Though the Earth has such a marvelous power of productivity, why are many people in the world still starving? Let us hand over such socio-scientific analysis into the hand of a specialist. However, to say it in the theological and biblical point of view, rampant miseries in the world continue to linger because very often we behave like the landlord or the Creator ignoring the ownership and authority of the Creator God.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
When Jesus enquired how many loaves they had, the disciples checked with the people gathered there and found five loaves and two fish. Jesus talked only about bread but the disciples tried to find out fish too. The place where people were gathering was near Galilean lake and they might some dried fish scattered around them. When we think deeply, we learn that the Earth is really a mysterious planet. It produces abundant food materials for us to eat and many other things for our livelihood.
We eat corn, potato and bread. According to a farmer who collects it from a field, a corn produces a stalk and a stalk has a pair of ear corn. An ear corn has around three or four hundred corns. In this case, a corn multiplies seven hundred times. A Potato also multiplies at least 100 times. Fish also has the mighty power of reproduction. Fish like yellow corvine, mackerel and hairtail lays eggs thousands and thousands at a time. It is really a marvelous power of production.
On earth there are frequent incidents like the miracle of “Five loaves and two fish”. Though the same incidents of supernatural phenomena shown in the gospel do not exactly happen, there exists the natural power of the earth which shows its strength of productivity. In this connection, there is no distinction between naturalness and super-naturalness.
Though the Earth has such a marvelous power of productivity, why are many people in the world still starving? Let us hand over such socio-scientific analysis into the hand of a specialist. However, to say it in the theological and biblical point of view, rampant miseries in the world continue to linger because very often we behave like the landlord or the Creator ignoring the ownership and authority of the Creator God.
Five loaves and two fish (4)
Five loaves and two fish (4)
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.” (Mark 6:38)
In the preceding meditation it is mentioned that the five loaves and two fish newly shine with Jesus. It is the right moment to change things into holiness. Can the things in the world really give off holy light? The things in this monotonous world generally look insignificant in our eyes. If something gives off holy light, it should be considered as something different and unique but these things appear quite normal.
We do not normally catch the holy light produced by the things in the world because we do not have such holy eyes to see. Our eyes always fall on to mannerism. We have the static natural perception that mountains should always there standing tall and river should always flow and a neem tree should remain green all the time. We cannot see the other dimension of these visible things because our eyes are so accustomed to the set up of this world.
The other dimension is the cosmological depth in which all the things in the world are well connected with each other. There is a fairy tale entitled, “Doggy poop” written by Mr. Jungsang Kown who had expired recently. Doggies poop is also a part of this universe. If there is no such doggy poop, then there is no universe either. The reason being, Doggy poop becomes a food material for some insects and then again return to the soil. It communicates with the universe in a unique way. The existence of doggy poop was made possible in this universe which accepts it. Now it is evident that doggy poop and this universe are part and parcel of the same body.
Here are five loaves and two fish in the hands of the disciple. It was a tiny thing for the disciple but it is also a part of the creator God. If it belongs to the creator God, it eventually belongs to a cosmic realm. Yes. The eyes that see the things of the creationism are the same holy eyes that see things see things in a different way. The five loaves and two fish look shinny in holiness and they are true as they are in the eyes of the beholders.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.” (Mark 6:38)
In the preceding meditation it is mentioned that the five loaves and two fish newly shine with Jesus. It is the right moment to change things into holiness. Can the things in the world really give off holy light? The things in this monotonous world generally look insignificant in our eyes. If something gives off holy light, it should be considered as something different and unique but these things appear quite normal.
We do not normally catch the holy light produced by the things in the world because we do not have such holy eyes to see. Our eyes always fall on to mannerism. We have the static natural perception that mountains should always there standing tall and river should always flow and a neem tree should remain green all the time. We cannot see the other dimension of these visible things because our eyes are so accustomed to the set up of this world.
The other dimension is the cosmological depth in which all the things in the world are well connected with each other. There is a fairy tale entitled, “Doggy poop” written by Mr. Jungsang Kown who had expired recently. Doggies poop is also a part of this universe. If there is no such doggy poop, then there is no universe either. The reason being, Doggy poop becomes a food material for some insects and then again return to the soil. It communicates with the universe in a unique way. The existence of doggy poop was made possible in this universe which accepts it. Now it is evident that doggy poop and this universe are part and parcel of the same body.
Here are five loaves and two fish in the hands of the disciple. It was a tiny thing for the disciple but it is also a part of the creator God. If it belongs to the creator God, it eventually belongs to a cosmic realm. Yes. The eyes that see the things of the creationism are the same holy eyes that see things see things in a different way. The five loaves and two fish look shinny in holiness and they are true as they are in the eyes of the beholders.
Five loaves and two fish (3)
Five loaves and two fish (3)
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
The disciples replied saying that they had only “Five loaves and two fish” with a visible facial expression that the quantity they had was worthless. This is our human’s epistemological limitation. What can we do with only “Five loaves and two fish”? We have to change this kind of mentality. We have but “Five loaves and two fish”. The difference between two sentences is the addition of the word “only” and “but”. However, there is a big gap of difference in the expression.
A saying goes, “a wise man remains wise even while he is drinking but a fool regrets for having got drunk with wine.” They face the same situation but think differently. How wonderful is this? There exists something now. Though it would be relatively inferior to other thing, it is a marvelous incident if we see from the point of its unique existence. Whether it is a tiny thing or big thing, both exists at the same time having the same value of existence. The outward appearance of the existence of anything in the world can not give us the purpose and meaning of its existence.
If I am an artist I would like to draw the picture of the “Five loaves and two fish” that the disciples had brought to Jesus. Though it is a small quantity it clearly shows the concrete presence and availability at that point of time. It shines with the light of life. The things lying on my table shows their existence and thus they shine. DVD of Poumai gospel album, mobile phone, hymn book, the Bible, a wooden pencil case, tissue paper, computer and etc, all these things shine in their own unique way.
Above all in the field, there was Jesus who is the source of all things that come into existence. Now with the confirmation and credibility of its existence being exhibited in their bodily form, even the tiny thing of the world has deeper meaning of its existence than just it appears to be.
“How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five--and two fish.”(Mark 6:38)
The disciples replied saying that they had only “Five loaves and two fish” with a visible facial expression that the quantity they had was worthless. This is our human’s epistemological limitation. What can we do with only “Five loaves and two fish”? We have to change this kind of mentality. We have but “Five loaves and two fish”. The difference between two sentences is the addition of the word “only” and “but”. However, there is a big gap of difference in the expression.
A saying goes, “a wise man remains wise even while he is drinking but a fool regrets for having got drunk with wine.” They face the same situation but think differently. How wonderful is this? There exists something now. Though it would be relatively inferior to other thing, it is a marvelous incident if we see from the point of its unique existence. Whether it is a tiny thing or big thing, both exists at the same time having the same value of existence. The outward appearance of the existence of anything in the world can not give us the purpose and meaning of its existence.
If I am an artist I would like to draw the picture of the “Five loaves and two fish” that the disciples had brought to Jesus. Though it is a small quantity it clearly shows the concrete presence and availability at that point of time. It shines with the light of life. The things lying on my table shows their existence and thus they shine. DVD of Poumai gospel album, mobile phone, hymn book, the Bible, a wooden pencil case, tissue paper, computer and etc, all these things shine in their own unique way.
Above all in the field, there was Jesus who is the source of all things that come into existence. Now with the confirmation and credibility of its existence being exhibited in their bodily form, even the tiny thing of the world has deeper meaning of its existence than just it appears to be.
Five loaves and two fishes (2)
Five loaves and two fishes (2)
"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish." (Mark 6:38)
When Jesus told the disciples to find out how many loaves they had they found out and told Jesus that they had “Five loaves and two fish.” The crust of the totality of Jesus public ministry would be the “Five loaves and two fish”. This event is significant because this incident not only solves the problem of starving masses but it also revealed Jesus’ supernatural power.
The quantity of the “Five loaves and two fish” is not much for eating. It might have been brought only by some. Other gospel says a child brought it. However, the disciples found the “Five loaves and two fish” from someone. This was to say that they found out.
What was the disciples’ feeling when they talked about “Five loaves and two fish” to Jesus? They were the people who calculated that the quantity of food so required would cost 200 denari. According to the disciples five loaves and two fish would be too insignificant to solve the fundamental problem of anything. If they convert the value of the present available food in term of money, it would not be even a half denarius. This small quantity of food cannot practically solve the problem of the masses. The disciples’ “Five loaves and two fish” signifies their miserable state of despair.
Would not our situation be similar to this state of helplessness? What we need is two hundred denari but what we have in our hand is just a half of a denarius or just one tenth of denarius. Look at the situation we live in. There are many starving masses in the world. Afghanistan and Pakistan consider starving people in rural areas; Haiti earthquake and Chile earthquake demand two hundred denari. However, we individuals do not have any ability to solve any of these problems. What do we do with “Five loaves and two fish”?
"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish." (Mark 6:38)
When Jesus told the disciples to find out how many loaves they had they found out and told Jesus that they had “Five loaves and two fish.” The crust of the totality of Jesus public ministry would be the “Five loaves and two fish”. This event is significant because this incident not only solves the problem of starving masses but it also revealed Jesus’ supernatural power.
The quantity of the “Five loaves and two fish” is not much for eating. It might have been brought only by some. Other gospel says a child brought it. However, the disciples found the “Five loaves and two fish” from someone. This was to say that they found out.
What was the disciples’ feeling when they talked about “Five loaves and two fish” to Jesus? They were the people who calculated that the quantity of food so required would cost 200 denari. According to the disciples five loaves and two fish would be too insignificant to solve the fundamental problem of anything. If they convert the value of the present available food in term of money, it would not be even a half denarius. This small quantity of food cannot practically solve the problem of the masses. The disciples’ “Five loaves and two fish” signifies their miserable state of despair.
Would not our situation be similar to this state of helplessness? What we need is two hundred denari but what we have in our hand is just a half of a denarius or just one tenth of denarius. Look at the situation we live in. There are many starving masses in the world. Afghanistan and Pakistan consider starving people in rural areas; Haiti earthquake and Chile earthquake demand two hundred denari. However, we individuals do not have any ability to solve any of these problems. What do we do with “Five loaves and two fish”?
Five loaves and two fish (1)
Five loaves and two fish (1)
"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish." (Mark 6:38)
See carefully the dialogue between Jesus and his disciples. The disciples said, “Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."
Jesus said, "You give them something to eat."
The disciples again said, “Do you mean that we have to buy two hundred denari’ valued loaves?” Jesus said, “Go and see. How many loaves do you have?"
The disciples said, “Five loaves and two fish.”
Jesus commanded the disciples to find out how many loaves they had. After knowing this they could device a measure. The word of Jesus has a significant spiritual meaning. We always think we have nothing. We usually worry and anxious about anything beforehand.
Universal gift in one way or the other from God is an important theological aspect in Christianity. Everybody receives their own gifts from God. God does not heap up all the gifts on a person but gives it to everybody universally. Most people miss this important fact and easily conclude that they do not receive excellent gift as others do in their lives. People view that certain gifts are exclusively excellent. However, as a matter of fact, gifts are not graded in that way. Every gift is precious because God is the source of all the gifts.
Jesus tells us to find out how many loaves we have. Those who do not find out this may lose what they have at hand. Where do we find out the gifts? It is the responsibility of each individual. Certain gifts that are to be used in accomplishing the kingdom of God in the world are hidden somewhere in our life like the treasures buried in the field. If we want to find it out, we must first forget about the fantasy of two hundred denari. In all simplicity, first we must try to find out what you have in the field of your spiritual land.
"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish." (Mark 6:38)
See carefully the dialogue between Jesus and his disciples. The disciples said, “Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."
Jesus said, "You give them something to eat."
The disciples again said, “Do you mean that we have to buy two hundred denari’ valued loaves?” Jesus said, “Go and see. How many loaves do you have?"
The disciples said, “Five loaves and two fish.”
Jesus commanded the disciples to find out how many loaves they had. After knowing this they could device a measure. The word of Jesus has a significant spiritual meaning. We always think we have nothing. We usually worry and anxious about anything beforehand.
Universal gift in one way or the other from God is an important theological aspect in Christianity. Everybody receives their own gifts from God. God does not heap up all the gifts on a person but gives it to everybody universally. Most people miss this important fact and easily conclude that they do not receive excellent gift as others do in their lives. People view that certain gifts are exclusively excellent. However, as a matter of fact, gifts are not graded in that way. Every gift is precious because God is the source of all the gifts.
Jesus tells us to find out how many loaves we have. Those who do not find out this may lose what they have at hand. Where do we find out the gifts? It is the responsibility of each individual. Certain gifts that are to be used in accomplishing the kingdom of God in the world are hidden somewhere in our life like the treasures buried in the field. If we want to find it out, we must first forget about the fantasy of two hundred denari. In all simplicity, first we must try to find out what you have in the field of your spiritual land.
20100227
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (20)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (20)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
So far we have had the 19th meditation on “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” We have studied enough meditations on this particular subject that we could stop here. I am convinced that it would be a better idea if we conclude this particular subject with Paul’s confession that I quoted in the last part of the foregoing meditation.
The phrases “height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation” reflect all the trials and suffering that we have to go through in this world. In most cases, money and power enslave us and eventually destroy our lives. How often do we encounter with unwholesome incidents in our daily life. When we face such unavoidable stark realities of life, we are bound to get discouragement and disappointment that lead us to unstoppable despair. To worsen, we even begin to lose our trust in God.
However, Paul says in any case, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. We can find and experience this love in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is not a romantic love. Love is basically the power of life. It is the power of creation and the power of completion of creation. It is also the resource of resurrection.
Is the utterance of Jesus on the cross a cry of his love? Is it not incredible? His cry is impossible without an absolute trust in God. Based on this trust, Jesus could accept his death on the cross. Jesus obeyed God even to the point of throwing himself into the desperate situation of being forsaken by God. That cross is the mark love. It is so paradoxical but the capability of enduring the pain of abandonment from God is the power of love. Because of Jesus’ unfathomable love, we could experience God’s love even when living in this futile world. Because of his love we can praise God in the midst of this life process. Amen.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
So far we have had the 19th meditation on “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” We have studied enough meditations on this particular subject that we could stop here. I am convinced that it would be a better idea if we conclude this particular subject with Paul’s confession that I quoted in the last part of the foregoing meditation.
The phrases “height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation” reflect all the trials and suffering that we have to go through in this world. In most cases, money and power enslave us and eventually destroy our lives. How often do we encounter with unwholesome incidents in our daily life. When we face such unavoidable stark realities of life, we are bound to get discouragement and disappointment that lead us to unstoppable despair. To worsen, we even begin to lose our trust in God.
However, Paul says in any case, nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God. We can find and experience this love in Christ Jesus our Lord. This is not a romantic love. Love is basically the power of life. It is the power of creation and the power of completion of creation. It is also the resource of resurrection.
Is the utterance of Jesus on the cross a cry of his love? Is it not incredible? His cry is impossible without an absolute trust in God. Based on this trust, Jesus could accept his death on the cross. Jesus obeyed God even to the point of throwing himself into the desperate situation of being forsaken by God. That cross is the mark love. It is so paradoxical but the capability of enduring the pain of abandonment from God is the power of love. Because of Jesus’ unfathomable love, we could experience God’s love even when living in this futile world. Because of his love we can praise God in the midst of this life process. Amen.
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (19)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (19)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
Earlier we have discussed about the death of God in the modern theological and philosophical viewpoint. The report of the gospel writer who points out how the son of God cried out, “Why are you forsaken me?” perplexes us. It sounds nonsense and incredible that the Son of God is forsaken by God. Christian faith begins from such position of nonsense. Jesus’ resurrection is nonsense as we are bound to this worldly experimentalism.
Being nonsense does not mean that Christian faith is founded on an illogical and irrational base. It basically premises the fundamental situation that the creature cannot completely comprehend the total activity of the creator. It also means the existence of God is mystery to us. We who are bound to a point of history cannot positively cognize God who will completely reveal himself at the end of the world. God’s salvation incident can be nonsense in our epistemological level.
However, we can find out God’s deeper grace of salvation in his desperate cry, “Why have you forsaken me?” The God whom we believe and wait is the forsaken one. He is the one who went down to the lowest position of the world. If the resurrection life starts from there, then everyone in the world can be saved.
This cry also points out for us an important fact. God’s salvation takes place in the situation where there is complete forsakenness. God demonstrates his power of salvation in the desperate situation of man’s eyes. This utmost inhuman torture and nightmare has actually happened in the life of Jesus. Then what are we to be afraid of? Listen to the confession of Paul who says, “…neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Rom. 8:39)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
Earlier we have discussed about the death of God in the modern theological and philosophical viewpoint. The report of the gospel writer who points out how the son of God cried out, “Why are you forsaken me?” perplexes us. It sounds nonsense and incredible that the Son of God is forsaken by God. Christian faith begins from such position of nonsense. Jesus’ resurrection is nonsense as we are bound to this worldly experimentalism.
Being nonsense does not mean that Christian faith is founded on an illogical and irrational base. It basically premises the fundamental situation that the creature cannot completely comprehend the total activity of the creator. It also means the existence of God is mystery to us. We who are bound to a point of history cannot positively cognize God who will completely reveal himself at the end of the world. God’s salvation incident can be nonsense in our epistemological level.
However, we can find out God’s deeper grace of salvation in his desperate cry, “Why have you forsaken me?” The God whom we believe and wait is the forsaken one. He is the one who went down to the lowest position of the world. If the resurrection life starts from there, then everyone in the world can be saved.
This cry also points out for us an important fact. God’s salvation takes place in the situation where there is complete forsakenness. God demonstrates his power of salvation in the desperate situation of man’s eyes. This utmost inhuman torture and nightmare has actually happened in the life of Jesus. Then what are we to be afraid of? Listen to the confession of Paul who says, “…neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Rom. 8:39)
20100224
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (18)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (18)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
Bonhoeffe’s statement, “Without God before God!” is similar to the aphorism of Nietzsche who says, “God is dead”. Many Christians accept Bonhoeffe but regard Nietzsche as an atheist and the head of anti-Christianity. In my opinion, we do not need to him that way. If his word is an eye-opener for us to see our fault, we should be rather thankful to him.
Nietzsche’s “God is dead” or “The will to nothing” does not demolish the entire foundation rather pursue much more positive side of the world through such nihilism. He made an affirmation of life a superman rather than God, eternal recurrence instead of immortality, the will to power instead of good and truth. Nietzsche’s nihilism promoted a downfall of pre-existing order and contains a positive momentum to overcome it through the will to power. At this point, his ‘nihility’ has an ambivalent meaning. Negative meaning is to dissect a moral system of Christianity and the other positive meaning is to initiate a new life. Listen to Pannenberg’s explanation for this.
“The fact of Nietzsche’s inclination toward atheism suggests his abhorrence to Protestant’s penitential tendency and when we look the fact, we can understand his mysterious phenomena that he never uses his intellect to prove modern atheism or did not try those social conditions. The virtue of honesty he had been so proud of was, in fact, pursued one-sidedly and also partially. Such fact is necessary to be explained as I hinted earlier. Despite this, Christianity should give thank to be broken of mirror for which Nietzsche used to criticize Christianity. Christianity should not overlook the advice that religious piety of Christianity could lead to wrong direction.”(Theology and philosophy, 385)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
Bonhoeffe’s statement, “Without God before God!” is similar to the aphorism of Nietzsche who says, “God is dead”. Many Christians accept Bonhoeffe but regard Nietzsche as an atheist and the head of anti-Christianity. In my opinion, we do not need to him that way. If his word is an eye-opener for us to see our fault, we should be rather thankful to him.
Nietzsche’s “God is dead” or “The will to nothing” does not demolish the entire foundation rather pursue much more positive side of the world through such nihilism. He made an affirmation of life a superman rather than God, eternal recurrence instead of immortality, the will to power instead of good and truth. Nietzsche’s nihilism promoted a downfall of pre-existing order and contains a positive momentum to overcome it through the will to power. At this point, his ‘nihility’ has an ambivalent meaning. Negative meaning is to dissect a moral system of Christianity and the other positive meaning is to initiate a new life. Listen to Pannenberg’s explanation for this.
“The fact of Nietzsche’s inclination toward atheism suggests his abhorrence to Protestant’s penitential tendency and when we look the fact, we can understand his mysterious phenomena that he never uses his intellect to prove modern atheism or did not try those social conditions. The virtue of honesty he had been so proud of was, in fact, pursued one-sidedly and also partially. Such fact is necessary to be explained as I hinted earlier. Despite this, Christianity should give thank to be broken of mirror for which Nietzsche used to criticize Christianity. Christianity should not overlook the advice that religious piety of Christianity could lead to wrong direction.”(Theology and philosophy, 385)
The parable of the tenants (3)
The parable of the tenants (3)
But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (Mark 12:3)
The kingdom of God is the dominant theme in most of parables narrated by Jesus. Some of the parables are: The parable of mustard (Mark 4:30-32), the parable of the wedding banquet (Matt. 22:1-10), the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7), the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32) etc.
Jesus teaches us the kingdom of heaven through parables because we cannot easily understand its meaning. The kingdom of heaven indicates God. God exists as the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of heaven indicates the rule of God. God, the kingdom of heaven and the rule of God have the same concept. Just as we cannot look at the sun directly so we cannot also understand the kingdom of God directly.
The word we cannot recognize God or the kingdom heaven and his rule imply two meanings at the same time. First, God is not a definite object of existence. It means God is opened in eschatological. Second, God is a perfect being as he is. It means God includes the entire history including the end when the universal history will decide. How can we describe such almighty God with our limited word?
The parable of the tenants in this text explains not only about the kingdom of heaven but also points out the disobedience of the high priest, the scribes and the elders, representative of Israel. So there is a detailed description and anyone can easily understand the content of the parable. It may be compared with people’s unawareness of the parable of the kingdom of God.
However, verse 3 says that the tenants seize him, beat him and send him away empty-handed. It is a serious violence against an innocent. It is not important to discuss on this matter at length because such things often happened in the history of humankind. It is a question for us to ask, “What duration of revolution is required for human to give up violence?”
But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. (Mark 12:3)
The kingdom of God is the dominant theme in most of parables narrated by Jesus. Some of the parables are: The parable of mustard (Mark 4:30-32), the parable of the wedding banquet (Matt. 22:1-10), the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:1-7), the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32) etc.
Jesus teaches us the kingdom of heaven through parables because we cannot easily understand its meaning. The kingdom of heaven indicates God. God exists as the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of heaven indicates the rule of God. God, the kingdom of heaven and the rule of God have the same concept. Just as we cannot look at the sun directly so we cannot also understand the kingdom of God directly.
The word we cannot recognize God or the kingdom heaven and his rule imply two meanings at the same time. First, God is not a definite object of existence. It means God is opened in eschatological. Second, God is a perfect being as he is. It means God includes the entire history including the end when the universal history will decide. How can we describe such almighty God with our limited word?
The parable of the tenants in this text explains not only about the kingdom of heaven but also points out the disobedience of the high priest, the scribes and the elders, representative of Israel. So there is a detailed description and anyone can easily understand the content of the parable. It may be compared with people’s unawareness of the parable of the kingdom of God.
However, verse 3 says that the tenants seize him, beat him and send him away empty-handed. It is a serious violence against an innocent. It is not important to discuss on this matter at length because such things often happened in the history of humankind. It is a question for us to ask, “What duration of revolution is required for human to give up violence?”
20100222
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (17)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (17)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
For better assimilation and understanding, it would be good to add something to Bonhoeffe’s theology of de-religionization which is related to the theology of the death of God. We can overcome the orthodox of theism through this and, we can also accept the doctrine of trinity of Christianity and undermine the teaching of monotheism followed by Judaism.
The motive behind the attempt to reform Bonhoeffe’s theology of de-religionization lies in the fact that the very foundation of his theology is de-religionization of Christianity. According to him, Christianity does not stand on general religious request. Religious request is a phenomenon in which a person seeks and wishes for a supernatural death, loneliness and anxiety. Such religious desire is quite uncommon and out of normal. Rather Christianity is directly connected to the practical field of politics, economics, culture and education.
Religious request is a desire of psychologically immature people. In Bonhoeffe’s view, the people who ask such religious request are less in the matured modern era. Christian faith is not the religion which merely responds to such request. In our modern world, people do not have a religion to play the role of a disciplinarian father. They feel they should have more freedom rather than staying in a God-controlled atmosphere. So Bonhoeffe says “Without God before God!” It is a yearning for an escape from an orthodox theism.
There is no room of material comfort and personal gratification for one who is orthodox in his theism. It does not mean God’s nature is changing but modern people who should recognize and experience God are standing still even in the face of new changing world. It is worth considering Ott’s observation which says, “Today when we proclaim the gospel we should not take it for granted that listeners clearly understand and accept the existence of God.”(H. Ott, Theology bibliography, 97) How can we proclaim Jesus, the son of God who breathed on cross as Messiah?
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
For better assimilation and understanding, it would be good to add something to Bonhoeffe’s theology of de-religionization which is related to the theology of the death of God. We can overcome the orthodox of theism through this and, we can also accept the doctrine of trinity of Christianity and undermine the teaching of monotheism followed by Judaism.
The motive behind the attempt to reform Bonhoeffe’s theology of de-religionization lies in the fact that the very foundation of his theology is de-religionization of Christianity. According to him, Christianity does not stand on general religious request. Religious request is a phenomenon in which a person seeks and wishes for a supernatural death, loneliness and anxiety. Such religious desire is quite uncommon and out of normal. Rather Christianity is directly connected to the practical field of politics, economics, culture and education.
Religious request is a desire of psychologically immature people. In Bonhoeffe’s view, the people who ask such religious request are less in the matured modern era. Christian faith is not the religion which merely responds to such request. In our modern world, people do not have a religion to play the role of a disciplinarian father. They feel they should have more freedom rather than staying in a God-controlled atmosphere. So Bonhoeffe says “Without God before God!” It is a yearning for an escape from an orthodox theism.
There is no room of material comfort and personal gratification for one who is orthodox in his theism. It does not mean God’s nature is changing but modern people who should recognize and experience God are standing still even in the face of new changing world. It is worth considering Ott’s observation which says, “Today when we proclaim the gospel we should not take it for granted that listeners clearly understand and accept the existence of God.”(H. Ott, Theology bibliography, 97) How can we proclaim Jesus, the son of God who breathed on cross as Messiah?
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (16)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (16)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
The theology of the death of God is connected with other two theologies. One is Harvey Cox’s Secularization theology and the other is Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s de-religionization. Secularization theology basically teaches the repudiation of dualism of sacred-secular which holds the view that God belongs to a sacred domain whereas man belongs to a secular domain of life. Cox claimed that a true faith is to stand firm in his honesty with God.
Bonhoeffer’s de-religionization raises much more fundamental problem than Harvey Cox’s Secularization theology. Cox’s theology stood out for a while because of its strong social analytical character while Bonhoefer’s theology still gives a great influence to humanity even today because of its theological character. An interesting fact is that Bonhoefer’s theology is accepted to both evangelical and ecumenical parties. In fact, his theology is very radical. It greatly influenced the theology of the death of God. He wrote a letter named ‘resistance and obedience’ while he was imprisoned by Nazi Hitler.
Working on hypothesis, now human is able to solve all important questions by themselves without the help of God. Questions relating to science, art or ethics became the glaring examples. So people hardly take risk to argue the pros and cons about this matter. However, this attitude showed the same response to a religious question that was asked by people who lived a hundred years ago. It turns out that everything is going well without God as it has ever been before. The same is the case in the field of science; God is driven out from the human world and to have finally lost his own foundation.”(D. Bonnhoeffer, resistance and obedience, August 6, 1944)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
The theology of the death of God is connected with other two theologies. One is Harvey Cox’s Secularization theology and the other is Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s de-religionization. Secularization theology basically teaches the repudiation of dualism of sacred-secular which holds the view that God belongs to a sacred domain whereas man belongs to a secular domain of life. Cox claimed that a true faith is to stand firm in his honesty with God.
Bonhoeffer’s de-religionization raises much more fundamental problem than Harvey Cox’s Secularization theology. Cox’s theology stood out for a while because of its strong social analytical character while Bonhoefer’s theology still gives a great influence to humanity even today because of its theological character. An interesting fact is that Bonhoefer’s theology is accepted to both evangelical and ecumenical parties. In fact, his theology is very radical. It greatly influenced the theology of the death of God. He wrote a letter named ‘resistance and obedience’ while he was imprisoned by Nazi Hitler.
Working on hypothesis, now human is able to solve all important questions by themselves without the help of God. Questions relating to science, art or ethics became the glaring examples. So people hardly take risk to argue the pros and cons about this matter. However, this attitude showed the same response to a religious question that was asked by people who lived a hundred years ago. It turns out that everything is going well without God as it has ever been before. The same is the case in the field of science; God is driven out from the human world and to have finally lost his own foundation.”(D. Bonnhoeffer, resistance and obedience, August 6, 1944)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (15)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (15)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
The Author of the gospel simply called Jesus’ death as, “Jesus breathed his last.” The Son of God, the Messiah was dead. In other words, this could mean God is dead. However, in this a question can be raised, as to how can God be dead? Death is caused by the separation of one from God. Though there cannot be death in the life of God, the gospel seems to have opened the possibility of this occurrence.
In 1960, theology on the death of God spread throughout the Northern American theological society. There was some underlying truth in their opinion. They said a traditional metaphysical God does not have any place to stand in a secular world today. The God is the absolute, omnipotence and the Almighty one. The modern people dropped the idea that God and man could exist together in this evil world. According to them such role of God disappeared after Auschwitz. The other important point in their claim is their conviction that the entire problem that man is facing today can be solved by man himself.
Of course the theology of the death of God is not an orthodox one. It is not necessary for Christians to repudiate such theology. They only criticized an aspect of Christian faith. Such aspect should be criticized. There is a theistic metaphysics in such aspect. It is the image of God who rules this world with the almighty power sitting on the throne in the highest place regardless of human pain.
However, the author of gospel says another level, different from an orthodox theistic metaphysics. The author says Jesus breathed his last on the cross. God revealed himself from the very place. God is the God who is able to die; God is the God who went down to the place of the dead. Now we are all free from death through Jesus’ death.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.(15:37)
The Author of the gospel simply called Jesus’ death as, “Jesus breathed his last.” The Son of God, the Messiah was dead. In other words, this could mean God is dead. However, in this a question can be raised, as to how can God be dead? Death is caused by the separation of one from God. Though there cannot be death in the life of God, the gospel seems to have opened the possibility of this occurrence.
In 1960, theology on the death of God spread throughout the Northern American theological society. There was some underlying truth in their opinion. They said a traditional metaphysical God does not have any place to stand in a secular world today. The God is the absolute, omnipotence and the Almighty one. The modern people dropped the idea that God and man could exist together in this evil world. According to them such role of God disappeared after Auschwitz. The other important point in their claim is their conviction that the entire problem that man is facing today can be solved by man himself.
Of course the theology of the death of God is not an orthodox one. It is not necessary for Christians to repudiate such theology. They only criticized an aspect of Christian faith. Such aspect should be criticized. There is a theistic metaphysics in such aspect. It is the image of God who rules this world with the almighty power sitting on the throne in the highest place regardless of human pain.
However, the author of gospel says another level, different from an orthodox theistic metaphysics. The author says Jesus breathed his last on the cross. God revealed himself from the very place. God is the God who is able to die; God is the God who went down to the place of the dead. Now we are all free from death through Jesus’ death.
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (14)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (14)
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. (15:37)
The last moment of Jesus’ earthly life mentioned in Mark 15:33-37 is a description of total submission. The Lord was hung on the cross only for six hours. In those days a strong man was usually hanged on the cross for one week. It rarely took two weeks. Crucifixion itself is not very much critical. A practical threat is the blood oozed out of the nail mark on the palm. The severity varies according to physical constitution of the victim. In some, blood gashes out quickly while in some, blood flows out slowly and normally. Crucifixion is painful for one to bear as it takes a long time to die. It is considered abnormal that Jesus could die within only six hours of suffering on the cross.
It is assumed that Jesus became so weak physically and mentally. Perhaps he had fasted for a week after entering to Jerusalem. Jesus foresaw what would happen in Jerusalem. So he was perhaps mentally and emotionally prepared to face the agony of death. Peter stopped Jesus from entering to Jerusalem. For this Jesus rebuked him and called him Satan. It means Peter’s word might be sounded for Jesus as an alluring temptation of Satan. It is the same that three forms of temptations Jesus had gone through in his early public life, that are seductive to the entire mankind. However, Jesus was completely exhausted in a week after his entry to Jerusalem. His sweat of intense pain was like the pain of bleeding as he spent time in prayer in the Gethsemane. His tortured body could not endure more than six hours on the cross and finally he had to give in.
The author of the gospel shows the picture of the last moment of Jesus in a calm atmosphere. There is no empathy and embellishment. It could not but do like that for an unacceptable thing- dying of a son of God- has happened. He only could deliver us the true relationship that Jesus died with loud cry. Others are nothing but a something superfluous
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. (15:37)
The last moment of Jesus’ earthly life mentioned in Mark 15:33-37 is a description of total submission. The Lord was hung on the cross only for six hours. In those days a strong man was usually hanged on the cross for one week. It rarely took two weeks. Crucifixion itself is not very much critical. A practical threat is the blood oozed out of the nail mark on the palm. The severity varies according to physical constitution of the victim. In some, blood gashes out quickly while in some, blood flows out slowly and normally. Crucifixion is painful for one to bear as it takes a long time to die. It is considered abnormal that Jesus could die within only six hours of suffering on the cross.
It is assumed that Jesus became so weak physically and mentally. Perhaps he had fasted for a week after entering to Jerusalem. Jesus foresaw what would happen in Jerusalem. So he was perhaps mentally and emotionally prepared to face the agony of death. Peter stopped Jesus from entering to Jerusalem. For this Jesus rebuked him and called him Satan. It means Peter’s word might be sounded for Jesus as an alluring temptation of Satan. It is the same that three forms of temptations Jesus had gone through in his early public life, that are seductive to the entire mankind. However, Jesus was completely exhausted in a week after his entry to Jerusalem. His sweat of intense pain was like the pain of bleeding as he spent time in prayer in the Gethsemane. His tortured body could not endure more than six hours on the cross and finally he had to give in.
The author of the gospel shows the picture of the last moment of Jesus in a calm atmosphere. There is no empathy and embellishment. It could not but do like that for an unacceptable thing- dying of a son of God- has happened. He only could deliver us the true relationship that Jesus died with loud cry. Others are nothing but a something superfluous
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (13)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (13)
One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.(15:36)
A man filled a sponge with wine vinegar and offered it to Jesus. Psalm 69:21 which is the background of this verse says, “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.” The wine mixed with myrrh mentioned in Mark 15:23 has the effect like a painkiller but the wine vinegar increases one’s thirst rather than quenching it. Contrary to Mark who exactly pointed out that Jesus did not take wine mixed with myrrh, he did not mention about how Jesus was made to drink the wine vinegar. John’s gospel says that Jesus received wine vinegar. (John 19:30)
The people who offered Jesus wine vinegar again said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.” That was a sheer mockery against Jesus. Such word does not only end with a personal utterance of a certain men standing near the cross. It is an issue rising toward Jesus and the entire early Christian community. According to them Jesus does not have any power to save. Rather he was placed in a helpless position that needs to be saved. Has not such logic ended already? No. Either with good or bad intention this world demands the proof that Jesus is the savior. The world demands the proof of God’s existence. They want to awake God by shaking him whether he is asleep or not? When they do not get a suitable answer they would either denounce Christian faith or condemn it.
We do not need to ignore their opinion unconditionally and should not do that. We have the responsibility for them to explain properly why Jesus whom we believe is the true Messiah. This explanation is not enough in word alone. Committed Christian life of today should be the visible explanation. Our unshakable fervent hope in the glorious return of Jesus should be revealed.
One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.(15:36)
A man filled a sponge with wine vinegar and offered it to Jesus. Psalm 69:21 which is the background of this verse says, “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.” The wine mixed with myrrh mentioned in Mark 15:23 has the effect like a painkiller but the wine vinegar increases one’s thirst rather than quenching it. Contrary to Mark who exactly pointed out that Jesus did not take wine mixed with myrrh, he did not mention about how Jesus was made to drink the wine vinegar. John’s gospel says that Jesus received wine vinegar. (John 19:30)
The people who offered Jesus wine vinegar again said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down.” That was a sheer mockery against Jesus. Such word does not only end with a personal utterance of a certain men standing near the cross. It is an issue rising toward Jesus and the entire early Christian community. According to them Jesus does not have any power to save. Rather he was placed in a helpless position that needs to be saved. Has not such logic ended already? No. Either with good or bad intention this world demands the proof that Jesus is the savior. The world demands the proof of God’s existence. They want to awake God by shaking him whether he is asleep or not? When they do not get a suitable answer they would either denounce Christian faith or condemn it.
We do not need to ignore their opinion unconditionally and should not do that. We have the responsibility for them to explain properly why Jesus whom we believe is the true Messiah. This explanation is not enough in word alone. Committed Christian life of today should be the visible explanation. Our unshakable fervent hope in the glorious return of Jesus should be revealed.
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (12)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (12)
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." (15:35)
Some of those who were standing near said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Jesus’ word Eloi could be misunderstood with Elijah. However, according to the Bible scholars, it was difficult for them to get confused Eloi with Elijah in those days. Was it not a kind of deliberate pretension of the people to mock Jesus till the end of his life?
It could be slightly misinterpreted. Elijah was known to be a forerunner of the Messiah. (Mark 9:12). So they say Jesus asked Elijah’s help. Whatever it may say, in the word of crowd, “he’s calling Elijah’ implies their intention of mocking Jesus. It gives the clear notion that the one who is supposed to be the savior became a man who asks for other’s help.
The situation in which Jesus was facing was a picture of complete forsakenness. It was the place where Jesus was reduced to nothing from everything he pursued. All his disciples had deserted him. There is no one to remember his greatness. The one who performed the greatest thing has fallen down to the most powerless position. A poet named Hyeonseung Kim called this place as the end of loneliness.
Jesus is the God forsaken by God and thrown into the last corner. It is a paradox that the savior was fallen to the place of being saved. This is the mystery of salvation of Christianity. It is also the mystery of God’s existence. It is our faith that through the incarnation, God became a man and kenosis faith that he came to earth in the form of a servant abandoning the glory of heaven. We can see God in Jesus who was crying “Eloi Eloi…”.
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." (15:35)
Some of those who were standing near said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Jesus’ word Eloi could be misunderstood with Elijah. However, according to the Bible scholars, it was difficult for them to get confused Eloi with Elijah in those days. Was it not a kind of deliberate pretension of the people to mock Jesus till the end of his life?
It could be slightly misinterpreted. Elijah was known to be a forerunner of the Messiah. (Mark 9:12). So they say Jesus asked Elijah’s help. Whatever it may say, in the word of crowd, “he’s calling Elijah’ implies their intention of mocking Jesus. It gives the clear notion that the one who is supposed to be the savior became a man who asks for other’s help.
The situation in which Jesus was facing was a picture of complete forsakenness. It was the place where Jesus was reduced to nothing from everything he pursued. All his disciples had deserted him. There is no one to remember his greatness. The one who performed the greatest thing has fallen down to the most powerless position. A poet named Hyeonseung Kim called this place as the end of loneliness.
Jesus is the God forsaken by God and thrown into the last corner. It is a paradox that the savior was fallen to the place of being saved. This is the mystery of salvation of Christianity. It is also the mystery of God’s existence. It is our faith that through the incarnation, God became a man and kenosis faith that he came to earth in the form of a servant abandoning the glory of heaven. We can see God in Jesus who was crying “Eloi Eloi…”.
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (11)
"Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (11)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
Psalm 22 represents the suffering of innocent people. Jesus’ cry comes out from here which says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” (Psalm 22:1,2)
We can imagine the heart of the author of Psalm 22. He was in trouble that he thought he had been forsaken by God. God did not help him and nor listened to his groaning nor answered for his cry for help. He experienced the same intensity of suffering Jesus had on the cross.
The Psalmist further appeals saying, “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads： ‘He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.’” (Psalm 22:6-8)
People take pleasure in mocking the man who is placed in a miserable situation in which he looks like someone forsaken by God. They say, “Let the Lord recue him?” This is the statement which is unbearable for the Psalmist to hear. In a way, the psalmist would not mind if they mocked at him along. It could be considered as something normal for there has been no generation that recognized a true prophet. However, the situation in which God is mocked is absolutely unnatural and ironical.
On the cross, while he was being mocked at, did Jesus think that God was being mocked at rather than him? For those who believe in God, there is no other more desperate incident than such thing that had happened to Jesus which impelled him to utter, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
Psalm 22 represents the suffering of innocent people. Jesus’ cry comes out from here which says, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” (Psalm 22:1,2)
We can imagine the heart of the author of Psalm 22. He was in trouble that he thought he had been forsaken by God. God did not help him and nor listened to his groaning nor answered for his cry for help. He experienced the same intensity of suffering Jesus had on the cross.
The Psalmist further appeals saying, “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads： ‘He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.’” (Psalm 22:6-8)
People take pleasure in mocking the man who is placed in a miserable situation in which he looks like someone forsaken by God. They say, “Let the Lord recue him?” This is the statement which is unbearable for the Psalmist to hear. In a way, the psalmist would not mind if they mocked at him along. It could be considered as something normal for there has been no generation that recognized a true prophet. However, the situation in which God is mocked is absolutely unnatural and ironical.
On the cross, while he was being mocked at, did Jesus think that God was being mocked at rather than him? For those who believe in God, there is no other more desperate incident than such thing that had happened to Jesus which impelled him to utter, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (10)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (10)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
Jesus’ cry for being forsaken by God represented the ‘suffering of the innocent people’. Jesus suffered as a representative of the innocent people. After the crucifixion of Jesus, no one has ever borne the magnitude of such a suffering. Jesus suffered for the sake of all the humanity once and for all. However, we should not be satisfied with the shallow understanding of religious teachings. There are some deeper and more crucial points which we should not avoid.
The state of suffering faced by the innocent people is, in theological term, called theodicy. Though we may be able to get some theological answers, it cannot be the ultimate and the suitable one. It is clear that human suffering and infirmities are rampant around the world. For example, there is congenital disorder. Who will be held responsible for the destiny of a permanently visually impaired person or die young? Can we believe in God in such situation? In such desperate situation, can we especially believe in God who is believed to have abundance of love and almighty power?
Jesus answered to his disciples who asked him as to whose sin it was that a man being born blind, saying that it is neither the sin of his nor his parents’ but it was done to reveal the glory of God. And he healed him. Is it not the task for us all to bear?
Even today there are people who cannot but cry out desperately, “Why have you forsaken me?” Only those who have the same experience of being forsaken can feel the pain of Jesus in their hearts. Jesus is the representative of all humanity. Jesus is the microcosm of suffering of all the people who have the feeling of being forsaken by God.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
Jesus’ cry for being forsaken by God represented the ‘suffering of the innocent people’. Jesus suffered as a representative of the innocent people. After the crucifixion of Jesus, no one has ever borne the magnitude of such a suffering. Jesus suffered for the sake of all the humanity once and for all. However, we should not be satisfied with the shallow understanding of religious teachings. There are some deeper and more crucial points which we should not avoid.
The state of suffering faced by the innocent people is, in theological term, called theodicy. Though we may be able to get some theological answers, it cannot be the ultimate and the suitable one. It is clear that human suffering and infirmities are rampant around the world. For example, there is congenital disorder. Who will be held responsible for the destiny of a permanently visually impaired person or die young? Can we believe in God in such situation? In such desperate situation, can we especially believe in God who is believed to have abundance of love and almighty power?
Jesus answered to his disciples who asked him as to whose sin it was that a man being born blind, saying that it is neither the sin of his nor his parents’ but it was done to reveal the glory of God. And he healed him. Is it not the task for us all to bear?
Even today there are people who cannot but cry out desperately, “Why have you forsaken me?” Only those who have the same experience of being forsaken can feel the pain of Jesus in their hearts. Jesus is the representative of all humanity. Jesus is the microcosm of suffering of all the people who have the feeling of being forsaken by God.
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (9)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (9)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
What does it mean by the term “forsaken by God”? Why did Jesus cry out like this? The answer is simple. His death on the cross is the most visible evidence of being forsaken by God.
Christians today are suffering in approaching the reality of cross because they premise Jesus’ crucifixion as the way of salvation. We first have to know the reality in order to understand the salvation that is brought by the crucifixion of Jesus. I told you earlier about the method of executing on the cross. I have also mentioned that death on the cross is a curse. We now would like to experience the spiritual world in which Jesus lives and which drives him to boldly face the crucifixion. His determination and bold step to encounter gruesome crucifixion shows that he maintains his relationship with God that supersedes the pain of gruesome crucifixion and shame of the mockery of the world. Jesus was able to withstand all these hard tests as he fully depends on his relationship with God who gives him the living spirit.
We have to understand that if Jesus practically trusted the impending kingdom of God he would humbly accept the cross of crucifixion. Even if Jesus was convinced that though the death on the cross which is associated with the extreme physical suffering that he would be able to bring the glory of resurrection, wouldn’t he cry out, “Why have you forsaken me?” I am not sure but there were quite a lot of people who have been executed on the cross like Jesus accepted their deaths resolutely.
Here the most important key that provoked him to utter the particular statement is associated with his relationship with the Father. There is no one who can bear the pain of destroying the relationship. What is more, it is certain that if the one who absolutely trusted God loses his intimate relationship with God, he would be greatly shocked and would say, “If you are living, if you are my father, how can this thing happen to me?”
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
What does it mean by the term “forsaken by God”? Why did Jesus cry out like this? The answer is simple. His death on the cross is the most visible evidence of being forsaken by God.
Christians today are suffering in approaching the reality of cross because they premise Jesus’ crucifixion as the way of salvation. We first have to know the reality in order to understand the salvation that is brought by the crucifixion of Jesus. I told you earlier about the method of executing on the cross. I have also mentioned that death on the cross is a curse. We now would like to experience the spiritual world in which Jesus lives and which drives him to boldly face the crucifixion. His determination and bold step to encounter gruesome crucifixion shows that he maintains his relationship with God that supersedes the pain of gruesome crucifixion and shame of the mockery of the world. Jesus was able to withstand all these hard tests as he fully depends on his relationship with God who gives him the living spirit.
We have to understand that if Jesus practically trusted the impending kingdom of God he would humbly accept the cross of crucifixion. Even if Jesus was convinced that though the death on the cross which is associated with the extreme physical suffering that he would be able to bring the glory of resurrection, wouldn’t he cry out, “Why have you forsaken me?” I am not sure but there were quite a lot of people who have been executed on the cross like Jesus accepted their deaths resolutely.
Here the most important key that provoked him to utter the particular statement is associated with his relationship with the Father. There is no one who can bear the pain of destroying the relationship. What is more, it is certain that if the one who absolutely trusted God loses his intimate relationship with God, he would be greatly shocked and would say, “If you are living, if you are my father, how can this thing happen to me?”
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (8)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (8)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
I would like to add some more supplements to the meaning of the last sentence of the foregoing meditation. I have mentioned that Jesus experienced a deep sense of despair on the cross. In this we may ask, as the Messiah, would Jesus ever feel a sense of despair in public life on earth?
Surely people do not fully understand the nature of Jesus. They judged and evaluated Jesus based on their own viewpoints. People fervently supported Jesus when his activities and movements are in tune with their personal mood and intentions but if Jesus’ action is found to be contradictory with their intentions, then they outrageously reject him. Neither the Jewish religious leaders such as the Pharisees nor those sincere religious person like Nicodemus can understand Jesus. Not one of them can fully understand Jesus. Even Jesus’ disciples were not exception in this matter. Once Jesus replied to someone who would like to be one of his disciples saying, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matt. 8:20)
Based on the above verse, we can say that Jesus’ life was a life with absolute solitude. It does not merely mean that there are not many people who understand Jesus. An absolute solitude does mean here the availability of people in relation to one’s close relationship with God. Jesus absolutely trusted the impending kingdom of God. However people thoroughly neglected the kingdom of God. Little by little Jesus was driven into a corner. Did he experience deep sense despair in such situation?
Jesus who proclaimed the impending kingdom of God was hung on the cross helplessly accomplishing nothing. Where is God’s kingly rule? What hope can one have, for the one who promised life is going to lose his own life? Where is God? Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
I would like to add some more supplements to the meaning of the last sentence of the foregoing meditation. I have mentioned that Jesus experienced a deep sense of despair on the cross. In this we may ask, as the Messiah, would Jesus ever feel a sense of despair in public life on earth?
Surely people do not fully understand the nature of Jesus. They judged and evaluated Jesus based on their own viewpoints. People fervently supported Jesus when his activities and movements are in tune with their personal mood and intentions but if Jesus’ action is found to be contradictory with their intentions, then they outrageously reject him. Neither the Jewish religious leaders such as the Pharisees nor those sincere religious person like Nicodemus can understand Jesus. Not one of them can fully understand Jesus. Even Jesus’ disciples were not exception in this matter. Once Jesus replied to someone who would like to be one of his disciples saying, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matt. 8:20)
Based on the above verse, we can say that Jesus’ life was a life with absolute solitude. It does not merely mean that there are not many people who understand Jesus. An absolute solitude does mean here the availability of people in relation to one’s close relationship with God. Jesus absolutely trusted the impending kingdom of God. However people thoroughly neglected the kingdom of God. Little by little Jesus was driven into a corner. Did he experience deep sense despair in such situation?
Jesus who proclaimed the impending kingdom of God was hung on the cross helplessly accomplishing nothing. Where is God’s kingly rule? What hope can one have, for the one who promised life is going to lose his own life? Where is God? Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani (7)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani (7)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
If we are to define the statement, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani”, we would say that it is an expression in which Jesus himself accepted his death on the cross as a failure of his mission. Everybody judges that crucifixion is the epitome of failure. In fact, the proclamation of the imminent kingdom of God is Jesus’ real mission. He said, "The time has come," and "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15). Jesus dedicated his total life for the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is God’s kingly rule. It is the kingdom where justice and peace of God truly prevailed that everybody irrespective of the Jews or Gentiles enjoys living in the kingdom. Believing that the kingdom of God was near, Jesus proclaimed forgiveness and expelled evil spirit. With God’s heart he taught people and loved them. However, his mission and devotion for the kingdom of God came to an end with his brutal death on the cross.
Jesus’ ultimate destiny that ends up with the crucifixion on the cross could come under one of the following three conclusions: First, God does not exist. Second, God is helpless. Thirdly, God abandoned Jesus. We cannot deny the existence of God. If God is helpless God cannot do it. At this juncture, Jesus cried, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” We have to deeply understand Jesus’ spiritual, existential suffering he had undergone on his way to the cross or on the cross.
To see the deepest of his agony, we have to first for the time being push off the thought that Jesus was resurrected. If we see him with a dogma that he has already resurrected and ascended to heaven, we would lose the aspect of the critical situation Jesus had to face. When Jesus was hung on the cross, I would like to say, he was captured by despair albeit momentarily, that even God had forsaken him. Such kind of despair looming large in his heart might have prodded him to utter, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
If we are to define the statement, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani”, we would say that it is an expression in which Jesus himself accepted his death on the cross as a failure of his mission. Everybody judges that crucifixion is the epitome of failure. In fact, the proclamation of the imminent kingdom of God is Jesus’ real mission. He said, "The time has come," and "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:15). Jesus dedicated his total life for the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is God’s kingly rule. It is the kingdom where justice and peace of God truly prevailed that everybody irrespective of the Jews or Gentiles enjoys living in the kingdom. Believing that the kingdom of God was near, Jesus proclaimed forgiveness and expelled evil spirit. With God’s heart he taught people and loved them. However, his mission and devotion for the kingdom of God came to an end with his brutal death on the cross.
Jesus’ ultimate destiny that ends up with the crucifixion on the cross could come under one of the following three conclusions: First, God does not exist. Second, God is helpless. Thirdly, God abandoned Jesus. We cannot deny the existence of God. If God is helpless God cannot do it. At this juncture, Jesus cried, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” We have to deeply understand Jesus’ spiritual, existential suffering he had undergone on his way to the cross or on the cross.
To see the deepest of his agony, we have to first for the time being push off the thought that Jesus was resurrected. If we see him with a dogma that he has already resurrected and ascended to heaven, we would lose the aspect of the critical situation Jesus had to face. When Jesus was hung on the cross, I would like to say, he was captured by despair albeit momentarily, that even God had forsaken him. Such kind of despair looming large in his heart might have prodded him to utter, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"
Eloi Eloi Lama Sabactani (6)
Eloi Eloi Lama Sabactani (6)
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
Think more of the factual dimension of the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross. In relation to his death, one may ask, “Was Jesus crucified voluntarily?” No. It is impossible. The death on the cross was a curse. It was the culmination of total failure. Jesus knew this fact. Naturally, he did not want to die on the cross. If he would like to voluntarily die in this manner, he must be abnormal. We can confirm this fact through his prayer the night before his crucifixion on the Mount of Gethsemane, in which he prayed to his father that that the cup of suffering and his eventual death may be taken way if it was God’s will.
Many Christians think that through Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross, salvation of human kind has been accomplished. It is not wrong; but it has a clue of misunderstanding in this belief. The fact that Jesus’ crucifixion is the unique way of redemption is the interpretation of the disciples, long time after his death and resurrection. It is not certain as an assured content of belief from the beginning.
The big danger for Christians to misunderstand Christian faith is to follow the kind of chain of salvation that comes mechanically and deterministically. They firmly held the view that Jesus voluntarily died upon the cross for the sake of human salvation and he also knew the assurance of his resurrection. Think of it. If Jesus knowingly did it all, then what value does it have? As it is clear from Jesus’ statement saying, “Only the Father knows the day”, Jesus also lived in its epistemological limitation.
Jesus was crucified on the cross not voluntarily but inevitably. Jesus accepted it as God’s will and he obeyed it.
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
Think more of the factual dimension of the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross. In relation to his death, one may ask, “Was Jesus crucified voluntarily?” No. It is impossible. The death on the cross was a curse. It was the culmination of total failure. Jesus knew this fact. Naturally, he did not want to die on the cross. If he would like to voluntarily die in this manner, he must be abnormal. We can confirm this fact through his prayer the night before his crucifixion on the Mount of Gethsemane, in which he prayed to his father that that the cup of suffering and his eventual death may be taken way if it was God’s will.
Many Christians think that through Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross, salvation of human kind has been accomplished. It is not wrong; but it has a clue of misunderstanding in this belief. The fact that Jesus’ crucifixion is the unique way of redemption is the interpretation of the disciples, long time after his death and resurrection. It is not certain as an assured content of belief from the beginning.
The big danger for Christians to misunderstand Christian faith is to follow the kind of chain of salvation that comes mechanically and deterministically. They firmly held the view that Jesus voluntarily died upon the cross for the sake of human salvation and he also knew the assurance of his resurrection. Think of it. If Jesus knowingly did it all, then what value does it have? As it is clear from Jesus’ statement saying, “Only the Father knows the day”, Jesus also lived in its epistemological limitation.
Jesus was crucified on the cross not voluntarily but inevitably. Jesus accepted it as God’s will and he obeyed it.
Eloi Eloi Lama Sabactani (5)
Eloi Eloi Lama Sabactani (5)
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
On the cross, Jesus experienced total abandonment from God. Does it have sense that the son of God felt that he been abandoned by God? It is not easy to fully understand the intricacy of the question. It is because this question is associated with the deepest faith of early Christian community. We shall go further wherever our thought reaches.
First question is that when and how well did Jesus clearly cognize his own identity? Did Jesus have confidence that he was the son of God and the Messiah? Did he have such proof? For example, once Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered, “"Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? These sorts of verses are found quite often in the Gospels.
However, we can not say that Jesus cognized himself as the Son of God and the Messiah based on such verses. Such verses are a religious confession of early Christianity. It is a religious confession of the early Christian community who talked about Jesus’ public life after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. I do not mean to say that Jesus did not have any cognition about self-identification but I mean that it is something that we cannot empirically confirm today.
We can catch a dim outline about the matter of Jesus’ self-identification when we explain ‘abandonment from God’. Why did Jesus cry out such word in such an important moment?
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(15:34)
On the cross, Jesus experienced total abandonment from God. Does it have sense that the son of God felt that he been abandoned by God? It is not easy to fully understand the intricacy of the question. It is because this question is associated with the deepest faith of early Christian community. We shall go further wherever our thought reaches.
First question is that when and how well did Jesus clearly cognize his own identity? Did Jesus have confidence that he was the son of God and the Messiah? Did he have such proof? For example, once Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered, “"Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? These sorts of verses are found quite often in the Gospels.
However, we can not say that Jesus cognized himself as the Son of God and the Messiah based on such verses. Such verses are a religious confession of early Christianity. It is a religious confession of the early Christian community who talked about Jesus’ public life after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. I do not mean to say that Jesus did not have any cognition about self-identification but I mean that it is something that we cannot empirically confirm today.
We can catch a dim outline about the matter of Jesus’ self-identification when we explain ‘abandonment from God’. Why did Jesus cry out such word in such an important moment?
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (4)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (4)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
We wonder that if Jesus is the son of God, the Messiah, why should he be thirsty and say ‘Eloi, Eloi…’ for he is the God whom we generally know exists by Himself? He has the eternal foundation of Existence in Himself. Omniscience and omnipotence are his unique attributes. The desperate cry of the Messiah, “Why have you forsaken me?” sounds quite unnatural against the traditional image of God.
If it is asked whether God is omnipotent? The natural answer would be, of course, positive. Even the Apostle Creed begins with “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” The Lord God is the omnipotent Creator. He has the capability to create the heavens and the earth out of nothing. He can also completely wipe out this world beyond our imagination.
On the other hand, if we are asked to answer whether God is a helpless being in relation to other matter? The answer would be again “Yes”. God was not able to protect Jesus from being crucified. Such similar cases are generally happing surround us. God cannot protect innocent children’s death caused by Swine Flu.
As such God has the contradictory nature. Why does such contradiction exist? We can never clearly understand about God. As we partially experience the world, we partially understand God. It seems that God and his nature has its point of contradiction. There is a pathway through this contradiction. We may need keen eyes to see the path.
Jesus who was crucified on the cross was a helpless God. He cried out on the cross, “My God, why have you forsaken me? The very voice is the voice of God.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
We wonder that if Jesus is the son of God, the Messiah, why should he be thirsty and say ‘Eloi, Eloi…’ for he is the God whom we generally know exists by Himself? He has the eternal foundation of Existence in Himself. Omniscience and omnipotence are his unique attributes. The desperate cry of the Messiah, “Why have you forsaken me?” sounds quite unnatural against the traditional image of God.
If it is asked whether God is omnipotent? The natural answer would be, of course, positive. Even the Apostle Creed begins with “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.” The Lord God is the omnipotent Creator. He has the capability to create the heavens and the earth out of nothing. He can also completely wipe out this world beyond our imagination.
On the other hand, if we are asked to answer whether God is a helpless being in relation to other matter? The answer would be again “Yes”. God was not able to protect Jesus from being crucified. Such similar cases are generally happing surround us. God cannot protect innocent children’s death caused by Swine Flu.
As such God has the contradictory nature. Why does such contradiction exist? We can never clearly understand about God. As we partially experience the world, we partially understand God. It seems that God and his nature has its point of contradiction. There is a pathway through this contradiction. We may need keen eyes to see the path.
Jesus who was crucified on the cross was a helpless God. He cried out on the cross, “My God, why have you forsaken me? The very voice is the voice of God.
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (3)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (3)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
In yesterday’s meditation, we discussed on the seven last words of Christ on the cross. The similar expression of Jesus’ word is found one word each in Matthew and Mark and three words each in Luke and John. Among the seven words, the most similar verse to ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani’ would be ‘I’m thirsty’. These two words are passive while other words are in positive expression. First of all, I would like to elucidate the expression ‘I’m thirsty’. It may guide us to understand ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani’ easier way.
Jesus’ appeal “I’m thirsty’ can be very practical. Blood slowly flows down from the palm of his nailed hand. It takes quite a long time to lose blood till the point of dead. Consciousness of a condemned criminal is dizzy. The entire liquid of the body sneaks away. Thirstiness reaches up to the extreme.
The implication of his thirst is not only related to physical aspect. Jesus was forsaken by all the people who surrounded him. Mocking in trial process and on the cross also would contribute to the aggravation of his thirst. Jesus who sighed in his public life saying, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He could not do anything but feels thirsty.
However, there is a paradoxical scene. Once Jesus said, “…but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”(Jn 4:14) And he also said, “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (Jn 7:37, 38) ‘Streams of living water’ here signifies the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life. Jesus the source of quenching our spiritual thirst is God who cries “I’m thirsty.” He is our Christ.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
In yesterday’s meditation, we discussed on the seven last words of Christ on the cross. The similar expression of Jesus’ word is found one word each in Matthew and Mark and three words each in Luke and John. Among the seven words, the most similar verse to ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani’ would be ‘I’m thirsty’. These two words are passive while other words are in positive expression. First of all, I would like to elucidate the expression ‘I’m thirsty’. It may guide us to understand ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani’ easier way.
Jesus’ appeal “I’m thirsty’ can be very practical. Blood slowly flows down from the palm of his nailed hand. It takes quite a long time to lose blood till the point of dead. Consciousness of a condemned criminal is dizzy. The entire liquid of the body sneaks away. Thirstiness reaches up to the extreme.
The implication of his thirst is not only related to physical aspect. Jesus was forsaken by all the people who surrounded him. Mocking in trial process and on the cross also would contribute to the aggravation of his thirst. Jesus who sighed in his public life saying, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He could not do anything but feels thirsty.
However, there is a paradoxical scene. Once Jesus said, “…but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”(Jn 4:14) And he also said, “On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (Jn 7:37, 38) ‘Streams of living water’ here signifies the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of life. Jesus the source of quenching our spiritual thirst is God who cries “I’m thirsty.” He is our Christ.
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (2)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (2)
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
At the ninth hour which is 3 p.m of today, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" The language used here is neither Greek nor Roman but Aramaic. Aramaic was the official language of Palestine those days. The author of Mark correctly translated its meaning as, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
We can find this word of Jesus only in Mark and Matthew’s gospels. Luke and John’s gospel have no comment on this. What could be the reason behind? One reason could be that by emphasizing on such matter the weakness of Jesus who is the son of God and Messiah could be exposed. It is very clear that such word of Jesus does not match with the messianic figure of Jesus based on the belief and tradition of the early Christian community who believed cross as the way of human salvation. Or the author of Luke’s gospel and John’s gospel might not know this passage. Inconsistency with the tradition, the authors of gospels secured is natural because Jesus’ teaching did not transmit in batches but through very complicated processing according to region and time.
Jesus’ utterance on the cross is so called ‘The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross. It means Jesus said seven words on the cross. The contents are as follows: 1) "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (Matt. 27:36, Mark 15:34) 2) Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) 3) Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." ((Lk 23:43) 4) [26]. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciples whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," [27] and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciples took her into his home. (John 19:26, 27) 5) Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." (Jn 19:28) 6) “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that word, he bowed down his head and gave up his spirit.” (Jn 19:30) 7)” Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46) The interpretation about it varies from one gospel to another.
And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:34)
At the ninth hour which is 3 p.m of today, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" The language used here is neither Greek nor Roman but Aramaic. Aramaic was the official language of Palestine those days. The author of Mark correctly translated its meaning as, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
We can find this word of Jesus only in Mark and Matthew’s gospels. Luke and John’s gospel have no comment on this. What could be the reason behind? One reason could be that by emphasizing on such matter the weakness of Jesus who is the son of God and Messiah could be exposed. It is very clear that such word of Jesus does not match with the messianic figure of Jesus based on the belief and tradition of the early Christian community who believed cross as the way of human salvation. Or the author of Luke’s gospel and John’s gospel might not know this passage. Inconsistency with the tradition, the authors of gospels secured is natural because Jesus’ teaching did not transmit in batches but through very complicated processing according to region and time.
Jesus’ utterance on the cross is so called ‘The Seven Last Words of Christ on the Cross. It means Jesus said seven words on the cross. The contents are as follows: 1) "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (Matt. 27:36, Mark 15:34) 2) Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34) 3) Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise." ((Lk 23:43) 4) [26]. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciples whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," [27] and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciples took her into his home. (John 19:26, 27) 5) Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." (Jn 19:28) 6) “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that word, he bowed down his head and gave up his spirit.” (Jn 19:30) 7)” Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46) The interpretation about it varies from one gospel to another.
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (1)
Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? (1)
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. (Mark 15:33)
The most significant incident which is the finishing stroke in Jesus’ public life begins with the verse mentioned above. It is the moment of Jesus’ last breath on the cross. Though, of course, the report of his resurrection is more important in the theological aspects, we have to lay it aside for the time being, as it is not a part of his public life on earth. Later on, when dealing with Mark 16, I will explain the reason why the account of his resurrection is not directly related to his public life.
It was at the sixth hour which is equivalent to noon of today. Beginning from that time, the whole land was covered by darkness; and this phenomenon continued until the ninth hour which exactly 3 p.m. of today. It was an extraordinary phenomenon. What sort of phenomenon it was? If an ordinary people read it, he may think it could be an appearance of the solar eclipse or gathering of some dark thick cloud totally enveloping the whole region of Jerusalem. People would have such kind conclusion at the sight of this extraordinary inclement weather. Exodus also tells us a similar story. After the Exodus of Israelites from Egypt, while crossing over the wilderness they considered the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud emitted from volcanic eruptions, as God’s direct appearance and leading them.
The content today has a different dimension from that of Exodus. The appearance of the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud can be misunderstood by the ancient people who viewed the natural phenomenon as the divine appearance. However, the darkness mentioned in this particular passage is an apocalyptical interpretation. Mark 13:24 has already given us a hint saying, “But in those days, following that distress, 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.’” Such phenomenon was a sign of the advent of ‘son of God’ in order to judge this world by God’s sovereign power. The prophet Amos also declared such fact long time ago saying, "In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.”
At the last moment of Jesus’ life, darkness came over the whole land for three hours. Humankind will be judged based on the cross. At the same time, it is also the way of salvation. Likewise cross is a judgment and at the same time a final sign of salvation.
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. (Mark 15:33)
The most significant incident which is the finishing stroke in Jesus’ public life begins with the verse mentioned above. It is the moment of Jesus’ last breath on the cross. Though, of course, the report of his resurrection is more important in the theological aspects, we have to lay it aside for the time being, as it is not a part of his public life on earth. Later on, when dealing with Mark 16, I will explain the reason why the account of his resurrection is not directly related to his public life.
It was at the sixth hour which is equivalent to noon of today. Beginning from that time, the whole land was covered by darkness; and this phenomenon continued until the ninth hour which exactly 3 p.m. of today. It was an extraordinary phenomenon. What sort of phenomenon it was? If an ordinary people read it, he may think it could be an appearance of the solar eclipse or gathering of some dark thick cloud totally enveloping the whole region of Jerusalem. People would have such kind conclusion at the sight of this extraordinary inclement weather. Exodus also tells us a similar story. After the Exodus of Israelites from Egypt, while crossing over the wilderness they considered the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud emitted from volcanic eruptions, as God’s direct appearance and leading them.
The content today has a different dimension from that of Exodus. The appearance of the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud can be misunderstood by the ancient people who viewed the natural phenomenon as the divine appearance. However, the darkness mentioned in this particular passage is an apocalyptical interpretation. Mark 13:24 has already given us a hint saying, “But in those days, following that distress, 'the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.’” Such phenomenon was a sign of the advent of ‘son of God’ in order to judge this world by God’s sovereign power. The prophet Amos also declared such fact long time ago saying, "In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.”
At the last moment of Jesus’ life, darkness came over the whole land for three hours. Humankind will be judged based on the cross. At the same time, it is also the way of salvation. Likewise cross is a judgment and at the same time a final sign of salvation.
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