Repent or Perish

 Hello everyone.

Today, I am moving on into chapter 13 of Luke.  Here is my translation of verses 1-5:

1 Some of those present at the time reported to Jesus about how Pilate had mixed the blood of some Galileans with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered them, “Do you think that those Galileans were worse sinners than other Galileans because of how much they suffered? 3 I’m telling you, ‘No.’  Unless you repent, you will be destroyed as well. 4 Or what about those eighteen people who were killed when the Tower of Siloam fell on them. Do you think that they were more guilty than all of the others living in Jerusalem.  5 I’m telling you, they weren’t.  But if you don’t repent, you too, will be destroyed.

Near the end of Chapter 12, Jesus talks to the crowd about their inability to read the signs of the times.  Then chapter 13 begins with someone telling Jesus about an atrocity committed by Pilate.  Apparently he had a number of Galieans killed and mixed their blood with the blood of their sacrifices.    Alfred Eidersheim wonders whether the ones sharing this story were relaying it as a sign of the time, hoping hat their whole nationalistic movement was about to get underway, with Jesus leading it. (Edersheim, 628.) It is possible, and if so, they were missing Jesus’ point. 

Anyway, Pilate's action makes Rome look really bad, and it appears that someone wants to hear Jesus take on the situation.  Jesus' response avoids any kind of political confrontation.

According to Kenneth Bailey, the expected response would have been something like, “How long, O Lord! Destroy the house of the evil Romans.  Hear the cries of thy people.” (Bailey, Peasant Eyes, 75.) However, Jesus doesn’t respond with criticism of Rome, nor does he remain silent.

Whatever the motive for relating this story to Jesus, he does not enter into a political discussion.  Rather he makes the discussion spiritual and focused on each person’s own life.  It is certainly sad that those people perished, but Jesus makes the point that if we don’t repent, that each of us will also perish.  In his response, Jesus asks a question.  "Did these people suffer because they were worse sinners than others in Galilee?"  No, that didn’t have anything to do with it.  Jesus is trying to help them prevent a different kind of death, because without repentance, people will suffer something worse than death. 

Jesus, then, gives a second example of a tragedy and follows it with the same statement.  He talks about the tower of Siloam falling and killing eighteen people.  The point that he makes in both cases is that this didn’t happen to these people because they were terrible sinners. They were perhaps, no better or no worse than his audience.  Jesus uses this as a call to repentance.  Not repenting leads to ἀπολεῖσθε (apoleisthe).  This is the 2nd person future indicative of ἀπολλυμι (apollumi).  The Greek-English Lexiconof New Testament Words defines  ἀπολλυμι  as 1) to cause or experience destruction, be ruined, destroyed, 2) perish. 

Failure to repent would ultimately lead to their destruction. However, the flipside of that concept, is repentance then, leads to life. Jesus is giving his listeners a warning, but he is also doing them a favor.  They do not have to be destroyed.  Instead, what ultimately happens to them will be a matter of their own choice. 

Tom 

     Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Peabody, Mass. Hendrickson Publishing, 1993. 

     Kenneth Bailey, Through Peasant Eyes, Grand Rpids, Mich. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1980. 

Bringing the Fire

 Hey!

With this post I will be completing my exegesis of Chapter 12 in Luke.  Today we will examine verses 49-59.  he is my translation: 

49 I have come to bring fire on the Earth, and how I wish the fire was already kindled. 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and I am distressed until its completion. 51 Do you think that I came to bring peace on the Earth? No, I am telling you, I am bringing division.  52 Because it will now be a house of five divided, three against two and two against three. 
53 They will be divided, father against son,
        And son against father,
     Mother against daughter,
        And daughter against mother.
    Mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
        And daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. 
54 Then Jesus, speaking also to the crowd, said “When you see the clouds rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘A storm is coming,’ and then it comes. And when a south wind blows, you say, “It’s about to get really hot, and that happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. So how are you so unable to interpret this present time?

57 Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you are going before a judge with your adversary, make an effort to settle your differences, so that he may not drag you before the judge, to be handed over to the court officer and thrown into jail. 59 I tell you, you will not get out of there until you have repaid every last penny. 

Jesus makes a somewhat surprising statement here.  We always connect Jesus to bringing ‘peace on Earth,’ but here he seems to say the opposite.  This doesn’t contradict that Jesus brings peace, but he is saying something completely different.  He will also bring separation.  Some will accept the ‘peace’ that Jesus brings, while others reject it.  This will lead to separation and in many cases, divided households.  

Jesus says that households will be divided because of him, three against two. Fathers and sons, mothers and daughters will come out on different sides, some with Jesus and others against him.  Jesus shows that the animosity will, at times, go in both directions.  ‘Father against son,’ and ‘Son against father.’  At times it will be the father who is obedient to Jesus and sometimes it will be the son. Either way, the fires that come, divide households. 

With this, Jesus says that he is bringing fire.  It seems that fire is part of this separation, and he says that he wished that the fire were already kindled.  At this point in his ministry, Jesus is ready to fulfill the program that is tied to his coming and is under distress until it happens. However, there are things that must happen first, like the baptism that he must be baptized with, likely, a reference to his upcoming death. 

Now, speaking to the crowd, Jesus tells them that they are good at reading the signs of the weather.  They can recognize when the signs indicate that it is going to rain or it is going to get really hot, yet they are completely unable to recognize the signs of God’s arrival on the Earth. Jesus has provided a lot of evidence of who he was, and yet many refused to see it.  God is working right in front of them, providing signs for the very thing they are looking for, and yet they miss it completely. Jesus calls them ‘hypocrites,’ as they seem unwilling to see what is obvious. 

Jesus encourages his listeners to make peace with their adversaries and settle their differences. They are to make a settlement before going to court, so that they are not carted off to jail. This assumes that they are going to lose the court case. Within the context, since losing is assumed, Jesus may be telling them that they should make peace with  God before it is too late? Certainly, when God is bringing the case against you, you will lose.  Better to make peace beforehand. Jesus makes the point that the one that loses the case will remain in prison until every last penny is repaid.  How does one repay a debt from prison? It seems that there is little chance that one could ever get out of a debtor’s prison without some kind of outside help.

So, Jesus closes out chapter 12 with a warning to his imperceptive audience. Jesus would bring fire and division.  Every household has its 'fires,' and these 'fires' have the ability to divide the house.  Jesus tells us this will happen. What does this mean for us?  We need to make that we trust Jesus enough to make sure that we come out on the right side of that fire. 

Tom   

Ready or Not!

Greetings everyone. 

I'm continuing my exegises of Luke 12 today, by looking at verses 35 through 48.  Here is my translation:  

35 Be dressed and ready, with your lamps burning. 36 Be like servants who are waiting for their master to come home from a wedding feast, so that when he arrives and knocks on the door, they can immediately open it for him. 37  Blessed are those servants, those that the master finds alert when he comes home.  I tell you truly, the master will change clothes, and have them sit at the table, while he serves them. 38 So, if he arrives in the middle of the night, and still finds them watching for him, those servants will certainly be blessed. 

39 But understand this: If a homeowner had known the exact time that a thief was coming, he would not have allowed him to break into his house. 40 So, be ready! You cannot predict the time in which the Son of Man is coming. 

41Then Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us or to everyone?”

42 The Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master can give authority over his household to give out their daily food at the right time? 43 Blessed is the servant that the master finds doing this when he gets home. 44 I am telling you, truly, the master will put that servant in charge of all of his possessions. 45 But if the servant says in his heart, “My master is delayed in coming home”, and he begins to mistreat the servants, both male and female.  Plus,he eats and drinks to the point of drunkenness. 46 When the master arrives at an unknown hour, on a day when he is not expected, he will cut him in two and he will be put in his place among the unfaithful. 

47 A servant who knows his master's will, but is not prepared, or simply doesn’t do it is beaten severely. 48 But a servant who doesn't know the master’s will, yet does things deserving punishment, is beaten less severely. To everyone who has been given much, much is required. To those who have been entrusted with much, even more is asked of them. 

In my last post we looked at verses 33-34, where Jesus has told them to seek after treasures in Heaven.  He has turned a conversation that started with physical things, food and clothing, into a discussion about Heaven, and focusing our attention on it.  Jesus now gives instructions designed to tell his followers to always be ready for their master’s return. 

In verse 35, Jesus tells them that  ὀσφύες περιεζωσμέναι, (osphues periezosmenai) which means to gird your loins.  According to Darrell Bock this is an expression that means to draw your long garments up around your waist in order to be able to move quickly. (Bock, 1174.) He also tells them to keep their lamps burning, so that even in the darkness, they will be ready.  

Starting in verse 36, he tells a parable in which the master has gone off to a wedding feast. According to Bock, in the ancient world, such a wedding feast could last for several days, so the time of the master’s arrival at home would be unknown. (Bock, 1174.) A good servant will remain dressed with a lamp lit. When the master returns, no matter the hour, the good servant is ready and waiting to attend him.  

Jesus stresses that such a servant is truly blessed for it.  According to Jesus, for such a servant, the master will change clothes, have the servant sit at the table and the master will attend to him.  Later, the wicked or lazy servant who is not ready when the master returns is punished. 

The point:  We do not know when Jesus will return, so we should always be attentive.  We are to keep that heavenward focus at all times. 

There isn’t going to be any kind of announcement beforehand when the Lord returns.  If there were, everyone would wait until shortly before that time and then suddenly get spiritual.  Jesus tells us that it isn't going to be like that.  He makes another parallel about this.  If the homeowner knew in advance when the thief was coming, he would be there, ready and waiting, and the thief would not be able to break in and steal anything.  

In verse 40, Jesus tells them again to ‘Be ready,” understanding that those who are ready when he returns will receive great blessing, and those who are not will receive judgment.  (There is no way to predict when Jesus will return.  Those who think that they have it figured out are mistaken.) 

In verse 42, Jesus returns to his parable about the servants and their readiness for the master’s return, but now is focused on the manager’s, those without the household with leadership positions.  They are to be careful how they treat those under them.  The manager is the servant left in charge of the house while the master is away.  This manager has certain responsibilities, among them is to make sure that all of the other servants receive their allotment of food.  In other words, his leadership position carries with it, serving the other servants. The leader that is acting this way when Jesus returns will be blessed.  Jesus says that he will be placed over all of the master’s possessions. 

However, the manager that takes advantage of his position to be self-indulgent and abusive toward the other servants, will be judged.  Jesus says that such a manager will be διχοτομήσει (dichotomesei) This word means ‘to be cut in two.” Now, is Jesus suggesting that such a servant will be literally cut into two parts, or is he speaking in hyperbole, to mean that such a servant will be severely punished.  I am inclined to think the latter, because Jesus also says that such a servant will be assigned a place among the unbelievers.  Such an action would seem meaningless to the two halves of a dead body. The idea here is the abusive and faithless manager will be severely punished. 

Jesus goes on to discuss levels of punishment.  Those who know God’s will and choose not to do it, will be punished severely.  Those who are ignorant of God’s will, and therefore do not obey, will still be punished, but not as severely. What does this mean?  Are there levels of punishments that await the ungodly?  I can't say that I know the answer to that question, but this passage implies that there is. However, I would conclude that for those who are always ready, it doesn't matter. 

Tom 

The Best Place to Invest

Hello everyone.

Today, we will continue to examine Luke 12, this time from verses 22-34.  Here is my translation: 

22 Then he said to his disciples, “Because of this, I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear, 23  because life is greater than food and the body is greater than clothing. 24 Consider ravens. They neither scatter seed nor harvest. They don't have storerooms or barns, either. Yet God takes care of them.  How much more valuable are you than birds? 25 Which of you can add time to your life through worry? 26 If you can’t even do this tiny thing, why would you worry about the rest? 27 Consider how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work hard, nor do they spin thread. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory were as well-dressed as they are. 28 So if the grass of the field, which is here today, but tomorrow is thrown into the fire, is clothed by God, how much more will He clothe you, you of little faith.  29 So don’t focus on things to eat and drink, and don’t worry. 30 All the people of the world chase after these things, but your Father knows that you need them. 31 Rather, you seek His kingdom, and these things will be given to you.’
32 “Don’t be afraid, my little flock, because your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to those in need. Make a money-bag for yourself that doesn’t wear out, for the inexhaustible treasures of Heaven, where thieves cannot approach and moths cannot destroy it. 
34 Because, wherever your treasure is, that is where your heart will be.”

Jesus has just warned the crowd about all forms of greed and shared a parable about a wealthy man who hoarded his wealth and was not generous toward God.  God called the man a fool. The man’s bad example serves as a springboard for Jesus to talk about something else. Now, with Jesus speaking to his disciples, the man’s story will serve as a cautionary tale.  We are not to be like him.  Rather we are to be generous toward God and trust Him for our daily provision. 

Jesus’ instructions are, don’t be anxious about your life or your body.  Do not focus on food or clothing. Jesus instruction is simple, yet challenging: Μὴ μεριμνᾶτε (May merimnatay) - ‘Don’t worry.”  Darrell Bock says, “A lack of anxiety about basic daily needs is to characterize the disciple.. (Bock, 1159) 

Jesus has just told them that life consists of more than the abundance of one’s possessions.  Now he is telling them that life is more than eating.  He is saying to his disciples, but is in a society in which most people are subsistence farmers, generally producing enough to survive. He also tells them that the body is more important than clothing. Clothing, like food, is important.  These things are basic necessities, but Jesus is saying that we are to trust God to provide for these basic necessities.  In an agrarian society where most people are subsistence farmers, most people spend most of their time just making sure that these basic needs are met. 

Today, in America, since most of us don’t have to worry much about food or clothing, because we have them them in abundance, he might say it differently. Life is more important than possessing the latest technology, streaming the latest shows, or our likes on social media. We are to seek God’s kingdom and our basic necessities will be taken care of.  In our modern society, we don’t really think about things, like, “Am I going to have enough grain to make it to the next harvest?” 

Jesus takes a look at the natural world.  He points out God takes care of the ravens, who do not farm, yet they eat.  (A note on ravens.  According to Lev. 11:15, ravens are considered an unclean animal.  It is interesting that of all of the animals Jesus could have chosen, he chooses one that is unclean.) Jesus makes the point to his disciples that the disciples are much more valuable to God than birds. 

God invented flowers and placed them in the fields, and even Solomon in all of his finery, cannot match their beauty.  If God will adorn grass so magnificently, how much more is God able to meet our needs?  The question then is, are we going to trust Him for that? Just like ravens, flowers don’t work.  They don't spin thread or make cloth, yet they are well-adorned.  Jesus compares them to Solomon in all of his finery, and says the flowers look better. 

Jesus stresses the pointlessness of worry.  Does worry do anything for us?  The answer is ‘no.’  We can get caught up in worry, but through worry, we do not add a single hour to our life.  So, if an activity is actually so useless, why do it? Why waste our energy on things with which we have no control?  If we are disciples of Jesus, God will take care of us. (Note: God does not promise riches here.  Merely that he will meet our basic needs.)  

Jesus draws a parallel here with being overly anxious about life and with having a small faith.  He uses the word ὀλιγόπιστοι which would mean “few faith’ or little faith. In verse 30, Jesus states that people of the world chase after these things.  This is what most spend their life doing.  But, God knows that we need these things and He will provide them for us. God doesn’t want us to worry.  He asks us to seek his kingdom, but also assures us that He has given us His kingdom and is happy to do so. On our end, we trust Him and serve Him and other people, giving to those in need, 

In verse 32, Jesus expresses a tenderness toward his disciples, referring to them as ‘little flock.” They are the sheep and he is their shepherd. 

Meanwhile, we are to store up treasures in Heaven.  Jesus has been telling them not to worry about the ordinary concerns of life, but to focus on God’s kingdom.  Instead, Jesus says, our focus should be on gaining a Βαλλάντια (Ballantia) money-bag, in heaven. This word Βαλλάντια refers to the type of bag where businessmen would keep their money. Don’t put your focus on the temporary wealth of this life, but on the eternal wealth that awaits in Heaven. Investing in that heavenly money-bag is by far the better investment. 

This section closes with the statement, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  We can choose where to place our treasures, whether in this life or in the life to come.  This indicates where our heart is. We are loyal to the things we value most.  If our true value is in Heaven, then the choices we make will reflect that.

Tom

Don't be Stingy

Greetings!

I am continuing my exegesis of Luke 12 today, by examining verses 12 - 21.  Here is my translation:

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

14 Jesus responded to the man, “My friend, who appointed me judge or arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out and be on your guard against all forms of greed, because life does not consist in how much one possesses.” 16 Then he told them this parable, “The field of a wealthy man produced a great crop.  17 So he said to himself, “What should I do, since I have nowhere to store my crops? 18 So he said, “I will do this; I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones in which to house all my goods and my grains. 19 And I will say deep down in my soul, “You have abundant goods stored up, enough to last for many years.  So relax! Eat! Drink! Enjoy yourself! 20 But God said to him. “You fool! Tonight, your soul will be demanded  of you. Who will end up with all that you have prepared for yourself? 21 So that is how it is for those who store up treasures for themselves, but are stingy toward God. 

So apparently, Jesus has become something of an authority figure for people.  A man in the crowd calls out to Jesus and asks him to settle a dispute between him and his brother over their inheritance.  Certainly, the man must have been thinking that if he had Jesus on side, he was bound to get what he wanted.  Notice that the man addresses Jesus as ‘teacher.’ According to Darrell Bock, a rabbi might settle a dispute such as this.  (Bock, 1149.) Because of their understanding of the Torah, they could be called in to settle family disputes based on their own interpretation of the law.  

The man surely thought that he had an ally in the compassionate Jesus.  He undoubtedly hoped that Jesus would prevail on his brother to be more generous out of the inheritance.  But Jesus stays out of it, asking, who had made him the judge and arbiter between the two men. Jesus didn’t take a side in this family squabble.  I’m sure that the man speaking assumed that his argument was correct and that Jesus would immediately see the justice of his cause, but it did not work out that way. 

Instead, Jesus uses the situation as a springboard to talk about greed.  His warning to them is that they should guard themselves against it. And he tells them to watch out for any and all of its forms.  The desire for money is not not the only form of greed there is.  The desire to accumulate possessions is also greed. 

Rather than the accumulation of possessions, Jesus says that life does not consist of how much one owns. Havin a bunch of stuff is not life.  Real life is about relationships. Real life is connected to God, not things.  

Then, Jesus tells a parable about a wealthy farmer who had produced an abundant crop.  He decides to tear down his barns and build bigger ones to store his surplus grain.  Then, he says to himself that he had enough to last for many years, and that he should now eat and drink and enjoy himself.  God responds to him, saying that on that night, his soul would be demanded of him.

This man, having very productive land in an agrarian society, would likely be viewed as specially blessed by God. Indeed, it appears that this man received his blessing quite naturally, through hard, honest work and God's blessing. But what does this man do with the blessings that God has given him? 

The man speaks to his ψυχῇ, (psyche), which here means 'soul.,' when he tells himself to relax and enjoy his life. He plans a future that is self-centered and self-indulgent, giving no thought to the needs of others, nor does he thank God for the blessing. 

God’s response to the man is to call him a fool.  His life is cut short and all of his plans come to naught.  He had accumulated all of his wealth so that he could enjoy himself, but now he is dead and someone else will benefit from  all of his years of hard work. 

Jesus finishes by saying that it is how things work out for those who store up for themselves, but do not give to God.  We will all eventually die and pass our wealth on to someone else.  

In the Greek: μὴ εἰς Θεὸν πλουτῶν (may eis Theon ploutone.). Not toward God, rich.  I have translated it as stingy toward God. 

I don’t think Jesus is saying, “Don’t plan for retirement.”  What he is saying though is, “Don’t make big financial plans without giving to God.” The man was not criticized for making or having money.  The man was a 'fool' because he stored up treasures on Earth, but in Heaven. 

Tom