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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
41 | Tongues in different settings? | 1 Cor 14:22 | Just Read Mark | 151097 | ||
Wow, Tim. I never would have read the words like that. It makes me want to learn greek. It results in a completely different meaning to the verse --- but certainly more harmonious with the larger context. So, if the verse is a rhetorical question, does that work with the OT quote that sets it up? |
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42 | Tongues, madness or sign for unbeliever | 1 Cor 14:22 | Just Read Mark | 151055 | ||
Thanks for the in-depth answer. It is fascinating, and I appreciate how the OT quote is integrated into it ( ... although it is a strange passage for Paul to quote. It's relation to tongues is certainly metaphorical...). So, if I understand it right, Paul is saying that tongues are for unbelievers. If the tongues are improperly used, however, they will be discrediting to the church. If they are properly used, they will somehow reach unbelievers. I have two questions.... first, why would an unbeliever be impressed by unintelligable words? Second, if Paul's criticism is simply that they are using tongues badly, why doesn't he contrast "good tongues" to "confusing tongues" instead of contrasting tongues to prophecy? I hope I have made my questions clear.... it seems a bit muddled. JRM |
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43 | Bear each others load, or our own? | Gal 6:5 | Just Read Mark | 147522 | ||
Thanks, Ed. That is very helpful. I have printed out the response, to follow the references better. I particularly like this notion of the "soldier's pack" as distinct fromt the oppressive burden. Both mutual service and individual responsibility are important. Also, the link to "come all who are heavy laden" is meaningful. JRM |
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44 | Are Christain who murder exluded? | Rev 21:8 | Just Read Mark | 143036 | ||
God's grace is wonderful. Thank you for the scriptural reference. I think Revelation makes a lot more sense when tied back through the Bible like this. The washing is a powerful image. JRM |
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45 | Balaam's Plot? | Num 31:16 | Just Read Mark | 142267 | ||
Reading Revelation, I came across another mention of Balaam. In the words of Jesus, it refers directly to Balaam's role in Israel's sexual immorality and idol worship. (Rev 2:14). It is just as explicit as Numbers 31:16. So I started to look for other references to Balaam, and see what aspect of his actions they emphasize. Most emphaize that he was hired to curse, but God caused him to bless instead. He is also used as an example of someone who chooses to act immorally for the sake of money. Some refer to his role in the Israelite's fall into idol worship and sexual immorality. I only found one mention of the donkey. Also: in the old testament, the story is just recounted as part of Israel's story (although this is still a cause for action, esp. Nehemiah). In the New Testament, Balaam is mentioned more like a "sermon illustration," in a wider setting of teaching. Here's what I found: Deuteronomy 23:4 --- recounts how Balaam was hired to curse Israel. Emphasizes the need to keep separate from Moabites --- this is also the verse the people would have read in Nehemiah. Joshua 16:22 --- discussing division of land among tribes of Israel, and mentioned the death of Balaam. Joshua 24:9 --- Recounting Israel's story, Balaam's blessings are mentioned, but not the idolatry/sexuality issue. Nehemiah 13:2 --- How God turned Balaam's curses into blessing... also, how Israelites and Moabites should not mix... Micah 6:5 --- Balaam blesses Israel, instead of the curses Balak wished for. 2 Peter 2:15 --- Balaam's foolishness, and the donkey's rebuke. Jude 1:11 ---Balaam's greed leading to error Revelation 2:14 --- refers directly to Balaam's role in Israel's sexual immorality and idol worship. |
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46 | Balaam's Plot? | Num 31:16 | Just Read Mark | 140738 | ||
I think that's true: basically, we aren't told how Balaam influenced the idolatry.... the clearest moment is Numbers 31:16. I have been considering the significance of this story, and want to share this thought: Perhaps, when they heard a pagan prophet had blessed them, the Israelites dropped their guard against blending with the local cultures... just as we are prone to do: when we see those around us doing right, we are tempted to soften the exclusive claims of our Lord. JRM |
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47 | eye for an eye | Lev 24:20 | Just Read Mark | 137804 | ||
I guess I was thinking that eye for an eye is a little like: "Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself." It would certainly instill some empathy: " here is the exact suffering the other person went through, so that you understand what it's like." In a brutal way, I can see how you can get from there to the more visionary step of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you..." (Matt 7...) As for art: there is so much! Where faith and art come together, I am just filled with curiosity and joy. I shared a set of representations of Jesus with our church youth group this weekend, and it opened up the best prayer time we have ever had together. The images, spanning centuries and cultures, pulled so much reflective thought out of them. Exhilerating. God Bless! JRM |
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48 | Year of Jubilee for the Land? | Lev 25:24 | Just Read Mark | 137784 | ||
Doc --- I really like your thought about the exile providing the land with a much-delayed Sabbath. Reading further in Leviticus, I found that it is actually made explicit : They will be taken into the land of their enemies (v 41)... And if while they repent in Exile, God will "remember the land. For the land will be deserted by them and will enjoy its sabbaths while it lies desolate without them." (verse 43) Pretty cool, eh? As for the "environmentalism" you referred to, I would suggest there is a Biblical model for caring for the environment that goes right back to the garden of Eden. Somehow, Leviticus pictures the year of Jubilee as freeing slaves, returning property, and also treating the "land" well. I'd like to understand this better. Here is a verse that points to our role as stewards of God's land (rather than owners who can do as we wish): "The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me." Lev 25:23. Peace. JRM |
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49 | The meaning of "break" | Ex 19:24 | Just Read Mark | 136268 | ||
The Barrier between us and God. I have been deeply moved, thinking through this scene. Just scratching the surface. May we, like the Isrealites, tremble. Here's what I'm thinking... God is holy. The instruction to "set limits around the mountain and keep it holy" reflects the holiness of God. Our sin cannot approach God's throne. Now, it seems God has also set a limit for himself -- a line of self-restraint perhaps? So if they "break" their bounds, God's holiness will "break forth" and consume them. I think this is one of the clearest pictures of the barrier between humanity and our creator. I think, also, of the angels blocking the garden of Eden. What are other clear examples of this barrier? The intimacy of the garden was lost. The events at Mount Sinai make the connection between the barrier, holiness, and the law. We are set for destruction. Addressing this barrier was the purpose of the sacrifices, the priesthood, and ultimately the coming of our Lord. I want to look at the relationship between this scene in Exodus and the book of Hebrews. |
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50 | How do magicians imitate blood plague? | Ex 7:22 | Just Read Mark | 136140 | ||
The magicians humbled. Hi Ray. God made His intention clear: "Take your rod and stretch out your hand over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone." (Ex 7:19) We then see this fullfilled, "so there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt" (7:21). So, yes, my questions was: if all the water is already blood, how can the magicians turn water to blood? It seems that surface water was turned to blood, but if you dug a new well you could find clean water.(v. 24) Perhaps this ground water is what they turned to blood -- at least a sample of it. I am just shocked by this plague. It is so gross. For a country to do without water for 7 days would be devastating --- probably worse than flies, locusts, frogs. I just don't understand these magicians, and why people would be satisfied with their tricks! Turning one container of water to "blood" is one thing, but the entire water system of a nation is quite another. There is an order of magnitude difference here. It seems we are tempted to explain God away, and honour gods of our making. It is informative to see what happens to the magicians over the course of the plagues: -- after the frogs (8:7), the magicians can't keep up. -- With lice, they fail (8:17). They even testify that the plague is God's doing (8:18). -- the magicians are later incapacitated by the plague of boils (9:11). They aren't heard from again. This is seen as a contest between the Egyptians gods and the God of Israel. As Jethro says, "Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them." (18:11) |
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51 | did we pre-exist as a spirit being? | John 1:2 | Just Read Mark | 136075 | ||
Hank: I really appreciate the contrast between Adam and Eve's creation (molded and breathed into being), and Christ's incarnation. What an amazing book. JRM. (too bad these threads are not kept together, but I see the reason for it.) |
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52 | How literal is the Bible? | Bible general Archive 2 | Just Read Mark | 135818 | ||
Hi Reighnskye. Thanks for letting me know. I didn't really understand the drug references... it was "all greek to me." Anyway, I'd probably just get roasted (in the most collegial way) for my post, so it's just as well. JRM |
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53 | Joseph's iron fist | Gen 47:19 | Just Read Mark | 135817 | ||
I agree that 20 percent is a very fair taxation rate. I am a Canadian so, hey, I acknowledge govenments can have a constructive role. In my first post, I mentioned that that might be a societal benefit worth the suffering they went through. The people were offering their freedom because they had already paid EVERYTHING they had. Can you imagine? Property, livestock, everything. Joseph could have said, "no, there's another way." I suggest that your desire to commend Joseph is preventing you from reading the harshness of the text.... There are more options than "the people starve or they forfeit all they own to the Empire." What about "the people receive the food they grew at an affordable rate, so that all Egyptians will benefit" ? If you were Joseph, and you saw people starving and bankrupt, wouldn't that idea occur to you? |
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54 | Joseph's iron fist | Gen 47:19 | Just Read Mark | 135794 | ||
Hi Angel. I certainly understand that Joseph was working for Pharoah, not Jacob. The story is clear about how God gave him the ability to interpret dreams, and that his position of authority was God's doing ---- this is one of the clearest examples of a negative thing (being sold by his brothers) being used by God for good. My question was about what he did AFTER that. If you paid significant taxes for 7 years (like the Egyptians did, paying grain into Pharoah's coffers) --- wouldn't you expect to get the services when you needed them? I know I'm being anachronistic here, for effect. Basically, Joseph was being shrewd to the point of being tyranical. Caring for the hungry is a value embodied in Old Testament and New ---- Joseph fed the people, but took their entire wealth, land, and freedom in the process. We can't really say this is Pharoah's fault, for Pharoah gave Joseph the authority to run the program. The Bible is honest about the characters -- we see even the most heroic characters' severe faults. Might you agree that this is Joseph's moment of weakness? |
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55 | Moses product of Incest? | Ex 6:20 | Just Read Mark | 135559 | ||
Hi EdB. Interesting idea. I've heard that approach to the first generations (ie. after Adam and Eve, or after Noah) but never thought of it extending this far along. So, in a sense, the law against incest isn't timeless --- it is context sensitive. Of course, from Mosaic law onwards, we are in the context where it is wrong. Do I have that right? JRM. |
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56 | Dinosaurs (Life before Adam and Eve) | Genesis | Just Read Mark | 135161 | ||
True enough! I read the word "small" but somehow skipped "young." Thanks for setting me straight. Wish I could have been there. |
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57 | Dinosaurs (Life before Adam and Eve) | Genesis | Just Read Mark | 135158 | ||
I have a question about your theory. Do I have this right: In order to weave Dinosaurs into Genesis, you are willing to make Noah disobey God's instructions. Noah is clearly told to bring representatives of "all flesh" into the ark. He would have needed to put two of each dinosaur on the ark. It certainly changes the meaning of the story, if such amazing creatures were excluded. (Unless they were being destroyed on the same moral grounds as the rest of humanity?) JRM |
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58 | Rape, Circumcission, Slaughter. | Gen 34:31 | Just Read Mark | 135157 | ||
Angel, I don't think my queries were particularly "liberal." Rather, I think it is important to look at characters' motivations in the text, and try to understand what is being described. The Bible often uses few words to describe an event, leaving many questions. The Old Testament, in particular, is full of ethically complicated situations ---- it is more like history than parables: the people are messed up (as we are) and aren't always good moral examples. There is not always a gloss on the story, where we are told "this was good" or "this was bad." We are left to wrestle it through. As for the differences between Old Testament and New -- perhaps it is even more complicated than that. Can you imagine being Jacob, and only having the stories of the beginning of Genesis to work with? No liberation from Egypt to shape your understanding of God's liberty... No Ten commandments to shape your understanding of God's righteousness... With each covenant, (Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David...) the picture of God becomes a little clearer. As Joseph says, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Genesis 40:8). |
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59 | Rape, Circumcission, Slaughter. | Gen 34:31 | Just Read Mark | 135156 | ||
Angel, I don't think my queries were particularly "liberal." Rather, I think it is important to look at characters' motivations in the text, and try to understand what is being described. The Bible often uses few words to describe an event, leaving many questions. The Old Testament, in particular, is full of ethically complicated situations ---- it is more like history than parables: the people are messed up (as we are) and aren't always good moral examples. There is not always a gloss on the story, where we are told "this was good" or "this was bad." We are left to wrestle it through. As for the differences between Old Testament and New -- perhaps it is even more complicated than that. Can you imagine being Jacob, and only having the stories of the beginning of Genesis to work with? No liberation from Egypt to shape your understanding of God's liberty... No Ten commandments to shape your understanding of God's righteousness... With each covenant, (Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David...) the picture of God becomes a little clearer. As Joseph says, "Do not interpretations belong to God?" (Genesis 40:8). |
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60 | Rape, Circumcission, Slaughter. | Gen 34:31 | Just Read Mark | 135084 | ||
Perhaps Dinah was raped. Horrible. How dare Shechem come to buy her, after imposing violence on her. Soft words are not enough. Still, his willingness to be circumcised is moving (I have one friend who experienced that as an adult... it wasn't pleasant, even with todays medicine. Can you imagine...?) You suggested that "It seems that you exact a greater obligation on Jacob than you do on the pagans!" This is true. As does our Maker. The more we know, the more accountable we are, no? We are to share the grace we have received. Peace. PS -- I like the connection between Levi's scattered curse/blessing and the eventual priestly role of the tribe of Levi, scattered among the other tribes. Thanks for pointing that out. What an amazing book. |
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