{"id":4392,"date":"2014-11-17T22:45:23","date_gmt":"2014-11-17T16:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intelligent-torvalds.74-208-171-134.plesk.page\/?p=4392"},"modified":"2023-07-31T08:49:57","modified_gmt":"2023-07-31T13:49:57","slug":"romans-part-54","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/?p=4392","title":{"rendered":"Romans, Part 54"},"content":{"rendered":"

To continue<\/a> my attempt to view\u2014Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord<\/a><\/em>[1]<\/sup><\/a>\u2014as a definition of love (\u1f00\u03b3\u03ac\u03c0\u03b7<\/a>) rather than as rules, I\u2019ll turn to the next item on the table I constructed: Love is\u2026not self-serving<\/em>[2]<\/sup><\/a> (\u03bf\u1f50 \u03b6\u03b7\u03c4\u03b5\u1fd6 \u03c4\u1f70 \u1f11\u03b1\u03c5\u03c4\u1fc6\u03c2; literally, \u201cnot seek itself\u201d).<\/p>\n

If someone owns a hundred sheep<\/em>, Jesus said, and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for<\/em> (\u03b6\u03b7\u03c4\u03b5\u1fd6, a form of \u03b6\u03b7\u03c4\u03ad\u03c9<\/a>) the one that went astray?<\/em>[3]<\/sup><\/a> He made it clear He was not talking only about sheep and shepherds.\u00a0 Looking at children, He added, In the same way, your Father in heaven is not<\/em> (\u03bf\u1f50\u03ba, a form of \u03bf\u1f50<\/a>; the absolute negation[4]<\/sup><\/a>) willing<\/em> (\u03b8\u03ad\u03bb\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1<\/a>) that one of these little ones be lost<\/em>[5]<\/sup><\/a> (\u1f00\u03c0\u03cc\u03bb\u03b7\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9, a form of \u1f00\u03c0\u03cc\u03bb\u03bb\u03c5\u03bc\u03b9<\/a>).\u00a0 This is Jesus\u2019 expression of David\u2019s confidence, Surely your goodness and faithfulness will pursue<\/a> me all my days<\/em>\u2026[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Still, I began to wonder in what sense the Father seeking his own was not self-serving or love seeking itself. I found a satisfying distinction in the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand men plus women and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Matthew<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Mark<\/td>\nLuke<\/td>\n\n

John<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Now when Jesus heard [about John the Baptist\u2019s death] he went away from there privately in a boat to an isolated place.<\/p>\n

Matthew 14:13a (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

Then the apostles gathered around Jesus and told him everything they had done and taught.\u00a0 He said to them, \u201cCome with me privately to an isolated place and rest a while\u201d (for many were coming and going, and there was no time to eat).\u00a0 So they went away by themselves in a boat to some remote place.<\/p>\n

Mark 6:30-32 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done.\u00a0 Then he took them with him and they withdrew privately to a town called Bethsaida<\/a>.[7]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Luke 9:10 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee<\/a>[8]<\/sup><\/a> (also called the Sea of Tiberias).<\/p>\n

John 6:1 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John took pains to place the story in space and time. In Matthew\u2019s Gospel narrative Jesus went to an isolated place<\/em> after He heard of John the Baptist\u2019s death.[9]<\/sup><\/a> John\u2019s disciples came and took the body and buried it and went and told Jesus<\/em>.[10]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Mark pointed out that this coincided with the return of the twelve<\/a><\/em>,[11]<\/sup><\/a> the apostles Jesus had sent out two by two<\/em>.\u00a0 The purpose of this trip was rest and relaxation for the twelve and perhaps a moment for Jesus to grieve over the beheading of his cousin.\u00a0 Luke added the destination, Bethsaida<\/em>, and John added the body of water traversed, the Sea of Galilee (also called the Sea of Tiberias)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

John didn\u2019t mention the apostles\u2019 return (or that they were sent out for that matter). John didn\u2019t make much of John the Baptist\u2019s death.\u00a0 He was still alive in chapter three<\/a>[12]<\/sup><\/a> and spoken of in the past tense in chapter five<\/a>.[13]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 John set the story conceptually, if you will.<\/p>\n

The fifth chapter of John\u2019s Gospel account begins with a curious healing. A man lay by a pool in Jerusalem, believing apparently that if he were first to enter its waters after they were stirred up<\/a><\/em>[14]<\/sup><\/a> (\u03c4\u03b1\u03c1\u03b1\u03c7\u03b8\u1fc7, a form of \u03c4\u03b1\u03c1\u03ac\u03c3\u03c3\u03c9<\/a>) he would be healed.\u00a0 At least, that\u2019s how his answer to Jesus question\u2014 Do you want to become well?<\/em>[15]<\/sup><\/a>\u2014sounds to me.[16]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 Jesus healed him apparently by simple command (John 5:8, 9 NET):<\/p>\n

Jesus said to him, \u201cStand up<\/a>! \u00a0Pick up your mat and walk\u201d [Table<\/a>].<\/em>\u00a0 Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his mat and started walking. \u00a0(Now that day was a Sabbath.)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Perhaps I should see this as a living expression of God\u2019s grace as totally unmerited favor, but I can\u2019t help but see Jesus as provocateur here, since the most important part of this story is the parenthetical\u2014Now that day was a Sabbath<\/em>.<\/p>\n

When the religious leaders saw the man walking carrying his mat on the Sabbath, they said, \u201cIt is the Sabbath, and<\/a> you are not permitted<\/em> (\u03bf\u1f50\u03ba \u1f14\u03be\u03b5\u03c3\u03c4\u03b9\u03bd<\/a>) to carry your<\/a> mat.\u201d<\/em>[17]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe man who made me well said to me, \u2018Pick up your mat and walk.\u2019\u201d<\/em>[18]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWho is the man who said to you, \u2018Pick up your mat<\/a> and walk\u2019?\u201d<\/em>[19]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The man didn\u2019t know Jesus, nor could he point Him out, since He had slipped out<\/a><\/em>[20]<\/sup><\/a> among the crowd gathered in Jerusalem for a Jewish feast<\/a><\/em>.[21]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0 After this Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, \u201cLook, you have become well. Don\u2019t sin any more, lest anything worse happen to you.\u201d \u00a0The man went away and informed the Jewish leaders that Jesus was the one who had made him well<\/em>. Now because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began persecuting<\/a> him<\/a> <\/em>[Table<\/a>].[22]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

John had a long lifetime to consider with the Holy Spirit what Jesus had said and done before he wrote his Gospel narrative. He related this story of the healing of a man by a command to break the Sabbath<\/a> (as the religious authorities interpreted the Law) a man so ignorant of Jesus he could not even implicate Him when the religious authorities questioned him.\u00a0 So Jesus met him again in the temple, all to orchestrate an opportunity for Jesus to say to the religious authorities, My Father is working until now, and I too am working<\/em>.[23]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

The religious authorities reacted exactly as one would expect religious authorities to react when confronted with a knowledge of God superior to their own, if the religious authorities in question were self-serving rather than God-serving: For this reason the Jewish leaders were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God<\/em>.[24]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Jesus had a lot more to say to these religious authorities (John 5:19-23 NET):<\/p>\n

I tell you the solemn truth, the Son can do nothing on his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing. \u00a0For whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. \u00a0For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does, and will show him greater deeds than these, so that you will be amazed. \u00a0For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. \u00a0Furthermore, the Father does not judge (\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03b5\u03b9, a form of \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9<\/a>)<\/em> anyone, but has assigned all judgment (\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd, a form of \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2<\/a>)<\/em> to the Son, so that all people will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. \u00a0The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I can do nothing more than listen to Yahweh come in human flesh speaking to religious authorities, THE religious authorities of the only religion ever authorized by the One living and true God (John 5:24-30 NET):<\/p>\n

I tell you the solemn truth, the one who hears my message and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned (\u03b5\u1f30\u03c2 \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd \u03bf\u1f50\u03ba \u1f14\u03c1\u03c7\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9<\/a>; literally, \u201cinto judgment is not coming<\/a>\u201d)<\/em>, but has crossed over from death to life. \u00a0I tell you the solemn truth, a time is coming (\u1f14\u03c1\u03c7\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9)<\/em> \u2013 and is now here \u2013 when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. \u00a0For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself, and he has granted the Son authority to execute judgment (\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03bd, a form of \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2)<\/em>, because he is the Son of Man.<\/p>\n

Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming (\u1f14\u03c1\u03c7\u03b5\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9)<\/em> when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out \u2013 the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation (\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b5\u03c9\u03c2, a form of \u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2, or, judgment<\/a>)<\/em>. \u00a0I can do nothing on my own initiative. \u00a0Just as I hear, I judge (\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03bd\u03c9)<\/em>, and my judgment (\u03ba\u03c1\u03af\u03c3\u03b9\u03c2)<\/em> is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here is a powerful clue to the meaning of a love that is not self-seeking: I do not seek<\/em> (\u03b6\u03b7\u03c4\u1ff6, another form of \u03b6\u03b7\u03c4\u03ad\u03c9) my own will<\/em> (\u03b8\u03ad\u03bb\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1), but the will<\/em> (\u03b8\u03ad\u03bb\u03b7\u03bc\u03b1) of the one who sent me<\/em>.\u00a0 Jesus continued speaking to the religious authorities (John 5:31-40 NET):<\/p>\n

If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. \u00a0There is another who testifies about me [the Father, I assume]<\/em>, and I know the testimony he testifies about me is true. \u00a0You have sent to John [the Baptist]<\/em>, and he has testified to the truth [John 1:19-37<\/a>]<\/em>. \u00a0(I do not accept human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.) \u00a0He was a lamp that was burning and shining, and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time in his light.<\/p>\n

But I have a testimony greater than that from John. \u00a0For the deeds that the Father has assigned me to complete \u2013 the deeds I am now doing \u2013 testify about me that the Father has sent me. \u00a0And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. \u00a0You people have never heard his voice[25]<\/sup><\/a> <\/em>nor seen his form at any time, nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent. \u00a0You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me, but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019ll take a moment to highlight what Jesus said about the authorities of the only God-ordained religion on the planet:<\/p>\n

1) You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time, nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent<\/em>.\u00a0 Contrast this to his words to Philip, John 14:8-14<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2) You study the scriptures thoroughly<\/em>\u2026it is these same scriptures that testify about me, but you are not<\/em> (\u03bf\u1f50, the absolute negation) willing<\/em> (\u03b8\u03ad\u03bb\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5, a form of \u03b8\u03ad\u03bb\u03c9<\/a>) to come to me so that you may have life<\/em>.\u00a0 This is utterly self-serving. For ignoring the righteousness that comes from God, Paul wrote, and seeking instead to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to God\u2019s righteousness<\/em>.[26]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Jesus concluded his discourse with the religious authorities (John 5:41-47 NET):<\/p>\n

I do not accept praise from people, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God<\/a> within you. \u00a0I have come in my Father\u2019s name, and you do not accept me. \u00a0If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. \u00a0How can you believe, if you accept praise from one another and don\u2019t seek the praise that comes from the only God?<\/p>\n

Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. \u00a0The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. \u00a0If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. \u00a0But if you do not believe what Moses wrote, how will you believe my words?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Here I\u2019ll add a third item to the list:<\/p>\n

3) If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me<\/em>.<\/p>\n

In this light I\u2019ll continue to look into the feeding of the five thousand men plus women and children in the next essay.<\/p>\n

\n
Romans, Part 55<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
Back to Romans, Part 79<\/em><\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

<\/a>[1]<\/sup> Romans 12:11 (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[2]<\/sup> 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[3]<\/sup> Matthew 18:12b (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[4]<\/sup> I will leave it to others to debate whether the Father\u2019s unwillingness was limited only to the children present at the time and place Jesus spoke.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[5]<\/sup> Matthew 18:14 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[6]<\/sup> Psalm 23:6a (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[7]<\/sup> http:\/\/bibleatlas.org\/bethsaida.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[8]<\/sup> http:\/\/www.bible-history.com\/geography\/ancient-israel\/sea-of-galilee.html<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[9]<\/sup> John 14:10, 11 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[10]<\/sup> Matthew 14:12 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[11]<\/sup> Mark 6:7-13 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[12]<\/sup> John 3:22-36 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[13]<\/sup> John 5:31-36 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[14]<\/sup> John 5:7 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[15]<\/sup> John 5:6 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[16]<\/sup> The explanation given in the KJV (John 5:4)\u2014For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had<\/em>\u2014has been rejected as not original to the text by most contemporary Bible scholars.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[17]<\/sup> John 5:10 (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[18]<\/sup> John 5:11 (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[19]<\/sup> John 5:12 (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[20]<\/sup> John 5:13 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[21]<\/sup> John 5:1 (NET)<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[22]<\/sup> John 5:14-16 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[23]<\/sup> John 5:17 (NET) Table<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/a>[24]<\/sup> John 5:18 (NET)<\/p>\n

<\/a>[25]<\/sup> The Father\u2019s voice, that is: Exodus 20:1, 19; Deuteronomy 4:12; 5:24.\u00a0 I assume the voice they heard was Yahweh\u2019s, the Son.<\/p>\n

<\/a>[26]<\/sup> Romans 10:3 (NET)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To continue my attempt to view\u2014Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord[1]\u2014as a definition of love (\u1f00\u03b3\u03ac\u03c0\u03b7) rather than as rules, I\u2019ll turn to the next item on the table I constructed: Love is\u2026not self-serving[2] … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1736,3117,3116,20,2719],"tags":[990,2597,2598,2599,2600,922,923,2601,2602,2603,2604,2596,2594,2593,2592,2595,2591,2512,2590,2429,554,2067],"class_list":["post-4392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-chapter-12","category-do-not-lag-in-zeal","category-love","category-romans","category-section-three","tag-1-corinthians-135","tag-john-510","tag-john-511","tag-john-512","tag-john-514-16","tag-john-517","tag-john-518","tag-john-519-23","tag-john-524-30","tag-john-531-40","tag-john-541-47","tag-john-58-9","tag-john-61","tag-luke-910","tag-mark-630-32","tag-matthew-1412","tag-matthew-1413","tag-matthew-1812","tag-matthew-1814","tag-psalm-236","tag-romans-103","tag-romans-1211"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4392","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4392"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4392\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21510,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4392\/revisions\/21510"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4392"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4392"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/religiousmind.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4392"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}