Old Testament
1. The boundaries of the Promised Land.
- Division of the land.
2. Chapter 35 of Numbers establishes a very important feature in Israel's legal justice system.
- The Old Testament system of justice relied more on restitution than on imprisonment. A person who was responsible for another's loss was to reimburse the value of the property destroyed.
- Murder and homicide were special cases with a distinct code to govern how they were to be judged.
- Justice in Israel was a community responsibility, as there were no police. Therefore the one with primary responsibility to execute a murderer was the one in the community most affected by that crime; a member of the murdered person's family. He, in this way, was not a murderer himself, but an executioner appointed by the Law to purify the holy community.
- At the same time this passage makes a distinction between intentional, hostile killing (murder) and what we would call accidental homicide.
- There were cities of refuge scattered throughout the land where a person committing accidental homicide could flee an overzealous relative whose motives might involve revenge, even if the death was accidental.
- They were required to stay here until the high priest who had heard the case died. By then the anger of the avenger might have died, and the accidental killer would receive the full protection of the law. Should he then be attacked by a family avenger, the avenger himself would be put to death.
New Testament
3. Not all who saw Jesus responded as Simon Peter and his friends. So Jesus moved on, to continue to show that His authority extended to healing the inner man as well as the outer.
4. Jesus heals the leper
- The leper recognizes Jesus' power, but was uncertain of His love. Hence the form of the statement, "if you are willing...." Jesus answered the implied doubt fully. He said, "I am willing." And then as Jesus spoke the healing word our Lord reached out and touched the hand of the leper. Remember that in those days, as well as now, lepers were untouchable. But Jesus touched him.
- Jesus' touch was not needed to heal the leprosy, but it was necessary to meet this man's deep, inner need for love. The touching of the leper healed his heart.
5. Jesus heals a paralyzed man
- Jesus once again speaks to the external (get up and walk) and internal (your sins are forgiven) needs of this man.
6. Jesus calls Levi (Matthew), a tax collector.
Psalm
7. "even the hard pathways overflow with abundance..."
Proverbs
8. "The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment."
See you next post...
Showing posts with label Levi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Levi. Show all posts
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Leviticus 4-5:19; Mark 2:13-3:6; Psalm 36:1-12; Proverbs 10:1-2 (New Living Translation)
Old Testament
1. Procedures for sin offering. Sins of the priest, community, individuals. Inadvertant (unkown at the time of the sin)and intentional sins.
2. Procedures for guilt oferings- defiling sacred property of God, breaking God's commandments.
- The lesson here is that sins have to be paid for to be forgiven. We learned back in the story of Adam and Eve that blood and sacrifice were part of getting them back on track with God. Remember, they clothed themselves with fig leaves. When God showed up He clothed them with animal fur...where do you think He got it?
3. However, the real lesson here, especially for us Gentiles, is the need for a blood sacrifice to redeem us, and restore our relationship to God. And, as we will see in the new testament, in case you don't already know...that was Jesus! But we will come to this again later.
4. Yesterday the text alluded to the "salt of the covenent." Salt was mentioned again in church this morning, and I thought everyone may not understand the significance of salt.
- The role of salt in the Bible is relevant to understanding Hebrew society during the Old Testament and New Testament periods. Salt is a necessity of life and was a mineral that was used since ancient times in many cultures as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and as a unit of exchange. The Bible contains numerous references to salt. Depending on where and how it is mentioned it is probably being used metaphorically (instead of another term or phrase.) It has been used to signify permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification.
- Old Testament: The Hebrew people harvested salt by pouring sea water into pits and letting the water evaporate until only salt was left. They used the mineral for seasoning and as a preservative. In addition, salt was used to disinfect wounds. Salt also had a significant place in Hebrew worship. Salt was included in the Levitical offerings. In Leviticus 2:13, God commanded that "every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt."
- This is the Old Testament section, but the Salt and Light metaphors in the Sermon on the Mount include a direct reference to salt: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." (Matthew 5:13). Similarly, in Mark 9:49-50, Jesus says that "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." What is Jesus trying to say to us here? Perhaps Jesus is simply saying that everybody has inherent value. Keep God’s gift of inherent worth inside yourself (cherish God's gift) and you will have peace with one another.
- Jesus calls his disciples (and, perhaps, the crowds listening to the Sermon on the Mount), "the salt of the earth." He may be simply be referring to their role in purifying the world.
- In Roman times, salt was an important item of trade and was even used as money. Roman soldiers received part of their pay in salt. "Salt of the Earth" may, in this context, refer to the listeners' value.
- Enough about salt!
New Testament
5. Jesus calls Levi (Matthew), the tax collector. Jesus has dinner with tax collectors and known sinners. The annoys the Pharisees...Jesus points out to them that it is not well people who need a doctor, but the sick. Wow!
- What's wrong with tax collectors (in the bible)?. Tax collectors are mentioned many times in the Bible. They are generally described as being greedy, and taking more money than they are entitled to.
6. Then we have questions regarding fasting. Jesus' answer to this is that the disciples should not be fasting, but filling themslves while He is with them. They should be loading up on the knowlege (and words) that Jesus can give them. Not piously sitting in a corner waiting for someone or something to come along and enlightenment. The Enlightenment is standing right here in front of them!
7. Then we have the new cloth/old cloth and new wineskin/old wineskin examples. What I think Jesus is trying to say is, how can you take your new, open and enlightened mind and stuff it into an old way of thinking. These are ideas the scribes and Pharisees should have been teaching the people all along. Not just how to make all their appropriate sacrifices, and how to cross all the "t"s and dot all the "i"s to get into the kingdom of God...but how to treat, and especially love others. Not to put themselves first, as the Pharisees did, but to be humble, put others first. Not to fast for show, but to fast for God!
8. More about the law. He uses King David and the holy bread in the temple as a counter argument.
9. Jesus heals on the Sabbath. What was He thinking? He was thinking that we are here to do good always, even on the Sabbath; and to good to all people, even if they aren't members of our church.
10. The Pharisees have had enough. They get with supporters of Herod and plot to kill Jesus. Herod??? They must be desperate. Also remember that the Jews were subject to Roman rule. They could try Jesus all they wanted, but without the input from the Romans, they couldn't kill Him.
- Which Herod? Herod Antipas (20 BC-c. AD 40), tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, who ordered John the Baptist's death and mocked Jesus.
11. Anyone trying to follow along, who hasn't done this before is probably thinking...this sounds like the last book we did, Matthew.
- These two books are part of what's called the synoptic gospels. This word is from Greek, "syn" (together) and "opsis" (seeing). The synoptic gospels are the first three gospels found in the New Testament- Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These gospels often recount the same stories about Jesus, generally follow the same sequence and use similar wording. These three books are contrasted with the gospel of John. The phrase was coined specifically to deal with analyzing and understanding the similarities and differences between the first three gospels.
Psalm
12. "Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts." What is it God is after? Our hearts.
13. "How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings." All humanity.....
Proverbs
14. "Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life." Save you from eternal separation...
Note- back at the beginning of today's reading there was a lot about sacrifice and blood. I tried to say along the way that this is a prelude to the perfect sacrifice that Christ made for us. Christ' sacrifice was required to cover our sins. Covering sin, as it turned was bloody, tedious, cumbersome and oppressive work.
- The crucifixion and death of Christ changed that! Remember what happened at the cross. Remember the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. The sacrifice to cover our sins. Christ came and shed His blood and became a sacrifice. This is why we wade through all that stuff at the beginning. That's why we need to know about sacrifices, and what they're for, and what they mean.
- This is the story of God and His relationship with people. And He sent His Son to restore that relationship!
See you next post...
1. Procedures for sin offering. Sins of the priest, community, individuals. Inadvertant (unkown at the time of the sin)and intentional sins.
2. Procedures for guilt oferings- defiling sacred property of God, breaking God's commandments.
- The lesson here is that sins have to be paid for to be forgiven. We learned back in the story of Adam and Eve that blood and sacrifice were part of getting them back on track with God. Remember, they clothed themselves with fig leaves. When God showed up He clothed them with animal fur...where do you think He got it?
3. However, the real lesson here, especially for us Gentiles, is the need for a blood sacrifice to redeem us, and restore our relationship to God. And, as we will see in the new testament, in case you don't already know...that was Jesus! But we will come to this again later.
4. Yesterday the text alluded to the "salt of the covenent." Salt was mentioned again in church this morning, and I thought everyone may not understand the significance of salt.
- The role of salt in the Bible is relevant to understanding Hebrew society during the Old Testament and New Testament periods. Salt is a necessity of life and was a mineral that was used since ancient times in many cultures as a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and as a unit of exchange. The Bible contains numerous references to salt. Depending on where and how it is mentioned it is probably being used metaphorically (instead of another term or phrase.) It has been used to signify permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, and purification.
- Old Testament: The Hebrew people harvested salt by pouring sea water into pits and letting the water evaporate until only salt was left. They used the mineral for seasoning and as a preservative. In addition, salt was used to disinfect wounds. Salt also had a significant place in Hebrew worship. Salt was included in the Levitical offerings. In Leviticus 2:13, God commanded that "every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt."
- This is the Old Testament section, but the Salt and Light metaphors in the Sermon on the Mount include a direct reference to salt: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." (Matthew 5:13). Similarly, in Mark 9:49-50, Jesus says that "Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another." What is Jesus trying to say to us here? Perhaps Jesus is simply saying that everybody has inherent value. Keep God’s gift of inherent worth inside yourself (cherish God's gift) and you will have peace with one another.
- Jesus calls his disciples (and, perhaps, the crowds listening to the Sermon on the Mount), "the salt of the earth." He may be simply be referring to their role in purifying the world.
- In Roman times, salt was an important item of trade and was even used as money. Roman soldiers received part of their pay in salt. "Salt of the Earth" may, in this context, refer to the listeners' value.
- Enough about salt!
New Testament
5. Jesus calls Levi (Matthew), the tax collector. Jesus has dinner with tax collectors and known sinners. The annoys the Pharisees...Jesus points out to them that it is not well people who need a doctor, but the sick. Wow!
- What's wrong with tax collectors (in the bible)?. Tax collectors are mentioned many times in the Bible. They are generally described as being greedy, and taking more money than they are entitled to.
6. Then we have questions regarding fasting. Jesus' answer to this is that the disciples should not be fasting, but filling themslves while He is with them. They should be loading up on the knowlege (and words) that Jesus can give them. Not piously sitting in a corner waiting for someone or something to come along and enlightenment. The Enlightenment is standing right here in front of them!
7. Then we have the new cloth/old cloth and new wineskin/old wineskin examples. What I think Jesus is trying to say is, how can you take your new, open and enlightened mind and stuff it into an old way of thinking. These are ideas the scribes and Pharisees should have been teaching the people all along. Not just how to make all their appropriate sacrifices, and how to cross all the "t"s and dot all the "i"s to get into the kingdom of God...but how to treat, and especially love others. Not to put themselves first, as the Pharisees did, but to be humble, put others first. Not to fast for show, but to fast for God!
8. More about the law. He uses King David and the holy bread in the temple as a counter argument.
9. Jesus heals on the Sabbath. What was He thinking? He was thinking that we are here to do good always, even on the Sabbath; and to good to all people, even if they aren't members of our church.
10. The Pharisees have had enough. They get with supporters of Herod and plot to kill Jesus. Herod??? They must be desperate. Also remember that the Jews were subject to Roman rule. They could try Jesus all they wanted, but without the input from the Romans, they couldn't kill Him.
- Which Herod? Herod Antipas (20 BC-c. AD 40), tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, who ordered John the Baptist's death and mocked Jesus.
11. Anyone trying to follow along, who hasn't done this before is probably thinking...this sounds like the last book we did, Matthew.
- These two books are part of what's called the synoptic gospels. This word is from Greek, "syn" (together) and "opsis" (seeing). The synoptic gospels are the first three gospels found in the New Testament- Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These gospels often recount the same stories about Jesus, generally follow the same sequence and use similar wording. These three books are contrasted with the gospel of John. The phrase was coined specifically to deal with analyzing and understanding the similarities and differences between the first three gospels.
Psalm
12. "Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts." What is it God is after? Our hearts.
13. "How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings." All humanity.....
Proverbs
14. "Tainted wealth has no lasting value, but right living can save your life." Save you from eternal separation...
Note- back at the beginning of today's reading there was a lot about sacrifice and blood. I tried to say along the way that this is a prelude to the perfect sacrifice that Christ made for us. Christ' sacrifice was required to cover our sins. Covering sin, as it turned was bloody, tedious, cumbersome and oppressive work.
- The crucifixion and death of Christ changed that! Remember what happened at the cross. Remember the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. The sacrifice to cover our sins. Christ came and shed His blood and became a sacrifice. This is why we wade through all that stuff at the beginning. That's why we need to know about sacrifices, and what they're for, and what they mean.
- This is the story of God and His relationship with people. And He sent His Son to restore that relationship!
See you next post...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Exodus 5:22-7:25; Matthew 18:21-19:12; Psalm 23:1-6; Proverbs 5:22-23 (New Living Translation)
Old Testament text
1. Moses returns to God complaining that his mission was not a success. Or is his question really, "What other methods should I use to get this done?"
2.The vindication of God's name is the main theme of the plagues.
3. Moses is now to demand unconditional release, not just a 3 day religious holiday.
4. God begins His reply to Moses by identifying Himself with the name that conveys His full power...Yahweh. To know that He is Yahweh means to experience or witness His power.
5. Yahweh is the same God who, under the name of El Shaddai, made a covenant with Israel's ancestors, and He now intends to fulfill that covenant.
6. "I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. This refers to the covenant that will be established at Mount Sinai. This speaks to the intended intimate relationship between God and Israel...."And you shall know that I, the Lord, am your God."
7. The pedigree of Moses and Aaron. This begins with the descendant's of Jacob's first two sons, but only for the sake of showing the place of his third son, Levi, the ancestor of Moses and Aaron. Levi's descendants are listed in detail, particularly Aaron and his immediate successors as high priest. The rest are omitted.
8. Troop by troop. The Israelites would not leave Egypt as fleeing slaves but as an army marching to the promised land in military formation.
9. "The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord." God's "signs and marvels" will answer Pharaoh's contemptuous declaration that he "does not know the Lord."
10 Since Pharaoh's magicians are able to duplicate the first marvel, he is unimpressed. The magicians use "their spells", conventional magic; while Aaron works silently, relying not on his own power, but on the power of the Lord. The Lord's superior power is demonstrated when Aaron's serpent overcomes those of the magicians.
11. The first of 10 plagues. The plague of blood.
- Pharaoh is told what the coming events will show. The Nile river is affected by this plague. The Nile river is the deified source of Egypt's life. The magicians again can duplicate this...so the Pharaoh is once again unimpressed.
12. What is our lesson as we continue with the Pharaoh? The kingdom of Yahweh is invading the kingdom of the Pharaoh. One God invading the territory of another "god." The Pharaoh is in control, and will not relinquish that control without a fight. Isn't that how we are as we struggle to keep our hands on the controls, rather than letting God...
New Testament text
13. Parable of the unforgiving debtor
- We are seen as servants. Christ, our King has forgiven us a great debt. As servants to such a loving and patient King, we are now called on to have patience and compassion with our fellow believers. Failure to have such patience and to extend such forgiveness will cut us off from our experience of God's forgiveness. This is not because God is unwilling to forgive. It is because forgiveness is like a coin. It has two sides...you cannot have the "heads" (receive forgiveness) without the "tails" (extend forgiveness).
-Faith does not give us an elevated status. We are servants, subject to the will of God. And, we are to treat our fellow servants as God treats us.
14. The Pharisees, followers of the way of the Law, approach Jesus about divorce. The Pharisees, like the disciples, missed the point. Jesus had been teaching about greatness, and had shown that true greatness is to restore the straying lamb, to exercise patience, and to be ever-ready to forgive.
Psalm 23
15. The psalmist here claims relation to God, as his shepherd. He recounts the kind things God has done for him as his shepherd.
Proverbs
16. Your own sin will bind you over to the judgment of God; there is no need for prison or chains...
See you next post...
1. Moses returns to God complaining that his mission was not a success. Or is his question really, "What other methods should I use to get this done?"
2.The vindication of God's name is the main theme of the plagues.
3. Moses is now to demand unconditional release, not just a 3 day religious holiday.
4. God begins His reply to Moses by identifying Himself with the name that conveys His full power...Yahweh. To know that He is Yahweh means to experience or witness His power.
5. Yahweh is the same God who, under the name of El Shaddai, made a covenant with Israel's ancestors, and He now intends to fulfill that covenant.
6. "I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. This refers to the covenant that will be established at Mount Sinai. This speaks to the intended intimate relationship between God and Israel...."And you shall know that I, the Lord, am your God."
7. The pedigree of Moses and Aaron. This begins with the descendant's of Jacob's first two sons, but only for the sake of showing the place of his third son, Levi, the ancestor of Moses and Aaron. Levi's descendants are listed in detail, particularly Aaron and his immediate successors as high priest. The rest are omitted.
8. Troop by troop. The Israelites would not leave Egypt as fleeing slaves but as an army marching to the promised land in military formation.
9. "The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord." God's "signs and marvels" will answer Pharaoh's contemptuous declaration that he "does not know the Lord."
10 Since Pharaoh's magicians are able to duplicate the first marvel, he is unimpressed. The magicians use "their spells", conventional magic; while Aaron works silently, relying not on his own power, but on the power of the Lord. The Lord's superior power is demonstrated when Aaron's serpent overcomes those of the magicians.
11. The first of 10 plagues. The plague of blood.
- Pharaoh is told what the coming events will show. The Nile river is affected by this plague. The Nile river is the deified source of Egypt's life. The magicians again can duplicate this...so the Pharaoh is once again unimpressed.
12. What is our lesson as we continue with the Pharaoh? The kingdom of Yahweh is invading the kingdom of the Pharaoh. One God invading the territory of another "god." The Pharaoh is in control, and will not relinquish that control without a fight. Isn't that how we are as we struggle to keep our hands on the controls, rather than letting God...
New Testament text
13. Parable of the unforgiving debtor
- We are seen as servants. Christ, our King has forgiven us a great debt. As servants to such a loving and patient King, we are now called on to have patience and compassion with our fellow believers. Failure to have such patience and to extend such forgiveness will cut us off from our experience of God's forgiveness. This is not because God is unwilling to forgive. It is because forgiveness is like a coin. It has two sides...you cannot have the "heads" (receive forgiveness) without the "tails" (extend forgiveness).
-Faith does not give us an elevated status. We are servants, subject to the will of God. And, we are to treat our fellow servants as God treats us.
14. The Pharisees, followers of the way of the Law, approach Jesus about divorce. The Pharisees, like the disciples, missed the point. Jesus had been teaching about greatness, and had shown that true greatness is to restore the straying lamb, to exercise patience, and to be ever-ready to forgive.
Psalm 23
15. The psalmist here claims relation to God, as his shepherd. He recounts the kind things God has done for him as his shepherd.
Proverbs
16. Your own sin will bind you over to the judgment of God; there is no need for prison or chains...
See you next post...
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