Done!

Well, this blog ended a little sooner than the reading, but if you've been following the plan, you've finished a reading of the New Testament in 2007. Way to go.

If anyone is still showing up hoping against hope for a new post, this is it. If you'd like to make any final comments about the experience, please do so.

While this blog will remain as is to capture the flavor of the experience in 2007, I may create a new blog, copy the existing posts to that blog, and write posts for the readings that weren't posted on before. These will be back-dated so that they sort properly, forming a more or less complete record of commentary on the New Testament. If I do go ahead and do that, I'll put a notice on this blog indicating that I did.

Otherwise, I'll see you on January 1, 2008 at Creation to the Cross.

Revelation.

(To the Beatles' tune, Revolution.)

You say you want a Revelation
Well, you know
We all want to know the Word

You tell me that it's evil too soon
Well, you know
We all live within the world

But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that it will all come out
But you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right

You say it's all about salvation
Well, you know
We'd all love to see the plan

You ask me for a consolation
Well, you know
Get ready for the Son of Man

But it won't be funny
for people with minds that hate
All I can tell you is brother you have to wait
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
Ah

ah, ah, ah, ah, ah...

You say you want transformation
Well, you know
We all want to change our head

You're in a bad situation
Well, you know
You better do just what He said

But when you see horses and hear the trumpets sound
You know Final Judgment is coming 'round
Don't you know it's gonna be all right
all right, all right
all right, all right, all right
all right, all right, all right

Thanksgiving 2. 2 Thessalonians 2.

Disturbed? Shaken? Don't quite get it? Paul has to help the Thessalonians out. And he does. With information that he's apparently given them before. (This is probably the key information in the chapter, the correction he provides in the first few verses, but I'm going to focus on what happens next in the letter.)

After that, though, just as in the first chapter, Paul says it's the right thing to give thanks. This time it's for God's election of these brothers and sisters to salvation. And Paul was privileged to be the one who shared the good news that they responded to. That sharing of the gospel is the call to salvation.

There's something important to look at about God's choice, and about salvation in this passage. Here's the translation from the NET Bible:

"But we ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. He called you to this salvation through our gospel, so that you may possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 2:13,14 NET)

There are those who focus on the word "chose" in this passage. I think it is an important word, especially when one looks at the subject of this verb: God. But of equal importance, is the object of the sentence and the modifiers to that choice. The object is "you" (the Thessalonians) but applies equally to us. But what were we chosen for? Salvation. How? Through the Spirit's setting us apart, and faith in the truth. What truth? Well, the truth in the good news that Paul shared with them, the way in which they were called to salvation. That truth is Jesus, "the way, the truth, and the life." Paul put it this way in Romans 5:8: "But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

In other words, God has chosen us for salvation -- this is what we are meant for. That salvation, however, comes in response to a call for us to respond to. God has done the work as Christ on the cross, but He also insists that we must receive that work in belief that He's done the work.

So why is Paul thankful? So much so that he "shoulds" on himself. I think the answer is two-fold. The primary reason, because it is so much larger, is that God didn't have to do this for us. It's His unfathomable love for us that lead to such a gracious act. He really had only one requirement set forth in the garden -- show your understanding of Who I am by being obedient in one thing only. And Eve and Adam both failed. As have we. Paul knows further, that Israel continued to fail in its task to be the people God asked them to be -- His chosen ones who would receive the benefit of His grace as a covenant promise. And Israel failed to keep the covenant. And so God fulfilled the covenant through His Son, Jesus. And every follower of Jesus gets what God wanted all along for us -- to be set apart, living set apart lives, holy as God is holy. This is a really big thing and it's no wonder Paul once again gives thanks to God.

I think Paul was also thankful that his labor played a part in the state of the Thessalonians. He was able to give the call they responded to. How cool is that? While some folks seem to have a problem with the idea of "evangelism", which is nothing more than sharing what's important in your life, imagine the added measure of thanksgiving you'd have if your own sharing was the call that someone finally heard and responded to. (I don't think Paul is discounting the work of the Holy Spirit, and neither am I.)

Paul was a person who had much to be thankful for. Catch a glimpse Thessalonians. He might have said, "I praise God that you are saved. Do you see that? It's bigger than anything else. Remember it, and stand firm in the face of adversity."

Thanksgiving 1. 2 Thessalonians 1.

Sunday I was struck by the joy expressed in our walk to the Joash chest, bringing our offerings to God in thanksgiving. Pastor Clark made a comment about the excitement and waving as the children filed through. Did you have that same sense as the adults filed past? Do you experience any sense of worship as you see your brothers and sisters in Christ, whether it's in the atrium or in the worship center?

Paul was able to worship simply by thinking about or hearing about the people in the different churches he had founded or visited, or just knew of.

We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith flourishes more and more and the love of each one of you all for one another is ever greater. As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring. (2 Thessalonians 1:3,4 NET)

It's the right thing to do, says Paul, thanking God for what is taking place in the lives of fellow believers -- for flourishing faith and abundant love. We have the opportunity every day to give thanks to God, to worship Him, simply by remembering the work He's doing in the lives of those we know and love. Do you experience this in the presence of your Christian family? On a Sunday morning, do you see God at work in the faces of those you see gathered together? In someone you briefly greeted? In the face of a choir member?

This is thanksgiving week. Paul chose to be thankful for the work of Christ in the lives of others, for blessings that we might not consider blessings. Perseverance in the face of persecution. Endurance in affliction. We know that Paul was equally thankful for the blessings we think of as blessings. But for those receiving his letter, it must have been a tremendous encouragement to hear Paul write that their faith and love growing through adversity was a glory to God and a witness and encouragement to others. And so, out of this passage today, is there someone who needs encouragement in your life? Someone for whom you truly do give thanks to God? Don't hold back, then. This is a week to share your own abundant love, a gift of the Father, perfectly expressed in the Son.

Great lines. John 9.

I don't know how universal this is (in America anyway), but our family accumulates lines from movies like they were photos stuffed in a box. (Does anyone do that anymore, or do we stuff them on a computer disk somewhere?) My guess is that it's common, since the American Film Institute has a top 100 movie quotes. Our family has a somewhat eclectic collection. It includes many of the famous lines, but other lines delivered with an interesting inflection or accent, or lines that fit family circumstances are more the norm. So while "Mama always said life is like ..." from Forrest Gump is the memorable quote (#40 on the list), our girls are more likely to burst out with "Run, Forrest, run." For years, a simple line from Mrs. Miniver, shaped how our three daughters addressed one another. In the movie, set during the London Blitz, the vicar delivers a stirring speech that begins, "This is the people's war!" But our girls were captivated by the son of the Minivers who is a cheery, naive, young soul who goes off to join the army to fight the Nazis. Every entrance he makes in the movie seems to start with a "Hello ..." The line our girls picked up on was "Hello, dad." said with an aristocratic, English lilt. And so it went ... younger daughter steps into the room and says to oldest sister, "Hello, dad." And oldest sister responds, "Hello, sonny."

Chapter 9 of John's gospel is filled with great takeaway lines and mini-scenes like that. I'll get to those in the next paragraph, but first a couple other thoughts. Remember that chapters are artificial divisions in these writings. Even so, this passage fits into a neat package, one story, of a length that matches other "chapters." One story in the chapter. A great story. I can imagine John really enjoying writing up this account, a smile on his face as he recalls how this blind beggar confounded the Pharisees with his plain-spoken words, and the seeing/blind contrasts and paradoxes in the rabbi's words and teaching.

First quote (John 9:9): Some people said, “This is the man!” while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” The man himself kept insisting, “I am the one!” Can you imagine the people talking amongst themselves as if the formerly blind man doesn't exist. Maybe shouting in the background in a DeNiro, Taxi Driver, voice, "You talkin' 'bout me? You talkin' 'bout me!"

Second quote (the simple report -- John 9:15b): The beggar is asked twice about his restored sight, once by the people, and once by some Pharisees. In both cases, his answer is essentially the same, and straight reporting: “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and now I am able to see.” No extra words -- "it's a miracle, praise God, yippee skippee." We don't know, maybe the man's inflection or excitement said all that. Like the woman in Star Trek IV (the whale movie) who had been given a pill by Dr. McCoy, and as she's wheeled down the corridor is shouting, "The Dr. gave me a pill and I've got a new kidney." I'm sure that some times our witness needs to be this simple and matter of fact -- "I decided to follow Jesus, and now I'm able to see."

Third quote (the parents -- John 9:20,21): “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. Ask him, he is a mature adult. He will speak for himself.” Once again, no one seems to want to pay attention to the testimony of the blind guy. Here, it's how the parents protect themselves by answering the Pharisees' questions with indisputable facts, but with no conclusions or opinions about those facts that gets to me. "Go ask him for yourself." Maybe they said this like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof in the opening scene when he introduces the song, Tradition, by talking about tradition:

For instance,
we always keep our heads covered,
and always wear a little prayer shawl.
This shows our constant devotion to God.
You may ask,
how did this tradition get started?
I'll tell you.




I don't know.

Two really great quotes (John 9:25, 27b): “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing – that although I was blind, now I can see.” and “Look!" the man exclaimed. "I told you once. Didn’t you listen? Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?” (NLT) This is the place where I hear John chuckle thinking about those Pharisees, with all their learning and nuance and rhetorical skill, all twisted up by a simple fact, the blind man can see, and a simple conclusion, "this isn't hard to grasp, but you keep asking, so you must be really interested."

Final quote (the devastating rejoinder -- John 9:41): “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, but now because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains.” The Pharisees are ready to argue with Jesus, dispute his claim that they're blind, and he turns the tables on them. If only ...

In the beginning ... John 1.

Beginnings are so important. John starts his gospel at the beginning of time. No, that's not quite right. Maybe at the creation of time. However exactly we might describe this moment, it's the parallel to the Genesis account. "In the beginning, God ..." "In the beginning was the Word ..."

Volumes have been written about the first fourteen verses of John's gospel. His beginning that tells of the beginning. John speaks of the other John, the baptizer.

John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” ... John said, “I am the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” ... John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not recognize, who is coming after me. I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal!” These things happened in Bethany across the Jordan River where John was baptizing. (John 1:15, 23, 26-28 NET)

More testimony from the baptizer:

On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one about whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’ I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to Israel.” (John 1:29-31 NET)

Parallels to the Old Testament are heaped onto the beginning.

• The Word was life, which was light -- let there be light.
• The law through Moses, grace and truth through Jesus Christ.
• John fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy.
• John working in Elijah's territory.
• Jesus, the Lamb of God.

As you read through this gospel over the next several weeks, you may want to come back each day and read these first 39 verses, soaking up the richness of John's beginning.

Two thoughts resonated with me this morning. John the baptizer said that he wasn't even worthy enough to be Jesus' servant -- "to untie the strap of his sandal." Thinking ahead, there will be more imagery associated with Jesus' feet? More importantly, how is it I can be worthy enough to be His servant?

The other thought was about way in which John (the gospel writer) has tied to Jesus to great figures and events from the text -- the law and prophets. John (the baptizer) in the continuation of Elijah's work. John also as the way-maker spoken of by Isaiah, and Jesus as the one for Whom the way was prepared. Jesus as Moses' fulfillment. And the allusion to father Abraham contained in the phrase, the Lamb of God. From Genesis 22:6-8:

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together. Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father?” “What is it, my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” “God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.

Think of it. God will provide for Himself the lamb of sacrifice. And He did.

Friend of the family.

While most blogs have a Links section, I've refrained from doing that here. There have been plenty of links in the posts and pictures, but not a permanent list of other blogs. But I'd like you to be aware of, and visit if you're so inclined, a remarkable blog by Sarah, a BCC member studying in Cairo.

The blog is remarkable in several ways. Sarah is articulate and thoughtful. Her blog is a record of this new experience in her life, one that is pretty unique. It's full of pictures, in word and image. And it's a way to explore another part of the Mediterranean world; 21st century, yes, but I expect with some ties to the New Testament world as well.

Sarah's blog is an excellent example of what blogging is all about and can be found at http://www.aukake.blogspot.com. Leave a comment if something strikes your fancy -- words from home are always welcome.

Why? 3 John 1.

If the question, "Who?" comes quickly to mind when reading 2 John, then the question, "Why?", is likely the one that comes to mind when reading 3 John. Why, as in, "Why is this letter in the Bible?" What is it we're supposed to learn from it?

That last question, of course, is something we need to ask whenever we read the text. Sometimes, the answer is not so much a rule we need to follow, or a lesson to learn, but knowledge about God, or ourselves, or community, or some aspect of what it means to live as God's creatures. Being a Jesus-follower is not just following a set of rules. David wrote:

LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

what are mere mortals that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them? (Psalm 8:1-4 TNIV)

When we read this Psalm, we can join with David in considering and meditating on the vastness, the glory, of God, and on our own insignificance within the universe -- yet exalted because God chooses to concern Himself with us. I can imagine David out in the night tending the sheep, contemplating the enormity of what it meant to be cared about by the Creator. When I'm in a similar situation, I often have similar thoughts. But I don't need to be in that situation, because the words of God through David, are right there for us to ponder and learn from.
Why, then, is this letter in our Bible? If the short and somewhat facetious answer is, "Because God wants it in there.", what is the more serious answer? Well, what do we learn from this letter? Here's a list of some of the observations I made:

1. Gaius is the recipient of the letter, a beloved brother of the writer of the letter, "the Elder."
2. Gaius lives according to the truth -- presumably the truth of faith in Jesus.
3. The Elder (let's call him John from now on), has had word of Gaius' situation.
4. Gaius was a disciple of John's ("my children"), who has continued to live according to the teachings of John.
5. Faithfulness is demonstrated by showing hospitality to other brothers in the faith. (Hospitality was an especially important behavior in their culture.)
6. Keep up the good work, Gaius, in showing hospitality.
7. Diotrephes is causing trouble, and that trouble seems to stem from a conflict with John (he wants to be first).
8. The trouble Diotrephes is causing is more than disagreement. He's interfering with the support of others sent from John, even to the point of inciting others to also withdraw support (hospitality).
9. Actions signify belief. Good actions from godly belief, evil actions from no godly belief.
10. Demetrius is a good guy. Help him out.
11. John hopes to come visit the church and Gaius.

That's a sufficient list for now. There's no doubt that there are lessons in here, and a reinforcement, especially, of the larger teaching in 1 John. We might say that 3 John shows us a practical application of what John means in his teaching letter about walking in the light. Dark and light -- contrast -- Gaius and Diotrephes.

I also think it's significant to see that there was rancor even in the early church, and that ambition was at the heart of it. This isn't any different than what Paul wrote about to the Corinthians ("some follow Apollos, some follow Paul"), except for the specificity of who's involved. We learn, too, that John had hopes of being able to straighten things out, which is encouraging.

Much of the teaching in the Bible is captured in the stories and history of real people. Narrative, not exhortation or discourse, is the norm. In this, 3 John is more typical, not less typical, of most biblical teaching.

Finally, we should make sure that we catch the primary purpose of John in this letter, which drives his comments to Gaius and the contrast with Diotrephes. Here it is, verse 8 says, "Therefore we [not the pagans] ought to support such people" and then John writes in verse 12: "Demetrius has been testified to by all, even by the truth itself. We also testify to him, and you know that our testimony is true." In other words, "Take care of Demetrius, Gaius."

Abraham hosts 3 angels. 16th century German icon.

Who? 2 John 1.

Backfilling of the blog is ongoing, but here's something for today's reading.

If you're reading in the NIV, you might stop before finishing the first verse, wondering, who's the elder? Who's the chosen lady? If you're reading 2 John online using the NET Bible (where most of the Bible quotes on the blog are from), there are hyperlinked footnotes for each of these two people. These footnotes are quite a window into the translation process, as well as an incredible resource for the reader. As long as the reader remembers they're not inspired. When I use the footnotes I do my best to make sure I re-read the verse in context both with the explanation in mind, and without it in mind (difficult to do if you don't do it before looking at the footnote). But the NET Bible has another resource that makes that easier to do, and that's to "listen to the chapter." While no substitute for reading out loud yourself, I found it useful today to hear the reader's expression of the letter, after reading the footnotes.

The NIV starts this letter with the words: "The elder, To the chosen lady ...". So, who is the elder? And who is the chosen lady? I'm going to put a link here for the NET Bible footnotes. The translators have a "study note" that deals with the issue of who the author, the elder, is. It's John. Well, of course, the title of the letter is 2 John. I don't want to get too arcane here, but the titling of the various books of the Bible are later additions to the manuscripts. The reasons for calling this book the second letter of John include: historical attribution, similarity to the other two letters and the gospel identified as written by John, and later copies of the letter where this title has been added. The footnote in the NET Bible talks about John's own reticence to identify himself in the gospel of John, and here in the letter, "the elder" replaces his calling himself "beloved disciple" in the gospel.

I like that. The impression I have when reading "beloved disciple" is of a young guy. In the letter, at the last stage of his life, John calls himself "the elder." (It may be this is a claim to office, but even as a description of age, the implication is one of authority.)

As to the chosen lady, the NET Bible footnotes discuss a couple of possibilities. One is that there was a specific person the letter was addressed to. This would lead to a translation that was either: "to the lady, Electa" or "to the chosen one, Kuria." A second possibility is that the translation "chosen lady" is correct, but refers to some anonymous Christian woman who received the letter. A third possibility is that the translation "chosen lady" is correct, but it is a collective noun, signifying that this is metaphorical language for the church. The translators' notes then provide evidence to confirm the idea that this is a collective noun, because of its usage later in the same letter.

This is the kind of information that is fun to learn, but not fully necessary to our understanding of God's message for us.. Without knowing whether John is referring to a church or a person, the lesson inside the letter is the same. Further, without knowing the language details, the Bible provides parallel information that help us see the metaphor of church as chosen lady -- in 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about the church as the bride of Christ. John himself refers to the wedding of the Lamb in the Revelation.

Still, I like the immediacy of the reminder (in the footnotes) of the metaphor, and the confirmation from the language, not being a Greek-speaker. (It's also good to see how faithful the translators are trying to be to the original language.) As the church, we are chosen, and intimately connected to Jesus. The elder friend of the bridegroom, has a few words to say to us.

And the words aren't new -- love one another. But we get a clear definition of what that love looks like: "that we walk according to his commandments."

There's also a warning in the letter. Don't give any sign of allegiance (in hospitality in this case) to those who come with false teachings. That makes good sense even today, and the implication is that we're able to recognize such. John says two things about these "antichrists". First, they won't confess Jesus [as] Messiah, a real human being. Second, they will teach something other than the gospel.

Both the warning and the command imply this -- we know his commandments. Back to the text!

Boiling it down. 1 John 2.

We've read a lot of Scripture this year. I've written a few words about it. We've had lessons from Paul, from the actions of those in the early church, and from those who walked with Jesus, as recorded in the gospels. John, himself, has given us a lot to chew on in this chapter alone.

But as Christians it pretty much comes down to this:

"The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked." (V.2:6)

Not that it's simple to do. To walk so close to and so much like Jesus means we have to know what He knew. We have to do what He did. He knew the text. He knew the Father. He spoke with authority. He submitted to the Father's authority. He treated all as His neighbor.

To walk as Jesus walked means we need the lessons of Paul, the example of Peter, the song of Mary. We need to spend as much time with Him as we can, through the written word, in communion with His Spirit, talking to Him, and then listening. We need to know His life as if we had been one of the disciples walking with Him, breathing in the dust of His steps.

All this takes time, and discipline, and friends, and brothers and sisters.

But it is easy to state -- today, Lord, help me to walk just as You walked.

Amen.

Rasslin' the prologue. 1 John 1.

Before Steve Austin, before The Rock, before Hulk Hogan, and even before promoter extraordinaire Vince McMahon came on the scene, turning professional wrestling into a half a billion dollar a year business traded on the New York Stock Exchange, there was ... classy Freddie Blassie.

Classy Freddie Blassie

I'm pretty sure that most of you reading this aren't wrestling fans (I'm not either), and I'd really be surprised if any of you had heard of Freddie Blassie or his trademark insult slogan - "You pencil necked geek!" but in the 50s and 60s he was the quintessential villain in the wrestling ring, and perhaps the first wrestling superstar. As a kid growing up, I loved "hating" him.

His arch-nemesis was "The Destroyer", whose gimmick was a mask that kept him unknown, and everyone tried, unsuccessfully, to remove from his head.

The Destroyer

He was my favorite wrestler, and his signature move was the "figure-four leg lock." If he got his opponent in that position, the match was over. It was a convoluted move, and the only way The Destroyer could actually use it was when the narrative of the match reached a climax and his opponent was so fatigued he couldn't stop it.

For some odd reason, I kept thinking about these guys as I wrestled with the prologue in this first letter from John. The English is difficult. The Greek, apparently, equally so. Is it possible to unmask the message lying under the language? Or will I end up in a figure-four leg lock of language? And how about you?

How to start? One of our helps as non-Greek speaking readers is the availability of multiple translations. The StudyLight website, www.studylight.org, is really helpful for doing this. When you first get to the site, be sure to set your preferences for which translation you want as your main reading choice, and at the bottom of the preferences page, you can choose which translations to show in the multi-translation window. After setting your preferences you can enter the passage to read, and click Search. The page you see will have the passage in your preferred translation. For each verse, there are text links to read the verse in context, in Greek, and a few other choices. The Multi-Translation link is the one to use for displaying parallel translations of the verses. You have to click through the verses one at a time, but it works.

So I cranked up StudyLight, and read from 3 parallels plus my standard: the NASB, the NIV, the NLT, and J. P. Green's Literal translation. Then I took a look at the interlinear to get even closer to the Greek words themselves. What you find when you do this kind of work, is that there are a lot of words added and removed for clarity's sake in a translation. In the NET Bible (not on StudyLight), verse 1 begins "This is what we proclaim to you..." which parallels what the NIV puts at the end of the first verse: "this we proclaim...". The NET Bible has these great footnotes that help one understand what's going on, that this phrase is inserted to make the English read more clearly. Its location in the NIV is more confusing than helpful to me, but the footnote in the NET, stating that the subject-predicate of the sentence is in verse 3 -- "we announce" -- was something I had discovered on my own from the literal translation. (And I'm glad to have that confirmation.)

The proclaim/announce verb was really important in helping me break this apart. As I read through the passage several times, trying to discover where the sentence began (and at this point I was not using NIV or NET, but the NASB and the Green Literal, that word kept popping up. Proclaim ... proclaim ... proclaim ... even an inserted phrase not in the Greek. I could picture heralds marching into a town, "hear ye, hear ye, hear ye." (Admittedly my picture is medieval and not 1st century, but still the same concept.) The heralds enter, and shout out, "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld, and what our hands touched ..." That made sense to me.

Official herald of the New
Testament Read Through blog.

It's as if these were the answers to the question, "what have the heralds come to proclaim?"

This realization opened the first few verses for me, but it was coupled by a second observation, also of repetition. Whatever is being proclaimed, whatever it is John wants to talk about, it is for the sake of fellowship, used 4 times within 5 verses.

With those two observations in mind, and ignoring all other translations which may say what I'm going to say, here's the Green Literal translation, and the hook explication. (I don't expect this to be completely right, but I want you to see the process. The experts who have created the major translations are much better at this. But you should know that you can do this, too. And then you can go back and compare against the various translations.)

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld, and what our hands touched, as regards the Word of Life. 2 And the Life was revealed, and we have seen, and we bear witness, and we announce to you the everlasting Life which was with the Father, and was revealed to us. 3 We announce to you what we have seen, and what we have heard, that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 4 And we write these things to you, that your joy may be full.

5 And this is the message which we have heard from Him, and we proclaim to you: God is light, and no darkness is in Him, none! 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and we walk in darkness, we lie and are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of His Son Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:1-8 J.P. Green's Literal Translation)

I'm only going to deal with the first four verses, usually labeled the prologue in most outlines, but I've provided the next four verses for some context. Here we go.

Start with verse three. Treat verses 1 and 2 as the blare of trumpets making certain we're listening. The words are important, but we'll get back to them. We have, then, a perfectly obvious declarative sentence, written by John using the royal we, or else writing on behalf of himself and the believers with him. "We announce to you what we have seen, and what we have heard, that you also may have fellowship with us." John is providing testimony to a reality he has experienced, and it's important that those who receive this message understand the reality -- seen and heard, not imagined. Those who do, enter into fellowship with the other believers, a fellowship with God, Father and Son. In verse 4, some manuscripts read "our joy" and some "your joy". Either way, the point is that everyone's joy increases as John shares his message and the fellowship is increased.

If you were reading the last paragraph carefully, you may have noticed the phrase "a reality he [John] has experienced." What was that reality? Well, that's the point of the music in verse 1, and the parenthetic statement of proclamation in verse 2. The music sings, "it's about this, it's about the Word of Life, that which was from the beginning, that which was real, we saw it, felt it, heard it, listen again, it was everlasting life made manifest, revealed to us, the everlasting Life that was with the Father." Jesus was real, John lived with him, and learned from him, and through him was revealed the eternal life of the Father.

The basis of the fellowship, then, is the reality of Jesus. That's the prologue. John then describes the measure of fellowship -- walking in light. The message he heard was that God is only light, and so fellowship with Him could only be in light. Well... that's the start of the rest of the story, but I've finished rasslin'. I hear the message of the heralds. I'm especially grateful for the promise of eternal life in the light. Even the greatest of athletes get old. And then it doesn't hurt to have a mask as your schtick.

Freddie Blassie and The Destroyer at an awards banquet,
later in life.

A final trustworthy saying. Titus 3.

This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone. (Titus 3:8 NLT)

I'll get to the actual trustworthy saying that Paul is referring to in a minute, but first, it's time to say goodbye to Paul in our reading for a while. We still have two of his letters to read before the end of the year, but they don't contain any identified trustworthy sayings. As noted earlier, the presence of these sayings is a reflection on the maturing of the various churches, adding embodied truth in the form of memorized and repeated sayings.

Even as Paul says that he's given Titus a trustworthy saying, he adds his own trustworthy saying. Titus was to teach the church at Crete what the apostles had taught, teach what was embodied in the trustworthy saying. The result of that teaching would lead any who trust in God to devote themselves to doing good works. Our trust in God's work on the cross is the starting point of doing good, not the end point. While some of the teachings in this letter are rooted in the situation in Crete, this isn't. We don't have to take an extra step to extract principles for us from the prescription for the initial recipients of the letter.

But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” (Titus 3:4-7 NLT)

And there you have it. God did all the work, in kindness and love, not because of what we had done. We're made new, anointed with His Spirit, and declared righteous. And it's that truth that leads us to devote ourselves to doing good. Can there be any doubt? If we really believe this, if we grow in our understanding of what it means, if we see more and more clearly what it means to be eternally in God's presence, how can we possibly do less than be devoted to doing good?

Paul can remind us (and Titus) of this, but it's our choice to absorb the lesson. It helps to remember the story of Jesus, and we get one more reading of that, yet this year. And it helps to have trustworthy sayings in our memory, ready to call up at any moment to chew on, meditate over, and remind us that it really is all about Him.

Self-control. Titus 2.

Was there any choice on what to blog about for this chapter?

At then end of the first chapter of Titus (keeping in mind that this was just the previous sentence of Paul's letter), Paul wrote, "They profess to know God but with their deeds they deny him, since they are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed." (Titus 1:16 NET) Paul continues that thought by saying to Titus in v.2:1, "But as for you, communicate the behavior that goes with sound teaching."

As Paul gave Titus the instruction to complete the task of putting things in order in the church in Crete (v.1:5), a part of that task was to stand firm against the false teachers (v.1:11). And that meant providing teaching that led to proper behavior and good works. Paul gives Titus specific instructions for older men, older women, younger women and men, and bondservants (slaves). And one of the chief characteristics to be taught is that of self-control -- given to older men, younger men, and through the older women to the young women. It's not too much to assume Paul meant it for everyone.

There are several Greek words that are translated as self-control. The two words we're concerned with are: egkrateia and sophron. Both these words occur in Titus 1:8, but only the latter, sophron, is used in Titus 2. The NIV translators chose to translate sophron as self-controlled, so in Titus 1:8 they translate egkrateia as "disciplined". Unfortunately, this is not the same translation they used in Galatians 5:23, where self-control (egkrateia) is listed as a fruit of the spirit. The NET Bible is more consistent, but using the English word "sensible" instead of self-control for the Greek word, sophron throughout the letter to Titus. This leaves the translators free to use "self-control" for egkrateia in Titus 1:8. Here's a chart to sort it all out.

Greek Word	sophron	egkrates/egkrateia
Definition	- sensible, self-controlled; chaste, modest (of women). - pertaining to being sensible and moderate in one's behavior.	- to exercise complete control over one's desires and actions. - self-controlled; pertaining to exercising self-control.
NET Bible	sensible	self-controlled
NIV Gal. 5:23		self-controlled
NIV Titus 1:8	self-controlled	disciplined
NIV Titus 2	self-controlled

Now why all this potential confusion? In part it has to do with closeness of the meanings between the words self-control and sensible. Louw and Nida, whose lexicon contains the longish definitions you've read as the last definitions for each "Word of the Day" on the blog, divide the Koine Greek language into "semantic domains." These domains are a way of classifying various words in a language into a meaningful hierarchy. The concept comes from an understanding about the way we tend to think in and learn a language by those who study semantics. Thus, there are domains for plants, and one for animals that we pretty quickly learn to differentiate between. (And so, Gallagher can make jokes about a sledge hammer as a kitchen device, the "Sledge-o-Matic.")

Louw and Nida classify sensible and self-control as adjacent domains, signifying the very close relationship between the words. Take a look at the chart above for the definitions. The difference between the Greek words is subtle, but may be worth singling out. In the case of egkrateia (Titus 1:8 and Galatians 5:23), there is the idea disciplining oneself (exerting power), like a runner training for a marathon getting up every morning to run. In the Titus 2 passage, the idea to be taught is that of sensible living, modesty in behavior, and the thoughtful awareness that leads to living that way.

Both ideas are implicit in who we are to be and how we are to act as Christians. For this day, then, where are the places where my living is less than sensible and lacking self-control? God help me in those areas, that my life might be a better reflection of who You are.

Appointed season. Titus 1.

In 2 Timothy we looked at the timing of the "last days." In his letter to Titus, Paul talks about the timing of God, in the sense of events taking place at an appropriate moment, chosen by God. The NET Bible translation says, simply, "But in his own time ..." (Titus 1:3a) The NIV puts it more elegantly:

"... a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Saviour ..." (Titus 1:2,3 NIV)

(A side note on the translations. As the NET Bible footnote indicates, in the Greek there is a strong contrast between v.1:2b and v.1:3a, which they emphasize with the word "But". The NIV uses "and", which makes a connection, but doesn't emphasize the contrast. The new version of the NIV, Today's New International Version, or TNIV, keeps the phrase "appropriate season", but adds the contrast in this way: "and which now ..." For those of you unfamiliar with it, this updated version (TNIV) of the NIV has much to commend it.)

The two thoughts Paul is expressing are that first of all, God has made decisions and extended promises before the dawn of time; and second, that it's His choice as to when those decisions come to fruition or when He fulfills His promises. The implication is that in both cases, it's His choice to make, and it will be good.

The best example I can think of is the same one Paul is talking about -- God's promise of eternal life was fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. There was no more fortuitous time for Jesus' entry into the world, than at the moment He did come. The Greek civilization had provided a common language. The Roman Empire had provided peace (enforced militarily), common economics, and a tremendous infrastructure (especially their roads). The message of the kingdom of God at hand could be taken throughout the civilized western world, and was. Even Paul's background -- trained Jewish scholar and Roman citizen -- enabled him to uniquely help in the spread of the gospel.

At the appointed season.

And for each of us, we can put our confidence in the God who does not lie, even when we're waiting for that appointed season. From Jesus' text:

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. (Ecclesiastes 3:11 TNIV)

This verse, is the conclusion of the passage which begins, "To everything there is a season" and expresses a godly perspective on the passage.



And on that note, I'll end. Boy do I feel old.

Deliverance. 2 Timothy 4.

The Post that Ate Manhattan.
This post has taken over a week to finally finish. And you can't really even tell.

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed for all the Gentiles to hear. And so I was delivered from the lion’s mouth! The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. (2 Timothy 4:16-17 NET)

At first glance, those words sound encouraging about Paul's personal fate. He was delivered before. He'll be delivered again. Oh wait... "safely into his heavenly kingdom." Which was indeed the case. We have no further letters from Paul. The cavalry didn't come to the rescue, and tradition has it that not too long after this letter was written, Paul was executed, most likely beheaded as befitted a Roman citizen, during the persecution of Nero.

For some, this may not sound like much of a deliverance, but for those who deal with pain and suffering every moment, every day, and for those who have a clear vision of what it will mean to be with the Lord forever, this is total deliverance. Paul wrote to the Philippians during his first imprisonment:

"For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. Now if I am to go on living in the body, this will mean productive work for me, yet I don’t know which I prefer: I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far, but it is more vital for your sake that I remain in the body." (Philippians 1:21-24 NET)

The concepts in the words: saving, salvation, rescue, and deliverance, are all tied together. This connection is a natural one to make before you enter the vocabulary world of Christian-ese. As Christians, though, we tend to separate out "salvation" from the other words. This too is somewhat natural, because the definition of the word has been expanded to incorporate a larger concept than deliverance. (Although deliverance would be perfectly acceptable as a meaningful description of what happens to us through Christ.)

I want to take a quick look at these words as a way to cap our read through 2 Timothy. In the Greek, there are two words that can be translated into English as deliver, delivered, deliverance, or salvation and saved, when used in the sense of rescue. (There are a couple others that have to do with handing over, as in Luke 24:7 -- "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men.") The two words are:

rhuomai - to draw to oneself, i.e. deliver; to rescue from danger, with the implication that the danger in question is severe and acute.

soteria - deliverance, salvation; salvation (in the Christian sense); preservation, release; to rescue from danger and to restore to a former state of safety and well being; a state of having been saved; the process of being saved.

Rhuomai is the word Paul uses here. In other words, he's talking about getting rescued from execution and released from prison.

But take a look at those definitions for soteria. There is also a sense of rescue from danger implicit in this word we translate as salvation. This is an important idea in Hebrew thought. Salvation for the Jews carried with it this idea of deliverance or rescue. It was applied more often to physical rescue from the clutches of an enemy than to the idea of going to heaven. The ultimate salvation for the Jews was simply to "be God's covenant people." The understanding was that, "Salvation, then, means deliverance from all that interferes with the enjoyment of these blessings. So it takes countless forms—deliverance from natural plagues, from internal dissensions, from external enemies, or from the subjugation of conquerors (the exile, particularly)."¹ The blessings referred to included a long and prosperous life in Palestine, the happiness of knowing God, a new heaven and new earth, and the resurrection of the dead (Is. 26:19).

And so it is that Paul can say, even as he considers his life poured out in offering, "The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed and will bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom."

¹The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, James Orr, M.A., D.D., General Editor

Timing. 2 Timothy 3.

Paul makes an interesting statement in verse 1 of this chapter. "But understand this, that in the last days difficult times will come." That statement is followed by a long list the ways in which the unrighteous will act, and make things difficult. It's not uncommon for Christians today to point to a list like this one (and a couple others in the New Testament), and say, "Aha! Look! We're in the last days." And they're right, but not because these behaviors are now being demonstrated. Paul was talking to Timothy about what he would experience, calling it "the last days."

Apparently, the last days began back then and continue to today. This is something we need to incorporate into our thinking. If we're in the last days, then Christ could come at any time. This is true, but it has been true for nearly 2,000 years. It's the tension we're intended to live in. Jesus said, in the midst of telling a couple of parables about expectant living, "Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour." (Matthew 25:13)

The point here is that we are to live in expectation of His return, and that expectant living looks a certain way. In His parables, Jesus paints a picture of what that looks like -- on the lookout, ready to "wait the night", and using the gifts, talents, and assets we have been given to further the Kingdom. Paul gives advice to Timothy to:

• avoid the evil ones (in the sense of entanglement, not gentle teaching)
• to continue following Paul's teaching, practice, purposes, patience, endurance, and love
• expect things to get worse, but to endure
• remember the Scriptures, which he had known since a youth, which are inspired and ... well, you know the rest, and I'll quote it in a minute

Paul's advice to Timothy includes an exhortation to adhere to the teaching of the text. It's a biggie in the pantheon of "what we believe," and how we should handle the text. Here it is.

Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16,17 NET)

While the emphasis in looking at these verses is usually either on the inspiration of Scripture (God's breathing into the text), or on the 4 ways it is useful, I'd like to point out today that the goal of God in giving us this instruction is that we might be equipped to do good works. Study without action is pointless. And in context, Paul is telling Timothy to continue to soldier on in the face of the hardships he will face in these last days, by relying on the text. For Timothy, that was the Old Testament, not the New. We understand that Paul's principles apply to the New Testament, but for Timothy only the Old was available. Ultimately, all of us doing the NT Read Through this year, will need to spend time in the Old Testament as well. Stay tuned.

Whether we're really, really close to Jesus' return, I can't say. Admittedly, I tend to dismiss that aspect that people often mean when they say, "We're in the last days." It's sufficient for me to know that we are in the last days, and we wait on God's timing. In expectation.

Think. 2 Timothy 2.

This is a rich chapter, full of advice. I have read that pastors would do well to read this chapter every day. It was verse 2:7 that captured my attention this day:

"Think about what I am saying and the Lord will give you understanding of all this."

So I did. Here are the verses I thought about:

Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. (2 Timothy 2:15 NET)

Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use. So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20,21 NET)

How about you?

Do you need some inspiration?



Maybe not.

All kidding aside (and I hope you enjoyed the video), this is a tremendous lesson from Paul. God will open up His Word to new levels of understanding if we take the time to think.

Gratuitous Pirate Post.

For all of ye who might be yarnin' for the wind in the sails and the spray on yer faces. For all of ye with a rogues' streak runnin' below decks, sweet as it may be. For any of ye lads and lassies wit' a hint o' the South Seas n'ar a divilish glint in the eye. This be yer post. Take care in said comments.

- hook

THE PIRATES. Drawn by M. Biard. Harper's Weekly, July 20, 1861.

Honor and shame. 2 Timothy 1.

Paul uses the word ashamed (Greek epaischunomai) three times in this first chapter of his final letter to Timothy. That sounds like a clue to something important. Looking quickly at the usage in question ...

For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but by God’s power accept your share of suffering for the gospel. (2 Timothy 1:7,8 NET)

Because of this, in fact, I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, because I know the one in whom my faith is set ... (2 Timothy 1:12 NET)

May the Lord grant mercy to the family of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my imprisonment. (2 Timothy 1:16 NET)

... it seems pretty obvious that the shame Paul didn't have was attached to suffering and imprisonment.

In some ways this is a familiar concept, but in some ways not so much. For example, we attach a certain amount of shame to the idea of imprisonment, although it's probably attached more to the reason for the imprisonment than the imprisonment itself. For Martin Luther King Jr. to be arrested for non-violent (even illegal) protests to discriminatory law is not the same as the arrest of Mel Gibson for drunk driving and resisting arrest while hurling anti-Semitic epithets. Likewise, we're aware that for some people suffering (say poverty), and illness feel shameful. We hear that sentiment expressed in phrases like, "I'd be too ashamed to ask for help."

But this seems to go deeper in Paul's case than in that of our own culture. As Paul is encouraging Timothy to not be ashamed, he ties that shame to Timothy's testimony about Paul (in prison) and the Lord (). What goes in those parentheses? Crucified. Timothy's testimony is the gospel of a crucified Messiah as given to him by Paul, the guy in jail about to be executed. And Timothy can expect to suffer as well!

Well, that's just ugly. The words of the old hymn, The Old Rugged Cross, come to mind.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
the emblem of suffering and shame.

Crucifixion was horrific in every possible way. Painful beyond measure. Lengthy. Public. Defenselessly naked. Death coming when the balance between enduring the pain required to keep breathing shifted in favor of the fear that came with asphyxiation. The shame of criminality.

The Three Crosses, etching by Rembrandt, 1653, State III of IV

The gospel is about a Messiah who was crucified. For Jews, in general, and for Paul specifically, until he met the risen Lord, this is an incomprehensible thought. It was just as true for the rest of the cultures in Paul's world. Criminal death, even as a martyr, was only shameful. Paul had to wrap his head around this unthinkable thought. And he did. In fact, he saw incomprehensible beauty and love and power in the justness and mercy of this act -- "To me – less than the least of all the saints – this grace was given, to proclaim to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ ..." (Eph. 3:8 NET)

No doubt it took continual reminders that Christ's death and the suffering of the saints were not shameful events, but necessary ones, to counteract the influence of the culture's thinking. It's on that note, that I want to flesh out something beyond what we gain straight from the Bible (although given enough time, I bet the information is there for as much as we need to know. See, for example, the numerous references to shame in the Psalms, and David's prefiguring of Paul's sentiment when he says in Psalm 69:7 "For I suffer humiliation for your sake and am thoroughly disgraced.")

While I try to get the sense of what I'm reading each day in our NT Read Through directly from the text, I knew that I wasn't fully comprehending this idea of shame. So I spent a little time looking into it using other resources. We live in a culture where honor and shame as motivators for behavior are codified into law. In Paul's day, honor and shame were more directly connected to behavior and status. Apparently there is a great deal of cultural anthropological thought related to "honor-shame" cultures. We don't need to get into that to get the essential message of Paul's words to Timothy, and God's words to us, but I'll leave you with a short quote, not from a cultural anthropology source, but from Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible.

Honor, Shame
Among North Americans, honor and shame often refer to a psychological state -- a person's internal moral character or the actions that reflect that character. In the world of the Bible and in traditional Mediterranean societies, however, honor and shame are social values determinative of a person's identity and social status. Honor is a person's claim to self-worth and the social acknowledgment of that claim -- i.e., honor is a person's public reputation which constitutes his or her identity. Shame is a person's concern for reputation. It is a positive value by which one seeks to protect his or her honor. If one is unable to maintain his honor, or if his peers do not acknowledge his claim to self-worth, then the person is shamed, i.e., dishonored and disgraced. A person with no concern for his honor or reputation is shameless.¹

Even in this, Jesus turns the world order upside down -- suffering that was shameful becomes when done for others, honor.

¹Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible

Creeds and formulations. 1 Timothy 6.

In this last chapter of Timothy, it's hard to overlook the several formulations Paul uses in the letter. By formulation, I mean what appears to be a saying that was memorized and repeated by those in the church, like we might repeat "The Lord's Prayer." These formulations are reminders that this letter was written at the end of Paul's ministry, when the churches had been in place for a while and were developing routine and liturgy and structure.

Sometimes we react against the idea of structure, but it's essential to everything. God took the void and gave it structure. The church in Acts 2 was just a beginning. In the process of maturing, the realization came that hanging out together all the time was impractical. Worship could take place while working, even in how you did your work. A regular first day of the week gathering became the norm. Jesus' command was to go into all the world and make disciples and most observers think that God used the persecution of the Jerusalem church to help make that happen.

This letter to Timothy is all about church structure, leadership, and practice, especially for Timothy's instruction as he acts as Paul's successor. And sprinkled within the letter is this phrase, "This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance..." (1 Timothy 1:15; 3:1; 4:9) It's also in 2 Timothy and Titus. In addition to this phrase we catch what might be other confessional statements, perhaps the words to hymns, which we can recognize by their dense theological content.

Creedal statements are a tricky topic in churches that have their roots in the Restoration Movement. Let's get a definition first. A simple definition of creed is: a formal statement of religious belief. Here's a slightly expanded version from the Britannica Concise Encylopedia (online): "Officially authorized, usually brief statement of the essential articles of faith of a religious community, often used in public worship or initiation rites." It's the "officially authorized" and "initiation rites" that are at the heart of the disagreement with creeds in Restoration Movement churches. Creeds are statements about God and faith that are based on the Bible, but separate from the Bible. The Restoration Movement was interested in removing whatever divided the church - denominational names like "Lutheran" that implied adhering to man-made systems outside the Bible; rigid adherence to theological viewpoints that were "non-essential"; and creeds. The thinking was that "Creeds divide, but Christians should be able to find agreement by standing on the Bible itself..." (wikipedia entry).

But a creedal-like statement within the Bible becomes authoritative. And so, however these statements developed in the early church, Paul's inclusion of them in this letter to Timothy by God's inspiration, means they are truth to us. I thought it would be a good way to end our reading of 1 Timothy by simply including them here. I'm going to use several translations, chosen not to make a particular point, but for their expressiveness. Be sure to look them up in your preferred translation to see what it says. First, here are the statements identified by Paul as trustworthy sayings.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (v.1:15 NET)

“If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work.” (v.3:1 NET)

“physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.” (v.4:8 NET)

And finally, here are the formulations that may have taken the form of hymns or statements/confessions of faith in the churches. (They may also be only Paul's formulations.)

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and human beings, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.” (v.2:5,6 TNIV)

“By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness:
He who was revealed in the flesh,
Was vindicated in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Proclaimed among the nations,
Believed on in the world,
Taken up in glory.” (v.3:16 NASB)

[God is]
“The blessed and sole Potentate,
The King of all who are kings
And Lord of all who are lords,
The sole Possesor of immortality,
Housed in light to which there is no approach,
Whom no human being has seen or ever could,
His is the honor and ruling power forever indeed.” (v.6:15,16 Andy Gaus' translation)

Grace to you.

The truth will out. 1 Timothy 5.

SHYLOCK

As I was reading the last two verses of this chapter, the phrase from Shakespeare, in the title of this post, kept ringing in my mind. It's from The Merchant of Venice, and here it is in context:

LAUNCELOT.
Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the
knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well,
old man, I will tell you news of your son. Give me your blessing;
truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long; a man's son
may, but in the end truth will out.

The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, explains the phrase in this way: "One way or another, in spite of all efforts to conceal it, the truth will come to be known." Which is pretty obvious from the phrase itself, and doesn't require any understanding of where it came from.

But I do know where the phrase came from, and perhaps you do too. Knowing about this phrase is a byproduct of "cultural literacy," which is the ability to converse using the idioms, allusions, and informal content of a culture. This can be as simple as understanding road signs, to as complex as picking up the novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemingway, and having a jump start in understanding the book because you're aware of the poem by John Donne from which the phrase was taken by Hemingway.

The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy was written by E. D. Hirsch, Jr. (something I didn't know without looking it up) as a companion to his book, Cultural Literacy. In the book, Hirsch argues for a return to a high level of literacy built on "traditional history, myth, and literature." To me, this means a pre-college education that includes the Greek myths and literature, the Bible, Shakespeare, and other classic literature, and the history of western civilizations. Until recently, this was the norm in English-speaking countries. Most people with a high school education, assuming they payed a moderate amount of attention, would know that the narrator in Moby Dick, Ishmael, had a Biblical name, and that the name was a clue into his character. Those with somewhat less education might still recognize both Ishmael and "Moby Dick" even if they didn't realize that Ishmael was a character in the novel.

Hirsch's main point in his book, and one reason for creating the dictionary, is that by concentrating on literacy, the educational system produces better learners in all fields of endeavor. Cultural literacy as Hirsch envisions it, fosters broad knowledge, shared knowledge, and communication. That's where the "traditional history, myth, and literature" enter into the picture. The American education system has gone away from this in favor of materials that emphasize skills and relevancy. Take a look at the introduction to the dictionary for a complete discussion by Hirsch.

HOMER

Cultural literacy itself, though, is a description of a phenomenon of culture, not a curriculum. If I say, "D'oh" with a certain inflection, a large percentage of the American populace will know the allusion I'm making. Given the pervasive level of communication in our society, anything can quickly become a part of the cultural consciousness and thus contribute to what is considered literacy within the culture. (IMHO, LOL.) Hirsch would say, I think, that a classic education produces a broader range of knowledge and connections, and a richness in communication that is unmatched by a set of rapidly changing elements of cultural raw material. I would agree with that, especially when it comes to the potential diversity of communication made possible by that approach, crossing boundaries of age, sex, location, race, and class. If you're over 50 it's unlikely the word Krumping means anything to you. If you're under 40 and from the west coast, it's unlikely Chappaquiddick means anything to you. But 100 years ago in America, Jonah, Aphrodite, and Shylock were known by everyone with an 8th grade education.

Knowledge of the literary content of the Bible was an essential element of the education of anyone considered "literate" until just few years ago in Western Europe and the U.S. and Canada. In fact, Shakespeare was probably aware of the truth expressed in chapter 5 of Paul's first letter to Timothy, when he penned the words that Launcelot speaks. Which I think is very cool... Shakespeare became a part of the canon of a classic education along with the Bible, which he himself drew from when he wrote. (I also think it's cool that there's a great deal of humor in The Simpsons, that is only funny when you know the Bible characters and stories the humor is based on. This is exactly what Hirsch is referring to when discussing a literate culture.)

So, here's what Paul wrote to Timothy (in King James to make it closer to Shakespeare's language):

Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. (1 Timothy 5:24-25 KJV)

In other words, the truth about a person's good and bad works will be in the open, either before or after judgment -- the truth will out. In these words of Paul's, we ought to be hearing the whisper of our conscience, "Best to do the right thing, it will all be known some day." And we also hear truth in these words, a correspondence between what Paul wrote and what we experience in everyday life. From the flagrant behavior of Britney Spears, Mel Gibson, and O. J. Simpson, to the quiet accomplishments of Millard and Linda Fuller who founded Habitat for Humanity, the works are on display for all to see.

Some final words on cultural literacy.
Connections. It's all about connections.

• Shakespeare remains popular, and when I finally went to find a picture for The Merchant of Venice, I discovered that Hollywood was busy doing remakes of a number of Shakespeare's plays during the last decade, including this one. Now I'm going to have to rent the movie to see if the lines I quoted at the outset are in the movie.
• Patrick Stewart, Captain Picard in the Star Trek:STNG series, is filming a version of the play that will be located in a Vegas casino.
• There's a restaurant at our own Orenco Station named "The Merchant of Venice." I didn't see a pound of flesh on the menu.
• The Dictionary of Cultural Literacy has a very minor mention of Ishmael, and definitions for both Captain Ahab and Moby Dick. Patrick Stewart starred in a TV production of Moby Dick as Captain Ahab.
• Better luck in the dictionary when it comes to Aphrodite, aka Venus to the Romans. A definition plus a reference to a painting by Botticelli of "The Birth of Venus." (She's nude, folks.) What makes the dictionary extra relevant is a mention that the painting is often referred to as "Venus on the half-shell." Wonder if they're serving that at the "Merchant of Venice Cafe." Or is that the "Merchant of Venus?"
• If you know about "The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon," you've experienced cultural literacy.
  

Timothy or you (or me)? 1 Timothy 4.

Listen to these instructions from this chapter (NET Bible translation).

v. 6 - By pointing out such things [all food is good if eaten in thanksgiving] to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus

v. 7 - reject those myths fit only for the godless and gullible, and train yourself for godliness.

v. 11 - Command and teach these things [what follows].

v. 12 - Let no one look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in your speech, conduct, love, faithfulness, and purity.

v. 13 - Until I come, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.

v. 14 - Do not neglect the spiritual gift you have, given to you and confirmed by prophetic words when the elders laid hands on you.

v. 15 - Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that everyone will see your progress.

v. 16a - Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach.

v. 16b - Persevere in this, because by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.

These are obviously personal instructions and commands given by Paul to Timothy. To what extent do they apply to you? Here's something else Paul wrote:

v. 8-10 - For “physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.” This saying [the quote above] is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. In fact this is why we work hard and struggle, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of believers.

Paul says that the quoted saying is for everyone. Does that mean it holds more authority than for us than the other commands given in this chapter?

How do you decide to apply what you read in the Bible? Randomly? Based on what sounds good? Stick to the generalized commands? By extracting principles from the specifics (and how do you do that)? Do you have a consistent way of approaching Scripture so that when you read these instructions to Timothy you know what God intended for you to do with them?

Most of us are not fully consistent when it comes to applying what we read in the Bible to our lives. I'm not talking about whether we are able to apply it or not, or whether we do live consistent lives or not. I'm talking about whether we are consistent in how we interpret what we read, and consistent in determining what the application should be, whether we're able to live it out or not.

For example, in verse 16a we read "Be conscientious about how you live and what you teach." Is this your train of thought -- 'That sounds like good advice, so God must mean it for me.' How about this -- "So I want the men to pray in every place, lifting up holy hands without anger or dispute."? (1 Timothy 2:8). Is that command meant just for the men? Do you think this way -- 'We don't pray in our culture with hands lifted up, so I'll just worry about praying and the "without anger and dispute."'?

If we look at these two verses in context, the first one is instruction directed specifically and personally to Timothy and how Paul wants him to live. The latter verse (2:8) is also instruction for Timothy, but it is instruction that Timothy is to pass on to others, or to enforce within the church. On the surface, at least, that would sound like that latter instruction is more universal in its applicability than the specific instruction to Timothy, "be conscientious..."

And yet, I'll bet that most of us would tend to apply the specific instruction to Timothy more literally, than we would the general instruction for the church. Why is that? More importantly, in doing so, are there some consistent underlying principles that we do use or could use, to help us figure this out?

I've posed a lot of questions in this post. I'd love for some of you readers to answer some of them in the comments. I'll come back to this issue in 2 Timothy, and provide my own answers and comments.

Acts 2 Church. 1 Timothy 3.

Something we hear regularly in evangelical circles is something like, "we want to be an Acts 2 church." Or, the variant, "we are an Acts 2 church." On occasion I may well have used that phrase too. What's the attraction, and what does it have to do with 1 Timothy? Here's what I wrote when we actually read Acts 2.

From what I can tell, the idea behind what people and churches mean when they say Acts 2 church, is twofold. First, they want to get as close as possible to the practices of the early church as described in Acts 2:42-47.

"They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Reverential awe came over everyone, and many wonders and miraculous signs came about by the apostles. All who believed were together and held everything in common, and they began selling their property and possessions and distributing the proceeds to everyone, as anyone had need. Every day they continued to gather together by common consent in the temple courts, breaking bread from house to house, sharing their food with glad and humble hearts, praising God and having the good will of all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number every day those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42-47 NET)

Second, there is a desire to experience the same intense work of God's Spirit in the church that occurred in Acts 2. The implication is that the church will actually seek the Spirit's leading and be completely open to the work of the Spirit -- relying on God's power instead of the people's. This is an expression of attitude, and Paul wrote in 1 Thess. 5:19 that while we each receive the presence of the Holy Spirit when we become Christians (Acts 1:8; 2:38), we are NOT to, "extinguish the Holy Spirit." In other words, God allows us to experience that power (or not) based on our actions and attitudes.

Here are a couple of statements from an organization called Acts 2 Churches that typify what is meant by Acts 2 churches. "Acts 2 (A2) is an association of ministries and churches striving to impact our culture by relating 1st century values to a 21st century life." "The purpose of Acts 2 is to progressively become 'a genuine model of a Christ-like community -- experiencing, demonstrating, and sharing the love of God.'"

Without discounting the values shared by the new church in Acts 2, nor the desires to be faithful churches to those values by modern-day churches, the fact is that in this chapter of Timothy we see another step in the evolution of the early church in the establishment of requirements for two offices -- overseer/bishop (episkopos in Greek), and deacon (diakonos in Greek). This isn't the first or only place we've read about the establishment of structure to the early church. In Acts 6, for example, the first deacons/servants are chosen to take care of the widows. In Acts 14:23, Luke writes that Paul and Barnabas had appointed elders in the churches they had founded. In the letter to the Corinthians, Paul talks about several gifts and positions in the church. But in this letter it's very clear that Paul was laying out a pattern of governance that could used in all the churches. The time of the first-generation apostles was drawing to a close.

In fact, we can't really go back to be an Acts 2-only church. We also have to be a 1 Tim 3 church. And a 1 Peter 2:9 church, and an Ephesians 4:11 church. Most importantly, no matter what form of governance a local church decides on, we have to be Christ's church.

Missing the radical teaching. 1 Timothy 2.

Entire books have been written about this chapter of 1 Timothy. I'm just going to note a few items that I find interesting and try to surface some of the radical teaching of Paul that can be overlooked in any heated discussion of the "proper role" of women in the church.

First things first. Paul has told Timothy that he wants him to remain in Ephesus, addressing the false teachings of others. And Paul says in verse 1, "First of all, then, I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people..." He goes on to point out that these prayers are for the benefit of all, asking for peace in which to share the gospel, and that acceptance of the gospel is God's desire for everyone. Not prayers for some, but for all, even for those in authority, and not like the prayer for Czar in Fiddler on the Roof: "God bless the Czar and keep him far, far away."

And so, Timothy, the men should pray with holy hands, not with anger and dispute. The implication in this admonition is that there was contention, unholy hands if you will, perhaps in the subject of the prayers, perhaps in the object of the prayers, perhaps in the attitude with which the prayers were made.

And, likewise, Timothy, the women should clothe themselves modestly, in good deeds. The implication, once again, is that they were not have been doing so. Remember that men and women are worshiping together, most likely in small house churches. That's radical. And Paul doesn't want that to end, but to be done properly.

Next, Paul says the women are to learn (v.11). Oh hook, you left out the most important bit -- they are to learn in quiet submission, and not teach men! No, I mentioned the learning. Paul is telling Timothy that all are to grow in their knowledge and understanding of Christ, and in the service of the goal of all people being "saved" through their knowledge of the truth of Christ as the intermediary who gave Himself as a ransom for all. Men and women. That's completely radical for the time and for the all the cultures involved - Jewish, Greek, and Roman.

Now the interesting part in what follows is that Paul is telling Timothy something different from what Timothy had already experienced with Paul. Paul's admonition about women learning was simply reinforcement of a practice he had already witnessed. But Paul was associated with women who were leaders and teachers in the church -- Phoebe and Priscilla to name two.

At this point (v.12-15) we need to step back a bit for a couple of reasons. The first is that Paul seems to be contradicting what his practice has been in the past when it comes to the practice of women teaching men. In this same church at Ephesus, Priscilla and Aquila had taught/corrected Apollos, described as an eloquent and bold speaker (Acts 18:23-26). The second reason is that the final verse (2:15) is a real puzzler. "But she will be delivered through childbearing, if she continues in faith and love and holiness with self-control." (Delivered could also be translated as preserved or saved.) The footnotes in the NET Bible identify several possible interpretations. The first three are the traditional approaches to the verse, and those footnotes also present the objections to the interpretations. Here they are:

1. "Christian women will be saved, but only if they bear children."
2. "Despite the curse, Christian women will be kept safe when bearing children."
3. "Despite the sin of Eve and the results to her progeny, she would be saved through the childbirth – that is, through the birth of the Messiah..."

The additional interpretations in the footnotes don't hang together for me, either.

And so, as I said, we need to step back. As I wrote at the beginning of this post, Paul asked Timothy to remain in Ephesus to correct false teachings and teachers. We've also discussed in class and on the blog, that the key to interpreting the epistles, is to try and determine the conditions under which the letters were written -- often the problems and questions being addressed in the letter. Paul's already told us/Timothy about the false teachings. Paul has also emphasized, in verse 7, that this message is probably for the Gentile Christians.

If the entire set of verses (2:8-15) are written as a corrective to false teachings and practices, then we have a clue as to their meaning contained within the hints in the text about those practices. We can note at least three practical problems that Paul is addressing. One was already discussed above -- the contention in the prayers of the men. The second is that some of the women were dressing immodestly. The third is that the women were too noisy during instruction. Let's add some possible false teachings that would be hinted at in these verses:

1. The elevation of the woman or the goddess. (Acts 19:23-41 contains the account of the dispute in Ephesus, and the importance of Artemis.
2. A distorted gospel, a consequence of incorrectly stating the creation order. (This would explain the emphasis Paul places on Adam in verses 13-14. In other places, 1 Cor. 15:22, for example, Paul connects Adam and Christ as part of his message of good news.)
3. A distorted view of childbirth. (Paul assures Timothy that any message intended to prevent women from having children is wrong, whether it's the danger of childbirth, or a false warning that women can't be godly if mothers.)

As I stated at the outset, this chapter has caused a lot of heartburn in the last 100 years or so, and one of the issues raised is the actual meaning of the Greek word, authentein, which is used only here in the New Testament. In the NET Bible this word is translated as "exercise authority." In other documents of the time it has a meaning like "independent authority" or "domineer." The more usual word translated as authority is exousia. Why did Paul use this word instead?

Well, that's enough for now. I'll provide a more traditional view of the specific verses about women in another post. Or... in dialog in the comments.