Christian Family Services Ministry

7-28-2023 – A Word to the Wise – For your consideration:

Often these days, I find myself reviewing passages that once enthralled me, others that are of great interest, and on occasion, those that puzzle me. Today and for the last several days, my attention has been drawn to one of the latter.

Mark 1: 40ff has always puzzled me. Years ago, I heard it referred to as a paradoxical passage, whereas on the one hand, Jesus told a person he healed not to talk about it at the same time, knowing that he would.

Lately, I have wondered if that were the case. Here is the passage:

“And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately, the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone ….

It seems much more is going on here. So, first I researched available commentaries and discovered none wanted to address the passage. In fact, most avoided it. So I returned to the original.

Going back to the original Greek, I noticed some things not evident in the translations. In fact, one of the things that strikes me about this passage in translation is the lack of any real emotion, something not missed in Greek. We will return to this theme momentarily.

This section leads one to believe that what is occurring is being actually observed. It probably comes from the memory of Peter, who is present and tells in vivid detail the matter to Mark. The other two gospels tend to summarize the event.

Jesus is in Galilee, and the evening before healed all sorts of seriously ill people. Then he goes to bed. Early, very early the next morning, he goes out alone to pray. After some time, Peter and the others hunting for him find him. Jesus tells them it is time to be leaving.

Now I suspect this leper had waited all night. He could not have come close because of the crowds of people the evening before and thus, he stayed at a distance because of the leprosery.

The man must have considered it all night. He had watched the house, saw Jesus leave early in the morning, followed at a distance, and observed him but not wishing to interrupt Jesus’ prayers. Desperate as he was for healing, he did not want to interrupt the Master.

Seeing the disciples approaching the next morning, the man knew it was time. So coming, he falls on his face and worshipped Jesus. No other has worshipped Jesus before this time.

Now comes the unusual descriptions left out by Matthew and Luke, yet demand our attention.

In the original language, Mark first says that Jesus is becoming angry. We do not know why Jesus is angry, nor does Mark tell us. The leper asks to be healed. Then Jesus grabs the man, remember this person is a leper, something one just does not do, and holding him, saying he will heal him.

Both of these terms, anger and grabbing the man, infer intense emotion.

But it gets even more intense. Jesus, Mark using the strong term indignation, demands that he say nothing, and then ‘drives’ the man away.

Amazing, our translations leave out all of this emotion. So, I leave it to you to ponder Jesus’, anger, grabbing the man, not touching him, then with intense feeling telling him not to speak of the matter, finally driving him away.

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7-17-2023 – A Word to the Wise – My Personal Psalm 136 (amended)

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

O give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

O give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who alone rescued me at birth,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who by understanding became my Father,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who caused me to graduate with honor

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who rescued me from bondage,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

It is he who prolonged my life,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and gave me honorable children,

for his steadfast love endures forever;.

O give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

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7-7-2023 – A Word to the Wise – ON FAILURE

Have you ever considered your personal failures in your life? How many are there? Have ever considered the failures of Jesus? Look at just a few.

Failed to convince the Pharisees of their abuse of others. (Lk 11.37-44).

37 While he was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so he went in and sat at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of extortion and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give for alms those things which are within; and behold, everything is clean for you.

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! for you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without knowing it.”

Failed at converting his hometown. (Lk. 4,16-30)

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; 17 and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here also in your own country.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. 30 But passing through the midst of them he went away.

Failed in converting the leaders they were misusing the Sabbath. (Lk. 6.1-11)

6 On another sabbath, when he entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered. 7 And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8 But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there. 9 And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” 10 And he looked around on them all, and said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Could not convince the rich young ruler to exchange his riches for discipleship. (Lu. 18-18)

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have observed from my youth.” 22 And when Jesus heard it, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard this he became sad, for he was very rich. 24 Jesus looking at him said, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Had to use parables to hide secrets of the kingdom (Lk 8.9)

9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.

Failed in family relationships (Lk. 8:19)

19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him for the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” 21 But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Failed in opening the eyes of his disciples to his coming death. (Lk. 9:44)

But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Failed together his children (Luk 13:34)

34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

These are but a few. There is a lesson here for us.

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7-3-2023 – A Word to the Wise – Luke 16:1-13

This passage has always been difficult. It is clear God calls into judgment dishonest practices. That message is clear yet there may be another issue involved. It is easy to call the actions of the steward illegal, but were they?

During this time unjust interest was added to accounts by adding illegal interest to the balance owed after all “Everyone did it’ In reality what may be occurring is the unjust steward is subtracting the illegal interest making himself more acceptable to others probably not cheating his master at all but setting accounts straight. If that is accurate about this passage, we are looking at a 50% interest rate!

Read the passage again and see how this insight affects your understanding of the situation.

16 And he also said to the disciples, “A certain man was rich, who had a manager. And charges were brought to him that this person was squandering his possessions. 2 And he summoned him and[a] said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give the account of your management, because you can no longer manage.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, because my master is taking away the management from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I should do, so that when I am removed from the management they will welcome me into their homes!’ 5 And he summoned each one of his own master’s debtors and[b] said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your promissory note and sit down quickly and[c] write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your promissory note and write eighty.’ 8 And the master praised the dishonest manager, because he had acted shrewdly. For the sons of this age are shrewder than the sons of light with regard to their own generation.[d] 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it runs out they will welcome you into the eternal dwellings.

10 “The one who is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and the one who is dishonest in very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful with unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?[e] 12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you your own? 13 No domestic slave is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and money.”

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