10-19-2019 – A Word to the Wise – What follows is a short textual study which seeks to clarify the Gospel record concerning the anointing of Jesus by women. It comes it 2 or 3 parts. Many misconceptions surround the anointing of Jesus. Incidents are recorded in all four Gospels attesting to the event. Some would say that there is just one event, and each Gospel writer gives different information. Others, the majority of conservative biblical scholars, would suggest that there are really two different events. It is our premises that there are actually three different events.

We will outline the basic information that suggest the three events and then present some ideas about why Jesus may have been anointed three times.

The appendix gives the full reading of all three passages and frequent reference will be made to these passages. It is suggested that the reader quickly scan these passages before going further.

Luke’s Record

The student of the gospels can immediately see that the passage in Luke 7 stands apart from the other records. Luke does not mention a specific time while all three of the other gospels place the event within a week of Passover and the death of Jesus. Luke does record the event as taking place right after John the Baptist’s last message which occurred during the second period of the Galilean ministry. Most authorities place this time period between the summer of 28 A.D. until the Passover, April 18, 29 A.D. If this is correct then this event happened at least a year prior to the crucifixion.

Numerous elements recorded in Luke’s account differ with the other gospels. As noted above the time is a year before the other gospel events. Luke places his episode in the home of a Pharisee. Whereas the events recounted by the other gospel writers occur when the Pharisees have established themselves as staunch enemies of Jesus. Moreover, there is a price on the head of Jesus, which is not the case in the time period covered by Luke. Also, the conversation between Simon and Jesus in the Luke 7 passage appears amicable. The later incident is placed in the house of a leper, a place a where a Pharisee would never go

Other differences include how the anointing takes place. The response of both the host and guest. Even the actions of the woman in Luke are different from the women in the other episodes. Luke’s character washes Jesus feet with her tears; neither of the other two mentions tears. The woman in Luke dried the tears with her hair; while Mary in John’s Gospel massages the oil into his feet with her hair.

These differences set Luke’s episode apart from the other accounts. Turning our attention to the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and John, again we see a diversity, which sets them apart from each other.

John says the event he records takes place in the home of Lazarus a few days after Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. Matthew and Mark agree that the event describe takes place in the home f Simon the Leper.

John says the incident he is referring to happen six days before Passover and the death of Jesus. Matthew and Mark place the episode they recount two days before Jesus is murdered. Now, one could reach the conclusion that the writers are just confused, an accusation often made by some scholars. However, if one accepts that three actual separate events occurred, then one is free to look more closely at the differences in behavior, which gives clues to motivation. A summary of the events appears on the chart in Appendix I.

It is suggested then that Luke records and event, which occurred a year prior to the events in the other three gospels. Matthew and Mark jointly describe the same event, which occurred two days before the Passover and Jesus’ death. John recounts a different event occurring four days before the one described in Matthew-Mark.

Some interesting details present themselves. Major differences exist in the purpose in the women’s minds as to what they did and why. To personalize the events and hopefully draw out these nuances, we will assign a name to each woman. Mary is of course the only one given a name in Scripture and that is in John 12. The unnamed women in the Luke passage we will call Magdalene. The unnamed women in Matthew-Mark we will refer to as Martha.

It would appear that Magdalene’s motive was somewhat dissimilar to Mary or Martha. Magdalene comes to Jesus with a tremendous burden of sin. Magdalene is most certainly aware of her great sinfulness. She at the same time is brazen; she did not give a thought to coming into a Pharisee’s house and paid him no attention. I suspect she knew the man well. We can only speculate as to how she knew him. Magdalene’s entrance and behavior are dramatic and purpose oriented.

Immediately we are confronted with a perplexing statement by Luke. The text says she was “standing behind him, at his feet.” Jesus was sitting down! How can that be and what does it mean? Luke, I think, chose these words with great care for they both hide and reveal at the same time.

Luke is using what is called an idiomatic expression. This word ‘standing’ is often used figuratively, carrying with it the idea of being immovable. Thus, Magdalene planted herself at the feet of Jesus and was not to be moved.

Then Luke turns around and uses a figurative idiomatic expression literally. The phrase ‘to kiss the feet’ carries with it the idea of worship. Magdalene is firmly at the feet of Jesus, worshipping and bestowing great care. She is here for two purposes; to express ‘great love’ and to acquire forgiveness.

10-18-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Human possessiveness is a misplaced sense of ownership. No one in any relationship owns another person. Husband denotes relation- ship, not ownership, wife denotes relationship not ownership, etc. mother brother, sister, friend.

The deepest yearning in every human being is for a “sense of belonging” but it must be fulfilled in God, if it is displaced to a person it brings many forms of unhappiness – one of which is feelings of being owned by another. This makes the happy marriage impossible because it cannot function in the manner God intended, “as one flesh”, a part of each other.

An example might aid in distinguishing  between ownership and being a part of. The arm functions as a part of us – but suppose we tied it behind us – none of the body could function normally. The human being is meant to function in many relationships but  if tied to only one relationship then none will function properly. It will cripple and eventually destroy all relationships.  Possessiveness is a part of jealousy, so now we see the meaning of Song of Solomon 8:6… “jealousy is cruel as the grave:…” and Proverbs 6:34…”jealousy is the rage of  men…” Why rage? Because he imagines he owns another – that something that is his  is being taken from him – when he should realize he is the taker of that which is not his. He has taken that which is God’s. The world denies its ownership by God.  Therefore it attempts to regain its loss by glamorizing the “belonging the possessiveness” of marriage, which in reality was never even suggested by God at all. God meant for a man and woman to function together in harmony as one. Just as the parts of our body function in harmony.

This is the mystery of the “one flesh”. It was to make vivid the harmony and cooperation to exist between them, the togetherness of  cooperation, not of ownership. We do not think of our arms and legs as belonging to  us: but as being a part of us. At this point one might wonder, is anything mine, and if so – what is it? Yes, there is something which is ours: the love, the kindness, consideration given by another to us. Not to own rather to treasure, to hold close to  our heart and warm with our love and our respect, this is ours.

10-16-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Suffering comes in many forms. Sometimes in the form of illness; cancer, heart trouble, or a variety of other illness. Perhaps it is in the form of mental illness; anxiety, panic attacks, addictions, or in the form of spiritual attack by the evil one with his demons. It may occur in battle, bullying, assault, even murder.

The prophet Jeremiah suffered at the hands of hostile, religious people. One may read in Jeremiah 38 how he is thrown into a miry pit by his enemies for speaking the truth. It is in this context that the following words are pinned:

He has made my teeth grind on gravel,

and made me cower in ashes;

my soul is bereft of peace;

I suspect at times many of us have known these feeling and the desperation which smother and rips apart the soul. Jeremiah goes on to say:

I have forgotten what happiness is;

so I say, “My endurance has perished;

so has my hope from the LORD.”

Yet, even in the midst of such suffering the next words ought to ring in our hearts

But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

It is this idea of hope which must permeate our very soul. Hope in the Lord and His goodness. It is this hope which neutralizes the depression, the anger, fear, which so easily besets us.

If we do this, if we acknowledge the Lord’s goodness then in the words of the prophet:

The LORD is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul who seeks him.

It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the LORD.

Lamentations 3 (ESV)

Few scriptures so eloquently encourage the down trodden and bring peace to the soul.

10-12-2019 – A Word to the Wise – When is the last time you gave consideration to what the Lord has done for you? Do you think the Lord was impressed by what came to your mind? Or would He be surprised at how little came to mind? See that is the problem, not only do we forget all that He does do, we lose track of when it was, how important his intervention became and more important what the outcome would be without His intervention.

One cure for this problem is to keep a running list which we write down and carry with us. Sort of like a picture we carry with us to remind us of a loved one. He is a loved one is He not?

10-2-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Often we find things to complain about; the weather, food, leaders, followers, black, white, yellow, government, male, female. The list of complaints goes on endlessly. We do it almost unconsciously, yea even habitually. I suspect that grumbling is a habit just as bad as heroin, meth, cigarettes, anxiety, or sleep apnea.

The Bible calls this problem by several terms: grumbling, complaining, malice, slander. I like how Moses refers to it simply: “And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes”. (RSV)

It seems to me the more we have the more we complain, and the less we have the more gratitude we experience. This is true of Israel in Moses day, and just as relevant in our day. Scripture, old or new condemns such practices. Whether it’s Moses in Numbers 11:1, or Jesus brother, James, in James 4:11, or even the one chapter of Jude, verse 16.

The only way I know to turn aside this trash talk is to praise perhaps the Eternal Father, Christ Jesus, perhaps the Holy Spirit, and even on occasion our fellow man. Expressions of praise and gratitude ought to pass our lips daily, hourly, and even perhaps minute by minute.

9-25-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Sin is ever oppressing. It follows one throughout life and relentlessly hounds and mocks. For those who have really sinned know exactly what I am talking about. This type of sin, whatever the violation maybe is difficult for the follower of the Lord to reconcile.

It is the type and class of the one which Peter experienced when he betrayed his dear friend. It is of the magnitude which Paul faced when he considered the death of Stephen. Any who has really sinned understands the sickness of the soul that plagues and rips at the heart.

Usually these sins causes one to wander far from God and takes one down the paths of even greater sin.

Going home is difficult. Even weary with wandering, home seems so remote and difficult to find.

Luke 7 tells us of just a situation and holds out hope for all who have struggled with sin. Real sin. We know little of the history of the woman, even her name escapes history. It may be she was immoral, given the attitude of the Pharisee.

Here is the passage: One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. (ESV)

No doubt the woman was deeply fearful of rejection, yet desperate for forgiveness and to be rescued from the past therefore all else was put aside.

Now for us who are real sinners this encounter with Jesus gives us hope. Hope that the past will no longer have power over us. Peace, yes real peace, which wraps us in the arms of the Master in a manner which heals, and protects us from the paths we once trod.

To get the attention of the Pharisee Jesus gives a short parable: “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ( A denarii was equal to a day’s pay so one owed about five weeks earnings the other a year and half). When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”…… Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

The key idea to focus on is the little phrase; “for she loved much”.For the true repentant sinner their acknowledgement of the depth of sin, coming to the Lord with a broken and contrite heart results not only in forgiveness but a far greater depth and capacity for love. What is your measured capacity for love?

9-24-2019 – A Word to the Wise – The Lord does not care for rain. Then why did he make it? Well it was sort of created under distress. The whole matter began like this.

Sometimes we so mess up the Lord’s plans for us that He has to redo His plans. Now I know this does not sit well some who hold that the Lord never changes His mind about anything.

However, when He created man with free will that necessity alternate plans from time to time.

Just in case you have not seen this in other passages let me give a couple of examples.

In I Samuel 23 a unique situation occurs. David being hunted by King Saul raises a small band of men and sets out to protect the defenseless. On this occasion he hears that the city of Dallas, oops, Keliah is under attack by the Philistines and in jeopardy.

David inquires of the Lord and is told to rescue them. David goes and rescues Keliah.

Shortly, David hears that Saul knows that he is at Keliah. David fearfully ask the Lord if Saul will come, the Lord tells David that Saul will come.

David ask the Lord if the people of Keliah will turn him over to Saul. The Lord tells David that they will.

David gathers his men and leaves. Saul hears and never comes.

Obviously, David’s inquiry and David listening, and leaving changed the situation. (I Samuel 23, RSV)

Similarly, we find in Isaiah 38 a medical situation with King Hezekiah. The Lord tells him that he is going to die, and to set his house in order.

Hezekiah turns his face to the wall and begs the Lord for a reprieve. The Lord stops the prophet Isaiah and tells him to go back and tell King Hezekiah because he prayed He is healing him and adding 15 years to his life. Prayer changes the situation. (Isaiah 38)

So let’s return to the rain situation. The original creation had no rain. (Genesis 2:5)

The Lord watered with a mist that came up from the ground. So the Lord in the beginning chose mist as opposed to rain. Guess He did not like the idea of rain. (Genesis 2:6). Mist does not cause erosion, or other problems.

So what changed? Man brought about the change. It was not Adam and Eve’s sin for it is nearly 1000 years later. No that was not the reason.

Rather, we learn with the advent of evil angels and their immoral behavior with women the whole earth becomes filled with evil. Immoral behavior does that. Changes everything.

So the Lord destroyed the earth with, yes rain, and more rain. Rain was a curse on mankind. But at the same time it cleansed the earth but it brought an end to the Lord’s original design.

Rain was not His first choice. So what was or is the Lord’s first choice for your life? Did the Lord have to redo it?

9-19-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Does obedience to God’s laws really influence how long a person lives? Deuteronomy 28 says it does. But we will return to that.

If the historical trends of this year continue then nearly two million people in the United States will die during 2019 because they failed to observe warnings from parents, doctors, ministers, governmental agencies, or the Word of God. Those figures indicate the seriousness of obedience. Consider the connection between obedience and longevity from scientific and biblical perspective.

Support for a connection between obedience and longevity is found in the scientific community. Numerous sociological and psychological studies support the basic concept that the impulsive and uncontrolled personalities, along with major family disorganization, are predictors of long-term health problems.

In 1921, the Terman Life-Cycle Study began. Terman chose some 856 boys and 672 girls with IQ’s of at least 135 to study over an extended period. The participants have been followed at five-and ten-year intervals since the onset of the study, for nearly 75 years. A more recent evaluation of the data has focused on psychosocial variables in participants’ physical health. The one factor found to be a consistent predictor of greater longevity in this group was a factor the investigators called ‘conscientiousness.’ What did the investigators define as conscientiousness? They define it as prudence, truthfulness and social dependability.

Obedience or lack of it affects practically everything we do. Failure in this area is most evident in the “accident” rate of any society. Traffic accidents in the United States is a prime example. Notice how the majority of all accidents are due to the failure to obey a rule, law, and ordinance or known truth. The majority of all traffic accidents accounting for over thirty-eight thousand deaths per year are preventable. Simply obeying the rules results in an increased life span.

Violation of our body by improper diet, inadequate exercise and the use of known harmful substances accounts for a majority of admissions to medical and psychiatric facilities. Most violations are of known rules, laws, ordinances and instructions.

Each year in the United States 480,000 plus die from smoking. Another 73,000 die from drug use, and hundreds of thousands from food related abuses. These deaths are not due to lack of information for our society is flooded with a constant barrage of information; most goes unheeded.

Thus, one readily sees why disobedience to authority, whether toward a parent, government or biblical law, results in a shortened life span. Only a willful rejection of disobedience will bring about the ability to live longer. It is God’s promise regardless of one’s color, creed, or sex. Respect for God’s creation and obedience to His laws lay the foundation for obedience to those who have the rule over us.

This connection between the obedient life and longevity was discovered a long time before our century. Moses more than three millennium ago, told the Jewish nation “… know therefore this day, and lay it to your heart, that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. Therefore you shall keep his statutes and his commandments, which I command you this day, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God gives you forever. ”

Several years ago I did a study of the life expectance in scripture based on the righteousness, or lack of it in the kings of the Southern Kingdom. These were chosen because their DNA were following the genealogy of King David.

The results were revealing; the righteous kings lived about 12 years longer than the unrighteous kings.

Amazingly, in forty years of counseling I have seen this same statistic occurring in the families I have worked with. Righteous behavior influences longevity.

9-17-2019 – A Word to the Wise – Here is the second help.

The following words are meant for a select few, and you will know when you read it if they apply to you. In actuality, this is a prescription. It is a prescription for those who are anxious, ill, fearful, and hopeless. If one is given a medicine by a medical doctor and then filled by a pharmacist- that medicine comes with a specific set of instructions about how to take the medicine, what not to use while taking the medicine and is specifically directed toward the person who has a specific problem.

This is a prescription. It is meant to be used in the manner that is specified. Some will not like the medicine- if that be the case do not take it. Many may want to change the directions, but then will complain afterwards that it does nothing. Please just follow the instructions.

Here is the purpose for the medication, and how it is to be utilized. Again, it is specifically directed towards those who are anxious, weary, sorrowful, fearful, burdened with the cares of the world.

The following songs are given for the purpose of helping. They are not the only songs that are available, but these have been chosen for a specific purpose. The titles have been taken from hymnals nearly a century old, so to avoid any legal complaints, or fears of problems with copyright laws.

No doubt you will be able to find these songs available over the internet, or by some congregational singing. Be sure and not mix with instrumental background. It’s not that the instruments are bad, but rather they make the words oblique.

Here is a list of the twenty-one songs I have chosen to help with some of the more serious of life’s circumstances. They are to be heard daily, or even during the night.

Some may say their list of popular songs are much preferred. However, this is not a list of my most beloved songs. Rather an attempt to help those who are struggling and need relief. For a lifetime these hymns have comforted me, given direction and peace. I wish to share them with you and the method by which they are to be utilized.

For Me He Careth

No, Not One

More Love to Thee, O Christ

Be With Me Lord

Sweet Hour of Prayer

Nearer, My God To Thee

Rock of Ages

‘Tis The Blessed Hour Of Prayer

Come, Thou fount of Every Blessing

Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

I Need Thee Every Hour

Tarry With Me, O My Savior

Peace, Perfect Peace

Jesus, Lover of My Soul

Savior, Grant Me Rest and Peace

Amazing Grace

Something for Jesus

The Garden of Prayer

Lead, Kindly Light

Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me

9-16-2019 – A Word to the Wise – What does one do when it seems life is dealing them one blow after another? When it would seem one woe after another tortures every step. When it would seem you are unable to distinguish between friend and foe?

My mother taught me years ago you have to prepare for those times. We tend to think that nothing is ever able to overcome us when we have the Lord on our side. But fail to realize it calls for preparation beforehand.

So how does one prepare? I have found that there are at least two crucial ways that helps one deal not only with the day to day confusion and temptation, but also brings a measure of peace.

As one searches scripture astoundingly they come across passages which reflect what I consider to be the first most important measure. This is one that has been a part of my life for many years.

Consider please these two passages; Hebrews 11:1 -12:1: What the writer does is list one after another the mighty deeds that the Lord has brought about. Finally the writer just because there are so many starts listing one name after another which the reader recognizes concluding with “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witness, let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely, and let us run the race that is set before us looking to Jesus. . . “

Now consider Psalm 136 and pay attention to the similarity of the two passages.

What is happening is the two writers are giving us the tools to deal with life’s upsets.

But notice the first is written 2000 years ago and the other 3000 years ago. There relevance does not help me today when faced with overwhelming conflict both internally and externally. Why is it of little help? Because both authors are giving a pattern to use for our daily life. Not a remembrance of past events. It is a pattern. So how do we use it?

Many years ago when first reading Psalms 136 the Lord prompted me to write out beside the verses the things He had accomplished in my life. Acts that I knew for sure and certain that He had accomplished.

When I started putting them down I was astounded, the Lord had done all of these things? Let me give just a few.

I was born a twin in the midst of World War II, 2 months premature with a host of physical problems which shortly ended in a hospitalization and my mother being told I would not make it through the night. She later telling me about it, said she fell on her face before the Lord begging him to intervene.

Without going into details over the next few years He actually saved my life; once from drowning in a flood when I was 10, years later as a police officer, on three occasions. Other times from severe illness when at 9, I contracted polio, or later suffered several injuries to my eyes, and later back cancer and surgery.

Besides physically, the emotionally situations, with the trauma of early physical abuse, death of my father, or intellectually because of helplessness in the face an inability to learn caused by attention deficit disorder. Then the really big ones: graduating with honor in two years and 7 months from a four year college program.

It continues one thing after another; giving me honorable children, calling me by a special name. This list goes on and on. The things He intervened in and accomplished when things were absolutely impossible.

Listing these things, putting them in my bible reading them whenever discouraged, helpless, and at times hopeless. That is the purpose of the pattern.

This is why Psalms 136, Hebrew 11, and a host of other passages remind us what the Lord did then, and more importantly what he does now, for us personally. List them, put them in your bible rehearse them daily.

This constant rehearsal of intervention past and present strengthens faith, hope and love. You will find yourself saying along with a host of biblical characters and situations, the Lord did this.

But there is a second thing that helps.