BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO MOURN Matthew 5:4

Posted on November 25, 2010 by xulonjam

The second Beatitude is Blessed are Those who Mourn (Matthew 5:4). Commentators like to emphasize the paradox, “Happy are the Sad”. Many wish to apply this to people who are suffering some calamity, as if Jesus is making a blanket promise to all who are mourning some devastation. Not wanting to knock the props out from comforting someone, but these verses apply to those who are in the Kingdom. Many lost people (pretty much all of them in fact) have times when they mourn, such as at the death of a loved one. Their comfort is not promised apart from turning to God and being part of His kingdom. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Culture/Society, Ethics, Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount | Leave a comment

FOR TO THESE BELONG THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN Matthew 5:3

Posted on November 22, 2010 by xulonjam

This is a making up for an omission. In my introduction, I said that I would not be spending time on the “for theirs (yours) is …“ sections of the Beatitudes. I still won’t but I feel I must look at the first one at least as I think it justifies my position on the Beatitudes. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT Matthew 5:3

Posted on November 17, 2010 by xulonjam

The common name for the first verses of the Sermon on the Mount is The Beatitudes. This comes from the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible where these verses start with beati (blessed). The Greek word is makarioi (μακάριοι). According to Kittle (which article flips between using “beatitude” and “macarism” for the “blessed are …” formula), the word started out as a poetic expression of the “blessedness” of the gods, to live in a transcendent life beyond care, labor and death, this also being applied to men who have died and passed to the rewards of the godly. Eventually, the word cheapened somewhat in meaning and was applied to the wealthy who because of their wealth live above the normal worries and cares of people with less. We see a similar range of meaning and usage for the English word “blessed”. In the New Testament, the word “refers overwhelmingly to the distinctive religious joy which accrues to a man from his share in the Salvation of the Kingdom of God.” (Kittle IV, 367) So, the common paraphrase of this word as “happy” is inadequate even though it may have the value of removing the verses from “religious talk” by substituting a more commonly used and understood word for the nebulous “blessed”. Combining the Greek translation of the OT and in the NT, the word is used of God only twice, 1 Timothy 1:11; 6:15. Instead, God is the giver of blessing. Continue reading →

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Post-Racial America

Posted on November 16, 2010 by xulonjam

Recently, there have been analysts who have claimed that America is “post-racial”. “With the election of America’s first black president”, they say, “America has moved beyond the racism of its past”. Such a belief, even in its best and most sincere expression is naïve and not reflective of race differences in America. Continue reading →

Posted in Culture/Society, Ethics | 3 Comments

The Sermon on the Mount: an Introduction

Posted on November 11, 2010 by xulonjam

Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount is recorded in Matthew 5-7. There is a retelling of it (or a likely second recorded occasion of Jesus preaching it) in Luke 6. Plus, it is an interesting study to find references to this Sermon in the Book of James (The Bible Knowledge Commentary has a list of 14 referents). This will be a series focusing on the words found in Matthew. The sermon contains probably the most well known of Jesus’ words. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Ethics, Matthew 5-7, The Sermon on the Mount | 2 Comments

Flesh vs Faith Part 8: Belief In The One Who Justifies The Ungodly

Posted on October 26, 2010 by xulonjam

And God said to Abraham, “So shall your descendants be.”
Genesis 15:5

In the previous article, I ran through three events in Abraham’s life. They all appeared to be Abraham living his life of faith without direct leading from God. In Genesis 15, there is direct Revelation to Abraham from God. Contrary to our expectation, the response of Faith to revelation that quite obviously was from God seems more amazing than that of living out faith without such a direct word. Plus, this chapter contains one of the most theologically significant statements in Scripture: Abraham believed the Lord and he counted it to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Continue reading →

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Dream 10/16/2010

Posted on October 16, 2010 by xulonjam

I was in a community setting; out doors but not primitive, like a street party. Either I was the only white person there, or I was a black man in my dream. I was not out of place but was part of the celebration as part of the community.

The celebration was of several boys having birthdays in the community, as if they picked one day out of the year for this community party. Their ages – they were all early teens – indicated that this was a “coming of age” celebration.

My part in the celebration was preparing the meal. The dish was a casserole with sausage and sauerkraut. There was more to the ingredients than that, as it came out of the oven more congealed than liquid. Taking the casseroles out of the oven – one per celebrating family – I brought them one at a time over to their table.

There is excitement and anticipation on the faces, not only of the honoree but his parents and siblings as well. As I approach the table, the whole community is singing. They are not singing one general “Happy Birthday” to all, but the same song is sung to each one in turn as I bring his dish. I place the dish in front of the honoree as the climax of the song is sung with great, united force by the community: The fact that you were born strikes a blow against injustice.

Posted in Culture/Society | 1 Comment

Glory Days

Posted on October 9, 2010 by xulonjam

I was talking to a guy the other day who went into “glory days” talk; High school sports. He was on the football and basketball teams. Look who the NFL had, he said, Jerry Rice? All I’m saying is, there are people who made it in the NFL who had less talent than I did. Also, my Basketball team played Sts Vincent and Mary back when Lebron James was a freshman and they only beat us by one point.

The thing is, I went to college but dropped out, but I did go to a camp and tried out for the NFL. But you know those coaches already had their favorites. There was no way I could get in with that.

Posted in Culture/Society, Humor | Leave a comment

Flesh vs Faith Part 7: Tests of Faith

Posted on September 24, 2010 by xulonjam

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

In the previous article, I looked at James 1 and the temptation to view temptation as coming from God. James says that temptation does not come from God, yet we know from experience as well as the Bible that temptations come our way. I have found it helpful to think of it this way. In times of war, if one of our soldiers gets captured, he may be tortured. The enemy wishes to break the soldier. So in our training of soldiers, we may torture them. The point is not to break but to prepare and to strengthen them. The same action, waterboarding for example, is meant by the enemy to destroy but is done by friends to help bring success. Likewise, Job 1 shows that the one who places his trust in God goes through tests. Satan wishes to put the believer through tests that will destroy him and show that God is unworthy of trust. God allows these tests as they, in fact, show that his people stand in their trust of God. Continue reading →

Posted in Abraham, Biblical Studies, Culture/Society, Ethics, Flesh vs Faith, Genesis 12-14 | 4 Comments

Flesh vs Faith Part 6: Slow to Hear vs Quick to Hear

Posted on September 15, 2010 by xulonjam

This probably should have preceded the last blog, which started looking at the life of Abraham. This section(1) from the Book of James seems to fit in with the Flesh vs Faith struggle. Particularly, these verses expound on what is pictured in Genesis 3, where Adam looked at God’s creation and felt it better that he control it rather than trust the Creator. Continue reading →

Posted in Biblical Studies, Culture/Society, Ethics, Flesh vs Faith, James 1:13-20 | 3 Comments