tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848483.post5789249924196352358..comments2023-06-30T15:28:17.371+03:00Comments on brummie@sea: Jesus' teachingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848483.post-35139531020922491632011-03-22T09:07:00.021+02:002011-03-22T09:07:00.021+02:00Yeah, I'd wondered about that. One of the onl...Yeah, I'd wondered about that. One of the only reasons I'd thought about it this way was because how at v12, Jesus says <i>"So, whatever you wish that others would do for you..."</i>, which sounds like it relates to v. 1-5, not so much to 6-11.<br /><br />I like your analogy, Carlien. Very A/V appropriate :-)<br /><br />And that's the thing: that without the questions – if there were questions which interspersed such passages – are almost needed as context to the answers.<br /><br />Say v.6 about the pigs & dogs. Did Jesus say that as something of significance to church governance? Or was one of the kids nearby bouncing his father's phylactery in front of one of the street dogs, and Jesus thought it was disrespectful? (Which could have a much more literal, and in the end irrelevant interpretation for us today).<br /><br />So that's why I was wondering how the passage would work, w/o questions, as a flow of thoughts.danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10637645694586728898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848483.post-6663529712513718642011-03-20T18:25:06.966+02:002011-03-20T18:25:06.966+02:00I like the way Sue puts it. I see it that way too....I like the way Sue puts it. I see it that way too. <br />A bit like when you hear a recording of a question and answer session and only the main speaker had the microphone, so that the questions are lost for all eternity and only the answers remain. <br />I can imagine that the record-keepers didn't think that what the others had to say was worth as much as what Jesus had to say.Carlienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09275366062540178412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848483.post-65057204785704325632011-03-10T14:13:42.407+02:002011-03-10T14:13:42.407+02:00Seems to me the whole 'sermon on the mount'...Seems to me the whole 'sermon on the mount' was more likely a kind of dialogue, or 'any questions' with a bunch of people gathered around Jesus clamouring for attention. Dialogue was how Rabbinical teaching generally happened, as I understand it. <br /><br />So He's just been talking about not worrying, and letting God look after the future. Then I guess it would have gone something like:<br /><br />'Yes, you with the red headdress over there...?" <br /><br />'I get it that we can't deal with tomorrow's problems today. But what about today's problems? I think my mate's been cheating me, taking too many fish from our catches.' <br /><br />"It's not a good idea to judge anyone. None of you is entirely guilt-free, after all. God will use the same kind of judging method as you do... accept what He has given you, and be thankful, and let your friend deal with his own conscience. <br /><br />"Who's next? Over there, with the babies in a basket..?"<br /><br />"I don't want to judge, Master. But my husband is so often late, and my older children are untidy, and my brother hasn't been to see me in a week, and I spend all my time cooking and cleaning and...' <br /><br />"In the scheme of things, those aren't really so terrible, are they? At least your husband comes home. And you're blessed with siblings and children. How about looking at your own attitude first? Are you nagging, and hassling? Are you proud of your housekeeping skllls? Work on your own sins first, get your attitude straight, and then maybe you'll get other people's faults in perspective.<br />"<br /><br />"A question from the guy leaning against the tree..?"<br /><br />"This is all fair enough, Master, and I do get the point. But what happens when you give someone a nice present, and they throw it back in your face? And you forgive them, and give them another nice gift, and they turn around and hit you? I want to be seen as generous and forgiving...should I keep on trying?"<br /><br />"No (sigh), sometimes people simply aren't receptive. You don't give sacred texts to dogs in the street, do you? You don't give your wife's jewellery to the pigs, either, I assume. God gave us common sense. If someone really doesn't want a gift, for whatever reason, or won't begin to appreciate what you give them, then fine - don't give them anything special. <br /><br />"Right, question from the young lady with the green sash?"<br /><br />"I love what you say, Master. But it's so confusing, sometimes. How are we supposed to know when to help people, and when to back off? When to say something, and when to keep quiet? How can we figure out where our own issues and attitudes are wrong?"<br /><br />"Good question.. and while it's not easy, you'll find that the secret is to listen to God's voice in your heart. Ask for guidance, and He'll give it to you. Look for ways to demonstrate His love in the world, and you'll find them. Reach out when opportunities come your way, and you'll find that, at least some of the time, you'll be able to find the right path."<br /><br />Etc. All paraphrased and with extreme literary license, of course, but that's kind of how it feels to me. A pity the church somehow lost the dialogue format of teaching, and latched onto the Greek pagan monologue idea :-(Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11835205817921501248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848483.post-90252548591639585242011-03-10T08:54:55.617+02:002011-03-10T08:54:55.617+02:00I think one of the problems Evangelicals have is a...I think one of the problems Evangelicals have is a tendency to look at everything in terms of insiders or outsiders. Looking at the swine in v7 is just such an issue. If you read it as just 'people' not insiders or outsiders and read the whole sermon on the mount that way it makes more sense. Jesus pointed all people to our Father. He called all people to follow Him.Richard Fairheadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15443956246800155197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13848483.post-38787762111361278582011-03-10T07:56:30.482+02:002011-03-10T07:56:30.482+02:00Interesting thoughts. I'm not so sure about th...Interesting thoughts. I'm not so sure about the pigs/swine thing, nut I'm not so sure the popularised version of what it means is Jesus' original point either. One I'll have to think on...<br />BTW, where did you get that Adrian Plass bit? I don't think I've read it yet, and would like to!Bridget Macfarlanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14422294148630893021noreply@blogger.com