{"id":72748,"date":"2019-04-10T23:28:20","date_gmt":"2019-04-11T05:28:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=72748"},"modified":"2019-04-10T23:28:20","modified_gmt":"2019-04-11T05:28:20","slug":"new-testament-notes-193-197","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2019\/04\/new-testament-notes-193-197.html","title":{"rendered":"New Testament Notes 193-197"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Well, it\u2019s a lamp or a light. So it\u2019s relevant. \u00a0\u00a0(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 11:34-36<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 6:22-23<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure that the Savior\u2019s comment here presupposes and reflects an ancient theory of vision that we no longer hold, scientifically speaking.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, I think his essential point remains:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

If our way of perceiving people and the world around us is fundamentally wrong, skewed, warped, deformed by gross error, poisoned by cynicism, distorted by hatred, and so forth, that will affect virtually everything about us. \u00a0And, manifestly, not for the good.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But the converse is also true:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if your eye be\u00a0single\u00a0to my\u00a0glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth\u00a0all things.\u201d \u00a0(Doctrine and Covenants 88:67)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Old<\/a>
In Jerusalem\u2019s Old City, but somehow \u2014 miraculously \u2014 without the crowds
Photo by Jorge L\u00e1scar (Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 11:37-54<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-9; Luke 20:46; John 8:6<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

These are powerful verses against cultivating an outward appearance of righteousness without the inward attitudes that accompany the real thing.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always liked a German word that is the rough equivalent of English hypocrite<\/em>: \u00a0Scheinheiliger<\/em>. \u00a0A not very elegant but fairly literal translation is \u201cappearance saint.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The important thing is the inner reality, not the outward show.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Aysh<\/a>
Not much yeast is required. \u00a0(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 12:1<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 16:5-6; Mark 8:14-15<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cBeware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Just a little bit of leaven affects the entire loaf. \u00a0So, too, just a tiny trace of obvious hypocrisy taints a person\u2019s reputation, authority, and moral stature.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Two<\/a>
A first-century Roman wall painting of two women gossiping. (Getty Villa public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 12:2-9<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 10:26-33; Mark 4:22; 8:38; Luke 8:17; 9:26<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The world in which we now live is, all too often, one of intrigue, backstabbing, covert gossip, secret cattiness, plotting, stealthy slander, and, yes, these days, anonymous online malice.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This world, however, is not forever. \u00a0Such things will eventually be done away.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the meantime, the Lord warns us that every hidden thing will someday be made known. \u00a0And, at the same time, he advises\u00a0us not to hide the truths that we ought to be proclaiming.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Our priorities are often reversed. \u00a0We\u2019re ashamed to do good rather than to do evil.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Dor\u00e9,<\/a>
Gustave Dor\u00e9, \u201cThe Expulsion of Lucifer\u201d
An illustration for Milton\u2019s \u201cParadise Lost\u201d
(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 12:10<\/p>\n

Matthew 12:31-32; Mark 3:28-20<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd every one who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit [\u03b5\u1f30\u03c2 \u03c4\u1f78 \u1f0d\u03b3\u03b9\u03bf\u03bd \u03a0\u03bd\u03b5\u1fe6\u03bc\u03b1 \u03b2\u03bb\u03b1\u03c3\u03c6\u03b7\u03bc\u03ae\u03c3\u03b1\u03bd\u03c4\u03b9] will not be forgiven.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In my view \u2014 and I don\u2019t exclude myself from this judgment \u2014 people routinely act against the Spirit. \u00a0We deny obvious truths, ignore moral impressions, repress intuitions, dismiss intimations of the divine, and so forth.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But that, I think, is not what this verse is talking about.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

To blaspheme<\/em> the Holy Ghost is more than merely ignoring the Spirit\u2019s guidance.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s to consciously, deliberately, defiantly reject<\/em> the Spirit.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We can hope that such people will be few.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve always loved a line from the late and recently canonized Pope St. John Paul II. \u00a0\u201cMust a Christian believe in Hell?\u201d he was once asked. \u00a0\u201cYes,\u201d he replied, \u201cbut we can hope that it will be empty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

I confess to flirting with a hope for universal salvation. \u00a0In the long run, anyway.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But, given human nature, I fear that there will be at least a handful of people who, even when they know that it will bring eternal destruction upon their heads, will still choose rebellious rejection of God\u2019s gracious mercy. \u00a0And, though sorrowful, he will respect their choice.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the end, C. S. Lewis once explained, we will either say to God \u201cThy will be done,\u201d or he will say to us \u201cThy will be done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

He\u2019s said it before, according to the scriptures. \u00a0He said it to Lucifer.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 \u00a0 Luke 11:34-36 Compare Matthew 6:22-23 \u00a0 I\u2019m sure that the Savior\u2019s comment here presupposes and reflects an ancient theory of vision that we no longer hold, scientifically speaking. \u00a0 Nevertheless, I think his essential point remains: \u00a0 If our way of perceiving people and the world around us is fundamentally wrong, skewed, warped, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-72748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nNew Testament Notes 193-197<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"    Luke 11:34-36 Compare Matthew 6:22-23   I'm sure that the Savior's comment here presupposes and reflects an ancient theory of vision\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, 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