{"id":72877,"date":"2019-04-13T23:56:13","date_gmt":"2019-04-14T05:56:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/?p=72877"},"modified":"2019-04-18T22:40:17","modified_gmt":"2019-04-19T04:40:17","slug":"new-testament-notes-205-209","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/danpeterson\/2019\/04\/new-testament-notes-205-209.html","title":{"rendered":"New Testament Notes 205-210"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
We won\u2019t make it this time, but, someday, I would like to cross the border to visit the Tijuana Mexico Temple, which was dedicated in late 2015. It\u2019s just a few miles south of San Diego.
(LDS Media Library)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 12:54-56<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 16:2-3<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many of our problems in life come from our failure to pay attention and to reflect.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The signs are out there. \u00a0The warnings have been given.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A necessary evil, really. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 12:57-59<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 5:25-26<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Where they can be avoided, strife and law suits should be avoided.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Did you know that, in the United States, there is one attorney for every 200 adults?<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Not to fault lawyers, of course. \u00a0I very nearly went into the law myself. \u00a0But we are a litigious society, and that\u2019s neither productive nor pleasant.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Silwan\/Siloam,<\/a>
The modern Arab village of Silwan, near Jerusalem, sits on or near the site of the ancient village of Siloam.
(Wikimedia Commons public domain image. \u00a0Photo by Gilabrand at en.wikipedia)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 13:1-9<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 21:18-19; Mark 11:12-14<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The point here seems to be twofold:<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

1) Destruction, death, and disaster aren\u2019t, in and of themselves, indicators that the victims were unusually wicked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But . . .<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

2) \u00a0Destruction, death, and disaster will eventually come upon the wicked.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Tissot,<\/a>
James Jacques Tissot (d. 1902),\u00a0\u201cJ\u00e9sus enseigne dans les synagogues\u201d\/\u201dJesus Teaches in the Synagogues\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 13:10-17<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

This passage sheds important light on how the Sabbath ought to be observed.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The woman in the story hadn\u2019t been injured recently; she\u2019d been suffering for eighteen years. \u00a0Surely another day or two wouldn\u2019t have made much difference.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

But Jesus healed her on the Sabbath.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Doing so wasn\u2019t a necessary evil. \u00a0There\u2019s no indication that he viewed his act of healing as an evil at all<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Sabbath isn\u2019t simply a day of rest. \u00a0It\u2019s a day of rest, yes, from worldly labors and concerns. \u00a0But it\u2019s not a day of vacation from doing good, from helping, from being kind, from (in the wonderful rabbinic phrase) tikkun olam<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sound judgment is important, of course. \u00a0Some things, even good things, can be deferred to the other six days of the week. \u00a0But hospital visits, blessings, teaching children, strengthening family ties \u2014 these and many other such good activities are entirely appropriate for the Sabbath.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"His<\/a>
An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating the parable of the mustard seed
(Wikimedia Commons public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Luke 13:18-21<\/a><\/p>\n

Compare Matthew 13:31-33; Mark 4:30-32<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

The plain and obvious point of these two little parables is that the Kingdom of God begins small, but will grow remarkably.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

We get to choose whether or not we want to grow with it, and whether we want to be part of it. \u00a0That\u2019s all.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Posted from San Diego, California<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

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

\u00a0 \u00a0 Luke 12:54-56 Compare Matthew 16:2-3 \u00a0 Many of our problems in life come from our failure to pay attention and to reflect. \u00a0 The signs are out there. \u00a0The warnings have been given. \u00a0 \u00a0 Luke 12:57-59 Compare Matthew 5:25-26 \u00a0 Where they can be avoided, strife and law suits should be avoided. 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