Reformation Day (28 Oct. 2018, obs.)

Father Abraham, had many sons...

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people.  And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."  Revelation 14:6-7

To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.  God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.  The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; He utters His voice, the earth melts.  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah Come, behold the works of the LORD, how He has brought desolations on the earth.  He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire.  "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"  The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah . Psalm 46

Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God.  For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.  But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it – the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in His divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.  It was to show His righteousness at the present time, so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith.  For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.  Romans 3:19-28

So Jesus was saying to the Jews who had believed in Him, "If you remain in My words you all are my true disciples.  And you all will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free."  They answered to Him, "We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved yet, how do you say that 'you will be free?'”  Jesus answered them, "Truly truly I say to you that all who are committing sins are slaves to sin.  The slave does not stay in the house forever, the Son remains forever." John 8:31-36 (translation mine)

Who are the Children of Abraham?

It is a loaded question regarding a loaded term.  And one that has caused quite a bit of contention for the last few thousand years.  But the answer is pretty simple, so simple that the Jews got it, and were angry, as soon as Jesus spelled it out to them.

Every single true child of Abraham is a Christian.  Joseph?  A Christian.  Moses?  A Christian.  Deborah?  A Christian.  David?  A Christian.  The Pharisees?  Not children of Abraham.

That's the hard and cold truth of the matter.  The people of Israel were not, universally or consistently, Children of Abraham.  Especially post-Exile.  This is a people and religion in turmoil, in trauma, and react as such.  Unfortunately, they still end up looking away from the promise made to Abraham and double-down on making the Law their god.  They even used the trauma of slavery as their justification for this, while simultaneously denying it happened to them.

To say they were "never slaves" is stupid on two levels.  One because the people of Israel were under someone else's authority throughout their entire history other than those few years David and Solomon reigned.  On a more important level they were slaves to their original sinful nature, as are all humans.

The Jews, with egotistical pride, built a religion around self-justification following absurd man-made laws.  They've been stuck on the first four stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression) since the beginning.  Never have they accepted that the house they build is on a foundation of quicksand.

So if the nation of Israel is not the descendant of Abraham, then who is?

Christ.

And because we, who are Christian and believe in Christ as the Son of God, are joined with Him through baptism and communion, we too are the true Sons of Abraham, not slaves.  We belong in the house, with the Father, where we will inherit life.

-*-*-*-

Sorry this is a little late.  Things have gotten busy at the end of the quarter, and extracurricular writing was the easiest thing to abandon.  But we did translate the Gospel text in Greek Readings, and had some interesting insights (Judaism is a religion of trauma).

After the new Church year starts, I'll be switching to the Three Year series, and focusing primarily just on the Gospel reading, since that's what we are translating in Greek Readings class.

Song of Simeon (Liturgics 1 paper)

It has been a while since I posted anything from the Seminary, and there will be a "Mail Call" soon.  But until then, here's a copy of a newsletter assignment from Liturgics class.  We each selected a portion of the Divine Service to write on, as if we were writing an article for the church newsletter teaching about our selection.   I chose the nunc dimittis, the Song of Simeon.

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The Nunc Dimittis, also known as the “Song of Simeon” holds an interesting place in our worship services.

Traditionally the Nunc Dimittis was sung as part of the evening prayer services of Vespers and Compline and for the funeral service.  The use of this song as a post-communion canticle is a uniquely Lutheran practice, though one with a clear purpose.

The title of the canticle comes from two words in the first line from the Latin version: “now depart.”  Its use in end-of-day service and at funerals seems quite obvious, requesting a peaceful departure.

The song is recorded in the second chapter of Luke, when Christ is brought to the temple for circumcision.  There a man named Simeon, who is a mystery other than what is recorded in this encounter, is waiting for Him.  We do not know who Simeon is, where he came from, or what his station in life had been.  All that is known for certain is that God revealed to him that he would see the Messiah before he died.  The common assumption is that he was an older man, perhaps even elderly like Anna, who is also mentioned in the account.  An obscure tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church considers Simeon to be one of the translators of the Old Testament, who was told of the Messiah while he was translating Isaiah chapter 7.  Or perhaps he was a younger man, who would not only prophecy about what the Christ would do, but would live to see it.  The Scriptures are silent on the identity of Simeon.

What is clear are his words: “Now release Your servant in peace, master, according to Your word, for my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You prepared in the presence of all the peoples, a light for revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel.”  (Luke 2:29-32, translation mine)

He had been waiting, serving, faithfully with the unseen hope of the Messiah.  Having now seen Him, even as an infant, Simeon was ready for whatever the Lord had for him next.  He knew that this Child, the Light of the World, who would reveal God to all the nations, was the glory of God now returned to the temple.

Simeon’s song of departure, of willing dismissal from service to God, is perfectly at home in end-of-day and end-of-life services.  Much like Luther’s evening prayer, the Nunc Dimitis asks God for a peaceful departure from our labors, having been satisfied in God’s protection and providence.

Simeon’s song is such a complete confession of faith in God’s promised Messiah that his song is used in all five settings of the Divine Service in the Lutheran Service Book, though Setting Five does note the two included alternate canticles, hymn numbers 937 and 938.

Having been invited to partake in the wedding banquet on this side of eternity, and having seen His majesty, we conclude with a simple and joyful request for God to, by His will, send us on our way.  It is for these reason that the song is fitting for the end of the Service of the Sacrament.

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity (21 Oct., 2018)

What Do You See?

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.  And God said, "Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters."  And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.  And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.  And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so.  God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.  And God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth." And it was so.  The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.  And God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth." And it was so.  And God made the two great lights – the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night – and the stars.  And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.  And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.  And God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens."  So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."  And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.  And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds – livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so.  And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.  Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."  And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.  And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.  And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.  Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.  And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done.  So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.  Genesis 1:1-2:3

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.  Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.  When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?  Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.  You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.  O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!  Psalm 8

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  Ephesians 6:10-17

So He came again to Cana in Galilee, where He had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill.  When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to Him and asked Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.  So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe."  The official said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies."  Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.  As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.  So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him."  The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." And he himself believed, and all his household.  This was now the second sign that Jesus did when He had come from Judea to Galilee.  John 4:46-54

There is nothing that God cannot do.

That seems like an oversimplification, but it is true.  Consider the readings.  There isn't a distinctly common theme between them.  We read the account of Creation in Genesis, of King David singing of God's majesty, of the armor of God, and of Christ healing an official's son.  No particular unifying element.

Except for the Almighty God.

In some ways that is the unifying theme of all Scripture.  We do not believe in a god that can only manipulate a select element, or only operate in a limited region of the Earth.  Rather, our God created the entire universe and everything in it from nothing but His Word.  It was that same Word that David heard confessed by children.  It is this Word that St. Paul tasks us with taking up as a two-edged sword.  And it is this Word that walked among us.

It would be very easy to just take one of these passages and focus solely on it.  Much can be discussed with the Creation account, from the amazing work of God to the established order of creation in our first parents.  Likewise, diving deep into the Psalm quickly becomes an exercise in the authority vested in the Son of God.  And the armor of God is a favorite of many, with a plethora of applicable directions to take it.  Even the account of Christ healing the official's son, while not especially notable compared to some healings, is one of the many multi-faced layers of the ministry of Christ.

But underneath it all is the Almighty God.  The God who said "let there be light."  The God who set the human race, reduced to one in Christ, in headship and stewardship over all.  The God who defends us from all the assaults of the devil.  The God who, incarnate, showed mercy as He made His way toward the cross.

Many times Christ was, to put it mildly, disappointed that the people would refuse to believe if they did not see some sort of "great sign."  What more great sign was needed?  God created everything from nothing using only the Living Word.  The mighty works of His hand are evident throughout creation.  The claimed need for a "sign" is arrogantly thinking we can manipulate God.

That is why John mentions the official with the sick son who is dying.  He came to Christ, begging for mercy and healing, hoping that the Man would come and heal his son.  Instead, he is sent away with only the promise that his son would live.  The official believed, sight unseen, because the Word was sufficient.

Twentieth Sunday after Trinity (14 Oct. 2018)

Scandalous

"Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.  Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.  Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander for the peoples.  Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know, and a nation that did not know you shall run to you, because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.  "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:1-9

Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.  Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.  One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.  For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.  And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.  Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!  You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, LORD, do I seek."  Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!  Psalm 27:1-9

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.  Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.  Ephesians 5:15-21

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.  Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast."'  But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,  while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.  The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.  Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.'  And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.  But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.  And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'  For many are called, but few are chosen."  Matthew 22:1-14

"Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country.  When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit.  And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.  Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.'  And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.  When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?"  They said to Him, "He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons."  Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?  Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.  And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."  Matthew 21:33-44

We are under the somewhat false impression that the Gospel is nice.  But then we are handed parables from Christ that clearly imply the Gospel is expressly not for everyone.  Is that the case?

Through Isaiah, we are told that the thoughts of the Lord are not like ours.  It is such a simple statement, but much more profound than any are willing to admit.  Instead we try to judge God's actions, and our own, based on our understanding of things.  But such a concept is foolish and leads to self-justification.

Which is exactly what happened to Israel.  They had chosen the complacent path.  They either looked to their own strength, or the strength of another to save them from whatever temporary inconvenience the encountered.  They had their comfy little niche carved out, and woe to anyone who came to upset that.  Especially the very Son of David they were commanded to be ready for.  Because how dare this Man, this Jesus, call out their idolatry of the Law and their fleecing of the very people God called them to serve?  Such self-centeredness sound like a perfect place to apply the Gospel.

But Jesus says that while many are called, few are chosen.  In both parables, the people called first openly reject the offer.  The guests decided that their own plans were more worthy than the wedding feast.  The tenants of the vineyard somehow got it in their head that they didn't need to pay the rent, or even show a modicum of respect for the servants or the heir.  In both cases, the master deals with them swiftly.  At the wedding, a random guest clearly snuck in, because no one in their right mind would show up to a wedding in anything but their best.

So Israel and preachers of a false Christ.  They fashioned their own idea of the standards, only to have the Standard trip them up or crush them: scandalon.  Instead of hearing the Law and Gospel and being brought to repentance, they "double down" in their own ideas.  It is a lesson in being vigilant so that we too do not fall into pietism.

Greek Readings notes: Mark 10:2-16

Since I had a lot of fun translating the text for last week's Greek Readings lesson, I though I'd share the worksheet so y'all can see what I looks like, and to share some of my thoughts.

The worksheet has some questions, usually about the grammar, for each verse.  I simply copy the sheet, add the Greek, and translate it there, answering the questions as applicable.  Most of them that I didn't keep here were just grammar questions, though I did keep the parsing in each verse.

Mark 10:2-16

2 - Καὶ προσελθόντες Aorist Participle Active Nominative Masculine Plural Φαρισαῖοι ἐπηρώτων Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτὸν εἰ ἔξεστιν Present Indicative Active 3rd Singular ἀνδρὶ γυναῖκα ἀπολῦσαι Aorist Infinitive Active πειράζοντες Present Ptc Active Nominative Masculine Plural αὐτόν.
And they, the Pharisees, came up to Him in order to test Him and began to question Him if is is right (proper) for a man to divorce a wife.

3 - ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς Aorist Participle Passive Nominative Masculine Singular εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Τί ὑμῖν ἐνετείλατο Aorist Indicative Middle 3rd Singular Μωϋσῆς;
And He answered them: what did Moses command you?
By "Moses," Jesus undoubtedly meant what? (see BDAG 663-664): The Law given at Sinai, the Torah 

4 - οἱ δὲ εἶπαν· Ἐπέτρεψεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular Μωϋσῆς βιβλίον ἀποστασίου γράψαι Aorist Infinitive Active καὶ ἀπολῦσαι Aorist Infinitive Active
And they said: Moses permitted (him) to write a document of divorce and send (her) away.
 Matthew uses δοῦναι instead. What nuance does Mark emphasize with the use of ἐπιτρέπω (see BDAG, 384-385, 243.13)?  This is “give” in more of “acquiescence” or allowing though in mild protest.  What sense does βιβλίον convey here? (see BDAG, 176)  It was a legal document.

5 - ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πρὸς τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν Accusative Feminine Singular ὑμῶν ἔγραψεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singluar ὑμῖν τὴν ἐντολὴν ταύτην·
But Jesus said to them: in accordance with the hardness of your heart he wrote you this commandment.
What case is πρός?  Accusative  How is it best translated (see BDAG 875 3.e)?  “In accordance with”

6 - ἀπὸ δὲ ἀρχῆς κτίσεως ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ ἐποίησεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular αὐτούς·
But from (the) beginning of creation male and female God made them.
With what case is ἀπὸ used in this verse?  Genitive  What is the meaning of ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ? (see BDAG 135) "male and female"

7 - ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει Future Indicative Active 3rd Singular ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα [καὶ προσκολληθήσεται Future Indicative Passive 3rd Singular πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ,]
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and join (stick) to his wife],
Look up προσκολληθήσεται (see BDAG, 881). What does its voice and meaning demonstrate about this type of union? Be faithfully devoted to, as in being wholly devoted and joined.

8 - καὶ ἔσονται Future Indicative Active (Deponent) 3rd Plural οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν· ὥστε οὐκέτι εἰσὶν Present Indicative Active 3rd Plural δύο ἀλλὰ μία σάρξ·
And the two shall be (exist) in one flesh, so that no longer are they two but one person (children).
What is the case, number, gender of σάρξ?  Nominative Singular Feminine The word σάρξ has multiple meanings. Which one is best here? (see BDAG, 915 2.a)  Person, body (implied: children).

9 - ὃ οὖν ὁ θεὸς συνέζευξεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular ἄνθρωπος μὴ χωριζέτω Present Imperative Active 3rd Singular.
Therefore what God has yoked (joined, brought) together let no one separate.
What is the root συνέζευξεν (see BDAG, 954) of and its suffix?  συν + ζευγνυμι ("connect, join") > ζευγος (yoke, team, pair) > ζυγος (yoke, scales) = yoke, balance scales (~ zygote)  How does that inform our understanding of marriage?  Partnership, Children  Function of χωριζέτω especially considering the μὴ? (see Voelz, 201)  Emphatic negation.

10 - Καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν πάλιν οἱ μαθηταὶ περὶ τούτου ἐπηρώτων Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτόν.
And in the house again the disciples began questioning Him about this.

11 - καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ὃς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ Aorist Subjunctive Active 3rd Singular τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ γαμήσῃ ἄλλην μοιχᾶται Present Indicative Middle 3rd Singular ἐπ’ αὐτήν,
And He said to them: whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her
ὅς ἂν ἀπολύσῃ . . . γαμήσῃ . . . μοιχᾶται is equivalent to what type of conditional clause? (see Voelz, 181-183 and 248-251)  ~ Present General  What does this tell us about the nature of marriage?  It is meant to be permanent in this life.

12 - καὶ ἐὰν αὐτὴ ἀπολύσασα Aorist Participle Active Nominative Feminine Singular τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς γαμήσῃ Aorist Subjunctive Active 3rd Singular  ἄλλον μοιχᾶται.
And if she divorces her husband and marries another she commits adultery.
ἔαν . . . γαμήσῃ . . . μοιχᾶται is equivalent to what type of conditional clause? (see Voelz, 248–250)  Future more Vivid

13 - Καὶ προσέφερον Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτῷ παιδία ἵνα αὐτῶν ἅψηται Aorist Subjunctive Middle 3rd Singular· οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ ἐπετίμησαν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Plural αὐτοῖς.
And they were bringing to Him children in order that He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them

14 - ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἠγανάκτησεν Aorist Indicative Active 3rd Singular καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ἄφετε τὰ παιδία Accusative Neuter Plural ἔρχεσθαι πρός με, μὴ κωλύετε αὐτά, τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.
But when Jesus saw this He was indignant and said to them: allow the little children to come to Me, do not hinder them for such as these is the kingdom of God
What are the possible meanings of παιδία? (see BDAG, 749)  Young child (younger than 13).

15 - ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν, ὃς ἂν μὴ δέξηται τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ὡς παιδίον, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ Aorist Subjunctive Active 3rd Singular εἰς αὐτήν.
Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child, they will not enter it
With εἰσέλθῃ, what sort of grammatical construction is formed here? (see Voelz, 177)  Emphatic denial.

16 - καὶ ἐναγκαλισάμενος  Aorist Participle Middle Nominative Masculine Singular αὐτὰ κατευλόγει Imperfect Indicative Active 3rd Singular τιθεὶς  Present Participle Active Nominative Masculine Singular τὰς χεῖρας ἐπ’ αὐτά.
And He took them and began blessing them, laying His hands on them

Translating verse 9, in particular, was quite fun.  You can see that in the answer notes.  The root of the word "yoked," συνέζευξεν (sunezeuxen), is ζευγνυμι (zeugnumi) plus the prefix συν (sun).  [Long "oo" sound for the "U," and a "you" sound for the "EU"]  The meaning of the root is "connect, or join."  It is related to the word ζευγος (zeugos) meaning "yoke, team, pair."  This is the "pair of oxen" that would pull a cart or plow as a team.  The word yoke, ζυγος (zugos)  also can mean "scales," as in a balance for measuring things as equal.   If zugos sound familiar, that's because it is the origins of the word "zygote."  So when Christ says "so that no longer are they two but one person" (ὥστε οὐκέτι εἰσὶν δύο ἀλλὰ μία σάρξ) He quite literally meant children.  The word "person" in verse 8 is σάρξ (sarx), usually translated as body or flesh (like "sarcophagus").  But rendering it as "person" is similar to the "royal we."  Husband and wife are implied to be a single entity, emotionally, legally, spiritually, and ultimately physically.

Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity (7 Oct. 2018)

Rise and shine

Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran.  And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep.  And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!  And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring.  Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.  Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."  Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."  And he was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."  Genesis 28:10-17

To the choirmaster: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!  My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.  Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah  Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.  As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.  They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.  O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah  Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!  For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!  Psalm 84

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.  Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.  Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.  Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.  Ephesians 4:22-28

And getting into a boat He crossed over and came to His own city.  And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven."  And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."  But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?  For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise and walk'?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"--He then said to the paralytic--"Rise, pick up your bed and go home."  And he rose and went home.  When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.  Matthew 9:1-8

Many epic stories have the point when the hero is encountered by his teacher and given the choice to "be greater than you currently are."  This is usually the turning point of the story, where the hero goes from being unsure of himself to being completely confident to finish the task before him.  It appeals to our human nature of thinking we can "rise up" and be something more.  But on our own, we cannot.

It sounds like this is what Paul is calling us to attempt in his letter to Ephesus, and it does sound like what happened to Jacob on his way to Haran.  But it isn't.  The "deceiver" doesn't change much.  And Paul knows, clearly, that we cannot on our own "put off our old self."

What, though, has the power to change us?

Read the Gospel account.  Both life changing statements are made by Christ.  "Your sins are forgiven," and "rise, pick up your bed and go home."  Without Christ, we cannot do anything.  We cannot "pull ourselves up by our bootstraps" (sorry Americans).  It is Christ, alone, who has the authority to speak life changing words to us.  We receive this at baptism and communion.  It is there, first, that we are changed, temporally though it is.  And from there that we go out and strive to "sin no more."  Without the change, we cannot hope to do anything.

(sorry for this one being late)