Week 2

--Note: if videos don't play on this page, click the very left-hand side of the video title

==Also, don't forget the name change for the university!  You were the first to hear the secret big news! ):


===Well, just last week I told you I hoped you could meet Leslie Mark, my professor from this class (which i took in 1983).  Sad to say you won't meet him in this life. I'll be at his funeral/homegoing Saturday..





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Here's some of your soap: "Bring it back in a different form"

Will reveal in two weeks why we did this:

Soap from other classes: click here and here.

(spoiler alert: if you'll click, you'll get an idea why we did this.

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Remember this experiment? "Put it together correctly?"

ow many of you could win  big money on this bet on what the text message of the Bible really says:

• It nowhere says there were three.
• It no where says they were wise
• It nowhere says they were men.

And we know for a fact they weren't at the manger.

And they weren't kings!
Watch this to find out more. This info will help in Bib 314:

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We did this

In-class exercise
where you had to choose which side of the room to stand in..
(We didn't do all these)..

OR

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This was to illustrate "set theory"..which is very helpful concept.  Here's a summary of that teaching:

Think about how you made your choices abut where to stand tonight during the exercise pictured below.

We will follow up on this.  How did you feel being forced to pick a bounded set either/or), without opting fo a fuzzy set (Both/and) or centered (headed towards one option)?

Here's a story I told to illustrate centered set U-Turns:

A man I know well had just gotten in a classic "first fight" with his wife. He did something uncharacteristic of him: He jumped in his car, and began speeding (literally) away from the situation.
Because he was a believer, he at least had the sense to pray; even as in his fast car he was contradicting his belief. But he prayed, for some reason this prayer; "Lord, I really need to hear from you!"
At that precise moment, a moment he was to remember the rest of his life, the man was strangely prompted to turn on the car radio. Immediately, a voice came over the radio:"Hey Leadfoot! Turn around, go back to your wife, and tell her you’re sorry!"Let me tell you, gentle reader; When that happened to me….
…I turned around, went back to my wife, and told her I was sorry!
And it doesn’t change my theology of "God was speaking audibly and directly to me" at all to reveal the way God spoke. At the exact moment I was speeding away from home, and shot up that prayer while turning the dial on, a Christian disc jockey who was broadcasting live felt prompted to say:
"Hey Leadfoot! Turn around, go back to your wife, and tell her you’re sorry!" 

Let me tell you, gentle reader; When that happened to me….

…I turned around, went back to my wife, and told her I was sorry!

And it doesn’t change my theology of "God was speaking audibly and directly to me" at all to reveal the way God spoke. At the exact moment I was speeding away from home, and shot up that prayer while turning the dial on, a Christian disc jockey who was broadcasting live felt prompted to say:

"Hey Leadfoot! Turn around, go back to your wife, and tell her you’re sorry!"

I confess that’s the story of my life. And yours. 

See these  links if interested in more on sets: 

• Bounded or Centered Set?
• Church B.S. or C.S.?
• Looking for a way in

FUZZY SET:

We introduced the third (and final) "set" of "set theory:

-When does a mountain begin?

-Is it about predestination or free will?

-Faith or science?

These can be debated...as the border can be fuzzy...Thus :
"Fuzzy sets"

aka "the marker trick" aka "Yep!":

Here below is some help on Fuzzy Sets. This readings will help:

• new nets: bounded sets, fuzzy sets, or centered-sets?
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We played this video, as you tried to interpret it as a text:

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 Inclusio:  a literary world technique. Something is repeated at beginning and end of a text or book to give you a clue as to main theme.  a literary device in which a word, phrase, or idea is included at the beginning and ebed of a  text (and sometimes in the middle).  Example: the "with you"s of Matthew 1:23 , 18:20 and 28:20

L

SERMON ON THE MOUNT, Mathew chapter  5 

Video of this lecture (in one video here below, same content in six shorter clips on Moodle)

Remember: 

• Who was the sermon addressed to?
• Why did he teach on a MOUNTAIN?
• Why did Jesus sit down to teach?

When we read the "beatitudes," the first section of the Sermon on the Mount: -- do you catch any inclusio? (Note the first and last beatitudes (only) of chapter 5 end

with a promise of the kingdom of heaven, implying that the other promises in between "being filled," "inherit the earth," "be comforted" all have to do with Kingdom

--and if Jesus is a NEW MOSES of sorts, then we should look at 

SERMON ON THE MOUNT: Discussion on how Jesus was interpreting/reinterpreting the law of Moses/Torah(Matt 5:17-48). Some would suggest that he is using the rabbi's technique of "Building a fence around the TORAH."

For example, if you are tempted to overeat, one strategy would be to build a literal fence around the refrigerator...or the equivalent: don't keep snacks around. See:

What does building a fence around the Torah mean? 

Some wonder of this is what Jesus is doing here.  See:Jesus' Antitheses - Could they be his attempt to build a fence around the Torah?

One can see how this could turn to legalism...and when do you stop building fences? See:

A Fence Around the Law

Greg Camp and Laura Roberts write:

In each of the five examples, Jesus begins by citing an existing commandment. His following statement may be translated as either "And I say to you... " or as "But I say to you ...” The first option shows Jesus' comments to be in keeping with the commandments, therefore his words will be an expansion or commentary on the law. This is good, standard rabbinic technique. He is offering his authoritative interpretation, or amplification, to God's torah, as rabbis would do after reading the torah aloud in the synagogue. The second translation puts Jesus in tension with the law, or at least with the contemporary interpretations that were being offered. Jesus is being established as an authoritative teacher who stands in the same rabbinic tradition of other rabbis, but is being portrayed as qualitatively superior to their legal reasoning.

After citing a law Jesus then proceeds to amplify, or "build a hedge" around the law. This was a common practice of commenting on how to put a law into practice or on how to take steps to avoid breaking the law. The idea was that if you built a safe wall of auxiliary laws around the central law, then you would have ample warning before you ever came close to breaking the central law. A modern example might be that if you were trying to diet you would need to exercise more and eat less. In order to make sure that that happened you might dispose of all fats and sweets in the house so as not to be tempted. Additionally, you might begin to carry other types of snacks or drink with you so as to have a substitute if temptation came around, and so forth. In the first example of not killing, Jesus builds a hedge that involves not being angry and not using certain types of language about others. One of the difficulties is that it becomes very difficult not to break his hedges. This might drive his hearers to believe that he is a hyper-Pharisee. Some interpreters have wanted to argue that Jesus does this in order to drive us to grace—except grace is never mentioned in this context. This is a wrong-headed approach to get out of the clear message that Jesus is proclaiming: you must have a transformed life. By building his hedges, Jesus is really getting to the heart of what the law was about. In the first example, the intent is not just to get people not to kill each other (though that is a good thing to avoid), rather it is there to promote a different attitude about how to live together. Taken together, the 10 Words (Commandments) and the other laws which follow in Exodus-Numbers paint a picture of a people who will look out for one another rather than just avoiding doing injury to one another. This becomes clear in Jesus’ solution at the end of the first example. The solution is not to throw  yourself on grace or to become paralyzed by fear, but to seek right relations with the other person. There seems to be an implicit acknowledgment that problems will arise. The solution is to seek the best for the other person and for the relationship. This is the heart of the law.  The problem with the law is that it can only keep you from sin, but it cannot make you do good.  The rabbi Hillel said “what is hateful to you, do not do to others.”  In 7:12, Jesus provides his own interpretation “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.”  He changes the saying from refraining from sin, to actively doing good.  The thesis statement in 5:20 is “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” This then is how to exceed, or go beyond the law.  In each of the five examples, the way to exceed the law is to make the relationship right.

Instead of drawing a new line in the sand that you are not supposed to cross before you are considered guilty, Jesus, confirms that the center is "love your neighbor" and then just draws an arrow (vector) and tells you to go do it. There is never a point at which you are able to finally fulfill the commandment to love. You can never say that you have loved enough. In the gospel of Matthew, the supreme example of this is Jesus' own life and death. His obedience and love knew no boundaries.  --by Greg Camp and Laura Roberts

Ted Grimsrud, in  your "God's Healing Strategy"  book suggests:

 "A better way [as opposed to legalistically legislating morality] to approach [the commandments] would be to ask first, 'What does this commandment teach us about God?'...Hence, the point of the commandments is not establishing absolute, impersonal, even coercive rules which must never be violated.  The point rather is that a loving God desires ongoing relationships of care and respect....Paul's interpretation of the Law in Romans 13 makes clear the deepest meaning of the law not as rule-following, but as being open to God's love and finding ways to express that love towards others: 'The commandments..are summed up in this word, Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  (pp. 33-34)

One can see how this could turn to legalism...and when do you stop building fences? See: A Fence Around the Law

---- on the 6 antitheses of the Sermon on The Mount, remember my Paraguay stories?

 "Ever committed adultery, John?"  (oops...) 

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OK,  below is the backstory of the "LAUGHING BRIDE," which illustrates "building a fence around the Torah":

How do you name the difference in the shift of the 6  case studies/antitheses?  What does it feel like Jesus is doing?  He's making the law______:

• harder?
• easier?

Is he making it impossible on purpose? 

--REMEMBER JESUS BASED HIS SERMON ON THE MOUNT ON
MOSES ON THE MOUNT OF COMMANDMENTS..

.. We didn't cover this, but check it out:A quick trip up the mountain.

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OK it's not a quick trip at all, but this assignment will be (just a few minutes!)

 The tour guide and group in that video  had to make a 

 6,000 foot climb,

                       including ten hours of hiking, riding several camels, 

                                           eating two meals on the way, and drinking over 100 bottles of water!

But what's really amazing is what  the text says Moses did!  Watch now, and post a few sentences in response about what it said, and how this is an example of the need to read the Bible in context (con-text), and a Three Worlds Perspective.

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-Ten commandments as a wedding:

and the "question of the day". .

Off the top of your head, list words and ideas that come to mind when you think of the story of the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt Sinai.

Then scroll down for the question..

Was "wedding" on your list?

                                        .....or "love"?

What does all this have to do with a wedding?

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AS A WEDDING:

We watched "HE LED YOU LIKE A BRIDE," a  Ray Vander Laan "Faith Lessons" video  from Mount Sinai.  Here is the complete video, which is    on this DVD.

IT  dealt with the many"historical world"hyperlinks from Ten Commandments to wedding.

Here's a study guide for the video:..

see pp.197-251  here

Often when I officiate weddings, and the groom is nervous, I try to lighten the mood. I pull out my little black book in front of all the groomsmen and fake a shocking, "Oh my goodness, I accidentally brought my funeral book by mistake!! But I'll just read from it anyway..i mean it's the same idea. Is that OK?" Then there is a laugh of relief when they realize I'm kidding! 
But at Margaret and Paul's wedding.....

for the first time, I couldn'tfind my wedding book right away, so i did actually bring the funeral book instead. It didn't really matter, as after doing years of weddings I don't need the book, I just use it to stick little sticky notes in for the sermon, prompts, names etc....oh, and to look pastoral and cool. 
So I just crossed out the big title "FUNERAL" on the spine with a black marker, so folks wouldn't see it while I was up front (: 
Then for a laugh and a few pics, after the service, I rubbed off the ink so you could read it.

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-- PHILEMON 2nd READ:

 

Read syllabus carefully.


PHILEMON: 

              Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus,
      and Timothy our brother,

        To  Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker

   also to Apphia our sister and

               Archippus our fellow soldier

                                            —and to the church 

                                    that meets in your home:

³ Grace and peace 

to you ^(plural) 

                                                  from God our Father

                                               and the Lord Jesus Christ.

⁴ I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers,
          ⁵ because I hear about your  

                                   love               and                          faith
     towards                 Lord Jesus     and               all the saints 

⁶ I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective 
                in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.
⁷ Your love has given me great       joy
                                         and        encouragement,
 because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. 

⁸ Therefore
 although in Christ I could be bold, and order you to do what you ought to do,
                                                                         ⁹ yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love.
 It is as none other than Paul—                   an old man (elder)
  and now also                                             a prisoner of Christ Jesus—  
¹⁰ that I appeal to you for my son--
                                          Onesimus,^["Useful"]" 
                  
 who became my son while I was in chains.

¹¹ Formerly he was                           useless                                  to you,
 but now he has become                   useful                            both to you and to me.

¹² I am sending                         him
                    —who is my very heart
                                                    —back to you.  
¹³ I would have liked to keep him with me
 so that 
                                           he                  could take 
                                           your                   place 
                 in helping          me 
while I am in chains for the gospel.  
¹⁴ But I did not want to do anything without your consent, 
so that any favor you do would not seem                forced 
                                            but would be             voluntary.  
¹⁵ Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while
 was that you might have him back forever—
        ¹⁶ no longer as a slave,
                  but more than a slave, 
                               as a dear brother. 
He is that to                                  me, 
             but even more so to         you, 

both                         in the flesh
 and                         in the Lord.

¹⁷ So..

 if                                            you consider me a partner, 
                               welcome  him
          as you would welcome me.
 ¹⁸ If he has done you any wrong or owes          you                      anything,
                                           charge it to                me.
¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand:
                      I will pay it back!
                         (not to mention that you owe me your very self)
 ²⁰ I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit or usefulness from you in the Lord;
                                   refresh my heart in Christ.

 ²¹ Confident of your obedience, 
              I write to you,
                          knowing that you will do even more than I ask.
²² And one thing more: 
             Prepare a guest room for me, 
                            because I hope to be restored to you  ^(plural) 
                                                   in answer to your  (^plural) prayers.

²³ Epaphras,

 my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, 

sends you greetings. 

 ²⁴ And so do Mark,

                       Aristarchus,

                        Demas 

                  and Luke, 

                                      my fellow workers.

²⁵ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your  ^(plural) spirit.

Keep observations of Philemon, already preparing for your signature paper. Remember to look for any clues/cues to tome/emotion/volume. Remember this video?: