Jesus through a western and wider lens

 Hi everyone. Happy Good Friday today I'm going to have to send you over to Substack with this link. 

Please check it out

https://open.substack.com/pub/nitereflections/p/jesus-a-westernroman-viewpoint?r=7321tp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

It looks like that link didn't work. Sorry about that. Here is the post. Have a great Easter

I know I’m putting the cart before the horse here, or to put it more appropriately, the resurrection before the crucifixion. Even though, in Mark 16:15, Jesus told His disciples after the resurrection to go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. (Hebrew Bible) This isn’t really about the Crucifixion Resurrection event. It’s about where those disciples went.

Paul’s route went through Turkey and the Greco Roman area. From what I’ve learned unofficially, there wasn’t a question where Thomas was going to go, he already knew he was going to India. The rest were scattered to various places, Africa, France Ireland, Persia and China. We’re still living the result of Paul’s route, Constantine making Christianity the official religion, the King James version of the Bible is what was decided on to be the official canon, and we still live those decisions to this day.

But what about the other routes Greek-Russian, Oriental Orthodox {I hadn’t even heard of those guys}, Ethiopian {they have an interesting history/story about Solomon}. Some of the Chinese Christians have a Buddhist take on Jesus’s teachings. In the western/Roman we are taught reciting the creeds, confessions for some and adhering to the proper orthodoxy, or “right belief".” If you break down the word a different way, according to Cynthia Bourgeault, and think of the “dox” part coming from the word “doxa” that means glory, like in the Doxology. Glory be to the Father….then orthodox would then mean “right glory.” This is how Cynthia says most of Christianity that was taught on the other routes. People from different backgrounds and spiritual maturities fluctuate but right praise and glory is what holds the body of Christ together. People with differing viewpoints coming together in one voice with thanksgiving to the Master whose life transforms the human heart.

A unique little tidbit about my recent history. I bought Cynthia’s book The Wisdom Jesus quite a few months ago. Started down a different path where I found out about the Nag Hammadi and Ethiopian Bible. The other night after finishing the Book Of Jubilees, I was meditating on where to go next. Looking through a nightstand drawer I came across Cynthia’s book. As of April 3rd I’m currently on page 33 and with the turn of every page I can see how God has directed this path. I’ve always been interested in other religious/Christian cultures. When I got to page 16 Cynthis starts talking about the Nag Hammadi and Dead Sea Scrolls and the important significance they have on Christianity. Not that the official canon will be changed, because these manuscripts were hidden for a reason, so they wouldn’t be destroyed. The Gospel Of Thomas for example shows a more mystical side of Jesus’s teaching.

One thing that I’ve mentioned recently is my issue that churches salvation method is to say the “sinner’s prayer” and their member is told they’re going to heaven. According to the book The Wisdom Jesus, another way to look at it is through the lens of two words soteriology and sophiology. Soteriology comes from the Greek word Soter meaning savior, which is how the west has taught. Jesus died for our sins because Adam and Eve disobeyed and plunged us into a life of sin and alienation from God. Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins, is still the questions that divides believer from non-believer in the western Christian church today.

The word sophiology comes from the Greek word Sophia meaning wisdom. According to Cynthia, who is an Episcopal Priest. One of the first women to be ordained in the Episcopal church in the 1970’s. She has studied world wisdom religions and practices scriptural reading, silent prayer and Christian meditation. I take this from her bio to show that she comes from a very religion oriented education. Early Christianity was mainly a path of wisdom. The early Christians didn’t view Jesus as a savior, they viewed Him as a life-giver. She says, in Aramaic there is no word for salvation. Salvation was understood that life was granted. To be saved was “to be made alive.” A Sophiological Christianity focuses on the path. It emphasizes how Jesus is like us and how we are able to achieve what He achieved.

This reminds me of John 14:12 when Jesus said, and I used to love to teach kids, Verily verily I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto the Father. (Hebrew Bible) and although this hasn’t been a favorable look at Paul’s path of Christianity, It also makes me think of Romans 12:1 In the Hebrew Bible. Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. It’s interesting that the Hebrew Bible doesn’t have Romans 12:1 that says give your bodies a living sacrifice. Romans 12 starts with the be transformed verse as verse 1

In the other Christianity paths in the world like the Chinese Jesus Sutras Jesus says “Yes as I am you too can, and must become. I will be here to help you. But you must do the work yourself.”

There are things in the route of Paul that say the same thing like the Romans 12 verse but we don’t emphasize it and that’s what bugs me.

Repent and be save, THEN put on the mind of Christ. Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

I like this picture of Jesus at a picnic because I think it shows Jesus is here to help us and teach us. We just need to do the work and seek His guidance through prayer and meditation.

Keep Searching,

Paul

Family Sunday Dinner- Abide In My Love

It’s 3 o’clock in Central Florida and I realized a few minutes ago and said, “If next week is Easter then that means this is Palm Sunday.” Happy Palm Sunday Everyone

I’ve started reading a book called The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault. She is an Episcopalian priest. If you’re familiar with Richard Rohr, they kind of run in the same group of people, promoting each other’s books, things like that.

At the beginning of the book she talks about trying to put aside all the things you think you know about Jesus, all the stories like the Good Samaritan and Prodigal Son, and try to look at Him with a fresh perspective. Without any preconceived ideas. Forget the, what I call, the feel sermon stuff and look at what Jesus was really trying to get across to the people. And as long as we’re looking at Jesus’s teachings in relation to the Old Testament, let’s look at the phrase “Abide In My Love.”

All passages taken from The Hebrew Bible

While Jesus wasn’t quoting an exact phrase in the Old Testament, the focus of God’s instructions in the Old Testament was to abide or dwell in God’s presence. Meaning the temple or tabernacle. In John 15:9&10 Jesus says 9)Even as the Father hath loved Me I have also loved you; abide in My love 10)If ye keep My commandments ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments. I abide in His love.

When I read that I thought a person could read into it that if we don’t keep Jesus’s commandments, He won’t love us. But in reality He will always love us, it is us who will distance ourselves from Him by not keeping His commandments. He is the vine and we are the branches of that vine. To not keep His commandments we will be pruning our branch from the vine that is the love of Jesus.

The Hebrew word Yashab means to sit, remain or dwell. In Psalm 91:1&2 it says 1) He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2) I will say of YHVH He is my refuge and my fortress; my God in whom I trust.

Jesus is now taking the Old Testament promise of God dwelling with His people and telling us that His love is the dwelling place. In Matthew 22: 36-40 When asked of Jesus which is the greatest commandment, Jesus said Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second and like unto it is this, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets. I’ve heard it often said that if you keep these 2 you can’t break the other ones.

I was reminded that when we do something for another person, it makes us feel good inside. Maybe that is that connection to the vine. Maybe that is the connection growing even stronger. Our branch growing bigger and harder to be cut off. Like us studying the words of Jesus and having a regular prayer time is us growing stronger on the vine, like how a plant is easy to cut down when it’s small and weak but grows stronger with sunshine and water and is harder to cut down.

Until next time Keep your connection to the vine growing stronger and

Keep Searching,

Paul 

Truth Be Told

I admit I’ve heard of Matthew West but never really listened to him. In the car today we heard the song Truth Be Told. As he sang all I could do was nod my head in agreement. Some denominations pride themselves on being fishers of men. They invite people to church, and that’s great, but what happens when those people show up and their baggage is discovered?

Lyrics copied and pasted from AZLyrics. This song is from 2020

There's a sign on the door, says, "Come as you are" but I doubt it.

'Cause if we lived like that was true, every Sunday mornin' pew would be crowded.

But didn't You say church should look more like a hospital?

A safe place for the sick, the sinner and the scarred, and the prodigals, like me?

But truth be told, the truth is rarely told

Oh, am I the only one who says..."I'm fine, yeah, I'm fine, oh, I'm fine, hey, I'm fine

"But I'm not, I'm broken

Jewels From Jesus- More on Repentance

 Hi everyone. Welcome to another Thursday's Child

I've been listening to an Introduction To The Hebrew Bible course on the website The Bible Project. It's explaining the Old Testament and how it was put together. At one point it talks about God's covenant with Noah, Abraham, Moses and Joshua. That got me thinking about God's covenant with us through Jesus. Here's what I've found on our covenant. When Jesus came down from the mountain after being in the wilderness for 40 days, he came back and began His ministry teaching repentance. 

As a lot of you know I have an issue with the sinner's prayer being the only thing some churches teach their members as a way to go to heaven, when Jesus taught differently.

So, here's my understanding on our covenant with God.

From the Hebrew Bible

Joel 2:12-13 12) Yet even now saith YHVH turn ye unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, 13) and rend your heart and not your garments, and turn to YHVH your God. For He is gracious and merciful, and slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

This wasn’t Jesus speaking this time but Peter, speaking the teachings of Jesus, is scolding people in the temple who are amazed that he and John healed a man lame since birth, for turning Jesus over to be crucified, tells them....

Acts 3:19 19) repent ye therefore, and turn again, so that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may become seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.

The Hebrew noun for repent is Teshuvah meaning return or turning back. The verb is shuv, also meaning to return or turning back.

God made a covenant with Noah, Abraham, Moses and Joshua. Each time the Israelites were on there own they abandoned their part of the covenant, yet God always kept His covenant with them. 

Jesus taught us to repent, that is our covenant with God. Turning away from our sinful ways. Yes, we slip up and can momentarily abandon our covenant, but having remorse for that sin is what brings us back to repentance and renewing our covenant.

I may start adding a link on here to my substack page also called Nite Reflections. Come find me there. Keep Searching,

Paul