I want for you more than you imagine, more than you can see.
Are you caught in a storm, chasing phantoms, your vision occluded by them?
I long to no more hear the pain in your voice, the hurt in your cries.
It haunts me, because there is a lost child with crushed hopes inside.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Carpenter or Carpenter’s Son?
How are we to interpret the difference in the accounts of Mark and Matthew, in the apparent telling of the same story, in Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55?
Mark 6
1. Jesus went out from there and came into His hometown; and His disciples followed Him.
2. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagouge; and the many listeners were astonished, saying "Where did this man get these things, and what is the wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?
3. "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
4.Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household."
Matthew 13
54. He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagouge, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?
55."Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
56."And his sisters, adre they not all with use? Where then did this man get all these things?"
57.And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household."
Because the stories are remarkably similar in how they sequence event and in the level of many specific details, particularly how they "took offense at Him" and how he responded with almost the same quote, it seems unlikely that they are describing distinct events. Thus, we are faced with the likelihood that we either have to add the two together to get the complete account -- perhaps they said both -- or else either Mark or Matthew incorrectly recalled the event.
In either case, I think this difference instructs us about what it means to interpret scripture "literally" and that we shouldn't necessarily assume it is taken to be a precise transcript as one might except.
Should this shake the faith of Christians who rely on the accuracy of scripture? I think not. The earth-shattering sayings of Jesus as recorded in the multiple gospels are transcendent, and whether he was a carpenter or only the son of a carpenter are of minor interest when viewed in that light. There is synergy and unbelievable power in the radical notions that he taught (to resist not evil, and to love one's enemies, and bless ones who persecute us) that are self-evident when they are consumed internally, and begin to become expressed in our persons, for "he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."
And, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it."
Mark 6
1. Jesus went out from there and came into His hometown; and His disciples followed Him.
2. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagouge; and the many listeners were astonished, saying "Where did this man get these things, and what is the wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?
3. "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.
4.Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household."
Matthew 13
54. He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagouge, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?
55."Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
56."And his sisters, adre they not all with use? Where then did this man get all these things?"
57.And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household."
Because the stories are remarkably similar in how they sequence event and in the level of many specific details, particularly how they "took offense at Him" and how he responded with almost the same quote, it seems unlikely that they are describing distinct events. Thus, we are faced with the likelihood that we either have to add the two together to get the complete account -- perhaps they said both -- or else either Mark or Matthew incorrectly recalled the event.
In either case, I think this difference instructs us about what it means to interpret scripture "literally" and that we shouldn't necessarily assume it is taken to be a precise transcript as one might except.
Should this shake the faith of Christians who rely on the accuracy of scripture? I think not. The earth-shattering sayings of Jesus as recorded in the multiple gospels are transcendent, and whether he was a carpenter or only the son of a carpenter are of minor interest when viewed in that light. There is synergy and unbelievable power in the radical notions that he taught (to resist not evil, and to love one's enemies, and bless ones who persecute us) that are self-evident when they are consumed internally, and begin to become expressed in our persons, for "he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father."
And, "I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it."
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