Mark 5:24 He went with him, and a great multitude followed him, and they pressed upon him on all sides. 25 A certain woman, who had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and had suffered many things by many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better, but rather grew worse, 27 having heard the things concerning Jesus, came up behind him in the crowd, and touched his clothes. 28 For she said, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. 30 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in himself that the power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd, and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” 31 His disciples said to him, “You see the multitude pressing against you, and you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 He looked around to see her who had done this thing. 33 But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had been done to her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be cured of your disease.”
Musings on science, the Bible, and fantastic literature (and sometimes basketball and other stuff).
God speaks to us through the Bible and the findings of science, and we should listen to both types of revelation.
The title is from Psalm 84:11.
The Wikipedia is usually a pretty good reference. I mostly use the World English Bible (WEB), because it is public domain. I am grateful.
License
The posts in this blog are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. You can copy and use this material, as long as you aren't making money from it. If you give me credit, thanks. If not, OK.
Monday, June 12, 2023
Monday, June 05, 2023
Women of the Bible: The woman from Tyre (or from Sidon)
Matthew 15: 21 Jesus went out from there and withdrew into the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”
23 But he answered her not a word.
His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”
24 But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
26 But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
27 But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Monday, March 27, 2023
Women of the Bible: Mrs. Zacchaeus
Previous posts have tried to remind readers of various women, some in the Bible, but not named, and some named, but mentioned only in part of a verse. Some, of course, have a lot of scripture telling about them. But we don't even know if there was a Mrs. Zacchaeus. So why write about her? Here is what we do know:
Luke 19:1 He entered and was passing through Jericho. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, and couldn’t because of the crowd, because he was short. 4 He ran on ahead, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 He hurried, came down, and received him joyfully. 7 When they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “He has gone in to lodge with a man who is a sinner.”
8 Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, half of my goods I give to the poor. If I have wrongfully exacted anything of anyone, I restore four times as much.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today, salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”
So Jesus, and Zacchaeus, almost certainly the twelve apostles (see Luke 18), perhaps others of the followers and supporters of Jesus, and perhaps friends and acquaintances of Zacchaeus, all came to eat, when Mrs. Zacchaeus, or some hard-worked servant(s), were expecting only Zacchaeus. Jesus may have been telling Zacchaeus to run home and warn Mrs. Zacchaeus, when He said to hurry and come down, but we can't be sure of that, and, even if that were true, it was an unexpected crowd, and surely the whole affair was going to be an unexpected event for an unprepared household. It is also possible that the family was going to give back some possessions that had been unjustly taken from their original owners, or bought with ill-gotten gains, but that the family of Zacchaeus liked to have around.
Have you ever been surprised by unexpected, perhaps even uninvited, guests? Mrs. Zacchaeus was. How did she react? We don't know. Perhaps she gave Zacchaeus a stern lecture later, or at least was planning to do so, until Zacchaeus showed a remarkable change of heart. If she hadn't served the meal, perhaps the story of Zacchaeus would have been lost to us. But it isn't. Zacchaeus, himself, has been the subject matter for many a sermon, Bible lesson, or song. And by implication, Mrs. Zacchaeus has been, too.
I need to take advantage of unexpected opportunities. Perhaps you do!
Monday, March 13, 2023
Women of the Bible: Mary, mother of Jesus
There is more than one woman named Mary in the New Testament. I've tried to use only references to Mary, mother of Jesus, in this post. The excerpts below are meant to be in sequence, through the life of Mary (and of Jesus). I'm not always sure that I've done this correctly. The text below is from the World English Bible, public domain.
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this:
After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, being a
righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put
her away secretly. 20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David,
don’t be afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall give birth to a son. You
shall name him Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
and shall give
birth to a son.
They shall call his name Immanuel,”
which is, being
interpreted, “God with us.”
Luke 1:26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent
from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged to be
married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was
Mary. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored
one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the
saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 The angel said
to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold,
you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him
‘Jesus.’ 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The
Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign
over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a
virgin?”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on
you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the
holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 36 Behold,
Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is
the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is
impossible.”
38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be
done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country
with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias
and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped
in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out
with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the
fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should
come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears,
the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there
will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the
Lord!”
46 Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant.
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me
blessed.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for generations and generations on those who
fear him.
51 He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered
the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down princes from their thrones,
and has exalted
the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the
rich away empty.
54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might
remember mercy,
55 as he spoke to
our fathers,
to Abraham and his
offspring[c] forever.”
56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then
returned to her house.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go
before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this:
After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, her husband, being a
righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put
her away secretly. 20 But when he thought about these things, behold, an angel
of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, don’t be
afraid to take to yourself Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in
her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She shall give birth to a son. You shall name him
Jesus, for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
22 Now all this has happened that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
and shall give
birth to a son.
They shall call his name Immanuel,”
which is, being
interpreted, “God with us.”
24 Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the
Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; 25 and didn’t know her
sexually until she had given birth to her firstborn son. He named him Jesus.
Matthew 2:7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and
learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem,
and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found
him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”
9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold,
the star, which they saw in the east, went before them until it came and stood
over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with
exceedingly great joy. 11 They came into the house and saw the young child with
Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures,
they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Being warned in a
dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his
mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will
seek the young child to destroy him.”
14 He arose and took the young child and his mother by night
and departed into Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying,
“Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Luke 2:18 All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.
Matthew 2:19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 “Arise and take the young
child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the
young child’s life are dead.”
21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and
came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning
over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being
warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23 and came and
lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.
Luke 2:41 His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the
feast of the Passover.
42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem
according to the custom of the feast, 43 and when they had fulfilled the days,
as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and
his mother didn’t know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the company, they went
a day’s journey, and they looked for him among their relatives and
acquaintances. 45 When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem,
looking for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in
the middle of the teachers, both listening to them, and asking them questions.
47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When
they saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have
you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for
you.”
49 He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you
know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 They didn’t understand the saying
which he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth. He
was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. 52 And
Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
John 2:1 The third day, there was a wedding in Cana of
Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there. 2 Jesus also was invited, with his disciples,
to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have
no wine.”
4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with
you and me? My hour has not yet come.”
5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he says to you,
do it.” 6 Now there were six water pots of stone set there after the Jews’ way
of purifying, containing two or three metretes apiece. 7 Jesus said to them,
“Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 He said
to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the ruler of the feast.” So they
took it. 9 When the ruler of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and
didn’t know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew),
the ruler of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone
serves the good wine first, and when the guests have drunk freely, then that
which is worse. You have kept the good wine until now!” 11 This beginning of
his signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his
disciples believed in him. 12 After this, he went down to Capernaum, he, and
his mother, his brothers, and his disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
Matthew 12:46 While he was yet speaking to the multitudes,
behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. 47
One said to him, “Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, seeking
to speak to you.”
48 But he answered him who spoke to him, “Who is my mother?
Who are my brothers?” 49 He stretched out his hand toward his disciples, and
said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my
Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
Matthew 13:54 Coming into his own country, he taught them in
their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get
this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t
his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56
Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these
things?”
John 19:25 But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his
mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 Therefore when
Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to
his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother!” From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.
Acts 1:14 All these with one accord continued steadfastly in prayer and supplication, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Sunday, November 01, 2020
With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray, 57
This post continues a series of excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray. I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this public domain work available. To see their post of the book, go here. The previous post is here. As usual in this blog, long quotations are in this color.
Solemn thought! O why is it that we do not obey the injunction of the Master more heartily, and cry more earnestly for labourers? There are two reasons for this. The one is: We miss the compassion of Jesus, which gave rise to this request for prayer. When believers learn that to love their neighbours as themselves, that to live entirely for God’s glory in their fellow-men, is the Father’s first commandment to His redeemed ones, they will accept of the perishing ones as the charge entrusted to them by their Lord. And, accepting them not only as a field of labour, but as the objects of loving care and interest, it will not be long before compassion towards the hopelessly perishing will touch their heart, and the cry ascend with an earnestness till then unknown: Lord! send labourers. The other reason for the neglect of the command, the want of faith, will then make itself felt, but will be overcome as our pity pleads for help. We believe too little in the power of prayer to bring about definite results. We do not live close enough to God, and are not enough entirely given up to His service and Kingdom, to be capable of the confidence that He will give it in answer to our prayer. O let us pray for a life so one with Christ, that His compassion may stream into us, and His Spirit be able to assure us that our prayer avails.
Such prayer will ask and obtain a twofold blessing. There will first be the desire for the increase of men entirely given up to the service of God. It is a terrible blot upon the Church of Christ that there are times when actually men cannot be found for the service of the Master as ministers, missionaries, or teachers of God’s Word. As God’s children make this a matter of supplication for their own circle or Church, it will be given. The Lord Jesus is now Lord of the harvest. He has been exalted to bestow gifts—the gifts of the Spirit. His chief gifts are men filled with the Spirit. But the supply and distribution of the gifts depend on the co-operation of Head and members. It is just prayer will lead to such co-operation; the believing suppliants will be stirred to find the men and the means for the work.
Friday, October 23, 2020
Jesus and politics, 2020 edition
Sometimes, we think that the way to fix the world is through politics. Jesus didn’t try that. There were lots of poor people, but He didn’t campaign for higher taxes on the rich to help them. The illegal aliens were running the country, but He didn’t try to get rid of them. Abortion may have been practiced in Israel, and perhaps infanticide was, too -- it seems to have been common among the Greeks and Romans. There's not a Biblical record of Jesus mentioning either of these practices. There weren’t any Muslims yet, but there were Samaritans, and He got one of them to be an evangelist to her village, and told a story, to a Jewish audience, about the goodness of another Samaritan. The Romans had open carry, but the Jews didn’t. There was slavery, and women were second-class citizens. He didn’t try a political solution for any of these things. He helped individuals that He came across, lived a sinless life, and died and rose for our sins. That, plus training the disciples, was His way of attacking the problems around Him.
Note: Apparently, sometimes God calls a person to become politically active. Wilberforce’s crusade against slavery seems to have been a case of this.
John 18:36a Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.” (World English Bible, public domain)
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, January 05, 2020
With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray, 14
Every teacher must have a schoolroom. We have learnt to know and accept Jesus as our only teacher in the school of prayer. He has already taught us at Samaria that worship is no longer confined to times and places; that worship, spiritual true worship, is a thing of the spirit and the life; the whole man must in his whole life be worship in spirit and truth. And yet He wants each one to choose for himself the fixed spot where He can daily meet him.
That inner chamber, that solitary place, is Jesus’ schoolroom. That spot may be anywhere; that spot may change from day to day if we have to change our abode; but that secret place there must be, with the quiet time in which the pupil places himself in the Master’s presence, to be by Him prepared to worship the Father. There alone, but there most surely, Jesus comes to us to teach us to pray. A teacher is always anxious that his schoolroom should be bright and attractive, filled with the light and air of heaven, a place where pupils long to come, and love to stay. In His first words on prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus seeks to set the inner chamber before us in its most attractive light. If we listen carefully, we soon notice what the chief thing is He has to tell us of our tarrying there. Three times He uses the name of Father:
‘Pray to thy Father;’ ‘Thy Father shall recompense thee;’ ‘Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of.’ The first thing in closet-prayer is: I must meet my Father. The light that shines in the closet must be: the light of the Father’s countenance. The fresh air from heaven with which Jesus would have it filled, the atmosphere in which I am to breathe and pray, is: God’s Father-love, God’s infinite Fatherliness. Thus each thought or petition we breathe out will be simple, hearty, childlike trust in the Father. This is how the Master teaches us to pray: He brings us into the Father’s living presence. What we pray there must avail. Let us listen carefully to hear what the Lord has to say to us.
This post continues what is intended to be a series of excerpts from With Christ in the School of Prayer, by Andrew Murray. I thank the Christian Classics Ethereal Library for making this public domain work available. To see their post of the book, go here. The previous post is here. As usual in this blog, long quotations are in this color.
Wednesday, November 06, 2019
Sunspots 753
Christianity: Christianity Today names 10 places where Christians are being persecuted.
(or something) A successful Hollywood type thanked a policeman for arresting him, years earlier.
He Lives explains the parable, or perhaps story, of the barren fig tree.
Education: (and politics) NPR reports on Cactus, a small town in Texas, that has mostly welcomed immigrants from Central America, in spite of the strain that enrollment growth has put on their school.
Food: NPR reports on a soup that's been simmering for 45 years.
Health: (And politics) According to the Washington Examiner, the Trump administration has dealt a huge setback to veterans seeking medical help.
NPR reports on the effect of loud noises on our ears.
Humor: Relevant reports on how long Halloween candy remains good to eat.
Politics: NPR chronicles President Donald Trump's relationship with the US intelligence organizations.
Science: The Scientist on some of the things that mitochondrial DNA does.
The graphic used in these posts is from NASA, hence, it is free to use like this.
Thanks for looking!
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Fish in the Sea of Galilee
What is the Sea of Galilee like? What kind of fish live there?
The Wikipedia says that the Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake in the world, that is, that it is further below sea level than any other lake on earth. The reason it is so low is that it is in a rift valley, where two of the earth's tectonic plates, the African and Asian Plates, are pulling apart.
The most ready sources that I found (here and here) say that there have been about 18 species of indigenous fish in the Sea, and that there are three main types of edible fish. These are tilapia (locally called musht), three species of carp, and sardines. A cichlid type of fish has apparently gone extinct, due to habitat loss.
We cannot be sure as to what fish Peter and his companions caught, when Jesus told them to cast in their nets (when they hadn't caught anything all night -- Luke 5:6-9), what kind of fish Jesus was preparing on the shore after His resurrection (John 21:9), or what kind of fish the boy with five loaves and two fish had with him (Matthew 14:17-19).
Thanks for reading!
Friday, November 09, 2018
The use of the word, "world," in John 17
*The word, earth, here, is translated from a different Greek word than the word which is translated as world.
Thanks for reading!