While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?"
But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."
And he allowed no one to follow him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly. And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping,
And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.
Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Tlitha cumi", which means "Little girl, arise."
And immediately the girl got up and walked (She was 12 years of age) and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.
January 17, 2007
January 16, 2007
on the uses of satire
Laughing at the blind -- Forrest makes an important point -- and its not always easy to tell/discern the difference between legitimate social comment and intellectuallly (or morally) superior self-aggrandizment. When the Pharasee and the Publican stood side by side in the temple only one went away justified. And yet there may still be a place for satire.
But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD, and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him,
"There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him."
Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."
Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.Samuel 2:1-9
January 15, 2007
Mark 5.21-34
As soon as Jesus had returned by boat to the other shore, a great crowd once more gathered around him. While he was by the lakeside, the president of one of the synagogues came up, Jairus by name, and when he saw him, threw himself down at his feet and pleaded with him. "My little daughter," he said, "is at death's door. I beg you to come and lay your hands on her to cure her and save her life." So Jesus went with him, accompanied by a great multitude which pressed upon him.
Among them was a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years; and in spite of long treatment by doctors, on which she had spent all she had, there had been no improvement; on the contrary, she had grown worse.
She had heard what people were saying about Jesus; so she came up from behind in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I touch even his clothes, I shall be cured." And then and there the source of her hemorrhages dried up and she knew in herself she was cured of her trouble.
At the same time Jesus, aware that power had gone out of him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
His disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing upon you and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?' "
Meanwhile he was looking around to see who had done it. And the woman, trembling with fear when she grasped what was happening to her, came and fell at his feet and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "My daughter, your faith has cured you. Go in peace, free forever of this trouble."
Among them was a woman who had suffered from hemorrhages for twelve years; and in spite of long treatment by doctors, on which she had spent all she had, there had been no improvement; on the contrary, she had grown worse.
She had heard what people were saying about Jesus; so she came up from behind in the crowd and touched his cloak, for she said to herself, "If I touch even his clothes, I shall be cured." And then and there the source of her hemorrhages dried up and she knew in herself she was cured of her trouble.
At the same time Jesus, aware that power had gone out of him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
His disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing upon you and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?' "
Meanwhile he was looking around to see who had done it. And the woman, trembling with fear when she grasped what was happening to her, came and fell at his feet and told him the whole truth.
He said to her, "My daughter, your faith has cured you. Go in peace, free forever of this trouble."
January 14, 2007
Mark 5.1-20
So they came to the other side of the lake, into the country of the Gerasenes. As he stepped ashore, a man possessed by an unclean spirit came up to him from among the tombs where he had been dwelling. He could no longer be controlled; even chains were useless; he had often been fettered and chained up, but he had snapped the chains and broken the fetters. No one was strong enough to master him.
And so unceasingly, day and night, he would cry aloud among the tombs and on the hillsides, and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus in the distance, he ran and flung himself down before him, shouting loudly, "What do you want of me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? In God's name, do not torment me!" (For Jesus was already saying to him, "Out, unclean spirit, come out of the man!"
Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
"My name is Legion," he said. "There are so many of us." And he begged hard that Jesus would not send them out of the country. Now there happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside, and the spirits begged him, "Send us among the piges and let us go into them."
He gave them leave; and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs; and the herd, of about two thousand, rushed over the edge into the lake and drowned.
The men in charge of them took to their heels and carried the news to the town and countryside; and the people came out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the madman who had been possessed by the legion of devils, sitting there clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. The spectators told them how the madman had been cured and what had happened to the pigs. Then they begged Jesus to leave the district.
As he was stepping into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to go with him.
Jesus would not allow it, but said to him, "Go home to your own folk and tell them what the Lord in His mercy has done for you."
The man went off and spread the news in the Ten Towns of all that Jesus had done for him; and they were all amazed.
And so unceasingly, day and night, he would cry aloud among the tombs and on the hillsides, and cut himself with stones. When he saw Jesus in the distance, he ran and flung himself down before him, shouting loudly, "What do you want of me, Jesus, son of the Most High God? In God's name, do not torment me!" (For Jesus was already saying to him, "Out, unclean spirit, come out of the man!"
Jesus asked him, "What is your name?"
"My name is Legion," he said. "There are so many of us." And he begged hard that Jesus would not send them out of the country. Now there happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside, and the spirits begged him, "Send us among the piges and let us go into them."
He gave them leave; and the unclean spirits came out and went into the pigs; and the herd, of about two thousand, rushed over the edge into the lake and drowned.
The men in charge of them took to their heels and carried the news to the town and countryside; and the people came out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and saw the madman who had been possessed by the legion of devils, sitting there clothed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. The spectators told them how the madman had been cured and what had happened to the pigs. Then they begged Jesus to leave the district.
As he was stepping into the boat, the man who had been possessed begged to go with him.
Jesus would not allow it, but said to him, "Go home to your own folk and tell them what the Lord in His mercy has done for you."
The man went off and spread the news in the Ten Towns of all that Jesus had done for him; and they were all amazed.
cool jesus
Just found this essay on www.godspy.com. It is so amazing. Just had to share.
http://www.godspy.com/reviews/Cool-Jesus-by-Rebecca-Robinson.cfm
http://www.godspy.com/reviews/Cool-Jesus-by-Rebecca-Robinson.cfm
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