When Jesus walked the earth, God's word was central to life. It was the everyday conversation of the community. They were brought together by the text, and they even agreed on a text of the week. This same ancient rythmn is available to us today! Join us in reading and commenting on what is know as the "Parashah." Imagine a community whose unity is rooted in the very word of God!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Feb 9-16
This Week's Parashah is: Tetzaveh (You shall command)
From Exodus 27:20... I'm wondering about the relationship between "beaten" and "pure." i don't know the process by which oil was extracted from olives in 1500 bce. (though i guess i could go for a quick stroll on google to find out!) anyway, i would think that it would have been much like the pressing of grapes in a wine press (i.e. Isaiah 5:2). in other words, i'd expect the text to read something more like, "command the people to bring pure oil of PRESSED olives." But apparently they didn't press olives, but rather beat the crap out of them! (I guess "holy crap" would be better! ;-)
anyway... is there a relationship between "beaten" and "pure"? certainly Israel has been captured, beaten, etc. does there, or can there be anythinig pure that comes from it? and, is that image even remotely related to what's going on here in the text?
interestingly, the Heberews text (13:12) is about Jesus' suffering (being beaten???)outside the city "in order to sanctify" us. Hmmmm... to make us "pure?" If that's the case, then I'm down! Jesus gets beaten. I'm pure! Beautiful!
But then that damn preacher in Hebrews goes on to say that the hearer should also "go out to him" (outside the camp) and "bear the abuse he endured." Yeah... i'm thinkin' that's much less attractive to me! Can't my purity just be "imputed?" Do I really have to get the whole "beaten" thing in order to be purified? Actually, I think I'd rather just sing 5 more verses of "Shout to the Lord" and have pastor scott make me laugh during the sermon, thank you very much!
One teaching I heard several years ago helped me with all this confusion over sin and our relationship to it.
1. When we receive Christ He justifies us (JUSTIFICATION)and His righteousness is credited to our account. We are set free from the PENALTY of our sin.
2. Until we die (physically) we are being sanctified(SANCTIFICATION). The process of becoming more and more in the likeness of Jesus. We are being set free from the POWER of sin. We are fighting and learning to be overcomers.
3. Finally, we will be glorified (GLORIFICATION). When we see Him we will be like Him. At that time, we will be free from the PRESENCE of sin.
No. 1 & No. 3 are done deals for the believer. We live in No. 2 and should be fighting like hell... radical, loving, violent, kingdom shaking lives.
2 comments:
From Exodus 27:20... I'm wondering about the relationship between "beaten" and "pure." i don't know the process by which oil was extracted from olives in 1500 bce. (though i guess i could go for a quick stroll on google to find out!) anyway, i would think that it would have been much like the pressing of grapes in a wine press (i.e. Isaiah 5:2). in other words, i'd expect the text to read something more like, "command the people to bring pure oil of PRESSED olives." But apparently they didn't press olives, but rather beat the crap out of them! (I guess "holy crap" would be better! ;-)
anyway... is there a relationship between "beaten" and "pure"? certainly Israel has been captured, beaten, etc. does there, or can there be anythinig pure that comes from it? and, is that image even remotely related to what's going on here in the text?
interestingly, the Heberews text (13:12) is about Jesus' suffering (being beaten???)outside the city "in order to sanctify" us. Hmmmm... to make us "pure?" If that's the case, then I'm down! Jesus gets beaten. I'm pure! Beautiful!
But then that damn preacher in Hebrews goes on to say that the hearer should also "go out to him" (outside the camp) and "bear the abuse he endured." Yeah... i'm thinkin' that's much less attractive to me! Can't my purity just be "imputed?" Do I really have to get the whole "beaten" thing in order to be purified? Actually, I think I'd rather just sing 5 more verses of "Shout to the Lord" and have pastor scott make me laugh during the sermon, thank you very much!
One teaching I heard several years ago helped me with all this confusion over sin and our relationship to it.
1. When we receive Christ He justifies us (JUSTIFICATION)and His righteousness is credited to our account. We are set free from the PENALTY of our sin.
2. Until we die (physically) we are being sanctified(SANCTIFICATION). The process of becoming more and more in the likeness of Jesus. We are being set free from the POWER of sin. We are fighting and learning to be overcomers.
3. Finally, we will be glorified (GLORIFICATION). When we see Him we will be like Him. At that time, we will be free from the PRESENCE of sin.
No. 1 & No. 3 are done deals for the believer. We live in No. 2 and should be fighting like hell... radical, loving, violent, kingdom shaking lives.
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