The last of part 2 concluded with a discussion of the Lords Prayer from the catechism. This section will be on what I have learned or remembered as a result of reading the book “Making Sense of the Bible” by Adam Hamilton. I hope you will pick up a copy. It is available for your Kindle ap on your phone.
10/14/2020
The Bible Jesus Used
We forget that Jesus and the disciples don’t have the same equipment we have. I am writing this using my iPad with an attached keyboard. You will be reading it on your iPhone 1900 miles away. We can put a translation or two or more (I have three) translations of the Bible on our phones. Most of my life, the Bible I had was a book about the size of my iPad and about 2 inches thick. Now consider: books weren’t invented during the time of Jesus. What we call the Old Testament was on a number of scrolls, probably 24 or so, which would be impossible for him to carry from place to place. A first century copy of Isaiah was a scroll was 11 inches wide by 24 feet long. Also the scrolls were hand written, copied by “scribes”. No, no printers either. We know from the accounts in the New Testament that Jesus had access to the scrolls. There is a story about Jesus, at the age of 12, being found with the teachers, presumably discussing something in the scrolls (Luke 2:46–47).
Love Granddaddy
10/15/2020
What scriptures did Jesus Read?
Because access to the scrolls were limited, one might expect his reading to be limited. However, the writers of the gospels tells us that he mostly read and quoted from Psalms, Isaiah and Deuteronomy (the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings). After the 40 days and 40 nights during which he was tempted, Jesus tells us what He calls “the first and greatest commandment”: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Love Granddaddy
10/16/2020
A couple of points came out of Chapter 6 that I didn’t expect, but are very important. One is the explicit warning found in Matt 4:1-10, the temptation of Christ. Because the Devil used scripture in two of the three temptations, one should remember that just because someone quotes scripture does not mean what he or she says is from God or God’s will. And that includes me!
Another point is that Jesus routinely challenges the prevailing interpretation of scripture and regularly calls his hearers and the Pharisees to move beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of the law. He demonstrated this by healing on the Sabbath saying that “the Sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27).
Love Granddaddy
10/17/2020
Often you find quotations that, in a nutshell describes some of the characteristics of what you understand about Jesus. Adam Hamilton writes,
“Jesus’s ethic was a call to live in radical obedience to God. Yet this was coupled with a radical view of grace and an emphasis on God’s love for sinners. Though Jesus clearly called out religious leaders for their hypocrisy, he demonstrated amazing mercy toward tax collectors, prostitutes, adulterers, drunkards, and thieves. He expressed both a prophetic anger toward religious hypocrites and amazing pastoral concern for the broken and lost.”
Love, Granddaddy
10/18/2020
You may remember that I believe God is also speaking to me in Ezekiel 3:16-21. It was interesting that Adam Hamilton felt that Ezekiel 34 shaped Jesus’s sense of identity and mission. I will not post the whole chapter, but the following declaration will give you the idea. In short God expressed his displeasure with the “shepherds” who I take to be the spiritual leaders at the time, because they were enjoying the benefits of their positions but were failing to do their assignment.
(ESV) Ezekiel 34:10 Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.”
Love Granddaddy
10/19/2020
Jesus viewed himself as the “Good Shepherd” and the rest of us as neglected sheep.
Quoted from “Making Sense of the Bible”:
In response to the Pharisees grumbling because Jesus associated with sinners, Jesus said, “Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?” (Luke 15:4). And in John 10:11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
Love Granddaddy
10/20/2020
Having gone to church most of my life, I never really understood why, while Christ was on the cross he said:
“(ESV) Psa 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
I didn’t realize he was actually quoting scripture. And if you read the entire chapter you find that is really the beginning of a very positive prayer.
(ESV) PSA 22:27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you. 28 For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations.
Love Granddaddy
10/21/2020
The last important point that is made in Chapter 6 where (Matthew 22) Jesus is asked, “What is the most important commandment?” He gives not one but two: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).
In fact, this is the essence of the Christian faith. Regardless of differences between denominations, this is the foundation.
Love Granddaddy
10/22/2020
Prophecy, the Old Testament, and the Early Church
This chapter in the book points out that what many Christians believe to be a prophecy of the coming of Christ may be prophecies of multiple events. Some may use this to discredit the disciples’ description of the events. For example, there is a story in Isaiah that recounts God giving a sign to King Ahaz:
Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. (Isaiah 7:14–16)
This is often given as a prophesy of the birth of Jesus. If fact there is an argument as to whether the word “alma” in Hebrew means “young woman” or “virgin”. Reported in the history of King Ahaz is that 13 years later that prophesy was fulfilled.
Does that invalidate that as a prophecy of the coming of Jesus? No according to the author Adam Hamilton. More later.
Love Granddaddy
10/23/2020
Hamilton believes that Matthew probably knew that the prophesy was fulfilled 13 or so years after it was made when he quoted it in Matt 1:23. Another possibility is that he didn’t know. The second possibility makes it easier for us to accept the words without shaking our beliefs. But in the first instance, it could be that Matthew was accepting the second fulfilling of a prophecy as normal. As Hamilton explains”
“But if we understand that the early Christians and the New Testament writers described this type of foreshadowing as prophecy and understood that Christ was a greater or deeper fulfillment of things God had done in the past—a kind of climactic fulfillment—we can appreciate the original setting of these prophecies and how they point toward the life and ministry of Jesus.e understand that the early Christians and the New Testament writers described this type of foreshadowing as prophecy and understood that Christ was a greater or deeper fulfillment of things God had done in the past—a kind of climactic fulfillment—we can appreciate the original setting of these prophecies and how they point toward the life and ministry of Jesus.”
Love Granddaddy
10/24/2020
Hamilton gives another example of interpretations.
“He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
Early Christian interpreted this as pointing to Jesus and his coming Christians. But what could it mean outside the Christian community? A Rabbi would point out that the servant, throughout Isaiah, represents the nation of Israel, and that this passage is about the suffering Israel bore in the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the Exile, for the sins of the nation and the nations around her.
10/25/2020
Adam Hamilton suggests that when dealing with the prophecies, one should seek to understand them on three levels:
“What did these words mean when Isaiah first wrote them? How were they understood by the people he was addressing?” Then ask, “How did Jesus and the early Christian community reapply and reinterpret these words? What did they mean to Jesus as he was preparing for the cross? What did they mean to early Christians as they reflected upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus?” And finally, you should ask, “What might these words mean for my life today? What would God want me to hear from them now?”
Love Granddaddy
The New Testament in Five Minute
Many Christians, including me, don’t pay much attention to the organization of the Bible and am happy that Adam Hamilton gives us this text that provides that information. One church I attended placed a lot of emphasis on organization and counts. At the time, I felt that these numbers were good for bar-room bets but didn’t really reveal much about Jesus. So I am reluctant to present this information.
Maybe a table with these counts and facts is enough.
| Verses in the Old Testament | 23,145 |
| Verses in New Testament | 7,958 |
| Percent of Old versus New Testament verses | 75% |
| Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Stories of Jesus, the new covenant, Jesus’s commandments. | 4 |
| Acts: The Early Church | 1 |
| Writings: Reflection of apostles on the life and teachings of Jesus | 27 |
| Letters of Paul | 21 |
| Book of Revelation | 1 |
10/27/2020
The Gospels, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, mainly tell the stories of Jesus recounting what he did and what he said. They are essential to a Christian’s belief. Most Christian churches in their worship services have spaces for three “readings” from the scripture. The first reading is usually from the Old Testament, the second from the Psalms, and the third from the Gospels. You may have noticed that at Gigi’s memorial service that format was used. Where some denominations may have fewer than the three, rarely will you find one that does not have a reading from the Gospels. Luke in Chapter 19 quotes Jesus saying (ESV) 10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” That sentence covers the objectives of Jesus.
Love Granddaddy
10/28/2020
This is probably the best summary of the character of God. I hope I can remember to go back to this list as we go forward.
Adam Hamilton, “In each of the Gospels, Jesus reveals the heart and character of God.
- He demonstrates God’s frustration with religious hypocrisy,
- God’s compassion for those who are poor and oppressed,
- God’s mercy toward those who sin,
- God’s healing power for those who are broken.
- He calls human beings into right relationship with God, commands them, above all else, to love God and neighbor, and insists that this love includes compassion for the hungry and forgiveness for those who sin against us.
- He even demands that we apply this love to our enemies.”
Love Granddaddy
10/29/2020
The Gospels also record the betrayal, trial, denial and crucifixion of Jesus.
Betrayal: (ESV) Luke 22:3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. Then(ESV) Luke 22:47 While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Denial: (ESV) Luke 54:55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”
Trial: (ESV) Luke 54:66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”
Crucifixion: From Wikipedia: “is a method of punishment or capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden beam and left to hang perhaps for several days, until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation.“ Details of Jesus’s crucifixion can be found in Luke 23:26-43.
Love Granddaddy
10/30/2020
As you remember in the Creeds, Christians believe in the risen Christ. “He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; Whose kingdom shall have no end.”
We have two holidays that are most important to Christians, Christmas, the birth of Jesus, and Easter, the resurrection of Jesus. Even though, to many, Christmas seems to be celebrated more widely and with seemingly more enthusiasm. But, to me, Easter is the most important. Jesus had suffered for our sins, but the ending, His resurrection, assures us that there is more to life than the 80-100 years we spend on earth.
11/1/2020
The “Acts” tells us stories of the beginning of the church. I read that book and we may go into it more deeply later. For now, I am just going to give a listing of the storied that you may wish to read your self.
| 1:1 | The Promise of the Holy Spirit | |
| 1:6 | The Ascension | |
| 1:12 | Matthias is chosen to replace Judas | |
| 2:1 | The Coming of the Holy Spirit | |
| 2:14 | Peter’s Sermon at Pentecost | |
| 2:42 | The Fellowship of Believers | |
| 3:1 | Lame Beggar Healed | |
| 4:1 | Peter and John before the Council | |
| 4:32 | They Had Everything in Common (The Christians try Communism) | |
| 5:1 | Ananias and Shapiro (Why Communism fails) | |
| 6:5 | Steven is Seized,... Stoned | |
| 8:1 | Saul Ravages the Church | |
| 8:4 | Philip | |
| 9:1 | Conversion of Saul |
The rest of the book deals with incidents associated with the founding of the church and growth of the Christian community in spite of governments’, both civil and established church hierarchy, efforts to suppress them. The message of the Acts is that Christ’s church had the power to change lives, a power it still has today.
Love Granddaddy
11/2/2020
Reading Someone Else’s Letters
I am staying with the outline of “Making Sense of the Bible” which deals in order of when various documents were written rather than the order in which they appear in the Bible. Another of those bar room bets, of the documents, 21 of the 27 were letters. I, along with most Christians, assume the Gospels were written first. Paul’s letters written between AD 50 and AD 65 were probably the first. Scholars believe the Gospels were written between AD 65 and AD 95. Why is this important? For me, it helps clarify why the Gospels give a better picture of Jesus. Paul’s letters were more legalistic and commands than the Gospels. By the time the Gospels were written, the nature of Jesus was better understood.
Love Granddaddy
10/03/2020
The first document written was either the letter to the Galatians or 1st Thessalonians. (Another Bar-Room Bet). Along with the book we are following, we will assume it is Galatians. Since Paul was traveling the Roman Empire, Galatia in this case, establishing Christian churches among the Gentiles (non-Jewish), there were always follow-up questions that needed answered. In addition to the follow up questions, Paul and other Apostles starting communities among the Gentiles with groups of “Judaizers” who followed them teaching that in order to become Christians men must be circumcised and follow Judaic law. Apparently some Galatians were accepting this teaching even though it was contrary to what Paul had taught. You can sense this frustration in the first chapters of Galatians where Paul was reasserting his authority.
(ESV) Gal 1:6 “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”
Paul goes on to clarify his message to the Galatians, and us, that
(ESV) Gal 2:16 “we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.”
Love Grandaddy
10/4/2020
“Paul recognized that the challenge of this emphasis on salvation by grace alone is that some might interpret it to mean that so long as you have faith in Christ, you can do whatever comes naturally to you—“whatever feels good, do it.” Such people have been called libertines for their emphasis on a Christian’s liberty, or sometimes antinomians (nomos is the Greek word for Law, hence anti-nomians are those operating lawlessly).”
Even though he devotes several chapters discussing the problem of legalism, chapter 5 and part of chapter 6 he devotes to libertines.
(ESV) Gal 5:13 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
In the 6th Chapter, he gives you a list.
(ESV) Gal 6:19 “Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”.
Does this mean we should dispense with Judaic Law. In my opinion, NO. Much like natural law, like gravity, Judaic Law is often what is discovered to have bad results if ignored.
Love Granddaddy
10/05/2020
Who Really Wrote Paul’s Letters?
This chapter addresses problems theologians have with differences found in Paul’s letters that would suggest he didn’t actually write them. Paul, as suggested in several letters, had a problem with his eyes possibly caused during his conversion. As a result he had amanuensis to which he dictated the letters. In Romans 16:22: “I Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord” the amanuensis identifies himself. Although the author of “Making Sense of the Bible” spends a chapter explaining away the differences, which make interesting reading, It is not necessary for your study.
I am terminating this section of letter, again because of its length and this seems to be a good breaking point in the subject matter. With all that we have discussed here the most important point made is in the following scripture”