“I said to the man who stood at the Gate of the Year,
‘Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.’
And he replied, ‘Go out into the darkness,
and put your hand into the Hand of God.
That shall be better than light,
and safer than a known way.'”
Listen to George VI’s famous Christmas 1939 address. You can hear evidences of a conquered stutter, can’t you?
http://archives.cbc.ca/on_this_day/12/25/
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The Path of the Righteous Shines Ever Brighter, Prov. 4,
Proverbs 4
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
There is protection in seeking divine wisdom
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
The beginning of wisdom is to value and treasure wisdom.
Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
It is worth spending much money, to gain spiritual wisdom
.8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”
In normal circumstances, the wisdom which comes from God leads to exaltation, honour and glory.
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
God’s wisdom enables one to metaphorically proceed in a straight line without stumbling or tripping.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
In the normal course of events, the life of the righteous grows from strength to strength–in ever-increasing brightness.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
Sinners find obstacles they do not understand in their paths.
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
In the normal course of events, the life of the righteous grows from strength to strength–in ever-increasing brightness.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
Sinners find obstacles they do not understand in their paths.
Esv notes–The doctrine of the two ways. A choice between entering the way of wisdom and the way of folly. The path taken will determine the outcome of one’s life.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
Following the counsels of wisdom enhance bodily health.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Watch your heart. The bitterness or unforgiveness in it. The things in your heart which you might long for more than you long for God. The idols in your heart which consume your thoughts.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Keep focused. Avoid evil.
The Path of the Righteous Shines Ever Brighter, Prov. 4, Blog Through the Bible Project
Proverbs 4
Get Wisdom at Any Cost
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
pay attention and gain understanding.
2 I give you sound learning,
so do not forsake my teaching.
3 For I too was a son to my father,
still tender, and cherished by my mother.
4 Then he taught me, and he said to me,
“Take hold of my words with all your heart;
keep my commands, and you will live.
5 Get wisdom, get understanding;
do not forget my words or turn away from them.
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
love her, and she will watch over you.
There is protection in seeking divine wisdom
7 The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
The beginning of wisdom is to value and treasure wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
It is worth spending much money, to gain spiritual wisdom
.8 Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”
embrace her, and she will honor you.
9 She will give you a garland to grace your head
and present you with a glorious crown.”
In normal circumstances, the wisdom which comes from God leads to exaltation, honour and glory.
10 Listen, my son, accept what I say,
and the years of your life will be many.
11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
God’s wisdom enables one to metaphorically proceed in a straight line without stumbling or tripping.
13 Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
or walk in the way of evildoers.
15 Avoid it, do not travel on it;
turn from it and go on your way.
16 For they cannot rest until they do evil;
they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
17 They eat the bread of wickedness
and drink the wine of violence.
18 The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
In the normal course of events, the life of the righteous grows from strength to strength–in ever-increasing brightness.
19 But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
they do not know what makes them stumble.
Sinners find obstacles they do not understand in their paths.
Esv notes–The doctrine of the two ways. A choice between entering the way of wisdom and the way of folly. The path taken will determine the outcome of one’s life.
20 My son, pay attention to what I say;
turn your ear to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to one’s whole body.
Following the counsels of wisdom enhance bodily health.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.
Watch your heart. The bitterness or unforgiveness in it. The things in your heart which you might long for more than you long for God. The idols in your heart which consume your thoughts.
24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;
fix your gaze directly before you.
26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.
Keep focused. Avoid evil.
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Matthew 18, The Absolute Seriousness of Sin,
Matthew 18
7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Jesus again used hyperbole, one of his favourite rhetorical devices. Take extreme measures, if necessary, to avoid sin.
To my mind, there are two types of sin, unpremeditated, and planned, lifestyle sort of sin. Lashing out verbally when provoked, telling a white lie when on the spot, is a different kettle of fish to deliberately taking revenge, telling or writing a deliberate lie. Of course, if one habitually loses one’s temper, then examination, analysis and repentance is necessary
It is worth remembering the absolute seriousness with which Jesus took sin. And now I am going to pause to reflect on areas in which I might habitually persist in sin–and repent.
(Which led to a costly decision!!)
ESV notes–Matthew 18 is the fourth of Jesus’s five major discourses in Matthew’s Gospel.
Jesus uses hyperbole (intentional overstatement) to emphasize the necessity of rigorous self-discipline and radically removing sin from the disciples’ life before it leads to judgement.
NIV –“Deal as drastically as necessary with sin, in order to remove it from your life.”
Matthew 18, The Absolute Seriousness of Sin, Blog Through the Bible Project
Matthew 18
7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.
9 And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.
Jesus again used hyperbole, one of his favourite rhetorical devices. Take extreme measures, if necessary, to avoid sin.
To my mind, there are two types of sin, unpremeditated, and planned, lifestyle sort of sin. Lashing out verbally when provoked, telling a white lie when on the spot, is a different kettle of fish to deliberately taking revenge, telling or writing a deliberate lie. Of course, if one habitually loses one’s temper, then examination, analysis and repentance is necessary
It is worth remembering the absolute seriousness with which Jesus took sin. And now I am going to pause to reflect on areas in which I might habitually persist in sin–and repent.
(Which led to a costly decision!!)
ESV notes–Matthew 18 is the fourth of Jesus’s five major discourses in Matthew’s Gospel.
Jesus uses hyperbole (intentional overstatement) to emphasize the necessity of rigorous self-discipline and radically removing sin from the disciples’ life before it leads to judgement.
NIV –“Deal as drastically as necessary with sin, in order to remove it from your life.”
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Always Query Received Wisdom
 |
| Smart parking? |
One thing Roy and I have in common is an instinctive, and ingrained healthy distrust of received wisdom.
I think we particularly enjoyed our week in Rome because we ignored the guidebook’s advice on driving in Rome: Don’t dream of it.
Jamie, a friend of ours who is a confident driver, drove in Rome and said it was surprisingly compact.
And so we found it. With the satnav we got Roy for his birthday, we were able to get to places in far less time than we would have spent figuring out public transportation , walking to it, and walking from it to our destination.
Another pleasant surprise was parking. Spots outside the Vatican Museums, 4 euros for 8 hours. Wow! Free spots just outside the Colosseum, and indeed every church we visited.
Given that I have a whole lot less energy that I should, I was pleased that I was able to conserve it for seeing Rome’s wondrous sights.
In fact, we drive everywhere, Oxford, London, Paris, and Athen when we went there, and are generally lucky in finding parking (though not in Athens, where we were always leaving our car where we shouldn’t, and were always told off in voluble Greek. No tickets though!
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The Colosseum, the Jewish Revolt, the Diaspora, and Christianity
Okay, we did the Colosseum today, partly because it was one of those “When in Rome” things. On reflection, we rather wish that we had done the Basilicas.
However, there is no way to grasp the sheer magnitude of the place without seeing it in real life.
The nearly 2000 year old structure was so solidly built that despite the depredations of earthquakes, fires, riots, war, and the plundering of its apparently inexhaustible supply of ready cut travertine blocks for St. Peter’s, the Barberini and Cancelleria palaces, and pollution and the vibrations of cars and the metro, it’s still relatively intact. “A noble wreck in ruinous perfection,” Byron called it.
Construction commenced in AD 72 with the booty from Vespasian’s brutal crushing of the Jewish revolt.
70, 000 Hebrew slaves did the heavy work at the Colosseum, hauling 50,000 cartloads of pre-cut travertine from the quarries at Tivoli 27 km away.
Interestingly, these were the people Paul wrote his letter to the Romans to.
Vespasian chose the site of a lake that lay in front of Nero’s Aureus Doma, Golden Palace, where Nero had erected a Colossus, giant statue, of himself as a Sun God (hence its name).
It was inaugurated in 8 years, a short time for such a massive building by Vespasian’s son, Titus.
Before the building of the Colosseum, gladiatorial and other bloody sports took place in the Forum in wooden stands specially erected and taken down for the occasion.
The colosseum was designed over four levels, seating up to 70-80,000 people. “Tickets” were free–carved on wood, with the entrance, row, aisle, and seat under. There were 80 entrances, beneath the magnificent arches. Thus 80,000 people could be seated within minutes, with admirable Roman efficiency (now inherited by the Swiss, Germans and US military??).
The word arena is derived from the Latin for sand, which covered the floor to soak up blood.
And here, the gladiators greeted Caesar with their famous greeting, “Hail Caesar, we who are about to die, salute you. Ave Caesar! Morituri te salutamus.”
In the hundred day games that inaugurated the Colosseum, 9000 beasts were massacred, 12 a minute, and during the 450 years it was used, several breeds of African elephants and lions were rendered extinct.
As Christianity took hold, the gladiatorial games gradually grew less popular. They were eventually banned in 404 AD, and animal fights ended in the next century.
Isn’t it amazing that people who now weep at the suffering of animals could once see bears tied to bulls, fighting to the death, dogs set against wolves, lions taking on tigers, all to the death!
Has Christianity contributed to an evolution and softening of the heart? I hope so.
* * *
 |
| Interior of the Coliseum, with a partially reconstructed arena floor in the foreground |
 |
| Coliseum — interior archway leading to the arena. |
The Jewish historian Josephus who was present at the festivities and the display of the Jewish booty after the crushing of the Jewish revolt writes,
“As dawn began to break, Titus and Vespasian emerged, crowned in laurel wreaths and wearing the time-honored purple clothes, and walked to the Octavian colonnade. There the Senate, the magistrates and those of Equestrian status were waiting for their arrival.
A tribunal had been erected in front of the colonnade, with ivory chairs placed on it for them. As they walked forward to take their seats, all the soldiers raised an immediate cheer, paying abundant testimony to their valor, while Titus and Vespasian sat unarmed, dressed in silk garments and wearing their laurel wreaths. Vespasian acknowledged their acclaim, and, although they were keen to continue cheering, made a sign for silence. As all fell completely quiet, he rose, and, covering most of his head with a veil, made the traditional prayers. Titus followed him in doing likewise. . . Afterwards, donning the triumphal robes and sacrificing to the gods stationed at the gate, they sent the procession on its way through the theatres to give the crowds a better view.
 In Rome, The Arch of Titus celebrating the Roman victory over the Jews still stands |
It is impossible to do justice in the description of the number of things to be seen and to the magnificence of everything that met the eye, whether in skilled craftsmanship, staggering richness or natural rarity. For almost all the remarkable and valuable objects which have ever been collected, piece by piece, by prosperous people, were on that day massed together, affording a clear demonstration of the might of the Roman Empire. The quantities of silver, gold and ivory, worked into every conceivable form, were not like those usually carried in a triumph, but resembled, as it were, a running river of wealth. Purple cloth of extreme rarity was carried along, some of it fashioned by Babylonian skill into accurate pictorial representations. Translucent gems, embedded in diadems or other objects, were borne in such profusion as to dispel any idea that they were rare. . . In charge of each part of the procession was a number of men in purple and gold costumes, while those selected for the triumph itself wore choice clothes of astonishing richness. Even the prisoners were worth seeing – no disordered mob, but the variety and beauty of their clothes diverted the eye from the disfigurement of their injuries.
The greatest amazement was caused by the floats. Their size gave grounds for alarm about their stability, for many were three or four stories high, and in the richness of their manufacture they provided an astonishing and pleasurable sight. Many were covered in cloth of gold, and worked gold or ivory was fixed on all of them. The war was divided into various aspects and represented in many tableaux which gave a good indication of its character. Here was a fertile land being ravaged, here whole detachments of enemy being slaughtered, others -in flight and others being led off into captivity. Here were walls of colossal size being pounded down by siege-engines, here strongpoints being captured, and here well-defended fortifications overwhelmed. On one float the army could be seen pouring inside the walls, on another was a place running with blood. Others showed defenseless men raising their hands in entreaty, firebrands being hurled at temples or buildings falling on their owners. On yet others were depicted rivers, which, after the destruction and desolation, flowed no longer through tilled fields providing water for men and cattle, but through a land on fire from end to end. It was to such miseries that the Jews doomed themselves by the war. . . Standing on his individual float was the commander of each of the captured cities showing the way he had been taken prisoner. . .
 The sack of Jerusalem depicted on the Arch of Titus |
Spoil in abundance was carried past. None of it compared with that taken from the Temple in Jerusalem, a golden table many stones in weight and a golden lamp stand, similarly made, which was quite unlike any object in daily use. A centre shaft rose from a base, and from the shaft thin branches or arms extended, in a pattern very like that of tridents, each wrought at its end into a lamp. There were seven of these lamps, thus emphasizing the honour paid by the Jews to the number seven. A tablet of the Jewish Law was carried last of all the spoil. After it came a large group carrying statues of victory, all of them made of ivory and gold. The procession was completed by Vespasian, and, behind him, Titus. Domitian rode on horseback wearing a beautiful uniform and on a mount that was wonderfully well worth seeing.
The procession ended up at the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol, where the generals got down. They still had to wait for the traditional moment when the news was brought of the death of the enemy leader. In this case he was Simon, son of Giovas, who had passed in procession with the captives, and had been dragged under the lash, with his head in a noose, to a spot near the Forum. That is the traditional place at Rome for the execution of those condemned to death for war-crimes. When his end was announced and a general cheer had arisen, they started the sacrifices, and after completing them with the customary prayers, they retired to the palace. . .
For on that day the city of Rome made holiday for their victory in the war against the Jews, for the end of civil disorder, and for the rising expectations of peace and prosperity.”
Other trivia: Vespasian partly financed the building of the Colosseum with taxes on using public urinals. The urine was collected and used to dye wool.
When asked by a son how he could bear to make money with such a malodorous substance, he replied, “Pecunia non olet,”–money doesn’t smell. Indeed!
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How to Deal with Doubt. Difficulties and Doubt Matthew 18, Blog Through the Bible Project
Matthew 18
Causing to Stumble
6 “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
This is the passage I have reached in my blog through the Bible project.
I was brought up Catholic, though if I had to choose a label to describe myself now I would say I am a more or less theologically conservative, mildly Charismatic, reformed evangelical. Gosh, that’s 4 labels!
* * *
I remember this saying from my Catholic upbringing, “Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt; difficulty and doubt are incommensurate.” John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua.
Like any thinking Christian, I have difficulties with some of the tenets of theological orthodoxy, or charismatic, reformed or evangelical orthodoxy. There is only one issue in which I simply do not believe orthodox teachings, a couple of others I have difficulty with.
So what does a blogging Christian do with such issues? Or a Christian who leads Bible studies, as I did for about 8 years in a row?
* * *
Why does Jesus treasure faith? Because to some extent, it is putting our faith in his trustworthiness. Death, taxes, gravity, sin–these things do not require faith. They are certainties. But faith involves what is traditionally called a leap.
Because we take it on faith that God is good, we do not fear death. Or illness. Or poverty. Or abandonment. Or being honest in our business. Or being generous.
Because we have tasted of his goodness, we can take what he says on trust. Just like one does not doubt a loved spouse’s commitment to fuddy-duddy old you.
So, to some extent, faith is a leap in the dark. We believe what Jesus says because we trust his character. And his goodness.
* * *
And so I re-read my passage, “If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!”
It may therefore be better that we keep our difficulties and doubts to ourselves unless we are sure that sharing them will help others.
Because faith is a delicate thing, which is based on love, and is much like love and trust. Once it starts unraveling, the whole thing can come apart for those we share our doubts with. Or trouble and confuse them.
And so, on the whole, I don’t share every difficulty I have publicly, as I would rather increase light than confusion. Or doubt.
* * *
Tricky thing, all matters of faith!
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