Tuesday, September 20, 2005

It was a suffering of Jesus that those closest to him did not understand them:

And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.(Luke 2:48–50).

But Jesus, said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house (Mark 6:4. See also Matthew 13:57, Luke 4:24, John 4:44).

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. v>Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:46–50. See also Mark 3:31–35 and Luke 8:19-21).

His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him (John 7:3–5).

It was not only his family that rejected him. Many sought him out after the feeding of the five thousand. When he told them his Father’s will for them they were offended:

many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
—John 6:66

Jesus, who died for all, did not come to convert all:

I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
—Matthew 15:24

The Canaanite woman got her wish but was not preached to.

We are ourselves should not try to convert everyone:

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls befor swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
—Matthew 7:6

We are to teach all nations, but not everyone every nation. Do good to all, teach them who listen to you (many may listen to others).

Do your best for God”s glory. Perhaps one or two will be saved through you. If not, then:

rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
—1 Peter 4:13

If I’m asked when I gave up writing applets, I shall say, “The year Jerry Rice gave up playing professional football.”

When you died on the cross, you had only a local audience, and not much a one at that. When I try to obey you, I shall also do it in secret.

Then Hetty’s sharp, sarcastic sayings were repeated; the justice of them made them sting. People did not want a tongue like that in their homes.
—Mary E. Wilkins (Freeman), “A Church Mouse,” in A New England Nun and Other Stories

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And is it true? and is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
That God was Man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine?
—John Betjeman, “On Christmas”, the first two and the last two lines, quoted in Huston Smith, The Soul of Christianity, 2005,68.

Smith’s book calculates the dates of Ascension and Pentecost oddly:

Forty days after he died, Jesus brought his earthly career to a solemn close by ascending into heaven. And forty days after that, God sent the disciples the Comforter Jesus had promised them in an event we now know as Pentecost.
—Ibid., 74.

These sentences could not have appeared in a book before the 21^st century.

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How many mercenaries are there in Iraq? Who is mourning their dead?