We'll be reading through the Gospel of Luke for the next 3 weeks - starting with ch.1-8 this week.
The Gospel According to Luke is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension. The author is traditionally identified as Luke the Evangelist who also wrote the book of Acts.
Certain popular stories, such as the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, are found only in this gospel. This gospel also has a special emphasis on prayer, the activity of the Holy Spirit, and joyfulness.
According to the preface the purpose of Luke is to write a historical account, while bringing out the theological significance of the history. The author portrays Christianity as divine, respectable, law-abiding, and international. Although Luke himself was not one of the 12 Disciples, he did travel with Paul during some missionary journeys, and most believe Luke's historical account was a compilation of many stories from many of the people who followed Jesus (interviewing the men and women that traveled with Jesus).
Like Mark (but unlike Matthew), the intended audience is Gentile, and it assures readers that Christianity is an international religion, not an exclusively Jewish sect. Luke portrays his subject in a positive light regarding Roman authorities. For example, the Jewish leaders seem to be at fault for Jesus' crucifixion rather than Pontius Pilate (who found no wrong in him).
The Gospel is addressed to the author's patron, Theophilus, which in Greek simply means "friend of God" and may not be a name but a generic term for a Christian. The Gospel is clearly directed at Christians, or at those who already knew about Early Christianity, rather than a general audience, since the ascription goes on to state that the Gospel was written "so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught".
This Gospel also raises up Jesus' love for the oppressed. Women, children, and outcasts (gentiles, people with illness, etc.) are shown special love and attention, and they are also commended for having great faith.
Gospel of Luke: What is the Significance?
The Gospel of Luke presents many important facts and significant lessons about Jesus Christ. First, the Gospel clearly establishes that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that was prophesized throughout the Old Testament. Second, it proves that Jesus is the Son of God as He claims. Third, it confirms that Jesus has complete authority over everything in the world, including overcoming evil (Lk 4:12, 35, 9:38, 11:14), controlling nature (Lk 8:22-25, 9:12-17, 5:4-11), overcoming death (Lk 8:41-42, 7:11-15), healing people (Lk 5:12-13, 7:1-10, 4:38-35, 5:18-25, 6:6-10, 18:35-43), the power to forgive sins (Lk 5:24, 7:48), the power to bless people (Lk 6:20-22), and the authority to give people eternal life in heaven (Lk 23:43).
Jesus displayed the miracle of overcoming death through His own resurrection after being crucified on a Roman cross. The Gospel of Luke provides a first hand account of the events of Christ's life from the Apostles and other witnesses. The Gospel has absolutely survived the historical, geographical and archaeological scrutiny of the last 2,000 years.
Of course, a summary of Luke's Gospel can only provide highlights to the actual text and cannot replace it. To everyone at Hosanna, you are encouraged to read the Gospel of Luke to learn more about Jesus Christ and the work that He can do in your life!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians
An Exegetical Look at 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Lutheran Christians value Scripture and therefore use it as a guide for daily life. But what happens when our translation reads too much interpretation into the original Biblical text? What happens when we choose the translation that meets our desired result? This emphasizes the need for careful and thoughtful attention to those features of any biblical text before using that text as the basis for doctrine or ethical positions, or in developing personal applications of a passage. One simple example of how faulty translation, combined with uncritical use of that translation within a certain cultural and historical context, can lead to serious misapplication of a passage of Scripture can be seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:22.
(transliteration of the Greek: apo pantos eidous ponèrou apechesthe)
In the NRSV, the verse is translated: "abstain from every form of evil." A literal translation of the Greek might be: "from every form of evil be abstaining."
However, in the KJV, the translation most widely used in the English-speaking world until the mid 20th-century, the verse is translated: "abstain from every appearance of evil."
The differences in translation center around the meaning of the Greek term eidos. This word only occurs five times in the Greek New Testament, although it is a frequent term in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), occurring there 58 times. According to Bauer, Ardt, and Gingrich (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament), this term has two main meanings:
1) the external or outward appearance, form, figure, shape. It occurs with this meaning in Luke 3:22 ("in bodily form"), 9:29 ("the appearance of his face"), and John 5:37 ("you have never heard his voice or seen his form"). Similarly, it can also mean sight or seeing, as in 2 Corinthians 5:7 ("we walk by faith, not by sight").
2) form, kind. This is not the usual meaning of the term in most of the Septuagint. However, it does occur with this meaning in classical Greek, as well as in some of the apocryphal writings (for example, Sirach 23:16: "two kinds of individuals multiply sins, and a third incurs wrath . . ."). Bauer lists this meaning for 1 Thessalonians 5:22: "from every kind of evil."
It is easy to see why the KJV translators, and many of the older translations into Dutch, English, French and German, used a term equivalent to "appearance" to translate eidos since that was the most common meaning in most of the biblical texts. However, as anyone who works with languages knows, the most used meaning of any term in a language does not dictate that it must always mean that. In most languages, it is immediate context and particular usage that determines meaning, not frequency or even lexical definitions.
This verse occurs in the conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Church at Thessalonica. Paul has already concluded his teachings about the Second Coming that had concerned the church, and is now drawing the writing to a close with both final exhortations (5:12-22) and a concluding blessing (5:23-24) before the salutations (5:25-28).
The final exhortations connect "hold fast to that which is good" with the appeals "do not quench the Spirit" and "do not despise the words of prophets." Again, the emphasis falls on actions that are a response of Christian living in a context that presents opportunities both to "repay evil for evil" and to "do the good." It is here that the contrast to "hold fast to what is good" is expressed as "abstain from every [form] of evil." In the context of this passage, "evil" has not been presented as some abstraction that could be characterized as "the appearance of evil." Within the larger context of the letter, evil has been given very concrete expression, as the command "abstain from fornication" (4:3; porneias, porneias, illicit sexual activity).
The appeal to the Thessalonians is not to avoid or abstain from that which might appear to be evil, but to avoid those things that are clearly evil, such as illicit sexual activity or responding to evil actions with evil action in return. In every case, those things are contrasted with the proper Christian response, purity or "holiness" (4:7) and doing "that which is good." This suggests that the translation "abstain from every kind of evil" is far preferable to "abstain from every appearance of evil." Paul calls the Thessalonians to a holy lifestyle that would avoid things that were clearly evil, like illicit sexual activity or responding to people with a retaliatory "evil for evil." In contrast, he also calls them to love one another, to be patient with each others, and to do the things that are good as God’s will for them as his "set-apart" people.
None of this suggests the older translation, that Christians should "avoid the appearance of evil" as if we were building a fence around the New Testament commandments like the Jews did with the Talmud. That would result, as it did in some strands of Judaism, in multiplying rules and commandments to infinite numbers in order to define precisely what "appearance" might mean in any particular situation. That would be a solid basis for the worst aspects of legalism.
The older translation "appearance" in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 led to unfortunate applications in some modern contexts. For example, the American holiness movement of the nineteenth century was concerned about holiness in everyday living, which led to an emphasis on personal ethics. That was a perfectly acceptable consequence of "holiness of heart and life," which was the hallmark of the Wesleyan revivals and emphasis on practical living.
Yet, in some quarters it moved into excessive legalism. In some contexts, this verse was used as a standard by which to judge the actions of others, as well as to set personal ethics in terms of external appearance or personal opinion. The idea was that if something could in some way be associated with something else that was evil, then that thing or action itself was evil because it had the appearance of evil. It was evil by association!
In many cases there was total sincerity on the part of those who applied the test of the "the appearance of evil." There was genuine concern for living a holy life and for avoiding even the appearance of participating in something that was evil, or that could be seen by others as evil. But misunderstanding biblical guidelines can lead to very negative results. In all too many cases, this led to a judgmental spirit toward others. It also led to a sense of insecurity and fear on the part of Christians who were constantly worried about whether their actions could be perceived by others as "evil" or sinful. In this sense, "the appearance of evil" talks about evil that has not happened or is not really evil at all but only seems evil in someone’s eyes! It feeds suspicion. It feeds all the darkness inside us that loves to judge people. It accuses brothers and sisters in the Lord that have done nothing wrong but create an appearance of evil in someone else's eyes! It destroys fellowship and trust. It fosters gossip and talking behind someone's back. It serves to create discord in community and undermines the love that should mark Christians fellowship, the very things that Paul was trying to avoid in his exhortations in 1 Thessalonians!
Given the fact that Jesus Himself spent time with tax-collectors and prostitutes, He would not have passed the test of the appearance of evil! In fact, the self-righteous Pharisees of his day took him to task at this very point. They constantly accused him of "guilt by association," that he was sinning because the associated with sinners and did not take pains to avoid the appearance of impropriety by avoiding sinners and disreputable places and events. Yet Jesus certainly passed the test of avoiding "every kind of evil," at the same time that he met sinners in their own world in order to call them to transformation.
Conclusion - Scripture interprets Scripture! This is why the teaching of Law/Gospel is so important. The work of Christ becomes the central doctrine that all other doctrines are filtered through. Another point - differences in interpretation are precisely the reason we have Christian community...we can ask each other how we read a particular passage. As you read
1 & 2 Thessalonians, ask a brother or sister in Christ how they read it.
Lutheran Christians value Scripture and therefore use it as a guide for daily life. But what happens when our translation reads too much interpretation into the original Biblical text? What happens when we choose the translation that meets our desired result? This emphasizes the need for careful and thoughtful attention to those features of any biblical text before using that text as the basis for doctrine or ethical positions, or in developing personal applications of a passage. One simple example of how faulty translation, combined with uncritical use of that translation within a certain cultural and historical context, can lead to serious misapplication of a passage of Scripture can be seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:22.
(transliteration of the Greek: apo pantos eidous ponèrou apechesthe)
In the NRSV, the verse is translated: "abstain from every form of evil." A literal translation of the Greek might be: "from every form of evil be abstaining."
However, in the KJV, the translation most widely used in the English-speaking world until the mid 20th-century, the verse is translated: "abstain from every appearance of evil."
The differences in translation center around the meaning of the Greek term eidos. This word only occurs five times in the Greek New Testament, although it is a frequent term in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (the Septuagint), occurring there 58 times. According to Bauer, Ardt, and Gingrich (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament), this term has two main meanings:
1) the external or outward appearance, form, figure, shape. It occurs with this meaning in Luke 3:22 ("in bodily form"), 9:29 ("the appearance of his face"), and John 5:37 ("you have never heard his voice or seen his form"). Similarly, it can also mean sight or seeing, as in 2 Corinthians 5:7 ("we walk by faith, not by sight").
2) form, kind. This is not the usual meaning of the term in most of the Septuagint. However, it does occur with this meaning in classical Greek, as well as in some of the apocryphal writings (for example, Sirach 23:16: "two kinds of individuals multiply sins, and a third incurs wrath . . ."). Bauer lists this meaning for 1 Thessalonians 5:22: "from every kind of evil."
It is easy to see why the KJV translators, and many of the older translations into Dutch, English, French and German, used a term equivalent to "appearance" to translate eidos since that was the most common meaning in most of the biblical texts. However, as anyone who works with languages knows, the most used meaning of any term in a language does not dictate that it must always mean that. In most languages, it is immediate context and particular usage that determines meaning, not frequency or even lexical definitions.
This verse occurs in the conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Church at Thessalonica. Paul has already concluded his teachings about the Second Coming that had concerned the church, and is now drawing the writing to a close with both final exhortations (5:12-22) and a concluding blessing (5:23-24) before the salutations (5:25-28).
The final exhortations connect "hold fast to that which is good" with the appeals "do not quench the Spirit" and "do not despise the words of prophets." Again, the emphasis falls on actions that are a response of Christian living in a context that presents opportunities both to "repay evil for evil" and to "do the good." It is here that the contrast to "hold fast to what is good" is expressed as "abstain from every [form] of evil." In the context of this passage, "evil" has not been presented as some abstraction that could be characterized as "the appearance of evil." Within the larger context of the letter, evil has been given very concrete expression, as the command "abstain from fornication" (4:3; porneias, porneias, illicit sexual activity).
The appeal to the Thessalonians is not to avoid or abstain from that which might appear to be evil, but to avoid those things that are clearly evil, such as illicit sexual activity or responding to evil actions with evil action in return. In every case, those things are contrasted with the proper Christian response, purity or "holiness" (4:7) and doing "that which is good." This suggests that the translation "abstain from every kind of evil" is far preferable to "abstain from every appearance of evil." Paul calls the Thessalonians to a holy lifestyle that would avoid things that were clearly evil, like illicit sexual activity or responding to people with a retaliatory "evil for evil." In contrast, he also calls them to love one another, to be patient with each others, and to do the things that are good as God’s will for them as his "set-apart" people.
None of this suggests the older translation, that Christians should "avoid the appearance of evil" as if we were building a fence around the New Testament commandments like the Jews did with the Talmud. That would result, as it did in some strands of Judaism, in multiplying rules and commandments to infinite numbers in order to define precisely what "appearance" might mean in any particular situation. That would be a solid basis for the worst aspects of legalism.
The older translation "appearance" in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 led to unfortunate applications in some modern contexts. For example, the American holiness movement of the nineteenth century was concerned about holiness in everyday living, which led to an emphasis on personal ethics. That was a perfectly acceptable consequence of "holiness of heart and life," which was the hallmark of the Wesleyan revivals and emphasis on practical living.
Yet, in some quarters it moved into excessive legalism. In some contexts, this verse was used as a standard by which to judge the actions of others, as well as to set personal ethics in terms of external appearance or personal opinion. The idea was that if something could in some way be associated with something else that was evil, then that thing or action itself was evil because it had the appearance of evil. It was evil by association!
In many cases there was total sincerity on the part of those who applied the test of the "the appearance of evil." There was genuine concern for living a holy life and for avoiding even the appearance of participating in something that was evil, or that could be seen by others as evil. But misunderstanding biblical guidelines can lead to very negative results. In all too many cases, this led to a judgmental spirit toward others. It also led to a sense of insecurity and fear on the part of Christians who were constantly worried about whether their actions could be perceived by others as "evil" or sinful. In this sense, "the appearance of evil" talks about evil that has not happened or is not really evil at all but only seems evil in someone’s eyes! It feeds suspicion. It feeds all the darkness inside us that loves to judge people. It accuses brothers and sisters in the Lord that have done nothing wrong but create an appearance of evil in someone else's eyes! It destroys fellowship and trust. It fosters gossip and talking behind someone's back. It serves to create discord in community and undermines the love that should mark Christians fellowship, the very things that Paul was trying to avoid in his exhortations in 1 Thessalonians!
Given the fact that Jesus Himself spent time with tax-collectors and prostitutes, He would not have passed the test of the appearance of evil! In fact, the self-righteous Pharisees of his day took him to task at this very point. They constantly accused him of "guilt by association," that he was sinning because the associated with sinners and did not take pains to avoid the appearance of impropriety by avoiding sinners and disreputable places and events. Yet Jesus certainly passed the test of avoiding "every kind of evil," at the same time that he met sinners in their own world in order to call them to transformation.
Conclusion - Scripture interprets Scripture! This is why the teaching of Law/Gospel is so important. The work of Christ becomes the central doctrine that all other doctrines are filtered through. Another point - differences in interpretation are precisely the reason we have Christian community...we can ask each other how we read a particular passage. As you read
1 & 2 Thessalonians, ask a brother or sister in Christ how they read it.
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