KJV
[10] Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
[12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
These are lovely, but don't have much in the way of moral value. This is the inspirational section.
[13] Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
[14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Here is more of the beautiful sloganeering that I grew up on, maybe because it was in Godspell? I love this Jesus, providing rules to live by... a moral poetry.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Matthew 5:3-9
KJV
[3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
[5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
[6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
[7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
[8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
[9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
and here I am facing some of the most important words in my life.
I knew there was a reason I was here, reading the New Testament.
Surely these words point to something... to someone. Someone conceived of this philosophy, this miraculous paradoxical key to living.
I've seen parallels to Cynic philosophers, to Zen koans, but there is something distinctive about this ... this ... I'm not sure what to call it. Writing? Or is it from an oral tradition? I'll call it simply poetry. There's an issue of "voice" here, but what fascinates me is I don't know if Jesus is author or character. There has always been controversy over Shakespeare, for example: did someone else write Shakespeare's plays? But even the most plausible-sounding theory falls apart when I see the writings of this purported Shakespeare. The "voice" just isn't there. In the same way, I hear a "Jesus voice," but unlike Shakespeare, this voice is obscured, covered in layers of transcription and interpretation and translation.
Yet I hear it. And this is one of those places where it is loudest and clearest.
I am staggered by these words, I always have been.
Notice also how little these words have to do with the presidency of George W. Bush, or the radio show of Rush Limbaugh.
[3] Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
[4] Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
[5] Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
[6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
[7] Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
[8] Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
[9] Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
and here I am facing some of the most important words in my life.
I knew there was a reason I was here, reading the New Testament.
Surely these words point to something... to someone. Someone conceived of this philosophy, this miraculous paradoxical key to living.
I've seen parallels to Cynic philosophers, to Zen koans, but there is something distinctive about this ... this ... I'm not sure what to call it. Writing? Or is it from an oral tradition? I'll call it simply poetry. There's an issue of "voice" here, but what fascinates me is I don't know if Jesus is author or character. There has always been controversy over Shakespeare, for example: did someone else write Shakespeare's plays? But even the most plausible-sounding theory falls apart when I see the writings of this purported Shakespeare. The "voice" just isn't there. In the same way, I hear a "Jesus voice," but unlike Shakespeare, this voice is obscured, covered in layers of transcription and interpretation and translation.
Yet I hear it. And this is one of those places where it is loudest and clearest.
I am staggered by these words, I always have been.
Notice also how little these words have to do with the presidency of George W. Bush, or the radio show of Rush Limbaugh.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Matthew 5:1-2
KJV
[1] And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
[2] And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
This is the set up to the Sermon on the Mount. I've always pictured this as a sort of rock concert, and usually it's filmed that way (most brilliantly by Monte Python, who focused on the people in the back rows who couldn't hear what was going on).
But that's not what this sounds like. This sounds like he's talking only to his disciples, that he's left the multitudes behind.
"when he was set" .... set for what? Did he have to plug in his amps?
Ah, but I'm excited about what comes next.... the Sermon the Mount.... a collection of Jesus Sayings pasted together into a fictional "sermon" ..... this should be a heaping helping of Josh the Poet, the man who shaped my morality, the Zen master, the bard...
[1] And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:
[2] And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,
This is the set up to the Sermon on the Mount. I've always pictured this as a sort of rock concert, and usually it's filmed that way (most brilliantly by Monte Python, who focused on the people in the back rows who couldn't hear what was going on).
But that's not what this sounds like. This sounds like he's talking only to his disciples, that he's left the multitudes behind.
"when he was set" .... set for what? Did he have to plug in his amps?
Ah, but I'm excited about what comes next.... the Sermon the Mount.... a collection of Jesus Sayings pasted together into a fictional "sermon" ..... this should be a heaping helping of Josh the Poet, the man who shaped my morality, the Zen master, the bard...
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Matthew 4:23-25
KJV
[23] And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
[24] And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
[25] And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
This is like the training montage in Rocky. Beiing a miracle worker was essential to the street cred of prophets at that time. If you can't cure blindness don't even call me. So the scribes who wrote the gospels just threw that in.
Notice he's very much a rock star in these three verses. It's interesting how differently Josh is portrayed from one chapter to the next. I'm sure it's due to trying to appease conflicting groups, but it makes for an interesting character portrayal, a complex, conflicted character.
Notice he's known for his healing and not his teachings. I wonder if I detect a certain cynicism here: the prophet no one really listened to.
[23] And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
[24] And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
[25] And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
This is like the training montage in Rocky. Beiing a miracle worker was essential to the street cred of prophets at that time. If you can't cure blindness don't even call me. So the scribes who wrote the gospels just threw that in.
Notice he's very much a rock star in these three verses. It's interesting how differently Josh is portrayed from one chapter to the next. I'm sure it's due to trying to appease conflicting groups, but it makes for an interesting character portrayal, a complex, conflicted character.
Notice he's known for his healing and not his teachings. I wonder if I detect a certain cynicism here: the prophet no one really listened to.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Matthew 4:18-22
KJV
[18] And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
[19] And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
[20] And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
[21] And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
[22] And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
Josh is the fisher of fishers. This is really impressive stuff to me. And that line, "I will make you fishers of men," that's the poet I'm looking for.
Sometimes, he feels so close. But then I think about the centuries that have intervened. There's nothing like the Middle Ages to make Josh seem light years away... all those centuries of recontextualization, recombination and redramatization. So much of our Jesus is their Jesus, even the way he looks, including the wardrobe.
But here in these verses, he is fishing. He pulls men from their jobs, from their families.
These verses are important to the apostle mythologizers. You see, the notorious Twelve Apostles are never properly named or listed. Here at least are four of them, though I would say that even these four are fabrications and confusions. This James is not the James that later is called the brother of Josh, probably another confusion, but we'll get to that. This Peter is the first Pope... yeah, right... and is that John the one who sees him on the cross? Does anyone really know?
[18] And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
[19] And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
[20] And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
[21] And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
[22] And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
Josh is the fisher of fishers. This is really impressive stuff to me. And that line, "I will make you fishers of men," that's the poet I'm looking for.
Sometimes, he feels so close. But then I think about the centuries that have intervened. There's nothing like the Middle Ages to make Josh seem light years away... all those centuries of recontextualization, recombination and redramatization. So much of our Jesus is their Jesus, even the way he looks, including the wardrobe.
But here in these verses, he is fishing. He pulls men from their jobs, from their families.
These verses are important to the apostle mythologizers. You see, the notorious Twelve Apostles are never properly named or listed. Here at least are four of them, though I would say that even these four are fabrications and confusions. This James is not the James that later is called the brother of Josh, probably another confusion, but we'll get to that. This Peter is the first Pope... yeah, right... and is that John the one who sees him on the cross? Does anyone really know?
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Matthew 4:17
KJV
[17] From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
So, does this mean that the capture of John the Baptist instigated the preaching career of Josh?
It seems almost as if Josh were afraid to compete, or showing respect to the star that came first. A Star Is Born.
Notice the first thing he starts preaching: Repent. Not, "I am God. Worship me." Just repent. Followed by an idle threat. It's 2000 years later.
Unless of course you believe it's all a metaphor, and Josh is a poet. Now, that's what I'm talking about!
[17] From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
So, does this mean that the capture of John the Baptist instigated the preaching career of Josh?
It seems almost as if Josh were afraid to compete, or showing respect to the star that came first. A Star Is Born.
Notice the first thing he starts preaching: Repent. Not, "I am God. Worship me." Just repent. Followed by an idle threat. It's 2000 years later.
Unless of course you believe it's all a metaphor, and Josh is a poet. Now, that's what I'm talking about!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Matthew 4:12-16
KJV
[12] Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
Here's an interesting transition that I hadn't realized before. Josh left the desert because he heard that John was cast into prison? Why did that make him leave the desert?
1. Was he planning a jailbreak?
2. Was he rushing in to steal John's market share?
3. Was it like the Highlander? There Can Be Only One.
4. Or was it some prophesy?
The following lines do speak of prophecy:
[13] And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
[14] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
[15] The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
[16] The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Is John's imprisonment the darkness? Or was this just a bad neighborhood?
I don't think it's really meant this way, but I hate the way they make it sound like Josh did things just to fulfill a prophecy. It's like giving in to peer pressure.
[12] Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee;
Here's an interesting transition that I hadn't realized before. Josh left the desert because he heard that John was cast into prison? Why did that make him leave the desert?
1. Was he planning a jailbreak?
2. Was he rushing in to steal John's market share?
3. Was it like the Highlander? There Can Be Only One.
4. Or was it some prophesy?
The following lines do speak of prophecy:
[13] And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim:
[14] That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
[15] The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
[16] The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Is John's imprisonment the darkness? Or was this just a bad neighborhood?
I don't think it's really meant this way, but I hate the way they make it sound like Josh did things just to fulfill a prophecy. It's like giving in to peer pressure.
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