Keys to the kingdom

Morsels of food are delicious because of the little things, the subtle seasonings, the dash of salt, the sprinkle of garlic, the garnish of parsley, the touch of glaze, or the hint of lemon.  Ahhhh - so delicious!

Jesus traveled to the countryside right outside of Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16.17-19).  There is no telling where he and his band of 12 were standing, but it must have been in view of the cliffs behind the beautiful springs that fed the town's water reservoir.  The contrast of the white and marble temples of Zeus and Pan to the brown bluffs above them was a scenic feast.

As Jesus watched the comings and goings of the townspeople and visitors walking the steps of temples to other gods, he posed a question to his band of 12.  "Who do people say that I am?" (we still have this rhetoric ploy to get others' reactions).  Jesus wanted to know.  There were no temples to him, only one temple in Jerusalem to his father.  So in this town where people visited temples to the Romans' important gods, he might have wanted to gauge how much more work he had left to do in order for his closest followers to believe with unwavering confidence that he was the son of the true God .  And it would be a good opportunity for his 12 to hear themselves compare others' assessments of him to that of their own.

Peter makes a statement that all believers make when they realize who Jesus is.  "You are the one God promised, the son of the living God."

             

The other apostles' reactions are not given in the story, so there is no way to know how much agreement or silence they exhibited to this declaration.  But Jesus' reaction is very clear.  "Flesh and blood hasn't revealed this realization to you, but my father in heaven."  The next words are punned, so Jesus' wit is apparent.  Ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν (You are a rock and on this rock I will establish my band of followers).   Peter's name πετρος is also the word for rock or stone.  Perhaps Simon is being named here by Jesus, or perhaps Simon is simply being called a rock.  After all, the twelve were standing on a rock bluff or looking at it.  The name stuck with Simon.  Even Paul in his later writings refers to Simon as the rock (Peter).  The second time rock is used, πετρα, rock is what Jesus was going to establish his band of followers on.  If Jesus was standing or looking at the bluffs overlooking the temples of Zeus and Pan, then he was going to build something like what they were looking at built into the side of the rock cliffs.  He said he would build something on a rock which would invite followers to come and admire.  The Twelve could see the temples of Zeus and Pan and the people flocking to see them.  So, you know they were wondering what would Jesus build?  But, Jesus was talking of establishing a realization, that he was the promised one, the son of the living God. That would be the rock base, the basis, for his εκκλησια (band of followers), not a building.

At the back of the temple of Zeus, naturally carved into the side of the mountain, was a cave leading down into the Earth.  The cave was known as the Gates of Hades.  There were several of these gates around the ancient Grecian world.  This was one.   After entering the temple, one would have seen the elaborate doors that had been built in front of this entrance.  When opened, they would allow someone to enter the underworld.  The underworld was usually considered the place for dead souls. (It was not the equivalent of modern hell.)  Pluto was its guardian.  He was aware of everyone who entered and once in, he would not allow anyone to leave.  Jesus addressed this aspect of the temples and the cliffs while the twelve were peering at it.  He said that the Gates of Hades would not stand against his establishing people's awareness of him as Son of God.  Easily the reference is to Jesus' eventual resurrection.  The gates of the underworld would not be able to keep him locked behind them in the place of the dead, even as powerful as Pluto was reported to have been.  

This trip to the cliffs and temples was a powerful image for the moment Jesus had hoped for.

The tasty morsel for me appears after Peter's words of realization.  Jesus told Peter he would give Peter the keys to the kingdom.  But, Jesus wanted to assure him that he would be with Peter every step of the way.  In verse 19, Jesus said, "ο εαν δησης επι τη γης εσται δεδεμενον εν τοις ουρανοις και ο εαν λυσης επι τη γης εσται λευμενον εν τοις ουρανοις."  The best way to describe the meaning of these words is with the title of a recent movie, As Above, So Below.  Jesus illustrated this idea in his model prayer, "Our father in heaven, we honor your name.  Let your kingdom come.  Let your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven."  So, Jesus's words of assurance came in two parts.  The first part, "Whatever you find that you need on Earth is what has already been needed in Heaven," referred to the rock base, the awareness that Jesus is the son of the living God.  And, the second part was another pun.  First, "Whatever you will overthrow on Earth is what has already been overthrown in Heaven," namely the temples acknowledging other Gods.  Second, "Whatever you will conquer on Earth is what has already been conquered in Heaven," namely the power of Pluto to hold Jesus (or anyone in his band of followers) in the world of the dead.  These words surely gave Peter confidence that he would not have to be bulldozing a new way.  What he would be asking of others had already been overcome or overthrown in Heaven.

Yes, absolutely, the trip to the cliffs and temples was a powerful image for the moment Jesus had hoped for with the Twelve... and with me too.

The end result

Morsels of food are delicious because of the little things, the subtle seasonings, the dash of salt, the sprinkle of garlic, the garnish of parsley, the touch of glaze, or the hint of lemon.  Ahhhh - so delicious!


Revelation is a picture book of visions that John would like us to "view" for building a belief that when the chips are down due to external circumstances that we don't control, we can at least count on the end result being very much in our favor because we have endured through all of the difficulties of life's harshness.  The apostle John lived the last half of his life in a time when Rome had begun to kill and torture Christians for their "superstitious" beliefs (referenced in Pliny the younger).  Some towns in Greece had evidently withheld financial favor for Jews in their realms according to the letters to the seven churches in the opening chapters of John's picture book.  Times were not easy and a clear message needed to be published about what the end held for believers in Jesus.

John was an old man by the writing of Revelation, but he was the only living apostle who could set the record straight.  He had actually walked with Jesus, so he knew he needed to be the one to step out, be bold, and reiterate that Jesus was alive and well, that he would conquer his enemies and take his brothers and sisters to the place he had been preparing.  Jesus would do all of this in dramatic fashion. Paul had faced this same need, but had addressed it with logic and reason.  John decided to write in pictures for all to see and be assured.

John writes three sets of visions using seals, trumpets, and bowls to indicate how terrible and dire conditions on the Earth had become.  Then, at the end of the book (Revelation 19.11-21), with imagery everyone in that day and time was familiar with, John set a scene portraying the end result for persevering through all the insults, malicious actions, torture, and death.

John wrote that the sky opened up so that everyone could see a rider on a white horse.  He had a very determined, iron look on his face (eyes of flaming fire is the image) because he was about to finish his mission - to utterly destroy the armies that had gathered against him.  He brandished his sword for all of his own armies to see (the sword coming from his mouth is the image) so that they would know he is about to engage the enemy and release the utter fury of the Lord of Hosts.  The opposing general and all of his armies would be crushed and their blood would run like wine running from a winepress.

But the scene was not about the sea of army troops in white robes sitting on white horses annihilating the army of darkness.  It was about the rider who sat tall on the white horse as the skies opened.  One would notice the millions of troops as a backdrop of white behind the rider, but it was the center-stage rider who stood out among the millions.  He was wearing his royal cape and jeweled bands around his head for easy recognition as commander in chief.  His cape was easy to recognize because its red color waved in the wind in contrast to all the white battle garments and white horses of the army.  It was specially marked with all the stains of his own blood and the blood of those who had died for him.

The tasty morsel in this scene would be in the three places where Jesus' name was mentioned.  His first name is in verse 12.  The jeweled bands he wore to show that he was the commander of the army all bore a name that only Jesus could have engraved on them, ο ουδεις οιδεν ει μη αυτος (the name no one else recognizes except for his own people), his unique name.  The commander of the armies of evil could wear a jeweled band around his head to designate him as commander, but it didn't have the unique name on it, the name of God's only son, telling his followers that his army will destroy the enemy.  His second name is in verse 13.  People called him ο λογος του θεου (the essence of God).  John loved to use this term for Jesus.  It's one of the evidences that the gospel and the apocalypse shared the same author.  John wanted to be certain that people knew that Jesus was more than just the son of a god.  He wanted them to know he had the true God's essence through and through.  His third name is in verse 19.  It was written in two places - across the back of his cape and across the bottom of his thigh-length battle garment.  βασιλευς βασιλεων και κυριος κυριων (king of kings and lord of lords).

The three names had significance to three different groups.  His own people would recognize Jesus as commander; they were his willing followers.  The Jews, who hadn't particularly cared for Christians, would finally recognize Jesus because he was God's essence.  And the Romans would finally bow to an emperor other than their own for Jesus was above all leaders, the highest authority.

What a way to end a book after enumerating all of the difficulties involved in living a Christian life.  A whole army of white surrounding the whole enemy and obliterating them in one battle.  The end result would definitely be worth the trust that each person had put in the commander of Heaven, God's own being, the one leader above all others!

This thing we have

Morsels of food are delicious because of the little things, the subtle seasonings, the dash of salt, the sprinkle of garlic, the garnish of parsley, the touch of glaze, or the hint of lemon.  Ahhhh - so delicious!

It's such a beautiful flower and special too.  The flower was harvested for a spice to add to wine and foods in wealthy Roman households.  But, the plant also had an extractable oil that smelled much like lavender.  This oil in the ancient Egyptian days was used as incense to honor the dead (in India as well).  It had the same use in ancient Greece, too, because the hero of Homer's Iliad, Achilles, honored one of his dead friend's body after a battle by pouring Nard on it.

In ancient Israel the Jews also had a tradition of using the oil of this plant called Nard.  They would mix it with other ingredients such as myrrh and frankencense as an incense offering on Sabbath days in rememberance to God for what he had done for his people.  In the Song of Songs (4:13-14), the groom describes his beautiful bride-to-be as a garden containing fruits, spices, and sweet smelling scents - Nard in particular.

In Exodus (34.34-38, 37.29), Nard oil was dedicated to God when it was burned as an incense offering.

And you shall make it a perfume, a confection after the art of the apothecary, tempered together [salted], pure and holy... And as for the perfume which you shall make, you shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto you holy for the LORD. Whosoever shall make like unto it, to enjoy the smell thereof, shall even be cut off from his people.   (NASV)

The oral Talmud of the above verses allowed pure Nard as a part of the incense sacred to God.

So, when we read in Mark 14.1-8 of a supper Jesus was invited to, the context, which is not included in the translation of the words, adds marvelously to words used.  The context brings a realization of what the woman is really doing and of the reason Jesus is touched enough to memorialize the woman's actions. Jesus is sitting, visiting with Simon and others when Lazarus' sister Mary, comes to him, kneels at his feet, takes her alabaster (stone like marble) jar of pure Nard oil, breaks its wax seal, and pours the oil on Jesus's feet.  Everyone recognizes instantly the smell of lavender from the marble-like container that kept the Nard pure, because it was an oil dedicated for God only.

The Nard wasn't cheap - it cost a year's earnings ($52,000 median salary in U.S. at this writing). But, Mary was a woman of means.  The Nard was expensive in another way,too.  It was kept for burials of friends and family and for dedications of one's soul to God.  To use it meant that she was pouring out  not only her highly prized material possession, but also her heart and soul because where a person's money goes, the heart goes also.

The spiritual significance of pouring this pure Nard on Jesus's feet cannot be understated.  Mary was pouring sacred oil, the oil that dedicates one's actions to acknowledge the Most High, the perfume that is freely used for only one person, for a supreme reason.

Jesus was not about to pass up an opportunity to illustrate that he was God's son just shy of a week from his upcoming ordeal ending his life on Earth.  Mary's actions with all their significance moved Jesus. So he interjected himself into the criticism that Simon, his friends, and Judas were making about breaking open an expensive jar of Nard.  He tells them that they would have ample opportunity to give to the poor if that was the object of their criticism.  But his objective was very different for this expensive show of tribute to him, reserved normally for the Most High .  He accepted this tribute and announced his burial.  Their reaction is not recorded so it's unknown whether they understood his prediction.  But readers after this event understood it.

The tasty morsel for me in this story comes in Jesus's ensuing words to the group about Mary. He said,  ὃ ἔσχεν ἐποίησεν (the thing she had, she did).  If I wasn't touched by the context of the scene, I am certainly moved by the words from Jesus.  Everyone has something that cost a great deal to obtain.  It might have cost money, time, tremendous effort, a great deal of experience, great loss, or any combination of the above things.  But we all have a thing.  Jesus memorialized this thing of Mary's, this pure Nard, because she actually broke open the wax seal around the jar's mouth and poured the oil on his feet.  It was her action that was honored.  She did something.  She didn't just give something and go her way.  She did something that left behind something of tremendous value, her oil of dedication, and her heart and soul.

I think that as God looks at us as we are among our friends, our coworkers, and the people in whatever sphere we travel.  He is moved and touched by how we follow Jesus ος διηλθεν ευεργετων (who went about doing good) [Acts 10:38].  That was his comment about Mary.  "Why do you criticize her?" he asked.  "καλὸν ἔργον ἠργάσατο ἐν ἐμοί," (she has done something good for me).  Mary did something with the thing she had.  It touched Jesus, and he memorialized it.  I also am moved to want to do something with the thing I have that would leave behind my dedication, heart, and soul.



[An explanatory note is in order for the events used in the above commentary.  The story of a woman annointing Jesus is in all four gospels: Matthew 26.6-13, Mark 14.3-11, Luke 7.36-50, and John 12.1-8.  The details differ in several ways, but I have taken a composite of the 4 accounts.  I have followed John rather than Luke in the identification of Mary although there is nothing to preclude Lazarus's sister from being the Mary of Luke.  Also I have followed John's timing of the event as close to the time of Jesus's death.  I also acknowledge that some would allow for two different annointings, one in Bethany and another in a different village as in Luke.]

Preparing permanent accommodations

Morsels of food are delicious because of the little things, the subtle seasonings, the dash of salt, the sprinkle of garlic, the garnish of parsley, the touch of glaze, or the hint of lemon.  Ahhhh - so delicious!

Jesus seems to have grasped the attitude that so many of the Jews had that he was not the Son of God despite overtly telling them and dropping hints everywhere.  But many remained unconvinced.  So, when it came time to depart the world, Jesus told his twelve something that he followed with "If it weren't so, I wouldn't have told you."  He had told many people including the Twelve, "Believe in me."  But on this occasion of departure (John 14.1-2) what he told them began with urgency and emphasis, πισευετε εις τον θεον και εις εμε πιστευετε (You trust God, trust me as well) and ended with ει μη ειπον αν υμιν (I wouldn't have told you this if it weren't so).

These words of Jesus mark a very important passage to me for two reasons.  First, with the passing of my son at age 19, what I had believed before that time was severely tested and the last shred of hope was to take Jesus's words for their absolute truth.  Second, the particular idea about which Jesus was speaking became the most important truth of the entire New Testament because it is the only place where Jesus said, "I wouldn't have told you this if it weren't so."

Jesus was about to face death, so he felt an urgency.  And he wanted them to be where he would be going after his death, so he spoke emphatically about this place where the Twelve would catch up to him a little later. So, after saying, "Trust me too," he told them in very plain terms - no parable - εν τη οικια του πατρος μου μοναι πολλαι εισιν (In my father's house are many rooms) and πορευομαι ετοιμσαι τοπον... οπου ειμι εγω και υμεις ητε (I am leaving to prepare that place for you... so that where I am you can join me).

Those words seemed to have guided the Twelve after Jesus left them since they all steadfastly taught his teachings, especially the part about a life after this one.  Thomas in particular left a legacy in India in which he highlighted the next life.  And here's the tasty morsel. The words for house and rooms let us know a little more what Jesus impressed upon the Twelve.  The first three minutes of the video below tells the story of the "palace in heaven."

οικος is the usual word translated house. But in the dialect of Greek John was using, a second word had come into use, οικια. This second word took over the meaning for the structure of the house. οικος was aggrandized in meaning to mean the entire household, family and servants, and in Homer's Odyssey and other places, an estate including property with the house.  The structures of the houses then showed that they were built in the manner of the modern idea of compound, much like apartments or condominiums.  Communities were generally small by our standards, but the compound housed 50 to 100 people with each house or apartment having four rooms. That is a stereotype for οικια, and there were some variations, but archaeology has uncovered many four-room-house compounds.

μοναι is a word that is translated rooms.  Truly they are.  They're small compartments designated for different activities like cooking and sleeping.  A compound of οικια with συν, συνοικια is the word for people who would travel and need a room to spend the night or spend a few days refreshing themselves before resuming travel.  So, οικια is distinguished from that word by being a permanent place for the residents.

I think the essence of the passage is that Jesus is going to prepare permanent accommodations for us to live a second life.  We don't have to worry about running out of room in this place because the Father's compound has many rooms, enough for everyone who trusts him to be his father's son.