Study and Meditations on this Sunday's Scripture Readings: March 20, 2011

[Fidelis]

It was mentioned here “…Elijah, the greatest of the prophets…”
I thought John the Baptist was the greatest of the prophets? Ok, Jesus actually said the greatest man born of a women. But since he was the last prophet, I thought the greatest of the prophets should refer to him. Or better still, Elijah, the greatest of the OT prophets

I think your last point is what Don had in mind when he wrote this meditation. The Apostles who witnessed the Transfiguration of Jesus certainly would have thought of it in those terms (it is only in retrospect as Christians that we recognize the full significance of John the Baptist’s role).

I think it is also is important to recognize that, not only were Moses and Elijah there as, respectively, the greatest Lawgiver and OT prophets up to that point, but they represented or personified all that had gone before-- of which Jesus was the perfection and fulfillment.

 

[kelvinf]

Thanks

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Hello Fidelis; thanks for all your commentary and questions.

Why are Moses and Elijah there?

Can the Gospel of the transfiguration hang on the greatest commandments? Moses is said to represent the law and Elijah is said to represent the prophets. Does all the law and the prophets hang on Jesus, the central figure in the transfiguration?

Jesus loves God the Father with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength.
Jesus loves each and every one of us as he loves himself?

God the Father loves God the Son with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.
God the Father loves Each and every one of us as he loves himself.

While Jesus spent his time on Earth, he would have lived by these commandments.

Can the forgiveness of sins hang on the greatest commandments ?
When the people of Jerusalem shouted, crucify him; did Jesus forgive them, in order that he should love them as he loved himself? When the soldiers scourged him, and nailed him to the cross, did he forgive them, so that he should keep the second greatest commandment?

It seems that every time Jesus suffered injustice here on Earth, he forgave, in order that he should continue to love the sinners as he loved himself. Jesus obeyed the greatest commandments whilst on Earth? After the ascension of Jesus into heaven, does Jesus still forgive us, in order that he should keep loving each and every one of us as he loves himself.

What kind of a burden do we place on Jesus with our sins? Can Jesus love us more than he loves himself? To forgive others, has to be one of the hardest things in life.

Blessings

Eric

 

[Fidelis]

Hello Fidelis; thanks for all your commentary and questions.

Can the Gospel of the transfiguration hang on the greatest commandments? Moses is said to represent the law and Elijah is said to represent the prophets. Does all the law and the prophets hang on Jesus, the central figure in the transfiguration?

Jesus loves God the Father with all of his heart, soul, mind and strength.
Jesus loves each and every one of us as he loves himself?

God the Father loves God the Son with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.
God the Father loves Each and every one of us as he loves himself.

While Jesus spent his time on Earth, he would have lived by these commandments.

Can the forgiveness of sins hang on the greatest commandments ?
When the people of Jerusalem shouted, crucify him; did Jesus forgive them, in order that he should love them as he loved himself? When the soldiers scourged him, and nailed him to the cross, did he forgive them, so that he should keep the second greatest commandment?

It seems that every time Jesus suffered injustice here on Earth, he forgave, in order that he should continue to love the sinners as he loved himself. Jesus obeyed the greatest commandments whilst on Earth? After the ascension of Jesus into heaven, does Jesus still forgive us, in order that he should keep loving each and every one of us as he loves himself.

What kind of a burden do we place on Jesus with our sins? Can Jesus love us more than he loves himself? To forgive others, has to be one of the hardest things in life.

Blessings

Eric

Thanks Eric. Good food for meditation.

 

[Eric_Hyom]

Hello Fidelis

Thanks Eric. Good food for meditation.

The following is just a collection of words to challenge the mind to think, if you choose to read further, look for something greater than I have written.

Here is a child like and yet profound way to test the power of the greatest commandments; when looking for a purpose for the creation of the universe and life.

Did God have a complete plan for the creation of everything, did he think ahead? Were Christ’s life, death and resurrection planned before the creation of the universe began?
To search for a deeper meaning, was Christ freely given the choice to accept his sacrifice before the creation of the universe began?
Would it mean that the Father had a purpose for man so great, that creation could not be achieved in any lesser way?
What purpose can be so great, that it would compel God to create the universe and life, knowing in advance that his son would die?
Would it be to forgive the sins of mankind, or can there be something greater?

Challenge your mind to find a greatest good purpose for creation; by searching for answers to three questions.

What greatest thing can God create?

God could create all the stars and planets of the universe; he then becomes God the builder.
God could create a whole variety of life with almost no intelligence like plants; he now becomes God the gardener’
God could create life with more intelligence but if the knowledge is limited he has now created the animal kingdom. He now becomes God the farmer.
God could create life in his own image, a life that could understand him. Can God create anything greater than life in his own image, does he now become God the Father.
Does the greatest thing that God creates, depend on the relationship that he can have with them?

What greatest purpose can God have to create children in his own image?

Could love be the greatest reason for God to create children?
Could the ultimate God be a God who loves in the greatest way?

God the Father willingly loves all of mankind as he loves HIMSELF.

Can there be any greater reason to create children, even for God, can God love us more than he loves himself??

To find a greatest purpose for all God’s children.

What greatest purpose could God set for humanity? Would it be for everyone to turn to His kind of religion and pray the way that he stipulates, or would it be to banish poverty, gain intellectual superiority, conquer sickness and death, and subdue the universe or is there more?

If the greatest reason God could have to create mankind, is to love us, as he loves himself, then God could create mankind, with the freedom to return God’s love

All of mankind to be created with the freedom to love God the creator unconditionally, are we given the greatest commandment as a guide for this very purpose?

God willingly loves everyone as he loves himself; do we also need this same freedom to love everyone in the same way, so that the truth can be complete for God and mankind.

All of mankind, to be created with the freedom to love their neighbour; as they love themselves unconditionally; are we given the second greatest commandment as a guide?

Is this how God wants his children to be one? He wants us to love each other as we love ourselves.

In a way, God loves us more than he loves himself, because he was willing to do what was good for us but not good for him (send his Son to die). In a sort of contradicting way, God loves himself more than us, because he knows that he is the greatest being in the universe and retains the power of heaven or hell over us.

When you ask the question; why did Christ say they are the greatest commandment, can it possibly be because God can do nothing greater?

Could the greatest commandments be a Greatest an Ultimate Truth?

If our greatest purpose for creation is to live by the greatest commandments, then this freedom to love also gives us the choice to do both good and evil.

Are the greatest commandments powerful enough, to compel God to create the universe and life, knowing in advance the costs involved?

We can marvel at the great attention to detail that is evident in everything from the tiniest single cell of life and right up to the giant structures of galaxies. Can you find any greater purpose for all this to exist? Challenge the above statements in your mind in an honest way, test them against any religious beliefs, and test them against any form of logic.

Blessings

Eric

 

[Crumpy]

Our church’s Sunday bulletin opened up the meaning of the transfiguration much more clearly than I have ever thought about it. I’ve read all the pieces of it before and at the end I always said, What happened?

And, it all fits together.

Moses and Elijah appear alongside the radiant Jesus. Peter proposes putting up some tents to keep them all around for a while. But, the cloud and voice appear and say “uh uh” THIS is my beloved Son – Listen to HIM.

I’ve never understood it in this way – forget those guys,here’s the new guy – to make the message blunt. Jesus is the one from who the radiance originates.

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible underscores this point of view. Typical of Henry and other Protestant commentaries, there is a respect and careful consideration of every word of the Bible text.

For example, Henry points out that the voice of God does not say ‘listen to THEM’ instead the voice says “listen to HIM.”

And, also, when the vision was over, Peter, James, and John saw no man, but Jesus only. IOW, “Christ will tarry with us when Moses and Elias are gone.”

Last, Jesus tells them to delay telling anyone about the vision, so that the resurrection would already be a confirmation of the vision (instead of Jesus’ passion being a repudiation of it).

 

[Fidelis]

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Bible underscores this point of view. Typical of Henry and other Protestant commentaries, there is a respect and careful consideration of every word of the Bible text.

For example, Henry points out that the voice of God does not say ‘listen to THEM’ instead the voice says “listen to HIM.”

And, also, when the vision was over, Peter, James, and John saw no man, but Jesus only. IOW, “Christ will tarry with us when Moses and Elias are gone.”

Important points, which the *Haydock Commentary *above also alluded to.

Last, Jesus tells them to delay telling anyone about the vision, so that the resurrection would already be a confirmation of the vision (instead of Jesus’ passion being a repudiation of it).

Not the only reason, but definitely a possibility.

Thanks for sharing!