This is an interesting Bible tidbit about sons and their mothers and what they shouldn't do with them. We will try to keep this cryptic for the children listening to the program. So Dan what does the Bible say about sons who try to become the daddy's of the family.
The whole point of doing such a terrible thing was to gain control of the family, so it was a move to gain power. Whoever has the Mommy IS the Daddy and therefore has the power over the family.
The first time that this happens is probably right after the flood with Noah and his son Ham.
This is Genesis 9:20-24 Then Noah began farming and planted a vineyard.
And he drank of the wine and became drunk, and uncovered himself inside his tent.
And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.
But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were turned away, so that they did not see their father's nakedness.
When Noah awoke from his wine, he knew what his youngest son had done to him.
So he said, "Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers."
So why is Canaan, the son of Ham cursed? Why not Ham himself? possibly because Canaan was the result of what just took place. Now it appears as though it is Noah who is been seen here in Genesis, but look at
Leviticus 18:1-3 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
"Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'I am the LORD your God.
'You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes. 'None of you shall approach any blood relative of his to uncover nakedness; I am the LORD.
'You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, that is, the nakedness of your mother. She is your mother; you are not to uncover her nakedness.
So Moses is saying - Hey - when you get to Canaan, don't do what they do there - In Canaan the sons try to become the daddys - this is wrong.
Reuben, the eldest son of Jacob Israel tries to become the daddy when in
Genesis 35:22 And it came about while Israel was dwelling in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father's concubine; and Israel heard of it.
Something you should know is that Bilhah was Rachel's maid. And Rachel was Israel's favorite wife.
And when it came time for Reuben to get the Blessing of the firstborn, he is refused - Here is what Jacob Israel says:
Genesis 49:3-4 "Reuben, you are my first-born; My might and the beginning of my strength, Preeminent in dignity and preeminent in power. "Uncontrolled as water, you shall not have preeminence, Because you went up to your father's bed; Then you defiled it-- he went up to my couch.
1 Kings 2 we have a scene where Adonijah, who is a son of King David, comes to Bathsheba (the mother of the new king Solomon) and asks her to ask King Solomon for him for the hand of Abishag in marriage.
So this sounds simple enough - Adonijah wants to marry Abishag. But there is more here about Abishag that you must know. Let me back up a bit.
1 Kings 1:1-4 Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm.
So his servants said to him, "Let them seek a young virgin for my lord the king, and let her lie in your bosom, that my lord the king may keep warm."
So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king.
And the girl was very beautiful; and she became the king's nurse and served him, but the king did not cohabit with her.
So Abishag, while she was not a mother, was someone laying down with Adonijah's Dad, King David.
Now Adonijah is asking for her hand in marriage. He asks Bathsheba, who asks King Solomon. Now with this background information in mind - look at King Solomons response
1 Kings 2:21-24 So she said, "Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to Adonijah your brother as a wife."
And King Solomon answered and said to his mother, "And why are you asking Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him also the kingdom-- for he is my older brother-- Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, saying, "May God do so to me and more also, if Adonijah has not spoken this word against his own life.
"Now therefore, as the LORD lives, who has established me and set me on the throne of David my father, and who has made me a house as He promised, surely Adonijah will be put to death today."
So Solomon sees through Adonijah's request and has him put to death for trying to usurp his power.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
The 7 Sacrament and the Cross
Today we are going to talk about the Sacraments and the Cross.
I have just finished listening to an awesome CD set by Brant Pitre on Sacramental Theology and while he is totally speculating, he links the seven last words of Christ on the Cross to the seven Sacraments.
Let's begin with the sacraments of initiation, where does he speak about Baptism?
Dr. Pitre points out that in Baptism we are born again into the family of God. Where God is our Father we participate in the sonship of Christ and Mary becomes our Mother. So when from the cross St. John records
John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Jesus here is giving his mother to the disciple whom he loved. Now while tradition tells us that this was John, a deeper reading of this tells us that this is all of Christ disciples, namely us. And when do we become his disciples except in our Baptism.
What about confirmation?
Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.
So we see it is first on the cross that he gives up his Spirit and it will be this same Spirit that Jesus breathes on the apostles in John 20 when it says Jesus breathed on them and said recieve the Holy Spirit. And on the whole church at pentacost.
Finally the Eucharist?
When Jesus
John 19:28 Afterwards, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop, and brought it up to His mouth.
Jesus at this point is finishing the passover and now Eucharistic meal that he began the night before. Evidence of this is what they put the wine on, a branch of hyssop. I did a word search on my computer it is used 12 times in the Bible beginning with the first passover, but 11 of those 12 times that it uses this word is always in the context of a sacrifice.
So certainly when Jesus says - I thirst - it is some reference to the Eucharist.
I did a word search on "thirst" (Except for Matthew 5:6 - hunger and thirst for righteousness) Jesus uses it in the context of the Sammaritan woman in John 4 in John 6 with the Eucharist and at the cross and think of the cross when you read this:
John 4:13-14 Jesus said to her, "Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
So where are the sacraments of healing, confession and anointing of the sick?
Well confession is very clear Luke 23:38-43 - One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Jesus hears the confession of the "good thief." And what a better absolution than saying that the thief would be with with him in paradise.
How about the anointing of the sick?
Listen to what the Catechism says about the anointing of the sick in reference to the Cross.
CCC Jesus did not heal all the sick. His healings were signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God. They announced a more radical healing: the victory over sin and death through his Passover. On the cross Christ took upon himself the whole weight of evil and took away the "sin of the world,"of which illness is only a consequence. By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion. [440, 307]
This is so clear when Christ says in Mark 15:34 "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He is quoting psalm 22 here which while it does end in triumph, it is certainly a psalm of suffering.
What about the priesthood?
In every culture the role of the priest is to intercede for the people, and we see even on the cross, Jesus is interceding for those crucifying him right then, as well as us with our sins.
Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
It is significant here that they are casting lots for his garments, because in another place it mentions that he was wearing a seamless garment, which is what a priest would wear when he is offering sacrifice. This further points to Jesus's priestly role on the Cross.
Finally Marriage, where do we see marriage at the cross?
I can't get into it right now but, some scholars have called the cross a wedding bed. We see Christ dying ( or a biblical euphemism is falling asleep) and then from his side is brought forth like Adam, his bride the church through the water and the blood.
Listen to these verses:
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
John 19:30 When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished";
The Greek here brings out a better paralell. In John 13 it says that he loved them to the end and then John 19 really says that it is ended. The greek word for end/ or finish is teleos.
In Latin Jesus says - it is consumated. Think what things we consumate - our marrages on our wedding night. It is here when we see Jesus's corps is at deaths door we should think of his marital words - "This is My Body"
Again this was taken from Dr. Brant Pitre's CD set
Sacramental Theology which can be purchaced here:
http://www.catholicproductions.com/store/audio/pitre/index.html
I have just finished listening to an awesome CD set by Brant Pitre on Sacramental Theology and while he is totally speculating, he links the seven last words of Christ on the Cross to the seven Sacraments.
Let's begin with the sacraments of initiation, where does he speak about Baptism?
Dr. Pitre points out that in Baptism we are born again into the family of God. Where God is our Father we participate in the sonship of Christ and Mary becomes our Mother. So when from the cross St. John records
John 19:26-27 When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Jesus here is giving his mother to the disciple whom he loved. Now while tradition tells us that this was John, a deeper reading of this tells us that this is all of Christ disciples, namely us. And when do we become his disciples except in our Baptism.
What about confirmation?
Luke 23:46 Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.
So we see it is first on the cross that he gives up his Spirit and it will be this same Spirit that Jesus breathes on the apostles in John 20 when it says Jesus breathed on them and said recieve the Holy Spirit. And on the whole church at pentacost.
Finally the Eucharist?
When Jesus
John 19:28 Afterwards, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of hyssop, and brought it up to His mouth.
Jesus at this point is finishing the passover and now Eucharistic meal that he began the night before. Evidence of this is what they put the wine on, a branch of hyssop. I did a word search on my computer it is used 12 times in the Bible beginning with the first passover, but 11 of those 12 times that it uses this word is always in the context of a sacrifice.
So certainly when Jesus says - I thirst - it is some reference to the Eucharist.
I did a word search on "thirst" (Except for Matthew 5:6 - hunger and thirst for righteousness) Jesus uses it in the context of the Sammaritan woman in John 4 in John 6 with the Eucharist and at the cross and think of the cross when you read this:
John 4:13-14 Jesus said to her, "Every one who drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
So where are the sacraments of healing, confession and anointing of the sick?
Well confession is very clear Luke 23:38-43 - One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Jesus hears the confession of the "good thief." And what a better absolution than saying that the thief would be with with him in paradise.
How about the anointing of the sick?
Listen to what the Catechism says about the anointing of the sick in reference to the Cross.
CCC Jesus did not heal all the sick. His healings were signs of the coming of the Kingdom of God. They announced a more radical healing: the victory over sin and death through his Passover. On the cross Christ took upon himself the whole weight of evil and took away the "sin of the world,"of which illness is only a consequence. By his passion and death on the cross Christ has given a new meaning to suffering: it can henceforth configure us to him and unite us with his redemptive Passion. [440, 307]
This is so clear when Christ says in Mark 15:34 "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" He is quoting psalm 22 here which while it does end in triumph, it is certainly a psalm of suffering.
What about the priesthood?
In every culture the role of the priest is to intercede for the people, and we see even on the cross, Jesus is interceding for those crucifying him right then, as well as us with our sins.
Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments.
It is significant here that they are casting lots for his garments, because in another place it mentions that he was wearing a seamless garment, which is what a priest would wear when he is offering sacrifice. This further points to Jesus's priestly role on the Cross.
Finally Marriage, where do we see marriage at the cross?
I can't get into it right now but, some scholars have called the cross a wedding bed. We see Christ dying ( or a biblical euphemism is falling asleep) and then from his side is brought forth like Adam, his bride the church through the water and the blood.
Listen to these verses:
John 13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
John 19:30 When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished";
The Greek here brings out a better paralell. In John 13 it says that he loved them to the end and then John 19 really says that it is ended. The greek word for end/ or finish is teleos.
In Latin Jesus says - it is consumated. Think what things we consumate - our marrages on our wedding night. It is here when we see Jesus's corps is at deaths door we should think of his marital words - "This is My Body"
Again this was taken from Dr. Brant Pitre's CD set
Sacramental Theology which can be purchaced here:
http://www.catholicproductions.com/store/audio/pitre/index.html
Thursday, September 8, 2011
7 Sacraments Foreshadowed in the Garden of Eden
Today we are talking about the 7 Sacraments and how they are foreshadowed in the Garden of Eden. Let’s begin with the Sacraments of Initiation.
Baptism is seen in the very beginning
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
We see this imagery again in the very Baptism of our Lord Jesus
Mark 1:9-10 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove;
So we see that the Spirit moving over the waters of creation are also at the new creation of the Baptismal waters.
Confirmation in the Garden of Eden
In Genesis 2:7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
God here gives to Adam the breath of life, which not only gives his body life but his soul life as well. It is when they sin that this spirit of God would be taken from our first parents.
But we see Christ (God in the flesh), who had just conquered death come to the apostles on Easter as recorded in
John 20:21-23 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Finally there is peace Matt, because the forgiveness of sins has been given to men here. This is like a mini Penecost, The Holy Spirit would later fall on the entire church on its birthday.
Where do we see the Eucharist?
Certainly in the Tree of Life. Look what God does in Genesis 3:22 now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever" --
Keep these words in mind - eat and live forever, eat and live forever.
Listen not to Jesus in John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."
Jesus himself is practically quoting Genesis 3:22 here there is no question about it.
Is confession in Eden?
After the fall there is a kind of confession without a real admission of guilt. They play the blame game, so it is sloppy to say the least, but present none the less.
Marriage is most certainly prefigured.
Marriage was the hardest sacrament to find in my study (said with great sarcasm). Yes obviously our first parents were married.
Priesthood
The priesthood was tougher to find in Eden, until you study it in Hebrew. Then it is pretty clear in
Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.
I know what you are thinking, and no you didn't miss it. When God puts man in the garden to till it and keep it. The Hebrew says that he is to Work the garden and guard it.
This doesn't sound like a big deal until you do a Bible study on these two words and then they always show up in the context of worship. Some examples
Numbers 3:7 "And they shall perform the duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.
Numbers 18:7 "But you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and inside the veil, and you are to perform service. I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death."
Our priests do this as well. They are to guard the teachings handed on from the apostles and work the Liturgy. Liturgy literally means the work of the people.
Finally the anointing of the sick.
It must be remembered that this sacrament is the sacrament of those who are suffering. All suffering had its beginnings in the beginning with the fall of our first parents. With sin came suffering. The pains of birth and the thorns of the field. Also that we are headed toward the dust of the earth in death.
But Christ, who compares his Passion to a woman in labor pains in John 16:21 and he wears a crown of thorns, grabs hold of the pains and sufferings of sin and reorders them toward healing and salvation.
So much so that Peter can say in 1 Peter 4:1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
So while not explicitly in the Garden of Eden but foreshadowed.
I got this Bible tidbit from an awesome Bible study by Dr. Brant Pitre on the seven sacraments. Sacramental Theology. This will take you both deep into theology and scripture.
http://www.catholic-productions.com/store/audio/pitre/index.html
Baptism is seen in the very beginning
Genesis 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters.
We see this imagery again in the very Baptism of our Lord Jesus
Mark 1:9-10 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove;
So we see that the Spirit moving over the waters of creation are also at the new creation of the Baptismal waters.
Confirmation in the Garden of Eden
In Genesis 2:7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
God here gives to Adam the breath of life, which not only gives his body life but his soul life as well. It is when they sin that this spirit of God would be taken from our first parents.
But we see Christ (God in the flesh), who had just conquered death come to the apostles on Easter as recorded in
John 20:21-23 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."
Finally there is peace Matt, because the forgiveness of sins has been given to men here. This is like a mini Penecost, The Holy Spirit would later fall on the entire church on its birthday.
Where do we see the Eucharist?
Certainly in the Tree of Life. Look what God does in Genesis 3:22 now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever" --
Keep these words in mind - eat and live forever, eat and live forever.
Listen not to Jesus in John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live for ever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh."
Jesus himself is practically quoting Genesis 3:22 here there is no question about it.
Is confession in Eden?
After the fall there is a kind of confession without a real admission of guilt. They play the blame game, so it is sloppy to say the least, but present none the less.
Marriage is most certainly prefigured.
Marriage was the hardest sacrament to find in my study (said with great sarcasm). Yes obviously our first parents were married.
Priesthood
The priesthood was tougher to find in Eden, until you study it in Hebrew. Then it is pretty clear in
Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.
I know what you are thinking, and no you didn't miss it. When God puts man in the garden to till it and keep it. The Hebrew says that he is to Work the garden and guard it.
This doesn't sound like a big deal until you do a Bible study on these two words and then they always show up in the context of worship. Some examples
Numbers 3:7 "And they shall perform the duties for him and for the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, to do the service of the tabernacle.
Numbers 18:7 "But you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and inside the veil, and you are to perform service. I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death."
Our priests do this as well. They are to guard the teachings handed on from the apostles and work the Liturgy. Liturgy literally means the work of the people.
Finally the anointing of the sick.
It must be remembered that this sacrament is the sacrament of those who are suffering. All suffering had its beginnings in the beginning with the fall of our first parents. With sin came suffering. The pains of birth and the thorns of the field. Also that we are headed toward the dust of the earth in death.
But Christ, who compares his Passion to a woman in labor pains in John 16:21 and he wears a crown of thorns, grabs hold of the pains and sufferings of sin and reorders them toward healing and salvation.
So much so that Peter can say in 1 Peter 4:1 Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same thought, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin.
So while not explicitly in the Garden of Eden but foreshadowed.
I got this Bible tidbit from an awesome Bible study by Dr. Brant Pitre on the seven sacraments. Sacramental Theology. This will take you both deep into theology and scripture.
http://www.catholic-productions.com/store/audio/pitre/index.html
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