February 28, 2009 7:31 AM
Sam wrote:
I'm curious why Matthew, the writer of this book, and one of Jesus' closest friends, didn't tell the Paul Harvey message, 'the REST of the story'. Here we have THE most important event in history and Matthew records it in only 415 words. Entire VOLUMES of books have been written about the Fall of the Roman Empire, our Civil and Revelutionary wars, and even Kennedy's death. I realize that the tools of today make it easier to write (and maintain) information, but Matthew leaves off at a pretty crucial time. The governor is obviously going to be getting a report that the disciples came and took Jesus' body, as Matthew has written...he even says, at the time he wrote this, that this is a widely circulated description of the event of Jesus' body 'disappearing'. THEN, for forty days Jesus walked with Matthew and others and reiterated his discussion about salvation and Heaven. Yet Matthew, again, one of Jesus' close companions, doesn't even talk about it. I would have thought if someone had taken the time to write about what Jesus did 'while he was alive' as a man, that he would have SURELY wrote about a resurrected Jesus 'apparently in the flesh' for forty more days.
Maybe he left that task to Luke, a little by Mark, and John.
Anyway...what a great story as Matthew DOES tell his part! Something we should be celebrating always.
And did you know, that 'that story' of the Disciples taking Jesus' body is STILL believed by many today?
February 28, 2009 4:16 PM
Johnbob wrote:
Mac - don't think I can make tonight - was trying to work it out, but the week has been trying in a number of ways - haven't spent hardly any time with Beda. Looking forward to the 14th though.
February 28, 2009 10:01 AM
Rich wrote:
Mac - still not sure if I can make it tonight. It will be a last minute decision. I will call if yes. I think I have your number somewhere.
I guess because of television I think of angels as being kind looking, gentle, soft. Isn't there a saying that goes "gentle as an angel?" And don't we say of little children while they sleep, "he/she looks like a little angel."
I also always think of angels in terms of gender - they are all males, but effeminate in looks. Are any angels in the bible female or do any have female names?
So verse 4 interests me: "The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men." The angel tells the women not to be afraid. Angels are a bit different from what I think. They must be totally and completely AWESOME!
The word "awe" is very interesting. Today when we say something is awesome, we usually mean it is very impressive. 'What an awesome car' or 'you have an awesome house' or 'the sunset was awesome.' Awesome just means "inspiring awe." Awe is defined as "an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc." The older definition of awe is simply: "fear or dread."
I think angels caused awe to those who saw them - overwhelming fear and dread. Some were so afraid that they shook and/or completely froze - became like dead men. I find myself wishing I could see an angel. Angels reflect God. They are of course heavenly beings. Look at how the angel in Matt 28 is described: "His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow." An appearance like LIGHTNING! Have you ever just sat and watched a lightning storm? When I lived in Iowa, we used to watch storms roll across the fields. You could see lightning strikes from many miles away (across the flat plains). It was truly awesome! Scary and incredibly powerful.
Just thinking about angels inspires me. Angels are just a glimpse of God. If appearing as lightning and clothes as bright as snow (ever been out just after fresh snow when the sun is shining - so bright it hurts!) is just a glimpse of God, just imagine what God must really be like. I don't know of any words that could possibly apply. Maybe "awesome raised to the awesome power." Reply to this
February 28, 2009 10:14 AM
Sam wrote:
The only reference to female angels is in Zechariah 5:9. I've been studying angels, and we had a bible talk meeting about them on Thursday. Angels have different purposes, can appear as different people and things, and are God's (and Satan's) servants. Real? Absolutely. Reply to this
So ends a long month....discover anything new?
What book(s) next month? We can discuss Sat evening.
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I'm curious why Matthew, the writer of this book, and one of Jesus' closest friends, didn't tell the Paul Harvey message, 'the REST of the story'. Here we have THE most important event in history and Matthew records it in only 415 words. Entire VOLUMES of books have been written about the Fall of the Roman Empire, our Civil and Revelutionary wars, and even Kennedy's death. I realize that the tools of today make it easier to write (and maintain) information, but Matthew leaves off at a pretty crucial time. The governor is obviously going to be getting a report that the disciples came and took Jesus' body, as Matthew has written...he even says, at the time he wrote this, that this is a widely circulated description of the event of Jesus' body 'disappearing'.
THEN, for forty days Jesus walked with Matthew and others and reiterated his discussion about salvation and Heaven. Yet Matthew, again, one of Jesus' close companions, doesn't even talk about it. I would have thought if someone had taken the time to write about what Jesus did 'while he was alive' as a man, that he would have SURELY wrote about a resurrected Jesus 'apparently in the flesh' for forty more days.
Maybe he left that task to Luke, a little by Mark, and John.
Anyway...what a great story as Matthew DOES tell his part! Something we should be celebrating always.
And did you know, that 'that story' of the Disciples taking Jesus' body is STILL believed by many today?
Those who have ears, let them hear.
Reply to this
Mac - don't think I can make tonight - was trying to work it out, but the week has been trying in a number of ways - haven't spent hardly any time with Beda. Looking forward to the 14th though.
JR
Reply to this
Mac - still not sure if I can make it tonight. It will be a last minute decision. I will call if yes. I think I have your number somewhere.
I guess because of television I think of angels as being kind looking, gentle, soft. Isn't there a saying that goes "gentle as an angel?" And don't we say of little children while they sleep, "he/she looks like a little angel."
I also always think of angels in terms of gender - they are all males, but effeminate in looks. Are any angels in the bible female or do any have female names?
So verse 4 interests me: "The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men." The angel tells the women not to be afraid. Angels are a bit different from what I think. They must be totally and completely AWESOME!
The word "awe" is very interesting. Today when we say something is awesome, we usually mean it is very impressive. 'What an awesome car' or 'you have an awesome house' or 'the sunset was awesome.' Awesome just means "inspiring awe." Awe is defined as "an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc." The older definition of awe is simply: "fear or dread."
I think angels caused awe to those who saw them - overwhelming fear and dread. Some were so afraid that they shook and/or completely froze - became like dead men. I find myself wishing I could see an angel. Angels reflect God. They are of course heavenly beings. Look at how the angel in Matt 28 is described: "His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow." An appearance like LIGHTNING! Have you ever just sat and watched a lightning storm? When I lived in Iowa, we used to watch storms roll across the fields. You could see lightning strikes from many miles away (across the flat plains). It was truly awesome! Scary and incredibly powerful.
Just thinking about angels inspires me. Angels are just a glimpse of God. If appearing as lightning and clothes as bright as snow (ever been out just after fresh snow when the sun is shining - so bright it hurts!) is just a glimpse of God, just imagine what God must really be like. I don't know of any words that could possibly apply. Maybe "awesome raised to the awesome power."
Reply to this
The only reference to female angels is in Zechariah 5:9. I've been studying angels, and we had a bible talk meeting about them on Thursday. Angels have different purposes, can appear as different people and things, and are God's (and Satan's) servants. Real? Absolutely.
Reply to this
spend our entire lives learning to abey everything.
Reply to this