The Angel Spoke to the Women

 

NLT Matthew 28:5-6

  Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash 

Why is this ponderable?

We know that the two "women" referred to in this passage are Mary Magdalene and Mary, the sister of Lazarus. We know it was early Sunday morning. We know that they came with ointments, salts and other materials used to dress bodies for final interment. Normally, this would have been done on the day of death, but handling the body of Jesus would have made them unclean and not permitted to participate in the feast of the Passover, which began on Friday at sundown. We also know that the stone used to seal the tomb had already been rolled in place, but the women hoped the guards would roll it back for them, so they could complete their mission. However, before they got to the tomb,"there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. ³ His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. ⁴ The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint" 

 

No doubt, both women were filled with fear too. Under normal circumstances, they might have fled and not looked back. But this was Jesus and they would not let their fear keep them away. So we are left to ponder this angel whose face shone like lightning and whose clothing was white as snow. 

 

Most Believers will take this event as just another mystical event associated with Jesus. After all, his birth was foretold by an angel and angels were mentioned often in the Old Testament. 

However, Non-Believers would be skeptical. Some would say the whole Easter story was fabricated by followers of Jesus as a way to address the resentment that overtook them when their great expectations were so bluntly dashed. The scientifically inclined might  subscribe to the Star Trek theory. Perhaps Jesus was a visitor from an advanced civilization and the angel was a crew member. They would say that the "great earthquake" was the roar of the space vehicle that moved the stone away and beamed up the body of Jesus to be refurbished. 

 

Nonetheless, whether we look at this event as believers or non-believers, it is still deeply ponderable.

 

 

Mercy and Justice

 

NIV Exodus 34:6-7

⁶ And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, ⁷ maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

 Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Why is this ponderable?

This passage presents God as both an “all-just” and “all-merciful” judge. When we assess this in human terms, it is hard to reconcile. We are quick to criticize judges who are too lenient, letting hardened criminals off with a lecture and wrist slap. But, we also criticize the so-called "hanging judges" who meet out severe sentences for minor infractions. By our human assessment, the ideal judge does one or the other according to the severity of the crime committed. A murderer deserves time in prison if there are mitigating circumstances, or the death penalty if the murder was pre-meditated and cold-blooded. We expect no less from God. 

Our thought process runs something like this: an all-just judge will always “treat every offender with exactly the severity” deserved, while an all-merciful judge “treats every offender with less severity” than deserved. And as both cannot be true, the god described in Exodus 34 cannot be the God we worship. Yet the Bible we hold to be without error presents this contradiction as fact.  How can God, like a corrupt judge that ignores the law and leaves the guilty unpunished, remain righteous if He ignores the demands of His justice to have mercy on sinners? 

So how can this be? Granted, God is free to do as He wills, when He wills, to whom He wills, and no finite and fallen creature can tell Him otherwise. “‘Will the faultfinder contend with the Almighty? Let him who reproves God answer it.’ Then Job answered the LORD and said, ‘Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to Thee?’” (Job 40:2-4). Nonetheless, God cannot violate His flawless character, including His perfect justice. Should He pervert justice in a single case, He would cease to be perfect and thus cease to be God. Moreover, if He applied His strict justice without exception, He could be merciful to none. After all, Adam and Eve were cast from paradise for one sin. Thus, the argument that an all-just and all-merciful God cannot exist would seem to have merit. It would also appear that Scripture has created an unsolvable dilemma, calling into question its own coherence and trustworthiness, and the existence of the God it proclaims.  

Unlike our human concept of justice or mercy,  God's judgement has both embedded together. God has given us the freedom to make our own decisions. He has also given us bountiful advice on how to manage that free will. So when we reject that advice and go our own way, why do we blame God for the judgement we bring upon ourselves? Our free will is God's mercy. We are never forced to make bad choices nor should we expect rewards for making good choices. God's ways are not our ways. God gives us justice and mercy in the same package. Yet, even when we, like spoiled children, continue  to make bad choices, God mercy is infinite. So if death leaves us in an eternal prison of our own making, that will have been our choice--not God's.

Swords and Plowshares

NLT  Isaiah 2:4

 “God shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore."

 

Photo by Brad Weaver on Unsplash

 

 Why is this passage ponderable?

There are more than 30 verses about the power of Swords and only 2 about the benefit of  Plowshares in the Bible.
 

During the Syro-Ephraimitic war (734–732 bce), Isaiah began to challenge the policies of King Ahaz of Judah. Syria and Israel had joined forces against Judah. Isaiah's advice to the young King of Judah was to place his trust in Yahweh. Yet judging from the biblical account of the world since that time, it does not appear that King Ahaz nor those kings who came along later, followed the advice of Isaiah.

 Section 2  in the book of Isaiah juxtapositions two basic themes: "the vanity of human self-confidence" and "the folly of worshipping false gods".  To attain true peace all nations must abstain from destructive activities, such as war and violence (symbolized by swords), and they must  favor peaceful, constructive activities (symbolized by plowshare, a farming implement). So, we must beat swords into plowshares if we want our children to inherit a peaceful world. Those who choose to live by the sword are destined to die by the sword. Jesus knew that even his apostoles would have difficulty trusting in God alone until they became infused with the Spirit, so in Luke 22:36-38 he says to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one." 

This tendency by the apostles to favor the sword over God's protection is highlighted in all four Gospels.  Malchus,  the servant of the Jewish High Priest Caiaphas participated in the arrest of Jesus.  Simon Peter, being armed with a sword, cut off his ear in an attempt to prevent the arrest. This became a key teaching moment for Jesus who admonished Peter (Matthew 26:52, "Put away your sword, Those who use the sword will die by the sword."

In his letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 4:12) Paul underscores the words of Jesus, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  He also writes this to the Ephesians ( Ephesians 6:17),  "Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

So we must ponder how in this 21st Century AD, we are still unable to reconcile the advice of Jesus and Paul with the 37 references to using the sword and only a few herolding the success of trusting in God.

Exodus 17:13    So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Joshua 11:10-12    Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured Hazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. They struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire. Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. 

Joshua 19:47    The territory of the sons of Dan proceeded beyond them; for the sons of Dan went up and fought with Leshem and captured it. Then they struck it with the edge of the sword and possessed it and settled in it; and they called Leshem Dan after the name of Dan their father. 

Judges 20:17    Then the men of Israel besides Benjamin were numbered, 400,000 men who draw the sword; all these were men of war.
2 Samuel 24:9    And Joab gave the number of the registration of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
2 Samuel 23:10    He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.
1 Samuel 21:8-9   David said to Ahimelech, “Now is there not a spear or a sword on hand? For I brought neither my sword nor my weapons with me, because the king’s matter was urgent.” Then the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, behold, it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you would take it for yourself, take it. For there is no other except it here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.”
2 Samuel 23:12    But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the Lord brought about a great victory.
2 Samuel 1:14-16    Then David said to him, “How is it you were not afraid to stretch out your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” And David called one of the young men and said, “Go, cut him down.” So he struck him and he died. David said to him, “Your blood is on your head, for your mouth has testified against you, saying, ‘I have killed the Lord’s anointed.’”
1 Samuel 15:33    But Samuel said, “As your sword has made women childless, so shall your mother be childless among women.” And Samuel hewed Agag to pieces before the Lord at Gilgal.
1 Samuel 17:51    Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
1 Samuel 22:18-19    Then the king said to Doeg, “You turn around and attack the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite turned around and attacked the priests, and he killed that day eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod. And he struck Nob the city of the priests with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and infants; also oxen, donkeys, and sheep he struck with the edge of the sword.
1 Kings 19:1    Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 Kings 19:37    It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.
Joshua 6:21    They utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.
1 Kings 2:34    Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada went up and fell upon him and put him to death, and he was buried at his own house in the wilderness.
1 Samuel 31:4-6    Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and pierce me through and make sport of me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. So Saul took his sword and fell on it. When his armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died with him. Thus Saul died with his three sons, his armor bearer, and all his men on that day together.
1 Chronicles 10:4    Then Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, otherwise these uncircumcised will come and abuse me.” But his armor bearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword and fell on it.
Acts 16:27    When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.
Genesis 3:24    So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
Numbers 22:21-23    So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab. But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way.
Deuteronomy 33:29    “Blessed are you, O Israel;
Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord,
Who is the shield of your help
And the sword of your majesty!
So your enemies will cringe before you,
And you will tread upon their high places.”
Leviticus 26:6-8    I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword.
Ezekiel 32:11-12    For thus says the Lord God, “The sword of the king of Babylon will come upon you. By the swords of the mighty ones I will cause your hordes to fall; all of them are tyrants of the nations,
And they will devastate the pride of Egypt,
And all its hordes will be destroyed.
Psalm 45:3    Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One,
In Your splendor and Your majesty!
Micah 5:6    They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
The land of Nimrod at its entrances;
And He will deliver us from the Assyrian
When he attacks our land
And when he tramples our territory.
Exodus 5:3    Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”
Matthew 10:34    “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
2 Chronicles 20:9    ‘Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.’
Psalm 7:12    If a man does not repent, He will sharpen His sword;
He has bent His bow and made it ready.
Isaiah 31:8    And the Assyrian will fall by a sword not of man,
And a sword not of man will devour him.
So he will not escape the sword,
And his young men will become forced laborers.
Jeremiah 50:35-37    “A sword against the Chaldeans,” declares the Lord,
“And against the inhabitants of Babylon
And against her officials and her wise men!
“A sword against the oracle priests, and they will become fools!
A sword against her mighty men, and they will be shattered!
“A sword against their horses and against their chariots
And against all the foreigners who are in the midst of her,
And they will become women!
A sword against her treasures, and they will be plundered!
Ezekiel 11:8-10   You have feared a sword; so I will bring a sword upon you,” the Lord God declares. “And I will bring you out of the midst of the city and deliver you into the hands of strangers and execute judgments against you. You will fall by the sword. I will judge you to the border of Israel; so you shall know that I am the Lord.
Ezekiel 21:3    and say to the land of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am against you; and I will draw My sword out of its sheath and cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.
Ezekiel 33:2    “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman,
Revelation 2:12    “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

 

 

Five Barley Loaves

 

NLT John 6:9

“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

 

Five Loaves And Two Fish – Jimmy Akin

 

 Why is this passage ponderable?

In Bible times, barley was much more widely cultivated than now and was the main food of the poor. It was always valued less than wheat 

The five loaves did not resemble large loaves of bread such as one might purchase at a bakery today. Rather the unleavened wafers of barley bread resembled small, flat pitas, each one, perhaps sufficient as one or two servings. The course barley bread, less expensive than wheat flour, made a staple for the poor. The two fish were probably dried sardines, such as the fisheries from Magdala produced. 

Loaves made of barley feature in the story of the feeding of the 5000 in John's Gospel in the New Testament (John 6:9). It is often mentioned in Islamic sources as a commoner's food in comparison with wheat bread, perceived as a sort of luxury item.

Barley bread is low in carbohydrates and provides vitamins and minerals, fiber, selenium and many other nutrients that are not found in breads made with refined bread flour — and nutritionists say the dietary benefits of barley are significant and more beneficial than other grains.

Barley is a plant. The grain of barley is used to make medicine. Barley is used for lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and for promoting weight loss. It is also used for digestive complaints including diarrhea, stomach pain, and inflammatory bowel conditions.

Barley grass powder is rich in several sleep-promoting compounds, including GABA, calcium, tryptophan, zinc, potassium, and magnesium. According to a 2018 review, barley grass powder may promote sleep and help prevent a range of other mental disorders. 

Barley is a nutritious whole grain that's high in fiber. High fiber diets rich in whole grains have been shown to have a protective effect on lung function and may reduce the risk of mortality from lung-related diseases

This is ponderable because John's Gospels are laden with hidden meanings that, like the parables of Jesus, are crafted to convey eternal Truths to those who trust God but remain hidden from those who would blemish the truth for personal gain. Dr. Daniel G. Amen, who has done extensive research on "brain health" lists barley as the one grain with nutrients that are most beneficial to brain health. Yet, just as it was in the time of Jesus, barley is considered a less desirable flour more suited for the poor and for animal feed than the wheat and rye flour popular today. 

Standing on Holy Ground

NLT Exodus 3:1-6

  “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. ⁶ I am the God of your father^[c]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

biblestudytools.com

Why is this ponderable?

It happened circa 1514 BCE--not millions of years ago. The burning bush got Moses’ attention so that a Higher Power could speak with him privately up on mount Sinai [Coordinates: 28°32′23″N 33°58′24″E]. This location is, in itself, ponderable. Mount Sinai or Mount Moses is located on the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. It is the traditional site where Moses received the Covenant from God. At 2285 meters in height, it takes about 3 hours to climb the 7,498-foot peak following the Path of Moses, a stairway of nearly 4,000 steps. There, Moses received instructions about returning to Egypt to meet with Pharaoh to release the enslaved people. The burning bush effect was just that, a special effect performed by an angel of God. The bush was not actually burning. It was only meant to look like it was so that Moses would know it was a very unusual event that he must check out. It was not unusual for lightning to set a thorn-bush ablaze and jeopardize his sheep. But in this case it was unusual as the bush was not being consumed by the rapid oxidation. Also, an angel was calling Moses name from the bush’s center.. 

So we should ponder what it was about this particular site that made it "holy ground" and why was Moses instructed to remove his sandals here. Keep in mind that Moses heard the voice of God without seeing who or what was speaking to him.

The Bible says Moses made two sojourns here to receive God's instructions, spending 40 days on the mountain each time, Moses met with God again sometime after the burning bush incident, but before he went to free the children of Israel from Egypt. This time, Moses  asks God "Show me your glory." God responds that He cannot be seen by any human being. But, advises Moses, "Stand in the cleft of the rock" and "you will see My back, but my face must not be seen." This proclamation is also ponderable, but that will be covered in another discussion. For now, we are pondering the holy ground where all of this takes place.

At the start of the exodus, Moses brought the people out of the camp to witness God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. It was wrapped in smoke because the Lord had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. To the readers in ancient times, this scene must have had a magical nuance. To us in the 21st Century it sounds very familiar, It sounds like a rocket landing or taking off. But that would still be speculation and does not answer why this was deemed "holy ground" nor why bare feet were necessary for this encounter. Although our pondering has provided a few clues to the mystery, it is still unresolved.

 

The mystery goes beyond this burning bush incident. Moses was not the only human being to see God. According to ancient Jewish tradition, the first one occurs in 2 Enoch 22 which portrays Enoch's encounter with the Lord in the celestial realm. Enoch recounts: "I saw the view of the face of the Lord, like iron made burning hot in a fire and brought out, and it emits sparks and is incandescent. Thus even I saw the face of the Lord." But there were also earlier incidents in which God was heard but not seen. God spoke with Adam and Eve in Eden (Gen 3:9–19); with Cain (Gen 4:9–15); with Noah (Gen 6:13, Gen 7:1, Gen 8:15) and his sons (Gen 9:1-8); and with Abraham and his wife Sarah (Gen 18). He also appears twice to Hagar, the slave-girl who has Abraham's first child, Ishmael (Gen 16).

There’s no way to know exactly when Moses encountered the burning bush, it was however just before Moses and his brother Aaron approached Pharaoh to release Moses’ people. We know that it was not any of the Ramses, as some speculate, as they were not in power during the 1500s BCE (which was the Eighteenth Dynasty for Egypt). The 3 Pharaohs it could have been were Nebpehtire Ahmose I, Djeserkare Amenhotep I, Aakheperkare Thutmose I, or some combination of all 3 of them.

The Truth Will Set You Free

NLT John 8:31-32 

 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.  And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Photo by Bruno van der Kraan on Unsplash

 Why is this passage ponderable?

This is one of those passages that is easy to pass over without much thought. John is quoting Jesus who is the icon of truth. So if Jesus said it; it must be true. What's to ponder?

The ponderable issue here is that Jesus goes beyond assuring us that only Truth flows from his lips. Any Believer accepts that without question. But Jesus takes it a bit further by assuring us that knowing the Truth will set us free.  Even Believers might give pause at that assertion. It raises many questions that John does not ask nor does Jesus answer in this passage. 

From what will this Truth set us free? Free from eternal damnation? Free from those who oppress us? Free from financial worries? Free from guilt? Free from health problems? Free from depression? Free from our enemies? 

We might also ponder a more optimistic view of this promise. Perhaps Jesus means it will set us free to be ourselves? Free to ponder such questions without fear of being shunned or excommunicated? Free to give over our will and our lives to God as we understand God.

It has been said that "the language of God is silence." However, that doesn't mean that God does not communicate with us. It means that God can bypass our ears and go directly to our mind and heart. Sometimes, this happens in dreams,  sometimes through meditation, and often through basic mindfulness.  

Ever experience trying to solve a problem with little success, only to notice a roadside sign that provides a gateway to the solution? That is how God frequently communicates in silence. But we don't hear or feel the communication because we are not paying attention.

The Wooden Asherah Pole

NIV  Deuteronomy 16:21 

Do not set up any wooden Asherah pole next to the altar you will build for the LORD your God.

Drawings on Pithos A from Kuntillet ‘Ajrud, late ninth–early eighth century BCE

Why is this ponderable?

Whether we know him as Yahweh, Allah or God, the people of the great Abrahamic religions, are agreed: There is only one of Him. So, how do we account for the wooden Asherah pole or tree traditionally placed next to alters dedicated to Yahweh by the Jews that settled in the ancient Canaanite city of Ugarit. Ancient texts, amulets and figurines unearthed primarily in the ancient city indicate that Asherah was worshiped as a powerful fertility goddess right along with Yahweh.  

Asherah's connection to Yahweh, is spelled out in both the Bible and an 8th-century B.C. inscription on pottery found in the Sinai desert at a site called Kuntillet Ajrud.

The inscription is a petition for a blessing. Crucially, the inscription asks for a blessing from 'Yahweh and his Asherah.' In those times, Yahweh and Asherah were viewed as a divine pair. 

Why do most passages in the Hebrew Bible seem to refer to an object rather than a deity?

In the ancient Near East it was common for deities to be represented by objects (i.e., a cult symbol). These objects were a physical manifestation of the deity and enabled the people to worship the deity in effigy. Asherah’s cult symbol was a living tree or a consecrated wooden pole.

The vast majority of references to Asherah in the Hebrew Bible are found in the Deuteronomistic History (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings), and one of the most important themes in these books is the rejection of other gods. One way the author(s) of the Deuteronomistic History could demean Asherah is by referring to her cult symbol rather than her name, thereby transforming her from a goddess to an object that could be discarded.

In the Deuteronomistic History, kings were often evaluated by how they responded to Asherah worship, which was apparently widespread among the Israelites. Evil kings, such as Jeroboam and Rehoboam, fostered Asherah worship (1Kgs 14:15, 1Kgs 14:23), and Ahab and Jezebel officially endorsed and promoted her cult (1Kgs 18:19). Yet, good kings, such as Asa, Josiah, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah (also Gideon the judge) attempted to eradicate Asherah worship (e.g., Judg 6:25-30, 1Kgs 15:13, 2Kgs 21:7). Despite these efforts, Israelites remained devoted to Asherah (Isa 27:9, Jer 17:1, Mic 5:14), which indicates that the beliefs expressed in the Deuteronomistic History are not the ones that governed popular practice.