WELCOME TO SACRED SCRIPTURE/HOLY BIBLE READER'S COMMUNITY. GOD BLESS!

GOD'S WILLING. THERE ARE WAYS AND PREFERENCES TO COMPREHEND ALL MATTERS.

FIRSTLY, IN A LITERALLY MANNER: THAT IS, USED FOR EMPHASIS OR TO EXPRESS STRONG FEELING WHILE NOT BEING LITERALLY TRUE.

SECONDLY, IN A HUMANLY MANNER: THAT IS, FROM A HUMAN POINT OF VIEW, IN A HUMANLY MANNER, BY HUMAN MEANS; WITHIN ABILITY; WITH HUMAN FEELING OR KINDNESS.

THIRDLY, IN A SPIRITUALLY MANNER: THAT IS, IN A WAY THAT RELATES TO OR AFFECTS THE HUMAN SPIRIT OR, SOUL AS OPPOSED TO MATERIAL OR PHYSICAL THINGS.

FINALLY, IN AN UNSPIRITUAL MANNER: THAT IS, NOT SPIRITUAL. BUT SECULAR AND WORLDLY.

Now it was the turn of Zechariah's section [ Each section was responsible for a week's service, cf.1 Chr. 24:19; 2 Chr. 23:8.] to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God when it fell to him by lot, as the ritual custom was, to enter the Lord's sanctuary and burn incense there. [ It was the priest's duty to keep the brazier burning that stood on the altar on incense in front of the Holy of Holies: he would also supply it with fresh incense once before the morning sacrifice, again after the evening sacrifice; cf. Ex. 30:6-8 ] And at the hour of incense the whole congregation was outside, praying. - Luke 1:8-10 -

Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. [ Luke is fond of mentioning religious dread and terror: 1:29-30,65; 2:9-10; 4:36; 5:8-10,26; 7:16; 8:25, 33-37,56; 9:34,43; 24:37; Acts 2:43; 3:10; 5:5,11; 10:4; 19:17 ] But the angel said to him, 'Zechariah, do not be afraid, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you must name him John. [ The name means 'Yahweh-is-gracious.] - Luke 1:11-13 -

He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice [ Joy is the keynote of ch.1-2; 1:28,46,58; 2:10. Cf. 10:17,20f; 13:17; 15:7,32; 19:6,37; 24:41,52; Acts 2:46+.] at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink. [ Several O.T. texts lie behind this remark, especially the law of the nazirite, cf. Num. 6:1+.] Even from his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, [ Mal. 3:23 gave rise to the expectation that Elijah would return before the messianic era and pave the way for it. In Matt. 17:10-13 John the Baptist is identified with 'the Elijah who has to come.'] he will go before him to turn the hearts of fathers towards their children and the disobedient back to the wisdom that the virtuous have, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.' - Luke 1:14-17 -

Zechariah said to the angel, 'How can I be sure of this? [ Zechariah ask for a 'sign' cf. Gen. 15:8; Judg. 6:17; Is. 7:11; 38:7; nevertheless his doubt continues.] I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.' The angel replied, 'I am Gabriel who stand in God's presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Listen! Since you have not believed my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.' - Luke 1:18-20 -

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long. When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them, and remained dumb. - Luke 1:21-22 -

When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept to herself. 'The Lord has done this for me' she said 'now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered among men.' [ Lit. 'to take away my shame.' Barrenness was considered a humiliation, Gen. 30:23; 1 Sam. 1:5-8, and even a punishment, 2 Sam. 6:23; Hos. 9:11.] - Luke 1:23-25 -

The Annunciation [ Luke makes the birth and infancy narratives of John parallel to those of Jesus, and gives these latter from Mary's point of view; Matthew tells them from Joseph's.]

In the sixth month [ That is, of John's conception.] the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, so highly favoured! [ The translation 'Rejoice' may be preferred to 'Hail' and regarded as containing a messianic reference. cf. Zec. 9:9. 'so highly favoured.' that is, as to become the mother of the Messiah. Add. 'Of all women you are the most blessed' cf. 1:42 .] The Lord is with you.' - Luke 1:26-28 -

She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his rein will have no end.' [The angel's words recall several O.T. passages referring to the Messiah.] - Luke 1:29-33 -

Mary said to the angel, 'But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?' [ Lit. 'since I do not know man'; this phrase means that Mary is in fact a virgin and perhaps expresses also she intention to remain so.] 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you' the angel answered 'and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. [In the O.T. this expression is used of the bright cloud which is the sign of God's presence. cf. Ex. 13:22+; 19:16+; 24:16+. Cf. Luke 9:34p. The conception of Jesus is effected only by God and his Spirit. ] And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.

Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.' 'I am the handmaid of the Lord' said Mary 'let what you have said be done to me.' And the angel left her. - Luke 1:34-38 -

The Visitation

Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. [ Commonly identified with Ain Karim. about 5m. W. of Jerusalem.] She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? [ 'my Lord' that is, the Messiah.] For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.' [ 'the Lord' that is, God. Or 'And blessed are you who have believed, because what has been promised to you by the Lord will be fulfilled.'] - Luke 1:39-45 -

The Magnificat

And Mary [ Not 'Elizabeth'. a var. with only slight MS support. Mary's canticle is reminiscent of Hannah's 1 Sam. 2:1-10 and of many other O.T. passages. Apart from the main textual similarities noted in the margin there are two characteristic O.T. ideas: -1- God comes to the help not of the rich and powerful but of the poor and the simple, Zep. 2:3+, cf. Matt. 5:3+.- 2- Ever since Abraham received the promises, Gen. 15:1+; 17:1+, Israel has been God's favoured one., cf. Deut. 7:6+, etc.] said:

'My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
and my spirit exults in God my saviour;
because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.
Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,
for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,
and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.
He has shown the power of his arm,
he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.
He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy
- according to the promise he made to our ancestors -
of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.'

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home. [ It is probable that Mary stayed with Elizabeth until John's birth and circumcision but Luke's habit is to round off one episode before passing to the next, cf. 1:64, 67; 3:19-20; 8:37-38.]

The birth of John of Baptist and the visit of the neighbours

Meanwhile the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness, they shared her joy. - Luke 1:46-58 -

The circumcision of John the Baptist
                                                                 
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Faith . Hope . Love - Welcome donation. Thank You. God bless. 

By bank transfer/cheque deposit:
Name: Alex Chan Kok Wah
Bank: Public Bank Berhad account no: 4076577113
Country: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

I have through years of reading, pondering, reflecting and contemplating, the 3 things that last; FAITH . HOPE . LOVE and I would like to made available my sharing from the many thinkers, authors, scholars and theologians whose ideas and thoughts I have borrowed. God be with them always. Amen!

I STILL HAVE MANY THINGS TO SAY TO YOU BUT THEY WOULD BE TOO MUCH FOR YOU NOW. BUT WHEN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH COMES, HE WILL LEAD YOU TO THE COMPLETE TRUTH, SINCE HE WILL NOT BE SPEAKING AS FROM HIMSELF, BUT WILL SAY ONLY WHAT HE HAS LEARNT; AND HE WILL TELL YOU OF THE THINGS TO COME.

HE WILL GLORIFY ME, SINCE ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. EVERYTHING THE FATHER HAS IS MINE; THAT IS WHY I SAID: ALL HE TELLS YOU WILL BE TAKEN FROM WHAT IS MINE. - JOHN 16:12-15 -