Week 2 Bib 438 Bak 19

Remember to get caught up on homework,, especially the RED question on forum 2.2''



If you didn't do the extra credit on chiasm, watch the video, as you will need the info,

CHIASMS

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 Who found the chiasm on p74 of Grimsrud book ?

   

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Remember the letter assignment due tonight is the easiest to grade: I just have to see the first word.

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Song to post on for Forum 2.5.  Remember we talked about it being a  LAMENT,

Watch this video of a song called "Maranatha" (means "Oh, Lord, come!").

Note: the video title makes it look like the singer is Peter Rollins,  It's not, he is Padtaig O'Tauma.

Don't research the singer or song, and don't read anyone else's post ,until you have posted.

Pay attention to comments before the song.

Post a few paragraphs where you :

do your best to interpret the song using Three Worlds Skills

and 

review the song

Important: mention anything controversial or surprising, and what you thought about it

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We did the HISTORICAL WORD worksheet on Philemon (see syllabus page IN CLASS IN PAIRS> Will do the next two worksheets next two weeks.

We watched this, see notes below,  You'll need it for forum 2.5

PHILEMON: there could be a helpful chiasm in Philemon..verse 5 in our class translation''

How many of you raised your hands when I asked who was a saint?


Remember how the Bible ..including Philemon..uses the word saint (any Christian) and church (people, never a building). 

ome comments from class discussion on Philemon:

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1) Don't trip on  the word "saints."  In the Bible it just means "Christians."  Even Dave is a saint, not just holy people like Michelle.  Remember Paul wrote two letters to some bad Christians who were getting drunk at communion and having sex with relatives (1 and 2 Californians, I mean Corinthians), and he called even them "SAINTS."

-2) 

Don't trip on "the church that meets in your house."   The Bible knows nothing of official church buildings; they didn't exist yet.  They met in homes, and churches were small.  This doesn't mean Philemon had a large house, or was necessarily wealthy.

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3)Remember how important it is to use our class translation (NRSV), especially for verse 16.  We noted how one translation (NLT) changes the meaning.

Click this to see how our translation and three others compare.  Extra credit if you text Dave by beginning of Week 3 and explain how they change it.

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Allegory:

Philemon, an allegory?

Consider the following passage (Philemon 8-18) with these analogies in mind:
Paul (the advocate) : Jesus
Onesmus (the guilty slave) : us (sinners)
Philemon (the slave owner) : God the Father
Accordingly, though I (Paul) am bold enough in Christ to command you (Philemon) to do what is required, yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment. (Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful to you and to me.) I am sending him back to you, sending my very heart. I would have been glad to keep him with me, in order that he might serve me on your behalf during my imprisonment for the gospel, but I preferred to do nothing without your consent in order that your goodness might not be by compulsion but of your own free will. For this perhaps is why he was parted from you for a while, that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, as a beloved brother—especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.   LINK: Philemon, an allegory?

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Who is the letter written to?

HMMM:

John Knox (at Univ of Chicago) thought Archippus (not Philemon) was the slave-owner and that Paul publicly shamed Archippus into forgiving Onesimus (see Col 4:17)… link

complete book by Knox here.

See your class Bible into to Philemon page:

"written to...PROBABLY Philemon."
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Knox offered a completely different reconstruction of the occasion for the letter identifying the master as Archippus who was the host of the church mentioned in verse one, and Philemon as the one to plead reinstatement of Onesimus. He considers the epistle of Philemon to be the letter from Laodicea in Colossians 4:16, and the exhortation for Archippus to “fulfill his God-given ministry” (Col. 4:17) to be the request of Paul concerning Philemon (see John Knox, “Philemon” in The Interpreter’s Bible, vol. xi [New York, 1955], pp. 555ff; Knox,Philemon among the Letters of Paul: A New View of its Place and Importance; Guthrie, NTI, pp. 635-638; Bruce, Paul: Apostle, p. 401-406; O’Brien, Philemon, pp. 267-268).  link

7 Tychicus will tell you all the news about me; he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister, and a fellow servant[b] in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are[c] and that he may encourage your hearts; 9 he is coming with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you about everything here.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, as does Mark the cousin of Barnabas, concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him. 11 And Jesus who is called Justus greets you. These are the only ones of the circumcision among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant[d] of Christ Jesus, greets you. He is always wrestling in his prayers on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in everything that God wills. 13 For I testify for him that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas greet you. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers and sisters[e] in Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you read also the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you complete the task that you have received in the Lord.”

18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.[f]

See more at: http://davewainscott.blogspot.com/2013/04/philemon-alternative-interpretations.html#sthash.J5DYhSHJ.dpuf

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More "set theory" exercise.  What side of the room did you pick for each pair?

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Bonus: the processional: (didn't show in class):

FROM GRIMSRUD BOOK:

WHY DO WE  THINK OF THE COMMANDMENTS MORE LIKE  FUNERAL THAN A WEDDING?

Often when I officiate weddings, and the groom is nervous, I try to lighten the mood. I pull out my little black book in front of all the groomsmen and fake a shocking, "Oh my goodness, I accidentally brought my funeral book by mistake!! But I'll just read from it anyway..i mean it's the same idea. Is that OK?" Then there is a laugh of relief when they realize I'm kidding!

But at Margaret and Paul's wedding.....

for the first time, I couldn'tfind my wedding book right away, so i did actually bring the funeral book instead. It didn't really matter, as after doing years of weddings I don't need the book, I just use it to stick little sticky notes in for the sermon, prompts, names etc....oh, and to look pastoral and cool.

So I just crossed out the big title "FUNERAL" on the spine with a black marker, so folks wouldn't see it while I was up front (:

Then for a laugh and a few pics, after the service, I rubbed off the ink so you could read it.

Jesus is the new Moses."

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BTW: Note an inclusio in that the first and last teachings happen on a mountain..hmmmm

INCLUSIO or INCLUSION,.,definition Fee and Stuart page 102, and Dave's video below.

An "inclusio"  or "inclusion"

Ever notice Matthew starts with "His name will be called Emmanuel, which means 'God with us.'
And ends...very last sentence...with "I will be with you."?

No accident.
And neither is the midpoint and message of the gospel: "I will be with you" (18:20).

In Jesus, God is with us.
Jesus is the With-Us God.

That's an INCLUSIO.
You knew God was with us in Christ.. But now you see it as you look at Matthew structurally..

Links with more info:

• Inclusio
• inclusio: an intro

SERMON ON THE MOUNT, Mathew chapter  5 

Remember: 

• Who was the sermon addressed to?
• Why did he teach on a MOUNTAIN?
• Why did Jesus sit down to teach?
• ow do you name the difference in the shift of the 6 antitheses?  What does it feel like Jesus is doing?  He's making the law______:

  
  

  
  • harder?
  • easier?

  
  

  
  

  Is he making it impossible on purpose? 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Where do you see bounded and/or centered sets in the Sermon on Mount?Is it addressed to a bounded or centered set?  Hmm, see the beginning:
  

  

  
  

  Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,  and he began to teach them.

  And the end:
  

  When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because to them he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

  Would you say it's BOTH?   (FUZZY?)

When we read the "beatitudes," the first section of the Sermon on the Mount: -- do you catch any inclusio? (Note the first and last beatitudes (only) of chapter 5 end

with a promise of the kingdom of heaven, implying that the other promises in between "being filled," "inherit the earth," "be comforted" all have to do with Kingdom

--and if Jesus is a NEW MOSES of sorts, then we should look at 

SERMON ON THE MOUNT:
Discussion on how Jesus was interpreting/reinterpreting the law of Moses/Torah(Matt 5:17-48).
Some would suggest that he is using the rabbi's technique of "Building a fence around the TORAH."

For example, if you are tempted to overeat, one strategy would be to build a literal fence around the refrigerator...or the equivalent: don't keep snacks around.

See:

What does building a fence around the Torah mean? 

Some wonder of this is what Jesus is doing here.  See:
Jesus' Antitheses - Could they be his attempt to build a fence around the Torah?

One can see how this could turn to legalism...and when do you stop building fences? See:

A Fence Around the Law

Greg Camp and Laura Roberts write:

In each of the five examples, Jesus begins by citing an existing commandment. His following statement may be translated as either "And I say to you... " or as "But I say to you ...” The first option shows Jesus' comments to be in keeping with the commandments, therefore his words will be an expansion or commentary on the law. This is good, standard rabbinic technique. He is offering his authoritative interpretation, or amplification, to God's torah, as rabbis would do after reading the torah aloud in the synagogue. The second translation puts Jesus in tension with the law, or at least with the contemporary interpretations that were being offered. Jesus is being established as an authoritative teacher who stands in the same rabbinic tradition of other rabbis, but is being portrayed as qualitatively superior to their legal reasoning.

After citing a law Jesus then proceeds to amplify, or "build a hedge" around the law. This was a common practice of commenting on how to put a law into practice or on how to take steps to avoid breaking the law. The idea was that if you built a safe wall of auxiliary laws around the central law, then you would have ample warning before you ever came close to breaking the central law. A modern example might be that if you were trying to diet you would need to exercise more and eat less. In order to make sure that that happened you might dispose of all fats and sweets in the house so as not to be tempted. Additionally, you might begin to carry other types of snacks or drink with you so as to have a substitute if temptation came around, and so forth. In the first example of not killing, Jesus builds a hedge that involves not being angry and not using certain types of language about others. One of the difficulties is that it becomes very difficult not to break his hedges. This might drive his hearers to believe that he is a hyper-Pharisee. Some interpreters have wanted to argue that Jesus does this in order to drive us to grace—except grace is never mentioned in this context. This is a wrong-headed approach to get out of the clear message that Jesus is proclaiming: you must have a transformed life. By building his hedges, Jesus is really getting to the heart of what the law was about. In the first example, the intent is not just to get people not to kill each other (though that is a good thing to avoid), rather it is there to promote a different attitude about how to live together. Taken together, the 10 Words (Commandments) and the other laws which follow in Exodus-Numbers paint a picture of a people who will look out for one another rather than just avoiding doing injury to one another. This becomes clear in Jesus’ solution at the end of the first example. The solution is not to throw  yourself on grace or to become paralyzed by fear, but to seek right relations with the other person. There seems to be an implicit acknowledgment that problems will arise. The solution is to seek the best for the other person and for the relationship. This is the heart of the law.  The problem with the law is that it can only keep you from sin, but it cannot make you do good.  The rabbi Hillel said “what is hateful to you, do not do to others.”  In 7:12, Jesus provides his own interpretation “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.”  He changes the saying from refraining from sin, to actively doing good.  The thesis statement in 5:20 is “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” This then is how to exceed, or go beyond the law.  In each of the five examples, the way to exceed the law is to make the relationship right.

Instead of drawing a new line in the sand that you are not supposed to cross before you are considered guilty, Jesus, confirms that the center is "love your neighbor" and then just draws an arrow (vector) and tells you to go do it. There is never a point at which you are able to finally fulfill the commandment to love. You can never say that you have loved enough. In the gospel of Matthew, the supreme example of this is Jesus' own life and death. His obedience and love knew no boundaries.  --by Greg Camp and Laura Roberts

Ted Grimsrud, in  your "God's Healing Strategy"  book suggests:

 "A better way [as opposed to legalistically legislating morality] to approach [the commandments] would be to ask first, 'What does this commandment teach us about God?'...Hence, the point of the commandments is not establishing absolute, impersonal, even coercive rules which must never be violated.  The point rather is that a loving God desires ongoing relationships of care and respect....Paul's interpretation of the Law in Romans 13 makes clear the deepest meaning of the law not as rule-following, but as being open to God's love and finding ways to express that love towards others: 'The commandments..are summed up in this word, Love your neighbor as yourself.'"  (pp. 33-34)

One can see how this could turn to legalism...and when do you stop building fences? See:
A Fence Around the Law

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on the 6 antitheses of the Sermon on The Mount, remember my Paraguay stories?

"Ever committed adultery, John?"

 (oops...) 

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OK,  below is the backstory of the "LAUGHING BRIDE," which illustrates "building a fence around the Torah":

g

How do you name the difference in the shift of the 6 antitheses?  What does it feel like Jesus is doing?  He's making the law______:

• harder?
• easier?

Is he making it impossible on purpose? 

On the topic of Sermon on the Mount/Building a Fence (remember "Don't google "chastity belt"?) review the learnings from Week 2 class either by the class summary/blog post, where we just barely introduced  this topic (Remember the "easier vs harder" question).   Also on our class summary page,there are some notes that explain this content.

  Now complete the lesson by  watching the  filmed session below of the same teaching.   The film was for an online class, so Dave may discuss some of the "signs" we haven't talked about on our class yet; if that becomes confusing, no worries.  You'll recognize the newly married couple we "met" in class.  You'll also meet my Jewish rabbi friend I told you about.

Take notes, and then post a  response, review,  summary (2-3 paragraphs).  What you post is up to you, but your post should convince the teacher you engaged the topic.   Definitely include some discussion about the importance of knowing the "Three Worlds" of a text, as well as commenting on "building a fence around the Law (Torah)."

You can  also ask questions of Dave  (or Rabbi Adam) below, if you want to

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THESIS: The Ten Commandments are a ________

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Off the top of your head, list words and ideas that come to mind when you think of the story of the giving of the Ten Commandments on Mt Sinai.

Then scroll down for the question..

Was "wedding" on your list?

                                        .....or "love"?

What does all this have to do with a wedding?

• We read Psalm 22  in class translation,and revealed that you can choose it as an alternative to Philemon for paper.  It's largely a LAMENT

  My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
      Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?
  2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;
      and by night, but find no rest.

  3 Yet you are holy,
      enthroned on the praises of Israel.
  4 In you our ancestors trusted;
      they trusted, and you delivered them.
  5 To you they cried, and were saved;
      in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

  6 But I am a worm, and not human;
      scorned by others, and despised by the people.
  7 All who see me mock at me;
      they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;
  8 “Commit your cause to the Lord; let him deliver—
      let him rescue the one in whom he delights!”

  9 Yet it was you who took me from the womb;
      you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.
  10 On you I was cast from my birth,
      and since my mother bore me you have been my God.
  11 Do not be far from me,
      for trouble is near
      and there is no one to help.

  12 Many bulls encircle me,
      strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
  13 they open wide their mouths at me,
      like a ravening and roaring lion.

  14 I am poured out like water,
      and all my bones are out of joint;
  my heart is like wax;
      it is melted within my breast;
  15 my mouth[a] is dried up like a potsherd,
      and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
      you lay me in the dust of death.

  16 For dogs are all around me;
      a company of evildoers encircles me.
  My hands and feet have shriveled;[b]
  17 I can count all my bones.
  They stare and gloat over me;
  18 they divide my clothes among themselves,
      and for my clothing they cast lots.

  19 But you, O Lord, do not be far away!
      O my help, come quickly to my aid!
  20 Deliver my soul from the sword,
      my life[c] from the power of the dog!
  21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!

  From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued[d] me.
  22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;[e]
      in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
  23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!
      All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;
      stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
  24 For he did not despise or abhor
      the affliction of the afflicted;
  he did not hide his face from me,[f]
      but heard when I[g] cried to him.

  25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
      my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
  26 The poor[h] shall eat and be satisfied;
      those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
      May your hearts live forever!

  27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
      and turn to the Lord;
  and all the families of the nations
      shall worship before him.[i]
  28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
      and he rules over the nations.

  29 To him,[j] indeed, shall all who sleep in[k] the earth bow down;
      before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
      and I shall live for him.[l]
  30 Posterity will serve him;
      future generations will be told about the Lord,
  31 and[m] proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
      saying that he has done it.
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