Monday, January 21, 2008

Leaven

My favorite line from Proverbs is the one about fear of the Lord as the beginning of wisdom. Does our reptilian brain with its copious reservoir of fear combined with a forebrain coveting order require God to have a sense of security in [a] world fraught with instability? Is the belief in the supernatural the basis for social control? And because of their special connection with God, do some people (Moses, Jesus, Mohammed) and their derivatives come to constitute a ruling class?

My brother asks a series of the most interesting kwestins. I suspect you already know the traditional answers encapsulated in the combined Abrahamic world views? Whether matrilineage, succession, or grace - there is a significant component of that embodied in the "anointed" rulers.

The question this begs for me, is whether there is a significant kernal of truth or implicate order embodied in these long-standing traditions?

Galatians 5:7-10 You were running well; who hindered you from following (the) truth? That enticement does not come from the one who called you. A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough. I am confident of you in the Lord that you will not take a different view, and that the one who is troubling you will bear the condemnation, whoever he may be.

Matthew 13:33 He proposed another parable to them. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a person took and sowed in a field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush, and the 'birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.'" He spoke to them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch was leavened."

Luke 13:20-21Then he said, "What is the kingdom of God like? To what can I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that a person took and planted in the garden. When it was fully grown, it became a large bush and 'the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches.'" Again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed (in) with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened."

Thomas 96. Yeshua [says:] The Sovereignty of the Father is like [a] woman,¹ she has taken a little yeast,¹ she [has hidden] it in dough,¹ she produced large loaves of it. Whoever has ears, let him hear! (¹asyndeta; =Mt 13:33)

97. Yeshua says: The Sovereignty of the [Father] is like a woman who was carrying a jar full of grain. While she was walking [on a] distant road, the handle of the jar broke, the grain streamed out behind her onto the road. She did not know it, she had noticed no accident. When she arrived in her house, she set the jar down— she found it empty. (multiple asyndeta)

98. Yeshua says: The Sovereignty of the Father is like someone who wishes to slay a prominent person. He drew forth his sword in his house,¹ he thrust it into the wall in order to ascertain whether his hand would prevail. Then he slew the prominent person. (¹asyndeton; ‘the sword of one's mouth’: Isa 49:2, Rev/Ap 1:16)

Matthew 16:6-12 In coming to the other side of the sea, the disciples had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus said to them, "Look out, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." They concluded among themselves, saying, "It is because we have brought no bread." When Jesus became aware of this he said, "You of little faith, why do you conclude among yourselves that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand, and do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many wicker baskets you took up? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up? How do you not comprehend that I was not speaking to you about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Then they understood that he was not telling them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

0 comments:

Remember Remember The 4th Of December...,