Monday, February 13, 2006
Edicts and Mandates
Matt. 7:28-29. The result was that when Jesus had finished these words, the multitudes were amazed at His teaching; 29. for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
The silence is deafening, the preaching is through, and now one’s mind is left to determine the merit of the preacher and His doctrine. A comparison is made with the familiar and stark contrast is unmistakable. The result was that when Jesus had finished His words, or sermon, the multitudes listening in were amazed at His teaching. Amazed is – ekplesso – ek – out of and plesso – to strike. This crowd was stricken out of their minds by who this guy claims to be and what He is teaching.
This is very strange stuff because moral law and religion was dictated from the writings about the scriptures in recordings and explanations copied down by their scribes. The rabbis and scribes would teach from these recorded copies verbatim and here is Jesus, in contrast, teaching not from the Talmud or Mishnah but He was teaching them as one having authority. The familiar doctrine contained sayings about Mosaic or Levitical law that was quoted by some named former scribe or rabbi. The pure truth of scripture was passed down for the commentary of these prominent writers. We see this similarly as we view courts of law where previous cases are cited to rule on the legality of similar situations. It all becomes very arbitrary and convoluted. This kind of teaching was successful in insulating the children from a loving parent who laid down His law for their protection. The love demonstrated by the law became so clouded and opaque that the chosen people could no longer see who chose them. A wall was constructed by the scribes using the bricks of edicts and mandates for the purpose of making a new god of philosophy.
The silence is deafening, the preaching is through, and now one’s mind is left to determine the merit of the preacher and His doctrine. A comparison is made with the familiar and stark contrast is unmistakable. The result was that when Jesus had finished His words, or sermon, the multitudes listening in were amazed at His teaching. Amazed is – ekplesso – ek – out of and plesso – to strike. This crowd was stricken out of their minds by who this guy claims to be and what He is teaching.
This is very strange stuff because moral law and religion was dictated from the writings about the scriptures in recordings and explanations copied down by their scribes. The rabbis and scribes would teach from these recorded copies verbatim and here is Jesus, in contrast, teaching not from the Talmud or Mishnah but He was teaching them as one having authority. The familiar doctrine contained sayings about Mosaic or Levitical law that was quoted by some named former scribe or rabbi. The pure truth of scripture was passed down for the commentary of these prominent writers. We see this similarly as we view courts of law where previous cases are cited to rule on the legality of similar situations. It all becomes very arbitrary and convoluted. This kind of teaching was successful in insulating the children from a loving parent who laid down His law for their protection. The love demonstrated by the law became so clouded and opaque that the chosen people could no longer see who chose them. A wall was constructed by the scribes using the bricks of edicts and mandates for the purpose of making a new god of philosophy.
# posted by Castusfumus : 6:17 PM
