Synoptic study

The major distinction in the Lukan account of this pericope lies in verses 34-36.

20.34 And Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage; 20.35 but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, 20.36 for they cannot die any more, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.

"Son" is not mentioned in the other synoptic accounts. Luke seems so keyed in on being sons that he doesn’t even appeal to scripture or the power of God in the way that Matthew and Mark do.

Isn’t it interesting that the purpose for the brothers taking the widow of their brother was for the sake of his family, to preserve the name and inheritance? Since these brothers are all now sons, themselves recipients of the inheritance, their view of marriage is completely obsolete.

For more see here and for inspiration look here.

Why does Luke exclude “Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?” and what does that do to my conception of God’s Glory being central to this week?

Marraige and intimacy

Once again, Dylan has challenged me to think. Marriage in the resurrection? Jesus said, no. As a married man, I cherish the intimacy I share with my wife. It is expressed in our sharing of ourselves. We get to know each other more each year. We share intimate physical experiences, that we couldn’t imagine sharing with friends, no mater how much we love them. I can’t fathom having the opportunity for eternal life and not cleaving to my bride.

Jesus doesn’t say that there will not be intimacy in heaven, but no marriage. Some thoughts bounce around in my head, Jesus raises questions here that he does not answer. Will there be sex in heaven? Could it be that marriage is a type of the intimacy we can share with God and with each other when we have a transformed capacity to be intimate? I mean, can you imagine being able to love and know the individuals in the rest of the world as intimately and powerfully as you love your spouse. Or can you imagine being able to love God even more perfectly than that?

It is interesting here that Jesus is upholding the Pharisees’ devotion which brought out the theology of the resurrection. Family values, nor religious purity can define the glory of God. They only point to a more powerful truth we cannot yet grasp.

Lord, blow us away this week as you did to the Sadducees on that day. Destroy our conceptions with the power of your Glory!

To the Glory of God (Proper C27)

As a Pentecostal I am deeply excited about the imminent return of Christ, but let’s face it, as with most traditions, Pentecostalism has more than its fare share of flakes. We like to engage our emotions. That isn’t bad, but we have the same danger faced by the Thessalonians.

I grew up fearing the second coming because of the way it was used to evangelize. We would speculate about the meaning of current events with heated discussions around my Grandparents dinner table. Jack Van Impe had great sway with my Grandpa along with many people in our Pentecostal tradition. So often they missed the point rushing with emotion to conclusions about what eschatology was all about.

Paul says the Day of the Lord has not yet come. There is to be a mysterious evil, a Man of Lawlessness who would appear before Christ came, his point isn’t to figure out who this man is, indeed “many antichrists” have come, enough to keep every generation guessing.

In verse eight Paul declares, “And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth, annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming.” Paul is getting a really excited as he talks about this!

It is the Glory of God that is at the center of the Second Advent. It runs through every text this week.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
But we must always give thanks to God for you,brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ

Haggai Speaks of the Day of the Lord:

Haggai 2:6-9
For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.

Haggai has a beautiful apocalyptic quality to it. Hebrews echoes the refrain; “‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’n The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:26,27 NIV).

Psalm 145:5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

The poetry of the psalmist is full of the awe of the Glory of God!

Running along with the blazing glory of God is the eternal steadfastness of life in him. Job’s determined cry longs for the permanence of that Life, “I know that my redeemer lives!”

Jesus answers those who would discount a resurrection, with an image of the glory of God (20:38) “Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive."