| 87-year-old woman forced to live in pigsty | |
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| Sep 1, 2008 22:55 | #11   |
 | Sadly, you are witnessing one more show of indifference and cruelty that is a footprint or physical sign of the passage of a person or animal; coming from western society. |
| Sep 2, 2008 07:48 | #12 |
| Matthew 15 - Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees and Ministers to Gentiles A. Jesus denounces religious externalism. 1. (1-2) Leaders from Jerusalem question Jesus. Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread." a. Scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus: Up to this point, most of Jesus’ ministry has been in the region of Galilee. Galilee was separate from Judea, where Jerusalem was. These scribes and Pharisees are an official delegation from Jerusalem, coming to investigate and assess the words and work of this man Jesus. b. They do not wash their hands when they eat bread: The matter in question has nothing to do with good hygiene. The religious officials are offended that the disciples do not observe the rigid, extensive ritual for washing before meals. c. These ceremonial washings were commanded by tradition, not by Scripture. The religious leaders say as much when they refer to the tradition of the elders. 2. (3) Jesus’ answer: man’s tradition against God’s will. He answered and said to them, "Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?" a. Why do you also transgress the commandment of God: When the disciples were accused of sin, Jesus answered right back with another accusation. Why was Jesus so stern in His reply? Because these leaders were far too concerned with these ceremonial trivialities. When they declared people "unclean" because of their tradition, they denied the people access to God. b. Because of your tradition: It’s important to see that the religious leaders demanded these ceremonial washings based on tradition, not the Scriptures. |
| Sep 2, 2008 07:49 | #13 |
| 3. (4-6) An example of how their traditions dishonored God: the practice of not helping your parents with "devoted" goods. "For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God"; then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition." a. Honor your father and mother: The clear command of God says that everyone should give honor to their father and mother. When we are adults, and no longer in our parent’s household or under their authority, we no longer have to obey our father and mother. But we do have to honor them. b. Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God: The Jewish people of Jesus’ day had a way to get around the command to honor your father and mother. If they declared that all their possessions or savings were a gift to God, specially dedicated to Him, they could then say that their resources were unavailable to help his parents. c. Through this, someone could completely disobey the command to honor his father or mother, and do it while being ultra-religious. 4. (7-9) Jesus condemns their hollow tradition as hypocrisy. "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’" a. Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men: The quotation from Isaiah accurately describes the real problem with these religious leaders. They elevated man’s tradition to an equal level with God’s revealed word. b. Honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me: We can appear to draw near to God, all the while having our heart far from Him. When we look at the lives of others, we are often seduced by mere appearance and image. i. God is interested in the internal and the real. We are far more interested in the external and the image. Is your relationship with God just external and image |
| Sep 2, 2008 07:50 | #14 |
| 5. (10-11) Jesus speaks to the multitude about religious externalism. When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, "Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man." a. Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man: Jesus states a fundamental principle. Washing with "unclean hands" or any other such thing that we "put into us" is not defiling. Rather, what comes out is what defiles, and it reveals that we have unclean (defiled) hearts. b. This is not to say that there are not defiling things that we can take into ourselves (such as pornography). But in this specific context, Jesus spoke about ceremonial cleanliness in regard to food, and anticipated when all food was declared kosher (Acts 10:15). 6. (12-14) Jesus then warns His disciples that only what is of God and of truth will last and be secure. Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." a. Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying? It’s a humorous scene. The disciples came to Jesus, "Um, Jesus - did you know that you offended those guys?" Of course He knew that He offended them! He intended to offend them. b. Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted: This applies directly to the religious leaders. Their commandments of men will not last, because they are not rooted either in God or truth. c. Let them alone: Jesus did not organize a focused "Anti-Scribe and Pharisee" committee. He knew that their efforts would fail under the weight of its own legalism |
| Sep 2, 2008 07:50 | #15 |
| 7. (15-20) The condition of your heart is what really defiles you. Then Peter answered and said to Him, "Explain this parable to us." So Jesus said, "Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man." a. Explain this parable to us: In Matthew 15:12-14 Jesus didn’t really speak in a parable. Yet because the disciples did not understand Him, they asked for an explanation, much like they did with the parables. b. Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man: Jesus amplifies the point first made in Matthew 15:11. We are defiled from the inside out rather than from the outside in, and this is particularly true of ceremonial things like foods. c. But to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man: Unfortunately, the emphasis of the religious leader’s in Jesus’ day - and often our own - is purely on these external things, not the internal things that make for true righteousness |
| Sep 2, 2008 09:24 | #16 |
| Dodger I already owe you a beer, so how about a ring-side seat for free? She's a big girl - it could go 12 rounds! |
| Sep 2, 2008 11:21 | #17 |
| I remember a story going around the internet in Canada a few years ago that touched me. The wife asked the grandfather to eat at a table away from the main table over by where the dog ate because he drooled and dropped his food on the floor and was sometimes hard to talk to. They put all his food in a big bowl and only gave him a spoon so he didn't drop anything on the floor. They ignored him during dinner because he didn't have new interesting things from his day to tell them and sometimes ruled the conversation. Then their little boy asked why Grandpa didn't get to eat with the family and they said it was because they loved him and he was old and needed special care. And the little boy said, "Mom, I Iove you and Dad so much. When I grow up and you are old I will make a special spot for you and Dad over by the dog, I will give you a spoon and a big bowl to eat and I won't talk to you so you don't get confused". I have read posts here on filial responsibility and I know from friends that parents are more respected in China but I think the bottom of all of it is no different... we were raised by them and it could not have been easy and now it is the other way around. They may be difficult but so were we. It may be hard for us but it is not easy to be old, losing your purpose in life, your mind and your strength and dexterity. I think it is about love, responsibility and patience....and I think the last is key to providing the first two. Its about sharing all parts of life. From my own experience I can tell you I find it very hard to carry out my responsibilities....but I don't think you want to hear my stories :) |
| Sep 2, 2008 20:48 | #18 |
| >>"Mom, I Iove you and Dad so much. When I grow up and you are old I will make a special spot for you and Dad over by the dog, I will give you a spoon and a big bowl to eat and I won't talk to you so you don't get confused".<< CANDON, Good one! Parents should set good examples for their children. It reminds me of a similar advertisement: a daughter-in-law helped her mother-in-law wash her feet; her little son stared at her beside the doorway. After a while, her little son carried a basin of water and put it in front of her and said:" mom, I want to wash your feet.". See, children are fast learners. Your children will treat you in the way you treat your parents. |
| Sep 2, 2008 21:58 | #19 |
| JCNILE123 - there is no God - he doesn't exist. It is just a story made up to comfort insecure people like yourself who couldn't cope thinking they were truly alone. Go and read some science books and you will realise the truth. Sorry for the bad news dude, but it's not all bad - we are here for you. |
| Sep 2, 2008 23:33 | #20 |
| Barron, I was going to suggest we follow your old mate the Marquis of Queensberry rules but this could be a cage fight now that there might be three in the ring? Front row seats are filling fast. Dodger. |
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