“All Orthodoxy is Paradoxy”: The Scriptural witness to paradox as that which expresses eternity breaking into the finite, fallen realm
This provides the first addendum to the post, “The Place Where Paradox Speaks” and provides a preliminary Scriptural witness to the reality of paradox in expressing how the Eternal breaks into the realm of the finite, becoming expressed to us in our limited categories. This is by no means exhaustive, but merely seeks to provide a small, introductory synthesis.
It is a vantage point, as it were, from which to view how the same reality can work in us—depending on the state of the heart (Prov 4:23-> Lk 8:11-15; Mk 7:18-23)—to produce two different results: As the Shekinah glory cloud of JHVH, Whose Presence was a “light by night” to the Israelites and a “cloud and darkness” to the Egyptians (Ex 14:19-20); a light which blinds and a light which reveals (Jn 9:39-41)—or both in the same person at different times (Acts 9:1-18); His Word as that which conceals and that which reveals (Is 6:8-9-> Mt 13:10-15); as a seed which is trampled, or sprouts up only to wither, or is choked by thorns, or grows up into a great harvest (Mt 13:18-23); as that which holds in it both the power to bless and the power to curse (Deut 28-29; Lev 26); the power of eternal life and everlasting death (Deut 30:19).
INTRODUCTION
When the eternal Kingdom of God breaks into the fallen structures of This Now Age (ὁ νῦν αἰών)
It’s working into us (as a plough) can only occur as it “comes with much tribulation” (Acts 14:22)
Being implanted into the depths of the human heart/soul/spirit/nous
Where it grows up, transfiguring our person
Through co-suffering (συμπάσχω, Rom 8:17)
Through co-crucifixion (συσταυρόω, Rom 6:6; Gal 2:19)
Through co-burial (συνθάπτω, Rom 6:4)
With Christ
By baptism into His death (Rom 8:4; Col 2:12)
Whereby
We are raised up
In the likeness of His Resurrection
(τῷ ὁμοιώματι…τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐσόμεθα, Rom 6:5)
That we might live together with Him (συζάω, Rom 6:8)
In the Present now (ὁ νῦν καιρός, Rom 8:18) which is being redeemed unto eternal glory (Eph 5:16)
Eternity, then, begins to reconfigure the depths of our personality as we become vitally united with the Eternal Christ such that for us “The Paradoxy of Orthodoxy” begins to take effect in ways that confound our earthly (psychicos [ψυχικός]) understanding (I Cor 2:14, Jam 3:15).
And as the below makes absolutely clear, this is not an easy process; not “seductive” (to use the words of Florensky); not a path “broad and wide way (ὁδὸς),” to use the words of Christ. Rather, it is in ways that will continually defy our ability to manipulate and control, the “narrow and hard (literally, “having suffered” [τεθλιμμένη, thlibó] path”—yet the only path “that leads unto life”
THE PATH
By becoming low, we are exalted (Mt 23:12);
By becoming last, we become first we become first (Mk 9:35)
By becoming a slave in total abject poverty (Lk 1:48a, cf. 1:38), we become free (I Cor 7:22);
By emptying ourselves, we are truly fulfilled (Phil 2:7-9);
By denying ourselves, we come to fullness (Lk 9:23);
By becoming poor, we are made rich (II Cor. 8:9);
By becoming a fool, we receive true wisdom (I Cor 1:21-25);
By losing our life, we gain it for all eternity (Jn 12:25);
In short, by dying, we truly live (Rom 8:35-39).
THE MARKS OF THE PATH
As Suffering and Prosperity
Ps 73
The Psalm opens with the “goodness” of God to his people who are of a “pure heart.” What the Psalmist sees, we might say with earthly sight, however, is that which first appears as the goodness and prosperity of the wicked. And with this, the hardship, the plagues, the continual chastening of the saints.
How can that be good?
These thoughts (what the Fathers speak of as logismoi) nearly drove him out of the path of the Kingdom until eternity breaks in—which happens precisely when the Psalmist went into the sanctuary of God, the place where heaven and earth meet, and there in the Presence of JHWH he is the granted spiritual sight of eternity such that he finally can declare that he “understood their end”:
1 Truly God is good (tôv) to Israel,
Even to such as are of a pure heart.
cf. Ps 24:4-> Mt 5:8
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone;
My steps had well nigh slipped.
3 For I was envious at the foolish,
When I saw the peace (shalom) of the wicked.
4 For there are no bands in their death:
But their strength is firm.
5 They are not in trouble as other men;
Neither are they plagued like other men.
12 Behold, these are the ungodly, Who prosper (shalev) in the world; they increase in riches.
cf. Job 21:23-25
13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain (hevel), and washed my hands in innocency.
14 For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.
15 If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.
16 When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me;
->
17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
As slavery and freedom
I Cor 7
17 But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. And so I ordain in all the churches.
18 Was anyone called while circumcised? Let him not become uncircumcised. Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Let him not be circumcised.
19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.
20 Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called.
21 Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it.
22 For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave.
23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
24 Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.
As marriage and celibacy
Weeping and not weeping
Rejoicing and not rejoicing
Buying and not possessing
I Cor 7
29 But this I say, brethren, the time is short, so that from now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none,
30 Those who weep as though they did not weep,
Those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice,
Those who buy as though they did not possess,
31 And those who use this world as not misusing it.
Why?
For the form of this world is passing away.
Our body as psychikos, corrupted, dishonored, weak in death; and yet in resurrection incorruptible, glorious, powerful, spiritual
I Cor 15
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead.
It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory:
It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44 It is sown a natural (psychikos) body; it is raised a spiritual body.
->
51 Behold, I tell you a mystery:
We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory”1
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O grave (lit. Hades), where is your victory?”2
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
As Life in Death
II Cor 4
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death works in us, but life in you.
As dying, and behold we live;
As chastened, and yet not killed;
As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;
As poor, yet making many rich;
As having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
II Cor 6
1 We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you” (Is 49:8).
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. 4 But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God:
In much patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings;
6 by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love,
7 by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8 by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed;
10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
THE MARKS OF THE PRESENCE
As Illuminating Joy and Darkening Terror
Ex 14
The Passage out of Egypt to the borders of the Red Sea where Israel encounters God’s Presence
19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:
20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel;
And it was a cloud and darkness to them,
But it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night.
Dan 10
Daniel’s vision of the eternal realm breaking into the present, opening him to spiritual sight and understanding; but for “those with [him],” to “great terror” from which they flee.
Then the veil, as it were, is pulled back for us to see the spiritual warfare taking place when a saint humbles himself to mourn and fast so as to “set [his] heart to understand” the “message” given him (10:1-3, 12):
7 And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see the vision; but a great terror fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.
8 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, and no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength.
9 Yet I heard the sound of his words; and while I heard the sound of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face, with my face to the ground.
10 Suddenly, a hand touched me, which made me tremble on my knees and on the palms of my hands. 11 And he said to me,
“O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.” While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling.
12 Then he said to me,
“Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.
14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days
As Prosperity and Plagues
I Sam 5
The ark of the Covenant as a blessing to Israel (II Sam 6) but a curse and destructive plague to the Phillistines
4 And when they arose early on the morrow morning, behold, Dagon was fallen upon his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord; and the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off upon the threshold; only the stump of Dagon was left to him…
6 But the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod, and he destroyed them, and smote them with emerods, even Ashdod and the coasts thereof. 7 And when the men of Ashdod saw that it was so, they said, The ark of the God of Israel shall not abide with us: for his hand is sore upon us, and upon Dagon our god…
9 And it was so, that, after they had carried it about, the hand of the Lord was against the city with a very great destruction: and he smote the men of the city…
10 Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. And it came to pass, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, They have brought about the ark of the God of Israel to us, to slay us and our people….
I Sam 6
19 And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men
THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD
As Life and Death
Duet 32
45 And Moses made an end of speaking all these words to all Israel: 46 And he said unto them, Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day [Or “set these all of these words in your heart, cf. Ex 25:21], which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.
Why?
47 For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life.
Deut 30
17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them,
18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.
->
19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;
20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.
Rom 14
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
->
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
As a blessing & a curse
Deut 27-28; Lev 26
Deut 27
9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, “Take heed and listen, O Israel: This day you have become the people of the Lord your God. 10 Therefore you shall obey the voice of the Lord your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today.”
11 And Moses commanded the people on the same day, saying, 12 “These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin; 13 and these shall stand on Mount Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
14 “And the Levites shall speak with a loud voice and say to all the men of Israel: 15 ‘Cursed is the one who makes a carved or molded image, an abomination to the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and sets it up in secret.’
“And all the people shall answer and say, ‘Amen!’…
Deut 28
1 Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God:
3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
As Illumination unto Healing or Blinding unto Judgment
Is 6
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people,
Hear ye indeed, but understand not;
And see ye indeed, but perceive not.
10 Make the heart of this people fat,
And make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
->
Mt 13:14, Mk 4:12. Lk 8:10. Jn 12:40
cf. The Parable of the Soils and the heart of man
As Blindness and Sight
Jn 9
2 Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
3 Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him…
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
cf Is 30:10
…26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
…30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!
31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.
32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind.
33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
->
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
Time
Ps 90
4 For a thousand years in Your sight
Are like yesterday when it is past,
And like a watch in the night.
cf. II Pet 3
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
10 The days of our lives are seventy years;
And if by reason of strength they are eighty years,
Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow;
For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.
11 Who knows the power of Your anger?
For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath.
12 So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom.
Geography
Ps 139
7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence (pānîm)?
8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”
Even the night shall be light about me
12 Yea, the darkness hides not from You;
But the night shines as the day:
The darkness and the light are both alike to You.
Knowledge
Ps 139
1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.
Ps 103
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
THE WAYS OF JHWH
His Thoughts and our thoughts
Is 55
8 For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
The first as last; and last first
Mk 10
42 But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them,
“You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
The greatest as the least
cf. Lk 22
24 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest.
25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’
26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
28 “But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me, 30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
THE WISDOM OF GOD
As Foolishness and Weakness
I Cor 1
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”
20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age?
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block (σκάνδαλον) and to the Greeks foolishness (μωρίαν)
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
->
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
As Strength Perfected in Weakness
II Cor 12
The mystical vision of the glory of eternity which is translated into the present moment through affliction
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.
8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.
->
9 And He said to me,
“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
As Sight which Requires the “birth from above”
Jn 3
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again/from above (ανωθεν), he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
As knowledge and ignorance
I Cor 8
3 We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.
2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.
As poverty yet true riches
Mk 12
38 Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.”
41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much.
->
42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two small copper coins, which make a penny. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them,
->
“Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury;
44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”
II Cor 8
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
As true ministers of the transformative power of God
Yet in This Age
The least, the foolish, the weak, the dishonored, the hungry, the poor, the naked, the abused, the homeless, the defiled, the persecuted, the defamed, the filth—the offscouring of the world
I Cor 4
7 For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?
8 You are already full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you!
9 For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle (lit. “a theater,” [θέατρον]) to the world, both to angels and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are dishonored!
11 To the present hour we both hunger and thirst, and we are poorly clothed, and beaten, and homeless. 12 And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; 13 being defamed, we entreat. We have been made as the filth of the world, the offscouring of all things until now.
His Eternal Kingdom
As Small and Insignificant in This Age
Mk 4
30 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?
31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.
As Hidden
Mt 13
33 Another parable He spoke to them:
“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”
As Buried
Mt 13
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
IN THE LIFE OF CHRIST
As True Sanity perceived as Insanity
Mk 3
21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him (κρατῆσαι), for they said, “He is out of His mind” (ἐξέστη, lit. “Beside himself”)
Abba Anthony
A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, 'You are mad, you are not like us.'
As the inner working of the Spirit of God perceived as the Demonic
Mk 3
22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables:
“How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end.
27 No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.
->
28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; 29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”—30 because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
His “Bread” as the eternal Word of JHWH, not the temporal bread of This Age
By which He resists the spiritual principalities and powers and so enacts the Will of the Father
Mt 4
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.
3 Now when the tempter (ὁ πειράζων [peirasmós]: Lit. “The one who tests”) came to Him, he said,
“If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said,
“It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
cf. Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1–4
John 4
27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
32 But He said to them,
“I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?”
34 Jesus said to them,
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
His Ministry Perceived as Wisdom by “babes” yet as Folly by the religious elite
Mt 21
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’
Immediately after the cleansing of the temple, we are presented with the spiritual wisdom of “babes and sucklings”, whose eyes have been opened by faith to see the Kingdom of God (Jn 3:3). And this is juxtaposed with the earthly foolishness of the religious elite whose self-absorption, though robed in righteousness, has blinded their sight (Jn 9:39-41) and shut them out from God’s Kingdom (Mt 23:13).
His Life in our Death
John 11
20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή·
ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ
κἂν ἀποθάνῃ ζήσεται [Note the juxtaposition of death (ἀποθάνῃ) and life (ζήσεται)
26 And whoever lives and believes in Me (or more literally, “is living and is believing in Me) shall never die. Do you believe this?”
καὶ πᾶς ὁ ζῶν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ
οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
The Temple
As a Place of Divine Communion with JHWH bringing True Healing
Mt 21
In Matthew’s narrative, it is fascinating what directly follows Christ’s cleansing of the Temple (which, we remember frames His ministry from its situation within the four Gospels, occurring at the beginning in John (2:12-17) and at the end in the three synoptic Gospels (Mt 21:12-13, Mk 11:15–17 & Lk 19:45-46).
For It is as if the temple had devolved into a place not of man entering into and being renewed by the glorious Presence of God (Ex 40:33-34, I Ki 8:10-11) through penitent prayer and sacrificial praise (I Ki 8:12-64-> Is 56:7-> Mt 21:13a). Rather, the temple had become place devoid of the Heavenly Presence and filled instead with human greed and corruption—in the words of the Prophet “a den of thieves” (Mt 21:13b, cf. Jer 7:1-11).
Yet when Jesus confronts and drives out these earthly and spiritual principalities and powers that had bound the people, He transforms the temple once again into a place of healing, with the glorious Presence of JHWH now centered in Him:
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple (which Christ had just cleansed, cf. 21:12-13), and He healed them.
15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant (ηγανακτησαν) 16 and said to Him,
“Do You hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them,
“Yes. Have you never read,
‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have perfected praise’ (κατηρτίσω αἶνον)?”
cf. Mt 11:25
THE SAYINGS OF ABBA ANTHONY
2. When the same Abba Anthony thought about the depth of the judgments of God, he asked,
"Lord, how is it that some die when they are young, while others drag on to extreme old age? Why are there those who are poor and those who are rich? Why do wicked men prosper and why are the just in need?
He heard a voice answering him, "Anthony, keep your attention on yourself; these things are according to the judgment of God, and it is not to your advantage to known anything about them."
12. Some brothers came to find Abba Anthony to tell him about the visions they were having, and to find out from him if they were true or if they came from the demons. They had a donkey which died on the way. When they reached the place where the old man was, he said to them before they could ask him anything, "How was is that the little donkey died on the way here?" They said, "How do you know about that, Father?" And he told them, "The demons shewed me what happened." So they said, "That was what we came to question you about, for fear we were being deceived, for we have visions which often turn out to be true." Thus the old man convinced them, by the example of the donkey, that their visions came from the demons.
15. The brothers praised a monk before Abba Anthony. When the monk came to see him, Anthony wanted to know how he would bear insults; and seeing that he could not bear them at all, he said to him, "You are like a village magnificently decorated on the outside, but destroyed from within by robbers."
25. Abba Anthony said, "A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him saying, 'You are mad, you are not like us.'"
29. A brother in a monastery was falsely accused of fornication and he arose and went to Abba Anthony. The brethren also came from the monastery to correct him and bring him back. They set about proving that he had done this thing, but he defended himself and denied that he had done anything of the kind. Now Abba Paphnutius, who is called Cephalus, happened to be there, and he told them this parable: "I have seen a man on the bank of the river buried up to his knees in mud and some men came to give him a hand to help him out, but they pushed him further in up to his neck." Then Abba Anthony said this about Abba Paphnutius: "Here is a real man, who can care for souls and save them." All those present were pierced to the heart by the words of the old man and they asked forgiveness of the brother. So, admonished by the Fathers, they took the brother back to the monastery.
32. Abba Anthony said, "I no longer fear God, but I love Him. For love casts out fear." (John 4.18)
33. He also said, "Always have the fear of God before your eyes. Remember him who gives death and life. Hate the world and all that is in it. Hate all peace that comes from the flesh. Renounce this life, so that you may be alive to God. Remember what you have promised God, for it will be required of you on the day of judgment. Suffer hunger, thirst, nakedness, be watchful and sorrowful; weep, and groan in your heart; test yourselves, to see if you are worthy of God; despise the flesh, so that you may preserve your souls.
37. He also said, "Nine monks fell away after many labors and were obsessed with spiritual pride, for they put their trust in their own works and being deceived they did not give due heed to the commandment that says, 'Ask your father and he will tell you.'" (Deut. 32.7)
AMMA SYNCLETICA
Amma Syncletica said, "There are many who live in the mountains and behave as if
they were in the town, and they are wasting their time. It is possible to be a solitary
in one's mind while living in a crowd, and it is possible for one who is a solitary to
live in the crowd of personal thoughts."
-- She also said, "We must arm ourselves in every way against the demons. For they
attack us from outside, and they also stir us up from within; and the soul is then like
a ship when great waves break over it, and at the same time it sinks because the
hold is too full. We are just like that: we lose as much by the exterior faults we
commit as by the thoughts inside us. So we must watch for the attacks from people
that come from outside us, and also repel the interior onslaughts of our thoughts."
-- She also said, "There is a grief that is useful, and there is grief that is destructive.
The first sort consists in weeping over one's own faults and weeping over the
weakness of one's neighbors, in order not to destroy one's purpose, and attach
oneself to the perfect good. But there is also a grief that comes from the enemy, full
of mockery, which some call accidie. This spirit must be case out, mainly by prayer
and psalmody."
Catena Aureus
On Mt 11:18-19
Chrysostom
He says therefore, "Jesus came," as much as to say, I and John came opposite ways, to do the same thing; as two hunters chasing the same animal from opposite sides, so that it might fall into, the hands of one of them. But all mankind admire fasting and severity of life; and for this reason it was ordained from his infancy that John should be so brought up, that the things that he should say should receive credit. The Lord also walked in this way when He fasted forty days;- but He had other means of teaching men to have confidence in Him; for it was a much greater thing that John who had walked in this way should bear witness to Him, than that He Himself should walk in that way.
Again, John had nothing to shew besides his life, and his righteousness; whereas Christ had also the witness of His miracles. Leaving therefore to John the representation of fasting, He Himself walked in a contrary way, entering to the table of the publicans, and eating and drinking with them.
Jerome
If fasting then pleases you, why were you not satisfied with John! If fulness, why not with the Son of man? Yet one of these ye said had a daemon, the other ye called a gluttonous man, and drunkard (cf. Mt 11:18-19).