Yesterday I published my first post since April. It had sat as a draft for a long time awaiting completion. This hiatus was not planned, but a combination of busy-ness and deflation kept me away.
I was less than enthusaistic about the five months I had blogged. Among the small number of people visiting were a few who were only scoping out a fight, and I was not very successful in avoiding them. While I did not start a blog to become enmeshed in controversy, it did not escape my notice that visits to my blog spiked only when I wrote a rather harsh criticism of a position taken by the FGA. Otherwise about 20 people visited per day.
On the other hand, I met some wonderful people, whom I hope to meet someday in person, and I am genuinely richer for having connected with them.
I noticed that a few people have checked my site regularly, only to find the same old post from April. I appreciate that. They must have thought eventually something new would show up, and unfortunately it never did.
When I am inspired again I will resume more frequent posts, but I hope that when I do I can find some way to reach a broader readership. In the meantime, I am building a house, and I am chronicling the progress of constuction on my Facebook page. If you want to follow it (and who wouldn't?) and are not yet my FB friend, friend me and you can view the adventure from a safe distance.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
It is the Gift of God: Part Two
II: What will you give in exchange for your life?
Rent-to-Own Christianity
In my last post I looked at the nature of giving, and contended that God's gift, like any gift freely offered out of love, comes without strings attached. This offends the sensibilities of many people who look upon the demands of God - obedience, virtue, holiness - as reasonable expectations of those who have been so showered with His grace. As I said, God can demand whatever He chooses, and by definition it would be reasonable. In fact, He does command us, but He does not connect it to the gift of salvation in the way these folks want to. They would see the transaction like this:
God has given you: [ life] [salvation] [Himself]
Therefore you must render to Him [your life] [obedience] [your self]
It is usually framed like this: "God gave me His Son (of eternal life, or saved me); the least I owe Him is my life.
This makes the transaction a trade. Why is that a problem?
First, we are not in commerce with God; we are not trading partners. This would require that we could offer something of comparable value to what He has offered. As I said, we can't.
Second, it nullifies the gift. If He meant to trade on what He offered, fine. But it would not be called a gift.
Third, since God has purchased us and already rightfully owns us, our response only reflects what is already true. We are in effect pretending it is repayment plan, when it is a completed purchase! No more payments can be made, or will be received. Eternal life is not rent-to-own.
Fourth, it perverts the true nature of both our relationship to Him, and the motivation to live for Him. That's what I want to discuss here.
Justification
We know that what God has given us in justifying, forgiving and granting us eternal life is not deserved. But I feel most strongly that many of us fail to see clearly what God has done, and what the ramifications are for us. Let's look at a two examples.
1. God justified us out of love. He desired to rescue us, have communion with us and live with us forever. The result is a relationship that did not exist before, as His children. He adopted us into His family.
2. In resurrecting us from the dead (regenerating us) He gave us His very own life, breathing into us His life-giving Spirit. The result of this is that a people who were dead now live only by the life of God given to us. He is your life.
If we really reflect on just these two truths (for starters) -- our filial union and resurrection -- I believe we'll see how ridiculous it is think that our actions or lifestyle could be taken in repayment of our debt to him. He wasn't looking to make us His debtors. He meant to free us from an unpayable debt, so that we could serve Him as reborn, transformed, free sons and daughters full of love and thankfulness toward their Father!
There is no more radical transformation in all the universe than to make the dead alive again. As a manner of responding to the One who has done this, only love and gratitude make sense.
Sanctification
This will hopefully shed a little more daylight on our sanctification, where there is so much confusion about the relationship of works, faith, and spiritual and moral progress. Everything I have said up to the this point will no doubt be obvious. I hope you kept reading anyway.
My challenge is to simplify what amounts to the greater balance of teaching in the New Testament about how Christians are to live, think and believe.
If our life in Christ is a gift we cannot and should not even attempt to repay, then how do we view our responsibility to obey His commands?
Allow me some shorthand. I will call this obedience, meaning it in the broadest sense of conforming our selves in the power of the Holy Spirit to all that he wants of of us, our actions, our beliefs, thoughts, motivations, priorities and desires.
Obedience is broader than any definition of law, because it law can't touch every part of God's will.
Obedience even goes beyond what His word contains, because we face situations in which only His Spirit can guide us into the best application of its principles. Being able to do this is what we call wisdom.
The pursuit of obedience it would appear, is intended by God to happen in this life when failure and sin are inevitable. Fortunately He has not established a fixed standard of perfection in this life, but rather progress toward conformity with the character of Jesus Christ.
We pursue obedience that is pleasing to our Father.
We seek to be like Jesus.
We express our love and gratitude by our willingness to freely answer His call to obedience.
He is our loving Father who gives us all things, and He wishes us to be and we ought to be His loving and grateful children seeking to please Him with our lives.
Now to my point. This process of growing as His children to more fully obedient, more like Jesus, we often call sanctification. It too is a gift.
But unlike the gift of justification-salvation, sanctification-salvation is something we fully participate in. Our progress depends on the way in which we receive the gift. That is NOT because our obedience goes to buy our progress, but because our sojourn in this life is a stewardship. Along with the gift came the power to live a God-pleasing life. This means our obedience is not repayment, but stewardship of the gift. The gift is not an idle keepsake; it is making us what God always intended and willed us to be: people conformed to the image of Christ, to the praise of His glory and grace. That process does depend on receiving the gift and administering its limitless resources, which can only be manifested in the life of the believer who is walking as a faithful disciple. The disciple works, and as she does, she finds all the power and strength she needs to fulfill God's purpose of a life that prepares her for eternity.
Glorification
For what has she been prepared in eternity? The culmination, the full fruition of God's gift is realized then to be far beyond human imagining, and we will see what Paul meant when he wrote,
On the other hand, the faithful steward, who took up his cross daily and followed Jesus, can look forward to hearing Him say, "'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'" (Mt. 25:21).
Even though God has said that the rewards given out at this time are earned by good works, I cannot help but see the whole arrangement as the entry into a infinite new realm of divine grace. It's like being given a job by your father that pays a salary far beyond what your labor could possible deserve. Yes, he says you'll earn your paycheck, buy the job itself is a gift.
The earning, receiving and enjoyment of rewards in eternity is all of His grace, too!
Truly all of eternity will ring with the praise of the Lord in His glory and grace. Love and thankfulness toward our amazing God should propel our service and fire our hearts.
Rent-to-Own Christianity
In my last post I looked at the nature of giving, and contended that God's gift, like any gift freely offered out of love, comes without strings attached. This offends the sensibilities of many people who look upon the demands of God - obedience, virtue, holiness - as reasonable expectations of those who have been so showered with His grace. As I said, God can demand whatever He chooses, and by definition it would be reasonable. In fact, He does command us, but He does not connect it to the gift of salvation in the way these folks want to. They would see the transaction like this:
God has given you: [ life] [salvation] [Himself]
Therefore you must render to Him [your life] [obedience] [your self]
It is usually framed like this: "God gave me His Son (of eternal life, or saved me); the least I owe Him is my life.
This makes the transaction a trade. Why is that a problem?
First, we are not in commerce with God; we are not trading partners. This would require that we could offer something of comparable value to what He has offered. As I said, we can't.
Second, it nullifies the gift. If He meant to trade on what He offered, fine. But it would not be called a gift.
Third, since God has purchased us and already rightfully owns us, our response only reflects what is already true. We are in effect pretending it is repayment plan, when it is a completed purchase! No more payments can be made, or will be received. Eternal life is not rent-to-own.
Fourth, it perverts the true nature of both our relationship to Him, and the motivation to live for Him. That's what I want to discuss here.
Justification
We know that what God has given us in justifying, forgiving and granting us eternal life is not deserved. But I feel most strongly that many of us fail to see clearly what God has done, and what the ramifications are for us. Let's look at a two examples.
1. God justified us out of love. He desired to rescue us, have communion with us and live with us forever. The result is a relationship that did not exist before, as His children. He adopted us into His family.
2. In resurrecting us from the dead (regenerating us) He gave us His very own life, breathing into us His life-giving Spirit. The result of this is that a people who were dead now live only by the life of God given to us. He is your life.
If we really reflect on just these two truths (for starters) -- our filial union and resurrection -- I believe we'll see how ridiculous it is think that our actions or lifestyle could be taken in repayment of our debt to him. He wasn't looking to make us His debtors. He meant to free us from an unpayable debt, so that we could serve Him as reborn, transformed, free sons and daughters full of love and thankfulness toward their Father!
There is no more radical transformation in all the universe than to make the dead alive again. As a manner of responding to the One who has done this, only love and gratitude make sense.
Sanctification
This will hopefully shed a little more daylight on our sanctification, where there is so much confusion about the relationship of works, faith, and spiritual and moral progress. Everything I have said up to the this point will no doubt be obvious. I hope you kept reading anyway.
My challenge is to simplify what amounts to the greater balance of teaching in the New Testament about how Christians are to live, think and believe.
If our life in Christ is a gift we cannot and should not even attempt to repay, then how do we view our responsibility to obey His commands?
Allow me some shorthand. I will call this obedience, meaning it in the broadest sense of conforming our selves in the power of the Holy Spirit to all that he wants of of us, our actions, our beliefs, thoughts, motivations, priorities and desires.
Obedience is broader than any definition of law, because it law can't touch every part of God's will.
Obedience even goes beyond what His word contains, because we face situations in which only His Spirit can guide us into the best application of its principles. Being able to do this is what we call wisdom.
The pursuit of obedience it would appear, is intended by God to happen in this life when failure and sin are inevitable. Fortunately He has not established a fixed standard of perfection in this life, but rather progress toward conformity with the character of Jesus Christ.
We pursue obedience that is pleasing to our Father.
We seek to be like Jesus.
We express our love and gratitude by our willingness to freely answer His call to obedience.
He is our loving Father who gives us all things, and He wishes us to be and we ought to be His loving and grateful children seeking to please Him with our lives.
Now to my point. This process of growing as His children to more fully obedient, more like Jesus, we often call sanctification. It too is a gift.
But unlike the gift of justification-salvation, sanctification-salvation is something we fully participate in. Our progress depends on the way in which we receive the gift. That is NOT because our obedience goes to buy our progress, but because our sojourn in this life is a stewardship. Along with the gift came the power to live a God-pleasing life. This means our obedience is not repayment, but stewardship of the gift. The gift is not an idle keepsake; it is making us what God always intended and willed us to be: people conformed to the image of Christ, to the praise of His glory and grace. That process does depend on receiving the gift and administering its limitless resources, which can only be manifested in the life of the believer who is walking as a faithful disciple. The disciple works, and as she does, she finds all the power and strength she needs to fulfill God's purpose of a life that prepares her for eternity.
Glorification
For what has she been prepared in eternity? The culmination, the full fruition of God's gift is realized then to be far beyond human imagining, and we will see what Paul meant when he wrote,
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ many will understand of the first time that eternal rewards did depend on their faithfulness, "and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor" (I Cor. 3:8b). I believe the works both good and bad that will be the basis of this judgment don't amount to a measurement of moral points earned, but rather to a measure of the faithfulness of our stewardship of His gift to us. Remember, there is a purpose to the gift. It is irrevocable, so that if we do not see to the realiztion of that purpose in our earthly lives, we still have a home with Christ in the life to come. But the failure, the refusal to answer His call to discipleship will amount to "bad works," useless works, without eternal value. This is faithless stewardship, as seen in the parable of the talents (Mt. 25:14-30).
Nor have entered in to heart of man
the things God has prepared for those who love Him - 1 Cor. 2:9
On the other hand, the faithful steward, who took up his cross daily and followed Jesus, can look forward to hearing Him say, "'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'" (Mt. 25:21).
Even though God has said that the rewards given out at this time are earned by good works, I cannot help but see the whole arrangement as the entry into a infinite new realm of divine grace. It's like being given a job by your father that pays a salary far beyond what your labor could possible deserve. Yes, he says you'll earn your paycheck, buy the job itself is a gift.
The earning, receiving and enjoyment of rewards in eternity is all of His grace, too!
Truly all of eternity will ring with the praise of the Lord in His glory and grace. Love and thankfulness toward our amazing God should propel our service and fire our hearts.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
It is the Gift of God: Part One
I: The Nature of a Gift
The conception a Christian has of God's grace, I believe, correlates closely to what they believe is the nature of a gift. Is a gift a means of earning favor with the recipient? Does a gift obligate the recipient to the giver? If the gift is an expression of love, does the giver expect an expression of love to be reciprocated? Is there an even more specific expectation of reciprocation -- a gift in return, a favor, a closer relationship?
I think if we give gifts with this frame of mind, even secretly, we may think God does, too.
He doesn't.
Let's take a look at how God does give out of His grace. If He gives the way I have described above, His giving is more a means to His ends: He wants something from us -- whether a little or a lot -- in return or as a result of the gift. Is God entitled to do this? Of course! He is God. But should we still call it a gift? I don't think so. There are so many reasons for this. I'd like to consider a few.
Plain Manners
First, there is the normal understanding we have of what it means to make a gift to another. Most people would regard 'giving to get' as so inherently selfish as to remove any virtue in such giving. In a certain context it would be bribe. In others, the means of a gift to place someone under obligation to the giver is manipulative. The strings attached to the gift cause it to not truly be a gift. Yet we all have heard from teachers that God's gift comes with a stiff price tag: your life, your complete obedience, your total submission, everything you have and are. Does a true gift come with a price tag?
It does not matter whether the giver expects something before, during or after the gift.
"If you do this for me, I have a gift for you."
"I'll give you this for that."
"Since I gave to that to you, you owe me."
A true gift is free and clear of any encumbrances; it expects nothing in return. We all know this.
When You Give
Second, there is the teaching of Scripture about giving. It tells us that God is pleased by giving that is:
I will address this in Part Two.
The conception a Christian has of God's grace, I believe, correlates closely to what they believe is the nature of a gift. Is a gift a means of earning favor with the recipient? Does a gift obligate the recipient to the giver? If the gift is an expression of love, does the giver expect an expression of love to be reciprocated? Is there an even more specific expectation of reciprocation -- a gift in return, a favor, a closer relationship?
I think if we give gifts with this frame of mind, even secretly, we may think God does, too.
He doesn't.
Let's take a look at how God does give out of His grace. If He gives the way I have described above, His giving is more a means to His ends: He wants something from us -- whether a little or a lot -- in return or as a result of the gift. Is God entitled to do this? Of course! He is God. But should we still call it a gift? I don't think so. There are so many reasons for this. I'd like to consider a few.
Plain Manners
First, there is the normal understanding we have of what it means to make a gift to another. Most people would regard 'giving to get' as so inherently selfish as to remove any virtue in such giving. In a certain context it would be bribe. In others, the means of a gift to place someone under obligation to the giver is manipulative. The strings attached to the gift cause it to not truly be a gift. Yet we all have heard from teachers that God's gift comes with a stiff price tag: your life, your complete obedience, your total submission, everything you have and are. Does a true gift come with a price tag?
It does not matter whether the giver expects something before, during or after the gift.
"If you do this for me, I have a gift for you."
"I'll give you this for that."
"Since I gave to that to you, you owe me."
A true gift is free and clear of any encumbrances; it expects nothing in return. We all know this.
When You Give
Second, there is the teaching of Scripture about giving. It tells us that God is pleased by giving that is:
- Voluntary, Ex. 25:2, 1 Chr. 29:9
- Cheerful, 2 Cor. 9:7
- Generous, Prov. 22:9, Acts 10:2, 2 Cor. 9:5, and
- Sacrificial, Mk. 12:42-44, 2 Cor. 8:1-3
We are also taught that real giving is not looking for something in return.
Then He (Jesus) also said to him who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.
But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.
And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
Does God do the same thing? Does He give to us without requiring something in return?
When we consider the greatest gift, eternal life in Christ, we see that He gives to those who do not deserve His goodness and generosity. Look at it this way:
1. Before the fact (of receiving life): we don't deserve it / we can't earn it
2. After the fact: we don't deserve it / we can't repay it
If we are not deserving before we receive, how can we become deserving after we receive? Answer: we cannot. And that's for two simple reasons: One, we have no more merit than we did before; and two, what God gives us we cannot repay, not in the least measure. Not to even the most infinitesimal fraction of its worth.
- Attempts at repayment amount to a denial of the freeness of the gift. For example, grace is given to the one who only believes, but wages are owed to the one who works. Rom. 4:4-5.
- We have nothing even remotely near its value. If we think our paltry works and sacrifices are somehow that valuable, we need to downsize our estimation.
- Finally, we have no personal merit, even as believers, that we could claim as making us deserving.
His Indescribable Gift
Third, there is the working out of God's grace in our salvation, in which God shows us the real nature of grace by what He has done, is doing and will do.
I will address this in Part Two.
So What?
The astonishing truth that God has given more than we can comprehend, to us who have nothing of any worth to offer in kind -- How should we respond to this?
First, we should be free of the thought that we can match His gift. Or do we devalue it to level of our offerings? May it never be!
Second, we should be filled with gratitude for His gifts, especially the gift of eternal life. And we should be overflowing with love for Him, since He has poured out His love on us to overflowing. And the outpouring of our love and gratitude, as meager as it may seem, turns out to be what He wants from us: worship, trust, love and obedience. Offered as repayment or merit for what He freely gave us, they are an offense. As a response to Him and all He has done, they are pleasing to Him. In this our joy is complete: a full realization of the infinite value of His grace, and the privilege of knowing He is pleased by our response.
"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"
2 Cor. 9:15
Friday, April 24, 2009
CDC: New Virus "Like Rabies," Strikes Bloggers
ATLANTA (Associated Press) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced this week a rare but alarming virus. Victims are struck with a near-blinding obsession with blogger Antonio da Rosa. Symptoms include fever, delirium, compulsive spamming, heat rashes, internet flaming and continuing to talk long after everyone has left the room.
"We're calling it da Roseola," says CDC epidemiologist Dr. Horem Skrellnop, "due to its similarity to roseola, which stikes children from 6 months to two years. And it has a nice, exotic, Latin ring to it, like La Bambalectomy, or Ricky-Ricardio-myopathy. I meant, um, the other kind of Latin. Never mind."
CDC officials said they don't know where it originated, but it appears transmissible through casual contact. "People who don't frequent a certain few blogs are not at risk," Skrellnop added. "You have to know who da Rosa is, and later catch the bug."
"This could easily be mistaken for a mental disorder, but it's not; it's physiological, like rabies. There's ranting, continual repetition of certain phrases -- it can take over your life. Victims deserve our pity, not our fear.
"The thing to remember about someone in this desperate condition is to stay away. You don't want to be infected, or you'll end up just like them."
Other precautionary steps recommended by Skrellnop: deep breathing, a long vacation in a sunny locale, more dietary fiber and watching some Marx Brothers' movies, especially the ones before 1937.
"Of course, that's always good advice," noted Skrellnop.
"We're calling it da Roseola," says CDC epidemiologist Dr. Horem Skrellnop, "due to its similarity to roseola, which stikes children from 6 months to two years. And it has a nice, exotic, Latin ring to it, like La Bambalectomy, or Ricky-Ricardio-myopathy. I meant, um, the other kind of Latin. Never mind."
CDC officials said they don't know where it originated, but it appears transmissible through casual contact. "People who don't frequent a certain few blogs are not at risk," Skrellnop added. "You have to know who da Rosa is, and later catch the bug."
"This could easily be mistaken for a mental disorder, but it's not; it's physiological, like rabies. There's ranting, continual repetition of certain phrases -- it can take over your life. Victims deserve our pity, not our fear.
"The thing to remember about someone in this desperate condition is to stay away. You don't want to be infected, or you'll end up just like them."
Other precautionary steps recommended by Skrellnop: deep breathing, a long vacation in a sunny locale, more dietary fiber and watching some Marx Brothers' movies, especially the ones before 1937.
"Of course, that's always good advice," noted Skrellnop.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Stop the Stalker
Have you been the target of Internet stalking or bullying? It is possible that you will at some time.
What constitutes Internet or cyberstalking? According to the Wikipedia :
It has been defined as the use of information and communications technology, particularly the Internet, by an individual or group of individuals, to harass another individual, group of individuals, or organization. The behavior includes false accusations, monitoring, the transmission of threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors for sexual purposes, and gathering information for harassment purposes. The harassment must be such that a reasonable person, in possession of the same information, would regard it as sufficient to cause another reasonable person distress.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_stalking)
I found some useful information at wiredsafety.org on how to deal with stalkers:
http://www.wiredsafety.org/cyberstalking_harassment/stalker.html
What constitutes Internet or cyberstalking? According to the Wikipedia :
It has been defined as the use of information and communications technology, particularly the Internet, by an individual or group of individuals, to harass another individual, group of individuals, or organization. The behavior includes false accusations, monitoring, the transmission of threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors for sexual purposes, and gathering information for harassment purposes. The harassment must be such that a reasonable person, in possession of the same information, would regard it as sufficient to cause another reasonable person distress.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_stalking)
I found some useful information at wiredsafety.org on how to deal with stalkers:
http://www.wiredsafety.org/cyberstalking_harassment/stalker.html
This, from wiredsafety.org, sounds familiar:
"What happens when you want to walk away and the other person won't let you? This is when a flame war becomes harassment and perhaps stalking. They may post continuously about you in a defamatory manner. Create a Web site about you or your group or go as far as tracing you and calling you at home or work or even coming to see you offline."
It's helpful to understand what kind of personality you're dealing with:
"The last type of stalker is the vengeful stalker. They get angry at their victim due to some slight either real or imagined. We have all heard of disgruntled employees, these are vengeful stalkers and can be just as dangerous as the delusional. They stalk to get even and believe that "they" have been victimized."
"Ego & Power Trip stalkers are the most difficult to guard against. Like a gang that wanders the streets looking for likely victims, these stalker are out to prove that they can terrorize someone. And they don’t usually care who it is. They often choose their victims at random. Sometimes they choose someone they perceive as the weakest in the room. The ego & power trip stalkers are the bullies online. And they are looking for a fight."
You may be a target, but you don't have to be a victim.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Not Fade Away
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His abundant mercy
has begotten us again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled
and that does not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God
through faith for salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5
who according to His abundant mercy
has begotten us again to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled
and that does not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God
through faith for salvation
ready to be revealed in the last time.
1 Peter 1:3-5
"Abide with us"
Luke Chapter 24
1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?6 "He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,7 "saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' "
8 And they remembered His words.9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"
19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,20 "and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.22 "Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.23 "When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.24 "And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!26 "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying,
"The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?6 "He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,7 "saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' "
8 And they remembered His words.9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"
19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,20 "and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.22 "Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.23 "When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.24 "And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!26 "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying,
"The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
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