good works

December 14, 2021

Good works (1 Tim. 5:25)

“Thus,

Good works also

Are conspicuous.

Even when they are not,

They cannot remain hidden.”

ὡσαύτως καὶ τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλὰ πρόδηλα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα κρυβῆναι οὐ δύνανται.

Paul said, “Thus, also (ὡσαύτως καὶ) good works (τὰ ἔργα τὰ καλὰ) are conspicuous (πρόδηλα).  Even when they are not (καὶ τὰ ἄλλως ἔχοντα), they cannot remain hidden (κρυβῆναι οὐ δύνανται).”  Only this letter to Timothy used this unique word πρόδηλα, that means evident beforehand, manifest to all, evident, or very clear.  Paul then explained to Timothy that good works, like sins, are also conspicuous or evident for all to see.  Even when they are not that evident, they cannot remain hidden.  They always see the light of day.  In other words, there was no good reason to hide good or bad deeds.  Everyone would get them to know about them eventually.  Thus, make sure that you are not a sinner, but someone doing good deeds.  Are you a doer of good deeds?

March 26, 2019

The lit lamp (Lk 11:33-11:33)

“No one,

After lighting

A lamp,

Puts it

In a cellar.

Nor do they

Put it

Under a basket.

But they put it

On a lampstand.

Thus,

Those who enter

May see the light.”

 

Οὐδεὶς λύχνον ἅψας εἰς κρύπτην τίθησιν οὐδὲ ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν, ἵνα οἱ εἰσπορευόμενοι τὸ φέγγος βλέπωσιν.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that no one (Οὐδεὶς), after lighting a lamp (λύχνον ἅψας), puts it in a cellar (εἰς κρύπτην τίθησιν).  Nor do they put it under a basket (οὐδὲ ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον).  Rather, they put it on a lampstand (ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν).  Thus, those who enter may see the light (ἵνα οἱ εἰσπορευόμενοι τὸ φέγγος βλέπωσιν).  A similar saying of Jesus can be found in Matthew, chapter 5:15, and Mark, chapter 4:21, and earlier in Luke, chapter 8:16.  There Luke indicated that Jesus said that no one (Οὐδεὶς), after lighting a lamp (δὲ λύχνον ἅψας), would hide it under a jar or a vessel (καλύπτει αὐτὸν σκεύει).  No one puts a lamp under a bed (ἢ ὑποκάτω κλίνης τίθησιν).  But they put it on a lampstand (ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ λυχνίας τίθησιν).  Thus, those who enter the house (ἵνα οἱ εἰσπορευόμενοι) may see the light (βλέπωσιν τὸ φῶς).  Mark indicated that Jesus said to his disciples that a lamp should not be brought into a house to be put under a bushel basket or under a bed.  Rather it is better to put it on a lampstand.  Thus, the light from the lit candle lamp would shine on everyone and everything in the house.  Matthew was more expansive compared to Luke.  He indicated that Jesus said that after lighting a lamp, no one puts it under a bushel, but rather on a lampstand.  Thus, the light from the lit candle lamp would shine on everyone in the house.  Matthew, instead of leaving it generic, applied this to his disciples.  Their light should shine before other men.  Thus, others would see their good works, since it was not about faith alone.  The ultimate result would be that others would glorify their heavenly father.  Where do you put your lit lamp of your life?

 

February 19, 2019

The lit lamp on a stand (Lk 8:16-8:16)

“No one,

After lighting a lamp,

Hides it

Under a jar.

Or puts it

Under a bed.

But they put it

On a lampstand.

Thus,

Those who enter

May see the light.”

 

Οὐδεὶς δὲ λύχνον ἅψας καλύπτει αὐτὸν σκεύει ἢ ὑποκάτω κλίνης τίθησιν, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ λυχνίας τίθησιν, ἵνα οἱ εἰσπορευόμενοι βλέπωσιν τὸ φῶς.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said that no one (Οὐδεὶς), after lighting a lamp (δὲ λύχνον ἅψας), would hide it under a jar or a vessel (καλύπτει αὐτὸν σκεύει).  No one puts a lamp under a bed (ἢ ὑποκάτω κλίνης τίθησιν).  But they put it on a lampstand (ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ λυχνίας τίθησιν).  Thus, those who enter the house (ἵνα οἱ εἰσπορευόμενοι) may see the light (βλέπωσιν τὸ φῶς).  A similar saying of Jesus can be found in Matthew, chapter 5:15, and Mark, chapter 4:21, and later in Luke, chapter 11:33.  Mark indicated that Jesus said to his disciples that a lamp should not be brought into a house to be put under a bushel basket or under a bed.  Rather it is better to put it on a lampstand.  Thus, the light from the lit candle lamp would shine on everyone and everything in the house.  Matthew was more expansive compared to Luke.  He indicated that Jesus said that after lighting a lamp, no one puts it under a bushel, but rather on a lampstand.  Thus, the light from the lit candle lamp would shine on everyone in the house.  Matthew, instead of leaving it generic, applied this to his disciples.  Their light should shine before other men.  Thus, others would see their good works, since it was not about faith alone.  The ultimate result would be that others would glorify their heavenly father.  Does your light shine bright?

February 25, 2018

Justification by Faith

Faith is the response of the total self, the mind, will and affections.  Being justified is a personal phenomenon.  Service and love are more important than right beliefs and sound doctrine.  You do your own believing.  God transforms the heart and you experience God’s love.  Good works are a correlation to faith.  Protestants love the apostle Paul.  They have a tendency to over emphasis the written Bible with an emphasis on private religious experience.  Diversity is good, since most Protestant groups have broken off from another Protestant group or from the Roman Catholic Church.  In a certain sense heretical or diverse views are expected rather than one orthodox single view.

 

 

October 28, 2015

God is near (Ps 73:27-73:28)

“Indeed those who are far from you will perish.

You put an end to those who are false to you.

But for me,

It is good to be near God.

I have made Yahweh God

My refuge.

Thus I may tell of all your works.”

This psalm concludes with the familiar praise of God as a refuge. Those who are far away from God will perish. God will put an end to those who are false to him. However, Asaph the psalmist was glad to be near God. Yahweh had become his refuge. Thus he was able to tell everyone about all his good works.

February 18, 2015

The fight of Tobit with his wife over the goat (Tob 2:11-2:14)

“At that time, also, my wife Anna earned money at women’s work. She used to send what she made to the owners. They would pay wages to her. One day, on the seventh of Dystrus, when she cut off a piece she had woven and sent it to its owners, they paid her full wages. They also gave her a young goal for a meal. When she returned to me, the goat began to bleat. So I called her and said. ‘Where did you get this goat? It is surely not stolen, is it? Return it to its owners. We have no right to eat anything stolen.’ She said to me. ‘It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages.’ But I did not believe her. I told her to return it to its owners. I became flushed with anger against her over this. Then she replied to me.

‘Where are your acts of charity?

Where are your righteous deeds?

These things are known about you!’”

His wife did women’s work, clearly the classic way of thinking about the work that only women would do. She was some kind of seamstress working with cloth, perhaps making or mending things, for which she got paid for this work. The 7th of Dystrus is the Greek name for the Semitic month of Adar in our February/March time frame. So one day, Anna showed up with her wages plus a goat. Tobit did not like the bleating or noise of the goat. He insinuated that she had stolen the goat. He would not believe that anyone would give her goat. He got angry about it. She then mocked him about his acts of charity and righteousness. Tobit was too self-righteous and would not believe his own wife.