The Christmas Story- Geneva Bible

A few years ago I was able to find an inexpensive copy of the Geneva Bible, published in 1560. This is the translation that the Pilgrims brought with them to the New World. I like to read familiar passages from less familiar translations. This often makes me think more about the words and their meanings.

You won't find this much different from the King James Bible, but I like it anyway. This is also my first entry in an occasional video series of Bible readings.

So, from someone known to be an old Scrooge when it comes to Christmas fol-de-rol, I invite you to contemplate the reason for Christmas, the celebration of Christ, in the first place.

Gospel Enigmas - Which Commandments?

I find that many of the things Jesus did are perplexing. They make me think, and sometimes I have no conclusions. I'll pose questions and only share my opinion as to meaning after a day or so. Interact!


Jesus answered the scribe’s question of which is the greatest commandment: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

This wasn’t some newly created distillation of the ten commandments. Jesus was quoting Deuteronomy and Leviticus. By using these phrases he not only demonstrated his knowledge of Scripture, but validated the authority of the law. This all makes sense.

Then we come to Jesus’ meeting with the young rich man. This man chases Jesus down... literally. He runs down the road to catch up with him. He kneels and calls Jesus “Good Teacher.” Then he asks what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answer is almost coy. He starts with a question, “Why do you call me good? No man is good.”

He continues by telling the man to obey the commandments, and lists them. Well, sort of... Jesus lists five of the ten commandments. And not the first five. Actually the decalogue breaks into sections of four and six. The first four deal with our relationship with God, the “love the Lord” part. The final six cover “love your neighbor.”

Jesus seems to be playing a game with the young man. He tells him not to commit adultery, murder, or lie, and that he should honor his father and mother.

This seems like all the wrong answers. It’s as if Jesus is saying that one can attain heaven by doing certain things, when the entire premise of the New Testament is that we gain eternal life by faith in God... more in line with the first four of the commandments.

What do you think Jesus was doing? read more

See Mark 12
See Mark 10

Rabbi, Eat Something!

In John 4 we have the account of Jesus meeting the woman at the well, but did you ever pay attention to how the disciples act at the end of the story? We probably subconsciously block this out because they are all too much like we are!

They return from town and find the Teacher speaking with a vile Samaritan, and worse yet, a woman. John is careful to tell us that they DID NOT ask any questions about this strange situation. Instead they proceed into a classic ethnic chicken-soup joke, "Rabbi, eat something," they say. We can only speculate on their motivation, but there are plenty of familiar choices available. Politcal correctness? Avoidance of controversial topics? Embarrassment? Timidity or fear? Feelings that it was none of their business? Apathy? Avoidance of what was sure to be a serious conversation? More interest in their own physical hunger than anything else? Failure to recognize that a spiritual event was occurring?

Since the incident is recorded, at least John eventually asked or was told about the interview. But how often are we like the disciples, avoiding interaction with the Lord for any one of a market-basket-full of appetizing excuses?

John 4

Gospel Enigmas- Conversation with a Demon

I find that many of the things Jesus did are perplexing. They make me think, and sometimes I have no conclusions. I'll pose questions and only share my opinion as to meaning in the comments section after a day or so. Interact!

Jesus sends a demon away carved door panel, Pisa, Italy

Jesus had just begun his ministry. He had overcome the devil in his temptation. Next, he went to his hometown of Nazareth, where Jesus plainly declares that he is the Messiah. But people didn't believe him- he was just Joseph's son to them.

So Jesus went to Capernaum, and began to teach. The people there quickly recognized that he was someone with authority. A man there was possessed by demons, and the demons struck up a conversation with Jesus. They also recognized his authority. In fact, they called him the Holy One of God!

He receives a "stamp of authenticity" from a supernatural being. That would be somewhat like being recognized as a VIP by Donald Trump-- someone who was a VIP himself. But Jesus would have none of it! He told the demon to be quiet.

Think about it. A demon would want to do something that would further Satan's cause, not God's. So it must have thought that correctly identifying Jesus would be a bad thing. Did Jesus not want the people here to be brought abruptly face-to-face with his divinity? Weren't they ready for this yet? Just a few days before, Jesus was pointedly critical of the people in his hometown who refused to believe that he was the Messiah.

To complete the story, Jesus cast out the demon. The people were amazed and told other people about him.

What was the difference between these two groups of people that made Jesus desire different reactions to him?

Luke 4

Gospel Enigmas- Blind Bartimaeus

I find that many of the things Jesus did are perplexing. They make me think, and sometimes I have no conclusions. I'll pose questions and only share my opinion as to meaning in the comments section after a day or so. Interact!

Jesus and his disciples were walking toward Jericho. A blind man named Bartimaeus was sitting beside the road begging. But when he was told that it was Jesus who was passing by he called out, even when people told him to be quiet.

So Jesus stopped to see what was going on. But he didn't go to where Bartimaeus was, in fact, at first he didn't even speak to the blind man. Instead he told other people to call the man. They did, and Bartimaeus came to Jesus.

But Jesus still wasn't ready to give the man what he wanted, even though he MUST have known. It wouldn't even take the Son of God's abilities to figure out that the man wanted his sight restored. Nevertheless, he asked Bartimaeus, "What do you want me to do for you?"

As soon as the man stated that he wanted to be able to see, Jesus immediately healed him without even touching him!

One of the puzzling things about this story is that Jesus used different methods to heal different blind men, but that's a different post.

Why do you think that Jesus made Bartimaeus come to him and ask to be healed? If I get a few comments, I'll add my personal conclusions at the end of those.


See Matthew 20:29-34
See Mark 10:46-52
See Luke 18:35-43