I've decided to begin a new blog on the Biblical gospel of Luke. This will be simply narration and meditation, not scholarly or critical.
COMMENTARY ON LUKE'S GOSPEL
WHEN LUKE WROTE HIS GOSPEL, he wrote that--many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us. How did they know what they wrote? Luke further says eyewitnesses--and servants of the Word handed them down to us. Luke further says he will write these events down--in consecutive order. This would be the Greek manner of writing history, not the Jewish style of compiling an account.
Evidently other accounts grouped the miracles together, the teaching together, the parables together in the Jewish maanner, by which they could be read and remembered in the synogogue or temple or house meeting.
1
LUKE begins by using the reign of King Herod, whose reign everyone would know. It is reminiscent of the day and year formula in Genesis 8.4. In the reign of this king, this priest Zecharias of the family of Abijah had a wife, Elizabeth. Her family is named as the daughter of Aaron, whose name would have great standing in Israel. However, Elizabeth was barren.
The word barren has a severe picture in it, that of a deserted land, a city lost in ruins, an abandoned place where nothing grows. In 2 Kings 2.19 the King James translation says of Jericho--the water is bad and the land is barren. The NASB uses the word, unfruitful, as if the land were never to be anything but barren. However most uses of barren refer to a woman's capacity to bear children. For instance, Genesis 11.30--for Sarah is barren; she had no child.
Just as only God could create the universe out of nothing, so only God can give a child to a barren women. Although Elizabeth is barren, she is sanctified of the Lord along with her husband Zechariah. They were righteous, blameless in all of God's commandments. This means more than just doing the religious thing; this means understanding what the commandments and requirements of the Lord mean. This is also said of Job, of Noah and Abraham but almost no one else.
Zechariah was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary, in order to perform the priestly duties specified in 1 Chronicles 24.19. Evidently the people admired Zechariah so much they stood in prayer outside the sanctuary until he was finished. These were devout people doing their duty. While they prayed, an angel appeared to Zechariah.
Fear gripped Zechariah, as he knew who the angel was. The angel has to tell Zechariah to--not be afraid Zechariah, for your petition has been heard and your wife Elizabeth will hear you a son and you will give him the name of John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 1. 13,14. This will be no ordinary son.
Evidently Elizabeth and Zechariah have been waiting. Notice that their petition is in the singular, as if they gaive it up to God once and then believed He would answer it. The angel's description of John means his life was entirely predestined for God. He will be the forerunner before Christ in the spirit and power of Elijah, he will turn fathers back to their children, he will prepare the way for the Lord.
But Zechariah says--How shall I know this for certain? Now this is not entirely skeptical; in the Old Testament signs were given when God does great things. But here in the New Testament, God's Word is enough. Zechariah must learn this. So the angel silences Zechariah for a time. Notice that Gabriel says he comes from the presence of God; he says he has been sent to speak to Zechariah, to bring good news. All of this emphacises the Word of God. It must be believed in the kingdom of God.
Gabriel then says his words will be--fulfilled in the proper time, 1.20. The idea that God's actions will occur on the earth at the proper time is one of the underlying themes of the NT. Jesus will be born at the right time; events in His life will occur when God ordains them; all of the actors in His salvation drama will take their places and say their words in the proper time.
Just to provide a small example of the proper time, when Zechariah came out of the temple, he could not speak. He makes gestures and signs to the people of what happened between him and Gabriel, and when his days of service were fulfilled he returned home--at the proper time.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
COMING TOGETHER--85 Good Stuff
It is Tuesday. Yesterday I went over to the retirement village to say hello to Mom and find out if she is adjusting. They tell me she is really getting into events and has an older female buddy.
This is just what I wanted. I can put her off my mind, except for paying bills. We move all of her stuff into her new apt. on Saturday. It's going to be an ordeal, but only once.
Phil--my brother--and I are getting this done together with more harmony than we've ever had. I really like that. I cannot do this by myself and I don't want to.
All these damn change of addresses! I hate this part of moving; this is why I am more into my email address than a physical address.
Mom has so much unnecessary stuff. She has 8 or 10 bottles of the same stuff like vanilla extract, or hand lotion or plastic bowls. I've had to throw out about 50 pounds of stuff she has never used, probably never seen. She had dust everywhere in her bathroom.
Getting out of that apartment was good for her; it was a source of old memories and depression and dust and laying around. The new village keeps her moving and busy and doing things. This is good.
It is Tuesday. Yesterday I went over to the retirement village to say hello to Mom and find out if she is adjusting. They tell me she is really getting into events and has an older female buddy.
This is just what I wanted. I can put her off my mind, except for paying bills. We move all of her stuff into her new apt. on Saturday. It's going to be an ordeal, but only once.
Phil--my brother--and I are getting this done together with more harmony than we've ever had. I really like that. I cannot do this by myself and I don't want to.
All these damn change of addresses! I hate this part of moving; this is why I am more into my email address than a physical address.
Mom has so much unnecessary stuff. She has 8 or 10 bottles of the same stuff like vanilla extract, or hand lotion or plastic bowls. I've had to throw out about 50 pounds of stuff she has never used, probably never seen. She had dust everywhere in her bathroom.
Getting out of that apartment was good for her; it was a source of old memories and depression and dust and laying around. The new village keeps her moving and busy and doing things. This is good.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Arguments and Settlements
COMING TOGETHER--84
Mom spend the night at the care facility, by herself. She watched a movie, then slept until 10am when I woke her up with a knock on her door.
We went out to eat, paid her previous apartment off, and went back to her care facility. She won't get involved with the activities there, so I will have to go there less and less.
Philip will be there tomorrow. I've told her I won't come around. She cried; I told her to grow up. I told her she had not right to chain me down to her life, she had no right to enslave me. I have a right to my own life.
She says she doesn't care about Philip. I believe they will argue about the paintings and possessions. What she said was insulting to him, but I've always known my mother did not care about her children as much as she did her own life. She may make some sort of demand about leaving but I won't have her living with me.
She's going to have to fit in there, whether she wants to or not.
I've asked God to go before me when I see her on Thursday.
+++
Now it is Wednesday morning, about 4am. I have prayed for Mom and Phil's time together. I hope to God she is sleeping now. I hope this works out, because I don't want to go back to being her care giver. I'm her son, not her care giver.
We had a confrontation yesterday. I told her I wasn't her slave, that she had no right to take my life away from me. I told her I was not taking her away from Signature Pointe. I told her to make my Dad proud of her. I don't know how much of an effect that had on her, I suppose I will find that out after Phil leaves her today.
Mom spend the night at the care facility, by herself. She watched a movie, then slept until 10am when I woke her up with a knock on her door.
We went out to eat, paid her previous apartment off, and went back to her care facility. She won't get involved with the activities there, so I will have to go there less and less.
Philip will be there tomorrow. I've told her I won't come around. She cried; I told her to grow up. I told her she had not right to chain me down to her life, she had no right to enslave me. I have a right to my own life.
She says she doesn't care about Philip. I believe they will argue about the paintings and possessions. What she said was insulting to him, but I've always known my mother did not care about her children as much as she did her own life. She may make some sort of demand about leaving but I won't have her living with me.
She's going to have to fit in there, whether she wants to or not.
I've asked God to go before me when I see her on Thursday.
+++
Now it is Wednesday morning, about 4am. I have prayed for Mom and Phil's time together. I hope to God she is sleeping now. I hope this works out, because I don't want to go back to being her care giver. I'm her son, not her care giver.
We had a confrontation yesterday. I told her I wasn't her slave, that she had no right to take my life away from me. I told her I was not taking her away from Signature Pointe. I told her to make my Dad proud of her. I don't know how much of an effect that had on her, I suppose I will find that out after Phil leaves her today.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Coming Together -83
COMING TOGETHER-83
What a day this has been. I am exhausted. I am worn out with dealing with my mother's ways, with this move to a retirement facility. I am worn out with all the driving, with putting up with my mother's emotions, her delays, her reluctance and bad memory and fears, things she forgets, the things she doesn't want to do, the things she will not do.
I should have done this months ago, but no one in the family had gone through this before.
Now that Mom is in a nice retirement facility, I am homeless. I will have to find an apartment soon, and one that's pretty cheap.
My brother wants to come over to inspect things. He believes he needs to give his approval. He thinks he can do better than me; we'll go ahead, Phil, do better. You can do it all if you want.
I am not a health care professional, I can't take care of her 100% of the time, I can 40% of the time but living with Mom and trying to work has ruined my life, it has worn me down.
I have change of address stuff to do, more things to move, more chores with all of this.
What a day this has been. I am exhausted. I am worn out with dealing with my mother's ways, with this move to a retirement facility. I am worn out with all the driving, with putting up with my mother's emotions, her delays, her reluctance and bad memory and fears, things she forgets, the things she doesn't want to do, the things she will not do.
I should have done this months ago, but no one in the family had gone through this before.
Now that Mom is in a nice retirement facility, I am homeless. I will have to find an apartment soon, and one that's pretty cheap.
My brother wants to come over to inspect things. He believes he needs to give his approval. He thinks he can do better than me; we'll go ahead, Phil, do better. You can do it all if you want.
I am not a health care professional, I can't take care of her 100% of the time, I can 40% of the time but living with Mom and trying to work has ruined my life, it has worn me down.
I have change of address stuff to do, more things to move, more chores with all of this.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
COMING TOGETHER--82
Well now, guess what happened. Scorpions came into Mom's apartment, scaring her pretty good, convincing her she needed to move out. I killed one in her kitchen while she was there. I had the apartments call the exterminator, who came out to spray and leave traps.
But then the next night another baby scorpion showed up in one of the bedrooms. Evidently, this one came through the bathroom associated with that bedroom. They are ugly, threatening looking like miniature crabs with a tongue like a cobra. The exterminator had done the minimum; but not enough to keep Mom from wanting to move.
In a way, I like the result. I am in contact with a lady who specializes in finding accomodations for the elderly. I hope to meet her Sunday. This might just work, even though moving Mom's furniture will be an ordeal.
Maybe living in a retirement apartment complex will enable me to work on days rather than nights. Maybe I'll get some time away from my mother. I need it, my friends say they look at my face and can see the stress and discouragement.
Now it is Sunday afternoon. I have met with Ruth, who specializes in finding the right place for people in retirement. We met, had a long talk. She mentioned a place about 2 miles from where Mom and I live. I went over there. I really liked the place, but Mom has been noncommittal. I hope she is willing to move in.
Our immediate problem is the rent is due on Tuesday. She would have to break her lease to move right away; I wish she would move right away but that involves some serious cash. And then we would have to find a place for all of her stuff. I don't think all of her stuff will go into the new apartment, but about 90% of it will.
The new retirement apartment management don't want me living with Mom, which is great! I dont want to live with her any more. It's too stressful to be worried about her 24/7. I probably should just stop worrying but if there's no one to come see her, it's hard to just stop.
This means I will have to get an apartment, back to living on a shoestring and dealing with a tight budget. Oh well, this living well was the best revenge but it's about to end.
Well now, guess what happened. Scorpions came into Mom's apartment, scaring her pretty good, convincing her she needed to move out. I killed one in her kitchen while she was there. I had the apartments call the exterminator, who came out to spray and leave traps.
But then the next night another baby scorpion showed up in one of the bedrooms. Evidently, this one came through the bathroom associated with that bedroom. They are ugly, threatening looking like miniature crabs with a tongue like a cobra. The exterminator had done the minimum; but not enough to keep Mom from wanting to move.
In a way, I like the result. I am in contact with a lady who specializes in finding accomodations for the elderly. I hope to meet her Sunday. This might just work, even though moving Mom's furniture will be an ordeal.
Maybe living in a retirement apartment complex will enable me to work on days rather than nights. Maybe I'll get some time away from my mother. I need it, my friends say they look at my face and can see the stress and discouragement.
Now it is Sunday afternoon. I have met with Ruth, who specializes in finding the right place for people in retirement. We met, had a long talk. She mentioned a place about 2 miles from where Mom and I live. I went over there. I really liked the place, but Mom has been noncommittal. I hope she is willing to move in.
Our immediate problem is the rent is due on Tuesday. She would have to break her lease to move right away; I wish she would move right away but that involves some serious cash. And then we would have to find a place for all of her stuff. I don't think all of her stuff will go into the new apartment, but about 90% of it will.
The new retirement apartment management don't want me living with Mom, which is great! I dont want to live with her any more. It's too stressful to be worried about her 24/7. I probably should just stop worrying but if there's no one to come see her, it's hard to just stop.
This means I will have to get an apartment, back to living on a shoestring and dealing with a tight budget. Oh well, this living well was the best revenge but it's about to end.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
COMING TOGETHER--81
Today is Saturday. I left Mom yesterday afternoon with food, which she ate. This is gratifying to me. I am more confident that she will take care of herself with me gone.
This morning she remembered a bill to pay. She got herself up by 930am and ate cereal by herself. So I got her coffee from McDonalds. Now she is watching her new flat screen tv, which she loves. Actually I feel better about what we're doing than I have in some time.
Mom is eating food we have left over from previous days; I think this is a good thing. I am making her get out of her easy chair and prepare her own food. I don't think she wants to do for herself any more.
I gave her a shower today. I mentioned she needs a nurse to do this and she agreed, but more because she doesn't want me to have to do something I don't want. She thinks it is distasteful to me to do this; it is to some degree but not as much as she might think. Still, the fact she acknowledges that she needs a professional nurse is a giant step in the right direction.
One of her favorite tv shows is scheduled for tonight. It has not been on in 2 weeks. She hopes it is tonight. I think that would make the night go better, so I hope it is on, too.
It is very hot outside. Mom no longer walks around the apartment complex. She sits on the steps for a few minutes and then comes in. I wonder if she does this out of depression, or maybe she's just bored, or maybe she is lonely. I can't say. Still, I don't go out there with her and she doesn't ask me to, either.
Today is Saturday. I left Mom yesterday afternoon with food, which she ate. This is gratifying to me. I am more confident that she will take care of herself with me gone.
This morning she remembered a bill to pay. She got herself up by 930am and ate cereal by herself. So I got her coffee from McDonalds. Now she is watching her new flat screen tv, which she loves. Actually I feel better about what we're doing than I have in some time.
Mom is eating food we have left over from previous days; I think this is a good thing. I am making her get out of her easy chair and prepare her own food. I don't think she wants to do for herself any more.
I gave her a shower today. I mentioned she needs a nurse to do this and she agreed, but more because she doesn't want me to have to do something I don't want. She thinks it is distasteful to me to do this; it is to some degree but not as much as she might think. Still, the fact she acknowledges that she needs a professional nurse is a giant step in the right direction.
One of her favorite tv shows is scheduled for tonight. It has not been on in 2 weeks. She hopes it is tonight. I think that would make the night go better, so I hope it is on, too.
It is very hot outside. Mom no longer walks around the apartment complex. She sits on the steps for a few minutes and then comes in. I wonder if she does this out of depression, or maybe she's just bored, or maybe she is lonely. I can't say. Still, I don't go out there with her and she doesn't ask me to, either.
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