Hermeneutics II

Rom 8:28

God works all things to work together for the good to those who love God (who are called according to His purpose)

literal greek the “God works” portion does not exist.

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose,

• phrases in this verse need to be qualified
  • know (οῖδα) to understand, be able to use knowledge
  • all things
    • trials and sufferings of this broken world (verses earlier in chapter)
  • work together
    • συνεργέω (partner together, orchestrated by God)
  • good
    • who’s good – God’s good (since it is His synergy)
    • what is good – That which God defines as good
      • conformity to Christ (verses 29-30)
  • those who Love God (agape Theos)
    • lay their lives down for God (who put his desires above their own)
    • called according to His purpose
    • predestined to become conformed 

expanding these words and reassembling them as a greek would have understood this would read as:

We understand and are able to put to use the fact that the trials and sufferings in this world are being used and coordinated together by God to bring about His best good for those who lay their lives down for God. That is transforming us into the likeness of Christ Himself.

Historical/Cultural Context

Matt 19:23-25  (Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25)

It is easier for camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven

• translators have claimed
  • eye of needle is small gate that comels can use after being unpacked
    • this cultural context claim is false
  • camel is a typo (that is was supposed to be cable)
    • no example of cable in the oldest manuscripts
  • disciples response indicates impossibility (not just difficulty)
  • Jesus response in verse 26 confirms this interpretation

John 20:6-7

John 20:6 And so Simon Peter also *came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he *saw the linen wrappings lying there,

John 20:7 and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.

rolled = folded ἐντυλίσσω, entylissō, v.  [1877]. to wrap up (a body); (pass.) to be folded

seems insignificant the the head sheet is place aside from the body wrappings …

jewish custom:

master of table will leave his hand cloth in one of two fashions to communicate to his servant whether to clear the table or not…

1. if cloth is simply tossed upon the table, it meant “I am done”
2. if cloth was neatly folded on the table, it meant “I am coming back”

Luke 7:36-50

Luke 7:36 ¶ Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.

Luke 7:37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume,

Luke 7:38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.

Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.”

• The Pharisee (a religious leader) who invited Jesus to dinner would have been viewed as doing a virtuous thing.
• The fact that Jesus was reclining indicates that this was no normal meal; reclining was something typically done at a banquet. This meal would have been considered an honor to be at – it may even have been put on for Jesus’ sake.
• The woman was clearly there uninvited. (meaning all her focus was on Jesus, not the Pharisee, the owner of the house)
• The alabaster jar of perfume that the woman brought with her was a fragile, beautiful, and expensive piece of pottery. 
  • translucent white mineral (hardened by heat and made white if treated so)
• The ointment or perfume inside was often used at this time in history to anoint the dead at their burial.
• The act of anointing someone was a gesture of courtesy and at times high honor, as in the case of a king being anointed (2 Kings 9:6).
• The fact that this woman wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair is significant. It was shameful for women to have their hair uncovered in public.
• The woman was a known sinner, and clearly from the Pharisee’s reaction it was socially inappropriate for Jesus to allow her to touch him. The woman risked much public disgrace for her action of worship towards Jesus.
• Jesus accepting her actions and touch risked defilement and rejection.

Luke 7:40 And Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”

Luke 7:41 “A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

Luke 7:42 “When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?”

Luke 7:43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

Luke 7:44 Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

Luke 7:45 “You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet.

Luke 7:46 “You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.

Luke 7:47 “For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.”

Luke 7:48 Then He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.”

Luke 7:49 Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”

Luke 7:50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Matthew 5:41

“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.”

Matthew 5:41 is a verse that is often used to push people to work harder and do more than is necessary. It is the origin of the common phrase “go the extra mile.” The verse, however, would have meant something very different to ancient Jews. Rather than a feel good motivational quote, Matthew 5:41 would have forced Jews to confront both that status as an occupied people and the power imbalance inherent in their interactions with the Romans who held Israel and Judea hostage.

In Jesus’ time, a Roman soldier could force a Jew, any Jew, to carry their things for one mile. Most Jews would, of course, carry the soldier’s things the required one mile and not an inch more. What Jesus was suggesting flew in the face of that subtle defiance. Jesus was suggesting that the Jews continue walking with their oppressors and do something good for their enemies. Rather than upholding the tensions between the two groups, Jesus was suggesting that Jews use an unpleasant task to take the high road and, essentially, prick at the Roman’s conscience for taking advantage of people in the first place.

Matt 5:27-28

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

lust = ἐπιθυμῆσαι epitheumeo = coveting

 

bad quotes

1 Tim 6:10

“Money is the root of all evil”  false quote

“For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

 

Who wrote it?

Who was it written to and for what purpose ?

Any clarifications/context to bring out ?

– textual context (immediate containing area)

– biblical context

-same book

– same writer

– other writers on same topic, or word usage (not taking those out of context)

– historical context

– cultural context

What is the main point of this passage?

– a one or two sentence summary

– make it into a question

– answer to this question is the main point to the reader

What is the principle (action point) ?

– generalization (generic) version of the main point

How does it carry forward into our lives ?

– general point as it is relevant to our present life, trials, etc.