The Trail of Parables Part 3
By Jonathan Mitchell
See part one and part two!
We see how this miracle ("sign") has yielded much to consider. Jesus attended a banquet, and offers short parables centered around drinking and wine, in Lu. 5:
29. Later Levi prepared a great reception banquet for Him within his house. And there was a great crowd of many tax collectors, as well as others who were lying down while dining with them.
30. Then the Pharisees and the scribes (scholars and theologians) began grumbling with subdued talk and perplexed buzzing (murmuring) to His disciples about them, one after another saying, "Why (Because of what [reason or situation]) are you folks participating in eating and drinking with the tax collectors and outcasts (folks who because of their lifestyle or means of making a living were considered as failures, or, 'sinners,' by the religious people; folks who did not by habit adhere to the religious customs of the Jewish culture)?"
Jesus and His disciples were living-out a parable of the new age by not conforming to the expected behavior in the old age - their acts became a witness that was noticed!
31. Then Jesus, giving a decided response, said to them, "The folks being normally healthy and sound are not normally having a need of a healer (doctor; physician), but rather those constantly having it badly (= being constantly sick, or having a continuing illness).
32. "I have not come to call 'righteous folks' (= those who consider themselves rightwised in relation to God and mankind; = religious people), but to the contrary, [to call] outcasts (those considered 'sinners' by the religious community, and therefore rejected by them because of their lifestyles and practices; those who are failures and who continuously miss the goal [of life]; or: irreligious people) into a change of thinking, a shift in consciousness with a new perspective, and a return to God." [cf Rom. 12:2]
Notice how He ends with, "a change of thinking, a shift in consciousness with a new perspective." This becomes the subject of the following parable...
33. So they said to Him, "John's disciples are frequently fasting and constantly making petitions [to God]; likewise also those of the Pharisees; yet yours are continuously eating and drinking!"
34. Thus Jesus says to them, "You folks continue unable to make the sons of the wedding hall (= the bridegroom's friends and guests) to at any point fast while the bridegroom continues being with them.
35. "But days will continue coming when even (or: also) the bridegroom would (could; may) be lifted up away from them. They will then be habitually fasting during those days."
Notice the context of a "wedding," which was one of most common reasons for a "banquet." Here, "the Bridegroom" is a figure for the Messiah, and the long-expected "Messianic Banquet" that was a figure for the presence of the Messiah. Jesus was directing this parable to Himself.
36. Now He also began telling an illustration to them (or: a parable directed at them), "No one is ripping (or: tearing) a patch from a new cloak (or: outer garment) [and] proceeding to sew [it] on an old cloak! Now if he does, he will proceed both tearing the new one, and the patch from the new one will not continue sounding together (agreeing, or being in symphony; voicing together; corresponding or matching) with the old one.
This parable is still speaking of "a change of thinking, a shift in consciousness and a new perspective." He is speaking of the new age as "a new cloak" in the new covenant. The NEW is not simply added to the OLD arrangement. No, there is a whole new garment: we clothe ourselves with Christ (Rom. 13:14), and make no provision for the flesh system of the old covenant.
37. "Furthermore, no one normally puts just-made, new wine into old wineskins (skin bottles). Now if he does, the fresh, new wine will progressively burst and tear the wineskins, and it will proceed being spilled out, and also the wineskins will continue destroyed.
38. "To the contrary, freshly-made, new wine [is] drained into and stored in different, new, wineskins (used-for-the-first-time, or renovated, skin bottles), and then both are preserved.
39. "Also, no one continues wanting new (young, freshly-made [wine]) after immediately drinking [the] old (or: fully-aged), for he is then saying, "The old (or: fully-aged) continues being nicely useful and well adapted to its purpose, and is just fine (or: pleasant)!"
Now, in characteristic Hebrew parallelism, He moves from the metaphor of clothing back to the metaphor of wine, but keeps the "clothing" of the wine (the wineskins) in view, which makes these two parables an ingenious couplet. "New wineskins" are parallel to the "new cloak." He did not come to destroy the old wineskin - it still had use as a point of reference, and His disciples would often allude to it in their writings. But the "freshly-made, new wine" (figure of the Life and Blood of the Anointed One and His body) had to go into a new "garment-skin." But the "old guard" often prefers "the old," and it has been historically noted that those of an old move of God will persecute and blaspheme those of a new movement within His sovereign reign. They like neither the new wine nor the new garment-skin. It just doesn't look right, nor taste as good.
Let us move ahead in the time of Jesus' ministry, and consider some things that Jesus said about going and coming, in the Gospel of John:
b) "You heard that I, Myself, said to you, 'I am progressively leading away under (or: humbly departing, but bringing things under control), and yet I am presently progressively (or: repeatedly; habitually) coming toward (face-to-face-with) you folks.'" (Jn. 14:28);
c) "Nevertheless, I, Myself, am continuously telling you folks the Truth (or: repeatedly laying-out Reality to, for and among you folks; habitually Logos-ing within you a revealed reality that is based upon an appearance, and which is neither hidden nor deceitfully false). It progressively bears together for you people (It continues being advantageous and expedient in you; It is now for your benefit) that I should go away. For if I should not go away, the One called alongside to aid, comfort, encourage and bring relief (the Helper; the Paraclete) will not come to you and be face to face with you folks. Yet if I should journey on (or: would travel on to another place) I will be repeatedly sending Him to you folks" (Jn. 16:7);
d) "Yet now (at this moment) I am progressively coming toward You, and I am repeatedly speaking these things aloud, within the System (world of culture, politics and religion; aggregate of humanity), so that they can continuously hold (or: would habitually have) My own joy (the joy that is Mine) existing having been filled full (made full and continuing full) within the midst of themselves" (Jn. 17:13).
We will now return to Matthew 5 and pick up with excerpts from the Sermon on the Mount:
Mat. 5:4 assures His audience that
"Those constantly grieving and mourning... will habitually be called alongside to receive relief, help, aid, encouragement and comfort."
Verse 5 affirms that
"The kind, considerate, gentle, mild-tempered, egoless and nonviolent folks... will proceed to be inheriting the Land (or: earth)."
Verse 6 promises satisfaction to
"people being habitually hungry and constantly thirsty for the eschatological deliverance of fairness, equity, right relationship and justice which characterize a rightwised state of being or situation within the Way pointed out."
Verses 7 blesses
"folks who are merciers,"
and vs. 8 informed us that,
"Those who are clean in the heart... will progressively see God."
We learn from vs. 9 that,
"The ones who make peace and create joining... will continue being called God's sons."
In this section, which is usually termed "the Beatitudes," we are instructed about what the
"kingdom/reign/sovereign-activities"
looks like.
It is all about rightwised living among other people, here in this life. Folks in the kingdom are expected to be lived-out parables that produce positive effects in and upon others. They are to be
"salt,"
adding tasteful seasoning to their communities (vs. 13).
They are
"the Light of the ordered System (the world of culture, religion, politics, government, and secular society; = the human sociological realm; or: the aggregate of humanity)" (vs. 14a).
They radiate Christ - His Truth and His Love (vs. 16).
In the Gospel of Thomas, Logion 50 enigmatically presents the Light as being their source:
1. Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where have (or: did) you come from?' say to them, 'We have come (or: came) from the Light, from the place where the Light came into being by (or: of) itself (or: of its own accord), established [itself], and appeared (or: became manifest) in (or: through) their image.' Cf Jn. 8:12 2. "If they say to you, 'Is it you (or: What, or who, are you)?' say, 'We are its children (or: sons; offspring), and we are the chosen (or: elect) of the living Father.' 3. "If they ask you, 'What is the evidence (or: sign) of your Father within you?' say to them, 'It is motion and rest (or: movement and repose)'" (a conflation of multiple translations of the Coptic).
In vs. 3, the response that Jesus gives for them to make ("motion and rest") speaks of a Life of Balance, lived in God, who is also "Movement and Rest." This movement within rest and rest within motion describe the Peace of the Joining; the Shalom of Union; the ongoing "sustaining creation and directing creation" (Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology, I); the Life of a growing Vine. We might call it the "stillness" of a "spinning earth." It is God, within them.
F.F. Bruce suggests that, "The 'movement' may be the re-ascent to the realm of light; the 'rest' is probably that which is the goal..." (earlychristianwritings.com). With this thought, we are reminded of Jn. 1:51,
"And He is further saying to him, 'It is certainly true (Count on it). I am presently laying it out, saying to you folks, you will proceed seeing the heaven (or: sky; atmosphere) being one that is opened back up again, and 'God's agents (the folks with a message from God) repeatedly (progressively; continuously) ascending and habitually descending' [Gen. 28:12] upon the Son of the Man.'"
At one point, the disciples asked Him about when the "rest" will begin, and when will the new System arrive:
"His disciples said to him: 'On what day (or: When) shall rest come to those who are dead, and on what day shall the new world come (or: when will the new arranged and ordered System arrive)?' He said to them: 'This [rest] that you wait for (or: What you look forward to) has (already) come (or: is already here), and you have not recognized (or: do not know) it.'" (The Gospel of Thomas, Logion 51, Doresse, earlychristianwritings.com; parenthetical additions: other translations)
In 5:14b-16, He gave two short parables about the Light:
"A city located up on a mountain (or: situated on top of a mountain range) continues unable to be hidden or concealed. Likewise, people are not normally lighting a lamp and then placing it under the measuring bowl (or: a one-peck grain-measuring basket), but rather upon the lampstand - and it continues shining and giving light for all those within the house. In this way, let the Light, which you folks possess (or: which has a source in you folks; or: which you people are), shine in front of the People (before the humans), so that people can see your fine works (or: the beautiful works that you are; the ideal acts which come from you folks) and they can give glory to (or: and [these deeds; or: these works of beauty] will bring a good reputation to, and a manifestation which incites praise for) your Father - the One in union with the atmospheres [that surround you folks] (or: within the midst of the heavens)!"
The incarnation of the Logos brought the Light into the aggregate of humanity (Jn. 1:4, 5, 9; 8:12). Now the Logos and the Light has been multiplied into this aggregate of human beings. We, His body, are now instruments for shining Him into, and among, everyone. But at first, folks can only see how we live and what we do. They see us as images of God, presenting His likeness (His Light) to the world around us. The Gospel of Thomas offers a saying of Jesus which speaks to this situation:
"Images are visible to people, but the Light within them is hidden (remains concealed) in the Image of the Father's Light (or: by the Image of the Light, which is the Father). He will be disclosed (or: will reveal Himself), but His Image is hidden (will remain concealed, or veiled) by His Light" (Logion 83; a conflation of renderings by various translators; upper case added).
We are the image of the Father's Light (2 Cor. 3:18), and folks observe us (our lives), but He must disclose Himself to them through the lives of we, who by His Spirit, bear His image. Without revelation, the image continues to conceal "the Light." Through us, they can see the Image of the Father's Light, but until He is revealed to them, His Light remains hidden, concealed, within His image bearers, even though folks can see our fine works. Yet, even if they cannot yet discern His Light, the actions of His images can cause them to give glory to our Father. To each one, in his or her own class or order, He will be disclosed. Our part is to stay joined to His Fire, and thus let our Light shine forth (i.e., be His Lampstand). Folks may see an "image," but still have no understanding of what that image means (perceive the "Light" that the image embodies). Light that is too bright blinds us from being able to see the Source of the Light. The last clause of Logion 83 calls to mind 1 Tim. 6:16,
"the One continuously making inaccessible (or: unapproachable) light His home (or: dwelling), Whom not one of mankind sees, saw or perceived, nor is able or has power to see or perceive..."
Paul adds clarity to this situation, in 2 Cor. 4:
4. within and among which folks the God of this age (or: the God [ruling] this indefinite time-period; the God Who is in relationship with this eon) blinds (or: deprived of the ability to see) the effects of the perceptions, concepts and understanding (or: the results of directing the mind to something) of those without faith (of the un-trusting ones; of the unbelieving and disloyal), [leading them] into the [situation that] the shining forth of light and the illumination of (or: the beaming forth of enlightenment from) the good news of the glory of the Christ (or: of the message of goodness, ease and well-being from the assumed appearance which is the Anointed One; from the glad tidings pertaining to the manifestation which calls forth praise of the [Messiah]) - Who continuously exists being God's image (a resemblance and likeness of [Concordant Text adds: the unseen; the invisible] God) - would not shine forth as the dawn to irradiate them. [cf Mat. 13:11-15; Jn. 12:40; Rom. 11:7-12, 25]
5. For you see, we are not constantly preaching (proclaiming; heralding) ourselves, but rather, Christ Jesus [as] Lord (or: [the] Anointed Jesus, [the] Lord, Master and Owner; or: = [the] Lord Jesus [as the] Messiah), yet ourselves [as] your slaves, because of Jesus,
6. because the God suddenly saying (or: the God Who once was saying), "Light will shine forth (give light as from a torch; gleam) from out of the midst of darkness (dimness and shadiness; gloom and the absence of daylight)," [is] the One who shines forth within the midst of our hearts, with a view to illumination of the intimate and experiential knowledge of God's glory - in a face of Christ (or: [is] He Who gives light in union with our hearts, [while] facing toward an effulgence and a shining forth which is an intimate knowing of the praise-inducing manifestation and assumed appearance whose source and origin is God, and which is God, [while] in union with face to face presence of Christ [other MSS: Jesus Christ]).
7. Now we presently and continuously hold (have and possess) this treasure within containers (jars; pots; vessels; equipment) made of baked clay [e.g., pottery; bone ware] so that the transcendence of the power may habitually originate its existence in God - and not from out of us (or: the over-cast of ability can be that which is God - and not of us; or: the overwhelming which comes from the Power would exist with the character and quality of God - and not from what characterizes us)!
The Gospel of Thomas, Logion 24, adds this perspective:
(Bentley Layton, The Gospel of Thomas, earlychristianwritings.com; expansions: other translators; brackets, mine)
To be continued...
See part one and part two!
Jonathan
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