Repent!

from Google Images

It seems that Job’s friends had spent some time discussing Job’s condition and came to a general consensus that he had sinned and was hiding his sin. This implies one of two paradigms. First, it may be this decision had come during the seven days they spent with Job in silence, which implies that some of that time had not been spent actually with Job. Secondly, they may have come to this conclusion before they sat with him, while they were astonished with Job’s condition. In either case, however, this is a matter of conjecture. Nevertheless, in whatever manner they had come to agree among themselves about Job’s circumstances, each of them presumed Job had sinned and remained unrepentant, despite the fact that not one of the three could identify or prove Job’s wickedness.

 

From the Blind to the Blind!

from Google Images

Finally, we come to the place where Jesus actually healed a man, who was born blind, physically. In the previous two chapters, we had been discussing the spiritual blindness of the Jewish authorities. Like this man’s physical blindness, they had been born spiritually blind. Every man and woman, since Adam and Eve, have been born spiritually blind. The problem with the Jewish authorities of the first century AD was, they thought they could see and understand matters of the spirit (John 9:40-41). However, according to Jesus’ discussion with Nicodemus, unless a man is born again vis-à-vis having a spiritual rebirth, he can’t even see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3).

 

Did the Lord Blind the Jews?

from Google Images

It is imperative that we understand that Jesus didn’t teach in parables until his second year of public ministry. During his first year, his speech was clear, very plain, and should have been understood by everyone. Indeed, on the very first day of his public ministry, when he stood up to read in his hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:16), Jesus read from Isaiah 11 saying: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…” and claiming he was able to administer the office of Messiah (Luke 4:18-19), he added: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). There was nothing dark or mysterious about his speech at that time. Jesus was very clear in his claim. Nevertheless, the response he received from the rulers of the synagogue and the people with them was: they rose up to seize him and thought to cast him off a nearby cliff (Luke 4:29).

 

Paul, Balaam and Heliodorus

I recently ran across a website comparing Paul’s conversion experience to Balaam’s effort in the book of Numbers to aid Balak’s wish to curse and destroy Israel. The website also compared both with Helidorus’ journey to Jerusalem to rob the Temple treasury in 2Maccabees. I have to admit it is an interesting comparison. I would even go as far as to say that I agree that the comparison is a valid one, but I don’t agree with the author’s conclusion? The reason for my disagreement is that there are key points that the author of the website leaves out.