As promised, here are even more words that a wise person would not ask for . It does relieve my frustration, though, to write these wordy explanations !
This FIRST CITATION OR VERSE is always the Original Gospel Text of the Third Chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, New International Version .
This SECOND CITATION OR VERSE is always the text of the animation - HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Three Fold , written by R David Foster .
Verse 2
. . . 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Verse 2
. . . 2and said, ”Rebirth! Or the kingdom of heaven is ne'er!”
Verse 2 Discussion
Moving on, in this verse John's entire message is summarized in one line - “ Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near . “ John was trying to get people to step back from sin and see what they were really doing – what they were all about .
Repentance is stepping back from sin and trying to find another way that is within the Law . I would assert that people, as flawed persons by definition, are not perfect before the Law, and created mortal and flawed since creation, so cannot avoid condemnation before the Law – whatever law one chooses . We all know that popular thought or morality is flawed, or unfair, essentially because there are always exceptions to the Law or rules . God's Law, however, is perfect, and Jesus followed the Law of God, to the fullest intentions of God's Law, and was condemned by man's laws, even if only by the judicial side, rather than the legislative side, which he did try to change as he went along his way, anyways. Man's Law, or interpretation of God's Law, always falls short of the fullest intention of the Law, or God's Law. ( For the sake of this discussion, “God's Law”, could be read as “Infinite Law “. ) Nevertheless, it is better to try to obey the law rather than disobey it . Any law is better than lawlessness .
What is the kingdom of heaven ? To me it is a society, or kingdom, that is the fullest intent of God for mankind. A society that is infinitely good . All of such a society is good, and without flaw, pain, suffering or lack . There would still be challenges, but such challenges would be taken up with Joy, like a canoe trip vacation . Sure, there will be slogging through mud and rain, but many people enjoy such hardships and that is the only type of hardship in a society that is infinitely good - hardships that are endured in Joy ! John is proclaiming that such a society is very near, if we can try to obey the Law and become aware of it. Another way of understanding the purpose of legislation is to compare it to a lawn or landscaping in general . A well manicured landscape brings out the best in horticulture and makes the good in nature more apparent . It does not in anyway eliminate much of the natural world, but instead, directs and highlights the Joy of nature . On the other hand, however, the natives of the Americas saw good in all of nature, and did very little weeding . The Law is only a means to see infinite perfection, and is only a crutch, if one believes infinite perfection already exists . Trying to obey the Law, or weeding, both make the infinite purpose more apparent . John prepared the way for Jesus' ministry by drawing the peoples attention to such an infinite purpose of mankind .
What is rebirth ? It is different from repentance . Repentance is stepping back and trying again. Rebirth is a re-creation of everything, and I believe it is the culmination of condemnation, death and suffering . Repentance avoids condemnation and suffering by trying to obey the law. But if the law or morality of man is flawed, it is different in many ways from God's Law, or an infinite law . When one tries to obey an infinite law, beyond a finite law of man, there will be conflict and condemnation under the finite law of man . The wages of sin, or lawlessness, is death . So even if one sins against a finite law, albeit obeying an infinite law, death under that finite law is the condemnation and culmination of such sin . But where does such a sinner stand with respect to an infinite law ? If the infinite law has been obeyed than the condemnation of the finite law results in death under the finite law, but there may not be condemnation and death under the infinite law . What occurs when one is condemned and dies to finite law, by obeying an infinite law, is rebirth . The entire world is recreated ! Repentance could make one aware of a possible infinite purpose of humankind, but rebirth is how to get into the infinite purpose, like putting on a new suit of clothes . The finite world around one dies, and the more infinite world encompassing that finite world, is where one will find them self .
When Jesus says “ follow me “, he is leading us to death and rebirth . This is what happens at the end of an age . One dies in one world and is reborn to a greater world . This happens physically, yes, but more importantly, it happens existentially . It is the only way . That is why Joan, in the animation, says “ Rebirth, or the kingdom of heaven is ne'er ! “ “Ne're” ? This is a contraction of the word “never”, with the apostrophe standing in place of the “v” . Another example of “ne'er” is in the phrase “ne'er do well”, an adjective phrase of an inferior person . In subsequent verses of the animation, Joan goes on to explain what the path to this new world will provide . But remember, rebirth is how to step into the society of infinite good, if repentance is a means to see a society of infinite good .
Finally, this is not such a radical idea, this death and rebirth . We have all already encountered it many times . The death of a child and the birth of a youth, for example. The end of elementary school and the beginning of middle school . Our awareness has died many times to be reborn to a more thorough understanding . HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Two Four explores this idea of the end of one life and the beginning end of another life . The question of how to proceed once one understands this truth of rebirth, is proclaimed in the following verses of this animation - HESUS JOY CHRIST / Matthew's Three Fold .
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Tuesday, March 15, 2011
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