mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu (Michael I. Bushnell) (10/05/89)
(All quotations are from the New English Bible.) In Luke 14:26 we find If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, even his own life, he cannot be a disciple of mine. The Oxford note to this text reads "Hate probably means `love less'." The parallel passage in Matthew (10:37) (there is none in Mark) reads No man is worthy of me who cares more for his father or mother than for me; no man is worthy of me who cares for son or daughter. It seems that, following the principle of the clearest passage, that the text of Matthew is somewhat plainer and consonant with the law of faith and love. As people stated before, sounding like conjecture, but I now say with some conviction, Christ is here saying that we must place him above all earthly loyalties. Of course, we really settled all this last week, so why am I posting? Well, I've been reading through Exodus, and something sparked my attention. The following occurs right after Moses has shattered the tablets of the law: (Exodus 32:25-29) Moses saw that the people were out of control and that Aaron had laid them open to the secret malice of their enemies. He took his place at the gate of the camp and said, `Who is on the LORD's side? Come here to me'; and the Levites all rallied to him. He said to them, `These are the words of the LORD the God of Israel: "Arm yourselves, each of you, with his sword. Go through the camp from gate to gate and back again. Each of you kill his brother, his friend, his neighbor."' The Levites obeyed, and about three thousand of the people died that day. Moses then said, `Today you have consecrated yourselves to the LORD completely, because you have turned each against his own son and his own brother and so have this day brought a blessing on yourselves.' Remarkably similar, I thought. Perhaps Jesus is alluding to the consecration of the Levites as a priesthood, and saying we should be willing to do the same to be consecrated as the priests of the new covenant. -- Michael I. Bushnell \ This above all; to thine own self be true LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE \ And it must follow, as the night the day, mike@unmvax.cs.unm.edu /\ Thou canst not be false to any man. Telephone: +1 505 292 0001 / \ Farewell: my blessing season this in thee!