September 30, 2015

“But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the human heart conceived,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:9-13

“At the close of the Bible we encounter these words, “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away.” A new world is coming! Each time we pray in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come,” we should remember that prayer will be answered. Heaven is described as a new creation in which we shall move in new bodies, possessed of new names, singing new songs, living in a new city, by a new form of government, and challenged by new prospects of eternity with social justice for all. The paradise that man lost will be regained, but it will be much more. It will not be the old one repaired, patched up, and made over. When God says, “Behold, I make all things new,” the emphasis is on all things. One day we shall live in a brand-new world. Centuries ago the apostles greeted each other with the word, “Maranatha”-the Lord is coming.” (A New World, by Billy Graham)

If one chooses to split the two words as “maranâ thâ”, a vocative concept with an imperative verb, then it can be translated as a command to the Lord to come. On the other hand, if one decides that the two words “maran ‘athâ” , a possessive “Our Lord” and a perfect/preterite verb “has come,” are actually more warranted, then it would be seen as a credal expression — “Our Lord has come,”.

In general, the recent interpretation has been to select the command option (“Come, Lord!”). The NRSV of 1 Cor 16:22 translates the expression as: “Our Lord, come!” but notes that it could also be translated as: “Our Lord has come”; the NIV translates: “Come, O Lord”; the Message version puts it differently as: “Make room for the Master!” [1]; the NAB notes:

“As understood here (“O Lord, come!”), it is a prayer for the early return of Christ. If the Aramaic words are divided differently (Maran atha, “Our Lord has come”), it becomes a credal declaration. The former interpretation is supported by what appears to be a Greek equivalent of this acclamation in Book of Revelation 22:20 “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!””

There are many prayers that an individual could recite when in times of trouble, and in times of joy. “Come, Lord Jesus be our guest, and let these gifts to us be blessed”, is a prayer one could pray at meal time. Another is “Jesus Christ, Son of G*d, have mercy on me a sinner.” This is known as the “Jesus Prayer”. When in serious trouble, one could simply pray “Marana Tha” – “Come, O Lord” — or “O Lord, Come”.

Pastor Dave