December 6, 2023 – Does the Bible Say…?

“Does the Bible say two Temple employees did nothing to help a man beaten half to death?”

 “Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?”  He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37

Jews and Samaritans were not the best of friends. The reasons date back to the time of Jacob and his son Joseph. Jacob loved his son Joseph the most. Before his death, Jacob gave Joseph a blessing in which he called him a “fruitful bough by a well”. The blessing was fulfilled, as the territory allotted to the tribes of Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, was the territory that eventually became Samaria. Later, Israel divided into two kingdoms, and the hilltop city of Samaria was established as the capital of the Northern Kingdom – and Jerusalem became the capital of the Southern Kingdom of Judah.

In 722 B.C. Assyria conquered the Northern Kingdom and took most of its people into captivity. The Assyrians brought in Gentile colonists from Babylon to resettle the land. The foreigners brought with them their pagan idols, which the remaining Jews began to worship alongside the G-d of Israel. The remaining Jews also intermarried with the gentiles. Meanwhile, the southern kingdom of Judah fell to Babylon in 600 B.C. Its people, too, were carried off into captivity. But 70 years later, a remnant of 43,000 was permitted to return and rebuild Jerusalem. The people who now inhabited the former northern kingdom, the Samaritans, vigorously opposed the repatriation and tried to undermine the attempt to reestablish the nation. For their part, the full-blooded, monotheistic Jews detested the mixed marriages and their worship of “other gods”. So walls of bitterness were established and lasted through the centuries. As such, the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans.

Now, the none of these facts have anything to do with the reaction of the Temple employees. Neither would go near the man beaten half to death because he must have appeared completely dead to them. And if he was dead, neither the Temple Priest nor the Levite were ritually allowed to touch something dead, or they would be unable to perform their duties for seven days (according to the ritual laws of Israel). So yes, both men walk right on by and do nothing. But that is not what makes the story of the Good Samaritan so powerful – and so difficult for the lawyer. When the man beaten half-to-death wakes up and realizes what has happened, he will soon enough be confronted with the news that his benefactor is a “hated” Samaritan. It gives us all a reason to pause – what would we do when we learn that our benefactor is someone we hate? When your enemy goes out of their way to do something extraordinary (or even just something nice) for you, how will you respond?

Pastor Dave

December 5, 2023 – Does the Bible Say…?

“Does the Bible say Theophilus was a person?”

 “Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.” Luke 1:1-4

“In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.” Acts 1:1ff

Who was Theophilus? That is a great question. We really do not know who Theophilus was – but that has not stopped theologians and biblical scholars from putting forth different theories. No matter how much evidence there may or may not be for each theory, the simple fact is we do not know.

As we know, names in the bible are important and can be very significant. For example, Jacob is renamed Israel: “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”(Genesis 32:28) And the place where this happened gets a name: “So Jacob called the place Peniel, saying, “It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared.”

The name “Theophilus” literally means “loved by G-d” or “lover of G-d” – even “friend of G-d.” This has led some to believe that “Theophilus” is just a generic title that applies to all Christians. However, from the context of Luke and Acts, it seems clear that Luke is writing to a specific individual, since he includes the address “Most Excellent”, a title often used when referring to someone of honor or rank, such as a Roman official. Paul used the same term when addressing Felix and Festus, both mentioned later in Acts. Therefore, one of the most common theories is that Theophilus was possibly a Roman officer or high-ranking official in the Roman government. Another possibility is that Theophilus was a wealthy and influential man in the city of Antioch. There are second-century references to a man named Theophilus who was “a great lord” and a leader in the city of Antioch during the time of Luke.

Yes it might be considered splitting hairs when we ask such questions. But this is what makes the Bible such a rich and rewarding book – and deserves our study.

Pastor Dave