He who endures to the end shall be saved

 

 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings?  Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."  

 

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple,  Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be?  And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?"  And Jesus, answering them, began to say:  "Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many.  But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles.  These are the beginnings of sorrows.  But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues.  You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.  And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.  But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak.  But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.  Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

 

- Mark 13:1–13 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple in Jerusalem, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.  Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces,  the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much.  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

 

  Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings?  Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."   Christ's prophecy of the destruction of the temple was fulfilled in AD 70, when the temple was destroyed by the Romans, my study Bible reminds us.  This prophecy was quite literally true, as all that remained of the temple was one retaining wall, today called the Western Wall, and historically called the Wailing Wall for the prayer which pilgrims through the centuries would come to pray, as they do still today. 

 

 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple,  Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be?  And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?"   Note that these disciples who come to ask Christ privately about the destruction of the temple are those closest to Him, the two sets of brothers, James and John, and Peter and Andrew, the first-called disciples.  Peter, James, and John were referred to by St. Paul as the "pillars" for their profound faith (Galatians 2:9).

 

 And Jesus, answering them, began to say:  "Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many."   Let us note that Jesus' first warning, in beginning this prophecy of "end times" is on deception.  In St. Matthew's Gospel as well, the warnings against deception are given the most emphasis.  In particular, this warning is against following a false Christ, which Jesus will warn against yet again, and with even greater specificity, in verses 21-22.

 

"But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles.  These are the beginnings of sorrows."  My study Bible comments that the Scriptures describe the end times in a variety of ways, so that no precise chronology can be determined (see Daniel 7 - 12; Matthew 24; Luke 21; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10; and the Book of Revelation).  Christ's emphasis, it notes, is on watchfulness and the practice of virtue rather than constructing timetables of things that have not yet happened.   The wars here refer first and and foremost to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, but also include subsequent wars, my study Bible says.  Wars, we're told, are not a sign of the imminent end, but of the opposite -- the end is not yet.  In addition, there are calamities of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, famines, and troubles; but these are the beginnings of sorrows.  

 

"But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues.  You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.  And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.    Here again, the emphasis is on watchfulness, and a warning of tribulation to come.  But all these calamities and all this opposition, my study Bible notes, cannot stop the spread of the gospel, which will be preached to all nations.  It says that, according to St. John Chrysostom, this truth was evident already at his time, for he marveled that while the Romans subdued countless Jews in a political uprising, they could not prevail over twelve Jews unarmed with anything except the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

 

"But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak.  But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.  Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved."   Midst these persecutions, we're also given a great blessing.  This is the gift of the Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Helper, who will give us what we need to speak, our testimony. Amid devastating -- even deadly -- betrayals, turmoil, hatred, and persecutions, we are to rely upon God.  The watchword with Christ also is always on endurance, persistence, forbearance -- for he who endures to the end shall be saved.  This is about endurance in our faithfulness. 

 

 Jesus says, "You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them."  This wording is quite striking, because it can be read in at least two different ways.  Jesus says that His followers will be brought before kings and rulers for His sake.  First of all, one may take it that this indicates that it is because believers are followers of Christ, they will be brought before rulers and kings.  But there's another way to read this, and perhaps the text -- as often happens -- is purposefully ambiguous so that both meanings become important.  It is Christ who wants us to testify, and this, too, is what can be meant by, "for My sake."  For testimony is clearly important, not simply perhaps to courts, kings, rulers, dictators, tyrants, and other hostile powers.  But one would say no, it's not important to persecutors.  Testimony is clearly important to Christ, necessary to the Gospel.  For we are witnessing as part of the very crux of our faith, and the missions of all the disciples and others sent out over the centuries and in living their faith, in practicing one's faithfulness.  "Testimony" in the Greek is μαρτύριον/martyrion, and "witness" is μάρτυρ/martyr.   From this, clearly, we get our English word "martyr," and we must know and understand the powerful necessity of such martyrs -- again, throughout the centuries including the most recent periods in places around the world, even today (see here, and here) -- and the role they play in the Church.  Of course, Christ is our great, first Witness and Martyr, even as our Savior.  But to take up our own crosses, and follow Him might also mean to meet Him in this place of sacrifice and even death.  In our modern, prosperous countries where religious freedom is often taken for granted, we are perhaps more used to a certain way of life, an expectation perhaps of goodness and blessedness even in material terms.  We forget about how essential and important to our faith testimony is, and that its root also includes that meaning even of martyrdom.  Most of us, perhaps, do not make such a sacrifice, but nonetheless Jesus' words remind us once again that our faith calls us to a kind of heroism, to sacrifice, to witnessing.  Testimony is important, and essential to our faith, for there would be no Church without it, no struggle for faith without it, no examples of great saints with tremendous courage, and inspiring knowledge for everyday people and common believers who struggle to find faith in their lives and to, indeed, endure in that faith.  For that is the true picture of the reality where we all are, if we would but know it and turn to Christ and His teachings, for the world remains as it was despite the spread of the gospel.  New forms of opposition to the truth of Christ happen everywhere, and we can see them with our own eyes around us.  We remain, no matter where we are, in a spiritual battleground in which "we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  The "end times" began with Christ and we remain in those "end times" until the end of the age, at the time of His return.  Let us remain faithful and true witnesses to our faith, in simply living our lives and being true to Him and what He teaches.  For all that we do in His name becomes a testimony to Him, glorifying God. 

 

 

 

 

By your patience possess your souls

 

 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."   

 

So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  and what sign will there be when these things are to about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 

- Luke 21:5–19 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus said to scribes in the temple, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?" Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best sets in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

 

 Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  My study Bible notes that Christ's prophecy of the destruction of the temple was fulfilled in AD 70, when the temple was destroyed by the Romans in the Siege of Jerusalem.  Literally not one stone was left upon another.  Only a retaining wall remained, known today as the Western Wall (and for many centuries as the Wailing Wall, a place of prayer and pilgrimage for Jews).

 

 So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  and what sign will there be when these things are to about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven."  My study Bible comments that, in the Scriptures as a whole, the end times are described in a variety of ways, so that no precise chronology can be determined (see Daniel 7-12; Mark 13; Matthew 24; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10; and the Book of Revelation).  Here He warns of deceptions from false Christs (which indeed was so in the very early period of the Church).  The immediate wars and commotions, my study Bible says, apply first to the period of the first century in Jerusalem ("these things must come to pass first").  The things that follow pertain to the whole of the Christian era, in which we await Christ's return.  But as we read a little further along, Christ's emphasis is on watchfulness and the practice of virtue rather than on constructing timetables of things that have not yet happened.  

 

 "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."  Here Christ gives warnings of the tribulation to come.  Note the emphasis on persecution as an occasion for testimony.  Christ promises the Holy Spirit as Helper and Advocate ("I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist").  Persecution entails betrayals and death, and hatred for His name's sake.  "But," He says, "not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."  This is the promise of eternal life, of the life of the Kingdom for those who follow Him steadfastly.

 

 Jesus begins His discourse here on end times, and it will continue through tomorrow's reading also.  There, He will delve into more detailed predictions which clearly portray the Siege of Jerusalem that is to come even in the lifetimes of His hearers at that time.  But today, Jesus begins with essentially a couple of points which He illumines with great color and urgency to impress upon His followers how they are to live through and bear the times He predicts.  The first point that He makes, as my study Bible points out, is a warning about deception, about being deceived.  He says, "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them."  This was quite true.  As we read in Acts 4:35-37, Gamaliel relates some of this history when he speaks to the Sanhedrin about how to proceed with Christ's followers and the nascent Church.  He mentions a man named Theudas, and another named Judas of Galilee, both pretenders to a messianic role at that time.  Then Jesus speaks of wars and commotions, which must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.  Following this, He embarks on what sounds like a summary of the entire age of the Church to this day:  "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven."  This is a description of the age, but then Jesus begins to speak of the immediate persecutions to come to His Church and His followers.  He begins with an admonition to take heed and watch that the believers not be deceived by false Christs, and ends with a powerful prompting not to fear the persecution to come, but to consider it an occasion for testimony.  Moreover, there is a great gift in the midst of tribulation.  He promises, "I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist."  And herein is the secret of the great struggle for faith.  That God lives -- or to use the language of the Scriptures, is enthroned -- in our hearts and minds, and that it is with our hearts and minds, and our mouths that speak wisdom that God lives and dwells with us in the world.  God is truly everywhere present, but Christ has made God known to us (John 14:9).  And we are those who will profess and proclaim God, keeping ourselves as temples in which God dwells (1 Corinthians 3:16).  While the reality of God and God's presence is not in doubt, it is up to us to receive God, and to live our faith through all things.  Jesus speaks clearly of dire persecutions and tribulation, but we are encouraged to testify, to proclaim wisdom.  The time of tribulation, my study Bible explains, includes the whole of the Christian era, and not just the immediate times faced by Christ's followers at that time, nor a period of time just before His return, as some suggest.  Let us keep our own wits about us, understanding our role as those who follow and are faithful. By our patience let us possess our souls. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enter by the narrow gate

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 7:13–21 

 

In our current readings, we have been going through the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5 - 7 of St. Matthew's Gospel).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught, "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.  Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."   My study Bible informs us of the "two ways" that was widespread in Judaism (see Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Sirach 15:17) -- and also in early Christian writings (Didache, Barnabas).  Luke's version of this teaching (Luke 13:24-30) is more eschatological, as it refers to the end of the age.  My study Bible explains that because we wrestle against sins and human weaknesses as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), entering the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  My study Bible notes that because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  So, therefore, we need to be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.  In Matthew 3:10, John the Baptist preached the same statement, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

 

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  My study Bible calls this a threefold testimony to the deity of Christ.  First, He calls Himself Lord -- a reference to the divine name "Yahweh" (YHWH) of the Old Testament.  Second, He speaks of the will of My Father, which He fully knows and shares.  Finally, as judge, Christ is revealed as God, as only God can execute true judgment.  In that day is a reference to the final judgment.  

 

 In today's reading, Jesus teaches, "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study Bible commented that this saying is also found in St. Luke's Gospel (Luke 13:24-30), but it notes that there the saying is placed in an eschatological context.  However, reading through the verses that follow here in the Sermon on the Mount, we see that indeed, Jesus also has hints of "end times" considerations here, and especially of the judgment at the end of the age.  He warns us and teaches us how to discern false prophets.  They're people who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  For the early Church, it seems quite likely that this is a warning against false teachers, which would become an essential concern in the Church -- and remains so.  But Christ teaches us that by their fruits you will know them, so essentially this teaching becomes useful for many circumstances, and even discerning what effect behaviors and doctrines carry over into practice.  He says, "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit," again teaching us to use discernment and to be wise, and giving us a hint of the judgment to come.  He says, in an echo of John the Baptist, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  As He does so, this brings in the eschatological element of judgment that is in St. Luke's Gospel.  "Therefore by their fruits you will know them," becomes the warning and teaching to all of us, for all time about who we follow and who we might trust.  Finally, He teaches, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  This not only teaches us more about wolves in sheep's clothing, but about hypocrisy -- a focus in the Sermon on the Mount, and Christ's greatest critique of the Pharisees and scribes to come.  Moreover, He again brings in eschatological elements of judgment.  He reminds us that He's not looking for statements of faith, He doesn't want us to swear to anything to try to prove something.  He's looking for faithful behavior -- those who seek the will of God and live it, who do it.  Let us understand that the focus on eschatology is meant to give us a solemn note to emphasize the importance of the teaching, for it is not in another time -- at the end of time -- when all of this matters, but each day we live this reality is with us.  So let us find the narrow gate, the way that is not easy, because after all, in the end it's all that really matters.  It's the way which leads to life.

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near

 

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

 

- Luke 21:20-28 

 

On Saturday we read that, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  My study Bible comments that the phrase when you see indicates that many of the disciples would still be alive at the time of the destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem, which would come in AD 70.   According to fifth century church historians, the early church at Jerusalem fled east of the Jordan at these signs.   The destruction of the temple was complete (see Saturday's reading, above), so that Jesus' prophecy that not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down was fulfilled.  That great conflagration and intense fighting included not only terrible loss of life and starvation of Jerusalem's inhabitants but also a massive destructive fire that swept the city, indicating days of vengeance indeed and certainly horrific hardship for those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies, making the necessary sudden flight impossible.

 

 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  How will Christ return?  My study Bible comments that the event will be unmistakable to all the world, as He will be coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  

In the mystery of this revelation and prophesy, we are given a glimpse of what are called end times.  In popular literature and media, end times are often portrayed as only the extraordinarily dramatic and frightening events close to the immediate time of Christ's return and of judgment.  But this is not the picture of end times that Jesus gives us.  Instead, the "time of the end" indicates the whole of the age in which we live now.  That is, these events of the end times begin, in Christ's words here, with the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem, and continue until the time of His Second Coming, which will be apparent to all.  Of that specific time of His return, He says, "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  But the rest of this discourse is concerned with times leading from the Siege of Jerusalem, through the present time, and until the time of His return, as described by Christ.  So what we observe from today's reading is a combination of worldly wars and disasters which we know, and then the signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." There have been times in the history of the Church when the sign of the Son of Man has been reported in the sky, meaning a brilliant image of the Cross, such as that noted by St. Cyril of Jerusalem in a letter to the Emperor Constantius II in the year 351, which remained for several hours and reportedly shone brighter than the sun (see Apparition of the Holy Cross).  But it is noteworthy that in the discussions we have of Jesus teaching about end times in the Gospels, the later first century destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem are mingled together with the end of the created world in the fullness of time, and there is no clear sense of chronology given.  The only conclusion we can draw is the relationship between the terrible event of the decimation of the temple and the city and the cataclysmic events to come which we're told will culminate in the powers of the heavens being shaken and the return of Christ in a cloud with power and great glory.  Even until today the many wars, famines, and natural disasters we know about have continued throughout the history that we know.  Certainly the evidence of tremendous violence, in and of itself, is notable, such as the wars of the twentieth century, great and small, involving so much of the world, and the development of massively powerful technology with which to wage war is noteworthy in terms of a kind of progression that seems to tie these themes together.  We have echoes of these prophecies throughout the ages, but most clearly in today's world we have strong warnings about environmental challenges, even as the world today dwells with an almost studiously-ignored uncertainty regarding what is by now the most heightened risk of nuclear conflict in history.  None of us should be ignorant of the fact that war is by now waged on a number of fronts which includes new technologies, including information, infrastructure systems, and many varied types of weapons unheard of before.  A true world war at this time would be something far more devastating than what was experienced in the previous century.  But what we may draw from Jesus' presentation of end times is simply that from that particular "type" of destruction of the temple, which He characterizes as vengeance, echoing through history until today, the world is seized in its own conflicts and trauma.  The struggle for spiritual truth brought by Christ into the world remains, and in the midst of that spiritual struggle are all kinds of other struggles and conflicts that magnify and echo one another.  "What is truth?" becomes yet another important question at such times of conflict and violence.  Perhaps the most important meaning we take from Christ's prophecy must be the singular importance of maintaining our understanding of who we are and what we must be about -- that none of the fearsome things we know, or the unknown things we dread, throw us off the track of maintaining our spiritual mission as Christ's followers.  We are not to make timetables about "the end" nor are we supposed to view any of these things except as signs to remind us of our real identity and the maintenance of our souls as those which belong to Christ.  That is, to be following in His mission and commandments for us, and most especially to keep in mind the real mission to care for one another as He has taught.  As St. Paul put it, to comfort and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11).  These incidents that make us fear, great and small, man-made or seemingly natural, should function for us as echoes of the elements of Christ's prophecy, and at the same time reminders not to fear but put our trust in Christ.  For we have not only been told all things beforehand, but we are also those who are meant to live His teachings.   That would especially include the "new commandment" that we love one another as He has loved us.  In caring for one another, let us remember that includes comfort and encouragement, an assurance that there is a way God wants us to go forward in spite of difficulties and obstacles and fears of what might be.  For it is in Him whom we trust, and to Him we look to find our redemption.

 

 

Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you

 

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.  And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains.  And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.  When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.  And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I implore You by God that You do not torment me."  For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"  Then He asked him, "What is your name?"  And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."  Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.  Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.  So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."  And at once Jesus gave them permission.  Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.  So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country.  And they went out to see what it was that had happened.  Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.  Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.  And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that He might be with Him.  However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."  And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled. 

 

- Mark 5:1-20 

 

Yesterday we read that, when evening had come, Jesus said to the disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side."  Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along int he boat as He was.  And other little boats were also with Him.  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.  But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful?  How is it that you have no faith?"  And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"

 

Then they came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.  And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains.  And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.  When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.  And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I implore You by God that You do not torment me."  For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"  Then He asked him, "What is your name?"  And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."  Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.  Now a large herd of swine was feeding there near the mountains.  So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."  And at once Jesus gave them permission.  Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.  So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country.  And they went out to see what it was that had happened.  Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.  Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.  And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that He might be with Him.  However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."  And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.   My study Bible comments that the country of the Gadarenes was in Galilee, an area where many Gentiles lived among the Jews.  It explains that Gentile influence on the Jews caused many of them to take on Gentile practices, such as raising swine, which was forbidden by the Jewish Law (Deuteronomy 14:8).  Once again, the demons recognize who Jesus is, and identify Him as Son of the Most High God.  We notice the power of Christ:  although the malice of the demons is great, my study Bible point out they can do nothing against the will of God, and so they can only enter the swine at Christ's command.  The destruction of the swine shows the real effect of these demons, and we may conclude that the man had been protected by God's care:  otherwise he would have perished under their influence.  My study Bible adds that it reinforces that swineherding was not lawful for Jews, and shows the incomparable value of human beings, whose salvation is worth every sacrifice.  

There are some details we must notice about this story.  First of all the demon-possessed man clearly reminds us of some things we  might see in a modern Western city:  some homeless who are afflicted with mental illness.  He's wild and disordered, uncontrolled:  no one can bind him even with shackles and chains.  The text says that no one could tame him.  And night and day he was crying out and cutting himself with stones.  He lives among the tombs, because he can't live among the living; he is not a part of any community or society.  But the demons in him nevertheless know Jesus, and Christ comes and restores order; even the effects upon the swine have a reasonable teaching behind them.  For if we look at the environment here, we see several things.  First of all, as Jesus taught His disciples only to go to the Jews we can assume that although this is a region of mixed Gentiles and Jews, these are Jews who are raising swine for the Gentile market, in violation of the Jewish Law.  Therefore we may conclude from several aspects of this story that their values are purely materialistic:  they care about the money they might gain much more than a desire to honor God.  We can see it in their attitude toward the miraculously healed man who is now sitting and clothed and in his right mind:  they are just afraid of Jesus and beg Him to leave their region, for they've lost their swine, and that was clearly the only thing they cared about.  That the healed man becomes an early evangelist for Christ tells us about his transformation and redemption.  He goes to the Decapolis, a region of ten cities (this is the meaning of the name Decapolis, "ten cities") of Greek and Roman cultural establishment, but with mixed populations including Jews.  If we could make a modern metaphor out of this story, we might come to see a disordered environment that produced this tormented man, one that preferred wealth and materialism over the transcendent values of God.  This man is afflicted by what is hidden behind the scenes but nonetheless present and apparently thriving in such an environment:  the demonic activity that destroys souls, and the evil that seeks to afflict those who would come to love Christ.  The life among the tombs is a life we might see as one lived among the spiritually dead, where the only thing that matters is material wealth, and not the things of God.  Certainly love is missing from this picture.  The disordered man, we might say, is simply the evidence of a disordered society with disordered values.  Those who herd the swine are perfectly content with the way things are; they are simply distraught by Jesus who sets things in order, and in so doing upsets their own apple-cart and shakes up their material world.  But the formerly demon-possessed man has found himself, and Jesus sends him out with the gospel message that the Lord has done great things for him, and especially telling the story of the Lord's compassion.  The thing that characterizes those who herd the swine is selfishness; even in the sending away of the demon-possessed man among the tombs and the mountains we can see a world content to distance itself from problems so long as they are compartmentalized away and do not interfere with the pursuit of wealth.  We may find ourselves in such an environment, where the things of God matter not in terms of the real choices that people make.  Healing is fine as long as it simply enables those afflicted by the cold detachment of unloving values can function without disrupting that materialist system.  Some of us may even find ourselves living in a family environment like this.  But, as in this story, in a modern setting we also may find that faith in Christ comes to teach us different values, upsetting the apple-cart of those who prefer their swine to the spiritual health and well-being of those who need the love of God alive in their hearts and in their lives, who cannot truly live among the cold tombs of emptiness and abandonment except in pain and obvious disorder.  Jesus will say to one who comes to Him but wants to delay discipleship for a family duty to bury his father:  "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead" (Matthew 8:21-22, Luke 9:60).  In Luke's Gospel, He adds, ". . . but you go and preach the kingdom of God."  So it is with this man healed from the affliction of a legion of demons, and so it may be with all those who recognize a disordered world without the love and compassion of God to guide us, where the love of money and faith in its solutions prevails instead.

But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come

 

 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.  And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things?  Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."  

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be?  And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"  And Jesus answered and said to them:  "Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.  Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

 

- Matthew 24:1-14 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus preached the end of His final public sermon, to the religious leaders in the Temple:   "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.  Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.'  Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.  Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt.  Serpents, brood of vipers!  How can you escape the condemnation of hell?  Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes:  some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.  Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.  Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'" 

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.  And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things?  Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."   My study Bible reminds us that Christ's prophecy of the destruction of the temple was fulfilled in AD 70, when the temple was destroyed by the Romans.  In connection with Jesus' words to the religious leaders in yesterday's reading, we note that there was a forty year lag between this prophecy and the Siege of Jerusalem, time for individuals in an entire generation to come to repentance.

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be?  And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"  My study Bible comments that the Scriptures describe the end times in a variety of ways, so that no precise chronology can be determined (see Daniel 7-12; Mark 13; Luke 21; 1 Corinthians 15:51-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10; and the Book of Revelation).  The Lord's emphasis is on watchfulness and on the practice of virtue, rather than making timetables of things that haven't yet happened.  My study Bible breaks down the pattern given in Matthew's Gospel, which encompasses (1) the initial sorrows (verses 4-14), (2) the great tribulation (verses 15-28), and (3) the coming of the Son of Man (verses 29-31).  This period of the great tribulation includes the whole of the Christian era, and is not limited to the final years before Christ's return.

And Jesus answered and said to them:  "Take heed that no one deceives you.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."  My study Bible asks us to note that it is these warnings against deception to which Jesus gives the most emphasis.  Of particular importance is the warning against following a false Christ, which Jesus will stress again in verses 11, 23-27.

"And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet."  The wars here refer first and foremost to the Roman destruction of Jerusalem, my study Bible says, but they also certainly include subsequent wars.  Wars are not a sign of the imminent end, but of the opposite -- that the end is not yet (see 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3). 

 

"See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.  All these are the beginning of sorrows.  Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.  Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  But he who endures to the end shall be saved.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."  All of these calamities and all this opposition cannot stop the spread of the gospel, my study Bible says.  Indeed, persecutions against the Church often increase the number of souls being converted, it adds.  St. John Chrysostom is cited here, who marveled that while the Romans subdued countless Jews in a political uprising, they could not prevail over twelve Jews unarmed with anything but the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What do end times look like?  While we might find ourselves and others frequently asking this question, and wondering about it since quite soon (relatively speaking) after Christ's Ascension, what we can see from His description is that there are features of the time that look remarkably like our own.  We are familiar with wars; we are familiar with famines, pestilences, and earthquakes.  We know of the tribulation the early Church experienced, and we should be familiar with tribulation and persecution that have continued throughout the centuries and especially during the 20th century under various forms of government, and continues even violently today for many Christians around the world.  Jesus speaks of false prophets, betrayals, lawlessness.  He says that "the love of many will grow cold."  He speaks of hate, both against the Church and inside of the Church, saying that "you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.  And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another."  These are things that have been seen, and things we should remember.  But possibly His most important message is twofold.  Jesus says, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved."  This in itself is an important, lasting message to all of us.  Whatever we go through in life, what Jesus emphasizes is endurance.  We are to persist in a faithful life, living out His commandments, and being His disciples to the best of our ability.  The other part with which He leaves us at this juncture in the reading is, "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."  Whatever we see happening in the world and in our lives, the gospel of the kingdom will be preached and will spread.  Now, through sites such as this blog and uncountable others, the gospel of the kingdom is preached throughout the world, and continues to reach people, as well as through more conventional means and venues.  But these two things are important, and especially relevant to today.  We have the message that it is our endurance that He asks of us.  He does not ask the impossible, for great feats and miracles of faith, for astonishing works that dazzle others.  He asks for our endurance, and this means our endurance in faithfulness, in living as He asks us to live and resisting the temptations to lawlessness, letting our love grow cold, betrayals, and hatred.  We are to persist in the gospel and living His gospel.  We might find all kinds of things going haywire in our life, even experiencing betrayals and hatred of one sort or another, or possibly we experience the great upheavals of history such as famine and warfare, earthquakes and pestilences.  But in any case, what He asks of us as a goal is to endure to the end.  Through all things, we turn to Him, to His gospel of the kingdom, to one another, to prayer and to worship, to struggle with what it means to live out our faith as best we can, and to endure.  Let this be our prayer, as the gospel of the kingdom continues to be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations

 

 

Enter by the narrow gate

 

 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."

 

- Matthew 7:13-21 

 

We are currently reading through the Sermon on the Mount.  Yesterday, we read that Jesus taught:  "Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.  Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.   Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  Or what man is there among you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!  Therefore, whatever you want me to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." 

 

"Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  My study Bible comments that the description of the two ways was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:17-18, 12:28, 15:21; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17). and also in early Christian writings (Didache, Barnabas).   Luke's version of this statement is more eschatological, and refers to the end of the age (Luke 13:24-30).  As we wrestle both against sins and human weaknesses, as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), to enter the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  You will know them by their fruits.  Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit."  Jesus speaks here of spiritual fruit.  My study Bible says that because they can easily deceive others, those who put on a show of virtue or religion are more dangerous than those who are evil outright.  Therefore, it says, we should be all the more cautious among those who are outwardly virtuous.

"Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  John the Baptist made this same statement about fire in Matthew 3:10.

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."  My study Bible points out that here Jesus testifies to His own deity (and continues in the following verse, which will begin tomorrow's reading).  He calls Himself Lord, referring to the divine name "Yahweh" of the Old Testament.  He also speaks of the will of My Father in heaven, which He fully knows and shares.  As we can see from this beginning statement regarding who shall enter the kingdom of heaven, this is ultimately a theme of judgment, and Himself as true Judge.

What does it mean to bear good fruits?  In John the Baptist's statement found in Matthew 3:10, the phrase refers to the good fruits of repentance.   In 3:8, he tells the Pharisees and Sadducees to "bear fruits worthy of repentance."  Then he goes on to elaborate that they can't just tell themselves that their father is Abraham, because "God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones."  (In context, see Matthew 3:7-12.)   What that means is that, if we are to be children of Abraham in the sense meant here, then we are to be "like Abraham."  Like Abraham, that is, in the sense that Abraham responded to the will of God, and was willing to understand and follow and live within this understanding.  Abraham bore the fruits of obedience and loyalty, of hospitality, of the love of God.  And what is repentance but a return to the love of God?  We so often focus on repentance as some sort of negative action, but this is not really the case at all.  It is a "change of mind" (literally in the Greek word for it), a return to the love of God, illustrated in Luke's parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32).  It is just that simple, a return to God's love -- whenever we are stuck, or we've come to a dead end, or even when we think we've got the world by the tail.  This is why Jesus teaches that His is the narrow way.  It's the devil that tempts with "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory" (Matthew 4:8).  But it is Christ who offers up that narrow way that says, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (in Monday's reading).  It is Christ who reminds us that there is one place to find that love and that guidance for our lives, and the discipline that goes with them, a lifelong journey of learning.  We can see all kinds of "good fronts" in the world, those with a great image, who take great care to cultivate that.  But we also might know the sharp sting of the same people and their priorities which exclude God's love, true charity, a place at the table for those who can't repay.  The world is filled with false compassion and ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing who simply seek their own ambitious and very self-centered ends.  St. Paul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control," and adds that "against such there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23).  So where do we go to bear such fruit, to be watered and nourished in order to do so?  To whom do we go?  Are there people you know who bear those fruits?  Are you called to do so yourself?  Jesus doesn't mince words nor deceive about the narrow and difficult way, but He does call each one of us, and that is the real call of love.

And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  

 

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

 

- Luke 8:26–39 

 

In yesterday's reading, we read that Jesus taught (continuing from the Parable of the Sower), "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Once again, Jesus' encounter with demons results in their identifying Him.  In this case, He is called Son of the Most High God.  It is important to understand that although these demonic spirits essentially rebel against the purpose for which they were created, they still have no power to resist Christ.  It's also important to note the disorder in which this man is found, a direct effect of the hostile demons.  This man has been driven to deeper isolation, violence, and self-destruction.  He lives only among the dead.

Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.   The reference to the abyss is a reference to the ultimate judgment, and the place to which the demons know they will be assigned, a place of non-existence.  But it is not yet that time, so they beg to enter the swine, an animal considered unclean to the Jews.  My study bible comments that some teach that the presence of swine would indicate a Gentile population.  But, since Christ forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5), and was Himself reluctant to seek out the Gentiles (Matthew 15:24), it's likely that these are Jews engaged in what for hem was a sinful occupation, profiting from the sale of the swine to the Gentile population.  The destruction of the entire herd of swine reveals several things.  First, while animals are a venerable part of creation, human beings are of far greater value.  Also, Christ removes a source of sin, as swine herding was an abomination to the Jews (Deuteronomy 14:8).  Demons have no power over creation, my study bible further notes, but are subject to the will of God.  They can only enter the swine at the command of Christ.  People are protected under the providence of God, otherwise, the demon-possessed man would have come to the same death as the swine. 

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.    These same people who were herding the swine show themselves to be quite hard-hearted.  Rather than glorifying God for the healing of this man who is now clothed and in his right mind, all they consider is the economic loss of their swine, and they fear Jesus so much that they as only that He depart from them.  The magnitude of their financial loss will nevertheless remain for them as a sign of the power of Christ.

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  The healed man, now in his right mind and whole, gains a renewed life thanks to Christ.  He become an evangelist bearing the good news to others at Christ's command, glorifying God.

In some sense, today's story bears resemblance to the powerful mythic stories of the ancient world, notably that of the Odyssey, in that Jesus and the disciples cross the Sea of Galilee to a strange and unknown place for the disciples, and encounter this demon-possessed man.  But it also tells us a powerful story of healing, and the many dimensions of the impact of Jesus on a disordered and strange, uncivilized world.  For these Jews in this place to be raising the swine is first of all something very wrong for the devout Jews who form Jesus' disciples.  It shows the locals' preference for the financial rewards they will reap, over the religious law of the Jews.  But by far the greater sign of terrible disorder is the man possessed by the legion of demons.  In him we find all the outward symptoms of a disordered and broken culture.   He is the one in whom all the disorder of a world that has lost its way manifests, and he's held hostage to the demons and their influence.  He can't even wear clothing, nor live in a house.   He must live among the tombs, among the dead.  In some sense, he is symbolically in hell.  He is out of control, and must be bound in chains and shackles and kept under guard.  And yet the demon, we're told, has simply driven him further into the wilderness, away from community into a stark and terrifying isolation.   It is as if he himself has been driven into the abyss the demons fear, at their hands.  It teaches us of cruelty and injustice, the destructiveness of the demons and their influence, the torment which seems to be their only product in this world for those whom they afflict.   So there is a story within a story here, of the influence of that which is against God, against Christ, and the disorder it afflicts upon human beings and human society.  All the values are out of whack; the profiteering of the swine-herders goes hand in hand with their priorities over and against human health and the value of this tormented man.  Do we simply discard the unwell?  Are our cares only for what is convenient and profitable for us?  Do we give up on what is good and the historical values we know are good?  What makes for a healthy human society?  It is the power of God at work in this story that restores those things, even in this seemingly God-forsaken place, where the people have clearly forgotten about their God and reject Christ.  But there is nevertheless one who is saved, and that is the one who was most badly afflicted through the rejection of God by that community, the one whom the demons wanted to control and destroy.  Interestingly, the healed man also remains, in some sense, alone.  He is the only one who has faith in Christ, and praises God.  But, like Christ, he is not alone in the sense that God is with him (John 16:32), and he is commissioned by Christ with purpose and meaning, and becomes an evangelist in his city.  Christ not only commands the demons, but also gives this formerly afflicted man purpose and reason.  He restores his health, and in so doing, sets him in proper relationship to God.  This once afflicted man seems to have a choice in his life.  He could waste his time wondering why God let him be occupied by a legion of demons.  Or he could accept this special position of being the one for whom Christ set sail across the Sea of Galilee in a storm, and rescued him from the legion, and who now lives to tell the story -- following Christ and glorifying God by doing so.  In some sense, this story also offers us a similar choice.  Will we face the demons -- figurative or otherwise -- in our own lives with the help of God?  Will we be angry for our troubles and difficulties, or seek out the help we need?  Do we glorify the One who is always there for us, even when it seems we're alone?   Set in right-relationship to Christ, we are also in right-relationship to the world, even when it is the world we knew that let us down.  

 

What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was drive by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  

 

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

 

- Luke 8:26–39 

 

On Monday, we read that Jesus taught, "No one, when he has lit lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."  But He answered  and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!"  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!" 

 

  Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was drive by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?"  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.    My study bible comments that the demons recognize Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.  It says that although the malice of the demons is great, they can do nothing against the will of God.  Therefore, begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss, the place of total abolition or destruction of being.  Additionally, they may only enter the swine because Christ permitted them. 

 

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. My study bible comments that the immediate destruction of the herd shows that the man had been protected by God's care -- otherwise he would have perished under this destructive demonic influence.  It adds that some teach that the presence of swine indicates Gentile population.  However, since Christ forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5), and was also reluctant Himself to seek out the Gentiles (Matthew 15:24), these swineherders are more likely to be Jews engaged in a sinful occupation.  The destruction of the swine reveals that although animals are a venerable part of creation, human beings are of far great value.  Christ also removes a source of sin, as swine herding was an abomination to the Jews (Deuteronomy 14:8).

When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  The magnitude of their economic loss will remain as a sign for these people who fled and who are afraid because of the miraculous recovery of the formerly demon-possessed man.  They show their hardheartedness in their failure to rejoice over his recovery, but instead they beg Jesus to depart from them.

 

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  Let us note the healing and recovery of this man, who himself is given a great role to play in the salvation story of Christ.  He became an evangelist, as he proclaimed the good news of the great things Jesus had done for him.

This is one of my favorite stories in the Gospels.  I am intrigued by this hopeless man lost among the tombs, living among the dead, because he's not fit for civilization in the cities and towns.   In the grip of the demons, he's uncontrollable, constantly abusing and hurting himself, unable even to stay clothed.  For some of us, it is a reminder of facets of homelessness and mental illness among our own homeless populations.  But this stark picture in the Gospels of someone so lost and forsaken is hard to shake in spiritual terms.  One of the most striking aspects of the story is how Christ directed the apostles to set out overnight across the Sea of Galilee, through a terribly frightening storm, just to come to this particular forsaken place.  It's as if Jesus directed the disciples to pilot here specifically to save this man, or possibly to rebuke and destroy this hostel for a legion of demons.  The place is also forsaken as a home to Jews who raise swine, and who care so much more for their money-producing swine (to sell to Gentiles in this region) than for the holy healing action of Christ.  In this sense, Jesus is the picture of a type of warrior who goes abroad not with a sword and armaments, but with the spiritual power to reclaim territory for children of God who are occupied, abused, and subject to terrible tortures by a hostile enemy invader army.  This is a picture of a spiritual liberator, who comes to banish a cruelly uncivilized legion from those who would simply be at peace.  We can see the gratitude of the healed man, and his essential good character that it reflects.  Plus he clearly wants to come to be with Jesus.  But Jesus has a better assignment for him:  to spread the good news of God's work in him to his fellow townspeople, an evangelist and witness giving testimony.  Christ's saving work isn't just about the eternal life in the sense of what comes after life in this world; in this story it is a clear story about salvation and Resurrection impacting life as we live it in our present lives day to day, about bringing life to those in the tombs of this world who are lost or forsaken, seemingly hopeless, given up by others.  This is about the impact of Christ's abundant life that restores here and now and in the present, no matter what the problems are, and it is about being released from affliction that destroys on any level of the human soul.  The saving power of Christ works to protect and to heal; it's not an abstract and not a philosophy.  I always take this story to heart because there is more to find in it each time it is read and thought about.  The good news isn't just about what Christ said, it is about life and how it is lived and experienced, and witness testimony to the good things God has done -- for you, for me, for anybody who can testify about life as it is lived.