Thanksgiving Thought

  

When most of us read the scriptures we read the Bible from the viewpoint of the 21^st-century human.  That means we read it from a perspective and understand being born to freedoms of some type.  Now I know, some will point out that parts of the world still are oppressive and slavery still exists.   All true, but the majority of the world people have some level of freedom.    Reading the Bible this way is a mistake.  You have to place yourself in the Middle East, the Holy Land in Jesus' time.   Jesus was not born free.  He was born into an occupied territory.  He was born into a type of captivity. He was born into oppression, slavery, and captivity.  These factors cannot be changed just because your master and oppressors give you some freedoms of movement and leeways in some practices to include your religion.  You are still under their thumb and control.

So let us put ourselves in that mindset and remember that there is a lot unsaid.  Think of the sermon on the Mount.  Jesus did not spend time telling those gathered of their plight, of their oppression, of the fact they were Jews and hate and looked down upon by the Romans that were their masters.  He did not have to.    It was just understood.  Think of coming into the middle of a movie with no idea of the story arc.  That is what we have in the Bible.  I know some of the modern Bibles add footnotes to explain as much as they can, but the original authors were not writing for the century’s they were writing for the now. The audience already knew what was not said.  We do not.   This has led to centuries of assumptions.  This has led to centuries of possible misunderstanding of what is said and meant.

Take the time to reread your favorite passages, clear your mind of your perspective of now and of your preconceived assumptions.  Instead, read it with thoughts of the situation that Jesus lived in and realize that most of the statements he makes are answers to questions not yet asked but needed an answer.   I have a feeling that you will find a deep appreciation for the brilliance and the genius of Jesus of Nazareth before he became Jesus the Christ.   A true genius in Philosophy, strategy, and tactics to turn the tables on the masters that oppressed his people.  He set in motion a truly beautiful thing once you understand his motives and his plan.