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I used to work with someone who talked about having a "prayer language". It was a very private thing for her & she had lengthy communications with God using this language. I often wondered if it put her into some sort of a trance or hypnotic state.
I have a similar attitude to some of the debates about the actual words uttered by Jesus. Who cares, really, if we believe (as I do) that we are getting the gist or the essence of His sayings & teachings?unsafe says ------I don't explain it -----I don't worry about it
Agreed that the gift of speaking in tongues is still in existence. I don't believe I have it, though I have tried to speak in tongues a few times.
One must have some grasp of ancient and dead signs ... icons of the Dai of the Dead? Due to toxic err of the past ... many don;t wish you to know thus MS understanding with ethereal exceptions ... in essence! That's beyond physical realism ... distant altruism an ultimate state?
Obviously you are part and parcel of those not understanding the abstract ... the demon in the words lyon there beat down by donkey jaws ... brae 'n ... in essence there must be physical icons for understanding space ... thus lines without or in the sans ... ocred base?
Are we heading for a derailment here?
If anyone has any reflections about this entire thread, I would love to see them.
Okay, I will go take another look at your reflections on Mark 16.I shared with you many thoughts on Mark 16 and received no response.
Hi Jae, This long post contains some of your typical conflation of various gospels. We have already discussed the individual in the tomb who is clearly called a man by the writer of Mark's gospel. You refer to this guy as an angel. There are other examples as well but I am growing weary of pointing them out.Thoughts on Mark 16...
The Sabbath came to a close, immediately after which the shops were opened to take advantage of trade that might happen along before darkness set in.
The three women that had attended Calvary had, on Friday evening, prepared ointments and spices. They now bought spices, to have everything ready against the morrow, for they planned to go out to the grave and anoint Jesus' body. Here's evidence that there was no idea in the missionaries to steal Jesus' body and allege that he'd risen from the dead.
Early did the women leave the city on the next morning, the festival day when the sheaves were offered to God in the temple, that they arrived at the grave at sunrise.
One fact worried them on the way out to the garden: the matter of the stone that had been rolled before the sepulcher. It'd taken two men to put it into place, and there was no chance of their removing it with their strength.
This was the first thing that the women looked for when they saw the tomb. And that the stone was rolled away scared them into thinking of grave robbers. Mary Magdalene brought this story to the city.
While Mary Magdalene was returning to the city, the other Mary and Salome were surprised inside the tomb by what seemed to them a young man clothed in white.
There were many angels present on this morning. But this angel scared the women. Heaven's reflection shone from him, and humans can't endure that without being scared.
But the angel's message, "Be not terrified!" As at Jesus' birth the angel's first words, "Fear not" so the cry went out at this time.
The heart's leaned toward anxiety, feeling its shame. But there's no longer need of fearing, since salvation lies in the empty grave.
The angel speaks of Jesus by the name which had been given him to heap shame upon him. But Jesus' now the name of which he and his are proud. As Jesus he rose from the dead.
Note the speech, "He's risen, he isn't here; see the place where they laid him." All's exultation which struggles for utterance.
And the news must be spread. They should tell his news to the missionaries, and to Peter who had regretted his shame and who would yet feel Jesus' love.
As Jesus had told them, he was now preparing to go, to precede them into Galilee; for there, he wanted to speak to them.
The angel overwhelmed the women. They fled from the tomb; a rapture had taken hold of them. So was their fear that for the present they said nothing to anyone.
After they'd heard that others had also received revelations independent of their testimony, they no longer were quiet about the things they'd heard at the tomb.
Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene, one of the women who'd submissively served him.
Mark here summarizes the events of the 40 days after Jesus' resurrection. He enumerates this appearance as one of many. And he identifies Mary Magdalene as the woman out of whom Jesus had driven seven devils.
No sooner had Mary received this evidence of Jesus' resurrection than she hurried to tell it to missionaries at Jerusalem. They refused to believe her. They didn't yet understand Jesus' prophecies concerning his resurrection, as often as he'd tried to impress this fact upon them. This is more evidence against the theory of Jesus' stolen body.
Mark next gives a summary of the afternoon's events.
In a different form Jesus came to two missionaries on their way to Emmaus, dressed differently than he usually was. Most missionaries believed them not.
That was the situation on Easter Day's evening, in spite of an appearance to Peter and the call of those that were now trusting in his resurrection.
Still later, Jesus appeared while missionaries were dining. At that time he chided them for their refusal to believe, when his resurrection's news had been brought to them by sound witnesses.
For these witnesses' accounts should've filled them with faith as to his resurrection. And here they'd been hiding, showing as much trust in Jesus as many of today's missionaries when they face persecution.
Still, he commissioned them. Going out into all the world, they should preach the Gospel to every creature. It's a limitless command.
The Gospel's the only proclamation that belongs in missionaries' pulpits. Other topics are outside of the pale. Every sermon must serve in building Jesus' Church. For the test's faith in that Gospel and in nothing else.
There are so many cults in the world today with schemes for humanity's amelioration. These are worse than trash when it comes to the question, "What must I do to be saved?"
They that believe and are baptized shall be saved. Faith in Jesus through the Gospel and confirming of the benefits of Jesus' salvation through Baptism, that's the only way to become sure of heaven.
The latter fact, salvation through Baptism, is denied by many. Through this faith and in Baptism God gives salvation, assures us of the certainty of heaven's heritage which is reserved for the elect.
But the question's other side can't be passed over in silence, for Jesus' words are impressive. Where there's no faith in Jesus' salvation, damnation's sure to follow.
Jesus gave his missionaries a serious commission. And he tells them signs will accompany their work: In his name to cast out devils, speak with new languages, handle snakes, drink poison without harm and heal people.
These things took place in Church history. And God's power's as mighty today as ever. There are thousands of miracles being done in his name wherever the Gospel's being proclaimed.
A warning concerning false miracles remains timely even today.
Even if it were possible for a person to perform deeds that had miracles' marks, God's promise isn't there.
The Gospel and the Sacraments are the means by which the Church's to carry forward Jesus' work til time's end.