Posted by Ken on February 15, 2003 at 12:38:43:
In Reply to: Notes from 2/9/03 posted by PS on February 15, 2003 at 12:22:32:
This looks like something in the books I've been reading (The Left Behind Series), Tsion Ben Judah's Daily Cyber Sermon.
: 2/9/03 NOTES
: GR parabolé = comparison
: HEB mashal = comparison (root), also means riddle
: Parables
: 1. short
: 2. everyday language
: 3. allegory
: . . . A. one meaning
: . . . B. reader --> interpretation
: 4. extended metaphor
: 5. narrative
: 6. pithy
: 7. hyperbole
:
: pericope = story about Jesus orally transmitted
: nature miracles = least subjective (most subjective = healing, exorcism)
: Nature Miracles
: Calming the wind and waves
: Walking on water
: Feeding of the 5000
: Feeding of the 4000
: Cursing the fig tree
: turning water into wine
: raising the dead
: * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
: Exorcisms
: Simple assumptions from the fact of exorcisms:
: 1. existence of good & evil spirits
: 2. evil spirits can inhabit humans
: 3. evil spirits do mischief
: 4. inhabitation is not permanent
: 5. exorcisms are possible
: Theories about evil spirits (both in Jesus’ day and ours):
: 1. demons (either created as such or fallen angels)
: 2. dead humans in limbo (ghosts, poltergeists, etc.)
: 3. minor, troublesome spirits; mischievous more than evil (fairies, pixies,etc.)
: In the gospels, exorcisms (like other stories) are vehicles for the writers to reveal something about Jesus.
: christology = a revealed truth about Jesus as the Christ (Messiah)
: Example of revealed christology previously discussed:
: Subjugated nature by word alone -- not seen since the creation where God spoke and nature obeyed:
: Shows Jesus as the creating logos of God.
: Explains the terror of the disciples, greater than the fear of death experienced during the storm.
: Revealed christology seen in exorcisms:
: All demons immediately know him and know they are subject to him.
: Demons call Jesus “Son of the Highest” or “Holy One of God,” etc.
: Note again the concept of the “messianic mystery”--Jesus silences them.
: Key concept observed: plurality
: Demons call themselves “we,” even when apparently only one is present:
: “We know who you are...”
: Demon knows key people he has not met, but refuses to recognize unknown exorcist:
: “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”
: Suggests communication between spirits; common knowledge in spirit realm of those who are:
: Marked, called, empowered by God = identity well known in spirit realm.
: Human knows his/her own identity and Source of it as Person = power over spirit realm.
: A question of identity, not acquisition of power as commodity (and not ritual correctness).
: More on excorcism next week as we look at the story of the Geresene demoniac...