CADRE Comments

Allow me some reflections today, on a connection to Passover which isn't always appreciated. On the first Passover, the Hebrews (the dusty ones) were instructed to escape the destroyer sent by God (leaving aside whether the destroyer was or wasn't God Himself in action), by painting the blood of a slain lamb around their doors. On the last Passover (or the greatest Passover so far anyway, since we still celebrate it every year in remembrance as though we are participating in the event ourselves at that time), the One Who authoritatively sent the destroyer (or Who possibly even was acting as the destroyer Himself), voluntarily dies in a way the lambs had been symbolizing for centuries (as well as fulfilling other Jewish sacrificial prefigurations). The Lamb of God dies in solidarity with the lambs. But not only in solidarity with the lambs. The Only-Begotten of God dies in solidarity with the firstborn sons of man (and beasts) who were destroyed by the d...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Since some of the later chapters are long enough that I'll want to break them into two parts, I'm taking the opportunity to consolidate some shorter chapters here. The Teacher of the People After this (wedding at Cana, says the Evangelist), Jesus went with His mother and brothers, and with His disciples, down to Capernaum (to visit family, or because Jesus already had a house there. Capernaum was a town on the northwest coast of Galilee Lake, between Magdala and Chorazin.) They stayed there for a few days, until the Passover (Festival) of the Jews was at hand; then Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And in the Temple (specifically in the outer court which was supposed to be reserved for the non-Jews and anyone currently not ritually clean, so they could worship), Jesus found merchants sell...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) First Adversaries Now Jesus, filled and led by the Holy Spirit, returns from the Jordan (River district, evidently back toward Nazareth, west-southwest of the inland sea of Galilee). But (instead of going straight back to Nazareth), the Spirit ejects Jesus into the wastes (of Samaria and the Galilee district, west of the lake and the Jordan River), a deserted place where wild beasts roam; and there He is led by the Spirit in a time of fasting--and trial. For forty days and nights He did not eat. After this is completed... Jesus hungers. Now the Adversary, who has been testing Him during this time, approaches Him (directly). And the tempter said: "If you are a son of God, then tell these stones to be cakes of bread!" But Jesus answered him, saying: "It is written (in the fifth...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Be aware, this is an especially long entry. Lawyers and Second Comings (8 and 7 days until the end...) Now it happened that when Jesus finished these declarations (says the Disciple, seconded by the Follower, meaning the teaching on forgiveness seven times and seventy-times-and-seven, while back in Capernaum before the final mission-tour to Jerusalem had begun), He got up and went from Galilee; (eventually) coming into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan (past Jericho, east of Jerusalem 20 miles or more). Now the Passover of the Jews was near (the Evangelist says, taking his turn of the story for a moment), and many went up out of the countryside into Jerusalem before the Passover, in order to purify themselves (in the week before the Night itself). So they sought Jesus, and they said as ...