Jul 4, 2022
1KINGS 19-20:
The
story we read yesterday in this book is one of the most dramatic in
all of Scripture: The time the prophet Elijah confronted King Ahab.
Remember that in the New Testament James used this story to
encourage us that we are no different than Elijah and that we
should pray fervently like him.
PSALM 121:
This
is another psalm that is frequently sung, even today. Often this
whole psalm is set to music. As Olsen says, this psalm lifts the
fog from our eyes.
Re-reading JOHN 9:
Remember that in John 8 there was a tense
standoff between Jesus and the religious leaders. The people took
up stones to kill Jesus. John places this story here to illustrate
again the opposition to Jesus.
One of the hardest verses to translate is the very last one in this chapter. That is Jesus’ answer when the Pharisees give this incredulous or rebuking response, “Surely you don't mean that we are blind, too?” The Greek can be translated as in literal versions, “If you were blind, you would have no [sin//guilt]... To say someone has no sin, in English, would mean that they are totally sinless, and that is NOT what Jesus was meaning.
41 [based on NLT: Jesus replied, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty [of still sinning], but you remain guilty because you claim you can see.//GNT Jesus answered, “If you were blind, then you would not [be sinning now//be guilty]; but since you claim that you can see, this means that you are [still guilty of sinning//still guilty].”]
NLT Translation
note:
1Kings
19:10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served [You,/the] LORD God
Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with
you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets.
I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me,
too.”
====
John
9:28 They [hurled insults
at//cursed] him and said, “You are that fellow's disciple; but we
are Moses' disciples.
34
“You were born a total sinner!” they answered. “[And now you
think you are smart enough to teach us!//Are you trying to teach
us?]” And they threw him out of the synagogue.
37
“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you
[now]!”
39
Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment— [to
cause the blind to see, and to cause those who think that they can
see to become blind.”//to give sight to the blind and to _show_
those who think they see that they are
blind.”]
[The word ‘show’
is not in the Greek, and I do not agree with adding it.
Unfortunately, on earth at least, only a percentage are shown that
they are spiritually blind. The blind often take their blindness to
the grave. That is the danger that Jesus is warning the Pharisees
about.]
40
Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and
[replied/asked], “Are you saying we’re blind?”
41
“If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty [of still sinning],”
Jesus replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you can
see.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.