🇬🇧 Glory be to Jesus Christ! 🌞
Thematic continuation of the readings that were
on Thursday and were supposed to be on Friday:
27072023.html
But the specific topic is different – authority and the commandment of love as the fulfillment of God’s Law.
Romans XIII, 1 – ‘υπο Θεου’ – ‘hypo Theou’ – underneath God, through
God
. It is difficult to translate correctly, a place on which a lot
depends. If the first option is correct, that is, the location of
authority underneath God
(literally), then it can be understood that
authority as a principle does not oppose God, but is not above Him, but
underneath Him
, and therefore with such authority as in principle,
there is no need to struggle against. If the second option is correct,
then authority as a principle is established (appointed) by God (it
exists thanks to God, through Him). But in both cases, the words
generally mean that authority as such is not something hostile to God,
that it is foreseen by Him and can even be established by Him.
It should be emphasized that it is mostly understood that it is not about the specific implementation, realization of authority, but the very phenomenon, the very principle of its existence as such in general. A specific authority, a specific implementation of the principles of authority may well not be from God, including it may be directly anti-God. But the existence of authority as such, as a certain essential principle of the existence of people (and also of angels) does not contradict God, so it cannot be fought with.
The next verse reveals this idea more deeply – whoever opposes the principle of authority as such (stands for anarchy in various forms, lack of management, control, influence, or against forms of authority that are established by God, for example, Church authority) is opposed to God’s establishment, and by this confrontation, they brings judgment upon themselves. No, not even God Himself judges such a person, but God’s appointment.
Next, when Paul speaks of evil
, he uses the word ‘κακον’ and its
related words, which mean evil in the absolute sense, something totally
unworthy, bad, evil
, and apparently refer to the crimes first of all
(perhaps, exclusively). If it is more about sins, then another word is
used more often.
It can be said that authority
can also be understood as the rule of
law as a principle.
For the sake of the rule of law, for the state to be governed by the rule of law (and we can add, to be social), taxes are paid.
That is why Paul says to give the proper actions and thoughts. You can also talk about civic consciousness here. It should be noted that patriotism from the Christian point of view is not just a proper thing to do, but true, authentic, genuine patriotism is based on love for God and people, true, authentic, genuine patriotism always comes from God (and is therefore one of the virtues) (this paragraph is edited on the 30th of July, 2023).
The second part is about the commandment of love, which does not do evil, and therefore includes other commandments.
Matthew XII, 30 – ‘εμου’ – ‘emou’ – Me, by Me
(in different phrases there is a different translation).
The reading, which includes several important teachings, is therefore extremely rich.
I wrote about the first verse of the reading at the link:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/Hyper.html
” The Lord says that he who is not for you is against you
, he who
does not gather scatters
, he who is not against us is for us
(Luke
IX, 49-50, Mark IX, 38-41, Matthew XII, 30, etc.). He is talking about
Himself, generally speaking, from which such an opinion follows that one
cannot be neutral about Christ Himself. This thought is known, that is,
we can never be in the middle, for example, between God and the devil or
we can not be between the Kingdom of God and hell, there is no
intermediate, middle state, in fact, in reality we will never be in the
middle. There is a certain temporary indeterminate state – the present
time, not yet determined, but still it is not final. Regarding Christ,
we cannot be in the middle, neutral
, in terms of being with Him or
against Him, being for Christ or against Him. If the apostles are with
Christ, the Church is with Christ in this context, then these words can
be applied to them. It is impossible to be neutral about the Church in
this sense. Christ is at the center of the universe, and everything has
its meaning and significance in relation to Him, relative to Him, and
there is nothing that has meaning without Him. Everything else that is
not directly with Christ in this context is not at the center of the
universe, and in relation to it we can be neutral, we can take some
intermediate position.
When it comes to the relationship between the Church and the surrounding world, which does not concern the Church itself, i.e. outside the Church, then here the apostles are included in these words of Christ as His representatives, that is actually these words apply to them, they are at the center of the world structure, and you cannot also be neutral in respect with them, you cannot be in the middle, that is (finally) just as you cannot serve two masters, also in another place – a person will decide, love someone and will serve this one – God or mammon. In such a context, a person (or people, or society) cannot be in the middle.
On the other hand, if it is a question of relations between Churches,
which, for example, mutually recognize the Sacraments or have a need for
greater unity, then they cannot consider each other or themselves in the
context that we are at the center of the universe
, because they are
not in this context alone relative to each other in the center of the
universe.
I will stop at the word He who is not against you is FOR you
(Luke
IX, 50). for
is the Greek hyper
(υπερ), which with the genitive case
comes from over
, above
, can also mean a reason, for what
. That is,
these words can also be understood as (a field for agricultural work,
preaching, activity) for you
or also: your actions are for the purpose
of bringing them to the knowledge of the truth
, that is why you are
sent to preach to those who do not mind you
.
I will also add that the same words can be understood in another way
- who is not against you, in that I act above what I act in you
(over
is not more
, but as an excess, similar to the well-known
crumbs
). And in another way – those who are not against you can
often act
on your behalf”, that is, their good will serve for the spread
of faith, and their quantity – for the mass of faith.” In all cases, we
see the multifacetedness of God’s providence and care for the faithful
and everyone else. ”
On contempt for the Holy Spirit:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/
About trees and fruits:
13062023.html
Regarding the end of the reading, I will quote:
https://www.facebook.com/Oleksandr.S.Zhabenko/
I will dwell on the verses of Matthew XII, 35-36.
Treasures
is literally treasury
, originally a building where
valuables are stored, a modern jewelry warehouse, perhaps a bank or
something similar. A person sins with words, because he or she brings
out
verbally his or her bad treasures
, and vice versa – he or she
speaks well, bringing out good treasures
.
Treasures can be understood not in the way that they are really something valuable, but in the way that a person has an attachment, a certain close connection with it, as if it were a treasure, a valuable thing. One can be attached to evil as if to a treasure, and it is so when a person sins with words.
You can also see how words should be treated: they are like jewelry, certain jewelry that can be both good and bad (for example, jewelry that is cruel, aggressive, threatening, false, etc.). When a person speaks, they give listeners (readers) such decorations (jewelry).
In order to overcome the sin of bad words, one must cleanse the heart
of evil, as I have written more about in the work:
https://oleksandr-zhabenko.github.io/en/Adultery-briefly.html
Empty, vain
means literally inactive, lazy
, which is also
useless
. That is, a word that does not have a purpose, does not
perform any action, just a word
, so be it
. As I said before, it is
impossible to be neutral about Christ, about good – a person is always
either for or against, therefore empty, vain
words are not really
empty
or neutral
in any way.
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!