Matthew 11 NIV: a bitter Jesus

 Matthew 11 NIV: a bitter Jesus

Written 38-51 CE, or 8 to 15 years after ascension

Note: I study the Bible to also consider whether a specific passage comports to the perhaps 5,000-year-old Sumerian philosophy probably expressed by Hebrew scholars 3,000 years ago in Genesis 1:28, in my paraphrase:  Female& male-human-being can& may, independent of other entities, pursue safety& security in their way of living. Each person can& may pursue responsible-human-independence (RHI) before dying. Jesus affirms Genesis 1 in Matthew 19:4.

I think the next Bible canon should include the law codes of Sumer. In other words, an Ancient Testament, the Old Testament, the New Testament and the-ineluctable-evidence comprise the messages human-being can& may consider.

I perceive that the 10,000-year-old Sumer civilization ought to be considered, in order to increase civic-integrity while appreciating responsible pursuits of individual happiness for 2022 and beyond. In other words, an expanded view of history would benefit the United States intentions of 1787.

The way things are, we continue Judeo-Christian squabble that was recorded 2022 years ago covering 1000 years of Middle-eastern war& God competition, without appreciating whatever constrains the consequences of human choice& action. We, the 2022 "ourselves and our Posterity" can stop this tyranny over the-good any moment enough of us perceive self-interest in RHI. We can develop by transparently discussing the ideas Jesus seems to have shared despite alien news-media& fiction writers about the 1-thousand-years before 2 thousand years ago.

Repeating, we belabor 1600 year-old opinion about political philosophies argued between 3200 years ago and 2200 years ago.

Writers represent Jesus as affirming Genesis 1:26-28’s RHI. For example, in Matthew 19:4-6 Jesus illustrates how far Genesis 1:28 should be taken respecting divorce: a man joins to a woman to become one. In Matthew 5:48, Jesus suggests that in God’s image the human-being can perfect their person. How does Matthew 11’s Jesus describe developing  (RHI)? I think it supports mystery rather than ineluctable-evidence.

Jesus and John the Baptist

[This reader imagines that whatever constrains the consequences of human-being choices is a peacemaker. I cannot trust Matthew’s “witness” that God is selective and Jesus is bitter.]

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.

² When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah [Note: Matthew writes opinion decades after events; how reliable is Matthew then?], he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. ⁶ Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” [Matthew feels vulnerable. He must convince readers of miracles townspeople did not accept. Matthew cannot persuade me to follow his ideas. I read to discover ideas that Jesus might have proffered. (So far, I see none in this chapter.)]

⁷ As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’ [Malichi 3:1]

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he [What’s the point? Jesus is greater than John? John is cast out of heaven? I doubt Jesus would speak such nonsense]. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. ¹⁵ Whoever has ears, let them hear.

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁷ “‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not mourn.’

¹⁸ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” [Are we to think Jesus performed miracles to defeat glutton& drunkard hearsay?]

Woe on Unrepentant Towns

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. ²³ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. [According to John 6:39, Capernaum seems not elect: “I shall lose none of all those he has given me”.]  For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” [Maybe Jesus was bitter, but I doubt it. No man can witness for Jesus. I do not trust Matthew the least bit.]

The Father Revealed in the Son

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [I think this contradicts Genesis 1:28, which expresses the creator stating that human-being can& may provide order& prosperity on earth. Having assigned the task to human-being, the-God cannot perform it.], because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. [If this is so, that is, if the Father wants to confound leaders, then Genesis 1:28 appeals to human-being to constrain the Father’s influence on earth. However, my opinion is that Matthew stretched his scholarship in V. 26. I trust the practical-Jesus but neither Matthew nor his-God. Note: there’s a difference between “trust” and “belief”.]

²⁷ “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. [Matthew herein advertises for either the insiders he’s writing for or for the enemy to fear, whether the 12 apostles, early Christianity, or the Jews.]

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Imagine this poetry for any civic-citizen of the U.S. in 2022. It seems that the institutional-Jesus has brought the USA to chaos in only 234 years. Let’s discover the practical Jesus by transparently discussing human-being’s failure to fulfill Genesis 1:28. Let’s reform the USA one church at a time, beginning with UBC.]