Friday, January 25, 2008

Mark, chapter 14

3 While He was in Bethany at the home of Simon the leper, and reclining at the table, there came a woman with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head. 4 But some were indignantly remarking to one another, "Why has this perfume been wasted? 5 "For this perfume might have been sold for over three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor." And they were scolding her. 6 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; why do you bother her? She has done a good deed to Me. 7 "For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them; but you do not always have Me.
So a woman is pampering Jesus with some very costly perfume and some of the apostles point out that this perfume could have been sold and the money given to the needy. And what's Jesus' answer? "Screw the poor! They'll be always there but I won't. Even the Messiah has a right to enjoy part of his mission!" That's exactly the Jesus we know from religious class, right? And do compare this version of this story with the versions in Mt 27, Luke 7 and John 12 and notice the differences.
20 And He said to them, "It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. 21 "For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."
If it had been written then does this mean that there could have been no other way, that things had to go exactly the way they did? If yes then free will is definitely an illusion and the whole of humanity just a big play unfolding in time, created by God to entertain himself. And why is he so angry about the traitor? Didn't he HAVE to get betrayed and die on the cross? If yes then why is he whining? Especially since he's supposed to be the Son and claimed to know that he would resurrect afterwards. And if the traitor hadn't been born then Jesus couldn't have gotten betrayed, right? And if Judas HAD to betray him then what follows is that he didn't have free will and thus was a puppet. The whole problem and the inconsistencies concerning Judas are well summarized here.
25 "Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine untilthat day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."

It's nice to know that there's wine in Heaven!

34 And He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death"
Why is he grieved? Isn't he glad that he can redeem Mankind? Isn't he glad that he will be back home soon? Or wasn't he so sure about this after all?

51 A young man was following Him, wearing nothing but a linen sheet over his naked body; and they seized him. 52 But he pulled free of the linen sheet and escaped naked.

Ok ...I'm not sure why this is mentioned but thanks for the information!

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