“Talented and well-practiced in every vice, a stranger to compassion or empathy, a liar and a cheat so complete in perfidy that he has elevated his dishonesty to hold it up as an ersatz moral principle. Violent, so long as he can order someone else to do the dirty work. Grotesque in body, graceless in action, in possession of a wounded self-regard so colossal as to smother any spark of grace.Treasonous, not only to country, but to every ally he has ever had, the poisoned fruit and rankest flower of racism and contempt for women, and utterly devoid of shame for his moral and spiritual bankruptcy.
That is your leader.
That is to whom you give your money. That is who you follow and laud. That is whose banner you willingly carry. Why? Because he is a mirror, not a lighthouse. You see yourselves in him. He is what you would be, if you had inherited money and could shed the last vestiges of conscience and shame. No, I do not “respect your choices,” nor do I admire your loyalty and dedication to this miserific, demoniac vision. You have demonstrated not only a lack of civic virtue, loyalty to the Republic and to the rule of law, but a willingness to engage in violence and sedition at his slightest expressed wish. And you will never, ever admit you were wrong. Because you see your dark, twisted, resentful dreams in him. And to renounce him is to renounce yourselves.”~ Kit Thornton

Greetings, people of Reddit, this is my first post in this community and on Reddit as a whole. I would like you to read about my original sentai
Yojutsu Sentai Obakeranger (Yokai arts squad ghost Rangers) Motif: Yokais, Sorcereexorcists, magic It is inspired by animes such as Shaman king Yokai Watch Jujutsu Kaisen and the concept of Onmyodo (Japanese escoteric magic), among other things.
The story revolves around a young man who, upon arriving in a new city, discovers that it is haunted by terrible spirits known as Onryo but the city is defended by yojutsu shamans. Soon after saving the life of a Nekomata (cat yokai) he awakens his yokai power and becomes Obake Red, joining the team and beginning his journey to become a shaman.
The rangers are:
Obake Red: a young man obsessed with the supernatural and the occult and even though he doesn't have shaman blood he can use yojutsu techniques, this is one of the mysteries of the series His element is fire and his yokai partner is a Nekomata (Two-Tailed Cat)
Obake blue: A serious young man and strategist and was the former leader before Red's arrival and because of this, a rivalry ends up being created between the two, he wants to honor his clan of shamans at all costs. His element is wood and his yokai partner is a tengu (raven man)
Obake yellow: The youngest on the team. Imperative and playful but he hates when people treats him like a child, his element is earth and his yokai partner is a Tsuchinoko (snake yokai)
Obake Black: Before being called by her family to be a shaman she was a sukeban (juvenile delinquent) gang leader she is the typical tomboy and doesn't like too much feminine things she is tough but deep down she has a soft heart Her element is water and her yokai partner is a kappa
Obake White: She didn't really want to be a shaman, she actually wanted to follow her dream of being a "cosplayer idol" but her family repressed her, but among her teammates she can be herself and that's why she appears almost always with a new cosplay when he arrives on the scene. Sweet and cheerful, she is the heart of the team Her element is metal and her yokai partner is a jorogumo (spider woman yokai)
OniSlayer: a man who renounced his shaman side and made a pact with an oni in order to take revenge he does not use spells but rather martial arts withv oni energy His color is purple, his element is darkness and his yokai partner is Shuten Douji (I imagine his ranger suit design to be very inspired by Gostei Knight, Gaisoulg and Rio from Gekiranger)
The collectibles are Yo-Fudas, cards inspired by Ofuda talismans that are responsible for the team's spells, weapons and zords Each ranger has their own deck of Yo-Fudas based on different yokais of their respective elements
About the mechas, I think of something a bit similar Go-Onger, Go-Buster and Goseiger, zords that are half yokai and half vehicle Red: Nekomata/ racing car Blue: Tengu/ helicopter Yellow: Tsuchinoko/ Shovel Black: Kappa/ submarine White: Jorogumo/ Armored car OniSlayer: Oni/Dekotora The main five Rangers have a shared mecha (gashadokuro/ tank) that serves as the mecha main body (similar to the Korean toku Legend Hero) and can make multiple combinations
The villains are the Onryo, vengeful spirits whose mission is to resurrect their leader (Tatarigami) so they can create "hell on Earth" and take revenge on the living. Its method of creating monsters is very similar to miraculous Ladybug
They choose a human with bad feelings such as grudge and malice and incorporate an evil spirit into their body that ends up creating a monster linked to something (an object in most cases) while the monster causes chaos the possessed victim begins to perform the ritual to send his soul to Tatarigami so that he can be reborn (the ritual ends with the victim killing themselves)so the Rangers have to defeat the monster through exorcism (the monster also attacks people with the aim of accumulating people's negative energies to help with the ritual)
So that's it, that's my idea. Again, anyone who wants to give ideas on how to improve this story (specially about the villains) it would be greatly appreciated.

"Why Did Jesus Die on the Cross?"

The main reason Jesus died on the cross was to defeat Satan and set us free from his oppressive rule. Everything else that Jesus accomplished was to be understood as an aspect and consequence of this victory (e.g., Recapitulation, Moral Influence, etc.).
This understanding of why Jesus had to die is called the Christus Victor (Latin for “Christ is Victorious”) view of the atonement. But, what exactly was Christ victorious from, and why? To find out the answers to these questions, we have to turn to the Old Testament, as that's what the apostles would often allude to in order to properly teach their audience the message they were trying to convey (Rom. 15:4).
The OT is full of conflict between the Father (YHVH) and false gods, between YHVH and cosmic forces of chaos. The Psalms speak of this conflict between YHVH and water monsters of the deeps (an ancient image for chaos) (Psa. 29:3-4; 74:10-14; 77:16, 19; 89:9-10; 104:2-9, etc).
The liberation of Israel from Egypt wasn’t just a conflict between Pharaoh and Moses. It was really between YHVH and the false gods of Egypt.
Regardless of whether you think the aforementioned descriptions are literal or metaphorical, the reality that the Old Testament describes is that humanity lived in a “cosmic war zone.”
The Christus Victor motif is about Christ reigning victorious over wicked principalities and Satan's kingdom, and is strongly emphasized throughout the New Testament. Scripture declares that Jesus came to drive out "the prince of this world” (John 12:31), to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8), to “destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14) and to “put all enemies under his feet” (1 Cor 15:25). Jesus came to overpower the “strong man” (Satan) who held the world in bondage and worked with his Church to plunder his "palace" (Luke 11:21-22). He came to end the reign of the cosmic “thief” who seized the world to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” the life YHVH intended for us (John 10:10). Jesus came and died on the cross to disarm “the principalities and powers” and make a “shew of them openly [i.e., public spectacle]” by “triumphing over them in [the cross]” (Col. 2:15).
Beyond these explicit statements, there are many other passages that express the Christus Victor motif as well. For example, the first prophecy in the Bible foretells that a descendent of Eve (Jesus) would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). The first Christian sermon ever preached proclaimed that Jesus in principle conquered all YHVH's enemies (Acts 2:32-36). And the single most frequently quoted Old Testament passage by New Testament authors is Psalm 110:1 which predicts that Christ would conquer all YHVH’s opponents. (Psalm 110 is quoted or alluded to in Matthew 22:41-45; 26:64, Mark 12:35-37; 14:62, Luke 20:41-44; 22:69, Acts 5:31; 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, 1st Corinthians 15:22-25, Ephesians 1:20, Hebrews 1:3; 1:13; 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 15, 17, 21; 8:1; 10:12-13, 1st Peter 3:22, and Revelation 3:21.) According to New Testament scholar Oscar Cullman, the frequency with which New Testament authors cite this Psalm is the greatest proof that Christ’s “victory over the angel powers stands at the very center of early Christian thought.”
Because of man's rebellion, the Messiah's coming involved a rescue mission that included a strategy for vanquishing the powers of darkness.
Since YHVH is a God of love who gives genuine “say-so” to both angels and humans, YHVH rarely accomplishes His providential plans through coercion. YHVH relies on His infinite wisdom to achieve His goals. Nowhere is YHVH's wisdom put more on display than in the manner in which He outsmarted Satan and the powers of evil, using their own evil to bring about their defeat.
Most readers probably know the famous story from ancient Greece about the Trojan Horse. To recap the story, Troy and Greece had been locked in a ten-year-long vicious war when, according to Homer and Virgil, the Greeks came up with a brilliant idea. They built an enormous wooden horse, hid soldiers inside and offered it to the Trojans as a gift, claiming they were conceding defeat and going home. The delighted Trojans accepted the gift and proceeded to celebrate by drinking themselves into a drunken stupor. When night came and the Trojan warriors were too wasted to fight, the Greeks exited the horse, unlocked the city gates to quietly let all their compatriots in, and easily conquered the city, thus winning the war.
Historians debate whether any of this actually happened. But either way, as military strategies go, it’s brilliant.
Now, there are five clues in the New Testament that suggest YHVH was using something like this Trojan Horse strategy against the powers when he sent Jesus into the world:
1) The Bible tells us that YHVH's victory over the powers of darkness was achieved by the employment of YHVH’s wisdom, and was centered on that wisdom having become reality in Jesus Christ (Rom. 16:25, 1 Cor. 2:7, Eph. 3:9-10, Col. 1:26). It also tells us that, for some reason, this Christ-centered wisdom was kept “secret and hidden” throughout the ages. It’s clear from this that YHVH's strategy was to outsmart and surprise the powers by sending Jesus.
2) While humans don’t generally know Jesus’ true identity during his ministry, demons do. They recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, but, interestingly enough, they have no idea what he’s doing (Mark 1:24; 3:11; 5:7, Luke 8:21). Again, the wisdom of YHVH in sending Jesus was hidden from them.
3) We’re told that, while humans certainly share in the responsibility for the crucifixion, Satan and the powers were working behind the scenes to bring it about (John 13:27 cf. 1 Cor. 2:6-8). These forces of evil helped orchestrate the crucifixion.
4) We’re taught that if the “princes of this world [age]” had understood the secret wisdom of YHVH, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor 2:8 cf. vss 6-7). Apparently, Satan and the powers regretted orchestrating Christ’s crucifixion once they learned of the wisdom of YHVH that was behind it.
5) Finally, we can begin to understand why the powers came to regret crucifying “the Lord of glory” when we read that it was by means of the crucifixion that the “handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us [i.e., the charge of our legal indebtedness]” was “[taken] out of the way [i.e., canceled]” as the powers were disarmed. In this way Christ “triumph[ed] over” the powers by "his cross” and even “made a shew of them openly” (Col. 2:14-15). Through Christ’s death and resurrection YHVH's enemies were vanquished and placed under his Messiah's feet, and ultimately His own in the end (1 Cor. 15:23-28).
Putting these five clues together, we can discern YHVH's Trojan Horse strategy in sending Jesus.
The powers couldn’t discern why Jesus came because YHVH's wisdom was hidden from them. YHVH's wisdom was motivated by unfathomable love, and since Satan and the other powers were evil, they lacked the capacity to understand it. Their evil hearts prevented them from suspecting what YHVH was up to.
What the powers did understand was that Jesus was mortal. This meant he was killable. Lacking the capacity to understand that this was the means by which YHVH would ultimately bring about the defeat of death (and thus, pave the road for the resurrection itself), they never suspected that making Jesus vulnerable to their evil might actually be part of YHVH's infinitely wise plan.
And so they took the bait (or "ransom"; Matt. 20:28, Mark 10:45, 1 Tim. 2:5-6). Utilizing Judas and other willing human agents, the powers played right into YHVH’s secret plan and orchestrated the crucifixion of the Messiah (Acts 2:22-23; 4:28). YHVH thus brilliantly used the self-inflicted incapacity of evil to understand love against itself. And, like light dispelling darkness, the unfathomably beautiful act of YHVH's love in sending the willing Messiah as a "ransom" to these blood-thirsty powers defeated them. The whole creation was in principle freed and reconciled to YHVH, while everything written against us humans was nailed to the cross, thus robbing the powers of the only legal claim they had on us. They were “spoiled [i.e., disempowered]” (Col. 2:14-15).
As happened to the Trojans in accepting the gift from the Greeks, in seizing on Christ’s vulnerability and orchestrating his crucifixion, the powers unwittingly cooperated with YHVH to unleash the one power in the world that dispels all evil and sets captives free. It’s the power of self-sacrificial love.

Why Penal Substitution Is Unbiblical

For the sake of keeping this already lengthy post as short as possible I'm not going to spend too much time on why exactly PSA (Penal Substitutionary Atonement) is inconsistent with Scripture, but I'll go ahead and point out the main reasons why I believe this is so, and let the reader look further into this subject by themselves, being that there are many resources out there which have devoted much more time than I ever could here in supporting this premise.

"Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:"-1 Corinthians 5:7

The Passover is one of the two most prominent images in the New Testament given as a comparison to Christ's atonement and what it accomplished, (the other most common image being the Day of Atonement sacrifice).
In the Passover, the blood of the lamb on the door posts of the Hebrews in the book of Exodus was meant to mark out those who were YHVH's, not be a symbol of PSA, as the lamb itself was not being punished by God in place of the Hebrews, but rather the kingdom of Egypt (and thus, allegorically speaking, the kingdom of darkness which opposed YHVH) was what was being judged and punished, because those who were not "covered" by the blood of the lamb could be easily identified as not part of God's kingdom/covenant and liberated people.
Looking at the Day of Atonement sacrifice (which, again, Christ's death is repeatedly compared to throughout the New Testament), this ritual required a ram, a bull, and two goats (Lev. 16:3-5). The ram was for a burnt offering intended to please God (Lev. 16:3-4). The bull served as a sin offering for Aaron, the high priest, and his family. In this case, the sin offering restored the priest to ritual purity, allowing him to occupy sacred space and be near YHVH’s presence. Two goats taken from "the congregation” were needed for the single sin offering for the people (Lev. 16:5). So why two goats?
The high priest would cast lots over the two goats, with one chosen as a sacrifice “for the Lord” (Lev. 16:8). The blood of that goat would purify the people. The second goat was not sacrificed or designated “for the Lord.” On the contrary, this goat—the one that symbolically carried the sins away from the camp of Israel into the wilderness—was “for Azazel” (Lev. 16:8-10).
What—or who—is Azazel?
The Hebrew term azazel (עזאזל) occurs four times in Leviticus 16 but nowhere else in most people's canon of the Bible, (and I say "most people's canon," because some people do include 1 Enoch in their canon of Scripture, which of course goes into great detail about this "Azazel" figure). Many translations prefer to translate the term as a phrase, “the goat that goes away,” which is the same idea conveyed in the King James Version’s “scapegoat.” Other translations treat the word as a name: Azazel. The “scapegoat” option is possible, but since the phrase “for Azazel” parallels the phrase “for YHVH” (“for the Lord”), the wording suggests that two divine figures are being contrasted by the two goats.
A strong case can be made for translating the term as the name Azazel. Ancient Jewish texts show that Azazel was understood as a demonic figure associated with the wilderness. The Mishnah (ca. AD 200; Yoma 6:6) records that the goat for Azazel was led to a cliff and pushed over, ensuring it would not return with its death. This association of the wilderness with evil is also evident in the New Testament, as this was where Jesus met the devil (Matt. 4:1). Also, in Leviticus 17:1-7 we learn that some Israelites had been accustomed to sacrificing offerings to "devils" (alternatively translated as “goat demons”). The Day of Atonement replaced this illegitimate practice.
The second goat was not sent into the wilderness as a sacrifice to a foreign god or demon. The act of sending the live goat out into the wilderness, which was unholy ground, was to send the sins of the people where they belonged—to the demonic domain. With one goat sacrificed to bring purification and access to YHVH and one goat sent to carry the people’s sins to the demonic domain, this annual ritual reinforced the identity of the true God and His mercy and holiness.
When Jesus died on the cross for all of humanity’s sins, he was crucified outside the city, paralleling the sins of the people being cast to the wilderness via the goat to Azazel. Jesus died once for all sinners, negating the need for this ritual.
As previously stated, the goat which had all the sin put on it was sent alive off to the wilderness, while the blood of the goat which was blameless was used to purify the temple and the people. Penal substitution would necessitate the killing of the goat which had the sin put on it.
Mind you, this is the only sacrificial ritual of any kind in the Torah in which sins are placed on an animal. The only time it happens is this, and that animal is not sacrificed. Most PSA proponents unwittingly point to this ritual as evidence of their view, despite it actually serving as evidence to the contrary, because most people don't read their Old Testament and don't familiarize themselves with the "boring parts" like Leviticus (when it's actually rather important to do so, since that book explains how exactly animal offerings were to be carried out and why they were done in the first place).
In the New Testament, Christ's blood was not only meant to mark out those who were his, but also expel the presence of sin and ritual uncleanness so as to make the presence of YHVH manifest in the believer's life. Notice how God's wrath isn't poured out on Christ in our stead on this view, but rather His wrath was poured out on those who weren't covered, and the presence of sin and evil were merely removed by that which is pure and blameless (Christ's blood) for the believer.
All this is the difference between expiation and propitiation.

The Content of Paul's Gospel Message

When the New Testament writers talked about “the gospel,” they referred not to the Protestant doctrine of justification sola fide–the proposition that if we will stop trying to win God’s favor and only just believe that God has exchanged our sin for Christ’s perfect righteousness, then in God’s eyes we will have the perfect righteousness required both for salvation and for assuaging our guilty consciences–but rather they referred to the simple but explosive proposition Kyrios Christos, “Christ is Lord.” That is to say, the gospel was, properly speaking, the royal announcement that Jesus of Nazareth was the God of Israel’s promised Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The New Testament writers were not writing in a cultural or linguistic vacuum and their language of euangelion (good news) and euangelizomai would have been understood by their audience in fairly specific ways. Namely, in the Greco-Roman world for which the New Testament authors wrote, euangelion/euangelizomai language typically had to do with either A) the announcement of the accession of a ruler, or B) the announcement of a victory in battle, and would probably have been understood along those lines.
Let’s take the announcements of a new ruler first. The classic example of such a language is the Priene Calendar Inscription, dating to circa 9 BC, which celebrates the rule (and birthday) of Caesar Augustus as follows:
"It was seeming to the Greeks in Asia, in the opinion of the high priest Apollonius of Menophilus Azanitus: Since Providence, which has ordered all things of our life and is very much interested in our life, has ordered things in sending Augustus, whom she filled with virtue for the benefit of men, sending him as a savior [soter] both for us and for those after us, him who would end war and order all things, and since Caesar by his appearance [epiphanein] surpassed the hopes of all those who received the good tidings [euangelia], not only those who were benefactors before him, but even the hope among those who will be left afterward, and the birthday of the god [he genethlios tou theou] was for the world the beginning of the good tidings [euangelion] through him; and Asia resolved it in Smyrna."
The association of the term euangelion with the announcement of Augustus’ rule is clear enough and is typical of how this language is used elsewhere. To give another example, Josephus records that at the news of the accession of the new emperor Vespasian (69 AD) “every city kept festival for the good news (euangelia) and offered sacrifices on his behalf.” (The Jewish War, IV.618). Finally, a papyrus dating to ca. 498 AD begins:
"Since I have become aware of the good news (euangeliou) about the proclamation as Caesar (of Gaius Julius Verus Maximus Augustus)…"
This usage occurs also in the Septuagint, the Greek translations of the Jewish Scriptures. For instance LXX Isaiah 52:7 reads, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news (euangelizomenou), who publishes peace, who brings good news (euangelizomenos) of salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.'" Similarly, LXX Isaiah 40:9-10 reads:

"…Go up on a high mountain, you who bring good tidings (ho euangelizomenos) to Sion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings (ho euangelizomenos); lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Ioudas, “See your God!” Behold, the Lord comes with strength, and his arm with authority (kyrieias)…."-NETS, Esaias 40:9-10

This consistent close connection between euangelion/euangelizomai language and announcements of rule strongly suggests that many of the initial hearers/readers of the early Christians’ evangelical language would likely have understood that language as the announcement of a new ruler (see, e.g., Acts 17:7), and, unless there is strong NT evidence to the contrary, we should presume that the NT writers probably intended their language to be so understood.
However, the other main way in which euangelion/euangelizomai language was used in the Greco-Roman world was with reference to battle reports, announcements of victory in war. A classic example of this sort of usage can be found in LXX 2 Samuel 18:19ff, where David receives word that his traitorous son, Absalom, has been defeated in battle. Euangelion/euangelizomai is used throughout the passage for the communications from the front.
As already shown throughout this post, the NT speaks of Jesus’s death and resurrection as a great victory over the powers that existed at that time and, most importantly, over death itself. Jesus’ conquest of the principalities and powers was the establishment of his rule and comprehensive authority over heaven and earth, that is, of his Lordship over all things (again, at that time).
This was the content of Paul's gospel message...

Justification, and the "New" Perspective on Paul

The following quotation is from The Gospel Coalition, and I believe it to be a decently accurate summary of the NPP (New Perspective on Paul), despite it being from a source which is in opposition to it:

The New Perspective on Paul, a major scholarly shift that began in the 1980s, argues that the Jewish context of the New Testament has been wrongly understood and that this misunderstand[ing] has led to errors in the traditional-Protestant understanding of justification. According to the New Perspective, the Jewish systems of salvation were not based on works-righteousness but rather on covenantal nomism, the belief that one enters the people of God by grace and stays in through obedience to the covenant. This means that Paul could not have been referring to works-righteousness by his phrase “works of the law”; instead, he was referring to Jewish boundary markers that made clear who was or was not within the people of God. For the New Perspective, this is the issue that Paul opposes in the NT. Thus, justification takes on two aspects for the New Perspective rather than one; initial justification is by faith (grace) and recognizes covenant status (ecclesiology), while final justification is partially by works, albeit works produced by the Spirit.

I believe what's called the "new perspective" is actually rather old, and that the Reformers' view of Paul is what is truly new, being that the Lutheran understanding of Paul is simply not Biblical.
The Reformation perspective understands Paul to be arguing against a legalistic Jewish culture that seeks to earn their salvation through works. However, supporters of the NPP argue that Paul has been misread. We contend he was actually combating Jews who were boasting because they were God's people, the "elect" or the "chosen ones." Their "works," so to speak, were done to show they were God's covenant people and not to earn their salvation.
The key questions involve Paul’s view(s) of the law and the meaning of the controversy in which Paul was engaged. Paul strongly argued that we are “justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law” (Gal. 2:16b). Since the time of Martin Luther, this has been understood as an indictment of legalistic efforts to merit favor before God. Judaism was cast in the role of the medieval "church," and so Paul’s protests became very Lutheran, with traditional-Protestant theology reinforced in all its particulars (along with its limitations) as a result. In hermeneutical terms, then, the historical context of Paul’s debate will answer the questions we have about what exactly the apostle meant by the phrase "works of the law," along with other phrases often used as support by the Reformers for their doctrine of Sola Fide (justification by faith alone), like when Paul mentions "the righteousness of God."
Obviously an in-depth analysis of the Pauline corpus and its place in the context of first-century Judaism would take us far beyond the scope of this brief post. We can, however, quickly survey the topography of Paul’s thought in context, particularly as it has emerged through the efforts of recent scholarship, and note some salient points which may be used as the basis of a refurbished soteriology.
[Note: The more popular scholars associated with the NPP are E.P. Sanders, James Dunn, and N.T. Wright. Dunn was the first to coin the term "The New Perspective" in a 1983 Manson Memorial Lecture, The New Perspective on Paul and the Law.]
Varying authors since the early 1900's have brought up the charge that Paul was misread by those in the tradition of Martin Luther and other Protestant Reformers. Yet, it wasn't until E.P. Sanders' 1977 book, Paul and Palestinian Judaism, that scholars began to pay much attention to the issue. In his book, Sanders argues that the Judaism of Paul's day has been wrongly criticized as a religion of "works-salvation" by those in the Protestant tradition.
A fundamental premise in the NPP is that Judaism was actually a religion of grace. Sander's puts it clearly:
"On the point at which many have found the decisive contrast between Paul and Judaism - grace and works - Paul is in agreement with Palestinian Judaism... Salvation is by grace but judgment is according to works'...God saves by grace, but... within the framework established by grace he rewards good deeds and punishes transgression." (Paul and Palestinian Judaism, p. 543)
N.T. Wright adds that, "we have misjudged early Judaism, especially Pharisaism, if we have thought of it as an early version of Pelagianism," (Wright, What Saint Paul Really Said, p. 32).
Sanders has coined a now well-known phrase to describe the character of first-century Palestinian Judaism: “covenantal nomism.” The meaning of “covenantal nomism” is that human obedience is not construed as the means of entering into God’s covenant. That cannot be earned; inclusion within the covenant body is by the grace of God. Rather, obedience is the means of maintaining one’s status within the covenant. And with its emphasis on divine grace and forgiveness, Judaism was never a religion of legalism.
If covenantal nomism was operating as the primary category under which Jews understood the Law, then when Jews spoke of obeying commandments, or when they required strict obedience of themselves and fellow Jews, it was because they were "keeping the covenant," rather than out of legalism.
More recently, N.T. Wright has made a significant contribution in his little book, What Saint Paul Really Said. Wright’s focus is the gospel and the doctrine of justification. With incisive clarity he demonstrates that the core of Paul’s gospel was not justification by faith, but the death and resurrection of Christ and his exaltation as Lord. The proclamation of the gospel was the proclamation of Jesus as Lord, the Messiah who fulfilled Israel’s expectations. Romans 1:3-4, not 1:16-17, is the gospel, contrary to traditional thinking. Justification is not the center of Paul’s thought, but an outworking of it:
"[T]he doctrine of justification by faith is not what Paul means by ‘the gospel’. It is implied by the gospel; when the gospel is proclaimed, people come to faith and so are regarded by God as members of his people. But ‘the gospel’ is not an account of how people get saved. It is, as we saw in an earlier chapter, the proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ….Let us be quite clear. ‘The gospel’ is the announcement of Jesus’ lordship, which works with power to bring people into the family of Abraham, now redefined around Jesus Christ and characterized solely by faith in him. ‘Justification’ is the doctrine which insists that all those who have this faith belong as full members of this family, on this basis and no other." (pp. 132, 133)
Wright brings us to this point by showing what “justification” would have meant in Paul’s Jewish context, bound up as it was in law-court terminology, eschatology, and God’s faithfulness to God’s covenant.
Specifically, Wright explodes the myth that the pre-Christian Saul was a pious, proto-Pelagian moralist seeking to earn his individual passage into heaven. Wright capitalizes on Paul’s autobiographical confessions to paint rather a picture of a zealous Jewish nationalist whose driving concern was to cleanse Israel of Gentiles as well as Jews who had lax attitudes toward the Torah. Running the risk of anachronism, Wright points to a contemporary version of the pre-Christian Saul: Yigal Amir, the zealous Torah-loyal Jew who assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for exchanging Israel’s land for peace. Wright writes:
"Jews like Saul of Tarsus were not interested in an abstract, ahistorical system of salvation... They were interested in the salvation which, they believed, the one true God had promised to his people Israel." (pp. 32, 33)
Wright maintains that as a Christian, Paul continued to challenge paganism by taking the moral high ground of the creational monotheist. The doctrine of justification was not what Paul preached to the Gentiles as the main thrust of his gospel message; it was rather “the thing his converts most needed to know in order to be assured that they really were part of God’s people” after they had responded to the gospel message.
Even while taking the gospel to the Gentiles, however, Paul continued to criticize Judaism “from within” even as he had as a zealous Pharisee. But whereas his mission before was to root out those with lax attitudes toward the Torah, now his mission was to demonstrate that God’s covenant faithfulness (righteousness) has already been revealed in Jesus Christ.
At this point Wright carefully documents Paul’s use of the controversial phrase “God’s righteousness” and draws out the implications of his meaning against the background of a Jewish concept of justification. The righteousness of God and the righteousness of the party who is “justified” cannot be confused because the term bears different connotations for the judge than for the plaintiff or defendant. The judge is “righteous” if his or her judgment is fair and impartial; the plaintiff or defendant is “righteous” if the judge rules in his or her favor. Hence:
"If we use the language of the law court, it makes no sense whatsoever to say that the judge imputes, imparts, bequeaths, conveys or otherwise transfers his righteousness to either the plaintiff or the defendant. Righteousness is not an object, a substance or a gas which can be passed across the courtroom. For the judge to be righteous does not mean that the court has found in his favor. For the plaintiff or defendant to be righteous does not mean that he or she has tried the case properly or impartially. To imagine the defendant somehow receiving the judge’s righteousness is simply a category mistake. That is not how the language works." (p. 98)
However, Wright makes the important observation that even with the forensic metaphor, Paul’s theology is not so much about the courtroom as it is about God’s love.
Righteousness is not an impersonal, abstract standard, a measuring-stick or a balancing scale. That was, and still is, a Greek view. Righteousness, Biblically speaking, grows out of covenant relationship. We forgive because we have been forgiven (Matt. 18:21-35); “we love" because God “first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:8, 10, Gal 5:14, Jam. 2:8). Paul even looked forward to a day when “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10), and he acknowledged that his clear conscience did not necessarily ensure this verdict (1 Cor. 4:4), but he was confident nevertheless. Paul did in fact testify of his clear conscience: “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation [i.e., behavior] in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward” (2 Cor. 1:12). He was aware that he had not yet “attained” (Phil. 3:12-14), that he still struggled with the flesh, yet he was confident of the value of his performance (1 Cor. 9:27). These are hardly the convictions of someone who intends to rest entirely on the merits of an alien righteousness imputed to his or her account.
Wright went on to flesh out the doctrine of justification in Galatians, Philippians, and Romans. The “works of the law” are not proto-Pelagian efforts to earn salvation, but rather “sabbath [keeping], food-laws, circumcision” (p. 132). Considering the controversy in Galatia, Wright writes:
"Despite a long tradition to the contrary, the problem Paul addresses in Galatians is not the question of how precisely someone becomes a Christian, or attains to a relationship with God….The problem he addresses is: should his ex-pagan converts be circumcised or not? Now this question is by no means obviously to do with the questions faced by Augustine and Pelagius, or by Luther and Erasmus. On anyone’s reading, but especially within its first-century context, it has to do quite obviously with the question of how you define the people of God: are they to be defined by the badges of Jewish race, or in some other way? Circumcision is not a ‘moral’ issue; it does not have to do with moral effort, or earning salvation by good deeds. Nor can we simply treat it as a religious ritual, then designate all religious ritual as crypto-Pelagian good works, and so smuggle Pelagius into Galatia as the arch-opponent after all. First-century thought, both Jewish and Christian, simply doesn’t work like that…. [T]he polemic against the Torah in Galatians simply will not work if we ‘translate’ it into polemic either against straightforward self-help moralism or against the more subtle snare of ‘legalism’, as some have suggested. The passages about the law only work — and by ‘work’ I mean they will only make full sense in their contexts, which is what counts in the last analysis — when we take them as references to the Jewish law, the Torah, seen as the national charter of the Jewish race." (pp. 120-122)
The debate about justification, then, “wasn’t so much about soteriology as about ecclesiology; not so much about salvation as about the church.” (p. 119)
To summarize the theology of Paul in his epistles, the apostle mainly spent time arguing to those whom he were sending letters that salvation in Christ was available to all men without distinction. Jews and Gentiles alike may accept the free gift; it was not limited to any one group. Paul was vehement about this, especially in his letter to the Romans. As such, I will finish this post off by summarizing the letter itself, so as to provide Biblical support for the premises of the NPP and for what the scholars I referenced have thus far argued.
After his introduction in the epistle to an already believing and mostly Gentile audience (who would've already been familiar with the gospel proclaimed in verses 3-4), Paul makes a thematic statement in 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” This statement is just one of many key statements littered throughout the book of Romans that give us proper understanding of the point Paul wished to make to the interlocutors of his day, namely, salvation is available to all, whether Jew or Gentile.
In 1:16 Paul sets out a basic theme of his message in the letter to the Romans. All who believed, whether they be Jew or Gentile, were saved by the power of the gospel. The universal nature of salvation was explicitly stated. The gospel saved all without distinction, whether Jew or Greek; salvation was through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Immediately after this thematic declaration, Paul undertakes to show the universal nature of sin and guilt. In 1:18-32 Paul shows how the Gentile is guilty before God. Despite evidence of God and his attributes, which is readily available to all, they have failed to honor YHVH as God and have exchanged His glory for idolatrous worship and self-promotion. As a consequence, God handed them over in judgment (1:18-32). Paul moves to denunciation of those who would judge others while themselves being guilty of the very same offenses (2:1-5) and argues that all will be judged according to their deeds (2:6). This judgment applies to all, namely, Jew and Greek (2:9-10). This section serves as somewhat of a transition in Paul’s argument. He has highlighted the guilt of the Gentiles (1:18ff) and will shortly outline the guilt of the Jew (2:17-24). The universal statement of 2:1-11 sets the stage for Paul’s rebuke of Jewish presumption. It was not possession of the Law which delivered; it was faithful obedience. It is better to have no Law and yet to obey the essence of the Law (2:12-16) than to have the Law and not obey (2:17-3:4). Paul then defends the justice of God’s judgment (3:5-8), which leads to the conclusion that all (Jew and Gentile) are guilty before God (3:9).
Paul argues that it was a mistaken notion to think that salvation was the prerogative of the Jew only. This presumption is wrong for two reasons. First, it leads to the mistaken assumption that only Jews were eligible for this vindication (Paul deals with this misunderstanding in chapter 4 where he demonstrates that Abraham was justified by faith independently of the Law and is therefore the father of all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike). Second, it leads to the equally mistaken conclusion that all who were Jews are guaranteed of vindication. Paul demonstrates how this perspective, which would call God’s integrity into question since Paul was assuming many Jews would not experience this vindication, was misguided. He did this by demonstrating that it was never the case that all physical descendants of Israel (Jacob) were likewise recipients of the promise. In the past (9:6-33) as in the present (at that time; 11:1-10), only a remnant was preserved and only a remnant would experience vindication. Paul also argued that the unbelief of national Israel (the non-remnant) had the purpose of extending the compass of salvation. The unbelief of one group made the universal scope of the gospel possible. This universalism was itself intended to bring about the vindication of the unbelieving group (11:11-16). As a result of faith, all (Jew and Gentile) could be branches of the olive tree (11:17-24). Since faith in Christ was necessary to remain grafted into the tree, no one could boast of his position. All, Jew and Gentile alike, were dependent upon the mercy and grace of God. As a result of God’s mysterious plan, He would bring about the vindication of His people (11:25-27). [Note: It is this author's belief that this vindication occurred around 66-70 AD, with the Parousia of Christ's Church; this author is Full-Preterist in their Eschatology.]

Hanuman is a Hindu God who is portrayed as a monkey and a devotee of Lord Rama who is believed to be the Lord Vishnu personified as a human. He is a muscular man, who represents physical strength devotion. Prayer to Hanuman is done by many for various reasons: to grow their power; to rise problems; for financial success and so ons.
But one special feature of Hanuman mantras and prayers for vashikaran is the purpose of winning other person or to attract them. Vashikaran is the technique which is used to manipulate or influence and even to control a person’s thoughts, mind and behavior. Using the Hanuman vashikaran formulas is applied to bring the person in question who is ardently desired or wanted. It may even be used to arrange for a girl who is missing or to look for a certain kind of a boy. The process of following the Hanuman vashikaran mantra assists you to establish connection with the desired person.
The Procedure for Hanuman Vashikaran Sadhana :How to Call Hanuman Vashikaran Sadhana:
Before starting the Hanuman vashikaran mantra it is important and necessary that a picture or statue of Lord Hanuman must be placed in front of the person. In the morning right before watching the said idol light a lamp or incense stick. Offer red any flower to the deity or one can apply sindoor on the deity. Chant this mantra 108 times on red string chanting beads and sit in front of Hanuman and ask him every day.
“Om Shree Hanumate Namah”
While chanting picture a handsomely attractive person you wanted to be. It is recommended you repeat the ritual for 41 days. The change of their behavior is possible within some days. She or he will begin to consider you as his or her sex partner and a strong sexual desire will develop when contacting each other sexually. It is possible that in a few weeks they would come to you in person or will appear in person among you once again.
What is Hanuman Vashikaran & How to do Vashikaran with Hanuman Mantra.
Vashikaran is just a method or a way of controlling the other person’s mind or having control on the thoughts of other. Hanuman vashikaran is such use of god Hanuman which affects the person for the individual. Hanuman is said to aid the devotee who possesses him with arousing spiritual energy whenever he or she faces any difficulties. His vashikaran sadhanas also operate like a kind of magnet to produce the desired attraction of a person or to make your lover to love in you in return.
Lovers of Hanuman too believe that if this God is worshipped with clean thoughts and whole hearted dedication then it leads to moksha and siddhi. The Hanuman vashikaran mantra will be effective only, if the person recites it without any evil intention and positive energy, then the energies of two souls would knit and this in turn invoke Hanuman to bless the couple.
Hanuman endorses your efforts of being so religious and thus fuses you with the loved one. Mantra chanting proves to be a good process that will attract your lover by sound waves that will lead to your lover’s coming to you on the subconscious level.
Why Hanuman is considered Worthy of Vashikaran?
Hanuman has been in many aspects viewed as the depiction of an ideal being whose actions are not self centered rather are directed towards God from the bottom of the heart because of his devotion. Rather than using these powers to enrich himself, he used them only to facilitate Lord Rama in settling difficulties in the people’s task.
Thus if you love Hanuman from the core of your heart and surrender to him and pray to him in this spirit he will be there to help you. Hanuman ji can detect what good intention you have to possess your desired spouse. So he invents this wonderful work through his magical powers in order to enable your lover to come into your life and deliver you to the best place in which you can have long term relationships.
Hanuman sadhanas has been attested in the testimonials of people who have benefited from them but only when they are pure in their intention. Regular repetition of words and phrases like this will create a positive association between your subconscious mind and you soul mate.
It send strong emotions which is able to calm even the maddest brain. : Thus it is thought that Hanuman vashikaran removes any blocks or boundaries between the couple. In that way, the client starts recognizing himself with you.
Thus it can be said that Hanuman vashikaran mantra can also prove to be highly advantageous while seeking such blessings for a relationship for ensuring pro-longing of the marriage if used in a positive manner.
However, it must be recalled that as highlighted earlier that the process of changing the mind set is a time-consuming one and this cannot be accomplished without putting your total faith and patience and persistence in the process.
Mantra for attracting a person of choice through spiritual means may be the Hanuman Vashikaran Sadhana if you are ready to invest your efforts and follow the right steps for making your wishes fulfilled.
Online Free Consultation With Baba Ji Please Visit:
https://www.astrobabag.com/

Vashikaran #HanumanMantra #PowerfulMantras #SpiritualAwakening #DivineIntervention #PositiveEnergy #Guidance #Blessings #MantraMeditation #HinduMantras #AncientWisdom #ManifestingDesires #DivineGrace #MeditateAndManifest #PositiveVibes #HarmonyInLife #ManifestationJourney #SpiritualEnlightenment #GoodVibesOnly #HigherConsciousness

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cl5548dq2dno
Mandy McAuley Reporter, BBC Spotlight Published 21 May 2024, 06:01 BST Updated 1 hour ago A loyalist killer has claimed the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) believed Billy Wright, the organisation’s leader in Mid Ulster, was a state agent.
Laurence Maguire told BBC NI’s Spotlight programme he had been called to answer questions about Wright for a UVF inquiry in the 1990s.
Maguire said he had begun to have suspicions when Wright stopped him from killing three suspected Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, who were later killed by the republican group - accused of being state agents.
The revelation comes after the government asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether to keep some intelligence on UVF murders a secret.
Laurence Maguire Image caption, Laurence Maguire speaking to BBC Northern Ireland’s Spotlight programme
The loyalist paramilitary group has been linked to multiple killings.
Parts of Laurence Maguire’s interview were first broadcast in 2019, but further details of what he told Spotlight have become more relevant because of information which emerged at recently stalled inquests.
Maguire, who was jailed in 1994 for five murders, told Spotlight that Wright had asked him to track three men believed to be in the IRA.
He described following them weekly, and his plan to shoot them in a rural park outside Dungannon.
But, he said, whenever he proposed the attack, Billy Wright “was putting it back”.
“I thought there was something strange about it, and when I look back now, it seems there was a lot of strange things about it,” Maguire said.
Aidan Starrs, John Dignam and Gregory Burns IMAGE SOURCE,PACEMAKER Image caption, L-R Aidan Starrs, John Dignam and Gregory Burns were abducted and killed by the IRA
Shortly afterwards, in July 1992, the three men – Gregory Burns, Aidan Starrs and John Dignam – were abducted and killed by the IRA.
The IRA said all three men were informers, and had been involved in the murder of Portadown woman Margaret Perry because she had learned that Burns was working for the intelligence services.
Former IRA member Tommy McKearney, whose brother and uncle were killed by Wright’s gang, said Maguire’s story raised the question of whether Wright had been protecting the IRA men because they were informants.
If Wright “was an agent”, he asked, “was he acting on orders to prevent Laurence Maguire operating against them?”
Maguire said he had subsequently been questioned by the UVF as part of an investigation into “suspicions” about Wright.
“I think it came to light that he was definitely working for somebody else.
“I just call it the Crown," he said.
Bernie McKearney Image caption, Bernie McKearney's husband and parents were killed in 1992
An inquest into UVF murders in Mid Ulster heard earlier this year that the late Progressive Unionist Party leader, David Ervine, had headed just such an inquiry into Billy Wright.
The court heard the investigation had collapsed when another senior UVF figure, and suspected police informer, Robin Jackson, did not show up to testify against Wright.
Jackson, who has since died, was also named in court documents as being suspected of involvement in a number of attacks in Mid Ulster.
Bernie McKearney’s husband and parents were killed in attacks carried out by Mid Ulster UVF in 1992.
Inquests into the deaths of Kevin and John McKearney, and Charles and Teresa Fox, stalled earlier this year when the secretary of state took legal action to prevent some material from being released.
“I do get emotional at times and I hate it, because I try to be a strong person,” Bernie McKearney said.
“But it has been hard knowing that if Kevin had have got the protection that state agents got, he could be living today."
Kevin and John McKearney scene IMAGE SOURCE,PACEMAKER Image caption, Kevin and John McKearney were attacked in the family butcher shop in Moy
Other former UVF figures have also accused Wright of being an agent.
Former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O’Loan said, “I think we know that Billy Wright was an informant."
She is critical of the government’s legal action, describing it as “absolutely appalling”.
“There is no justification whatsoever for denying them information which may have been of some significance to national security 30 years ago or years ago, but which now cannot, in many cases, be of any significance whatsoever.”
Wright broke away from the UVF in 1996 to form the Loyalist Volunteer Force and was killed in the Maze Prison the following year.
All Troubles-era cases are now being referred to a new body known as the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Jon Boutcher, has said he is prepared to give material to new investigators “without condition and without redaction”.
PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher IMAGE SOURCE,PA Image caption, The Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said he is prepared to give police material to new investigators
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Lord Caine, encouraged families to work with the ICRIR, external.
“This is now before the courts and we have to await the court’s judgement," he said.
“What I would do, is encourage families who have lost loved ones, or whose loved ones are seriously injured, to work with the new body under the distinguished leadership of Sir Declan Morgan.”
In April it emerged Laurence Maguire would be prosecuted for conspiracy to murder and possession of firearms, following admissions he made to the Spotlight Programme broadcast in 2019.
Spotlight: Killer Secrets is available to watch on the BBC iPlayer and on BBC One Northern Ireland at 22.40 on Tuesday 21 May.

Salvi sitis omnes linguae latinae fautores!
I remember discovering on a latin thread a grammar from Vivarium Novum written entirely in Latin. The grammar topics covered followed the chapters in LLPSI and LLPSII.
At that time I downloaded it from reddit and saved it somewhere... I however cannot for the life of me find the place where I saved it. So if anyone here knows the grammar i am talking about and possesses a copy I would be very grateful if they could send me a pdf copy. I am however unaware if that particulary grammar has perhaps recently been published and an upload would then infringe copyright law. As I far I know the grammar was a freely available resource on the web (seeing as at the time it was seemingly free)
gratias plurimas vobis, si mihi poteritis adiuvare, agam!

Below is a list of Korean grammar (Beginner and Intermediate) and links to related videos.
The list below is a list of all videos explained in English.

We plan to continue uploading videos in the future.
Please refer to the video link of the basic Korean grammar uploaded so far ^^
I hope that the hard work material will be shared so that it can be helpful to many Korean learners.
Click on the channel address to view more resources, including practice for word and word order arrangement.
​
You can enjoy the Korean language on this channel

www.youtube.com/@o2100korean

​
1 How to read Korean1 (Korean alphabet - basic consonant, single vowel) https://youtu.be/uWBT0GYDB3g
2 Korean Alphabet 1 - single vowels, basic consonants https://youtu.be/AbPFKZRa1y8
3 Korean Alphabet 2 - double vowel 1, aspirated consonants https://youtu.be/9o9f6j50RAY
4 Korean Alphabet 3 - double vowel 2, double consonant https://youtu.be/rjeYdVI0HS8
5 Korean Alphabet 4 - Final Consonants https://youtu.be/XALwMLJ9YDY
6 Korean Grammar 1 - 이에요/예요 은/는 https://youtu.be/7KbNiRTyRUk
7 Korean Grammar 2 - 이/가, 은/는 vs 이/가 differences https://youtu.be/n7rMNbqHcqc
8 Korean Grammar 3 - 이/가 아니다 https://youtu.be/DrGZNivR7p4
9 Korean Grammar 4 - ㅂ/습니다, ㅂ/습니까? https://youtu.be/_tEEC7Ah_d8
10 Korean Grammar 5 - 입니다/입니까? https://youtu.be/mybPJ9XF7zw
11 Korean Grammar 6 - 을/를 object maker https://youtu.be/8QCP4oAw5Qc
12 Korean Grammar 7 - 도 also, too https://youtu.be/CRc-Y86FZfU
13 Korean Grammar 8 - 와/과, 하고 (N and N), (with someone) https://youtu.be/npQIul_ibU0
14 Korean Grammar 9 - 의 possession https://youtu.be/HH0VZR9JFzY
15 Korean Grammar 10 - -아요/어요/해요 https://youtu.be/sssUFEeHje0
16 Korean Grammar 11 - ㅂ irregular https://youtu.be/Dd-VcEQcEbA
17 Korean Grammar 12 - 안 / -지 않다 (not) https://youtu.be/jPVEq4uH5Cw
18 Korean Grammar 13 - 에게 / 한테 to (someone) https://youtu.be/ZrJBbkV26io
19 Korean Grammar 14 - 만 only https://youtu.be/0oP2ug8F420
20 Korean Grammar 15 - place N에 https://youtu.be/6MYyEEfmZ_M
21 Korean Grammar 16 - place N에서 + do something https://youtu.be/L0liQTZzy7c
22 Korean Grammar 17 - Numbers(based on Chinese character) https://youtu.be/Lz2p0oovuu8
23 Korean Grammar 18 - 았/었 past tense https://youtu.be/gpw_WD-E7qo
24 Korean Grammar 19 - (time noun)에 https://youtu.be/WZBvFvPgLXU
25 Korean Grammar 20 - ~부터 ~까지(from~ until~)(time noun) https://youtu.be/HMWXxwbhZLs
26 Korean Grammar 21 - 못 / -지 못하다 can not https://youtu.be/Ryrhpt1g4xI
27 Korean Grammar 22 - ㄷ irregular https://youtu.be/BFv7USR8ejo
28 Korean Grammar 23 - 고1(List up - and), (이)고 https://youtu.be/jdKQChT3qbg
29 Korean Grammar 24 - -(으)ㄹ까요? -(으)ㅂ시다 https://youtu.be/SRZ4ECOGhDI
30 Korean Grammar 25 - -아서/어서/해서 reason https://youtu.be/Idz8SpewFys
31 Korean Grammar 26 - 고 싶다(I want)/ -고 싶어하다(someone wants) https://youtu.be/MrgmJFvzCO0
32 Korean Grammar 27 - 지만(but, however) https://youtu.be/Y-19JLg-kLc
33 Korean Grammar 28 - 고2(after that) https://youtu.be/Ef4kv-eZOG4
34 Korean Grammar 29 - 고1vs고2 differences https://youtu.be/TLsKhs5EkAk
35 Korean Grammar 30 - 는 중이다 be+ing / middle of something https://youtu.be/pX73BFLsFqI
36 Korean Grammar 31 - 르 irregular https://youtu.be/uKuu8v9SCHo
37 Korean Grammar 32 - 보다(more than) https://youtu.be/vdjHjPPis88
38 Korean Grammar 33 - -고 있다 (be + ing) https://youtu.be/uFXhEGg_hsQ
39 Korean Grammar 34 - -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다 can / can not https://youtu.be/AzfUlqpH-rI
40 Korean Grammar 35 - 기 전에 with small tip! https://youtu.be/iRGIk3ce1Ms
41 Korean Grammar 36 - ㄹ irregular https://youtu.be/te3MVhsMJzQ
42 Korean Grammar 37(1) - -(으)ㄹ 거예요 / -(으)ㄹ 겁니다 guessing https://youtu.be/EKJQmjgMigI
43 Korean Grammar 37(2) - -(으)ㄹ 거예요 / -(으)ㄹ 겁니다 future tense https://youtu.be/tRS8hxUBf-Q
44 Korean Grammar 38 - (으)려고 https://youtu.be/lxAOR5iqElo
45 Korean Grammar 39 - 높임말 (honorific form) https://youtu.be/CpN23thH60Q
46 Korean Grammar 40 - -(으)세요 / -(으)십시오 order form https://youtu.be/s7MSFT4TiQg
47 Korean Grammar 41 - -(으)ㄴ 후에 after https://youtu.be/r-XRWZvjgWk
48 Korean Grammar 42 - -지 말다 https://youtu.be/wJq-ggwSMNw
49 Korean Grammar 43 - ~에서 ~까지(place noun) https://youtu.be/IeWjV-ejmZc
50 Korean Grammar 44 - -아야/어야 되다/하다(should / need to) https://youtu.be/0ffbafedJvM
51 Korean Grammar 45 - -(으)니까 because + -(으)니까vs 아서/어서 differences (reason meaning) https://youtu.be/Ac5ayHGr_d8
52 Korean Grammar 46 - (으)로 https://youtu.be/qOaoMyMma38
53 Korean Grammar 47 - (으)러 가다/오다/다니다 https://youtu.be/f041ty_86Sc
54 Korean Grammar - (으)면 if https://youtu.be/mufWaZ1qyGM
55 Korean Grammar - V/A지요? N(이)지요? rechecking https://youtu.be/C_gvzrrAP3Y
56 Korean Grammar - 고3(exceptional usage) https://youtu.be/oS2ERojTqo4
57 Korean Grammar - 아서/어서2 sequential https://youtu.be/PfIR_7xnpsk
58 Korean Grammar - 아서/어서 vs 고 difference(sequential meaning) https://youtu.be/pQssx_qFV7c
59 Korean Grammar 48 - -겠 guessing & future https://youtu.be/VxKflj5DWpA
60 Korean Grammar 49 - 네요 https://youtu.be/w1wd9s1Nkeo
61 Korean Grammar 50 - -아/어 보다 (try) https://youtu.be/CTul9S9xCoc
62 Korean Grammar 51 - 에게서/한테서 from Someone https://youtu.be/-Fog4PP_oi4
63 Korean Grammar 52 - A(으)ㄴ +N https://youtu.be/hesNReTx_ME
64 Korean Grammar 53 - V는 + N (present) https://youtu.be/Xvb2P2BZCxo
65 Korean Grammar 54 - V(으)ㄴ + N (past) https://youtu.be/RIcYq4jYISI
66 Korean Grammar 55 - V(으)ㄹ + N (future) & summary https://youtu.be/Dw4sy3ocH3M
67 Korean Grammar 56 - A(으)ㄴ데 / V는데 (background explanation) https://youtu.be/JvhHwnr8SfU
68 Korean Grammar 57 - 는 것 (V→N) https://youtu.be/JCo1Szax5M4
69 Korean Grammar 58 - (으)ㄹ 때 When (Someone do Something..) https://youtu.be/LO7TMXbkeuw
70 Korean Grammar 59 - (으)ㄹ게요 strong willingness / promise https://youtu.be/gNhJiRKcI-4
71 Korean Grammar 60 - 기로 하다/했다 I promise to… https://youtu.be/CPplszLn2vc
72 Korean Grammar 61 - (으)ㄴ 적이 있다/없다 I have an experience to… https://youtu.be/tx8bhdYHnxw
73 Korean Grammar 62 - 아/어 본 적이 있다/없다 (I have an experience to (try to)..) https://youtu.be/P7x2b75_6vE
74 Korean Grammar 63 - V/A게 (2 way to use) https://youtu.be/TW2TfLgv8P0
75 Korean Grammar 65 - (으)ㄹ래요? (으)ㄹ래요 https://youtu.be/yvyiRtRYQvE
76 Korean Grammar 66 - 밖에 nothing but, only / difference with 만 https://youtu.be/8TYRjbbTq6E
77 Korean Grammar 67 - (이)나 more than you expect https://youtu.be/m7NdHrJBCd8
78 Korean Grammar - 마다 every, each https://youtu.be/wwZL6cbxTPQ
79 Korean Grammar - 아/어 주다 asking for help / volunteer to help https://youtu.be/XrKLWtF2wz0
80 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다 to have no other option but to do something https://youtu.be/weYOLBMv8Ko
81 Korean Grammar - Numbers(based on Korean) https://youtu.be/MfEDe1se5Nw
82 Korean Grammar - 다가(action change) https://youtu.be/9VDBpPwGOuc
83 Korean Grammar - 기 때문에 reason, cause https://youtu.be/Iu0qNG6mGKA
84 Korean Grammar - 때문에 vs 이기 때문에 difference https://youtu.be/7HWM3vkVqVk
85 Korean Grammar - ㅎ irregular https://youtu.be/GCubnpvBAEc
86 Korean Grammar - 는 동안에 during / while https://youtu.be/IvRfhNO2vCk
87 Korean Grammar - (으)면서 to do two actions in a same time https://youtu.be/8lp2XBtwHG0
88 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄴ/는 데다가 something added https://youtu.be/dGTuxj1Dtnw
89 Korean Grammar - 처럼 like (something) https://youtu.be/h6csR_AomcM
90 Korean Grammar - 아/어도 되다 asking a permission / allow to do that https://youtu.be/XvLjAtkLfPc
91 Korean Grammar - (으)면 안되다 answering NOT allow to do that https://youtu.be/3ypnkg49y2Q
92 Korean Grammar - 게 되다 become changed https://youtu.be/futcFa-wT1M
93 Korean Grammar - 아/어지다 become changed https://youtu.be/EDV7PfgwO7g
94 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄴ 지 It's been ~ since ~ https://youtu.be/be6tL7SdXy8
95 Korean Grammar - V/A거나 / N(이)나 choose one https://youtu.be/P87yhwefgHw
96 Korean Grammar - A(으)ㄴ/(으)ㄹ 것 같다 V(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것 같다 (guessing) https://youtu.be/Ox0cPNK6tMY
97 Korean Grammar - (으)려면 If you want to do something https://youtu.be/fnM9cBoJBPc
98 Korean Grammar - 아도/어도 even though, although https://youtu.be/hn0ESmKoZs0
99 Korean Grammar - 잖아요 you know.. https://youtu.be/2asLO3W38mM
100 Korean Grammar - 아야/어야 essential condition to do something https://youtu.be/_tBR-GrfbFc
101 Korean Grammar - (으)나 however (formal way) https://youtu.be/yy-1ZXrWje8
102 Korean Grammar - 뿐 only https://youtu.be/g3OajdGjkRQ
103 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄹ뿐만 아니라 Not only But also https://youtu.be/xdXNVnAGHDs
104 Korean Grammar - 았/었으면 좋겠다 I hope - / I wish https://youtu.be/zMONNyYa1xM
105 Korean Grammar - 나 보다 (으)ㄴ가 보다 I guess https://youtu.be/-ZGQT9Nsfis
106 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄴ/는 걸 보니까 As I see... https://youtu.be/J5kBIULynEc
107 Korean Grammar - 더라/더군(요) Talking about something I've seen or listen then knew https://youtu.be/xL9lQtFelAM
108 Korean Grammar 았으면 좋겠다/었으면 좋겠다 I hope~ https://youtu.be/EJAFvpalhGA
109 Korean Grammar -느라고 Because I do something https://youtu.be/pieoAwR6REk
110 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄴ/는 대신에 in stead of, in return https://youtu.be/dBARMi887I4
111 Korean Grammar - 자마자 as soon as https://youtu.be/WnbF5_MKhBw
112 Korean Grammar - 는 대로 as soon as / comparison with 자마자 https://youtu.be/Qv4vx2RzkxQ
113 Korean Grammar - 아/어야겠 strong willingness https://youtu.be/HxhdVuDwdfI
114 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄹ 텐데 might https://youtu.be/lYpyWFdVE_o
115 Korean Grammar - 요 (don't need to repeat, emphasize) https://youtu.be/tQAcKKdVsn0
116 Korean Grammar - 은/는 탓에 comparison with 덕분에 https://youtu.be/9Qzp_9i9uBk
117 Korean Grammar - 았었/었었 had p.p https://youtu.be/ZrmMdoiqBjI
118 Korean Grammar - 아/어 보이다 It seems like https://youtu.be/8hxADyc6QVg
119 Korean Grammar - 거든(요) explain , change the subject https://youtu.be/4If3gHLRnIo
120 Korean Grammar - 같다 (like something) comparison with 처럼 https://youtu.be/_vHv_6qxSQU
121 Korean Grammar - (으)ㄴ/는 편이다 tend to https://youtu.be/dprJBcf3lJ4

I 18n (any pronouns) and my friend Bff 18n (they/them) have been friends for about 6 years online. We both have gotten into online dating, and Bff has met this "amazing" guy. My best friend has known I hate when people talk to me about their relationships although it's brought up in every call. In my eyes, there are a lot of red flags with this guy and I feel like he's creating a border between me and My friend. I've told them another big reason I don't want to hear about Q is that I just got out of a relationship (my BFF helped with that despite me not thinking he was so bad) about 2 months ago. Everyone around me keeps telling me I'm not the asshole but my friend makes me feel like an asshole and I feel like I'm on eggshells. I don't like to place blame as I have a lot of mental health issues and pretty much view the world as hating me but I feel like they are doing this on purpose. I've pretty much gone little to no contact or I'll just be silent/ muted on calls. I just feel like when I say I'm uncomfortable shouldn't that be enough to not talk about it? Or should I just suck it up and be there for them? sorry for any bad grammar i struggle with reading and writing. Also, this is my first ever post on an old account I made many years ago.

अंग्रेजी भाषा, जो दुनिया भर में व्यापक रूप से बोली जाती है, अपने संरचित व्याकरण और स्पष्ट नियमों के लिए जानी जाती है। अंग्रेजी व्याकरण को समझना न केवल भाषा में प्रवाह प्राप्त करने के लिए आवश्यक है बल्कि इसके माध्यम से संप्रेषण की दक्षता भी बढ़ती है। इस लेख में, हम अंग्रेजी व्याकरण के मुख्य तत्वों पर चर्चा करेंगे, जिसमें इसके वर्णमाला, शब्द संरचना, वाक्य विन्यास, और काल (tenses) शामिल हैं।

अंग्रेजी वर्णमाला (Alphabet)

अंग्रेजी वर्णमाला में 26 अक्षर होते हैं, जिनमें 5 स्वर (vowels) और 21 व्यंजन (consonants) शामिल हैं:

• स्वर: A, E, I, O, U
• व्यंजन: B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, R, S, T, V, W, X, Y, Z

ध्वन्यात्मकता (Phonetics): स्वर और व्यंजन

स्वर (Vowels): अंग्रेजी में स्वर ध्वनियाँ संक्षिप्त (short) और दीर्घ (long) दोनों हो सकती हैं, जैसे:

• संक्षिप्त: /æ/ (cat), /ɛ/ (bet), /ɪ/ (sit)
• दीर्घ: /eɪ/ (cake), /iː/ (seat), /oʊ/ (note)

व्यंजन (Consonants): व्यंजन ध्वनियाँ उच्चारण की जगह और तरीके के आधार पर विभाजित होती हैं, जैसे:

• Plosives: /p/ (pat), /b/ (bat)
• Nasals: /m/ (man), /n/ (nap)
• Fricatives: /f/ (fan), /v/ (van)
• Approximants: /l/ (lap), / (rat), /w/ (wet), /j/ (yes)

शब्द संरचना (Morphology)

संज्ञा (Nouns): संज्ञाएँ व्यक्ति, स्थान, वस्तु या विचार को नामित करती हैं। ये गणनीय (countable) और अ-गणनीय (uncountable) हो सकती हैं:

• गणनीय: apple (सेब), car (कार)
• अ-गणनीय: water (पानी), information (जानकारी)

सर्वनाम (Pronouns): सर्वनाम संज्ञा की जगह लेते हैं और वे व्यक्ति, संख्या, और अधिकार का संकेत देते हैं:

• Personal: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
• Possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, their

क्रिया (Verbs): क्रियाएँ क्रियाओं या स्थितियों का वर्णन करती हैं और समय (tense), पक्ष (aspect), और रूप (mood) के आधार पर परिवर्तित होती हैं:

• मुख्य क्रिया: run, eat, speak
• सहायक क्रिया: is, are, was, were, have, has

वाक्य संरचना (Syntax)

अंग्रेजी में सामान्य वाक्य क्रम (SVO - Subject-Verb-Object) होता है:

• उदाहरण: She (subject) eats (verb) an apple (object).

विशेषण (Adjectives): विशेषण संज्ञा या सर्वनाम का वर्णन करते हैं और आमतौर पर वर्णित शब्द से पहले आते हैं:

• उदाहरण: She has a red (adjective) car (noun).

क्रिया विशेषण (Adverbs): क्रिया विशेषण क्रिया, विशेषण या अन्य क्रिया विशेषण का वर्णन करते हैं और वाक्य में विभिन्न स्थानों पर हो सकते हैं:

• उदाहरण: She runs (verb) quickly (adverb).

काल (Tenses)

अंग्रेजी में तीन मुख्य काल होते हैं: वर्तमान (Present), भूत (Past), और भविष्य (Future), और प्रत्येक का सरल (Simple), निरंतर (Continuous), और पूर्ण (Perfect) रूप होता है।
वर्तमान काल (Present Tense):

• Simple: She eats. (वह खाती है)
• Continuous: She is eating. (वह खा रही है)
• Perfect: She has eaten. (वह खा चुकी है)

भूतकाल (Past Tense):

• Simple: She ate. (वह खाई)
• Continuous: She was eating. (वह खा रही थी)
• Perfect: She had eaten. (वह खा चुकी थी)

भविष्यकाल (Future Tense):

• Simple: She will eat. (वह खाएगी)
• Continuous: She will be eating. (वह खा रही होगी)
• Perfect: She will have eaten. (वह खा चुकी होगी)

अंग्रेजी व्याकरण का ज्ञान, भाषा में निपुणता और प्रभावी संप्रेषण के लिए महत्वपूर्ण है। इसके नियमों और संरचनाओं को समझने से न केवल व्याकरणिक त्रुटियाँ कम होती हैं, बल्कि विचारों को स्पष्ट और सटीक रूप से व्यक्त करने में भी मदद मिलती है। व्याकरण की गहराई में जाकर, हम भाषा की सुंदरता और विविधता को और बेहतर तरीके से समझ सकते हैं। नियमित अभ्यास और अध्ययन के साथ, कोई भी अंग्रेजी व्याकरण में महारत हासिल कर सकता है।
Know More: https://mycoaching.in/english-grammar-in-hindi

Hindi, one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, is rich in history and linguistic intricacies. Its grammar is systematic and follows a well-defined structure, making it accessible for both native speakers and learners. This article explores the core components of Hindi grammar, including its script, phonetics, morphology, and syntax.

The Hindi Script: Devanagari

Hindi is written in the Devanagari script, which consists of 11 vowels and 33 consonants. Each character in Devanagari has a specific phonetic value, and the script is written from left to right. The vowels can be written independently or as diacritics attached to consonants, modifying their sound.
For example:

• अ (a) is a standalone vowel.
• क (ka) combines the consonant क (k) with the inherent vowel अ (a).

Phonetics: Vowels and Consonants

Vowels (स्वर): Hindi vowels are divided into short and long forms. Short vowels include अ (a), इ (i), and उ (u), while long vowels include आ (aa), ई (ii), and ऊ (uu).
Consonants (व्यंजन): Hindi consonants are classified based on their place and manner of articulation. These include:

• Plosives: क (ka), ख (kha), ग (ga), घ (gha)
• Nasals: म (ma), न (na), ण (ṇa)
• Fricatives: स (sa), श (sha), ष (ṣa), ह (ha)
• Approximants: ल (la), र (ra), व (va), य (ya)

Morphology: Word Formation

Nouns (संज्ञा): Nouns in Hindi are gendered (masculine or feminine) and can be singular or plural. For instance:

• लड़का (laṛkā) – boy (masculine, singular)
• लड़की (laṛkī) – girl (feminine, singular)
• लड़के (laṛke) – boys (masculine, plural)
• लड़कियाँ (laṛkiyā̃) – girls (feminine, plural)

Pronouns (सर्वनाम): Pronouns also reflect gender, number, and formality.

• मैं (maĩ) – I
• तुम (tum) – you (informal)
• आप (āp) – you (formal)
• वह (vah) – he/she/it

Verbs (क्रिया): Verbs conjugate based on tense (past, present, future), aspect (simple, continuous, perfect), and mood (indicative, imperative, subjunctive). For example:

• खाना (khānā) – to eat
• मैं खाता हूँ (maĩ khātā hū̃) – I eat (present, masculine)
• मैं खा रही हूँ (maĩ khā rahī hū̃) – I am eating (present continuous, feminine)
• मैंने खाया (maine khāyā) – I ate (past, masculine)

Syntax: Sentence Structure

Hindi typically follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order:

• मैं सेब खाता हूँ (maĩ seb khātā hū̃) – I eat apples.

However, variations can occur for emphasis:

• सेब मैं खाता हूँ (seb maĩ khātā hū̃) – Apples, I eat.

Postpositions: Unlike English, which uses prepositions, Hindi uses postpositions that follow the noun:

• मैं स्कूल जा रहा हूँ (maĩ skūl jā rahā hū̃) – I am going to school.

Tenses and Aspects

Present Tense:

• Simple: मैं लिखता हूँ (maĩ likhtā hū̃) – I write.
• Continuous: मैं लिख रहा हूँ (maĩ likh rahā hū̃) – I am writing.
• Perfect: मैंने लिखा है (maine likhā hai) – I have written.

Past Tense:

• Simple: मैंने लिखा (maine likhā) – I wrote.
• Continuous: मैं लिख रहा था (maĩ likh rahā thā) – I was writing.
• Perfect: मैंने लिखा था (maine likhā thā) – I had written.

Future Tense:

• Simple: मैं लिखूँगा (maĩ likhū̃gā) – I will write.
• Continuous: मैं लिख रहा होऊँगा (maĩ likh rahā hū̃gā) – I will be writing.
• Perfect: मैंने लिखा होगा (maine likhā hogā) – I will have written.

Hindi grammar, with its structured approach and clear rules, offers a rich field of study for linguists and language learners alike. Understanding its fundamentals, from the Devanagari script to complex verb conjugations, is essential for mastering the language. With practice and immersion, one can appreciate the beauty and depth of Hindi, unlocking new cultural and communicative possibilities.
Know More: https://mycoaching.in/hindi-grammar

This is my first time posting on this sub, or really interacting with the theory side of the community at all, so I apologize if this type of theory has already been disproven or is talked about often, but I just came up with this theory myself and hope to start some polite discussion about it. Please comment below if you have anything that supports or refutes some of these aspects.
Anyways, before we get into the theory itself, some preface. The main focus of this theory is mainly based on the importance and relevance of religion in Deltarune. The focus on the Angel, the Angel’s Heaven, the church being a staple Hometown locale, Father Alvin’s possible story-relevance, as well as the plot being focused on souls and demonic-like possession. There was some religious symbolism in Undertale as well, although admittedly less. The important aspect to take note of in that symbolism is Gaster’s correlation with the number 666, giving him some parallel with the Devil. One more thing to take note of is the structure of Deltarune’s World. Obviously, we have the Light World and the Dark World, but we also have two other important areas, being the Angel’s Heaven and the Depths. The Angel’s Heaven is the place that the Light Bringers are seeking to banish, and is also related to the Angel, whose identity is still unknown. On the opposite side of the spectrum is the Depths, a lower area than the Dark World that’s described as “darker than dark”. Besides that, the mysterious voice at the beginning of the game (who I’m just going to say is Gaster, due to it being darker than dark and it just seems likely) is also located here. Now then, let’s get to the theory itself.
To begin, the Player is most definitely a character in the story, seperate from both Kris AND The Soul. Not only is the 4th Wall broken numerous times by characters like Gaster, through both the game and Twitter, but Gaster, at the beginning of the game, talks to us the Player before the Soul even APPEARS for the first time. We run the simulation of the Deltarune, we’re the ones keeping Deltarune’s World running and putting all of the events in place. We also, quite literally, watch the World from above, much like a God would be watching from the Heavens. Toby Fox is known for using game mechanics in creative and impactful ways in his stories, so this checks out with what we know about Toby from a writer's perspective. We are God and the real World is the Angel’s Heaven. Spamton asking if Heaven is watching also makes much more sense if the Angel’s Heaven is our World. Now, being real human beings, we can’t enter Deltarune’s World physically, so we need to send down a being to represent us and spread our message in the story. We need an Angel, and we make one as our first mission in the game. The Vessel is the Angel, sent in to represent us in this fictional World…or at least that was the plan. The Angel fell into temptation with a demonic figure, down in the Depths (a stand-in for Hell, due to it not only it being located at the lowest point, just like in most religious interpretations, but also due to Gaster, a figure associated with the number 666 and seemingly just as powerful as the player, being primarily located there.) Much like in the Legend of Delta Rune mentioned in Undertale, the Angel will become an Angel of Death, due to this temptation. And, of course, I can imagine at the end of the game, the game has one ending, of Kris and the rest of the party banishing the Angel’s Heaven and severing our connection from the Game World as a whole, leaving us with an ending similar to that of Undertale’s Genocide route, left with nothing but the Void.
This is the furthest I’ve dug into this concept, but there’s much more that could be theorized from this point. If Dess is trapped in the Depths like many theorize, that implies that she’s trapped in the equivalent of Hell for Deltarune’s World. I don’t know, but once again, thank you for reading, and please leave your thoughts, as well as evidence in the comments. I’d love to have a civil conversation if anyone has any feedback.

TL;DR

This is a summary of the wildest playthrough I’ve ever done in my attempt to collect all of the Dark Urge endings and see lots of unique story elements.
I set out to create a whimsical idiot who stupid-ed her way through major plot points so that I could see unexpected outcomes. I did not expect to experience the gut-wrenching, Shakespearean tragedy that this story became.
This post is quite long. I wanted to share it with this community because the experience genuinely left me speechless and I thought you might appreciate it. What Larian has created with this game is beyond next level. Contains MASSIVE SPOILERS, you’ve been warned.
—
I am on a personal quest to collect all of the possible endings for Dark Urge. I wanted to do this in a way that was meaningful and honest to the character I created. I love the role playing aspect of this game, I was super into LARPing as a kid and have been known to play DnD on occasion as an adult. I completed the game 3 times prior to this run: good guy Tav (saved the world, got the nice party etc), once as full on psycho Dark Urge who destroyed the world for Daddy, and once as Full Redemption Dark Urge who fully rejected Bhaal at every turn and also saved the world. So at this point, I know most of the possible storylines and plot points.
I really wanted to get the very bad ending I had heard about: the one where Dark Urge accepts Bhaal but decides to save the world and ends up going crazy. So I set out to figure out what a character would look like whose fate would naturally lead them to this path. I also wanted to see some of the more niche story elements that I had not yet experienced. I metagamed this a bit (I don’t know if it’s possible not to once you’ve played for like 800 hours) and worked backwards from the major plot points that I wanted to see to settle on my character’s personality.

Meet: Ceres

Asmodeus Tiefling. Storm Sorcerer. All around hot mess.
One of her first great ideas: watching a monster be born because it looked cool.
Her key personality traits:

• Confused as all hells but trying her best to make good decisions
• Fear motivated
• Foolish (some might say just plain stupid)
• People pleasing
• Indecisive
• Generally just a hot mess
• Has a nasty habit of overestimating her own abilities and cleverness (high Cha, low Int and Wis will do that to you)

Alignment: Chaotic trying-to-be-Good
—
Below follows the major defining events that happened in each act for her, and the tragic conclusion to what I initially thought might be a silly romp of a stupid character. Some of this I metagamed, but much of it happened organically.
Note: I played on Tactician as I normally do, so some of the encounters I had the freedom to redo to get an outcome I wanted. This being said, I rolled with mistakes and events almost all the time. The only encounter I ended up reloading several times was Orin… jeez that fight is a bitch when you are squishy.
—

Act 1

Ceres saved the goblin Sazza and let her escape, only to realize that she would then bring word of the location of the grove where her people were camped to a pack of vicious goblins. Off to a great start.
She killed Karlach because she fully believed Wyll and the “Paladins of Tyr” that Karlach was a monster. Then she instantly regretted it because she killed one of her own people. Her and Wyll talked about this and both felt terrible. She agreed whole heartedly to help Wyll rescue his father to make up for this.
Ceres stole the idol of Sylvanus while the druids were chanting, because she thought that her and Astarion were clever enough to do it without getting caught and she loved the kiddos who had put her up to the task. She ended up starting a huge battle by accident where many of her people were killed.
When she got to the goblin camp, she spoke to Sazza who told Minthara where the grove was. Terrified to blow her cover and get killed while surrounded by enemies, she agreed to help Minthara. Once Minthara left, she freed Halsin and he helped her kill Dror Ragzlin. So at least that was one problem solved.
She helped Zevlor defend the grove, but it was a close call. The afterparty was… subdued. Zevlor even commented on how so few of his people still remained. No Druids were left, save Halsin.
Ceres then tried to redeem her cowardly blunders by rescuing some Gnomes in the Underdark and helping out the Myconids as best she could. But her idiocy once again got a lost Dwarf killed when the mushrooms exploded around him.
After allowing Lae’zel, her most trusted companion, to enter the Zaithisk, she saw the vision of the legions of Githyanki being consumed by Vlakkith. Terrified of this vision and of the Gith in general, she offered the prism willingly to the inquisitor when asked. Upon entering the prism, she knew she couldn’t do what the goddess had demanded. She trusted and respected her dream guardian. She ended up having to kill the Githyanki leader she had tried to trust.
She then went after the legendary "Blood" she had heard about, but ended up blowing up an entire building full of people in the process. Lae’zel was incredibly mad at her. Thankfully, she heard the wisdom of Voss when he came to her camp, and trusted Lae’zel to choose what to do with the new information about Vlakkith and Orpheus. She agreed to help Lae’zel however she could. She owed her that much.

Act 2

Gale professed his love to her and they spent a magical night together. But he said he loved her immediately and it really scared her. It was too much too soon, and she told him as much. He sulked and was upset with her for the rest of their time together. She didn’t know it at the time, but she threw away her best shot at a nice supportive partner.
Instead of the hopeless romantic Wizard she could have loved, she fell for the broken shell of a man that is Astarion. She believed she could be happy with him, even though she didn’t fully understand their relationship and neither did he.
Ceres reached the Nightsong, but was truly terrified of Balthazar. She figured that maybe her best chance of getting to meet the Absolute and figure out what the hells was going on was to fulfill her promise to Z’rell and send the Nightsong to Ketheric Thorm. He seemed to know her from before, and figured that maybe getting close to him was the best way to solve the mystery of her past and of the tadpoles. In doing this, she lost one of her best friends. Shadowheart left in anger, never to be seen again. Needless to say, her plan was a very bad one.
She refused to kill Isobel or kidnap her per Z’rell’s direction, as she knew this would doom many good people. As punishment, Ketheric sent her to Balthazar’s necrotic laboratory where she had to fight her way out of some evil wombs that silenced her magic.
Live Ceres reaction: her plan is not going well... again.
She found Mizora stuck in a pod and attempted to free her to help her friend Wyll. But as she was very unobservant and failed to read either of the buttons, she pressed the wrong one and killed Mizora instead of freeing her. Wyll ended up as a pile of ash back at the camp. Her crew was quickly dwindling.
Somehow through all of this, she managed to defeat Thorm, spare all of the Harpers from dying, and lift the Shadow Curse. She sought the forgiveness of Dame Aylin for what she had done, and received it. Isobel was reunited with her love and Ceres was relieved to see that some good had come from the mess she had made.
The following night, Astarion had to tie her up while she went crazy trying to kill him. He was kind and expressed empathy. She thought maybe there was hope for her after all. At this point she was wildly in love with him but was scared that her feelings and her messed up brain had put him in so much danger.

Act 3

She finally discovered who she was and was beyond terrified to be the daughter of an evil god. She sought the council of everyone at camp. Jaheira and Astarion were very supportive and told her she would be ok if she stayed strong… something she did not excel at in the slightest. Astarion told her that “the life of a mind-addled slave is worse than death”. This ended up being the most hypocritical thing he ever said to her.
She fell a little in love with Halsin, and was surprised and a bit excited that Astarion was ok with it. She still felt a little weird about being in an open relationship but felt encouraged by the possibilities for a time. They both made her happy for different reasons, and she enjoyed fighting by his side. Her final team was Astarion, Halsin, and Lae’zel.
Via the encouragement of her most trusted advisor Lae’zel, Ceres signed the deal with Raphael. She failed at lying to the Emperor, who was very mad at her for what she had done.
Gale expressed to her that he wanted the Crown of Karsus. After much debate, she was convinced by his arguments that he could do better than Karsus and could reforge it. She felt terrible for having broken his heart before and so encouraged him to go after his dreams. After all, she had encouraged Lae to stand up to Vlakkith, so Gale should stand up to Mystra too, right?
When they were ready, it came time to face her partner’s oppressor. After defeating him, Astarion insisted that taking his place and taking the power was the right thing to do. So she helped him. They were both driven constantly by fear, and she empathized deeply with his desire to be rid of that fear. It was the second biggest mistake of her life. (FYI - I metagamed this part. I knew full well what I was getting into here, I've done both paths of his romance before. It was a key part of her story.)
She didn’t want to be made into a vampire spawn. But at the insistence of someone she truly believed she loved, she went along with it. He became controlling and abusive. But she figured that after all the wrongs she had done and all the people she had gotten killed, she probably deserved this life.
This was confirmed to her when she submitted to the Mapping of the Heart in a place called the House of Grief. The priestess there told her she had a wayward heart, and explained that this meant she was incapable of allowing herself to feel happy. She then discovered that the priestess was a Sharran and was actually searching for Shadowheart, who had abandoned Ceres long ago. She told them as much and they tried to kill her. So she had to kill them. She then found two people chained up in a secret room. She couldn't free them.
After confronting her past and killing her sister Orin, she faced a terrifying choice: kill the world for the god that made her, or die. Already used to being treated like a possession by her partner and terrified to die, she agreed to accept Bhaal’s favor. She was distraught when she had to kill the kind and supportive (not to mention living legends) Jaheria and Minsc, and that she roped her other companions into this mess. This was truly the biggest mistake of her life. She was horrified of the monster she had become.
Seeing that she had been party to forcing Halsin into killing so many of his former allies, she broke it off with him. She was ashamed that her actions had put him into such a position, and was afraid of what she might do to him. She believed she did not deserve someone so good.
She accepted from then on that she would be a slave to at least one dark master for the rest of her days. At this point she had completely lost all sense of autonomy: trapped between a controlling partner who had hypocritically turned her into the thing he hated, and the god of murder who gave her the ultimatum that she must kill the world.
In a last ditch attempt to salvage what she could of the mess she had made, she tried to be brave and take down Gortash the tyrant. She attempted to help the Gondians that he had captive but she failed to deactivate a device and the whole Iron Throne was reduced to rubble before she could help them. She felt absolutely horrible that, once again, her foolishness had gotten so many killed.
After defeating Gortash, she spoke to the god Bane himself, who told her she was well on her way to serving him and his goals. The idea that she could be working towards the ends of an additional dark power was too much. She was overwhelmed with the grief of trying and failing to be a good person for so long.

Endgame

Upon reaching Orpheus, Ceres wanted desperately to side with the Emperor, whom she had trusted the whole time. But with an ultimatum from her most trusted friend Lae’zel, she chose to free Orpheus. She felt proud that she had signed the contract with Raphael for a good reason. She upheld her contract, and never entered the House of Hope.
After defeating the Netherbrain, she knew there was no way she could act upon what Bhaal had insisted that she do. She could not doom the whole world after she had already doomed so many people before. She wanted, more than anything, to be a good person in spite of all her failures. She allowed Orpheus to destroy the brain, knowing full well she had condemned herself to a terrible fate.
Her friends left her one by one. Lae’zel upon her new red dragon, Gale to find and claim the Crown of Karsus for himself, Vampire Lord Astarion and Halsin to the pub to grab some wine and celebrate. She smiled for the last time.
The last smile of a doomed soul.
She felt the rage of the god she had defied boiling up inside her. But now she was tired. Tired of being controlled, being abused, tired of the blood and death. In a single act of courage she had never before possessed, she ended her own life, rather than become the murderous puppet of her father Bhaal. The last words anyone ever said to her in life were: “What in the hells do you think you’re doing?”
After causing the needless deaths of so many due to ignorance and carelessness, Ceres finally did something good for the world. Her ending was just for her. She had lived her whole remembered life trying to help others get what they wanted and living with the consequences of her foolhardy choices. In the end, she got what she didn’t know she wanted: peace. Floating alone in the void, she met a familiar face. For the first time in her miserable existence, someone named her “hero”.
(Queue massive waterworks from me, I'm tearing up again writing this)
—

In the End

Ceres broke my heart in ways I never expected. It was a beautiful roller coaster of a story that really hit home with me. Ceres unintentionally embodied many of my greatest personal flaws, and it showed me much about the folly of trying to please others. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to create a more compelling character.
If you have, for some reason, taken the time to read all of this: Thank you so much. If you have any character stories you'd like to share, please pass them along. I'd love to read them.
And a huge heartfelt THANK YOU to the team at Larian for creating a truly epic masterpiece. I genuinely can’t believe I got this experience from a video game. It is a wonder.
—
PS - because she never even set foot in the House of Hope, Raphael was still alive in the end. He came to find her in the afterlife and deliver a monologue about Gale going after the crown and his plans to rise from the ashes of the divine civil war he was sure Gale would cause. I presume that, in a few hundred years, there will be an epic showdown between Dekarios the Divine and Raphael. And Ceres will watch from the afterlife, calmly, with a smile on her face and no more voices in her head.

Debunking Gender Stereotypes: Exploring the Complexity and Significance of Gender
In a world where gender roles and expectations have long been ingrained in society, it's important to challenge and debunk the stereotypes that limit individuals' true potential. The article titled "Debunking Gender Stereotypes: Exploring the Complexity and Significance of Gender" delves deep into this complex and significant topic, shedding light on the multifaceted nature of gender.
By going beyond the binary notion of gender, this article aims to dismantle preconceived notions and shed light on the lived experiences of individuals whose identities don't neatly fit into traditional categories. Through thought-provoking discussions and poignant examples, we explore the societal impact of gender stereotypes and how they contribute to inequality and discrimination.
From analyzing the role of media and cultural influences in perpetuating gender stereotypes to examining the psychological implications for individuals who challenge these norms, this article provides a comprehensive exploration of the topic. By understanding the complexity and significance of gender, we can work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
Join us in this eye-opening journey as we navigate the intricacies of gender and work towards breaking down the barriers that limit self-expression and individual fulfillment.
The History and Origins of Gender Stereotypes
Gender stereotypes have a long history deeply ingrained in various cultures worldwide. These stereotypes are often perpetuated through familial, educational, and societal influences. From an early age, children are exposed to expectations and norms associated with their assigned gender. Boys are told to be strong, assertive, and unemotional, while girls are encouraged to be nurturing, submissive, and focused on their appearance.
These stereotypes have roots in historical gender divisions, where men were traditionally seen as providers and protectors, while women were confined to domestic roles. Over time, these divisions became deeply ingrained in societal structures and have continued to shape people's perceptions of gender. However, it is essential to recognize that gender is not solely determined by biological sex but encompasses a spectrum of identities.
The Impact of Gender Stereotypes on Individuals and Society
Gender stereotypes have far-reaching consequences for individuals and society as a whole. They limit individuals' freedom to express themselves authentically and restrict opportunities based on societal expectations. For example, girls may be discouraged from pursuing careers in STEM fields because of the stereotype that these fields are better suited for boys. Similarly, boys might face ridicule or judgment for expressing emotions or pursuing interests traditionally associated with femininity.
These stereotypes also contribute to gender inequality and discrimination. Women are often underrepresented in positions of power and leadership, while men are expected to conform to rigid ideals of masculinity. This perpetuates a cycle of inequality, where individuals are limited by societal expectations rather than their skills and abilities. Furthermore, gender stereotypes can also harm individuals' mental health, leading to feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and anxiety.
Debunking Common Gender Stereotypes
To challenge and debunk gender stereotypes, it is crucial to question and dismantle common misconceptions. One common stereotype is that women are inherently more nurturing and better suited for caregiving roles. However, studies have shown that caregiving abilities are not determined by gender but by individual qualities and experiences. Men can be just as nurturing and capable caregivers as women, and it is essential to recognize and encourage their involvement in caregiving responsibilities.
Another prevalent stereotype is that men are naturally more logical and rational, while women are emotional and irrational. This stereotype not only perpetuates harmful gender norms but also undermines the diverse range of emotions and rationality that all individuals possess. It is important to recognize that emotions are a fundamental part of being human and should not be restricted or stigmatized based on gender.
The Role of Media in Perpetuating Gender Stereotypes
Media plays a significant role in perpetuating gender stereotypes by reinforcing traditional gender roles and ideals. Advertisements often portray women as objects of desire, emphasizing their physical appearance and reinforcing the notion that their worth lies in their attractiveness. On the other hand, men are often portrayed as strong, aggressive, and dominant, reinforcing the stereotype of toxic masculinity.
These portrayals influence societal perceptions and expectations, leading to the internalization of harmful gender stereotypes. It is essential to critically analyze media representations and demand more diverse and inclusive narratives that challenge traditional gender roles. By supporting and consuming media that portrays gender in a more nuanced and egalitarian manner, we can contribute to the dismantling of harmful gender stereotypes.
Breaking Free from Gender Stereotypes: Empowering Individuals
Breaking free from gender stereotypes requires empowering individuals to embrace their authentic selves and reject societal expectations. This empowerment can be achieved through education, awareness, and inclusive policies. Schools and educational institutions have a vital role to play in challenging gender stereotypes by providing comprehensive sex education that goes beyond biological differences and explores the spectrum of gender identities.
Additionally, creating safe spaces where individuals can explore and express their gender identity without fear of judgment or discrimination is crucial. Organizations and communities can also support individuals by implementing policies that promote inclusivity and diversity, such as gender-neutral bathrooms and dress codes. By acknowledging and respecting the diversity of gender identities, we can create a more inclusive and supportive society for all.
Gender Stereotypes in the Workplace
Gender stereotypes continue to shape the dynamics of the workplace, affecting hiring practices, promotions, and career opportunities. Women often face barriers and biases that limit their professional advancement, such as the perception that they are less committed or capable due to their potential reproductive roles. Men, on the other hand, may face discrimination when pursuing careers in traditionally female-dominated fields, such as nursing or teaching.
Addressing gender stereotypes in the workplace requires a commitment to equality and diversity. Employers must examine their hiring practices and ensure they are free from biases that favor one gender over another. Promoting flexible work arrangements, parental leave policies, and mentorship programs can also help create a more inclusive and equitable work environment. By challenging and dismantling gender stereotypes, we can create workplaces that value individuals based on their skills and qualifications rather than societal expectations.
The Importance of Education and Awareness in Challenging Gender Stereotypes
Education and awareness are crucial in challenging and debunking gender stereotypes. By providing comprehensive and inclusive education about gender diversity, we can foster a more accepting and understanding society. This education should begin in schools, where children can learn about the spectrum of gender identities and the importance of respecting and embracing diversity.
Furthermore, ongoing awareness campaigns and discussions about gender stereotypes can help shift societal perceptions and promote inclusivity. Engaging with individuals and communities to challenge their preconceived notions and biases can lead to greater empathy and understanding. By actively seeking out diverse voices and experiences, we can broaden our understanding of gender and work towards dismantling harmful stereotypes.
Promoting Inclusivity and Gender Equality
Promoting inclusivity and gender equality requires collective action and systemic change. Governments, organizations, and individuals all have a role to play in challenging and dismantling gender stereotypes. Governments can enact policies that protect and promote gender equality, such as implementing equal pay legislation and providing support for parental leave.
Organizations can create inclusive workplaces that value diversity and challenge gender norms. By implementing policies that promote work-life balance, offering mentorship programs, and fostering a culture of inclusivity, organizations can create environments where individuals can thrive regardless of their gender identity.
Individuals can contribute to this movement by challenging their own biases and assumptions, advocating for gender equality, and supporting organizations and initiatives that work towards dismantling gender stereotypes. By collectively working towards a more inclusive and equitable society, we can create a world where individuals are free to express their gender identity without fear of judgment or discrimination.
Conclusion: Embracing Diversity and Redefining Gender Norms
In conclusion, gender stereotypes have a profound impact on individuals and society, perpetuating inequality and limiting individual fulfillment. By understanding the complexity and significance of gender, we can challenge and debunk these harmful stereotypes. It is crucial to create environments that empower individuals to embrace their authentic selves and reject societal expectations.
Through education, awareness, and inclusive policies, we can work towards a society that values diversity and promotes gender equality. By embracing the complexity of gender and redefining societal norms, we can create a more inclusive and equitable world for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity. Let us continue to challenge, debunk, and dismantle gender stereotypes, paving the way for a future where true equality and acceptance prevail.
-Jack Bullock (Me)

The Collect
Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever; Amen
Readings:
Psalm 5; 6 Proverbs 4
Gospel: Matthew 11:7–15
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Commentary:
We often find others, and sometimes ourselves, in a moment of religious fervor quoting a single verse or perhaps a passage, as a means of accentuating our editorial point or even justifying that point or opinion. When a verse is used appropriately, in that the contextual meaning of the verse actually is relevant to the theme we are seeking to emphasize, the usage stirs great emotion and sometimes introspection or encouragement. But when a verse is used out of context, the result is an opposite effect, causing confusion when the reader attempts to understand the writers intent or motivation.
Therefore, if we are going to use bible verses effectively, without sowing confusion and misunderstanding, we should attempt to learn all we can about the Bible, especially these individual scenes or vignettes we are presented with in bible studies such as the one today.
Quite frequently, the backgound of the Gospel account and the historical and cultural influences, are interesting, enlightening, and add a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lesson presented in the Gospel.
Regarding the setting or background of the passage we are studying today, we find John the Baptist—who had been arrested and imprisoned by Herod Antipas (see Mt. 4:12 and 14:1-12) hearing reports of the works of Christ—even while in prison—leading John to send two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus if he was indeed the Christ, the anointed one promised by the prophets. The one that the people were longing for with great expectations; a Messiah that would lead them out of subjugation by the Romans and restore the kingdom to its former glory as was under the reign of King David. (v. 11:2-3)
Donovan writes of this situation:
“The reason behind John’s question is found in his messianic expectations. He called people to repent (3:2), because “Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire” (3:10). He warned that the one who was to come would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire” (3:12). John clearly expects a fire-and-brimstone messiah.”
“Jesus has not lived up to that billing. He has pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, and peacemakers (5:1-11). He has called his disciples to love their enemies (5:42-48). He has warned them not to judge others (7:1-5). These teachings seem weak by comparison with the actions anticipated by John’s fire and brimstone preaching.”
“Furthermore, Jesus moved away from Jerusalem, the home of the temple and the center of religious authority, and began his ministry in Galilee (4:12).”
“Then Jesus worked a series of healing ministries in chapters 8-9—what Bruner calls an “ambulance ministry”—of tremendous significance to those who were healed, but not significant to the nation as a whole. It has been centuries since Israel has heard a prophetic voice (other than John’s). People are looking for a voice of authority—for a fire that will purge the dross—for a powerful leader who will restore Israel’s former glory—for a messiah who will restore the people of God. John keeps watching Jesus hoping to see fireworks, but thus far has been disappointed.”
“But we must admire John. He has a problem with Jesus, so he approaches Jesus as directly as his imprisonment allows—no behind-the-back criticism! He sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one or shall they look for another? John has doubts, but he seeks to learn what Jesus will say—is open to hearing Jesus say that he is, indeed, the one! ”
In verse 6, Jesus states, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” John did not take offense, but only expressed doubt. We can surmise, that John was questioning his own situation just as he was questioning that of Jesus. After all if he (John the Baptist) was truly the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah, why is he in prison? Wouldn’t he better serve God by being out preaching the word of God? And if Jesus was the anointed one, why isn’t he calling down lightening strikes on the Romans, putting them on the run out of Judea? John, as great of a prophet as he was, is about to learn a great lesson in messiah-ship.
“Jesus could rebuke John for his doubts, but instead offers him a blessing. Jesus has not lived up to John’s expectations, but John has not allowed that to be a stumbling block (skandelisthe). Soon enough, Jesus will deal with cities that refuse to repent (11:20-24)—hometown people who take offense (13:57)—Pharisees who take offense (12:1-8; 15:12) and conspire to kill Jesus (12:9-14) and charge that Jesus gets his power from Beelzebul (12:24)—and even disciples who desert him when the chips are down (26:31-33). John has done none of those things, but simply asks Jesus to confirm that he is the one for whom everyone has been waiting. Jesus offers the blessing, not just to John, but to all who do not take offense—all who do not stumble—all who are not scandalized. Jesus blesses us when we remain faithful in the face of prayers that seem not to be answered or hopes that go unfulfilled.” (Donovan)
Perhaps you now understand the importance of reviewing the nuances of the surrounding factors relative to a passage. Hopefully the brief summation provided helps you to understand why Jesus did not rebuke John, but in the verses suggested as today’s study, we find Jesus offering John praise.
“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”(v. 7) John’s disciples had departed, returning to Herod’s prison to report what Jesus had said, and Jesus turns his attention to the followers who had gone out to hear John preach and now were intently listening to and watching Jesus.
Instead of teaching in the formal places of religious instruction, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the outlying synagogues, John had preached in the wilderness, rural areas free of distraction and creature comforts. It required effort upon the part of the people to make the arduous journey out there to hear him, but none the less they did, in great multitudes according to the Gospel writers.
Jesus—in a rhetorical manner—asks them, “What went ye out into the wilderness to see?” Naturally, no one—much less multitudes of people—would make such a great effort to venture out into the desert to hear someone preach who was unworthy. “ They who are weak as reeds will be shaken as reeds; but John was strong in spirit, Eph. 4:14. When the wind of popular applause on the one hand blew fresh and fair, when the storm of Herod's rage on the other hand grew fierce and blustering, John was still the same, the same in all weathers. The testimony he had borne to Christ was not the testimony of a reed, of a man who was of one mind to-day, and of another to-morrow; it was not a weather-cock testimony; no, his constancy in it is intimated (Jn. 1:20); he confessed and denied not, but confessed, and stood to it afterwards, Jn. 3:28. ” (Henry)
In essence, Jesus is stating “Let me tell you what kind of man John is!”
“But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (vs. 8-10)
John was said to wear a rough cloak made from the hair of a camel, with a leather belt to gird it, eating wild honey and grains so as to avoid the comparison of those political and religious leaders who lavished upon themselves great luxury. “A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” Is a direct condemnation of the weak and lascivious usurper who had inherited his father’s throne, Herod Antipas, who in an attempt to seduce his own step daughter granted her a wish, which resulted in her mother asking for John’s head on a platter.
“Note, they who have lived a life of mortification, are least likely to be driven off from their religion by persecution. John appeared rough and unpleasant, yet they flocked after him.” (Henry)
“A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” Israel endured four hundred years without a prophet. When John burst onto the scene with his fiery preaching, the authenticity of his ministry generated enormous public appeal. “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” “John prepares the way of the one who is to come. People check roads before the king travels them. Servants repair potholes and scouts insure security. Today, executives have assistants who plan their travel, secretaries who make their reservations, chauffeurs who drive their cars, and pilots who fly their planes. Just as the services of those who prepare the way enhance the executive’s ability to accomplish work, so also John smoothed Jesus’ entry into the world by calling people to repentance.”(Donovan)
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” (v. 11a) Jesus declares John to be, not just the greatest prophet, but the greatest figure ever. Given Israel’s pantheon of heroes, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, this is an astonishing statement, indeed. What makes John so special is not his personal characteristics, excellent though those might be, but his privileged place in salvation history. All the other heroes of the faith have done mighty works, but only John has the privilege of introducing the Messiah.
“notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”(v. 11b) “ John stands at the pinnacle of the old era, but even the greatest representative of the old era is less than the humblest representative of the new. An appropriate metaphor is the ancient astronomer whose observations were limited by a small, primitive telescope. The most brilliant person, so limited, could never match the work of a more ordinary person with access to today’s space-based telescopes. Like Moses, John marched up to the border of the promise without actually entering it himself. He was Jesus’ forerunner—not his disciple. If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John, consider where that places us. We may be very ordinary Christians, but God considers us to be great.” (Donovan)
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (vs. 12-15)
Jesus’ reference to violence refers to both the intensity of spiritual warfare surrounding the ministry of Jesus and His herald, and also to the intensity required to persevere in following God and His kingdom.
The exact sense of this has been greatly debated, and is made more difficult by complicated grammar. Carson probably gives the best sense of both expressions. “The kingdom has come with holy power and magnificent energy that has been pushing back the frontiers of darkness. This is especially manifest in Jesus’ miracles and ties in with Jesus’ response to the Baptist…The kingdom is making great strides; now is the time for courageous souls, forceful people, to take hold of it.” (Carson)
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ” Jesus saw an era ending with John; all the prophets and the law anticipated John and his ministry as a herald. There is a sense in which John spoke for every prophet who heralded Jesus’ coming. Under the Old Covenant, every other prophet announced, “The Messiah is coming.” John alone had the privilege of saying, “The Messiah is here.”
“The ministry of John was the beginning of the gospel, as it is reckoned, Mk. 1:1; Acts 1:22. This is shown here in two things: [1.] In John the Old Testament dispensation began to die, v. 13. So long that ministration continued in full force and virtue, but then it began to decline. Though the obligation of the law of Moses was not removed till Christ's death, yet the discoveries of the Old Testament began to be superseded by the more clear manifestation of the kingdom of heaven as at hand. [2.] In him the New-Testament day began to dawn; for (v. 14) This is Elias, that was for to come. John was as the loop that coupled the two Testaments; as Noah was Fibula utriusque mundi—the link connecting both worlds, so was he utriusque Testamenti—the link connecting both Testaments. The concluding prophecy of the Old Testament was, Behold, I will send you Elijah, Mal. 4:5, 6. Those words prophesied until John, and then, being turned into a history, they ceased to prophecy. ” (Henry)
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” “A proverbial form of speech often used by Jesus after important utterances, here for the first time in Matthew.” (Bruce) A saying of Jesus that will appear throughout the Gospels which is a veiled warning to all mankind, to listen, to take heed, to understand that the teachings of Christ are indeed the thoughts and commandments of his Father in Heaven, and an implication that to ignore these words will result in less than favorable circumstances.
Benediction
It is not enough to acclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and King. Our mission in life is to make his kingdom a reality among us and to bring it to those around us by our words and deeds. The way to do this is to live as he lived: for others, in love and service. May almighty God bless you for this task: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and to give shape to his kingdom. Thanks be to God!
Thought for the Day:
Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.
Ray Bradbury

The Collect
Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever; Amen
Readings:
Psalm 5; 6 Proverbs 4
Gospel: Matthew 11:7–15
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Commentary:
We often find others, and sometimes ourselves, in a moment of religious fervor quoting a single verse or perhaps a passage, as a means of accentuating our editorial point or even justifying that point or opinion. When a verse is used appropriately, in that the contextual meaning of the verse actually is relevant to the theme we are seeking to emphasize, the usage stirs great emotion and sometimes introspection or encouragement. But when a verse is used out of context, the result is an opposite effect, causing confusion when the reader attempts to understand the writers intent or motivation.
Therefore, if we are going to use bible verses effectively, without sowing confusion and misunderstanding, we should attempt to learn all we can about the Bible, especially these individual scenes or vignettes we are presented with in bible studies such as the one today.
Quite frequently, the backgound of the Gospel account and the historical and cultural influences, are interesting, enlightening, and add a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lesson presented in the Gospel.
Regarding the setting or background of the passage we are studying today, we find John the Baptist—who had been arrested and imprisoned by Herod Antipas (see Mt. 4:12 and 14:1-12) hearing reports of the works of Christ—even while in prison—leading John to send two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus if he was indeed the Christ, the anointed one promised by the prophets. The one that the people were longing for with great expectations; a Messiah that would lead them out of subjugation by the Romans and restore the kingdom to its former glory as was under the reign of King David. (v. 11:2-3)
Donovan writes of this situation:
“The reason behind John’s question is found in his messianic expectations. He called people to repent (3:2), because “Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire” (3:10). He warned that the one who was to come would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire” (3:12). John clearly expects a fire-and-brimstone messiah.”
“Jesus has not lived up to that billing. He has pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, and peacemakers (5:1-11). He has called his disciples to love their enemies (5:42-48). He has warned them not to judge others (7:1-5). These teachings seem weak by comparison with the actions anticipated by John’s fire and brimstone preaching.”
“Furthermore, Jesus moved away from Jerusalem, the home of the temple and the center of religious authority, and began his ministry in Galilee (4:12).”
“Then Jesus worked a series of healing ministries in chapters 8-9—what Bruner calls an “ambulance ministry”—of tremendous significance to those who were healed, but not significant to the nation as a whole. It has been centuries since Israel has heard a prophetic voice (other than John’s). People are looking for a voice of authority—for a fire that will purge the dross—for a powerful leader who will restore Israel’s former glory—for a messiah who will restore the people of God. John keeps watching Jesus hoping to see fireworks, but thus far has been disappointed.”
“But we must admire John. He has a problem with Jesus, so he approaches Jesus as directly as his imprisonment allows—no behind-the-back criticism! He sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one or shall they look for another? John has doubts, but he seeks to learn what Jesus will say—is open to hearing Jesus say that he is, indeed, the one! ”
In verse 6, Jesus states, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” John did not take offense, but only expressed doubt. We can surmise, that John was questioning his own situation just as he was questioning that of Jesus. After all if he (John the Baptist) was truly the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah, why is he in prison? Wouldn’t he better serve God by being out preaching the word of God? And if Jesus was the anointed one, why isn’t he calling down lightening strikes on the Romans, putting them on the run out of Judea? John, as great of a prophet as he was, is about to learn a great lesson in messiah-ship.
“Jesus could rebuke John for his doubts, but instead offers him a blessing. Jesus has not lived up to John’s expectations, but John has not allowed that to be a stumbling block (skandelisthe). Soon enough, Jesus will deal with cities that refuse to repent (11:20-24)—hometown people who take offense (13:57)—Pharisees who take offense (12:1-8; 15:12) and conspire to kill Jesus (12:9-14) and charge that Jesus gets his power from Beelzebul (12:24)—and even disciples who desert him when the chips are down (26:31-33). John has done none of those things, but simply asks Jesus to confirm that he is the one for whom everyone has been waiting. Jesus offers the blessing, not just to John, but to all who do not take offense—all who do not stumble—all who are not scandalized. Jesus blesses us when we remain faithful in the face of prayers that seem not to be answered or hopes that go unfulfilled.” (Donovan)
Perhaps you now understand the importance of reviewing the nuances of the surrounding factors relative to a passage. Hopefully the brief summation provided helps you to understand why Jesus did not rebuke John, but in the verses suggested as today’s study, we find Jesus offering John praise.
“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”(v. 7) John’s disciples had departed, returning to Herod’s prison to report what Jesus had said, and Jesus turns his attention to the followers who had gone out to hear John preach and now were intently listening to and watching Jesus.
Instead of teaching in the formal places of religious instruction, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the outlying synagogues, John had preached in the wilderness, rural areas free of distraction and creature comforts. It required effort upon the part of the people to make the arduous journey out there to hear him, but none the less they did, in great multitudes according to the Gospel writers.
Jesus—in a rhetorical manner—asks them, “What went ye out into the wilderness to see?” Naturally, no one—much less multitudes of people—would make such a great effort to venture out into the desert to hear someone preach who was unworthy. “ They who are weak as reeds will be shaken as reeds; but John was strong in spirit, Eph. 4:14. When the wind of popular applause on the one hand blew fresh and fair, when the storm of Herod's rage on the other hand grew fierce and blustering, John was still the same, the same in all weathers. The testimony he had borne to Christ was not the testimony of a reed, of a man who was of one mind to-day, and of another to-morrow; it was not a weather-cock testimony; no, his constancy in it is intimated (Jn. 1:20); he confessed and denied not, but confessed, and stood to it afterwards, Jn. 3:28. ” (Henry)
In essence, Jesus is stating “Let me tell you what kind of man John is!”
“But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (vs. 8-10)
John was said to wear a rough cloak made from the hair of a camel, with a leather belt to gird it, eating wild honey and grains so as to avoid the comparison of those political and religious leaders who lavished upon themselves great luxury. “A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” Is a direct condemnation of the weak and lascivious usurper who had inherited his father’s throne, Herod Antipas, who in an attempt to seduce his own step daughter granted her a wish, which resulted in her mother asking for John’s head on a platter.
“Note, they who have lived a life of mortification, are least likely to be driven off from their religion by persecution. John appeared rough and unpleasant, yet they flocked after him.” (Henry)
“A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” Israel endured four hundred years without a prophet. When John burst onto the scene with his fiery preaching, the authenticity of his ministry generated enormous public appeal. “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” “John prepares the way of the one who is to come. People check roads before the king travels them. Servants repair potholes and scouts insure security. Today, executives have assistants who plan their travel, secretaries who make their reservations, chauffeurs who drive their cars, and pilots who fly their planes. Just as the services of those who prepare the way enhance the executive’s ability to accomplish work, so also John smoothed Jesus’ entry into the world by calling people to repentance.”(Donovan)
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” (v. 11a) Jesus declares John to be, not just the greatest prophet, but the greatest figure ever. Given Israel’s pantheon of heroes, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, this is an astonishing statement, indeed. What makes John so special is not his personal characteristics, excellent though those might be, but his privileged place in salvation history. All the other heroes of the faith have done mighty works, but only John has the privilege of introducing the Messiah.
“notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”(v. 11b) “ John stands at the pinnacle of the old era, but even the greatest representative of the old era is less than the humblest representative of the new. An appropriate metaphor is the ancient astronomer whose observations were limited by a small, primitive telescope. The most brilliant person, so limited, could never match the work of a more ordinary person with access to today’s space-based telescopes. Like Moses, John marched up to the border of the promise without actually entering it himself. He was Jesus’ forerunner—not his disciple. If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John, consider where that places us. We may be very ordinary Christians, but God considers us to be great.” (Donovan)
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (vs. 12-15)
Jesus’ reference to violence refers to both the intensity of spiritual warfare surrounding the ministry of Jesus and His herald, and also to the intensity required to persevere in following God and His kingdom.
The exact sense of this has been greatly debated, and is made more difficult by complicated grammar. Carson probably gives the best sense of both expressions. “The kingdom has come with holy power and magnificent energy that has been pushing back the frontiers of darkness. This is especially manifest in Jesus’ miracles and ties in with Jesus’ response to the Baptist…The kingdom is making great strides; now is the time for courageous souls, forceful people, to take hold of it.” (Carson)
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ” Jesus saw an era ending with John; all the prophets and the law anticipated John and his ministry as a herald. There is a sense in which John spoke for every prophet who heralded Jesus’ coming. Under the Old Covenant, every other prophet announced, “The Messiah is coming.” John alone had the privilege of saying, “The Messiah is here.”
“The ministry of John was the beginning of the gospel, as it is reckoned, Mk. 1:1; Acts 1:22. This is shown here in two things: [1.] In John the Old Testament dispensation began to die, v. 13. So long that ministration continued in full force and virtue, but then it began to decline. Though the obligation of the law of Moses was not removed till Christ's death, yet the discoveries of the Old Testament began to be superseded by the more clear manifestation of the kingdom of heaven as at hand. [2.] In him the New-Testament day began to dawn; for (v. 14) This is Elias, that was for to come. John was as the loop that coupled the two Testaments; as Noah was Fibula utriusque mundi—the link connecting both worlds, so was he utriusque Testamenti—the link connecting both Testaments. The concluding prophecy of the Old Testament was, Behold, I will send you Elijah, Mal. 4:5, 6. Those words prophesied until John, and then, being turned into a history, they ceased to prophecy. ” (Henry)
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” “A proverbial form of speech often used by Jesus after important utterances, here for the first time in Matthew.” (Bruce) A saying of Jesus that will appear throughout the Gospels which is a veiled warning to all mankind, to listen, to take heed, to understand that the teachings of Christ are indeed the thoughts and commandments of his Father in Heaven, and an implication that to ignore these words will result in less than favorable circumstances.
Benediction
It is not enough to acclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and King. Our mission in life is to make his kingdom a reality among us and to bring it to those around us by our words and deeds. The way to do this is to live as he lived: for others, in love and service. May almighty God bless you for this task: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and to give shape to his kingdom. Thanks be to God!
Thought for the Day:
Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.
Ray Bradbury

The Collect
Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever; Amen
Readings:
Psalm 5; 6 Proverbs 4
Gospel: Matthew 11:7–15
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Commentary:
We often find others, and sometimes ourselves, in a moment of religious fervor quoting a single verse or perhaps a passage, as a means of accentuating our editorial point or even justifying that point or opinion. When a verse is used appropriately, in that the contextual meaning of the verse actually is relevant to the theme we are seeking to emphasize, the usage stirs great emotion and sometimes introspection or encouragement. But when a verse is used out of context, the result is an opposite effect, causing confusion when the reader attempts to understand the writers intent or motivation.
Therefore, if we are going to use bible verses effectively, without sowing confusion and misunderstanding, we should attempt to learn all we can about the Bible, especially these individual scenes or vignettes we are presented with in bible studies such as the one today.
Quite frequently, the backgound of the Gospel account and the historical and cultural influences, are interesting, enlightening, and add a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lesson presented in the Gospel.
Regarding the setting or background of the passage we are studying today, we find John the Baptist—who had been arrested and imprisoned by Herod Antipas (see Mt. 4:12 and 14:1-12) hearing reports of the works of Christ—even while in prison—leading John to send two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus if he was indeed the Christ, the anointed one promised by the prophets. The one that the people were longing for with great expectations; a Messiah that would lead them out of subjugation by the Romans and restore the kingdom to its former glory as was under the reign of King David. (v. 11:2-3)
Donovan writes of this situation:
“The reason behind John’s question is found in his messianic expectations. He called people to repent (3:2), because “Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire” (3:10). He warned that the one who was to come would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire” (3:12). John clearly expects a fire-and-brimstone messiah.”
“Jesus has not lived up to that billing. He has pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, and peacemakers (5:1-11). He has called his disciples to love their enemies (5:42-48). He has warned them not to judge others (7:1-5). These teachings seem weak by comparison with the actions anticipated by John’s fire and brimstone preaching.”
“Furthermore, Jesus moved away from Jerusalem, the home of the temple and the center of religious authority, and began his ministry in Galilee (4:12).”
“Then Jesus worked a series of healing ministries in chapters 8-9—what Bruner calls an “ambulance ministry”—of tremendous significance to those who were healed, but not significant to the nation as a whole. It has been centuries since Israel has heard a prophetic voice (other than John’s). People are looking for a voice of authority—for a fire that will purge the dross—for a powerful leader who will restore Israel’s former glory—for a messiah who will restore the people of God. John keeps watching Jesus hoping to see fireworks, but thus far has been disappointed.”
“But we must admire John. He has a problem with Jesus, so he approaches Jesus as directly as his imprisonment allows—no behind-the-back criticism! He sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one or shall they look for another? John has doubts, but he seeks to learn what Jesus will say—is open to hearing Jesus say that he is, indeed, the one! ”
In verse 6, Jesus states, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” John did not take offense, but only expressed doubt. We can surmise, that John was questioning his own situation just as he was questioning that of Jesus. After all if he (John the Baptist) was truly the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah, why is he in prison? Wouldn’t he better serve God by being out preaching the word of God? And if Jesus was the anointed one, why isn’t he calling down lightening strikes on the Romans, putting them on the run out of Judea? John, as great of a prophet as he was, is about to learn a great lesson in messiah-ship.
“Jesus could rebuke John for his doubts, but instead offers him a blessing. Jesus has not lived up to John’s expectations, but John has not allowed that to be a stumbling block (skandelisthe). Soon enough, Jesus will deal with cities that refuse to repent (11:20-24)—hometown people who take offense (13:57)—Pharisees who take offense (12:1-8; 15:12) and conspire to kill Jesus (12:9-14) and charge that Jesus gets his power from Beelzebul (12:24)—and even disciples who desert him when the chips are down (26:31-33). John has done none of those things, but simply asks Jesus to confirm that he is the one for whom everyone has been waiting. Jesus offers the blessing, not just to John, but to all who do not take offense—all who do not stumble—all who are not scandalized. Jesus blesses us when we remain faithful in the face of prayers that seem not to be answered or hopes that go unfulfilled.” (Donovan)
Perhaps you now understand the importance of reviewing the nuances of the surrounding factors relative to a passage. Hopefully the brief summation provided helps you to understand why Jesus did not rebuke John, but in the verses suggested as today’s study, we find Jesus offering John praise.
“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”(v. 7) John’s disciples had departed, returning to Herod’s prison to report what Jesus had said, and Jesus turns his attention to the followers who had gone out to hear John preach and now were intently listening to and watching Jesus.
Instead of teaching in the formal places of religious instruction, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the outlying synagogues, John had preached in the wilderness, rural areas free of distraction and creature comforts. It required effort upon the part of the people to make the arduous journey out there to hear him, but none the less they did, in great multitudes according to the Gospel writers.
Jesus—in a rhetorical manner—asks them, “What went ye out into the wilderness to see?” Naturally, no one—much less multitudes of people—would make such a great effort to venture out into the desert to hear someone preach who was unworthy. “ They who are weak as reeds will be shaken as reeds; but John was strong in spirit, Eph. 4:14. When the wind of popular applause on the one hand blew fresh and fair, when the storm of Herod's rage on the other hand grew fierce and blustering, John was still the same, the same in all weathers. The testimony he had borne to Christ was not the testimony of a reed, of a man who was of one mind to-day, and of another to-morrow; it was not a weather-cock testimony; no, his constancy in it is intimated (Jn. 1:20); he confessed and denied not, but confessed, and stood to it afterwards, Jn. 3:28. ” (Henry)
In essence, Jesus is stating “Let me tell you what kind of man John is!”
“But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (vs. 8-10)
John was said to wear a rough cloak made from the hair of a camel, with a leather belt to gird it, eating wild honey and grains so as to avoid the comparison of those political and religious leaders who lavished upon themselves great luxury. “A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” Is a direct condemnation of the weak and lascivious usurper who had inherited his father’s throne, Herod Antipas, who in an attempt to seduce his own step daughter granted her a wish, which resulted in her mother asking for John’s head on a platter.
“Note, they who have lived a life of mortification, are least likely to be driven off from their religion by persecution. John appeared rough and unpleasant, yet they flocked after him.” (Henry)
“A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” Israel endured four hundred years without a prophet. When John burst onto the scene with his fiery preaching, the authenticity of his ministry generated enormous public appeal. “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” “John prepares the way of the one who is to come. People check roads before the king travels them. Servants repair potholes and scouts insure security. Today, executives have assistants who plan their travel, secretaries who make their reservations, chauffeurs who drive their cars, and pilots who fly their planes. Just as the services of those who prepare the way enhance the executive’s ability to accomplish work, so also John smoothed Jesus’ entry into the world by calling people to repentance.”(Donovan)
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” (v. 11a) Jesus declares John to be, not just the greatest prophet, but the greatest figure ever. Given Israel’s pantheon of heroes, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, this is an astonishing statement, indeed. What makes John so special is not his personal characteristics, excellent though those might be, but his privileged place in salvation history. All the other heroes of the faith have done mighty works, but only John has the privilege of introducing the Messiah.
“notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”(v. 11b) “ John stands at the pinnacle of the old era, but even the greatest representative of the old era is less than the humblest representative of the new. An appropriate metaphor is the ancient astronomer whose observations were limited by a small, primitive telescope. The most brilliant person, so limited, could never match the work of a more ordinary person with access to today’s space-based telescopes. Like Moses, John marched up to the border of the promise without actually entering it himself. He was Jesus’ forerunner—not his disciple. If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John, consider where that places us. We may be very ordinary Christians, but God considers us to be great.” (Donovan)
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (vs. 12-15)
Jesus’ reference to violence refers to both the intensity of spiritual warfare surrounding the ministry of Jesus and His herald, and also to the intensity required to persevere in following God and His kingdom.
The exact sense of this has been greatly debated, and is made more difficult by complicated grammar. Carson probably gives the best sense of both expressions. “The kingdom has come with holy power and magnificent energy that has been pushing back the frontiers of darkness. This is especially manifest in Jesus’ miracles and ties in with Jesus’ response to the Baptist…The kingdom is making great strides; now is the time for courageous souls, forceful people, to take hold of it.” (Carson)
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ” Jesus saw an era ending with John; all the prophets and the law anticipated John and his ministry as a herald. There is a sense in which John spoke for every prophet who heralded Jesus’ coming. Under the Old Covenant, every other prophet announced, “The Messiah is coming.” John alone had the privilege of saying, “The Messiah is here.”
“The ministry of John was the beginning of the gospel, as it is reckoned, Mk. 1:1; Acts 1:22. This is shown here in two things: [1.] In John the Old Testament dispensation began to die, v. 13. So long that ministration continued in full force and virtue, but then it began to decline. Though the obligation of the law of Moses was not removed till Christ's death, yet the discoveries of the Old Testament began to be superseded by the more clear manifestation of the kingdom of heaven as at hand. [2.] In him the New-Testament day began to dawn; for (v. 14) This is Elias, that was for to come. John was as the loop that coupled the two Testaments; as Noah was Fibula utriusque mundi—the link connecting both worlds, so was he utriusque Testamenti—the link connecting both Testaments. The concluding prophecy of the Old Testament was, Behold, I will send you Elijah, Mal. 4:5, 6. Those words prophesied until John, and then, being turned into a history, they ceased to prophecy. ” (Henry)
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” “A proverbial form of speech often used by Jesus after important utterances, here for the first time in Matthew.” (Bruce) A saying of Jesus that will appear throughout the Gospels which is a veiled warning to all mankind, to listen, to take heed, to understand that the teachings of Christ are indeed the thoughts and commandments of his Father in Heaven, and an implication that to ignore these words will result in less than favorable circumstances.
Benediction
It is not enough to acclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and King. Our mission in life is to make his kingdom a reality among us and to bring it to those around us by our words and deeds. The way to do this is to live as he lived: for others, in love and service. May almighty God bless you for this task: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and to give shape to his kingdom. Thanks be to God!
Thought for the Day:
Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.
Ray Bradbury

The Collect
Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever; Amen
Readings:
Psalm 5; 6 Proverbs 4
Gospel: Matthew 11:7–15
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Commentary:
We often find others, and sometimes ourselves, in a moment of religious fervor quoting a single verse or perhaps a passage, as a means of accentuating our editorial point or even justifying that point or opinion. When a verse is used appropriately, in that the contextual meaning of the verse actually is relevant to the theme we are seeking to emphasize, the usage stirs great emotion and sometimes introspection or encouragement. But when a verse is used out of context, the result is an opposite effect, causing confusion when the reader attempts to understand the writers intent or motivation.
Therefore, if we are going to use bible verses effectively, without sowing confusion and misunderstanding, we should attempt to learn all we can about the Bible, especially these individual scenes or vignettes we are presented with in bible studies such as the one today.
Quite frequently, the backgound of the Gospel account and the historical and cultural influences, are interesting, enlightening, and add a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lesson presented in the Gospel.
Regarding the setting or background of the passage we are studying today, we find John the Baptist—who had been arrested and imprisoned by Herod Antipas (see Mt. 4:12 and 14:1-12) hearing reports of the works of Christ—even while in prison—leading John to send two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus if he was indeed the Christ, the anointed one promised by the prophets. The one that the people were longing for with great expectations; a Messiah that would lead them out of subjugation by the Romans and restore the kingdom to its former glory as was under the reign of King David. (v. 11:2-3)
Donovan writes of this situation:
“The reason behind John’s question is found in his messianic expectations. He called people to repent (3:2), because “Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire” (3:10). He warned that the one who was to come would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire” (3:12). John clearly expects a fire-and-brimstone messiah.”
“Jesus has not lived up to that billing. He has pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, and peacemakers (5:1-11). He has called his disciples to love their enemies (5:42-48). He has warned them not to judge others (7:1-5). These teachings seem weak by comparison with the actions anticipated by John’s fire and brimstone preaching.”
“Furthermore, Jesus moved away from Jerusalem, the home of the temple and the center of religious authority, and began his ministry in Galilee (4:12).”
“Then Jesus worked a series of healing ministries in chapters 8-9—what Bruner calls an “ambulance ministry”—of tremendous significance to those who were healed, but not significant to the nation as a whole. It has been centuries since Israel has heard a prophetic voice (other than John’s). People are looking for a voice of authority—for a fire that will purge the dross—for a powerful leader who will restore Israel’s former glory—for a messiah who will restore the people of God. John keeps watching Jesus hoping to see fireworks, but thus far has been disappointed.”
“But we must admire John. He has a problem with Jesus, so he approaches Jesus as directly as his imprisonment allows—no behind-the-back criticism! He sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one or shall they look for another? John has doubts, but he seeks to learn what Jesus will say—is open to hearing Jesus say that he is, indeed, the one! ”
In verse 6, Jesus states, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” John did not take offense, but only expressed doubt. We can surmise, that John was questioning his own situation just as he was questioning that of Jesus. After all if he (John the Baptist) was truly the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah, why is he in prison? Wouldn’t he better serve God by being out preaching the word of God? And if Jesus was the anointed one, why isn’t he calling down lightening strikes on the Romans, putting them on the run out of Judea? John, as great of a prophet as he was, is about to learn a great lesson in messiah-ship.
“Jesus could rebuke John for his doubts, but instead offers him a blessing. Jesus has not lived up to John’s expectations, but John has not allowed that to be a stumbling block (skandelisthe). Soon enough, Jesus will deal with cities that refuse to repent (11:20-24)—hometown people who take offense (13:57)—Pharisees who take offense (12:1-8; 15:12) and conspire to kill Jesus (12:9-14) and charge that Jesus gets his power from Beelzebul (12:24)—and even disciples who desert him when the chips are down (26:31-33). John has done none of those things, but simply asks Jesus to confirm that he is the one for whom everyone has been waiting. Jesus offers the blessing, not just to John, but to all who do not take offense—all who do not stumble—all who are not scandalized. Jesus blesses us when we remain faithful in the face of prayers that seem not to be answered or hopes that go unfulfilled.” (Donovan)
Perhaps you now understand the importance of reviewing the nuances of the surrounding factors relative to a passage. Hopefully the brief summation provided helps you to understand why Jesus did not rebuke John, but in the verses suggested as today’s study, we find Jesus offering John praise.
“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”(v. 7) John’s disciples had departed, returning to Herod’s prison to report what Jesus had said, and Jesus turns his attention to the followers who had gone out to hear John preach and now were intently listening to and watching Jesus.
Instead of teaching in the formal places of religious instruction, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the outlying synagogues, John had preached in the wilderness, rural areas free of distraction and creature comforts. It required effort upon the part of the people to make the arduous journey out there to hear him, but none the less they did, in great multitudes according to the Gospel writers.
Jesus—in a rhetorical manner—asks them, “What went ye out into the wilderness to see?” Naturally, no one—much less multitudes of people—would make such a great effort to venture out into the desert to hear someone preach who was unworthy. “ They who are weak as reeds will be shaken as reeds; but John was strong in spirit, Eph. 4:14. When the wind of popular applause on the one hand blew fresh and fair, when the storm of Herod's rage on the other hand grew fierce and blustering, John was still the same, the same in all weathers. The testimony he had borne to Christ was not the testimony of a reed, of a man who was of one mind to-day, and of another to-morrow; it was not a weather-cock testimony; no, his constancy in it is intimated (Jn. 1:20); he confessed and denied not, but confessed, and stood to it afterwards, Jn. 3:28. ” (Henry)
In essence, Jesus is stating “Let me tell you what kind of man John is!”
“But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (vs. 8-10)
John was said to wear a rough cloak made from the hair of a camel, with a leather belt to gird it, eating wild honey and grains so as to avoid the comparison of those political and religious leaders who lavished upon themselves great luxury. “A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” Is a direct condemnation of the weak and lascivious usurper who had inherited his father’s throne, Herod Antipas, who in an attempt to seduce his own step daughter granted her a wish, which resulted in her mother asking for John’s head on a platter.
“Note, they who have lived a life of mortification, are least likely to be driven off from their religion by persecution. John appeared rough and unpleasant, yet they flocked after him.” (Henry)
“A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” Israel endured four hundred years without a prophet. When John burst onto the scene with his fiery preaching, the authenticity of his ministry generated enormous public appeal. “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” “John prepares the way of the one who is to come. People check roads before the king travels them. Servants repair potholes and scouts insure security. Today, executives have assistants who plan their travel, secretaries who make their reservations, chauffeurs who drive their cars, and pilots who fly their planes. Just as the services of those who prepare the way enhance the executive’s ability to accomplish work, so also John smoothed Jesus’ entry into the world by calling people to repentance.”(Donovan)
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” (v. 11a) Jesus declares John to be, not just the greatest prophet, but the greatest figure ever. Given Israel’s pantheon of heroes, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, this is an astonishing statement, indeed. What makes John so special is not his personal characteristics, excellent though those might be, but his privileged place in salvation history. All the other heroes of the faith have done mighty works, but only John has the privilege of introducing the Messiah.
“notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”(v. 11b) “ John stands at the pinnacle of the old era, but even the greatest representative of the old era is less than the humblest representative of the new. An appropriate metaphor is the ancient astronomer whose observations were limited by a small, primitive telescope. The most brilliant person, so limited, could never match the work of a more ordinary person with access to today’s space-based telescopes. Like Moses, John marched up to the border of the promise without actually entering it himself. He was Jesus’ forerunner—not his disciple. If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John, consider where that places us. We may be very ordinary Christians, but God considers us to be great.” (Donovan)
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (vs. 12-15)
Jesus’ reference to violence refers to both the intensity of spiritual warfare surrounding the ministry of Jesus and His herald, and also to the intensity required to persevere in following God and His kingdom.
The exact sense of this has been greatly debated, and is made more difficult by complicated grammar. Carson probably gives the best sense of both expressions. “The kingdom has come with holy power and magnificent energy that has been pushing back the frontiers of darkness. This is especially manifest in Jesus’ miracles and ties in with Jesus’ response to the Baptist…The kingdom is making great strides; now is the time for courageous souls, forceful people, to take hold of it.” (Carson)
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ” Jesus saw an era ending with John; all the prophets and the law anticipated John and his ministry as a herald. There is a sense in which John spoke for every prophet who heralded Jesus’ coming. Under the Old Covenant, every other prophet announced, “The Messiah is coming.” John alone had the privilege of saying, “The Messiah is here.”
“The ministry of John was the beginning of the gospel, as it is reckoned, Mk. 1:1; Acts 1:22. This is shown here in two things: [1.] In John the Old Testament dispensation began to die, v. 13. So long that ministration continued in full force and virtue, but then it began to decline. Though the obligation of the law of Moses was not removed till Christ's death, yet the discoveries of the Old Testament began to be superseded by the more clear manifestation of the kingdom of heaven as at hand. [2.] In him the New-Testament day began to dawn; for (v. 14) This is Elias, that was for to come. John was as the loop that coupled the two Testaments; as Noah was Fibula utriusque mundi—the link connecting both worlds, so was he utriusque Testamenti—the link connecting both Testaments. The concluding prophecy of the Old Testament was, Behold, I will send you Elijah, Mal. 4:5, 6. Those words prophesied until John, and then, being turned into a history, they ceased to prophecy. ” (Henry)
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” “A proverbial form of speech often used by Jesus after important utterances, here for the first time in Matthew.” (Bruce) A saying of Jesus that will appear throughout the Gospels which is a veiled warning to all mankind, to listen, to take heed, to understand that the teachings of Christ are indeed the thoughts and commandments of his Father in Heaven, and an implication that to ignore these words will result in less than favorable circumstances.
Benediction
It is not enough to acclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and King. Our mission in life is to make his kingdom a reality among us and to bring it to those around us by our words and deeds. The way to do this is to live as he lived: for others, in love and service. May almighty God bless you for this task: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and to give shape to his kingdom. Thanks be to God!
Thought for the Day:
Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.
Ray Bradbury

The Collect
Almighty and merciful God, in your goodness keep us, we pray, from all things that may hurt us, that we, being ready both in mind and body, may accomplish with free hearts those things which belong to your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever; Amen
Readings:
Psalm 5; 6 Proverbs 4
Gospel: Matthew 11:7–15
7 And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
8But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
9But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
10For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
12And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Commentary:
We often find others, and sometimes ourselves, in a moment of religious fervor quoting a single verse or perhaps a passage, as a means of accentuating our editorial point or even justifying that point or opinion. When a verse is used appropriately, in that the contextual meaning of the verse actually is relevant to the theme we are seeking to emphasize, the usage stirs great emotion and sometimes introspection or encouragement. But when a verse is used out of context, the result is an opposite effect, causing confusion when the reader attempts to understand the writers intent or motivation.
Therefore, if we are going to use bible verses effectively, without sowing confusion and misunderstanding, we should attempt to learn all we can about the Bible, especially these individual scenes or vignettes we are presented with in bible studies such as the one today.
Quite frequently, the backgound of the Gospel account and the historical and cultural influences, are interesting, enlightening, and add a deeper understanding and appreciation of the lesson presented in the Gospel.
Regarding the setting or background of the passage we are studying today, we find John the Baptist—who had been arrested and imprisoned by Herod Antipas (see Mt. 4:12 and 14:1-12) hearing reports of the works of Christ—even while in prison—leading John to send two of his disciples to inquire of Jesus if he was indeed the Christ, the anointed one promised by the prophets. The one that the people were longing for with great expectations; a Messiah that would lead them out of subjugation by the Romans and restore the kingdom to its former glory as was under the reign of King David. (v. 11:2-3)
Donovan writes of this situation:
“The reason behind John’s question is found in his messianic expectations. He called people to repent (3:2), because “Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that doesn’t bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire” (3:10). He warned that the one who was to come would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire” (3:12). John clearly expects a fire-and-brimstone messiah.”
“Jesus has not lived up to that billing. He has pronounced blessings on the poor in spirit, the meek, and peacemakers (5:1-11). He has called his disciples to love their enemies (5:42-48). He has warned them not to judge others (7:1-5). These teachings seem weak by comparison with the actions anticipated by John’s fire and brimstone preaching.”
“Furthermore, Jesus moved away from Jerusalem, the home of the temple and the center of religious authority, and began his ministry in Galilee (4:12).”
“Then Jesus worked a series of healing ministries in chapters 8-9—what Bruner calls an “ambulance ministry”—of tremendous significance to those who were healed, but not significant to the nation as a whole. It has been centuries since Israel has heard a prophetic voice (other than John’s). People are looking for a voice of authority—for a fire that will purge the dross—for a powerful leader who will restore Israel’s former glory—for a messiah who will restore the people of God. John keeps watching Jesus hoping to see fireworks, but thus far has been disappointed.”
“But we must admire John. He has a problem with Jesus, so he approaches Jesus as directly as his imprisonment allows—no behind-the-back criticism! He sends his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one or shall they look for another? John has doubts, but he seeks to learn what Jesus will say—is open to hearing Jesus say that he is, indeed, the one! ”
In verse 6, Jesus states, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” John did not take offense, but only expressed doubt. We can surmise, that John was questioning his own situation just as he was questioning that of Jesus. After all if he (John the Baptist) was truly the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah, why is he in prison? Wouldn’t he better serve God by being out preaching the word of God? And if Jesus was the anointed one, why isn’t he calling down lightening strikes on the Romans, putting them on the run out of Judea? John, as great of a prophet as he was, is about to learn a great lesson in messiah-ship.
“Jesus could rebuke John for his doubts, but instead offers him a blessing. Jesus has not lived up to John’s expectations, but John has not allowed that to be a stumbling block (skandelisthe). Soon enough, Jesus will deal with cities that refuse to repent (11:20-24)—hometown people who take offense (13:57)—Pharisees who take offense (12:1-8; 15:12) and conspire to kill Jesus (12:9-14) and charge that Jesus gets his power from Beelzebul (12:24)—and even disciples who desert him when the chips are down (26:31-33). John has done none of those things, but simply asks Jesus to confirm that he is the one for whom everyone has been waiting. Jesus offers the blessing, not just to John, but to all who do not take offense—all who do not stumble—all who are not scandalized. Jesus blesses us when we remain faithful in the face of prayers that seem not to be answered or hopes that go unfulfilled.” (Donovan)
Perhaps you now understand the importance of reviewing the nuances of the surrounding factors relative to a passage. Hopefully the brief summation provided helps you to understand why Jesus did not rebuke John, but in the verses suggested as today’s study, we find Jesus offering John praise.
“And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John,What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?”(v. 7) John’s disciples had departed, returning to Herod’s prison to report what Jesus had said, and Jesus turns his attention to the followers who had gone out to hear John preach and now were intently listening to and watching Jesus.
Instead of teaching in the formal places of religious instruction, such as the temple in Jerusalem or the outlying synagogues, John had preached in the wilderness, rural areas free of distraction and creature comforts. It required effort upon the part of the people to make the arduous journey out there to hear him, but none the less they did, in great multitudes according to the Gospel writers.
Jesus—in a rhetorical manner—asks them, “What went ye out into the wilderness to see?” Naturally, no one—much less multitudes of people—would make such a great effort to venture out into the desert to hear someone preach who was unworthy. “ They who are weak as reeds will be shaken as reeds; but John was strong in spirit, Eph. 4:14. When the wind of popular applause on the one hand blew fresh and fair, when the storm of Herod's rage on the other hand grew fierce and blustering, John was still the same, the same in all weathers. The testimony he had borne to Christ was not the testimony of a reed, of a man who was of one mind to-day, and of another to-morrow; it was not a weather-cock testimony; no, his constancy in it is intimated (Jn. 1:20); he confessed and denied not, but confessed, and stood to it afterwards, Jn. 3:28. ” (Henry)
In essence, Jesus is stating “Let me tell you what kind of man John is!”
“But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” (vs. 8-10)
John was said to wear a rough cloak made from the hair of a camel, with a leather belt to gird it, eating wild honey and grains so as to avoid the comparison of those political and religious leaders who lavished upon themselves great luxury. “A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.” Is a direct condemnation of the weak and lascivious usurper who had inherited his father’s throne, Herod Antipas, who in an attempt to seduce his own step daughter granted her a wish, which resulted in her mother asking for John’s head on a platter.
“Note, they who have lived a life of mortification, are least likely to be driven off from their religion by persecution. John appeared rough and unpleasant, yet they flocked after him.” (Henry)
“A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.” Israel endured four hundred years without a prophet. When John burst onto the scene with his fiery preaching, the authenticity of his ministry generated enormous public appeal. “For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.” “John prepares the way of the one who is to come. People check roads before the king travels them. Servants repair potholes and scouts insure security. Today, executives have assistants who plan their travel, secretaries who make their reservations, chauffeurs who drive their cars, and pilots who fly their planes. Just as the services of those who prepare the way enhance the executive’s ability to accomplish work, so also John smoothed Jesus’ entry into the world by calling people to repentance.”(Donovan)
“Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist:” (v. 11a) Jesus declares John to be, not just the greatest prophet, but the greatest figure ever. Given Israel’s pantheon of heroes, such as Abraham, Moses, and David, this is an astonishing statement, indeed. What makes John so special is not his personal characteristics, excellent though those might be, but his privileged place in salvation history. All the other heroes of the faith have done mighty works, but only John has the privilege of introducing the Messiah.
“notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”(v. 11b) “ John stands at the pinnacle of the old era, but even the greatest representative of the old era is less than the humblest representative of the new. An appropriate metaphor is the ancient astronomer whose observations were limited by a small, primitive telescope. The most brilliant person, so limited, could never match the work of a more ordinary person with access to today’s space-based telescopes. Like Moses, John marched up to the border of the promise without actually entering it himself. He was Jesus’ forerunner—not his disciple. If the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John, consider where that places us. We may be very ordinary Christians, but God considers us to be great.” (Donovan)
“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (vs. 12-15)
Jesus’ reference to violence refers to both the intensity of spiritual warfare surrounding the ministry of Jesus and His herald, and also to the intensity required to persevere in following God and His kingdom.
The exact sense of this has been greatly debated, and is made more difficult by complicated grammar. Carson probably gives the best sense of both expressions. “The kingdom has come with holy power and magnificent energy that has been pushing back the frontiers of darkness. This is especially manifest in Jesus’ miracles and ties in with Jesus’ response to the Baptist…The kingdom is making great strides; now is the time for courageous souls, forceful people, to take hold of it.” (Carson)
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ” Jesus saw an era ending with John; all the prophets and the law anticipated John and his ministry as a herald. There is a sense in which John spoke for every prophet who heralded Jesus’ coming. Under the Old Covenant, every other prophet announced, “The Messiah is coming.” John alone had the privilege of saying, “The Messiah is here.”
“The ministry of John was the beginning of the gospel, as it is reckoned, Mk. 1:1; Acts 1:22. This is shown here in two things: [1.] In John the Old Testament dispensation began to die, v. 13. So long that ministration continued in full force and virtue, but then it began to decline. Though the obligation of the law of Moses was not removed till Christ's death, yet the discoveries of the Old Testament began to be superseded by the more clear manifestation of the kingdom of heaven as at hand. [2.] In him the New-Testament day began to dawn; for (v. 14) This is Elias, that was for to come. John was as the loop that coupled the two Testaments; as Noah was Fibula utriusque mundi—the link connecting both worlds, so was he utriusque Testamenti—the link connecting both Testaments. The concluding prophecy of the Old Testament was, Behold, I will send you Elijah, Mal. 4:5, 6. Those words prophesied until John, and then, being turned into a history, they ceased to prophecy. ” (Henry)
“He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” “A proverbial form of speech often used by Jesus after important utterances, here for the first time in Matthew.” (Bruce) A saying of Jesus that will appear throughout the Gospels which is a veiled warning to all mankind, to listen, to take heed, to understand that the teachings of Christ are indeed the thoughts and commandments of his Father in Heaven, and an implication that to ignore these words will result in less than favorable circumstances.
Benediction
It is not enough to acclaim Jesus Christ as our Lord and King. Our mission in life is to make his kingdom a reality among us and to bring it to those around us by our words and deeds. The way to do this is to live as he lived: for others, in love and service. May almighty God bless you for this task: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord and to give shape to his kingdom. Thanks be to God!
Thought for the Day:
Living at risk is jumping off the cliff and building your wings on the way down.
Ray Bradbury

Title: "One Piece Movie: Timeless Bonds"

Act 1: The Ancient Discovery

In the heart of the New World, the Straw Hat Pirates dock on a mysterious island shrouded in legends. Luffy, always curious and driven by an insatiable sense of adventure, wanders off alone and stumbles upon an ancient, vine-covered temple. Inside, he discovers a peculiar artifact, the Time Dial, rumored to possess the power to transport its user through time. Unbeknownst to Luffy, this artifact is coveted by a powerful and malevolent force seeking to manipulate history for its own gain.

Act 2: The Time Journey Begins

Luffy eagerly shares his discovery with his crew and, more importantly, with his brother Sabo, who is visiting the Straw Hats aboard the Revolutionary Army’s ship. Together, they decide to activate the Time Dial, driven by Luffy’s unquenchable desire to see their late brother Ace once more. As the temple shakes, a blinding light envelops them, transporting Luffy and Sabo back to the past, to a time before Ace was captured by the Marines.

Act 3: Reunited with Ace

Luffy and Sabo find themselves in the middle of a dense jungle on an island known for its lawlessness. They quickly locate Ace, who is in the midst of a fierce battle against a notorious pirate crew threatening a nearby village. Ace is initially shocked but overjoyed to see his brothers. The three share an emotional reunion, their bonds of brotherhood stronger than ever. They vow to fight together, side by side, to protect the village and uphold justice.

Act 4: The New Battle

The reunited brothers face off against the pirate crew, whose captain wields a powerful Devil Fruit ability. The battle is intense, with Luffy, Ace, and Sabo showcasing their unique and formidable powers. Their combined strength and determination create an almost unstoppable force. They manage to defeat the enemy, freeing the village from oppression. The villagers, grateful for their heroism, celebrate the three brothers, unaware of the true nature of their reunion.

Act 5: The Enemy’s Devious Plan

As the brothers relish their victory, a new threat emerges. A Marine officer, possessing the Memory-Memory Fruit, targets Ace. This officer, understanding the potential chaos of altering history, uses their power to erase Ace’s memory of Luffy and Sabo’s presence. Ace, now confused and disoriented, can’t recognize his brothers. Luffy and Sabo are heartbroken but realize they must adapt to the new situation.

Act 6: The Malevolent Force

Just as they plan their next move, the malevolent force that sought the Time Dial reveals itself. It is an ancient being, thriving on chaos, seeking to manipulate time for its own gain. It attacks the brothers, attempting to undo their efforts and reshape the timeline. The battle against this entity is fierce and desperate, but the brothers, fueled by their love and determination, manage to defeat it with their combined strength.

Act 7: The Price of Time Travel

With the malevolent force vanquished, Luffy and Sabo realize their presence in the past has created an unstable paradox. The Time Dial, reacting to the disruption, begins to pull them back to their original time. Ace, unable to remember them but sensing the bond they share, urges his brothers to leave, ensuring them he will continue fighting for justice. Luffy and Sabo, with heavy hearts, are pulled back to the present, witnessing Ace’s final stand and unwavering determination.

Act 8: The Return to the Present

As Luffy and Sabo return to the present, they find themselves back on the mysterious island, the Time Dial shattered and its power exhausted. Though they couldn’t change the past, they take solace in knowing they fought alongside Ace one last time, even if he couldn’t remember them. Their memories of their brother are vivid and heartwarming, inspiring them to move forward.

Act 9: A New Resolve

Back in the present, Luffy and Sabo are more determined than ever to honor Ace’s legacy. They recount their journey to their crews, who are moved by the tale of brotherhood, bravery, and sacrifice. The Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army renew their resolve to fight for a better future, inspired by the unbreakable bond between the three brothers.

Act 10: Legacy of the Brothers

As the story of the three brothers who defied time spreads, it becomes a beacon of hope and inspiration across the seas. The legend of their bond and their fight against impossible odds resonates with people everywhere, igniting a spark of courage and resilience. Luffy and Sabo continue their respective journeys, carrying Ace’s spirit with them, knowing that as long as they fight for their dreams, Ace will always be by their side, even if his memory of them has faded.

Epilogue: Eternal Echoes

The echoes of their brotherhood transcend time, reminding all that true bonds are never truly broken. Luffy, now a step closer to becoming the Pirate King, and Sabo, steadfast in his mission with the Revolutionary Army, find strength and comfort in their shared memories. The world, touched by their story, stands inspired by the timeless bonds of brotherhood that can never be erased.

I’m in a dilemma here. I have a friend whose writing what’s kind of like a young adult superhero novel. He’s clearly very new at writing. I mean, he has an extremely poor grasp on grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and comma use—pretty much all of the things I struggled with when I first started out.
I am more than happy to help and read. What scares me, though, is that he has all these big expectations. He’s always talking about getting it published very confidently, like it’s something that’s bound to happen soon. Ignoring his grammar difficulties, his plot is cliché and most of his characters are just stereotypes. I’m really struggling to see how he could ever get his work published. From my perspective as someone who's written tons of shitty stories never bound to see the light of day, this is the type of project that just gets you started.
He’s my friend, so I’m doomed to give him no more than grammar pointers out of fear of messing the friendship up. Is there something else I should do for him? If I was a beta reader, I could give proper advice, but I’m not. I’ve had to rework 1/3 sentences that I’ve looked at so far in his rough draft because he genuinely has no grasp on commas or when to end a sentence.
By the way, I’m autistic and struggle to handle these situations, which is why I’m asking. Please don’t tear into me if I sound arrogant on accident. I have a lot of respect for him. I simply don’t know what social rules to follow in this scenario.