Where is the greatness?

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We, living in the 21st century may say it is in the “bank”, in the generals and mighty men, even in the wise spokespersons of our times.  The great is not the entity calling the shots but the one who Carries pir the orders.   That’s right.   The servant.  The migrant and casual worker, the devoted parents holding down two or three jobs have more standing in the congregation of the righteous

The great and the greatest

For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Luke 22:27

Logic, political and religious theories do not accept the notion in the questions of Luke 22:47 and the proposition in the affirmation of the Son of Man’s position in the disciples’ company.

It sure looks illogical to have the greater – the meizôn – doing servant work. The Greatest is incarnate not merely as master of all but also as true servant and enabler.

We were great when we were helping the poor and needy

We turned viciously the First Nations and locked ’em up. We closed our harbours to Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. We neglected to give the emancipated slave his land and tractor. That is more animalistic than noble. We are now defending the fox’s rampage in the henhouse.

If Isaiah had a year to serve as prophet his service would have bookends as follows.

Isaiah’s observation – Day One

Your rulers are rebels and companions of thieves; everyone loves a bribe and chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, nor does the widow’s plea come before them.

Isaiah 1:23
Isaiah A to Z

The great and mighty have been falling with little sign that they can “get up”. “We have fallen” is a great place to start addressing the certainty of the fall from brisk business to empty cash registers.

Whether or not you think the United States is to be identified with the mega harlot the changes and the claim are similar.

Revelation of John 18:11 – business dries up

“And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more–

Revelation of John 18:7 – the navelgazing queen

To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as a queen and I am not a widow, and will never see mourning.’

Bloody Messiah

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Who would have thought that the ruler of the age to come would make himself an offering for sin? The princes of this world did not for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8.  The bloody component of divine wisdom is scandalous, necessary and diagnostic.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

Isaiah 53:10

His soul an offering for sin

If we do not know what sin is we might have an excuse.  With the conscience accusing every one, and the law condemning everyone who looks into it, an offering for sin is the only answer.  We know what a sin offering looks like.   It is the holy and undefiled Son of God, incarnate and separate from sinners (all humans).  Sin, for which Christ suffered himself, is unbelief.  This is the universal failure of the human race.  There is no one who is exempt from God’s evaluation of humanity.

Comparing missions

I know that tombs were emptied the moment Christ died. In the Bible we find neither rumor nor speculation that the sick and diseased were affected by the Lord’s death. On the cross is where the atonement takes place, not before or after.  It is to honour the Son that this timing is precise and public.  Christ on the cross is God’s exclusive answer to the human problem, and that problem is not the kind of thing that a doctor, prophet, priest or king can treat.  Sin calls for a life – “blood”, not a beating.  The idea that the physical abuse our Lord endured is atonement for infirmity (sickness and disease) has no biblical support. To remove disease requires no offering, least of all the offering of God’s Son. The idea that Christ went to Golgotha to change the physical wellbeing of the human race is a mouldy piece of bread.

Trafficking in trademark trash

It is obvious that the mission of the original missionaries did not include forgiveness of sins.  Jesus stopped funerals, reversed the corruption of death (in one case after four days). At his death all kinds of ancient dead came back to life.


Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:8
  • The sick
  • The lepers
  • The dead
  • The demonized (those possessed by evil angels)
  • No price tag attached

Instead of believing the message we have turned the report into a set of fables.  Isaiah’s question still highly functional.  Who is believing the messsge of the evangelist?

Scandalous from the start

When the Hebrews slew a lamb and sprinkled its blood on their doorposts it saved their lives.  Noone questioned this use of blood.  There were no questions about the use of blood in the tabernacle day after day.  However, since a life is given to pay for sin, and the life is in the blood, there was no living link between the sinner and the animal that saved his life.  The priest sprinkled or poured the blood but that atoning blood never came into contact with the worshipper.  Blood was the last thing an Israelite wanted to handle.


26. Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27. Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.



Leviticus 7:26-27