Author Archives: jonmkiwi

One thing I find myself doing a great deal is attempting to read scripture in a way that removes 2000 years of religious pomposity from the equation. Maybe Paul did speak like a Catholic encyclical; but then again, maybe he was just hoping to be understood. The fact that he wrote such terribly long sentencesContinue reading “Run it through the de-pomposifier”

Μὴ φοβοῦ, μόνον πίστευε (Do not fear, only believe.) Mark 5:36b, SBL Greek Testament No, this one isn’t another one about climate change. Rather, it is a good opportunity to explore a factor that crops up in some of Jesus’ interactions with people needing healing; namely the need to take control of the environment. RememberContinue reading “Environmental Control”

This could be the shortest post ever. In my reading this morning I noticed one of the most egregious examples of religious massaging of the text I have seen. John 10:10b says ἐγὼ ἦλθον ἵνα ζωὴν ἔχωσιν καὶ περισσὸν ἔχωσιν. The NIV says I have come that they may have life, and have it toContinue reading “Abundance”

καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς συνοχὴ ἐθνῶν ἐν ἀπορίᾳ ἤχους θαλάσσης καὶ σάλου Luke 21:25b, SBL Greek Testament Just a note to comfort those who feel that to acknowledge even the possibility of climate change would be tantamount to denying the Lord. Relax, He talked about it. In Luke’s version of the “Synoptic Apocalypse”, we readContinue reading “Jesus foretells climate change”

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” Mark 6.4, NIV The first six verses of Mark 6 tell a story that sounds a lot like Nazareth suffered from ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’. In Australia this relates to anyone who isContinue reading “Tall Prophet Syndrome”

He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Matthew 13.52, NIV Whenever I have passed this saying in the street (as it were), IContinue reading “You are throwing out WHAT?”

“The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,“WhoContinue reading “Wrangle wrangle wrangle”

Καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῷ κυρίῳ· Πρόσθες ἡμῖν πίστιν. εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος· Εἰ ἔχετε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐλέγετε ἂν τῇ συκαμίνῳ ταύτῃ· Ἐκριζώθητι καὶ φυτεύθητι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ· καὶ ὑπήκουσεν ἂν ὑμῖν. Luke 17:5-6 SBL Greek Testament The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”He replied, “If you have faith as smallContinue reading “Round the mulberry tree…”

Just a short one this time. Paul writes some long and involved Greek sentences sometimes. This one is 6 verses long (obviously breaking his letters into verses happened much later, but you get my point: it is a long sentence. In their efforts to allow modern readers to make sense, translators ( not unreasonably )Continue reading “Ephesians 3:14-19”

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us… Ephesians 3.20, NIV Τῷ δὲ δυναμένῳ ὑπὲρ πάντα ποιῆσαι ὑπερεκπερισσοῦ ὧν αἰτούμεθα ἢ νοοῦμεν κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην ἐν ἡμῖν… Ephesians 3.20, SBL Greek NT Always a shockContinue reading “Lose that religious mindset”