What Others Make of the Stone

Finally, here are a few links and snippets of what others have said about Gabriel's Vision.

Time asks: Was Jesus' Resurrection a Sequel?

A number of respondents to a Biblical Archaelogical Review article online point out - some more, but many more much less credibly - reasons why the text has nothing to do with Jesus.

In this abstract for a lectue based on this much longer article, Israel Knohl maps out his understanding of the text and ties it to a religious leader a century before Jesus.

What do you make of it all? Read more on 'What Others Make of the Stone'

The God of Names, a Sidelight

This is not vital info, but more fun facts from Biblical studies.

Names in ancient Israel were often meant to suggest a relationship to God. "El" and "Yah" or "Jah" were almost always references to Yahweh (El is kind of the generic ancient Mid-East name for God; Allah comes from the same root).

Gabriel = GaBoR - El = Strength of God
Michael = Mi - Cha - El = Who is like/equal to God?
Jesus = Jah - Shua = God saves or salvation is/of God
Joshua is exactly the same name, as you can see sounding out the second breakdown.

Other names often imply the relationship. A good example is Malachi = MeLeK - Ee = My King (is God). Read more on 'The God of Names, a Sidelight'

A Few Thoughts/Questions about Gabriel

These are random, but may help to develop your thoughts/reactions.

What is the importance of the number 3? How many things does it qualify/modify?

The word for angel and messenger are the same in Hebrew. An angel is simply a messenger from God.

What details suggest war imagery on this stone? There is blood and chariots, but does the passage seem to develop the idea in any way?

Line 85 says, "Then you will stand". The phrase is isolated, but think about other moments in scripture where standing is important, in both the Christian an Hebrew scriptures. Read more on 'A Few Thoughts/Questions about Gabriel'

A Note on Dots

You might find the previous text a bit to read. That is true even for scholars, but here are a few notes to help you at least understand what someof the signs mean.

... always means that something is missing and/or left out. In this text, nothing is left out that can be idenitified; so here you can guess that the elipses (the technical term for those three little dots) indicate places where there is lettering, but it cannot be read with any certainty.

[] or [...] means that there is missing text. Unlike just ..., this usually indicates a spot where there is no lettering or (more commonly) the paper/stone/parchment is missing.

(?) or ? usually indicates that a reading is possible, but not certain; this may mean that the leters are clear enough, but for one reason or other, the meaning is not clear.

[un]to or m[igh]t usually means that there are missing letters/material, but that the reading seems to fit. In these cases, the parts enclosed are often used to suggest how much of a word - and what part - is missing. You can imagine that und[er] and und[derstanding] would suggest two very different amounts of missing text.

(namely) is often just an editorial addition to clarify something that is implied by the text. A good, non-Biblical example: I (am) Tarzan, (and) you (are) Jane. This would be perfectly acceptable Jungle-ese - and Russian, too! The additions are helpful, but not really there in the original. Read more on 'A Note on Dots'

Text of Gabriel's Vision

This complete translation is available here on the Biblical Archaeological Review website. I have trimmed the passage down.

11. Thus said the Lord of Hosts:
12. […]… from my(?) house, Israel, and I will tell the greatness(es?) of Jerusalem.
13. [Thus] said YHWH, the Lord of Israel: Behold, all the nations are
14. … against(?)\to(?) Jerusalem and …,
15. [o]ne, two, three, fourty(?) prophets(?) and the returners(?),
16. [and] the Hasidin(?). My servant, David, asked from before Ephraim(?)
17. [to?] put the sign(?) I ask from you.

19. In three days you shall know, that(?)\for(?) He said,
20. (namely,) YHWH the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of Israel: The evil broke (down)
21. before justice.
22. you are standing, the messenger\angel. He
23. … (= will ordain you?) to Torah(?). Blessed be the Glory of YHWH the Lord, from
24. his seat. “In a little while”, qyTuT (=a brawl?\ tiny?) it is, “and I will shake the
25. … of? heaven and the earth”. Here is the Glory of YHWH the Lord of
26. Hosts, the Lord of Israel. These are the chariots, seven,
27. [un]to(?) the gate(?) of Jerusalem, and the gates of Judah, and … for the
sake of
28. … His(?) angel, Michael,
...
41. […]… that will lift(?) …
42. […]… in all the
52. … the [me]ssengers(?)\[a]ngels(?)[ …]…
53. on\against His/My people. And …[…]…
54. [… ]three days(?).
...
67. Inform him of the blood of this chariot of them(?) …[…]
...

69. Thus He said, (namely,) YHWH of Hosts, the Lord of Israel …:
70. Prophets have I sent to my people, three. And I say
71. that I have seen …[…]…
72. the place for the sake of(?) David the servant of YHWH[ …]…[…]
73. the heaven and the earth. Blessed be …[…]
74. men(?). “Showing mercy unto thousands”, … mercy […].
75. Three shepherds went out to?/of? Israel …[…].
76. If there is a priest, if there are sons of saints …[…]
77. Who am I(?), I (am?) Gabri’el the …(=angel?)… […]
78. You(?) will save them, …[…]…
79. from before You, the three si[gn]s(?), three …[….]
80. In three days li[ve], I, Gabri’el …[?],
81. the Prince of Princes, …, narrow holes(?) …[…]…
82. to/for … […]… and the …
83. to me(?), out of three - the small one, whom(?) I took, I, Gabri’el.
84. YHWH of Hosts, the Lord of(?)[ Israel …]…[….]
85. Then you will stand …[…]…
86. …\
87. in(?) … eternity(?)/… \

Read more on 'Text of Gabriel's Vision'

Background for Gabriel's Vision

This week we will be looking at what has been called a Dead Sea Scroll in Stone, but is prbably more appropriately called the Vision or Apocalypse of Gabriel.

Before I post texts and comments, just a little bit of background is useful.

The stone itself is unusual. The text is not carved, but written in ink on the stone. The condition of the stone suggests that it wa sprobably posted on a wall, inside a building, one would assume.

Because of the style of the letters, the stone seems to have been written roughly contemporary with the scrolls at Qumran, but - since the stone was not found in an archaeological dig, no one can be sure about where it was placed or how it was used/read.

Unlike many other semi-recent finds - the Talpiot tomb of "Jesus" or the ossuary of James "brother of Jesus" - there hasn't been any serious argument about this being a forgery or a modern piece.

While there is plenty of argument about what the text says, and what it means, no one is suggesting that it is not a text from the century or two before Jesus' life and ministry.

The image is a drawing of the original stone. You might find it interesting, especially because it makes it clear why you see so many blank spaces in the text that I will post. We can talk about this a bit more Monday, but for now, it's just kind of a cool little image.

Read more on 'Background for Gabriel's Vision'

It's all in how you read it...

Last meeting, I mentioned that the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Old Testament contain the same books, but the order is different. Here is the 'end of the book' accoridng to Hebrew scriptures:

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord, the God of Heaven, given to to me; and He hath charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people -- the Lordhis God be with him -- let him go up. - (Second) Chronicles 36.23

While everytime 'scriptures' are mentioned in the New Testament, they refer to Hebrew scriptures, when Chrstians establshed the book we call the Old Testament, they followed a different order. Here is the Christian ending to the story:

Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse. - Malachi 4.5-6

Same words, different emphasis.
Read more on 'It's all in how you read it...'

A Cup of Blood, a Cup of Blessing

The idea of a New Covenant has traditionally been seen as a uniquely Christian spin on Judaism, especially with that covenant sealed by blood.

Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. - Mark 14.23-24

We know that the Qumran community envisioned itself as holder of a New Covenant, too.

...in accordance with the practice laid down originally by the men who entered the new covenant in 'the land of Damascus' - Damascus Document

Notice that - in this translation - Land of Damascus is in quotes. It does seem that this is a technical term of sorts that the community uses to designate its home in the wilderness, bt some have pointed out that Damascus may be translated, not as the proper name of a city in Syria, but as 'cup of blood.'
Whle this may be pushing a difficult translation too far, we cannot dismiss it out of hand.

IF Qumran did see itself bound by a covenant of blood, how does that affect the Christian use of the same symbol? Read more on 'A Cup of Blood, a Cup of Blessing'

Jubilee of the Captives

Both Qumran scrolls and early Christian writings latch onto Isaiah's idea of the Jublee proclamation. However, the two seem to imagine different beneficiaries of the Jubilee and different measures of the coming of God's Reign.

Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” - Matthew 11.4-6

At Qumran - like the later Christians - Melchizedek was a model for the coming redeemer.

...it applies to the Last Days and concerns the captives, just as Isaiah said: "To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives" ... [Melchizedek] will return them to what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby releasing them from the debt of all their sins. Then the "Day of Atonement" shall follow after the tenth jubilee period, when he shall atone for all the Sons of Light, and the people who are predestined to Melchizedek. - 11Q13

Who is 'released' and from what in each passage? Read more on 'Jubilee of the Captives'

The Way

We saw at our last meeting that both the Qumran community and the early Christians revered the book fo Isaiah, especially in his prophecies of the coming of the Prophet and a journey through the Wilderness. It may be this Path through the Wilderness that led both to call their movement 'the Way.'

... if he [Paul] found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. - Acts 9.2

When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him. ... About that time no little disturbance broke out concerning the Way. - Acts 19.9, 23

But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to the law or written in the prophets. - Acts 24.14

In this last, we see that the early Jesus Followers also conceived of themselves as faithful adherents of the Law,as did the Qumran community.

...for twenty years they groped for the Way. And God observed their deeds, for they sought him with a sound heart; and he raised up for them a Teacher of Righteousness to lead them in the Way of his heart. And he acquainted later generations with what he would do in the last generation, in the congregation of traitors, those who resist the Way. - CD 1.9b-13

That is the time for studying the Torah ('clearing the Way') in the wilderness. - 4Q258

Read more on 'The Way'

Powers and Principalities

These next few posts are just to highlight some connections - or maybe parallels is a better way to put it - between the way the folks from Qumran and the early Christians thought of the world.

For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against cosmic powersof this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. - Ephesians 6.12

On that day the congregation of the gods and the congregation of men shall engage each one another, rsulting in great carnage. the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness shall fight together to show the strength of God with the roar of a great multitude and the shout of gods and men: a day of disaster - War Rule

The weapons and the nature of the battle may sound different, but the war is one and the same.

Or is it? Read more on 'Powers and Principalities'

The War Rule

This is kind of a long reading. I took this from The War Rule online. This is only a partial excerpt, and you can find the rest at the link. I'll let you decide what you want to pursue when we gather Monday.

For the M(aster, the Rule of] the War. The first attack of the Sons of Light shall be undertaken against the forces of the Sons of Darkness, the army of Belial: the troops of Edom, Moab, the sons of Ammon, the [Amalekites], Philistia, and the troops of the Kittim of Asshur. Supporting them are those who have violated the covenant. The sons of Levi, the sons of Judah, and the sons of Benjamin, those exiled to the wilderness, shall fight against them with [. . .] against all their troops, when the exiles of the Sons of Light return from the Wilderness of the Peoples to camp in the Wilderness of Jerusalem.

On that day the congregation of the gods and the congregation of men shall engage one another, resulting in great carnage. The Sons of Light and the forces of Darkness shall fight together to show the strength of God with the roar of a great multitude and the shout of gods and men; a day of disaster.

In three lots the Sons of Light shall stand firm so as to strike a blow at wickedness, and in three the army of Belial shall strengthen themselves so as to force the retreat of the forces of Light.

When they go to battle they shall write on their banners: The Truth of God, The Righteousness of God, The Glory of God, The Justice of God, and after these the list of their names in full. When they draw near for battle they shall write on their banners, The Right Hand of God, The Appointed Time of God, The Tumult of God, The Slain of God; after these their names in full.

The first division shall heave into the enemy battle line seven battle darts. On the blade of the first dart they shall write, "Flash of a spear for the strength of God." On the second weapon they shall write, "Missiles of blood to fell the slain by the wrath of God." On the third dart they shall write, "The blade of a sword devours the slain of wickedness by the judgment of God." Each of these they shall throw seven times and then return to their position. After these, two divisions of infantry shall march forth and stand between the two battle lines, the first division equipped with a spear and a shield and the second division with a shield and a sword; to bring down the slain by the judgment of God, to subdue the battle line of the enemy by the power of God, and to render recompense for their evil for all the vainglorious nations. So the Kingship shall belong to the God of Israel, and by the holy ones of His people He shall act powerfully.

…he (Moses) told us that You are in our midst, a great and awesome God, plundering all of our enemies befo[re u]s.

Just as You told us in time past, saying: "There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall crush the forehead of Moab” (Num. 24:17-19).

Read more on 'The War Rule'

Selections from Qumran

Okay, I'm going to keep my comments to a minimum in this post and try to let the Qumran scrolls speak for themselves. Mostly I am including what are known as "Sectarian" documents, but it is important to remember that most of the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) are of scriptures of one kind or other.

Still, this will be a long post. My suggestion is to scan it; look for items that pop out to you and concentate on those. We will spend our time talking about these passages, and it is more important to get a flavor of the community through these writings.

First is a Psalm. I chose this because the DSS are one of the earliest places outside of Christian writings where the Holy Spirit seems to be a specific entity and not just a generic label for YHWH's influence.

Your holy spirit illuminates the dark places of the heart of your servant, with light like the sun. I look to the covenants made by men, worthless. Only your truth shines, and those who love it are wise and walk in the glow of your light. From darkness you raise hearts. Let light shine on your servant. Your light is everlasting. -- Qumran Psalm 23

We may look at a possible explanation for the birth of the community, but here is a place they explain in their own words:

He commanded that a sanctuary of men be built for himself in order to offer up to him like the smoke of incense the works of the Law And according to his words to David, "And I [will give] you [rest] from all your enemies" (2 Sam 7:11). This means that he will give them rest from a[ll] the sons of Belial, who cause them to stumble to destroy them [ ] according as they come with a plan of [B]el[i]al to cause the s[ons of] light to stumble, to think upon them wicked plans in order to deli[ver] his [s]oul to Belial in their w[ic]ked error. -- Scroll 4Q174

BTW, the lettering is common - 4Q174 = the 174th separate item from the 4th cave at Qumran.

This continues their story:

...for twenty years they groped for the Way. And God observed their deeds, for they sought him with a sound heart; and he raised up for them a Teacher of Righteousness to lead them in the Way of his heart. And he acquainted later generations with what he would do in the last generation, in the congregation of traitors, those who resist the Way.

...in accordance with the practice laid down originally by the men who entered the new covenant in 'the land of Damascus'; to pay their required dues in conformity with the detailed rules thereof; to love each man his neighbor like himself; to grasp the hand of the poor, the needy and the stranger; to seek each man the welfare of his fellow. -- from the Damascus Covenant

This Teacher of Righteousness either led the men into the wilderness or gathered them after they had fled into the wilderness, the 'land of Damascus.' His role, however, became central to the community and its aspirations.

He shall guide them with knowledge and instruct them in the mysteries of wonder and truth in the midst of the members of the community, so that they shall behave decently with one another in all that has been revealed to them. That is the time for studying the Torah (lit. clearing the way) in the wilderness. He shall instruct them to do all that is required at that time, and to separate from all those who have not turned aside from all deceit.
These are the norms of conduct for the Master in those times with respect to his loving and to his everlasting hating of the men of perdition in a spirit of secrecy. He shall leave to them property and wealth and earnings like a slave to his lord, (showing) humility before the one who rules over him. He shall be zealous concerning the Law and be prepared for the Day of Revenge. -- 4Q258

As you can see, the writing is not clear about the difference between this Teacher of Righteousness, generally accepted to have been an historical person, later appointed leaders of the Community, and one or both of the coming Messiahs:

Then by his Truth God will purge all the deeds of a man, and he will refine for himself (one) from the sons of Man removing every spirit of injustice from his flesh and purifying him from all deeds of wickedness by a holy Spirit. And he will sprinkle the Spirit of Truth on him like waters, purifying him from all the abominations of the Lie and of contamination by an unclean spirit, to instruct the righteous in the knowledge of the Highest and to teach the perfect of way the wisdom of the sons of Heaven. -- 1QS 4.20-22

This shifts us to the End Times, a constant concern in Israel at the time, and - just as Jesus was featured as Melchizedek, so was the coming leader/Messiah.

...it applies to the Last Days and concerns the captives, just as Isaiah said: "To proclaim the Jubilee to the captives" (Isa. 61;1) (...) ... for (... Melchizedek) , who will return them to what is rightfully theirs. He will proclaim to them the Jubilee, thereby releasing them from the debt of all their sins. Then the "Day of Atonement" shall follow after the tenth jubilee period, when he shall atone for all the Sons of Light, and the people who are predestined to Melchizedek. -- 11Q13

Regarding the End Time, the DSS feature two Messiahs (we'll talk more about that Monday), but one particular passage has a disputed word that could very important to Christianity:

]Isaiah the prophet: [The thickets of the forest] will be cut [down
with an axe and Lebanon by a majestic one will f]all. And there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse [] the Branch of David and they will enter into judgement with [] and the Prince of the Congregation, the Bran[ch of David] will kill him [by stroke]s and by wounds. And a Priest [of renown (?)] will command [the s]lai[n] of the Kitti[m]... -- 4Q285 (translation by G. Vermes)

The dispute is over whether this Messiah kills or is killed. It may be the "Branch of David" who is "killed {by stroke]s and by wounds." Sound familiar?

Well, it is a VERY disputed point.

Finally, here's a big one (with some Hebrew just for interest). This is a fragment of the so-called Messianic Text from 4Q521:

1. [כי הס[מים והארץ ישמעו למשיחו
2. [וכל א[שר בם לוא יסוג ממצות קדושים
3. התאמצו מבקשי אדגי בעבדתו
4. הלוא בזאת תמצאו את אדני כל המיחלים בלבם
5. כי אדני חסידים יבקר וצדיקים בשם יקרא
6. יעל ענוים רוחו תרחף ואמונים יחליף בכחו
7. כי יכבד את חסידים על כסא מלכות עד
8. מחיר אסורים פוקח עורים זוקף כ]פופים ...]
9. יל[ע]לם אדבק [במי]חלים ובחסדו [...]
10. ופר[י ...]יש לוא יתאחר
11. ונכבדות שלוא היו יעשה אדני כאשר ד]בר]
12. [כי[ ירפא חללים ומתים יחיה ענוים יבשר
13. ו[...] ש[...]ושים ינהל ורעבים יעשר
14. [...] וכלם כ[...]
[...for the heav]ens and the earth will listen to his anointed one, [and all] that is in them will not turn away from the precepts of the holy ones. Strengthen yourselves, you who are seeking the Lord, in his service! Will you not in this encounter the Lord, all those who hope in their heart? For the Lord will consider the pious and call the righteous by name, and his spirit will hover upon the poor, and he will renew the faithful with his strength. For he will honor the pious upon the throne of an eternal kingdom, freeing prisoners, giving sight to the blind, straightening out the twis[ted.] And for[e]ver shall I cling to [those who] hope, and in his mercy [...] and the fru[it of ...] not be delayed. And the Lord will perform marvellous acts such as have not existed, just as he sa[id, for] he will heal the badly wounded and will make the dead live; he will proclaim good news to the poor and [...] he will lead the [...] and enrich the hungry. [...] and all [....]
-- 4Q521

Can't wait until Monday night!
Read more on 'Selections from Qumran'

Opposite ends of the Jordan

The Sea of Galilee (called Kinnereth in Israel) is a fountain of life. The once brimming fish population is bouncing back from over-harvesting; boats scoot around all hours of the day and night. Tiberias is the only city, but plenty of communities suported by farming, fishing, and tourism thrive, fed by waters from Mt Hermon.

The Dead Sea is the opposite. The desert comes right up to the shores of the lake, whose slimey waters have so much salt that they have never in human memory supported life. The Romans called the place Asphaltus because huge masses of 'tar' as big as a car will rise from the bottom; the minerals in the water are a source of riches, based on their industrial and health benfits.

Still, it is surprising just how much life springs from the Judaean desert.There are the oases at Ein Bokek and Ein Gedi. Just to north is Jericho, one of the first cities in the world. To the south were once Sodom and Gomorra. Humans have always been attracted to the Dead Sea for religious reasons. Bronze Age temples line the banks, and Chriatian monasteries abound. This week, we'll look at one such religious community: the Essenes of Qumran.

For this first post, I want to give you some excertps from the ancient authors. We'll come to our friend Josephus in a moment, but first a couple of others.

First, Pliny, a Roman 'scientist' and philosopher offers a brief description based on the testimony of Marcus Agrippa in his Natural History:

To the west (of the Dead Sea) the Essenes have put the necessary distance between themselves and the insalubrious shore. They are a people unique of its kind and admirable beyond all others in the whole world; without women and renouncing love entirely, without money and having for company only palm trees. Owing to the throng of newcomers, this people is daily reborn in equal number; indeed, those whom, wearied by the fluctuations of fortune, life leads to adopt their customs, stream in in great numbers. Thus, unbeleivable though this may seem, for thousands of centuries a people has existed which is eternal yet into which no one is born: so fruitful for them is the repentance which others feel for their past lives."

Next, we hear from Philo, a Jewish philosopher roughly contemporary with the Apostle Paul from his work Every Man is Free:

The Essenes live in a number of towns in Judea, and also in many villages and in large groups. They do not enlist by race, but by volunteers who have a zeal for righteousness and an ardent love of men. ... They possess nothing of their own.... They live together in brotherhoods, and eat in common together. Everything they do is for the common good of the group. They work at many different jobs and attack their work with amazing zeal and dedication, working from before sunrise to almost sunset ... in obvious exhilaration. ... They are farmers and shepherds and beekeepers and craftsmen in diverse trades. They share the same way of life, the same table, even the same tastes; all of them loving frugality and hating luxury as a plague for both body and soul. Not only do they share a common table, but common clothes as well. What belongs to one belongs to all.

Finally, from Josephus' Antiquities:

They are sworn to love truth and to pursue liars. They must never steal. They are not allowed to keep any secrets from other members of the sect; but they are warned to reveal nothing to outsiders, even under the pain of death. They are not allowed to alter the 'books of the sect, and must keep all the information secret, especially the names of the angels. ... Those members convicted of grave faults are expelled from the order. ... They despise danger: they triumph over pain by the heroism of their convictions, and consider death, if it comes with glory, to be better than the preservation of life. They died in great glory amidst terrible torture in the war against the Romans. They believe that their souls are immortal, but that their bodies are corruptible. They believe the soul is trapped in the body and is freed with death. They believe that there is a place 'across the ocean' where just souls gather, a place reserved for the immortal souls of the just. The souls of the wicked, however, are relegated to a dark pit.... Some of the Essenes became expert in forecasting the future.

Next, I will post some various excerpts from the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Read more on 'Opposite ends of the Jordan'

Jesus, Enoch, and the Lillies of the Field

As I said, Jesus did not live, preach, or teach in a vacuum. In fact, he is part of a sweltering mix of ideas, philosophies, and 'scientific' theories current in the Middle East during his life.

An oft repeated Christian phrase, cites Jesus' admonition of the apostles: Look at the lillies and the birds; they have nothing, yet want for nothing. Today, we repeat this as a sort of "Don't Worry; Be Happy" mantra.

We get a very different spin on this from the Ethiopic Book of Enoch, a text containing popular traditions and folklore that had been circulating for centuries by the time of Jesus.

In this text, the angels are showing Enoch the plan of Creation, from the Heavens to Earth. They laud nature and the stars, where Creatures follow the Grand Design without question.
After praising trees, the sun, and the seasons comes this synopsis:

"And all His works go on thus from year to year for ever, and all the tasks which they accomplish for Him, and their tasks change not, but according as God hath ordained, so it is done."

The lillies are not only less worried than humans; they are better servants of God for it.

"But ye - ye have not been steadfast, nor done the commandments of the Lord. But ye have turned away and spoken proud and hard words with your impure mouths against His greatness. Oh, ye hard-hearted, ye shall find no peace...and the years of your destruction shall be multiplied."

So, the other shoe drops! In Enoch, this is not a reason to relax, but as a reason to despair. Because we cannot simply live according to the Divine Plan [And what would this Divine Plan entail? Maybe following Torah perfectly?], we CANNOT relax, and - at least from this snippet - there's not much reason to hope for a change.

Might Jesus have known the Enochic version of 'the birds and the lillies'? Could he be suggesting that, Yes, we are fallen away from our natural state and judgment should follow (i.e. "your destruction will be multiplied"), but, because we are children of a gracious and forgiving God, we can simply accept that grace and let ourselves...relax?

However we interpret it, it seems to me that these are two very different views of the same teaching/idea.

Your thoughts?
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Passover Massacre

Here's the story from Josephus that I told you about last night.

Now while the Jewish affairs were under the administration of Cureanus, there happened a great tumult at the city of Jerusalem, and many of the Jews perished therein. But I shall first explain the occasion whence it was derived. When that feast which is called the passover was at hand, at which time our custom is to use unleavened bread, and a great multitude was gathered together from all parts to that feast, Cumanus was afraid …; so he ordered that one regiment of the army should take their arms, and stand in the temple cloisters…. [T]his was no more than what the former procurators of Judea did at such festivals. But on the fourth day of the feast, a certain soldier let down his breeches, and exposed his privy members to the multitude, which put those that saw him into a furious rage…. [Cumanus] did he exhort them … not to raise a tumult at the festival. But when he could not induce them to be quiet…, he gave order that the whole army should take their entire armor, and come to Antonia, which was a fortress, as we have said already, which overlooked the temple; but when the multitude saw the soldiers there, they were affrighted at them, and ran away hastily; but as the passages out were but narrow, and as they thought their enemies followed them, they were crowded together in their flight, and a great number were pressed to death in those narrow passages; nor indeed was the number fewer than twenty thousand that perished in this tumult.

Cited from an online version of Josephus' Antiquities, Book XX Read more on 'Passover Massacre'

Jesus' Biblical References

An answer to the question about Jesus’ citing Biblical books in the last post. I gathered this information from the Appendices of “Jesus Reads Scripture,” E.B. Powery, editor (with one modification of Jesus’ reference to Psalm 22 on the cross).

Totals by book:
Jeremiah & Numbers = 1 each
Zechariah & Hosea = 2 each
Samuel = 3
Genesis = 4
Leviticus = 5
Isaiah & Psalms = 9 each
Exodus = 13
Deuteronomy = 14

Totals by category:
Writings (“kethuvim”) = 9
Prophets (“nevi’im”) = 18
Law (“Torah”) = 36

Here are the listings.

Mark
2.25-26 1 Samuel 21
7.6-7 Isaiah 29.13
7.10 Exodus 20.12 / Deuteronomy 5.16
10.6-8 Genesis 1.27 / Genesis 2.24
10.19 Exodus 20.12
11.17 Isaiah 56.7
12.10-11 Psalm 118.22-23
12.26 Exodus 3.6
12.29-31 Deuteronomy 6.4-5 / Leviticus 19.18
12.36 Psalm 110.1
14.27 Zechariah 13.7
15.34 Psalm 22

Matthew
4.4 Deuteronomy 8.3
4.7 Deuteronomy 6.16
4.10 Deuteronomy 6.13
5.21 Exodus 20.13 / Deuteronomy 5.17
5.27 Exodus 20.14 / Deuteronomy 5.18
5.31 Deuteronomy 24.1
5.34 Leviticus 19.12 / Numbers 30.21 / Deuteronomy 23.22
5.38 Exodus 21.24
5.43 Leviticus 19.18
9.13 Hosea 6.6
11.10 Exodus 23.2
12.3-4 1 Samuel 21.7 / Leviticus 24.5-9
12.7 Hosea 6.6
13.14-15 Isaiah 6.9
15.4 Exodus 20.12 / Deuteronomy 5.16
15.8-9 Isaiah 29.13
19.4-5 Genesis 1.27 / Genesis 2.24
19.18-19 Exodus 20.12
21.13 Isaiah 56.7 / Jeremiah 7.11
21.16 Psalm 8.3
21.42 Psalm 118.22
22.32 Exodus 3.6
22.37-39 Deuteronomy 6.5 / Leviticus 19.18
22.44 Psalm 110.1
26.31 Zechariah 13.7
27.46 Psalm 22

Luke
4.4 Deuteronomy 8.3
4.8 Deuteronomy 6.13
4.12 Deuteronomy 6.16
4.17-19 Isaiah 61.1 / Isaiah 58.6
6.3-4 1 Samuel 21.7
7.27 Exodus 23.20
18.20 Exodus 20.12
19.46 Isaiah 56.7
20.17 Psalm 118.22
20.37 Exodus 3.15
20.42-43 Psalm 110.1
22.37 Isaiah 53.12 Read more on 'Jesus' Biblical References'