Just Asking (27): WWMS?
I am dying. A 120 year old man. 40 years of work without MPF. Oh boy the work was an unending obnoxious hardship. I did the job though not aced it. But at least I finished. Now I am at the cusp of the land promised to my ancestors …
Just asking (26): what’s the house of prayer?
Why must an Israelite temple be automatically transformed into a Protestant church of the Gentiles? Why must a house of prayer in Jesus’ world be automatically transformed into prayer meetings in a Hong Kong Protestant church? It’s been so uncritically examined and still unchallenged …
Just asking (25): what’s in those eyes?
What’s in those eyes? It would be difficult to imagine a rough-on-the-edges guy like Peter would even admit he was wrong. But here after meeting Jesus’ eyes, Peter went out and wept! And not just wept, but bitterly. It must have impacted him so strongly that he had to leave …
Just asking (24): what if it’s neither about hell nor purgatory?
Wouldn’t it be acceptable to overlook the colorful story of the rich man and Lazarus, and the former’s conversation with Abraham for a greater purpose? Yes it’s very difficult to resist the temptation of these juicy bits. Overlook them? But to focus on what then?
Just asking (23): which path to take?
The episode took place when a lawyer of the Mosaic Law asked Jesus about what to do to inherit eternal life, which eventually led to the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. Is it about getting to heaven? Or is it about defining boundaries for love? Or is it …
Just asking (22): whose image are you bearing?
I never understood why people tend to be obsessed with the assumption that whatever Jesus did or said, as recorded in the Bible, must function as a Swiss Army knife. Perhaps people highly esteem Jesus. Or the Bible. There must be multiple wisdoms. Like a Swiss Army knife …
Just Asking (21): do silent years of heroes speak?
Doesn’t matter what it is. The script stays the same. Heroes, individuals or corporations. The same. Books and videos about struggles, success, and legacy. Hardly any look into their “unknown” years. What I label as “silent years”. Just consider …
Just asking (19): evil or good?
There’s an American TV series called Manifest. It talks about a mysteriously disappeared flight reappearing five years later. It is Flight 828. It has a slogan “all things work good” …
Just asking (18): what does “fear God” refer to?
I have always had problems with rank and seniority though ironically I made my career in government where it was the most rank conscious. Anyway, it roils me anytime if I am presented with a scenario where there could be classes of Christians in heaven …
Just asking (17): why didn’t He look?
A three legged stool must have three equally long legs. Otherwise it feels wobbly. Jesus once told three parables … Reading these three parables gives one a wobbly feeling. No doubt all three talked loss. All three talked found. All three talked …
Just asking (16): where did the poo come from?
I used to do morning jogs along Shatin Shing Mun River. People were walking dogs. Old folks. Maids. Mainly. Not often but every now and then poo was right on where it shouldn’t. It’s annoying. Hazardous too. I kept jogging but mental computations began …
Just Asking (15): we and you
I am not a Jew. So whenever the Bible says “you”, I’d never read it with a Jewish lens. I thought it must have meant “me”; nothing more. Never thought it could have been spoken from the perspective of a Jew towards a non-Jew! Similarly …
Just Asking (14): useless?
Abraham: lousy husband …Moses: murderer & fugitive …Paul: murder accomplice … Who is so useless to waste his or her remaining days?
Just asking (12): how could Jacob?
He was alone. Family all left. Wealth all left him. Wrestled with an angel, all by himself. No other help. Then … It was at this point …
Just asking (13): how could Jacob again?
I used to think that the moral of the Gen 32 story is that God has a soft spot to pleading. That’s why a weakened Jacob could still prevail and exacted blessings. Now I sense the coarseness of it …
Just Asking (11): was she really that ugly?
I always wondered if Potiphar’s wife was really that ugly. Or she was like Angelina Jolie or Scarlet Johansson? Then, I would know if Joseph was really upright. But guess I would never find out …
Just asking (10): is this name an icon?
“We don’t worship Mary. You Catholics do.” Protestants would say. “No we venerate only.” “We don’t believe there’s magic with icons.” “Neither do we. Icons just call us to remember …”
Just asking (9): was it punishment?
When someone committed burglary, his imprisonment was a consequence to suffer, till end of term. But when David committed adultery and murder, of his own volition. His baby son died. David lived on as King. What was David’s consequence to suffer?
Just Asking (8): are we to do it to Jesus?
Some days ago someone asked about the parable of goats and sheep in Mt 25. Did Jesus speak the parable so his followers would treat people with Jesus as their intended target? Or at least behind it all? Just in case one turns out to be?
Just asking (7): got your Easter surprise?
Easter is for surprise. The empty tomb is Exhibit Supreme. Yet it’s so liberating, not least from death. Hardly anyone has read the book of Job, let alone finished it. It’s too long and full of dialogs. But …