So good Stephen. You mention Matthew 18 and the so-called 'Church Discipline'. I'm interested in hearing what you have to say about this :). I'm grateful to James Alison for helping me see that the narrative is a direct reversal of the scapegoating mechanism. Jesus is creating a process in which it becomes extremely hard to scapegoat someone. It’s an inversion of the mechanism itself. Rather than gossiping behind someone's back and then come up with your own conclusions about how awful their sin is, actually approach that person first. This is the hardest thing we can do, because we hate confrontation! In so doing, you make yourself vulnerable and open to the same criticism that you see in your friend and may in fact start to recognise your own failings. Beginning to see it from a different perspective, so to speak. Then in approaching a witness you then continue that process of being vulnerable to hear your own flaws and alternative perspective to the situation. The whole process is designed to break the cycle of scapegoating. Genius of Jesus.
@@stefmiles4328 Thanks. I will be announcing the MT 18 series. It is next up after this one. Probably start in early autumn. I agree with Alison, 100% but take a more “cultural context” approach in the series coming up. Like most things misinterpreted to be the opposite of its intent, MT. 18 is typically weaponized.
I have repented from my idolatry in partaking of the cup of the religious devils in a government licensed pagan temple, calling itself the church. I thank God that he has delivered from the abomination of Christianity and washed my sins with his own blood! I pray for all my brethren who are still trapped in this mystery Babylon system, that my God would open their ears to hear the call: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." - Revelation 18:4 KJV
Agreed context and culture can certainly change everything.
Thanks again for the reminder that it’s absolutely important to know about the context and culture!
Always!
So good Stephen. You mention Matthew 18 and the so-called 'Church Discipline'. I'm interested in hearing what you have to say about this :). I'm grateful to James Alison for helping me see that the narrative is a direct reversal of the scapegoating mechanism. Jesus is creating a process in which it becomes extremely hard to scapegoat someone. It’s an inversion of the mechanism itself. Rather than gossiping behind someone's back and then come up with your own conclusions about how awful their sin is, actually approach that person first. This is the hardest thing we can do, because we hate confrontation! In so doing, you make yourself vulnerable and open to the same criticism that you see in your friend and may in fact start to recognise your own failings. Beginning to see it from a different perspective, so to speak. Then in approaching a witness you then continue that process of being vulnerable to hear your own flaws and alternative perspective to the situation. The whole process is designed to break the cycle of scapegoating. Genius of Jesus.
@@stefmiles4328 Thanks. I will be announcing the MT 18 series. It is next up after this one. Probably start in early autumn. I agree with Alison, 100% but take a more “cultural context” approach in the series coming up. Like most things misinterpreted to be the opposite of its intent, MT. 18 is typically weaponized.
Amen!🙏
I have repented from my idolatry in partaking of the cup of the religious devils in a government licensed pagan temple, calling itself the church. I thank God that he has delivered from the abomination of Christianity and washed my sins with his own blood! I pray for all my brethren who are still trapped in this mystery Babylon system, that my God would open their ears to hear the call: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." -
Revelation 18:4 KJV