Verses 15 - 24 In this chapter we read the parable of the great supper. I think it is like a wedding feast or something along those lines. Regardless, those that are close to the family are invited and many say they have other things to do like organize their sock drawer, and etc. The master of the house is pretty upset about it and says, go get whoever you can find from the streets and the highway and fill my house. And they do this. Is not the message for us that the humble will follow the Savior and participate in his feast?
In one or more of the other Gospels is a line about how one of those people invited someone in from the street and he was not wearing the appropriate apparel and was cast out. For me these parables are sometimes difficult to understand as they do not closely reflect customs or cultures that I'm familiar with in my day. However, I have been taught that what we wear and how we present ourselves to the Lord in holy ordinances is very important.
Verses 12 - 14 I also noticed some verses in this chapter that I don't remember hearing before, as is often the case when studying the scriptures. The Lord taught that when we invite to a feast we don't invite the rich or the close family member, or anyone that is easy for us to invite, because they will always try and return the favor. He taught that we should reach out and bless those that cannot return the favor. How selfless is that?
Verses 7 - 11 are also not familiar to me as they review this process of choosing a room according to status. But that you will be embarrassed or ashamed if someone of higher status than yourself comes along and displaces you. So he teaches them to choose the lowest station and that that should be a lesson for life that we should seek to humble ourselves and not be lifted up in pride.
Verses 25 - 33 I'm struggling with as well. At the beginning of these verses we are taught to hate father and mother, which I think is a poor translation. I think we are supposed to be prepared to regard our relationship and service to Father and Son before that of our parents. Certainly elsewhere (Exodus 20) we are taught to honor our father and our mother. But if we do not "hate" them we are not worthy to be his disciple. (The reference for 'hate' is Matthew 10:37, which does indeed say if you love them more than me, we have a problem). Is this the scenario where we want to do the work of the Lord and our family is frustrated with us or has other expectations for us? How do we work through these situations. I know that the Savior told his parent at one point, "wist ye not that I be about my Father's business?"
It is commitment to serving Father at all cost that is to be desired here, to humble ourselves, seek to know and then to do His will.
In one or more of the other Gospels is a line about how one of those people invited someone in from the street and he was not wearing the appropriate apparel and was cast out. For me these parables are sometimes difficult to understand as they do not closely reflect customs or cultures that I'm familiar with in my day. However, I have been taught that what we wear and how we present ourselves to the Lord in holy ordinances is very important.
Verses 12 - 14 I also noticed some verses in this chapter that I don't remember hearing before, as is often the case when studying the scriptures. The Lord taught that when we invite to a feast we don't invite the rich or the close family member, or anyone that is easy for us to invite, because they will always try and return the favor. He taught that we should reach out and bless those that cannot return the favor. How selfless is that?
Verses 7 - 11 are also not familiar to me as they review this process of choosing a room according to status. But that you will be embarrassed or ashamed if someone of higher status than yourself comes along and displaces you. So he teaches them to choose the lowest station and that that should be a lesson for life that we should seek to humble ourselves and not be lifted up in pride.
Verses 25 - 33 I'm struggling with as well. At the beginning of these verses we are taught to hate father and mother, which I think is a poor translation. I think we are supposed to be prepared to regard our relationship and service to Father and Son before that of our parents. Certainly elsewhere (Exodus 20) we are taught to honor our father and our mother. But if we do not "hate" them we are not worthy to be his disciple. (The reference for 'hate' is Matthew 10:37, which does indeed say if you love them more than me, we have a problem). Is this the scenario where we want to do the work of the Lord and our family is frustrated with us or has other expectations for us? How do we work through these situations. I know that the Savior told his parent at one point, "wist ye not that I be about my Father's business?"
It is commitment to serving Father at all cost that is to be desired here, to humble ourselves, seek to know and then to do His will.
No comments:
Post a Comment