Barabbases All

On the solemn day after the Passover almost two thousands years ago, the Lord and Messiah Jesus died for the sins of the world. There were three crosses on that day. Three were crucified. On either side of Jesus, a criminal suffered and died, yet He Himself had no sin of His own.

Jesus was betrayed by one of His closest friends and was condemned by Pontius Pilate. Pilate freed a criminal named Jesus Barabbas, while he allowed the Jews to take Jesus of Nazareth and crucify Him.

Maybe, just maybe, Barabbas was supposed to be that third criminal crucified on that day. The Bible doesn’t tell us that it was so, but it is a possibility. Barabbas had taken part in an uprising and committed murder, so he was a likely candidate for crucifixion.

If so, image what Barabbas would have been feeling. His life was coming to a close. Like many other Jews, he hated the Romans and wanted a political Messiah to come and free them from under Roman rule. Maybe he thought that he was such a Messiah.

But then things went nasty for him. He was captured and sentenced to crucifixion—maybe the other two criminals were part of his band who were captured at the same time.

Imagine Barabbas sitting in the Roman dungeon on the morning after the Passover, waiting to be crucified later on that day. Maybe he heard the rooster crow just after Peter had denied knowing Jesus and known that his day of death had dawned. All hope was gone. He could do nothing.

But then, everything changed. He was released and another took his place—Jesus of Nazareth. Another took the whipping that he was supposed to take. Another was scourged and beaten in his place. Another carried the cross that he was supposed to bear. Another was spit upon and cursed when it was supposed to be him.

And finally, another was crucified in his place.

Maybe Barabbas was at the scene of the crucifixion, looking at the three crosses; those of the criminals like him, who deserved to die, and another, who didn’t deserve to die but had willingly taken his place. All the brutalities and condemnation that should have been inflicted upon Jesus Barabbas were inflicted upon Jesus of Nazareth.

 

We are all Barabbases. We have all done wrong things. We are all deserving of death because we have broken God’s holy commandments. We all should have been crucified on that middle cross.

But something happened. Another came—Jesus of Nazareth—Who had no sin, Who had done nothing wrong, and willingly took our place. All the brutalities, insults, shame and condemnation that should have been inflicted upon us He took upon His shoulders.

 

We are all Barabbases. But Jesus willingly took our place, pardoned us and set us free. This Easter, let us remember Him.

What’s In A Name?

The Oxford Dictionary of English defines the word ‘name’ as noun as “a word or set of words by which a person or thing is known, addressed, or referred to”. In English, a name is literally one’s proper name.

However, in the original languages in which the Bible was written, Hebrew (and in part Aramaic) for the Old Testament and Greek for the New Testament, the words translated ‘name’ have a much deeper meaning attached to them. In Greek this word is ὄνομα (pronounced ‘onoma’). In this post while I’m going to address the Greek word translated ‘name’, a similar meaning is true for the Hebrew word translated ‘name’, ‘שֵׁם’ (pronounced ‘shem’) and thus the same meaning is true of the Old Testament.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines ‘onoma’ (name) as:
1. name: univ. of proper names
2. the name is used for everything which the name covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the name, i.e. for one’s rank, authority, interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.
3. persons reckoned up by name
4. the cause or reason named: on this account, because he suffers as a Christian, for this reason

The second listed meaning for the word ‘onoma’ gives the key to the word. Every “thought of feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering” is summed up in the English word ‘reputation’. One’s rank comes with the authority for such a position. The “interests, pleasure, command, excellences, deeds etc.” of someone could be defined as one’s character. Thus, you could define one’s ‘onoma’ (name) as one’s proper name as well as one’s reputation, authority and the manifestation of their character. One’s ‘onoma’ (name) captures their identity.

The NIV Study Bible captures the meaning of this in the notes of Psalm 5:11: “[t]he name of the Lord is the manifestation of his character… It has no separate existence apart from the Lord but is synonymous with the Lord himself” (The NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2011.).

Likewise, in the notes for Exodus 20:9, it says “God’s name is his identity and reputation—that by which he is known” (ibid.).

While the English word ‘name’ refers almost explicitly to one’s proper name, English has the sense of reputation and authority attached to it in a metaphorical way. Consider the following:

“He has a good name.”
Literally, this means that the person being referred to has a name that is pleasing to the speaker. It would be saying that, if this sentence was used in regard to me, that the proper name ‘Philip’ is pleasing to the speaker.

However, that’s not what we mean when we say that someone has a good name. We mean that they have a good reputation. We mean that when we think of that name and attach it to the person in question, the majority of the thoughts or feelings which are aroused are of credit to the person.

As for one’s rank or authority, English retains that as well in a metaphorical sense in such phrases as:

“In the name of the Law” or “In the name of the Queen.”
Literally this means that the proper names ‘Law’ or ‘Queen’ have authority. However, it is the authority of the Law, the authority of the Queen, which are referred to in the sentences above. Not the name itself, but that which the name refers to and the authority that the holder of the name has.

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The Greek word ‘onoma’ (name) is used 228 times in the Greek New Testament. The Hebrew word ‘shem’ (name) occurs 852 times in the Old Testament.

While many occurrences of the word ‘name’ refer to the proper name of a historical figure (especially in the accounts of when such a figure was given a name), there are many, many times when it refers to the manifestation of one’s character, their authority and their reputation.

As I’ve read through the Bible and come across times when it talks about the Name of God, I have found much greater meaning in those verses when I understand that ‘onoma’ (or, in Hebrew, ‘shem’) is used and that it refers not only to a proper name but also to the manifestation of the character of the one the name refers to, to their authority and to their reputation.

Here are a few verses that I will highlight. There are many more:

Matthew 6:9: “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (NIV).

In this verse, the thing which is being hallowed (regarded as holy) is the Name of the Father. This means that both the proper name of the Father is regarded as holy and also that His character, His reputation and His authority is seen as holy. For God’s Name to be hallowed means that every aspect of Him is seen as holy.

Matthew 10:41: “He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward” (KJV).

What does it mean to receive a prophet in the name of a prophet? It means to receive them as everything that a prophet is. I used the KJV here because the NIV does not retain the word ‘name’. Instead, the NIV reads:

Matthew 10:41: “Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.”

This is what the Greek means, the NIV translators just cut out the word ‘name’ to show forth the meaning, which, as said here, is ‘a prophet as a prophet’.

Related to Matthew 10:41 is Matthew 18:5:

Matthew 18:5: “And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (NIV).

To welcome someone in the Name of Jesus, therefore, would mean to welcome them and show hospitality to them as if they were Jesus Himself.

Matthew 28:19: “…in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (NIV).

In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit means everything that God is: His character, His reputation, His authority, etcetera.

John 1:12: “Yet to all who did receive him, to those when believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (NIV).

Here, it does not mean that we must only believe in the proper noun of ‘Jesus’ to become a child of God. It means that we must believe in everything that Jesus is: the Lord, the Messiah, the Son of God, etcetera.

John 14:13: “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (NIV).

According to the English word ‘name,’ this would mean that, by attaching the proper name ‘Jesus’ to our prayers, He would do it. However, in light of what the Greek word for ‘name’ actually means, the true meaning is revealed. Jesus is saying that if you ask anything in His Name (that is, in accordance with His character, His reputation, His will, etcetera), then He will do it. It is not twisting God’s arm that Jesus is talking about here; it is us asking in accordance with God’s will, and He will do such things that we ask.

John 20:31: “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have eternal life in his name.”

Acts 2:21: “[E]veryone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (NIV).

Acts 4:12: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

To call on or believe in Jesus’ name is both to call on His name as in a proper noun, and also in everything He is: His character, His authority, His reputation. It is synonymous with calling on Jesus Himself.

Acts 9:16: “I will show him how much he must suffer for my name” (NIV).

To suffer for the Name of Jesus would be to suffer because one identified with His Name and lived with a character like Jesus’ (though not perfect, as no person is perfect).

Philippians 2:9-10: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (NIV).

How great is the Name of Jesus! God exalted the name ‘Jesus’ to be above every other name. However, in light of ‘onoma’ being used here, Paul is saying that God exalted everything that Jesus is—His character, His identity, His authority, His reputation—above that of everyone and everything else. He is stronger than anything the world can throw our way. His Name is so great that every knee in heaven and on earth and under the earth—every knee—will bow before Him. Once I understood the fullness of the Greek word ‘onoma’, I can really grasp the fulness of the power that these words speak. The Name of Jesus is very powerful, not only because the Name Itself is powerful, but because it encompasses everything that Jesus is.

Exodus 34:5-7: “Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation” (NIV).

When the LORD passes in front of Moses in Exodus 34, He proclaims His Name. He both proclaims His proper name (Yahweh), and His character (which is embedded in the Hebrew word translated ‘name’).

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There are many worship songs which talk about the Name of God or the Name of Jesus. Examples of such are Blessed be Your Name and in the bridge of Our God/Water You Turned Into Wine. While not written in Greek, the songs are based off the Bible in which both the proper name and the manifestation of the character were synonymous and I think that we can claim the fullness of ‘onoma’ (name, manifestation of character) in these songs as well. When I began to grasp the full meaning of the word ‘onoma’ (and ‘shem’), I began to like songs that talk about the Name of God or the Name of Jesus much more.

To be called a Christian is to have the proper Name of ‘Christ’ (Jesus’ title, synonymous with ‘Messiah’) attached to us. However, as Christians we should also have Jesus’ full ‘onoma’ (name) attached to ourselves by having a character like His.

A ‘name’, therefore, is the proper name by which one identifies oneself, it is the manifestation of one’s character, it is one’s authority, one’s reputation. In the Bible, a name is basically synonymous with the bearer of it.

In English, the word ‘name’ almost exclusively refers to one’s proper name, though in a metaphorical sense it can refer to one’s reputation or authority. In Hebrew and Greek, however, a ‘name’ carries a much deeper meaning than that of English. It refers to the manifestation of one’s character, one’s authority, one’s reputation, one’s proper name. It is one’s identity.

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What other verses do you see the deeper meaning of the word translated ‘name’ coming out in?

What other worship songs talk about the Name of God or the Name of Jesus?

The Sauce of Life

Every Sunday night whenever we get the chance, my family and I partake the Anglican liturgy. One of the lines nearer to the end of the liturgy reads ‘You are the source of all life and goodness…”. One of my younger brothers pointed out that the word ‘source’ sounded exactly like the word ‘sauce’. He thought the connection was amusing and couldn’t stop giggling about it. This became a major distraction whenever we read the line and eventually we changed it to ‘beginning’ until the amusement had run dry.

However, as I reflected on the meaning, I realised that God is both the source and the sauce of all life and goodness.

Sauce is a substance served with food to add moistness and flavour. Sauce of life, therefore, would add moistness and flavour to life. Without God, life is flavourless and without moisture. Without hope. Without purpose. When God comes into the picture, He spices everything up like a sauce mixed to perfection. He adds a layer of love, hope and purpose that life itself cannot give us.

God not only in the author of all life and goodness, but He is the spice of it also.

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What ways do you see God as sauce in your life?

Goals: Landmarks of Learning

Goals are good to have. They are landmarks you create to work towards on your life journey. They keep you accountable of your time. Late last year and early this one I made two goals, both of which were resolved in a matter of two days, though in strikingly different ways.

The first of these goals was to get my learner’s driver licence on the day of my sixteenth birthday. Neither of my older brothers got their learner licence on their birthday and I wanted to be the first in my family to do it. All year I studied the road code, including writing it out word-for-word, and got 1000 questions correct in a row on the practice test (well, 998 of them really. I read 2 of the answers wrong and thus clicked the wrong one. But I knew the correct answer).

As my birthday grew closer, the competition broadened. I have a friend named Matthew who is born on the same day as me, in the same time zone, same country, same city, same hospital, same ward. I, however, am two hours older. I’ve loved that fact ever since we found it out, though he has never reached the same conclusion.

Being so close in age, we just had to have a competition to see who could get their learner’s licence first.

Our birthday wound around, September 22. After breakfast I went in with Dad to win the competition and get my learner licence. We got to the testing place. I couldn’t see Matthew anywhere and often looked over my shoulder half expecting him to arrive. After registering (no Matthew), I took the test, coming out with a hundred percent in eleven minutes and twelve seconds.

Back at the registration desk, the lady saw that it was my birthday and said ‘happy birthday’. I told her of my competition with my friend. My heart sank when she told me that another lad had been there very early to get his learner’s licence and that it was his birthday as well. However, for some reason, the computer would not accept him and thus he couldn’t take his test. Instead, an appointment was scheduled for the next day. She said that she couldn’t remember his name, though. I told her the name of my friend and she said ‘That’s the one. He had a long name.’

The computer didn’t accept Matthew? Why? The lady said he must be feeling ‘gutted.’ I certainly was. I had taken my test first and got my licence, but any joy I had was gone. I left the testing centre a victor but not victorious, wondering why the computer had not accepted him.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) says, “[a]nd we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What good was going to come out of this? I couldn’t see anything, but I was excited to see how it would work out.

As I talked to Matthew and thought about it later that day and in the ones to come, there was things that we both learned from it. Had I won and he had not turned up early, I would have reminded him of my win all the time and held it over him just as I had with being 2 hours older. Had the computer accepted him and had he won, whenever I reminded him that he was 2 hours younger, he would have reminded me that he won the competition and held it over me. So, the way it turned out, neither of us could hold our win over the other.

God intervened into the situation, and I think it was because He didn’t want us trying to hold accomplishments over each other at all. I’m learning to be much more careful about being ‘2 hours older’ (though I still love the fact that I am), and neither of us have the satisfaction of winning the race to get our driver’s licence.

The second goal that I made at the beginning of the year was one that was really carried over from earlier years. For several years, my brothers and sisters and I have partaken in the New Zealand Sunday School Union Examination. I had got a third placing before at 97% (the leading mark for that grade that year was 99%). This year, my goal was different. I wasn’t competing with anyone in my grade for a higher mark. In fact, I didn’t really care about my mark.

My goal this year was to throw myself into studying, completely apply myself and learn all I could from it. That way, no matter what mark I got, I would be a winner. A mark is only a number on a piece of paper. Learning from the Word of God is valuable for all things, both in the present life and in the one to come. Every other year I had the goal to learn, but only as a side goal. Secondary to my mark. This year learning was my first and foremost goal.

The day we got the passages for the exam arrived and I began studying. The theme for this year was ‘Purpose Driven Lives’ and was about the lives of Jacob and Joseph and how God had a purpose for them and fulfilled it, meeting with them along the way.

I laboured through the passages and had done a rather thorough study of all of them before going off on a week-long camp spiced with Bible teaching, mandatory fun, and friends. There I found out about the awesome website Blue Letter Bible, a website where you can look at the Greek and Hebrew of each and every verse in the Bible. Finally, I could put my study of Hebrew and Greek into more practice and learn a few more words during it.

After getting back from camp, I restudied all of the passages in a much deeper degree. Going back to the original languages gave me a deeper knowledge of the text and its meaning. I considered doing the lay preacher’s grade instead of the one for my age group. I signed up for both grade papers so that I could decide on the day which one I would do. I began to write a sermon on the required passage. Going back to the original languages were an enormous help for that.

The thesis statement of the sermon I wrote on Joseph’s life was ‘God uses prepared people for bigger purposes.’ Joseph was able to lead Egypt because it was God’s will and because He was prepared because he laboured at what God sent his way. That was my goal: to learn all that I could from the designated passages and leave the rest up to God. A mark is only a number on paper. But a mark also signifies whether or not the person could have learned more from the material. If I truly learned all I could from those passages within the time frame set, surely that would show in my mark.

In the end, I didn’t do the lay preacher’s grade. The requirements for what was required for the lay preachers grade were rather vague and so I did the one for my age group.

The day of the exam came and I constantly reviewed the material until it was time to test how well I had learned it. I had already reached my goal; I had learned an enormous amount from studying those six passages. Whatever mark I got in the examination was only a side-product. With this in mind, I threw myself into the exam, determined to give it my uttermost best. I had already done all the studying and so at the time of the exam it was simply taking what I had learned and putting on paper without reference to any of the material except that which I had memorised, which was actually almost all of it. Given how much time I had spent, I found the exam this year much easier than compared to other years.

I was greatly relieved when the exam was done. Hours upon hours of work were paid off and I was excited about being able to begin studying other passages of the Bible. My goal was completed as I learned a lot from studying the lives of Jacob and Joseph. Triumphant, I moved on to studying other passages and, unlike every other time, was not anxiously waiting for the results.

The day after my birthday, September 23, the results came. I got first place in New Zealand with a score of 100%. I had completed my goal of learning all I could from the material in the time allocated and had mastered it.

From all this I learned that, through hard work (preparation) and God’s work in your life, you can accomplish your goals. It was a testimony of my thesis statement of my sermon in action.

Yes, goals are good to have. They are landmarks you create to work towards on your life journey. You can look back at goals fulfilled and take courage to work at your current goals. From recent goals I have learned not to hold accomplishments over others when not done out of love (agape love) and through hard work and God’s enabling Holy Spirit whom He gives to all believers, you can accomplish your goals.

 

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What have you learned about goals recently or in less recent history?

September 4

Commemorating September 4 2010, when New Zealand experienced the first of many shakes.

Darfield’s earthquake was not Greendale’s fault.