Sunday, 7 November 2010

Lk 20:27 Jesus challenged by the Sadducees


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Thank you,
William,
You give so much to us to fit the pieces in this Luke 20:27 search.
For the moment the windows open everywhere.
God bless.
Donald
Jesus challenged by the Sadducees
---- Forwarded Message ----
From: WILLIAM …
To: Donald ….

Sent: Sat, 6 November, 2010 19:01:21

Subject: Gospel
Luke 20:27 a window on the Resurrection
Dear Father Donald,

Verse 33 has a brisk translation of the words from the Sadducees in the commentary "Sacra Pagina", which reads - "one is tempted to translate, 'Remember, all seven had the same wife'", their point being the impossibility of a physical resurrection. The commentary concludes with a comment: "Compare Paul's statement on the discontinuity between 'flesh and blood' and the glorified resurrection body, 1 Cor 15:35."

One doesn't need to engage so deeply with St Paul's letter to the Corinthians to gain an insight, but refer to (the Sacra Pagina commentary on) the recent reading from the Epistle to the Philipians which contains the wonderful verse, 3:21 (which has occupied me ever since):

"who will change our humble body conforming to his glorious body"

"The language of v.21 demonstrates what the saviour will do. 'Change' has as its root the term 'likeness' (schema). It means to change the outward form or the appearance of something. God has eternal plans for the 'body', the soma as opposed to the flesh (sarx), which for Paul implies the whole person. The body exists in at least two forms, the 'lowly body', or 'earthly existence', and the 'glorious body' that belongs to the risen Christ. Only the saviour can change one to the other. The word for 'change' involves both the inward and outward substance. The point is that human flesh is impermanent, subject to illness, disease, dissolution. The action of Jesus has transfigured flesh (made of it a soma?) because by him its enemy, death, has been destroyed".

All our faith needs are such insights on which to contemplate.

. . . in Our Lord,
 praying that the influenza may flee before the coming wintry weather,
William

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