False Prophets
Thank you so much for contributing to this discussion. The thread of comments on the last posting have sent me in the direction of identifying and thinking about false prophets. When we talk about what is going on in Africa or the Rochester community there are many voices all "reporting" on what is really happening and commenting on what may happen in the future as a result. Especially today, there are "religious" people making all kinds of claims about who God loves and who God hates, when the end of the world is going to happen, and how we should live our lives.
At the time Mark was writing his gospel, Jerusalem and the temple was in ruins. There was much civil strife. Jews were fighting against other Jews because of the confusion created by false messiahs and false prophets. False messiahs were claiming that they were the second coming of Christ and false prophets were turning religion into a way of predicting future events like the end of the world. Does this sound familiar?
God is above all human structures and institutions. For us, the message is to separate out the false prophets and the superstitions that keep us from living the gospel. This happens on all levels. What messages have we received as individuals that keep us from being who God is calling us to be? What messages have we received as a community that keeps us from being who God is calling us to be? What messages have we received in the greater church? Have we gone astray?
posted by Rev. Julie Cicora @ 10:47 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Some things (messages) that keeps us from being who God is calling us to be:
Fear - We are afraid of going in to the inner city to lift the lives of the young (education). We are afraid of opposing war and local violence because discussions of politics would divide or isolate us.
We support those who are brave enough to do those things by sending money.
Agreed! Wow.
Agreed! Wow.
Agreed! Wow.
Sorry about repeating the same comment. My fingers were working ahead of my mind.
This comment was snai mailed to St. Peter's office. Markd 13 is called the Apocalypitic Discourse and this section is called Flee the End times. Vs. 14-20 describe end time turmoil. v. 21-23 warns against false prophets who use signs and omens to lead the Elect astray. The Elect are chosen by God's favor or grace, not thru their own merit. God must cut short those days of end time so that the elect can endure and survive the end time to continue preaching and teaching, spreading the word about Jesus.
What is the desolating sacrilege? Another source also translates this as "Abomination of desolation". The phrase could refer to many things (depending on when the first Mark Gospel was written). Possilby refers to statue of a Roman Emperor (Caligual?) placed to be whorshipped in the temple at Jerusalem before its destruction in 70AD (Idolatry!) or the siege of Jerusalem in 70AD or Nero's persecution and killing 3,000 + Christians in 64 AD or the phrase could mean the AntiChrist - "the false word" I doubt this idea - Mark was not a philosophical genre man. His stories were quick, action packed, moving written (sources say) for the benefit of Romans he was trying to convert to Chritianity. Some sources say this Gospel was written around 70 AD some say earlier 62-64.
New Interpreter's bible agrees with my thoughts. Apocalyptic prophecies of end time have been around for ages right up to the present era. End time is likened to that of refugees displaced in the confusion of war or person's fleeing natural disasters that strick without warning. Today there are still groups/sects who preach the end of the world is near. They stockpile food, arms, supplies,. Some take advantage of people's fears and panic to gain their own ends. Some of us still look for faith!
So can you tell us how faith and fear are related? I would like to hear how this scripture could possibly relate to our lives today.
Are you going to name any of these false prophets? Maybe not specific names but general names. That might really drive home who some of these false prophets might be to those who might only imagine a false prphet conceptually. This might be a bad idea, I just like specifics.
Explaining why people hold up signs that say, "The end is near. Repent," might also be interesting. I never understood where they were coming from on that.
Just some thoughts.
I agree. Specifics are good. I don't like too many generalities then I don't really get the message or know what to do. How do we decide who the false prophets are. What is the critiera?
On Tuesday I spoke with an individual from another church (an under-educated, no High school person). She is very involved in her church and takes the literal meaning of everything in the Bible. "It is God's Word" she said. I agree with an earlier comment "Some (teachers/leaders) take advantage of people's fears and panic to gain their own ends".
Early Christians believed that Christ would return during their life time. That is evident in much of the New Testament’s apocalyptic writings, all of which were written during the 1st Century A.D.
That is also the reason that literalists have predicted "the end of the world" during their life time, whether it was at the dawn of the 20th century or at the dawn of the millennium.
I am just amazed about how sure these people are about their particular interpretation, because even a literal interpretation is just that - an interpretation.
That is so true. Even a literal interpretation is an interpretation. It is amazing how certain people can be about "their" beliefs. As I'm sure you all have heard it said "the opposite of faith is certainty". Most people would say doubt, but as we know doubt is a part of faith.
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