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Blaine writes > More than likely he was considered by
the Lord to be an Israelite . . ."
A tomb-dwelling Israelite: that's a good one! Are you familiar with
the thousands of graves which line the eastern wall of old Jerusalem, which
block the gate and stretch to and through the Valley Kidron? Do you know
why they're there? It would take more than a legion to cause a Jew to lie
with the dead.
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Blaine writes > Regards the caveman from Geresa?? I
would need a source for that one.
Mark 5:1 "They went across the lake to the region of the
Gerasenes [and] there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean
spirit,"
Bill
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 4:44
PM
Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Saturday
Sabbath/Other lost Israelite sheep
Blainerb: There were many Jews throughout the Roman Empire.
It doesn't really say whether this fellow with the unclean spirit was a
Gentile or a Jew. More than likely he was considered by the Lord
to be an Israelite, however, considering He had already explicitly stated
his ministry was "but to the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel."
Regards the caveman from Geresa?? I would need a source for that
one.
In a message dated 1/4/2006 11:50:33 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Blaine writes > Jesus himself never went to the
Gentiles. He never spoke to them except on one occasion that was
an exception to his rule.
NKJ Mark 5:1 Then they came to
the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes. 2 And when He
had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man
with an unclean spirit, ... 18 And when He got into the boat, he who had
been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. 19 However,
Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and
tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had
compassion on you." 20 And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis
all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled.
You might want to ruminate on this
passage a while, Blaine. Only one of the "ten cities" which together
made up the Decapolis was located to the west of the River Jordan (it was
called Scythopolis, a.k.a. Bethshaen). The rest were situated beyond
the banks of the "promised land," in what could only be classified
Gentile territory (the other nine cities were Hippos, Gadara, Pella,
Philadelphia, Gerasa [home of the "Garasenes," a.k.a. "Gadarenes"], Dion,
Canatha, Raphana, and Damascus). Indeed Jesus sent this duly
impressed Gentile into the far country to "publish" (GR. karussein)
his story until throughout Decapolis "all kept on marveling (imperfect
tense) at what Jesus had done."
And, Blaine, I find it quite
noteworthy that Jesus did this without first proselytizing him in
the doctrines and duties of the Jewish people. IF I had a complaint, it
would be that many Christians get bogged done in the minutiae of their
peculiar forms of legalism and fail to realize this subtle but profound
point. To their shame, the astonishing truth remains that Jesus sent
this brand new Gentile convert out without any discipling at
all, not permitting him to stay on with them and learn through the
traditions of his people the proper way of holiness. The truth is
he sent him out without so much as a whisper from the law and prophets,
off without a word on the do's and don'ts of godly living. No law.
No commandments. No holy days. No feasts or ordinances -- just a
simple request: "Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and
how He has had compassion on you."
In your post you claim that Peter
was the first to introduce the Gospel to the Gentiles. In
fact, Blaine, he was not. A caveman from Gerasa gets credit for
that one. What Peter was was the first JEW to go to the Gentiles. Ah yes,
but before he was fit to go, he had to come to grips with the fact that what
Jesus had done under law for the Jews, he had accomplished as well for the
Gentiles -- and this he did for them apart from the law! Indeed before he
could go, Peter had to grasp the fact that he dare not foist upon Greeks his
Jewish customs: for who was he to call unholy what God in
Christ had cleansed?
Bill
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