It's All About The Widow | Miracles 9

In which John and David drop into the story of a widow who had lost her son. The miracle story gives us insight into Jesus' consistent care for the vulnerable. Why does he raise the son? There might be more to it that we think.

• Click Here to read the text from Luke 7:10-17. 
• Click Here to read about Miroslav Volf's book "Exclusion and Embrace" and his ideas of Jesus being "against exclusion".

Episode Outline

• 2:55 - Luke 7
• 11:22 - Jesus and Widows
• 23:03 - The Lord has Visited
• 35:37 - Don't Rush to the Punchline

Episode 26 of the Two Texts Podcast | Meaning of Miracles Series 9

If you want to get in touch about something in the podcast you can reach out on podcast@twotexts.com or by liking and following the Two Texts podcast on Facebook, Instagramand Twitter. We're also on YouTube. If you enjoy the podcast, we’d love it if you left a review or comment where you’re listening from – and if you really enjoyed it, why not share it with a friend?

Music by Woodford Music (c) 2021

Chapters

• 2:55 Luke 7
• 11:22 Jesus and Widows
• 23:03 The Lord has Visited
• 35:37 Don't Rush to the Punchline

Transcript

[Transcript is auto generated by Descript.com]

Hi there. I'm David Harvey and I'm here with John Andrews and this. Is the two texts podcast. In this podcast, we're two friends in two different countries. Here every two weeks talking about two different texts taken from the Bible. 

We're back after our short summer break for the second part of our second season. About the miracles of Jesus. This is episode nine and it's called. It's all about the widow. 

[00:00:35] David: John we're back. 

[00:00:37] John: David, it's good. Obviously our listeners don't see our faces, but we have the benefit of seeing each other's gorgeous faces. Although someone did say I had the perfect face for radio, but it is fantastic to see your face. I'll have to say your your beard is looking particularly majestic. It's clearly had some growth over the month of August, so looking good.

[00:00:56] David: Yes. I was at, somebody told me it was looking positively Orthodox. They they're, so, make what you want of that. But so we both kind of took a little bit of a digital detox over August, which I think is good to do, especially in a pandemic, 

[00:01:11] John: indeed. 

[00:01:11] David: Just cut off the zoom calls and things like that. 

[00:01:15] John: True. Yeah. We're still refreshing. In fact, it's the same. It's the second August. I've done that. So, how to, how to digital Sabbath first-time Roan, because we were like overloading on digital stuff in the height of the pandemic and then thought, it was such a good thing to do that.

I'm going to do it again. And it was really, really refreshing. Cause I suppose like some of our listeners maybe like yourself, I I'm like in, so if I'm doing anything, I can't, I can't sort of take it casually. So if I'm doing meetings on zoom or anything, Stuff on it. I am in, I'm focused. And so it does tend to consume, not just the moment I'm on digital media, but some moments around it.

So to take that pressure off where I am just relaxing and enjoying was marvelous as sort of a mini Sabbath month. It was absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful. 

[00:02:05] David: But we are where are back and, 

[00:02:07] John: Come 

[00:02:07] David: and so. we can. Couple of new episodes of two texts this week jumping into the second half of our miracle series.

And and We're back. in home territory For you now in the gospel of Luke. And so I'm excited for what you have to say about Luke at today and, and, and today's episode. And the next episode are also interesting because they're unique. Lukin stories. You don't get them in any of the other three gospels.

So, so this is exclusive. 

[00:02:37] John: Yeah, absolutely. No. I'm, I'm excited about the material today. It's really, really wonderful.

[00:02:43] David: So how about John I'll I'll read 

[00:02:45] John: Go for it. Yeah. 

[00:02:46] David: then hand over to you. So we're in Luke chapter seven, verse 11 through 17. 

[00:02:53] John: yeah. 

[00:02:55] David: And the story, the story goes like this. As soon afterwards, he that's, Jesus went to a town called name and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out.

He was his mother's only son and she was a widow. And with her was a large Pro-D from the. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, do not weep. And then he came forward and touched the buyer and the bearer stood still. And he said, young men, I say to you, rise the dead man, sat up and began to speak.

And Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them and they glorified God saying a great prophet has risen among us. And God has looked favorably on his people and this word about him, sped spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country. 

[00:04:07] John: So good. So good. So beautiful. I, I, I think as you said, there are David in the introduction this forms part of a a little set of miracles within the gospel of Luke that are unique. There's this one in chapter seven. I think in our next podcast series, we're going to be doing chapter 13, the woman that Jesus heals in the synagogue, and then there's chapter 14.

The on healed of in, in the Pharisees hosts. That's a unique one. And then also the 10 lepers and Luke 17 gorgeous story. And what's a sort of a common theme in the mall is they represent significant marginalizing. And I think that's, where we're trying to lean into not only the amazingness of the miracle that Jesus is performing and wow.

He raises this boy from the dead. One of the, one of the most incredible moments in his ministry. But, but also we're, we're trying to delve into the meaning and I think it's not a coincidence that Dr. Luke highlights for you. Dynamic miracles of Jesus from his unique perspective, that reflect a real emphasis in the marginalization of the people that he's actually ministering to.

So you've got here. Whose whose only son has died and we'll lean into that. I'm sure. In a moment you've got in Luke 13, a woman who has been essentially ostracized from a community for 18 years, because she's seen us on clean. And then in chapter 14, Amman who even in terms of his illness would be, would be used as an illustration of avarice and greed because of the illness that he had.

And then of course, you've got the lepers, Jesus literally heals the 10 lepers in the leper colony, just north of Sumeria, south of Galilee. So, so you've got some really incredible nuance that's being. 

[00:06:05] David: Yeah. 

[00:06:05] John: If you string these four unique Dr. Luke miracles together and this one. Oh my goodness. This is so gorgeous as an introduction to that idea where we have the, the, the raising of the widows songs.

Absolutely beautiful.

[00:06:24] David: Do you think that there's even a connection within the chapter itself? I always like Merce LA volts language about how Jesus had this ministry, which was against exclusion. . You have this miracle of the healing with this to do with the Centurion at the beginning of chapter seven where, I'm reticent to say. The Securian is marginalized in terms of, he's obviously a very privileged person and a very, but he's disliked, like there's nobody in Israel likes the fact that the centurions in town and And the Securian has a slave, which again is a form of marginalization. So you have this highly powerful person in this very marginalized person.

And then it rolls into the story of this, of this widow who has lost her son. And, and then the following on from that is a piece about John, the Baptist who's in prison. So, so there's a, there's an interesting dynamic in this sort of role of the stories at the beginning of chapter seven, really isn't there. Of people who will be in one way or the other outsiders are excluded people that are you seeing that? 

[00:07:35] John: Oh, totally. And in fact, if you went one step further, David and looked at the last story of Luke chapter seven, I think that's the clincher. I think you've got the anointing of Jesus by a woman. We're not told her name. I think that's a unique look and story there in Luke seven, that anointing it's very similar to the Matthew mark and John story, which is clearly located in the south.

And we identified as Mary, the sister of Martha who anoints Jesus.

[00:08:04] David: and the story in Matthew and mark is more in the leader. It's an anointing for, for death. 

[00:08:08] John: Exactly it is. I think if our listeners wanted to really do a bit of a compare and contrast on the anointing stories of Matthew, mark, John, and compare them to Luke, you will, you will undoubtedly come to the conclusion. These are two different stories, but what's fascinating, of course, at the end of chapter six.

Of Luke, you have a sinful woman or a woman who's regarded as sinful because the story actually teaches us. She has been forgiven as a sinner. But you see her anoint in Jesus, in the host of the Pharisee Simon, and you cannot get a more powerful juxtaposition on someone who's on the inside the forest.

By the end of that story sort of feel slightly excluded because, because Jesus has actually endorsed the actions of this woman. So if you put those four stories together, you've got an amazing chapter in chapter seven, as we've been encouraged, our leaders, our readers to think about don't just lean into the, the actual story itself, but see the context you've got.

For amazing stories the Centurion and of course Jesus and the Centurion story, he says, I have not found such great faith and all Israel. And I think, yeah. Leaning there to the fifth, that to have his servant healed. I think it's a response to the Centurion saying I too am a man under authority. And in other words, the Centurion is recognizing that Jesus is operating under a greater authority.

And you could say sorta sub-tasks that he's saying, Jesus, I recognize you're the Messiah because you're under that authority. And I think that's what Jesus is responding to. So you've got a Roman gent. You then got this widow. You've got John saying, are you really the one to come? Or should we expect somebody else?

Cause what you're doing or, or more importantly, what you're not doing is freaking us out. And then of course, as after rom that home, you've got this incredible story of the woman, the sinful woman, anointed Simon. So there's a beautiful. Rule in chapter seven and, and this story is just my NIFA's scent accelerator of this idea in the most tender identifiable way.

I mean, even as you were reading the story, I was moved, I I'm emotionally moved, but because we, we, we, we all sort of identify with something to do with this story of loss of P and of, of worry and anxiety. My own mother before she passed away was a widow and it, it was amazing how I read the gospels differently.

Having a widow. As a mother and, and realizing the emotional and physical and financial vulnerability of that particular group within Jewish and general society, in fact so it's a fascinating and beautiful little introduction for us in terms of this idea.

[00:11:06] David: And jump in on that then John cause this the verses 12 through to 13, I couldn't, there's so many things to say in those two verses. But let me just throw this out. When the Lord saw. 

[00:11:21] John: Yeah. 

[00:11:22] David: He had compassion for it. So the word we've talked about in this podcast before blank nearby so Jesus was moved inside, in that sense, almost like a very guttural word. something, something, it, the way that the Greeks described compassion was that something was physiologically happening to you, which I think we could all agree with you feel it in your stomach.

But Jesus. Himself more than likely has a widow for a mother. 

[00:11:53] John: for sure. 

[00:11:53] David: And, and people might say, oh wait, wait a minute. Where'd you get it? Jesus David, you know about Jesus. Well, what do we see? We see that Joseph disappears from the narrative of Jesus, his life. The last time we see him is when he's 12, and that's the last time we encounter Joseph, when Jesus is dying on the cross in John's gospel, he makes arrangements for the care For his mother.

So I think these two things you can put together, you can say. It's quite likely as would be common in those days. Men often married women who were considerably younger than them. So all of the evidence seems to suggest that Jesus, the Joseph has died at some point during his life. Which is interesting to think about in, in this sort of context.

Interesting to think about. I often think about our perceptions of Jesus as somebody who just healed and changed everything that he encountered and having to get my head around this notion that at some point Jesus went to Jewish funeral 

[00:12:50] John: Yeah, absolutely. 

[00:12:51] David: didn't raise him from the dead. 

[00:12:53] John: Indeed.

[00:12:53] David: So, that's kind of interesting to think about but I wonder if the compassionate. Is somehow connected to the Lords Owen's story that he sees this. And he both knows that sense of you were saying, I read this story differently because my own mom was a widow, but of course, Jesus also knows the future that's coming and what his own mom is. Good. I don't know. I mean, am I it's dangerous to deal into people's emotional state when it's not written down, but, but I feel like there's something to scratch around in there. 

[00:13:25] John: Oh, there there is. And, and I think we mustn't be afraid to do that. I think we've done a great disservice to Jesus by almost D emotionally raising him. And Jesus lived in a very. Powerful connected community oriented it con culture. And he would have absolutely understood no, the vulnerability of this widow.

And he would have seen the profound sense of loss in his own mother and the grief that's injured now, of course, marriage. Was incredibly blessed in that she not only had Jesus, but she had other sons and daughters who all would have rallied Roane to ensure that Mary was taken care off. What's fascinating here.

Of course is where Dr. Luke tells us that the boy on the, the buyer is the only son. Of his mother who was a widow. I mean, Dr. Luke is not missing and heading the wall here. So he is letting us know that this woman is right on the precipice of destitution. And I, and what, what really struck me to have it as a meditated on this passage of fresh is the freest and the NIV version of the Bible, which is my sort of every day sort of reading where course version it says when the Lord saw.

But I love the slightly more literal translation of that. And having seen her there, there's a sense in which what we're now experiencing is coming out of what he's seen. So it's not just, oh, Jesus bumps into a funeral service. That's happening. There's a sense in which now his action is being directed.

Out of his vision. He aren't having seen her now note that it doesn't say I'm having seen the boy that stayed on the buyer. It says on having, seeing. He's moved with compassion now. No, that's the, I think that, that that's the clue and there's gorgeous bread crumbs. If we're prepared to pick them up in this story, that is, is really, this is not just a book.

Jesus showing the kingdom of God has the power to raise the dead. This is Jesus. Seeing a widow 

[00:15:42] David: Yes. 

[00:15:43] John: saying, I need to help this woman. This woman is knowing, going to beat death. And I have the power to help her as you've rightly alluded, John 19 woman, behold, your son. Isn't it interesting. It's really interesting.

The language in John 19 woman, behold, your son, and then he says to his disciple, he says, behold, your mother. Isn't that interesting. So it's almost like he's referring to his own mother as woman. And yet when he refers to John, we assume it's John taking her. He says, behold, your mother. And there's this lovely idea of Jesus insuring that Mary will be taken care of.

And of course, John ODS beautifully and only John could probably are this John says, and from that moment on, he took her into his. Oh, I'm gone. Yeah. Come on. That. That's the emotional element to this. That's that's the kingdom of God, but it's also, it's not. Pragmatism or practicality it's compassion and emotion.

Jesus is feeling something here. Jesus is motivated by something. And that deep sense of compassion is common out of his vision. Having seen her. I love that. And, and I think there is a link between what we see in and the compassion we feel, it, ultimately, we, I think we see that link at other places.

We've already referred to Jesus, feeding the hungry groats and having seen them. They were like sheep without a shepherd. He was moved with compassion. It's ultimately, it's what we see. Well, determine how we move. Isn't it. It's, it's really that that's at the heart of that. And you won't start.

[00:17:34] David: I do. I mean, you're right. I mean, grammatically in the Greek of the text, the, the seeing is connected to the compassion. Like it's, it's not, I just want to endorse what you're saying there, John, that it's actually connected in the way that you construct your Greeks sentences. You can sort of say, well, this behavior.

Is is connected to that behavior there. And so there's a way of kind of joining the altogether, but I just don't want to lose that thing that you said. That it's not the dad, man that has caused Jesus to have compassion. It's the grieving widow. And it's interesting, of course, if she's a widow, this means that this is the second time in her life.

She's lost her provider and her protector because it would have been her husband and then he's died and then her son would become old enough to care for her himself. And now he has died as well. So this woman's journey. A widow losing her son is just a horrifying situation in, in this era.

[00:18:36] John: And, and, and as if to sort of, I think as if. Lon that beautiful thought, he says to her don't cry. I mean, I'm trying not to cry saying don't cry. I, I, and I'm going, oh, wow. So, we're, we're, we're told that there's a large group there following this procession.

It's probably a little bit noisy. It's there's probably a little bit of Appropriate chaos going there, going on there. And yet Jesus approaches her and says to her don't cry. I, I love this. This is, this is one of the things I love about the gospel representation of Jesus. I think we're, we're not just getting this soup.

A man who's called me into sweet Ben, do his thing and then move out. He has tented himself with us. David. He has lived with us. He has walked with us. He has felt with us. He has danced with us. He has cried with us. He knows up close and personal. The tiers of a funeral service, because we're fairly certain, he has stewed either procession like this for his own father who though not his actual father was a magnificent, righteous, good and wonderful man.

And Jesus would have cried those tears. He would've seen his mother crying and he says to her, don't cry. I love that. I, I moved by that and I want, I want my world to see that sort of Jesus. I, I want, I want my world to see that sort of church that represents Jesus, not just a church with a great message and power, but a church with compassion, empathy, humility, tenderness that reaches out to the widow and says to her don't cry.

It's okay. And I think it's one of the most tender. Statements in, in, in, in the whole of the gospels that Jesus directs towards an individual. 

[00:20:44] David: it's, it's interesting as well that the language in verse 12, he was his mother's only son. 

[00:20:51] John: Hmm.

[00:20:53] David: Monogamous is the, it's the Greek word, same word that John chooses to use in John three 16 to describe Jesus as God's only son. Now, John and Luke are obviously different texts written at different times. So you can't draw much of a connection there, but again, it enhances this comparison that perhaps of the way Jesus.

Perceives himself in relating to this, to this widow. 

[00:21:18] John: sure. 

[00:21:19] David: interesting thing that I want to just point out as well, in terms of Luke's narrative, is this reference to Jesus as the law. Uh, Which is, which is, is quite new at this point in Luke's gospel. So he's referred to Jesus pretty, pretty much as does Jesus in all of his stuff.

But then at Luke seven, something turns and you find him starting to talk more about Jesus as the Lord becomes the way that Luke likes talking about Jesus, that way. Which I think has I think is, is good actually for us to observe and see, as Luke's teaching his way through this story to us, you're seeing him position Jesus as to how he relates to us.

I can't help, but notice that just towards the end of Luke six. And I don't want to roll us back into our parable series. But one parable we didn't talk about is the one about the person who builds a house and built it on the rock. And who is that person? That's the person that calls Jesus Lord and does what he says.

So it it's as if we're seeing this developing story of Jesus, as someone with authority, someone with the power of the holy spirit over their lives. So that now. The Lord sees her and has compassion for her and has the ability to do something about this. It's quite it's again, a nice little nuance of what's going on.

That could be easy to miss that, that oh, but Jesus is now being referred to as the Lord, of course, this language of law. Master, if you grew up reading the Greek translation of the old Testament as someone like Luke likely did, the Lord is also the language that you use to talk about God himself. It's quite loaded, isn't 

[00:23:03] John: or it's massive. And of course, if, if we connect Luke six to this story, but also. The Centurion story. 

You, you have a definite nuance of that. I mean, he is the Roman Centurion is essentially recognizing that Jesus. Has a serious position of authority because he is operating under a higher authority.

And that definitely leans into certainly at the very least some sense of messianic overtone. Further establishment that this, this idea of Lord I'm on a beautiful little thought, David, that just came to me as you were reflecting, the Lord saw her, the Lord has, has come right at the end of our, our gorgeous little story.

It says the people were filled with all our fear on Prius. God, a grit, prophet has appeared. Among us and actually, I, I'm not, I'm not king on that translates now. I like, I like the translation. God has come to visit us. There's a sense in which it's, it's, it's a visitation. And if you lean into the language of visitation there of course then we're hearing, well, at least I'm hearing, I could be stretching this too far, so please.

I am hearing Exodus three echo. I'm hearing the Lord speak to Moses and say, I have seen, I have heard I've understood the plate of my people and I will come and visit them. And of course John's gospel. It brings the tented God, the word who became flesh and tented himself among us. So, so actually leaning into that Lord stuff.

That's no developing. And then seeing this nuance of the Lord, who in history past visited his people. On brought deliverance is, is no visiting his people and his brought deliverance and the language of the people in response to the miracle of the boy raising is that sort of God is visiting us. He has seen us and he is coming to us.

And I think, I think that's, that's worth leaning into a think without stretching it too far. I think.

[00:25:21] David: So, join the dots with, with, with us all then. So yes, the Greek word. That's in there that we do translate as looked favorably. It's a very strange translation of that. I have to admit that the, the, I read from the NRS V Yeah.

For that reading, but Yeah. The, the NIV translates it as the Lord has come to help his people.

But you're right. The, the, EPIs kept to mine, which is the Greek word it means to visit or to care for it. No, just, just like what's, what's amazing is roll back to Luke chapter one and verse 67, we get Zachariah. Prayer the or prophecy that he gives. So Zachariah has has just had his tongue set free.

So let's dive deep into the nativity story for a second. Zachariah didn't believe that his wife could have It ended up being unable to speak throughout the whole pregnancy. His wife was super happy about that. Freed from all of the, the silly stuff that that men say to pregnant wives.

I don't know if that sexist, forgive me if it is but and then he, they had this moment where they decided that the son must be. Zechariah and Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and he writes his name is John, which I, and of course there's significant moment that Wednesday Kariah writes his name is John.

What we're now realizing is Zachariah has Come to believe the prophecy, his wife believed it instantly, but Zachariah is now on.

board. And, and as a result, his tongue is set free and then he dropped. So this, this prophetic word, which is programmatic for the whole of Luke's gospel, they said Mary's song, which we knew the Magnificat then, which is known as Magnificant.

And can have Trish tradition then Zacharias prophecy, not dimittis. I think it's known as in in, in Christian tradition, but the opening line. Of of Zachariah's prophecy pray Luke one verse 68 praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has EPIs Skepta, Mai. He has visited his people and redeemed them.

[00:27:24] John: Beautiful.

[00:27:25] David: I would suggest to any reader of Luke's gospel has to draw the links here between the programmatic opening, prophecy of Zechariah. This is what God is doing right now. He's raised up salvation. He has delivered us from our enemies. He's shown us mercy. And, and, and this is all of these things, which we know.

I mean, I, I've got to read it just because we're there. But, that people will be given the knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of sins because of the tender mercy of our God, which by the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the path of peace.

So, I mean, just beautiful, beautiful words, isn't it. But, but hang those words over the story in Luke chapter seven, and I think what you've got is the people. At very least in Luke's telling of the story, he's wanting you to join those dots. The Lord has visited us what Luke's saying. Well, remember what I said back in chapter one, that's what's going to happen.

What is the visiting of the Lord going to do tender mercy shining on those living in the shadow of death? Well, a widow with her source of protection and provider having died is living in the shadow of death. And what did we find Jesus is towards. Merciful, right. I mean, It's just the way the story's holding together.

It's just awesome. Isn't

[00:28:46] John: It's it is awesome. It's it's the proper use of the word also. Absolutely. And again, doesn't it show how brilliant these gospel writers were. They weren't just stringing a bunch of stories. They had an agenda, they had an understanding of Jesus. They had an understanding of something they wanted to say to us about Jesus, and they start to then construct.

Magnificent connectors all through the story. It is just, just outstanding, but I thought that was, I thought it was just a lovely link cause, cause I, I love elements of the Torah and I just heard, I just heard the Lord say to Moses of sane and I'm going to visit, and my goodness, we have the ultimate expression of the Lord seen and visiting in the person of Jesus Christ.

It's just absolutely phenomenal. Phenomenal. 

[00:29:41] David: This is what the Lord does. There's, there's big biblical narrative happening here. The Lord hears the cries of his people and, it's uh,

[00:29:52] John: I mean, to me, what's fascinating here is that, that we've just had a, we've just had an amazing miracle where Jesus speaks a word. for the Roman Centurion servant, he speaks a word you don't even need to come to my house. Just say the word and this is done. And yet in this story, we have a dramatic moment.

Where he went up and touched the beer he took and some trans thesis may nav translation has coffin, but of course, for a 21st century audience that is profoundly misleading. Because this is more, if you imagine it, our listeners imagine it's more like a plan. Really, and the body would be wrapped up and and a sort of what would resemble a Schrode and then carried.

So, and of course that makes total sense of way the boy could set up and speak if it had been in a coffin, trying to set up at a bang his head. So, so it's, it's not a cough and that's not a helpful translation. It's a sort of a plank tape dynamic, but, but Luke at there, see, he, he goes up. Touched it and those carrying it stood still.

So you get this, you get this beautiful note. We've moved from Jesus. Just speak in a word on a S on a servant beam. He knows Jesus intervenes in this dramatic physical sense. And he seems to understand which context. Demands which behavior. And of course the, the, the dramatic nature of him touching the cough that literally stops the procession, which of course he's IM-ing to do.

But, but of course I, on our listeners may know this. So again, forgive me if I'm telling you stuff, but, but of course he doesn't touch the ball. 

[00:31:40] David: Okay. 

[00:31:40] John: He just touches the beer. So I, and that's crucial because to touch a dead body, according to Torah would have made Jesus unclean. For seven days in that context.

So, so, so actually he, he doesn't touch the body, but he does enough to create this dramatic moment that something is about to happen. And again, for me, David, the touching here is really. Important that he's communicating something. So he's already seeing the widow. He spoke to her not to be cry. In fact, he it's a command actually don't cry.

And then he moves to the, to the, to the beer and he touched her. And night, the whole thing is, is moving to his agenda. But I think even the touching there, there's a, there's a tenderness in that there is a human newness and not, and there's also, if we're leaning into these, these greater, bigger pictures, this idea of God coming to us.

He literally comes to where the boy is now having spoken to the woman. And, and I, I do feel that that's a dramatic sort of moment that's worthy of our consideration.

[00:33:04] David: Mm, no, I, I, I think that's, it's all about this picture. That's being painted. Isn't it as to how this is working, what Jesus is doing, that the things that Jesus has having to be aware of and and navigate in that culture, which are things that we don't often, it's easy for us to read these things through.

And, and not grasp some of that stuff that's going on. And and, and th the very, the visceralness of, of, of, of a situation like this, as you see, it's not, no funeral is easy, please don't hear me wrong when I say this, but. The body is visible to everybody. It's very evident.

It's not tidied away and cleaned in a nice, shiny polished box. It's there. And in Jewish barrel, maybe it's worth mentioning these people might then be able to relate this to the story of Jesus his own day. But this shrouded body is often taken to the family tomb and left there until it decomposes. And then the bones are gathered up and will be put in some sort of pot and then stored with the bones of the family elsewhere in the tomb, perhaps. And, and of course, this is why annointing is so important because it kind of reduces the smell while this thing is happening. It's this very, it's, it's a very, a fronting thing. Isn't it? It's not neat and tidy and hidden away the, the, the graphicness of dealing with death in this culture. intense, isn't It It's, and and, and Jesus comes near to that. I mean, I was thinking, even in that language, I love this, I love this little word and get Zuora, which, which means to come near and there there's. This, but the word we translate it come near, which is.

which is beautiful.

Actually, it's a translation, but, but the, the word literally in its roots, I think it's Robert Jensen, the theologian, the first point he decided to me that, that the word end.

Good. So almost means to be so close that there's almost no space. 

Right. And I love that idea, in Luke chapter 10 in verse nine, Jesus tells his disciples, go out, heal the sick and tell them the kingdom of God has come near. So there's the world that you're living in and the world that God's trying to create.

And it's now it's kind of kissing each other. It's it's it's. You'll think of it, that kind of graphicness of it being close. And what happens when the kingdom of God comes near dead, people start coming back to life. The vulnerable are cared for. I mean, the, the, the echoes of it are beautiful throughout all of the scriptures story of, of the coming near. of God says, I love it. 

[00:35:37] John: I, and again, I, I think that's one of the beautiful messages that can be missed because we're rushing for forgive me when I said it's, we're rushing to the punch line of the miracle where, okay. Let's, let's just get to the bit where he raises the boy, but there's so much going on. And if our listeners will slow this down, Slow it down.

Don't just rush to the punchline. There is so much more going on that actually can help us understand something of the kingdom of God, but also help us understand something of the magnificence of Jesus, God, and flesh, who now comes near, comes near to death. And of course we see. a co come near to death and other places and, and he doesn't seem to be afraid.

To come near to death and, and and speak to it as it were in order to bring life and, and healing and health it's it's, it's beautiful. I do love the, the dramatic menace of calming near and arresting the procession so that now everyone is sort of paying attention to, to this, this guy who's just like broke into the procession.

[00:36:56] David: It's okay. Having said what you just said, there's apartment. I went to the cheeky Lee asks. So what do you think the punchline of this story is? Because I have, I have this, I have this little moment, which I think is profound in this story, but I, my suspicion is you've seen it in that and have deeper thoughts on it than me.

What do you think the punchline of the story is? 

[00:37:14] John: Well, well, for me, the ultimate punchline of the story is contained for us in verse 15. And it says this the dead man set up and began to talk. And my goodness, I'd love for Dr. Luke to have just included what he said. That would be nice to hear what the boy had to say there. Would we get enough of the boat that because that's not the.

And that's who Dr. Luke's almost rushing past this who goes, ah, the dead man sat up and began to talk and then it says, and Jesus, give him back to her. But that's it for me, that is the $64 million moment. Okay. So, so that's what this whole thing is about. And it makes total sense. He saw her and having seen him.

He had compassion for her. He says to her don't cry. He goes over. He resists this boy from the dead and he says, no, you are a mother. You can have your son back. And now you're okay. And that's the punchline for me, David. He wasn't raising the young man because he was dead. He was raising the young man because she was dead.

[00:38:27] David: Yeah. Yeah. 

[00:38:27] John: That's the punchline. And, and I think even the modern church, we and we're both from a sort of a Pentecostal background. Sometimes we get enamored with the power of the miracles. We, we almost get intoxicated by the miracle as an end in itself, but, but Jesus. Rarely heals as an end in itself. There's something else going on.

And in this instance, for sure, for absolute certain, this is a miracle that is 100% not about the dead boy for the boat, the destitute woman. And I think that's the punch line here. I think that's what Jesus is doing this for. He's doing this for her. I don't know if that is though, but I love it. I'm hanging on to that is the punchline.

Even if someone tells me it's not

[00:39:25] David: And I, I thoroughly agree with you. That was that, that is exactly what I think that this remarkable sense that we get drawn towards the boy, and that is actually misleading for a couple of reasons. What do we think about miracles? I have. And I'm sure people have been asked this question at some time or wondered about it.

What is the catalyst behind the miracle? And people will often say, particularly if your roots are in charismatic, Pentecostal things. Well, you've got to have faith to have miracles, but of course, dead people don't have. Faith. And so then that front side, there's a little less than that.

The only person that seems to believe anything in this story is Jesus. Everybody else is taken aback that this has even happened, but I love what you're saying there, John and I so agree with it that that what we're dealing with here is that Jesus doesn't raise the debt, man. Because he's sad for the dead man.

This is actually a miracle for the mother. it's, almost the healing of the widow from name. Cause he, he raises the dead man. Not because. The sun is dead, but because the mom is destitute and, and it's quite I don't know if the boy needs to see some therapy about his role in it afterwards, but I was raised from the dead, not, not anything to do with me at all, but, but this woman has twice lost her protector and Jesus is his, just his care for the vulnerable is such that this just can't happen.

[00:40:59] John: it's, it's magnificent. And of course, a little we're given the reaction of the crowed. They were all filled with NIV translates it all, but strictly fearful boss, there is, there is this sort of the idea on Prius gore. A great prophet as a peer to a sort of visit at us. We don't actually get any comment about the reaction of the one.

But this must be a, just a truly or inspiring moment. One minute, she is looking down the barrel of a gun and the next minute she is holding her son who is alive. It's just, there are moments where I read the gospels and I, I think if I had a time mission. Okay. I think that's a story I'd knit back to.

There's some stuff I probably wouldn't want to revisit to be honest, but, but there's a whole bunch of, and this is one of those stories because I think there's a whole bunch of things on unsaid. And I think the crowd's probably going crazy over the fact the boy is alive and Jesus is probably just looking straight into the face of this woman as she is.

It's overcome with, with tears of joy that replacing the tears of grief. So it is a dramatic, magnificent, beautiful miracle. Of course, one of the, one of the three miracles of Jesus raising people from the dead. And actually, if you do a little compare and contrast of each of the three Lazarus the little daughter of Jarris, which we've, we've already touched on what a gorgeous story.

And of course this one, You have Jesus speaking to them, Lazarus come out, come forth. He says to the jars little girl, little girl get up. And then he says to this boy speaks to him and tells him to young man, get up. And, and, and again, leaning back into that Lord thing. Here is Jesus. Now.

He's demonstrated authority over the elements. He will demonstrate authority over facial and bred. And I, he is demonstrating as the Centurion recognized authority over the ultimate enemy. As far as humans are concerned, and that is death. The young man get up. 

[00:43:26] David: Hm. 

[00:43:27] John: On it. And again, I think if you put those three resurrection miracles together, I think there's something powerful being commuted about the Lordship of Jesus and his authority over death itself, even pre, cross and resurrection.

[00:43:44] David: Yeah.

I love that. And cause, cause then you think of those there's lines just at the end, at the end of loop, where. They, they, they, they come to Jesus he's too. And You get that question, don't you? And it's like, pastors have preached it so many times, but it's still one of the great questions, when, when the women come and they find these two men outside, the two of Jesus.

And there's just that question, but why do you look for the living among the dead? And then you may be then realize, actually Luke has been leading us on a path of resurrection throughout this whole gospel to the point that there, that the question. Angels to the women is one off book. Why are you even surprised by the story? 

[00:44:32] John: Yes. Beautiful, beautiful stuff. What a miracle? What a moment? What a message. Absolutely.

All right. So that's our episode for today. The second text for this week, we'll release on Thursday. If you want to get in touch with either of us about something we said, you can reach out to us on podcast@twotexts.com. Or by liking and following the two texts podcast on Facebook, Instagram. Twitter and YouTube. If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love it. If you left a review on your podcast app or on one of our social media sites, and if you really enjoy this episode, Then, please share it with a friend. Don't forget, you can listen to all of our previous episodes@wwwdottwotexts.com or wherever you get your podcasts. But that is it for today's episode. We'll be back on Thursday, but until then, 

Goodbye.