2247AFC111822 – Biblical Four-Letter Words
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Luke 23:42-43 – 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in* Paradise.” * εἰς (eis) {ice} into, in, unto, to, upon, towards, for, among properly penetrating or entering into an open place; inside of.
Colossians 1:15-16 – 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers — all things have been created through him and for him.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (See Galatians 1:3-5) This coming Sunday marks the end of liturgical year C and the end of my 75th year on Earth. November 27, 2022 marks the beginning of the Season of Advent. The proper liturgical name for this Sunday is The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. A Solemnity is the highest-ranking celebration of a particular mystery of faith. Some examples are Christmas, Epiphany, Holy Trinity, Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, and so on. This weekend’s Solemnity in this cycle focuses on the Kingship of Jesus. It is paired with the Old Testament reading describing the third anointing of King David.
You may recall that in 1 Samuel 16:13, Samuel anointed David prophetically to be the King of Israel because King Saul had been rejected by God. Next, in 2 Samuel 2:4-7, the men of Judah anointed David King of the House of Judah. Then, after and extend wait, we read in 2 Samuel 5:1-5 that “all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.” Jesus was also crowned as King of the Jews, but his crown was a crown of thorns. Despite Satan’s glee over the death of Jesus, when Jesus was resurrected, he reclaimed his Crown of Glory which he had in Heaven with his Father before his 
Incarnation. In the New Testament, we hear Jesus called “Son of David.” We know from The Apostle Matthew’s account of Jesus’ genealogy that his lineage was traced back to King David. None of that, however, kept him from willingly giving up his life as a ransom – redemption, payoff, release, deliverance – of all earthlings for the wages of sin. He was obedient to his father, obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Please see Philippians 2:5-15 which is considered by many to be an ancient Christian hymn. (↔ Music Link) Often called the kenotic (meaning emptying) hymn, the first half describes Christ as humbly emptying himself of his Divinity to become as human as Adam before his fall, and the second half describes the actions of God who exalted him above all others thereby restoring humanity’s access to the Presence of God.
In today’s Key Verse, we have a “quick peek” into the effect of that restoration. First we can see that Jesus knows what is coming – his death, his time in Sheol, his Resurrection – and ultimately – his reunion with his Father, his Apostles, and the penitent criminal dying next to him. We don’t actually know his name, but he is referred to as “St. Dismas” (or Δυσμάς) Dysmas which means “to the west where the sun sets,” a reference to death). When Jesus said, “You will be with me in Paradise,” that’s where the title of this lesson arose, and why I showed you the Greek word used there. It is easily translated in that context as “into.” Into is one of those four letter words that we see very often in Scripture. Let’s make a short list of a few other four-letter words found in Scripture:
We begin, of course, with Love, for God is Love and is the Beginning of All that IS. Then we have the main Key Verse word for this set of readings – King – followed by hate, dead, live (as alive) and live (as in living), Lord, give, holy, amen, good, evil, fear, hope, book, help, star, days, when, with, come, neck, fell, fall, this, (↔ Learning Link) bend, and into. Every single one of those is used in common speech, but when they are used in Scripture, they become uncommon because they are uttered by, for, or about God. It is illuminating and edifying for us to understand how Israel got a King in the first place. It came about because of poor management by the sons of Eli and Samuel. First, Eli appointed two sons named Hophni and Phineas to the Temple as Priests. They profoundly abused their privileges as they showed contempt for the offerings to God by misusing them outside the rules for Levites. They also were having “relations” with women who “served” at the entrance of the tent of meeting. The Lord disposed of them in a battle with the Philistines when Eli’s sons were killed in the battle. When a soldier delivered the news to Eli, he was so alarmed he fell backwards off a chair and broke his neck.
Samuel was the next Judge (↔ Learning Link → Please open it to help clear up misconceptions about this title.) and, although he was the one who anointed David to be King, his two sons – Joel and Abijah – were appointed by their father to be Judges over Israel. (See 1 Samuel 8) They “took bribes and perverted justice” God had chosen Samuel to be a Judge but Israel rejected him. They wanted a king like the other nations. Samuel asked God about that and God basically told him, “They have rejected ME as their King, so let them have what they want and they will see that they have chosen wrongly.” You know the rest of the story. Saul was the first mashiach (המשיח, messiah), a title held by all the Kings of Israel whether good or evil. The penultimate King is and will be Jesus until The Day of Reward. On that day, the ultimate King – God-as-Creator – will return to be the Ultimate King of All Creation as he is, and was, and shall be always and all ways.
Jesus the Christ is God personified and visible as human. In our second Key Verse, The Apostle Paul describes this relationship. He is the firstborn of all Creation, and the firstborn of the dead. Eve and Adam – and after them all of us – were created in the image and likeness of God (See Genesis 1:27). We read in John 1:18 – 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known. Jesus shares this new relationship with us through Baptism by which we become the children of God: John 1:12-13 – 12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. The Apostle Paul addresses a grievous error exposed in the church at Colossae. They had warped the teachings of The Way to include a heavy dose of Greek philosophy by believing that all matter was evil and so they had proposed a chain of beings between Earth and Heaven, each growing holier and more spiritual. He names some of the Choirs of Angels (↔ Learning Link) to jolt them into understanding that in all things, Christ is preeminent (↔ Learning Link) and all-sufficient (El Shaddai). Therefore there is no need for this chain of beings for Christ alone is sufficient, the sole mediator between God and all Creation. (See 1 Timothy 2:5-7) He is the Earthly manifestation of his Father as fully human, and the heavenly manifestation of restored humanity as fully divine. Nothing or no one can replace him for he is the refulgence of God’s Glory and Grace. (Please read Hebrews 1:3-5 for an inspiring description)
In the Gospel passage for this Sunday’s Solemnity, just a few lines up the page from our first Key Verse, we read in Luke 23:35-38 – 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” Pontius Pilot saw Jesus more as a threat to his own power in part because he suspected Jesus was a King and therefore a rival to him and to Tiberius Caesar. Every time I hear this passage I am reminded of Psalm 22 (↔ Learning Link), the prophetic Psalm that makes my heart shudder because I know he suffered like that for my sake. Yet I also know that Psalm 22 ends with praises of and for God the Father. Jesus knew he would be reigning with God the Father as King of the Universe.
But, something else happened – two other four-letter words – that changed everything. Jesus ROSE from the DEAD. He had told his Apostles in advance all that would happen to him. Right after the account of Jesus meeting two men on the road to Emaus, he appeared to the Apostles in the Cenacle where they were hiding “for fear of the Jews. They were so astonished by his presence that they again thought (↔ Click Link) they were seeing a ghost: Luke 24:44 – 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” (Please use the link to see this in its glorious context.)
It is an incredible view to look back over all the Scriptures and see the Pure Truths God has given us: God is the Supreme King of the Universe. We are created in his image and likeness, through Faith, and not by works, we are justified in Christ Jesus so that – like him – we are gifted the roles of Priest, Prophet, and King. God is Lord of all, (↔ Music Link) and ultimately all will be subject to him and glorify him when Christ himself submits 
all who are in him to his Father and then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all. See 1 Corinthians 15:23-28 for the full context. Really, really, do it, please) If you haven’t the time to do that, please do read Roman 8:28 – 28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. Brothers and Sisters, THAT is the APP summed up in 21 words and especially four-letter words – know, work, good, Love.
Do we see the continuity that makes all of history ↔ HIS STORY? Belovéd, God – our Triune King and Creator – has planned that “All things work together for good?” (↔ Music Link). Now we also know why we can see and believe that promise in Jeremiah 29:11 – 11 For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. Jesus knew and believed that even as he was dying. He knew that he was headed for Paradise, and that he would meet Dysmas there because he remembered (↔ Music Link) him when they went into his Kingdom. Take out your M.A.P. We’re following the path Dysmas took, for in Christ alone (↔ Music Link) we have access to what El Shaddai created for those whom he loves – Paradise in the New Heavens and the New Earth. Let’s not skip over the four-letter words God has given us for Worshipping him. God watches over every word to see to it that his Word has the effect he intends. Let’s not skip over them but, instead, cherish all his words in our hearts that we might not sin against him. (See Psalm, 119:11 in many translations)
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever —
at your service, Belovéd!
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Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture passages are from the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Biblical languages inserts from Bible Hub (Bible Hub: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages) Visit at http://biblehub.com
Aloha Friday Messages by Charles O. Todd, III is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License
