The Time of Jesus' Baptism

 You have to love Luke's chronology in this Sunday's reading from Luke 3:1-6,

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the Lord,

   make his paths straight.

 Every valley shall be filled,

   and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight,

 and the rough ways made smooth;

 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Luke clues us in as to the time when Jesus was baptized by his references to the rulers of the period. There is a margin of error as noted at Time.Graphics,

Tiberius became sole emperor on the death of his adoptive father, Augustus, on 19th August AD 14. However, it is a well- known fact that he had become co-regent with his ailing father two years earlier in AD 12. In that year, he was made supreme military commander over Caesar's armies and prov- inces. Ancient coins from Antioch dated AD 12 display the head of Tiberius and documents attest to his reign being fully in force from that time. Thus, his inauguration in AD 14 as emperor was only a formalisation of a that had begun two years earlier. Therefore, the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius would make it AD 26-27 correlating with the start of Christ's ministry and supporting the AD 30 date as the most likely date of his crucifixion. 

Thank you St. Luke. 

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Cancelling Messiah

I thought I had seen it all when reruns of Gilligan's Island had trigger warnings before each episode, but now Handel's Messiah is the latest thing to require trigger warnings.

From Faithwire,

A school in Finland has cancelled a concert of Handel’s “Messiah” performed by the Finnish Baroque Orchestra and the Helsinki Chamber Choir over concerns the recital’s Christian themes might offend some students.

Officials with the school hosting the concert in question made the decision after learning about a case in Hämeenlinna, a Finnish city, where a child objected to songs about the life of Jesus performed at an undisclosed school. Ultimately, the National Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal decided the non-Christian pupils should be compensated 1,500 euros (or $1,562) for their offense, local outlets reported.

However, on Nov. 19, the city’s Education and Welfare Committee voted 6-5 no payment was due to the offended school students.

The show in Hämeenlinna was one of three performances based on faith-filled themes. The first recital was held in 2022, with subsequent recitals in 2023 and 2024. At least one non-religious student watching the 2022 show was purportedly offended.

If one is "non-religious", how can one be offended? 

Finnish news outlet Helsingin Sanomat reported the “religiosity of the concert was not announced in advance, but [the school] apologized after the concert.” It was only the first show accused of being “discriminatory.”

The title "Messiah" was not enough of an announcement of the religiosity of the concert? 

A hymn was removed from the second performance in 2023 and some apparently voiced concerns about a parish choir at the third event.

“The board also found that the educational institution had neglected its obligation to promote equality,” Helsingin Sanomat reported of the choir singing at the performance. “It held this view, inter alia, because the educational institution did not inform that the choir’s performance had been organized jointly with the congregation.”

I guess they should have invited an Imam to do prayer calls, a Rabbi to sing psalms, and a Hindu priest  to conduct a pujā.

Given the experience in Hämeenlinna, the organizers of the yet-to-be performed concert cancelled the event, citing issues with the religious overtones in the music.

"Overtones"? Once again, the title is "Messiah." 

Oh Finland, Finland, where Messiah is cancelled.

Signs of Things to Come

 This Sunday's reading is from Luke 21:25-36,

‘There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in a cloud” with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’

 Then he told them a parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

 ‘Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.’

The Sun is at its "solar max", but that happens every 11 years. The Moon is getting ready for the next manned moon mission, and tropical storm season just ended. 

Jesus must be talking about signs far greater than these.

This is not something to lose sleep over.

Rather, lose sleep over what will become of your soul when you die if you don't listen to Jesus in this and in all the rest of things and follow him.

Giving Thanks

 Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving. Pewsterspouse and I are going to drive through the flood ravaged mountains of North Carolina to join up with the Pewsterinlaws and their families. We are thankful that so many will be there in spite of all of the aging and health issues present in that clan. 

As for my side, I shall remember those who have gone before, and those who are far away. 

And I shall not forget my Mayflower ancestors, without whom we would not be here or making this trip.

So who should we thank?

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit of course.

Onward ho!

Pilate's Choice

 This Sunday's reading is from John 18:33-37 contains the following exchange between Jesus and Pilate,

 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?’ Pilate replied, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate asked him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.’

 Pilate must have been irked by this type of answer. He was probably not used to such talk from a prisoner. At this point he asked the famous question (not included in today's reading), 

Verse 38: Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

Pilate at this point had to decide guilt or innocence  (also not included in today's reading),

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.

 In the end, Pilate chose to let a mob decide Jesus' fate,

But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

Pilate's choice to please the mob over his own verdict is a lesson we and our leaders should take to heart.  

 

The Ultimate Result of "Hate Speech" Laws

I have never been a fan of "Hate Crime" legislation. When one person murders another, a crime has been committed. Why tack on a subjective judgement such as whether or not the crime was done with hateful intent? Where will such accusations eventually take us? 

The answer my friends can be found in the following report from across the Atlantic in The Times, 

 Children are among thousands of people being investigated by police for non-crime hate incidents, The Times can reveal.

Police forces recorded incidents against a nine-year-old who called a primary school classmate a “retard” and against two secondary school girls who said that another pupil smelt “like fish”.

Every kid in my school got called that and worse when I was in K-12 Episcopal schools.   

They were among several cases of children being logged as having committed non-crime hate incidents (NCHIs), according to freedom of information requests to police forces.

Government guidance says that NCHIs are supposed to be recorded for incidents “clearly motivated by intentional hostility” and where there is a real risk of escalation “causing significant harm or a criminal offence”. Classroom incidents that do not amount to crimes are not supposed to be recorded, and neither are incidents involving journalists expressing lawfully held views with no hostility.

However, The Times has found evidence of widespread confusion among police over what types of incident should be recorded.

No 10 said that the Home Office would review its guidance to protect “the fundamental right to free speech” after the journalist Allison Pearson claimed she was being investigated over an NCHI. Essex police say this is inaccurate and have defended their handling of the case.

However, data collected by The Times shows the recording of NCHIs is widespread. More than 13,200 hate incidents were recorded in the 12 months to June this year, according to statistics from 45 of Britain’s 48 police forces.

Critics have asked whether the recording of non-crime hate incidents is an appropriate use of police resources, particularly in cases involving children...

...Lord Macdonald of River Glaven, a former director of public prosecutions added: “Five years down the line, when they apply for a job, they might not get it. And that might be as a result of a so-called non-crime hate incident recorded against their name that was entirely baseless, entirely motivated by spite or misunderstanding or whatever.

“I mean, the idea that the police are recording the name of a child because that child has described another child as smelling like a fish is just beyond belief.”

Yep, this is where all "hate" legislation eventually leads.

Words of Warning

This Sunday's reading is Mark 13:1-8,

As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’ Then Jesus asked him, ‘Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.’

 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?’ Then Jesus began to say to them, ‘Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

The Temple was thrown down, and the birth pangs of the early Church were dreadful. 

Wars and famines keep coming and going.

Being led astray happens all the time. A good defense against false shepherds, prophets, teachings, interpretations, and denominations is to build biblical literacy, and to engage in Bible study with other orthodox Christians.