Fools

Why did Jesus and others call people foolish, when Jesus taught us not to? Let’s ask:

1. Are they the same words in Greek? No! Matthew 5:22 actually uses two words translated as “fool.” The first is raca (ῥακά), meaning empty and foolish, “good-for-nothing” (NASB) and “idiot” (CEB, MSG, NLT). The second is from móros (μωρός), meaning stupid, foolish, and “worthless” (CEV). Jesus condemned such words and the anger behind them.

2. Did Jesus and others also use other words? Yes! When they called people fools or foolish, they used different words. Our translations make it look contradictory.

3. One such word is aphrón (ἄφρων). What does it mean? Though often translated as foolish or fool, it is a different word than that condemned by Jesus. It means without reason and lacking perspective. It describes a lack of good logic (Luke 11:40; Luke 12:20; Romans 2:20; 1 Corinthians 15:36; 2 Corinthians 11:19; Ephesians 5:17; 1 Peter 2:15). Jesus challenged us to a thinking faith.

4. Another word is anoétos (ἀνόητος). What does it mean? Also translated as fool or foolish it also means not understanding and not reasoning though a matter with proper logic. It is found in passages that challenge a person’s thinking (Luke 24:25; Galatians 3:1; Galatians 3:3). Faith is built upon good logic, proper reasoning.

5. What did Jesus mean in context (Matthew 5:21-26)? Jesus was speaking about unrighteous anger, and the spirit of the commandment against murder. Righteous anger hates sin because it hurts people. Unrighteous anger hates people and devalues human life. The spirit of the law is violated by that anger and the words used expose it.

Heathen Believers

Let’s look at the failure of many believers and the faith of novices in Matthew 2:1-12. The kingdom of God, while not of this world, was understood as a political threat by the disciples, Jewish leaders and the Romans. Magi were influential learned men of Babylon, priests, physicians, alchemists and probably heathen. They came to worship Jesus. Herod and many Jews did not. They either ignored or felt threatened by the birth of the Christ child. If leaders of a pagan religion offered great honor to Christ, how much more ought we Christians!

Senior Saints and the Christ Child

We read the examples of elderly Simeon and Anna in Luke 2:22-40. History records that Simeon may have helped translate the Greek version of the Old Testament often quoted in the New Testament. Yet the most important thing about his life is that Simeon was the kind of senior who had lived a "just and devout" life, the kind of man who we should all learn from. Anna devoted many decades of her life to the service of God in the Temple. She seems to be a model of the expectations of a widow in I Timothy 5:5-9.

Xmas is NOT Antichristian

Have you seen or heard the annual cry against X-ing Christ out of Christmas? Yes, that's what some claim that the word Xmas does. But, is it really true? No, it's not. X is often the Greek equivalent of "Ch" in English. In Greek, Christ is spelled χριστός. Notice the first letter (called "chi" in Greek) looks like an X in the English alphabet. Ancient Christians used Greek "X" as an abbreviation for Christ, and "θ" (the Greek letter "theta") as an abbreviation for God. So, Xmas does not X Christ out of Christmas. He is still very much a part of the abbreviation Xmas. And THAT is the truth of it.

Born from Above

John 3:3-4 Born “again” also means born “from above,” from heaven, regeneration. According to the Opportunity Index, those born poor are less likely to have earthly opportunities. Everyone has better opportunities in God than anything on earth. To be born from heaven above is to belong to heaven, a child of God. Nicodemus heard “born again” instead of “born from above,” a physical understanding not a spiritual meaning. Early Christians focused on literal circumcision, not circumcision of the heart (Romans 2:29). Even in old age like Nicodemus, life in Christ is new. We have every reason to live with youthful joy.