Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Luke 20 -- a paradox

A paradox lies at the heart of the Christian faith. We adore One who is simultaneously divine and human. Imagine programming a Sim City computer game -- but this one is filled with self-aware Sims.

Now, imagine programming your own self-aware avatar[1] to enter that simulated world, and participate in it. Let's look at today's mind-bending Scripture portion.:
Luk 20:41 İsa onlara şöyle dedi: "Nasıl oluyor da, 'Mesih Davut'un Oğlu'dur' diyorlar?
Luk 20:42,43 Çünkü Davut'un kendisi Mezmurlar Kitabı'nda şöyle diyor: Rab Rabbim'e dedi ki, Ben düşmanlarını Ayaklarının altına serinceye dek Sağımda otur.'
Luk 20:44 Davut O'ndan 'Rab' diye söz ettiğine göre, O nasıl Davut'un Oğlu olur?"
How could the Messiah the people of Israel looked forward to be simultaneously descended from David, and David's pre-existing Lord? Anyone who claims to understand this paradox is lying -- to himself, at least. Those who rejoice in and embrace this paradox have found the key to transcendent, eternal life -- embodied in the Transcendent One who became Immanent -- God with us -- Emmanuel.

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[1] avatar is a Sanskrit word that originally referred to the embodied form of one of their deities. This word is now more popularly used to denote the image one chooses to represent himself in a virtual (computerized) "world."

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