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Sunday, February 9, 2014

Bible Verse Sunday #62, Snow, and the People of Gotham City

Today's verse on Bible Verse Sunday is Matthew 5:17:

“'Do not think that I [Jesus] have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

The ESV Study Bible has this to say on the verse:

"abolish the Law or the Prophets. The "Law" or "Torah" refers to the first five books of the OT, while the Prophets includes the rest of the OT, all of which was held to have been written by prophets (cf. Matt. 13:35, which cites Ps. 78:2; on "Law [and the] Prophets," cf. Matt. 7:12; 11:13; 22:40; Rom. 3:21). but to fulfill them. Jesus "fulfills" all of the OT in that it all points to him, not only in its specific predictions of a Messiah but also in its sacrificial system, which looked forward to his great sacrifice of himself, in many events in the history of Israel which foreshadowed his life as God's true Son, in the laws which only he perfectly obeyed, and in the Wisdom Literature, which sets forth a behavioral pattern that in life exemplified (cf. Matt. 2:15; 11:13; 12:3-6, 39-41, 42; also Luke 24:27). Jesus' gospel of the kingdom does not replace the OT but rather fulfills it as Jesus' life and ministry, coupled with his interpretation, complete and clarify God's intent and meaning in the entire OT."

Today in the main service, the pastor's sermon continued the series in the book of Romans, discussing how our relationship with Christ affects us, and how we should not be ashamed of it. In the High School service, the youth pastor also continued in his own series on the book of Romans, teaching that we are to be messengers of God's word, and that messengers must do and speak, among other things.

Also of note today is the new fallen snow which appeared yesterday evening in Renton and adjoining neighborhoods. I think other snow fell some time previously this year, perhaps even last December, but I'm not entirely sure. Anyhow, I understand that while I was stuck down at the shop getting some work done, my dear siblings were sledding on our hill. Good for them. I hope there's still enough snow (or more of it later) so that I can go sledding later. That would be fun. 

I always like the feel of newly fallen snow. It makes everything so fresh and clean. In the DC Comics universe, however, Commissioner Gordon noted in Batman: The Black Mirror that visitors to Gotham City are always advised to visit in the winter. The reason? Gordon concluded that the snow disguises Gotham's true nature, hides its evil ugliness. Personally, I think that the idea of a city having any intrinsic ugliness (aside from the ostentatious and hideous art deco nightmares found in the Burton/Schumaker films) is bunk. It's people which make up a city that determine its nature, not the bricks and mortar. People like Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Alfred Pennyworth, Leslie Thompkins, Aaron Cash, Brian Bryan, and Jean-Paul Valley. This is equally true of people like Carmine Falcone, Sal Maroni, Rupert Thorne, The Joker, Harvey Dent, Edward Nashton, Roman Sionis, and the rest. It's people who are good or bad, not the area within the city limits. Gotham itself isn't bad. It's its leaders and populace that make it what it is. I wish certain comic book writers would understand that.

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