FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

extended mercy to the woman through forgiveness and added correction and direction by exhorting her to “ go and sin no more ."

When Jesus said: Matthew 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. ” He was clearly telling His followers to judge situations, and how to judge them by looking at the fruit. We ought to follow His instructions and judge not only the fruit of the ministry, but also the minister (Galatians 5:22, 23). This instruction comes directly after He famously said, “ Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. ” (Matthew 7:1, 2). In Luke He put it this way, “J udge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. ” (Luke 6:37, 38). Jesus is telling His listeners to take care of themselves first so they can judge clearly, also mercifully, because we all will be judged by God in the same fashion as we judge others. When he says, “ Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you .” He is using an Orientalism which would be clear to those living at the time, and even today in many places in the Middle East and Orient. This is referring to the way in which a vendor would measure out their items for sale in the street market, things such as rice, wheat, or salt. The items are sold by volume, not by weight. If you have ever opened a bag of chips to find it appears to be half empty, you will understand the disclaimer “sold by weight, not by volume, some settling may have occurred in shipping.”

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