Tag: Simon

  • For you will always have the poor – 4

    ἀλάβαστρον – alabastron The alabaster receptacle of the anointing oil To understand why Jesus would say, “the poor are with you always,” we must understand anointing as commonly understood in the culture of the day. People traveled to and from homes with no running water mostly by foot and anointing is often associated with washing or cleansing. Jesus instructs…

  • For you will always have the poor

    Why mention the poor? Once again, Jesus makes what appears to be an offhand remark about the poor. Jesus often criticized the leaders of Temple and Pharisees for their treatment of the poor; doesn’t this remark catch you off guard? It would be easy enough to lose the context of Jesus’ apparent ambivalence toward the…

  • A Word to the Cunning – 3

    God’s plans change hearts We have been examining the wisdom of Proverbs and advice to the cunning. An evil man or woman has two choices: continue in cunning evil or turn to the wisdom of the Lord. One such repentant man was Simon the magician. Several men and women never turn back to the Lord.…