Plutarch On Compassion

"To show kindness only to one's friends and benefactors is no proof of having acquired such self-control: the real test is for a man who has been wronged to be able to show compassion and moderation to the evil-doers."

Plutarch, Dion

Our First Christmas Bird

P. and I are making our first turkey together. Thanks to a great bird featured by friends Keke and Jade at Thanksgiving, we have been craving turkey ever since, hence our endeavor today. As an homage to Thanksgiving two years ago, we have decided to add a little something extra--beer--to the roasting process, specifically Beamish Stout. This year's recipe is an adaptation of one of Alton Brown's.

UPDATE

We are about 45 minutes into the roasting. Our aromatic mixture of Beamish Stout, apples, onions, cinnamon, rosemary, and sage are sizzling happily inside. We've rubbed down the outside with olive oil and have sprinkled it with sea salt and italian spices (and extra Beamish). 

Mark's Date

Good discussions on the dating of Mark at NT Gateway (post-70) and Earliest Christian History (pre-70) below.  Critical to the debate is the relative merit of invoking narrative technique in positing a date for the penning of the work. For the posts, check here, here, here, and here.

Teixeira's Destination

UPDATE: Ouch, Mark Teixeira is headed to New York. Those pesky Yankees.

Will Mark Teixeira end up with the Red Sox, despite John Henry's assertion that the team is "not a factor" is negotiations for the star first baseman? I hope so, and Buster Olney thinks so. 

Plutarch on Iraq, er, Syracuse

"After such a long period of tyranny, the Syracusans were in the position of a man who tries at the end of a long illness to stand immediately on his feet, and so in attempting to act the part of a free people before they were ready for it, they stumbled in their efforts. At the same time they resented the attentions of Dion, who, like a good physician, tried to impose a strict and temperate course of treatment."

Plutarch, Dion

Philippians 2:12-13

With “wherefore” Paul returns from his reflection on Jesus to the Philippians and their responsibility in light of the gospel. Like Jesus obeyed the father, the Philippians are to obey Paul, who is Christ’s servant (1:1), whether he is present with them or is communicating with them through his emissaries or a letter. 

The command for the Philippians is “to work out your salvation in a manner of fear and trembling” (1:12). These terms connote serious and consequential activity. It is not Paul, of course, whom the Philippians are most to be concerned of, but God himself. They should pursue Christian living that is fitting to the gospel Paul has delivered, essentially for the sobering reason that “God is the one working in you to will and work on behalf of his good pleasure” (2:13). 

This is a striking reminder of God’s preeminent activity in the life of his people. One’s “partnership in the gospel” (1:5) is not to be taken lightly, for God stands behind such beginnings and his glory is the goal of its continuance and completion (cf. 1:6, 11).  This principle serves as a bridge between 2:1–4 and 2:14–18—by providing the grounds for Paul’s instructions in the former passage concerning like-mindedness and humility and for the latter passage, to which we turn next.

Niebuhr Considered

Joseph Loconte, in Books and Culture, reflects on Reinhold Niebuhr and the relevance of his political theology for our present time. Read the article here.

It's a Wonderful Life?

I love this personal perspective of It's a Wonderful Life given by Wendell Jamieson in the NY Times. He's able to capture many ironies the film holds out to today's viewers as well as the darkness that pervades the story, despite its sentimental trappings. Read the piece here.

Mohammad on Obama

I just stumbled across this post by Mohammad--at Iraq the Model--in the aftermath of the U.S. presidential election. A refreshing perspective.

Obama on Energy and the Environment

Obama looks uncomfortable--maybe he's tired. I've been watching the president-elect roll out his energy team. Concluding the presentation, Obama fielded a few questions, including one or two about the Blago scandal. Two observations:

(1) During the introduction to the Obama energy team and during each member's brief comments there existed this strange "we're going to save the world" feel. Completely understandable during the campaigning season, it seemed a bit strange--dare I say over the top?--here. Don't get me wrong, I think Obama's handled most things very well so far (I'm not sure McCain would have been so organized, for example). In the interest of practicality, though, I would expect the president-elect to start detailing smaller achievable goals, which he can then build on later. Instead I'm hearing Bush-like rhetoric applied to environmental goals. There is one expection.

(2) Obama is, not completely unsurprisingly, back-tracking from his initial insistence against off-shore drilling. At the press conference he notes that he, while campaigning, did allow for the possibility of off-shore drilling as long as it was part of a comprehensive strategy to rid ourselves of dependence upon foreign oil. Well, sort of. He arrived at this particular position only late in the game, after McCain (in my view) outmaneuvered the president-elect on this issue (even if it didn't make much difference in the long run). Initially he completely opposed lifting the ban on off-shore drilling. I am pleased he is showing himself to be practical with this issue, as he seems to be doing with foreign policy as well.

Meet Lucy

Philippians 2:9-11

Ok, back from that Facebook nonsense.

It should be remembered that when Paul turns to Jesus in 2:5–11 he is doing so in order to provide his readers with the ultimate model to imitate. (Of course, Jesus is more than just the model for, he is also the ground of kingdom living.) This point is important to remember for it helps explain why Paul emphasizes what he does. He wants the Church to be “like-minded” (2:2); regard “others as being more important than yourself” (2:3); to look “out for the concerns of others” (2:4). Jesus did all of these things. His obedience (2:8) proved his agreement with the Father; his humility in assuming human form and marching forward to a wretched death demonstrated his self-effacing and compassionate existence. God’s response to Jesus’ actions, then, is one of which Christians who walk in Jesus’ way can also expect to be similar recipients.

[Interestingly, Paul has presented his own sacrificial ministry in much the same terms he uses to describe Jesus’. In 1:23, it will be recalled, he expresses his desire “to depart and be with Christ”; however, he determines to “remain and continue with you all.” Of course Paul wasn’t, like Jesus was, equal to God, but the apostle does give up presence with the exalted Lord in order to minister to the Philippians. This is his act of obedience. And what is the result of it? Like Jesus’ service meant glory to God, Paul’s service causes the Philippians “to glory in Christ Jesus” (1:26). A very fascinating parallel!]

As a result of [“wherefore”] Jesus’ obedience unto death, God exalted him. This is a reminder that God’s ways are so different from the ways that define our ordinary existence in society. Typically, we are only rewarded when we assert ourselves and push our way to the top, whatever the consequences to bystanders, and we long to imitate those who embody this lifestyle. Jesus, though, does not exalt himself but is exalted by the Father; it happens, moreover, only when he submits in humility.

Along with exalting him [progression] God gave him a name that is preeminent. He blessed him with authority—the same authority he had willingly given up in the incarnation. What a turn of events! But the authority vested in his name has the aim [purpose clause, “in order”] that all beings everywhere submit themselves in worship of and acknowledgment that Jesus is Lord. Interestingly, this picture depicts the very like-mindedness among God’s creatures that Paul wishes for his Church at Philippi to possess. Fixation on Christ is the only way to accomplish like-mindedness among God’s people. For, after all, it is God’s will. This we see in the result that flows forth from praise of Jesus.

The end of acknowledgment and reverence of Jesus is that “glory is given to God the Father” (2:11). This is not only the result but it is also the purpose of God’s investing Jesus with such authority. We are not merely expressing praise to Jesus who died for us but we are also worshiping the Father who gave us existence and orchestrated our salvation. Our salvation will also one day culminate in exaltation, but that is for God to accomplish; it remains for us to wait upon him in a humble and sacrificial love of one another as Jesus did.