Monday, May 12, 2008

Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in a single house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move from here!' and it will move." (48 Thomas)

In the synoptic parallels the precondition for this amazing power is faith in God, here it is peace with each other.

If Jesus said anything close to this it would have been said in Aramaic. If so he almost certainly would have spoken of shalowm in what is translated above as peace.

While speaking Aramaic Jesus was probably thinking in terms of the Hebrew notion of שַׁלֵּם or shalam. This is to make whole, to complete, to finish and to fulfill.

We cannot be fulfilled outside of relationship with God. In relationship with God we recognize the divine nature of one another. We are made whole in relationship with God and one another.

In and through these relationships we are invited and enabled to join as co-creators of God's intention.

The synoptic parallels are Mark 11:20-25, Matthew 21:18-22, and Luke 17:5-6.

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