Scripture On Matthew 3 Essay, Research Paper
In Bruegemann s The Bible makes Sense chapter five deals with 3 characteristics of God that make the future bright and instill hope for believers. The 3 characteristics say God is a Freedom giver, an Exile-ender and Home-bringer, and a Life-Bringer. All three of these characteristics are seen all throughout the Bible and two specific examples are Mark 5:1-20 and Ephesians 2:11-22. Both passages bring out examples of these characteristics.
First Mark 5:1-20, tells us a story of Jesus saving a gerasene Demoniac. In this story a man who seems possessed by demons, who seems to be a terror to the town having nothing but problems for the people is saved and set free by God. This story alone shows how God is a Freedom-giver, an Exile-ender and Home-bringer, and a Life-bringer. God is a freedom giver by setting this man free of his evil spirit and ending the evil spirits around this man causing him the great conflicts. The exile-bringer and home-bringer issue is displayed a great deal, for now this man is able to return to his people as a normal person no longer being looked down upon and out cast in society. And last a life-bringer by turning this negative man and situation into a positive one where he is able to return to the town and bring praise upon god and amaze everybody by what God has done for him.
Second, in Ephesians 2:11-22 this story shows how God is caring and compassionate and able to give hope to people no matter who or what they believed in before. The book first uses circumcision to separate the people but then shows God bringing them together making them no longer strangers and aliens, but citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. This shows God being a freedom-giver giving hope to the people showing his history of compassion and power. This passage also shows God as a home bringer and exile ender in bringing these two different sets of people together as one. Making no on feel left out making a place for everyone to stay under the watch of God.
Today in society one thing that can be drawn parallel to the passage in Ephesians is battle going on between the Muslims and the Jews over what id rightfully theirs. Both are battling over land they feel is obligated to them. God must be an exile-ender and home bringer and lead these people to form as one and decide how the matter can be handled.