NT – Luke 20:1-26
Roman architecture is a marvel. There are buildings that still stand, on major fault lines and volcanic islands 2000+ years later. Here in America, we have none of that. I spent 6 weeks in England as a 16 year old and there were the Roman ruins and then Victorian architecture. Nothing in between.
Why was Roman building so incredible?
The true secrets are the arch and concrete. Romans learned to build an arch rather than post and lintel which allowed them to greatly expand the height and weight the buildings could stand. This weight allowance created the ability to make aqueducts and sewers which allowed the great cities of the Mediterranean to be built, and maintained. Without a water source and a way to remove waste, cities are not possible for any length of time.
Here is a Yale professor with her introductory session on Roman architecture. I learned a lot but it is long. Click here if the Video does not appear in your email.
In our scripture today, Jesus compares himself to the Cornerstone.
What exactly does the cornerstone do? The cornerstone is the ultimate, finishing stone that holds the tension for both sides of the arch.
Why would Jesus compare himself to a cornerstone, and one that is devised by a stone that the interior construction was rejected? The rough cut, often fractured and less than stone, that made up the interior was ugly, weak without the concrete, and dependent on other stones for its rigidity Interior stones are covered with a brick or marble veneer and could be very bad indeed. If a stone was rejected for this, where it wouldn’t even be seen, it must have been bad. And then to be chosen for the Cornerstone, an upside down construction indeed. Another upside down kingdom vision and one that his audience at the time would have easily connected to. The rejection of Jesus came at the hands of the Pharisees, supposedly the great builders of the Jewish law and faith. It brings you to think what the two sides of the 'arch' that Jesus is holding in tension are? Jews and Gentiles?
As an aside, different translations say cornerstone, capstone (which is the top finishing stones of a wall), best stone. I learned this verse as Keystone which is the finishing stone of an arch. I think Jesus meant a very important stone indeed whether it was finishing or the tension point.
OT – Joshua 21:1-22:20
My only comment about this section of Joshua is how long it has taken for someone to be rebellious against God. Joshua must have been a better one to keep the children of Israel firm than Moses!!
Blessings to you and yours.
Sis, your post questions whether Joshua was a better leader than Moses because of how long it took the Isrealites to rebel against God. I believe that there are a couple of things to think about.
ReplyDelete1. Joshua had the advantage of fighting a series of wars. That may not seem like an advantage but in times of war people are just wired up to seek God. Remember a little over 10 years ago when the maniacs flew those planes into the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Church attendance of all religions soared. And there is there is the famous saying by Eisenhower, "There are no atheists in a foxhole." Battles and the hardships of war tend to make people seek God. So Joshua had a big advantage over Moses who fought only a few battles in 40 years. While Joshua fought about 40 battles in a few years.
2. Joshua was simply a better leader than Moses. Here is another important thing to remember. When the angel appears to Mary and Joseph, the angel tells them to name their son, Jesus - the Aramaic version of Joshua. God literally names the Savior of the World after Joshua. So why was Joshua a better leader? Because he was a better follower - of God that is. The lesson is simple but hard to do. To be a better of men one must be a better follower of God. That is why Jesus is named for Joshua. The ultimate leader of men, Jesus, was the ultimate follower of God.