I sure do like me some exclamation marks!! But as a writer, I'm supposed to keep a tight reign on my punctuation. You know... understand all the rules and follow them. And while a blog might allow for a bit more flexibility, if you want to be respected you should at least honor them (most of the time.) That being said, my leading sentence breaks all the rules. Because you are never supposed to use more than one exclamation mark. Which I kind of get, and kind of don't. I mean not everyone places the same value on that mark. So how do I know that they REALLY understand me? And maybe I do it just to get attention. But unfortunately, the exclamation marks come at the end of the sentence so most likely, unless the person re-reads the sentence they may have missed what was important in the message. So what if... instead of putting them at the end we placed them in front... at the beginning of what we felt was important for others to hear? Interestingly enough, I found a set of words for just that purpose that were used long ago. They come in a variety of translations and variations but they all mean the same thing. Jesus was known for speaking them and here is just a sample of the ways He would introduce a sentence with exclamation... Very truly I tell you, (NIV) I tell you the truth, (NLT) Truly, truly, I say to you, (ESV) Verily, verily, I say unto you, (KJB) I assure you, (HCSB) I can guarantee this truth, (NET) Most certainly, I tell you, (WEB) and even Most assuredly, I say to you, (NKJV) And for the longest time I just thought He was trying to convince people that He was telling the truth. When in fact He couldn't have lied even if He tried. He's God. He is truth. But when He began to speak on a topic that He knew the people needed to hear, He would say, Truly, Truly I say... And what I found out is that this word truly has a meaning other than just truth. It would seem that the root word for TRULY in Greek is translated: AMEN. Yep. You read that right. Just like we say at the end of the prayer. Amen. It's that same word. And they both mean the same thing... "so let it be." Of course it does depend somewhat on how and when it's used, like so many words and phrases we use in the english language. But when we see this phrase, truly, truly I say to you... it's spoken purpose was, like the exclamation mark, to get the attention of the crowd. So when we notice Jesus using it at the beginning of something He was teaching, it meant He was introducing a pivotal lesson; something of great importance that was essential for the listeners. It was said so they would lean in to hear, and to understand the whole of what He was teaching. Here is an example... Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. John 10:1-2 ESV Now this seems to be the beginning of the lesson Jesus taught about the good shepherd. And since He really wanted their attention, He threw in the verbal exclamation marks encouraging the crowd to lean in and really listen to what He was saying. But just because we find this at the beginning of a new chapter, does not mean, it was a new day, a new teaching, or even a new topic for Jesus. As a matter of fact, He is still standing before a crowd with the man He just healed of blindness and the Pharisees who judged him. Just because the Bible was sectioned into chapters and verses for our ease of reference and notation, does not mean life's action stopped and started based on the chapter headings. These are not like scenes of a play with curtains that come down and sets that change. This was real life, happening right before the eyes of the disciples. And some of them wrote it down. So now Jesus is still reeling from the problem He encountered with the Pharisees casting out a man who did nothing wrong, but just believe and receive his sight for the first time in his life. Yet they cast him from the synagogue because he stood up for Jesus. So Jesus throws in a few exclamation marks before He speaks, because He has something very important to say and He wants the attention of the people, the healed man, and the Pharisees. If you read my post from yesterday you may remember that Jesus said this man was born blind so that the works of God could be revealed in him. And it seems that this is more of that revelation. For this sets up a pivotal passage about Jesus being the good shepherd fulfilling the prophecy of Ezekiel 34. But rather than pointing one huge finger in their face and telling the Pharisees that they are a bunch of judgmental frauds, Jesus uses these Old Testament references of sheep and shepherds, gates and doors, thieves and robbers to speak the truth and reveal the works of God. Jesus is the door: If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. Jesus is the good Shepherd: The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. We are the sheep: And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. The Pharisees are the thieves and robbers, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way... These were men who made God's commandments into rules and rituals to be seen. They designed their own positions to their advantage, feeding themselves rather than feeding the flock. But Jesus did not grasp at pride, position or place higher than His sheep. In fact, He humbled Himself, even unto death. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:17-18 And these are the exclamation marks left behind by the Good Shepherd. Spoken first, revealed daily through compassion. Word of God train me today... To pay close attention when I see the exclamation marks, Truly, truly!! To not be deceived by thieves or robbers who do not come in the name of Jesus but climb in another way to snatch away my abundant life!
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January 2019
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