Psalm / T'hillim 22 says absolutely nothing about anyone being stripped -- let alone stripped in front of staring men. Lines 18-19 (17-18 in Christian translations) says "I tell about all my bones. They look and gloat over me. They share my garments among themselves and cast lots for my raiment." Do you see anything in the text about anyone being stripped? Do you see anything in the text about a naked person standing in front of staring men? Me neither. This psalm is about King David -- this is stated in the very first line of the poem. "For the conductor, on the ayeleth hashachar, a song of (about) David." Psalms are not prophecy, they are poems and songs written primarily by King David, and most are autobiographical. They are beautiful, and apply in many ways to all of us. They were sung in the Temple in olden times, and Jews today recite them daily. The Midrash (stories meant to make a moral point) tells us that when King David compiled the Psalms, he had in mind himself, every Jew, and every circumstance (Shochar Tov 18). It is the fact that Psalm / T'hillim 22 speaks of suffering, fear of enemies and trust in G-d is universal that it seems an obvious target for missionaries who wish to apply these universal emotions to Jesus. Luke 23:34-34 speaks of Jesus' clothes being divided by the Romans casting lots. This seems highly unlikely since we've also been told that Jesus was whipped to a bloody pulp: "he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified" Matthew 27:26 and Mark 15:15, 20 See also John 19:1. Why would the soldiers want to divide up these blood soaked garments? It makes no sense. . . But sense or no sense, Lines 18-19 (17-18 in Christian translations) says nothing about anyone being stripped naked and people staring at him. Yet again one must ask: how many people have been stripped naked and stared at? Have you ever seen pictures of the Jews in the Holocaust? The Nazis stripped them naked -- men and women -- and marched them into gas chambers to die a horrible death. Someone being stripped and stared at by others has applied to millions of human beings -- it is NOT a messianic prophecy, and it is not found in Lines 18-19 of this psalm which say: "I tell about all my bones. They look and gloat over me. They share my garments among themselves and cast lots for my raiment."
1 Comment
frank morris
12/25/2015 01:11:47 pm
This is very good, it really opens your eyes,
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