A pastor and fellow brother in Christ, who I am gradually getting to know, shared a copy of his notes with me. The narrative he crafted is exceptional, extracting the essence of several notions from the first century that significantly aid in understanding the Lord's actions— a common desire for all believers: to comprehend what God is doing, and why.
The central theme of his thesis is to illustrate that one of God's undertakings (carried out through Jesus) involves His attention, care, and compassion. However, I would like to propose that His profound and tender focus on us exists within a broader context. For instance, why does He show compassion? Is it solely because we are wounded and vulnerable, or is there more to it?
My intention in drafting this missive is to suggest there is more at play than mere compassion in the context of localized suffering. The wider context includes all that has happened in the wake of the last 5,000 years of history.
Luke 7:36-50
36 One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
37 And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,
38 and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”
40 And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”
41 “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42 When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.”
44 Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
45 You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet.
46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
48 And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?”
50 And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Pastor Andrew wonderfully points out the position of women in the first century and its not good from a purely human point of view. However, God doesn't have the same background dismissiveness that people do (i.e., men holding women and children in low regard, especially women like the one in the passage). Even today, we have a disdain for certain people like the woman in the story. Secular society may not call her "sinner", but they don't hold her in high regard either. Instead, she is trafficked, abused, used, and otherwise trampled on.
The text beautifully illustrates the point that Jesus did not visit the Pharisee's home for the sake of this woman, yet she is there all the same. An intriguing question posed in the margins is: why is this woman at this man's house? Regardless of the reasons behind her presence, she is there. The Lord's interaction with her serves as a significant demonstration of His love and compassion.
But, does this demonstration show us everything? Or is there something else concealed? A perspective, perhaps, that offers a larger picture of His love and compassion.
The sins of the Watchers and Nephilim come into view, as does Jesus' overarching mission to reverse their violence and damage. This brings this woman in the story into sharp focus. She isn't a sideshow; rather, she is a central figure in Jesus' mission.
His aim is to reverse the violence, abuse, and damage inflicted by the Watchers and their illegitimate children, even three to four thousand years following their first violent incursions into humanity.
The very fact that this woman is a prostitute lives at the core of the sins of the Watchers. One of their most primal and chief sins is sexual immorality, in which they led the way. They were the first. Let's make sure we have this picture squared up, straight, and true!
Genesis 6 and the violence of rape
I recently listened to a sermon by Pastor Alan Nolan who was talking specifically about Genesis 6:1-4 and the wording from the Hebrew. Let's get that in view:
When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. "וַיִּקְח֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נָשִׁ֔ים" (va-yiqchu lahem nashim), which translates directly to "and they took wives for themselves."Then the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.' The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
If the text referred to human men pursuing human women as potential wives, the phrase "and they took wives for themselves" would be an entirely acceptable interpretation. However, the story and text do not refer to human men, but rather to rebellious angelic beings who supernaturally defy their assigned place and bodily form to sexually violate the daughters of men. This isn't a simple equation of human marriage. From God's perspective, it's a violent invasion that entails forced abduction and rape. Consequently, it signifies the onset of a wave of sexual violence that has plagued humanity from that point onward.
The Hebrew word translated as "wives" (נָשִׁ֔ים) isn't the sole possible translation. This word could also be interpreted as "women" or used as a pronoun to mean "each/every". As a result, when the story is viewed from the perspective of an invasion by malevolent divine beings rather than human beings, both the interpretation and translation change significantly.
1. "va-yiqchu" (וַיִּקְחוּ): This is a verb in the imperfect third person plural form meaning "they will take." It has a conversive vav (the "va-" part of "va-yiqchu"), which modifies the verb tense to past time. Hence, it is often translated as "and they took."
2. "lahem" (לָהֶם): This pronominal prepositional phrase translates to "for themselves" or "to them".
3. "nashim" (נָשִׁים): This term signifies "women". However, in certain contexts, it may also be translated as "wives."
Therefore, the entire phrase "va-yiqchu lahem nashim" could be translated as "and they took women for themselves". Given the context, a more horrifying interpretation emerges: "and they forcibly had sex with women".
Re-application to Jesus with the woman
Therefore, it was the בני־האלהים (bənê hā'ĕlōhîm), the "sons of God," who resided in the heavenly realms. These divine beings eyed human women, captivated by their beauty. Overcome by desire, they forcefully violated these women, which resulted in the birth of the Nephilim, or giants.
Inheriting their fathers' transgressions, the Nephilim not only perpetuated but also amplified these sins upon the earth. Their actions wreaked havoc, inflicting damage and inciting violence not merely among humanity, but also against animals and the very earth itself. The repercussions of their misdeeds reverberated across the planet, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.
This transpired 5,500 years ago, which was still approximately 3,500 years before the encounter of Jesus with the woman at the Pharisee's house. She was grappling with the aftermath of her hardship. Aware of her plight, the sight of her approaching him with humility, tears, and contrition moved Jesus deeply. This was His purpose; the essence of His presence and soon-to-be crucifixion.
The woman had successfully perceived her situation, acknowledging herself as both a victim and a pawn of wicked, demonic forces. She saw Jesus as Messiah and the One capable of shouldering her burdens. In His presence, she found hope for the reversal and recovery from the damage inflicted upon her, even when the harm was a result of her own willful, albeit unknowing, participation.
Herein is the two-step dance between us and our Creator - Jesus Christ, the Messiah and King, Savior and loving Friend of our souls. On one side is Him, with His mission, power, love, and compassion. On the other side is us, hearing the ancient story of the Watchers and realizing the source of our damage and sin. This source includes both our own blinded will and the violence and abuse perpetuated by wicked creatures in the unseen realms around us.
Furthermore, we note the promises made by God throughout the Old Testament - promises not only of the restoration of our Edenic state, but also that, in Him and through Him, we would be raised to an even higher state. Think about that!
While it is not explicitly mentioned that this woman became part of the group following Jesus, these acts and Jesus' response do suggest an intensively transformed life and new allegiance. In the context of this biblical era, a person whose life was significantly impacted by Jesus often joined his following.
It should be noted that the cultural context of the 1st century Palestine, especially in relation to the honor and shame culture, would have played a significant role in this woman's experience. As she was labelled sinful, her actions broken societal norms. Only a profound change, such as coming to faith in Jesus, would justify this.
The story does not end there. The narrative continues into eternity for all who follow Jesus, including us. We are literally the successors of the fallen divine council members. Although we are created "a little lower than the angels", we are destined to be seated with Christ. Our place is below Him, but above everything and everyone else.
This also includes the woman from the story. At the time the tale was recorded in Luke, she may not have understood this. However, this is the reality of what ultimately happens to both her and us! The narrative is emblematic of our own spiritual journey and transformation. So although the text is old, its implications are constantly pertinent.
Folding it all together
My newfound friend and fellow follower of the Lord, has penned an outstanding paper on Jesus's attentive nature towards us as human beings. His attention envelops various aspects of our existence, including both the spiritual and physical realms, among others. This profound attentiveness of Jesus, though, cannot be grasped fully without recognizing its place within the grand narrative of God's work and purpose.
The fundamental story is primarily contained within Genesis, specifically chapters 1 to 11. However, its essence is further expanded upon in other related works such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees (also known as "Little Genesis") among others. The depth of these narratives becomes significantly clear when one understands God's ontological role—as our savior.
God is our knight in shining armor, battling the dragons that strive to keep us imprisoned in chains of sin and delusion. In this context, 'dragons' are the embodiments of real and deadly dark forces that continuously deceive us, entice us, and lure us towards self-destruction and various forms of harm. These forces are those who rebelled in the sins of the Watchers who preceded us.
It goes without saying that no story, whether from the Old Testament or New, should be interpreted without taking into account this narrative about the sins of the Watchers and the Nephilim. Acknowledging this angle is of utmost importance and forms the basis for a comprehensive understanding of the bible.
Juxtaposed stories and outcomes
If we now understand the overall mission of Jesus, His Person, and His coming— to reverse the curse and damage of the sins of the Watchers inflicted on humanity in all of its various forms — then we see in the story of Luke, two types of people. There are those who understood, such as the fallen woman, and those who did not, like the Pharisee.
Reading and attempting to understand the story told in Luke is powerful to a certain extent. However, adding the backstory of the Watchers heightens the potency. It not only provides context to Jesus' mission of mitigating damage from the past but broadens our understanding of the future. This comprehension covers not only the aspects of eternal life and our position with Christ, but of judgment, condemnation, and eternal destruction as well. It unbundles these notions and explains why God is justified in applying them to human beings who ally their loyalties with the fallen and doomed Watchers from the unseen realm.
The impact on my personal perspective has been profound; informing my views on life, living, thoughts, words, and actions, all within each moment of existence. It has connected me with the lessons of ancient history, highlighting their relevance to my experiences. All of human life is a test of loyalty to identify whether, in the Cross's context and with the power of Christ's spirit within me, I can utilize my free will to remain faithful to Jesus, in spite of the many obstacles that the fallen Watchers and demonic beings might present.
The queries that emerge are: will I cave under the tantalizing yet false promises of health and wealth, and switch my loyalty to them? Or will I, despite experiencing relative lowliness, or even earthly poverty, persist in my devotion to Christ?
These questions examine the temptations I may yield to or resist in this ongoing test of loyalty to Jesus. Will I trust Him for heavenly wealth and forsake the temporary riches of the Earth, or will I fall into the snares of bodily or materialistic pleasures? Which traps will I stumble into or identify and bypass, all the while focusing on Jesus as my King?
The story in Luke portrays a woman making the right choice through deep humility. However, the Pharisee fails to see this. His wealth, position, and beliefs obstruct and blind him, preventing him from recognizing Jesus for who He truly is.
On the other hand, the woman sees Jesus and His mission to rescue her and save her very clearly. With profound humbleness, she chooses to come to Him. As she begins to know Him, He, in turn, responds to her. One day, she will rise above even the angels, judging them and sitting alongside Jesus in power, glory, and majesty.
The ultimate question then presents itself: will we follow suit? Will we manage to see Jesus in the true context of His story and overall mission, and respond with similar humility and acknowledgment of our own needs?