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6 Responses to “Eat, Drink, and be Joyful”

1. Matthew Bowman Says:
   February 21st, 2005 at 10:33 am

   I enjoyed this, thanks. I think sometimes we as Christians become so overwhelmed with the evil and suffering of this world that we forget the One who overcame it. We become so obsessed with “mission” that our joy and freedom fade, when those are the very things that bear witness to the victory of Christ!

2. the Foolish Sage Says:
   February 21st, 2005 at 10:40 am

   Right, Matt…we don’t feast to be “in your face” to those who suffer, but rather so that we have something worthy of their leaving their suffering behind to join.

   Although, as I think of it, there may also be an element of judgment upon the unrepentant in our feasting as well, sort of in the vein of “heaping hot coals upon their heads.”

3. Matthew Bowman Says:
   February 21st, 2005 at 10:57 am

   Good thoughts! I also like the fact that, particularly in communion (regardless of your opinion on how it is practiced), there is a remembering what Christ did and looking forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb, a constant reminder for us and all who see that our hope is not in this life!

   I read an interesting article somewhere that talked about the fact that the words used in Luke 22:19 could be literally translated, “do this unto my reminder.” The construction here suggests that part of what Jesus was getting at was that this was something we did as a covenant reminder (or prayer of sorts) to Him of His promise to return, much like the rainbow reminded GOD as well as man of his promise about the flood. Just something I read; any thoughts about that would be welcome since I am not a Greek scholar myself!

4. the Foolish Sage Says:
   February 21st, 2005 at 7:52 pm

   The phrase is “touto poiete eis tein emein anamneisin.” “eis” does literally mean into, but often has the sense of in when referring to a cognitive action. For example, our English phrase “believe in Christ” in Greek is literally “believe into Christ.”

   However, I would take issue with reading too much into the literal transalation you gave. The adjective emein (my or mine) is preceeded by an article, which makes it attributive. Since it is in the same case as “remembrance” (anamneisin), it should be seen as modifying that noun. Hence, “in my remembrance” (meaning “in remembarance of me”) is the best translation. The article you cited is a good example of what may be a correct idea (that our partaking of the Meal is a covenant reminder not only to us but to Christ of his promise) taken from the wrong scripture. I suspect that someone was working from an interlinear “literal” translation, always a dangerous source of conclusions.

5. Matthew Bowman Says:
   February 21st, 2005 at 7:56 pm

   Thanks for the explanation; that makes sense.

6. the Foolish Sage Says:
   February 21st, 2005 at 7:59 pm

   1st year seminary student…I know just enough Greek to be dangerous! Yeah, they give us the gun with the safety off…thankfully I don’t think we get any bullets until 2nd year

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