Music that is not fixed

In my aesthetics class a student asked about musical art, that is, art that is not "physically fixed" (as in stationary)?

How is a musical composition a "work of art?" What is the art?

Is it the arrangements of little black notes on the page that tell the performer what to play? It seems strange to say that the printed notes are the work of art.

Is it the sounds played by the performer? That's more believable; but then, does the musical work of art only "exist" when it is being played?

Is it what we retain of it in our minds? Most of us know Beethoven's Fifth Symphony (the one that goes ta-ta-ta-boom!), or the Beatles' Hey Jude (the one that goes "... take a sad sooooong, and make it bet-ter er er).

(By the way, how do you make a sad song better?).

Anyway, that seems strange too, because what you have in your mind of the Fifth, or of Hey Jude, is no doubt different than what I have in my mind.

I used to teach at Centenary College in northern New Jersey while living in Philadelphia. The drive home was always interminable, so I'd often listen to music. I recall one day I put on Brahms's Fourth Symphony ...

... and an overwhelming sense of boredom came over me:

"I've heard this before," I thought. "I know how it goes." And the drive got more interminable.

Oh for a beauty so alive you don't know how it will go.

Oh for a more beautiful drive home.

Logos2Go

Job 38.4-8 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it? On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-- while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? ..."

The order of things after the resurrection

There were ordinary and extra-ordinary things after the resurrection. Rick Peller and I were musing on both this morning.

Extra-ordinary:

1. No one, but no one, recognized the resurrected Jesus. Many of these were his closest associates. What does this say about the resurrected body?

2. He had flesh and bones. The resurrected body has flesh and bones.

3. He ate a fish -- at least one fish, if not more -- and a honeycomb, and bread. The resurrected body eats.

4. (What is particularly extra-ordinary about #4 is that, in Jesus' case, God ate fish and honeycombs He created).

5. This physical Person apparently had an ability to appear and disappear -- we can assume He "walked through walls").

6. We know He was on earth 40 days after the resurrection prior to His ascension. And yet in those forty days apparently He didn't do much. At least very little was recorded. Wouldn't He have at least gone to the chief priests and said, "See, I told you so ... so there" But no, He didn't.

7. The whole thing.

Ordinary:

1. He still carried at least some of the physical damages inflicted on him pre-resurrection.

2. He still had flesh and bones.

3. He still ate.

4. There are still ordinary walls to walk through.

5. There are still ordinary roads to walk on.

6. There is still a natural-physical world.

7. The whole thing.

Logos2Go

John 20.15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."

Luke 24.15-16 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Luke 24.39 "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."

Luke 24.42-43 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.

Luke 24.36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!"

Acts 1.3 To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Liberated by a preposition

Some years ago I was liberated by a preposition, and these days I've been thinking back on those awakening days.

It happened when I discovered that I was accepted by God not because of my faith IN Christ, but because of the faith OF Christ.

What is curious to me is that the obvious Greek possessive OF -- (or at least what seems obvious to me; I would welcome further information) -- is obviously translated incorrectly as IN in several key passages.

For example, here is Galatians 2.16 translated in the Revised Standard Version (I capitalize the IN):

... a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith IN Jesus Christ ...

But here is the Greek wording (I underline the OF Jesus Christ, followed by a more accurate translation from the good old King James Version):

... οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

(...a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith OF Jesus Christ ...)

It is all the difference in the world. It is a difference between bondage and liberation.

Here is a weak example: if I had a million dollars, would I feel more secure if it is in the bank or under my mattress? If it is under my mattress, my efforts at keeping it safe would be intense.

But if it is in the bank, my "believing" that it is there would simply be a matter of the affirmation of a fact, not the maintenance of an effort.

On any given day I wouldn't even think about it, because I need expend no effort at keeping it safe.

So a man's salvation is secure in the bank (the faith) OF Jesus Christ.

And so Paul says: I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've entrusted unto him against that day.

Logos2Go

Versions that translate Galatians 2.16 "the faith OF Jesus Christ": KJV, Youngs, Darby, Websters, Hebrew Names Version)

Versions that translate Galatians 2.16 "... faith IN Jesus Christ": NIV, ESV, NASB, RSV, ASV)

Other passages containing "OF Jesus Christ...": Galatians 2.20 (the faith OF the son of God), Romans 3.22.

2 Timothy 1.12 ...nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Reproductive Faith

Paul addresses Timothy as his son in the faith.

Several verses later, Paul tells Timothy -- his son in the faith -- that the goal of his charge to him is ... a sincere faith.

The two uses of the word "faith" are different. Sincere faith describes a quality of faith. On any given day, Timothy's practice of his faith might be less than sincere.

But this doesn't change the fact that Timothy is Paul's son in THE faith.

There it is again: THE faith. This is the faith once delivered.

This is the Republic of Faith, a land objective from you and me. Have a bad day, and the state of the Republic of Faith remains strong.

Or perhaps it is the Kingdom of Faith, since it is under a King. It is a Kingdom permeated through and through with His faith.

It is a fertile land, and like any fertile land, it is organic. As we live in its metes and bounds, we reproduce life.

We bring into the world spiritual sons and daughters.

Logos2Go

1 Timothy 1.1-5 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope, to Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work-which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Jude 1.3 ... I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.

The joy of the faith once delivered

I am joyful these days for the faith once delivered.

It is like the America once discovered.

A land once discovered, just like a faith once delivered, doesn't go away.

Have a bad day; that Land doesn't go away.

Have a bad day; the Republic of the Faith Once Delivered is still there, strong as ever.

It is such a rich land, a land flowing with milk and honey, nay, better than milk and honey.

In it are many roads and paths and shelters from storms.

Many shade trees; so many each man can have one of his own.

Logos2Go

Jude 1.3 ... I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Exodus 3.7-8 Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey ...

Micah 4.4 ... they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid, for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

The road to Emmaus

Logos2Go

Luke 24.13-34 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

YoYo again

The other day I saw YoYo again outside on my front stoop.

I mean, the cat looked exactly like YoYo: the same coloring, the wide fluffy body, the fan-like tail, the same nerdy look ...

KoKo was making an enormous fuss: hisses, growls, hyperventilating. So I rushed over and saw for myself.

It was YoYo.

"But it can't be YoYo," I said to myself, "YoYo's dead. I took that last trip with him to the vet myself ..."

KoKo and I looked helplessly through the window as YoYo checked us out before slinking around the corner. Then he disappeared.

* * * * * *

It was not until later, while they broke bread at the inn, that He opened their eyes.

But then he simply disappeared.

* * * * * *

Why is it they didn't recognize him? The two were not among the twelve, but they were obviously close to him.

Actually very few recognized him.

He was even mistaken for a gardener.

Maybe our present eyes are simply not equipped to recognize resurrection life. If Jesus were here, were actually physically here, would we recognize him?

* * * * * *

What day was that that I saw YoYo? Was it two days ago?

Three days ago?

Maybe it was last week.

Logos2Go

Luke 24.13-34 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.