Skip to main content

What is a phylactery?

It's a little black leather box which a pharisee would strap to his head. In fact orthodox Jews still do this. The box contains the laws of Judaism. The idea is that this would remind one of the law and the need to keep it. But jesus claimed the pharisees were wearing them, but not keeping the laws which spoke of helping the poor and sick. I am going to show some children tomorrow what a phylactery would look like. I have a small oxo cube box on a piece of ribbon. I had intended to paint the box black, but decided to leave it as an oxo box as the children are more likely to remember it that way. Jesus also said the pharisees were like a cup which was all cleaned up on the outside but dirty inside. I am taking along a very nice mug to show the children. But inside it is a mouldy strawberry, a mouldy tea bag and a piece of banana skin. Jesus said the pharisees were like that, all clean and smart on the outside but dirty inside. I think those will be two good illustrations.

We have to be careful too that our lives are pleasing to God inside as well as outside.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why do many disasters happen?

I have written in previous posts about disasters. In the case of Concorde, decisions by people, plus other factors were directly to blame for the event.  In the case of the Penlee disaster it may have been avoided if someone had made a better choice in the time beforehand and as a consequence brave men and the ship's crew and the captain and his family died. 9/11 was certainly the result of wicked men committing a terrorist act, but even in this there was heroism notably by another Cornish man, Rick Rescorla who helped many to safety and left it too late to help himself.  In situations like this we see what the human spirit is capable of both good and evil. What of disasters that come on people because of the earth restless movement of tectonic plates.  Often people live near volcanoes because the land is rich and fertile and they have the chance of a better life there when the volcano is resting.  We cannot blame them for that but sometimes people become complacent...
Post a Comment
Read more

Always wanting something new

Every time I take a few days off from my blog my ratings slump.  Very rarely do people go back into my old posts and read again.  This is a typical attitude of the human heart, always wanting something different.  At this time of year we should not be greedily wondering want new thing we will be getting for Christmas.  Instead we should be looking at the old, old story, which is ever new of a baby who amazingly was God incarnate, God's gift to those who will put there trust in this one who was to grow up to give His life for His people.  Set aside the controversy over whether December 25th is the actual date of His birth.(Shepherds do not keep their sheep out at night in Israel in December.) and set aside time to think about the fact that He did come and ponder if He came to set you free and if your answer is ,"Yes," He will make you free indeed.
Post a Comment
Read more

Optimism conquering experience

I watched The Detectorists tonight. I have not watched it before. It is about a group of people who use detecting equipment to discover old coins and other things of archeological interest. This was the last in the series and had a bitter sweet feel to it.  One of the main characters asked,"Why do we do it?" and the other replied,"This is the nearest you will ever get to time travel." You have to be an optimist to do metal detecting.  There is always the attraction of making a big find or an important discovery.  Among all the tin cans and coat hangers found there is the hope of a Saxon hoard, or Roman gold. Optimism keeps them going.
Post a Comment
Read more