Bagaimana tahu pendeta/gereja yang baik?
- Takes time to see what is true, real or fake.
- Which Teaching is more important: Benar atau Dalam [in rhetoric]? Benar is the answer.
- Talked about Bernie Madoff on ethic.
- Prof. Harvard yang ajar etika, tidak beretika.
My take: Luke 6:45b "For out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaks"
My take: Knowledge vs. Wisdom - Though both requires the fear of God, but they are not the same. "perhaps" Knowledge is the product of Wisdom. Knowledge can be copied, thus it is not true - true knowledge. Such is the game of many theologians and professors in academic, copying knowledge from others. Wisdom cannot be copied.
The effect of atomic destruction in Japan was shown. Should show before vs. after photos.
Tong's definition on v. 26: 得胜 (overcomer, winner): One who takes part in the fruit of the salvation of Christ.
v. 27 vs. Psa 2: Iron rod, ruling orang Kristian.
Chinese version (I started to listen to the Chinese version in the train, instead of walking on NYC streets, so that I can take notes):
Cellist Dani Kurnia Ramadhan praised by Tong. Hosting concert with Saint Saens' Cello Concerto 1.
Bach's St. Matthew's Passions was rediscovered by Mendelssohn 100 years later from the music sheets used to wrap a butcher's products. Bach's Passion was favored most by Japanese. Conductor Masaaki Suzuki was a reformed Christian whom Tong invited once.
教会两种人：忠心 vs. 背叛
和合本 （1914）之前，深文理 -> 浅文理. 和合本， easiest to understand, by 94 missionaries in China. Importance linked to greatest population in the world. This motivates me to look into the history of Chinese interpretations of the Bible.
Indonesian version: Ejaan Baru. Made by Indonesians who from earlier version translated by the Dutch, thought they needed a better Indonesian terminologies. Now the translations have lowered their standards.
v. 24: Preachers with depth of knowledge favored = Deep things of Satan. Because these preachers have corrupted ethics.
Aesop mentioned. Ugly, big and tall. 伊索寓言. 因主人骗他白为了自由劳力，从山上跳下自尽。深奥道理，不是保罗的深文，而是耶稣简单比喻来的。
Tong value those faculties who could do better than those who only could talk.
Matthew 11:29-30 Is the lesson on learning from the life of Christ, not just talk.
The incarnation of Christ is the simplification of God's deep mystery. Thus, Martin Luther and the reformations also followed the same by making Bible accessible to the public. Now German literature is based on Martin Luther's German translation of the Bible.
Now the problem of preachers is they kept preaching deeper, making the pulpit more distant for the congregants.
Tong: (against Rev. Laura Lin's theology) one must serve with JOY!
If you feel heavy from the burden of your service in Christ, then something's wrong. Bach's
tune for Jesus' yolk is easy, is really light, though hard to sing in tune for it's mysterious depth discovered by Bach. Contrast with Handel's "His Yoke is Easy" in Messiah. It is the most free and the highest pitch (Bflat) in all the music, and light piece in Messiah - expression contains sudden happiness, reliefs. Indeed God has applied His mysterious depth in such music.
When you serve the Lord you are never alone, you are serving with Christ. The Yoke across two cows with a balancing central plank forms a cross. Something is wrong with your service if you feel you cannot do it anymore.
Tong testifying his own hardship journeys (carrying big cases of artifacts on the bus, etc.) in joy rather than complaining how hard it is.
教会两种基督徒:失败的 vs 得胜的
失败的: 犯奸淫, 不忠于上帝, 接受邪恶的教训, 同世界妥协.
西方曰: 历史是得胜者所写出来的. 东方曰 (Tong: 中国历史很诚实的话): 胜者为王,败者为寇.
但神得道不是如此: 耶稣的得胜 = 为主牺牲.
得胜定义: 凡在基督救赎果效里面有份的人,就是得胜; 没有份的人, 就是失败者.
耶稣为何死? 1. 替罪人的罪而死, 2. 为上帝旨意而死, 3. 为打败魔鬼而死. 你胜过罪恶吗? 胜过撒旦吗? 胜过死亡吗? 若有份, 你就是得胜的.
Those who die with Christ, can therefore live with Christ, can therefore rule with Christ with iron rod.