Summer Greek: The Martyrdom of Polycarp

A text showing Peter's martyrdom

After finishing the Didache, I decided to translate portions of "The Martyrdom of Polycarp"--a letter written around 160 AD recounting the the persecution, trial, and death of the Bishop of Smyrna.

Polycarp 1:1-2

1- We write to you, brothers and sisters, things concerning the witnesses (martyrs) and especially the blessed Polycarp, who put an end to persecution by placing a seal on it with his own (witness) martyrdom.  For almost everything that came before happened in order that the Lord might show from above a witness (martyrdom) in accordance with the gospel.

2- He waited until he was betrayed, just as the Lord, in order that we might be imitators of him, not only looking out for ourselves but also for our neighbors.  For true and steadfast love does not only wish for itself to be saved, but for all the brothers and sisters.

The word martyr is the Greek word for "witness".  That is why I included it in brackets.  Polycarp's death "bore witness" to the power of Christ's resurrection, and this "witness" was meant to point others in the direction of Jesus and his Kingdom.  Polycarp refused to deny his faith even when tortured and ultimately killed.  He didn't do it to earn a good spot at the heavenly banquet table, he did it so that he might show others that Christ's "love is better than life"--that Christ is "the resurrection and the life".

People were so taken by Polycarp's "witness" that his story has been retold through the ages.  His testimony remains a powerful reminder of self sacrifice.  Polycarp was 86 when he "bore witness", reminding us that there is no retirement from Christian service.

Hair Metal Monday: Power Ballads

Never post prom pictures on the internet

 Hair Metal gave us some of the greatest aggressive exercise music ever made: Kickstart My Heart (Motley Crue), We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister), and of course Round and Round (Ratt).  But these cross dressing maestros were more than just tough guys, they were sensitive men whose hearts could be broken just like yours and mine.  Of course, they didn't cry--not only would that be unmanly, they also had the whole mascara issue to deal with.  Instead they wrote songs.

There are three criteria that make a song a power ballad: Obviously it is slower (so you can slow dance), the singer has to look incredibly melancholy (extra points if the music video follows a story line where a beautiful model breaks up with the lead singer and/or dies), and it must contain a righteous guitar solo.

These power ballads pull at your heartstrings, and should not be listened to without the expressed permission of your therapist because too much exposure can cause extreme lovesickness.

 So here are my top ten power ballads

10. Headed for a Heartbreak by Winger- Kip Winger's hair is awesome.

9.  Fly to the Angels by Slaughter- a song about untimely death

8. Carrie by Europe- Obviously a song about a girl named Carrie

7. Alone Again by Dokken- no explanation needed

6. Love Bites by Def Leppard- Great slow dancing song with bittersweet overtones

5. Is this Love by Whitesnake- a philosophical exploration of romantic love

4. Don't Know What You Got (till it's gone) by Cinderella- so true....

3. Home Sweet Home by Motley Crue- This video is the greatest live concert collection ever made

2. Every Rose has it's Thorn by Poison- "To see you cuts me like a knife" one of the greatest lines ever delivered by one of the greatest front men ever

1. Love of a Lifetime by Firehouse- This song takes me back to the skating rink and couples skating with Julie McMillin, tears streaming down my face, and that moment seemed to last forever....

Freaky Friday: The Last Dragon

Ah, Kung Fu!  The culmination of thousands of years of an ancient culture, the beauty of an entire civilization distilled into a lethal art form.  Now set that against a backdrop of inner city struggles, add a Motown soundtrack, and introduce one of the greatest villains this side of Ernst Blofeld and you've got The Last Dragon: the greatest Kung Fu musical ever made.

Stats:

Year- 1985

Rated- PG-13

Running Time- 109 minutes

There are only two kinds of people in the world: those who love this movie and those who have never seen it.  (well there might be a third category of people who've seen it and don't like it, but who cares what those people think)  Berry Gordy (the Motown legend) produced this little gem.  And it does the Motown name proud!  This movie stars not one, but two actors with only one name: Vanity (former Prince girl) and Taimak (Martial Arts fitness guru).  Neither of them are really proficient actors but they are both real pretty.  

Eddie Arkadian (played by Christopher Murney) is a passable bad guy, but the real engine of this movie is the ineffable Sho-Nuff: the Shogun of Harlem.  Julius Carry (RIP) carries this movie from beginning to end.  Most of the time I find myself rooting for Mr. Nuff and his goons because the good guys are just boring.  I defy you to find a better villain in the 1980's (I mean other than Gorbachev).

The plot is irrelevant.  This movie is about getting Bruce Leroy (Taimak) and Sho-Nuff together so everybody can get all Kung Fu Fightin' and so maybe the pretty people can kiss in the end.  

The last battle between Leroy and Sho is pretty cool, what with the glowin' fingers and what not.

If you really liked Yentl and Terms of Endearment, by all means don't see this flick, but if you like GOOD movies, this cinematic masterpiece will not disappoint.

The soundtrack isn't too bad either.  I've got two words for you: DE BARGE.  

I'll give this one four stars.  Check it out!

Learning Greek!

Over the years, people have often asked me about programs to learn Greek.  They long to read the Bible in the original languages...perhaps out of fear that the English translation leaves out some secret theological insights that might somehow impede their spiritual growth.  The English translations available are quite reliable (stick to NIV, TNIV, NASB, or NRSV...or perhaps a combination, and you'll be alright).  Most Christians throughout history couldn't even read, much less read the original manuscripts. 

But if you just long to open a Greek New Testament; to explore your inner Greek Geek, you will be happy to know, that it is easier than ever  to learn Greek or at least get some tools to help in your own Bible study.

Let me first say that I don't get any kickbacks from Bill Mounce!  That being said, I don't think there is any better system available than those at teknia.com.  For a mere $156.77 you get everything you need to learn New Testament Greek: The grammar book, workbook (and an answer guide), flash cards, etc.  But the best part of this is that he includes a series of DVDs of him teaching through the book.  The video is high quality, and he's a pretty engaging teacher (considering he's teaching Greek).  Plus, the website offers all sorts of helps, and he's constantly improving the website and the learning aids. 

So let us recap: $156.77 for a class that I spent thousands of dollars to take.  But if you're not a geek (like me), but you still want to learn a little Greek, Mounce has resources available for that too.  He's a good guy and a great teacher.

Didache 3

Here is another section of my translation of the Didache from chapter 16:

1- Be mindful of your life; don't let your lamp be extinguished.  Do not grow weary, but be prepared; for you do not know the hour in which the Lord will return.

2- Meet together frequently, seeking what is proper for your souls, for your journey of faith will not benefit you unless you complete the journey.

This is the last exhortation in this short teaching, immediately followed by a mini-apocalypse.  This document is a distillation of the Christian life, from proper actions to proper worship (there is a section dealing with communion, baptism, fasting, and prayer).  As I mentioned before, there is little in the way of doctrinal theology, but it's purpose is to help people "complete the journey".  Christians in the first century faced incredible challenges, fears, and difficulties (not unlike Christians in the twenty-first century) and this little handbook provides concrete teachings to help believers "be prepared".  

This "preparation" is rooted in fellowship.  In verse two, we are told to "meet together frequently" and "seeking what is proper for your souls" is a communal activity.  These early believers understood the great need they had for each other...a concept lost on many contemporary believers.  We need each other; it is the only way for us to "complete the journey".

Hair Metal Monday: Whitesnake

One of the greatest treasures of Rockdom is Whitesnake's titular album--containing 9 incredible tracks, 3 of which are legitimate top 10 hits.  If I were trapped on a deserted island, and were only allowed to take 5 albums with me, this would be on the list.

Whitesnake is not my favorite band (RATT will always hold that position), but I think David Coverdale might be the greatest Front Man in the business...that hair, that voice, that brooding stare.  He's got the whole package.

Be honest, the first day you got your driver's license, you know you popped this cassette in the tape deck, put on black leather gloves (or in my case my mom's gardening gloves), turned up the volume on "Here I go again", and drove down to Dairy Queen....feeling alive for the very first time.  OK maybe that was just me.  And every time I hear "Is this Love", I'm transported back to junior high dances held in our gymnasium...that aroma of romance and sweat socks--my first taste of unrequited love.

"I don't know where I'm going, but I sure know where I've been"....Whitesnake has helped me navigate "the only road I've ever known" and for that I will always be grateful.

So "make up your mind, and don't waste no more time" and give Whitesnake a listen.

Freaky Friday: Police Academy

Well, you voted, and since I believe in democracy, here it is for your reading pleasure: Police Academy

Stats:

Year- 1984 (a very good year for films)

Rating- R

Running Time- 96 minutes

There was a golden age of cinema; a time when people didn't worry about offending anyone, when people made movies simply to make money (instead of making statements), a time when we just wanted an escape from the threat of total global annihilation.  I like to call this time the Guttenberg Era.  

This movie contains all the good (and bad) elements of 80's cinema: bad hair, short shorts (on men and women), slapstick, and, of course, Steve Guttenberg. Ol' Stevie made quite of few big name movies in the 80's like: Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby (and the sequel), Diner, and of course it was Guttenberg who launched the Police Academy franchise.  And for you Guttenberg fans, another sequel in the 3 Men and a Baby series has been announced--Tom Selleck and Steve Guttenberg have already signed on for 3 Men and a Bride....but back to Police Academy...

The plot is simple.  Get a lot of screw-ups together, make them run laps, add a sadistic overbearing task master, and see what happens...actually sounds like reality TV.  As in all 80's movies, this rag-tag team of misfits rises to the challenge and proves everyone wrong by becoming exemplary police officers.  

There are some funny gags in this movie (like the Blue Oyster Bar), but I didn't think this movie aged all that well.  We do get to see Kim Cattrall, Bubba Smith, and Michael Winslow (the guy that makes noises with his mouth), and this movie spun off 7 sequels and a TV show that only aired in Canada (it was actually produced in French).

I really liked this movie as a kid, and as an adult I found it sort of funny.  I'm going to give this movie 2 1/2 stars mostly for the sake of nostalgia.  It's not a bad movie, but I will probably wait a while before watching this again.  (although I probably will watch it again....)