Jamaica Patois Wisdom #9

By Jefferson David Tant

(The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of teaching there, I have come to appreciate some things about their culture. – Jefferson David Tant)

Patois: “Nuh cup nuh bruk, nuh coffee nuh dash weh”

English: the mug is not broken, so don’t throw the coffee away

Meaning: If it’s not broken, don’t try to fix it.

That’s good advice in many areas of life. There are times when you have something that works just fine, but someone comes and  is not satisfied, so the “fix” commences, which can  mess up the whole thing.

How well that describes what has happened through the centuries to the Lord’s church. The explosive growth of the early church is well documented. Just look at the record in the early chapters of Acts. We know what happened on Pentecost, as 3,000 were baptized into Christ. In Acts 4:4, 5,000 men were added. Multitudes are mentioned in 4:32 and 6:1. The church was described as multiplying in 8:6 and 9:31. How do we explain this explosive growth? There may be various factors, but a major ingredient is that these early Christians were committed—so committed and excited that they must have felt an obligation to share the good news with families, neighbors, friends and even strangers.

The early church functioned well under the plan God had given. Local churches were organized under elders, with no central hierarchy. As problems arose here and there, God’s plan called for the shepherds in each church to deal with false teaching, or whatever else came up. The qualifications for these local leaders include these words: “holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Tit. 1:9).

That was all well and good, but in time men tried to “fix” the problems of false teaching that arose here and there. They began to hold area-wide meetings, and certain men were chosen to be the head bishop over an area. And of course this in time led to the pope of Roman, which office has been so full of scandal and false teaching through the centuries. From that we now have thousands of denominations.

In time the Restoration Movement began in the early 1800s. Once again we have an impressive growth, as some estimates give the number of New Testament Christians in the hundreds of thousands within 40 years. But this was not good enough, so we have the “fix” of the American Christian Missionary Society in Cincinnati in 1849, which led to a major division. And along the way some were not satisfied with the simple worship of early Christians, and instrumental music was brought in, another “fix” which further fostered division. Now in our own times churches of Christ are having fellowship with denominations, appointing women elders, establishing all sorts of para-church organizations to do the church’s work, selling goods to finance the church, and on and on.

My question is: What is wrong with the plan God gave? After all, he designed and built the church. Didn’t he have enough sense to design something that would work, and work well? If so, then why do we have to come along and “fix” something that was not broken? What this says is that some men think they are smarter than God, and they have enough smarts to improve on God’s design. Paul warned us: “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 3:10-11).  The “mug” is not broken, so let us be content and not “throw the coffee away.” &

Commentary on Acts 2:7-17

By Bob Myhan

7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?

Their initial confusion was followed by astonishment and wonder. This was caused by the fact that those who were speaking were from Galilee, which was not exactly an upper-class community. It was exceedingly unlikely that anyone from Galilee would have studied such a variety of languages as they were now heard to speak.

8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?

These individuals were born in different parts of the Roman Empire and had their own national languages, in addition to the language of their  ancestors. They are wondering how it could be possible for these lowly Galileans (who would be expected to know only Greek and Aramaic, a Hebrew dialect) to speak in such a variety of languages.

9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs--we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."

These are some of the various nations and provinces within the Roman Empire at the time, many of which already had a long history. Media was one half of the Medo-Persian Empire, which conquered Babylon on the very night of the feast during which Daniel interpreted the handwriting on the wall (see Daniel 5:5-31). Elam was the realm of King Chedorlaomer in the days of Abraham (Genesis 14:1-24). Mesopotamia (literally, “between the rivers”) is now known as Iraq. This is where Abraham lived when he was called by God (Acts 7:1-3). The word, “proselytes,” “is used of “converts to Judaism, or foreign converts to the Jewish religion, Matt. 23:15; Acts 2:10; 6:5; 13:43” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, page 495).

Here is further confirmation that those who were speaking in tongues were not “speaking gibberish.” Those who heard them speaking said that they were “speaking the wonderful works of God” in as many as fifteen languages and/or dialects.

12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"

Their excitement and confusion had reached a crescendo. They had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, and had remained for the Feast of Weeks. And, except for the crucifixion of three men and the reports that Jesus’ disciples had broken into His tomb and stolen His body, it had been business as usual. But now they have heard “a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind.” And when they came to investigate they discovered several men standing in the temple speaking in a variety of languages and dialects. As they listened, they realized that what they were hearing were the wonderful works of God! It is no wonder their initial confusion had developed into perplexity. They could hardly believe their ears; it had to mean something, but what?

13 Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine."

This was not a serious attempt to explain what was happening. It is possible that they had not yet heard their own language spoken by the apostles and, hence, did not appreciate the seriousness of the subject matter. The phrase, “new wine,” is from the Greek word, “gleukos,” and is rendered, “sweet wine,” in some translations. “New wine” would not be intoxicating but “sweet wine” might very well be.

14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

All who “were filled with the Holy Spirit … began to speak in other tongues.” All those who spoke in tongues were charged with being “full of new wine.” Since Peter defends himself and the other eleven and no one else against this charge, it was only the apostles who “were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues” (2:4).

“The third hour of the day” is 9 AM, in keeping with the Jewish mode of reckoning time because, for them, the 12-hour day begins at 6 AM.

16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

Peter is explaining that what is occurring is not the result of drunkenness but is the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy in the book of Joel.

17 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.

The above quotation is from Joel 2:28-29. In no English translation available to this writer at this time does the phrase, “last days,” appear in Joel 2:28. But readers should be mindful of the fact that Jesus and the inspired writers of the New Testament quoted almost exclusively from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In so doing, they endorsed the use of translations in preaching and teaching. Peter in particular here endorses the phrase, “last days,” as being the equivalent expression of “afterward.” And, if Joel 2:28-29 began to be fulfilled on Pentecost, so also did Isaiah 2:1-3 and Micah 4:1-2, because both predict that which “shall come to pass in the latter days” (NKJV).

By “all flesh” Joel simply means, “without regard to nationality, race or ethnicity.” That is, both Jews and Gentiles would receive the Holy Spirit. Joel also implies that the Spirit would be poured out without regard to gender, age or social standing. “Sons,” “daughters,” “young,” “old,” “menservants” and “maid-servants” would receive the Holy Spirit. Individuals from all walks of life would prophesy as a result of the Holy Spirit being poured out.

The pouring out of the Holy Spirit prophesied by Joel was to enable certain ones to perform miracles to confirm the Kingdom of God had, indeed, been established (see Mark 16:17-20). Of course, all of the apostles were male Jews. Therefore, the prophecy of Joel was not completely fulfilled at this point. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit had taken place but not all of the results have followed. Attention will be brought back to this passage when Luke mentions some of the things that were more or less indirect results of this pouring out of God’s Spirit.

 (To be continued)