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Justification by Faith Alone
Articles and Links to the doctrine of Justification - the Pillar by which the Church Stands or FallsRomans Chapter 5 Part 1 by Charles Hodge
THE first consequence of justification by faith is, that we have peace with God, ver. 1. The second, that we have not only a sense of his present favor, but assurance of future glory, ver. 2. The third, that our afflictions, instead of being inconsistent with the divine favor, are made directly conducive to the confirmation of our hope; the Holy Spirit bearing witness to the fact that we are the objects of the love of God, verses 3-5. The fourth, the certainty of the final salvation of all believers. This is argued from the freeness and greatness of the divine love; its freeness being manifested in its exercise towards the unworthy: and its greatness, in the gift of the Son of God, verses 6-10. Salvation is not merely a future though certain good, it is a present and abundant joy, verse 11.
VERSE 1. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God; that is, we are reconciled to God. We are no longer the objects of God's displeasure, his favor having been propitiated by the death of his Son, ver. 10. As a consequence of this reconciliation, we have conscious peace with God, that is, we have neither any longer the present upbraidings of an unappeased conscience, nor the dread of divine vengeance. Both these ideas are included in the peace here spoken of. The latter, however, is altogether the more prominent. The phrase eirhnhn eirhnhn ecomen proV ton Qeon, we have peace in regard to God, properly means, God is at peace with us, his orgh (wrath) towards us is removed. It expresses, as Philippi says, "not a state of mind, but a relation to God." It is that relation which arises from the expiation of sin, and consequently justification. We are no longer his enemies, in the objective sense of the term (see ver. 10), but are the objects of his favor. The whole context still treats of reconciliation and propitiation, of the removal of the wrath of God by the death of his Son, and not of inward sanctification. It is true that the immediate and certain effect of God's reconciliation to us is our reconciliation to him. If he is at peace with us, we have inward peace. Conscience is only the reflection of his countenance, the echo, often feeble and indistinct, often terribly clear and unmistakable, of his judgment; and therefore subjective peace uniformly attends faith in the love of God, or assurance of our justification. Although, therefore, the primary idea of the apostle is, that God is at peace with us, it is nevertheless true that inward tranquility of mind is the fruit of justification by faith. It is peculiarly an evangelical doctrine, that pious affections are the fruit of this reconciliation to God, and not the cause of it. Paul says this peace is the result of justification by faith. He who relies on his works for justification, can have no peace. He can neither remove the displeasure of God, nor quiet the apprehension of punishment. Peace is not the result of mere gratuitous forgiveness, but of justification, of a reconciliation founded upon atonement. The enlightened conscience is never satisfied until it sees that God can be just in justifying the ungodly; that sin has been punished, the justice of God satisfied, his law honored and vindicated. It is when he thus sees justice and mercy embracing each other, that the believer has that peace which passes all understanding; that sweet quiet of the soul in which deep humility, in view of personal unworthiness, is mingled with the warmest gratitude to that Savior by whose blood God's justice has been satisfied, and conscience appeased. Hence Paul says we have this peace through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not through ourselves in any way, neither by our own merit, nor our own efforts. It is all of grace. It is all through Jesus Christ. And this the justified soul is ever anxious to acknowledge. "Pacem habemus. Singulalis justitiae fidei fructus. Nam siquis ab operibus conscientiae securitatem petere velit, (quod in profanis et brutis hominibus cernitur,) frustra id tentabit. Aut enim contemptu vel oblivione Divini judicii sopitum est pectus, aut trepidatione ac formidine quoque plenum est, donec in Christum recubuerit. Ipse enim solus est pax nostra. Pax ergo conscientiae serenitatem significat, quae es eo nascitur, quod Deum sibi reconciliatum sentit." Calvin.
VERSE 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace, etc. This verse admits of different interpretations. According to one view, it introduces a new and higher benefit than peace with God, as the consequence of our justification: 'We have not only peace, but access (to God), and joyful confidence of salvation.' Besides other objections to this interpretation, it overlooks the difference between ecomen and eschkamen, rendering both, we have: 'We have peace, and we have access;' whereas eschkamen is properly, we have had. This clause, therefore, instead of indicating an additional and higher blessing than the peace spoken of in ver. 1, expresses the ground of that peace: 'We have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom also we have had access into this grace.' So Meyer, Philippi, etc. 'We are indebted to Christ not only for peace, but also for access to this grace, (this state of justification,) which is the ground of our peace.' The word prosagwgh means either introduction or access. In Ephesians 2:18; and 3:12, it has the latter meaning, which may be retained here. In both the other places in which it occurs, it is used of access to God. Many commentators so understand it in this place, and therefore put a comma after eschkamen, and connect pistei with eiV thn carin tauthn. The sense would then be, 'Through whom also we have had access to God, by faith on this grace.' The objections to this explanation are, that it supposes an omission in the text, and that the expression "faith on the grace," has no scriptural analogy. The obviously natural construction is to connect prosagwghn with eiV thn carin tauthn, as is done in our version, and by the great majority of commentators, and to take th pistei instrumentally, by faith. The grace to which we have access, or into which we have been introduced, is the state of justification. The fact, therefore, that we are justified, we, rather than others, is not due to anything in us. We did not open the way, or introduce ourselves into this state. We were brought into it by Christ. "Accessûs quidem nomine initium salutis a Christo esse docens, preparationes excludit, quibus stulti homines Dei misericordiam se antevertere putant; acsi diceret, Christum nihil promeritis obviam venire manumque porrigere." Calvin. In which we stand. The antecedent of the relative (h) is not pistei, but carin; in which grace we stand; that is, we are firm; and immovably established. So in John 8:44, it is said of Satan, that he stood not (ouc esthken) in the truth, did not remain steadfast therein. 1 Corinthians 15:1, "Wherein ye stand," 2 Corinthians 1:24. The state, therefore, into which the believer is introduced by Christ, is not a precarious one. He has not only firm ground on which to stand, but he has strength divinely imparted to enable him to keep his foothold. And rejoice in hope of the glory of God. The word kaucaomai is one of Paul's favorite terms. It properly means to talk of one's self, to praise one's self, to boast; then to congratulate one's self, to speak of ourselves as glorious or blessed; and then to felicitate ourselves in anything as a ground of confidence and source of honor and blessedness. Men are commanded not to glory (kaucasqai) in themselves, or in men, or in the flesh, but in God alone. In this passage the word may be rendered, to rejoice, 'we rejoice in hope.' Still something more than mere joy is intended. It is a glorying, a self-felicitation and exultation, in view of the exaltation and blessedness which Christ has secured for us. In hope of the glory of God. The object or ground of the rejoicing or boasting expressed by this verb is indicated here by epi; commonly, in the New Testament, the matter of the boasting is indicated by en, sometimes by uper and peri.
The glory of God may mean that glory which God gives, or that glory which he possesses. In either case, it refers to the exaltation and blessedness secured to the believer, who is to share in the glory of his divine Redeemer. "The glory which thou gavest me," said our Lord, "I have given them," John 7:22. There is a joyful confidence expressed in these words, an assurance of ultimate salvation, which is the appropriate effect of justification. We are authorized and bound to feel sure that, having through Jesus Christ been reconciled to God, we shall certainly be saved. This is only a becoming confidence in the merit of his sacrifice, and in the sincerity of God's love. This confidence is not founded on ourselves, neither on the preposterous idea that we deserve the favor of God, nor the equally preposterous idea that we have in ourselves strength to persevere in faith or obedience. Our confidence is solely on the merit of Christ, and the gratuitous and infinite love of God. Although this assurance is the legitimate effect of reconciliation, and the want of it is evidence of weakness, still in this, as in other respects, the actual state of the believer generally falls far short of the ideal. He ever lives below his privileges, and goes limping and halting, when he should mount up as with the wings of the eagle. Still it is important for him to know that assurance is not an unseemly presumption, but a privilege and duty. "Hic evertuntur," says Calvin, "pestilentissima duo sophistarum dogmata, alterum, quo jubent Christianos esse contentos conjectura morali in percipienda erga se Dei gratia, alterum, quo tradunt olunes esse incertos finalis perseverentiae. Atqui nisi et certa in praesens intelligentia, et in futurum constans ac minime dubia sit persuasio, quis gloriari auderet?"
VERSES 3, 4. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also. Not only dowe rejoice in this hope of future glory, but we glory in tribulations also.Since our relation to God is changed, the relation of all things to us ischanged. Afflictions, which before were the expressions of God'sdispleasure, are now the benevolent and beneficent manifestations of hislove. And instead of being inconsistent with our filial relation to him, theyserve to prove that he regards and loves us as his children; Romans 8:18;Hebrews 12:6. Tribulations, therefore, although for the present not joyous,but grievous, become to the believer matter of joy and thankfulness. The words kaucwmeqa en taiV qliyesin do not mean that we glory in themidst of afflictions, but on account of them. They are themselves thematter or ground of the glorying. So the Jews are said to glory (en) in thelaw, others glory in men, the believer glories in the Lord; so constantly. Afflictions themselves are to the Christian a ground of glorying; he feelsthem to be an honor and a blessing. This is a sentiment often expressed inthe word of God. Our Lord says, "Blessed are they who mourn;" "Blessed are the persecuted;" "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you." He callson his suffering disciples to rejoice and be exceeding glad when they areafflicted. Matthew 5:4, 10-12. The apostles departed from the Jewish council, "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame forChrist's name." Acts 5:41. Peter calls upon Christians to rejoice when they are partakers of Christ's sufferings, and pronounces them happywhen they are reproached for his sake. 1 Peter 4:13, 14. And Paul says, "Most gladly therefore will I glory in (on account of) my infirmities," (i.e.my sufferings.) "I take pleasure," he says, "in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake." 2 Corinthians12:9, 10. This is not irrational or fanatical. Christians do not glory insuffering, as such, or for its own sake, but as the Bible teaches,
- Because they consider it an honor to suffer for Christ.
- Because they rejoice in being the occasion of manifesting his power in their support and deliverance; and,
- Because suffering is made the means of their own sanctification and preparation for usefulness here, and for heaven hereafter.
The last of these reasons is that to which the apostle refers in the context. We glory in afflictions, he says, because affliction worketh patience, upomonh, constancy. It calls into exercise that strength and firmness evinced in patient endurance of suffering, and in perseverance in fidelity to truth and duty, under the severest trials. And this constancy worketh experience, dokimh. This word means,
- Trial, as in 2 Corinthians 8:2, "In a great trial of affliction," i.e. in affliction which is a trial, that which puts men to the test.
- Evidence or proof, as in 2 Corinthians 13:3, "Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me." Compare 2 Corinthians 2:9;
Philippians 2:22. This would give a good sense here: 'Constancy produces evidence' of the fidelity of God, or of our fidelity.
- The word is used metonymically for the result of trial, i.e. approbation, or that which is proved worthy of approbation: 'dokimh est qualitas ejus, qui est dokimoV.' Bengel. It is tried integrity, a state of mind which has stood the test. Compare James 1:12, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, (oV upomenei peirasmon😉 for when he is tried (oti dokimoV genomenoV) he shall receive the crown of life." _Upomonh, the endurance of trial, therefore, makes a man dokimoV; in other words, it worketh dokimh. It produces a strong, tested faith. Hence the parallel expression, to dokimion umwn thV pistewV, the trying of your faith. 1 Peter 1:7. And this dokimh, well tested faith, or this endurance of trial produces hope; tends to confirm and strengthen the hope of the glory of God, which we owe to our justification through Jesus Christ.
VERSE 5. And hope maketh not ashamed, (kataiscunei.) Not to makeashamed, is not to put us to the shame of disappointment. The hope of thebeliever, says Calvin, "habet certissimum salutis exitum." It certainlyeventuates in salvation. See 9:33. The hope which true believers entertain,founded on the very nature of pious exercises, shall never disappoint them,Psalms 22:5. The ground of this assurance, however, is not the strength ofour purpose, or confidence in our own goodness, but the love of God. Thelatter clause of the verse assigns the reason why the Christian's hope shallnot be found delusive; it is because the love of God is shed abroad in ourhearts, by the Holy Ghost given unto us. 'The love of God' is his love tous, and not ours to him, as appears from the following verses, in which theapostle illustrates the greatness and freeness of this love, by a reference tothe unworthiness of its objects. To shed abroad, (ekkecutai, it has been,and continues to be shed abroad,) is to communicate abundantly, and henceto evince clearly, Acts 2:17, 10:45; Titus 3:6. This manifestation of divinelove is not any external revelation of it in the works of Providence, or evenin redemption, but it is in our hearts, en taiV kardiaiV hmwn, diffusedabroad within our hearts, where en in, is not used for eiV, into. "The loveof God," says Philippi, "does not descend upon us as dew in drops, but asa stream which spreads itself abroad through the whole soul, filling it withthe consciousness of his presence and favor. And this inward persuasionthat we are the objects of the love of God, is not the mere result of theexamination of evidence, nor is it a vain delusion, but it is produced by theHoly Ghost:" The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we arethe children of God," Romans 8:16; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; Ephesians1:14. As, however, the Spirit never contradicts himself, he never bearswitness that "the children of the devil" are the children of God; that is, thatthe unholy, the disobedient, the proud or malicious, are the objects of thedivine favor. Any reference, therefore, by the immoral, to the witness ofthe Spirit in their favor, must be vain and delusive.
VERSE 6. For when we were yet without strength. The connection of thisverse, as indicated by gar, is with ver. 5. We are the object of God's love,for Christ died for us. The gift of Christ to die on our behalf, is everywherein Scripture represented as the highest possible or conceivable proof of thelove of God to sinners. John 3:16; 1 John 3:16; 4:9, 10. The objection thatthe Church doctrine represents the death of Christ as exciting or procuring the love of an unloving God, is without the shadow of foundation. Thescriptures represent the love of God to sinners as independent of the workof Christ, and anterior to it. He so loved us as to give his only begottenSon to reconcile our salvation with his justice. In the Greek of this passage,eti gar CristoV ontwn hmwn asqenwn, the eti, yet, is out of its naturalplace; it belongs to ontwn asqenwn (as in ver. 8, eti amartwlwn,) andnot to CristoV. Such trajections of the particles are not unusual even inclassical Greek. See Winer, § 61, 4: 'Christ died for us, when we were yetweak.' This slight irregularity has given rise to considerable diversity ofreadings even in the older manuscripts. Some, instead of eti at thebeginning of the verse, have eige or eiV ti, and place et, after asqenwn;others have eti both at the beginning and at the end of the clause. Thegreat majority of editors and commentators retain the common reading, andrefer the eti to ontwn, etc., as is done in our version. We being yet weak.The weakness here intended is spiritual weakness, destitution of strengthfor what is spiritually good, a weakness arising from, and consisting insinfulness. The same idea, therefore, is expressed in ver. 8, by the words,eti amartwlwn, when we were yet sinners. What, in Isaiah 53:4, isexpressed by the LXX. in the words taV amartiaV hmwn jerei, hebears our sins, is, in Matthew 8:17, expressed by saying, taV asqeneiaVhmwn elabe, he took our weaknesses. In due time, kata, are not to beconnected with the preceding participial, 'we being weak according to (orconsidering) the time,' secundum rationem temporis, as Calvin and Luther,after Chrysostom and Theodoret, render it, but with the following verb,apeqane, he died kata kairon. This may mean, at the appointed, or atthe appropriate time. The former is more in accordance with the analogy ofScripture. Christ came at the time appointed by the Father. The same ideais expressed in Galatians 4:4, by "the fullness of time;" compare Ephesians1:10; 1 Timothy 2:6; Titus 1:3; John 5:4. Of course the appointed wasalso the appropriate time. The question only concerns the form in whichthe idea is expressed. He died uper asebwn, for the ungodly. As theapostle had said, 'when we were weak,' it would have been natural for himto say, 'Christ died for us,' rather than that he died for the ungodly, had itnot been his design to exalt the gratuitous nature of God's love. Christ diedfor us the ungodly; and therein, as the apostle goes on to show, is themysteriousness of the divine love revealed. That God should love thegood, the righteous, the pure, the godly, is what we can understand; but that the infinitely Holy should love the unholy. and give his Son for theirredemption, is the wonder of all wonders. "Herein is love, not that weloved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation forour sins." 1 John 4:10. As the love of a mother for her child, with whichGod condescends to compare his love towards us, is not founded on theattractive qualities of that child, but is often strongest when its object isthe least worthy, so God loves us when sinners. The whole confidence ofthe apostle in the continuance of this love (and therefore in the finalperseverance of the saints) is founded on its being thus gratuitous. If heloved us because we loved him, he would love us only so long as we lovehim, and on that condition; and then our salvation would depend on theconstancy of our treacherous hearts. But as God loved us as sinners, asChrist died for us as ungodly, our salvation depends, as the apostle argues,not on our loveliness, but on the constancy of the love of God. This ideapervades this whole paragraph, and is brought more distinctly into view inthe following verses. Christ died for the ungodly; that is, in their place, andfor their salvation. The idea of substitution is not indeed necessarilyinvolved in the force of the preposition uper, which means for, in behalfof, while anti means in the peace of. None the less certainly, however, isthe doctrine here taught. To die for a man, means to die for his benefit.And therefore, if this were all that the Scriptures taught concerning therelation between Christ's death and our salvation, it would remainundecided, whether he died for us as an example, as a martyr, or as asubstitute. But when it is said that he died as a sacrifice, that he gave hislife as a ransom, that he was a propitiation, then the specific method inwhich Christ's death benefits us is determined. It is therefore with uper,as with our preposition for; whether or not it expresses the idea ofsubstitution depends on the context, and the nature of the subject. In suchpassages as this, and 2 Corinthians 5:15, 20, 21; Galatians 3:13; Philemon 13, uper involves in it the meaning of anti.
VERSE 7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventurefor a good man some would even dare to die. The greatness and freeness ofthe love of God is illustrated in this and the following verse, by makingstill more prominent the unworthiness of its objects: 'It is hardly to beexpected that any one would die, in the place of a merely righteous man,though for the good man, this self-denial might possibly be exercised. But we, so far from being good, were not even righteous; we were sinners,ungodly, and enemies.' The difference between the words righteous andgood, as here used, is that which, in common usage, is made between justand kind. The former is applied to a man who does all that the law orjustice can demand of him, the latter to him who is governed by love. Thejust man commands respect; the good man calls forth affection. Respectbeing a cold and feeble principle, compared to love, the sacrifices to whichit leads are comparatively slight. This distinction between dikaioV andagaqoV is illustrated by that which Cicero, De Officiis, Lib. 3:15, makesbetween justus and bonus: "Si vir bonus is est qui prodest quibus potest,nocet nemini, recte justum virum, bonum non facile reperiemus." Theinterpretation given above is the one generally adopted; it suits the contest,the signification of the words, and the structure of the passage. The designof the apostle is to represent the death of Christ as an unexampledmanifestation of love. Among men, it was never heard of that one died fora man simply just; the most that human nature could be expected toaccomplish is, that one should die for his benefactor, or for the good man- one so good as to be characterized and known as the good. There isevidently a climax in the passage, as indicated by the opposition between(moliV and taca) scarcely and possibly. The passage, however, has beendifferently interpreted. Luther takes both dikaiou and tou agaqou asneuters: "Scarcely for the right will any one die, possibly for somethinggood some one might dare to die." Calvin makes no distinction between thewords: "Rarissimum sane inter homines exemplum exstat, ut pro justo quismori sustineat quanquam illud nonnunquam accidere possit." Meyer takesdikaiou as it is without the article, as masculine, but tou agaqou asneuter, and renders the latter clause of the verse interrogatively: "Hardlyfor a righteous man will one die, for who can easily bring himself to die forwhat is good (to agaqon, the good)?" The common interpretation isperfectly satisfactory, and to these, other objections more or less decisivemay be adduced. Instead of dikaiou, the Syriac reads adikou, 'Scarcelyfor an unrighteous man will one die.' But this is not only unauthorized, butthe sense is not so appropriate.
VERSE 8. But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we wereyet sinners, Christ died for us. 'Commendeth,' sunisthsi, proves, orrenders conspicuous; see 3:5. What renders the love of God so peculiarly conspicuous, is his sending his Son to die, not for the good, nor even forthe righteous, but for sinners, for those who were deserving of wrathinstead of love. The word sinners expresses the idea of moral turpitude,and consequent exposure to the divine displeasure. It was for, or in theplace of those who were at once corrupt, and the enemies of God, thatChrist died.
VERSE 9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall besaved from wrath through him. This and the following verse draw theobvious inference, from the freeness and greatness of the love of God, asjust exhibited, that believers shall be ultimately saved. It is an argument afortiori. If the greater benefit has been bestowed, the less will not bewithheld. If Christ has died for his enemies, he will surely save his friends.Being justified. To be justified is more than to be pardoned; it includes theidea of reconciliation or restoration to the favor of God, on the ground of asatisfaction to justice, and the participation of the consequent blessings.This idea is prominently presented in the following verse. 'We are justified by his blood.' This expression, as remarked above (chap. 4:3), exhibits thetrue ground of our acceptance with God. It is not our works, nor our faith,nor our new obedience, nor the work of Christ in us, but what he has donefor us; chap. 3:25; Ephesians 2:13; Hebrews 9:12. Having by the death ofChrist been brought into the relation of peace with God, being nowregarded for his sake as righteous, we shall be saved from wrath throughhim. He will not leave his work unfinished; whom he justifies, them he alsoglorifies. The word wrath, of course, means the effects of wrath orpunishment, those sufferings with which the divine displeasure visits sin;Matthew 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Romans 1:18. Not only is ourjustification to be ascribed to Christ, but our salvation is through him.Salvation, in a general sense, includes justification; but when distinguishedfrom it, as in this case, it means the consummation of that work of whichjustification is the commencement. It is a preservation from all the causesof destruction; a deliverance from the evils which surround us here, orthreaten us hereafter; and an introduction into the blessedness of heaven.Christ thus saves us by his providence and Spirit, and by his constantintercession; chap. 8:34; Hebrews 4:14, 15; 7:25; Jude ver. 24; 1 John 2:1.Olshausen here also introduces his idea of subjective justification, and saysthat the meaning of this passage is, "If God regenerates a man, we may hope that he will uphold and perfect him, and reduce his liability toapostasy to a minimum." According to this, to justify is to regenerate, andto save from wrath is to reduce our liability to apostasy to a minimum.
VERSE 10. For if, when we were yet enemies, we were reconciled to God bythe death of his Son, etc. This verse contains nearly the same idea as ver. 9,presented in a different form. The word enemies is applied to men notonly as descriptive of their moral character, but also of the relation inwhich they stand to God as the objects of his displeasure. There is notonly a wicked opposition of the sinner to God, but a holy opposition ofGod to the sinner. The preceding verse presents the former of these ideas,and this verse the latter most prominently. There it is said, 'though sinners, we are justified;' and here, 'though enemies, we are reconciled'.The word ecqroi has the same passive sense in 11:28. And this is theprincipal difference between the two verses. To be reconciled to God, insuch connections, does not mean to have our enmity to God removed, buthis enmity to us taken out of the way, to have him rendered propitious, orhis righteous justice satisfied. This is evident,
- Because the reconciliation is ascribed to the death of Christ, or his blood, ver. 9. But, according to the constant representations of Scripture, the death of Christ is a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, or to propitiate the favor of God, and not immediately a means of sanctification. The former is its direct object, the latter an incidental result. This is the very idea of a sacrifice. The most liberal commentators, that is, those least bound by any theological system, admit this to be the doctrine of Scripture, and of this particular passage. Thus Meyer: "Christi Tod tilgte nicht die Feindschaft der Menschen gegen Gott;" that is, "The death of Christ does not remove the enmity of men towards God, but as that which secures the favor of God, it removes his enmity towards men, whence the removal of our enmity towards him follows as a consequence." So also Rückert: "The reconciled here can only be God, whose wrath towards sinners is appeased by the death of his Son. On man's part nothing has happened; no internal change, no step towards God; all this follows as the consequence of the reconciliation here spoken of." De Wette also says, that "katallagh must mean the removal of the wrath of God, and consequently the reconciliation is of God to man, which not only here, but in 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19; Colossians 1:21; Ephesians 2:16, is referred to the atoning death of Christ."
- The object of the verse is to present us as enemies, or the objects of God's displeasure. 'If while we were the objects of the divine displeasure,' says the apostle, 'that displeasure has been removed, or God propitiated by the death of his Son, how much more shall we be saved,' etc. That is, if God has been reconciled to us, he will save us.
- This is the proper meaning of the word, 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19. See also Matthew 5:24, "First be reconciled to thy brother," i.e. go and appease his anger, or remove the ground of his displeasure; compare Hebrews 2:17, "He is a priest to make reconciliation (eiV to ilaskesqai) for the sins of the people." It is the appropriate business of a priest to propitiate God, and not to reform men. See also 1 Samuel 29:4: "Wherewith should he reconcile himself (diallaghsetai) to his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?" Ephesians 2:16, "That he might reconcile (apokatallaxh) both unto God by the cross," not remove their enmity to God, but secure for them his favor and access to the Father, ver. 18. The verbs katallassw, diallassw, and apokatallassw, are used interchangeably. The main idea, of course, as expressed by allassw, to change, is slightly modified by the force of the several prepositions with which it is combined – to change kata in relation to, dia between, apo from. The three verbs, however, are all used to the idea of reconciliation, i.e. changing the relation of parties at enmity, so that they are at peace. Whether this reconciliation is effected by the propitiation of the justly offended party, or by a change of feeling in the offender, or both, depends on the connection.
- The context obviously requires this sense here. "Being reconciled by the death of his Son," evidently corresponds to the phrase, "Being justified by his blood." The latter cannot mean that our feelings towards God are changed, but is admitted to express the idea that we are forgiven and restored to the divine favor. Such therefore must be the meaning of the former. Besides, it is the object of the apostle to illustrate the greatness and freeness of the love of God, from the unworthiness of its objects. While sinners, we are justified; while enemies, we are reconciled. To make the passage mean, that when enemies we laid aside our enmity, and became the friends of God, would be to make it contradict the very assertion and design of the apostle. We shall be saved by his life. This rather unusual mode of expression was doubtless adopted for the sake of its correspondence to the words, by his death, in the preceding clause, and is a striking example of Paul's fondness for such antithetical constructions; see chap. 4:25; Galatians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 3:6. The meaning is obvious: 'If while we were enemies, we were restored to the favor of God by the death of his Son, the fact that he lives will certainly secure our final salvation.'
- His life is a pledge and security for the life of all his people; see John 14:19, "Because I live, ye shall live also;" Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:23.
- He is able to save to the uttermost, "because he ever lives to make intercession or us," Hebrews 7:25, etc.
- At his resurrection, all power in heaven and earth was committed to his hands, Matthew 28:18; and this power he exercises for the salvation of his people; Ephesians 1:22, 'He is head over all things, for the benefit of his Church;' Revelation 1:18; Hebrews 2:10; 1 Corinthians 15:25, etc.; see also the passages cited on the last clause of ver. 9. There is, therefore, most abundant ground for confidence for the final blessedness of believers, not only in the amazing love of God, by which, though sinners and enemies, they have been justified and reconciled by the death of his Son, but also in the consideration that this same Savior that died for them still lives, and ever lives to sanctify, protect, and save them.
VERSE 11. Not only so, but we rejoice in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; ou monon de, alla kai kaucwmenoi en tw Qew. There are three ways of explaining the participle kaucwmenoi; the one is to make it antithetical to katallagenteV, 'not only reconciled, but exulting in God, shall we be saved.' But this is not only an unnatural form of expression, but in ver. 9, katallagenteV is not a qualification of swqhsomeqa. The meaning is not, 'We shall be saved reconciled,' but, 'Since we are reconciled we shall be saved.' Another interpretation supplies the verb from the preceding clause, 'Not only shall we be saved, but saved rejoicing in God.' The best sense is obtained by supplying esmen after the participle, as is assumed in the English version, and advocated by the majority of commentators: 'We shall not only be ultimately saved, but we now glory the God.' The benefits of redemption are not all future. It is not only deliverance from future wrath, but the joy and glory of the present favor and love of God, that we owe to Jesus Christ. Thus the Vulgate, which renders kaucwmenoi as a verb, (sed et gloriamur,) as does Luther, "wir rühmen uns auch Gottes." We glory in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. That is, it is to him that we are indebted for this joy in God as our God and portion. Through whom we have now received atonement. This is the reason why we owe our present glorying in God to Christ; it is because he has secured our reconciliation. The word rendered by our translators, atonement, is katallagh, the derivative of katallassw, properly rendered in the context, as elsewhere, to reconcile. The proper rendering, therefore, of the noun would be reconciliation: 'Through whom we have received reconciliation, that is, have been reconciled.' This verse therefore brings us back to verse 2. There it is said, 'Having peace with God, we rejoice in hope of his glory;' and here, 'Being reconciled, we glory or rejoice in God.' Salvation is begun on earth.
- Peace with God is the result of that system of religion which alone, by providing at once for the satisfaction of divine justice and the sanctification of the human heart, is suited to the character of God, and the nature of man. All history shows that no system other than the gospel has ever produced this peace, ver. 1.
- All the peculiar blessings of redemption are inseparably connected with and grow out of each other. Those who are justified have peace with God, access to his presence, joy under the most adverse circumstances, assurance of God's love, and certainty of final salvation; see the whole section, and compare chap. 8:30.
- The Holy Ghost has intimate access to the human soul, controlling its exercises, exciting its emotions, and leading it into the knowledge of the truth, ver. 5.
- The assurance of hope is founded on the consciousness of pious affections, and the witness of the Holy Spirit; and is a grace to which believers may and ought to attain, verses 4, 5.
- The perseverance of the saints is to be attributed not to the strength of their love to God, nor to anything else in themselves, but solely to the free and infinite love of God in Christ Jesus. The praise is therefore no more due to them, than condemnation to a helpless infant for its mother's sleepless care. "Can a woman forget her sucking child," etc., verses 6-10.
- Redemption is not by truth or moral influence, but by blood, verses 9, 10.
- The primary object of the death of Christ was to render God propitious, to satisfy his justice, and not to influence human conduct, or display the divine character; for the sake of the moral effect of that exhibition. Among its infinitely diversified results, all of which were designed, some of the most important, no doubt, are the sanctification of men, the display of the divine perfections, the prevention of sin, the happiness of the universe, etc. But the object of a sacrifice, as such, is to propitiate, verses 9, 10; Hebrews 2:17.
- All we have or hope for, we owe to Jesus Christ – peace. communion with God, joy, hope, eternal life; see the whole section, and the whole Bible.
- If we are the genuine children of God, we have peace of conscience, a sense of God's favor, and freedom of access to his throne. We endure afflictions with patience. Instead of making us distrustful of our heavenly Father, they afford us new proofs of his love, and strengthen our hope of his mercy. And we shall have, also, more or less of the assurance of God's love, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, verses 1-5.
- None of these fruits of reconciliation with God can be obtained until the spirit of self-righteousness and self-dependence is removed. They are secured through faith, and by Christ Jesus, and not by our own works or merit, ver. 1, etc.
- The hope of the hypocrite is like a spider's web; the hole of the believer is an anchor to his soul, sure and steadfast, ver. 5.
- Assurance of the love of God never produces self-complacency or pride; but always humility, self-abasement, wonder, gratitude, and praise. The believer sees that the mysterious fountain of this love is in the divine mind; it is not in himself, who is ungodly and a sinner, verses 8-10.
- As the love of God in the gift of his Son, and the love of Christ in dying for us, are the peculiar characteristics of the gospel, no one can be a true Christian on whom these truths do not exert a governing influence, verses 9, 10; compare 2 Corinthians 5:14.
- True religion is joyful, verses 2, 11.


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Media blitz hits Super Bowl
Published 9:02 pm Thursday, January 30, 2014
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Internet star Lil Terrio danced with cheerleaders, an Austrian man dressed as Mozart, another guy wore a Waldo costume and Nickelodeon's Pick Boy was in the house.
Welcome to Media Day, the annual Super Bowl circus.
It seems fitting this event was held at a hockey rink, of all places, because there's nothing ordinary about it. More than 6,000 journalists, pseudo-journalists and other credentialed "media" from all over the world gathered at the home of the NHL's New Jersey Devils on Tuesday to meet the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks.
Strange questions were the norm instead of football ones. A man asked Seahawks center Max Unger if he could touch his long, scruffy beard. He said yes. A woman asked Seahawks defensive lineman Brandon Mebane for a kiss. He said no.
Perhaps the only player who felt at home was Seattle tight end Luke Wilson. He grew up in Canada, played hockey through his sophomore year of high school and was genuinely psyched to be in an NHL arena.
"I thought it was kind of cool to be here," said Wilson, a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. "I was a left winger, grinding forward-type of guy. I have two brothers and we would play on the street in front of the house, go to spring camps, played all the time. I played a lot of hockey."
Asked if any of his teammates could lace up the skates, Wilson was brutally honest: "No, definitely not. No way."
Unger, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound lineman, played roller hockey long before he packed on the pounds for a career in the NFL.
"This is an awesome venue, seems like a great place to play hockey," he said. "I watch a little bit of hockey. We have the Vancouver Canucks up the road."
Coincidentally, while football players spent their day at the rink, a couple of New York hockey teams prepared to play an outdoor game at Yankee Stadium. The Rangers and Islanders will continue the NHL's Stadium Series in the Bronx on Wednesday night.
Seahawks defensive end Benson Mayowa isn't a fan of the sport, but he appreciates the toughness of hockey players.
"Only thing I like to watch in hockey is fights," he said. "But they do get physical, they lose teeth, get stitched up and come back out there. It's the same as football."
But hockey has nothing like this on its calendar.
The Media Day extravaganza is one of the wildest scenes in sports. Even current football players were in on the "reporting" action. Eagles Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson co-hosted a show for BET. Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel interviewed players for a shampoo promotion.
"This is pretty crazy, man. Pretty crazy," Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson said. "I saw Waldo. I saw the superhero. They told us there were going to be people dressed up, but you never really know what to expect until you see them."
Of course, a few celebrities also took part in the spectacle. Actor Nick Cannon wore a Peyton Manning jersey. Michelle Williams, former Destiny's Child singer, asked players to sing.
But the most popular person was Lil Terrio, who became famous for posting his "Ohhh, kill 'em" dance online. Players stopped to pose for pictures with him, interrupted their interviews to call him over and everyone who recognized him asked him to dance.
As for players, Manning and Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman were surrounded by the biggest throng of reporters. Manning deftly evaded questions about his "legacy" and Sherman was so eager to talk that he showed up early for his 60-minute session.
Several players captured the craziness on video. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many players who may never get another chance to play in a Super Bowl.
"I wanted to share the experience with my family," said Seahawks receiver Golden Tate, who wore Google Glass and a Go Pro camera on his hat. "I wanted them to get some of the behind-the-scenes footage and see what it's like. It's my way of giving back and sharing with them."
Speaking of sharing, it was a no-brainer for the Devils to share their building with the NFL on the biggest day ahead of the Big Game.
"This is a 24-7 operation," said Scott O'Neil, chief executive officer of the Devils, Philadelphia 76ers and Prudential Center. "We have 200 events here a year and this is one of them. It's just with a huge media spotlight on it."

subset: commoncrawl


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Yield: 24 sandwiches
8 oz cream cheese softened
3 T minced fresh basil
1/2 cup slivered almonds toasted
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt
8 slices honey wheat bread
1 lb strawberries, hulled thin sliced
Mix together cream cheese, basil, almonds, lemon zest and juice along with salt until well combined.
Spread on bread and top with strawberry slices and dill if desired.
In the picture here, I used a small flower cookie cutter and toasted this in my Babycakes Cupcake Maker to make little toast flower "bowls". I piped the cream cheese w/ a #21 wilton tip.
For a printable recipe click HERE!
Tea Cup Tuesday at Artful Affirmations
Tuesday Cuppa Tea at Antiques and Teacups


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Fishing at Shangri-La - May 1943 |
"On Sunday the President wanted to fish in a stream which flowed through lovely woods. He was placed with great care by the side of a pool, and sought to entice the nimble and wily fish. I tried for some time myself at other spots. No fish were caught, but he seemed to enjoy it very much, and was in great spirits for the rest of the day."Although the FDR Library indicated in their caption that the photo at left was taken at Shangri-La, it was actually taken at nearby Hunting Creek.
The President is at Camp David describes the Hunting Creek area where the two of them went fishing:
"a mountain stream that crossed the road to Shangi-La about two miles west of the camp entrance. The six-mile stretch of the stream between its source near Foxville and the Thurmont municipal dam had been heavily stocked with brook trout and set aside for fly fishing."
Heading off to go fishing - 1960 |
President Eisenhower went fishing on several occasions while he was at Camp David. This 1953 newspaper article describes a Fourth of July weekend at Camp David where he caught four trout when he went fishing "near his cabin headquarters".
This 1958 article reported on a weekend Camp David trip where he got in two hours of fishing and caught five trout.
President Carter - August 12, 1980 |
In his autobiography Sharing Good Times, President Carter wrote about his attempts to get his wife Rosalynn interested in fly fishing:
"Rosalynn later practiced for hours, casting into the swimming pool at Camp David. She had a natural talent and soon developed precise control and proper placement of the fly."
President Carter practicing his technique outside Aspen Lodge - November 1980 |
Despite the fact that there is no fishing available inside Camp David, the close proximity to nearby Hunting Creek allows our First Anglers to pursue their favorite pastime while visiting the Presidential Retreat.
Google Earth view of Hunting Creek and nearby Camp David |
Sources: Life; Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum; Eisenhower Presidential Library; Jimmy Carter Library; The President is at Camp David; Sarasota Herald-Tribune; The Times-News; UPI; Ocala Star-Banner; Sharing Good Times


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OCI Anomaly Detection is an AI service that provides real-time and batch anomaly detection for univariate and multivariate time series data. Through a simple user interface, organizations can create and train models to detect anomalies and identify unusual behavior, changes in trends, outliers, and more.
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Blog: The fascinating (nuclear) history behind Oracle's new anomaly detection service
OCI Anomaly Detection provides multiple data processing techniques that account for errors and imperfections in real-world input data, such as from low-resolution sensors. It automatically identifies and fixes data quality issues—resulting in fewer false alarms, better operations, and more accurate results.
APIs help developers upload raw data, train the anomaly detection model using their own business-specific data, and detect anomalies from the stored model. This makes creating highly accurate, custom-trained anomaly detection models accessible to everyone—even without data science experience.
Easy access to open-source technologies expands usage of OCI Anomaly Detection's models. Pull time-series data from InfluxDB or streaming data from Apache Flink. Use open-source libraries like Plotly, Bokeh, and Altair for visualizations and to increase automation.
OCI Anomaly Detection outputs include identified anomalies, ML model-based estimated values, and anomaly scores. Developers use these results to assess the severity of identified anomalies and automate business workflows to address them immediately.
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OCI Anomaly Detection improves AI and ML processes, including apps monitoring, data cleansing, and data training. Use anomaly detection to discover unexpected changes in model accuracy, improve data integrity, and optimize model and application performance.
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Viji Krishnamurthy, Senior Director Product Management, Oracle
OCI Anomaly Detection is a robust, scalable and user-friendly AI service that watches large volume multivariate time series data and alerts you when something warrants your attention. Authenticated users can access OCI Anomaly Detection Service—part of our public cloud offering—via REST API, command-line interface, development kit, or the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure console.
Build an ML model in an OCI workshop. Detect production anomalies in just a few guided steps.
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text:
The Sun is Setting Tell Everyone You Know
As each constitutional guarantee falls by the wayside we wonder when enough people will turn off the game, forget about the vampires, the hoarders, and the dysfunctional non-reality reality stars and realize our nation and our children's heritage is being transformed into what our ancestors fought a revolution to be rid of?
By Dr. Robert Owens
If we say nothing while watching someone walk off a cliff and plunge to her death we would be criminally negligent. If we ride past a home in the early morning and see smoke rising from the roof and don't call 911 we would be criminally negligent. Today, as we watch our nation walk off a cliff, as we watch the smoke rise from the home of the brave and the land of the free, if we do not do all we can to raise the awareness of our fellow Americans we are criminally negligent.
Those who are awake to the coming end of limited government have watched this slow motion train wreck for our entire lives. We have watched as inch by inch the Federal Government has lured our fellow citizens into one entitlement trap after another. We have wondered when they will wake up and pay attention.
Election after election we have marveled at the shallowness of the debate. One side says, "If you elect them they will gut the safety net and throw Grandma off the cliff!" And after every election no matter who wins the safety net becomes more of a hammock. The other side says, "If you elect them they will gut the defenses and whoever the currently fashionable model of a barbarian horde happens to be will soon stifle freedom, walk upon Old Glory and turn us all into slaves." And after every election the defense budget grows and the policeman of the world continues to walk the beat.
Blind justice may be good but a blind electorate is falling for these two straw man arguments electing demagogues whose motto might as well be, "You know I'm lying but you like what I say." The social safety net will not be eliminated by any of these empty suits. It will instead become the sack the cats are sewn in before the crazy guy throws it in the river. The defense budget will not be gutted. It won't even be reduced. Baseline budgeting and secret off budget black ops funding will make sure our 900 base 130 country overseas empire continues to make sure the sun never sets on the stars and stripes.
As each constitutional guarantee falls by the wayside we wonder when enough people will turn off the game, forget about the vampires, the hoarders, and the dysfunctional non-reality reality stars and realize our nation and our children's heritage is being transformed into what our ancestors fought a revolution to be rid of?
Most of us, even the comatose can recite, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." Our assembly line public education has drilled that into our heads.
What our one more brick in the wall system hopes we don't recall is the next line, "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed," And they pray that we don't shout the next line, "That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness."
When a government uses the excuse of security to tap our phones, monitor electronic communications, and generally read our mail without a warrant, to arrest and detain American citizens on American soil without a warrant, and hold them indefinitely without trial, to wage war without declaration or even congressional approval what we have here is more than a failure to communicate. What we have is a central government establishing a tyranny in the name of providing security.
Ben Franklin told us, "Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one."
Looking for substance we tune into the ad nauseam insipid debates organized and orchestrated by a partisan press merely trying to make the Republicans look like the bar scene from Star Wars. What do we hear? Except for the lone exception we hear one after another big government professional calling for less spending, less regulations and more war. Out of that list all we will get is more war. And the lone exception is continuously relegated to the status of an also ran by every news organization including the supposedly conservative one.
On the other side we are offered four more years of this: four more years of total transformation until we wake up one day in the Progressive version of Heaven: a cradle-to-grave nanny state fighting endless wars for peace. Regimented, controlled, secure and listening as the same comatose voters who brought us to this place repeat the pabulum that jumps off the teleprompters into the mouths of the info-announcers as if these were their own opinions.
We cannot, we must not allow this to happen without at the very least exerting every effort to wake up anyone within the sound of our voice. To do this we of course must be awake and aware ourselves.
If we do not know where we came from how can we know where we are? If we don't know where we are, how can we know where we are going?
We must study to show ourselves approved. If we lose the foundation how will the structure stand? We must know and understand the constitutional and historical underpinnings of this noble experiment in human freedom if we are to preserve it. We must know and understand the flow of current events if we wish to shape the future.
Study, learn, share, and look for the lights in the tower. One if by land and two if by sea, we must recognize the signs of the times and try to wake up as many people as we can. The time is late, the hour is dark, but the right shall prevail.
Forty-seven years ago a young pre-rap poet songwriter tried to wake people up to the intrusion of government and the need to recognize it when he said, "Maggie comes fleet foot face full of black soot talkin' that the heat put plants in the bed but the phone's tapped anyway Maggie says that many say they must bust in early May orders from the D.A. Look out kid Don't matter what you did. Walk on your tiptoes don't try "No-Doz" better stay away from those that carry around a fire hose keep a clean nose watch the plain clothes you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows"
Knowing which way the wind blows should tell us that we must do our duty to save our country or it will be lost. I don't know about you but in the future when my grandchildren ask, "What did you do to hold back the night?" I want to be able to say more than, "I didn't notice the darkness."
Keep the faith, keep the peace, we shall overcome.
Dr. Owens teaches History, Political Science, and Religion for Southside Virginia Community College. He is the author of the History of the Future @ http://drrobertowens.com © 2012 Robert R. Owens firstname.lastname@example.com Follow Dr. Robert Owens on Facebook or Twitter @ Drrobertowens
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Due to the extreme rise in shipping costs all shipments to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and all other countries outside of the United States MAY BE SUBJECT to additional shipping fees at time of actual shipment. Oversized shipments may be subject to additional shipping fees.
December 2021 Back Issue
Back Issue


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Munich Families Still Mourn, 40 Years Later
September 5 was meant to be something of an annual holiday in Michal Shahar?s family.
It was the date that she moved with her parents to Israel from Romania in 1963. Nine years later, they planned a double celebration: Her father, Kehat Shorr, was representing his new nation at the Olympics that day, coaching the shooting team.
But on September 5, 1972, Shorr was taken hostage by Palestinian terrorists in the Israeli team?s Olympic quarters; the next day, he was killed. His family lost not only a husband and father, but also the ideologue who had brought them to Israel.
?My father was a very patriotic Zionist, and we tried for years to come to Israel,? Shahar said, recalling how the communist authorities in their native Romania repeatedly barred their exit.
In contrast to Kehat Shorr, David Mark Berger came to Israel for pragmatic reasons. The Ohio-born Jewish weightlifter knew that he would have a better shot at going to the Olympics if he competed for a spot on the Israeli team, given the country?s smaller pool of world-class competitors.
Berger was the only American-born Israeli in the group of 11 athletes, all of whom died in Munich.
Just as each athlete traveled a distinct path to Israel?s 1972 Olympic team, each of their families was left to wend its way through the grief. Forty years since the event that bound together their lives, the families of the Munich 11 have processed their common loss differently. For some, the event might as well have been yesterday. For others, the ensuing decades have brought the distance necessary to go on.
?For a lot of years at night I couldn?t sleep,? Shahar said, in her Tel Aviv apartment. ?I was always up thinking through all sorts of scenarios, like maybe something else happened, and nonsense thoughts like maybe he?s still alive.?
At the time of the tragedy, Shahar was a 21-year-old newlywed. Though hit hard, she pushed on to obtain her mathematics degree. She became a high school teacher and, eventually, a principal.
Shahar is very much her father?s daughter. She shares his adeptness for languages, explaining in perfect English that she never took lessons and instead taught herself by reading English books. Shahar studied mathematics because of her father?s interest in the subject; and she even followed his passion in deciding where to spend most of her teaching career: at the Navon gymnasium, in Tel Aviv, a sports and science school. ?I?m sure it was because of my father ? sports has always stayed very close to my heart,? she said.
She retired last year, but for more than three decades Shahar has used her professional post to memorialize the Munich victims. The annual schoolwide sports contest at Navon is dedicated to them, and during exchange trips with German schools she gave talks about the massacre. Her son, Kehat, is named after her father; she also has a daughter, Adi.
In discussing the massacre, Shahar raised her voice only once: when recalling the Palestinian Authority?s praise of its perpetrators, such as the mastermind, Abu Daoud, whom P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas commended on his death, in 2010. ?It makes me burn inside,? she said.
Despite this ? and despite the Munich terrorists? affiliation with Abbas?s Fatah movement ? Shahar favors peace talks with the P.A. But she is skeptical about what they will yield. ?When I think irrationally I think there is a chance,? she said. ?When I think rationally I think there is no chance. They don?t want us here.?
Ilana Romano cuts a sharp contrast to the calm Shahar. ?It?s very hard to interview. It?s like a flashback,? the widow of weightlifter Yossef Romano said in her Tel Aviv home. At another point, flustered, she stopped the interview to find her cigarettes in another room. For her, even seeing the emblem of the Olympics is painful. ?It makes my blood drip,? she said.
Romano is on a mission. Shahar would like a minute?s silence for the Israeli victims to be observed in London, but she views the campaign for this as a worthy commemoration in itself, even if the International Olympic Committee continues to refuse. After all, an online petition has gathered more than 80,000 signatures; the U.S. Senate passed a resolution calling for a minute of silence, and prominent politicians in America, Canada, Australia and Britain have backed the call. ?I think that?s the important thing ? not the minute, but that everyone is talking about it, and that we didn?t let anyone forget about it,? she said.
Romano wants only concrete results.
?They died on Olympic ground in the context of competing in the Olympics. The fact that the Olympic Committee is not remembering them as its children is an antithesis [of the Olympic spirit],? she said.
The State of Israel, which will hold a memorial ceremony in London, has continued to honor the memory of the Munich 11, she said, as has the Israeli public. But for Romano, the campaign is part of a promise she made to her children, ages 6 years, 4 years and 6 months at the time of the massacre. ?They asked, ?We?ll never see Daddy again?? and I said ?Yes? and told them the real story. I promised them that their father?s memory will never be lost and we?ll tell the story of their father and his friends forever. After all these years, I stand on my promise.?
In her private life, she has delivered on the pledge. Her whole family, including her daughters and eight grandchildren, ranging in age from 5 to 18, gather at her husband?s grave on the yahrzeit and on Israel?s Memorial Day. When he was 3, the youngest grandson said: ?I don?t understand. We always go to Grandpa, but he never comes.?
David Mark Berger?s family has also spoken about the incident publicly, dedicating a statue at a Cleveland-area Jewish community center in their son?s honor and naming the weight room at Shaker Heights High School after him. But when it came to discussing the Munich massacre at home, the conversations came slowly. ?We didn?t really talk about it that much,? said his sister, Barbara Berger, who was 22 at the time of his death. ?It was something that made my parents uncomfortable.?
The summer before the Munich Olympics, Barbara Berger visited her brother in Tel Aviv, where they rode his motorcycle and cooked together, getting to know each other as adults for the first time. Her parents became aware of his death when NBC sportscaster Jim McKay delivered the news on national television.
Barbara Berger?s 29-year-old daughter, Dalit Gulak Wolfe, said that she and her brother, David Gulak are both named after their fallen uncle, and that they learned about their Olympian namesake from their mother and their grandparents. They stressed David Berger?s accomplishments instead of his death, Gulak Wolfe said.
Her grandfather, a doctor, filled his office with his grandson?s medals and various diplomas. He had a bachelor?s degree in psychology from Tulane University, a master?s degree in business administration and a law degree from Columbia.
?There was never any hatred around it, and I think there easily could have been,? Gulak Wolfe said in a phone interview. ?Instead, we talked about the great things David chose to do with his life.?
Benjamin Berger, David and Barbara?s father, gave his grandchildren a silver bracelet with a nameplate that belonged to his son. Gulak Wolfe, who played soccer and lacrosse during high school, kept it in her gym bag as a reminder that athletics are meant to bring people together rather than divide them. The unifying power of sports is a mantra for the Berger family, and it?s the reason they say the IOC should instate a moment of silence. ?We feel it is important as the years go by,? Benjamin Berger said. ?Otherwise, the 11 gave their lives for nothing. They could work a slight amount toward world peace. Athletes can always get along with other athletes, and the teams always got along.?
David Berger?s extended family will watch the games from Gulak Wolfe?s home in Brunswick, Maine. The family is always a ?little bit on edge? watching the games, she said, waiting for some surprise recognition of the Munich 11.
Romano and Shahar will follow the games, too ? Shahar from her living room in Tel Aviv, and Romano partly from London, which she is visiting for the Israeli-run commemoration ceremony, and partly from Tel Aviv.
Watching the games ?opens up the wound every time afresh,? Romano said, but she does so out of a love for sports and in the belief that her husband would want her to follow them.
?I watch, and I?m very happy to see Israeli athletes take part, the fact that terror hasn?t stopped them and we continue,? Romano said.
Shahar said that she feels this same mixture of emotions, and that she also envisages her father. ?When I see the opening ceremony, I always see my father walking as part of it.?
Nathan Jeffay reported from Jerusalem. Naomi Zeveloff reported from New York.
Contact Nathan Jeffay at [email protected]
Contact Naomi Zeveloff at [email protected] or on Twitter @NaomiZeveloff


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Phantom fighter: MeterPlug reports electric use in dollars
A gadget under development aims to make power costs a little less mysterious by tracking and reporting electricity use in terms of dollars.
It's cold. I'm sitting here with a heating pad on my desk chair. I use it all the time, but I have no idea what its real impact on my electric bill is. The same goes for my LED Christmas tree and the glowing smartphone charger I leave plugged in all the time. The big mystery around the cost of electrical appliances could soon be cleared up if a little device called MeterPlug hits its fundraising goal on Indiegogo.
MeterPlug plugs into an outlet. You then plug your appliance directly into the MeterPlug. The gadget reports energy usage over Bluetooth to an app that translates the draw into actual dollars. You can manually enter your local electricity prices or use the app's average for your country.
The app for iOS and Android tracks energy usage and cost over time. It can also turn appliances on and off through the app or through a proximity setting. Walk away with your phone in your pocket and the TV turns off. Return, and it turns back on.
An early-bird pledge of $45 on Indiegogo will get you a MeterPlug of your own to try out. However, the gadget is probably most effective when you use a bunch of them to monitor your different devices. If you really want to go nuts, you can pledge $700 for an early-bird package of 20 MeterPlugs.
Sure, $700 would go a long way toward paying the average household electric bill. If there's a flaw in the MeterPlug plan, it's the cost of the gadget itself. You have to weigh the potential savings that could come with using the plugs against the cost to obtain them.


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Tumor Board
At John Muir Health, your managing physician has access to a multi-disciplinary cancer case conference (tumor board) where a team of medical experts review complex cases and make treatment recommendations.
Getting the Most Expert Advice
Having a tumor board is unique for a community hospital like John Muir Health as a panel like this is usually found only at university medical centers.
Typically, the tumor board consists of a physician who specializes in the treatment of your condition, a medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, radiologist, and a pathologist. Depending on the type of cancer you have, other medical experts may be brought in for consultation.


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It all starts with a seed...or a cutting, or a runner. But whichever way propagation occurs, this is the stage where growing seedlings are at their most vulnerable and require tender and loving care.
Most gardeners first plant seeds in propagation trays and then re-pot them into larger pots when they have germinated. Not only is it time-consuming and messy, but disturbing seedling roots can also be fatal. Garden Bargains has the ideal solution: the Complete Shuttle and Watering Tray Kits. Used by professional growers, they provide the ideal environment for growing on seeds and young plants. Complete with 9cm-pots and comprising shuttle trays that stand in watering trays on top of capillary mats, they promote healthy growth by distributing water evenly.
We also supply trays on their own.If you grow your own fruit and vegetables, Garden Bargains offers some practical and attractive items. The Vintage Dutch Bulb Crate is more than just a crate, it is a piece of history as they are all over 30 years old and have been used to store bulbs near Amsterdam. But you can use them for pears, apples, anything. Their metal mesh base allows air circulation and prevents rot, and they can be stacked up, making them a real space saver. Likewise, our Hessian sacks will not only store your produce in optimum conditions, they will also lend their traditional charm to any shed.
Growing on has never been so easy, so contact us today to buy these essential gardening accessories.


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Dungeon World
Dungeon World is a world of fantastic adventure. A world of magic, gods and demons, of good and evil, law and chaos. Brave heroes venture into the most dangerous corners of the land in search of gold and glory.
Adventurers take many shapes in Dungeon World. The races of elves, men, dwarves, and halflings all have their heroes. Some are near-invincible beasts of battle encased in iron armor. Others are more mysterious, conjuring up and wielding the mighty forces of magic. Treasure and glory are sought by a holy cleric, a tricky thief, a mighty paladin, and more.
It isn't all easy heroics and noble bravery, though. Every time the ranger guides his friends through the ancient woods there are a hundred things waiting to bite his head off. Slavering hordes of goblin troops, maybe. Or is this the Cursed Wood, where dwells the Gray Witch? Or the throngs of hateful dead, looking to drag a meaty corpse back to their lair? Scary, sure, but there's treasure, too. More gold and jewels and magic lost to man have fallen between the cracks in the world than you can imagine. Who better to retrieve it than a band of stalwart heroes?
You and your friends are those heroes. You go where others can't or won't. There are monstrous things lurking in the world. Are you ready to face them?
The Bard
The poems say an adventurer's life is all open roads and the glory of coin and combat. The tales told in every farmhand-filled inn have to have some ring of truth to them, don't they? The songs to inspire peasantry and royals alike—to soothe the savage beast or drive men to a frenzy—have to come from somewhere.
Enter the bard. You, with your smooth tongue and quick wit. You teller-of- tales and singer-of-songs. A mere minstrel can retell a thing, but it takes a true bard to live it. Strap on your boots, noble orator. Sharpen that hidden dagger and take up the call. Someone's got to be there, fighting shoulder-to- shoulder with the goons and the thugs and the soon-to-be-heroes. Who better than you to write the tale of your own heroism?
Nobody. Get going.
The Cleric
The lands of Dungeon World are a gods-forsaken mess. They're lousy with the walking dead, beasts of all sorts, and the vast unnatural spaces between safe and temple-blessed civilizations. It is a godless world out there. That's why it needs you.
Bringing the glory of your god to the heathens isn't just in your nature—it's your calling. It falls to you to proselytize with sword and mace and spell, to cleave deep into the witless heart of the wilds and plant the seed of divinity there. Some say that it's best to keep the gods close to your heart. You know that's rubbish. God lives at the edge of a blade.
Show the world who is lord.
The Druid
Cast your eyes around the fire. What has brought you to these people, stinking of the dust and sweat of the city? Perhaps it is a kindness—do you protect them as the mother bear watches over her cubs? Are they your pack, now? Strange brothers and sisters you have. Whatever your inspiration, they would certainly fail without your sharp senses and sharper claws.
You are of the sacred spaces; you are born of soil and wear the marks of her spirits on your skin. You may have had a life before, maybe you were a city dweller like them, but not now. You've given up that static shape. Listen to your allies pray to their carved stone gods and polish their silver shells. They speak of the glory they'll find back in that festering town you left behind.
Their gods are children, their steel is false protection. You walk the old ways, you wear the pelts of the earth itself. You'll take your share of the treasure, but will you ever walk as one of them? Only time will tell.
The Fighter
It's a thankless job—living day to day by your armor and the skill of your arm, diving heedlessly into danger. They won't be playing golden horns for the time you took that knife to the ribs for them in the bar in Bucksberg. No flock of angels will sing of the time you dragged them, still screaming, from the edge of the Pits of Madness, no.
Forget them.
You do this for the guts and the glory, for the scream of battle and the hot, hot blood of it. You are a beast of iron. Your friends may carry blades of forged steel but, fighter, you are steel. While your traveling companions might moan about their wounds around a campfire in the wilderness, you bear your scars with pride.
You are the wall—let every danger smash itself to dust on you. In the end, you'll be the last one standing.
The Paladin
Hell awaits. An eternity of torment in fire or ice or whatever best suits the sins of the damned throngs of Dungeon World. All that stands between the pits of that grim torture and salvation is you. Holy man, armored war machine, templar of the Good and the Light, right? The cleric may say his prayers at night to the gods, dwelling in their heavens. The fighter may wield his sharp sword in the name of "good" but you know. Only you.
Eyes, hands, and sweet killing blow of the gods, you are. Yours is the gift of righteousness and virtue—of justice, of Vision, too. A purity of intent that your companions do not have.
So guide these fools, paladin. Take up your holy cause and bring salvation to the wastrel world.
Vae victis, right?
The Ranger
These city-born folk you travel with. Have they heard the call of the wolf? Felt the winds howl in the bleak deserts of the East? Have they hunted their prey with the bow and the knife like you? Hell no. That's why they need you.
Guide. Hunter. Creature of the wilds. You are these things and more. Your time in the wilderness may have been solitary until now, but the call of some greater thing—call it fate if you like—has cast your lot with these folk. Brave, they may be. Powerful and strong, too. But only you know the secrets of the spaces between.
Without you, they'd be lost. Blaze a trail through the blood and dark, strider.
The Thief
You've heard them, sitting around the campfire. Bragging about this battle or that, or about how their gods are smiling on your merry band. You count your coins and smile to yourself—this is the thrill above all. You alone know the secret of Dungeon World: filthy, filthy lucre.
Sure, they give you lip for all the times you've snuck off alone, but without you, every one of them would have been dissected by a flying guillotine or poisoned straight to death by some ancient needle trap. So let them complain. When you're done with all this delving you'll toast their heroes' graves.
From your castle. Full of gold. You rogue.
The Wizard
Dungeon World has rules. Not the laws of men or the rule of some petty tyrant. Bigger, better rules. You drop something—it falls. You can't make something out of nothing. The dead stay dead, right?
Oh, the things we tell ourselves to feel better about the long, dark nights.
You've spent so very long poring over those tomes of yours. Conducting experiments that nearly drove you mad and casting summonings that endangered your very soul. For what? For power. What else is there? Not just the power of King or Country but the power to boil a man's blood in his veins. To call on the thunder of the sky and the churn of the roiling earth. To shrug off the rules the world holds so dear.
Let them cast their sidelong glances. Let them call you "warlock" or "diabolist." Who among them can hurl fireballs from their eyes?
Yeah. Didn't think so.
Why play Dungeon World?
First, to see the characters do amazing things. To see them explore the unexplored, slay the undying, and go from the deepest bowels of the world to the highest peaks of the heavens. To see them caught up in momentous events and grand tragedies.
Second, to see them struggle together. To gather as a party despite their differences and stand united against their foes, or to argue over treasure, debate battle plans, and join in righteous celebration over a victory hard- won.
Third, because the world still has so many places to explore. There are unlooted tombs and dragon hoards dotting the countryside just waiting for quick-fingered and strong-armed adventurers to discover them. That unexplored world has plans of its own. Play to see what they are and how they'll change the lives of our characters.
How to Use This Book
This book is going to teach you how to play Dungeon World. If you're going to be the GM, you're going to need to read the whole thing, though you can skim through the monster stats for now and save the Advanced Delving chapter for later. Try printing the play aids too, they'll help you see what's most important. If you're a player, you might not need to read more than Playing the Game—a lot of the rules in Dungeon World will be contained in the character sheets you use during the game itself. You'll come back to the text a few times throughout your game to refer to certain rules, but it should be a rare occasion.
Setting Up
To play Dungeon World, you'll need to gather yourself and 2–5 friends. A group of 4 to 6, including you, is best. Choose one person to be the Game Master (GM). Everyone else will be players, taking the role of the characters in the game (we call these the player characters or PCs). As you play, the players say what their characters say, think, and do. The GM describes everything else in the world.
You can play a single session or string together multiple sessions into a campaign. Plan accordingly if you plan on playing a campaign, maybe setting aside a night of the week to play. Each session will usually be a few hours and you'll be able to start playing right away within the first session.
You'll need to print some materials. Before you start a new game, find or print off at least:
- A few copies of the basic and special moves
- One copy of each class sheet
- One copy each of the cleric and wizard spell sheets
- One copy of the adventure sheet and GM moves
- Miscellanea such as: pens and pencils, scrap paper for maps and notes, maybe some index cards
Everyone at the table will need something to write with and some six-sided dice. Two dice is the minimum but two dice per player is a good idea.
You'll also need some specialized dice: four-sided, eight-sided, ten-sided and twelve-sided. One of each is enough but more is better: you won't have to pass them around so much.
What's Dungeon World Like to Play?
Playing Dungeon World is all about finding out what happens when your characters encounter dangerous and exciting monsters, strange ruins, and unusual people on their quest for gold and glory. It's a conversation between the players and the GM—the GM tells the players what they see and hear in the world around them and the players say what their characters are thinking, feeling, and doing. Sometimes those descriptions will trigger a move—something that'll cause everyone to stop and say "time to roll the dice to see what happens." For a moment everyone hangs on the edges of their seats as the dice clatter to a stop. Tension and excitement are always the result, no matter how the dice land.
As you play your characters they'll change from their adventures and gain experience while learning about the world, overcoming monsters, and gathering riches. You'll discover how they feel about each other and where their moral compass points them. When they accrue enough experience they'll gain levels, becoming more powerful and having more options to explore.
You can play Dungeon World with the same group, session to session, over a long series of adventures, watching your characters change and grow together. You can play it as a self-contained game in a single-session, too. Whether a long campaign or a one-shot, Dungeon World's rules are here to guide you and help you create a world of fantasy adventure. Time to get out there and explore it!