Bierkergaard: The Writings of Soren Kierkegaard

When coming to the "Sign of Contradiction" we will either respond in faith or be offended. The sign reveals the thoughts of the heart. The podcast episode was cut-off at 50 minutes by Riverside so it ends abruptly.

"For thou mindest not the things of God but the things of men." Jesus to Peter. “A true friend expresses his/her views when the other person/friend is in evil paths." Soren. We all likely overestimate our courage when the test comes. Good to stay humble and pray that God gives us the strength to endure persecution and adversity because of our faith. If and when it happens. Soren does not dodge the hard teachings and words of Jesus.

"It is a whole musical tone deeper than common human suffering." Soren knew what it felt like to be mocked, derided, and dismissed, in his attempts to shake Copenhagen from its sleepy civil rectitude and Christendom. God uses the lowly and humble to confound the worldly-wise. Christ and His message is hope for those with faith and an insult to those who have not faith.

Soren details Peter's denial of Jesus. The Offense of God being a lowly man on trial for blasphemy.

"They are offended that He, this lowly man, should be the extraordinary one."

Jesus asked this of the 12 Disciples who had seen his miracles. The Offense. Proofs make us attentive but it still requires Faith.

When John was thrown into prison, he began to doubt Jesus as the Christ. "The huge folios which develop the truth of Christianity" (S.K.) were incinerated in the jail crucible of doubt. Proofs can make a person attentive to the claims of Christ. Faith is always required. "Wilt thou believe or wilt thou be offended?" The question then. The question now. That the Bible shows that John doubted points to the fact that the Bible's heroes outside of Jesus are so very human. And, in my estimation, point to the accounts of John's doubt as being accurate. None were, born of a woman, greater than John. According to Jesus. And John doubted.

The Established Order(s) in the the U.S., where ideology trumps truth. And trumpery is practiced in spades by the Right and Left political factions that are religious in character. About ultimacy. No deviance from all positions is the requirement. Or else.

"The Pharisees and the Scribes here represent the established order...which had become empty externalism." S.K. Matthew 15: 1-12

Kierkegaard writes that humanity is offended by Christ's assertion that He is God. And if God, how could He be a lowly man? "The God-man is the paradox, the absolute paradox."