Pray For The Peace of Jerusalem
b>Names and Titles of God (Son of the Blessed) Mark 14:61
61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
King James Version
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I don't know if the current generation is taught the song Yankee Doodle anymore, but it was a BIG song in my childhood. Since we lived in Boston, MA, we had a lot of History surrounding us. In the City itself was The Freedom Trail, which included Paul Revere's House, The Bunker Hill Monument, the Site of The Boston Massacre, and the numerous Churches where the Revolutionaries and, later, the Abolitionists preached. Just out Route 2 a few miles are Lexington and Concord, where the First Shots of the American Revolution were fired. It's a National Historic Park now, and I highly recommend it. Since I was once a Volunteer Docent on the Freedom Trail, I'd be happy to show you around. (I have an extra helmet for you, so you don't have to rent a car, Ha Ha.)
Back to "Yankee Doodle", the Wiki Article relates the origins a wee bit differently than I remember it, so I will share what was taught to me in the Boston Public Schools:
The word "Yankee" was originally an ethnic slur depicting a Dutch or English person in the American Colonies. During the American Revolution, the British Troops referred to the Minutemen as "Yankees" in order to indicate that they were hayseed hicks who had no military or social finesse. The tune came from earlier song, perhaps from The French and Indian War, and is easily adapted for fife and drum matching. Anyway, the British Troops sang the Lyrics to insult and demoralize the Minutemen, but it had the opposite effect. It became the Minutemen's Marching Song!
I loved the story. It is a Classic Tale of being served a lemon, and making lemonade out of it. It may be apocryphal, but who cares. It teaches us a valuable lesson about name-calling.
A similar story occurred in the 2016 Presidential Election when Hillary Clinton refered to the Opposition as "A Basket of Deplorables". It was not a nice thing to say about anybody, but the opposing side immediately latched onto the term with humor and enthusiasm. T-Shirts, Stickers, and other "Merch" flooded the Internet and a new "Yankee Doodle" was born.
Whatever side one is on, it's important to realize that "anything you say can come back to haunt you". I'll bet you can come up with a few examples yourself.
Today's Name, "Son of the Blessed" is a name given by Caiaphas, the High Priest, as he was interrogating Jesus. He asked this question in a hostile manner, and used the Name as an epithet, but he was also equating the name with "The Christ" (Messiah) in his question. Was he equating the names? Was he saying that the Messiah would also be the "Son of the Blessed", and thus, Divine?
The High Priest was in a position where he was expected to speak for God to the People. Was his hostile epithet actually a Prophetic Utterance from God, Who can only speak Truth? John The Evangelist gives us a hint that Caiaphas actually prophesied this event:
And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; (John 11:51 KJV)
And so, even a name spoken in hostility, can be turned around and speak of a deeper Truth.
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. (Mark 4:22)
God Bless America.
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS