Monite ‘Epeleli 5, 2021

 Monite ‘Epeleli 5, 2021

 In all your ways acknowledge him

Ke ke fakaongo kiate ia ‘i ho hala kotoa pē

 Palovepi 3 (Proverbs 3)

 (v. 5-6) 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

 (v. 5-6) 5 Falala ki he ‘Eiki ‘aki ‘a e kotoa ‘o ho loto, ‘O ‘oua ‘e faaki ki ho poto ‘o‘ou: 6 Ke ke fakaongo kiate ia ‘i ho hala kotoa pē,

Pea ‘e fakatonutonu ‘e ia ho ngaahi ‘alunga.

 

*Commentary: The Reformatio Study Bible*

 3:5 Trust in the LORD. Rely entirely upon the Lord's Word and promises as revealed through the sage (2:6; 16:20).

 lean ... understanding. The text warns against relying exclusively on one's own understanding, but does not prohibit using it.

 3:6 acknowledge him. The practical expression of the mind that submits to God and knows Him.

 he will make straight your paths. The straight path is the path of the righteous (2.20) that leads to life (12:28) and is to be contrasted with the crooked path (2:15) that leads to death (2:19).

 GOD IS . . . (KO E ‘OTUA, ‘OKU . . )

 4        GOD IS INFINITE

             Can you find out the deep things of God?

            Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

            It is higher than heaven-what can you do?

            Deeper than Sheol-what can you know?

            Its measure is longer than the earth

            and broader than the sea. (Job 11:7-9)

             Doctrine

The infinity of God is sort of like a “meta-attribute," such as simplicity, in the sense that it qualifies all the other attributes. Infinity means that there is no limit to God's perfections. Stephen Charnock helps us as we think about this concept:

Whatever God is, he is infinitely so.... Conceive of him as excellent, without any imperfection; a Spirit without parts; great without quantity; perfect without quality, everywhere without place; powerful without members; understanding without ignorance; wise without reasoning; light without darkness; infinitely more excelling the beauty of all creatures. ... And when you have risen to the highest, conceive him yet infinitely above all you can

conceive of spirit, and acknowledge the infirmity of your own minds. And whatsoever conception comes into your minds, say, "This is not God; God is more than this."

 In the seventh century, Maximus the Confessor said, "Whoever has seen God and has understood what he saw, has seen nothing."

 Indeed, we cannot grasp the Infinite One. Many theologians, such

as John Flavel, have spoken of infinity in relation to three related

but different aspects:

1. Respecting the perfection of his essence, "his wisdom,

power, and holiness, exceed all measures and limits."

2. Respecting time and place (i.e., eternity and omnipres-

ence), “no time can measure him."

3. Respecting his incomprehensibility, finite creatures can-

not comprehend the infinite God.

 4        Ko e ‘Otua´ ‘oku ‘Inifenaite (ta’efakangatangata)

             Te ke mahakulea ‘a e uho ‘o ‘Elohā?

            ‘Io, ‘e a‘u ho‘o hakule ki he takele ‘o Sātai?

            ‘Oku hangē ko e ngaahi tumutumu ‘o langi, ko e hā te ke fai?

            ‘Oku taumama‘o hifo ‘i Hētesi, ko e hā te ke ‘ilo?

            Ko hono fua ‘oku lōloa ange ‘i māmani, Pea laulahi ange ‘i he ‘ōseni (Siope 11:7-9)

 Tokateline

Ko e tu’unga ‘Inifenaite ‘o e ‘Otua, ‘oku hange ia ha “ ‘ulungaanga-pule,” ‘o tatau mo hono tu’unga LAULOTAHA (simplicity) he ‘oku ne faka’ilonga’i ‘a e ngaahi ‘ulungaanga kehe. Ko e ‘Inifenaite, ‘oku ‘uhinga, ‘oku ‘ikai ke fakangatangata ‘a e tu’unga haohaoa ‘o e ‘Otua. ‘Oku tokoni ‘a e fakamatala ‘a e tangata teolosia ko Sitīveni Sianoke ki he fakakaukau ko eni:

Ko e ha pe ‘e tau lau fekau’aki mo e ‘Otua, ‘oku ne taumama’o atu ai... faka‘uta mo fakakaukau ki hono tu’unga fungani hake, ‘o ‘ikai hano mele; ko e laumalie pea ‘ikai hano kongokonga; lahi fau pea ta’emalau; haohao, ‘ikai lava hako sivi; ‘i he potu kotoa pe, kae ‘ikai hano feitu’u; mafimafi kae ‘ikai hano fe’unga; a’usia mo a’ua’u, ‘ikai ha tonounou; poto ‘o ‘ikai ha fifili; maama ta’e ‘i ai ha po’uli; ope atu hono fungani masani ‘i he kotoa ‘o e me’a fakatupu...pea ka ke hake ki he tumutumu, fao ho’o fakakaukau ke ope atu ‘i he tu’unga ma’olunga taha ‘o ha laumalie, pea ke vete ‘a e pokosi’i ho ‘atamai. Pea ko e ha pe me’a ‘e aata atu ki ho’o fakakaukau, pea ke pehe leva, “ ‘Oku ‘ikai pe ko e ‘Otua eni; ‘oku mahulu hake ‘a e ‘Otua ia ‘i heni.”

 ‘I he senituli hono fitu, na’e pehee ai ‘e Makisimusa ko e Kofesoa (monike, tangata teolosia), “Ka ‘i ai ha taha kuo ne mamata ki he ‘Otua pea ne mahino’i ‘a e me’a na’a ne mātāa´, ta na’e ‘ikai te ne mamata ‘e ia ki ha me’a.” ‘Io, ‘e ‘ikai ‘aupito te tau lava ke ma’ukupusi ‘a e ‘Otua-’ikai-hano-ngata’anga. Na’e tokolahi ‘a e kau tangata teolosia, hange ko e Sione Falavelo, na’a nau fakamatala’i ‘a e tu’unga ‘inifenaite ‘o e ‘Otua ‘i ha tu’unga tatau ‘e tolu ka ‘i ha tapa kehekehe:

 1) Fekau’aki mo e haohaoa ‘o hono natula, “‘a ‘ene poto, mafai, ma’oni’oni, ope atu ‘i he mafai ke fua mo e fakangatangata kotoa pe.”

2)  Fekau’aki mo e taimi mo e feitu’u (lau’itaniti - ‘i he potu kotoa pe), “ ‘oku ‘ikai ha taimi te ne lava ke fua ia.”

3) Fekau’aki mo hono tu’unga kilukilua, ‘oku ‘ikai malava ‘e he me’a fakatupu ‘oku fakangatangata ke nau mahino’i ‘a e ‘Otua ta’e-’i ai-hano-ngata’anga.