If they keep quiet the stones will cry out.

[Vor]

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" 40"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

On the television show Beyond Belief: fact or fiction, they produce different stories and the viewers are told at the end which ones are true. Here is one which is based off a true story:

There was a janitor that was deaf and mute. Children in detention were writing on the board and instead of hearing the screetch they could here the janitor's scream but only when they scraped the chalk against the board.

Even though he wasn't able to talk, once a medium was presented which he could speak through, he was heard. The children in detention ran to rescue the man that couldn't physically scream within his own body.

Now, is Jesus being literal? Interpretation can be difficult without guidance...otherwise we wouldn't even have all these different denominations or even religions. But judge for yourself and I hope my knowledge made it easier. Knowledge is power they say.

 

[joey_downunder]

I always find good Bible commentaries for verses like these helpful.

e.g. Luke 19:40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

World Wide Study Bible: Luke 19:40 | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

Luke - big general website for Gospel of Luke

 

[Distinguished]

39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" 40"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

On the television show Beyond Belief: fact or fiction, they produce different stories and the viewers are told at the end which ones are true. Here is one which is based off a true story:

There was a janitor that was deaf and mute. Children in detention were writing on the board and instead of hearing the screetch they could here the janitor's scream but only when they scraped the chalk against the board.

Even though he wasn't able to talk, once a medium was presented which he could speak through, he was heard. The children in detention ran to rescue the man that couldn't physically scream within his own body.

Now, is Jesus being literal? Interpretation can be difficult without guidance...otherwise we wouldn't even have all these different denominations or even religions. But judge for yourself and I hope my knowledge made it easier. Knowledge is power they say.

Jesus is literal here (but with figurative ties). Remember, God in the old testament almost killed Moses for his disobedience even after Moses did many great things, so in God's eyes, he could have just raised up another great leader (say, Aaron could have taken his place), so in this case it would be figurative.

But remember that the bible says that Adam was created from the dust of the ground. God raised up dust to create the first man. You and I are made of dust even till this day, even according to scientists we are dust, confirming the bible. So if God can raise up dust to create people, he can also raise up stones. I have a vague memory of the story of Ezekiel with the dry bones that God raised up. God can do anything. He is not limited by the laws that he placed on his universe he created. He at one time stopped time, spinned the earth backwards. At one time he commanded the ravens to feed Elisha in the desert and they brought him food 2 times a day. He can do anything.

 

[ittarter]

Now, is Jesus being literal?

You're kidding, right?

Reminds me of an old Jack Handey quip:

If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about chopping them down? We might if they screamed all the time for no good reason...