Leviticus 4-6, Psalm 32, Mark 5
So I realized that yesterday I read Mark 5 and somehow skipped over Mark 4, so today you're hearing about 4. My excuse: I'm in tech rehearsals for Grey Gardens and I'm working a lot. Sorry.
Jesus says in Mark 5:13, " "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?" That's a pretty bold statement. It certainly makes me want to study the parables more so I can get all of Jesus' message. I can't help but read this passage and sing that old sunday school favorite, "This Little Light of Mine". When I was a kid I loved that song because it was catchy and had hand motions. I remember when we got to the "Hide it under a bushel?" part I would yell at the top of my lungs, "NO!". Now, I was yelling just because I was a kid and what kid doesn't like to yell? But looking back now, that's the kind of enthusiasm we should all have for our faith. I was reading my Bible in the dressing room tonight during our rehearsal, and one of the actors says, "Are you reading the Bible?" I answered yes, and he said, "Why?" This led to a great discussion of my faith: what I believe and why. I think it was enlightening to him to hear that one can be a Christian and not be a zealot or a nut job. I like to think that I was letting my light shine. Jesus says, "For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light." To me that means that we might as well let it shine, because people will find out sooner or later. I also find it very comforting that there isn't some secret out there that God doesn't let us have. (Sorry gnostics.) Everything we need has been provided in the person of Christ.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 37
Leviticus 1-3, Psalm 31, Mark 4
I realized during my reading today that I don't think I've ever actually read the beginning of Leviticus. If I ever did, I certainly didn't retain any of it. Perhaps I put it out of my mind. It's not exactly one of those Sunday School favorites. "Ok, kids. Today we're going to talk about slaughtering animals, burning the fatty parts, and dashing the blood around the sides of the altar all for the glory of God." I can only imagine the arts and crafts project of the day.
I'll admit, however, that I was greatly intrigued by all of this. The symbolism of putting your hand on the animal's head so you identify with the sacrificial victim. The word "atonement" comes up several times. Jesus atoned for our sins by dying. In the ancient Hebrew world, the animals' deaths were the atonement for sin. The person offering the sacrifice places his hand on the animal, and the animal's death is a substitute of sorts for that person. Hence the imagery of Christ as the sacrificial lamb. It's quite grotesque, but it's the way it was. And is, for that matter. Soon we will come to Good Friday where we read the horrifying Passion narrative. It's bloody, brutal, cruel, and at the very center of Christianity.
Moving along to Mark's gospel, I read the story of the man with legions of demons in him in a rather different light that I had in the past. It's a story with which I'm quite familiar, but I had never really thought about the man as a real human being. I know that sounds cruel, but when we read these stories it's easy to read into types and characters and ignore the humanity of the stories' subjects. Now demonic possession is one of those subjects that everyone is fascinated with. Look at all the movies on the subject! (I'll admit, I've seen most of them. The Exorcist scared the be-jeezes out of me!) I don't want to deny the possibility of demonic possession, but I also don't know that we can read it literally. One explanation of the rather numerous encounters with demoniacs in the Bible could be a misunderstanding in the ancient world of mental illness. If you read the encounter in Mark 4, this man certainly sounds crazy. I work very near a halfway house in Newport. The denizens of Broadway, as we call them, are crazy. Clinically nuts. Most of these people suffer from extensive alcohol and drug abuse, and are not in their right minds. They do things that I cannot fathom. They scream at no one in particular. They start crying without warning. They'll hurt themselves intentionally. This sounds much like the man living among the tombs in the wilderness. When I observe people walking down Broadway, they avoid the crazy people. (Let me just put it out there that I know the word crazy isn't P.C., but I don't believe in political correctness. Let's call it what it is. Crazy. I know they can't help it, but it doesn't change the fact that that's what they are.) I'm forced to interact with them due to my job on Broadway, so I've actually gotten to know some of these people. I find that many of them are starved for a human connection. Others are so far gone they don't know where they are. Either way, it's not popular or fun or often times safe to approach these people. But that's just what Jesus does. He commands the "legions" of demons to come out of the man. (Sound like schizophrenia or multiple personality syndrome?) He then tells the man to go to the places where he is known and share how good the Lord is.
I don't have the power to cure a mental illness. I don't have the medical know how to counsel someone who is mentally ill. I'm too scared of getting attacked to approach a crazy person on the street. So what am I supposed to do? I guess that's why Jesus chose this man to spread his message. Here is someone everyone must know or know about. Someone suffering greatly and causing harm to himself and those around him. If someone that far gone, that far removed from society, can be healed and worthy of God's love, then we all must be.
I realized during my reading today that I don't think I've ever actually read the beginning of Leviticus. If I ever did, I certainly didn't retain any of it. Perhaps I put it out of my mind. It's not exactly one of those Sunday School favorites. "Ok, kids. Today we're going to talk about slaughtering animals, burning the fatty parts, and dashing the blood around the sides of the altar all for the glory of God." I can only imagine the arts and crafts project of the day.
I'll admit, however, that I was greatly intrigued by all of this. The symbolism of putting your hand on the animal's head so you identify with the sacrificial victim. The word "atonement" comes up several times. Jesus atoned for our sins by dying. In the ancient Hebrew world, the animals' deaths were the atonement for sin. The person offering the sacrifice places his hand on the animal, and the animal's death is a substitute of sorts for that person. Hence the imagery of Christ as the sacrificial lamb. It's quite grotesque, but it's the way it was. And is, for that matter. Soon we will come to Good Friday where we read the horrifying Passion narrative. It's bloody, brutal, cruel, and at the very center of Christianity.
Moving along to Mark's gospel, I read the story of the man with legions of demons in him in a rather different light that I had in the past. It's a story with which I'm quite familiar, but I had never really thought about the man as a real human being. I know that sounds cruel, but when we read these stories it's easy to read into types and characters and ignore the humanity of the stories' subjects. Now demonic possession is one of those subjects that everyone is fascinated with. Look at all the movies on the subject! (I'll admit, I've seen most of them. The Exorcist scared the be-jeezes out of me!) I don't want to deny the possibility of demonic possession, but I also don't know that we can read it literally. One explanation of the rather numerous encounters with demoniacs in the Bible could be a misunderstanding in the ancient world of mental illness. If you read the encounter in Mark 4, this man certainly sounds crazy. I work very near a halfway house in Newport. The denizens of Broadway, as we call them, are crazy. Clinically nuts. Most of these people suffer from extensive alcohol and drug abuse, and are not in their right minds. They do things that I cannot fathom. They scream at no one in particular. They start crying without warning. They'll hurt themselves intentionally. This sounds much like the man living among the tombs in the wilderness. When I observe people walking down Broadway, they avoid the crazy people. (Let me just put it out there that I know the word crazy isn't P.C., but I don't believe in political correctness. Let's call it what it is. Crazy. I know they can't help it, but it doesn't change the fact that that's what they are.) I'm forced to interact with them due to my job on Broadway, so I've actually gotten to know some of these people. I find that many of them are starved for a human connection. Others are so far gone they don't know where they are. Either way, it's not popular or fun or often times safe to approach these people. But that's just what Jesus does. He commands the "legions" of demons to come out of the man. (Sound like schizophrenia or multiple personality syndrome?) He then tells the man to go to the places where he is known and share how good the Lord is.
I don't have the power to cure a mental illness. I don't have the medical know how to counsel someone who is mentally ill. I'm too scared of getting attacked to approach a crazy person on the street. So what am I supposed to do? I guess that's why Jesus chose this man to spread his message. Here is someone everyone must know or know about. Someone suffering greatly and causing harm to himself and those around him. If someone that far gone, that far removed from society, can be healed and worthy of God's love, then we all must be.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Bible Challenge Days 34-36
Exodus 37-40, Psalms 29-30, Mark 2-3
I love all the beautiful imagery of Psalm 29! It's a Psalm I remember reading in church, but I never understood it until now. It uses a storm as a manifestation of God. How fun that the psalmist takes a scary thing like a storm and makes it into the beauty and power of God. His voice is the thunder and lightning. There's peace in the storm, too.
Not to waste more time, Mark has the scribes plotting against Jesus in Chapter 2. We're only a page and a half in when we start hearing rumblings of the crucifixion and resurrection.
I love all the beautiful imagery of Psalm 29! It's a Psalm I remember reading in church, but I never understood it until now. It uses a storm as a manifestation of God. How fun that the psalmist takes a scary thing like a storm and makes it into the beauty and power of God. His voice is the thunder and lightning. There's peace in the storm, too.
"May the Lord give strength to his people!I mentioned in my last post that Mark seems to establish Jesus' authority from the very beginning of the gospel. This certainly comes out in the first miracle Jesus performs: healing the paralytic man. Here we see two forms of Jesus' power. First of all, the friends of the man were willing to bypass the crowds surrounding Jesus by removing the roof of Jesus' house and lowering their friend inside. Think about that. If you were a doctor and someone removed the roof of your house to get their friend inside, would you want to operate? That's crazy! But Jesus does. These people recognized Jesus' power, and they stopped at nothing to get to him. Secondly, Jesus heals the man by forgiving his sins. The scribes don't like this. Only God can forgive sins, but here Jesus does. In this very first miracle we see that Jesus can do what only God can do. We've already had the Holy Spirit descend when Jesus was baptized. I smell a trinity!
May the Lord bless his people with peace!
Not to waste more time, Mark has the scribes plotting against Jesus in Chapter 2. We're only a page and a half in when we start hearing rumblings of the crucifixion and resurrection.
A Bible Challenge Side Note and Tribute
Many of you who follow my blog were blessed, as I was, to have known Clara-Betsy Carson. When I heard in church on Sunday that Clara-Betsy had died on Saturday it was a huge blow to me. I know she had been sick for a long while, but it still hurt. I had convinced myself, somehow, that she would soon return to our Sunday morning Bible study group where she would loudly and confidently explain to us all the nuances of the Bible. She wasn't afraid of speaking her mind or disagreeing with anyone's interpretation of the Bible, including the rector's. I first met Clara-Betsy shortly after moving to Newport in 2008. Here was this funny old lady with a strange way of talking like her dentures didn't quite fit (I'm still not sure what gave her that unique wet quality of speech) who loved to talk about my two favorite topics: the theatre, and the Bible.
Clara-Betsy had an incredible wealth of knowledge about the Bible and Biblical history. Whenever I got stumped reading a passage I knew I could ask her, and she would have an answer. It was her great love for Bible study that really inspired me to delve deeply into our Bible Study Group and this Bible Challenge. I think the greatest thing that sticks with me about Clara-Betsy's outlook on what it means to be a Christian was her complete and sincere belief that we are to love one another. On many occasions she and I spoke about the radical love that Jesus shares with us. Mother Anita told a story about taking communion to Clara-Betsy in the hospital, and Clara-Betsy's friend who was also visiting asked if she could take communion, too. Clara-Betsy immediately answered for the rector saying of course she could! Jesus and Jesus' love is for everyone. She selflessly gave to the needy by preparing meals every month for our church's soup kitchen. One time she told me that our "Soup's On" event was for anyone who was hungry. That might mean people who are literally hungry, or people who are hungry for company. People who are hungry for spiritual growth. People who are hungry for human contact. People who are hungry for a warm place to sit for a couple of hours. It's that kind of love that gives me glimpses of Jesus dwelling among us today.
I will miss Clara-Betsy dearly as she was a great inspiration to me as to how a Christian life should be lived. I can only smile thinking of all the commotion she must be causing in heaven right now. I'm sure she's organized a dinner where she'll explain to the gospel writers exactly what they meant.
Clara-Betsy had an incredible wealth of knowledge about the Bible and Biblical history. Whenever I got stumped reading a passage I knew I could ask her, and she would have an answer. It was her great love for Bible study that really inspired me to delve deeply into our Bible Study Group and this Bible Challenge. I think the greatest thing that sticks with me about Clara-Betsy's outlook on what it means to be a Christian was her complete and sincere belief that we are to love one another. On many occasions she and I spoke about the radical love that Jesus shares with us. Mother Anita told a story about taking communion to Clara-Betsy in the hospital, and Clara-Betsy's friend who was also visiting asked if she could take communion, too. Clara-Betsy immediately answered for the rector saying of course she could! Jesus and Jesus' love is for everyone. She selflessly gave to the needy by preparing meals every month for our church's soup kitchen. One time she told me that our "Soup's On" event was for anyone who was hungry. That might mean people who are literally hungry, or people who are hungry for company. People who are hungry for spiritual growth. People who are hungry for human contact. People who are hungry for a warm place to sit for a couple of hours. It's that kind of love that gives me glimpses of Jesus dwelling among us today.
I will miss Clara-Betsy dearly as she was a great inspiration to me as to how a Christian life should be lived. I can only smile thinking of all the commotion she must be causing in heaven right now. I'm sure she's organized a dinner where she'll explain to the gospel writers exactly what they meant.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Bible Challenge Days 31-33
Exodus 28-36, Psalms 26-28, Matthew 27-28, Mark 1
I'm so glad the story of the golden calf comes in the middle of all the boring stuff. I really think the original editors of this book must have thought to themselves, "Hmm. We've been describing a lot of fabrics and gems and dimensions. Maybe we should give them a good story for a while." Even if that's not what they were thinking, it is a pretty good story. It's easy for us to look at the Israelites and judge, but I think that we all have our golden calves. This is an old example, but a true one: We willingly follow God's will when we're faced with a spiritual leader (like Moses, or a priest, or a preacher, or a teacher), but as soon as they're up the mountain, we turn to our own ways. It's that I go to church on Sunday and do whatever I want the rest of the week mentality. The thing that really gets me in this story, though, is how much God responds to Moses' intercessions on behalf of his people. It actually says in Exodus 32:14 that "the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people." That's powerful stuff. God listens to us. He's willing to hear our arguments and judge us fairly.
I don't have much commentary on this, but I really love Moses' prayer in 32:13
I had one of those Episcopal "a-ha" moments when I read Psalm 26. I have heard priests say the prayer found at verse 6 before the communion prayer. I know that most of what's said during the Eucharist is Biblical, but it's fun to find it.
---I'm going to rehearsal now, so if you're reading this in real time, I'll be back with more commentary. We're having a sitzprobe for Grey Gardens tonight, so that's exciting. Don't know what a sitzprobe is? Let me Google that for you.
...and we're back:
I really love the way Matthew ends his gospel. It's not quite as detailed as other accounts, but it's message is clear. Jesus gives a final commandment,
As I begin Mark, I'm reminded of an interesting subject in my college Bible class of which I cannot remember much. How was that for confusing? The preface to Mark in my Oxford NRSV states that most scholars regard Mark as the earliest written gospel, largely due to the brevity of the gospel. I remember in college, though, my professor talking about alternate theories of which order the gospels were written. Which might have borrowed material from others. I don't, unfortunately, remember much else about it. If anyone out there in cyberspace cares to elaborate, please do!
In the first 14 verses of Mark's gospel, it seems like he's really doing his best to show Jesus' place in the world. Mark skips over the story of Jesus' birth, and begins with Isaiah and John the Baptist. This sets up the coming of a messiah, and has John paving the way for "the one who is more powerful". From there we see Jesus recruiting his first followers. Mark's gospel, at least so far, seems one of action and of establishing God's kingdom.
I'm so glad the story of the golden calf comes in the middle of all the boring stuff. I really think the original editors of this book must have thought to themselves, "Hmm. We've been describing a lot of fabrics and gems and dimensions. Maybe we should give them a good story for a while." Even if that's not what they were thinking, it is a pretty good story. It's easy for us to look at the Israelites and judge, but I think that we all have our golden calves. This is an old example, but a true one: We willingly follow God's will when we're faced with a spiritual leader (like Moses, or a priest, or a preacher, or a teacher), but as soon as they're up the mountain, we turn to our own ways. It's that I go to church on Sunday and do whatever I want the rest of the week mentality. The thing that really gets me in this story, though, is how much God responds to Moses' intercessions on behalf of his people. It actually says in Exodus 32:14 that "the Lord changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people." That's powerful stuff. God listens to us. He's willing to hear our arguments and judge us fairly.
I don't have much commentary on this, but I really love Moses' prayer in 32:13
"Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight."
I had one of those Episcopal "a-ha" moments when I read Psalm 26. I have heard priests say the prayer found at verse 6 before the communion prayer. I know that most of what's said during the Eucharist is Biblical, but it's fun to find it.
---I'm going to rehearsal now, so if you're reading this in real time, I'll be back with more commentary. We're having a sitzprobe for Grey Gardens tonight, so that's exciting. Don't know what a sitzprobe is? Let me Google that for you.
...and we're back:
I really love the way Matthew ends his gospel. It's not quite as detailed as other accounts, but it's message is clear. Jesus gives a final commandment,
"Go...and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you."There's not a lot of hub-bub here. Sure, it may seem less of a human story this way. If my teacher and best friend died and then I saw him resurrected from the dead, I'd probably do more than the disciples do in this account, but to Matthew, that's not what's important. The importance here, and maybe this is the author rationalizing or glorifying his own work, is on telling the story of Jesus. That may seem a difficult task, but notice Jesus' final words: "And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
As I begin Mark, I'm reminded of an interesting subject in my college Bible class of which I cannot remember much. How was that for confusing? The preface to Mark in my Oxford NRSV states that most scholars regard Mark as the earliest written gospel, largely due to the brevity of the gospel. I remember in college, though, my professor talking about alternate theories of which order the gospels were written. Which might have borrowed material from others. I don't, unfortunately, remember much else about it. If anyone out there in cyberspace cares to elaborate, please do!
In the first 14 verses of Mark's gospel, it seems like he's really doing his best to show Jesus' place in the world. Mark skips over the story of Jesus' birth, and begins with Isaiah and John the Baptist. This sets up the coming of a messiah, and has John paving the way for "the one who is more powerful". From there we see Jesus recruiting his first followers. Mark's gospel, at least so far, seems one of action and of establishing God's kingdom.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 31--an apology
Alright, folks. Excuses are cheap, but here's mine. I worked all day, left work to pull props from the theatre storage unit, rehearsed the two plays I'm performing tomorrow, and now it's 11:30pm and I have work at 5:30 in the morning. I just can't read right now. I'll double up tomorrow. Hopefully. I'm leaving work to the Jamestown Arts Center where I'm performing "Overruled" and "Village Wooing" by G. B. Shaw at 7pm. Want to know why I'm not blogging? Come see a show!
In the mean time, today is the feast day of Thomas Cranmer http://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/thomas-cranmer-archbishop-canterbury-and-martyr-1556
In the mean time, today is the feast day of Thomas Cranmer http://www.episcopalchurch.org/lectionary/thomas-cranmer-archbishop-canterbury-and-martyr-1556
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 30
Exodus 25-27, Psalm 25, Matthew 26
Well, Exodus was kind of boring today. I guess it's interesting if you're into ancient liturgical architecture, but I'm not particularly. I'd like to see some drawings of the things described. It's too cut and dry in the text. I will say that the Ark of the Covenant is described quite similarly to the way it appeared in Indiana Jones. Well done, Spielburg. Well done.
Well, Exodus was kind of boring today. I guess it's interesting if you're into ancient liturgical architecture, but I'm not particularly. I'd like to see some drawings of the things described. It's too cut and dry in the text. I will say that the Ark of the Covenant is described quite similarly to the way it appeared in Indiana Jones. Well done, Spielburg. Well done.
We're nearing the end of Matthew's gospel, and as we approach Easter, it's appropriate that we begin reading the passion story. There are two stories in today's reading that always resonate with me. The first is of the woman with the costly ointment, and the other is Jesus praying in Gethsemane.
According to the footnote in v. 12, "The woman's act won higher praise from Jesus than any other mentioned in the New Testament". I wonder why. First of all, the woman uses oils appropriate for a burial. Jesus has been trying his best to prepare his disciples for his death, but they just don't get it. This nameless woman gets it. The disciples seem appalled that she wastes costly ointment that they can sell to help the poor, something I can imagine hearing an argument about at a vestry meeting, but Jesus says, "No! She gets it. I'm dying. She's preparing for my death." It's a big deal. The very reason Jesus came among us.
Jesus' prayers in Gethsemane always confuse me a little, and offer me great hope. Three times Jesus asks God to not make him suffer, but always ends his prayer with some form of "thy will be done". This is quite remarkable! It's easy for us to think, "Well, Jesus knew what he was getting in to. He was divine and prepared for his suffering." But that's not quite right. Jesus was fully divine, but he was also fully human. This seems a very human act. Jesus never disobeys God, but he does plead with Him. What a very human thing to do. Jesus doesn't look forward to suffering. He fears it greatly. Not once, not twice, but three times he pleads with God. "Don't make me suffer!" The great thing here, though, is that even though Jesus doesn't want to suffer, he accepts it. Thy will be done. What an incredible example for us.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Bible Challenge Days 26-29...oops
Hello friends.
Sorry I haven't written anything in a while. The good news is I got four hours of overtime last week, which means pay at time and a half! God understands that I need the money, so here's my review of the last few days of reading I missed. It does feel good to be caught up now.
I've always found it really difficult reading all the rules in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers. First of all, there are a lot of rules. It gets exhausting. Furthermore, we don't really seem to keep with these rules any more. I've always asked myself, "Why bother?" Today, though, I realized that I was missing out on some quite interesting information. Let me begin, though, with a brief analysis. Moses goes up to the mountain, receives the law, comes back, and shares it with the people. I see a clear distinction between the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, and the Covenant Code, or all those rules that come after the Ten Commandments. The Decalogue deals with broad ideas and details our relationship between God and our relationship with others. These are big ideas like don't kill, don't covet, don't misuse God's name. The Covenant Code, however, gets really detailed. These are things like how long a male slave has before being freed and how long you can pawn someone's coat. These rules clearly deal with specific situations and have precise boundaries. Some might disagree with me, but the Decalogue is fluid. There are no clear lines. For example, we're told not to kill, but what about war? God clearly commands them to fight people and kill in war. The Bible also condones capitol punishment in places. That tells me that the Decalogue deals generally with how one should live one's life. Again, I turn to Jesus' summary: Love God. Love each other.
So, then, what do I get out of the Covenant Code? I have heard people say that we don't follow the law of the Old Testament because when Jesus came he erased those rules and established his own. I don't think that's entirely correct. I know that in these passages from Exodus God speaks this code, but I remind myself that human beings wrote this book. The Mosaic Law follows the patterns of law codes from around the ancient world. I think we must read these as a means of understanding the ancient Hebrew culture. What they valued. How they dealt with one another. You can't believe that these codes were actually delivered to people wandering in the desert. It speaks too much to an agricultural society with classes of people and established wealth. No one wandering in the desert had a farm. Clearly, these laws come about later when the people have settled in a permanent home.
What does all of this mean for us? I'd like to explain by looking at Matthew's Gospel. In Matthew 23 Jesus speaks of the faults of the Pharisees.
Sorry I haven't written anything in a while. The good news is I got four hours of overtime last week, which means pay at time and a half! God understands that I need the money, so here's my review of the last few days of reading I missed. It does feel good to be caught up now.
I've always found it really difficult reading all the rules in Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers. First of all, there are a lot of rules. It gets exhausting. Furthermore, we don't really seem to keep with these rules any more. I've always asked myself, "Why bother?" Today, though, I realized that I was missing out on some quite interesting information. Let me begin, though, with a brief analysis. Moses goes up to the mountain, receives the law, comes back, and shares it with the people. I see a clear distinction between the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, and the Covenant Code, or all those rules that come after the Ten Commandments. The Decalogue deals with broad ideas and details our relationship between God and our relationship with others. These are big ideas like don't kill, don't covet, don't misuse God's name. The Covenant Code, however, gets really detailed. These are things like how long a male slave has before being freed and how long you can pawn someone's coat. These rules clearly deal with specific situations and have precise boundaries. Some might disagree with me, but the Decalogue is fluid. There are no clear lines. For example, we're told not to kill, but what about war? God clearly commands them to fight people and kill in war. The Bible also condones capitol punishment in places. That tells me that the Decalogue deals generally with how one should live one's life. Again, I turn to Jesus' summary: Love God. Love each other.
So, then, what do I get out of the Covenant Code? I have heard people say that we don't follow the law of the Old Testament because when Jesus came he erased those rules and established his own. I don't think that's entirely correct. I know that in these passages from Exodus God speaks this code, but I remind myself that human beings wrote this book. The Mosaic Law follows the patterns of law codes from around the ancient world. I think we must read these as a means of understanding the ancient Hebrew culture. What they valued. How they dealt with one another. You can't believe that these codes were actually delivered to people wandering in the desert. It speaks too much to an agricultural society with classes of people and established wealth. No one wandering in the desert had a farm. Clearly, these laws come about later when the people have settled in a permanent home.
What does all of this mean for us? I'd like to explain by looking at Matthew's Gospel. In Matthew 23 Jesus speaks of the faults of the Pharisees.
"They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others."In the footnotes in my Oxford Bible it says "heavy burdens" can mean minute and perplexing interpretations of the law. Jesus goes on to say they do the things they do to been seen. Look at us! We're so pious! The Pharisees use the law to their own advantage and gain, not for God's glory and God's gain. I think that's why the Decalogue holds up and the old Code doesn't. The Decalogue describes human relations--a constant in our nature. The Code describes situational laws for a specific people at a specific time in a specific culture. I don't own slaves. Society today recognizes slavery as an evil, so the laws about slavery don't apply. I still have to love God. I still have to love my neighbor. I don't have to ceremonially wash my hands before dinner.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 25
Exodus 13-15, Psalm 21, Matthew 22
Here's a problem with the way this Bible Challenge is set up: There's just too much to take in for every day's reading. In Matthew 22 alone we get the parable of the wedding feast, rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's, discussion of the resurrection, the summary of the law, and talk of the true Messiah. Whew! That's too much to go over.
I've written a past blog post about the summary of the law. I won't go into it again, because you can find it here. I was speaking with Ellen Vadney at Bible Study on Wednesday night (do you read this, Ellen? I'm talking about you.), and she noted two very interesting things. First of all, all of the creation story can be summarized in two statements: 1. God created. 2. God saw that it was very good. That means we have to take care of creation. This world matters greatly. She and I also discussed that Jesus summarized all of Christianity in two statements: 1. Love God. 2. Love each other. I think that's wonderful. All we have to do to please God and do His will is love God and love each other. Now, that can be incredibly hard to do. I work in a service job where I deal with people every day. I don't always love them. Ellen did point out, however, that the Bible doesn't say I have to like everyone. I just have to love them. I'm working on that.
I think the parable of the wedding feast also presents a simple truth we often ignore. The party is planned. God has slaughtered a fat calf, sent his son, and prepared a big heavenly shin-dig. If God were a Texan, and I like to think he is, there would be a big brisket on the bar-b-q pit and huge tubs of Shiner Bock beer all over. God has, indeed, prepared an even better party (I know, better than brisket and beer?), and everyone is invited. How foolish we are to not get excited about this party. All we have to do to go to the party is love God and love each other. But we don't put on our wedding robes. We ignore the invitation. "Many are called, but few are chosen."
Here's a problem with the way this Bible Challenge is set up: There's just too much to take in for every day's reading. In Matthew 22 alone we get the parable of the wedding feast, rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's, discussion of the resurrection, the summary of the law, and talk of the true Messiah. Whew! That's too much to go over.
I've written a past blog post about the summary of the law. I won't go into it again, because you can find it here. I was speaking with Ellen Vadney at Bible Study on Wednesday night (do you read this, Ellen? I'm talking about you.), and she noted two very interesting things. First of all, all of the creation story can be summarized in two statements: 1. God created. 2. God saw that it was very good. That means we have to take care of creation. This world matters greatly. She and I also discussed that Jesus summarized all of Christianity in two statements: 1. Love God. 2. Love each other. I think that's wonderful. All we have to do to please God and do His will is love God and love each other. Now, that can be incredibly hard to do. I work in a service job where I deal with people every day. I don't always love them. Ellen did point out, however, that the Bible doesn't say I have to like everyone. I just have to love them. I'm working on that.
I think the parable of the wedding feast also presents a simple truth we often ignore. The party is planned. God has slaughtered a fat calf, sent his son, and prepared a big heavenly shin-dig. If God were a Texan, and I like to think he is, there would be a big brisket on the bar-b-q pit and huge tubs of Shiner Bock beer all over. God has, indeed, prepared an even better party (I know, better than brisket and beer?), and everyone is invited. How foolish we are to not get excited about this party. All we have to do to go to the party is love God and love each other. But we don't put on our wedding robes. We ignore the invitation. "Many are called, but few are chosen."
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 24
Exodus 10-12, Psalm 20, Matthew 21
"This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly." -Exodus 12:11That's a pretty hasty meal. I love the imagery of eating while ready to go. I'm always on the go myself, so I understand the necessity of eating quickly so I have my strength. I had never thought about the fact that they ate unleavened bread because they didn't have time to wait for the yeast to rise. These are a people waiting for God to give the go-ahead. They've lived in slavery, they're tired, and they're ready to go. How many times does Exodus say, "Let my people go", and now they are ready. I find that in the Bible we often find places where people are hurrying to wait. The Israelites hurry to leave Egypt only to wonder in the desert for 40 years. We're told in the Gospels that "the kingdom of God is at hand", but we're still waiting 2000 years later. I think that's often God's plan. Get ready. Gird your loins. Have your shoes on. And wait.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 23
Exodus 7-9, Psalm 19, Matthew 20
The parable of the laborers in the vineyard has always bothered me a little bit. I think it's because I've tried to read it from an economic standpoint. If I was a laborer who worked in the hot sun all day and someone who only did an hour's work received the same pay as me, I'd be upset. But Jesus clearly isn't talking about economics. If working in the vineyard means doing God's work here on earth, then everyone should get the same pay: God's salvation. There is great hope here in this passage. Sometimes I don't really know what God wants me to do. I think I've written before about the difficulty in hearing God's call. There is comfort in knowing that the landowner constantly looks for more workers in his vineyard. In Texas you often find large groups of men standing outside places like the Home Depot or Lowe's waiting for work. People often speak poorly of these daily laborers, but I think it is noble that these men, many of whom are new to this country and are living in a place where they don't speak the language and are faced with the real possibility of being forcefully removed, actively seek work to support themselves and their families. They aren't asking for handouts. They are asking for work. Any work. Hard work. I feel that way myself. I need guidance to know where to labor in God's vineyard. And He's coming to get me. To get all of us. Many are already toiling in the vineyard, but they shouldn't be bitter. They should take comfort in knowing that more help is coming. God constantly recruits new members to labor in his fields. And when the time to reap the crops, to pick the grapes, to make the wine comes, we will all share equally and fully in God's love. Now that's an economic theory I can cling to! (But if I work all day in a field for anyone other than God, I'd better be payed well...I'm just sayin'.)
Monday, March 12, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 22
Exodus 4-6, Psalm 18:21-50, Matthew 19
I'll start by saying how much I love this Psalm. It reads a little bit like the epic poems of Homer and Vigil with a warrior king led on by his God. The warrior king even becomes boastful claiming he can jump over walls (makes me think of Superman able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound) and crush enemy troops, but the warrior soon gives credit to God. I wish I had a more poetic translation, because I somehow feel that the psalm is a bit clunky. With all the detail it must be particularly beautiful in its original Hebrew.
I'm really excited to re-read the story of Moses. It's one I've studied over and over again. As a matter of fact, I use to have an old King James Bible that my Granny gave me when I was a little boy. We read the story of Moses so many times that Exodus had come loose from the binding. Exodus made and exodus of its own.
I was really interested to read the footnote concerning God's answer to Moses that "I Am who I Am". I had no idea that YHWH (which we today pronounce Yahewh) was the verb "to be". According to the footnote YHWH in the third person form may mean "He causes to be". How interesting that the God of Israel's name means creation. It implies a God continually working in the world. He "causes to be" or is making things in the past, present, and future. In previous readings of Exodus, I thought God was giving an answer that would annoy me if I were Moses:
Speaking of enlightening footnotes, I love the phrase Moses uses to explain that he is not a good speaker. What the NRSV translates as "I am a poor speaker" literally says in the Hebrew "I am uncircumcised of lips." Besides making me giggle in a juvenile way, it has an interesting religious connotation. Circumcision was a way Israelites identified each other and separated themselves from other people. I think this implies that not only does Moses feel he isn't a good public speaker, the religious connotation of circumcision means Moses doesn't feel he can speak for God.
On a completely non-religious note, I cannot read the story of Moses without thinking of the brilliant Mel Brooks and his take on the Moses story. Makes me laugh!
I'll start by saying how much I love this Psalm. It reads a little bit like the epic poems of Homer and Vigil with a warrior king led on by his God. The warrior king even becomes boastful claiming he can jump over walls (makes me think of Superman able to leap over tall buildings in a single bound) and crush enemy troops, but the warrior soon gives credit to God. I wish I had a more poetic translation, because I somehow feel that the psalm is a bit clunky. With all the detail it must be particularly beautiful in its original Hebrew.
I'm really excited to re-read the story of Moses. It's one I've studied over and over again. As a matter of fact, I use to have an old King James Bible that my Granny gave me when I was a little boy. We read the story of Moses so many times that Exodus had come loose from the binding. Exodus made and exodus of its own.
I was really interested to read the footnote concerning God's answer to Moses that "I Am who I Am". I had no idea that YHWH (which we today pronounce Yahewh) was the verb "to be". According to the footnote YHWH in the third person form may mean "He causes to be". How interesting that the God of Israel's name means creation. It implies a God continually working in the world. He "causes to be" or is making things in the past, present, and future. In previous readings of Exodus, I thought God was giving an answer that would annoy me if I were Moses:
Who are you?But in understanding that God answers with a name that means I am causing all to be, Moses gets a sense that God's work isn't done yet. A fitting answer for a man who is about to lead people through the wilderness for forty years.
I am who I am.
Gee, thanks, God.
Speaking of enlightening footnotes, I love the phrase Moses uses to explain that he is not a good speaker. What the NRSV translates as "I am a poor speaker" literally says in the Hebrew "I am uncircumcised of lips." Besides making me giggle in a juvenile way, it has an interesting religious connotation. Circumcision was a way Israelites identified each other and separated themselves from other people. I think this implies that not only does Moses feel he isn't a good public speaker, the religious connotation of circumcision means Moses doesn't feel he can speak for God.
On a completely non-religious note, I cannot read the story of Moses without thinking of the brilliant Mel Brooks and his take on the Moses story. Makes me laugh!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Bible Challenge Days 20 and 21
So, it seems, for the second week in a row, that when I work all day and then do a Murder Mystery on Saturday night, I just don't get my readings done. Look forward to a double session tomorrow. In the mean time, here are the reading assignments for the upcoming week:
Day 22 - Exodus 4-6; Psalm 18:21-50; Matthew 19
Day 22 - Exodus 4-6; Psalm 18:21-50; Matthew 19
Day 23 - Exodus 7-9; Psalm 19; Matthew 20
Day 24 - Exodus 10-12; Psalm 20; Matthew 21
Day 25 - Exodus 13-15; Psalm 21; Matthew 22
Day 26 - Exodus 16-18; Psalm 22; Matthew 23
Day 27 - Exodus 19-21; Psalm 23; Matthew 24
Day 28 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church
Friday, March 9, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 19
Genesis 49-50, Psalm 17, Matthew 17
Well, here we are on Day 19, and we've finished the book of Genesis. The twelve tribes of Israel are established (I'm quite taken with the beauty of the poem), and the stage is set for Moses to lead his people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Again, I'm taken with Joseph's forgiveness at the end of Genesis:
What is it with Jesus and mustard seeds? He needs a new image of something small. I find the language Jesus uses quite interesting. Many times, like in Mark 6.8 or Matthew 13.58 he speaks of people's "unbelief", but here he speaks of his disciples "little faith". There must be a difference in this deliberate choice of words. The footnote in my Bible says: "Little faith as distinguished from unbelief. Jesus' saying is in figurative language; faith is concerned with God's will, not with moving mountains." I honestly don't see that explicitly, but perhaps something is lost in translation. I do, however, believe what the note says. In the Lord's prayer we pray that "[God's] will be done". I suppose you could phrase it that if I believe I can move a mountain, I am wrong. If it is God's will that I move a mountain, then with faith I can move a mountain. There's a major difference there. I think people often times fail in doing "God's will" when they are really pursuing their own will. It's very difficult to know the difference some times. I, for one, can be a very willful person: I know what I want, and I go for it. It would be good practice for me to ask God for guidance, and then to actually listen for His response.
Well, here we are on Day 19, and we've finished the book of Genesis. The twelve tribes of Israel are established (I'm quite taken with the beauty of the poem), and the stage is set for Moses to lead his people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Again, I'm taken with Joseph's forgiveness at the end of Genesis:
"'Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.' In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them."
What is it with Jesus and mustard seeds? He needs a new image of something small. I find the language Jesus uses quite interesting. Many times, like in Mark 6.8 or Matthew 13.58 he speaks of people's "unbelief", but here he speaks of his disciples "little faith". There must be a difference in this deliberate choice of words. The footnote in my Bible says: "Little faith as distinguished from unbelief. Jesus' saying is in figurative language; faith is concerned with God's will, not with moving mountains." I honestly don't see that explicitly, but perhaps something is lost in translation. I do, however, believe what the note says. In the Lord's prayer we pray that "[God's] will be done". I suppose you could phrase it that if I believe I can move a mountain, I am wrong. If it is God's will that I move a mountain, then with faith I can move a mountain. There's a major difference there. I think people often times fail in doing "God's will" when they are really pursuing their own will. It's very difficult to know the difference some times. I, for one, can be a very willful person: I know what I want, and I go for it. It would be good practice for me to ask God for guidance, and then to actually listen for His response.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 18
Genesis 46-48, Psalm 16, Matthew 16
I've heard, read, and seen the story of Joesph over and over in many forms. There are cartoons, musicals, stories, and even a pretty amazing Dolly Parton song that all allude to or retell the Joseph narrative. I'm always surprised, however, at the grace with which Joesph accepts his fate and forgives his brothers:
I've heard, read, and seen the story of Joesph over and over in many forms. There are cartoons, musicals, stories, and even a pretty amazing Dolly Parton song that all allude to or retell the Joseph narrative. I'm always surprised, however, at the grace with which Joesph accepts his fate and forgives his brothers:
"I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life."Let's remember the beginning of this story. Joseph's brothers are jealous of him, so they throw him in a pit, sell him into slavery, and tell his father that wild animals ate him. That doesn't sound so loving or brotherly to me. I mean, I fought with my brother all the time, but I never sold him into slavery. I thought about it, but I never did it. If I were Joseph, I'd be pissed! But Joseph sees that because of what happened he earned a place in Pharaoh's court, helped save not just Egypt but surrounding areas from famine, and found a new fertile land for his family. He sees his hardships as God's plan. That's something I struggle with every day. It's hard to remember that God sees the big picture. He's in charge, and I need to accept that. That doesn't mean I should just give in when life gets hard, but it does mean that I need to go deep into prayer and listen for God's answer. I, like Joseph, should stay faithful through hard times knowing that God will take care of his people. I also should learn to forgive those who have trespassed against me.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 17
Genesis 43-45, Psalm 15, Matthew 15
I have a confession to make. I worked all day and then went to a rehearsal, and here it is at 11:37pm, and I haven't done the readings from Genesis. I got the Psalm and Matthew read backstage between my scenes, but I just didn't have time to read about Joseph. I'm about to pass out at the computer, so I'm not reading it tonight. I have tomorrow off work, so I'll catch up then. Sorry. You'll just have to deal with it.
I really loved how the Psalm and Jesus' teachings in Matthew went hand in hand today. I was a bit surprised that the Psalm actually put a limit on who can come into the temple. "O Lord, who may abide in your tent?/Who may dwell on your holy hill?" I've always thought that church was a place for everyone. We don't turn anyone away. The psalmist disagrees. He says only "those who walk blamelessly..." can enter. He actually goes on with an impressive list of those who can and cannot enter. I would say the same is true today, but there's a great danger in that. I don't know that we are the ones to judge who can and cannot enter. I think it's left to God to decide. God knows the secrets of our souls whereas I don't know your secrets, and I hope you don't know mine! An Episcopal priest friend of mine once told me that priests can deny communion to someone whom they know has committed a great sin and has not repented of it. I asked her if she had ever done that, and he quickly answered no. I would imagine that if someone came into the church killed a baby, spat on the alter, and threw rocks through the stained glass, the priest would be obliged to deny that person communion, but I can't really think of a less extreme reason. That's because we are not to judge one another. Judgement belongs to God. Interestingly, the psalm ends with the words: "Those who do these things shall never be moved." Never. That implies that some people are inherently good and others are inherently evil. This isn't the first time we've seen this notion in the bible. All of us are sinners, but we can be sinners who strive to do God's will. I know I am far from perfect, but I do try to learn from my mistakes and serve God.
Jesus makes a rather strong statement about serving God in Matthew's gospel. I've heard this passage quoted a million times by preachers and Sunday school teachers: "It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." Now, I've usually heard this in reference to swearing. I'm sure that Jesus would rather we not use foul language, but I don't think that's what he's talking about here. Jesus makes the point that the ritual hand washing isn't what makes him pious or not. Any action on its own cannot please God just by doing it. We have to mean it. I think that goes for everything at church and in our lives. We can sing hymns, but it only pleases God when we sing them full of joy and understanding the words. When we actively praise Him, He takes delight. When we receive communion we must do it with full knowledge of what we are doing. We can't just go through the actions blindly. If we fully enter into the ritual we please God. In acting we speak often of finding an intention for everything. You never cross the stage or say a line or raise an eyebrow without an "intention". Why does the character do that? What do you want from the other? I think those questions work well in our spiritual life, too. We can follow all the rules of piety and religion, but unless we do them with full intention of serving God they are meaningless. Everything we do must "proceed from the heart" as Jesus says in Matthew 15:18. So when a service ends with the priest saying, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord", we should go from church will full intention of actively serving God in all we do.
I'm just writing stream of consciousness without edits tonight. Sorry if I'm rambling. Sleep now. night-night. zzzzzzzzzzzzz
I have a confession to make. I worked all day and then went to a rehearsal, and here it is at 11:37pm, and I haven't done the readings from Genesis. I got the Psalm and Matthew read backstage between my scenes, but I just didn't have time to read about Joseph. I'm about to pass out at the computer, so I'm not reading it tonight. I have tomorrow off work, so I'll catch up then. Sorry. You'll just have to deal with it.
I really loved how the Psalm and Jesus' teachings in Matthew went hand in hand today. I was a bit surprised that the Psalm actually put a limit on who can come into the temple. "O Lord, who may abide in your tent?/Who may dwell on your holy hill?" I've always thought that church was a place for everyone. We don't turn anyone away. The psalmist disagrees. He says only "those who walk blamelessly..." can enter. He actually goes on with an impressive list of those who can and cannot enter. I would say the same is true today, but there's a great danger in that. I don't know that we are the ones to judge who can and cannot enter. I think it's left to God to decide. God knows the secrets of our souls whereas I don't know your secrets, and I hope you don't know mine! An Episcopal priest friend of mine once told me that priests can deny communion to someone whom they know has committed a great sin and has not repented of it. I asked her if she had ever done that, and he quickly answered no. I would imagine that if someone came into the church killed a baby, spat on the alter, and threw rocks through the stained glass, the priest would be obliged to deny that person communion, but I can't really think of a less extreme reason. That's because we are not to judge one another. Judgement belongs to God. Interestingly, the psalm ends with the words: "Those who do these things shall never be moved." Never. That implies that some people are inherently good and others are inherently evil. This isn't the first time we've seen this notion in the bible. All of us are sinners, but we can be sinners who strive to do God's will. I know I am far from perfect, but I do try to learn from my mistakes and serve God.
Jesus makes a rather strong statement about serving God in Matthew's gospel. I've heard this passage quoted a million times by preachers and Sunday school teachers: "It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." Now, I've usually heard this in reference to swearing. I'm sure that Jesus would rather we not use foul language, but I don't think that's what he's talking about here. Jesus makes the point that the ritual hand washing isn't what makes him pious or not. Any action on its own cannot please God just by doing it. We have to mean it. I think that goes for everything at church and in our lives. We can sing hymns, but it only pleases God when we sing them full of joy and understanding the words. When we actively praise Him, He takes delight. When we receive communion we must do it with full knowledge of what we are doing. We can't just go through the actions blindly. If we fully enter into the ritual we please God. In acting we speak often of finding an intention for everything. You never cross the stage or say a line or raise an eyebrow without an "intention". Why does the character do that? What do you want from the other? I think those questions work well in our spiritual life, too. We can follow all the rules of piety and religion, but unless we do them with full intention of serving God they are meaningless. Everything we do must "proceed from the heart" as Jesus says in Matthew 15:18. So when a service ends with the priest saying, "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord", we should go from church will full intention of actively serving God in all we do.
I'm just writing stream of consciousness without edits tonight. Sorry if I'm rambling. Sleep now. night-night. zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 16
Genesis 40-42, Psalm 14, Matthew 14
I think I'll wait until we've finished the Joseph story to comment. It's a familiar story with much to learn, but I want to finish it. Thinking about my comments yesterday about Jesus' parables, I find the short story of Joseph one that I easily remember, but rarely reflect on.
I do, however, want to comment on the Psalm. It is unlike the ones we've read so far in that it doesn't really address the author's own needs or enemies. It's more of a general painting of humankind and humanity's wickedness. How humbling when the psalmist asks "are there any who are wise, who seek after God" and finds that "they have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one." Ouch. In verse 4, though, the psalmist seems to shift voices. Is this God talking about the "evildoers who eat up my people" or is it the human psalmist talking about his enemies? I think you could legitimately argue both ways. However you take it, though, the psalm ends with God as the refuge of the poor and the deliverer of the people. Notice, though, that God doesn't deliver all mankind. "God is with the company of the righteous."
Matthew takes a little jump from Jesus to give us the narrative of John the Baptist's death. It's a well-known tale thanks to Oscar Wilde and a little film called Sunset Boulevard. Ok, maybe that's just my reference point, but there it is. (Side note: if you haven't seen Sunset Boulevard, run, don't walk, to the nearest Blockbuster!) Jesus' reaction to this news amazes me. Jesus clearly mourns the loss of his cousin. He "withdrew fom there in a boat to a deserted place by himself" when he gets the news. John baptized Jesus, so I can only assume they were close. If nothing else, John understood long before the others Jesus' role in God's plan. An understanding Jesus can't quite pound into his disciples' heads even up to his own death. I cannot fathom a loss so great. Jesus' mourning doesn't last long, though. The crowds follow him. They beg for healing. They throng him as I can only imagine crowds mob celebrities. Here's the amazing part: Jesus doesn't send them away. He heals them. When it gets late and they're hungry, he feeds them.
Finally the crowds leave. Finally Jesus gets some peace and quiet. He "went up the mountain by himself to pray". I can assume Jesus goes to mourn. To thank God for John's life. To ask for strength after such a deep loss. To take comfort in the solice of quiet time alone with God. To feel God's strength. But that doesn't last long. A storm comes, his friends are scared, and Jesus answers their call. He walks on water to comfort them, and calms the storm. We never learn if Jesus ever gets that quiet time to himself to mourn. He constantly serves others, and in doing so he constantly serves God. He puts aside his own feelings to better do God's will. That's an example I hope I can follow if only a little bit.
I do, however, want to comment on the Psalm. It is unlike the ones we've read so far in that it doesn't really address the author's own needs or enemies. It's more of a general painting of humankind and humanity's wickedness. How humbling when the psalmist asks "are there any who are wise, who seek after God" and finds that "they have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse; there is no one who does good, no, not one." Ouch. In verse 4, though, the psalmist seems to shift voices. Is this God talking about the "evildoers who eat up my people" or is it the human psalmist talking about his enemies? I think you could legitimately argue both ways. However you take it, though, the psalm ends with God as the refuge of the poor and the deliverer of the people. Notice, though, that God doesn't deliver all mankind. "God is with the company of the righteous."
Matthew takes a little jump from Jesus to give us the narrative of John the Baptist's death. It's a well-known tale thanks to Oscar Wilde and a little film called Sunset Boulevard. Ok, maybe that's just my reference point, but there it is. (Side note: if you haven't seen Sunset Boulevard, run, don't walk, to the nearest Blockbuster!) Jesus' reaction to this news amazes me. Jesus clearly mourns the loss of his cousin. He "withdrew fom there in a boat to a deserted place by himself" when he gets the news. John baptized Jesus, so I can only assume they were close. If nothing else, John understood long before the others Jesus' role in God's plan. An understanding Jesus can't quite pound into his disciples' heads even up to his own death. I cannot fathom a loss so great. Jesus' mourning doesn't last long, though. The crowds follow him. They beg for healing. They throng him as I can only imagine crowds mob celebrities. Here's the amazing part: Jesus doesn't send them away. He heals them. When it gets late and they're hungry, he feeds them.
Finally the crowds leave. Finally Jesus gets some peace and quiet. He "went up the mountain by himself to pray". I can assume Jesus goes to mourn. To thank God for John's life. To ask for strength after such a deep loss. To take comfort in the solice of quiet time alone with God. To feel God's strength. But that doesn't last long. A storm comes, his friends are scared, and Jesus answers their call. He walks on water to comfort them, and calms the storm. We never learn if Jesus ever gets that quiet time to himself to mourn. He constantly serves others, and in doing so he constantly serves God. He puts aside his own feelings to better do God's will. That's an example I hope I can follow if only a little bit.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 15
Genesis 37-39, Psalm 13, Matthew 13
I feel like I've studied the story of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat so many times that I'm running out of things to say about it. I'm sure I could look deeper and find more, but I don't really feel up to it today. If any of you want to comment on Joseph, please do. I will say I find it interesting that the NRSV translates his coat as a "long robe with sleeves". That doesn't sound very glamorous until I read the footnote that said he wouldn't be able to do manual labor in such a robe. Ah! Now I get it. And I want one of those robes!
I am really excited to get to Jesus' parables. I've always liked the parables for a number of reasons: 1. I consider myself a storyteller, and I find that I understand things better when they're illustrated in the form of a story. 2. It's amazing how such huge cosmic ideas can be taught in such a simple form. 3. Parables are much easier to remember than a list of rules. In this one Chapter in Matthew Jesus tells:
I feel like I've studied the story of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat so many times that I'm running out of things to say about it. I'm sure I could look deeper and find more, but I don't really feel up to it today. If any of you want to comment on Joseph, please do. I will say I find it interesting that the NRSV translates his coat as a "long robe with sleeves". That doesn't sound very glamorous until I read the footnote that said he wouldn't be able to do manual labor in such a robe. Ah! Now I get it. And I want one of those robes!
I am really excited to get to Jesus' parables. I've always liked the parables for a number of reasons: 1. I consider myself a storyteller, and I find that I understand things better when they're illustrated in the form of a story. 2. It's amazing how such huge cosmic ideas can be taught in such a simple form. 3. Parables are much easier to remember than a list of rules. In this one Chapter in Matthew Jesus tells:
- The Parable of the Sowers
- The Parable of the Weeds in the Wheat
- The Parable of the Mustard seed
- The Parable of the Yeast
- The Parable of the Treasure in the Field
- The Parable of the Merchant and the Pearl
- The Parable of the Dragnet
That's 7 ways to understand God and God's works in the course of about three pages. Wow! What's really great is how an incredibly short story can provoke so much thought and convey so much wisdom. Take for example the mustard seed. It's a tiny little thing that sprouts in to a massive tree. But it doesn't stop there. Birds come and live in its branches. Heaven, like a mustard seed, begins as a tiny idea here on earth, but as the Kingdom of Heaven matures it grows into the mightiest thing imaginable. It becomes a haven for living creatures and a protection and source of nourishment. Like a mustard seed, one can easily overlook Heaven, but if we cultivate it here on earth it can flourish for all to see. An amazing image created in only one sentence.
When I was attending the Church of the Advent in Logan Square, our priest put together a study series he called "The Parable Project". I didn't get to attend because of my crazy schedule, but after reading the many parables of Jesus, Father Peter challenged members of the church community to create their own modern day parables. By simply crafting a sentence beginning with the words "The kingdom of heaven is like..." we not only grew to find a deeper knowledge of God, but gathered a deeper knowledge of who we were as individuals, as a community, and as followers of Jesus. I think this just proves that God's message is one for all people. Jesus can teach us in simple stories a child could follow, but the ideas he presents are debated 2000 years later.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Bible Challenge Day 13
Genesis 34-36, Psalm 12, Matthew 12
I really love how the stories in Genesis set up the relationships between the people of Israel and their neighbors. We see how animosities grew between the nations through the individual characters in these stories. I think it would be fascinating to learn more about ancient Hebrew history so I could really understand all of this. My footnotes help a little, but I still feel a little lost. I also admit I skimmed through all the genealogies in Chapter 36
When reading Matthew's story about Jesus justifying his actions on the Sabbath, I find a slightly different interpretation than my Bible's footnotes seem to take. If anyone out there disagrees, feel free to comment. Jesus defends his actions by saying, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." I would agree with my Bible's footnotes that Jesus places himself as a new authority that supersedes the old law. But Jesus doesn't stop there. He uses logical and reasonable defenses. If you're starving and there's food available: eat. If people are ailing and you can help them: help them. If your sheep is dying: save it. I think this sets a precedent that God wants us to use our God-given human reason to make decisions. I further find proof of this in Jesus' defending his casting out evil demons. The Pharisees say it is evil spirits doing the work, but Jesus uses extreme logic to prove otherwise. (Read it for yourself, I don't want to spell it all out here.) I think Jesus is telling the Pharisees that God has a plan for us and requires us to figure some of it out on our own. Even though many things about God and the Bible are confusing and perhaps unknowable, there is a logic to the way God works. Look at the very simple statement that a bad tree gives bad fruit and a good tree gives good fruit. I take great comfort in knowing that God has given us all the tools we need to figure out how one should live one's life. In the Episcopal Church we talk about the three-legged stool of faith. We believe that Holy Scripture, Tradition, and Human Reason can guide us in living a proper Christian life. I believe that leg of Human Reason often is left out of the equation. God gave us brains. Let's use them.
For Next Week:
Day 15 - Genesis 37-39; Psalm 13; Matthew 13
Day 16 - Genesis 40-42; Psalm 14; Matthew 14
Day 17 - Genesis 43-45; Psalm 15; Matthew 15
Day 18 - Genesis 46-48; Psalm 16; Matthew 16
Day 19 - Genesis 49-50; Psalm 17; Matthew 17
Day 20 - Exodus 1-3; Psalm 18:1-20; Matthew 18
Day 21 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church
I really love how the stories in Genesis set up the relationships between the people of Israel and their neighbors. We see how animosities grew between the nations through the individual characters in these stories. I think it would be fascinating to learn more about ancient Hebrew history so I could really understand all of this. My footnotes help a little, but I still feel a little lost. I also admit I skimmed through all the genealogies in Chapter 36
When reading Matthew's story about Jesus justifying his actions on the Sabbath, I find a slightly different interpretation than my Bible's footnotes seem to take. If anyone out there disagrees, feel free to comment. Jesus defends his actions by saying, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath." I would agree with my Bible's footnotes that Jesus places himself as a new authority that supersedes the old law. But Jesus doesn't stop there. He uses logical and reasonable defenses. If you're starving and there's food available: eat. If people are ailing and you can help them: help them. If your sheep is dying: save it. I think this sets a precedent that God wants us to use our God-given human reason to make decisions. I further find proof of this in Jesus' defending his casting out evil demons. The Pharisees say it is evil spirits doing the work, but Jesus uses extreme logic to prove otherwise. (Read it for yourself, I don't want to spell it all out here.) I think Jesus is telling the Pharisees that God has a plan for us and requires us to figure some of it out on our own. Even though many things about God and the Bible are confusing and perhaps unknowable, there is a logic to the way God works. Look at the very simple statement that a bad tree gives bad fruit and a good tree gives good fruit. I take great comfort in knowing that God has given us all the tools we need to figure out how one should live one's life. In the Episcopal Church we talk about the three-legged stool of faith. We believe that Holy Scripture, Tradition, and Human Reason can guide us in living a proper Christian life. I believe that leg of Human Reason often is left out of the equation. God gave us brains. Let's use them.
For Next Week:
Day 15 - Genesis 37-39; Psalm 13; Matthew 13
Day 16 - Genesis 40-42; Psalm 14; Matthew 14
Day 17 - Genesis 43-45; Psalm 15; Matthew 15
Day 18 - Genesis 46-48; Psalm 16; Matthew 16
Day 19 - Genesis 49-50; Psalm 17; Matthew 17
Day 20 - Exodus 1-3; Psalm 18:1-20; Matthew 18
Day 21 - Enjoy hearing the Scriptures read aloud in church
Bible Challenge Day 12
Genesis 31-33, Psalm 11, Matthew 11
In Matthew's Gospel today, Jesus get pretty upset. He's using angry tones and stark warnings to prove his authority and claim his rightful place. He makes an interesting point that all the signs are in front of us. In verse 15 he says, "Let anyone with ears listen!" In other words, we have all we need, but we don't accept or recognize God's works and the words of the prophets. No wonder Jesus compares us to "children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another". He gave us music, but we didn't dance. He gave us wailing, but we didn't mourn. Everything we need has been provided. I'm no hypocrite. I've had times of spiritual doubt and despair. I still don't fully understand everything, and I often ask God "why this" or "why that". Jesus tells us in verse 19 that "wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." We will see what is true by what happens.
Jesus does add some comfort, though. After talking about how miserable judgment will be and how unworthy we all are he offers his own help. Jesus says that because of his relationship to God as His son, he will reveal us to God. He also offers to take on our burdens. That seems like such a simple thing. Just hand off our problems to Jesus. I certainly have trouble doing that. I've been incredibly stressed lately about how I'm going to find time to go to work, rehearse the shows I'm in, do my taxes, do my laundry...the list goes on and on. Those little things don't really matter, though. Yes, I have to do them all, but my focus should be on doing God's work in the world. I believe that as long as I keep focused on Him, He will give me strength and endurance to get it all done. My burden is heavy, but Jesus says "[his] yoke is easy, and [his] burden is light." If he's offering to share the load, I guess I should let him.
In Matthew's Gospel today, Jesus get pretty upset. He's using angry tones and stark warnings to prove his authority and claim his rightful place. He makes an interesting point that all the signs are in front of us. In verse 15 he says, "Let anyone with ears listen!" In other words, we have all we need, but we don't accept or recognize God's works and the words of the prophets. No wonder Jesus compares us to "children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another". He gave us music, but we didn't dance. He gave us wailing, but we didn't mourn. Everything we need has been provided. I'm no hypocrite. I've had times of spiritual doubt and despair. I still don't fully understand everything, and I often ask God "why this" or "why that". Jesus tells us in verse 19 that "wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." We will see what is true by what happens.
Jesus does add some comfort, though. After talking about how miserable judgment will be and how unworthy we all are he offers his own help. Jesus says that because of his relationship to God as His son, he will reveal us to God. He also offers to take on our burdens. That seems like such a simple thing. Just hand off our problems to Jesus. I certainly have trouble doing that. I've been incredibly stressed lately about how I'm going to find time to go to work, rehearse the shows I'm in, do my taxes, do my laundry...the list goes on and on. Those little things don't really matter, though. Yes, I have to do them all, but my focus should be on doing God's work in the world. I believe that as long as I keep focused on Him, He will give me strength and endurance to get it all done. My burden is heavy, but Jesus says "[his] yoke is easy, and [his] burden is light." If he's offering to share the load, I guess I should let him.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
A side note on the Anglican Communion and the Roman Church
I would love to see the Anglican Communion and the Roman Church in full communion with one another. I honestly believe we have most things in common with one another. We both have full apostolic succession (sorry, Rome, but we do. All the way back to Peter and then to Jesus. Deal with it.) We both believe that Jesus is present at Holy Communion (granted, in a different form. Anglicans don't believe in a physical presence.) Why can't we just get along. It infuriates me that if a Roman Catholic comes to an Episcopal Church we will allow him or her to receive communion. As a matter of fact, we'll allow any Christian to receive communion. It's the Lord's table. Not Mother Anita's table. Not Charles' table. Not even the Episcopal church's table. The Lord's Table. But when I attend mass at a Catholic church, the sacrament of communion is denied me. I am not good enough for it, so says the pope. Well, the pope can go suck an egg. I don't need his permission to love and serve the Lord.
Whew! I get emotional over this. I should just let things go, but it's hard. I believe that Jesus came in the form of man to live among us to save ALL of us. I don't believe the Catholic church should change their doctrines on Holy Communion. I have no theological problem with them believing in transubstantiation. It doesn't undermine my faith at all. I do believe that they should say the same about my rejection of transubstantiation. Every time I receive communion I do it in the remembrance of Christ. So do they. We all accept Jesus' sacrifice. We all thank him for it. We all rejoice in the immeasurable love God has for us. I will publicly state here that I believe that any member of the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church and the Presbyterian Church and the Lutheran Church, and whatever church that sincerely serves God is my brother or sister in Christ. I believe we should just get along.
So quit fishing for our people, Rome.
Of course, on a side note, as a rather liberal Episcopalian, I'm ok with all the conservative cooks going over to Rome. Rome can have 'em!
Now, I know that at least some of my Catholic friends must read this blog. I'd honestly like to hear your comments. You know I love you.
http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/homepage/world-news/detail/articolo/anglicani-anglicans-anglicanos-united-kingdom-gran-bretana-gran-bretagna-13118/
Bible Challenge Day 11
Genesis 28-30, Psalm 10, Matthew 10
Ok, folks. Katherine tells me that people at the Wednesday night Bible study said they read this blog. Why aren't you leaving comments? I have very little formal theology in my education, so this is mostly my ramblings and how I understand the Bible. I don't devalue that. I consider myself an educated person with a sincere desire to serve God, but I'm sure most if not all of you are in the same camp. So what do you think? Anything that I didn't mention that you want to focus on? Do you disagree with something I said? Let's make this a conversation.
Ok...off my soap box.
The story of Jacob and his cousin/wives and their servant girls and all the "going in to know" them kind of skeezes me out. I know it's how things were done back then. I see the fulfillment of God's promise to make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the starts, but I'm not exactly sure what else I should take away from this story. It's wildly entertaining. I think it would make a great plot for a primetime soap opera. Especially all the stuff about the spotted goats. Laban hides the spotted goats so Jacob can't have any. Jacob puts striped poles in front of the breeding goats so he can have striped baby goats to take. That's fun stuff. But what does it mean? Here's where I need help. I just don't get it.
I haven't often commented on the Psalms, but I really like today's. It's fitting, I think, for our times. The psalmist laments the rich and powerful who prey on the weak and defenseless:
Ok, folks. Katherine tells me that people at the Wednesday night Bible study said they read this blog. Why aren't you leaving comments? I have very little formal theology in my education, so this is mostly my ramblings and how I understand the Bible. I don't devalue that. I consider myself an educated person with a sincere desire to serve God, but I'm sure most if not all of you are in the same camp. So what do you think? Anything that I didn't mention that you want to focus on? Do you disagree with something I said? Let's make this a conversation.
Ok...off my soap box.
The story of Jacob and his cousin/wives and their servant girls and all the "going in to know" them kind of skeezes me out. I know it's how things were done back then. I see the fulfillment of God's promise to make Abraham's descendants as numerous as the starts, but I'm not exactly sure what else I should take away from this story. It's wildly entertaining. I think it would make a great plot for a primetime soap opera. Especially all the stuff about the spotted goats. Laban hides the spotted goats so Jacob can't have any. Jacob puts striped poles in front of the breeding goats so he can have striped baby goats to take. That's fun stuff. But what does it mean? Here's where I need help. I just don't get it.
I haven't often commented on the Psalms, but I really like today's. It's fitting, I think, for our times. The psalmist laments the rich and powerful who prey on the weak and defenseless:
"Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;I've always mistrusted rich people. I love the verse about it being easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy person to enter heaven. That might be sour grapes, but I honestly don't see any wildly wealthy person who didn't achieve their money through some crooked means. In this Psalm, at any rate, the psalmist calls to God for help. He even affirms that God knows of the evils of man and will punish the wicked. I find it quite interesting that the wicked can be spotted because they "renounce God". If someone truly accepts God, they will not be wicked. God knows all.
they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert;
they lurk that they may seize the poor;
they seize the poor and drag them off in their net."
"But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief,In Matthew we see the exact powers Jesus gives his disciples. They are charged with a list of tasks:
that you may take it into your hands;
the helpless commit themselves to you;
you have been the helper of the orphan."
- Stay with the people of Israel
- Proclaim the Good News--God's kingdom is near.
- Cure the sick and raise the dead
- Don't accept payment for these tasks
- Bless those who are good.
- Shake off those who are wicked.
Interesting. I think that as disciples of Christ we must be called to a similar list. I think we can take the first task in context. Jesus tells the disciples they are sheep going into a pack of wolves. Perhaps the command to stay away from the Gentiles comes from him wishing for their safety. I think for us that translates into a fatherly "be careful" warning. We're supposed to tell people about Jesus, minister to the sick and grieving, and not expect anything in return for this. Selfless giving.
There's also a great sense of urgency in this call. Jesus tells his disciples that "you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes." I know that early Christians expected Jesus' return to happen immediately. They would be shocked, no doubt, to know that in 2012 we're still waiting. I guess for God, time isn't a big thing. He's got infinite time. 2,012 years is just a drop in the bucket. I've heard several people at Emmanuel Church say, "Jesus is coming. Everyone look busy." It's one of those funny phrases that always gets a chuckle. The really funny part, though, is that it's true. Jesus commands us to light a fire under our butts and get to work. We should take that seriously.
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