Surprisingly, Philemon gets taught quite a bit in Bible study classes. Care to guess why? Because it's really short!
And, I think, because it's really sweet. It's a letter Paul wrote to a friend whose slave had run away and come to Paul. Paul was sending the slave back home, with a letter exhorting the friend, Philemon, to accept the runaway graciously and as a Christian brother.
I like the letter because it seems so personal. Paul wasn't writing down any great theological treatise or answering any knotty questions, or admonishing any backsliding believers. Well, actually he was. The letter to Philemon does deal with the issue of God's grace to sinners, the body of Christ among the fellowship of believers, moral obligations of believers, and so on.
I like the way the letter starts with some friendly affirmation. I like the little word play. The name of the slave, "Onesimus," means "useful," and Paul wrote that he had become useful to Paul in prison. I like the part about "I'll take care of any financial obligations--although, if you remember, you owe your very salvation to me."
And I always like the cheerful request to prepare a room because Paul was planning to come visit soon.
The whole letter--25 verses--is just so intimate, friendly, earnest.
And sweet.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 29, 2012
Peter: There is still hope
First and Second Peter. I like to read these and think about the great disciple, Peter the fisherman. I have to admit that although I have studied these two letters a time or two, they've never left a huge impression on me. Except, perhaps, for a few thoughts.
When I was in seminary, I read the passage 2 Peter 3:6-7; "By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." And, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare" (2 Peter 3:10). I have this uncomfortable feeling that this "prophecy" could tie in with global warming. Perhaps the world is slowly being burned up?
But, I don't like to think about eschatology. Way too disturbing, and way too many theories. And there's not a whole lot I can do in any event.
I presume there is a great deal of profound Christology and theology in 1 & 2 Peter. I've forgotten most of what I ever learned. I remember hearing a friend talk about the Bible study she was in where the teacher (a pastor) spent several sessions on the passage in 1 Peter 3:19-20 "...through whom also he [Jesus] went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built..." The big question here is, "What does 'spirits in prison' mean?" I don't have a clue.
To me, the big message of 1 & 2 Peter is "Live good, godly, loving lives; especialy if you are living among hostile pagans." It's The Right Thing To Do, and the pagans may be shamed or swayed by your goodness.
Another big message is the hope we have based on Christ's work; his triumph over death and evil, and his ultimate return and restoration. Peter wrote to people who were undergoing persecution. His message of hope and perseverance applies to anyone going through trials.
There are some wonderful quotable passages from 1 & 2 Peter:
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander" (1 Peter 3:15-16).
"Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7).
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).
And finally, as kind of an antidote to the scary passage mentioned above, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:8-9).
There is still hope.
When I was in seminary, I read the passage 2 Peter 3:6-7; "By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men." And, "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare" (2 Peter 3:10). I have this uncomfortable feeling that this "prophecy" could tie in with global warming. Perhaps the world is slowly being burned up?
But, I don't like to think about eschatology. Way too disturbing, and way too many theories. And there's not a whole lot I can do in any event.
I presume there is a great deal of profound Christology and theology in 1 & 2 Peter. I've forgotten most of what I ever learned. I remember hearing a friend talk about the Bible study she was in where the teacher (a pastor) spent several sessions on the passage in 1 Peter 3:19-20 "...through whom also he [Jesus] went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built..." The big question here is, "What does 'spirits in prison' mean?" I don't have a clue.
To me, the big message of 1 & 2 Peter is "Live good, godly, loving lives; especialy if you are living among hostile pagans." It's The Right Thing To Do, and the pagans may be shamed or swayed by your goodness.
Another big message is the hope we have based on Christ's work; his triumph over death and evil, and his ultimate return and restoration. Peter wrote to people who were undergoing persecution. His message of hope and perseverance applies to anyone going through trials.
There are some wonderful quotable passages from 1 & 2 Peter:
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander" (1 Peter 3:15-16).
"Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:6-7).
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8).
"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).
And finally, as kind of an antidote to the scary passage mentioned above, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:8-9).
There is still hope.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Obadiah: Warning to prideful gloaters
There are only 21 verses in Obadiah. If you are flipping through your Bible, you really might miss it.
And, six of the verses are repeated in Jeremiah.
Basically, the message of Obadiah is "God will exact judgment on Edom because they gloated over the disaster that befell Israel."
Let this be a lesson to the prideful and the gloaters. God hates that kind of thinking and behavior as much as all of us mortals do.
The only thing I'd add to this blog regarding Obadiah is a personal anecdote.
Several years ago, before I attended Dallas Seminary but when I was already an admirer, we had a new minister at our church who was a DTS graduate. Mindful of what an excellent job DTS does of educating students about all the books of the Bible, I asked this man, halfway in jest, what was the message, or rather the point, of Obadiah. He didn't have an answer.
That would not be very memorable, except for this. He told me he didn't know, but I recall a definite sense of haughty disdain for me and my question. (I'm very sensitive to slights, dontcha know.) Perhaps that's why my view of him was jaded going forward. I found him to be supercilious and pretentious. He let all of us know how holy he was. He and his wife refused to tell their tiny children about Santa Claus because that was a distortion of Christmas. He preached a sermon one night (he was not one of the main preachers) that tried very hard to be culturally relevant, depending on the "profound" lyrics of a well-known pop song that is in itself way overrated. The sermon was silly. And ultimately, he left the church staff under unpleasant circumstances.
I guess I feel as if he got his just rewards for his pridefulness, which is part of the message of Obadiah.
However, I confess that I, too, am violating the message of Obadiah by gloating over the man's departure!
And, six of the verses are repeated in Jeremiah.
Basically, the message of Obadiah is "God will exact judgment on Edom because they gloated over the disaster that befell Israel."
Let this be a lesson to the prideful and the gloaters. God hates that kind of thinking and behavior as much as all of us mortals do.
The only thing I'd add to this blog regarding Obadiah is a personal anecdote.
Several years ago, before I attended Dallas Seminary but when I was already an admirer, we had a new minister at our church who was a DTS graduate. Mindful of what an excellent job DTS does of educating students about all the books of the Bible, I asked this man, halfway in jest, what was the message, or rather the point, of Obadiah. He didn't have an answer.
That would not be very memorable, except for this. He told me he didn't know, but I recall a definite sense of haughty disdain for me and my question. (I'm very sensitive to slights, dontcha know.) Perhaps that's why my view of him was jaded going forward. I found him to be supercilious and pretentious. He let all of us know how holy he was. He and his wife refused to tell their tiny children about Santa Claus because that was a distortion of Christmas. He preached a sermon one night (he was not one of the main preachers) that tried very hard to be culturally relevant, depending on the "profound" lyrics of a well-known pop song that is in itself way overrated. The sermon was silly. And ultimately, he left the church staff under unpleasant circumstances.
I guess I feel as if he got his just rewards for his pridefulness, which is part of the message of Obadiah.
However, I confess that I, too, am violating the message of Obadiah by gloating over the man's departure!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Numbers: and more numbers and more numbers
The Greek Jews who translated this book of the Torah from the Hebrew called it "Numbers" because of all its lists of people. The Hebrew Bible title would be "In the Desert," which may be a more apt description.
Numbers is about the wandering about of the Jews in the desert, after the Exodus, and before they entered Canaan. It centers on Moses, and Aaron to a lesser extent, as they tried their best to lead the ornery Israelites.
I think my favorite part is abotu Balak and Balaam. Balak was a king of Moab, and he wanted to keep the Israelites from tramping over his land. He sent work to Balaam, who was some weird sort of mercenary prophet. Balak wanted Balaam to come and curse the Israelites. Balaam held out--perhaps for larger fees--but with the excuse that Yahweh wouldn't let him curse His people. Eventually, Balaam was given permission by God to go see Balak. But not before Balaam's donkey had to speak out loud to warn him against crossing God's will. See Numbers 22:21-34. Great stuff.
The story continues that Balaam ends up blessing Israel (take that, Balak!). But later on, it turns out that he urged the Moabite women to lure the Israelite men into sinful behavior, bringing on God's great wrath.
There are some great stories about Moses, too. One of the most bewildering is in 20:1-13. Here, the people are dying of thirst. God tells Moses to "speak to the rock" for water. Moses gets super-annoyed with the whining Israelites and smacks the rock with his staff. Water comes out of the rock, but God informs Moses that because he didn't speak to the rock as instructed, Moses will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land. I know God wants absolute obedience; that's the lesson here. But I bet I'm not the only one who thinks that was a little harsh.
One other great Moses passage. In Numbers 11:10-15, Moses gets reeeaaallly tired of hearing the Israelites gripe, wail and moan. He finally voices his complaint to God--at some length--ending with "I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now."
If you have ever been in a leadership position, I'm sure you can relate to this!
The last point about Numbers. If you are reading it, and find yourself skimming over the lists and lists and lists, rest assured you're not the only one who has skimmed it.
Numbers is about the wandering about of the Jews in the desert, after the Exodus, and before they entered Canaan. It centers on Moses, and Aaron to a lesser extent, as they tried their best to lead the ornery Israelites.
I think my favorite part is abotu Balak and Balaam. Balak was a king of Moab, and he wanted to keep the Israelites from tramping over his land. He sent work to Balaam, who was some weird sort of mercenary prophet. Balak wanted Balaam to come and curse the Israelites. Balaam held out--perhaps for larger fees--but with the excuse that Yahweh wouldn't let him curse His people. Eventually, Balaam was given permission by God to go see Balak. But not before Balaam's donkey had to speak out loud to warn him against crossing God's will. See Numbers 22:21-34. Great stuff.
The story continues that Balaam ends up blessing Israel (take that, Balak!). But later on, it turns out that he urged the Moabite women to lure the Israelite men into sinful behavior, bringing on God's great wrath.
There are some great stories about Moses, too. One of the most bewildering is in 20:1-13. Here, the people are dying of thirst. God tells Moses to "speak to the rock" for water. Moses gets super-annoyed with the whining Israelites and smacks the rock with his staff. Water comes out of the rock, but God informs Moses that because he didn't speak to the rock as instructed, Moses will not be allowed to enter the Promised Land. I know God wants absolute obedience; that's the lesson here. But I bet I'm not the only one who thinks that was a little harsh.
One other great Moses passage. In Numbers 11:10-15, Moses gets reeeaaallly tired of hearing the Israelites gripe, wail and moan. He finally voices his complaint to God--at some length--ending with "I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now."
If you have ever been in a leadership position, I'm sure you can relate to this!
The last point about Numbers. If you are reading it, and find yourself skimming over the lists and lists and lists, rest assured you're not the only one who has skimmed it.
Micah: He has showed you, O man.
It's October, and I'm getting close-ish to the end of this year-long Read Through The Bible in alphabetical order. But I have a ways to go yet, and actually I'm way behind on writing up my blogs!
So. Micah. It's nice and short. You might think of it as "Isaiah Lite" but that's probably not fair. He was a contemporary of Isaiah, and sections of the two prophets are the same. Scholars aren't sure whether one of them copied from the other or whether they both used a common source. I like Micah because it ends on a positive, hopeful note.
Micah may be best known for two passages. One is the prophecy about the birthplace of Messiah: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small amongh the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." This is what the chief priests and teachers of the law read to King Herod when he asked them where the new king of the Jews would be born, Matthew 2:6.
The other passage, and one of my personal favorites, is Micah 6:6-8:
With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I offer the firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Ok, this is old-fashioned, Old Testament-type language, asking "What are we supposed to DO to please God?" Going through the motions of religion, even "sacrificial giving" won't cut it. Actually, the only thing we can do to "get right" with God is trust and believe Him that He sent Christ to die for our sins.
The passage continues:
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Remember--this won't get you into heaven; only saving faith does that (see above!)
However, this is really excellent advice about how we are to live our lives as godly people. It applies to anyone, of course, including Christians.
I think it's interesting to compare this with Jesus' reply when He was asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" See Mark 12:28-34 and Matthew 22:34-40. His answer was: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength," a direct quote from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Also, "Love your neighbor as yourself," a direct quote from Leviticus 19:18.
If I had students to whom I could make writing assignments, I would have them write an essay comparing the two passages. Briefly, I think the comparison would go something like this:
To act justly and to love mercy reflects the way we are to relate to our fellow man; it parallels "Love your neighbor as yourself." Wouldn't we want everyone to treat us with justice and to be merciful toward us?
To walk humbly with your God reflects the way we are to relate to God. If we see God as our greatest object of worship, love and respect, does it not follow that we are in a humble position before Him? And "to walk" is another way of describing our sense that God is always present in our lives.
So. Micah. It's nice and short. You might think of it as "Isaiah Lite" but that's probably not fair. He was a contemporary of Isaiah, and sections of the two prophets are the same. Scholars aren't sure whether one of them copied from the other or whether they both used a common source. I like Micah because it ends on a positive, hopeful note.
Micah may be best known for two passages. One is the prophecy about the birthplace of Messiah: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small amongh the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." This is what the chief priests and teachers of the law read to King Herod when he asked them where the new king of the Jews would be born, Matthew 2:6.
The other passage, and one of my personal favorites, is Micah 6:6-8:
With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I offer the firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Ok, this is old-fashioned, Old Testament-type language, asking "What are we supposed to DO to please God?" Going through the motions of religion, even "sacrificial giving" won't cut it. Actually, the only thing we can do to "get right" with God is trust and believe Him that He sent Christ to die for our sins.
The passage continues:
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Remember--this won't get you into heaven; only saving faith does that (see above!)
However, this is really excellent advice about how we are to live our lives as godly people. It applies to anyone, of course, including Christians.
I think it's interesting to compare this with Jesus' reply when He was asked, "What is the greatest commandment?" See Mark 12:28-34 and Matthew 22:34-40. His answer was: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength," a direct quote from Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Also, "Love your neighbor as yourself," a direct quote from Leviticus 19:18.
If I had students to whom I could make writing assignments, I would have them write an essay comparing the two passages. Briefly, I think the comparison would go something like this:
To act justly and to love mercy reflects the way we are to relate to our fellow man; it parallels "Love your neighbor as yourself." Wouldn't we want everyone to treat us with justice and to be merciful toward us?
To walk humbly with your God reflects the way we are to relate to God. If we see God as our greatest object of worship, love and respect, does it not follow that we are in a humble position before Him? And "to walk" is another way of describing our sense that God is always present in our lives.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Nehemiah: A Role Model for All Times
Nehemiah is a continuation of Ezra, but I always like it better. Maybe it's because of the picture in my mind of the two eponymous characters. Ezra always seems like a kind of radical priest, almost reminding me of the Ayatollahs in today's Islam. But Nehemiah strikes me as the consummate diplomat and businessman who is also a devout believer.
Nehemiah is introduced as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it might be similar to the chief of the king's personal security force. It would seem that Nehemiah had earned the king's complete trust as well as respect. Nehemiah hears that the city of Jerusalem, recently repopulated by Jews returning from exile, has not fared well; the city walls are in ruins and the people are being taunted and harrassed by the neighbors. He asks for the king's blessing and some provisions to journey to Jerusalem to do what he can to help.
I wish I could meet Nehemiah. He sounds like a man I would like to know. As a leader, he displays a mixture of spiritual devotion and practicality. He always sets the example, persuades people to catch his vision and follow his lead. He seems to be the first up in the morning and the last to sleep at night. He never asks anyone to do what he wouldn't be willing to do himself.
When Nehemiah confronts adversaries, either political foes or even wrong-doers among the Jews, he is blunt and clear about what he's thinking. He seems to be deliberate about what he wants from them and he gets it.
Again, since I'm reading this during the 2012 presidential election season, I find myself wondering how much the two candidates, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, resemble Nehemiah and his leadership.
The civic project of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem is pretty interesting. Nehemiah describes the project, and then details who was responsible for the work. It reminds me of the huge capital projects I've witnessed--a couple of buildings at our church, the arts district in Dallas, and such. In each of these modern-day projects, you can find inscriptions of the big donors (I love the wall at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center). Perhaps these listings of the workers in the biblical record are like that.
One of the other things I really love about Nehemiah is the little prayers that are embedded throughout the book. There are prayers of confession, of imprecation, and prayers asking God to remember Nehemiah with favor, or for immediate help in a situation. My favorites are the little quick ones that are spur of the moment. I think that may be part of the reason for Nehemiah's stature. He infused his daily life with constant communication with God and made it a priority to follow God's lead.
One can find few better role models in the Bible or in history than Nehemiah.
Nehemiah is introduced as the cupbearer to King Artaxerxes. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it might be similar to the chief of the king's personal security force. It would seem that Nehemiah had earned the king's complete trust as well as respect. Nehemiah hears that the city of Jerusalem, recently repopulated by Jews returning from exile, has not fared well; the city walls are in ruins and the people are being taunted and harrassed by the neighbors. He asks for the king's blessing and some provisions to journey to Jerusalem to do what he can to help.
I wish I could meet Nehemiah. He sounds like a man I would like to know. As a leader, he displays a mixture of spiritual devotion and practicality. He always sets the example, persuades people to catch his vision and follow his lead. He seems to be the first up in the morning and the last to sleep at night. He never asks anyone to do what he wouldn't be willing to do himself.
When Nehemiah confronts adversaries, either political foes or even wrong-doers among the Jews, he is blunt and clear about what he's thinking. He seems to be deliberate about what he wants from them and he gets it.
Again, since I'm reading this during the 2012 presidential election season, I find myself wondering how much the two candidates, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama, resemble Nehemiah and his leadership.
The civic project of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem is pretty interesting. Nehemiah describes the project, and then details who was responsible for the work. It reminds me of the huge capital projects I've witnessed--a couple of buildings at our church, the arts district in Dallas, and such. In each of these modern-day projects, you can find inscriptions of the big donors (I love the wall at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center). Perhaps these listings of the workers in the biblical record are like that.
One of the other things I really love about Nehemiah is the little prayers that are embedded throughout the book. There are prayers of confession, of imprecation, and prayers asking God to remember Nehemiah with favor, or for immediate help in a situation. My favorites are the little quick ones that are spur of the moment. I think that may be part of the reason for Nehemiah's stature. He infused his daily life with constant communication with God and made it a priority to follow God's lead.
One can find few better role models in the Bible or in history than Nehemiah.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Matthew and Mark
Matthew and Mark are next to each other in the Bible. If you're reading through the Bible in alphabetical order, of course, Mark comes first, followed immediately by Matthew.
And if you read through the Gospels in quick succession, you may notice that there are very similar passages. This time, I actually found myself wondering if I'd put my bookmark in the right place!
I knew about this. In fact, I think it was this idea of the overlap of the Gospels that first pulled me into serious Bible study.
Matthew and Mark, along with Luke, are called the Synoptic Gospels. The three Gospels have a similar viewpoint and a huge amount of common content. John's Gospel contains some of the same material, but is quite a bit different. I've always felt that the author of John, which scholars believe was written a few decades after the synoptic Gospels, may have read the other texts and felt compelled to add in his own viewpoint.
Since Matthew, Mark and Luke have much of the same material--some of it almost but not precisely verbatim--scholars have wrestled for decades, or centuries at this point, about how they came together. Which came first? Who borrowed from whom? Or was there another document (Q or Quelle) that was the source for all three? And what accounts for the material that is unique to each Gospel? This is a fascinating and complex subject. I took a whole-semester course on the topic in Seminary, and still just felt like we raised more questions than we answered.
The best part of the Gospels is the scintillating picture of Jesus they present. I've been reading these books and hearing Jesus stories for so very long that I'm used to them. I can only imagine how they would astound someone who had never heard of Jesus or of His teaching.
Here are a few random thoughts that struck me on this read-through.
Mark: Chapter 4 has the parables of the sower, the mustard seed, and the growing seed, which is unique to Mark. These are all about how the word of God is spread and how it takes effect. I was encouraged that the "work" that I do in spreading God's word is carried out by God Himself in mysterious ways; it's not all on my shoulders.
In Mark 12:28ff, a teacher of the Law asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment. Often, Jesus would parry such a question, as He did with "Should we pay taxes to Caesar?" For this question, though, Jesus gives a straightforward and authoritative answer: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength; and Love your neighbor as yourself. Both are direct quotes from the Torah.
Things that caught my attention in Matthew:
Matthew 24 is about the signs of the end of the age. In Matthew 24:10-12, Jesus says, "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and decive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold." I've been reading this during the ramp-up to the presidential election of 2012. I have been more distressed than usual about what feels to me like hard-hearted social policies. I'm concerned about reproductive and women's rights, about opportunities for immigrants, about the stratification of economic classes. I've also been appalled at the vile and hateful political screed I hear. It just made me wonder if these are signs of the end of the age.
Similarly, the parable of the wicked manager made me wonder if our politicians aren't like him, "...he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards" (Matthew 24:49).
In Matthew 26:24, Jesus says, "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man. It would be better for him if he had not been born." This raises that knotty issue of predestination, divine sovereignty, free will, etc. I guess it underscores the notion that God has a master plan for all things and all people -- AND -- that people bring these things about through their choices. It seems like Judas could have chosen not to betray Jesus. But he did, and, yes, it would have been better for him if he had not been born.
Last thought about Matthew, and the other Gospels' portrayal of Jesus. Again, how would these words fall on fresh ears? Or, how would people react to the accounts of Jesus if they didn't have any reason to associate them with the Divine? Would people still puzzle and marvel as much as we do when we believe they are God-breathed?
If it's been a while since you have read the Gospels, do yourself a favor and sit down for a good page turner.
And if you read through the Gospels in quick succession, you may notice that there are very similar passages. This time, I actually found myself wondering if I'd put my bookmark in the right place!
I knew about this. In fact, I think it was this idea of the overlap of the Gospels that first pulled me into serious Bible study.
Matthew and Mark, along with Luke, are called the Synoptic Gospels. The three Gospels have a similar viewpoint and a huge amount of common content. John's Gospel contains some of the same material, but is quite a bit different. I've always felt that the author of John, which scholars believe was written a few decades after the synoptic Gospels, may have read the other texts and felt compelled to add in his own viewpoint.
Since Matthew, Mark and Luke have much of the same material--some of it almost but not precisely verbatim--scholars have wrestled for decades, or centuries at this point, about how they came together. Which came first? Who borrowed from whom? Or was there another document (Q or Quelle) that was the source for all three? And what accounts for the material that is unique to each Gospel? This is a fascinating and complex subject. I took a whole-semester course on the topic in Seminary, and still just felt like we raised more questions than we answered.
The best part of the Gospels is the scintillating picture of Jesus they present. I've been reading these books and hearing Jesus stories for so very long that I'm used to them. I can only imagine how they would astound someone who had never heard of Jesus or of His teaching.
Here are a few random thoughts that struck me on this read-through.
Mark: Chapter 4 has the parables of the sower, the mustard seed, and the growing seed, which is unique to Mark. These are all about how the word of God is spread and how it takes effect. I was encouraged that the "work" that I do in spreading God's word is carried out by God Himself in mysterious ways; it's not all on my shoulders.
In Mark 12:28ff, a teacher of the Law asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment. Often, Jesus would parry such a question, as He did with "Should we pay taxes to Caesar?" For this question, though, Jesus gives a straightforward and authoritative answer: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength; and Love your neighbor as yourself. Both are direct quotes from the Torah.
Things that caught my attention in Matthew:
Matthew 24 is about the signs of the end of the age. In Matthew 24:10-12, Jesus says, "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and decive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold." I've been reading this during the ramp-up to the presidential election of 2012. I have been more distressed than usual about what feels to me like hard-hearted social policies. I'm concerned about reproductive and women's rights, about opportunities for immigrants, about the stratification of economic classes. I've also been appalled at the vile and hateful political screed I hear. It just made me wonder if these are signs of the end of the age.
Similarly, the parable of the wicked manager made me wonder if our politicians aren't like him, "...he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards" (Matthew 24:49).
In Matthew 26:24, Jesus says, "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man. It would be better for him if he had not been born." This raises that knotty issue of predestination, divine sovereignty, free will, etc. I guess it underscores the notion that God has a master plan for all things and all people -- AND -- that people bring these things about through their choices. It seems like Judas could have chosen not to betray Jesus. But he did, and, yes, it would have been better for him if he had not been born.
Last thought about Matthew, and the other Gospels' portrayal of Jesus. Again, how would these words fall on fresh ears? Or, how would people react to the accounts of Jesus if they didn't have any reason to associate them with the Divine? Would people still puzzle and marvel as much as we do when we believe they are God-breathed?
If it's been a while since you have read the Gospels, do yourself a favor and sit down for a good page turner.
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