Holy Textures

Mark 6:14-29

"All of this background is very interesting and helpful, but my original question remains: Where is the Good News?
Perhaps there is none, and this is precisely Mark's point. Just in case we are getting too excited and thinking this business of being a disciple of Jesus is going to be a piece of cake, is going to be a story of ever increasing fame, miracles, and wonders, Mark gives a story of a good man being executed because of weakness, capriciousness, and vengence."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 10, Ordinary Time 15
Sunday Between July 10 and July 16 Inclusive
6th Sunday After Pentecost 2009

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Of all the sections of the Bible that the creators of the Lectionary choose to leave out, it is a puzzle to me then why they included this. Where is the Good News? How does our hearing of it edify us? Deepen our being the church?

As usual, Malina and Rohrbaugh (see link in left-hand sidebar) provide helpful historical background.

Mark 6:1-13

"The reference to 'son of Mary,' with no mention of his father would not so subtly remind everyone of the shaming gossip about Mary being pregnant before getting married."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 9, Ordinary Time 14 
Sunday Between July 3 and July 9 Inclusive
5th Sunday After Pentecost 2009

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Once again the Lectionary gives us two stories in one lesson.

Jesus leaves "that place" where two members of the Judean elite had received healing and new life because of their faith - because of their trust / loyalty / bonding with God in spite of their hopeless circumstances - and returns to his hometown. What sort of faith / trust will he find there?

Simply stepping forward to teach in his hometown synagogue would literally be stepping out of his - and his families - assigned place in the village pecking order. Doing so would immediately demand public, critical evaluation by those in charge of keeping people in their place.

Mark 5:21-43

"Once again, it is important to remember that in the Bible, 'faith' is NOT about 'beliefs,' or 'ideas,' or 'understandings.' It is about relationships. And so Jesus' observation:
  My daughter, your faith has made you well.
is better understood as:
  My daughter, your trust / loyalty / bonding has made you well."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 8, Ordinary Time 13
Sunday Between June 26 and July 2
4th Sunday After Pentecost 2009

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

This text is a "Mark sandwich," a story-within-a-story, that is meant to be digested as a whole.

Jesus has just returned from foreign territory on the other side of Lake Galilee, and once again a large crowd gathers - the gossip network is successfully spreading news of Jesus; successfully increasing his public status and honour; and thereby also increasing his potential threat to the established authorities.

Indeed, his reputation has increased to the point that two members of the elite take the risk of crossing strict social boundaries to seek Jesus' aid: Jairus, an official of the synagogue, and an unnamed women who had spent all her money being treated by many doctors - to no avail. We know that Jairus belongs to the elite by virtue of his office. We infer the unnamed woman is also among the elite by virtue of her having money to spend on doctors. She is also probably a widow, since otherwise the money would not be hers to spend. We can also assume that Jairus has also had doctors treat his daughter - also to no avail.

Thus, in a nut shell, the context of this lesson is two elite members, who have used their socially accepted resources to no avail, step out of their gated communities and join the crowd of low-class people on the street to seek help from the rising folk hero - Jesus of Nazareth. A daring come down for them.

Mark 4:35-41

"Jesus' questions to them - and us - 'Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?' - reveal a deeper truth:
      Deep down our trust in God's caring is really quite shallow."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 7, Ordinary Time 12
Sunday Between June 19 and June 25 Inclusive 
3rd Sunday After Pentecost 2009

Read the passage: The Message   or   The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Click here for an easy to print or email Adobe PDF version of this note.

Click here for my sermon on this text, "Have You Still No Faith?"

Jesus peacefully sleeping at the back of the boat in the midst of a raging storm has gotta be one of the all time great images. This is what it looks like to trust in God's caring no matter what the circumstances.

The drama of this story hinges on four questions, with a concluding exclamation:

1. Teacher, don't you care if we drown?
2. Why are you so afraid?
3. Do you still have no faith?
4. Who is this?
      
5. Even the wind and sea obey him!