Holy Textures

John 1:1-18

"The quality of the relationship that John is wanting us to have with Jesus is all-or-nothing."

Year A, B, C, Season of Christmas
Christmas Eve / Day
December 24 / 25

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.

God bless the preacher who tries to say something sensible about this text in 20 minutes or less.

Perhaps the best approach is to read it; then prop the Bible open in a visible place; then lie face down in silent, abject humility before the text; then, after 20 minutes - or twenty years - stand up and say, "Amen."

Failing that, here is my summary of Bruce Malina's comments. (John, pages 29-41, see footnote below.) But let's start with a direct quote from Malina:

These verses have caused both wonder and controversy throughout Christian history. ... When read as ordinary language, they are majestic and profound yet bristling with interpretive and theological difficulties. ... Our (the authors, Malina and Rohrbaugh) interest is in the way these verses introduce the cosmic Messiah and describe his mission on behalf of those who "believe into him."
Pages 29-30

Luke 2:1-20 or Luke 2:(1-7), 8-20 or Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

"Nonetheless, it is to these unlikely and unworthy characters that the first news of the birth of Jesus is given, and not to the Kings, Caesars, and Governors mentioned at the beginning of this passage."

Year A, B, C, Season of Christmas
Christmas Eve / Day
December 24 / 25

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.

Luke's historical details for the birth of Jesus are problematic.

Luke 1:5, "In the days of King Herod," who died in 4 BC.

Luke 2:1, "In those days a decree went out from Emperor (or Caesar) Augustus that all the world should be registered," places the birth anytime between 27 BC to 14 AD, the length of the very long reign of Augustus.

Luke 2:2, "This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria," places the date at 6 or 7 AD.

Most scholars agree that Luke and Matthew's reference to "In the days of King Herod," is the most reliable reference and that Jesus was born sometime before Herod's death in 4 BC.

Note that Matthew 1:18-25 and 2:1-12, make no mention of Nazareth or a census.

Luke's historical details for the birth of Jesus are problematic.

Luke 1:5, "In the days of King Herod," who died in 4 BC.

Luke 2:1, "In those days a decree went out from Emperor (or Caesar) Augustus that all the world should be registered," places the birth anytime between 27 BC to 14 AD, the length of the very long reign of Augustus.

Luke 2:2, "This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria," places the date at 6 or 7 AD.

Most scholars agree that Luke and Matthew's reference to "In the days of King Herod," is the most reliable reference and that Jesus was born sometime before Herod's death in 4 BC.

Note that Matthew 1:18-25 and 2:1-12, make no mention of Nazareth or a census.

Lectionary Advent Alternative

I have stopped using the Lectionary during Advent (and Lent as well). Why?

It seems to me that in this day and age you can never tell the story of the first Christmas (or Easter) early enough or often enough.

It is far better to begin with the story we are trying to tell - Christmas - and then provide the historical context along the way.

And starting with the historical / theological / history of salvation has the unintentional effect of making the story we are wanting to tell seem like nothing more than a foretold, logical conclusion - a prepared script for actors on a stage - and not the flesh and blood seizing - or passing up - actual in-the-moment opportunities for God's will to be on earth as it is in heaven. Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the Magi become cardboard cutouts instead of real people who made real - and very difficult - choices.

John 18:33-37

"Thus the tension in the Gospels is not between Jesus and 'the Jews.' The tension is between Jesus the Galilean hillbilly proclaimer of the coming of God's Kingdom of non-violent justice and the Judean snobbish elites who are also collaborators of the Roman Empire of violent non-justice."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Reign of Christ Sunday
Proper 29, Ordinary Time 34
Sunday Between November 20 and November 26 Inclusive
Final Sunday of Pentecost Season

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.

Here we are, already filled with anticipation of celebrating the impossible possibility⁺ of the birth of one who is fully-God-and-fully-human, but before that happens, we are now called to ponder the impossible possibility of a world order that is fully-Sovereign-and-fully-Servant / fully-of-this-world-and-fully-not-of-this-world / fully-already-accomplished-and-fully-not-yet-complete / fully-powerful-and-fully-non-coercive / fully-judging-and-fully-merciful.

Blessed be the preacher who is able to stand fully in this tension and not resolve it.

John 11:32-44

"Using this text for All Saints is problematic because it confuses RESTORED life with RESURRECTED life."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
All Saints Day
November 1 (or First Sunday in November)

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.

Bruce Malina once again offers helpful historical background on the customs and behaviours that are described in this passage. (Gospel of John, pages 199-201, and 276-277, see footnote below.)

In the Gospel of John, the story of Lazarus is the final scene that sets the stage for the events of Holy Week. It is a complex story of shame-honour, friendship, trust, public reputation, God's glory, light and life, darkness and death.

Mark 12:38-44

"The widow who has given 'all she had to live on' foreshadows the coming contribution of Jesus to his mission of proclaiming God's Good News of non-violent justice in the face of Rome's violent injustice."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 27, Ordinary Time 32
Sunday Between November 6 and November 12 Inclusive
23rd 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.

Having successfully bested all challengers from the Jerusalem elites, Jesus now honourably moves to the offensive. However, as we move into the denunciation of these elites and the Temple, it is good to remember the Scribe we met last week whom Jesus praised with the high honour of being "not far from the Kingdom of God." Which is another way of remembering that what is being condemned is behaviour, and not a whole class of people.

Mark 12:28-34

"No one in that crowd of both opponents and admirers would dispute, 'Love of God,' as the greatest commandment. But when Jesus goes on and links it to, 'Love of neighbour as oneself,' he has lifted attachment to the welfare of one's neighbours above all other duties and obligations."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 26, Ordinary Time 31
Sunday Between October 30 and November 5 Inclusive
22nd 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 week's text is the climax of a day of confrontation between Jesus and the religious authorities in Jerusalem. (See my comment, Jesus' Last Week - Tuesday.)

However, just in case we were writing off all religious elites as hard-hearted, unseeing opponents of Jesus, Mark ends the series of hostile questions with a scribe asking a genuine one.

It is the narrator, Mark, who tells us that the scribe had been positively impressed by Jesus - "seeing that (Jesus) answered them well." We, the readers, should not gloss over this remarkable assessment of Jesus' honour by one of his opponents.

Mark 10:46-52

"Notice that Mark says Bartimaeus is told that it is 'Jesus of Nazareth' - which identifies Jesus only by his low cast, peasant, hill billy status by birth - but Bartimaeus SHOUTS out, 'Jesus, Son of David' - identifying Jesus by his God-given status."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 25, Ordinary Time 30
Sunday Between October 23 and October 29 Inclusive
21st 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.

In the Gospel of Mark, today's reading is the culmination of Jesus' ministry before the events of Holy Week begin.

Perhaps I am reading too much into the story, but I believe Mark is asking us, the readers, to ponder 4 questions:

• Who have you seen in what has been told so far? (Are you still blind? Are you willing to see now?)
• Will you seize the opportunity when hope walks by?
• What do you need Jesus to free you to do/be?
• How will you respond when what has been holding you back is finally removed?

Mark 13:1-8

"Whatever system of government may currently be in power, God's Royal Proclamation comes as a Word that evokes an accounting from - and possibly a confrontation with - earthly rulers. And as Jesus simply observes: don't be led astray, earthly rulers never accept accounting kindly. There will be resistance."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Proper 28, Ordinary Time 33
Sunday Between November 13 and November 19 Inclusive
24th 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.

Zowie, Christmas music has already been playing in the malls for weeks now, and the Lectionary gives us a dire warning about not being led astray - not being deceived by the many who will say, "Here is your salvation."

Matthew 6:25-33

"The opposite of worry / fear / anxiety is faith - or better still - trust."

Year B, Season of Pentecost
Thanksgiving Sunday

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.

It might be helpful to pause on the word, "Therefore," which begins verse 6:25 and review the "whereas's" that begin in Chapter 5:

• The Beatitudes
• Being salt of the earth and light of the world
• Obeying and fulfilling the law
• Anger and reconciliation
• Adultery in our hearts
• Divorce
• Let your Yes be Yes or your No be No
• Do not retaliate, instead publically expose the unjust authority
• Love your enemies
• Give alms, but don't make a show of it
• Pray, but don't make a show of it
• Fast, but don't make a show of it
• Store up treasures in heaven not on earth
• Make sure your inner light is healthy
• Don't think you can serve two masters: God and wealth

These teachings are the basis for the "Therefore, do not worry" in Verse 25.

It might be helpful to pause on the word, "Therefore," which begins verse 6:25 and review the "whereas's" that begin in Chapter 5:

• The Beatitudes
• Being salt of the earth and light of the world
• Obeying and fulfilling the law
• Anger and reconciliation
• Adultery in our hearts
• Divorce
• Let your Yes be Yes or your No be No
• Do not retaliate, instead publically expose the unjust authority
• Love your enemies
• Give alms, but don't make a show of it
• Pray, but don't make a show of it
• Fast, but don't make a show of it
• Store up treasures in heaven not on earth
• Make sure your inner light is healthy
• Don't think you can serve two masters: God and wealth

These teachings are the basis for the "Therefore, do not worry" in Verse 25.