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1 in Faith: A Christian Bible Study |
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Scripture Readings for April 2003
If you would like to receive these daily scripture readings by email, click email list service.These short readings from the Christian Bible are read daily at community prayer in Taizι, an ecumenical and international Christian community in France. The Bible reference indicates a slightly longer passage from scripture. You are encouraged to read the longer passage in the morning before you begin your daily activities, and then to ponder the reading, in silence and prayer, as it comes to mind during the day. For a brief explanation of how I am reading the Christian Bible, you are invited to go to Exegesis or to Witness.
April 1, Read Mark 4:26-29 In the gospel of Mark, Jesus says, "The kingdom of God is like this: A person scatters seed on the land. Night and day, whether they are awake or asleep, the seed sprouts and grows, they know not how." What did Jesus mean by "the kingdom of God?" In the gospels of Mark and Luke, this is the core of the teachings of Jesus. The use of the phrase "the kingdom of heaven" in the gospel of Matthew, apparently in order to avoid offending Jewish readers who piously would not utter the word "God," has the same central position in the ministry of Jesus. And because these three gospels share many of the same teachings, it is easy to see that these two phrases are merely variations of the same idea. It is interesting, however, that the only time in the gospel of John that Jesus is reported to refer to "the kingdom of God" is when he is talking with Nicodemus. (John 3:3, 5) Paul, however, refers to the "kingdom of God" several times in his letters. If the announcement of the kingdom of God (heaven) is at the heart of the gospel, what does it mean? In this passage the image of seeds growing is used to suggest that the kingdom of God is not of our making. It comes about, whether we are attending to it or not, in ways that we do not comprehend, even as seeds sprout and grow once planted. Seeds appear to be dead, yet when sown they produce new life. Our part in this miracle of life is merely to plant the seeds, with faith that the creation of God will bring them to fruition. Perhaps our part in the kingdom of God (heaven) is also merely sowing the seeds with faith in the power of God to do the rest. God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through him. The good news of the gospel is salvation not judgment, yet the church has often been judgmental. Pope John Paul II has recently called on Christians to repent for the sins committed in the name of the gospel, and in all honesty we must admit that these are many. Protestants may see these as the sins of the Catholic Church, which is responsible for the crusades and the Spanish inquisition to name only the most obvious instances of brutal oppression. But Protestants also have committed sins against other Protestants, and Protestants rather than Catholics were primarily responsible for the atrocities committed against the native peoples of what is now the United States. Moreover, Protestants have been guilty of the sin of anti-Semitism as well as anti-Catholic bias, and Protestants have used the Bible to justify slavery and the oppression of women. Can we hear anew the gospel message of salvation? The reading from the gospel of John says that everyone who believes in the Son of Man will have eternal life. In the original Greek of the New Testament the phrase "believes in" is the Greek verb for faith. So, the meaning is that those with faith in the Son of Man will have eternal life. We are called to give ourselves in trust to the God we know in Jesus the Christ. This means more than affirming certain beliefs about Jesus. It means loving others, as we know that God loves us, because in Jesus we discover a love without limits. A letter attributed to Peter says: "Cast all your anxiety on God, because God cares for you." The opening greeting of this letter (1:1) claims that Peter is the author, but the conclusion (5:12) refers to Silvanus who in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 is associated with Paul's mission. The letter is addressed to Gentile Christians in rural Asia Minor (today's Turkey). It encourages slaves of abusive masters and wives of non-Christian husbands to accept the authority of those who are abusing them, for in this way they may succeed in converting their oppressors. But even if this response does not end their abuse, the letter counsels these Christians that their suffering (like the suffering of Christ) will be rewarded. Because Peter's ministry, as reflected in Galatians and Acts, is not offering this kind of advice, it has been suggested that this letter was not written by Peter but was sent under his name near the end of the first century. Whether the words of Peter or another Christian, the call to faith even in the face of oppression is both challenging and dangerous. A nonviolent response to one who is violent may well stir guilt, shame and compassion within his heart, but it may also make the victim weak and dependent. Submitting to violence must be a fearless act of love, if God is to use our nonviolence in order to sow the seeds of compassion in the heart of our oppressor. What a stupendous challenge this is for our faith! If you do away with the accusing finger and malicious talk, if you give what is yours for the hungry, then your light will rise in the darkness and your darkest hour will be like the middle of the day. The prophet, speaking for God, tells the people of Israel: "Is not this the fast that I choose? . . . to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house . . .." (vs. 6-7) Being self-righteous and arrogant about our religious faith will undermine the gospel. We are not called to judge others, but to give freely to others of our abundance. This is how the love of Christ will radiate through our lives and manifest the presence of God to others. We see here that the contrast often drawn between the Old Testament and the New Testament is misleading. The Old Testament is not only about law, but it is also about love. The Christian witness is rooted in the prophetic affirmations of the Old Testament, and surely Jesus and Paul read these passages and understood that this call to love others is what faith in God means. Can we hear these ancient words today? Can we put less emphasis on the trappings of religion and give more generously to others? This is what we have heard from Christ: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. This letter begins with words that remind us of the gospel of John, which is why the anonymous letter is named after the same writer. The heart of the letter, and of the gospel as well, is that God is light. The way forward is illuminated by God. The darkness around us is dispelled by God. If we walk in the light, we will know God. This is the witness of the first letter from John and also of the entire New Testament. If we are honest, we will admit that our hearts are dark. We are suspicious of others, we are preoccupied with concerns about money and status, we quickly judge those who do not agree with us. In this Lenten season, may we open our eyes to the light of God that is all around us and in us. May we rediscover the kingdom of God, in which there is no darkness. Amen. Forgive one another, as God in Christ forgave you. This letter was written before the gospels. Paul urges those, who are following Jesus, to do all that they can to build up the community of the church. Each member of the community should be truthful, avoid evil talk, and learn to let go of bitterness and wrath. For "we are members of one another," Paul reminds his listeners. And as Christ has forgiven each of them, so they are called to forgive one another. Taking the initiative to forgive another is a powerful act of faith. How can we have such faith? When we have been wronged, we want punishment or at least compensation for our suffering. We want justice, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, the challenge to forgive invites us to set aside our rightful claims for the sake of the one who wronged us, as well as for our own sake. This challenge expects strength, not weakness, and love, not hatred, from the one who has been wronged. Forgiving is a way of breaking through the psychological and emotional bonds of victimization. Being empowered to forgive through faith in Christ is a way of entering the kingdom of God and opening the door for the wrong-doer. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus says: "When you have a dinner, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, and you will be blessed, for they have no means to repay you." The gospel of Luke records that Jesus was invited to the home of a community leader. Although it was the sabbath, Jesus healed a man with abnormal swelling due to fluid retention (dropsy). Then Jesus suggested that it is best for a guest to sit furthest from the place of honor in order not to appear arrogant. Finally, Jesus told his host that he would be blessed, if he invited to dinner those who are too poor to repay him with a similar invitation. All three of these comments are challenging, but the last is perhaps the most demanding of us. For we do not want the poor in our homes. Can we learn to give freely and not in hope of some reward? Can we be generous without thinking well of ourselves? Can we do what is right because it is right, and not because someone may notice and think well of us? The gospel says we can, if we have faith and entrust ourselves to the God we know in Jesus Christ. Reach out to the stranger and the needy, at first in small ways, and as you grow in faith (for this kind of trust in God is what faith really means) you will embrace even greater acts of love. April 8, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 Paul writes: "God said to me: 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness.'" In this part of his second letter to the church at Corinth Paul refers obliquely to his ecstatic experience fourteen years earlier. To keep him humble, he says, God has made things hard for him. Paul's difficulties, it seems, have come in part from the stubbornness of the Christians in Corinth, who are listening to what Paul describes as "super-apostles" rather than to him. Surely this is a reference to the apostles in Jerusalem, the former disciples of Jesus, who oppose Paul's teaching that the gospel replaces the law in the life of faith. It is hard for us to accept that the church was born out of controversy among the first Christians, and not only between then and their pagan and Jewish adversaries. But the evidence in the letters of Paul is so substantial that no other conclusion is possible. Paul does not give in to his opponents, and long after his death his teachings about the church were given a place of preeminence in scripture. Moreover, the gospels were written to assure Gentiles that they were welcome in the church without having to keep the commandments of the Jewish law. The "circumcision party," which Acts 21:20 asserts was very strong in the church in Jerusalem during the time of Paul, did not win control of the developing church. Instead, Paul's revelation that the church should be a place for Jew and Gentile alike became the guiding light of the fledgling community of faith. In the gospel of John, Jesus says: "Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant will also be." In the gospel of John "some Greeks," which probably means Gentiles although it might mean Greek-speaking Jews, have come to see Jesus in Jerusalem. They seek an audience through Philip, one of the disciples with a Greek name. When Philip and Andrew bring this request to Jesus, the gospel reports that Jesus says, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." Then Jesus promises that whoever serves him will be honored by "the Father." The gospel of John is structured around visits to Jerusalem for Jewish holidays and is full of Jewish arguments. In this passage, however, the story reaches out to Gentiles as well. Jesus takes the arrival of Gentiles to see him as a sign that his mission on earth is completed. Moreover, Jesus clearly states that the mark of faith is serving him, not whether one is Jewish or keeps the Jewish law. Finally, Jesus uses the image of a grain of wheat dying in order to bring forth fruit. "Those who love their life lose it," he says, "and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (v. 25) Service, for Gentiles as well as Jews, means following Jesus, and the reward for discipleship will be knowing his eternal presence. If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we are in communion with one another. God is light, this letter tells us. "If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true." (v.6) Therefore, we must walk in the light, if we are to walk with God. And, in that way, we will find ourselves in communion with other members of the church. It seems so simple, so straightforward. All we have to do is have faith in God. But that requires resisting the ways of the world, which tell us to put our self-interest ahead of all else. "If you don't look out for yourself," we are told, "who will?" The way of faith rooted in the life-giving sacrifice symbolized by the cross rejects this self-centered approach to life. Instead, it pushes us to put the needs of others before our own, with a paradoxical message that in this way we will discover an even greater reward than success, wealth and respect among our peers. What an astounding and shattering demand to make! And what a tremendous opportunity. The LORD says: "It is not enough for you to be my servant. I shall make you a light to the nations so that my salvation may reach the furthest corners of the earth." This reaffirms the passage in Isaiah 42, which says God has given his servant "as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations." (Is. 42:6) Who is the servant? In Isaiah 42 and 49 it seems clear that the "servant" of God is Israel, the people of the covenant. The prophet proclaims that God's covenant with Israel is not simply for Israel's benefit. Instead, God is using Israel, like a servant, to reach out to all the peoples of the world. Even Israel's suffering, the prophet says, is part of God's purpose to enlighten all nations. Christians have read these "suffering servant" passages differently as foretelling the coming ministry of Jesus Christ. The gospel of Luke reports that Simeon, who is in the temple looking for a sign of the kingdom of God, rejoices when Jesus is brought to be circumcised, because Simeon believes he has seen the one who will be "a light of revelation to the Gentiles." (Lk. 2:32) Clearly, this is a reference to Isaiah 49:6. The church's testimony is that Jesus is the Christ, because through his suffering the promise of the kingdom of God is offered to all peoples. This is the good news of the gospel. May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together in one body. Paul is writing Christians in Colossae, which is located in what today is Turkey. The church has been disturbed by teachings that emphasize ascetic practices and rituals. Paul argues against these misleading teachings and tells the Colossians that they need only live justly. "Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience," he says. "Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Col. 3:12-14) Paul is resisting the imposition of Jewish rules about fasting and festivals, because he believes that these rules will divide the church. Some members are promoting such practices as a way of being more spiritual, and this is causing envy and resentment among others. Paul urges compassion and forgiveness, for these gifts of the Spirit will strengthen the community of faith. His counsel is as important today, as it was then. To enter Jerusalem, Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written: "Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion. Look, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" In all four gospels Jesus rides into Jerusalem and is greeted with shouts of praise. This is a reference to Zechariah 9:9, which reads: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Read literally, this seems to mean that the king is riding on two animals a donkey and the foal or colt of a donkey. In the gospel of Matthew this text is read this way and Jesus is described as sitting on both. (Mt. 21:5-7) But in the other gospels, the writers interpret the text from Zechariah as a repetition for emphasis and report that Jesus rode only on one animal. The passage from Zechariah envisions the coming of a king, who will bring peace to Jerusalem and her people. In the gospel stories, however, Jesus enters Jerusalem not to bring peace, but to initiate a confrontation with the Jewish and Roman authorities. In the first three gospels the entrance into Jerusalem is followed closely by the cleansing of the temple of money-changers, but in the gospel of John this has already happened at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. Most likely, the author of the fourth gospel has rearranged the plot and put this event at the beginning of the ministry of Jesus because it symbolizes his attack on the Jewish establishment. Moreover, Jesus in the gospel of John travels to Jerusalem several times, whereas in the other gospels he only goes to Jerusalem as an adult at the end of his ministry. So, in all four gospels the cleansing of the temple occurs the first time Jesus brings his message to Jerusalem. Before his passion, Jesus said to his disciples: "Now you are sad, but I shall see you again and your hearts will be full of joy. And that joy no one shall take from you." In this passage the gospel writer uses an image of a woman in labor to illustrate the painful experience that lies ahead of the disciples. The coming crucifixion of Jesus will drive them to despair, but when Jesus returns to them they will rejoice and forget their suffering. The language of this chapter is unique to the gospel of John. The other three gospels in the New Testament do not contain accounts that are parallel to John 16. This may be not be Jesus speaking, but certainly this chapter from the gospel of John presents the witness of the Christian community for which it was written. Moreover, the church by including this gospel in the Christian Bible has affirmed that these words, if not directly spoken by God or Jesus, are nonetheless to be read as the "word of God". So, rejoice and be glad! Paul writes: "I am certain of this: neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus." This passage expresses the confident faith of Paul. He recognizes the dangers of being a Christian in Rome, but he exhorts the Christians in the capital of the Roman Empire to adhere to their faith because that is what links them to the love of God, which has been made known in Christ Jesus. And this link, Paul affirms, will not be broken. No matter what, they will not be cut off from the love of God. Can we embrace this courageous hope? Can we put our trust in God? Can we open ourselves to the love of Christ? If we can, we will find peace. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus says to his disciples: "Stay alert and pray in order to withstand the trial. The spirit is willing, but human nature is weak." The story of Jesus praying with his disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane is deeply moving. Jesus prays that his death might not be necessary, but gives himself in trust to God. When Jesus finds that Peter, James and John, who he has taken with him for company, have fallen asleep, he is upset. Jesus asks them to remain alert and to pray. But they cannot stay awake, despite his agony. The story emphasizes his loneliness and the lack of understanding and faith of Jesus' disciples. This story is contained in the gospels of Mark and Luke, with some variations, but is not included in the gospel of John. In that gospel Jesus delivers a long sermon to his disciples and then prays with confidence: "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you." (John 17:1) In the gospel of John, after the prayer, Jesus goes to a garden across the Kidron valley and there is immediately arrested. The difference is not merely factual. Jesus is in agony in the first three gospels of the New Testament, before his arrest. He prays that the cup might be taken from him. In the fourth gospel, however, Jesus prays to get on with it, so God may be glorified. Then Jesus marches confidently to the garden, not to pray in agony, but to turn himself over to the arresting officials. Both of these accounts cannot be factually true, for they are too dissimilar. The one story emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, the other his divinity. Together, however, these stories witness to the faith of the early church that Jesus was both fully human and one with God. Mark 14:32-42At Gethsemane, the gospel of Mark says, Jesus prayed: "Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me; yet not what I will, but what you will." The account of Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane in the gospel of Mark is almost exactly the same as in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus is in agony, he takes Peter, James and John with him to pray, and they fall asleep as Jesus prays. The gospel of Matthew reports that Jesus calls on God with the words, "My Father." But the gospel of Mark records that Jesus said, "Abba, Father." Abba is the Aramaic word for father, but it is an intimate word meaning "Daddy" of "Papa." This word is used two other times in the New Testament in Romans 8:15 and Galatians 4:6, by Paul which suggests that it was used early in the life of the church to refer to God. Perhaps by the time that the gospels of Matthew and Luke were written, this intimate word for God was seen as a bit of an embarrassment and so was removed. The story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsame not only emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, but his faith. He does not want to die, but even more he wants to do God's will. The heart of our prayer should be "not what we will, but what you will." This is the prayer of Jesus and the faith to which we are called. They led Jesus out to crucify him. They compelled a passerby, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha where they crucified him. The gospel of Mark tells the dreadful story quickly. Jesus is marched to the killing fields and nailed to a cross. Years ago, when my children were small, we watched this terrible scene in the movie "Jesus of Nazareth." My children were aghast and in tears, but my eldest daughter saw not only the horror of the violence but also the frightening question about God that it raises. "Why didn't God save Jesus?" she sobbed. And then, with wide eyes, she asked me: "Did God want Jesus to die?" How would you answer this question from a ten year old child? As a loving God, of course, God surely did not want Jesus to die. But Christians affirm that God's love is not sentimental. Jesus, like all human beings, would die, because that is the way life is. Yet, if he chose to die for others, with faith in the continuing love of God, then others might be inspired by his death to be more loving. To say that Jesus is our Savior is to affirm that in his death we find the answer to our own dying. The last word of creation is not death, but life. Injustice, suffering and despair will not prevail over faith, hope and love. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. On the cross, in the gospel of Luke, Jesus says: "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing."Not all ancient manuscripts of the gospel of Luke contain this verse, and none of the other gospels in the New Testament report that Jesus said these words on the cross. If there was a tradition in the early church that included this passage, either it was unknown to the other gospel writers or they chose not to report it. Perhaps, these words are the literary creation of the author of the gospel attributed to Luke. But I believe they constitute one of the most inspired teachings of the Bible. Clearly, those who are crucifying Jesus do know what they are doing. They are killing a man, because he poses a threat to the oppressive peace of the Romans. But, in a more profound sense, they do not know what they are doing. They know their victim is innocent, but they do not know that his innocent death will inspire millions celebrate his life in the centuries to come. And they do not know that the love of God will be so powerfully manifested in the life and death of Jesus, that he will be revered both as God and man, and also as the Savior of the world, by those who seek to be his disciples. These may be the words of a first century Christian, but they also are the word of God. The gospel of John says that when Jesus' disciple entered the empty tomb, he saw and believed. Each gospel tells a different story about the empty tomb. In the gospel of Matthew (28:1-7), Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" go to the tomb. An angel descends, rolls away the stone from the door of the tomb, and sits on it. He tells the women that Jesus is risen. In the gospel of Mark (16:1-7), Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Salome go to the tomb and find the stone rolled away. A young man sitting beside the tomb tells them Jesus is risen. In the gospel of Luke (24:1-7), Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James (the brother of Jesus), Joanna, and the other women with them (24:10) find the tomb open and empty. Two men appear to them and tell them Jesus is risen. In the gospel of John (20:1-11), Mary Magdalene goes alone to tomb. When she finds it open and empty, she runs to get Peter, who returns with another disciple. These four stories can be understood as variations of the facts, but all four cannot be literally true. Yet, all four can be true in a figurative or metaphorical sense. Each story testifies to the conviction of the early church that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and is alive within the life and witness of the Christian community. In this sense, all of the gospel stories are true or, we might say, witness to the same truth. Each, using different facts, affirms that faith is the way to God. And this is true. In the gospel of John, Jesus says to Pilate: "For this I was born, and for this I came into the world: to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." This dialogue between Jesus and Pilate is unique to the fourth gospel. To compare it with the other three gospels in the New Testament, read Matthew 27:11-14, Mark 15:1-5, and Luke 23:1-5. The words of Pilate, in response to the affirmation made by Jesus that he is bearing witness to the truth, are among the most well-known in literature: "What is truth?" What, indeed. We struggle with that question in our own time, as we try to understand the meaning of Christ for us. The confident response by Jesus to Pilate's interrogation is consistent with his confident prayer before his arrest. In the gospel of John there is no doubt that Jesus is in command of the entire story, even as he is its victim. In the other three gospels of the New Testament there is quite a different tone. God is clearly in control of the plot, but Jesus is not. For in the first three gospels Jesus struggles with his fears and goes to his death in agony. Christ was put to death in the body and raised to life in the Spirit. And in the Spirit he also went to announce the Gospel to those who once had refused to believe. This brief text seems clear enough. Jesus died and yet appeared to others, who had not believed in him. But the entire passage from the first letter of Peter is a complicated argument about the resurrection, Noah's flood, and baptism. The author of this letter seems to be saying that among the dead, who had died at the time of Noah's flood, Jesus (or his spirit) announced the good news of the gospel. In addition, the author wants to explain that baptism is not merely a ritual act of cleansing, but a way of entering into the death and resurrection of Jesus in order to quicken one's conscience. Are we to take literally the reference to the dead, to Noah's ark, and to the image of Jesus in heaven at the right hand of God, with angels subject to him? Certainly, the writer of this letter may have had this understanding. But must we also, in our very different age, share these beliefs? Or, may we enter into the death and resurrection of Jesus in order to enliven our faith? Can we understand heaven metaphorically as being with God, rather than literally as a place somewhere in the cosmos? Can we see that the image of Jesus sitting at the right hand of God might mean for us the close identity of God and Jesus, rather than literally two distinct figures sitting side by side? Is the test of faith holding strictly to beliefs such as these about God, Jesus and the universe, or is it trusting in the God who is revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and also in the life of the church that bears his name? The risen Lord says: "I know your trials and your poverty, yet you are rich: do not fear suffering, stay faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life." In chapters 2 and 3 of the Revelation to John the author presents seven letters to specific churches. The second letter is addressed to the church in Smyrna. The author commends the Christians in Smyrna for their perseverance in the face of suffering and encourages them to remain faithful unto death, if necessary. Christians, like us, who are not suffering trials and poverty, can hardly appreciate the words of this letter: "do not fear suffering." We read them, but because we are not in danger these are merely words. What, however, if our lives were threatened, because of our faith? Would we be "faithful unto death"? We can be grateful that our faith is not being tested in this way. And we ought to be humble, when we recall that others have had to give their lives in order to remain faithful. Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Psalm 110 begins: "The LORD says to my lord, 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.'" In the Christian Bible the word LORD stands for the Hebrew word YHWH, which was not spoken by the Hebrews because it was too sacred. The second word in this verse which is translated "lord" means simply ruler or king. This psalm was probably composed to offer divine sanction to the king of Israel, but Christians read it as predicting the coming of Christ. The first verse of Colossians 3, for instance, affirms that Christ is seated at the right hand of God. But this passage is not about being raised after death to be with Jesus in heaven. Paul tells the Christians at Colossae that, because they "have been raised with Christ," they are to seek "the things that are above." If they have been raised, then they have already "died" in Christ, although the meaning here is not to be taken literally. Paul tells the Colossians that their life "is hidden with Christ in God." Life in the church, for Paul, is life in Christ and, therefore, also life in God. This is the good news of the gospel. After the Ascension of Jesus, the disciples went out and proclaimed the Gospel everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word. In many versions of the Bible the gospel of Mark ends with the 8th verse. Verses 9-20 are included in some ancient manuscripts but not in others, so it seems these verses were added at a later date. Without these verses, the gospel of Mark ends with a report that the women who found the tomb empty went away too fearful to speak to anyone. With verses 15-20 the gospel of Mark ends much like the gospel of Matthew, with a commandment to the disciples of Jesus to preach the gospel throughout the world. The original gospel of Mark, however, may have wanted to point away from the disciples of Jesus to the apostle Paul. (We need to remember that Paul's letter were written before any of the gospels.) The apostles of the church in Jerusalem, who were the former disciples of Jesus, were resisting Paul's teaching among the Gentiles that made Jewish law unnecessary and faith in Christ sufficient for salvation. The gospel of Mark seems to have been written to support largely Gentile churches. By omitting a charge by the risen Lord to his former disciples (now apostles), the gospel of Mark effectively undermines the church in Jerusalem (which they led) and points instead to the ministry of the apostle Paul. During his lifetime Paul believed he was losing this argument with the former disciples of Jesus. But when the church in the fourth century gave the letters of Paul such a prominent place in the canon of the Christian Bible, the victory of his ideas was assured. The risen Christ says: "I stand at the door, knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me." This passage is taken from the letter to the church in Laodicea, in what is today Turkey. The author of the Revelation to John records that the angel speaking to him has condemned this church for being "lukewarm." But there is hope, nevertheless. The angel urges the Christians in Laodicea to repent and promises that the Lord will forgive them for their transgressions. Christ is not literally knocking at the door, of course. The image merely suggests that Christ is reaching out to those who have hardened their hearts. If they will repent, he will enter and remain with them. Have we hardened our hearts to Christ? The Christians in Laodicea thought their success and affluence was a sign of their faith, but the angel accused them of putting their own desires ahead of the will of God. Are we doing that? Listen. Do you hear Christ knocking at your door? God says: "Seek me and you shall live. Let justice flow like water, and righteousness like an unfailing stream." Amos lived in a small village in Judah during the long and peaceful reign of Jeroboam II over Israel (786-746 BCE). When Amos traveled to Israel to denounce its rulers for relying on military might, treating the poor harshly, and their hypocritical piety, he was expelled from the royal sanctuary at Bethel and commanded not to return to Israel again. In the fifth chapter of this book the prophet offers a word of hope to Israel. Repent, he says, and the LORD will forgive. Those who embrace righteousness and treat the poor justly, Amos proclaims, will not be rejected by God. "Seek me and you shall live," God says through Amos. Can we hear these words today? Are we relying on military and police power to protect our privileges? Are we seeking justice for the poor? Is our piety hypocritical? Perhaps, like the Israelites in the time of Amos, we, too, need to repent. Let us love, since God loved us first. Anyone who does not love the brother or sister they see cannot love God whom they do not see. Verse 16 contains words that are well known to Christians. "God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them." But if we do not love those we know, the author of the letter says, we cannot love God, whom we do not know. If we would be faithful, we must love our sisters and brothers. In this passage "sisters and brothers" refers to other members of the church, not to family members. The church is the family of faith, and it must be marked by love if it is to be true to the calling of the gospel. To be more loving, we must open ourselves to the love of God. If we allow God's love to fill us, then we will have more than enough love for others. But this is hard! We quickly see the faults of others, and we want to think that we are right. Can we open our hearts to others? This is the way to God. In the gospel of John, Jesus says: "Anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I give them will become a spring of water within them, welling up to eternal life." This passage is from the story of Jesus visiting Sychar, a Samaritan city. The Samaritans were the descendants of Israelites and other peoples settled in the area by the Assyrians, who conquered Israel in 722 BCE. Jews despised the Samaritans, because they worshipped not only the LORD but also other gods. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus forbids his disciples to visit Samaritan towns (Mt. 10:5). But we know from Acts of the Apostles that the early church converted Samaritans not long before Saul was converted and became the apostle Paul. (Acts 8:4-25) In the story Jesus convinces a Samaritan woman that he is the Messiah. Then he stays in the Samaritan city for two days. And, the gospel of John tells us, "many more [Samaritans] believed because of his word." (John 4:41) This is a wonderful story unique to the gospel of John. Did Jesus visit Sychar? If so, why is this visit omitted in the other gospels? At the time the gospel of John was written, there were already Samaritans in the church. It is likely that the gospel writer knew this and told the story of the Samaritan woman at the well to legitimate the outreach of the church to the Samaritans. Factual or not, however, the story shows the growing diversity in the church. It is an exciting example of the reconciliation between enemies that was inspired by the presence of the risen Christ. The risen Christ said to the disciples: "Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so am I sending you." Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." In the gospel of John, the opponents of the Jesus and his disciples are described as "the Jews." In fact, Jesus and his disciples were also Jews, so it is an odd way of referring to their enemies. It was the Jewish establishment and the Roman rulers who were opposed to Jesus, not all the Jews. Many, however, who read this gospel forget that fact and blame "the Jews" for the death of Jesus. This misunderstanding has fostered anti-Semitism in the church for centuries a sin for which Christians must continue to repent. The peace of the risen Christ must heal the church of its hostility to the Jewish people. The Holy Spirit is not the spirit of anger and enmity, but the spirit of love and forgiveness. Those who condemn Jews in the name of Jesus Christ are not only anti-Semitic but anti-Christian. The Jews are, as Pope John Paul II said not long ago in Israel, our "elder brothers." We need to respect the faith of Jews, and we need to seek justice and reconciliation with them for the glory of the God that our communities of faith worship in different ways. |
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