The Bible in a Year

March 5

2012-03-04T20:37:00.000-05:00

Here is the link to the U Stream video that has the sermon I preached on the Beatitudes on Sunday March 4, 2012. If you skip to minute 21, you will get to my point in the service.

NT – Mark 12:18-37
I spent an interesting afternoon at Trey’s memorial lunch. It is when you are faced with death that the whole question of the afterlife comes into startling focus. I believe strongly that while your body may not be alive, part of you definitely is. One of the teens there asked me if this helped me ‘feel better’ and I have to say, no, it does not. While I am intensely glad that Nathan is not just dust in the wind (sorry, Kansas), I need and have needed him here with me all these years. It does not help the despair, the wailing that I want to do in these moments. It would be too glib and pat for me to say that knowing Nathan or Trey is ‘in heaven’ makes it all better. The only thing that has made me feel better is TIME. And being the impatient, ADD person I am, that has been really hard for me to accept.
The whole concept of the afterlife has appeal to me on a different level. On a me level. I have learned so much, have experienced so much that I just don’t want that to vanish. I want to continue growing, learning, doing.
The Sadduces did not believe in an afterlife. The Pharisees did. This was a major issue of contention between the two groups that normally did not associate with one another. But they did ally to get rid of Jesus. To the Sadduces, Jesus’ preaching on resurrection was an abomination. The Pharisees thought that Jesus deliberately and consciously flouted all the rules and regulations. They were also concerned that his ‘rabble-rousing crowds’ would get the Romans stirred up against the Jews. Both wanted him gone. Both baited and tried to force him into a corner. These two groups are in stark contrast to the one lonely ‘teacher of the law’ who actually listened to his message before attacking. May we emulate his example.

Psalm 48:1-14
This is a lovely psalm, full of praise and beautiful imagery. I have this glorious picture of a beautiful city, shining in the sun. And then a calm, meditative temple space where people are praying and quietly singing praises to God. Beautiful gardens, tranquil fish ponds and well houses. This clearly is a vision of a heavenly church and its city as no city and no church that I have ever been in is this tranquil. Maybe we need to work on spaces at church that can mirror psalm 48.

May you have a week filled with good food, good friends and good studies.

March 4

2012-03-03T20:37:00.001-05:00

In loving memory of Travis “Trey” Charles Felts
April 28, 1986- February 26, 2012

OT –Numbers 2:1-3:51
When I read Biblical accounts like our OT selection today, I am astounded at the power that Moses and Aaron wielded over these 700,000 people. I know how hard it is to get my family of 4 in and out of the airport with our luggage, electronics, tickets and such on our trips. I cannot imagine moving that many folks that distance and having them obey like they clearly did. The whole logistics of putting this tribe here and that one there, it is just surreal.
The washing and the tending to the children. The camp must have been enormous. And with all those animals that they were sacrificing, even if they weren’t eating some of them, the poop from those animals, heck, the poop from the people!!
Disgusting, I know, but it does give you pause to stop and think what it would take to move 100 people the 200 miles from Egypt to Palestine. Much less 700,000. The unanswered questions of the Bible. Add one more to the book.

NT – Mark 11:27-12:17
Here we have another example of people questioning Jesus’ authority. They want to know ‘in whose name’ is Jesus doing this.
Names were so much more important in biblical times than they are now. You remember when Jesus drove the demons out of the crazy man and they went into the pigs, Jesus first asked the demons’ name. They answered ‘Legion’ (we are many).
My favorite passage in the Bible – Isaiah 43:1 – “fear not, I have called you by name” –God has power over me because he KNOWS my name.
In the same way, if you did something in ‘someone’s name’, that meant the person had transferred some of their power to you, some of their ability. The Roman soldiers fought ‘in Caesar’s name’. The tax collectors took the money ‘in Caesar’s name’.
Jesus refuses to answer the question. Why? Remember what gospel we are in. The ‘secret’ gospel. He did not want to announce he was the Son of God until it was ‘The Time’.

Proverbs 10:24-25
We had a terrible storm roll through Atlanta last night. Fortunately, no tornados touched down anywhere near here but this proverbs has special meaning today.

My sermon is today. I will upload a link to the service tomorrow for those who are not able to be there in person. I hope you have a blessed Sunday.

Leviticus Quiz

2012-03-02T20:17:00.003-05:00

Here is a good quiz for you regarding Leviticus.
I got a 90% as I could not name the sacrifices. This was a hard book for me to read but I am so grateful that I trudged through it. If you missed bits and pieces, just move on. You can read it next February!

Leviticus Quiz

March 3

2012-03-02T20:12:00.002-05:00

NT – Mark 11:1-25
Here it is again, the poor fig tree episode. This time around (and this is its last mention as it is not in Luke or John), I found a great commentary:
http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/646-why-did-jesus-curse-the-fig-tree

What is particularly interesting to me is his final comment in the Note. Go read it and let me know what YOU think.

Psalm 46:1-11
This is another that has many versions of hymns including one by my least favorite classical composer, Mozart. As someone with hyperactivity issues, the frenzy in his music is almost intolerable. However, this hymn is different and I would like you to hear it.
Mozart wrote this piece when he was 9 years old and in England. It is presumably his first piece of choral work. It is his piece number 20 and the original was presented to the British Museum that same year. It is there still.
http://www.mozartforum.com/VB_forum/showthread.php?t=1109

OT: Leviticus 27:14- Numbers 1:54
Thankfully, we finish Leviticus today. If you want to try your hand at it, I have placed a quiz on Leviticus in another post.
Numbers begins with a census. We will also have loads of names and descendents and who belonged to whom. My Stone Chumash says that the reasons for the census are three-fold. #1 the miraculous growth of the nation. You recall (from Genesis 46:27) that when Jacob came to Egypt, there were 70 of his descendents there (didn’t count the sons’ wives….) By the time they get to Numbers, there were 603,550 NOT COUNTING THE LEVITES! #2 each member of the nation had a right to benefit from the personal attention of Moses and Aaron and the census was a great opportunity for every Jew who came before ‘the father of the prophets and his brother, the holy one of God’. #3 since the people were about to go directly into Israel (the infamous whine happens in chapters 13-14) a census was needed to determine fighting strength. Stone Chumash p. 726

Proverbs 10:23
Love the verb ‘delight’!

Happy anniversary to my parents! Many more years of health and happiness to you both!

March 2

2012-03-01T21:36:00.002-05:00

OT – Leviticus 25:47-27:13, Psalm 45:1-17, Mark 10:32-52
Much of today’s reading sounds a lot like what we will be reading in the prophets. And I guess, since we know the end of the story, the Israelites did reject God and his teachings. And they did suffer all those fates.
It is hard to read of eating the flesh of your children or slaying the innocents because someone was unfaithful spiritually. But taken in context with what we read yesterday – that the Sabbath year was to prove God’s dominion, denying God has a HUGE price. And I think, unlike the Jesus in Mark, God was really specific about what makes him angry and what delights him.
The Psalm tells it all in verse 4, ‘In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.’
So if God is really on the side of truth, humility and righteousness, where does that leave our friends James and John? Were they really oblivious to the truth of what was going to happen to Jesus? Are we? Do we just want him to be some sweet, loving preacher? I know I have a really hard time with the God as judge side. I also have a hard time with the whole suffering for me part.

I spent some time this evening in a class given by a Buddhist monk working on ridding myself of guilt. And I realized just now that I do feel guilty about Jesus dying for me and my apparently endless capacity for ignoring his gift. Oh, I have masses of other guilt. But just now, rereading that whole passage about drinking the cup he has drunk makes me ashamed of how I have squandered much of what he freely offered.

And I wonder, did the Israelites also come to see that they had squandered God’s amazing gift of the Land flowing with milk and honey? Or is that just given to us who read the books and think, come on! Not again. Quit quibbling over stupid stuff.

Because it seems like when God finally works up to retribution, buddy, it is BAD.

Celebration tomorrow. We finally leave Leviticus!

Have an incredibly fabulous weekend and remember to stay in the Word.

March 1

2012-02-29T20:25:00.002-05:00

This the blessing before the reading of the Torah. Here is the translation:

Blessed Adonai, who is to be blessed.
Blessed Adonai, who is to be blessed forever and ever.
Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe, who chose us from all the peoples and gave to us your Torah. Blessed are you, Lord, giver of the Torah.

OT – Leviticus 24:1-25:46
Two really hard sections in this reading for me. The first one is the stoning of the son of the Israelite woman and the Egyptian father. The second is the whole section on slaves. Let’s deal with them one at time.
Per my Stone Chumash, there is more to the story than we get from the first read. His whole title “son of the Israelite woman” has implications. “Throughout the years of enslavement, this was the only such case, a remarkable testimony to Jewish family purity and morality. (Ramban).” Stone Chumash p. 693 Midrash says that this involved inheritance issues because the man wanted to dwell among the tribe of Dan. Jewishness follows the mother but tribe comes from the father. Moses ruled against the man who thus uttered the curse.
And this is why I have a problem with this story. If Moses did rule against the man living with his mother’s family, where is he supposed to live? Is he supposed to go back to Egypt? What about being kind to the aliens among us? That doesn’t extend to the mixed blooded? And this wasn’t even the man’s fault he had no kinship. It was his mother and father!
Okay, I know that he is the one who said the curse using the Lord’s name, Heaven forbid (this is how the Chumash says it). He is definitely responsible for that. But if it is the above, it really seems harsh.
The section on slaves also upsets me. There are one set of rules for Jewish slaves and another for non-Jewish slaves. You can’t keep the offspring of a Jew, you can’t work him at ‘inane’ jobs, you can’t subject him to back-breaking jobs. But an non-Jew. Well, treat him/her as you will. Doesn’t seem exactly on the up and up.

Just a note about the Sabbath years on the land. As a child, I was taught this was to ‘heal’ the land. As a gardener, I can tell you, the land doesn’t need to be healed. What it needs is to be rotated.
My Stone says that the Sabbath year is not about healing the land. It is about letting God be in charge. “The land’s rest in the seventh year teaches that the primary force in the universe is God, not the law of nature. By leaving his fields untended and unguarded for a year, the Jew demonstrates that this world is but a corridor leading to the ultimate world, that true life comes when man stops striving for material gain in favor of dedication to spiritual growth.” Stone Chumash p. 696 I emailed one of my friends who is currently working in a kibbutz in Israel to ask if they followed Sabbath year. This was Gailey’s reply:
“Not on your life! Dirt untended in Israel will blow away. Even when we pull up weeds, we lay down compost. We do, however, move the animals and crops around and around in a set pattern. “

NT – Mark 10:13-31
Verse 24 struck me when I read this story this time. ‘The Disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!” ‘Do we really believe it is hard to enter the kingdom of heaven?
I can recall going to funerals of great-uncles and people that I did not like. And people were talking on and on about how they were in heaven, having a good time. Well, I knew some of the folks that were in heaven (at least in my child’s point of view) and while I thought Aunt Belle and Aunt Dovey ought to be in heaven, some of the mean ones DID NOT. It would have been impolite to say, well, I don’t think he was very ‘nice’ (code for not in heaven). “We don’t speak ill of the dead, Sylvia.”
I am not trying to judge people’s hearts. I am just pondering whether or not we really think it is hard or is it just a matter of saying you love Jesus and walking on. And if it is only possible with God, what is the point about selling all your stuff (rich young man) or being nice (10 year old know-it-all bratty girl)?

On a personal note, I went to church today to practice my sermon for Sunday. I can tell you, it is rough. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would infuse my words and give them meaningfulness. I do not want to let my fellow Presbyterian Women down with a poorly written and delivered sermon.

February 29

2012-02-28T18:46:00.002-05:00

Today, I reread the Book of Judith which is in the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha are a collection of books that are not canonical in most Protestant churches. Canonical means 'accepted standard' or 'rule'. When the books of the Bible were codified in the 4th century, the Apocrypha was accepted as canonical. However, when Martin Luther and later John Calvin split away from the Catholic Church, there were books and even passages (for example, Esther) that they cut from the Protestant canon of books. The Apocrypha is not accepted as canonical in the Hebrew Bible although, just as the Mishnah and the Midrash are part and parcel of the studies of Jews, so are the books of the Apocrypha.
No Bible that I ever saw growing up had an Apocrypha in it. However, one year when I was doing a church yard sale at Church of St Andrew, someone donated an ancient family Bible and it had an Apocrypha. I couldn't sell the Bible since it was clearly historical. While I waited for someone to tell me what to do with it, I read those 'secret' books.
What I found were some fanciful books (Bel and the dragon), some military strategy books (1st and 2nd Maccabees) and The Book of Judith. Being a budding feminist, Judith spoke to me right away.
Judith was a Jewish widow in a walled city that the Assyrians were assailing. Her community loses faith with the ongoing assault. Judith, already wealthy and well-connected, decides to act. She gussies herself up, prances down to the camp, seduces and makes drunk Holofernes, the commander of the army, and then cuts his head off.
Back she goes to her city, rallies the troops and they destroy the army.
I think I loved Judith for one of the same reasons that I loved Esther. They used what they had to accomplish their goals. In both cases, they did not cover up how gorgeous they were.
Now, not being gorgeous myself, you might think I would be jealous. But actually, what I was not using or was undermining was my intellect. Somehow, I had decided that it must not be a good thing to be smart, especially smarter than the men I worked for or worked with.
Reading Judith made me realize that God made me smart just like he made Judith beautiful. And he made us this way for a reason. I know this does not sound humble and if taken on face value you might think I am, as my mother would say, 'too big for my britches'. But what I really mean is that I quit hiding and dancing around my brain.
So that brings me to the question, what did God give you that he expects you to use for him and are you using it?
Blessings on your off day of reading.

February 28

2012-02-27T20:02:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 10:19
This sounds just like a Chinese fortune cookie!
But I guess, like so many other snippets of wisdom, it is.
It is way too easy to embroider the truth. Best to stick to the facts and then shut up.

OT Leviticus 22:17-23:44
This section names the feast days that the Israelites were to observe. We already know about Passover and Yom Kippur (the day of Atonement), but this list adds another, one we haven’t heard about yet. It is known as the Feast of the Tabernacles or The Feast of Booths. It is also called Sukkot.
During Sukkot which lasts for seven plus 2 days, the Jews are commanded to live in booths, so that they will remember the wandering in the desert when God brought them out of Egypt. It is a joyous time, a feast time. A small shelter is built with branches and a low bench. Many observant Jews sleep out there but most have their evening meal in the booth. It is a harvest festival and during Jesus’ time, a trip to Jerusalem to the Temple was usually in order.
The foods eaten are harvest foods – lots of fruits and vegetables especially stuffed vegetables to represent the abundant harvest. The cornucopia originated here.
The Mishnah which is a rabbinic commentary on the Torah, says that when the Messiah comes, all will live in booths and all will be in Jerusalem. That is why Peter wanted to build booths for Jesus, Elijah and Moses.
An interesting tidbit about Sukkot is that our American Thanksgiving may be modeled on the Jewish festival of Sukkot. The Pilgrims wanted a harvest festival and searching their Bibles, they found one.

NT Mark 9:30-10:12

Check out this video regarding our passage for today:

Tomorrow is a free day because Bible in a Year does not recognize Leap Year. I am not going to take the day off. Instead, I am going to read Judith in the Apocrypha. I also highly recommend 1st and 2nd Maccabees for a great intertestament book. It gives the basis for Hannukah.
You can find the books on the web – type in Book of Judith and you should find several translations.
Blessings to you.

February 27

2012-02-26T19:20:00.002-05:00

NT -- Mark 9:1-29
When Peter says to Jesus, “let us make for you a shelter, one for you, one for Elijah, and one for Moses” vs. 5; he was actually speaking about making a sukkot, a biblically mandated shelter that Jews make in observation of Sukkot, a weeklong festival honoring the harvest. In a weird coincidence, tomorrow, we will read Moses decreeing the observance of Sukkot or The Feast of Booths. According to the Mishnah, when the Messiah comes, everyone will come to Jerusalem and will live in these shelters made from the branches of trees.
Peter knew that the Messiah had come, he was on the level with the greatest leader – Moses and the greatest prophet – Elijah so all three got their own shelter.
I will post more on Sukkot tomorrow.
This is just an observation but I am glad I am not the only one who needs a ‘sign’ in order to believe. I have been called cynical and I am, I have been called a doubter and I am. But it took walking through the fire and having positive proof that God loves ME and MINE before I was willing to believe. I am glad that the disciples also had that same problem. I would like to think I wouldn’t have needed AS MANY signs as they did but I probably would have. I have such sympathy with the ones who continue to say “what does this mean????”.

Psalm 43
Vs. 3 “Send forth your light and your truth , let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.” Think Peter knew this psalm? What happened when Jesus went up that mountain? ‘his clothes became dazzlingly white’. This also speaks to the gospel of John I Am statements : “I am the Truth and the Light”.
And who does the psalmist end up praising? His Savior and his God. Amazing how the readings dovetail.

February 26

2012-02-25T19:33:00.000-05:00

OT—I know, we have read lots of this before.
This is just another of those incidents where the disagreement over which version was totally right ended up with both in. You just have to read them and move on.
What really interested me is that this version made absolutely no attempt to categorize the Do nots. You have observe my Sabbath between a daughter’s prostitution and don’t turn to mediums.
Many of them are quite interesting to me in the providence of where those social customs arose. For example, the rising in the presence of an elderly person. Can I just say that I got a right smart whipping for that one as a snotty 11 year old? Now I know where that came from. All my mother told me was that “You just do.” And I didn’t, hence the whipping.
And while I had a vague idea about Molech, here is what Wikipedia had to say about him/it. If you are squeamish, you might want to skip this section. Molech was a god worshipped by the Canaanites and the Phoenicians. The worship practices involved child sacrifices by placing a small child/baby in a compartment of a bronze statue that also had flour, other animals, oil, etc. The statue was then heated, killing all including the child while the father stood with the priests, beating a drum so that the cries of the dying child were drowned out.
Leviticus says this is an abomination and I wholeheartedly concur.

Psalm – Many of the psalms have been set to music and are the basis for many, many hymns. Here is a beautiful example of this.

Looking ahead, we will be finishing with Leviticus this coming week. Please stick it out. I know this book is hard but it is really important and has messages for us today.
Also, if you will be in Atlanta on March 4th, I am preaching at our 9 o’clock and 11 o’clock services and would love to have you come and worship with us. Regardless, I would love your prayers as I finish my preparations for this service.
Blessings on your Sunday.

Feruary 25

2012-02-24T20:34:00.001-05:00

OT -- Is is just me or was the transition from the Day of Atonement and the blood violation to the No-Nos of sex abrupt? There are 2 chapters in Leviticus that deal with sexual immorality, chapters 18 and 21. Some of what we read is a euphemism. For example, vs. 9, indicates in a roundabout way, that the daughter was born out of wedlock. Same with vs. 12, that indicates that the sister of the father, being a ‘close relative’ is only a half-sister and not born in a marital relationship.
All of these rules were designed to further peace and harmony in the family. Thinking of all the proverbs we have read about sex bringing down a young man and you get straight to the heart of Leviticus 18. One of the many commentaries I read on this section of Leviticus points out that the marriage ceremony for Jews which is still used today begins with the man saying “You are consecrated to me” (made holy). Marriage is meant to be a holy thing, not just a place to relieve sexual tensions. Sexual relationships outside of the marriage are not sanctified and carry their own burdens and baggage (in these cases, children).
We have only to think of Jacob and his wives who were sisters and his concubines who belonged to the sisters to get a picture of what will go wrong. Ramban, a 12th century rabbi commentator says this about Jacob “the holiness of Eretz Yisrael (Holy Land) is so great that someone who lives outside it is regarded as if he has no God, in comparison to someone who lives there. For this reason, too, the Patriarchs recognized instinctively that the holiness of the Land required a higher standard of behavior, so they observed all the commandments in Eretz Yisrael, even before the Torah was given. Thus, Jacob married two sisters in Charan, and as soon as he and his family arrived in the Land, Rachel died. Because of her righteousness, she was privileged to die in the Land; because of his righteousnessk he did not live with sisters once he had arrived in Eretz Yisrael.” Hmmmm. Don’t think I buy that one and since Rachel had no control over being married along with her sister (remember Laban and Jacob struck the deal after the wedding night with Leah) so it seems sort of awful she is the one who had to die for it. But it is an interesting idea.

Proverbs – I am not sure what this proverb means. I have looked at it from several different angles and different translations and I still don’t understand why being wealthy gives you a castle but not having ruins poor people? And then when you go back and read yesterday’s proverbs or forward and read tomorrows, it really doesn’t make any sense. Anyone got a good clue on what that means and what it says to 21st century peoples?

February 24

2012-02-23T20:03:00.002-05:00

I couldn't resist this old clip of Billy Graham preaching the Mark reading for today. I think it also speaks to the OT reading as well.
The clip is from 1958 -- in the middle of the Cold War and racial tensions in the US.

OT -- After having read the verses about a woman who has a discharge for 'many days at at a time other than her monthly period, I had to go back and read the healing of the woman who touched his cloak in Mark 5:25-34. By the Leviticus account, the woman shouldn't have even been in that crowd. Someone could have touched her and she would have made THEM unclean. I guess in the excitement of Jesus, all the normal social barriers were discarded, much like they seem to be on New Years Eve in Time Square.
Chapter 16 goes back to the stories of Aaron's sons and their deaths and begins the rules and rituals that are associated with Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the highest and most holy of all the Jewish feast and holy days. It is the day of atonement.
In our scripture, God tells Moses what to have Aaron do in order to be able to approach the inner sanctum of the Tabernacle. And in order to do this, he has to cleanse himself of his sin and the sins of the Israelites. Those the whole idea of a scapegoat. Interestingly, although the service for Yom Kippur is taken from this section of Leviticus, the scripture that is used is from Jonah! I guess we will figure that out when we get to Jonah in December. Will we remember? Doubt it so I wrote myself a note in the margin on December 14 to figure out why.

blessings on your readings, fellow journeyers.

February 23

2012-02-22T20:31:00.000-05:00

Psalm – This is one of my favorite psalms. I love it for the stark gratitude that is on display from vs. 1- the end which is tomorrow. It also reminds me of things I can do to pull myself out of the ‘slimy pit’.
Here are some things from the psalm:
Sing a new song – I have a whole playlist on my Iphone that is called melancholy. It is full of songs that I can sing to – Take me home Country Roads, Tequila Sunrise, My Immortal. Yes, a lot of them are about sad things and have sad music. But when you sing, you release endorphins and that makes you feel better. Don’t believe me? Make your own playlist and the next time you have the blues, sing them.
Don’t turn aside to the false gods – for me that is food. It is used to be alcohol but Thank you, Jesus, I no longer drink. Everyone has them. It might be shopping, it may be recreational drugs. But when you abuse anything because you feel bad, it is not going to turn out well.
Many are the wonders God has made – get your fanny outside and look up, down, all around. If you can, escape to one of the nature parks in your town and OPEN YOUR EYES. Is it raining or snowing? Look at the National Geographic website – click here – and open their photography section. It will amaze you and show you how incredible our world is, the work of our Lord.
The things God planned for you – our many, many blessings. Write them down. Put them on a slips of paper in a basket as they happen and the next time you start to slide, pull one out and give thanks for the miracles YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED.
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly – everybody needs a group outside of work and family. A church, a community group, a sorority/fraternity. Once you get there, let everyone know who you belong to and I am not talking about your grandparents. Say out loud how God has blessed you. Then when you are down, there will be folks to comfort YOU who are like-minded.
May your love and truth protect me – from the hazards of bad behavior. Think the Proverbs and keep your feet (idiom or no idiom) on the paths of righteousness.

This Psalm deserves a big mark in your Bible for depression days.

OT- L- here in vs. 21 is another of the switch-out sacrifices. Keep in mind that mildew in a house of this time meant the preserved food was inedible. That would result in starvation at worst or the community having to feed the family at best. Alfred, according to Rashi, the ancient Israelites were not sick. Ever. It is only when they sinned that these physical manifestations showed up. “When Jews lived in their land and conducted themselves according to God’s wishes, there was an aura of holiness upon them, which was reflected even in physical radiance. And if individuals among them sinned, their fall would be reflected in the loss of physical beauty and the appearance of tzaraas (mildew) afflictions on their houses and clothing. Only in the Holy Land could spiritual flaws have such tangible effects.” Stone Chumash p.625
That being said, what on earth does this have to say to us 21st century cleaning freaks? I just listened to a Fresh Air segment where the guest was a mycologist, a person who studies mushrooms. He was talking about the worst place to have a mushroom and it was in your throat! Does this mean that this person was really, really awful? Mildew and mushrooms are both fungus.
I hope someone has a better answer than me other than, well, that was then and in the desert and Israel. Not the same in Atlanta. Home of humidity 100%.

Here are the complete list of songs on my melancholy playlist. Feel free to tell me your songs:
Always on my mind –Elvis
At Seventeen – Janis Ian
Blue Christmas – Elvis
D-I-V-O-R-C-E – Tammy Wynnette
Delta Dawn – Helen Reddy
Do it Again – Steely Dan
Desperado – Linda Ronstadt
Don’t Pull your love out on Me Baby – Joe Frank Hamilton
Early Morning Rain – Peter Paul and Mary
Finally Moving – Pretty Lights
Fallin’ – Alicia Keys
Golden Rings – Tammy Wynnette and George Jones
He Stopped Loving Her Today – George Jones
How can you mend a broken heart – Trafalgar
I fall to Pieces – Patsy Cline
I go Crazy – Paul Davis
I’m Sorry – John Denver
If I could Turn Back Time – Cher
In the Ghetto – Elvis
Leaving on a Jet Plane – Peter Paul and Mary
Long, Long Time – Linda Ronstadt
My Immortal – Evanescence
A Pirate Looks at Forty – Jimmy Buffett
Please come home for Christmas – Funky New Year
Please come to Boston – Dave Loggins
She’s Got you – Loretta Lynn
Solitary Man – Neil Diamond
Some Days are Diamonds – John Denver
Someone like you -- Adele
Take me Home Country Roads – John Denver
Tequila Sunrise – Eagles
Wedding Bell Blues – Fifth Dimension
You Raise me Up – Josh Groban

What’s on your list?

February 22

2012-02-21T21:06:00.001-05:00

OT -- This is a bad story on myself but I will tell it anyway. For YEARS!!!! I have used the mildew section of Leviticus 13:47-58 as the reason why I had serious issues with lots of things in the Bible. After all, what god would condemn a person for having mildew on their clothes? I say that, knowing full well, that there is mildew in all three of my showers that I should be bleaching instead of sitting on my fanny, reading.
Well, once again, my Stone Chumash has shown me up.
The whole discussion of mildew in Leviticus is predicated on the fact that they are in the desert. Mildew in the desert is not common and means something so abnormal as to be a ‘sign’. This is what this is – a sign from God that the person who owns these garments is NOT in right relationship with God. So, God sends the mildew, it shows on clothing and leather, and sends the person to the priest to get themselves back to good standing with the Lord.
Even the destruction of the afflicted garment has redemptive qualities. After all, the monetary blow caused by destroying perhaps ½ to a 1/5 of your wardrobe is intense. Again, humbling the afflicted person into getting themselves back to right relationship.

NT -- See how our readings continue to dovetail. The disciples were sent out with how many items of clothing?? One tunic. One. Better not show up at someone’s door with mildew on your sash or there will be body parts on display.
This whole reading in Mark is very brief but it probably encompassed lots of time. If the disciples were walking to a village, gathering a crowd, preaching repentance and then healing and casting out demons; I think this is probably several days to weeks depending on how trusting a village may be. And then for the ‘news’ to reach Herod… I am thinking a good while.

Psalm – Vs 4-5 is such a tempting question to ask. Who wouldn’t want to know their life span? Well, me for one. I see movies and hear people say “what if you just had one week to live?” Cole commented today that a big black cloud was the precursor to zombies. My response? I am going home and baking an entire pan of brownies and eating it all myself. Not going to diet on my last pre-zombie attack day.
In all seriousness, working with the elderly does give you a sense of urgency. You can see all their bad life decisions and the cruelties of aging. It truly makes you value small things like the ability to walk upright, quickly and without stumbling. But I still don’t want to know how long I have. I will just have to try and do the best I can with the knowledge I do have.

On a personal note, my son Matthew is still in a lot of pain from his shoulder injury so we are seeing an orthopedist tomorrow.

Many thanks for taking time out of YOUR day to join me in this Bible study. I had 3 conversations today that all revolved around what I have learned and why I am doing this. I know some of the readings are hard, and seem pointless and maybe even brutal. But in the reading yesterday, we discovered WHY Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple and we even got a peek into their financial situation. Why did they go? Because Leviticus said that Mary had to take Jesus to the Temple on the 41st day after his birth for presentation. And they didn’t have enough money for the lamb (the LAMB!!!!) so they paid for 2 doves. And yes, L, there are multiple times that we will read about substitutions.
I find that fascinating and love hearing your thoughts, joys, even struggles, and ponderings.
Blessings to you all.

February 21

2012-02-20T20:05:00.001-05:00

NT – Thanks! Alfred! I had always assumed that mustard green and mustard tree were the same. The seeds look identical. Here is a great website with photos, and all sorts of interesting facts such as the mustard tree is also called the toothbrush tree as it has anti-bacterial properties that resist tooth decay. Also, it originated in Persia. Hmmm – do you think that the returning Jews from captivity brought it with them?
At any rate, go check it out and learn something new!
The Mustard Tree.

OT-- These are the laws of kashrus. If you ever see a K inside of a circle on packaging or in the window of a deli, this means a rabbi has certified this as following ‘kashrus’.
Many people assume the reason for the restriction of the animal sources is due to health issues. Every rabbi that I have ever talked to has denied this up to and including the ones I spent the last 6 weeks eating with at my Interfaith Conference.
Here is a parable from Rashi regarding kashrus:
A doctor came to visit two patients. To one of them he said, “you may eat whatever you like”. To the other he gave a precise and restrictive diet. Soon, the first patient died and the second recovered. The doctor explained that there was no hope for the first patient so there was no reason to deny him what he loved to eat, but the second patient was basically healthy, so it was important to give him a diet that would return him to his full health. So it was with Israel. Because the Jewish people have the capacity for spiritual life, God ‘prescribed’ foods that would be conducive to their spiritual growth.
Stone Chumash p. 597
I will say the most logical answer came from one of my father’s friend’s wives who is an Orthodox Jew. She said, “Food is a requirement for everyone. If your food is different for whatever reason, it sets you apart. In order to keep the family together, it was important to be set apart from the world.”
Additionally – p.605
“In conclusion, the Torah places these laws in a new perspective. The consumption of these foods impedes a person’s ability to elevate and sanctify himself, it contaminates the soul in ways that no physical examination can decipher, and it creates a barrier between the Jew and his perception of God. Small wonder that those who consume forbidden foods cannot see the logic of these prohibitions, just as one who lives on analgesics finds it strange that other people cry out in pain at stimuli he does not feel. Painkillers dull the nerves and forbidden foods dull the spiritual antennae.”

As one who has dieted most of my adult life, I stand in awe that people actually are able to maintain kashrus.

Psalm – This psalm provides a gruesome portrait of someone whose wickedness (in this case David) has made him sick. Here is what my NIV study Bible has to say about this psalm:
This psalm provides a vivid reflection on how lives can be affected by unresolved sin. David admits his wrongdoing and unpacks the depth of his troubles since. Physically, he is troubled by the malaise of lethargy, and weakness. His immune system is compromised; he suffers backaches, heart palpitations, blurred vision and constant pain. Psychologically, he feels alienated from God, his family, his friends and his community. He has phobias about his enemies and is almost catatonic with inner distress and depression. Spiritually he is troubled by doubt, self-pity and anxiety.
David is not overreacting nor is he a hopeless hypochondriac. He lived a long and prosperous life, was esteemed by thousands and wrote many poems and songs that speak of spiritual and emotional health. Whatever prompted this psalm revealed the kind of physical, spiritual and emotional disease that can afflict us when we move outside of God’s good ways.
Wow.

February 20

2012-02-19T20:31:00.001-05:00

OT – I am thinking that chapter 10 of Leviticus needs to be read at all ordination of preachers. Just as a cautionary tale, you know?
Aaron’s sons just had to try that fire out on their own, now didn’t they. I don’t know a single boy that isn’t interested in fire. So much so, that when my guys were little, we had a candle on the table for dinner every night and whoever’s day it was got to light and blow out the candle. I hoped!?! this would take away some of their interest in fires but we eventually had to work up to lighting camp fires and the grill to satisfy that. One year when I was teaching 5th grade Sunday School, I was amazed to find out that only one child out of the 15 in my class could light a match. The rest had no idea how to strike one much less safely light one. I think we have gone too far over the edge with ‘don’t play with matches’.
But back to Aaron’s sons. Rashi says that saying Aaron remained silent means that he was weeping and wailing but stopped when Moses gave the edict from God. The comment ‘still in their tunics’ meant that the fire consumed them from the inside (their soul) but left the outside intact. He also said that the caution on not drinking means that the boys HAD been drinking.
How incredibly hard it must have been to be the first priest. You sort of have to make it up as you go along and then Moses corrects you and says ‘hey, you WERE supposed to eat that goat’. Maybe our preachers are luckier than they know since they have generations of role models for the dos and don’ts of their positions. But one thing remains the same – stay away from the bottle before you light the match!

NT – Loved this animated message about the mustard seed.

Here in Georgia, mustard plants don’t grow to tree size but they do produce an overwhelming amount of greens, are virtually indestructible in the fall, winter, and spring, and then in summer, if you don’t pull them up, they ‘bolt’ or grow flowers and a seed head. These flowers are incredibly, brilliantly yellow, much like yellow mustard (although yellow mustard gets it color from turmeric, a spice, not the mustard seed). Being the somewhat lazy gardener I am, I have occasionally let a mustard plant go to seed and have always regretted it. The plant will come up anywhere and everywhere.
The Jesus in Mark always confuses me. In 3:11, he tells the people he healed NOT to say who he was. The man possessed by the demons name Legion he tells to go back to his family and give them the blow by blow. I heard a sermon one time that attempted to explain that the first was to the Jews and they didn’t believe in him and the second was to Gentiles (we know that because they were keeping pigs) and they DID believe. But the people who owned those pigs wanted to run Jesus off so that doesn’t really feel right to me.
Also, he tells the people only parables, only ‘what they can understand’. But the disciples got the full explanation. 6 verses later, they are totally stunned that he can calm a wind storm. In the words of a previous story (the paralytic lowered through the roof), which is harder – to heal a sick person or to calm the wind? Sounds like the wind would be fairly easy if healing also involved forgiveness of sins and all THAT entails.
My Harper’s Bible Dictionary calls Mark ‘the secret gospel’ because of all the secrets that are spoken, not kept, told to only a few, or seen by only a few.
In doing my research for today, I bumped into a great documentary “From Jesus to Christ”, a Frontline documentary. It is long, but it is so worth it. I watched this several years ago and while I don’t agree with all of their commentators (when have I ever???), it is very interesting and illuminating. I am putting the link here as well as up above in its on space on the sidebar.

From Jesus to Christ

February 19

2012-02-18T22:31:00.000-05:00

NT – The other lists for the disciples are in Matthew 10:2-4 and Luke 6:14-16. The only differences between the list is that Mark and Matthew name the disciple Thaddaeus and Luke calls him Judas son of James.
Also, I apologize right up front for this post as I have spent my evening at Children’s Medical getting Matthew’s shoulder X-rayed. He hurt it wrestling yesterday in the State tournament and was in a great deal of pain when I picked him up this afternoon from the Gwinnett Arena. He does not have a break but the muscles are either severely strained or torn. Hopefully the first one. Everything here at the McAdam ranch is a little discombobulated.

OT – 8:5-6 Per Rashi: The Sages say that Moses’ status among the Israelites was almost king. Therefore, it would have been unthinkable for him to degrade his regal standing by washing and dressing Aaron and his sons as related by the verses. Consequently, Moses informed the crowd that everything he was about to do was commanded by God.
Fast forward 1500 years and another king was washing body parts of his underlings. Just saying. Don’t skip the readings even if they seem inane.

Psalm – do you just love the lists in this psalm?
Wicked: plot against righteous, draw the sword and bow against the poor and needy, borrow and don’t repay.
Righteous: upheld by the Lord, their inheritance will endure forever, they don’t wither in times of disaster, they will have plenty in times of famine, won’t fall when he stumbles (remember the idiom there?), won’t have children begging.
Which list do you want to be on? The naughty or the nice?
It seems like in Bibleland, there is either one or the other. In real life, I would like to think there is some gray. It also seems like the wicked SET out to be bad whereas the righteous get their reward from God by doing whatever made them righteous in the first place. And then there is the Hitler in the bunker question. What if you were SS wicked all your life but repented and spent the last 60 seconds being righteous? How much righteous do you have to have to be on the nice list?

Friends, we have covered 2/13 of the Bible. Keep reading, keep pondering. Don’t give up. Also, please invite others that you know to join us. You just don’t know who needs the fellowship of knowing others are walking the same path. They can start right where we are. Genesis and Matthew will be waiting next January for them.
Have a blessed Sunday.

February 18

2012-02-17T20:35:00.003-05:00

Left Nineveh behind. Looking forward to the Promised Land, again.

NT – Got to love the family! Vs 20-21: Then Jesus entered a house and again, a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
I do have sympathy for his siblings. How hard it must have been to have been the ‘Son of God’ when they were mere mortals. But I have a big old bone to pick with Mary. She KNEW. Or did she?
That is the trouble with conflagrating the gospels. We have this tendency to smush them all together and read it like that. However, Mark may not have even known Mary. Luke is the one that seems to have either interviewed her or one of the other children. He has the intimate knowledge of the birth. It is hard not to assume that all of the gospel writers knew all the details but clearly, they didn’t.
Regardless, in tomorrow’s reading, his mother and brothers show up. But Jesus turns them away. He KNEW he wasn’t out of his mind. Do we? Whose side do we fall on? The family or Jesus?

OT – A word or two about Leviticus. Or maybe a few more. Leviticus has approximately 21,900 words. All about ritual laws, sacrifice, duty of the priesthood and cleanliness rituals. Brace yourself. The good news is we are only in Leviticus for 2 weeks and then we get to Numbers.
http://www.biblestudy101.org/Lists/statisticsHB.html
My big question today was about eating the fat of animals. Now, I happen to like the crispy part of a pork chop (I know, I know, not kosher…), and I LOVE the crispy fat part of a good Ribeye steak. But when I checked my Stone Chumash, here is what it had to say “The prohibition against consuming fats and blood applies to all sheep, goats, and cattle, whether they are consecrated or not. Although the word **** is commonly translated as fat, there is no English word that defines it precisely, for in terms of this prohibition, “fat” means only the fatty tissue that is placed on the Altar in the case of offerings.” This fat was the fat around kidneys and the innards. The rest of the fat you can use. You can eat fat from other clean animals that aren’t used as sacrificial animals like deer. Or chicken. Otherwise, a lot of kosher delis in NY are in trouble with their chopped liver.
So, my steak fat is okay on a ribeye!

Check out this sermonette and keep reading. Blessings on your meditations.

February 17

2012-02-16T21:59:00.001-05:00

Still in Nineveh. But I am assuming that Jonah got his fanny up and went home and wrote the book so I must as well.

OT- Today’s reading brings up the whole “I didn’t know it was wrong” defense. I have been going to an Interfaith group every Thursday night for the past 6 weeks. It has been FABULOUS. One of the best things they did was assign us all tables and that is where we have sat for the last 6 weeks. When you study the Bible together, no matter what, if any, is your faith, you really get to know folks. One of the Jewish guys at my table is named Sandy and he, by his own definition, is an ambulance-chasing lawyer. We had a great conversation several weeks ago about the differences between the Jewish idea of sin and the Christian. (Biblically speaking.)
Sandy said that sin was sin was sin. Whether or not you knew something was wrong or unclean, if you did it or touched it, you were guilty. Once guilty, you had to atone (make recompense) for your sin. Thus the massive animal slaughter.
I thought that was really harsh. I felt like it was much more an intention issue. If you didn’t intend to do something or you didn’t know it, it wasn’t a sin. There might be consequences but sin was really doing something deliberate, something hurtful. Which is why I have a hard time with passages like this one in Exodus. I mean, if you don’t know that it is unclean but you touch it, is that really a sin and worthy of having to drop everything and go kill a goat?
Sandy said yes. It doesn’t matter. Even if you didn’t mean to kill someone, if they died because of what you did, they were still dead. But I thought that was overstating the point and when I said that, Sandy reminded me that the atonement, the recompense, was not going to the dead person or the dead person’s family (although that does come later – the consequence), no, the atonement is going to GOD.
And remember the definition of sin – anything that cuts you off from God. Therefore, in order to right your relationship with God, you must atone. In the ancient Biblical world, that was animal sacrifice. In 21st Protestant, it is already handled. The atonement part. Not the consequence nor the behavioral change. Just the intercession between us and God when we mess up whether it was intentional or not.

Psalm – I found today’s Psalm really beautiful and calming. I think it was the word ‘oracle’ in vs 1 which grabbed my attention and the rest of the piece never let it go.
If you remember your Greek mythology, you remember the Oracle at Delphi was where you went not just for prophesy but really for wisdom and clarity of decision. In the case of our psalm, it is really that the writer has thought about the differences between the wicked and the righteous. His ‘oracle’ is that he is able to discern the difference.
When I went to Biblegateway.com to look at the different translations, I was astounded. My ‘oracle’ is not present in anything except NIV.
Here is a few of vs. 1:
I know the sinful utterance
of the wicked:[a]
No fear of God
confronts their own eyes,

Sin speaks to the wicked deep in their hearts;
they reject God and do not have reverence for him

The God-rebel tunes in to sedition— all ears, eager to sin.
He has no regard for God,
he stands insolent before him.
He has smooth-talked himself
into believing
That his evil
will never be noticed.

That made me wonder if oracle was placed there, just for me. No other translation strikes me today like this one did.

Friends, if you are in Nineveh, come home and find refuge in the shadow of God’s wings. If you are feasting in Israel, welcome the pilgrims in. May God bless you wherever you are.

February 16

2012-02-15T20:05:00.001-05:00

I found today’s reading a hard one. Partly because I am tired, partly because I have had a bad afternoon but mostly because it just didn’t speak to me.
I don’t particularly want to know exactly how to kill an animal and burn its flesh so that it is wasted so that it’s ‘aroma can be pleasing to God’. I also don’t want to know how Aaron and his sons skim off the top of the offerings getting their share of the grain.
The New Testament reading was okay. But I have heard the story of the paralytic more times that I can count beginning with a skit when I was 6 years old and in Vacation Bible School.
I liked the part in Psalms from 26-28 especially how God was going to put all those who ‘gloat’ over my troubles to shame. But I’ve heard that before too.
And can I say, I am beginning to think that the young man that Proverbs was written WAS simple. How many times do you have to tell them to ‘stay away from the wicked woman’?

I poked around some on the internet trying to find a good sermon to plop down. None seemed to do the trick.

Ever had one of those days?

My favorite book heroine, Anne Shirley Blythe of Anne of Green Gables calls these days “Jonah Days”. There it is again. A Bible reference.
So I ditched the stated scripture and headed for the book of Jonah. Oh, not the whale part. That was well covered in Veggie Tales and a hundred other Vacation Bible School stories. I went to the last part. Chapters 3 & 4. This is where my temper is right now.
The question before me is: am I going to be like Jonah and be grouchy when things are going right for someone else but I am having a hard time. And a hard time with diddly stuff, like no thank yous for clean clothes or my workout partner standing me up. What is that compared with the truly awful stuff?

My solution was to apologize to Don for my snapping, get Matthew a chocolate milk, set the table and have all of us sit down to a good dinner and then go to bed. Things always look better in the morning.

May your Jonah days come at 10 PM when bedtime is 10:15.

February 15

2012-02-14T20:45:00.001-05:00

OT-- The ephod was a type of garment worn by the high priests. It is not a complete garment but more like a tunic. It was probably heavy with all those precious stones on it that symbolized the 12 tribes of Israel. If it sounds like we have read this section before, we have. It was contained in chapters 29 and 30 of Exodus. Remember that there are at least 2 different strains of writings that were merged into one scroll. I guess when they could not decide on whose was right, they put both in.
My Stone Chumash says that the passive voice in Vs 17 “the tabernacle was set up” means that the Tabernacle was too heavy for anyone to set into place on the rods and acaia wood supports. God told Moses to do it and it was far too heavy for him to lift so the Tabernacle ‘stood up by itself, miraculously’. Another back story/verb tense that would have simply passed me by without Rashi.
On Sunday, we had our meeting of Presbyterian Women for the month and Melisha was teaching. She gave us all pink hearts with the words “where have you seen God” on them. To me, this is the every day miracle of being God’s child. I see Him in Publix where they give Zach, a Down’s Syndrome man, a job bagging groceries and allowing him to be independent and responsible. I see Him at the gym where a little old man tripped over the curb and 4 huge body builders rushed outside, picked him gently up and carried him in and held his bleeding hand while they waited for the ambulance. I see Him in so many places.
Is it any wonder His Tabernacle would lift of its own volition as a testament to His wonder?

NT – Mark’s gospel begins with John the Baptist. The story of John the Baptist is one of the 7 stories that are in all 4 gospels. In specific, it is the phrase “not worthy to untie his sandals” that is in all 4. This should cause you to stop and take stock of this. What does this phrase mean and why was it so important that all 4 of them included it?
Untying sandals was a slave’s job in 1st century Palestine and a disagreeable job at that. When you have pack animals in your roadway, you have poop. Lots of it. Sanitation at this time, indeed up until we started using cars and trucks for transport, made walking really hard on the feet and cleanliness. It makes you unclean to touch poop. Thus the slave.
So if John was ‘unworthy’, that meant he was lower than a slave in position to Jesus. Apparently, even when the gospels were written 30-70 years after Jesus’ death, John was still very much a force to be reckoned with although he had been executed before Jesus. Josephus mentions him “who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God”.
John was the inheritor of the OT tradition of prophets. He spoke out against the corruption and impiety of the people. He was the herald of Jesus. He was really, really good, at least as far as a human can be. And yet he was lower than a slave. What does that say about me?

Book of Matthew Quiz

2012-02-14T19:53:00.001-05:00

Click here to take the Book of Matthew Quiz. While I did not author the quiz, I found it to be comprehensive. See how well you score!

February 14

2012-02-13T20:30:00.002-05:00

OT – The reference to ‘lampstands’ rang a bell from last year’s PW study on Revelation. I got my book and sure enough, look at Rev 1:12, golden lampstands – 7 of them! They represent the 7 churches that John is writing to – some good news, some chiding. How cool is that!! But there are 7 lamps on the Tabernacle lampstand. I have this incredible feeling that by the time we get to Revelation in December, so much of that book will be – well, okay, of course he is speaking about -- whatever. And I want you to know that I MADE myself read this section.
I also should admit that I was not able to picture the lampstand. It was only after I went searching for an image for this post that I realized the lampstand was a Menorah. Yes, sometimes I am obtuse. The reason Jews light the Menorah at Hanukkah is because that was what was lit in the Temple that lasted 7 days instead of one with the remaining oil!! And why was it in the Temple? Well, because God told Moses to put one there!
Friends, do not give up. Don’t glaze your eyes over. Read half a chapter and ask yourself some questions to make sure you are really absorbing it. You never know where this stuff may pop up again or in what context. Could win you some money on Jeopardy!

NT -- This is our last day in Matthew. Tomorrow, I will have a short quiz for you to take to see how much you have retained. I had forgotten how abruptly this gospel ended. I always like stories that show you the ‘after’ of the crisis. This does not give us that. We will have to wait for Luke and John for those stories. But I did want to reflect for a moment on what is called The Great Commission (vs. 19-20).
One of the purposes of doing this blog was to do that for me. I had envisioned that unschooled in the Bible, maybe even not Christians, might stumble into this and decide to read the Word alongside of me and the others. I don’t do evangelism very well. But I do like to study and I thought this might be a way to combine.
Every day, this blog gets 3 hits from Russia and 1 from Germany. I don’t know anyone in Russia or Germany, currently. I also am not sure of who the 30-40 hits I get from the USA are. Maybe you could comment and introduce yourself? Or feel free to lurk. I hope that what I am writing is encouraging you in your faith journey. I know that this study is pushing me along in mine. And I am thrilled that Jesus is with me, to the very end of the age!

Psalm 34 is a sensory poem. Yesterday, the author was praising with his lips, seeking and finding the Lord, tasting and finding the Lord was good. Today, he is with the children, listening, speaking, and having the eyes and the ears of the Lord upon him. The mood of this psalm is definitely upbeat. It is filled with gratitude and delight of the saved.
While I have heard bits of this psalm, (for sure, the taste and see that the Lord is good), I don’t think I have ever read the whole thing. I find it slightly disjointed as if several were put together that had roughly the same slant. It makes me wish I could read Hebrew and see if it was just the way it was translated.
I went to Biblegateway.com and looked it up. This is the heading of the Psalm!! It is not in my Bible in a Year book!!
Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.
All I have to say is OK.

This is from St Augustine:
Watch, O Lord, with those who wake,
or watch, or weep tonight,
and give Your Angels and Saints charge over those who
sleep.
Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Your weary ones,
Bless Your dying ones,
Soothe Your suffering ones,
pity Your afflicted ones,
Shield Your joyous ones,
And all for Your love's sake.

Amen.

February 13

2012-02-12T21:03:00.001-05:00

Proverbs – When I was in high school, I spent several weeks in England, much of it in London. While I loved the British Museum and all its incredible mummies, statues and art, my absolute favorite place was Speaker’s Corner in Hyde Park. We went almost every afternoon that we were in London. It was 1980 and Jimmy Carter had just sent in the ill-fated helicopter mission to rescue the hostages in the Iranian Embassy. It fascinated us that ANYONE could bring their produce box, step up on it, and start yakking their heads off without waiting for someone else to finish, have a script, heck, even bathe before showing up. At one point, one of the speakers was thoroughly trashing the US. I couldn’t retype the names he was calling us. Blogger would ditch me. I stepped up and started yelling back.
Of course, I made no impact. He easily shot me down and kept going.
But when I read today’s proverbs, that man is who I thought of.
We try so hard to turn the thoughts and words of fools. The proverb says this is wasted energy. Only someone who is wise (who probably doesn’t need us anyway!) will listen and continue in relationship. I also think this applies to advice. The only people who will listen to advice are those who don’t need it.

OT – Acacia wood is featured prominently in the construction of the Tabernacle. This plant is thought to be the ‘burning bush’ that Moses encountered when he fled Egypt. It is a desert plant but where there is water, it does grow into a tree-like form. It is usually very fragrant. Probably a good thing since the animal blood and animal sacrifice is not the most pleasant smell.
I was also struck by 36:4-7. When has a church ever said “enough offering”?

NT – Please be warned that this video is extremely graphic. It is a medical doctor explaining the physiological effects of Jesus’ treatment after the arrest and during the crucifixion. I have to admit, I could not watch it all in one fell swoop. But I find it compelling for the simple reason that I don’t like to think about the suffering that Jesus went through for me.

Friends, we are 3/26th of the way through the Bible. I know we are in a hard place with some of our readings. Please keep going and keep praying. There are messages for us here.
Peace to you and yours.

February 12

2012-02-11T23:00:00.000-05:00

NT – the whole Pilate drama is one of the 7 stories that are common to all 4 Gospels. Wikipedia has an incredibly interesting article about Pilate, much of which I did not know. Click here if you would like to read it.
By far, the most interesting part of the arrest and trial scene to me is the dialogue between Pilate and Jesus. Pilate is the Prefect of Judea. That means, in essence, that he is the Roman ruler of Judea. There is a “Jewish” king, Herod, but he is merely a puppet of the Romans. The real power was Pilate.
There are 3 extra-Biblical references to Pilate. One is Josephus, one is Philo, and the other is a stone with an inscription that references Pilate as Prefect of Jerusalem. Both Josephus and Philo have extremely unkind words to say about Pilate and his methods of maintaining order. And he was in Jerusalem that day because he needed to maintain order.
The Old City of Jerusalem is very small – less than .35 of a square mile. Put a couple of thousand extra people in the city to celebrate – having drunk all those glasses of Passover wine – and you get a mob.
Pilate’s job was to keep the people, not at ‘peace’ but not in rebellion.
This makes the exchange between Pilate and Jesus all the more compelling. Both Philo and Josephus mention other rebellions that Pilate brutally put down. Not Jesus. Pilate was willing to let him go. Even Pilate recognized someone startlingly different from your ordinary rabble-rouser.

Psalm – My son, Cole, and I went to see Red Tail this evening. I highly recommend the movie. It is about the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII. They embody this Psalm.

May your Sunday be filled with worship and rejoicing

February 11

2012-02-10T19:54:00.001-05:00

The readings today were something they normally are not – jarring in their dissonance. I have been amazed at how the readings from the different sections track either by subject or by mood. Today was different. I went from depressed after Moses had the priests kill 3000 of their fellow Israelites for disobedience to the wrenching stories of Peter and Judas to the almost giddy Psalm. Even the Proverb felt lightweight compared with some we have read.
I wanted to explore that feeling of dissonance and unease that I have with how Moses treated the ‘stiff-necked’ Israelites. This isn’t the first time they have acted this way with him but his response seems really harsh. And he didn’t kill Aaron nor did he single people out and let them explain, he just sent the Levites through with drawn swords. My Stone Chumash gives an explanation for it but I am not buying it. Here is what Rashi and his fellow rabbis said.
1. Golden Calf was not an idol to replace Hashem (God). It was a stand-in for Moses who was late.
2. Aaron knew better but in order to protect his life (the other man Hur left with him having been killed), he agreed.
3. Aaron did his best to delay the proceedings. He asked for the gold from the women and children expecting them to put up a fight for what they had been given upon leaving Egypt. But because of the mob, everyone ponied up.
4. Aaron didn’t fashion the calf, Egyptian sorceresses did. This is based on Exodus 22:19. Apparently, there were about 3000 hanger-on-ers who left Egypt with the Israelites. They included a bunch of thieves and sorceresses. Aaron bound up the gold and tossed it into the fire, it came out a calf. Only magic could have done that so it must have been the work of the above.
5. Aaron tried again to delay. He asked them to wait until the following day and to have a festival, not to the calf but to Hashem (God).
6. These 3000 hanger-on-ers were the real rabble-rousers. The faithful Jews just didn’t stop them. That is why Aaron and the Levites could kill with abandon.
When I read commentaries like this, what I see is that people need to EXPLAIN why they are uncomfortable with God and Moses’ behavior. Why do we need to do that?
It also happens with Peter in the courtyard. Why was he even there? Why was he chatting up those folks so that they could recognize his accent? Why didn’t he pull a Tolkien Strider and lurk in the shadows? Keep his mouth shut and wear a cloak? But he needs to defend or explain or at least be some sort of participant.
When I was younger, it used to drive me crazy that I couldn’t make my religion fit neatly with my beliefs. Now, it just makes me crazy that I am still, 30 years after starting an intensive study of the Bible, learning new and ENORMOUS facts, figures, ideas, back stories and revelations.
May all our studies jar us a little so we are awake to God’s revelations.
.

February 10

2012-02-09T20:50:00.004-05:00

OT – Per my Stone Chumash, “The Torah teaches that it is forbidden to count Jews in the ordinary manner, and that when it is necessary to conduct a census, it should be done by having the people contribute items, which would then be counted.” The Stone Edition of the The Chumash p.484.
Click here to read the scriptural notes.
Okay, I have heard the Christmas story ALL MY LIFE. I think at one point, I memorized the Christmas section in Luke for a Sunday School prize. Never, never, never have I heard that it was forbidden to take a ‘normal’ census. Think about what that statement in Luke 2:1-3 means knowing that a census is forbidden.
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.”
Think what this must have been like to have been an inheritor of the Moses tradition to be oppressed. To have to deny your religious teaching and conform.
To come from this incredible, elaborate, super Tabernacle with its coverings of gold, special smelling incense, oil that is only usable by the priests to being counted like a cow. We put tags in cows’ ears these days. Hitler branded the Jews with numbers in his day.
We cannot read the story of Moses without the background of oppression. Oppressed in Egypt. Freed for a little while, then a series of oppressions by the Philistines, Amorites, Hittites, and Jebusittes. If I have forgotten someone, sorry. A brief period of freedom under Saul, David and Solomon and then a series of really bad kings that gave away the glorious pieces and parts of The Temple. Oppression and deportation by the Assyrians and then the Babylonians and Persians. Another brief period of relative freedom then oppression by the Greeks and ultimately the Romans.
Is it any wonder that we have these elaborate, detailed descriptions of all the goodness and glories that Moses concocts for the worship of the Lord? Or that Moses, with all his impediments, arrogance, murder one history, and problems is the uber leader of the Israelites and every generation afterwards. Moses LED THE ISRAELITES TO FREEDOM.
Knowing that, peek back at Matthew 17 and tell me who Peter, James and John saw when they went up on the ‘high mountain’.
They saw Moses, the ultimate leader, and Elijah, the ultimate prophet.
I have reread today’s OT scripture with new eyes, thanks to Kim and her comment and thanks to Rashi and his illumination.

NT -

Psalm -- If you despair in your reading, post this on a notecard on your desk:
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you and watch over you. (32:8)
The instruction that the Psalm is referring to is our scriptures.
Read, question, research, take counsel, pray.
Blessings to you and yours.

February 9

2012-02-08T21:29:00.002-05:00

OT -- The OT rabbi/scholar Rashi says that not one word in the Torah is there by mistake or should be considered irrelevant. If this is true, what must we make of the elaborate dressing rituals that described in our current spate of readings? Some observations, random though they may seem:
Why did Moses have to dress them? Why did they need Aaron and his sons at all? Moses is clearly sufficient to speak with the Lord and communicate his messages. Why Aaron and his sons? Where are Moses’ sons? By sprinkling the garments with blood every time a new person was invested, wouldn’t there be a lot of blood on the garments? That seems like an awful lot of rams to sacrifice – 2 each day no matter what. Where do these rams come from and why is this meat, from people who are waiting for the bread to drop from the sky and birds to flap down, allowed to be burnt up? Doesn’t this seem a bit elaborate and chic-chic poo-poo for a nomadic people? They have to haul this stuff around with them. And set it up and take it down. Seems like a ton of work?
What do you take away when you read this section of Exodus?

Proverbs -- I had to go back to yesterday’s readings to realize who was speaking. Wisdom is speaking and she has glorious words for those who follow her. Her yields surpass silver. Wisdom comes straight from the Lord and she was ‘appointed’ (present) before He did anything else. In high school English, this is called Personification. (Giving human traits – actions, characteristics, feelings – to inanimate objects, places or ideas.) I think this is a literary device but others have interpreted these types of statements as coming from a Being. If you are interested in knowing more, here is a Sophia (Greek for wisdom) website that gives greater detail.

If you are struggling with trying to keep up with the readings, you are not alone. I received an email today from one reader who wailed (in writing) that she was ‘slogging’ through the OT readings and felt like the Psalms weren’t speaking to her. Every night was an ordeal. I don’t have an answer for that – my feelings for the Psalms range all over the book. We ended up agreeing to pray for each other and for her reading. If you feel this way, please comment. She was so sure that no one else was trudging along. And as for me, I am just grateful that you are along for at least this part of the journey. Walk a little bit farther with me and open your hearts to our Lord.

February 8

2012-02-07T21:26:00.000-05:00

NT – Being slightly Obsessive/Compulsive, I love checklists. I have a checklist for cleaning the house, doing yardwork, doing my paperwork, going on vacation. And for goodness sake, don’t ask my bosses Alfred and David about my love of checklists! I go a little overboard about them.
Which is why I have a love/hate relationship with our NT scripture today. Want to know who is in and who is out of the kingdom? – well, here is your checklist.
1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Give clothes to the naked
4. Visit the sick
5. Visit the prisoners.
I love that there is a checklist. I just have a hard time with what is on it. For example, my friend Pearl (who also shares this dilemma with me) and I have tried for years to check #5 off our list. She thinks I have a toe up on her because I once picked my boyfriend up at the DeKalb County Jail where he had stayed all night on a drunk driving charge. I don’t think that counts especially since I refused to come get him at 2 AM and post bond for his sorry butt.
But how do you go about visiting prisoners? The one prisoner I know had a list of people he would see. He refused to put Pearl and me on it. So that was out.
And why prisoners? Where did that come from?
Well, in my Harpers Bible Dictionary, it says this comes directly from the prophets of the OT especially Amos and Micah. Micah 6:8 says “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.” Not a bad mission statement. And from Amos 5:24 “But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream.”
If you were in first century CE Palestine, you could go to prison for ANY number of things. Mouth off to the local Roman regiment leader – disappear. Don’t pay your taxes and won’t sell your daughter, off you go. And once you got there, it was up to your family to feed and clothe you. They didn’t do it, you starved to death. And we complain now about the restrictions on how the prisoners’ commissary accounts are handled! (FYI, if you have a loved one in prison in South Carolina, you cannot send them money via check or any money order EXCEPT postal money order. All else will be returned to you. And you can’t send them more than $50 as it would make them ‘too richy’. )
On the other hand, having loved one in a Palestine prison was horrible for your social status.
Thus, Jesus’ commentary on going to the prisons.
But does that still apply to us today? Do all of them? Is it enough to give to food pantries and drop off our used clothing at Goodwill? Somehow, I think Jesus would not think that was enough. And that is where my uncomfortableness with the list comes into play. See, I think we are supposed to feed the hungry personally. To be with them. To ease their burdens face to face. To show them empathy, not sympathy.
I think I don’t get to check much off of this checklist. I am afraid I am closer than I want to think I am to being a goat, rather than a sheep.

February 7

2012-02-06T20:52:00.002-05:00

NT – As one who has gambled and lost in the stock market, I can safely say, I might fail the investment test. I have a hard time investing my ‘real’ money with any degree of risk. I cannot imagine investing someone else’s money especially someone that holds my life and death in their hands.
But in thinking this through, I have come up with a different way to look at this parable.
What if it wasn’t money? What if it were LIVES?
The first servant is given 5 underlings to develop and raise up into good, productive worker bees for the master. They like the way the servant/master runs things and they are learning so much and enjoying themselves that they invite 5 other friends to come and learn the business.
The Second servant is given 2 underlings to develop and raise up into good, productive worker bees for the Master. They like the way the servant/master runs things and they are learning so much and enjoying themselves that they invite 2 other friends to come and learn the business.
The last servant is given 1 underling. He doesn’t know how to raise up good, productive worker bees and he is afraid. So, he gives him to a neighbor who works him hard and wrings all he can get from this free laborer.
Now, when God comes back to check, servant one has grown his evangelical flock from 5 to 10 and they are getting ready to open a brand new church. Praise, praise, praise.
Servant two has grown his evangelical flock from 2 to 4 and their church is creating new missions to help in their city. Praise, praise, praise.
The last servant has a broken, angry laborer who refuses to go to church. That church’s pews are empty except for the servant, his organ master and the old people who refuse to change and are dying off like flies. The bankers are circling and soon the church buildings will be sold to a used car dealership.

Too harsh? I don’t think so. This is a really harsh section of Matthew. I mean, he didn’t let the silly virgins in!! Feel differently? Let me know.

Psalm – Verse 5 says “into your hands I commit my spirit, redeem me, O Lord, the God of Truth”. Sound familiar? Think crucifixion. But that brought up the word “redeem”. I looked it up
http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/padah.html
And the word we translate as redeem is the Hebrew word Padah. It means, literally to ransom or rescue by means of a ritual-sacrifice or blood payment. Brings a whole new flavor to that phrase to me.
Watch this video and KNOW that Jesus knew what the meaning of that word was and what it took to ransom us all. Including the third servant.

February 6

2012-02-05T19:57:00.003-05:00

OT – We have no actual drawings of the Ark of The Covenant but here are a few artist renditions based on today’s reading.

NT – I spent most of today thinking of church ministry work. It started when I got an email from a friend who is pastor of church in Charlotte, NC. He was bemoaning what I think is a standard fact for churches – 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Later, when I was at Sunday School, the lesson for today was Galatians 3 which is Paul’s great treatise on being saved by faith alone, not by works. I mentioned the email to the other students in the class and one of the ladies gently admonished me saying “we don’t know what they do in their lives. It is not up to us to judge.” And I am not. I get a lot of satisfaction out of church ministry work. As a matter of fact, I get more out of it than I put in. It just has always struck me funny that there are loads of people at church who don’t do ANYTHING.
In the lesson today for our readings, I found my answer. And just as Laura said, it isn’t for me to judge. But it is for me to DO. I know Jesus. I know what he expects of me – to use my gifts to further his kingdom. Not to do so would be the servant who is beating his fellow servants and drinking with drunkards. (vs 49). Is that how you interpret vs 45-51? Or do you have another take on it?

Psalm 30 – I love this psalm for vs 5b “weeping may remain for a night but rejoicing comes in the morning”. There in a nutshell is the memory verse for those of us with night terrors, nightmares, night worries, insomnia. I’ve written this on a index card and intend to keep it by my bed. The rest of the Psalm is excellent as well. This is written as a high note, a gratitude poem to God for deliverance. If you are in despair, this one would be a good one to use as a prayer. Write above it – ‘when I need God’s help the most’.
Which brings me to a procedural note. I got a comment today from one of the young people in my church regarding my Bible. This time it was not about the cover. It was about all the ‘stuff’ that is in my Bible as well as the highlighting and the underlining. I had dropped my Bible and since it has all sorts of stuff in it, he was amazed. He said he didn’t think you could write like that in a Bible. That God might get mad. I told him that I hoped God wouldn’t be mad but that I thought he was probably just pleased that I was taking the time to studying and reflect on his Word. I am not sure he agreed.
Do you write in your Bible? My mother’s Great Aunt Belle’s Bible was the oldest one I ever saw. It had been patched with pasteboard, mailing tape, and at some point, reglued. That Bible was precious. There were commentaries on sermons she had heard, cut out prayers from the paper, baby announcements and funeral notes. My mother was her favorite and lived with her during some hard times in her family. When she was dying, Aunt Belle asked Mother what she wanted and Mother told her ‘just your Bible’. When she asked her cousins for it after the funeral, they told Mother that they had thrown ‘that old ratty thing out. Who would want that?’ Oh, oh, oh.

May this be a week of drawing closer to God. Blessings on your studies and meditations.

February 5

2012-02-04T19:13:00.001-05:00

Proverbs – If a picture is worth a thousand words, this YouTube should be shown to all.

I do have to say, that just like in the parable A Prodigal Son, I find myself in a different position than when I read this as a young adult. I clearly identified with the ‘simple young man’ when I first read Proverbs in my 20s. Now, I am sure that I identify with the old man writing these proverbs. I have seen the devastation that adultery wrecks on a family. It NEVER ends up well. And I would spare my children and their children that agony if I could. In the case of the prodigal, well, let’s just say I have been all characters from the prodigal to the jealous older brother to the father who disregards the slights imposed by his child.
That is the great thing about the Bible. It has meaning no matter what your time of life or situation is.

NT – Matthew 24:15-28 is a type of writing called apocalyptic literature. The entire book of Revelation is apocalyptic as well as good amounts of Daniel and Isaiah. Sometimes these are called ‘prophetic writings’ since they tend to speak of future events. They usually have good vs. evil fight. This section of Matthew is a good example. Frequently, readers are frightened or confused by these texts.
When Presbyterian Women did a yearlong study of Revelation at Mt Vernon, we ended up offering another class just because so many of the women were afraid (or refused!) to study Revelation. Let’s not be frightened by Scripture. Empowered, strengthened, drawn closer to the Lord, but not frightened.
When I was growing up, I spent a good amount of time in graveyards. My childhood neighborhood backs up to Arlington Cemetery and whenever I wanted to dodge chores, I would grab my book and hop the fence. We visited my mother’s family’s graveyard in Blairsville frequently and my dad’s mother lived across the street from the best cemetery of all – Dalton Cemetery. Someone asked me if I was afraid of being in cemeteries so much and my reply was no, I am not afraid of dead people, it is the living that scare the h*ll out of me.
The same should be true of scripture. Yes, it can be challenging. But it is there for us to learn about God, all sides of him. Yes, even the Judge. And let us not ever forget that we have Jesus as our intercessor.

OT – one law really struck me today – it is 23:8 -- can we send this to the Georgia House where they are currently working on ethics bill?

Have a refreshing and relaxing Sunday.

February 4

2012-02-03T19:57:00.002-05:00

NT – This is probably a cheat but this commentary on Biblegateway.com on Matt 23 is AMAZING. Please click here to go to it and read it. I learned so much!

OT—And so it begins. We get the first of 2 of the 10 Commandments. Please get a ribbon or a really nice bookmark and mark Exodus 19. We will come back to this over and over again and you will want to have this readily handy. I have a bookmark that Carol Beckman’s Jessica painted for me and it stays always in this place.
The first 5 books of the Bible are known as the Law. And they are known that for a reason. There are A LOT of them. Your eyes, like mine, will tend to glaze over and you will have read that section and absorbed nothing. Don’t do this. Stop when you start to do this and ask yourself what the basis for this law really was. If you don’t know, type it into a search engine on the internet and see what comes up. For example, Vs 7 really made me mad. Are you surprised? Any man that gets to sell his daughter and she doesn’t get to go free when her 6 years of servitude are up. So, I typed into Google Man selling daughter and here is what comes up:
http://bible.cc/exodus/21-7.htm
Fascinating! And the reality is, he only got to sell his pre-pubescent daughter and then only in dire need. And the reason she didn’t get to go free was because she was intended to be some sort of concubine/inferior wife. So, the stricture was really to provide some sort of help to the daughter that she not be sold off to someone else or cast aside if the son of the household didn’t really want her once she grew up.
I ask you not to gloss over these laws but to really read them and ponder them. Ask yourself, why would these laws have stood the test of 2500 years at the bare minimum? Was there one that really struck you? What did you learn by looking it up on the web? Share, please.

Psalm -- look at verse 3. What does that remind you of? Doesn’t that sound just like what Jesus was talking about with the Pharisees? Can’t you just see a beautifully coiffed woman, smiling at everyone she know while inside she is repeating gossip and thinking really evil thoughts. Last night, one of the rabbis in our interfaith discussion group pointed out a Southernism. You can say *ANYTHING* about a person, as long as it is followed by “Bless his/her heart!”. That is what verse 3 says to me.

Blessings on your reading. May you find challenge and strength in the Word.

February 3

2012-02-02T21:57:00.004-05:00

top image is of the prayer shawl with long tassels. The tassels are also worn underneath shirts daily.
bottom images is a Phylactery. Imagine trying to lift someone else's burdens with that wrapped around your arm. They are worn when studying the Torah.
NT – In today’s reading, I kept coming back over and over to the first 12 verses in chapter 23. Jesus’ imagery especially of the heavy load that the Pharisees place is so vivid. I kept thinking of the overloaded donkeys and camels of the desert trips and how the pack animals plod along, so slowly, so very slowly. And supposedly, these were people that the Pharisees loved. Their own that they want to teach so that the people could draw nearer to God in their rule perfection. In my own little family, we call that ‘piling on’.
When I fight with Don or yell at the kids, I have a bad habit of saying ‘and another thing…’. Past hurts, slights I had let go by, beds unmade or bathtubs unscrubbed. Piling on is my way of evening the score. Putting all things back to right. Except, it isn’t right. If I let the tub go unscrubbed on Saturday, it is unfair to yell at Cole on Tuesday when I am in the midst of fussing about leaving the garbage can where Howler, the dog can get to it.
Same is true for the Pharisees. They deliberately pile on and make it impossible to follow the rules. There are too many variables, too many subsets. And the worst thing is, they want to spread their doctrine to all. Remember when our reading compared the Pharisees to yeast? Yeast is a bacteria that is activated by moisture, starch, and heat. Some Bibles translated it as ‘leaven’. In Bible times, there was no Baking Powder or baking soda. Leavening was yeast, carefully preserved so that wheat would rise. The bacteria permeate the bread mixture, you let it “sit” in a warm place and you get a poofy loaf of bread. Pharisee yeast gets a group of people who have to act a certain way or they are ‘not following the Law’. You are either an insider (Law follower) or out.
The Pharisees sat in ‘Moses’ seat’, the place of Jewish authority and legal wisdom. As a coincidence (?!?), our OT test today talked about the judges and officials that Moses appointed to handle the simple, uncomplicated disputes. They sat ‘in Moses’ seat’. But you couldn’t sit in that seat unless you were an upright man, full of the knowledge of the law. Jesus also says this about the Pharisees. Then the question becomes – is he being sarcastic when he says obey them or not.
I do not think sarcasm is here. I think he truly thinks you should do what the Law says. But I don’t think Jesus wants his disciples to emulate the Pharisees because Jesus didn’t think the Pharisees followed the Law. Just a few paragraphs earlier, Jesus had been asked, “Teacher (remember he didn’t want his disciples called Teacher or Rabbi), which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love you neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments”. Piling on is not loving your neighbors. Place of honor, the lovely long tassels (long tassels meant you could do no physical labor. They would get dirty and hence unclean….), important seats, etc. These are not taking care of others. These are taking care of self.
(As an aside, when this post was being proofread, the reader said, you can’t equate the love your neighbor stuff with the Moses seat stuff. They are in different chapters. Matthew did not write his gospels in chapters. The chapters and verses were added in the Middle Ages. Click here for a great tutorial in this. )
But back to the Pharisees.
If you truly loved your neighbor as yourself, wouldn’t you try to ‘lift’ their burdens? You wouldn’t ‘pile on’, you would simplify, you would take care of others. Maybe even others who were on the ‘out’.
Friends, don’t let us be the pilers. Let us be the encouragers, the simplifiers, the kind ones.
And for goodness sake, close the cabinet door on the garbage.

http://www.zianet.com/maxey/reflx284.htm

February 2

2012-02-01T21:03:00.000-05:00

NT – I love Beth Moore. I love how energetic she is. I love how prepared she is. I love how hard she has studied and worked. I also love how thoroughly put together she always is. Perfect clothes, hair and makeup. But she is always telling a funny story on herself. Always showing her soulful imperfections. Watch this clip and laugh along with me and then let’s talk about the Pharisees.

The word that we translate hypocrite is from the Greek word ‘hupokrites” meaning stage actor. So, a hypocrite is someone who does not ‘act’ as he truly believes or is. Look at vs. 18. ‘Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said “you hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?” Why, indeed?
What risk was Jesus to them? Let’s remember who the Pharisees were. They were the ones that did all the synagogue teaching. They were the ‘true’ interpreters of the Torah. They told the people how to act, when to act, and what to wear when they were acting. There is that word again. ACT.
I think Jesus’ main problem with the Pharisees is that they were acting. Just like Beth didn’t want the cleaning lady to know she might have ear wax, the Pharisees didn’t want anyone to know what was in their heart. It wasn’t that they didn’t love God, it was that they put more faith in the ‘act’ rather than the heart.
So, go back to the risk part. How was having Jesus in their midst a cause for concern? If they were so perfect in their ‘act’ why would they care if some bozo who doesn’t do all the handwashing, appears to drink too much and eats the wrong thing on the wrong day, and gets himself unclean by touching yucky people shows up in their midst? Why were they afraid of him? Why try to bring him down? Show him up? Trap him? Don’t tell they didn’t have other weirdos running around Jerusalem and Israel. There are ALWAYS weirdos.
But Jesus appeared to be different. The crowds liked him except at home. There was that whole cloak and palm branch thing. He had a bunch of followers and some of them, well, some of them ‘smelled’. As in not ‘the right kind of people’ smell.
So, continuing from yesterday – who in your life are you a hypocrite to? How can you fix it and how, in Beth’s words can you ‘cut the bull’.

Psalm – Theses two stanzas of Psalm 27 are in the typical Hebrew contrast style. Vs 1-3 is stanza 1 and it is all about fear. Vs. 4-6 is about serenity and calmness which appears when the writer is ‘dwelling in the house of the Lord’. Even though he professes that the Lord is his salvation, clearly he is assailed on all sides and with people bent on destroying or ‘devouring’ him. It is only in the safe place of the Lord that he feels secure. “he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle”.

Proverb – this proverb reminds me of something my dad told my brothers. He said his grandmother Florence Hackney told him this.
“A bad woman can shovel more out the back door with a teaspoon than a good man can shovel in the front door with a coal shovel”. You have been properly warned, young men.

Keep reading! You are doing so great.

February 1

2012-01-31T20:25:00.002-05:00

OT – I got my new book! This is the Artscroll Stone Chumash. Just to see if it is of any value, I looked up Lisa’s question regarding the circumcision of Moses’ sons by Zipporah from a previous reading. Lisa, you will not be happy to know that Rashi does not speak to this. What he does comment on is that the baby is the cause of the bridegroom (her husband, Moses) and his bloodshed. Humm….. Already I am arguing with the greatest rabbinic commentator. At any rate, I think this book will be of great help to me during the readings.

Just as aside, The Stone Chumash uses the word “HASHEM” in the place of our Bible translation of LORD. The Stone uses God where ours uses God. Many of the orthodox Jews object to the use of capital G-o-d as they think this still names God, God. They print it as G-d. There is a special Orthodox and Hasidic Stone Chumash just for them with the G-d. Accommodation is the name of the game.
HASHEM is literally “The Name”. It represents the Tetragrammaton, the sacred Hebrew Four letter Name of God (Y-H-W-H). (Remember, ancient Hebrew had no vowels.) We sometimes translate this as Yahweh. (In my own mind, this gives God a name and for me, he really has no name. That would imply that I had somehow boxed him in or given him shape. Much like hearing the girl’s name Bambi. It just brings up a certain implication to how she is and how she will act. I remember hearing Yahweh for the first time when we started going to St Andrews Presbyterian when I was 7 and wondering who the heck they were talking about! We were Baptist before the move North.)

But to the reading. Do the miracles trouble you? I remember hearing how the parting could have happened with a hurricane force. Or some other natural phenomena that was explainable. Here is my take on it. God is absolutely capable dropping some bread and birds. Killing a bunch of livestock. Sending frogs. Raising someone from the dead. Why on earth would I question whether or not he could move some water? That one seems pretty easy on the miracle scale, if you ask me. Here is what Rashi says: “God’s reason for bringing the miracle about by means of a wind, rather than through an undeniable, obvious miracle was to allow the Egyptians room for doubt. In their wickedness, they insisted that the waters had been moved by wind ((sound familiar????)), not by God – even though it would be clear to any objective observer that the sea had never before been parted by a wind – therefore, they plunged into the seabed to their eventual doom.”’

Psalm -- Whoever wrote this is much different than I am. I am never blameless and I am afraid that verses 4-7 do not apply to me. The title in my real Bible says this psalm is “Of David”. That made me laugh. Well, okay. If David can say this, maybe there is room in this psalm for me, too?

NT – Even then, the politicians were spinning their words. Look at vs. 25-27. They won’t answer truthfully because to them, the truth doesn’t matter. They were busy trying to trap Jesus. Surely, at least one of them had a belief, a valid, honest true-blue belief as to what John’s baptisms meant and did for people. We read these words and think Jesus is being cryptic. He was just playing their game. His parables clearly indicate that he is anointed one, the son of the landowner.
So, think of today. When today did you come straight up and say what you believe? Or did you dance around, trying to think what would play best in whatever circumstances you happen to be at the time? Are you acting like the Pharisees? How would Jesus have responded to you?

I leave you with the song Moses sang – not to himself – but to the PEOPLE he had brought out of slavery. And you have to remember, *they* didn’t hear God. They only heard Moses and felt Pharaoh’s wrath and the wretchedness of the plagues that they did not escape from.
Vs. 11,13 “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? … In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling.”
May HASHEM redeem YOU, and guide YOU to his holy dwelling.

January 31

2012-01-30T20:49:00.002-05:00

Proverbs – This is from Matthew Henry’s commentary:
If the slothful are to be condemned, who do nothing, much more those that do all the ill they can. Observe how such a man is described. He says and does every thing artfully, and with design. His ruin shall come without warning, and without relief. Here is a list of things hateful to God. Those sins are in a special manner provoking to God, which are hurtful to the comfort of human life. These things which God hates, we must hate in ourselves; it is nothing to hate them in others. Let us shun all such practices, and watch and pray against them; and avoid, with marked disapproval, all who are guilty of them, whatever may be their rank.

I had to go back and reread yesterday’s proverbs to understand what Henry was talking about. Hebrew poetry and wisdom writing love couplets. Even couplets that are several stanzas long.
Yesterday’s was all about sleeping in and being lazy. Today, we have someone who IS NOT lazy. Far from it! But what he is instead is deceitful. And that is worse to God. “Suddenly destroyed”. Bad news for the scoundrel.
http://bible.cc/proverbs/6-12.htm

NT – Is it hard for you to imagine that we are already at Jerusalem? It really does not seem like that long ago that Jesus was a baby escaping to Egypt with his mom and earthly dad. But Matthew spends almost a quarter of his time with us in Jerusalem and that last week. We will get day by day detail. In a book that just romps along, the pace slows way, way down. And I think this is deliberate on Matthew’s part. He was telling stuff that was important, yes. He had messages like the Sermon on the Mount and messages about what the kingdom of Heaven was about. But what Matthew really thinks is important is the time Jesus spends in Jerusalem. We get to know what he wore, what he wanted to eat, who he spent time with and where, and details about his days that we never got before. And in loving, devoted detail, we get the betrayal, arrest and trial and crucifixion. Prepare yourselves for the way of the King.
Please also take a minute to look at the map I have for you. Print it out and when Matthew says Jesus went to Bethpage, locate that on the map. If we can’t go to Jerusalem physically, we can at least follow his footsteps on the map.

This is the last day of January. I have 31 stickers on my calendar and a really big huge GO ME! for the month of January. I am not sure if I will change anything for February but I encourage you to find what motivates you to STAY IN THE WORD. For me, it is stickers. For you, it might be 2 solid weeks of Bible study and a massage. I don’t know. But think about your goal and your reward. Reading the Bible should be reward enough. But I have been a mom long enough to know that sometimes you need a little push. No matter what you have done in January, be proud of that and look forward to February. You can do it!!

January 30

2012-01-29T21:21:00.001-05:00

Proverb – I should go ahead admit that if I lived in a perfect world, I would never have to get up before 7 AM. I am not a morning person. Early on, my children learned that the smaller interaction they had with their mother early in the morning the better. I do try really hard to be nice but it is really best not to talk to me at all until about 8 am. Don, bless him, has never learned this. He is a morning person and gets up, on his own, at 6 AM every day. Ready to go. Me, not so lucky.
So this proverb hit especially close to home. I do get up early. Matthew has to be at school just before 7 AM every day for weight training and this has been true since he entered into high school. I also have chickens to feed, a dog to walk, dog and cat to feed, breakfast to make and some laundry to accomplish before Cole and I get out the door at 7:45. In the summer, I usually have some gardening chores to do as well. Maybe when Cole starts to drive himself to school this will ease a little and definitely when Matt goes to college. But it seems to me that I get more done in the 2.75 hours before I leave for work than I do in the 5 hours after I get home. Is it just that I am on a time restriction or do I really have more energy and enthusiasm (well, not that!) at 6 AM. Our proverb says that sleeping in, or napping as the case may be, is a sure way to poverty. And we should be more ant-like in our storage practices. Maybe in our day and time, it would be load up during the Buy One Get One Free at Publix offers.
If you went into my pantry, what would that tell you about my ‘ant’ qualities? What would yours? If you listen to my friends who are “preppers” – click here for a sampling – they would tell you to have at least 6 months supply of your stuff. Do you? If you do, why? Is it the fear of not having enough? Or being unprepared for the ice storm that is surely to come?
OT – Exodus 12:2, according to Rashi, is where the Torah should have started. It is where the very first commandment that God gave all Jewry resides. And it is about the Passover. The original one. Now, Rashi’s claim that this should have begun Torah here is that the Bible is a book of laws and since this is the first one given to all, this is where it should have begun.
(Rashi was a medieval French rabbi who is famed as the author of commentaries on the Talmud as well as a comprehensive commentary on the Tanakh (which is what the Jewish people call their Bible). If you want to read his commentaries, they are still available in what is called the Artscroll Chumash (Five Books of Moses). Wikipedia says that “his commentary on the Chumash (Five Books of Moses) – is an indispensable aid to students of all levels. The latter commentary alone serves as the basis for more than 300 “supercommentaries” which analyze Rashi’s choice of language and citations, penned by some of the greatest names in rabbinic literature.” I was hooked. I ordered one from Amazon today.)
Having said that, I have pondered for several hours if I agree that the Bible is a book of Laws. Maybe it is my age, maybe it is my rebelliousness, maybe it is just how I perceive the Bible but it is not a book of law to me. True, it contains them. True, if I follow them I live so much better and my relationship with God is so much better. But more than that, it is a continual story of humankind’s reaching for God and God searching for us. Much more of a puzzle book, to me.
NT – Which brings me to the NT passage. Oh, the vineyard story. That one. Madam Fairness here. When I am the first worker, I dislike this story. When I am the last to be rounded up, I LOVE it. If this were laws, wouldn’t this be straight forward? Pay everyone such and such. But I get that this is not how God works. And I get that I do not get to impose my belief system (whether I am #1 worker or the last) on God. After all, it is God’s kingdom of heaven, not Sylvia’s.
And that brings me right back to the Proverb. Because it is so much easier and less trouble and work not to prepare or to sleep in or to not have my lamb ready for Passover. Or at least, I think it is. Until the bad times come and there is nothing I have in reserves. So maybe it is a law book in the sense that you are supposed to live one way and here all these examples of folks who didn’t and this is what can happen. Or, here is how much God loves you that he gave you this structure for your own benefit. Disregard it at your peril. In some cases, your eternal peril.
So, Rashi, I buy your argument. I am however, glad, that we had all the familiar Genesis stories to start our year off reading. It eased us into the daily reading and contemplation of the Word.
We are now officially 1/13 of the way through our study. I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am. Peace to you and yours.

January 29

2012-01-28T20:04:00.005-05:00

It is amazing what you think you know. I had somehow assumed that all the plagues happened to all the people of Egypt including the Israelites. I did a chart to figure out what happened to whom.
the Plagues

1. Water to blood Everyone got it The magicians could replicated it Pharaoh's response was hardened hearts
2. frogs Everyone got it The magicians could replicated it Pharaoh's response: if moses took them away, the people could go but after relief, P hardened heart

3. dust gnats Everyone got it The Magicians could not replicate but they said it was the 'finger of God' P has hard heart

4. flies Everyone got it except those who live in Goshen Not recorded as to Magician's response P go sacrifice here in Egypt, then go sacrifice far from here, when removed P hardened his heart

5.terrible plague on livestock Everyone got it except Israelite livestock Magician response not recorded P heart unyielding

6. soot to boils everyone got it The Magicians couldn't replicate it but they couldn't stand for the boils! Lord hardened heart

7. Hail All got it except those who listened to Moses and Goshen Magician response not P said he sinned. Pray for him and go. When it was gone,he hardened his heart to Moses

8. locust everyone got it Magician response not recorded Lord hardened P heart

9. darkness that could be felt everyone except the Israelites got it Magician response not recorded Lord hardened P heart

10. firstborn's death everyone except those with blood on their door got it Magician's response not recorded P said up and leave Bless P also!

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NT – another placement story. I have heard the little children come unto me loads of times. There is even a lovely painting of it as you walk down the stairs to the children’s area at Mt Vernon Presbyterian. I always loved that image of Jesus. I also have heard the story of the rich young man/ruler dozens of times. It is one that always causes problems during pledge time at church.
But what I didn’t realize was that these two little vignettes were placed back to back. That gives the stories an entirely different approach to me. Children, especially the little ones, really have no concept of what money is. As long as they had their Batman pjs, mac n cheese weekly and Pokemon cards and cousin time, my kids were basically set. With Don and me, it was much more complicated. Credit cards, car loans, mortgages, and are we going to have ‘enough’ for retirement. Those were and are grave concerns for us. Every year, we do a budget and every year, we wrangle over line items. I don’t recall us having God talk during any of those budget sessions except where it came to discussions about our church pledge. I guess for me, the question is – do I spend more time worrying and focusing on “me and mine” than I do on following Jesus? How can I become more childlike? (Don’t worry – I won’t be buying the Batman PJ set at Target…)

Proverb – Well, today, we finally move off the sex but land squarely on money. I find it surprising that the very first thing we hear is not to sign for someone else. But in a time where you could be thrown into prison if you didn’t pay your debts or whoever you pledged for, I guess it could truthfully be a life or death situation for giving someone surety.

Have a lovely, rejuvenating Sunday.

January 28

2012-01-27T20:32:00.002-05:00

Psalm – You would think by this time, this cradle Christian would know all there is to know about the 23rd Psalm. It is the first thing I memorized on purpose. I memorized it for my mother’s hairdresser and she gave me a gold star (even then, O Lord!) to put on my wall. Her name was Elzaree and my mother went every Friday to get her hair done. (Why, I recently asked? Mother said it was just what nice ladies did. Everyone had a standing weekly appt…)
Almost every Christian funeral I have been to and at least 2 of the Jewish ones have read this Psalm. I have participated in and even taught this Psalm at Sunday School.
Tonight, when I started to study this, it was like I had looked at this with new eyes. I know this is because of the Beatitude study we are doing in Presbyterian Women. I saw this Psalm has 2 stanzas with the coda. Just like the Matthew Beatitudes. See if you agree:
The first stanza is vs 1-4. Here the imagery is all about God being the shepherd and we are the sheep. Okay, classic metaphor and one that Jesus uses all the time. God provides plenty of food, a lovely place to rest, plenty of water that won’t sweep away my babies, and a place to recover from the turbulence of life. He is watching over me so that the ‘wolves’ and ‘lions’ won’t take me down and providing me with the structure I need in my life i.e. the rod and the staff.
Vs 5 is the second stanza. I think here the metaphor changes from shepherd to kingmaking. Kings have feasts, even with their stated enemies to show dominance. Kings get anointed with oil when they are made – even currently. As aside, I recently finished reading Mark Logue’s account of the real Lionel Logue and King George VI (The King’s Speech by Mark Logue) and there is a section there that talks about the placing of oil on the king’s head at coronation. The cup imagery is definitely kingish. We know all about the cupbearers and their responsibilities from the Joseph story. The king’s glass should never be empty and never be poisoned.
The coda wraps it up with a great view of how wonderful life is/will be for God’s own.
Even vs 4, at the end of it has the transition. Shepherds have staffs. Kings have rods. I looked up the Hebrew word that is used here. It is Shebet and it is primarily used in the Psalms to denote ‘scepter’ of a king.
What do you think of my analysis? Agree, disagree? A different viewpoint?
I find it amazing that something I have heard HUNDREDS of time can still teach and inspire me.
OT – this section of Exodus is a conflagration of 2 different sets of translations. This is why it seems confusing and repetitive. Even then, scholars were arguing.
As always, when I read this part of the Bible, I become frustrated with the whole ‘hardening of Pharaoh’s heart’. If you have an idea as to why this is even a remotely good thing, feel free to posit it. I get that God wanted to do something grand and big but it seemed like the hardening part just caused a lot of people and animals to die unnecessarily.

And on a personal note, I covet your prayers. My younger son Cole turns 16 today. When I called my insurance agent earlier this week, Marilyn at State Farm said, “I will add him to my prayer list”. He is not quite finished with all the paperwork for his license but he is close and will probably go next Saturday to do the driving test. He is a good driver but he is 16.

January 27

2012-01-26T21:46:00.003-05:00

I read the other readings and was moved by them but the Proverb hit me over the head like a ton of bricks.
Drink your water from your own well.
Last week in Sunday School when we were talking about Joseph, I asked the class if there was anything they couldn't forgive. Being older and wiser than me, they gently reminded me that holding grudges only hurts the holder. But then I asked them if they were either divorced themselves (no, being from the Greatest Generation and for the most part, that just wasn't done) but if they had children who were divorced, were they able to forgive the 'ex-law'. This was so much harder for them, particularly when there were children involved.
And I see that all the time with my friends.
What wise counsel for a man to give his sons. Keep your pants zipped. It is tempting. But the consequences are unbelievably harsh.
Tonight, at the Saint Francis talent show, one of the students sang Garth Brooks' Thunder Rolls. Every time I hear that song, I just want to cry for the people who chose badly and ruined others lives, especially the children.
Jesus spoke to that as well in our NT scripture. he thinks you ought to drown yourself before you go doing things that rip up little kids faith. And for a dad to leave a child's mother, what worse thing could there be in a kid's world.
I have 2 boys. I think I need to put "Drink from your own well" on their bathroom mirrors. Or maybe play a whole lot more country/western songs.

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Answers to the Genesis Quiz

2012-01-26T21:16:00.002-05:00

1. The earth was not created prior to God's creation. The very first things God created were the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty.
2&3. Adam and Eve had multiple sons. The first set were Cain and Abel. Cain was a farmer, Abel was a shepherd. Cain killed Abel. To comfort Eve, God gave her Seth. We don't know what he did. Adam had 'other sons and daughters' in his 930 years.
4. Enoch walked with God and then 'he was no more, because God took him away.' No death for God's walking buddy.
5. Noah was chosen because he was righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. All the rest were corrupt.
6. Shem is the ancestor of Jesus. Ham saw his dad naked after drinking and Shem walked a cloak backwards to cover him up. Noah blessed Shem 'Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem. May Canaan (Ham) be the slave of Shem'. There is also conjecture that Melchizedek is actually Shem (the one Abraham gave a 10th of the booty).
7. Names were changed to protect the innocent. Oh wait, that is from Dragnet and The FBI. Sorry. Names were changed when something dramatic happened in their lives. For Abram and Sarai, when they got the word they were going to have a baby at 100 and 90 respectively. For Jacob, well that is murky. Because he really doesn't change his name. The Bible is constantly flipping between Jacob and Israel. I think that God wanted him to be Israel but he just kept being Jacob, the trickster. Makes you think what we would do if God changed our names. Would we live up to the new nature that God is calling us to be or would we slip back into old patterns and behaviors. I think this is why we need Jesus. He truly makes us into a new creation.
8. I have no answer to the barren women issue. I just know that it runs through the whole Bible. We will see this over and over again. The Godly women don't have babies while the not so good ones get pregnant in a flash. Seems to me that God would want babies to be born into houses of faith and loyalty and not so much into the other -- sort of a cosmic weeding out -- but clearly, my way is not God's.
9. Noah got the covenant of not destroying humankind again. Abraham got 2 covenants -- the multitude of descendents and the land. Isaac got reaffirmed this and so did Jacob/Israel.
10. Jacob is the trickster because he just couldn't get things done without wheeling and dealing. He inherited it from his mother, Rebecca, who was barren until God intervened. It has ugly ramifications all the way to present day.
11&12. Jacob was partial to Joseph because he was the son of Rachel, the wife he loved. None of his other children except for Benjamin who was way too little to understand appreciated this and as a consequence, Joseph ended up a slave in Egypt. But while the brothers meant it for evil (to get rid of Joseph), God meant it for good (to save the family during the famine).

January 26

2012-01-25T21:07:00.002-05:00

The word ‘groan’ is in all three OT readings today. Naturally, I went and looked it up. It means to utter a low, guttural sound as a result of pain or suffering. Its origins are from the Old Norse word grenja meaning ‘to howl’.
What is really unusual to me is that a different Hebrew word is used for each one that is translated ‘groan’. The King James version of the Proverb uses ‘sigh’ but my NIV translates all of them – Exodus 2:24, Psalm 22:1, and Proverbs 5:9 as groan. The synonyms in English are Cry, gripe, grouse, grumble, grunt, objection, sigh, sob, whine, complain. But none of them elicit the same feeling as the ‘groan’. It is almost an alliteration word. Why do you think Hebrew has so many different words for what we call groan?
I took each of the sentences:
Exodus: During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God.
Psalm: Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?
Proverbs: At the end of your life, you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
The imagery in all of them is powerful. It is not just whining. People are in real trouble and there is possible loss of life. It is OPPRESSION. Some sort of tyranny is involved and the odds do not look good. A savior is needed.
And of course, our NT reading responds. How awful to have to witness your son falling into fire and water and not being able to help him. I am sure he and his wife did some major groaning over their child. It is no problem for Jesus even though the disciples could not heal him. He is clearly and unequivocally the Savior.
But that brings up an intriguing question. Why did the man bring him to the disciples first for healing? Did that mean that the disciples were healing some people but not others? In an earlier reading (Matthew 10:1-16), Jesus gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and heal people. But I don’t recall them doing anything like that. Why wouldn’t the man just bring his son straight to Jesus? Was he afraid? Was that why he ‘knelt’? Or was it in homage to Jesus as ‘Lord’ and ‘Savior’?

I was also intrigued with the whole issue of the Temple Tax and I found a really neat article that does a good job explaining why.click here

Genesis Quiz

2012-01-24T20:33:00.001-05:00

Genesis Quiz
Rules: Try this without looking first and then you can use your Bibles to check or change your answers. Please either post or email me your responses so I can tell how we are doing.
1. According to Genesis 1, what was the earth like before God began creating?
2. How many sons did Adam and Eve have and what were their names?
3. What were the professions of Adam and Eve’s sons?
4. Who was Enoch and what is he famous for?
5. Why was Noah chosen out of all the men?
6. Which of Noah’s sons has the line that leads to Jesus and why?
7. Why were Abram, Sarai, and Jacob’s names changed?
8. What is the significance of the barren women in the book of Genesis?
9. What are some of the covenants made in Genesis?
10. Why was Jacob called the trickster?
11. Why was Jacob partial to Joseph and what consequences did this have on his family?
12. What did Joseph mean when he said ‘you meant it for harm but God intended it for good’?
Reflection:
What was the most important thing you either learned or relearned during the study of Genesis and why?
What troubles you the most about your readings in Genesis?
What did you read that brought you closer to God?

January 25

2012-01-24T20:29:00.005-05:00

OT Today we finish Genesis and begin Exodus. I have posted a separate post with a quiz for the whole book. It would be great if you would either post your answers or email them to me. I would like to know how we are doing.
I once had a class for lay teachers with Walter Brueggeman of Columbia Seminary. He is a remarkable scholar and an incredible teacher. I left that class thinking I was ready to leave my job and go back to school. Fortunately for my family, when I got home, there was a stack of bills to be paid and dinner to cook for two wild boys. Maybe when I am sixty… At any rate, the lecture was on Moses and the strangeness of the birth of Moses story. I had an answer for it but Walter didn’t buy my argument. Here is what he said.
Pharaoh and his court did not go to the Nile for bathing. They were rich beyond belief and had their water carried to them in their palaces. Which was a good thing as there is a parasite that lives in the Nile river that enters the body through cuts and scrapes. This parasite causes the disease Schistosomiasis or Bilharzia. When infected, the parasite lodges in the liver and bladder and causes all sorts of problems and eventual death. Now, we have drugs to treat the parasite. Then, patients developed running sores, fever, swelling, and eventual death. There are some mummies that show evidence of the parasite. There are a lot of hieroglyphs that describe the disease, the awful treatment (bathing in the Nile with your running sores, just infecting yourself more….), and the horrible death.
Pharaoh and his court would make some religious pilgrimages to the Nile but for the most part, people who were bathing in the River were the poor. Why was Pharaoh’s daughter down there in the first place?
Another mystery is that she knew immediately that the baby was Hebrew. How? The Bible does not state that Moses was circumcised. There are veiled references both ways. Both in his son’s lack of circumcision and in the use of uncircumcised ‘lips’ for his speech. So, maybe, maybe not. But Pharaoh’s daughter knew right away that this was an ‘abandoned’ baby, she took him up and asked for a wet nurse who happened to be standing right there. But if she knew, why didn’t her father who commanded that they be killed know? Either right away or later on?
And she was able to speak to Miriam, the sister? And call him Moses? (By the way, in my research, I discovered that another version of Moses is Moshe. Gives a whole new look to Moshe Dayan, the Israeli general of our age, doesn’t it??) Does that mean that the sister spoke Egyptian or that Pharaoh’s daughter spoke Hebrew?
Walter Brueggeman did not have answers for any of this and to be sure, this is the mark of a great teacher. He drops the mystery in your lap and lets you puzzle it out for yourself. For me, here is what I think:
I think that Pharaoh’s daughter could not have children of her own. Having known many women who could not conceive or carry a baby to term, I know how desperate they can be and the things they will do to get one. I think she was desperate for a baby and someone told her that there were babies in the Nile. Hebrew babies that her father had ordered killed. I think Moses’ mother was not the only one who had hidden her baby and then floated him while she worked. I think Pharaoh’s daughter went down there IN SPECIFIC to get a baby.
When I told Walter this, he laughed and said there was no basis AT ALL for my theory. Later on, I told this to a rabbi at a wedding Don and I went to and he also laughed. But then he told me that I should read the Midrash surrounding the birth narrative of Moses and I would be right at home.
Please click here for some wonderful examples of the Midrash. Midrash is the stories and the myths that the rabbis use to illustrate the Bible stories to their congregants. Sort of like sermons although these have been preserved for, in some cases, 2000 years. Midrash is still occurring.
What about you? Does the story of Moses puzzle you as much as it does Walter and me? What does it say to you?

Proverbs: When I popped into one of my favorite farming blogs this morning, she had a picture of children’s hightop sneakers on her page. They were hand-me-downs from her children and will eventually make their way to her granddaughter. My comment to her post was that so many, many of the proverbs have straight paths and walking imagery. This is a family that walks with the Lord. What a great example they will be for the little girl. And that is what the Proverbs are. A pathway to the Lord. Our job is to put on our hand-me-down hightops and stay in the straight and narrow. That is the hard part. But the reward is so great. Here is her original post.

Friends, I am proud of you for sticking with it and getting Genesis behind us. We have made a great start. Now is not the time to falter. Peace to you and blessings on your readings.

January 24

2012-01-23T21:43:00.001-05:00

Pharisees and Sadducees

In the NT, these two groups are frequently lumped together. In our reading for today, 16:1 says ‘the Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.’ This makes it sound like these are two allied groups and perhaps they were in the quest to get rid of Jesus, either by discrediting him or by having him killed.
However, these two groups were almost never in agreement about anything. The Pharisees had their origins in the Babylonian conquest of Judah. With the Temple destroyed and the upper class Jews removed to Babylon, the religious leaders created houses of study and prayer. These are the precursors to the synagogues. Study, debate, memorization, and the rise of interpretation from respected leaders (known as rabbis) were the trademarks. Even after the Persian king Cyrus allowed Nehemiah and Ezra to rebuild the Temple, these houses of study and prayer continued in the outlying areas as well as the other centers of learning. When Alexander conquered Persia in 332 BCE, the Jews spread even further and bumped into the Hellenization of conquered peoples. It was then that the Pharisees coalesced and named themselves Pharisees which has a Greek root meaning Separatist.
The Sadducees evolved from the ruling classes that formed after the Maccabean revolt of 161 BCE. They supported the monarchy and strict interpretations of the written Torah. They rejected the writings of the rabbis and insisted on following the letter of the Law. The Sadducees were heavily involved in the Priestly realms of the Temple and insisted that the Temple was the one true place of worship.
“Sadducees rejected the Pharisaic tenet of an oral Torah, and created new interpretations based on a literal understanding of verses.[citation needed] In their personal lives this often meant an excessively stringent lifestyle from a Jewish perspective, as they did away with the oral tradition, and in turn the Pharisaic Jewish understanding of the Torah. An example of this differing approach is the interpretation of, "an eye in place of an eye". The Pharisaic understanding was that the value of an eye was to be paid by the perpetrator.[14] In the Sadducees' view the words were given a more literal interpretation, in which the offender's eye would be removed.[15] From the point of view of the Pharisees, the Sadducees wished to change the Jewish understanding of the Torah.”1

After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Pharisees became the dominant force in Judaism and this is the basis for the rabbinic Judaism as we know it now.
Some common differences between the two groups:
Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead. Sadducees did not.
Pharisees believed in God having forethought as to what will happen in the future although people do have free will. Sadducees believed only in free will.
The Pharisees believed in the coming Messianic age while the Sadducees totally rejected that.
Pharisees believed in study, argument, and interpretation of the law on the local level. The Sadducees rejected this stating that only the Priests in the Temple had the right to perform rituals and recite Torah.
The Pharisees were zealous observers of the Law, prominent among the people and especially concerned with ritual purity, tithing, and correct observance of the Sabbath with emphasis on rabbinic interpretations. The Sadducees rejected all rabbinic interpretations and were considered ‘Hellenized’.
The Sadducees were involved in the governance of Israel from the Hasmonean monarchy all the way through until the destruction of Jerusalem. They were also involved in collecting taxes and administering the army. The Sanhedrin was probably mostly Sadducees.

Jesus was probably taught in a Pharisaic synagogue. He certainly uses the story, advice, and argument that are so prevalent in the Mishnah and the Talmud, two key Pharisee writing collections. Paul was a Pharisee having studied under Gameliel, on e of the most prominent Judaic scholars of the day. When the Christian Councils were working on canonizing the Bible, the OT books that were used were the ones that the Jewish Rabbis had canonized and preserved through their use of memorization and study.
Sources:
1 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharisees
Harper’s Bible Dictionary copyrighted 1985

January 23

2012-01-22T19:53:00.000-05:00

I know this is conceit. But I had not realized how often the terms ‘bread and wine’ were used in the Bible other than to talk about the Last Supper or Passover. But in our Proverb today, here it is again even though it is in the negative sense of wickedness and violence. This is clearly the OT version of ‘watch who you pick for friends’.
Barley and wheat were the first domesticated plants in the Fertile Crescent. They were cultivated approximately 10,000 years ago and this is what allowed the population to settle in one place rather than the nomadic people they had been. Even domesticated animals such as the herds of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob owe their existence to the domestication of wheat. It is the ability to overwinter herds in one area due to the growing of specific grasses and pastures that allowed them to accumulate the animals. Prior to this, mankind existed as a hunter/gatherer. Any society that was able to produce a surplus of grain was rich in that time period. Silos and grain storage houses were built in Egypt and in the larger cities in Mesopotamia. Smaller city-states or unattached tribes would suffer greatly in a drought.
Joseph, being the clever man that he was, extended Pharaoh’s power and wealth (and consequently his own) by taking all the people’s money, then their land and finally the people themselves as the famine progressed. I guess the 20% to Pharaoh was better than our current tax rate. This Joseph is in stark contrast to how he treated his family. Today in Sunday School, we also discussed Joseph and one of the members in my class said she had read that Joseph is as closer to Jesus in character than anyone else in the Bible is. Do you agree or disagree?
Even our NT passage refers to the ‘children’s bread’! It is everywhere in our reading today. But I am grateful that Jesus healed the daughter. Do you think that he would have healed the woman if she had been asking for herself? Or was it just that she was willing to be humbled?
At the end of our Psalm is the phrase I have heard hundreds of times from pastors before preaching. I knew it was from the Psalms but I had no idea which one. I am going to pray that before I start my blog each time for the next little while.

Janyuary 22

2012-01-21T21:17:00.001-05:00

Psalm – Well, it didn’t take long for the ‘slewing’ now did it? Maybe I should read a couple of days ahead so I can make sure I won’t be biting my tongue.
To be incredibly blunt, and I know there are readers out there who will take issue with this, the theology in this last part of Psalm 18 about God killing the enemies of David is not something I believe. I do not believe that God kills other people on behalf of his O Favored One. Mostly, because I think we are ALL his O Favored Ones.
My study Bible notes say this Psalm is in response David’s great slaughter of Saul’s descendants. Here are the main verses that lays me out: 2 Samuel 21:1 During David’s reign, there was a severe famine which last for three full years. So David consulted the Lord about it, and the Lord said, “Saul and his family are guilty of murder; he put the people of Gibeon to death. ..vs 9 David handed them (the family of Saul except for Jonathan’s son)to the people of Gibeon, who hanged them on the mountain before the Lord.
There were 5 women involved in this slaughter. Now, I have watched the Connie of the Godfather movies and I know that women are just as culpable as men in the grand scheme of murder. And maybe these women were bad. But they weren’t killed for their own sins, they were hanged for their FATHER’S. And at the behest of the Lord, according to David.
Okay, I am pressing on.

Proverbs – The term ‘stumbling block’ or ‘ feet stumble’ was a contribution of William Tyndale to the English translation of the Bible. In his day, the word ‘block’ meant a tree stump. What men were stumbling over in his day were tree stumps. Not the current image we have of stumbling blocks with our smooth sidewalks and lovely asphalt highways. However, in ancient Israel, the roads and pathways were even worse than 15th century England. Rutted, washed out, jagged cliffs, boulders and wadis that at the merest mention of rain would overwhelm you. You lifted your eyes from the path at your peril. One of the constant images from Proverbs, Psalms and much of the other Wisdom literature in the OT is of life being a journey or a walk. Stumbling, straying, tripping or just plain going the wrong way on the path are likened to disobedience to God’s ways. I love this spiritual. I hope to follow its message. http://books.google.com/books?id=qjEYEjVVEosC&pg=PA823&lpg=PA823&dq=stumble+feet+in+bible&source=bl&ots=IsP508yJuQ&sig=ept3bRecN19n47QwzcrKogDK5EA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=dWwbT4LIKoihtweg0_iZCw&ved=0CEEQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=stumble%20feet%20in%20bible&f=false

NT -- I have always loved the image of Jesus walking on the water. But I had forgotten it followed Jesus finding out about John and feeding the 5000. If you have ever seen my Bible cover, it is a lovely fabric depiction of the feeding. My sister Debbie bought this for me and everywhere I go, it gets compliments. Tonight, when I was reflecting on the feeding, it struck me that one of Jesus’ most profound miracles (it is one of the 7 stories that are in all 4 gospels) comes immediately after he receives the blow of John’s death. And he held his own grief in check until the people were healed, the people were fed and he had gotten his disciples set for the trip back. That is amazing self-control. But then, he ALLOWED himself the private time to grieve and be with God. What a clear model we have in Jesus for grief and so many, many other things.

May your Sunday be a day of rest and rejuvenation. Blessings on your readings.

January 21

2012-01-20T20:47:00.002-05:00

NT -- Just in case you missed the post from Jan 2, there is a good bit about Herod there. But this is not the Herod of Jesus’ birth. This is the son. And I have to tell you, the daughter of his wife dancing for his guests is not a good thing. Nice, unmarried Jewish girls (and Herod pretended to be Jewish) did not mix with men. And they definitely didn’t dance in a way that would ‘please’ her stepfather so much that he would give her anything. Her mother is his dead brother’s wife. The whole thing is icky. I suspect that the National Enquirer would be all over this household.
And to back up just a bit, verse 55 is the only reference to Joseph being a carpenter in the NT. Mark 6:3 names JESUS as being a carpenter but Joseph is never mentioned at all in Mark. Of course, most sons followed in their father’s profession so I guess you could assume that . It is strange that such a small mention in such an obscure way would give rise to the whole idea of Jesus the carpenter rabbi.
http://thamno.com/blog/?page_id=2051
OT – Once again, I get mad at Jacob. He just LEFT Simeon in Egypt. Did anyone notice that? I suspect that if they hadn’t run out of food, they would not have gone back! Even then, he was not plotting and planning to get Simeon, he wanted to make sure that Benjamin returned safely. Jacob is definitely a cautionary tale about having outright favorites amongst your children.
Last night at the Interfaith Dinner I went to, the moderator said that at some point, the rabbis were questioning why Genesis began the Hebrew scriptures. After all, the story of the Hebrews is the return to the land. Exodus should have been the start. Why have all these creation narratives and patriarchal narratives? Of course, I didn’t think this when I was sitting there but in the night, I decided that we as humans NEED Genesis. We need to know that parents make mistakes and some of them are whoppers. And there are reasons why you don’t show your favoritism. Or flaunt your oh so incredible gift of dreams. It causes problems in the family. And we need to know that even when we make the whopper mistake, God is there in his providence fixing our famine messes. That is my take on why Genesis belongs. What about you?
But clearly, clearly Joseph has grown up and has a tender heart. He weeps at the mere sight of his brother. His constant provision for them is so very different from how you would expect him to behave. What a model for us when we have been wronged by our families. And that is really the deepest hurt of all. When your FAMILY throws you under the bus, it is like no other pain.
Click here if you did not read the post about the Egyptians and the bread on January 19. There are a lot of nuances that are present in this story that this webpage illuminates.

The Psalm today reminds me of the passage in Ephesians with the armor of the Lord. In our culture today, it is not politically correct to talk about being a warrior for God. (Even writing that makes my skin creep around with images of the Muslim Jehad.) But in OT and NT times, being a warrior was just about the only way to come out on top. Pacifists got their teeth kicked in and their land taken away. I am uncomfortable with a lot of the ‘slewing’ that is about to come up. I am going to attempt to just 'be' with my feelings as I know that God has something to teach me about all this. As my Aunt Launa told me yesterday, “you just have to pray about it and then press on”.

If you have done all the readings we are 1/17 of the way through. Keep reading, keep meditating and please, feel free to pass the link on to someone who might want to join in. (This is an easy way to evangelize….Over email.) You don’t have to catch up. Just start where we are. The previous passages will be there for another reading.

January 20

2012-01-19T21:41:00.003-05:00

OT – Just as a clarification, and you may not have been tripped up by this like I was, Joseph was thrown into prison by Potiphar. He was given the daughter of Potiphera. 2 separate people. Okay, now that I have gotten that off my chest, here is something that has always driven me crazy. Why didn’t Joseph just kill those brothers of his? I would have held onto such a grudge against them. Or sent them away with no grain? Why the whole subterfuge? Or just sold them the grain and been done with them. Depending on where he is in the hate cycle, of course. I get that it has been at least many years since the selling occurred but do you ever get over that??? No matter how self-aware you are, you still smart over the O Favored One from childhood. This YouTube is from Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I had to choose the Donny Osmond version. I am sorry but I spent way too many years watching the Donny and Marie Show and reenacting the “I’m a Little bit Country, I’m a little bit rock ‘n roll” not to choose that one!

NT – as a gardener, I can tell you, even if you do pull up some of the wheat, you have to pull the weeds. If you don’t, the weeds will literally overtake the good plants and you will get no harvest. There are even people who believe that weeding aerates the soil and is good for that specific purpose, if for no other. So, I don’t understand Jesus’ parable.
In our own lives, don’t we need to pull the weeds out? Push away the ones that would cause us to sin, or to use yesterday’s terminology, to allow the demons into our clean houses? Or just to turn this on its head, maybe some of us are the weeds. Can I just say, I hope it isn’t me.
Psalm -- I continue to be fascinated and intrigued by the imagery in Psalms. I have no idea why, now, these are appealing to me when NEVER before have I cared a whit about them. Oh, I liked the saving ones. I liked the ones that comforted me. But I wasn't really interested in the images they put forth until this study. Which is really weird for me since I profess not to like poetry!
But today, the image that struck me was the 'horn of salvation' (vs. 2). What kind of horn? Like trumpet? Bugle? Then I thought, well, look it up. So I did and the very first website I popped into had incredible insight. Please go check it out by clicking here. Be sure to read through some of the comments. I found them more fascinating than the original piece.

Friends, I am grateful for the ones who are reading this blog. Thank you for your dedication and your love and praise whenever I bump into you.

January 19

2012-01-18T19:08:00.002-05:00

Psalm – I know I inserted the clip of Rob Bell a few days ago but reading the Psalm tonight, I couldn’t resist putting in the first part of that preaching. If you can, fast-forward to minute 6 and listen to his explanation of the wings of God (our verse 8). The rest of the clip is excellent as well.
But spend a little time with this Psalm and I think what is happening is that the psalmist is having a nightmare. That little tagline at the end tells me that in his dreams, God is saving him from all the awful things his mind can conjure up.
And nightmares they certainly are. With lions, wicked men, and hungers besetting him, the Psalmist doesn’t want to betray God even in his dreams. “(you)examine me at night, though you test me, you will find nothing;”.
What is interesting to me is that scientists and doctors still do not know WHY we dream. There are a lot of theories but no concrete, empirical evidence as to why we dream. Or even why we dream as we do.
http://psychology.about.com/od/statesofconsciousness/p/dream-theories.htm
And of course, tracking our readings, there in the OT, Joseph, the many colored dreamcoat dreamer.
I was curious as to why the dreamers in prison were cupbearer and baker. Please click on this link here and go look at this fabulous website. It provides so much illumination both for this passage as well as for future passages especially when we come to Moses.

Many blessings on your readings and meditations. Thank you for your faithfulness and your desire to stay in the Word.

January 18

2012-01-17T20:08:00.000-05:00

OT – The story of Tamar. We have read of her before. In Matthew’s genealogy, Tamar is one of the women listed. Her son Perez is one of Joseph’s, Mary’s husband, ancestors.
When I read this story, I don’t know whether to be proud of her for scheming and pursuing her plans or to be disgusted at Judah’s casual dismissal of her – he just didn’t want to be a laughingstock. But I would like to know how he KNEW the babies were his. I get that he had sex with her. But if she was a shrine prostitute (at least in his eyes), how did he know that he was the father since presumably she had sex with lots of men? Oh, the things the Bible does not explain!!!

NT – I thought I would list some of the names that Matthew calls Jesus. Today, it was Son of David. Previously, Lord of the Sabbath, Son of Man, the Son, A Prophet, Christ, Lord, Teacher, Son of God, Jesus, Immanuael, God with us. And we are only on chapter 12! When I look back at this list, it occurred to me that even the writer of Matthew wasn’t exactly sure who or what Jesus was/is. Oh, I think he had descriptors and stories and sayings. And thank goodness, he wrote them down for us to have as yesterday’s proverb said “like an ornament around the neck”. (Just as aside, I think of all the women I know who wear beautiful crosses around their necks. That is their talisman. Their reminder of the Wisdom in their world. At least, I hope it is…) I think if I had to guess, the writer of Matthew was really trying to coalesce his thoughts which is why we get so many, many names.
In today’s Matthew reading, Jesus goes to great lengths to determine logically that he simply cannot be from Satan that he must be from God. He does this by a series of images. By far, my favorite one is the swept clean house that is unoccupied. In an NPR story about keeping resolutions, the doctor they interviewed was the doctor appointed by Nixon to figure out how to get the returning soldiers from Vietnam off of heroin and to stay off. He has been researching behavioral changes ever since. His comment about the best way to change your behavior is to ‘interrupt the sequence’. You have to change the environment in order to accomplish your goal. Listen to the 5 min podcast here.
In Jesus’ analogy, it is not enough to have swept the house clean of demons. You have to fill it with angels.
In my own little world, I find that to be so true. My Weight Watchers leader, Jan, once had us write 10 things down that we love to do that do not involve eating but take 5-10 minutes. We cut them into slivers and put them in an envelope. She then asked us when we started down that path to bingedom, pull out the envelope, reach in and do one of those things. It is amazing how that can break the pantry sweep that I can do.
Thinking of your demons, what is it that is not of the angels? Do you gossip? Exaggerate, lie? It isn’t enough to merely not do that. You have to fill your mouth with positive things, true things, accurate things. And it takes practice. Just ask me. Back at Weight Watchers trying to lose the same 30 pounds.

January 17

2012-01-16T19:54:00.004-05:00

NT – I read the passage about Jesus and the disciples eating heads of grain in the field. All I could think about was the time we were supposed to be picking sweet corn and sat down in the field and ate an ear straight off the stalk. It probably was a dare from someone. My stomach has never hurt that badly before or since. The after effects were particularly bad as well.
I decided to look up eating raw grains and what I found surprised me. There is a whole community of folks who eat raw grains. It is called ‘eating raw’ and they cook none of their foods. They do this in an attempt to maximize the nutrient benefit of the fruits, vegetable, nuts and grains. Most of the websites suggested sprouting the wheat before eating it. In Los Angeles, there are even restaurants (are you surprised?) that cater to the ‘raw food’s crowd’.
Planet Raw
This website was wholeheartedly against it. “Completely raw wheat can be dangerous. It swells in the stomach and can lead to bowel obstructions. An overnight soak should fix that. There's also some concern that the phytate in raw wheat can reduce vitamin absorption, but again, soaking seems to fix that…Corn and rice are particularly problematic. Quinoa and barley contain bitter toxins that make them very unpalatable raw (and dangerous if you could choke down enough of them).” Askville

Which brings me back to Jesus and the disciples eating the grain heads. They must have been so incredibly hungry to even consider eating the grain, much less picking it on the Sabbath. They certainly knew better. But they were walking somewhere anyway so I guess they were really intent on breaking the Sabbath. They should have been safely in someone’s home that Sabbath. Who was supposed to extend hospitality and didn’t?

Another intriguing phrase for me tonight was the ‘foot stumble’ in Proverbs. We seem to hear that a lot. This also surprised me. I just assumed that if you went everywhere on your feet, you surely wouldn’t want to have a sprain or, God forbid, a break. You might never recover. However, my Harper’s Bible Dictionary says that is really not what is meant at all. In Hebrew, the word foot is often a euphemism for the male genitalia. “Foot stumbling” is a euphemism for adultery. It gives that Proverb a whole new meaning.

Keep reading! I am proud of all the work you are doing. I have already learned so much and I hope that you have as well.

January 16

2012-01-15T21:47:00.001-05:00

NT - As a disclaimer, I first learned about Rob Bell from my friend Margaret who is an incredible Bible teacher. She told me the story of Rob Bell’s yoke and I didn’t believe it. I’ve read that passage in Matthew a lot – I come from farming stock, you see, and I thought it meant just what it says – to be yoked like oxen or in the case of poor Georgia sharecroppers, mules.
But I’ve watched Rob’s videos and I find them fascinating for his historical information. This is part two of this sermon. I highly recommend part 1 and 3 as well. When you do a search for Rob on Google, please be aware that there are loads of people out there saying ugly things about him and his theology. I popped into to a few of the blog posts but I don’t think I want to hear more. I am much more interested in learning myself than tearing others down.

Psalm 14 hits really close to home with the No God idea. I have recently watched a PBS special with the Stephen Hawking discussing whether or not there is a God. I also have people I love saying those things. I said those things. It is really hard for me to think that they are ‘vile’ or ‘not doing good’. This is a really hard conundrum for me and one I am glad I do not have to solve. Can you be a good person and say and believe there is no God? And what, exactly, am I supposed to do or say when those ideas are presented? For right now, my response has been mixed. The older I get, the less I feel I have to defend but I do really want to share how awesome it feels to have God present in my life. I hope you feel the same comfort. May your readings and meditations be a blessing to you.

January 15

2012-01-14T19:19:00.004-05:00

The phrase “Tree of Life” in the Proverb today intrigued me. While poking around on the internet, I discovered that almost all religions have some sort of Tree of Life. One that I found fascinating was in the 1001 Tales of the Arabian Nights that had our hero searching for immortality, finding it in the garden of paradise in a jewel encrusted tree but coming away empty handed due to an inability to defeat the guard. http://www.scribd.com/doc/60789388/12/The-Tale-of-Bulukiya
But in our Proverb, it is attaining Wisdom that leads to the Tree. Which then brings up the question, how do you attain Wisdom?
It does not seem that Jacob was very wise. He didn’t manage his household well and we know this will have consequences well down the path. He never seemed to strike a good deal – he didn’t claim his stolen birthright, got the wrong girl and got her pregnant, and kept having to connive and wiggle to get his wages. He also put his family in the path of a really angry man. Not smart.
Or was he? Because he always seemed to see and hear God. Remember when he was leaving Isaac and Rebekah? He lay his head on the stone pillow. Most of us would have been dreaming (if we slept at all!) of our piles of rugs and sheepskins. Not Jacob. He dreamed of the stairway to heaven. He needed an out from his father-in-law. God shows up to tell him to leave. God tells Laban to keep his mouth shut. The angels of God met him before Esau. Jacob is going to wrestle with God in tomorrow’s reading. Clearly, God was ever-present with Jacob. Doesn’t that make you wise? Or just needy?
Back then to my original question – i.e. how to you get wisdom. And that, I think, is my problem. You don’t ‘get’ wisdom. It comes to you through time and experience. Through, I am sorry to say, the hard parts of life.
Jesus knew this but he did not have the 50 years of teaching with his disciples. That’s why he gave them all those pithy sayings. The ones that you can remember but don’t understand until you are in the middle of the situation and you think, oh, now I know! And we really have to remember that his disciples did not have the benefit of Sunday School. Alfred spoke yesterday about how he remembered the story of Rachel and Leah differently from childhood. But he has studied this stuff for 50 years. Peter was getting sound bites while he was trying to figure out how to feed the motley crew. We can simmer, read a bunch of different translations, read what the commentators have thought throughout time. Let’s don’t judge our poor wandering disciples as they get it wrong, question and have failure to communicate. I think they ultimately ended up pretty wise and fairly far up the Tree of Life.
This is a lovely song by Rosanne Cash that mirrors our subject today. Enjoy.

January 14

2012-01-13T21:30:00.001-05:00

I am on the left, my sister-in-law Kim, and Debbie is on the right

I have one sister, Debbie. We are 13 months apart and as children, we fought a great deal. One gruesome battle in our teens left us with no pantyhose to wear to church, a broken hairbrush and one scarred cousin Dexter who still dramatically tells the tale. By the time we were in college, much of that fighting seemed to have passed. We lived together for 18 months in a tiny 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment with 4 other girls. I don’t recall fighting but I do remember many funny games of Boogle and laughing over infatuations with the pizza delivery boy.
Now, at 48, I consider Debbie to be my closest friend. There is precious little that I can’t tell her and those are things that I generally just can’t bring myself to voice aloud. Our children are very close as well and have repeated arguments with me as to whether their future children will call them by their names or will they get the title of aunt and uncle. They absolutely despise the whole concept of second cousins or first cousins, once removed.
Which is why I have such a hard time with the Rachel and Leah story. They never seemed to have left the adolescent arguing behind them and matured into friends and companions. In tomorrow’s readings, Gen 31:36 tells us that Jacob had been there 20 years. Even if Rachel was 14 or 15, she would have been 35. Yet, she and Leah were still wrangling for power. Neither seemed to rejoice when the other had a baby. I cannot imagine Debbie not being thrilled for me.
And I get that they shared a man. But he seemed largely uninvolved in the dispute. They tell him to lie with so and so, and he does it. Even if he favors Rachel more than Leah, everyone gets their babies and it seems that everyone got their own space. So why all the drama?
And what are we supposed to learn from this story? Not to be a sister-wife? (I must admit to a certain fascination with that TLC show. I have never actually watched it but it certainly seems to be sort of stupid to be on TV if you are committing about 6 felonies and stand in jeopardy of losing your million children.) I don’t think that is the answer. I think we are supposed to reflect on the destruction that holding a grudge or trying to one-up one another will do. We will continue to see the ripple effects in the Joseph story. Who in your life are you trying to outdo?

NT Look at vs 7-8. What a mission statement! To the point. I did not realize that Jesus had given the disciples the power to raise the dead. I know it happens in Acts with Peter and Paul, but I thought those were really special acts. I especially love that he wants this to be done because they HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THEIRS. Do we think about this when we do mission work?
I help with the funeral luncheons and one little old lady told me that she did the luncheons so that when she died, she would get one for herself and it would be nice. I hugged her and told her that she had already more than earned her luncheon with all her church work over the years. Yes, she said, but folks forget. I think we have already gotten the luncheon, dinner and the after-dinner drink. We have received ABUNDANTLY God’s mercy and grace. It shines all over us. It is up to us to reflect that back into a world that desperately needs to see the Light of God. It has always been so, according to our Psalm but it surely seems that right now, loads of people are hurting in so many different ways.

After today’s reading, we will have finished 1/26th of the Bible. Give yourself a huge pat on the back and continue to stay in the Word. Many thanks to all who have stopped me at church or emailed to say they are reading but not ready to comment. The reading is the most important thing. May God bless us on our journey.

January 13

2012-01-12T20:56:00.002-05:00

Psalm 11 -- The Message
A David Psalm
1-3I've already run for dear life straight to the arms of GOD.
So why would I run away now
when you say,
"Run to the mountains; the evil
bows are bent, the wicked arrows
Aimed to shoot under cover of darkness
at every heart open to God.
The bottom's dropped out of the country;
good people don't have a chance"?

4-6 But GOD hasn't moved to the mountains;
his holy address hasn't changed.
He's in charge, as always, his eyes
taking everything in, his eyelids
Unblinking, examining Adam's unruly brood
inside and out, not missing a thing.
He tests the good and the bad alike;
if anyone cheats, God's outraged.
Fail the test and you're out,
out in a hail of firestones,
Drinking from a canteen
filled with hot desert wind.

7 GOD's business is putting things right;
he loves getting the lines straight,
Setting us straight. Once we're standing tall,
we can look him straight in the eye.

I admit it. I read the first 2 verses of the Psalm and could not decide who the ‘you’ meant. I am not an English teacher but it really gets me when there is no clear antecedent. I flew straight to my new favorite website:
http://www.biblegateway.com/
and asked for The Message version. Isn’t it fabulous?
But the real reason why this Psalm spoke to me is because the ‘sky is falling, the sky is falling’ mantra that I hear nearly every day from someone. Yesterday, it was a possible roofer. Yes, we have to have a new roof. But the real story is – when he was up on my roof, looking over my backyard that looks pretty bad right now due to winter and chickens, he said, ‘well, when the world as we know it ends, you’ll be able to feed your boys the chickens.' Nothing about hail damage. Only the end of life as we know it.
If you listen to the Democrats, it will be the end if a Republican is elected. To a Republican, if Obama is reelected. To a lot of elderly folks, if they cut out or increase the Medicare medicine Part A,B,C, or D again, it will end all life. Don’t extend the jobless benefits, do extend the jobless benefits. Fix the food system, don’t do away with cheap food. You name it, people are out there ranting and raving about what will end the world. Buy gold, stockpile food and fuel. The Preppers. The Fear mongers.
Even in Bible times, this was happening. Look at Psalm 11 verse 3. In the NIV, it says the foundations are being destroyed. And in Jesus’ time: the harvest is plentiful, what we need is for God to send more workers! (The harvest being the ill, maimed, broken, and oppressed that were following him.)

Most of the Psalms are arranged strangely, at least to our Western way of thinking about poetry. If you ever had to write anything in English class you will recognize the importance of staying on topic. Pick what you are going to write about and stick to it. Hebrew poetry is not that way. It is more compare and contrast. Bible researchers call this Parallelism. The Hebrew poets loved to deal in couplets – with opposing viewpoints. To our Western way, we see this as abrupt shifts. The ancient Hebrews just saw them as answers. If we were reading in Hebrew, we would notice the meter and the constant alliteration but that is lost in translation. Except, of course, if you read it in the King James! http://www.bible-researcher.com/hebrew-poetry.html

And the answer to the destruction of the foundations is this: “God is in charge”. Will there be wicked people ruining others? Oh YES. But will they triumph in the end. No. The Lord loves justice. The wicked people will suck burning sulfur.

Blessings on your readings and meditations.

January 12

2012-01-11T21:22:00.002-05:00

I read in a recent blog post from Remarkable Wrinkles that posited the idea that we not do New Year’s Resolutions. Instead what we should do is pick a word for the year. Maybe this is a word of encouragement, maybe a challenge, but the word should choose you. Sort of like the wand choosing the wizard in Harry Potter, I guess.
Now, why would *I* be even remotely taken by this since my New Year’s resolution is to read the Bible in a Year. You know this or you wouldn’t even be here! But I went to the word list anyway and yes, lo and behold, a word did jump out at me. It was Abundance.
In our Proverb for today, that seems counter-intuitive, that if you give away the first fruits, your barns will be overflowing. But, I have experienced this over and over again. Write the first check off the payroll to church and everything else comes into balance. Hold all your money close and it seems as if there isn’t enough.
The Abundance theme is swirling around our reading today. Isaac is in the hold mode – he doesn’t think he has enough blessing for both sons. Which is crazy since just before this, we read of all the wells he dug and how God told him that he was going to be blessed as well as his descendents and how people were terrified of him since he was so well-to-do. Why couldn’t he have at least saved part for the lesser of the sons? I think it was the Abundance theory again. Hold on really tightly since you don’t think Mr. TentDweller is worthy.
The teachers of the law and the Pharisees were also in the hold mode. As in, don’t share the good stuff like healings and the grand party with the unworthy. And then there are John’s disciples. They gave away too much and are resentful of what others have. My theory on that is also Abundance. They didn’t give, they ceased, period. I am with Jesus, for goodness sake, if you have a new dress and great wine, don’t make it look ugly or taste bad just because others may not have everything. Enjoy what you have and then remember to share.
Here is the original blog post and here is the word list that she references. Maybe you will want to check out the word theory. As for me, I am trying keep lessons and remember the Abundance of Bible verses I have already read!
http://remarkablewrinklies.com/2012/the-power-of-words-new-years-resolutions-finally-get-real/
Christine Kane is the author who compiled the word list. It is in her blog post from December 28, 2007
http://christinekane.com/resolution-revolution-a-better-way-to-start-your-year/
The List
Compassion
Delight
Generosity
Effortlessness
Wealth
Gratitude
Abundance
Creativity
Willingness
Change
Growth
Freedom
Mastery
Kindness
Health
Presence
Acceptance
Courage
Confidence
Self-Love
Action
Forgiveness
Forgive
Release
Trust
Knowing
Patience
Friendship
Fun
Grace
Laughter
Love
Expansion
Exploration
Adventure
Openness
Discipline
Awe
Awareness
Risk
Gentleness
Choice
Spirit
Prayerfulness
Power
Allow
Artfulness
Attention
Beauty
Joy
Focus
Ritual
Heal
Order
Clarity
Pioneer
Peace
Laziness
No
Yes
Deliberateness
Commitment
Savor
Integrity
Listen

January 11

2012-01-10T19:27:00.001-05:00

OT – The stew that Jacob tricked Esau with is a classic dish in the Middle East. Lentils are the convenience food of the legume world and cook in less than 30 minutes. We have eaten this dish multiple times and my boys especially love it if there is some leftover roast from Nanny’s chopped up in it.
Combine in a soup kettle:
1 c lentils
4 c water
½ tsp cumin
Cook until lentils are soft, adding water if necessary for good soup consistency
Heat in skillet
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Add and sauté until soft
1 chopped onion
At very end, add one clove garlic minced
Blend in
1 tablespoon flour, cook for just 2 minutes
Add to lentils and bring back to the boil.
If adding meat, add now
From: More with Less, a Mennonite cookbook c2000

Regarding the Birthright, what is really interesting to me is that the Birthright was not Esau’s to sell. It was something the FATHER decided. Just earlier in the passage we read today, we read that Isaac inherited all of Abraham’s wealth although he did gift to his other children of concubines. Ishmael was the elder. He should have received the birthright. Abraham decided, rightly or not, that Isaac would be the one. Later, we will read of Jacob passing over Reuben for bad behavior and David passing over Adonijah for Solomon. In any event, Jacob doesn’t appear to have received anything other than his brother’s enmity for the whole escapade as he never gets anything of Isaac’s. Sounds like so many of the brother arguments I have heard in my life.
http://www.bible-history.com/eastons/B/Birthright/

NT – I have always wanted to know what happened to the men. Since everyone else in the town wanted Jesus gone, were they angry with the demon-less men for having destroyed their herd of pigs? Did they get to go home and go back to their ‘real’ lives? Or were they outcasts?
How do we think about these demon healings in light of our culture today? I personally am well acquainted with someone who has some serious mental issues to the point of paranoia and delusions. When this person is in the midst of an episode, she IS demon-filled. She calls names, behaves very badly, refuses help, and is clearly not in her right mind. I wish Jesus would heal her. When she is ‘normal’, there is practically no one that I would rather be around. Even if she were stabilized, there are wounds that she has created that will never heal. They go too deep. Did the men in Matthew experience that as well? Or does Jesus’ healing salve all the wounds?

And the Proverbs: I am still sick so clearly I am ‘wise in my own eyes’. I will try my best to be more humble although the Lord knows, that is a hard task…

January 10

2012-01-09T20:52:00.002-05:00

NT -- That phrase 'under authority' has been in and out of my mind for the last several days. In Matthew 7:29, Jesus is the one who had authority. Now it is the centurion stating that as well. Just as a reminder, the story of the centurion would not have gone down very easily to Matthew's listeners. Matthew was written after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans and NO ONE was despised more than the occupying soldiers who had obliterated the most sacred landmark for the Jewish people. The Romans conquered Judea in 63 BCE but 30 years later, when Augustine rose to power, it was still considered 'one of the unsettled regions'. It really was not until Herod (of the baby killing fame) really put the hammer to the Jews that there was relative peace in Judea. Herod, of course, did this by having spies, killing those who even sounded like they opposed him, and by appeasing the upper classes with all things Roman and glorious.
So, here we have a CENTURION of all people showing up after Jesus' magnificent sermon and asking for healing for his servant because clearly Jesus is 'under authority'. And Jesus really praises this guy. 'No one in Israel...' I know the authority to be God but did the centurion?
And the healings. This has special significance to me today as I am running a fever myself. Always before when I read that verse about the healing of Peter's mother-in-law and how she jumped up and started serving Jesus and his followers, I had an bit of an attitude about it. But today, having suffered all day long from what I think is the 'flu, I would be more than happy to jump up and start serving Jesus if he would heal me. Never before has that verse meant so much to me.
OT -- I do love this story. I love that Abraham really had thought out who he wanted Isaac (at least 37 years old!!!) to marry. I love that this unnamed servant loves his master so very much that he is willing to travel and do this task. I love that clearly, Rebecca is of Abraham's hospitality bent. And I do so especially love that Isaac loved her. (I know that is tomorrow but I just had to finish the story).

And the last verse in Proverbs -- Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
May we all let go and lean on the Lord.

January 9

2012-01-08T19:37:00.001-05:00

I am reading an incredible book on my Kindle. It is called Scripture, Culture, and Agriculture, an Agrarian Reading on the Bible by Ellen Davis. I heard about it on a podcast that I download weekly called On Being. Krista Tippett interviewed Ellen and you can listen to the podcast here.
Much of what we are reading today has relevance with Prof Davis' book. The Land is everything. Success in Agriculture meant God was with you, famine, drought, destruction meant God was not. Please click on the podcast and listen or upload it on your own device.
And don't listen ahead! Krista has a remarkable interview with the amazing Biblical scholar Walter Brueggeman that I will want you to listen to when we come to the prophets.

January 8

2012-01-07T22:49:00.000-05:00

OT- I love the story of Abraham negotiating with God but tonight, because I am so tired from my busy, busy day, it struck me differently. Do you think God was willing to negotiate with Abraham because he KNEW there wasn’t 50, 45, 40,30, 20 or even 10 good men? That there was only one and he planned on saving him? Aren’t there times when we deliberately set up a system for our children when we KNOW they will fail so it really doesn’t matter if they negotiate? We will never have to provide the new car because we know they will never get all As. Or am I just sticking a bad parent strategy on God?
I continue to think that this whole story, the one that started yesterday with Abraham’s all day feast and end with the destruction of Sodom is about hospitality or lack thereof. Either Abraham had taught Lot well or the customs of the men of Ur were just so much more gracious than the norm. Is the moral of the story – bad manners will get you killed? Isn’t that what our Proverb says? “Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men.” Or the very last two verses of NT today, “…For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, not only a few find it. “
The Pearls before swine allusion made me go info hunting. Here are some tidbits I found:

“Aphrodite's tears of joy, dew drops filled with moonlight, Krishna's wedding gift to his daughter, Cleopatra's love potion. The legends abound but one fact is undeniable, pearls are the oldest known gem, and for centuries were considered the most valuable. So valuable that the Roman General Vitellius allegedly financed an entire military campaign with just one of his mother's pearl earrings.
The Romans were particularly enamored of this gem of the sea and Rome's pearl craze reached its zenith during the first century BC when upper class Roman women (the lower ranks were forbidden from wearing them) wore their pearls to bed so they could be reminded of their wealth immediately upon awakening. They also upholstered couches with pearls and sewed so many into their gowns that they actually walked on their pearl-encrusted hems. The famously excessive Emperor Caligula, having made his beloved horse a consul, decorated it with a pearl necklace.
Pearls have long been considered ideal wedding gifts because they symbolize purity and innocence.”
http://www.generousgems.com/i/education/pearl-information/
“The pearl in Judeo-Christian recordings refer to the pearl as symbol of Purity, Harmony, and Humility St. Augustine... after realizing that the pearl was not among the gems which signified the twelve apostles... declared that the pearl was reserved in this manner by God for Jesus Christ Himself”. http://www.karipearls.com/symbol.html
Does this mean we aren’t supposed to cast Jesus before non-believers? I am making the assumption that swine means non-believers since Jesus in Matthew was talking to a Jewish audience who would know that pigs were not to be anywhere near a good Jewish person. Sounds a little non-inclusive to me… How would non-believers ever learn about Jesus if we didn’t cast him before them? Aren’t we supposed to have thick skins when it comes to spreading the Gospel???
******If you have made it this far, we are 1/52 done with the Bible. Give yourself a big round of applause and know that you are doing good work. Do you know someone that could use a daily dose of the Bible? Please forward the link. They don’t have to catch up. They can start right where we are. God will honor all their work in the vineyard just as he does yours. A Blessed Sabbath to you all.

January 7

2012-01-06T21:54:00.000-05:00

I continue to find it amazing how the scriptures ‘track’ one another. In today’s Matthew section, the Sermon on the Mount ends with these quick bites of sayings. Vs 19-21 is the storing up treasure quote. Then in the Proverbs, we again have storing but this time it is not monetary treasures, it is God’s commands. This is a ‘hidden treasure’, not the kind moths and rust destroy.
And the Genesis passage is all about being pregnant or not as the case may be while the Psalm uses the ‘pregnant with evil’ analogy. It feels strange to me how the scriptures intertwine.

In the OT passage, it is all about how important Sarah, The Princess, is. Clearly, even in her old age, she was exceedingly beautiful. Pharaoh took her in a previous passage and in day after tomorrow, a king of Gezar is going to take her again. But she was flawed. She had no children. She also did not command her slaves very well. Later, we will see with Jacob how each of his wives handles the pregnant servant girls without a Biblical commentary. What was wrong with Sarah? I am not sure it was Sarah. I think it was really Abraham. He was the one who did not see her importance. Heck, he keeps giving her away! He didn’t take her part when Haggar treated her badly. He is the first one to laugh about Sarah having the baby. She got chastised but he laughed first. God told him Sarah was the mother of the blessing and he is still worried about Ishmael. What about gratitude for the gift she is going to be given?
But what would you expect from a man that is told by God/angels to leave his home, so he does. To circumcise himself and all the males, so he does. In a little bit, to kill his son and so he does everything but the slash. In my 21st century worldview, I am glad I am not married to him.

A tiny bit about the hospitality scene: notice that when Abraham addresses them, he addresses the one who has prominence with the uncapitalized words ‘my lord’. If we were reading Hebrew, it would be very obvious that he did not know that he was entertaining God. This apparently is how Abraham treated everyone. In desert hospitality, the water and the shade were what were expected. Abraham goes all the way with the milk, the cheese, the bread and later the calf. He had an all day feast for these strangers. Clearly extraordinary behavior. From Letters to the Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it”. Something to ponder in this day and age when we seldom bring anyone into our homes. Probably, because you might see dog and cat hair on the floor, some unmade teenage boy beds, books and computers scattered about, and possibly a large amount of unfolded laundry. So, just in case an angel shows up tonight, I am going to fold the wash and put it away.

January 6

2012-01-05T20:35:00.001-05:00

Psalm 6 is really an amplification of the first stanza of the Beatitudes that we read yesterday. Even in our worst moments, the Lord is there with us. I find that really comforting. I have had some really bad moments and I have to say, lots of them come during the night. I do not know why that is but 3 AM is my witching hour. I can really work into some majoring worrying, self-arguing, self-deprecation at 3. Here is a trick that someone in my Sunday School class told me years ago. He said that when these times come upon you, claim whatever it is that is troubling you as a blessing and give thanks for it. Most of the time, I can do this. The death of my brother Nathan is one I haven’t yet been able to be grateful for.
Then, after you have given thanks for that blessing, start listing your other blessings. You will fall back asleep and the moment will pass as you lie in God’s arms. That is what I think Psalm 6 says to us.

And after feeling all snuggly and warm from that wonderful Psalm, I bumped into the Matthew passage. Vs 38-42 really punched a hole in my feel-good attitude. How hard is that? Who can hold their hand to their side when someone punches them, symbolically or not? Or the giving thing. Today, I talked to one of our chain operators who had to fire someone for stealing. She said that if the employee had asked, they would have loaned her the money. That they had never refused an employee loan. When I asked her why, she said this “Grady (that is the owner) follows the Gospel. “ I think she was talking about this passage. But do I do that? What about all the charities that call? Or the beggars at the MARTA stations? I pass them by. Not without a pang, I assure you. But I expressly don’t do that.
I think I have read the Sermon on the Mount probably 50 times. I once heard my preacher give the Sermon without any notes. Now that was amazing. But the words and the images and how far I am from walking the path of Jesus still rumples my soul. I seem no closer than I was at 20 when I first studied this section of the Bible.

And just a couple of points about the OT reading: Vs 18 with Melchizedek is an important passage. Doesn’t that look like Communion to you? So I looked up Melchizedek and here is some of the information I found:
1. Many of the early rabbis quoted in the Midrash (the Jewish book of commentary written in the early 1 and 2nd centuries on the Torah), think Melchizedek is Shem, Noah’s son. And that the place that he is king of “Salem” is actually Jerusalem. If that were so, Shem would be 465 years old (still alive according Genesis 11:11) and Abram would have been 75. They think this because of the Hebrew word Kohen which is given to Shem by Noah after the wine incident. That same noun is what is translated as ‘priest of God Most High” in 13:18. Shem was the first priest according to some rabbis. Others argued for Adam although he was never given that title.
2. Melchizedek is also mentioned in Psalm 110 which was comparing King David to Melchizedek as far as being a High Priest. Why this is so fascinating to the rabbis is that neither Shem nor David is of the Aaronic priestly line. Even in early 1st century commentary, the rabbis were arguing against the whole priestly regime in Jerusalem and did not mourn its passing after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. Were the priests of the Temple in Jerusalem not worthy? Sure sounds like it! Something to remember when we get to the Jerusalem scenes with Jesus and his followers.
3. Melchizedek is mentioned one other time, this time in The Letter to the Hebrews in the NT. That compares Jesus to Melchizedek as High Priest. You will also note that Jesus is not of Aaron’s line and therefore did not qualify to be a priest in the Temple.

And as a side note, please comment. My page count is showing views but few comments. There is much debate at the McAdam dinner table as to whether the page views are real or ‘bots’. Since I don’t know what a ‘bot’ is and really don’t want to find out, let me know that you are out there and reading. There are instructions for posting in a previous post or if you would rather, you can email me at : Sylvia.mcadam@yahoo.com

For me, I am going to fall back to lovely Psalm 6 in the comforts of my Lord’s loving care. Blessings to you.

January 5

2012-01-04T19:52:00.000-05:00

The New Testament scripture is the first of 3 parts of the Sermon on The Mount. This part of the scripture contains the Beatitudes. First a disclaimer. I worked all summer long on the Beatitudes since I am teaching this to the Women of Mt Vernon Presbyterian all year long in Presbyterian Women. I know way more about these 8 verses than I do lots of books of the Bible. So this is a cheat.
First, this is a poem. It is definitely one of the "Sayings of Jesus" that constitutes the Q part of Matthew and Luke. There are 2 stanzas and a coda. The poem is about 2 different people. The first stanza is verse 3-6. It is describing a person who is in terrible crisis. They are extremely poor, mourning a loved one, beaten down by the powerful, and longing for justice. God loves this person and will lift them up. Maybe not in this life, but God has not forgotten or abandoned them in their crisis. The second stanza (verses 7-10) is about someone who is in relative stability. But in order to be blessed by God, the person has to show mercy, work on renouncing sin, making peace rather than discord and helping the ones who are looking for justice. At various times in our lives, we are either one of these peoples. At no time are you abandoned by God. But if you are a stanza 2 person right now, you've got obligations. Stanza 1 people just have to hold on.
The word Beatitude is a conflagration of two words -- beatify and attitude. Beatify means to glorify God. So a Beatitude is glorifying God no matter what your circumstances. You might not be able to avoid being oppressed but you can praise God. Easy to say, hard to do.
And just a thought on the finish of the Proverb that arched from yesterday to today -- I cannot help but think of the folks in New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York this summer who ignored the storm and didn't prepare. Or how they ridiculed the City of New York for shutting down the subway. "Nothing happened..." (Would they rather have a train operator injured so they could have the possibility of getting to their deli on Saturday???) We seem to have a mental block about being prepared. I personally know people who would rather die than leave the Emerald Coast of Florida even when a hurricane shows a direct hit. Wisdom would have us prepare and even, yes, evacuate when the powers that be say go. That is why She was busy waving her arms and yelling at us. This is true about much of life. Sometimes, just the prep work is a teaching moment for us and/or our children. Planning, budgeting, scheduling, having an escape plan. You hope you never need it but it is great to know that you have a Plan B and you've practiced it enough times that everyone knows their part and how to execute it. I am thinking I am going to jump up and do a fire drill.

January 4

2012-01-03T20:35:00.000-05:00

Today, when I read the Psalms section in my NIV translation of the Bible In a Year, I read it 4 times. I had absolutely no idea what the poem was talking about. I should go ahead and admit that I am poetically challenged. You know, when your children come home from 1st grade and ask for help on those dotted line papers rhyming snow and grow with blow and show in a ‘meaningful poem’? My two boys had to go back to Mrs. Peek’s with crap. I have a really hard time with meter, stanzas, alliteration, but most especially similes and metaphors. Why can’t you just say what you mean?
In today’s Psalm, I could not tell who was talking and what they were talking about. It seemed all over the map. What should I do?
Here’s what I did.
I ran to my bookshelf and pulled down the Good News Bible.
The Good News Bible is not a direct translation. But it was published in 1976 with the intention “to state clearly and accurately the meaning of the original texts in words and forms that are widely accepted by people who use English as a means of communication. It does not follow the traditional vocabulary and style found in the historic English Bible versions.”
I am assuming that you are like me and that there will come a time when you just don’t understand what the heck the scripture is saying. When that happens, go get another translation. Pull down the Living Bible or The Message. Read the scripture and see if the change in words, change in centuries, change in style helps.
Now, I can hear all the Bible snobs out there shaking their heads over, gasp!, using The Message to study The Bible. But the truth is, what we are undertaking is the long haul. We are ‘simmering in The Word’. If you get frustrated, you won’t simmer, you will jump straight out of the pan and go back to reading your sports page or your romance novels.
If you have another suggestion for those of us who are hopeless at poems or clueless at prophesy or whatever, leave a post with your favorite solution. You never know. Someone could be on the edge of the pan right now.
Just in case you are, here is the Good News translation of Psalm 4:

An Evening Prayer for Help
Answer me when I pray,
O God, my defender!
When I was in trouble, you helped me.
Be kind to me now and hear my prayer.

How long will you people insult me?
How long will you love what is worthless and go after what is false?

Remember that the Lord has chosen the righteous for his own, and he hears me when I call to him

Tremble with fear and stop sinning; think deeply about this,
When you lie in silence on your beds.
Offer the right sacrifices to the Lord, and put your trust in him.

There are many who pray: “Give us more blessings, O Lord, Look on us with kindness!”
But the joy that you have given me
Is more than they will ever have
With all their grain and wine.

When I lie down, I go to sleep in peace;
You alone, O Lord, keep me perfectly safe.

Here is a website that lets you put in the passage and choose from zillions of translations which to look at. Go check out The Message’s take on Psalm 4.
http://www.biblegateway.com/

January 3

2012-01-02T19:42:00.000-05:00

OT- A few things about this reading. My favorite verse in the OT occurs here -- it is Genesis 5:24 and it refers to Enoch walking with God and then he was no more. I love that. Especially since it doesn't say that Enoch was especially good or whatever. God just liked to walk with him and then he wasn't.
The Nephilim -- this also got me into trouble at church and not as a child. There is a great book by Madeline L'Engle called Many Waters that uses the whole Noah and Nephilim saga as a jumping off point. It is tough for me to read the Biblical reference without that coming up in my face. I remember thinking as a child that Angels must really, really be frightening, otherwise, why on earth would the first words that come out of their mouths always be "be not afraid" unless they were really scary. And if the Nephilim were fallen angels as The Book of Enoch (in the Apocrypha) states, they would really be super scary. Being Presbyterian, not one but 2 of my pastors have squashed my thoughts on the Nephilim being angels. But clearly they are SOMETHING, and not human.
And this is my take on the Noah story. I have chickens. 9 Hens. They most definitely have personalities. I have 1 mean hen. I get that Noah was good and so God saved him. But if I were God, how would I pick between the 8 sweet hens? I have to assume, having also a dog and cat, that dogs and cats fall into the same idea. Some are good and some are just plain wicked -- yes, just like Herod. I have had a dog (Coal, aka Fatdog) that loved certain people and just absolutely HATED others. And the ones he hated, well, let’s just say you shouldn’t leave your shoes around where he could get to them. So, how do you pick just 2 dogs and 2 cats? And did they deserve to perish because men were hideous? And what about the trees??? This is one of those stories in the Bible that my job is simply to remember. I cannot understand the why of it so I am just going to remember it. But it is hard. Maybe it is supposed to be.
NT – the juxtaposition of the phrase “this is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” next to the temptation cannot be casual. I take this to mean that Jesus, just like us, has highs and lows and they can happen virtually back to back. But do you think it was also meant to fortify Jesus for what he was about to endure? Sort of a coach’s pep talk before the big game?
Psalm – I had to look up again what Selah means. The Catholic Encyclopedia says that no one is quite sure what Selah means. The common assumption is that it means ‘stop and reflect’. But it could also mean a musical interlude and could be a notation to the choir to hush while the stringed instruments did their thing. It could also be a form of AMEN which literally means ‘so be it’. Or if you are a BattleStar Gallactica girl “so say we all”. At any rate, in our psalm today, we have 3 Selahs in 8 verses. That seems like a lot. This poem is a typical Hebrew poem that uses opposing couplets. Verses 1 &2 are opposed by 3 &4. Verses 5 & 6 are answered by 7. If I were writing it, 7 would have gotten a Selah. 8 is really just the benediction. For 8 verses, this little poem packs a mean wallop. Broken teeth and jaw.
Finally, the Proverb which my dad would have summed up in 2 sentences. “Son, be careful who you hang around with. The crowd can take you places that you just don’t want to go.”
Blessing on your readings.

January 2

2012-01-01T21:13:00.001-05:00

Day 2 and Evil enters our study. I find it amazing that in both the OT and the NT readings for today, we have schemers and evil-doers. My translation calls the serpent ‘crafty’. This is the definition of crafty in Dictionary.com: skillful in underhand or evil schemes; cunning; deceitful; sly.
The nuance of that word is hard to deny. In my world, we call that a ‘pot-stirrer’. Just wanted to see if they could push the others into getting into trouble.
Now, Herod, on the other hand, is WICKED.
Dictionary.com again: evil or morally bad in principle or practice; sinful; iniquitous: wicked people; wicked habits. 2.mischievous or playfully malicious 3.distressingly severe, as a storm, wound, or cold: a wicked winter. 4.unjustifiable; dreadful; beastly: wicked prices; a wicked exam. 5.having a bad disposition; ill-natured; mean: a wicked horse
Herod ranks right up there with Hitler, Stalin, and Pol Pot. Someone challenges you, kill them. And any other that may avenge or could possibly be like them.
What is so chilling about the story of Herod killing all the baby boys in Bethlehem is the casual, offhanded way that Matthew treats that story. There is no elaboration, no sidewalk gawking, it is just cold hard facts with a little bit of prophesy thrown in. There is no extra-Biblical evidence that this killing actually happened but in every account that I read regarding Herod, the common phrase was “it would have been totally in character for the Herod to commit such a terrible act”. 1
You have to be careful with the Herods. The Herod of Jesus’ birth died soon thereafter of a terrible cancerous disease – too bad. He left his kingdom to three of his sons after killing 2 others just before he died along with at least one of his 10 wives, possibly 2 others. One of his sons that survived the execution cycle was named Herod Antipas and this was the Herod of Jesus’ trial and execution.
I don’t know any wicked people. (Thank you, God!) I know a lot of pot-stirrers. Heck, sometimes I am the pot-stirrer. What makes a p-s shove all the way over to wicked? Is it getting caught by God like the serpent? I mean, the serpent ended up pretty bad. I am one of the few people I know that really likes snakes. The Hispanic workers that cut my neighbor’s yard killed my big 6’ black snake one summer. They kept shouting “El Diablo, El Diablo” (the devil, the devil) and nothing I could do would convince them not to kill him. He wasn’t even poisonous. But he was, in their culture, a manifestation of the Devil.
Or does it really take another poison, say, power or money, to push someone to evil? If I had been in Herod’s position, would I have ordered the killing of the babies? It truly is a frightening thought. How far do you have to go to become like that? What about the rest of the Genesis reading? Revenge. Jealousy. Cain. Evil.
In our psalm today, God tells the way to get great power, money, influence, possessions:
Vs 8:” Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.”
That is how you come out on top. By following the Lord. And from our Proverb :”the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom”.
1:http://www.livius.org/he-hg/herodians/herod_antipas.html

How to comment

2012-01-01T09:56:00.001-05:00

After having gotten several emails and 2 telephone calls, here is how you comment on this blog.
Click on the tab that says Comment. Then write your statement. Click Publish. Then your computer will ask you how you want to comment. Click Google Account. All you need is an active email address. There is a form to fill out, you answer and enter a password and verify a silly word. You've created a Google account.
What is this used for? Well, when you have made a comment and others want to know more about you, say, your email address to send you a comment privately, they click on your icon (mine still has no picture....) and it brings up your stats. You do not have to provide much information. Or you can be really out there and give it all. I fall more to the privacy side. I do give my email, I do list my blog.
Once you have created the Google account, anytime you want to comment, you will enter your email and password and the computer knows it is you. You do not have to fill the form out every time.
Have further questions? Email me: sylvia.mcadam@yahoo.com

January 1

2011-12-31T20:16:00.000-05:00

How old were you when you realized that there were 2 creation stories and that they didn’t match up? For me, I was in the 5th grade. You may have remembered that year, it was the year that Chariots of the Gods was released. My mother took Alfred, Debbie and me to see that movie and I was fascinated. Even more so when Mother casually mentioned that there was a BOOK that the movie was based on and nothing would do until she would take me to Aardmore Books which used to be in the Whole Foods Shopping center at Hammond and Roswell Roads to get that book.
I devoured that book and was desperate to talk to someone about it. Unfortunately, the person I chose was Belle DuPont, my Sunday School teacher who was 109 years old. There is one section that describes Ezekiel’s vision of a wheel of light in the sky as an alien spaceship and I wanted to know what she thought about that. (You have to know, I was a HUGE know-it-all as a child. I now really feel sorry for the vast majorities of my teachers who had to suffer through life as my teachers.) Mrs. DuPont pointed one skinny finger at me and said I was a HERETIC and to get out and never come back. So I did. Church was the same time as Sunday School and I just stayed in church with my dad.
I started looking everywhere in the Bible for traces of alien visitation. And I found some but I also discovered the 2 creation stories. Which led me to the creation stories of other religions and ancient civilizations. Like the giant turtle of Thailand or the sky warriors of Native Americans.
And eventually, that quieted all my angst about the two stories in our Bible. It sounded like family arguing over the ‘real’ story and since that is ever present in my life, I was totally at peace with people being created on the sixth day or having just the man being created near the beginning of creation with the woman showing up way late. Everyone just wants to know where they come from
Which is really appropriate to today’s Matthew reading that lists Jesus’ genealogy. Nothing I have ever read has Jesus spouting off that he is the son of so and so other than to shut his disciples up for saying he is the Son of God. But the people in Matthew’s congregation really needed Jesus to be somebody and somebody special as in the direct descendant of David even if it came through the daddy that really wasn’t his daddy.
And as a feminist, it pains me to read the 5 women listed in the genealogy. We have Tamar, who disguised herself as a prostitute to Judah to get pregnant –finally! after 3 unsuccessful marriages to his sons. We have Rahab, who I get is an Israelite heroine but she gave up her city. And she was a prostitute. Ruth, well, she is supposed to be some sort of virtuous but I think we just don’t know what that little saying, ‘lie down at his feet’, really means. Sort of like someone reading a transcript of my teens talking about ‘doing the wild thing’ which is their code for having sex. Don’t get me started on Bathsheba and her bathing. Didn’t she know other people could see her? Like the king? And Mary, poor sweet Mary. Just give in. I hope she did not know that Jesus was going to die like he did. Hard enough having to raise the Son of God. Better not to know about the death scene.
But in truth, it really doesn’t matter who your daddy or great-great-great granddaddy was. Or, even where you come from. What matters, like today’s Proverb is that you “acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair”. That is what we are attempting this year. To discipline ourselves to reading scripture in the hopes of learning what God would have us do to lead a better life.

The Gospel of Matthew

2011-12-30T20:11:00.000-05:00

The Gospel of Matthew
First, what does “Gospel” mean? It comes from the Old English word god-spell, meaning good news or glad tidings. It is specific to the good news of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of Matthew is one of four canonical gospels and one of three synoptic gospels. Canonical refers to the books that were approved by the Council of Rome in 382 CE and the Synod of Hippo in 393 CE. There are other gospels but they were excluded from the list due restrictions that were placed on what could and could not be included.
Synoptic gospels refer to Matthew, Mark and Luke for the main reason that so much of the material is the same (prefix –syn- meaning same, opt-related to eyes). This is as opposed to the Gospel of John which presents a different viewpoint of Jesus, his life and his ministry.
Most scholars do not believe that the apostle Matthew wrote the book. This is because of the dating of the book is usually placed between 75-90 CE. It is probable that Matthew did collect some sayings of Jesus and that these were included but most of Matthew is a direct copy of Mark. If Matthew was an eyewitness (and Mark was not), surely Matthew would have included more detail, more intimate knowledge, and really, more different material. The additional material in Matthew and also in Luke is called “Q” for quella meaning sayings. These are the sayings of Jesus that are common to both Luke and Matthew although they do appear in different places occasionally. An example would be the Beatitudes.
What we do know is that Matthew was written by someone who was immersed in Jewish history, story, legend, and prophesy. He was also writing to an audience of like-minded people since he almost never explained any of the customs or traditions that are so causally thrown in.
The background of his congregation is one that is experiencing severe financial stress. We talk of Jesus’ statements on money as prevalent over his statements on marriage simply because it was the focus of attention to what passed for middle class and definitely for the lower and bottom classes of society in the Roman world of 70-90 CE. If this is what you are experiencing, this is what you write about.
Rome burned twice during this period and the emperorship changed hands 8 times. Taxes were somewhere between 50 and 75% for any of the Roman provinces. Rome itself was exempt from taxation. Every time a new emperor came to power, the title came with extremely large payments to the Praetorian Guard and the troops. These funds came sometimes from booty from wars but by this period, mostly from taxation from the provinces.
Matthew was written in Koine Greek. This means “common Greek” especially the language that used for writing in and around Alexandria, Egypt. Our oldest piece of a manuscript containing Matthew’s gospel is from 250 CE and is called the Chester Beatty. It has parts of Matthew. The oldest intact manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew is from 325 CE and is called the Codex Vaticanus, closely followed by Codex Sinaiticus.
http://www.usefulcharts.com/religion/oldest-new-testament-manuscripts.html
The Codex Vaticanus and the Codex Sinaiticus form the bases from which our modern day translations arise.
What is unique about Matthew? Well, for one, which is extremely relevant to modern day America, Matthew is the only gospel with Magi, hence our extravagant gift buying at Christmastime. Actually, the whole of the infancy narrative is uniquely Matthew. While Luke does have parts of the birth story that is somewhat close to Matthew’s, there is none of the Magi nor the travel to Egypt.
Only in Matthew does Peter attempt the water walk. Don’t try that one on your own, folks. Wait for Jesus.
The Beatitudes are greatly expanded in Matthew but do not contain the woes of Luke.
Many of the unique teachings in Matthew are directed against the leadership of the Jewish rulers such as the Pharisees and the scribes as well as against oath making and hypocrisy in ritual activities. To some scholars this suggests and anti-Jewish slant.
Sources:
Wikipedia, Harper’s Bible Dictionary, the Catholic Encyclopedia http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/, list of Roman Emperors http://www.roman-emperors.org/impindex.htm, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon, Palestine in the Time of Jesus by K.C. Hanson

What is The Holy Bible

2011-12-28T20:21:00.000-05:00

First, thank you for your interest in The Bible in a Year (B-I-Y). I am really excited to share this journey with you. Second, there is NO GUILT in B-I-Y land. If you get the readings done, great. Some of the readings, well, that is good too. But even if you haven’t done anything, pop into the blog. Maybe someone will have words of wisdom meant just for you. And it will inspire you to get back on the path.
Before we start reading the actual Bible, I decided to take a fresh look at just what the Bible actually is.
Here is what I found out, along with my sources.
The actual name is The Holy Bible. It is the number 1 best selling book of all times with approximately 1.7 BILLION copies sold. It has also been translated into the most languages of any book.
The Bible is a collection of books. The word “bible” comes from the Latin meaning book. Which is why, when my sons Matthew (18) and Cole (15) took Spanish, the word biblia means book, any book. The Latin word is actually a derivation from the “Greek word βιβλίον . It had the literal meaning of "paper" or "scroll" and came to be used as the ordinary word for "book". It is the diminutive of βύβλος bublos, "Egyptian papyrus", possibly so called from the name of the Phoenician port Byblos (also known as Gebal) from whence Egyptian papyrus was exported to Greece. “1
There are 66 books in the Protestant Bible. We will read each of these. The Catholic and some Episcopalian Bibles include additional books known as the Apocrypha. I have read these books and love them, particularly the additional Esther passages and for a really good feminist Bible book, read Judith. However, we will not be reading those this year.
Experts disagree (are you surprised??) on when the books of the Bible were written. Most of the current research dates the earliest sections of the Bible (the tales of the patriarchs, Exodus, Sinai, and the wilderness wanderings) to 1000 BCE. The last book to be written was either Hebrews or Revelation in the early second century CE. The literature that we will be reading is a translation, mostly from Hebrew in the OT and mostly from Greek in the NT. We do not have original sources for our translations for the most part.
Most of the OT comes from a 10th century compilation called the Masoretic Text. This was developed by rabbis and is considered the authoritative text on the Jewish scriptures. It is interesting to note that the Dead Sea scrolls do contain earlier versions of some of the Jewish scriptures but especially the Isaiah passages are virtually identical. This speaks to the incredible training that rabbinic students had in the oral traditions and scholarship in the Diaspora.
The NT is a bit different as we have lots of different manuscripts, translations, and traditions. I found 2 interesting YouTube videos that follow this post.
There are multiple different types of literature in the Bible. There is poetry, narratives, laws, wisdom literature, songs, erotica, letters, mystic writings and, everyone’s favorite, apocryphal literature. Some are easier to understand than others. Sometimes, you just have to keep plugging along and hoping that maybe, just maybe you will understand – like when God told Joshua to kill all the current inhabitants of Canaan….
No matter what, where, when, the most important questions to me are always WHY. And that, my fellow journeyers, is why we are reading this amazing collection this year. Why was God important to them and why is that important to me. I just about can’t wait for Jan 1!
Sources: 1:Wikipedia direct quote from Bible page, Harper’s Bible Dictionary copyright 1985 http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/Masoretic.html

Where did the New Testament come from Part 1

2011-12-28T20:20:00.002-05:00

Where did the New Testament come from Part 2

2011-12-28T20:20:00.001-05:00

The Beginning

2011-12-15T17:05:00.001-05:00

Beginning January 1, 2012, I am going to attempt to read the Bible in one year using The NIV version of The One Year Bible. My intention is to work on this for 30 minutes in the evening and 15 minutes in the morning every day. I hope to have followers who will pop in when they can or even to follow the journey with me.
I have thought about what my goals are. If you know me, you know I am a FlyBaby (www.flylady.net) and babysteps are a major key to anything I attempt if I want to be successful. So, my goals for January are simply to post the the reading, do it and then post further if something strikes me. If I do this, a gold star on my kitchen calendar. It may take me longer than a month to establish this habit but that is okay. Any amount of Bible reading is better than what I did this past year. If you are following me, feel free to add your comments to that day's reading.
I have also spent some time thinking about WHY I am doing this. What I have come up with is that I am at a lull in my faith life. There is a tremendous amount of change going on in my real life and I have allowed all the worldly stuff to push aside my Bible studies. Reading the Bible in a year will give me structure, something I desperately need in order to stay focused. The blog will help me stay accountable.
I hope you will join me.