April 18

NT – Luke 19:1-27
It is the little details in Luke that make him so readable. And I will add, make Mark so dry. The story of Zacchaeus is a great example of that. We know ‘why’ Z wanted to see him, we know ‘why’ he couldn’t, and we know how he solved his problem. We also know what he did for a living, how well he did it, that he was Jewish and how his neighbors felt about him. We learn all this in 8 verses.
And this is a small story in Luke. But rich, rich, rich in the sort of things people who live in a visual world need.
This is not a fair comparison, but Mark doesn’t even have 19 chapters.
If we use the story of Blind Bartimaeus, basically all we know is that he is blind. No whys, no who or what he is, just his name and his condition. Jesus heals him, just as he healed Zacchaeus, by their faith in who Jesus was. But the story in Mark is stark.
And the climbing of the sycamore/fig tree. Okay, I have 3 fig trees in my yard. There is no climbing of their branches unless you are a very slim kitty cat. My fat Nicky cat would break the branches.

But that brought up all the verses we have read about the figs so far in our study. Adam and Eve with the fig leaves, Moses with the acceptable offerings included figs, the promise that the land would yield fruit, all the fig tree cursing.

Go check out this website and read more about WHY figs were so important in the Bible. And just so you know, having eaten my serious fair share of figs, I can attest to the digestive properties of the fig. May that give me long, healthy life.
Fig Website
Psalm 87
“This one was born in Zion.”
I have friends who are British who go back to England to have their babies even though they now live in America. Why? Because it is complicated to be a British citizen if you weren’t born on British soil. But also, because, they want their kids born in the homeland.
Seems the idea originated 2500 years earlier, at least according to the Psalm. This one was born in Zion, that makes him special. These others, hmmm, they were born during the wandering. Not so special.
Where were you born and was it special or just ho-hum, another baby? Somehow, to the mamas, I have to believe that whether you were born in London or Atlanta, in the desert or across the Jordan, you were special. Maybe not special enough for the pack, but special enough for her.

Grace and peace to you all.