An Appropriate Proverb

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.
Proverbs 21:30

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

May 23

NT -- John 13:1-30
When I tell people that there only 7 stories in common in all four gospels, everyone is always astounded, even people I have been in Bible study with for years and years. Most cannot name them.
An old minister once told me that we 'conflagrate' the gospels which is why we have both shepherds and wise men even though they each appear in different gospels and not in both birth narratives.
Today's scripture is one that everyone gets wrong. THere is no last supper in all 4 gospels. Jesus only washes the disciples' feet in this one and there is no 'this is my body...'.
Just out of curiosity, can you name the 7 stories that all the same in all 4 gospels? Email me, comment me, send me a note, stop me at church. I will give the answer on Sunday. Feel free to 'cheat' by going through your Bible. Any way I can get you to open the Word is fine with me!!

As a child, I was totally grossed out with the feet washing. Oh, not because of the Penacostal side of my family that does that in church. It was the washing part. Even then I knew that sandal foot Jesus probably had dirty, smelly feet.
And that is the real point of this story. Only the lowest of slaves would wash someone's feet. Streets were filled with dung, sewage, debris. Touching someone's feet made you unclean. And the disciples called Jesus, Lord. What a stunning visualization for his poor still unclear disciples as to how and what Jesus had been brought to earth to do. And STILL the disciples will not get the next hours and days as Jesus is betrayed, tried, shuffled about and then executed.
We know they weren't dumb, so what was the problem?
Here again, I think John is illuminating a part of Jesus' character and also our response. The character part is hard for me to put into words but here is the gist of it. We cannot understand WHY God does the things he does and the things he DOESN'T do. God and by implication, Jesus, is unknowable, mysterious, and unfathomable. We have read this over and over again in the Psalms. 'Why have you abandoned me?' 'Why did you save me?' 'Why am I oppressed?' 'Why was I successful in my rout of so and so?' Constantly wondering why God is what and who He is. And yet, in our human minds, we want to know and we pin all sorts of human attributes on God. Jealous. Angry. Revengeful. We want him to do what WE want.

It is late and my mind is tired. The Psalm we begin is a long, long one. I think it is the longest in the Bible. Tomorrow I will have some resources for you as you study this psalm It's a doozie!!!

Grace and peace to you.





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