March 6

Redemption Song Lyrics
By Bob Marley
Old pirates, yes, they rob I
Sold I to the merchant ships
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the almighty
We forward in this generation
Triumphantly
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our minds
Have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them can stop the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look? Ooh
Some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fullfil the book

Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever have
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Redemption songs
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery
None but ourselves can free our mind
Woh, have no fear for atomic energy
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it
We've got to fullfill the book
Won't you help to sing
These songs of freedom?
'Cause all I ever had
Redemption songs
All I ever had
Redemption songs
These songs of freedom
Songs of freedom

OT -- Numbers 6:1-7:89
What do Bob Marley, Samson, John the Baptist, The Apostle Paul, and Jesus have in common?
They were all Nazirites.
What is a Nazirite?
According to Wikipedia, a Nazirite is someone who is set apart, holy, and has taken a vow for either forever or for a period of time.
During the vow period, the Nazirite (and it can be either a man or a woman) does not cut their hair, does not drink wine and does not go near a dead body.
I am sure you agree to Samson and John the Baptist. But the Apostle Paul, Jesus, and heck, Bob Marley?
Here is my argument.
Paul, being a devout Jew, knew all about the Nazirites. His teacher, Gameliel, even had someone swear a death vow (Nazirite til death) in front of him which made a HUGE impression as he wrote of it multiple times in the Mishnah (his commentary on the Torah). Paul shaves his head in Acts 18 ‘for a vow’ and accompanies a group of Nazirites to the Temple to fulfill the vow in Acts 24. (You remember that you must make mikvah (bath) and a sin offering at the Temple in order to complete the vow.)
Multiple times Jesus is referred to as Jesus, the Nazarene. Several of the commentaries I read on this claim that this was a mistranslation of Nazirite. I always assumed that it was because he was from Nazareth. But no one else in scripture is referred to this way, not even his father. They are referred to as Galileans (from the whole province of Galilee). Nazarene, instead, has messianic implications. Or some vow. Later on in Acts and in the extra-Biblical writings of Josephus, Paul and his followers are referred to as Nazarenes. And Paul clearly was not from Nazareth.
Jesus, however, does drink wine. He even changes water into wine. On at least two occasions so far, he has been questioned as if he were drunk. And he definitely does not shy away from dead bodies since he has revived the slave of the Roman centurion and the daughter of Jairus. Later in Luke, he will bring Lazarus back from the dead.
And Bob Marley. How does he fit in? Well, for one – check out the hair. Bob was a Rastafarian and most of them abstained from alcohol and did not cut their hair based on this passage. Also, while he did not abstain from wine, he did from meat for the same reasons – religious in nature. Also, he took multiple vows as a Rastafarian to bring peace and justice to Babylon (the western world).
But back to Bible Land: My Stone Chumash takes a different approach to the whole Nazirite experience. Rashi says that the whole purpose of the vow was to achieve spiritual gain. If this is true, it does not matter if Samson drank wine or approached dead bodies. Instead, we are to focus on whether or not he came closer to God as a RESULT of his vows. (Not sure that he did until the end but I guess we will work on THAT question when we read Judges).
If this is true, especially in Mark, Jesus appears to take NUMEROUS oaths. He also asks lots of people to take one as well, and it is repeatedly noted that no one is following his example. This was also true of the Nazirites. It was apparently extremely difficult to accomplish. The Mishnah records one time that a Queen Helena was weeks away from the conclusion of her seven year vow period THREEE times before she finally accomplished it 21 years after she had begun.
If the final oath that Jesus takes is at the Last Supper “I will drink no more wine until I drink in the kingdom of heaven”, it makes sense that Jesus refuses the wine on the sponge that is given at crucifixion. His Nazirite vow is to the death, his own. To save the world, he gives himself up.
What do you think?

March 5

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

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

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

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

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

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.