THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 9 – 2.08.09
2 Samuel 11: 26-12:15a
It is around 1010BC and the Hebrew people are trying to establish a nation. Their brilliant King David is bored one afternoon. He acts without thinking, but it’s the cover up which brings Nathan the prophet to the palace to explain the significance of David’s action. He explained that the God of the covenant required justice and that the rights of others had to be especially observed when they were easiest to ignore. The greatest lesson in the use of power the world has seen was given by the Man from Nazareth. But our early twenty first century world is back with David instead of Nathan.
Psalm 51: 1-12
Reading on the story of David and his genuine feelings of remorse we can see how it answers the questions of this Psalm. The more David thought about what he did the more he realised he could never repay or compensate for the hurt. But he was led deeper into the spiritual depths of the grace of God where there are no limits to the acceptance or forgiveness offered. So through Christ the King the world is offered forgiveness instead of grudge bearing and payback.
Ephesians 4: 1-16
This is one of Paul’s great statements about Christian unity as people of diverse backgrounds were being brought together in that infant church. Unity among Christians for Paul was both the will of Christ and his gift as people worked together. He had grown up with his Jewish background and was intensely loyal to it until he encountered Jesus. He became a new person, accepting differences in other people and rejoicing in the diversity of gifts each one brought to the church which he understood as the body of Christ. So a new kind of human was being created as the human family.
John 6: 24-35
All four Gospel writers include the feeding of the 5000, and Jesus himself goes on to speak of its importance. John sees such events in the ministry of Jesus as understandable when on considers the spiritual power and energy uniquely present in Jesus. “The work of God”, Jesus said, is that you believe, or tune in to the wavelengths on which we hear what God is doing. This is the bread from heaven which meets the spiritual hunger which is at the heart of what the human spirit needs for proper growth.
THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 10 – 09.08.09
2 Samuel 18: 5-9, 15, 31-33
The history of this time is extensive, as if those who are compiling the record can hardly believe how chaotic and dysfunctional tribal life was under David. His family life was a mirror of all these excesses which prompted open rebellion under his son Absalom. He had become the focus of resentment and led the forces of the northern tribes of Israel. David’s considerable sorrow at his death bears all the marks of his own confusion in a role that was quite beyond his moral strength. However, the promises came to be fulfilled but only because of the God of the future.
Psalm 130
This Psalm begins with such a genuine confession that we can well imagine how it appealed to Martin Luther. But it moves from his heartfelt confession to a testimony to the experience of forgiveness which comes from true repentance. Then it ends with that wonderful picture of how morning comes, faith survives, and the whole people through prayer bring redemption to the nation.
Ephesians 4: 25 - 5 :2
Paul is encouraging individual Christians to take seriously their chance to live the way of Christ in company with others. This is really living in the image and likeness of God. But he also has a further concern; Christian groups in that first century were a public example of something quite new. They had Jews and Greeks, men and women, masters and slaves meeting and sharing equally as members of the family of God. As such they were living an example of how humanity could live together in peace. The contrasts with our time are obvious.
John 6: 35, 41-51
Jesus has emphasised the importance of bread during his ministry, and how it has been used during the life history of the Hebrew people. Now he takes the example one step further, and explains how he, as God’s life-giver, is the bread of life. But the Jewish traditionalists find that a step too far and emphasise the humanity and family life of Jesus. So he accepts this rejection but goes on to be the sacrifice of the Passover. The living bread will die as the sacrificial lamb for the
THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 11 – 16.08.09
1 Kings 2: 10-12; 3: 3-14
David’s kingship of 40 years had established Jerusalem and fulfilled the Abraham promise of secure land occupation giving him his place in history. But there is still an “if” (3:14) as applying to persons and countries. Solomon, David’s son, after initial troubles, makes a choice of wisdom to distinguish his reign. This indicated a measure of humility and an ability to reflect on situations, giving his 40 year reign a period of peace and prosperity.
Psalm 111
This is one of the acrostic Psalms wherein Hebrew the half-lines begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The result is that there is no theme to follow but they give us a good picture of the faith of the covenant community. Their reflective nature fits in with the style of King Solomon, acknowledging God’s rule both in nature and human history. The greatness of the God of the Covenant is to be recognised and this is a theme that runs through the Old Testament biblical understanding of God especially we should note the last verse where the “fear of the Lord” is a constant Old Testament theme.
Ephesians 5: 15-20
There was great change over that last 30 years of the first Christian century. In 70 AD Roman administration turned against the Jews. The Temple was destroyed, and Jews were mostly driven from Rome. This made it easier for Gentiles to ignore Jewish rites when becoming Christians. Most of the New Testament appeared over this period, but the early leaders were giving way to others. Over this period the Church gave up that vivid expectation that Jesus would return any day. Paul wants his readers to look carefully at how they must appear to people they wish to attract.
John 6: 51-58
Jesus had been developing quite a dialogue with people around the northern tip of the lake. Now he takes his message a step further, challenging them in very graphic language to understand “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” (6:63b) For us, it means we try to absorb into our way of living and thinking what we are gradually learning about the way of Christ. It takes courage to attempt a life following the way Jesus lived, letting his peace and justice characterise our living. Naturally charges of cannibalism arose early on. But we should not let difficulties with the language turn us away from the mystery of the Eucharist.
THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 12 – 23.08.09
1 Kings 8: 22-30, 41-43
The Hebrew story now enters the nation building times of kingly rule. King Solomon builds upon the strategies of David in a more peaceful time. He trades with Tyre and embarks on a great building programme. In a great prayer of dedication of the Temple he acknowledges that nothing can contain God “much less this house that I have built”. This vision is of a God of such spiritual power that he could not be domesticated as a particular possession like a building or a group of people. However, he trusted the promise as he built “I will dwell among the children of Israel” (6:13) We too can understand how the spirit of Jesus can and really does live in his people, creating special places dedicated to his worship.
Psalm 84
This is a great song of the festival pilgrim who looks forward to the joy of being in the Temple. It becomes a place of safety and renewal where even a small bird may safely live. It is a companionable experience but personal too for the pilgrim sings of my King and my God. The desolate places are transformed thinking of the joy of arrival. Weakness gives way to strength, as God is in the person’s heart so their strength increases. This is a characteristic theme of Hebrew poetry, “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength”. Isaiah 40:29
Ephesians 6: 10-20
Paul’s advice is based on his analysis of “this present darkness”, or, “this dark world” (New English Bible). Because these are spiritual forces in control, the Christian must therefore develop the stronger spiritual powers which are a part of the Christian faith. Our “dark world” is different but its powers affect us. We have to deal with larger power blocs where their bases shift as if built on sand. But the deeper problems are world poverty, the struggle for food and living space and the resulting deadly conflict. The spiritual resources in the Gospel of peace are available for daily use.
John 6: 56-69
In Capernaum there was deep resentment at Roman rule and occupation and the belief that the role of the Messiah was freedom for the nation. Hence we can understand the reaction to the miracle of feeding people. John notes (6:15) their reaction. Jesus was to be king. In this reading Jesus returns to his theme that just as the Passover lamb began the movement for freedom under Moses he, Jesus, is to be the Lamb of God whereby the power of God meets human needs, and in a new creative act the human race can really live in the image of God. Jesus accepts that some would prefer an agenda of nationalism before really listening to God’s plan for salvation. But that was their choice.
THE BIBLE – LEARNING FROM MARK
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 13 – 30.08.09
Song of Solomon 2; 8-13
This section from the Song of Solomon is a springtime rhapsody where the bride describes the bridegroom’s message. Then the members of the wedding party join in this charming piece of Hebrew writing. Romantic poetry is sustained as bride and groom share equally their enjoyment of the present and their hopes for the future. Fast forward to the twenty-first century where the biggest single factor to darken the human race is probably where in one area after another, men deny to women full equality.
Psalm 45: 1-2, 6-9
We are given the probable occasion for this festive Psalm in verses 12 and 13 – a Royal Wedding between a groom from the Northern Kingdom of Israel and a Princess from Tyre. It is only when wishing the groom would live forever that something of the Old Testament realism appears. Then it is that the Almighty God alone is acknowledged as that which endures. Then it is back to the festival.
James 1: 16-17
James has been the leader of the Church in Jerusalem. Paul describes him (Galatians 2:9) as a pillar of the church. He had held the Christians together but now writes to the twelve tribes of the Dispersion. This acknowledges that persecution has been a hard experience. People felt they were under close and hostile observation, so the arguments he uses in this letter encourage people to take their faith seriously. He also encourages members to care for those less fortunate. Care for the poor has been a part of the Christian message from the beginning. It still is, and the constant advocacy of compassionate care has an enormous effect on world poverty.
Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-28
We can see from this occasion how the disciples were under constant observation. Jesus was objecting to the emphasis placed on simple actions to get a tick of community approval while a whole list of twelve evils are relatively ignored – because they are much harder to deal with. We can understand the importance of hand washing – especially on the emphasis since the threat of swine flu. But this is a matter of good hygiene, or as Mark quotes, a human precept. Whenever we study a bible passage we have to be alert to the cultural or human precepts and not make the same mistake as the Pharisees – we elevate them to the importance of “doctrines”
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