Living Open Source» Jesus

The Problem in the Text

Tim — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 08:40:48 +0000

In preaching class at college, we were told to look for the problem in the text. I was never very good at it but I think I found one this week. Jesus bunks off to pray, then leaves town, while a queue of the lame and looney stands hoping he comes back!

Mark 1:29-39

Sorry it is a bit late for most people preaching this week.

the Perils of Biblical literalism:– Fishing

Tim — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:50:02 +0000

What did Jesus really mean when he invited his first followers to leave their nets and start fishing for people instead? This week’s lectionary gospel reading is Mark 1:14-20.

Fishing for people

Mark’s first public act by Jesus is to call the disciples, who respond immediately and continue throughout the gospel to play a key part in the work of the kingdom that is here or near (or whatever your preference for vs 14 is). Far too often Christians have missed the point about what Jesus meant by fishing for people, trying to hook converts rather than make disciples.

Just a bit of light relief from the new commentary on Mark I have been reading!

Jesus the Jew

Tim — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:35:36 +0000

Jesus the Jew is the title of the first episode in Channel 4’s new documentary series Christianity: A history which aims to tell the story of Christianity from the perspective of eight individuals. Did you see it? If you had read Friday’s guardian then you had already read the script.

In this first episode Howard Jacobson, a Jew and fellow Mancunian, makes the case that Christians have treated Jews appallingly over history, because they have denied his Jewishness and as a consequence blamed the Jews for the death of Jesus.

Like others, though, I don’t think the programme interviewed widely enough. I’m sure they could have included interviews with Messianic Jews (Jews who have become Christians) for example. Theologians outside the Vatican might have helped too. The history of most religions is appalling. Can’t argue with that. And yes no doubt it in some way it shaped a world where the Holocaust was allowed to happen, but I felt the programme was trying to critique a Christianity of the past (even if it was justified).

Most of the books that have found a home on my shelf in recent times make the fact that Jesus was Jewish fairly fundamental to uncovering the meaning of the teaching and life of Jesus. Tom Wright, Marcus Borg, Dallas Willard, Rob Bell, all want us to base what we do with the life and words of Jesus on his Jewish context. He was a Jew and I think most modern Christians think that to be important.

Using a non-English speaking Vatican theologian to give the official “modern Christian” line seemed to show the producers hand a little. And why with all their research budget, were they quoting from a translation of the bible that is 500 years old? There are plenty of modern translations around. Or was this just another subtle way of discrediting anything the writers of the NT said? It seems the gospel writers aren’t the only ones who can spin the story when they want to! The various quirky video montages of old Jesus films were probably trying to to do the same thing.

Apart from these gripes, the concept of the series works for me. Personally I can’t wait for the next episode, even if I am little worried about the prospect of Cherie Blair being able to plot the future path of Christianity in her final episode.

If you missed the show or reside outside the UK, you can still watch it online.

A witness to the light

Tim — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:12:47 +0000

Last week I read many commentaries trying to explain away why anybody should eat locusts. Why these clever scholars thought it was at all interesting I don’t know. We have I’m a Celebrity get me out here so locusts really aren’t all that bad. This week’s lectionary reading (John 1:6-8) says something much more important about the man named John who was sent by God.

John, says John (a different one), “came to testify to the light”. It is amazing how many different versions of Jesus, the light, there are amongst Christians. This is something that Marcus Borg picks up on in his Jesus: uncovering the Life, teachings and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary. Funny how the books you casually pick up to read have an immediate impact on your thoughts for Sunday. He says:

How Christians tell the story of Jesus deeply affects how we see God and the Christian life

What kind of Jesus do our lives give testimony to?

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Investing – the Squirrel way?

Tim — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:26:59 +0000

I came across this little stash of acorns while out walking. Is this the best thing to do with your prize acorns in a recession?

Jesus seems to be suggesting, in The Parable of the Talents, that this is how many of us invest the abundance of what God sends our way. Out of fear we like to keep God out of harms way. Take no risks. Keep things as they are. To understand this parable you probably have to recognise that burying your loot in Jesus’s day was a perfectly sensible thing to do; like putting it in the Nationwide Building Society.

Many people are afraid of losing or endangering God and so seek to protect God from adventures, to resist attempts at radical inclusion that might, they fear, compromise God’s purity and holiness. Protecting God is a variant of not trusting God.
William Loader

Investing - the Squirrel way

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The Wedding Invitation

Tim — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:54:02 +0000

An invitation to a wedding is not something you usually ignore or forget. But that is Matthew’s challenge to those who were not recognising what Jesus was about. The parable in Matthew 22:1-14 isn’t as easy as Luke’s version.

What have you done with your invitation? Are you wearing the clothes of the kingdom, whatever they are?

The Wedding Invitation

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This image was made with Carrara.

Jesus does maths

Tim — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:23:42 +0000

Jesus gives his disciples a lesson in elementary mathematics. Exactly how many times should we be prepared to forgive? Time to reach for the calculators…

Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?

Matthew 18:21-35

Kingdom Keys – don’t lose them!

Tim — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:46:29 +0000

Having explained in parables what the kingdom is and what it is like, Jesus gives Peter the keys to it. The keys of the kingdom somehow therefore unlock the doors to this kingdom. (Matthew 16:13-20).

I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

Jesus has given us the keys to his kingdom. Just check back through Matthew’s gospel to see the kind of things these keys unlock.

Now don’t lose them!

The Lovely Pearl

Tim — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:48:32 +0000

The kingdom of God is to be sought out like the finest of pearls. One of Jesus’s artful stories told in this week’s lectionary: Matthew 13:44-52

The Lovely Pearl

You can download other sizes of this image from my flickr page by clicking the thumbnail. If you would like to join in this visual reflection on the lectionary, you can add your own images to the Lectionary Graphics flickr group.

This image was made with Carrara.

He is Risen

Tim — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:21:41 +0000

The women attend the tomb of Jesus. Amidst earthquakes and angels they discover the news that Jesus is Risen. Humanity 2.0 is launched? This week’s lectionary graphic goes with the gospel reading in Matthew 28:1-10.

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