This Sunday the lectionary invites us to ponder Mark 1:1-8. The English Standard Version titles it “John the Baptist Prepares the Way.” Verse 1 reads: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” What does “gospel” mean? How would you tell the good news? With what would you begin? What would …
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to ponder Mark 13:24-37.[1] The English Standard Version (ESV) breaks the passage into three sections: The Coming of the Son of Man, The Lesson of the Fig Tree, and No One Knows That Day or Hour. The Coming of the Son of Man (24-27) The first two verses tell …
This Sunday the lectionary invites us to ponder Matthew 25:31-46. The English Standard Version (ESV) titles it “The Final Judgment.” In Matthew’s gospel, it’s the last parable Jesus told in his last speech before his arrest, trials, judgments, and crucifixion. Here’s a quick summary: Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, and as …
In this post, I’ll answer the question I posed in my last post, Is Hamas using Jesus’ jujitsu? But first, I’ll say more about how we can engage in the work of ending oppression and bringing peace. Previously, I spoke about Jesus’ teaching. Here, I’ll expand on two things Walter Wink[1] says should be our …
Previously, I said we must read the parable of the ten virgins in light of the Israel-Hamas conflict. I said we must expect and prepare for hardship. I said that though apartheid is Israel’s avowed national policy, many Arabs in Israel work as lawmakers, doctors, and pharmacists; and some serve in the Israeli Defence Force.[1] …
On 7 October, the elected government of the state of Gaza – yes, I know that phrase contains at least three technical errors – sent shock troops into Israel. They brutalized, killed, and maimed, innocent civilians. The death toll exceeded 1,400 persons, both civilians and soldiers. They took hostages back into Gaza – by some …
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to reflect on Matthew 23:1-12. In this passage, Matthew reports what Jesus – in the Jerusalem Temple – said about religious leaders and applies it to church leaders. Jesus spoke about “the scribes and the Pharisees.” The scribes were people who did various kinds of work which required the …
If the pastor is young, drives a nice car, dresses well … Read More »
Today’s column is not about the lectionary text for this Sunday. It’s about the Parable of the Talents, found in the Gospel according to Matthew in 25:14-28 and in the Gospel according to Luke in 19:12-27. It’s a parable. I’ll tell it briefly. A rich man, before leaving on a long trip, gives money to …
Pak Bono says we misread the Parable of the Talents Read More »
This Sunday, the lectionary invites us to reflect on “the request of James and John,”[1] two of Jesus’ closest associates, to appoint them to the two most important positions in His kingdom. The text is in Mark 10:35-45. Whenever I read the passage, I think of why government ministers often ask their inner circle to …
Failed graduates of the leadership school of Jesus? Read More »
This Sunday the lectionary invites us to ponder the third parable Jesus used to answer the question religious leaders put to him: “By what authority do you do these things?” The passage is Matthew 22:1-14. The ESV supplies it the heading “The parable of the Wedding Feast.” As I said before, Jesus gave his response …
