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the historical character of Jesus - 3e Paul’s story of Jesus
the historical character of Jesus - 3e Paul’s story of Jesus
by SPCK - David Allen
Paul’s story of Jesus We are faced, then, with two points of apparent tension. On the one hand, Jesus seems to be a highly significant figure for Paul, or at least significant enough for him to assume portions of Jesus’ teaching and tradition within his own epistolary discourse…
Such blasphemous extravagance
Such blasphemous extravagance
by Andrew Pratt
Such blasphemous extravagance as limb is torn from limb; expense is unaccountable, is this the final sin? There is no god, yet pain is god, and God is very real, amid the carnage and the fear, the hatred that we feel And did God look through human eyes and touch with human hand…
You seem remote; come close, come near
You seem remote; come close, come near
by Andrew Pratt
You seem remote; come close, come near, God, not afar but close at hand, when we're alone, afraid to pray, our God, you take us by the hand. We cannot see, we do not know, when You are active in this place, small hands, the unexpected glance, bring help, bring healing, bring Your…
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - No Place for Divorce
Mark The Peoples' Bible Commentary - No Place for Divorce
by BRF - Dick France
No Place for Divorce Divorce—now and then In a society in which divorce has become normal and accepted, Jesus’ robust condemnation of it comes as a shock. But the same was true in his own day. While Jewish authorities debated the grounds for divorce, no-one questioned that divorc…
Genesis for Everyone Part 1 - Bigamy, Music, Technology, Murder
Genesis for Everyone Part 1 - Bigamy, Music, Technology, Murder
by SPCK - John Goldingay
Bigamy, Music, Technology, Murder Genesis 4: 18-22 A few weeks ago my wife and I were in an Italian restaurant and jazz club, listening to jazz or blues, and a woman came up and said she was a nurse and was glad to see that I took Ann there, silent and immobile in her wheelchair.…
LWPT Meditations - Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year A
LWPT Meditations - Fourth Sunday of Lent - Year A
by Susan Thorne
Meditation – Fourth Sunday in Lent Year A 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 23 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 I once resigned from a church because of its practice of shutting out God’s good daylight, especially the sunshine, and holding the services by the inferior light of fluorescent strip…
Hymn: Crooked wall and crooked people
Hymn: Crooked wall and crooked people
by Andrew Pratt
Crooked wall and crooked people, Amos pointed out the fact, called by God to hold a plumb-line, testing thought and word and act. Were they upright, understanding? Did they live by love and grace? Were they fair in all their dealings? Had God's loving left a trace? Verse 3 follow…
John The People's Commentary - The Son Gives Life & Judges
John The People's Commentary - The Son Gives Life & Judges
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
The Son Gives Life & Judges We now come to the first of the ‘discourses’ common in this gospel, sections of teaching delivered by Jesus. Speeches were used not just in ancient biography, but also in history writing to help readers understand the true meaning of what was happening…
John The People's Commentary - Your Brother Will Rise Again
John The People's Commentary - Your Brother Will Rise Again
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
Your Brother Will Rise Again It would probably have been a two day journey back across the Jordan to Bethany, a small village on the edge of Jerusalem. Jesus’ delay of two days plus the journey means that when he arrives Lazarus is not only dead and buried, but has been in his to…
John The People's Commentary - I Am the Bread of Life
John The People's Commentary - I Am the Bread of Life
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
I Am the Bread of Life After the miraculous feeding and Jesus walking on the water and the discussion about bread, attention is now focused on Jesus by his direct claim, ‘I am the bread of life’ (6:35). Since the gospels are a form of ancient biography, the focus will be constant…
John The People's Commentary - Eat my Flesh and Drink my Blood
John The People's Commentary - Eat my Flesh and Drink my Blood
by BRF - Richard A. Burridge
Eat My Flesh and Drink My Blood The debate between Jesus and the crowd since the miraculous feeding and walking on water has been exploring the text, ‘he gave them bread from heaven to eat’ (6:31). Like a rabbi preaching on the text, Jesus has taken each word or phrase in turn. F…
Drama: Be dressed, ready …
Drama: Be dressed, ready …
by Marjorie Dobson
Drama: Be dressed, ready … (Six people hear those words, but only one of them seems to fully understand their meaning.) Narrator: “Be dressed, ready for service …” said Jesus. But sometimes those words can be misunderstood. Car repair man: I will, but I’ll need to know what job i…
clouds and glory - Proper 13 - Year A