The New Testament in 90 Days

As we enter Chapter 16 of Revelation, what I notice most is not just the plagues, but the fact that it seems that no matter what plagues are unleashed on the earth, people do not repent.  (This reminds me of the story of the Pharaoh and the people of Israel in Egypt.  God sends many plagues, and yet Pharaoh does not repent.  It also reminds me that the book of Revelation was written during a time of great persecution, and was written for a people who were being persecuted.) (Although I do think Christians have some challenges in the United States, as there are more people who do are hostile to the church or just apathetic, I define persecution in times of imprisonment, abuse and being killed for being confessing faith.) We are nearing the end of the Book of Revelation, and I can't say that I'm unhappy about that.  It's hard to read, for a number of reasons:  1)  the symbolism, some of which is pretty easy to follow, some of which is impossible to discern; 2) the violenc

In Chapter 13, there are two beasts -- one from the sea, and one from the land.  The first beast leads many astray, and the second beast persecutes many.  From the second beast comes the famous mark -- "666". It's worth mentioning that number "666", since so many people refer to it.  Some people try to read it as a code, and think that it might refer to a specific evil person.  Other point out that in Hebrew, numbers have meaning (for example 7 is the number of perfection, 3 represents completeness, and four is the number of the earth).  So 6 is one short of a perfect 7, and 666 might just mean "perfect evil." Again, in Chapter 14, John sees visions of the saints (the 144,000) worshipping around the throne of the Lamb.  I love the detail about the name of the Lamb and his father written on their foreheads.  They sing a "new song" in front to the throne (and here's something I'm going to remember too) no one can learn the song exce

In Chapter 10, the scene shifts to heaven again, and the most awesome angel imaginable appears on the scene.  John is not allowed to record what he hears from the roaring of the voice of the angel.  And he orders John to eat the scroll, and he finds it both bitter and sweet, like the Word of God contains both promises and commands, both comfort and judgment. This section of scripture is filled with strange and fearsome images.  We're no longer talking about famines and wars and plagues, but both worship and wars in heaven.  There are beasts and dragons.  So it's obvious that all of this is symbolic, not literal.  What are these visions about? In Chapter eleven a temple is being measured, and there are prophets.  Many people think this refers to the literal rebuilding of the temple.  other believe the the measuring and rebuilding of the temple refers to the growth of the church, until the end of the age.  Prophets will come who will testify to the truth of Christ's victo

In chapter seven, we switch, and again we see visions of heaven.  There are the 144,000 (okay, this is not a literal number, but it is 12 X 12 X 1000, which is a way of saying the fullness of those who will be saved -- and remember that 12 is the number of the tribes of Israel and of the disciples). And again, there is worshipping.  Especially the people who are worshipping are those who have come through persecution. Chapter seven closes with a promise:  "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Remember this.) But back on earth, the seventh seal is broken, and things begin to happen that no one prays for and no one hopes will happen.  Seven trumpets are ready to be blown and each will unleash a new plague on the earth.  The first four plages have to do with things that will happen in creation, and the last three will be plagues on the people.  And incredibly, the plagues do have something to do with the incense, the prayers of the saints.  Are the terrible thin

So, in Revelation, chapter 4, we start getting into the nitty-gritty of John's vision.  (One of my friends says that she's not sure what John was smoking, and yes, what he sees is strange, but...) Please note that the vision begins in heaven, not earth.  When we think of the book of Revelation and its visions of destruction, it's important to remember that there are other, alternating visions as well:  visions of worship, visions of the throne of the Lamb.  Those visions are just as important as the other ones (perhaps more so). So the scene opens with the throne of God (and seven of all sorts of things again).  If you can close your eyes and imagine, it's not only strange, but awesome, with a rainbow like an emerald, and a sea of glass.  There are creatures worshipping around the throne, and they are singing "Holy, Holy, Holy" (sound familiar?).  Many of our hymns come from the book of Revelation. In chapter 5 there is a scroll to be opened, and no one wo

The Book of Revelation (notice the singular) elicits strong reactions -- some people are absolutely fascinated by this book:  its strangeness, the visions and the violence.  Maybe it's the fact that it seems like a code they have to crack is what hooks them; perhaps it's the idea that this book holds keys (sort of like Nostradamus) to the end of the world There are others that think that it's the last book of of the Bible for a reason.  It is the last book they are interested in reading.  A few years ago when I offered a course in Revelation to our adult forum during the adult study, a few extra people showed up, just because it was the Revelation.  But one of our Bible presenters, a retired pastor and great theologian, asked me, "Why are we studying THAT?" Yet, here we are, and I hope that along the way we can clear up a few misconceptions about that book.  There are things to be decoded in it, and there are things that (contrary to what you may have heard) c

Today we're just getting 3 short letters:  two by "John" one by "Jude."  The letters are so short, there aren't even chapters.  Just a few short verses in each one.  Both 2nd and 3rd John seem to be written to individuals, one to a noblewoman and her children, the other to Gaius.  I'm a little suspicious (might I say) about the noblewoman.  perhaps the reference is to a congregation, as often churches are referred to in the famine.  Just a thought. In both cases, the theme of loving one another continues in both of these short letters.  s well, the letter writer wants to warn of people who don't believe that Jesus really came "in the flesh."  She teachers of the time believe that Jesus  only "seemed" to be human, and therefore could not have really suffered or died, either. Third John also wants to commend on leader and criticize another. Both positive community habits (the habits of love) and warnings about false teachers and

John's letter ends with these words:  Keep yourselves from idols. It's an intriguing way to end.  He hasn't said anything at all about idols in the letter, until this last sentence.  And there are those that say that John leaves the most important thing until last. What do you think? In the meantime, John continues to talk about love.  "Love one another, for love is of God.  Everyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  The letter writer makes the case that those who do not love their brother or sister (who they can see) cannot possibly love God, who they cannot see.  In fact, we love God BY loving our brothers and sisters. The letter writer also talks about testing spirits to see if they are from God.  The test is simple:  do the prophets confess that Jesus has come in the flesh or not?  If so, they are from God.  If not, they are not. The other thing I notice, reading this letter again and again, is that the letter constantly refers

Love one another.  This is one of the themes of the first letter of John.  Perhaps it is the ONLY theme of this letter.  Whether or not the "John" of this letter is the same as the "John" of the gospel, some of the themes are the same:  Abide in me as I abide in you;  Love one another as I have loved you.  The gospel and the letters of John are members of the same community of faith.  Some scholars have named it:  "The community of the beloved disciple."  So it makes sense that Love is one of the over-arching themes of both the gospel and the epistles. This short letter says the same thing over and over, and in different ways.  Some of the most well-known scripture passages in the Bible are in 1st John.  Lutherans will recognize verses from the opening chapter as part of their confession of sin:  "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."  What does this have to do with "Love one another?"  Perhaps c

The short second letter of Peter begins by remind us what it means to live as Christian people in the world:  moral excellence, self-control, endurance, godliness, affection for others, and love.  But this reminder has a larger purpose:  the author of 2nd Peter knows that we are in this faith for the long haul  The earlier letters of Paul spoke of the imminent return of Christ.  They believed and hoped that he was coming back soon.  but now, well, he's still coming back, but perhaps not so quickly:  so what do we do, in the meantime? We wait.  And we live.  And we live faithfully.  Which means.... we are on guard against false teachers, which are everywhere trying to lead us astray, by by teaching and by life style.  The author speaks about teachers who proclaim that there is no ultimate truth, and therefore no point to living a chaste and humble life. The two other things the author of 2nd Peter does are: 1.  he recalls the story of the transfiguration, remembering the mom

The next section of this letter begins by exhorting Christians in community to live in peace with one another.  It is not just about mutual submission of husbands and wives, but also brothers and sisters in Christ.  "Don't pay back evil for evil or insult for insult.  Instead, give blessing in return."  Imagine if Christians were known for just this kind of attitude.   The letter admonishes us to be patient in suffering and to consider Christ as our example as well as our savior. In this section the author also compares Baptism to the journey on Noah's ark, which was salvation and safe refuge for eight people.   He will keep us safe, somehow, even in the midst of terrible times. I have to admit that, as I continue reading the first letter of Peter, I have some discomfort with some of the author's advice, especially his advice to slaves to obey their masters and just keep taking the abuse.  Although this was certainly written at a different time than ours,

The Letters of Peter, James, John and Jude are called by scholars the "catholic" epistles -- because they don't seem to be written to any one church (as Paul's letters were) but seemed meant to be shared among many churches.  So they are not known by who they are to, but by who (supposedly) wrote them.  I say supposedly because not all scholars are agreed that every one of these catholic epistles was written by the person to whom it is ascribed. Aside:  the word catholic means "universal." That being said, there does seem to be a theme for this short letter.  It is written to a church, or to churches, that are experiencing persecution.  So there is a combination of the inspiration, encouragement an exhortation in this letter.  There's the wonderful images of the church as living stones, chosen, gathered up and built into a house by God.  Peter wants the people to remember that God first loved and chose them; this will help them to resist the temptati

The tone of James' letter gets even more serious in this section.  He exhorts and he warns.  James becomes not just a wisdom teacher, but a prophet as well, warning people about what will befall them if they do not repent and live humbly, as friends of the poor.  He warns as well about conflicts in the church, diagnosing that the source of conflict is our greed and our cravings.  I'm not sure that this is the only source of conflict among us -- but it certainly is one.  And in our particular context here in North America, there is so much to want, and so much temptation! James spends quite a bit of time chiding those who are wealthy, warning them that there is more to life than making a profit, and that "they can't take it with them."  What do you think of James' words? Are they relevant to us today? James ends his letter with instructions about how to pray, and especially how to pray for those who are sick.  "If any of you are sick, they should call

Here's a little secret:  Lutherans are not supposed to like the book of James, much.  It might be because the author seems to be arguing with the apostle Paul (someone Lutherans really LOVE) regarding salvation by faith alone.  The author of James (and some people think he might have been James, the brother of Jesus) seems to be picking a fight with Paul, saying, "Oh yeah?  Faith alone?  I say faith plus works!  Faith without works is DEAD!" But the argument is overstated, I think.  If we think of faith the way Luther (and Paul) did, faith in Christ Jesus is what raises us from the dead.  And, people who are alive do things.  They act.  Because they are alive.  But the works do not save us.  They are just what we do because we are alive. At least, that's what Paul would say. Even though I'm Lutheran, and even though I'll grant that the book of James wouldn't be the one book of the Bible I'd take with me if I could only take one book, I still harb

Like when I hear a good sermon (even though Hebrews is a letter, not a sermon), when I read this section of Hebrews, I sense that we are coming to the peak, the climax, the mountain, of the letter.  Here is where everything is leading, the encouraging and exhorting, the theological arguments for the superiority of Jesus as high priest and sacrifice.  Here we can sense so much the letter writer's desire that the people not give up, not turn away from their faith, even though (it seems) the times are tough and they are not seeing much evidence for the truth of their faith. By faith.  What is faith?  Generations of Christians have used this definition:  "The substance of things hoped for."  We believe in this we do not see, but we believe that they are coming, and we live differently because of it.  But there are things that we do know and have seen and heard about, and they give substance to our faith and our lives. The author of Hebrews recites a whole litany of people

That is what the author of Hebrews also calls Jesus:  the better sacrifice.  He intentionally sets Jesus up against the priests of the old covenant, and the sacrifices of the old covenant, and declares Jesus to be better, more effective, good Forever.  Because he is perfect (unlike any other priest), he is able to save completely, because he died and rose and is now seated at God's right hand, he is able to intercede continually for us.  That is one of his jobs. And this kind of priest, and this kind of covenant was foretold by Jeremiah, who wrote, "Look, the days are coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel.  I will place their laws on their minds, and write them on their hearts...."  So God always intended for this old covenant to become real. Some people think that this letter is written to Jewish Christians, who were considering abandoning their new faith, and returning to pre-messianic Judaism.  Sometimes the rhetoric makes me think so.  Wh

Next, the writer of Hebrews points out Jesus as a high priest:  and not just any high priest, but a high priest "after the order of Melchizedek."  What does that mean?  Melchizedek is a sort of shadowy figure from the book of Genesis, who appears mysteriously to bless Abraham, and then disappears again.  He is not apart of the formal line of priests.  He is prior to the levitical priesthood.  In fact, he does not even appear to be an Israelite.  But he is unique, like Jesus. The other priests -- they were good, make no mistake.  But they had flaws.  There were many of them.  There had to be many of them.  They all died, but Jesus continues for all time as our priest.  As well, unlike the other priests, Jesus is blameless.  He does not have to worry about his own sins or his own standing before God.  He fully sympathizes with our weaknesses, but he himself has been made perfect. Jesus is a priest, our high priest, which might seem a strange thing to our ears.  What do we n

The anonymous writer of Hebrews begins chapter three by comparing Jesus to Moses -- except Jesus is MORE worth of praise, more worthy of following.    Moses is the house, and Jesus is the builder of the house.  But now, we are God's house, the whole church, and Jesus is the one who has built us and is also our firm foundation. So, the writer continues, it's important that we hold fast to the covenant, don't get discouraged, don't harden our hearts.  He (or she?) reminds them of the story of the Israelites, wandering in the wilderness, and the promise of sabbath rest.  But there's more to the story than meets the eye.  Sabbath rest is about a literal rest from labors once a week, but it's more than that:  it's about entering God's rest, it's about trusting the faithfulness of God, whether in the wilderness or the promised land. So ultimately Jesus is God's sabbath rest -- the One who trusted God perfectly also offers us a Sabbath rest when we tr

We don't know much about Hebrews. We don't know who wrote it (very long ago it was ascribed to Paul, but his name is never mentioned in the greeting.  In fact, there isn't a greeting at the beginning, although there are some final greetings at the end.)  We don't know who it was written to, despite the fact that the title says it was written to "the Hebrews."  (Some people think perhaps it was written to Jewish Christians in Jerusalem; others disagree.) We're not sure when it was written, either. Some people even think it wasn't a letter, actually, but a sermon, an idea which sort of intrigues me.  I am also intrigues by the idea that perhaps Apollos wrote it, or even Aquila or Priscilla.  But don't mind me, I'm also the one who thinks that Lazarus could have been the "Beloved Disciple." Whatever else it is, Hebrews is a hymn of praise to Jesus.  The mysterious author makes the case for the uniques of Jesus as Savior and Son o

Today we have another short, personal letter:  Paul's letter to a man named Philemon. What I love about this letter is that, just like all good personal letters, we don't know exactly what i going on, because we only have one side of the conversation.  But we know that Paul's letter to Philemon has to do with one of Philemon's slaves, Onesimus.  Onesimus may have run away, or Philemon himself may have sent him to Paul.  But now Paul has met him, and he is sending him back to Philemon.  In the meantime, Onesimus has become a believer, and when Paul sends him back to his master, he asks him to consider Onesimus not simply as a slave but as a brother in Christ. Because of the delicacy of Paul's words (and the fact that it is only one side of the conversation), it's not clear whether he is trying to convince Philemon to set Onesimus free, or simply to treat him more fairly. And of course there's more going on, but this very short letter is a window not jus

Titus and the next letter we will read are similar in some ways, and very different in some others.  Titus is a church letter.  Philemon may also have been, but that's not why Paul is writing to him.  Paul is writing to Titus in his role as a leader of a church. The letter to Titus does not seem as personal.  It is concerned with church order and everyone's behavior.  Paul does not want the congregation members to give offense in the community, so advices master and slaves, older men and older women, and advises the congregation members to live in peace in the community as well.  Paul seems to be concerned that no one make waves -- he doesn't seem like the same person who once healed a slave girl who was possessed by a demon, because she was following them around and shouting.  He doesn't seem like the same person who made waves everywhere he went, until people say, "These people who have turned the world upside down have come here also!" But something is

At least, that's what I hear when I read this second letter he writes to young Timothy, his son in the faith. There's a sort of passing-the-baton going on here, with Paul giving advice to Timothy, and warning him about what and who to watch out for.  There's a little world-weariness (everyone who wants to live a holy life is going to be harassed, Paul says).  There is some sadness, as Paul lists off people who have deserted either him or the faith, or both. Getting old is not for sissies. Usually, when I say this I mean it's because of health issues, or because people who get old have to watch their friends die.  But in this case, Paul is getting older, and looking back and even though he can look back to all of the good things he's done, and his accomplishments, he also gets to look back and see the things that are not going well right now, too.  He sees those who used to be fervent in the faith, and now have cooled off.  he sees people who were well-thought-

That is what Paul is concerned about, and wants Timothy to know:  sound doctrine, and sound conduct.  There will be those who will be led astray by other teachers, tempted by demons, Paul says.  He specifically refers to sects that prohibit marriage (ascetics) and who forbid certain kinds of foods, and practice all kinds of self-denial.  So the sound teaching is that all things were created good and are to be used with thanksgiving to God. As for sound conduct, Paul is very concerned that Timothy's church live in such a way that they don't give offense to the culture that surrounds them.  So there's this extended conversation about widows, and who should be provided for, and who should not.  (I have to ask, though:  why are there so many widows, both young and old?) Paul is also concerned about the reputations of leaders, and what makes a good leader.  (This is a concern contemporary for us as well.  There are leaders who lead their flocks astray, and cause offense toda

Up until now, Paul's letters have been to congregations, religious communities, but today's letters (and others) are written to individuals, in this case, Timothy.  Since we have been reading in the New Testament, we know a little about Timothy.  He was a young man who had a Jewish mother and a Greek father, he traveled with Paul, and was much beloved by him. Now I'm going to tell you something that might seem a little confusing:  Some scholars don't think that Paul wrote this letter. They believe this because of some of the subjects Paul discusses:  the particular church controversies he mentions and the qualifications for bishops, for example.  And may I suggest that if this is Paul, the tone of the letter is much more said and (ahem) establishment-sunning than some of the earliest letters that we read.  There's not as much passion in this letter, although there's still a concern for good order and Truth. Then there are the pronouncements regarding women

Paul writes a second, even shorter letter to the church in Thessalonica.  Again, he encourages them, prays for them, admonishes them.  There are some great phrases in this short letter.  I love how he calls the Thessalonians "the first fruits", and how he tells them that God has chosen them "from the beginning."  Paul's perspective:  God chooses us from the beginning of time, but I don't think it's a simple determinism, the way we look at it.  But it's a way of looking at the world and our lives as a story that God is writing. The main reason Paul is writing back to the Thessalonians is this, though:  it's because the idea of "the end of the world" has infected the community with some unfortunate practices.  Some have even been telling them that the Day has already come, and some people think this is an excuse for lax moral behavior. So Paul tells them that no, the Day has not come yet, and there are things they ought to watch for,

In chapter 4, Paul continues to encourage the Thessalonians, and then he gets to the concern that is on his heart, and that he knows is on their hearts:  The Return of Jesus.  More exactly, what are they to think about Jesus' return now that some of the members of their congregation have died? So it's apparent that the first Christians thought Jesus was coming back very soon.  VERY soon.  So much so that they are taken aback when some from their congregation die, because they thought Jesus would come back before that happens.  But Paul has some comfort for them, and wants to let them know what he thinks will happens. Here's what he says:  those who have died will rise first, and then those who are still alive will go up to meet the Lord in the air.  (I suspect that this is where the term "rapture", which is not found in the Bible, originates.  I'm not sure why it came to be called "the rapture.")  As well, Paul cautions the church members not to

The Letter of Paul to the church in Thessalonica is the very earliest piece of Christian literature we have:  it is the earliest letter Paul wrote, and earlier than all four gospels.  So we have a small glimpse into the spread of the gospel not so long after the death and resurrection of Jesus. This short letter is filled with thanksgiving for the community, for their reception of the gospel, of their faithfulness.  Paul also admonishes them to holy living, and reminds them that he believes that the Lord Jesus is coming soon.  Not that they have a time or a date set, but they are waiting eagerly for the return of Jesus. Paul constantly refers to his experience of meeting and getting to know the Christians in Thessalonica in this short letter.    It feels like he is proud of the work they have done and how it is bearing fruit.  He wants to visit them, but Satan has prevented him (so far).  Instead, they were able to send Timothy to come and visit, and bring encouragement. It's

As I read the rest of this letter, I'm also struck by Paul's statement about supplying what is missing in the suffering of Jesus.  I have always been taught that there was nothing missing in the suffering of Jesus, so I'm intrigued by what he means.  What is the meaning of the suffering of Paul, or our own suffering, for that matter?  How does this connect with Jesus?  What does it mean (do you think) to "supply what is missing"? You may have noticed that again, Paul gives advice to members of households:  husbands and wives, slaves and masters, children and parents.  The gospel is cosmic, but has practical and local implications.  Even though Paul admonishes masters to be kind to their slaves, I would wish that perhaps the bold Paul could be even bolder with regard to slavery.  Perhaps that was not possible, given that time and place.  That was left to later generations of Christians.  Later one, they would appropriate the Exodus story to work for freedom for t