The New Testament in 90 Days

I have to like the version of the New Testament I'm reading right now (Common English Bible), if only because this first section of John is written as if it were a poem -- which, of course, it is.  It's not a miracle story, it's not a parable, it's not a genealogy, it's a poem, and it's meant to evoke the first chapter of Genesis (in the beginning, God created the heavens...) which, truth be told, has some poetic qualities itself.  If not poetic, at least some liturgical qualities.  "In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God."  How this can be words cannot fully express, but John tries to share the beauty of the eternal One who walked with us, lived with us, suffered and died... in these few opening words. He then opens up his stories about Jesus' ministry, beginning (of course) with John the Baptist, but telling it at a slightly different angle.  Jesus being baptized is mostly a parenthesis (yes, it did happe...

In Luke 7, Jesus heals a centurion's servant, a story we might be familiar with.  Then he balances that story with one about Jesus raising a widow's son from the dead.  Luke is careful to include many stories about women in the gospel. There's also the unnamed woman who anoints Jesus' feet with her tears while he's dining at Simon's house.  She is identified as a "sinner", which leads many people to consider he to be a prostitute.  Really, is prostitute the only sin open to women (at least in those times?)  Also, I still wonder about identifying people as "sinners".  To me, it's like saying, that person is a "human being." Mary Magdalene is named as one of the followers of Jesus at the beginning of Luke 8.  Luke also mentions (without saying much more) that several women travelled with him and supported his ministry.  Some of the names are interesting though, like Joanna, who is coincidentally, the wife of HEROD'S stewar...

Unlike Mark, but like Matthew, Luke begins well before the beginning of Jesus' ministry.  He begins by telling us that he too is going to write about Jesus, and that his account is going to be an orderly one.  He writes to tell someone call "Theophilos" about Jesus (by the way, Theophilos is Greek for 'Lover of God.") There's a combination of well-known and less-well-known stories in these first two chapters of Luke. I know I had the first few verses of Luke 2, the Christmas story, almost known by heart.  But what about the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist?  Unlike Mary, Elizabeth and her husband were not young ,but an older couple who had long ago given up hope that they would have a child.  Like Mary, Zechariah meets an angel who tells him the good news, but he respond, "How will I know?  After all, my wife and I are getting on in year...."  To me, this is a nice way of saying, "Give me a break.  How am I su...

There is no introduction to the Gospel of Mark.  There is no genealogy, no birth story, nothing to pad the entrance of Jesus onto the scene.  Well, that's not exactly true.  There is that one sentence, "the beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, God's Son," and the prophecy (a mix of Isaiah and Malachi) about the Messenger who will prepare the way.  But that's it. John the Baptist blows in, baptizes, and blows out.  Everything is happening very quickly.  When Jesus is baptized, the heavens don't just open, they are split open.  And the Spirit doesn't just lead Jesus into the wilderness, he drives Jesus into the wilderness.  In Mark, Jesus is tempted by Satan, but we don't get to know the content of the temptations (which I kind of like, by the way; more room for the imagination).  With such a spare description, I notice that out in the wilderness, Jesus is among the wild animals.  This sort of reminds me of "The Peaceable Kingd...

Today's reading begins with the murder of John the Baptist.  It is a grisly story, in many ways, and when Jesus hears about it, he retreats to a lonely place.  But he can't really get away, can he?   That's one thing I notice when I read these three chapters.  Jesus tries to get away but the crowds follow him.  He feeds 5,000 (with the help of the disciples), and later he feeds 4,000, and his disciples, who see both miracles, don't really understand what they mean (hint:  it's not just about the bread and fish.)   I also notice that Peter is beginning to emerge as one of the "main disciples".  He gets two important scenes -- in chapter 14, when the disciples are stuck in a boat during at storm, Peter steps out on the water to go to Jesus, even in the middle of the storm.  Now, to be honest, he is not entirely successful in his attempt to walk on water, but at least he tries.   i will confess to you that this is one of the Bibl...

In the beginning of this section of Scripture, we find out that John the Baptist is in prison.  He's in prison and he's asking about Jesus.  He sends his disciples to Jesus with the question, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?"  Jesus responds by asking John's disciples to return with a report of what they have heard and seen. And what have they heard and seen?  "Those who were blind are able to see.  Those who were crippled are walking.  People with skin diseases are cleansed.    Those who are deaf now hear.  Those who are dead are raised up.  The poor have good news proclaimed to them." Jesus preaches good news to the poor, but he doesn't mince words either.  In this passage there are words of comfort:  "Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest."  I gravitate to passages like these, thirsty for comfort.  But I can't help noticing ...