Posted each Thursday, Lectionary Ruminations focuses on the Scripture Readings, taken from the New Revised Standard Version, for the following Sunday per the Revised Common Lectionary. Comments and questions are intended to encourage reflection for readers preparing to teach, preach, or hear the Word. Reader comments are invited and encouraged. All lectionary links are to the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible via the PC(USA) Devotions and Readings website, but if you prefer another translation, feel free to use that instead. (Other references may be linked to the NRSV via the oremus Bible Browser.)
Go to this link for the expanded, updated and revised Lectionary Ruminations 2.0 for the Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.
My ruminations focus on
8:4-20.
v. 4 Why was Samuel at
Ramah?
v. 5 What did the elders
mean by saying ”your sons do not follow in your ways”? Were the elders experiencing Kingness envy?
v. 6 Why did the elder’s
request displease Samuel?
v. 8 Some peoples just do
not change.
v. 9 Is this foresight or
hindsight?
v. 11 The first military
draft?
v. 13 Forget military
conscription, this is sounding like slavery.
v. 14 Eminent domain?
v. 19 Of course the people
did not listen to Samuel. People hardly ever listen to a prophet.
vs. 11-20 How do American Christians hear these
verses in the midst of a presidential election year and the rhetoric of both
The Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street?
v. 1 What “gods”?
v. 2 What direction do you
face when you give thanks to the LORD?
v. 4 All the kings of the
earth shall praise the LORD? Who is this
psalmist kidding?
v. 7 What is the symbolic
meaning of God’s right hand (other than discrimination against left handed
people)?
v. 8 To whom is this verse
addressed?
v. 13 Where is this quote
from?
v. 15 Does this “your”
refer to only Christians in Corinth or to a larger group?
v. 16 What is the outer
nature and what is the inner nature?
v. 17 What is the “slight
momentary affliction” to which Paul refers?
v. 18 How do we look at
things that cannot be seen? I want to
default to Plato’s forms here.
v. 1 If Paul had been of a
trade other than tentmaker, would he have employed a different
metaphor?
v. 20 When was the crown
together before now? Who could not eat?
v. 21 Whose family?
v. 22 Who, or what, is
Beelzebul?
v. 23 How did we get from
Beelzebul to Satan?
v. 25 Who does Jesus think
he is, Abraham Lincoln?
v. 29 What is “blasphemy”
against the Holy Spirit and why does Jesus day this? Theologically speaking,
can there really be an unforgivable, eternal sin if God chooses to forgive it?
v. 31 What bothers?
v. 32 What sisters?
v. 33 Is this a rhetorical
question?
vs. 34-35 What sort of family values are being
demonstrated here?
ADDENDUM
In addition to serving as
the half time Pastor of North Church Queens and writing Lectionary Ruminations, I also
tutor part time. If you or someone you
know needs a tutor, or if you would like to be a tutor, check out my WyzAnt page and follow the appropriate links.
