Lectionary Ruminations 2.0 is a revised continuation of Lectionary Ruminations. Focusing on The Revised Common Lectionary Readings for the upcoming Sunday
from New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, Lectionary
Ruminations 2.0 draws on nearly thirty years of pastoral experience. Believing that the questions we ask are often
more important than any answers we find, without overreliance on commentaries I
intend with comments and questions to encourage reflection and rumination for
readers preparing to teach, preach, or hear the Word. Reader comments are
invited and encouraged. All lectionary
links are to the via the PC(USA) Devotions and Readings
website.
FOR AN UPDATED AND REVISED VERSION, GO
TO THIS LINK
45:1 Much has transpired
between this week’s First Reading and last week’s First Reading. Does any of what transpired between the two
readings matter? Perhaps Joseph did not want to let the Egyptians know that the
men before him wee his brothers.
45:2 I wonder what the
Egyptians and household of Pharaoh thought when they heard Joseph weeping?
45:3 Why were the brother’s
dismayed by Joseph’s presence?
45:4 Why does Joseph repeat
himself?
45:5 Is this an example of
Joseph engaging in some theological reflection?
Why would Joseph’s brothers be angry? Joseph is the one we might expect
to be angry.
45:6 This is beginning to
sound like our recent Great Recession!
45:7 Might we compare
Joseph to Noah?
45:8 Might Joseph have been
older than Pharaoh?
45:9 How many ways might
this verse be interpreted?
45:10 Was there anything
significant about the of Goshen? Why might Joseph want to keep hit family close
by?
45:12 Why is Benjamin singled
out?
45:13 Is Joseph rubbing it
in? Is he blowing his own horn?
45:14 Once again, Why
Benjamin? What was so special about the
relationship between Joseph and Benjamin?
45:15 Would Joseph’s
brothers not talk with him before this?
I wonder what they talked about.
133:1 In light of today’s
First reading, is this supposed to be a comment on Jacob’s family? Before or after the reunion narrated in the
First Reading?
133:2 I have always
appreciated the sensual nature of this verse.
What does oil symbolize?
133:3 What and where is
Hermon? What is significant about
Hermon’s dew? What did the LORD do (no
pun intended) at Hermon? Is the Lord’s blessing life for evermore?
11:1 Might Paul have
answered this rhetorical question differently after the Shoah? Even though we are currently reading the
Joseph narrative and the Pauline corpus lectio continua, the “Benjamin”
connection between this Second Reading and the First Reading is a nice one.
11:2 What does Paul mean by
“foreknew”?
11:29 What are the gifts of
the calling of God? Christians in particular ought to remember this verse when
engaging in dialogue with religious Jews.
11:30-31 Who are “they” and
how have they been disobedient?
11:32 What does it mean to
be imprisoned in disobedience?
15:10 I think every time
Jesus says something like “listen and understand” that we can expect some
enigmatic saying to follow. The crowd will probably neither listen not
understand.
15:11 What comes out of the
mouth? Is Jesus commenting on the
digestive system?
15:12 What did the
disciples think? Did the disciples take offense?
15:13 Does this verse
reflect a negative view of the Pharisees?
Is Jesus saying that the Pharisees are plants not planted by God?
15:14 Leave them alone even
though they are blind or “because” they are blind? Might there be some creeping anti-Semitism in
this verse?
15:15 What parable? Why is it that Peter is usually the first one
to open his mouth – and then stick his foot in it?
15:16 Me thinks the answer
is “YES”! At times it seemed like the disciples misunderstood Jesus nearly as
much as the Pharisees.
15:17-18 Oh, that parable! So Jesus was in fact talking about the
digestive system. Is Jesus saying that
words are dirtier than crap?
15:19 All these come from
the heart? This is an impressive list.
Is anything not mentioned that you might have expected to be here?
15:20 Is this a comment
about religion or hygiene?
15:21 What place did Jesus
leave? Is there anything significant about Tyre and Sidon?
15:22 What makes a
“Canaanite” woman different than any other woman, or a Jewish woman? What do you know about “the Jesus prayer” and
Hesychasm and the Philokalia?
How do post-moderns deal with demons?
15:23 Why does Jesus ignore
this woman? Why do the disciples want to
send her away?
15:24 Who are the lost
sheep of the house of Israel?
15:25 This is the second
time this woman calls Jesus “Lord”! Is
her’s not the most simple prayer of a believer?
15:26 Did Jesus just call
this woman a bitch?
15:27 Did this woman just
accept the insult of being labeled a bitch by Jesus yet still refer to him as
“master”? Must “crumbs” refer to bread
crumbs or any type of leftover?
15:28 Now Jesus addresses
her as “woman”! Whom else as he addressed this way? What makes her faith “great”? How would anyone know that the woman’s
daughter was healed instantly?
ADDENDUM
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