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
PREFACE:
For liturgical churches, this
Sunday’s Lectionary Readings offers more Scripture than perhaps any other day
other than the Easter Vigil, and far more possibilities for non-liturgical
churches than they are used to. If one uses the primary Gospel Reading of Luke
22:14-23:56 there may be little time or need to expound on the reading in a
sermon. Therefore I opted to ruminate on the optional and shorter Luke 23:1-49.
19:28 After he had said
what? Why does one always go “up” to
Jerusalem?
19:29 Is there anything
special we need to know about Bethphage and Bethany? Which two disciples do you think Jesus sent?
19:30 What village was
ahead of them? Are the details about the colt at all significant?
19:31 Was Jesus meaning to
refer to himself as “Lord”?
19:32 How did Jesus know
that the two disciples would find?
19:33 How many owners were
there and was it common practice for a colt to be owned by more than one
person?
19:34 The respond just as
they wee told.
19:35 What is the meaning
and/or purpose of throwing cloaks on the colt?
19:36 Why would people
throw their cloaks on the road? This is beginning to look like a political,
military, or sports team triumphant victory parade.
19:37 How many disciples
were there? What deeds of power had the whole multitude of the disciples seen?
19:38 Where is this saying
from?
19:39 Why were there would
some Pharisee in the crown and why would they want Jesus to order the disciples
to stop? Stop what?
19:40 When was the last
time you heard stones shout out?
118:1 Why do many Psalms
begin with “O”?
118:2 This reads like a
rubric or call to an antiphonal response.
118:19 Where are, and what
are, the gates of righteousness? Who are the righteous?
118:20 We have gone from
the plural to the singular.
118:21 How has the psalmist
been answered?
118:22 What stone did what
builders reject? What is a chief
cornerstone? What is its function? Juxtapose this verse with Luke 19:40.
118:23 What is the Lord’s
doing?
118:24 What day did the
LORD make? Did the LORD not make all our
days?
118:25 What does it mean to
beseech?
118:26 Who comes in the
name of the Lord? Do you recall Luke 19: 38?
118:27 Why bind the festal
procession with branches? What are and
where are the horns of the altar? Might this and the preceding verse lead one to think of Luke 19:28-40 as a
midrash of Psalm 118?
118:29 This verse and other
parts of the Psalm could be used as a responsive Call to Worship. See Psalm
118:1-2.
50:4 What is the tongue of
a teacher like? Note that the teacher is taught by God.
50:5 Does The Shema have
anything to contribute to our understanding of this verse?
50:6 Who is speaking? How did this verse become associated with The
Passion? Could we read The Passion narratives as a midrash of this passage?
50:7 What is a face like
flint?
50:8 Who are the “us” that
stand together?
50:9 Will the Lord God declare
the prophet guilty?
50:7-9 I sense some sort of
self-righteousness here that bothers me.
What about you?
2:6 How much should we
focus on “form”. I am thinking about
Plato. What if Christ had exploited
equality with God?
2:7 Emptied himself of
what? Is there a difference between
likeness and form?
2:8 Does it matter how
Christ died?
2:9 What name is above
every name?
2:10 What does the bended
knee represent or symbolize?
2:11 Is “Jesus Christ is
Lord” a minimalist confession?
23:1 What assembly?
23:2 Why is a religious
assembly is making civil accusations?
23:3 What sort of answer is
“You say so.”?
23:4 How many chief priests
were there? Why does Pilate receive such bad press?
23:5 What does stirring up
the people refer to?
23:6 What difference does
it make if Jesus is a Galilean?
23:7 Why does jurisdiction
matter? Was Pilate passing the buck?
23:8 If Herod had really wanted
to see Jesus, what was stopping him? Was Herod seeking to be informed or merely
entertained?
23:9 I wonder how long
Herod questioned Jesus. Why did Jesus not answer?
23:10 What is the
difference between the chief priests and the scribes? Who were they accusing? Why
were they so opposed to Jesus?
23:11 Why would Herod put
an elegant robe on Jesus?
23:12 What motivated or
facilitated the changed relationship between Herod and Pilate?
23:13 Is there any group
Pilate did not call together?
23:14 Is there significance
to the “any of your charges” language?
23:15 Is Pilate simply
covering his backside by referencing Herod?
23:16 Why have Jesus
flogged in he had done nothing wrong?
23:17 What happened to
verse 17?
23:18 Who was Barabbas?
23:19 Why the parenthesis?
23:20 Why was Pilate so
intent in releasing Jesus?
23:21 Is this an example of
mob rule?
23:22 Is there any
significance to Pilate addressing the crowd three times?
23:23 Since when did a mob
trump a Roman official?
23:24 I thought Pilate had
already, several times, gave his verdict, a verdict different than this.
23:18-25 What might have
happened if Pilate had not given in to the crowd’s sentiment?
23:26 Why make someone else
carry Jesus’ cross?
23:27 So not all in the
crowd were antagonistic toward Jesus. I wonder who these women were.
23:28 What does it mean to
be a daughter of Jerusalem?
23:29-31 Is Jesus quoting
from something? Where else might we find these saying?
23:32 I wonder what sort of
criminals.
23:33 What is the
significance of Jesus being crucified between two criminals?
23:34 Who was Jesus asking
forgiveness for? Who was casting lots? What are lots?
23:35 Did not of the crowd
other than the leaders scoff?
23:36 How is offering sour
wine a form of mocking?
23:37 What is the irony?
23:38 Is this an example of
more irony?
23:39 Why would a criminal
also being crucified deride Jesus?
23:40-41 I think this is a multivalent
statement.
23:42 Why am I thinking of
Taize?
23:43 Do not get
preoccupied with temporal issues. .
23:44 Is there anything
significant or symbolic about three hours of darkness? Was this a miracle? A
sign? A metaphor? A solar eclipse?
23:45 What purpose did the
temple curtain serve?
23:46 Where have we heard
this before?
23:47 What is a centurion?
Was this centurion a Jew? A proselytize? A God fearer?
23:48 Why the plural “crowds”?
What does beating one’s breast symbolize.
23:49 Who were Jesus’
acquaintances? Would the disciples be considered among his acquaintances? Why
are the women who followed him singled out? Why did they all stand at a
distance?
ADDENDUM
I am currently a Member at Large of Upper Ohio
Valley Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). I am a trained and
experienced Interim Pastor currently available to supply as a fill-in
occasional guest preacher and worship leader or serve in a half-time to
full-time position.
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