Lectionary Ruminations 2.5 is a further revision and refinement
of my Lectionary Ruminations and Lectionary
Ruminations 2.0. Focusing on The Revised Common Lectionary Readings
for the upcoming Sunday from New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, Lectionary Ruminations 2.5 draws on over thirty years of pastoral
experience. Believing that the questions we ask are often more important
than any answers we find, without over reliance on commentaries, I intend with
sometimes pointed and sometimes snarky comments and Socratic like questions, to
encourage reflection and rumination for readers preparing to lead a Bible
study, draft liturgy, preach, or hear the Word. Reader comments are invited and
encouraged.
The 2nd Sunday after Epiphany can
also be called The 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Nomenclature depends
upon one’s denominational affiliation.
1 SAMUEL
3:1-10 (11-20)
3:1-10 Will you use all twenty verses or just the first ten? I generally
use just the first ten.
3:1 What does it mean that “the voice of the Lord was rare in those
days”? What does the voice of the Lord sound like? Is the voice of the
Lord rare today? Why are visions no longer widespread?
3:2 What does Eli’s failing eyesight have to do with the story?
3:3 What is the lamp of God? What does the ark of God represent?
What do you know about the spiritual discipline of incubation? Have you
ever slept in the sanctuary of a church?
3:4 Why does the Lord call Samuel’s name twice? Who else is called
with their name being used twice? Where have we heard “Here I am” before? Why am
I thinking of Dan Schutte?
3:5 Maybe the problem was that Eli had not called
him.
3:6 Why does Eli refer to Samuel as “my son”?
3:7 How can God be calling a person by name if that person does not
know God or the word of God has not yet been revealed to that person? What does
it mean to know the Lord? What does it mean for the word of the Lord to be
revealed?
3:8 Is there any symbolism behind the fact that God called
Samuel three times?
3:9 How often do we not listen when the Lord is speaking? What do
you think of the Spiritual Direction Eli offers Samuel?
3:10 Note that the Lord did not call but rather “stood” there?
Was this a vision or was the Lord physically present?
(3:11) What makes your ears tingle? Do your ears ever tingle during
Sunday morning worship?
(3:12) But we have not heard (in this reading) what was spoken.
(3:13) What does this say to parents whose children are not churched?
(3:14) So sacrifices and offerings have only limited effect?
(3:15) How many people do you think might have experienced a spiritual
vision but are afraid to talk about it with anyone, even their pastor?
(3:16) Samuel still responds to Eli the same way he responded to God.
How many times have we heard “Here I am” in this passage?
(3:17) How many people hide spiritual matters from their Pastor or
Spiritual Director? Why is Eli so interested in what the Lord told Samuel
(3:18) Who is quoted, Samuel or Eli?
(3:19) What does it mean for the Lord to be with someone? Is the Lord
with you? Do your words
ever fall to the
ground?
(3:20) How does one earn the trustworthiness of others? What is the
difference between a trustworthy and an untrustworthy prophet?
PSALM 139:1-6,
13-18
139:1 How does the Lord search us? What does it mean to be
known by the Lord?
139:2 How far away?
139:3 What is the meaning of “path”?
139:4 How can God know what we are going to say before we ourselves
know?
139:5 What does it mean to be hemmed in by God?
139:6 What was inscribed on the Temple at the Oracle of Delphi?
139:13 What about in-vitro fertilization?
139:14 Can the Human body, or the human eye, still be used to argue
for intelligent design? What would Darwin say about this verse? What
would an Oncologist say?
139:15 Was the psalmist woven in the depths of the earth or knitted in
his or her mother’s womb?
139:16 What is unformed substance? Is this book available for Kindle
or the Nook? Can I purchase it from Amazon?
139:17 How much do God’s thoughts weigh? How can thoughts be added up?
139:18 Do you recall the story of Augustine and sand at the beach?
1
CORINTHIANS 6:12-20
6:12 Just because I have the right to do something does not mean I
should do it.
6:13 What is the definition of fornication? Did it mean anything
different in Paul’s day than it does today? How do we responsibly deal
with this verse when many young adults are postponing marriage until they are
in their late 20’s or even early 30’s?
6:14 How did we go from food to fornication to resurrection?
6:15 Is Paul suggesting that fornication and prostitution are one
and the same?
6:16 I wonder if Paul is thinking about cultic/temple/pagan
prostitution of just run of the mill sex-for-hire prostitution.
6:17 How does one become united to the Lord?
6:12-18 Why is Paul singling out fornication? Perhaps Paul doth protest
too much.
6:19-20 I think these verses have been used to speak out against the
abuse as well as the use of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, meat, and who knows
what else.
JOHN
1:43-51
1:43 What happened the day before this? Please note: Jesus found
Philip. Philip did not find Jesus. I think I will market a new
bumper sticker saying “Jesus Found Me.”
1:44 What do you know about Bethsaida? I wonder if Philip knew
Andrew and Peter.
1:45 Who was Nathaniel? Maybe I will market a bumper sticker that
reads “Philip Found Me.” Who are “we?” I would not be expecting to read
“son of Joseph here”? Why not son of Mary or The Virgin Mary?
1:46 Is this a rhetorical question? What was the problem with
Nazareth? Is not “come and see” the quintessential invitation? I prefer
it to “Are you saved?”
1:47 How could Jesus know this? Compare this to John 1:29 and 1:36.
At this point I would be expecting to read a lot more about Nathaniel than we
are given in this Gospel.
1:48 I think Psalm 139:16 would have been a better answer. Was there
only one fig tree in Bethsaida?
1:49 And Jesus did not even ask Nathaniel who people said he (Jesus)
was! Does Nathaniel’s statement qualify as a confession of faith?
1:50 Nathaniel will see greater things than what?
1:51 Was this ever fulfilled or is Nathaniel still waiting to see
this spectacular thing? Why would angels of God be both ascending and
descending upon the Son of Man? Is this the first occurrence of “Son of Man”
imagery and language in this Gospel?
ADDENDUM
I am a Minister Member of Upper Ohio Valley Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and am serving as the Pastor of the Bethlehem United Presbyterian Church, Wheeling, WV. Sunday Worship at Bethlehem begins at 10:45 AM. Here is Bethlehem United's Facebook address: https://www.facebook.com/Bethlehem-United-Presbyterian-Church-102482088303980
No comments:
Post a Comment