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.
JEREMIAH 29;1, 4-7
29:1 What an archaeological discovery it would be
to find this actual letter! What is the meaning of “remaining elders?”
Had some elders taken into exile escaped, died, or been killed? Is there anyone
in exile Jeremiah did not address?
29:4 Note that Nebuchadnezzar had not taken them
into exile. God had sent them into exile.
29:5 Why are the exiles told to build houses and
plant gardens?
29:6 Babylon is beginning to sound like the exile
in Egypt? How might this and the preceding verse apply to
Christians – resident aliens – in a secular culture and post-Christian world?
29:7 Do you pray for your city, town, or village
every Lord’s Day?
PSALM 66:1-12
66:1 What is a joyful noise? Does “all the
earth” refer to only people or to only to living beings, or to the fullness of
creation? Whales can sing, but can rocks?
66:2 How does one sing to the glory of God’s name
when God’s name is considered unpronounceable?
66:3 What are God’s deeds? How do you
understand the meaning of “awesome?” Are you familiar with Rudolph Otto’s
concept of the “numinous” in The
Idea of the Holy or Aldous Huxley’s concept of “mysterium tremendum” in The Doors of Perception?
66:4 How do we read this in the light of global
climate change? What do we do with “Selah?” Do we pronounce it? Do
we ignore it? Do we take it as a cue to break into a guitar riff?
66:5 Can we see all of God’s deeds or are some
invisible? Does God have no deeds among non-mortals?
66:6 Is this the deed, or this is just part of a
larger and more significant deed?
66:7 Note that God keeps watch on the nations and
not just Israel. Who are the rebelliuous?
66:8 This sounds like a call to worship. God might
keep watch on the nations, but God is the God of Israel.
66:9 Is slipping feet a metaphor referring to
death, or even extinction of a race and culture?
66:10 How and why is silver tried? What happens to
silver after it is tried? What is refining dross?
66:11 Is this a reference to exile and enslavement
in Egypt?
66:12 I think I know what “water” might refer to,
but I am not so sure I know what “fire” refers to. How might our
understanding of this verse be influenced by The Shoah? What and where is
the “spacious place?”
2 TIMOTHY 2:8-15
2:8 Does “remember” mean only do not
forget? This is a pretty bare bones gospel. Note that Jesus was raised
from the dead. He did not rise from the dead. What is the difference?
2:9 Where and why was Paul chained like a
criminal?
2:10 This may be a verse particularly dear to the
theological offspring of Calvin.
2:11 How do we die with Christ?
2:12 If we endure what?
2:12-13 How can Jesus Christ both deny us if we deny
him but remain faithful if we are faithless?
2:14 Who are the “them?” What do you think
Paul meant by “wrangling over words?” I wonder what Paul would think and
say about my Lectionary Ruminations or exegesis in general. I’m sorry; Paul,
but words have meaning. Words matter!
2:15 “Do your best” does not mean “be perfect!”
Why would any worker have a need to be ashamed? What does it mean to
“rightly explain the word of truth?” Why does the word of truth need to be
explained?
LUKE 17:11-19
17:11 Geographically speaking, where, in relation
to Jerusalem, is the region between Samaria and Galilee. Why does it
matter?
17:12 I wonder why the village is not named. Maybe,
years later, the disciples remembered this happening but could not remember where
it happened. Is there any significance to the fact that there were ten lepers?
You may want to research leprosy in the Bible.
17:13 Why am I thinking of the Philokalia and
The Jesus Prayer?
17:14 Jesus apparently did not lay hands on them,
pray for them, or do anything else other than tell them to go and show
themselves to the priests – and they were made clean! What does it mean
to be made clean?
17:15 All ten were made clean, but were all ten
healed? Is being made clean synonymous with being healed? Why would only
one turn back, praising God with a loud voice? What about the other nine?
17:16 Have you ever prostrated yourself at another
person’s feet? Has anyone ever prostrated themselves at your feet? Were
the other nine not Samaritan? What does it matter that the one who turned
back, praised God with a loud voice, prostrated himself before Jesus, and
thanked Jesus, was a Samaritan? Why am I thinking of a parable about someone
helping a stranger alongside the road and the story of Jesus and a woman at a
well? Thanking God should not be confined to one day, or one hour a week.
17:17 Jesus must have read my mind! Perhaps someone
knew the answer to the first question, but the second?
17:18 Is this a rhetorical question? If the other
nine were not foreigners, what were they?
17:19 With this after the fact statement, it seems
Jesus is simply interpreting what has already happened. Did the other
nine, who did not return, also have faith? Are we among the 9/10th or
the 1/10th? Our faith should make us well. It should not make us
ill. Toxic faith is no faith!
ADDENDUM
I am a Minister Member of Upper Ohio
Valley Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and am serving as the
Interim Pastor of the Richmond United Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Ohio.
Sunday Worship at Richmond begins at 11:00 AM. Some of my other blog posts have
appeared on PRESBYTERIAN BLOGGERS and The
Trek.
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