Tagged: faith

October 5, 2015

Mark 10:46-52

This text is used for the Lectionary Year B on October 25, 2015.

This is the final pericope of a section of Mark that began in chapter eight with the healing of the blind man of Bethsaida (8:22-26). In between these two stories of the blind seeing is instruction on discipleship and all three of Jesus’ passion predictions. Also between these two vision stories are the disciples who time and again cannot see who Jesus is and what way they are walking as they journey with him, especially as they turn toward Jerusalem. As evidenced in the previous pericope, even as they draw close to Jerusalem and Jesus talks bluntly about his coming death, the disciples are still fighting about who will have the places of honor next to him.

We learn that the disciples and Jesus came to Jericho. It is speculated that they arrived in Jericho on Friday and spent the Sabbath day in the town. Now, it is Sunday morning, they are leaving Jericho for the approximately thirteen mile journey to Jerusalem. The next chapter opens later that day with the Triumphal Entry. As they leave the town that their ancestors had once surrounded with trumpets and shouts of faith, another voice trumpets out over the many who are following Jesus. “Son of David,” cries out the voice, “have mercy on me!” The voice will not be silenced.

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June 12, 2015

Mark 5:21-43

This text is used for the Lectionary Year B on June 28, 2015.

The passage is a Markan “sandwich,” likely the most famous one. It’s a story within a story. Two stories of healing that are placed together in the text specifically for comparison and contrast. They can exegete each other. Jesus heads back over to the Jewish western side of the Sea of Galilee after visiting the Gentile eastern side. Great crowds follow him just as they had before he left them earlier, so he teaches them by the sea again.

Jairus was a synagogue leader. This Jewish leader knew something of Jesus’ power. Enough to put at risk his synagogue position in his desperation to have his daughter healed. Enough to fall at the feet of Jesus, which must have been a big deal for a proud leader of the synagogue. He was not only humbling himself, but also his community. Jesus felt his pain, humility, desperation, and faith and went.

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June 1, 2015

Mark 4:35-41

This text is used for the Lectionary Year B on June 21, 2015.

Water. Chaos. Danger. Terror. Fear. Rescue. Safety. Resolution. This could be a scene out of a popular movie. The drama is palpable and the language is that of an author who was present for these events. It’s urgent and real and personal.

The details of the story leave all kinds of interesting questions to ask. Why were they leaving the crowd? Jesus says, “let’s go,” and then they “took him” “just as he was.” What’s the significance of “how he was?” Why were they leaving at night? What’s the role of the boat, which Jesus had already used as a pulpit? Why were they going to the other side of the sea? Why leave after night had fallen? And what of the “other boats who were along with them?” The story leaves open lots of questions, some of which are explored by the commentators, some not.

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November 3, 2013

Matthew 11:2-11

This text is used for the Lectionary Year A on December 15, 2013.

The journey from expectation to disappointment is often short. For John the Baptist, expectation peaked beside the Jordan River when he witnessed the Spirit descend on Jesus of Nazareth like a dove (Matthew 3:13-17). From that moment he expected Jesus to be the promised Messiah. Even when John was arrested for speaking truth to power (Matthew 4:12) he did not falter in his confidence, for he was certain that Herod’s reign was over. It would be a matter of days before the baptism of fire, the threshing of the wheat, the chopping down of the fruitless trees would all begin (Matthew 3:11-12).

But that did not happen. The days in Herod’s prison at Machearus east of the Dead Sea stretched into weeks and then months. No rumors were afoot about the Messiah mustering an army to overthrow Rome and its puppet king Herod. Nothing occurred resembling any messianic expectations held by John and other faithful Jews. It looked more and more like Jesus of Nazareth might not be “the coming one” (Matthew 11:3; Psalm 118:26; Malachi 3:1; Daniel 7:15). How could Jesus be Messiah and John his herald if John were languishing in prison and opposition to Jesus were growing? John’s journey to disappointment was not yet complete, but he could see the city limits from his prison cell.

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