John 12:1-8 for Sunday, June 3, 2007

Translation:
(1) Then six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus raided from the dead. (2) They made a feast for him there and Martha was serving and Lazarus was seated at the table with him. (3) Then Mary, taking a pound of genuine, expensive oil of nard, anointed his feet with her hair and the whole house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (4) Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, about to betray him, said (5) "Why was this perfume not sold for 300 denari and given to the poor?" (6) He said this not because he was ever concerned about the poor, but because he was a theif and held the money bag and took money put into it. (7) Then Jesus said, "Let her be because [it was intended] for my burial day, she may keep it. (8) For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."

This is a striking scripture for lots of reasons. Jesus is eating with Lazarus, who was recently raised from the dead. We see a foreshadowing of Jesus' betrayal. Jesus makes an almost shocking remark about the imminent end of his life.

Indeed, chapters 11-12 in John are typically seen as the last hours of Jesus' life, signaling an end of his public ministry. These two chapters bridge the gap between Jesus' public ministry and Jesus' death on the cross. In fact, nearly every detail about this scene is a foreshadowing of Jesus' death. It is only in this verse that the Greek word deipnon is used for "dinner." Elsewhere the word refers to Jesus' last supper with his disciples.

As the New Interpreter's Bible Commentary points out, there are stories of Jesus' anointing in every Gospel. Mark 14:3-9 and Matthew 26:1-13 tell virtually the same story, emphasizing the anointing of Jesus as a preparation for his burial. Luke 7:36-49 emphasizes the love and respect shown to Jesus for these actions and makes no direct allusion to his burial. The Gospel of John, likely the youngest gospel, combines these narratives in many ways (I invite you to read them!), but still puts the emphasis on this action as a preparation for his burial.

John meticulously details this scene. We know exactly how much oil Mary has--one Roman pound, and that it is not only genuine but also very expensive. This is interesting, since the details about the dinner itself are fuzzy--we don't know whose home they gather in or even specifically who is being honored (Lazarus or Jesus?), but we do get all the details about exactly how Mary anointed Jesus' feet. She even wiped his feet dry with her hair. The same verb "to wipe" is used with Jesus' last encounter with his disciples when he washes their feet.

Judas enters the scene mysteriously. We were not told at the outset that Judas (or any of the other disciples) are present. All the same, Judas is contrasted with Mary. Mary is the picture of faithfulness, while Judas is "a thief." Judas' betrayal is foretold as we learn about his untrustworthy deeds. The Greek treats Judas very harshly. He is not concerned about giving money to the poor, because (as the Greek reads), he was never concerned for the poor. The verb indicates an ongoing action. Finally, Jesus' words confirm this as a prelude to his final hours. In fact, Jesus' words are identical to those in Matthew 26:11.

Looking at the story as a whole, we receive a picture of Jesus and his friends gathered together in what are his final days. They do the same things they ever did--eating, talking, sharing together--except that this time is different. Mary anoints Jesus' feet and this is special. They mark this time in very particular ways. This is their way of supporting each other through sorrow (remember Lazarus' death, and Jesus' impending death) and through joy (remember Lazarus' resuscitation). Sometime in our lives, each of us have probably experienced a relationship like this. Where in your life has this type of relationship been a reality? When have you been supported by others in ways similar to this?

Genesis 4:16-24 for Sunday, May 27, 2007

Translation:
(16) And Cain went out from before the Lord and dwelled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. (17) And Cain knew his wife and she became pregnant and bore Enoch. And Cain built a city and named the city after his son, Enoch. (18) To Enoch was born Irad, and to Irad was born Mehujael and to Mehujael was born Methushal and to Methushal was born Lamech. (19) And Lamech took for himself two wives. The first was named Adah and the second was Zillah. (20) And Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. (21) His brother was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. (22) And Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal Cain, forager of all tools of copper and iron. The sister of Tubal Cain was Naamah. (23) And Lamech said to his wives
"Adah and Zillah, listen to my voice,
wives of Lamech.
Hear my words,
for I have killed a man for bruising me and a youth for striking me.
(24) For Cain is avenged sevenfold and Lamech is avenged seventy times seven.

This may seem like a boring piece of scripture. We usually skip over the long sections of genealogy because it doesn't seem to apply to us and the names are hard to read. However, there is still a message to be learned in this scripture.

We read of seven generations in the genealogy of Cain. The narrative reads quickly, but in real time, many years had passed since Cain committed fratricide. The memory could have easily been forgotten, but it wasn't. In a matter of two verses, we come to Lamech and begin to hear his story. The narrative moved quickly through Lamech's relatives, but slows up when we come to Lamech so we hear more detail about who his wives were and what their children did for a living. More importantly, we hear of Lamech's own deeds: killing a man for bruising him and a youth for striking him.

Clearly the memory of Cain is not forgotten. Part of Cain's punishment was banishment from the garden, but there is also a memory of God's words over Cain "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." Cain was not forgotten and even many generations later, Cain plays an important role in Lamech's life.

As we prepare for Sunday's message, I invite you to think about some of your own extended family. Who are your grandparents? Aunts? Uncles? Cousins? Who were your great-grandparents? Their parents? How do they play a role in your life? Even if you do not realize it, they have had an impact on you. Lamech probably never met Cain before, but Cain's actions still had an impact on Lamech's life. Even in our society, where families may life thousands of miles apart, we still feel the impact of our own extended family.

Genesis 45:1-15 for Sunday, May 20, 2007

Translation:
Joseph was not able to restrain himself among all those standing by him. He called out "Send out everyone from before me." No one was standing with him and Joseph made himself known to his brothers. (2) He let his voice weep and the Egyptians heard him and the house of Pharaoh heard him. (3) Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But, his brothers were not able to answer him because they were terrified before him. (4) Joseph said to his brothers, "Draw near to me, now." And they drew near. He said, "I am Joseph, your brother whom you sold to Egypt. (5) Now do not be pained and do not be angry with yourselves because you sold me. See! God sent me to be before you. (6) Because these two years the famine was in the midst of the land, and there will be five years more in with no plowing and no harvest. (7) God sent me before you to set for you a remnant in the land and to preserve you for a great deliverance. (8) And now you were sent to me because God set me as a father to Pharaoh and Lord over all their house and ruler in all the land of Egypt. (9) Hasten! Go up to my father and say to him 'Thus said your son, Joseph: God set me as lord over all of Egypt. Come down to me and do not delay!' (10) You will live in the land of Goshen and you will be near me you and your sons and your grand sons, and your sheep and your cattle and all that belongs to you. (11) I will support you there because there are still five years of famine. Otherwise you and your household and all that belongs to you will become impoverished. (12) Look! Your eyes see and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my mouth that is speaking to you. (13) And tell my father of all my honor in Egypt and all which you have seen. Hasten. Bring down my father now. " (14) And he fell upon the neck of Benjamin, his brother, and he wept. And Benjamin wept on his neck. (15) He kissed all his brothers and he wept on them. And after this, his brothers spoke with him.

This is an intimate moment between Joseph, one of the most powerful men in that part of the world, and his brothers who sold him into slavery. Joseph orders everyone out of his presence except his brothers. The tone of the Hebrew is that Joseph yelled the command. And as soon as they left, Joseph cries as if the floodgates were finally opened. The Hebrew phrase is strange in verse 2, literally "He set his voice to weeping," almost as if the tears had been there the whole time, but Joseph made a conscious effort to hold them back.

Joseph immediately asks for his father, an old man by now. However, Joseph's brothers are not able to speak. Through the whole narrative, they are too terrified to even utter a noise. Joseph reassures them, and in verse 5 tells them that they need not be upset over their actions--though he clearly reminds them of their evil deeds (as if he even needed to, since his brothers certainly recalled the deed as soon as they learned this was Joseph). The phrase in verse 5 contains a Hebrew idiom "Do not be angry in your eyes." Certain parts of the body are the seat for emotion in Hebrew.

Joseph obviously believes that God has sent him ahead of his brothers into Egypt since he references God sending him three times. The Jewish commentary in Etz Hayim says that God had no way of controlling the evil deeds of Joseph's brothers. However, God did guide Joseph to bring about a greater good, even in the midst of an evil plot. Joseph references a "great deliverance," (v.5) perhaps a foreshadowing of the great Exodus story.

Joseph admonishes his brothers to go back and return with their father. In verse 10, he tells them to come back and dwell in the land of Goshen--clearly a long term living arrangement. Here, they will be safe from the famine which will persist for five more years.

At the conclusion of the story, Joseph displays great emotion before his brothers. He literally hangs himself on Benjamin's neck, kisses all of his brothers as they weep together. This display of affection apparently made his brothers feel comfortable enough in his presence to finally speak.

This is the story of the end of an estrangement. Joseph and his brothers had not seen each other for years, until this moment. Joseph had every reason to be angry with his brothers, though nothing in his dialogue seems to point to anger. He digs at them for their misdeeds but does so with tears in his eyes. Instead of using his power to imprison them, he uses his power to bring the family together once more. He instructs them on what to do and tells them how they will survive the famine. The siblings work together to bring their father into Egypt. As welcoming as Joseph is, the journey into Egypt is ominous as the family leaves the land promised to Abraham. A "great deliverance" will indeed be necessary.

Joseph did not allow the years of separation, the horrible experience of being sold, disowned, and imprisoned get in the way of the significance of this unlikely encounter. Joseph used the opportunity to bring his family back together, to save their lives. How many of us could have done the same with our siblings? The fact of the matter is, our siblings are the only members of our family that know us for the greatest amount of time. It is a relationship worth cultivating.

Luke 2:41-52 for Sunday, May 13, 2007

Translation:
And his parents went every year into Jerusalem for the festival of Passover. (42) And when he was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. (43) And on the last day they were returning home, [but] the boy Jesus tarried in Jerusalem and his parents did not realize. (44) But assuming he was in the group of travelers they went a day's journey and they began to look for him among the relatives and friends, (45) and not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for him. (46) And it was after three days they found him in the Temple sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and questioning them. (47) And all those listening to him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. (48)And seeing him [his parents] were amazed and his mother said to him, "Child, why have you treated us like this? See! Your father and I were deeply distressed, we were looking for you." (49) And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my father's [house]? (50)And they did not understand the words he spoke to them. (51) And he went down with them and came into Nazareth and was subject to them and his mother always treasured the words in her heart. (52)And Jesus began to grow in wisdom and maturity and grace before God and humans.

The story starts out with Jesus and his parents traveling together for the festival of the Passover. The verb "to go" (v. 41) indicates a customary action. In fact, according to Jewish Law, Jewish men were to attend at least three celebrations a year. Jesus was 12 years old at the time. It was the job of the father to introduce a son to Jewish Law and by the time they were 13, Jewish boys were required to fulfill the Law. Jesus' parents were probably seeking to teach him about the Law by attending the festival. In any case, this was a ritual action that Jesus and his family would have known well. At age 12, Jesus was old enough to understand the ritual.

In a "stranger danger" age it is probably hard for many of us to imagine leaving our 12 year old behind and not realizing it. Jesus' family had a different situation though. It was not unusual to travel in large, organized groups for a festival day. Since Jesus and his family customarily went every year to the festival, his parents may have assumed that Jesus knew how things would happen, when they would leave and even which route they would take. They didn't notice that Jesus was missing until a whole day's journey had passed (20-25 miles). When they realized he was missing, they looked for him. The verb suggests that they searched thoroughly and looked in many places.

When they finally find Jesus, he is in the Temple with the Rabbis. He is asking them questions. Question and answer was the preferred mode of rabbinical teaching, so this was not so unusual. What was unusual was Jesus' questions and answers. In fact, the word for "to be amazed" (v. 47) indicates a continual past action--He astonished them over and over again! Even Jesus' parents are amazed, though his mother seems to scold him for his behavior. She says "your father and I were deeply distressed," which indicates deep mental and spiritual anxiety, even pain or suffering. The imperfect form of the verb "to search" means that they were searching continually--day and night.

Jesus replies with a rhetorical question. It does not convey well in English, but the way the Greek question is phrased, Jesus expects a positive answer. In Greek, the words "I must be in my father's [house]" have an air of necessity; it is where Jesus needed to be.

Finally, as if a reversal of how the whole story started, Jesus and his parents go back to Nazareth where he "was subject to them." This means Jesus continually obeyed his parents after that. It is the same type of word you might use to speak of a loyal slave.

Jesus was old enough to know better than to stay in the Temple even after the festival was over, though he clearly felt that it was necessary for him to be there. At 12 years of age, Jesus was nearly an adult in the ancient world and would have certainly understood the customs. It is interesting that Jesus' mother has all of the speaking roles. His father says nothing, but his mother confronts him. Indeed, Mary is often portrayed as an obedient servant of God and contemplative figure in Luke's Gospel. All the same, how do we understand Jesus' behavior as a child? Jesus was at an age were he could begin to understand his own identity. His rhetorical answer seems to indicate that he is coming into his own. Parents today have their own defiant preteen children who assert their identity with rhetorical questions and sarcastic remarks. Jesus' parents did not understand him. How many of us really understand preteen kids? However, Mary did not disregard Jesus' statements and did not ignore them. She treasured them in her heart. Even as a youth, Jesus was taken seriously. How can we value and take seriously our youth?

Luke 18:15-17 for fun!

Translation:
(15) And they brought the children to him that he might touch them. The disciples saw [this] and they rebuked them. (16) But Jesus invited them, saying, "You sent the babes away. Come to me and do not restrain them, for such as these is the kingdom of God. (17) Truly I say to you, those who do not receive the kingdom of God as babes may never ever enter into it."

This is a very intimate scene, though we may not think of it that way. Most of us probably think of a very busy Jesus (healing, preaching, teaching) with a noisy bunch of children in the crowd. The disciples probably thought the children would bother Jesus, particularly after a long day. The disciple's reaction makes perfect sense to anyone who has spent a long day at work only to be greeted by boisterous children.

The fact of the matter is, in Greek the story reads a little differently. First of all, the verb "they brought" indicates a continual action in the past. We could translate it in a number of ways. "They began to bring," "they were bringing," or "they kept bringing." In other words, the action could be just beginning, prolonged or repetitive. We must think carefully what these mean. If "they kept bringing" the children, Jesus might have a different relationship with these people--they're persistent. If "they began to bring" then the relationship is different yet. If it is a prolonged activity then the action was probably not uncommon.

Second, two different words for "children" are used. In v. 15, the word is simply "children" or "babies." When Jesus speaks of the children, he calls them "babes" which is a much more endearing term.

Finally, the word used for the disciple's reaction "rebuked" is a pretty harsh word. It can also mean "to assess a value," "allege as crimination," or "censure." Ouch.

So what does this all mean? "Truly I say to you, those who do not receive the kingdom of God as babes may never ever enter into it." Consider the actions of those who brought their children to Jesus. They brought their babies for him to hold. The disciples censure them, quiet them and send them away, judging them to be unworthy of Jesus' attention. Jesus says that the act of bringing the child, surrendering the babe to Jesus is the better reaction. How do we react to children in our presence? Do we surrender to their sometimes awkward ways so that they too can experience Jesus' touch? Or, do we scold them for coming too close in an unsanctimonious way?