Here is a re-direct to my updated post from 2013.
http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2013/05/acts-21-11.html
In
a nut shell, I find the church of Acts 1 to be very common: A deeply
loving and truly faithful community that doesn't outreach. How can the
Spirit move us from Acts 1 to Acts 2? How can we as leaders be involved
in this process?
Monday, May 9, 2016
Monday, May 2, 2016
Links for Preaching May 5 - 8
This week there are a couple of options for preachers.
One can preach on the Ascension on Thursday or Sunday:
Luke 24:36-48 (Why Jesus Ascension was actually necessary for his ministry)
or
Acts 1:1-11 (First Lutheran Church of Jerusalem)
Then there are the regular lectionary passages for Sunday
John 17:20-26 (Jesus prayer for his disciples
I play around a bit with the idea of God's purposes for creation and humanity.
Acts 16:16-34 (Jailed in Philippi)
Simply a powerful story with great preaching potential.
For those working with the narrative lectionary I have, at best, some scratch notes on Corinthians 15 that need some serious updating!
One can preach on the Ascension on Thursday or Sunday:
Luke 24:36-48 (Why Jesus Ascension was actually necessary for his ministry)
or
Acts 1:1-11 (First Lutheran Church of Jerusalem)
Then there are the regular lectionary passages for Sunday
John 17:20-26 (Jesus prayer for his disciples
I play around a bit with the idea of God's purposes for creation and humanity.
Acts 16:16-34 (Jailed in Philippi)
Simply a powerful story with great preaching potential.
For those working with the narrative lectionary I have, at best, some scratch notes on Corinthians 15 that need some serious updating!
Acts 16:16-34
This passage occurs in both the Narrative Lectionary Year 4 cycle, but also the Revised Common Lectionary, Easter 7C
For the Acts 16 passage:
Any English translation conveys the powerful scene of the jailer, trembling, before the prisoners! This is not a passage where the Greek changes the meaning of everything -- the images intended by Luke are adequately translated! But the Greek this week sharpens the reality that all of us are servants of something. The question is not whether we serve, but which God we serve and the outcome of this service.
κυριοις ("lords", 16:16) The word for for "masters" or "owners" here is no other than κυριοι (like kyrie elesion) At the end of the passage, the jailer will be told to believe in κυριος (singular) Jesus. The point that in life we are always serving one master or another, as Luther points out so astutely in his commentary on the first article.
δουλοι ("slaves" or "servants", 16:17) To reaffirm the above point, the slave-girl calls Paul and Silas slaves of the most high God. The question isn't whether humans will serve a master, the question is what path does the master send them on.
οδον ("way", 16:17) Some translators leave this word, meaning "way", without an article - "a way of salvation." Others add in an article, "the way of salvation" based on Greek grammar. Its fair to say that the grammatical case isn't very strong either way here based on the construction. It doesn't matter -- Luke doesn't see another path to salvation, even if this particular girl would have. And fine, go universalist for a second. The point remains, Jesus is a path of salvation.
Ιουδαιοι ("Judeans", 16:20) The only charge needed was that they were Jews interrupting normal business. A sad reminder that antisemitism long preceded Christianity....and that early Christians were primarily Jews.
πλαγας ("wounds", 16:23) The word comes into English as plagues. Paul and Silas were given a plague for their faith!
θεμελια ("foundation", 16:26) Their foundation is rocked. This is a great sermon entry point -- the foundation of their world is rocked. This is when the person can finally hear the word of the Lord!
ελουσεν ("he washed", 16:33) Poetically, the jailer washes them and then they wash him (baptize). But notice that the verbs are different. Baptism and washing aren't one and the same!
For the Acts 16 passage:
Any English translation conveys the powerful scene of the jailer, trembling, before the prisoners! This is not a passage where the Greek changes the meaning of everything -- the images intended by Luke are adequately translated! But the Greek this week sharpens the reality that all of us are servants of something. The question is not whether we serve, but which God we serve and the outcome of this service.
κυριοις ("lords", 16:16) The word for for "masters" or "owners" here is no other than κυριοι (like kyrie elesion) At the end of the passage, the jailer will be told to believe in κυριος (singular) Jesus. The point that in life we are always serving one master or another, as Luther points out so astutely in his commentary on the first article.
δουλοι ("slaves" or "servants", 16:17) To reaffirm the above point, the slave-girl calls Paul and Silas slaves of the most high God. The question isn't whether humans will serve a master, the question is what path does the master send them on.
οδον ("way", 16:17) Some translators leave this word, meaning "way", without an article - "a way of salvation." Others add in an article, "the way of salvation" based on Greek grammar. Its fair to say that the grammatical case isn't very strong either way here based on the construction. It doesn't matter -- Luke doesn't see another path to salvation, even if this particular girl would have. And fine, go universalist for a second. The point remains, Jesus is a path of salvation.
Ιουδαιοι ("Judeans", 16:20) The only charge needed was that they were Jews interrupting normal business. A sad reminder that antisemitism long preceded Christianity....and that early Christians were primarily Jews.
πλαγας ("wounds", 16:23) The word comes into English as plagues. Paul and Silas were given a plague for their faith!
θεμελια ("foundation", 16:26) Their foundation is rocked. This is a great sermon entry point -- the foundation of their world is rocked. This is when the person can finally hear the word of the Lord!
ελουσεν ("he washed", 16:33) Poetically, the jailer washes them and then they wash him (baptize). But notice that the verbs are different. Baptism and washing aren't one and the same!
John 17:20-26
Summary: Don't miss the forest for the trees: Jesus is praying for his disciples! This fact alone is worth preaching on! One translation that perhaps opens up a door for preaching is found when Jesus speaks of the καταβολης of the world. This is often translated "creation", but could just as easily be translated "foundation." "Foundation" seems like a concept can be preached! Not simply does it provide an easy real world illustration (foundations of buildings are everywhere), but it speaks about God's creative intent for the world. The world was not complete in the beginning -- no foundation is complete! God intended and intends to see creation unfold. As humans we take our place on stage, unaware that it is an eternal stage with a clear destination -- union with Christ, in God's eternal love and joy.
Lastly, I hesitate to call this is a prayer for unity because that sounds too vague. Jesus does pray for unity, but he also prays for love, faith and the preaching of the Word. And moreover, this unity is set in the midst of humble servant-hood, betrayal, suffering, injustice, death and resurrection. If you decide to preach on unity, don't overlook the context of the passage.
Key Words and Concepts
λογος ("word"; 17:20) The Greek says here, "Those who are believing in me on account of their word." The word here for "word" is λογος (logos); NIV translates this as "message"; NET as "witness." This is a tricky matter of translation. Logos does not simply mean "words" but has a more lofty significance, both practically and theologically. It means more like "message" or "explanatory words" or "account" or "reason" or "communication." The NIV and NET are seeking here, by their translation, to capture this sense of the word as message/account/communication.
However, λογος is also crucial in John's theology (In the beginning was the λογος is how his Gospel starts out!). The λογος is the divine word of God that communicates God's love, both as it judges but also redeems. In this sense Jesus is saying, I would argue, that our preaching, our witness, our account becomes the living Word, the λογος. To translate it simply as "message" leaves out the explicit connection Jesus is asserting here between our words and the true divine word of God.
Side grammar note that is worth paying attention to: "Those who are believing" is a great and easy example of a substantive participle. However, the particular word order, I maintain, is of theological significance. The actual clause reads, "Those who are believing because of their word in me." This is quite clumsy in English but it drives home the point. In the middle of our believe in Jesus is the received and heard word.
παντες ("all", 17:21) The translation of 17:21 cannot be "They might be one." The subject of this sentence is not "they" but actually, "all." One could argue that "all" here refers to "all of the disciples." But it seems more natural, especially in light of the second half of the verse, that Jesus is not simply praying for unity among the disciples, but finally unity of all things (including the God-hating world) as he later attests in this verse.
τελειοω ("finish" or "complete," 17:23) The verb, "teleoi-oo" or its sibling, "tele-oo" mean "to finish, complete, or even make perfect." These are used throughout John as Jesus discusses his need to "telo-oo" his task; finally, the task is "telo"-ed on the cross (19:30). The construction of the participle here is rather strange here. It basically links being perfected with union into one. The goal of Jesus is ultimately to make us all one -- reconciled to the Father!
καταβολης ("foundation", 17:24) The word for creation/foundation is "καταβολης," literally meaning "thrown down." Two thoughts on this:
First, I like translating καταβολης as foundation because Jesus uses a more specific word than "create" here; he uses the word that means, "that which is thrown down." John is sophisticated of a writer if he wanted to use "creation" he would have.
Second, I think John - dare I say Jesus! - is making a point about how creation by using the word foundation. Foundations are built on. Creation is in itself incomplete, waiting for humanity to take their place in the story, finally in the consummation of all creation in union with Christ.
εν ("ιν", 17:26) The key word here is "εν" a basic preposition that can be translated a couple of ways. Jesus wants his love to be "en" them. If you translate this "in" then end up with a rather (American) looking individual understanding of Jesus -- in my heart. But if you translate this word, "among" then you get a more helpful understanding of Jesus intent: He wants to be among us to intimately that there is love in the community, a love that reveals something about the fundamental character of God to the world!
ινα ("in order", "that", 17:21) How to translate "ινα"? The question is -- does a "ινα" clause, which demands a subjunctive, actually signify purpose or result? This is a big grammar debate in which I have no skin. I offer it because it allows for an interesting theological possibility as I suggest later here:
a) Purpose (ie, translate this word as "in order that"):
-John 6:30 "What sign will you do (ινα) that we might believe"
-John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave...(ινα) that whoever believes in him, would have eternal life"
(These purpose clauses can be divided up into all sorts of levels of how hypothetical the condition is...)
b) Result (ie, translate the word as "that"):
-John 9:2 "Who sinned (ινα) that this man was born blind?
-John 9:22 "The Jews had agreed (ινα) that whoever believed would get kicked out of the church"
In fact, the second example here probably better belongs to an entirely different category where the word "ινα" almost has no real purpose at all other than to say, "expect another verb to complete the thought."
In other words, ινα doesn't necessary have much subjunctive function, as we as English speakers think about the subjunctive. So is Jesus praying with the purpose that we might be one or praying with the result that we are in fact, already one!
BDAG does solve our dilemma, "In many cases purpose and result cannot be clearly differentiated, and hence ινα is used for the result that follows according to the purpose of the subject or God. As in Semetic and Gr-Rom thought, purpose and result are identical in declarations of the divine will."
So the point here is that actually, if Jesus is praying then this is established. Jesus Word is active! (Going back to the word logos!)
Lastly, I hesitate to call this is a prayer for unity because that sounds too vague. Jesus does pray for unity, but he also prays for love, faith and the preaching of the Word. And moreover, this unity is set in the midst of humble servant-hood, betrayal, suffering, injustice, death and resurrection. If you decide to preach on unity, don't overlook the context of the passage.
Key Words and Concepts
λογος ("word"; 17:20) The Greek says here, "Those who are believing in me on account of their word." The word here for "word" is λογος (logos); NIV translates this as "message"; NET as "witness." This is a tricky matter of translation. Logos does not simply mean "words" but has a more lofty significance, both practically and theologically. It means more like "message" or "explanatory words" or "account" or "reason" or "communication." The NIV and NET are seeking here, by their translation, to capture this sense of the word as message/account/communication.
However, λογος is also crucial in John's theology (In the beginning was the λογος is how his Gospel starts out!). The λογος is the divine word of God that communicates God's love, both as it judges but also redeems. In this sense Jesus is saying, I would argue, that our preaching, our witness, our account becomes the living Word, the λογος. To translate it simply as "message" leaves out the explicit connection Jesus is asserting here between our words and the true divine word of God.
Side grammar note that is worth paying attention to: "Those who are believing" is a great and easy example of a substantive participle. However, the particular word order, I maintain, is of theological significance. The actual clause reads, "Those who are believing because of their word in me." This is quite clumsy in English but it drives home the point. In the middle of our believe in Jesus is the received and heard word.
παντες ("all", 17:21) The translation of 17:21 cannot be "They might be one." The subject of this sentence is not "they" but actually, "all." One could argue that "all" here refers to "all of the disciples." But it seems more natural, especially in light of the second half of the verse, that Jesus is not simply praying for unity among the disciples, but finally unity of all things (including the God-hating world) as he later attests in this verse.
τελειοω ("finish" or "complete," 17:23) The verb, "teleoi-oo" or its sibling, "tele-oo" mean "to finish, complete, or even make perfect." These are used throughout John as Jesus discusses his need to "telo-oo" his task; finally, the task is "telo"-ed on the cross (19:30). The construction of the participle here is rather strange here. It basically links being perfected with union into one. The goal of Jesus is ultimately to make us all one -- reconciled to the Father!
καταβολης ("foundation", 17:24) The word for creation/foundation is "καταβολης," literally meaning "thrown down." Two thoughts on this:
First, I like translating καταβολης as foundation because Jesus uses a more specific word than "create" here; he uses the word that means, "that which is thrown down." John is sophisticated of a writer if he wanted to use "creation" he would have.
Second, I think John - dare I say Jesus! - is making a point about how creation by using the word foundation. Foundations are built on. Creation is in itself incomplete, waiting for humanity to take their place in the story, finally in the consummation of all creation in union with Christ.
εν ("ιν", 17:26) The key word here is "εν" a basic preposition that can be translated a couple of ways. Jesus wants his love to be "en" them. If you translate this "in" then end up with a rather (American) looking individual understanding of Jesus -- in my heart. But if you translate this word, "among" then you get a more helpful understanding of Jesus intent: He wants to be among us to intimately that there is love in the community, a love that reveals something about the fundamental character of God to the world!
ινα ("in order", "that", 17:21) How to translate "ινα"? The question is -- does a "ινα" clause, which demands a subjunctive, actually signify purpose or result? This is a big grammar debate in which I have no skin. I offer it because it allows for an interesting theological possibility as I suggest later here:
a) Purpose (ie, translate this word as "in order that"):
-John 6:30 "What sign will you do (ινα) that we might believe"
-John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave...(ινα) that whoever believes in him, would have eternal life"
(These purpose clauses can be divided up into all sorts of levels of how hypothetical the condition is...)
b) Result (ie, translate the word as "that"):
-John 9:2 "Who sinned (ινα) that this man was born blind?
-John 9:22 "The Jews had agreed (ινα) that whoever believed would get kicked out of the church"
In fact, the second example here probably better belongs to an entirely different category where the word "ινα" almost has no real purpose at all other than to say, "expect another verb to complete the thought."
In other words, ινα doesn't necessary have much subjunctive function, as we as English speakers think about the subjunctive. So is Jesus praying with the purpose that we might be one or praying with the result that we are in fact, already one!
BDAG does solve our dilemma, "In many cases purpose and result cannot be clearly differentiated, and hence ινα is used for the result that follows according to the purpose of the subject or God. As in Semetic and Gr-Rom thought, purpose and result are identical in declarations of the divine will."
So the point here is that actually, if Jesus is praying then this is established. Jesus Word is active! (Going back to the word logos!)
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Mark 12:13-17
This passage is found in the Narrative Lectionary Year 2 (Most recently: Feb 28, 2016)
Summary: The basic sermon point is this: Everything belongs to God; taxes are for good or for bad, to be paid. I'd like to dwell a bit more on two other terms: image and inscription. These words unpack the tension of old and new creation.
Two Words:
εικων (icon/image): Humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26/27; even after the fall, humans are still in the image of God (Gen 9:6)). After these passages in Genesis, the idea of humanity in the image of God recedes into the background of the Old Testament. Most of the time, when there are divine images, they are graven images of other gods.
Two possible directions for a sermon:
- The image of Caesar is of a human. Any human is in the image of God, and therefore it is an image of God. Therefore the coin belongs to God, not just to Caesar. We live in a world that is God's, but somehow also of kings and emperors. Sometimes the image of God seems in the background against the world's chaos and injustice!
The New Testament makes scare reference to the idea of image of God, but when it does, it normally refers to Christ as the image of God:
- Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.
- 1 Corinthians 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
There is the thought that we will be transformed into this image (Romans 8:29) and also
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
- Colossians 3:10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.
In fact, there is only one reference to image of God outside of the Gospel, Christ and the transformational power of the Holy Spirit:
1 Corinthians 11:7 For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection of God; but woman is the reflection of man.
Even with this passage, the overall New Testament emphasis on "image of God" is to the new creation's image of Christ, rather than the old creation's image.
This then is rather interesting: Is Caesar in the image of Christ? It pushes harder on what we mean by image of God; how creation and restoration relate to the image of God.
επιγραφη (inscription): This word comes into the Gospel's one other time: the inscription on the cross when Jesus has an "epigraph" or "inscription" King of the Jews. Does Caesar or Jesus deserve that title? (Clearly Jesus).
I am not sure if its great for a sermon, but this passage and the other passages these key words allude to suggest a real tension between the old and new creation as well as the "now and not yet" of Jesus' power in the world.
A reminder of translation difficulties:
The Pharisees try to "butter" Jesus up with praise. Their praise though is really tough to translate. Verse 14 literally reads:
And going they said to him, "Teacher we know that you are true/genuine and it is not a concern to you about anyone; for you do not look in to the face of people, but teach upon the truth the way of God."
They are trying to get across the point that Jesus is not superficial and does not try to please people with his teachings. This would be a very odd way to say it in modern English! In this case the literal translation almost certainly fails. One must message the translation to something like:
"Teacher, we know that you are a genuine person, who truly teaches the way of God, not concerned for what people might think of you or what their status is..." Or something like that.
Summary: The basic sermon point is this: Everything belongs to God; taxes are for good or for bad, to be paid. I'd like to dwell a bit more on two other terms: image and inscription. These words unpack the tension of old and new creation.
Two Words:
εικων (icon/image): Humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26/27; even after the fall, humans are still in the image of God (Gen 9:6)). After these passages in Genesis, the idea of humanity in the image of God recedes into the background of the Old Testament. Most of the time, when there are divine images, they are graven images of other gods.
Two possible directions for a sermon:
- The image of Caesar is of a human. Any human is in the image of God, and therefore it is an image of God. Therefore the coin belongs to God, not just to Caesar. We live in a world that is God's, but somehow also of kings and emperors. Sometimes the image of God seems in the background against the world's chaos and injustice!
The New Testament makes scare reference to the idea of image of God, but when it does, it normally refers to Christ as the image of God:
- Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family.
- 1 Corinthians 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.
- 2 Corinthians 4:4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
- Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;
There is the thought that we will be transformed into this image (Romans 8:29) and also
- 2 Corinthians 3:18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.
- Colossians 3:10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.
In fact, there is only one reference to image of God outside of the Gospel, Christ and the transformational power of the Holy Spirit:
1 Corinthians 11:7 For a man ought not to have his head veiled, since he is the image and reflection of God; but woman is the reflection of man.
Even with this passage, the overall New Testament emphasis on "image of God" is to the new creation's image of Christ, rather than the old creation's image.
This then is rather interesting: Is Caesar in the image of Christ? It pushes harder on what we mean by image of God; how creation and restoration relate to the image of God.
επιγραφη (inscription): This word comes into the Gospel's one other time: the inscription on the cross when Jesus has an "epigraph" or "inscription" King of the Jews. Does Caesar or Jesus deserve that title? (Clearly Jesus).
I am not sure if its great for a sermon, but this passage and the other passages these key words allude to suggest a real tension between the old and new creation as well as the "now and not yet" of Jesus' power in the world.
A reminder of translation difficulties:
The Pharisees try to "butter" Jesus up with praise. Their praise though is really tough to translate. Verse 14 literally reads:
And going they said to him, "Teacher we know that you are true/genuine and it is not a concern to you about anyone; for you do not look in to the face of people, but teach upon the truth the way of God."
They are trying to get across the point that Jesus is not superficial and does not try to please people with his teachings. This would be a very odd way to say it in modern English! In this case the literal translation almost certainly fails. One must message the translation to something like:
"Teacher, we know that you are a genuine person, who truly teaches the way of God, not concerned for what people might think of you or what their status is..." Or something like that.
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Mark 8:27-9:8
Here is a look at the Mark passage for Feb 7 Narrative Lectionary selection: 8:27-9:8
The brilliance of Mark is how he weaves stories together. This is great gift but also challenge of preaching on Mark!
Mark 8:27-38: http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2012/09/mark-827-38-2012_11.html
Mark 9:2-10: http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2012/02/mark-92-10.html
The brilliance of Mark is how he weaves stories together. This is great gift but also challenge of preaching on Mark!
Mark 8:27-38: http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2012/09/mark-827-38-2012_11.html
Mark 9:2-10: http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2012/02/mark-92-10.html
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Mark 4:26-34
This passage is found in Narrative Lectionary, Epiphany Season, Year B (Most recently: January 17, 2016)
Here is my post for Mark 4:26-34
http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2012/06/mark-426-34.html
I suggest three possible directions for a sermon:
1) Reflection on church growth and how a congregation can open themselves to this
2) Reflection on daily dying and rising and what growth looks like in a Lutheran context
3) Reflection on Christ as the mustard seed
Also, for those doing the parable of the sower, here is my commentary on Matthew's version of this parable; while not the exact same, perhaps some helpful insights into the passage:
http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2011/07/matthew-1318-23.html
Here is my post for Mark 4:26-34
http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2012/06/mark-426-34.html
I suggest three possible directions for a sermon:
1) Reflection on church growth and how a congregation can open themselves to this
2) Reflection on daily dying and rising and what growth looks like in a Lutheran context
3) Reflection on Christ as the mustard seed
Also, for those doing the parable of the sower, here is my commentary on Matthew's version of this parable; while not the exact same, perhaps some helpful insights into the passage:
http://lectionarygreek.blogspot.com/2011/07/matthew-1318-23.html
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