I will not be posting the next couple of weeks, but here are links for the next few weeks
July 27
August 3
August 10
August 17
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Sunday, July 20, 2025
Luke 12:32-40
This passage occurs in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C. Most recently August 10, 2025.
Summary: Jesus offers us some words of wisdom
I also add that it might be worth including some of the previous verses, especially 12:31. It helps set up the context for what Jesus says here.
Key Words:
ευδοκενσεν (meaning "please", 12:32) In Luke's Gospel, the voice of the God billows over the waters of Jesus Baptism and declares "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased" (3:22). In Matthew's Gospel, God's voice also reaffirms this claim about Jesus during the transfiguration. What might it mean that Jesus says it is the father's good pleasure to give the kingdom? God has two great joys: Jesus and giving the kingdom.
μη φοβου (meaning "do not be afraid", 12:31) Jesus tells people three times not to be afraid in Luke's Gospel
- When the boat is overflowing with fish and nearly sinking (5:10)
- When a man has learned his daughter has died (8:50)
In the previous verses there is no threat of death, simply an acknowledgment of the every day worries of life.
οσφυες περιζωσμεναι (literally meaning "gird loins", 12:35) The NRSV and NIV poetically translate this passage, because "gird your loins" doesn't have the same force as it did years ago. Jesus is issuing a summons though, a clear call to be ready -- get dressed!
κυριον (meaning "Lord", from κυριος, 12:36 ). The translators correctly translate this word as "Master" in Jesus parable. However, the literal word is "Lord." Jesus parable isn't so hidden after all -- he is speaking about when the Lord comes.
διακονησει (diakonia, meaning "serve", from διακονεω, 12:37) In Mark's Gospel, Jesus declares that he did not come to be served, but to serve others. In Luke's Gospel, he promises the same thing -- that he is ultimately a servant!
Some phrases I will look at another time
εκ των γαμων ("from the wedding", 12:36). The use of the wedding image in the Gospels is fascinating..
μακαριοι ("blessings", 12:37,38,43) It would be interesting to stack up these three blessings with the other blessings of Luke.
Monday, July 14, 2025
Luke 10:38-42
This passage occurs in the RCL, Year C. It occurred most recently in July 20, 2025.
Summary: This passage is a powerful contrast to the previous passage of the Good Samaritan. The work of the church (or of Christian individuals) cannot be service to neighbor alone but also worship of Christ. Perhaps the two are more connected than we think though. Jesus commends the rich lawyer to show mercy. In this passage Mary is praised for attentive listening. Maybe in our culture of sound bites and tweets, active listening is one of the most powerful displays of mercy we can give someone.
Key words (and use of language):
For Martha:
υπεδεξατο (from υποδεξομαι, "hypodexato", meaning receive; 10:38). The Liddell-Scott offers a tremendous number of variations on the meaning of this word. It literally means, "to receive beneath the surface."
It also means, among other variants:
A) to receive into one's house, receive hospitably.
B) to give ear to, hearken to
C) to take in charge as a nurse
D) of a woman, to conceive
I commend this list (truncated) because all of these are good things. They are powerful ways to think about hospitality to strangers or ways in which we can "receive beneath the surface." Martha seems on the right track!
διακονια(ν) ("diakonia", meaning "service", 10:40). The word diakonia means originally "table service" but came in the Christian tradition to mean acts of ministry. Long-complicated development of this word that is still debated today. Regardless, to describe oneself as doing diakonia on behalf of Jesus is a very good thing, something in fact, every Christian is called to in their baptism.
So what's the problem?
επιστασα (from εφιστημι, ephistemi, meaning "stand over", 10:40) Mary gets so frustrated she goes over to Jesus and is literally looking down on him (and her sister). We can get so busy doing the work of the Lord that we lose sight of the Lord and develop an unjustified sense of our own importance.
Imperfect tense: The words to describe Martha's worries: περισπαω (40), μεριμνας (41) and θορυβαζη (41) are all imperfect/present tense verbs, suggesting an on-going action. She was consumed and continually worried. All this said, I have a lot of compassion for Martha. In my family (both of origin and current) people put a lot of effort into welcoming our guests. This would be especially true in times before modern kitchens, when even things as basic as getting water for guests, would have required tremendous effort. It is hard for me to hear Martha criticized.
Also, the word θορυβαζη comes from θόρυβος, which means "riot" or "clamoring tumult" (like, Pilate fears a θόρυβος from happening). There is a chaos around Martha - she is even creating it. In short, Jesus is not simply saying "you are distracted" but you are creating the distraction!! (There probably is another sermon in here too about our world being constantly distracted!)
Summary: This passage is a powerful contrast to the previous passage of the Good Samaritan. The work of the church (or of Christian individuals) cannot be service to neighbor alone but also worship of Christ. Perhaps the two are more connected than we think though. Jesus commends the rich lawyer to show mercy. In this passage Mary is praised for attentive listening. Maybe in our culture of sound bites and tweets, active listening is one of the most powerful displays of mercy we can give someone.
Key words (and use of language):
For Martha:
υπεδεξατο (from υποδεξομαι, "hypodexato", meaning receive; 10:38). The Liddell-Scott offers a tremendous number of variations on the meaning of this word. It literally means, "to receive beneath the surface."
It also means, among other variants:
A) to receive into one's house, receive hospitably.
B) to give ear to, hearken to
C) to take in charge as a nurse
D) of a woman, to conceive
I commend this list (truncated) because all of these are good things. They are powerful ways to think about hospitality to strangers or ways in which we can "receive beneath the surface." Martha seems on the right track!
διακονια(ν) ("diakonia", meaning "service", 10:40). The word diakonia means originally "table service" but came in the Christian tradition to mean acts of ministry. Long-complicated development of this word that is still debated today. Regardless, to describe oneself as doing diakonia on behalf of Jesus is a very good thing, something in fact, every Christian is called to in their baptism.
So what's the problem?
επιστασα (from εφιστημι, ephistemi, meaning "stand over", 10:40) Mary gets so frustrated she goes over to Jesus and is literally looking down on him (and her sister). We can get so busy doing the work of the Lord that we lose sight of the Lord and develop an unjustified sense of our own importance.
Imperfect tense: The words to describe Martha's worries: περισπαω (40), μεριμνας (41) and θορυβαζη (41) are all imperfect/present tense verbs, suggesting an on-going action. She was consumed and continually worried. All this said, I have a lot of compassion for Martha. In my family (both of origin and current) people put a lot of effort into welcoming our guests. This would be especially true in times before modern kitchens, when even things as basic as getting water for guests, would have required tremendous effort. It is hard for me to hear Martha criticized.
Also, the word θορυβαζη comes from θόρυβος, which means "riot" or "clamoring tumult" (like, Pilate fears a θόρυβος from happening). There is a chaos around Martha - she is even creating it. In short, Jesus is not simply saying "you are distracted" but you are creating the distraction!! (There probably is another sermon in here too about our world being constantly distracted!)
Furthermore, Martha complains that Mary has not: "συναντιλάβηται" This word begins with the prefix συν or "together." Martha isn't simply complaining that Mary hasn't helped, but that she hasn't helped her. Martha has moved from the agenda being serving the Lord to serving Martha!
For Mary:
παρακαθεσθεισα (from παρακαθεζομαι, meaning "sit along side of"; 10:39) Mary seats herself along side of Jesus, giving him attention. How often do we have people simply sit alongside of us, without any agenda but to focus on us?
ηκουεν (ακουω meaning "listen"; 10:39) She listens. In fact, the verb ακουεν is in the imperfect tense, showing this is an on-going action. As I wrote earlier, I think this is profound. She listened. In our culture that wants to blog, livestream and tweet, she actually took time to listen. Not for one or two sentences, but for a long time. Maybe she loved it. I am sure she did. (Most times when I actually listen and truly give someone my focus, I love it too!)
Note -- This past year I went to Tanzania. I was quite struck by how much of the day is spent procuring food, water and fire (for cooking and heating). It is worth pointing out that in all likelihood, Mary listened to Jesus for hours!! Imagine listening to anyone for hours!
The worship of Jesus is ultimate. I am not trying to refute the basic meaning of the story. I wonder though, if here on Earth, in this time and cultural space, listening may be a profound way to love our neighbor. Listening to Jesus, as well, might be the profound way in which we worship him!
For Mary:
παρακαθεσθεισα (from παρακαθεζομαι, meaning "sit along side of"; 10:39) Mary seats herself along side of Jesus, giving him attention. How often do we have people simply sit alongside of us, without any agenda but to focus on us?
ηκουεν (ακουω meaning "listen"; 10:39) She listens. In fact, the verb ακουεν is in the imperfect tense, showing this is an on-going action. As I wrote earlier, I think this is profound. She listened. In our culture that wants to blog, livestream and tweet, she actually took time to listen. Not for one or two sentences, but for a long time. Maybe she loved it. I am sure she did. (Most times when I actually listen and truly give someone my focus, I love it too!)
Note -- This past year I went to Tanzania. I was quite struck by how much of the day is spent procuring food, water and fire (for cooking and heating). It is worth pointing out that in all likelihood, Mary listened to Jesus for hours!! Imagine listening to anyone for hours!
The worship of Jesus is ultimate. I am not trying to refute the basic meaning of the story. I wonder though, if here on Earth, in this time and cultural space, listening may be a profound way to love our neighbor. Listening to Jesus, as well, might be the profound way in which we worship him!
Monday, July 7, 2025
Luke 10:25-37
This passage occurs in the RCL, Year C. Most recently July 20, 2025.
Summary: This is a classic passage that needs no complex exegesis to make it understandable. One can tell it as a morality tale (we should be the Good Samaritan); or one go a Lutheran route (Christ is the Good Samaritan). But if you want to try something else...A word I'd never caught before was the word for inn -- πανδοχειον -- literally all-are-welcome. I find this a comforting image of the church -- a place where anyone and everyone comes to receive mercy and healing on the road of life. (okay, okay, it is not a great image of repentance, but nonetheless, it is worth pondering: why do people find comfort at a local bar/inn and not the church).
ζωην (from ζωη "zooe" meaning life, 10.25) In John's Gospel Jesus affirms that everlasting life is not something that begins after death, but begins here. You can really see this in the Greek in his Gospel, where many of the tenses regarding everlasting life are in the present: he who believes HAS everlasting life (John 3:36). In this passage from Luke, Jesus also connects everlasting life with earthly life. (Do this, Jesus says, and you will live.) Jesus denies a distinction between everlasting life (the lawyers' question) and life. To live with God is everlasting life, which begins here on earth. However, Luke here connects them with moral action. What does everlasting life look and feel like? Like showing mercy. I have no desire to drive a wedge between Luke and John or between faith and works here. Simply, the everlasting life is the life in the new creation, where our faith transforms us into God's instruments of mercy.
πως ("poos" meaning "how", 10.26) Jesus does not say, "What does the law say?" Rather he says, "How do you read the law?" A reminder that people can read the same laws in different ways!
Summary: This is a classic passage that needs no complex exegesis to make it understandable. One can tell it as a morality tale (we should be the Good Samaritan); or one go a Lutheran route (Christ is the Good Samaritan). But if you want to try something else...A word I'd never caught before was the word for inn -- πανδοχειον -- literally all-are-welcome. I find this a comforting image of the church -- a place where anyone and everyone comes to receive mercy and healing on the road of life. (okay, okay, it is not a great image of repentance, but nonetheless, it is worth pondering: why do people find comfort at a local bar/inn and not the church).
2025 addition: The Good Samaritan may not have started the story as the neighbor; he may have needed to become the neighbor. A reminder that in our divided world, we are not born neighbors, but trauma can bring us together.
Other words:
σπλαγχνιζομαι ("splagchnizoma", meaning "compassion", 10.33) This word means compassion in Greek; it comes from intestines. To have compassion meant your guts were turned over.
Other words:
σπλαγχνιζομαι ("splagchnizoma", meaning "compassion", 10.33) This word means compassion in Greek; it comes from intestines. To have compassion meant your guts were turned over.
Based on a reader comment (2025): Some translators employ "seized with compassion" to translate ἐσπλαγχνίσθη. The aorist aspect/tense of the verb is understood, in this translation, to emphasize the action beginning. The verb is very common in the Greek New Testament. The particular form (aorist passive) is less common and is found only in the synoptics. However, it is not rare. In this form Jesus is almost always the subject. This is also true in Luke's Gospel, where once Jesus has compassion on a grieving mother, where another time the prodigal son's father has compassion and then here, when the Good Samaritan has compassion. Another hint that the Good Samaritan is Jesus.
That said, I don't think one needs to appeal to how Luke uses this verb three times in the aorist passive to make the case that the Good Samaritan is Christ-like.
ζωην (from ζωη "zooe" meaning life, 10.25) In John's Gospel Jesus affirms that everlasting life is not something that begins after death, but begins here. You can really see this in the Greek in his Gospel, where many of the tenses regarding everlasting life are in the present: he who believes HAS everlasting life (John 3:36). In this passage from Luke, Jesus also connects everlasting life with earthly life. (Do this, Jesus says, and you will live.) Jesus denies a distinction between everlasting life (the lawyers' question) and life. To live with God is everlasting life, which begins here on earth. However, Luke here connects them with moral action. What does everlasting life look and feel like? Like showing mercy. I have no desire to drive a wedge between Luke and John or between faith and works here. Simply, the everlasting life is the life in the new creation, where our faith transforms us into God's instruments of mercy.
πως ("poos" meaning "how", 10.26) Jesus does not say, "What does the law say?" Rather he says, "How do you read the law?" A reminder that people can read the same laws in different ways!
συγκυρίαν (syn + kyria = "by chance", 10.31) I cannot confirm the etymology, but from what I can read here, the word literally means "with the Lord." In other words, this is not "random", but seemingly orchestrated by the Lord!
τραῦμα (trauma, "wound", 10.34) There is a beautiful image here of the Good Samaritan binding up the wounds. The Good Samaritan isn't simply donating money, but he is dealing with the wounds of another person. More deeply, it is interesting to think about the trauma caused by such an event. In what ways is the Good Samaritan, by his acts, healing the other wounds the person experienced?
γεγονέναι (become, 10.37) The common way we remember the story is that Jesus asked the person "Who was the neighbor to the man who (was injured)"? But Jesus asks a slightly different question -- who became the neighbor? This word γίνομαι can mean "be" but has more of a sense of "came into being or became." The point is that these people may not always have been neighbors, but they became neighbors through the trauma!
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Galatians 6:1-18
This passage occurs as the RCL New Testament Lesson during year C, most recently July 2022.
Summary one: This passage is full of contradictions, or as Lutherans call them, dialectics. We are called to bear one another's burdens, yet carry our own load; boast in our work, yet only boast in Christ; we are called to do good for all, yet do good chiefly for those in the community. Phew. I don't think a preacher or pastor or theologians should resolve these tensions. This is life in the spirit, which we are called to walk together (στοιχέω, 5:25). I think Paul's challenging words here call us into a community of discernment. Ultimately, we are called in this community back to the cross, where we can realize we will not get it right, but finally Christ will bring about a new creation.
Summary two: Paul presents us with a couple of images of the church here. A hospital, a family and a big arrow to the cross. Perhaps even a military unit.
Summary three: The canon within the canon, ladies and gentlemen, is, Christ crucified and the new creation. Done.
Key words:
προσλαμβανω ("catch", Gal 6:1) The word here for catch is "prolambano." "λαμβανω" is a common word in Greek, meaning give or take. The pro prefix is also a familiar word meaning before or ahead of time. So this word means 'catch ahead.' Interestingly, this phrase then almost means "If you catch someone before they sin..." The point here is not simply admonishment but prevention of further injury.
καταρτιζω ("restore", 6:1) The word for "restore" here is "katartizo" which is related to the Greek medical term for "set a bone in place." This obviously takes skill, time and care. What a powerful image about admonishment! Another image comes from Hebrews 11:3, where God καταρτιζ-ed, ie, "prepared", the world by his Word. Talk about skill and time and energy!
πνεθματικος ("spiritual"), 6:1, the word for "spiritual" appears a lot in other Pauline writings, see 1 Cor 2:13, but it is not developed in Galatians. It is worth noting here that the point of our justification, of our ultimate union with Christ, is not to disregard the world, but the enter more fully into it, to help heal others.
βασταζετε ("bear"), 6:2 (and also 6:5). In 6:2, "Bear one another's burdens" is in the present imperative: Continually and keep bearing one another's burdens. This is an on-going work. It also appears in 6:5.
Curiously there are different Greek (and English) words used for the object of the bearing:
Bear one another's burden (6:2)
Each must carry their own load (6:5)
The first object, burden or βαρος, probably means more weight (and can mean emotional weight).
The second one, load or φορτιον, means more merchandise, a specific thing you could carry, a load. Does Paul intend anything with these different images? Maybe one could say put them together something like this: You are responsible for making your own ship float but this does not absolve you from helping your neighbor's sinking boat either. I wonder if this is a case, like the Gospel of John, where you can try to splice synonyms and not get very far!
καυχμα ("boast", verb in 6:14, 6:4) The NRSV and NIV locate the pride in different places, based on how they translate εαυτου. The NRSV indicates the pride is in the work. The NIV (and NET) translate it as "Each can take pride in himself." It really says, "in himself" (eauton). Eauton can mean his as in possessive, but if this were the case, Paul would use the word in the genitive. (At least I think!) Here I'd go with the NIV.
Ultimately, none of this boasting really matters because the only thing finally worth boasting about is the cross. Paul warns here ultimate against spiritual pride, in that we can make the cross (or faith in it) a matter of our own doing by turning faith into works or faith itself into a work, instead of a gift.
oικειος, ("household", 6:10). This word is really beautiful. It describes a family member, a relative, one who would dwell with you. Ephesians 2:19 also contains this:
"So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God,"
I sometimes shy away from the idea of a family as a metaphor for church because it can be closed off (everyone considers their family loving but ask that to a new person coming in). Yet it speaks to the intense care we can and should have for one another.
στοιχησουσιν ("walk," 6:16) This verb has its root in a military or ordered formation. Paul also uses this verb in chapter 5:25. Paul commends us to walk in the "stoicheo" of the Spirit; now we are to walk in-line with the standard of Christ crucified and the new creation
κανον ("standard", 6:16) The word in chapter 6 is "canon," ie standard or law! What is the canon within the canon: Christ crucified and the new creation!
Ισραηλ του θεου ("Israel of God", 6:16) I wonder if Paul means the nation of Israel (ie, the theoretically existing tribal boundaries of the Jews called Israel, which didn't exist in the Roman empire) or if he means the new Israel, the people of God in Jesus Christ?
Grammar Review: Negative imperatives
μη + verb, 6.7. A μη imperative should be translated, "No longer" ie "Stop being afraid." In this "Stop being deceived." (Notice the case of "mock" -- present. God is continually not mocked, or in better English, God is never mocked.")
Monday, June 23, 2025
Luke 9:51-62
This passage occurs in the Revised Common Lectionary. Most recently June 29, 2025.
Summary: Clearly Jesus is focused and determined here. The Greek highlights this. This passage is a humbling reminder for a culture that wants to fit Jesus into our life rather than build our life on Jesus. Church becomes one of many competing activities instead of the encounter with the living Lord that weekly re-orients our life. The good news? Jesus does not let the rejection of pagans stop him from dying on the cross for them and for us; likewise our lack of focus and prioritization of Jesus does not change his death for us on the cross.
Key words:
αναλημψεως (meaning "ascension", 9:51) This inclusion of this word is a reminder that the ascension is an integral part of the plan for Jesus.
I sense that for Luke, the ascension here doesn't mean simply going back to heaven, but completing the salvation of humankind. I base this on the way in which Luke writes
ἐν τῷ συμπληρουσθαι τὰς ἡμέρας (meaning "during the fulfillment of days", 9:51)
- This is an articular infinitive phrase. See grammar note below
- The word ἡμέρας, which means, "days" is in the plural. Given that the actual ascension is typically understood as a singular event, this would mean that something broader is happening.
- In Acts 2:1, Luke uses the same phrase "ἐν τῷ συμπληρουσθαι..." to describe that the day of Pentecost had arrived. In this case, Luke refers to something that is happening right then and not in the future. This suggests that for Luke, the ascension is beginning in this story.
- Luke uses the articular infinitive with "ἐν τῷ + infinitive" quite a bit (well over 25 times in the Gospel). I cannot find a singular example where it refers to a future event.
το προσωπον εστηρισεν ("strengthened his face", 9:51) It is interesting that Luke uses the word face (προσωπου) three times in this three verses. Almost no English translations capture this. Luke wants to give us a visual here. Jesus has set his face toward Jerusalem. His eyes are on the prize!
του ("the" in the genitive, 9:51) Greek can show intention by combining "του" + an infinitive. Greek can also show intention with the preposition "εις" meaning "for." In 9:51 Luke stacks all of this together to create one long sentence of purpose!
ετοιμασαι (meaning "prepare", 9:52) The word prepare shows up frequently in the Gospel of Luke and often at important times:
John the Baptist prepares for John (1:17, 1:76, 3:4)
God's celebration of Jesus birth (Luke 2:31)
Prepare for Passover (22:8)
Prepare spices for burial (23:56, 24:1)
προτον ("proton" meaning "first", 9:59,60) The core problems is neither love nor duty with family. However, the key is the word first -- proton. What is first in your life?
A proton is the building block of the periodic table -- of chemistry. It is the foundation upon which every atom exists. In fact, an atom can be stripped on neutrons, even temporarily electrons. But without a proton, an atom, by definition, ceases to exist. What is integral and essential for us today?
Grammar note: preposition + articular infinitive (ἐν τῷ συμπληρουσθαι)
A quick primer on what is happening grammatically here.
- When it comes to an infinitive, the only information you get about the verb is its tense and voice.
- In this case, we have a present tense verb, which emphasizes on-going action.
- The middle voice isn't one we really have in English; the best way to think about it is "reflexive" verbs like "I bathe myself", in that the subject and object of the verb are the same. "the thing filled itself"
- An articular infinitive adds an article. This should be familiar to English readers: "The fulfilling"
- In an infinitive phrase, the subject is actually in the accusative. Here = "the days"
- The exciting part is actually the preposition. This really sets the translation. The preposition ἐν can mean "in", or often in such phrases, "during" or "while" or "when."
- In this case, we might want to translate it as "when the days of the ascension were being fulfilled." Wordy but also theologically complex!
- Last note: The word συμπληρουσθαι an infinitive coming from the words συν πληροω, meaning "with" and "fill" In every language "n" is a soft sound and so the "synp" morphs into a "symp" (try to synp without it sounding like an "symp")
Galatians 5:1;13-25
This passage is found in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, most recently June 29, 2025
ενεχεσθε ("hold in", from ενεχω, 5:1) This little verse is a good example of how context helps us translate. Paul here commends us not to "be subject/be burdened" (ενεχω) to the yoke of slavery. This word, ενεχω (enecho), is tough to translate. Literally it means "hold in." It has the connotation of "cherish inward wrath at one," or perhaps "be seized" with something, as in get caught up in a situation. Elsewhere in the NT (Mark 6:19; Luke 11:53) it means hold a grudge or be bitterly opposed to. If one inserts this translation, one gets this meaning: "Christ set you free; don't be opposed to the yoke of slavery!" That doesn't sound right!
So...let's look at the whole context. Galatians as a whole and specifically chapter 5 suggest the yoke of slavery is not the burden of following Jesus but the burden of (antiquated) laws and works-righteousness. Thus, we need a different translation; ultimately we will take on the burden of slavery to Christ. To capture this, a best sense is probably "caught up in" as in, "don't get caught up in the law again." I think the NIV does the best job with this translation (be burdened).
αφορμη(ν) ("opportunity," 5:13) A little bit more word play. Paul tells us here not to "indulge the flesh" (NIV). Paul literally writes: Not freedom for αφορμη in/to the flesh, but through love serve/slave one another. The word αφορμη is pretty interesting and alone would make for a good sermon in a few ways. The word comes from apo (from) + horme (ορμη with rough breathing accent). "horme" comes into English as "hormone," meaning "stir" or "impulse." An apohorme then is a base from which the impulse comes. Moreover, the word can also mean the capital of a banker. So you have three metaphors for how our freedom can be abused: we follow the hormones of our flesh; we use our freedom as a base of operations for the flesh or it becomes the capital on which we draw to sin...Grace becomes the bank that we rob??
λογος ("word," 5:14) Paul curiously phrases this verse: "The law can be fulfilled in one command, love one another as yourself." First off, he does not use the word command; he uses the word "logos." I am speculating here, but I wonder if Paul almost wants to elevate this above the idea of commandments, if not the law itself. (Paul uses similar language in Romans 13:9). It as if Paul is saying -- loving your neighbor belongs to the eternal Word; the other stuff we have are laws and words. In fact, the command, "Love you neighbor as yourself" is not really a command, but in fact, an indicative statement: "You will love your neighbor as yourself." While Greek can use the future indicative for a command, I find this fascinating that the most essential command is, in fact, not a command. We cannot be told to love our neighbors. This is not a possibility for obedience. We can obey simply tasks, but love of our neighbor is a divine gift, a fruit of the Spirit.
πεπληρωται ("fulfill", from πληρoω, 5:14) "Summed up" is not a strong enough translation for this verse. It means more brought to fullness or completion. Perhaps this would have more bite: "The law is completed in one word, in this: Love your neighbor as yourself"
εσταυρωσαν (form of "σταυρoω", 5:24) It is striking here that Paul says that Christians are actually doing the crucifying of the flesh. Normally these sorts of activities are done by God or left in the passive; here the verb is in the active. First off, only those who are are of Christ can do this (vs 24) and the Spirit is guiding us (vs 25). Clearly Paul puts this in terms of the trinity, but Paul does not let our own activity off the hook...
στοιχημεν ("walk", 5:25) The word for walk here is "stoicheoo." This word has a rather interesting meaning and related sets of words, but basically, it comes from the word for rows. The idea here is that to "walk" in the spirit here would mean to "assemble orderly ranks for walking." In short, to walk in the Spirit is probably not as free as we think it is today. It is certainly not as independent as we'd have it either.
Some reflections on preaching: How do we convince people that freedom in Christ is true freedom, greater than their political, sexual and economic freedoms they find in our culture today? Perhaps one way to show this is how our "freedoms" turn out not to be as freeing as we thought!
I also think the challenge with the word love is that people hear love against a background of autonomy; I do not think any Biblical writer could possible imagine the extent to which people in our preaching audience view themselves as independent moral agents. In short, I think the ancients viewed the moral task of life as taking one's place in the "circle of life", finding one's place within the complex matrix of human and divine relationships that exist. I think modern Americans view the moral task as "finding oneself" and then maybe, just maybe, inserting oneself back into this moral matrix, but likely on one's own terms! Sin was something that jeopardized one's place in this moral matrix; today sin is likely a failure to "let it go" and "be yourself." Even if this is sounding like a rant...any discussion about Paul's notions of freedom (and love) must be restored to a far more communal way of approaching life than the individual notions we have today.
Monday, June 16, 2025
Luke 8:26-39
This passage occurs in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, most recently June 22, 2025
Summary: Just because someone has broken free of their chains, does not mean they are free of their demons. This is story about Jesus freeing an outcast of their demons and restoring them to life. It takes identifying the problem, the prayerful word of God, a person who can integrate the healed back into society and frankly, an economic cost to the whole. As I read this story this year, I think about the great challenge it is to heal and restore people. It is not impossible, but it is a greater work than I first thought.
Key Words:
εδεσμευετο αλεσεσιν (from δεσμευω αλυσις, meaning "bound in chains", 8:29) What is interesting is that even though the man can break free of his chains, he is not free. The Bible presents a complex relationship between chains and imprisonment and freedom. At points God comes to set the prisoner free. As Jesus quotes from Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." (Luke 4:18-19) On the other hand, Paul will write numerous points about his work in chains (Ephesians 6:20, Acts 28:20; Philippians 1:14). This does not stop the message, but the message goes forth. As Paul most pointed says in 2 Timothy 2:9 "...for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained." External chains do not always reveal the inner and more enduring chains. External freedom may not be true freedom. To put it another way, just because someone has broken free of their chains, does not mean they are free of their demons.
ερημος (pronounced "heramos," meaning wilderness or desert; 8:29) This word comes into English as "hermit." The desert is a spiritual place in the Bible, a place where demons do dwell, but God is also present (think temptation story with both the devil and angels present).
Side note: St. Anthony is often considered the founder of Christian monasticism. He lived in the wilderness. However, he did not go to the wilderness to flee the worldly pleasures of the city, but to confront the demons that dwell here. In short, the wilderness is not viewed a place of pristine beauty, but of spiritual warfare.
ονομα (meaning "name", 8:30) In order for Jesus to cast out the demon, the name must be revealed. This is true in our lives as well. A Jesuit priest offered this insight to me 20 years ago regarding this passage. As I grow older, what strikes me is that the demon's name must come from the man's mouth. Naming the demon for another (you are an addict; he is a racist) does not empower change. Saying "I am an addict" or "I am a racist" is the gateway to a new path.
λεγιων (pronounced "legion", 8:30) This could simply refer to the fact that there are many demons...or could be an illusion to a Roman military unit; a hostile, non-kosher, occupying force! Here is my take: In order to exorcise a demon, you have to know its name! We must name the problems in this world to solve them!
αβυσσος (pronounced, "abyssos", 8:31) The word abyss is the place of the dead in Scripture; it also seems to refer to the primordial chaos waters.
Romans 10:7 "or 'Who will descend into the abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
Genesis 1:2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
Sadly, this is the only place in Luke's Gospel where the word abyss is found! I was wanting some more fun!
Rabbit hole of the week: I don't think this is the main point of this passage, but I consider it interesting that Jesus does not kill the demon here, even though they acknowledge that he could. Is Jesus hoping for its repentance? Is Jesus using it kill the unclean animal and source of Roman money in the area? Is Jesus okay simply with evil existing until the day of judgment, when all such creatures will end up in (λιμνη, Revelation 19:20 among other passages)?
βοσκοντες (meaning "tend" or "feed", 8:34) A nice example of a substantive participle...but I digress. The point here is that the emancipation of the demon possessed man (the outcast in society) cost the society something, even with Jesus present. What are we willing to give up to help the outcasts? I would love to say that it is not a zero sum game (because it isn't), but giving life to the outcasts in society is not without costs.
εφοβηθησαν (verb from "φοβος", pronounced "phobos" meaning "fear", 8:35). The reaction to the healing of the person is fear. How often might we react in fear to God's emancipating work? How can this be overcome? Fortunately the fear is not of the man, but of Jesus. How might the healing work of God have a cost for the ones doing the healing and freeing work?
θεος ("theos", meaning God 8:38). This is a subtle reminder that Jesus = God. Jesus tells him to tell what God has done; he tells what Jesus has done.
κηρύσσων (pronounced, "kerusso" akin to kerygma, meaning "proclaiming", 8:39) Jesus officially commissions the disciples to "proclaim" in 9:1; this, then, is the first commissioning in Luke. The disciples have lots of training before they are sent out; in this case, this person is sent out to declare the Word of the Lord in his life. I wonder if we spend so much time preparing people for grand commissioning (seminary) that we overlook the very basic task of commissioning people in our midst to talk about God's work in their lives.
ο διαμονισθεις (the one possessed, 8:36) The man had lost his name; this can happen too, in our society, where we identify people by their problem rather than their name; or even their possibility!
A little grammar bonus:
τι εμοι και σοι ("what to you and to me", 8:28) The Greek here seems pretty mild "What is to you and to me?" It really means "What is your problem with me?" It is used often to set up an adversarial conversation between two parties. Interestingly, this will be how Jesus approaches his mother at Cana (in John 2)
Side note: If you are curious about how Luke and Mark are different in this story: Mark uses imperfect tenses for verbs, highlighting the on-going battle. Luke uses aorist, choosing to focus less on the battle scene.
Actually, if you want to see a crazy participle, you can look at how Luke constructs verse 27. ἐξελθόντι is a dative participle, which means it refers to what is in the dative in the sentence, name "him" or Jesus. "To the one getting out upon the land, came a man, one of the city, who had demons."
Sunday, June 15, 2025
Galatians 3:23-29 (3:19-29)
Note: This passage occurs in year C of the lectionary, during the season after Pentecost, most recently June 22, 2025
Summary: It would be tough to preach a sermon on this, at least for me, because so much of what is happening here is theological argumentation. It could be a fun challenge though! Normally I focus on key words and concepts, but this passage kind of demands a more granular analysis:
The actually lectionary lesson begins at verse 23, but let's pick up Paul's argument at verse 19.
3.19: Paul literally writes: "Why then the law ?" Perhaps the great question is: What does Paul mean by "nomos" or "law" here? Well...let's see!
3.19: Paul here writes that the law was added ἄχρις (until) the σπέρμα (seed/offspring) came. The world until is fascinating in this whole passage; more to come. The word seed or offspring is a word closely associated with Abraham and the promises made to him.
3:19: The NIV and NRSV/NET differ in how the translate a little relative pronoun "whom" (literally ᾧ or 'who'). I read what I wrote here years ago and decided it was too complicated. In a nutshell, the NIV translation wants to emphasize Jesus as the promised seed; the NRSV/NET want to include the people to whom the promise was given, something the NIV leaves out. The NRSV/NET seem more grammatically correct here.
3:19: Point about how Greek works: Paul switches back to talking about the law in the latter half the sentence. How do you know? Because the aorist particle beginning this part of the sentence is in conjugated as a masculine nominative and thus refers back to the law (νόμος is a mas. nom). If it referred to the seed it would be neuter; if it referred to the promise it would be feminine. Participles are conjugated based on what they relate to in the main sentence; relative pronouns are conjugated based on what they relate to in the relative clause.
3:20: I actually think Paul is saying something monumental here in verse 20 when he says that God is one. This suggests that the whole work of Moses was an act of God. More bluntly, God did not leave the law to humans and then walk away, but the law is living through the work of the Spirit! This is why Paul can write in vs 22 that Scripture trapped us -- because it is a living thing.
3:21: Great example of an εἰ ἂν clause. If both are in the indicative, this means that both points are wrong: If the law could give life (but it doesn't); then you could have righteousness (but it doesn't).
3.19: Paul literally writes: "Why then the law ?" Perhaps the great question is: What does Paul mean by "nomos" or "law" here? Well...let's see!
3.19: Paul here writes that the law was added ἄχρις (until) the σπέρμα (seed/offspring) came. The world until is fascinating in this whole passage; more to come. The word seed or offspring is a word closely associated with Abraham and the promises made to him.
3:19: The NIV and NRSV/NET differ in how the translate a little relative pronoun "whom" (literally ᾧ or 'who'). I read what I wrote here years ago and decided it was too complicated. In a nutshell, the NIV translation wants to emphasize Jesus as the promised seed; the NRSV/NET want to include the people to whom the promise was given, something the NIV leaves out. The NRSV/NET seem more grammatically correct here.
3:19: Point about how Greek works: Paul switches back to talking about the law in the latter half the sentence. How do you know? Because the aorist particle beginning this part of the sentence is in conjugated as a masculine nominative and thus refers back to the law (νόμος is a mas. nom). If it referred to the seed it would be neuter; if it referred to the promise it would be feminine. Participles are conjugated based on what they relate to in the main sentence; relative pronouns are conjugated based on what they relate to in the relative clause.
3:20: I actually think Paul is saying something monumental here in verse 20 when he says that God is one. This suggests that the whole work of Moses was an act of God. More bluntly, God did not leave the law to humans and then walk away, but the law is living through the work of the Spirit! This is why Paul can write in vs 22 that Scripture trapped us -- because it is a living thing.
3:21: Great example of an εἰ ἂν clause. If both are in the indicative, this means that both points are wrong: If the law could give life (but it doesn't); then you could have righteousness (but it doesn't).
3:22 Scripture, has like a net entangling fish (συνέκλεισεν), caught us up under sin. That's the image. Now you can figure out what that means.
3:22 This is the classic "Faith of Christ", where we are not sure if Paul means the faith in Christ or the faith that Christ has. My sense is that in this case, it is referring to the faith of Christ. Another interesting note is that the faith (noun) of Jesus makes possible the believing (verb; action) by us.
3:23 Here comes another translation issue on a preposition: εἰς. This little bad boy can mean until or toward or to. So, the question for interpreters of Gal 3 is: Does the law lead us until Christ or up to Christ or toward Christ?
3:24 The great word here is "παιδαγωγὸς" (paidagogos, literally foot-leader). As Liddell-Scott puts it: a boy-ward; at Athens, the slave who went with a boy from home to school and back again, a kind of tutor, Hdt., Eur., etc.:-hence Phoenix is called the paidagogos of Achilles. The law is a slave in itself finally...
3:25 The participle here is a genitive absolute (they stick everything in genitive to start out the sentence that has nothing to do with the second half). So you have to treat the genitive word and the genitive participle as all in the nominative and then put a coma: "Faith came," Or to make it connect: After faith came...
Note: I had offered a number of earlier NIV translation, which clearly reflected the pre-2011 translation update!
3:22 This is the classic "Faith of Christ", where we are not sure if Paul means the faith in Christ or the faith that Christ has. My sense is that in this case, it is referring to the faith of Christ. Another interesting note is that the faith (noun) of Jesus makes possible the believing (verb; action) by us.
3:23 Here comes another translation issue on a preposition: εἰς. This little bad boy can mean until or toward or to. So, the question for interpreters of Gal 3 is: Does the law lead us until Christ or up to Christ or toward Christ?
3:24 The great word here is "παιδαγωγὸς" (paidagogos, literally foot-leader). As Liddell-Scott puts it: a boy-ward; at Athens, the slave who went with a boy from home to school and back again, a kind of tutor, Hdt., Eur., etc.:-hence Phoenix is called the paidagogos of Achilles. The law is a slave in itself finally...
3:25 The participle here is a genitive absolute (they stick everything in genitive to start out the sentence that has nothing to do with the second half). So you have to treat the genitive word and the genitive participle as all in the nominative and then put a coma: "Faith came," Or to make it connect: After faith came...
Note: I had offered a number of earlier NIV translation, which clearly reflected the pre-2011 translation update!
3:27 Compare this verse with Col 3:12. Can you see the difference in Greek?
Monday, June 9, 2025
John 16:12-15
This passage occurs in the RCL for Holy Trinity Sunday, Year C, most recently June 2025.
Summary: This is not my favorite Holy Trinity passage; in fact, I think one needs to be really careful not to use this passage counter-productively. The use of the word paraclete (παρακλητος) in John 14-16, often translated as advocate, suggests our need for a lawyer before our heavenly judge. While a legal metaphor of salvation may make sense in other contexts, let us be perfectly clear: In John's Gospel Jesus is not describing the Holy Spirit as our defense attorney before God the Father as judge.
Rather, Jesus presents the Holy Spirit as the abiding and living presence of God for the believers, particularly the whole community as they encounter and are challenged by the world. The Holy Spirit will continue the work of Jesus through the disciples. To put it another way, the Holy Spirit will make us holy, making us alive in Jesus Christ, both individually but also collectively. This is the work of the third person of the Trinity: to bring us into the life of God.
Key Words:
παρακλητος (paraclete, 15.26 and throughout John 15 and 16) The word parakletos for the Holy Spirit is a tough one to crack! The noun literally means "one called along side of." Originally it meant a "legal assistant." Hence the affinity for the term advocate.
Yet, the whole field of words related to parakletos pushes against a cold, judicial term, especially in terms of our relationship with God.
14.16 The parakletos is a gift from God
14.17 The parakletos will be with us, even abide in us forever
14.26 The parakletos will teach you and cause you to remember the words of Jesus
15.26 The parakletos will witness about Jesus
16.8 The parakletos will prove the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.
16.13 The parakletos will guide you on the way
16.13 The parakletos will listen to the Father and Son
16.14 The parakletos will glorify Jesus
16.14 The parakletos will make Jesus known
Interestingly, the Vulgate does not even use the term advocate to translate parakletos, instead transliterating the word "paracletus." In fact, the Latin does translate the word "parakletos" from the Greek into the Latin "advocatum" once, and this is from 1 John 2.1, where the sense is different. Indeed, here the idea is Jesus interceding for us against the judge of the Father concerning our sins; in John's Gospel the idea of the parakletos has nothing to do with a legal metaphor before God the Father, but the enabler of Christian before the world of unbelievers.
Furthermore, a look at the verb παρακαλεω, the related verb for the noun παρακλητος, really brings home that this word (really word field) is not primarily about legal matters:
Isaiah 40.1 "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God."
Psalm 23 "Your rod and staff, they comfort me."
Proverbs 8:4 "To you, O people, I call and my cry is to all that live."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God."
αληθεια (truth, 16.13). The Gospel of John uses the word truth a number of times. Jesus is full of truth (1.14 and 1.17) and the truth shall set you free (8.32) but what is the truth? The best I can tell, John's Gospel asserts few things as "truth". In fact, little if anything is actually specifically stated as true, but if you do some work around times when "truth" is being debated, you can conclude a few things:
The truth is: The Word of God (1.14)
The truth is: Anyone who sins is a slave to sin (8.34); the consequence of sin is death (8.24)
The truth is: By believing in Jesus, we have life (8.24)
The truth is: Jesus and the Father are one (8.26)
The truth is: Followers of Jesus hear his voice (18.37) and walk in the light (8.12)
The truth is: Jesus is King (18.37)
To put it another way, it turns out that only some really essential things are declared/implied as truth in the Gospel of John.
οδηγεω (guide, 16.13) The verb here for "guide" is "hodege-oo" which means "hodos+ag-oo"=lead on the way; the verb is used in describing Philip's interaction with the Eunuch, where the Eunuch invites Phillip to show him the way of understanding Scripture.
Summary: This is not my favorite Holy Trinity passage; in fact, I think one needs to be really careful not to use this passage counter-productively. The use of the word paraclete (παρακλητος) in John 14-16, often translated as advocate, suggests our need for a lawyer before our heavenly judge. While a legal metaphor of salvation may make sense in other contexts, let us be perfectly clear: In John's Gospel Jesus is not describing the Holy Spirit as our defense attorney before God the Father as judge.
Rather, Jesus presents the Holy Spirit as the abiding and living presence of God for the believers, particularly the whole community as they encounter and are challenged by the world. The Holy Spirit will continue the work of Jesus through the disciples. To put it another way, the Holy Spirit will make us holy, making us alive in Jesus Christ, both individually but also collectively. This is the work of the third person of the Trinity: to bring us into the life of God.
Key Words:
παρακλητος (paraclete, 15.26 and throughout John 15 and 16) The word parakletos for the Holy Spirit is a tough one to crack! The noun literally means "one called along side of." Originally it meant a "legal assistant." Hence the affinity for the term advocate.
Yet, the whole field of words related to parakletos pushes against a cold, judicial term, especially in terms of our relationship with God.
14.16 The parakletos is a gift from God
14.17 The parakletos will be with us, even abide in us forever
14.26 The parakletos will teach you and cause you to remember the words of Jesus
15.26 The parakletos will witness about Jesus
16.8 The parakletos will prove the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment.
16.13 The parakletos will guide you on the way
16.13 The parakletos will listen to the Father and Son
16.14 The parakletos will glorify Jesus
16.14 The parakletos will make Jesus known
Interestingly, the Vulgate does not even use the term advocate to translate parakletos, instead transliterating the word "paracletus." In fact, the Latin does translate the word "parakletos" from the Greek into the Latin "advocatum" once, and this is from 1 John 2.1, where the sense is different. Indeed, here the idea is Jesus interceding for us against the judge of the Father concerning our sins; in John's Gospel the idea of the parakletos has nothing to do with a legal metaphor before God the Father, but the enabler of Christian before the world of unbelievers.
Furthermore, a look at the verb παρακαλεω, the related verb for the noun παρακλητος, really brings home that this word (really word field) is not primarily about legal matters:
Isaiah 40.1 "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God."
Psalm 23 "Your rod and staff, they comfort me."
Proverbs 8:4 "To you, O people, I call and my cry is to all that live."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation, who consoles us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to console those who are in any affliction with the consolation with which we ourselves are consoled by God."
αληθεια (truth, 16.13). The Gospel of John uses the word truth a number of times. Jesus is full of truth (1.14 and 1.17) and the truth shall set you free (8.32) but what is the truth? The best I can tell, John's Gospel asserts few things as "truth". In fact, little if anything is actually specifically stated as true, but if you do some work around times when "truth" is being debated, you can conclude a few things:
The truth is: The Word of God (1.14)
The truth is: Anyone who sins is a slave to sin (8.34); the consequence of sin is death (8.24)
The truth is: By believing in Jesus, we have life (8.24)
The truth is: Jesus and the Father are one (8.26)
The truth is: Followers of Jesus hear his voice (18.37) and walk in the light (8.12)
The truth is: Jesus is King (18.37)
To put it another way, it turns out that only some really essential things are declared/implied as truth in the Gospel of John.
οδηγεω (guide, 16.13) The verb here for "guide" is "hodege-oo" which means "hodos+ag-oo"=lead on the way; the verb is used in describing Philip's interaction with the Eunuch, where the Eunuch invites Phillip to show him the way of understanding Scripture.
Monday, June 2, 2025
Acts 2:1-11 (Pentecost)
Summary: Luke's use of language in his first two sentences of Acts chapter 2 sets up an
incredible contrast. Verse one captures the togetherness of the pre-Pentecost
community; verse two shows the Holy Spirit bursting the community into the
world. As I contemplate the church over the centuries, I wonder if we
always stand between verse 1 and 2; full of love and community, but waiting for
the awesome movement of the Spirit to push us outside of ourselves. Moving
churches out of their walls is a Herculean task, but God is up to
it!
The miracle of fiery tongues gets the attention, but I see three other miracles
- The patience of the disciples to grief together
- The willingness of people to listen - true communication
- The church moving outside of its walls
Image one: The pre-Pentecost community (Verse 1 captures all of Acts chapter 1)
ομου + επι το αυτο ("together" and "all together") Luke uses a rather redundant phrase. Both halves mean "together"; in English he basically wrote "They were together with each other in the same place." Luke wants to drive the point across that they were united. It is important to note that a united church is not a church in mission; a united church is a church waiting for mission.
I used to see the church of Acts 1 as "First Lutheran Church of Jerusalem." Great doctrine. Great fellowship. Perfect Committee Structure. No outreach. Overtime I have softened on this, as I begin to see how unity (processing grief!!) is a precursor to ministry.
εν τω συμπληρουσθαι (συμπληροω; fulfill) To the point: By employing this particular construction, Luke makes it clear that they did not simply come together on Pentecost, but they had been together for a while. A few other points here about the verb fulfill:
* The verb fulfill occurs three times in just a few verses. The days of Pentecost were being fulfilled; the house was filled; now the people are filled.
* The verb is in the present suggesting it is ongoing action; especially when paired with an imperfect as the main verb. The notion suggested here is that they have been together (rather obediently!) since Jesus told them to wait.
* Purely grammar note: Chapter two begins with an articular infinitive after a preposition: εν τω + infinitive which can be translated "During the ..." In this case, the verb is "fulfill."
In summary, Luke does not simply imply "The group was assembled for the celebration" but rather, "As the day of Pentecost approached, they were continually together in the same place."
Image two: The Spirit comes (vs 2 and the rest of Acts)
ηχος ("sound"; literally echo!) The Spirit comes as an echo...that has reverberated across the years.
φερημενης (φερω; "carry") The wind that comes is a carrying wind; a wind that will carry the disciples outside of their walls.
βιαιος ("violent") When this word occurs in the OT, it describes the wind blowing back the waters during Exodus. Maybe that is one metaphor for the Spirit's activities during the 21st century: Making a way through the troubled waters for the church. Interestingly, this word is used in classical Greek to describe the "power" or "strength" of Hercules. This may also be a way to think about the Spirit -- overcoming the Herculean task of getting Christians to leave the door. Sometimes this might take shaking things up a bit!
A few other points:
ευλαβης ("devout"; 2:5) The men in Jerusalem are considered "devout". Interestingly, Simeon (Luke 2) was labeled as devout as well -- a rather rare term in the NT (only used four times). As Jesus was revealed (as a baby) to a devout man, the church was revealed (in its baby stage!) to devout men and women.
ιδια διαλεκτω ("Our own language" literally "the idiom dialect"; 2:6) Luther hits the nail on the head: Muttersprache (mother tongue).
ακουω ("hear"; 2:6,8 and 11) This verb means listening. While the tongues of flames get the attention, the Holy Spirit tends to work just as much through the ears as through the eyes!
Image one: The pre-Pentecost community (Verse 1 captures all of Acts chapter 1)
ομου + επι το αυτο ("together" and "all together") Luke uses a rather redundant phrase. Both halves mean "together"; in English he basically wrote "They were together with each other in the same place." Luke wants to drive the point across that they were united. It is important to note that a united church is not a church in mission; a united church is a church waiting for mission.
I used to see the church of Acts 1 as "First Lutheran Church of Jerusalem." Great doctrine. Great fellowship. Perfect Committee Structure. No outreach. Overtime I have softened on this, as I begin to see how unity (processing grief!!) is a precursor to ministry.
εν τω συμπληρουσθαι (συμπληροω; fulfill) To the point: By employing this particular construction, Luke makes it clear that they did not simply come together on Pentecost, but they had been together for a while. A few other points here about the verb fulfill:
* The verb fulfill occurs three times in just a few verses. The days of Pentecost were being fulfilled; the house was filled; now the people are filled.
* The verb is in the present suggesting it is ongoing action; especially when paired with an imperfect as the main verb. The notion suggested here is that they have been together (rather obediently!) since Jesus told them to wait.
* Purely grammar note: Chapter two begins with an articular infinitive after a preposition: εν τω + infinitive which can be translated "During the ..." In this case, the verb is "fulfill."
In summary, Luke does not simply imply "The group was assembled for the celebration" but rather, "As the day of Pentecost approached, they were continually together in the same place."
Image two: The Spirit comes (vs 2 and the rest of Acts)
ηχος ("sound"; literally echo!) The Spirit comes as an echo...that has reverberated across the years.
φερημενης (φερω; "carry") The wind that comes is a carrying wind; a wind that will carry the disciples outside of their walls.
βιαιος ("violent") When this word occurs in the OT, it describes the wind blowing back the waters during Exodus. Maybe that is one metaphor for the Spirit's activities during the 21st century: Making a way through the troubled waters for the church. Interestingly, this word is used in classical Greek to describe the "power" or "strength" of Hercules. This may also be a way to think about the Spirit -- overcoming the Herculean task of getting Christians to leave the door. Sometimes this might take shaking things up a bit!
To put this together,
the Spirit carries with it...a hint of upheaval...that echoes across the
centuries.
διαμεριζομεναι (from διαμεριζω, meaning divide, 2:3, 2:45) The spirit divides tongues among them; later they divide their property among each other! It is interesting how the spiritual leads to the material -- they are related!
A few other points:
ευλαβης ("devout"; 2:5) The men in Jerusalem are considered "devout". Interestingly, Simeon (Luke 2) was labeled as devout as well -- a rather rare term in the NT (only used four times). As Jesus was revealed (as a baby) to a devout man, the church was revealed (in its baby stage!) to devout men and women.
ιδια διαλεκτω ("Our own language" literally "the idiom dialect"; 2:6) Luther hits the nail on the head: Muttersprache (mother tongue).
ακουω ("hear"; 2:6,8 and 11) This verb means listening. While the tongues of flames get the attention, the Holy Spirit tends to work just as much through the ears as through the eyes!
απεφθεγξατο ("proclaim"; from αποφθεγγομαι; 2:14) Luke describes Peter's speech using a word here that means "dignified proclamation." This is significant given the education and social rank of Peter; but it also shows that the Spirit does not simply give ecstatic or emotional speech, but that the Spirit can lead us to be articulate.
Sunday, June 1, 2025
John 14:8-17, (25-27)
Note: This passage is the Gospel reading for Pentecost Sunday, year C. My sense is that most people prefer to -- and frankly should -- preach on the Pentecost story. But a few tidbits here for sermonizing.
Tidbits for preaching:
παράκλητον ("paraclete", 14:16; 14:25) This word is a tough one to translate. As the NET Bible offers, "No single English word has exactly the same range of meaning as the Greek word."
Thayer (via Accordance) defines it as this:
- Generally: summoned, called to one’s side, especially called to one’s aid; hence,
- 1. one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant; an advocate
- 2. universally, one who pleads another’s cause with one, an intercessor (including on behalf of sins)
- 3. in the widest sense, a helper, succorer, aider, assistant;...
Which is really interesting because you can move quickly into a legal metaphor- where the Holy Spirit becomes your lawyer before God the judge. Sometimes this understanding of God's work, especially in regards to justification, is called "forensic."
However, in the Gospel of John, that is not the way in which the Spirit functions. The Spirit never intervenes to tell God that we are not needing to be punished and that God should love us instead. In fact, the only time the Spirit shows up in regard to judgment in the Gospel of John (chapter 16), it is doing the opposite -- it is judging the world! Look at these two other uses of the word παράκλητον in John's Gospel
- John 14:26 But the παράκλητον, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
- John 15:26 “But when the παράκλητον comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, the will bear witness about me.
(The NET Bible, which translates παράκλητον as advocate, goes through all the possibilities, indicates the short comings, acknowledges that this shortcoming, but wants to emphasize the power of the Spirit in the proclamation of Jesus)
κόσμος (literally cosmos, "world," 14:27) This is an easy word to learn in Greek! What I want to emphasize here is that the world, which God loves, is not an easy place. Furthermore, in the Gospel of John the world consistently is hostile to God and the disciples. The world is not loved because it deserves to be loved, the world is loved because God chooses to love it.
Monday, May 26, 2025
Acts 1:1-11 (Acts 1:1-14)
Acts 1:1-14 is the Narrative Lectionary passage in Year 1
Acts 1:1-11 or Acts 1:6-14 is the RCL passage for the Ascension/Easter 7.
Summary: The disciples want a restoration project. Jesus wants them to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Especially after COVID, our churches want things to "get back to normal" or "to restore what we were." You might also sense that our nation also wants "to get back to the way it was." (Make X Great Again!) I wouldn't necessary use Acts 1 as political commentary, but it certainly has parallels to our religious situation, in which our grief makes us trapped in nostalgia.
You could really go for an edgy sermon: Acts 1 shows a united church that loves and prays together, but does not do any outreach. It is "First Lutheran Church of Jerusalem", a small, tight-knit group that sings and worships with joy, fills committee spots (with people that have been here the longest) and avoids outreach at all possible costs.
For those note quite as bold:
Acts 1:1 may just summarize all of the book. In fact, one word, sometimes missed by the translators, may summarize all of acts: "began." Luke says that his Gospel is "all that Jesus BEGAN to do and teach." Jesus' work in the Gospel's is not complete; it must be continued by his disciples. By the Spirit, they carry forth and do the greater things Jesus told us we would do if we believed in him. Luke is inviting us, as readers -- lovers of God! -- into the movement of seeing all things reconciled in Jesus Christ.
Key words:
Θεοφιλος ("lover of God", 1:1) Luke may have written this to a specific person name Theophilos. Or he writes it to all of us who love God!
ηρχατο ("begin" aorist form of αρχω, in 1:1) It is worth noting that Luke says that Jesus begins his doings and teachings. The completion of Jesus ministry will be done through the disciples. This one verb, may in fact, tell you everything you need to know about the book of Acts!
τε και ("and and" in verse 1). BDAG suggests this combination means "connecting concepts, usually of the same kind." Here it links the words ποιειν (doing) and διδασκειν (teaching). A helpful reminder than the hands and head are connected in Luke's mind!
εξελεξατο ("choose" aorist form of εκλεγω, in 1:2; see also 1:24; 6:5 and 15:7;22;25) Throughout the book of Acts, the disciples have to make choices. The tricky thing is figuring out how the Holy Spirit will guide this process of choice. In Acts 1:2 no indication is given for this will happen. In 1:24, lots are used; in 6:5, the Spirit works through community's approval of the leadership's suggestion concerning deacons; in chapter 15, the choice is made through collective debate. (One might suggest Acts 1:24 is a judgment because the disciple chosen is never picked from again)
επαγγελια(ν) ("promise", 1:4) The NIV translates this as "gift." This seems less helpful. The word is promise: Wait for the promise.
τω Ισραηλ ("to Israel"; 1:6) Jesus was teaching them about the Kingdom of God; they were concerned with the Kingdom which belongs to Israel.
αποκαθιστανεις ("to restore"; 1:6) This sentence is a sermon in itself. The disciples want Jesus to be on a restoration project of their particular tribe. He is not interested in this. He is interested in the salvation of the earth.
μαρτυς ("to witness"; 1:8) This word looks like "martyr"...because it means just that. Jesus hear commands his disciples to be witnesses. When Jesus used the word it had no implication of suffering. However, the early Christians who were witnesses became "martyrs." The definition of the word was changed by the heroic actions early Christians. So, Jesus here is calling his disciples to be martyrs. Ouch!
Σαμαρια (Samaria; 1:8) Jesus mission includes the "other side of the tracks." This is a good way to think about the mission field: your home town (Jerusalem and Judea), the "other" (Samaria") and the far away (the ends of the earth). My sense is that most of us have an inclination toward one of these mission fields.
ομοθυμαδόν ("one mind" or "one passion" 1:14) The people were united. This is a beautiful scene of the early Christian community: united in prayer and one might argue, doctrine. The problem: they did not do any outreach, but instead spent their time filling spots committees per historical expectations. When I became a pastor, I loved to preach this sermon and "rip" into congregations for their inward nature. Now that I've helped lead churches through change (and not just preach), I realize that coming together -- grieving together -- is necessary for their to be the transformation necessary for outreach.
Grammar/translation review: Word order and Luke's grammatical mastery.
In Greek, word order is not essential for understanding the sentence; in English it is. For example, "The boy hit the dog" and "The dog hit the boy" are two different ideas in English. In Greek, the reader knows who did the action by the cases of the nouns, not their order in the sentence. The nominative does the action; the accusative is the object of the action, regardless of which comes first. This means that Greek (and to some extent Hebrew) can move words around for emphasis. For example, Acts 1:2, is very convoluted if you just read the words: until which day, after he taught the apostles whom he had chosen, he was ascended. Permissible in English perhaps, but the sentence points out that good Greek can have words all over the place because the cases are governing their function, not word order.
In Acts 1:5 we have a very unusual split of some words: εν πνευματι βαπτισθησεσθε αγιω
Although the specific conjugation may be odd, (future passive 2nd person plural is fairly rare for verbs!), the words are pretty clear: "In the spirit you will be baptized holy." What is Luke doing? Could holy be an adverb? Unlikely. (Long grammar point: it would be in the accusative rather than dative). Hmm... what to do? Well, Luke earlier claims that Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. (Let's use more clear Scripture to interpret less clear Scripture!) So what could Luke possibly be doing here by putting Baptism in the middle of the Holy Spirit? Well, duh, Luke is making the claim that the Holy Spirit and Baptism are bound up in each other! To put it another way, Luke has stretched Greek language to show us that Baptism is in the Holy Spirit!
This is something like, in my mind, when Handel has the tenor sing "The rough places plain," the word "rough" has small rapid changes; the note for "plain" is constant and smooth.
Acts 1:1-11 or Acts 1:6-14 is the RCL passage for the Ascension/Easter 7.
Summary: The disciples want a restoration project. Jesus wants them to be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Especially after COVID, our churches want things to "get back to normal" or "to restore what we were." You might also sense that our nation also wants "to get back to the way it was." (Make X Great Again!) I wouldn't necessary use Acts 1 as political commentary, but it certainly has parallels to our religious situation, in which our grief makes us trapped in nostalgia.
You could really go for an edgy sermon: Acts 1 shows a united church that loves and prays together, but does not do any outreach. It is "First Lutheran Church of Jerusalem", a small, tight-knit group that sings and worships with joy, fills committee spots (with people that have been here the longest) and avoids outreach at all possible costs.
For those note quite as bold:
Acts 1:1 may just summarize all of the book. In fact, one word, sometimes missed by the translators, may summarize all of acts: "began." Luke says that his Gospel is "all that Jesus BEGAN to do and teach." Jesus' work in the Gospel's is not complete; it must be continued by his disciples. By the Spirit, they carry forth and do the greater things Jesus told us we would do if we believed in him. Luke is inviting us, as readers -- lovers of God! -- into the movement of seeing all things reconciled in Jesus Christ.
Key words:
Θεοφιλος ("lover of God", 1:1) Luke may have written this to a specific person name Theophilos. Or he writes it to all of us who love God!
ηρχατο ("begin" aorist form of αρχω, in 1:1) It is worth noting that Luke says that Jesus begins his doings and teachings. The completion of Jesus ministry will be done through the disciples. This one verb, may in fact, tell you everything you need to know about the book of Acts!
τε και ("and and" in verse 1). BDAG suggests this combination means "connecting concepts, usually of the same kind." Here it links the words ποιειν (doing) and διδασκειν (teaching). A helpful reminder than the hands and head are connected in Luke's mind!
εξελεξατο ("choose" aorist form of εκλεγω, in 1:2; see also 1:24; 6:5 and 15:7;22;25) Throughout the book of Acts, the disciples have to make choices. The tricky thing is figuring out how the Holy Spirit will guide this process of choice. In Acts 1:2 no indication is given for this will happen. In 1:24, lots are used; in 6:5, the Spirit works through community's approval of the leadership's suggestion concerning deacons; in chapter 15, the choice is made through collective debate. (One might suggest Acts 1:24 is a judgment because the disciple chosen is never picked from again)
επαγγελια(ν) ("promise", 1:4) The NIV translates this as "gift." This seems less helpful. The word is promise: Wait for the promise.
τω Ισραηλ ("to Israel"; 1:6) Jesus was teaching them about the Kingdom of God; they were concerned with the Kingdom which belongs to Israel.
αποκαθιστανεις ("to restore"; 1:6) This sentence is a sermon in itself. The disciples want Jesus to be on a restoration project of their particular tribe. He is not interested in this. He is interested in the salvation of the earth.
μαρτυς ("to witness"; 1:8) This word looks like "martyr"...because it means just that. Jesus hear commands his disciples to be witnesses. When Jesus used the word it had no implication of suffering. However, the early Christians who were witnesses became "martyrs." The definition of the word was changed by the heroic actions early Christians. So, Jesus here is calling his disciples to be martyrs. Ouch!
Σαμαρια (Samaria; 1:8) Jesus mission includes the "other side of the tracks." This is a good way to think about the mission field: your home town (Jerusalem and Judea), the "other" (Samaria") and the far away (the ends of the earth). My sense is that most of us have an inclination toward one of these mission fields.
ομοθυμαδόν ("one mind" or "one passion" 1:14) The people were united. This is a beautiful scene of the early Christian community: united in prayer and one might argue, doctrine. The problem: they did not do any outreach, but instead spent their time filling spots committees per historical expectations. When I became a pastor, I loved to preach this sermon and "rip" into congregations for their inward nature. Now that I've helped lead churches through change (and not just preach), I realize that coming together -- grieving together -- is necessary for their to be the transformation necessary for outreach.
Grammar/translation review: Word order and Luke's grammatical mastery.
In Greek, word order is not essential for understanding the sentence; in English it is. For example, "The boy hit the dog" and "The dog hit the boy" are two different ideas in English. In Greek, the reader knows who did the action by the cases of the nouns, not their order in the sentence. The nominative does the action; the accusative is the object of the action, regardless of which comes first. This means that Greek (and to some extent Hebrew) can move words around for emphasis. For example, Acts 1:2, is very convoluted if you just read the words: until which day, after he taught the apostles whom he had chosen, he was ascended. Permissible in English perhaps, but the sentence points out that good Greek can have words all over the place because the cases are governing their function, not word order.
In Acts 1:5 we have a very unusual split of some words: εν πνευματι βαπτισθησεσθε αγιω
Although the specific conjugation may be odd, (future passive 2nd person plural is fairly rare for verbs!), the words are pretty clear: "In the spirit you will be baptized holy." What is Luke doing? Could holy be an adverb? Unlikely. (Long grammar point: it would be in the accusative rather than dative). Hmm... what to do? Well, Luke earlier claims that Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. (Let's use more clear Scripture to interpret less clear Scripture!) So what could Luke possibly be doing here by putting Baptism in the middle of the Holy Spirit? Well, duh, Luke is making the claim that the Holy Spirit and Baptism are bound up in each other! To put it another way, Luke has stretched Greek language to show us that Baptism is in the Holy Spirit!
This is something like, in my mind, when Handel has the tenor sing "The rough places plain," the word "rough" has small rapid changes; the note for "plain" is constant and smooth.
Luke 24:44-53 (Ascension)
This passage occurs for Ascension in the RCL, all three years; sometimes this is celebrated on a Thursday, the 40th day after Easter; other times it takes the place of Easter 7.
I added in 2022: A long digression about repentance and metanoia
Summary: Normally good-byes are sad. But not the Ascension! Luke wants to point out a few things about the ascension. Namely that it is a commissioning; a celebration; and a crescendo. A closer look at the Greek suggests this often overlooked story is vitally important for the Christian understanding of God in Christ Jesus. In fact, Luke's account of the Ascension challenges me to include sending in my list of core Gospel actions: forgiveness and resurrection. (If that just sounds too much for your Lutheran piety, you can go with this: Jesus knows that preaching forgiveness will get us into trouble because, well, the world cannot handle law and Gospel.
Key Words:
μαρτυρες ("witness", from μαρτυς, 24:48) The Greek word there for witness is "martyros," from which we get our word Martyr. It originally had a simple legal connotation, as in give testimony, or generally, to speak on someone's behalf. Yet in the Christian context, it very quickly came to mean suffer for this proclamation, including Jesus himself. So Jesus says (literally), "You are martyrs of these things." This is the ultimate commissioning: You will go out and testify to the resurrection and forgiveness of sins and be persecuted for it.
χαρας ("joy", from χαρα, 24:52) Luke uses this word more than other authors. It is significant that worship of the ascended Christ still fills the believers with great joy. Luke makes the point: Just because Jesus isn't here on earth doesn't mean we cannot worship him. In fact, worship of the risen (and ascended Christ) still fills the believers with joy. Jesus ascension means unlimited access instead of only local contact; hence the possibility of a universal church.
προσκυνησαντες ("worship", προσκυνεω, 24:52) For all of the times Luke has Jesus praying, this is the only instance where people are worshiping in his Gospel. The only other mention of the verb is in the temptation of Christ where Jesus declares we must worship God alone. For Luke, the ascension confirms Jesus' divinity in a way that allows the disciples to worship him as God in way even his resurrection did not. The ascension completes his first mission on earth: his suffering, his resurrection and his commissioning. Now he shall return to be exalted and come again in glory.
διηνοιξεν ("open", 24:45) We saw this verb last week in Acts account of Lydia's Baptism. It is interesting that this word is associated in Acts and Luke with understanding the Word. It also suggests the need for proclamation, because the Scriptures need to be opened. They are not self-explanatory.
αρξαμνοι (participle form of "αρχω" meaning, in middle voice, to begin; 24:47) In both Luke 24 and Acts 1, this word shows up: begin. The three year ministry of Jesus Christ is only the beginning of the work of God! The promised Holy Spirit will move the disciples forward in mission and ministry!
αποστελλω ("sending"; 24:49) This is the only indicative verb in this entire section is present tense. I would argue this is the last action of Jesus on behalf of his disciples: To send the Spirit. One could make the argument, I think, this is why Jesus came back from the dead. To send out the Spirit! Interestingly, it is only once Jesus has sent the Spirit that the disciples can worship!
One could also argue that this is in the present tense, suggesting that Jesus is continually (always) sending forth the Spirit.
καθισατε ("sit", καθιζω, 24:49) The disciples are told to "sit" until the Holy Spirit comes. Part of the Christian life is waiting.
δυναμιν ("power" from δυναμις. 24:49) This word comes into English as dynamite. Christ calls us to be both the martrys and dynamite for the world. The two seem related in tragic ways; yet, Christ does not call us to cause suffering in others, but simply to suffer for others as the world persecutes the news of forgiveness and resurrection.
***
μετανοια(ν) (literally metanoia, meaning perhaps "repentance", 24:47). This is a word whose history of translation is fascinating.
In classic Greek, the word simply meant: "change one's mind" (Fascinating article on this here. I believe it is by Robert Wilken.). The word retains this meaning when used in the Greek OT. In fact, in the translation of the OT into Greek, the translators almost never translated the classic OT word for repentance "shub" (שוב) as metonoia. The more common word translated as metanoia is "nakham" (נחם), which means to change one's mind, often after emotional consideration. For a variety of reasons that remain unclear to me, in the early Latin church, the word came to be understood as "do penance." Apparently Tertullian indicated this word should have been translated as "convert."
Codified by St. Jerome, this translation of metanoia as 'do penance' became the standard in Latin Christianity. This way of thinking would hold sway over a millennia until late Medieval translators (Wycliffe and Luther) came along and 'liberated' the word from the medieval penance system. The first of the 95 theses, in fact, is about the translation of this word! Generally, these translators used words having to do with regret and repentance - emotionally loaded words.
Today, a critique of translating metanoia as "repent" has emerged. Interestingly, one of those leading the charge is Richard Rohr, who aims for the pre-biblical idea of "change one's mind" or "new mind." While I am not convinced that Rohr goes as far as his students, I think that some of his followers get pretty close to Gnosticism (see here for an example of this), wanting to claim that a specific new mind set, liberated from the past vestiges of bad religion, will free them to be special people.
That said, Rohr and others make a valuable contribution: shame has limits. True spirituality is not about fear and regret, but love and hope. I also wonder how often our people experience shame over sins that are not biblical. I mean, how many people in our congregations are taking anxiety medicine because they haven't lived up the beatitudes? Far more often we lead lives of shame and are plagued with a sense of inadequacy that has nothing to do with a failure to love their neighbor, but rather living up to the expectations of their neighbor. Metanoia in this case then often means rejecting these false judges and replacing them with ourselves as the determiner of true living. Progress, I guess, but not terra firma.
That aside, God is okay with humans experiencing regret. The people on Pentecost were, as it turns out, cut to the heart. As Paul writes in 2 Cor 9-10, there is such a thing as godly sorrow. Furthermore, metanoia does seem to imply regret in the Bible (Luke 17:4)
Alas, what to do. I offer that the word metonoia has at least two strands of meaning:- 'insight': when one has a paradigm shift that leads one to reconsider old ways to operating
- 'regret': when one has an emotional experience of guilt (perhaps even shame) that leads one to reconsider old ways of operating.
The former seems more Greek, the later more Hebrew. While the NT is written in Greek, it is also hard to separate out the Jewish mindset of most of the New Testament voices. Would first century Jews really aimed for a repentance that was simply a matter of "have a new mind"?
In this case (Luke 24:47), Jesus says "repentance for forgiveness of sins" (They are linked by the preposition εις). One way we could understand this verse to mean this: repentance -- feeling bad -- is a precursor to forgiveness. This works well and is an easily defended position.
However, I think one is also justified in saying that Jesus is saying, proclaim "a new way of thinking that results in the forgiveness of sins." This could mean, for example, that one believes that forgiveness is actually possible! I wonder how many people this is the new mind they actually need -- that a God of mercy is on the loose in this world!
Grammar concept: hendiadys; or in this case, hendiatris
Hendiadys refers to the literary device of using two words to mean one thing. For instance: "formless and void" of Genesis 1 means "a whole lot of nothing!" or perhaps more accurately, "chaos."
In this case, Jesus refers to Scriptures by calling them: Moses, Prophets and Psalms. Here he is referring to all of the OT, not simply Gen-Deut; 12 prophets and Psalms. He is laying out the Tanakh (Torah, Prophets and Writings) division of Scripture.
Monday, May 19, 2025
John 5:1-9
This passage is an alternate Gospel for the 6th Sunday in Easter, most recently May 25, 2025
Summary: The man does not want to be healed. Jesus must interrupt his self-pity. Hard truth: individuals, communities and societies often are paralyzed. While they may complain about what others have done to them, they have no real desire (or capacity) to heal themselves.
It is easily possible to preach a sermon in which we acknowledge how people get trapped in their dysfunction and are unable to move forward without Jesus. How will you preach resurrection and Gospel here and not just the law. Will you dare to tell the people to get up and walk in the name of Jesus?
Sickness
ξηρος (meaning "paralyzed", 5:3) This word originally meant "dry" (like the Greek translation of Genesis 1:9 for "dry land" uses this word.) Things that were dry became useless, paralyzed, so to speak.
How have parts of your life become dry and paralyzed? How have parts of your community or your congregation? How have parts of society?
υγιης (with the rough breathing this is spelled: hygies, from which we get "hygiene", John 5:6, 9, 11, 14, 15). Jesus brings a person to a state of "hygiene." However, something bigger than germs is going on, as Jesus is looking at the healing of the whole person.
In Greek, this word means "whole, sound, healthy". What really sheds light on what it means is how it is used in Titus to describe, not a body, but a teaching:
- Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. Titus 2:7-8
This word is paired with "integrity" and "gravity", reminding us that this word does not simply mean "clean from germs."
The context in John's Gospel reveals this is a healing on many levels
- Emotional: Jesus asks him if he wants to be well. He cannot answer this basic question, but is caught in a cycle of blaming others and forming a victim narrative. He cannot heal himself, Jesus must intervene.
- Physical: Now he can walk!
- Spiritual: After the man can walk, he enters the Temple - likely for the first time -- where Jesus finds him (vs 14). Interestingly, Jesus warns him to sin no more! Which makes one consider -- was their something sinful about the state that he was in?
Resurrection
I attended a Mockingbird conference this year around the theme of relief. It centered around the themes laid out in a recent book by David Zahl, called The Big Relief. Fundamentally, we all have a yearning for relief from the constant burdens of life. A couple of points here
- The word relief comes from the French for "raise up." Relief = resurrection!
- Jesus here tells the person to "be raised up" (Ἔγειρε, 5:8) You could offer that Jesus gives the man relief!
What is the relief your people seek?
Some Biblical curiosities
εορτη (feast, 5:1) It turns out that scholars are not certain which festival John references. How one understands which festival has implications though for how one understands the rest of the Gospel. For example, is this a foreshadowing of Pentecost? Is this story somehow a microcosm of the church being born and moving beyond its initial tribal and ritual boundaries? Is it a story of how the waters must be stirred for the church to be reborn? Or that we are waiting, as a church, for someone else to stir the waters but we are called forth to be the church?
Or it is a story about the reading of the Torah? The foundation of God's word is no longer simply the OT Scripture, but Jesus Christ and his revelation?
5:4 Many translations do not include 5:4. This is because most of the best sources for John's Gospel: papyrus 66 and 75 as well as the א, B, D and W codices lack this verse. It certainly helps make sense of the rest of the story. It also speaks of the connection between angels and healing, if not objectively, within the minds of the people. That is fascinating that words of healing and angels are on the margins of the church's canon. Professor Walter Sundberg of Luther Seminary once preached on this verse, focusing on the way in which the edges of the canon and the edges of the church often become sources of renewal.
38 years old. Still don't know why.
Acts 16:9-16
This passage occurs in the RCL Easter Season, Year C, most recently May 25, 2025.
Summary: Two things caught my attention about this passage. First, a woman wins an argument with Paul :-) Second, Lydia has so much in her life going right for her. Yet she is not content. Often we assume that people need to hit rock bottom for the Christian Gospel to make an impact. In Lydia's case, clearly something about her life was incomplete, even if she was not lamenting her life or commiting awful sins. I wonder if this is a helpful angle for reaching the consumerists out there -- no, you are not awful, evil and hell-bent people, but deep down something is missing; the world of selling and consuming doesn't add up.
παρακαλων ("encourage" (participle form), 16:9) It is interesting that the man "encourages" them to come to Macedonia. You could call him an advocate for Macedonia. In fact, the word for Spirit in John's Gospel (and the corresponding Gospel text for this week) is παρακλητος, the noun form of this verb.
συμβιβαζων ("proving, pulling together, knit" (participle form), 16:10) I find this is great verb for how we understanding the work of the Spirit -- we pull pieces together to build of picture, a map, of what the Spirit calls us to do. When this word is used in Colossians it means "knit together." We pull at pieces -- visions, stirrings of the hearts and basic facts -- to figure out the will of the Spirit.
κολωνια ("colony", 16:12) This word does not really feature in the interpretation of this passage, but it speaks to how we can understand Paul's letter to the Philippians: http://www.zionsjonestown.com/paul/philippi/home.htm See here for more info.
πορφυροπωλις ("dealer in purple cloth", 16:14) Lydia, unlike the jailer, does not encounter the Gospel at a time of weakness, but of relative strength. She is a rich merchant who sails the seven sees. She is at worship. Yet something isn't right; she hungers for something more.
Sad side note: Purple cloth was ruined because of over harvesting of the snails that produced the dye. It is believed those particular snails are actually extinct.
διηνοιξεν ("open", 16:14) This word can simply mean "open" but it can also mean "open" in a more metaphorical way. See the word dianetics and Scientology!!
ο οικος αυτης ("the house of hers", 16:15) This verse is often used as justification (or permission) for infant Baptism. The Greek likely strengthens the argument. It is often translated as "she and her house were baptized." It should read, "Her house was baptized." First, the word "she" is not in the Greek; the subject is "her house" and the verb is in the singular, not plural. Furthermore, the word "de" appears, which suggests a change in subject; "Lydia" was the subject in the previous sentence suggesting a new subject. She was baptized; my point is simply that her house was not baptized as an afterthought, but that the act was done all together.
Summary: Two things caught my attention about this passage. First, a woman wins an argument with Paul :-) Second, Lydia has so much in her life going right for her. Yet she is not content. Often we assume that people need to hit rock bottom for the Christian Gospel to make an impact. In Lydia's case, clearly something about her life was incomplete, even if she was not lamenting her life or commiting awful sins. I wonder if this is a helpful angle for reaching the consumerists out there -- no, you are not awful, evil and hell-bent people, but deep down something is missing; the world of selling and consuming doesn't add up.
παρακαλων ("encourage" (participle form), 16:9) It is interesting that the man "encourages" them to come to Macedonia. You could call him an advocate for Macedonia. In fact, the word for Spirit in John's Gospel (and the corresponding Gospel text for this week) is παρακλητος, the noun form of this verb.
συμβιβαζων ("proving, pulling together, knit" (participle form), 16:10) I find this is great verb for how we understanding the work of the Spirit -- we pull pieces together to build of picture, a map, of what the Spirit calls us to do. When this word is used in Colossians it means "knit together." We pull at pieces -- visions, stirrings of the hearts and basic facts -- to figure out the will of the Spirit.
κολωνια ("colony", 16:12) This word does not really feature in the interpretation of this passage, but it speaks to how we can understand Paul's letter to the Philippians: http://www.zionsjonestown.com/paul/philippi/home.htm See here for more info.
πορφυροπωλις ("dealer in purple cloth", 16:14) Lydia, unlike the jailer, does not encounter the Gospel at a time of weakness, but of relative strength. She is a rich merchant who sails the seven sees. She is at worship. Yet something isn't right; she hungers for something more.
Sad side note: Purple cloth was ruined because of over harvesting of the snails that produced the dye. It is believed those particular snails are actually extinct.
διηνοιξεν ("open", 16:14) This word can simply mean "open" but it can also mean "open" in a more metaphorical way. See the word dianetics and Scientology!!
ο οικος αυτης ("the house of hers", 16:15) This verse is often used as justification (or permission) for infant Baptism. The Greek likely strengthens the argument. It is often translated as "she and her house were baptized." It should read, "Her house was baptized." First, the word "she" is not in the Greek; the subject is "her house" and the verb is in the singular, not plural. Furthermore, the word "de" appears, which suggests a change in subject; "Lydia" was the subject in the previous sentence suggesting a new subject. She was baptized; my point is simply that her house was not baptized as an afterthought, but that the act was done all together.
Monday, May 12, 2025
Revelation 21:1-6
This passage occurs in the RCL Easter Season, Year C, most recently May 2025; it also occurs for All Saints' Day Year B
Summary:
This verse is paired in Year C with John 13:31-35, "By this they will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." Jesus sets up a strong imperative in John 13 for us to create the Kingdom of God on earth through our mutual love. But Rev 21 is a perfect antidote, that finally, we cannot create the Kingdom, but this is an act of God. The Greek really spells this out. Like much of the Johannine writing, these brief verses allude richly to the Old Testament and other places in John's Gospels. In fact, the connection to the rest of John is quite striking in this passage. But to get back to the juxtaposition of John 13 and Rev 21: This is the tension of Christian community: We must work for a better world, but know that we cannot get there until Jesus comes again.
σκηνη ("tent", 21:3) In the first chapter of John's Gospel, we read that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." The word for dwell here is "σκηνεω " which means το tent or tabernacle. (The parallel to the OT is striking here; the next sentence in John's Gospel is "And we beheld his glory." In the OT, once the tabernacle was set up, the people could behold God's glory). This is the same word here. In some ways, this then is a powerful book end of the NT and the Johannine literature. It begins cosmically with God choosing to dwell with us on the old earth; now it ends with God choosing again to dwell with us on the earth he has again prepared for us.
ω ("omega", 21.6) One thing worth smiling about. The word "Omega" is a word in English. In Greek, it is a letter, literally, "Big O", Jesus says he is the "alpha and big O."
αρχη ("beginning", 21:6)
τελος ("end", 21:6)
The word in Greek for the "beginning and end" are "αρχη" and "τελος." Both of these words have all sorts of connotations. Arche can mean ruler (as in monarchy), first principle, beginning. (En arche = in the beginning). Telos can mean completion, final, last, ultimate. Jesus is the beginning and end; Jesus is the ruling principle and ultimate reality. The point here is that Jesus is both the book ends of the story (in the beginning was the Word), but also the intellectual and emotional beginning and end.
Summary:
This verse is paired in Year C with John 13:31-35, "By this they will know you are my disciples, if you love one another." Jesus sets up a strong imperative in John 13 for us to create the Kingdom of God on earth through our mutual love. But Rev 21 is a perfect antidote, that finally, we cannot create the Kingdom, but this is an act of God. The Greek really spells this out. Like much of the Johannine writing, these brief verses allude richly to the Old Testament and other places in John's Gospels. In fact, the connection to the rest of John is quite striking in this passage. But to get back to the juxtaposition of John 13 and Rev 21: This is the tension of Christian community: We must work for a better world, but know that we cannot get there until Jesus comes again.
2025 insight: In verse 6, avoid saying "It is done", but rather "It has become" -- see note later -- but basically, the new heaven and earth is a party just beginning as Revelation describes it!
Key Words
καινὸν ("new", 21:1) At the 2025 Mockingbird conference, Episcopal priest Jacob Andrew Smith pointed out how there is a new heaven. Why a new heaven? Because the old heaven was separate from earth. In the new heaven, there is no more separation.
Key Words
καινὸν ("new", 21:1) At the 2025 Mockingbird conference, Episcopal priest Jacob Andrew Smith pointed out how there is a new heaven. Why a new heaven? Because the old heaven was separate from earth. In the new heaven, there is no more separation.
καταβαινουσαν ("descending", from καταβαινω, 21:2)
εκ του ουρανου ("from the heaven", 21:2)
απο του θεου ("from God", 21:2)
All of these words, put together, form a trifecta clearly showing that the holy city is not established by our activities on earth, but is entirely from God.
εκ του ουρανου ("from the heaven", 21:2)
απο του θεου ("from God", 21:2)
All of these words, put together, form a trifecta clearly showing that the holy city is not established by our activities on earth, but is entirely from God.
νυμφη ("bride", literally "nymph", 21:2) The Bible begins and ends with a coupling of man and woman, a marriage, first of Adam and Eve and then later of Christ and the church. I realize that Lutherans have tended to put marriage in the "left-hand" kingdom (and therefore allow it to be dictated by science and not Scripture), but clearly it is something that God cares for. I guess it is a question worth asking -- what is the bride adorned with?
σκηνη ("tent", 21:3) In the first chapter of John's Gospel, we read that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." The word for dwell here is "σκηνεω " which means το tent or tabernacle. (The parallel to the OT is striking here; the next sentence in John's Gospel is "And we beheld his glory." In the OT, once the tabernacle was set up, the people could behold God's glory). This is the same word here. In some ways, this then is a powerful book end of the NT and the Johannine literature. It begins cosmically with God choosing to dwell with us on the old earth; now it ends with God choosing again to dwell with us on the earth he has again prepared for us.
ω ("omega", 21.6) One thing worth smiling about. The word "Omega" is a word in English. In Greek, it is a letter, literally, "Big O", Jesus says he is the "alpha and big O."
αρχη ("beginning", 21:6)
τελος ("end", 21:6)
The word in Greek for the "beginning and end" are "αρχη" and "τελος." Both of these words have all sorts of connotations. Arche can mean ruler (as in monarchy), first principle, beginning. (En arche = in the beginning). Telos can mean completion, final, last, ultimate. Jesus is the beginning and end; Jesus is the ruling principle and ultimate reality. The point here is that Jesus is both the book ends of the story (in the beginning was the Word), but also the intellectual and emotional beginning and end.
γέγοναν ("become"; 21:6) This verb is fascinating, worthy of a sermon in itself. It means be or become. Here though, it is in the perfect tense, meaning that an action has occurred in the past that sets up a new state of being (as in "I got dressed" or "the stone has been rolled away." Both are past process actions that create a new reality). What this means is that the action has been completed, but it is creating a new reality. Which means that instead of translating this as "It is done", I would translate it as "It has become" or even "it begins" because a new reality has been established, called forth.
Comments from early posts on Rev 21:
21.1 The word sea θαλασσα ("thalassa") is used just a few verses earlier (20.13); it was holding the dead. Perhaps one could argue that if the sea no longer exists, then death also no longer exists.
21.4 The word for wipe away εξαλειφω ("exaleiphoo") means more like wipe out than wipe away. The activity is probably a bit less sentimental than this pastor would like ;-)
Comments from early posts on Rev 21:
21.1 The word sea θαλασσα ("thalassa") is used just a few verses earlier (20.13); it was holding the dead. Perhaps one could argue that if the sea no longer exists, then death also no longer exists.
21.4 The word for wipe away εξαλειφω ("exaleiphoo") means more like wipe out than wipe away. The activity is probably a bit less sentimental than this pastor would like ;-)
John 13:31-35
This passage occurs in the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, most recently May 18, 2025
Summary: I offer some initial reflections on the Greek. If I preach on this, I would likely draw on the narrative in which it is set: Jesus washing his disciples feet, Jesus being betrayed, Jesus about to be arrested, condemned and crucified. Jesus is not just talking about love, but revealing it to his disciples. Likewise, we are called to love each other. In reality.
Key words:
εδοξασθη (aorist form of δοξαζω, meaning "glorify, 13:31,32): I was struck by this word; what does it mean for Jesus to be glorified? What does glory mean in John's Gospel. In the Old Testament, the word for glory is associated with the awe-inspiring presence of God:
The other movement in terms of God's glory is that the disciples, by their actions, reveal God's glory:
υμιν υμας (forms of "you", 13:34) Jesus gives us a new commandment to YOU and declared he loved YOU. But the YOU here is actually plural: Y'ALL!! Worth remembering that Jesus love is for the whole community, not just the individual.
διδυμι ("give"; 13:34) Jesus gives this command in the present tense, "I keep giving you the new commandment." We must be taught, again and again, to love each other.
μαθηται (form of μαθητης, meaning "disciple"; 13:35). The word for disciple means pupil. Are we called to be a pupil of Jesus or his teachings? The new pope (Leo XIV), in one of his first sermons, said that Jesus doesn't need soldiers, but brothers. A beautiful reminder that to be a student isn't simply about "discipline" (thanks Latin!) but learning, in this case, learning by serving others.
Summary: I offer some initial reflections on the Greek. If I preach on this, I would likely draw on the narrative in which it is set: Jesus washing his disciples feet, Jesus being betrayed, Jesus about to be arrested, condemned and crucified. Jesus is not just talking about love, but revealing it to his disciples. Likewise, we are called to love each other. In reality.
Key words:
εδοξασθη (aorist form of δοξαζω, meaning "glorify, 13:31,32): I was struck by this word; what does it mean for Jesus to be glorified? What does glory mean in John's Gospel. In the Old Testament, the word for glory is associated with the awe-inspiring presence of God:
- Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34
- Blessed be his glorious name forever; may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen. Psalm 72:19
- And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth. John 1:14
- Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. John 2:11
- Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. John 17:24
- So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed. John 17:5
The other movement in terms of God's glory is that the disciples, by their actions, reveal God's glory:
- My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. John 15:8
This is something really worth pondering -- and struggling with as a Lutheran -- to what extent is God's glory revealed through our Spirit-led actions?
διδυμι ("give"; 13:34) Jesus gives this command in the present tense, "I keep giving you the new commandment." We must be taught, again and again, to love each other.
μαθηται (form of μαθητης, meaning "disciple"; 13:35). The word for disciple means pupil. Are we called to be a pupil of Jesus or his teachings? The new pope (Leo XIV), in one of his first sermons, said that Jesus doesn't need soldiers, but brothers. A beautiful reminder that to be a student isn't simply about "discipline" (thanks Latin!) but learning, in this case, learning by serving others.
Monday, May 5, 2025
John 10:22-30
This passage is from the Revised Common Lectionary. It appears during year C on the 4th Sunday of Easter, often called "Good Shepherd" Sunday (most recently 2025).
Summary: So much promise. Jesus knows us, Jesus gives us life, the Father holds us in his hands. Still dreaming on this passage...
I think the Greek in this passage is not complex. You are likely work through it with a little help. Go for it. The verb tenses are worth paying attention to.
Key terms
εγκαινια (Hanukah; 10:22) Most translators call this the Festival/Feast of Dedication. Which is true, but it would be known to most English readers, certainly in America, as the Hanukah! Just a reminder that Jesus is a practicing Jew. In fact, the action in John typically revolves around Jesus celebrating and interpreting anew the Jewish feasts. The original Hanukah involved a miracle that allowed the temple to stay lit throughout worship...over and against occupation. So when they ask Jesus if he is the Messiah/Christ, it is a very loaded question.
Thought for 2025: The word "εγκαινια" is how the Jewish Greek speakers translated "Hanukah" into English, for it means "dedicate." The verb form of the word has a connotation in Greek of renewal, opening, innovating and inaugurating. A reminder that any form of innovation will produce push back -- grief even.
στοα του Σολομωνος (Solomon's Colonnade/Porch/Stoa; 10:23) There is a portico that comes up a few times in the New Testament, where Jesus gathers. Here is a website that does a nice job giving a quick summary: https://www.gotquestions.org/Solomon-Porch.html
εργα (works; 10:25, 33) The NIV translates this word as "miracle"; the NET Bible as "deed" and the NRSV as "work." I like "work" because it allows for Jesus to say in vs 33 "good works", which has a more biblical ring. I also think that miracles has a specific Greek word from which it is typically translated (dynamis) and in John's Gospel is related to "signs." Question to ponder: What is the difference between "a work of" God and "a miracle"?
ἁρπάζω ("snatch"; 10:29) The would be gods of this world, as Philippians 2 reminds us, are "snatchers." They use people, leave them for dead and move on. This is a powerful word of promise to those who have been abused or suffered addiction. The grasp of Jesus is greater than the snatchers!
Verb tenses
It is important to pay attention to the verb tenses in this passage
- εκυκλωσαν αυτον .... ελεγον αυτω (10:24) [Aorist verb followed by imperfect verb]
They encircled him (aorist = one time event) and they were saying to him (imperfect = action not complete, therefore on-going and typically begun in the past)
εκυκλωσαν (encircled; 10:24) The people have encircled Jesus, not gathered around him!
Also, they are speaking (ελεγον, imperfect tense)
repeatedly to him. There is conflict brewing!
- ειπον και ου πιστευετε (10:25) [Aorist verb followed by present tense verb]
I spoke (aorist = one time event) and you are not believing (present meaning repeated action).
Jesus speaking was an event in the past; the not believing is an on-going state of affair
- A number of verbs are significantly in the present sense, meaning they are on-going actions:
ακολουθουσιν (follow; 10:27). If we are to follow, this means that Jesus is leading.
διδωμι (give; 10:28) Jesus indicates he is always be giving us eternal life. It is not a) not simply a future gift and b) is not a one time gift! Jesus is always giving us life.
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