tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post3889643535112845511..comments2024-03-28T13:59:11.445-07:00Comments on Left Behind and Loving It: Putting Sabbath in Its PlaceD. Mark Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12016377712982292924noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-34002549310695356042021-06-06T06:18:30.232-07:002021-06-06T06:18:30.232-07:00Thank you. Blessings to you and your mighty congre...Thank you. Blessings to you and your mighty congregation in Indiana. <br />MDD. Mark Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17644181693534649272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-55419123282181675762021-06-01T12:21:14.153-07:002021-06-01T12:21:14.153-07:00Thank you so much! Your thoughtful exegesis ties ...Thank you so much! Your thoughtful exegesis ties it all together. This prayer of confession is beautiful and a tiny congregation in Indiana will be using it this week. Melomaniachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06766254056086269687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-13664012444733681752018-06-02T07:24:03.760-07:002018-06-02T07:24:03.760-07:00Rick and Nicole:
Yes and yes...I've always bee...Rick and Nicole:<br />Yes and yes...I've always been interested in the bringing the man to the "middle" of the community. Would have been incredibly uncomfortable for the individual and the community! Now we must face together our law and compassion, or lack thereof, together. My mind goes to averted gazes, awkwardness and perhaps those two emotions Mark (Davis and gospel) highlight: anger and grief. Some in the community undoubtedly feel one and some feel the other - a divided house - which if I'm not mistaken is a phrase we will deal with in next week's gospel. Thank you all!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13632724278459025543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-85597861057545570212018-05-29T06:24:32.156-07:002018-05-29T06:24:32.156-07:00Rick, thank you for this pointed reflection. It br...Rick, thank you for this pointed reflection. It brings into focus how humanity tends toward dehumanizing individuals or groups and then we rationalize our thoughts and behaviour with the "law". For me it begs questions....why really do humans dehumanize? What do we gain by doing so? why are we so afraid of love and choose calloused hearts instead?Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17371108523896248366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-57649645555834116732018-05-28T15:57:45.617-07:002018-05-28T15:57:45.617-07:00Amongst other intriguing things in these two episo...Amongst other intriguing things in these two episodes, I'm curious about Jesus' action in getting this man (why a withered hand?) to stand 'in the middle' (not up front). The man would have felt very uncomfortable and probably used to hiding his deformity not having attention drawn to it. He is literally surrounded, and surrounded by 'the experts' who argue about Torah. Jesus seems to be making the point that the Sabbath is about human beings and not about observing laws because they are laws or about having theological debates as to where the boundaries lie with such laws. Jesus' question in v4 ceases to be merely 'theological' because now there's a real human being standing in front of them. They have the decency to be silent. I might condemn or judge certain people who are different to me, but it's hard to do that to their face. <br />By making such a person stand 'in the middle', I am forced to face her/him. etc etc.Rick Strelanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09748454442741602352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-14549065810673875322018-05-28T09:38:33.374-07:002018-05-28T09:38:33.374-07:00Hello again, RevAWRA,
Now that I've been updat...Hello again, RevAWRA,<br />Now that I've been updating the blogpost on this text, I'm ready to think more with you about this. Of course, it is always thin ice to try to get behind a text and anticipate too closely what one is thinking. In this case, Mark deems it important to name what people are thinking. In v.2, the Pharisees clearly are intending to trap Jesus, which Mark describes perfectly with "callousness of their hearts" in v.5. And, in v.5, Mark uses both 'ὀργῆς' and 'συλλυπέω,' which is a very compelling and complex combination. It invites us, I think, to do exactly what you are doing and wondering together how Jesus is inclined toward this issue. Per my opening and closing remarks, I think it goes to the heart of all kinds of judgmental uses of the law, ancient and current. <br />Thanks for your comment. <br />MDD. Mark Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12016377712982292924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-32209992945042390312018-04-28T09:16:23.044-07:002018-04-28T09:16:23.044-07:00Hi RevAWRA,
I'll be happy to ruminate with yo...Hi RevAWRA, <br />I'll be happy to ruminate with you on this, but it will be closer to the date when the text comes up. I'm in one of those 'swamped' seasons these days, schedule-wise. <br />Thanks for your reflection and thanks for giving me some grist for the mill down the road. <br />MDD. Mark Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12016377712982292924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-31282372530893533282018-04-27T08:51:14.492-07:002018-04-27T08:51:14.492-07:00Hi Mark,
I know this is a little old, but we'...Hi Mark,<br /><br />I know this is a little old, but we're going to be swinging back here in due time. I'm working on a June sermon, and I'm thankful for your exegesis here. As I was working on it, I was struck by ὀργῆς and how it could be considered here. I wonder if it has a built in, longer term indignation. I think you allude to that with some of the more extended nature in v. 24.<br /><br />It just makes me wonder how provocative the healing was, and what implications that might have. If this was a flashing anger or a rage, it gives a different perception of a Jesus aggrieved and so exhausted of hardheartedness that he finally snaps and performs a healing. <br /><br />I've tried in my sermon to consider less about Sabbath and more about how we hunker down in our well-worn paths and miss the grace beyond laws. But I'm curious to hear more about your perception of Jesus' anger.RevAWRAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13823849545490017533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-56122432929832764502015-05-29T07:20:24.721-07:002015-05-29T07:20:24.721-07:00There are two options this week, Brint, depending ...There are two options this week, Brint, depending on whether one is going with a "Trinity Sunday" text (Jn.3) or First Sunday after Pentecost (Mark 2). D. Mark Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12016377712982292924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8320313747187588188.post-6909468911591920442015-05-28T22:31:50.636-07:002015-05-28T22:31:50.636-07:00I really enjoyed your Pentecost reflection, Mark, ...I really enjoyed your Pentecost reflection, Mark, so I came by to look at this week's post. But my version (?) of the RCL has John 3:1-17 as the Gospel reading - ??Brintnoreply@blogger.com