Nonsense

Introduction

Along with a handful of friends, I was up very early this morning for a liturgy of resurrection and to watch the sunrise. Today is Easter Sunday or, as it is becoming more commonly called, Resurrection Sunday.

The whole idea of resurrection from the dead, be it of Jesus or anyone else for that matter, is greeted with scepticism by most people. The idea being that once you’re dead you’re dead and apart from resuscitation with in a very short time frame most people stay that way.

The day of which no one speaks

Introduction

The record of the events of the Saturday of Easter is blank, apart from a very brief mention in Matthew’s story where the Roman’s seal the tomb and set a guard absolutely nothing is said.

It is the day of which no one speaks.

So there is no passage from Luke for us to read.  That, at least for me, is a cause to reflect on the apparent silence of God.  In this case the apparent silence of God on a day of immense pain, confusion and doubt.

The day of broken body

Introduction

Today’s reading begins in the middle of the night and ends early the next evening, a period of no less than eighteen hours, probably more.  It covers the time we call Good Friday.  It begins in a garden and ends in a garden. It begins with prayer and ends with God’s command to rest.

The story is not very descriptive but does have some small details.  It is relatively short and to the point.

There is a lot of dialogue between the characters.

Luke’s Gospel, chapters 22 and 23

The day of broken bread

Introduction
Jesus had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Festival of Passover. For the four preceding days he had gone to the temple where he taught in the courtyards, argued with the teachers of the religious law, and spoke some pretty harsh words against the temple priests and the Pharisees. It would appear that on the fifth day, that day of Unleavened Bread, he did not go to the city at all until the end of the day.

The Day of Unleavened Bread was the most important day of the week long festival of Passover. It was a pilgrimage festival, drawing people from all over to Jerusalem. Pilgrim numbers reached into the hundreds of thousands.

It all started with an off hand remark…

Introduction

Today we come to one of the most difficult and therefore one of the most misunderstood passages of scripture. This passage has its parallels in Matthew and Mark’s Gospels. Interestingly enough, there is no corresponding passage in John’s Gospel, seeing that (depending on your interpretation) John lived through much of what is spoken about by Jesus.

It all started with an off hand remark.

So different, so the same…

Introduction

Jesus world was so similar to our in so many ways. There were different brands of politics across the spectrum from progressive to conservative. There were different brands of religion – from the old gods of Greece and Rome, the new ‘mystery religions from the east, Emperor worship, and the superstitions that grew in this multicultural environment.

In thee religion of the Jews there different brands as well. The Pharisees were a popular movement among the people but small in number. They carried a lot of sway. The Sadducees were the established priestly elite and had control of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Monday – a question to not answer, a story to not tell, a tax to not pay

A model of Herod’s Temple

Luke does not give us a day to day account of Jesus movements during the week leading up to Passover.  I have broken chapters 20 and 21  into three sections rather arbitrarily. I will include the entire passages but I will not make comment on their entire contents. The chapters speak for themselves to some degree, as does the whole book of Luke. I encourage you to take your time and read to understand. Pause and ponder on the way. To the best of your ability put yourself in the text as an observer. Keep in mind that the original observers – Jesus’ follower/friends – didn’t get it all either.

Palm Sunday

In some churches today is known as Palm Sunday.  In many church bulletins and news sheets it will have the subtitle of ‘Jesus Triumphal Entry’.  I sometimes wonder if they have read the story as it stands.

On Jesus journey to Jerusalem this is the day that he enters that city.  Today, and for the rest of our journey with Jesus, I will be simply posting the story from Luke’s Gospel. I will provide a brief introduction and I will add some reflective comments at the end of each reading.  I invite you to reflect on what you read as well, and if you like, to mention some of those reflections in the comments.

Ready, set, come

The story goes that Jesus is approached by a man in a position of respect and authority. He has come to Jesus because he recognises him as a man of wisdom based on the quality of his character and his teaching. He is sincerely searching for some meaning to life and how that life can be worthy of the blessings of God.

For those of us who are in some way familiar with the Bible this story is known as the story of the rich, young ruler. For those of us who know it by that name we probably also miss the point of it completely. For those of us who may have never heard it before, we are the ones most likely to ask the questions that will lead to some understanding of it’s meaning.

Not the desired outcome

A parable is a short tale that illustrates a universal truth; it is a simple narrative. It sketches a setting, describes an action, and shows the results. (Fowler, H.W. (1965). A Dictionary of Modern English Usage. London: Oxford University Press.)

Two thousand years before both H.W. Fowler and the Dictionary of Modern English Usage wise teachers were using parables to great effect. The parable, particularly those within the writings of the Bible, were considered an art form as much as a teaching device. They had a shape that was recognisable, they put forward one point, they often challenged the status quo, and most importantly they made people think!