Mark 12:38-44 “Size matters.” That’s what “They” tell us, so it must be true. We want to know how much we earn and how much others earn. We want to compare the sizes of our churches, their programs and their organs. We measure by human standards how much we’ve given. We do this to make ourselves feel good, but are we measuring with God’s measure? For centuries, Christians assumed they owed God a tithe, that is, 10% of their increase... Read more
Mark 12:28-37 What is the greatest commandment? And why is it the greatest commandment? Here are some answers that seem to be common in our culture: “Thou shalt not offend thy neighbor.” “Thou shalt not judge.” “Thou shalt live and let live.” “Thou shalt have the right to worship God or god any way thou wantest.” “Thou shalt have the right to interpret the Scriptures in thine own way.” “Thou shalt do what thou wilt, provided you can’t see any... Read more
Mark 12:18-27 I’m glad that here, towards the end of Lent and even before Easter, we are able to celebrate the resurrection. The main point of Jesus’ answer to the Sadducees was, of course, that there is indeed a resurrection from the dead to eternal life. This is so plain from the New Testament that it doesn’t surprise us or instruct us much beyond any other passage. And yet Jesus has left mysterious hints about what life in the resurrection... Read more
Mark 12:13-17 Here’s one that ought to keep your brains busy for a while: what is the proper relationship between the Church and the State? Such things used to be self-evident. Well, sort of. At times Christians have been persecuted by the State and yet loyal subjects; the biggest advocates of State power; advocates of the Church and State being nearly coterminous; at the forefront of fighting for the separation of Church and State; and other variants of these configurations.... Read more
Mark 12:1-12 Today, Jesus continues His teaching on trees and fruitfulness, only this time He’s talking not so much about the trees but those who tend them. In the beginning, God placed man in a paradisiacal garden for Him to tend. He created a good and beautiful place for man to live and work with the understanding that man was but a steward of all that God had given Him. All that man had, God had given him, and He... Read more
Mark 11:12-26 Nasty, mean Jesus! Who does he think he is – causing a fig tree to wither? Obviously, he wasn’t environmentally friendly. Maybe we can wish this side of Jesus away by taking our Jeffersonian scissors to the parts of the Bible we don’t like and neatly excising them. Nasty Jesus! If our reaction isn’t necessarily one of disdain for the one who withers trees, it’s likely at least to be confusion. Maybe we’re not perturbed that Jesus withered... Read more
Mark 10:46-52 How wonderful it is when a blind man receives his sight, and how tragic when a sighted man goes blind! How wonderful it is when a lost man is saved, and how tragic it is when one who was saved begins to get lost! Blind Bartimaeus is a picture (for those who have eyes to see) of our salvation. We are the blind man in this story, and Bartimaeus’s story has been preserved for us not only... Read more
Mark 10:32-45 As children we often say and do things we are later embarrassed by. At home, for example, I still have a large green book filled with pictures I drew, stickers, games I made up, etc. In the front cover of the book stands a statement I wrote that still causes me to laugh to this day. In 1968 I wrote: “Charles Erlandson grew up to be a great football player.” Needless to say, it’s not as a prophet... Read more
Mark 10:17-31 Poor rich young ruler. He just didn’t get it. He thought he had it made in this world. He was rich, he kept the commandments of God from his youth, and he even understood that Jesus was a good teacher. What else could God possibly want from him? What Jesus wanted was the one thing that He told Martha was needful: to truly worship and adore Him. Jesus doesn’t express it this way but instead demonstrates it to... Read more
John 11:45-57 This passage cuts me to the quick (that soft underbelly of the fingernails that used to hurt so much when my Mom cut my fingernails too short.) It’s all very safe to keep the chief priests and Pharisees stored in my head where they can muck about and cause mischief without hurting me. I can even laugh at their shenanigans and show a safe contempt for them. How glad I am that I’m not like those hypocritical Pharisees!... Read more
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