Living by the Word

Reflections on the lectionary readings by pastors, preachers and biblical scholars

Photo by Mary Harrsch

Extra credit

Sunday, November 5

Mark 12:28-34

Oct 25, 2000 by Robin Meyers

By the time we reach the 12th chapter of Mark, Jesus finds himself in the middle of a kind of theological cross-examination free-for-all. Priests, scribes, elders and other assorted defenders of the letter of the law are swarming all over him in a frenzy of entrapment.

Branded by God

Sunday, October 29

Jeremiah 31:31-34

Oct 18, 2000 by Stacey Simpson

"I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” And so God declares he is writing himself into us, according to Jeremiah.

Mark: The movie

Sunday, October 22

Mark 10:32-45

Oct 11, 2000 by Stacey Simpson

If Mark’s gospel were a movie, this scene would make the perfect trailer. Without entirely giving away the ending, it summarizes all the major themes of Mark’s Gospel. In a nutshell, it offers everything that is quintessential Mark: the journey toward the cross, suffering and death, wrongheaded disciples, the reversal of power and Jesus’s reflection upon the meaning of his mission.

Remembering who we are

Sunday, October 8

Psalm 8

Sep 13, 2000 by Stacey Simpson

"We have forgotten who we are. We have sought only our own security, we have exploited simply for our own ends, we have distorted our knowledge, we have abused our power.” So reads the proclamation of the UN Environmental Sabbath Program.

Counting diamonds

Sunday, September 24

Mark 9:30-37

Aug 30, 2000 by Joel Marcus

Occasionally in the news one hears about an infant that has been abandoned by its parents—left at a church door, perhaps, or found on a side street somewhere, or even in a garbage can. If the parent or parents are found (usually in our North American context it is the mother), she or they are prosecuted. And we shudder and think, “What sort of heartless person could do a thing like that?”