The lectionary that several denominations use—the order of Scripture readings for the year—is organized in such a way that, around this time of year each year, we hear Jesus speaking…
Prestige, status, honor, respect, deference—marks of power and authority. The authority comes by virtue of the office, the position. We tend to show respect and deference to a police officer…
Mark presents what’s happening over these Sundays as a consecutive series of encounters, sharp arguments and stunning responses, all in the Temple, in the course of a single day, just…
The resurrection—one of the essentials of the Christian faith. I’m not really sure that a person can properly call him or herself a Christian without believing in Christ’s resurrection and…
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! Rank ingratitude. Now, a parable isn’t supposed to cover all the details. It’s supposed to get across at least one, clear, main…
You’d think, after what had happened there just the day before, the Temple officials would be on the lookout to bar Jesus from the Temple: strict orders to the gatekeepers. …
Jerusalem, Jerusalem—people from all over were eager to come to Jerusalem: the city of David, vital heart of Jewish culture and learning, the site of the Temple. There was a…
Bethany is even closer to Jerusalem than Jericho, about two miles: a good walk. Each step brought Jesus closer to Jerusalem and all that would happen there, happen to him,…
Wasn’t it Kenny Rogers, bless his heart, who sang about someone believing in him? Then there’s that even older song about the paper moon: “It’s a Barnum and Bailey world…
The Sons of Thunder had it coming, not that Jesus owed it to them, of course. But who among them really was going to argue that he had outdone James…