Week 1: God Made Matter
Read Genesis 1-2; Shine On pages 10-15
Key verses: Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:7
Prime the Pump: As you read these stories, here are some things to think about.
Key verses: Genesis 1:1, Genesis 1:27, Genesis 2:7
Prime the Pump: As you read these stories, here are some things to think about.
- Things to notice:
- Notice how peacefully and intimately God works in creation. How does reading about this peaceful work feel to you when you look around at creation now? When you look at what is happening around the world?
- To understand why this story was so radical in the ancient world, read this story (http://www.gly.uga.edu/railsback/CS/CSMarduk.html), which tells the Babylonian creation myth.
- Notice that the Bible tells the story of creation twice! These stories show us different perspectives on the same story. Why do you think they are both included in our Bible?
- Notice all the times that God blesses what God creates. Say those blessings out loud. Let them be blessings for you and for the world around you.
- Notice what the humans do on their first full day of life (hint, day 7). Why do you think their lives start this way? Can this be instructive for us?
- Background information:
- The Hebrew word for “earth” is adamah, and the word we translate as “man” is adam. We are so connected to the earth. Throughout the passage, notice the relationship we are created to have with all creation.
- The “wind from God” is the same word (ruach) we translate as “spirit,” and it’s a feminine noun. Right off the bat, we learn that God is not just one particular gender.
- Conversation starters:
- Genesis 1:27 is a poem, and it makes a big difference in how we understand ourselves. What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
- What images of God are in this story?
- What wonderings do these stories inspire in you?
Week 2: They Tried to hide
Read Genesis 3; Shine On page 17
Key Verses: Genesis 3:8, Genesis 3:13a; Genesis 2:19b
Prime the pump: As you read this story, here are some things to think about.
Key Verses: Genesis 3:8, Genesis 3:13a; Genesis 2:19b
Prime the pump: As you read this story, here are some things to think about.
- We have heard and told this story so many times that we may have some assumptions about what it says that aren’t really there.
- Try this exercise: Write down or tell the story before you read it, then discover the things you added or left out of your telling of the story. Unpack this…
- Things to notice:
- Notice that the only curses from God are toward the serpent and the ground. God doesn’t curse humans. How does this change the way we hear the story?
- Read verses 8-13, imagining it as a scene between a loving parent and their child, who just did something disobedient and is now hiding behind the couch. Imagine this as a gentle, loving God, not as an angry God stomping through the garden.
- Read the last part of verse 19. Have you heard those words before?
- The humans covered themselves with fig leaves. Feel a fig leaf if you can. They are very scratchy! And they would not hold up very well. Notice the care God takes of the humans, making clothes for them out of soft skins. Take a moment to imagine God creating and giving these skins to the humans.
- Background information:
- Dig around in some midrash (just google “midrash of Genesis 3”) to find some fascinating commentary on this passage - including ideas of what fruit Adam and Eve might have eaten. One idea in a commentary is that it was fermented grapes!
- Verse 7 says, “the eyes of both were opened.” This, the opening of eyes, is a common theme throughout the Bible. It’s usually positive, involving recognition and revelation. Wonder: Is it good in this verse? Bad? More nuanced than that?
- Conversation starters:
- Why did God tell the humans not to eat of this tree? Did God mean “ever” or “not yet?” Why did God put it there if God didn’t want them to eat it?
- Why do you think the consequence of Adam and Eve’s actions was to leave the garden? Why didn’t God want them to live forever? Is there a blessing in this consequence?
- We often say that, “Eve eating the apple was the original sin.” Notice that Adam and Eve both ate. And it wasn’t necessarily an apple. And none of the Hebrew words we translate as “sin” are in this chapter. Maybe it’s time to look again at this story. How do you see assumptions we make on this text shaping the world around you (and the world throughout history)?
week 3: on skin and sky
Read Genesis 4-11; Shine On pages 18-22 or choose just one story to focus on:
Key Verses: Genesis 4:15b, Genesis 8:22, Genesis 11:9
Prime the pump:
- Genesis 4:1-16; Shine On page 18 (Cain and Abel)
- Genesis 6:1-9:17; Shine On page 20 (The Flood)
- Genesis 11:1-9; Shine On page 22 (The Tower of Babel)
Key Verses: Genesis 4:15b, Genesis 8:22, Genesis 11:9
Prime the pump:
- Try writing or saying what you know about these stories before you read them. Just like with Genesis 3, you may find that you have read some things into the story that aren’t actually in the Bible! Unpack that.
- Background information for all three stories:
- The first 11 chapters of Genesis are called “primeval history,” and the main character in them is God. Emotions are mostly assigned to God, and the passages about humans are fairly matter-of-fact. As you read this, notice all the emotions assigned to God - and all the times God talks to God’s self. How does this change or resonate with your understanding of God?
- In Genesis 4:7, we see the first mention of “sin.” There are fifty Hebrew words translated into English as “sin,” and this one is the most common, “hatta,” which literally means “to miss the mark.” Missing the mark can have minor consequences, like a mess to clean up, or it can have catastrophic consequences. How does this definition of sin resonate with or challenge how you think about sin?
- Notice that there’s always grace in the consequence. What are the gifts of grace in the consequences faced by these people who miss the mark?
- Genesis 4:1-16 (Cain and Abel)
- Notice how God describes sin in Genesis 4:7. Do you ever experience sin in this way?
- Cain is a farmer, and when he spills his brother's blood on the ground, one consequence is that the ground will no longer yield to him. Think about what that would mean for him.
- Genesis 6:1-9:17 (The Flood)
- A couple different accounts of the flood get mashed together here. Were there two of every animal or six pairs? How long were they on the ark? We don’t actually get a clear answer. Do you think the exact numbers are crucial to the story? Why or why not?
- Genesis 6:11 describes the earth as “corrupt,” which some say translates more accurately as “annihilated.” How does the story change if we read it with that word?
- Noah is described as “righteous and blameless.” “Righteous” refers to right relationships with humans and creation, while “blameless” refers to right worship - right relationship with God. A phrase we often take to mean “perfect” really means that Noah was living in harmony with God and creation. What does it mean, here and now, to be righteous and blameless?
- Read Genesis 8:1. The “wind” here is ruach - where do we know that word from? Try reading these two passages side by side.
- Notice the parallel of the blessing of Genesis 9:1 with God’s blessing in creation. There’s another parallel in Genesis 9:6. If you enjoy parallels like this, consider starting a list of the times the Bible talks with itself!
- The sign of the covenant is a rainbow. What weather has to happen for a rainbow to appear? What might that metaphor clue us into about life?
- A couple different accounts of the flood get mashed together here. Were there two of every animal or six pairs? How long were they on the ark? We don’t actually get a clear answer. Do you think the exact numbers are crucial to the story? Why or why not?
- Genesis 11:1-9 (The Tower of Babel)
- Why do you think the people in Genesis 11 wanted to build a great city?
- Do you ever want to “make a name for yourself”?
- Why do you think God isn’t a fan of their plan?
week 4: A family
Read Genesis 12:1-9; Shine On page 25
Key Verses: Genesis 12:1-2, Genesis 17:5
Prime the pump:
- The Abraham and Sarah saga continues through Genesis 24, so you may want to read all of that - or choose a few chapters so you get a little taste of the story.
Key Verses: Genesis 12:1-2, Genesis 17:5
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- This is the first story we hear of someone being called by God. There will be a lot more of these in the rest of this big story! If you’re interested in the ways God calls people, maybe you want to start keeping track of these stories.
- Skim the story and see if you can count how many times Abram/Abraham builds an altar. What does his worship of God look like?
- This story is full of strange little stories. Here are a few head-scratchers. Dig into them if you like. It’s also enough to read the stories and know that even “great” families like this one are messy.
- Read Genesis 12:10-20 and Genesis 20.
- Read Genesis 19:24-26.
- Another major story in this saga is the story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac (Genesis 22). What is going on here? Why do you think this happened? Did God really ask Abraham to do this?
- Background information:
- God blessing people and creation isn’t new to us by now! The Hebrew word used here in Genesis 12 is barak, and in its noun form barakeh. It literally means “to kneel down,” and usually is used to imply one party honoring another. We think a lot about honoring God. Here we see that it’s two-way. How does that feel to you?
- “Blessed” is a term we hear thrown around a lot in our culture. But God’s blessing of Abram and Sarai is very different from the way the term gets used in today’s world. They are not blessed for a prosperous or easy life. They are blessed to be a blessing. What does this even mean?
- This is the beginning of the “people of the covenant.” As we will notice in coming weeks, sometimes they become exclusive. But in Genesis 12:3b, we see that God’s intention is broad. “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Keep this original intention in mind as you continue to read the big story!
- Male circumcision is part of the covenant God makes with Abraham. It may seem like a very strange agreement to make! Why do you think this was what God asked of God’s people?
- Conversation starters:
- Abram and Sarai were unable to have children, yet God promised them that they would be parents of a great nation. They tried to take matters into their own hands in Genesis 16, resulting in Ishmael’s birth. Then in Genesis 18, God reveals God’s answer to their dilemma. And in Genesis 21, their son, Isaac, is finally born. What do you make of this long journey to fulfillment of a promise?
- The whole story of Hagar and Ishmael is a squirmy one. How can Abraham and Sarah, people of God, treat them this way? Notice that God provides for Hagar and Ishmael when they are oppressed.
week 5: to take it or to be it
Read Genesis 25:19-34, Genesis 27:1-28:5, Genesis 32-33; Shine On page 34
Key Verses: Genesis 25:23, Genesis 27:41, Genesis 32:28, Genesis 33:4
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Genesis 25:23, Genesis 27:41, Genesis 32:28, Genesis 33:4
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- There are recurring themes and recurring stories from the story of Abraham and Sarah to this story. Do some detective work to discover these. Why do you think these themes keep coming back?
- More head-scratchers: If you read Genesis 12:10-20 and Genesis 20 for the Week 4 story, read Genesis 26:6-11 now. Talk about a family cycle!
- Genesis 33:4 is deeply emotional. How are humans depicted differently here than in Genesis 1-11? What do you make of those differences? How does that affect the way we read these stories?
- Notice the interesting ways God communicates with Jacob. Read Genesis 38:10-17 and Genesis 32:22-32.
- Background information:
- Before you are too hard on Rebekah for helping her son trick his father, consider the position of women in her society. She had little to no power, but if the son who identified with her was the son who inherited the power of the family, then she would be protected. Do some searches to learn about the rights of women in biblical times.
- There’s a whole narrative we’re skipping over here, of Jacob and his wives. Read that if you want a little window into a culture very different from our own.
- Conversation starters:
- What a mess. It’s easy to see that this family had some serious communication problems. Name some of their dysfunctions. God stuck with them! Do you ever feel like a mess?
- This is the family, the covenant people, who God called to be a blessing to the whole earth. Are there places in this story that you see them being a blessing?
- Esau was a hunter and farmer, and Jacob preferred the quiet of the tents. Do you and your family members have some big differences like this? How do you avoid missing the mark when you deal with these differences? Can these differences make for stronger families?
- The story of Jacob and Esau’s reconciliation is an intriguing one. It came a very long time after they fought. Do you think it was a full reconciliation? Was there any way it could have ended differently?
- Jacob wrestles with God. Consider that. We can wrestle with God. Do you ever wrestle with God?
week 6: shepherds, slaves and jealous sons
Read Genesis 37:1-8, 18-28, Genesis 39:1-6, 19-23, Genesis 41:1-13, 25-40, Genesis 42:1-2, 6-8, 18-25,
Genesis 43:11-13, 19-34, Genesis 45:1-14; Shine On pages 37-39
Key Verses: Genesis 37:4, Genesis 39:2, Genesis 39:21, Genesis 41:38, Genesis 45:3-5
Prime the pump:
Genesis 43:11-13, 19-34, Genesis 45:1-14; Shine On pages 37-39
Key Verses: Genesis 37:4, Genesis 39:2, Genesis 39:21, Genesis 41:38, Genesis 45:3-5
Prime the pump:
- This story is packed with emotion. Genesis 42:23-24, Genesis 43:26-31, Genesis 45:1-2, Genesis 45:14-15 - and more. The humans of this story are becoming more and more empathetic for us. Read this story and map its emotional curve.
- Notice the many times it looks like the story is going to end in despair for Joseph and for the rest of his family. And notice the refrain of God sticking with them. Maybe you want to track these highs and lows.
- Where does the family of God end up at the end of this story? Given what you know already about the Bible, why might this be an important set-up for what comes next?
- The Joseph narrative is really a saga, and it can be experienced through multiple perspectives. Choose one of the following or one you come up with, and read the story with that lens. Then have a conversation or do some journaling or doodling about how you experienced the story.
- A gifted leader
- Family conflict
- God is with the prisoners
- God’s faithfulness
- Reconciliation
- Trust and distrust
- Betrayal and healing
- Dreams
Week 7: I'll be with you; i am who i am
Read Exodus 2-4 OR Exodus 2:1-10; 2:23-3:15, 4:1-5, and 4:10-17; Shine On Bible pages 40-44
Key Verses: Exodus 2:24; Exodus 3:12, Exodus 3:14
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Exodus 2:24; Exodus 3:12, Exodus 3:14
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- We read this story quickly, but a lot of time actually passes from the beginning of the story to Moses’ return to Egypt! As you read it, try to get a rough guess of the time frame. Do you think the people felt like God was acting quickly enough when they cried out for help?
- Read Exodus 3:1-6 and imagine it happening. How would you react if this happened to you?
- Notice in Exodus 4:4 that God tells Moses to grab the snake by its tail. Should you ever grab a venomous snake by the tail?!
- Notice that Moses has a lot of questions and excuses for why he may not be the person for this task! If you’re intrigued by this or identify with this, make a list of them. And then notice God’s response in Exodus 4:11-12. In The Hebrew Bible, Robert Alter translates this, “Who gave man a mouth…Is it not I, the Lord?”
- Background information:
- Women feature prominently in this story. It is unusual for women to be as front-and-center as they are here. If you’re intrigued by this, go back to Exodus 1:15, and read from there through Exodus 4, tracking the role women play in this story. Women preserve the people of God.
- “Moses” is Egyptian for “give birth,” and it is joined here with Hebrew etymology (“to draw out from water”). How does this name foreshadow what is to come in Moses’ life?
- Notice in Genesis 2:24 that it says that God remembered God’s covenant. Does this mean that God ever forgot it? The Hebrew word here is zakar, a more nuanced word than we think of with “remember.” It doesn’t mean God forgot about it, then shuffled through the filing cabinets of God’s memory and said, “Oh yeah, there was that covenant…” Rather it means that God remained committed to the covenant and kept the covenant.
- Another interesting word interpretation comes in the last word of Exodus 2. The NRSV says “God took notice of them,” but a more precise interpretation is “God knew.” Because it’s vague, translators have shied away from it. Read Exodus 2:25 with this new word. How does that change what you hear?
- Mount Horeb is Mount Sinai. File that information away...
- Why does Moses ask for God’s name? In Moses’ world, gods are identified by their names - “God” is a generic name. Moses is going to need a specific name to give to the people. And God answers with divine mystery. “I-Will-Be-Who-I-Will-Be,” or in the shortened version, “I-Will-Be.” God’s very name indicates the freedom of God. This name is considered so holy that in Jewish tradition, it is not spoken. In Christian tradition, we tend to respect that by writing “LORD” where this holy name for God would be. When you see “LORD” in the Bible, you know that the Hebrew being translated is the holy name for God.
- Conversation starters:
- Moses was born to a Hebrew family, adopted by an Egyptian princess, raised for his formative years by his Hebrew family, then lived as a son of the royal family. Then he fled as a Hebrew and joined the family of a Midianite. In a time of tribal identity, this is a pretty mixed-up story. How do you think these multiple cultures prepared Moses to do the task he was called to? How do you imagine his identity might have been shaped by his three families?
- Read Exodus 3:8. The people listed here are the people who already inhabit this land being promised to the Israelites. This is a little squirmy. Wrestle with that.
week 8: By the sea god saves them
Read Exodus 7:1-13; Exodus 7:20-8:15; Exodus 9:22-10:11; 12:21-42; 14:5-29; Shine On Bible pages 46-48
Key verses: Exodus 9:1; Exodus 14:13-14; Exodus 14:2
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Exodus 9:1; Exodus 14:13-14; Exodus 14:2
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- As you read these stories, pay attention to your responses to them. What makes you squirm? Laugh? Cheer? Get grossed out?
- Read this story using your senses. What does it look like? Smell like? Sound like? Feel like? Taste like?
- Notice that sometimes the Pharaoh’s magicians can match the signs from God. What do you make of that? Is there any difference between how the signs and wonders happen for Aaron and Moses and how they happen for the magicians?
- Notice that multiple times, scripture says that “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” What in the world do you think that means? Did God not want Pharaoh to let the people go?
- Read Exodus 7:14-19. This is another one of those times that the story gets a little repetitive, combining two different ways of telling the story.
- Notice that there’s a rhythm to this story not unlike the rhythm of Genesis 1. Why do you think that might be?
- If you’re intrigued by the signs and wonders, consider reading through Exodus 7:14-11:10. Chart out the signs and wonders and see if you can find the patterns in them.
- Background information:
- Aaron and Moses don’t actually ask the Pharaoh to free the people. They ask for a 3-day leave. The hope is that this will be granted to them, and the people will be able to flee this way. It wasn’t uncommon in the ancient world to grant a request like this. How would the story of the people of God have been different if Pharaoh had said, “Sure,” and that would have been it?
- We often use the phrase “ten plagues,” but this phrase is not actually used in the Bible. The people would have understood plagues to be an epidemic, a deadly disease sent as a punishment. These do not fit that criteria. They were signs and wonders, sent to show Pharaoh (and the people) how powerful God was. How does this understanding change your reading of the text?
- Were all of the people who fled slavery in Egypt descendents of Jacob? Probably not. Exodus 12:38 says a “mixed crowd” went with them. The English word that probably comes closest to the Hebrew “‘erevrav” here is “riffraff” (Alter, vol. 1, pg. 263). This was probably a mixed group of people. Their common story of God’s deliverance made them one people.
- Conversation starters:
- This story of God’s deliverance from bondage was an identifying story during the period of United States history when slavery was legal. It is not difficult to understand why slaves in the US identified with the Hebrew people. Look up and listen to some of the music of this time, songs like “Go Down Moses.” These songs were sung to encourage and to carry messages. Drawing the parallel between the ancient story and the more modern story can remind us that God is always on the side of the oppressed. And that we are intricately tied together in this big story of God - it is not linear, but cyclical.
- Water plays a big role in the Moses narrative. Find places in this story where water is central. Why do you think water keeps coming into the story like this?
- In Exodus 14:10-12, the Israelites complain and regret having left Egypt. This will be a recurring theme! Instead of being critical of their lack of faith, put yourself in their place and talk about how they might have felt in this moment, when they didn’t yet have a full picture of what God was up to.
- Read Exodus 14:13-14. What does this tell us about how God works? What does it tell us about our role in the “battle” situations of life?
week 9: daily food and ten new rules
Read Exodus 16, 20:1-17; Shine On Bible pages 51-53
Key verses: Exodus 16:12; Exodus 16:29-30; Exodus 20:2
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Exodus 16:12; Exodus 16:29-30; Exodus 20:2
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice the times the people complain - and God’s responses to their complaints. Do you think it’s okay that they complain?
- Notice what happens to the food when the people hoard it. Is this instructive for us?
- Read Exodus 20:2. This is the God the people serve, and this is why they can trust God. Wonder: What would God say to you in a statement like this?
- Notice which two commandments get the longest explanations. Why do you think this is?
- The commandments given in Exodus 20:1-17 are designed to enable the people to live in right relationships with each other. Notice the ways these instructions could help that happen.
- Background information:
- Mount Sinai is Mount Horeb. We’ve been here before!
- Notice how manna is described in Exodus 16:31. We can only guess at what it was like. There are several ideas for what this manna might have been, and it was probably something natural of the area the people found themselves in. Try foraging on the land around you to see what sustenance God provides for you.
- The law that God gives the people (what we know as the Ten Commandments, plus a lot of other stuff) is celebrated as a great gift. This is what is celebrated at Shavuot (known as Pentecost in Greek).
- Conversation starters:
- Imagine eating the same thing every day for forty years. Would you ever complain?
- In the story of the manna and quail, the people are learning that God provides. They learn to trust that there will be enough for everyone if each person only takes their share. This seems simple enough, but what would it be like to actually live that way?
- Why is the law a gift? Can boundaries and rules be freeing for us?
- Shalom community is a term we often use for the kind of people that the Hebrews were learning to be. It means a community where everyone has enough, where relationships with God, each other, and creation are all healthy. It is possible through trust in God and love for each other. This is radical! How does the way you live fit (or not fit) the concept of shalom community?
week 10: Give them land, amend the law
Read Numbers 27:1-11; Shine On Bible page 65
Key verses: Numbers 27:7-8
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Numbers 27:7-8
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice who all the sisters had to stand before to plead their case. How do you think they felt?
- These women are all named (here and in Numbers 26:33). That is not common in the Bible. Say their names out loud.
- Background information:
- Women did not have many rights in the ancient world. The fact that these sisters could plead their case - and that they got the law changed - is a big deal! Even in modern times, many women have not been able to inherit property.
- In verse 3, the daughters say that their father was not one of those who gathered against the Lord “in the company of Korah.” This refers to an uprising detailed in Numbers 16. Their father’s “offense” was most likely the same as all the adults who didn’t believe that God could bring them into the promised land - a much more minor offense than being part of the rebellion.
- Conversation starters:
- Bryan Moyer Suderman has written an excellent song called “Daughters of Zelophahad,” in which he uses the phrase, “It’s time to look again.” This story reminds us that boundaries and rules are negotiable. Sometimes, we need to look again to see if they still are helping us to live in the way of God. See what that concept sparks in your imagination. What do we need to look at again in our current time?
- Do you think this change in the law brought the ways of the people of God closer to God’s dream for them?
week 11: Then, now and always
Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9; Shine On Bible page 67
Key verses: Deuteronomy 6:4-6
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Deuteronomy 6:4-6
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- “Keep these words.” This is a powerful phrase. We actually considered naming this series with this phrase! Notice how the people are instructed to keep these words. Is it just by memorizing them? Notice the embodied knowledge of this commandment. If you really did this, how would it change your life?
- Sometimes in our world, we think we need experts to teach our children to follow God. Is that what this passage seems to say? Where are we supposed to learn these words?
- Is Deuteronomy 4:5 familiar?
- Background information:
- This passage is a really big deal. Pieces of it come up again and again throughout the Bible. If you’re intrigued by this, look up “shema” and learn about how these words are still kept in Jewish tradition.
- The Bible was written in a polytheistic (many gods) world. This text doesn’t concern itself with refuting the idea of other gods, but instead focuses on the commandment to worship only one god, the true God. It is a declaration of monotheism.
- Until now, people have been told to fear God. Now they are told to love God with all their heart, being and might. The NRSV translates the Hebrew nefesh as “soul,” but it more literally means “life-breath” or “essential self” (Alter, vol 1, 641). In modern times, the word “soul” is associated with body/soul dualism, so it might be helpful to use one of these other terms instead.
- Conversation starters:
- The big commandment here is to love God with our whole being. Why should we do that? What does it mean for our lives if we do?
- How can you “keep these words”?
Week 12: When the walls come down
Read Joshua 3-4, 6:1-21; Shine On Bible pages 72-75
Key Verses: Joshua 3:5; Joshua 4:21-22; Joshua 6:16
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Joshua 3:5; Joshua 4:21-22; Joshua 6:16
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- What does this story of crossing the Jordan remind you of? Notice the similarities and differences of this story with the last time the people passed through a river on dry ground.
- Read the journey of the stones in Joshua 4 carefully. Notice why this ritual is required of the people. There is such power in what happens with the stones in this story, both in the ritual itself and in the conversations it will evoke later! This also might be the time to start keeping track of all the times the number 12 comes up in the biblical story.
- Another number to track is seven. Notice in Joshua 6:4 how many times the word seven is used! Where else have you heard the number seven in the big story so far?
- Background information:
- The Hebrew word translated as “cross(ing/ed) over,” ‘avar, shows up eight times in chapter 3. This is both a literal and symbolic crossing over for the people. Find all the “cross over” references.
- This is the first time we’re really talking about the Ark of the Covenant in this series. The Ark is a big, big deal! The stone tablets of the law (which you may know as the 10 Commandments) are housed in it. It has great significance in the people of God, and is seen as sacred and powerful.
- Jericho is called a “city” in Joshua 6:3. It’s helpful for our modern ears to know that the city probably had at most a couple thousand residents. It was very common for a city to be surrounded by walls to protect the inhabitants.
- Digging into historicity in this story can be a challenge. Archaeological evidence of the ancient city at the described site would point to the story not being “historically accurate.” But maybe that is not the point. Perhaps the important story here is that God called up the leader, God inspired the plans, and the first Israelite town in the promised land happens through a miraculous act of God, not through human power. God is the primary actor. That is what is important.
- Conversation starters:
- “What do these stones mean?” What are the “stones” in your household that prompt you to tell your formative stories?
- In this story, Joshua really comes into his role of leader of the people (see Joshua 3:7 and 4:14). It’s a leadership transition, from Moses to Joshua. If this angle intrigues you, go back and read more about Joshua, beginning with the 12 spies in Numbers 13, then more in the beginning of the book of Joshua.
- This is a squirmy story. We were tempted to end this recommended reading with Joshua 6:20 instead of verse 21. It is triumphalist, perhaps pointing toward occupation or colonization. Through today’s lens, Joshua 6 is hard to read. Wrestle with that.
week 13: The Land has rest
Read Judges 2:16-23; 4:4-24
Key Verses: Judges 2:16-19; Judges 4:5; Judges 4:9
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Judges 2:16-19; Judges 4:5; Judges 4:9
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Remember back in Exodus 1-4, when women played subversive roles in continuing the story of the people of God? They’re back at it in this story. Read Judges 4:4-24 and notice the times that the story deviates from what you would expect.
- This is a rather gruesome story. But it also has an element of humor to it. Picture the whole thing as a clown skit, and catch the absurdities.
- Consider also reading chapter 5, which is the story song that Deborah and Barak sang. We aren’t the first ones to use a song to tell a story!
- Background information:
- The Hebrew word shofet translated as “judge” can mean a judicial authority or a leader/chieftan. Leader/chieftan is actually a more accurate term for many of the judges in the book of Judges. But Deborah seems to have functioned as both.
- The book of Judges tells us the stories of what scholars call the “judges cycle.” The first part of this week’s passage very clearly explains what that cycle was. This whole book is full of gruesome stories about the people’s disobedience. If you want to dig into the messiness of the people of God, start reading through Judges.
- With the way 4:6 is interpreted in most Bibles, it would seem that Deborah is instructing Barak. But according to Robert Alter, it is more accurate to translate it, “Has not the LORD God of Israel charged you…” meaning that he knew already what he was supposed to do but wasn’t doing it. How does that change this reading?
- Conversation starters:
- This is an uncomfortable story. Does God want this violent thing to happen? Is what Jael did good? Be okay with not having on the answers. Acknowledge all the different things you feel as you read this story. Do you want to cheer for these women? Are you grossed out? Do you squirm? Wrestle with it.
- This whole judges cycle is yet one more story of God sticking with humanity. If this resonates with you, maybe you want to track the ways God has stuck with humans throughout this story.
week 14: the unexpected gift of steadfast love
Read Ruth 1-4; Shine On Bible page 79
Key Verses: Ruth 1:16-17; Ruth 4:14-15
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Ruth 1:16-17; Ruth 4:14-15
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice the emotions of this story. It is such a compelling story. Why do we still identify with it today?
- The adoption theme re-emerges here. Ruth’s speech in Ruth 1:16-17 has often been used as wedding scripture, but we see here that it is bigger than romantic love.
- Background information:
- There is a recurring theme of “steadfast love” in this story. The Hebrew word is hesed, and it shows up three times (in 1:8, 2:20, and 3:10). It is interpreted in words like “kindness” and “loyalty.” Elsewhere in the Bible, it is interpreted as “steadfast love” or “loving kindness.” How is this a story of hesed?
- “Feet” is a euphemism for genitals. Now read Ruth 3.
- There are several parts of this story that seem strange without explanation. For example, Naomi’s words in Ruth 1:11 are talking about Levirate marriage (if a man died, his brother was to marry his widow so that she would be protected and the man would have someone to inherit). Ruth 4:17 also makes reference to a similar practice. If you’re intrigued, look it up on
wikipedia, or look more specifically for customs like this in the Old Testament.
- Conversation starters:
- Ruth is a Moabite. She is a foreigner, forbidden from many customs. Yet she is in the line of David, the messianic line - the line of Jesus. She is held up in rabbinic tradition as an example of virtue. Think about this in the broader story. How does God work through outsiders, even today?
- This is also a story of immigration. Read it with that lens.
week 15: god speaks to a child
Read: 1 Samuel 3; Shine On Bible page 83
Key Verses: 1 Samuel 3:10; 1 Samuel 3:19
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: 1 Samuel 3:10; 1 Samuel 3:19
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Vision and seeing are major themes in this story. Read it and notice it both in the literal sense and in the metaphoric sense.
- Notice what Eli calls Samuel in verse six. What does this tell us about Eli and Samuel’s relationship? How do you think Samuel felt about delivering the message he had received to Eli? Imagine that scene.
- Background information:
- Verse 3 says that the lamp of God had not yet gone out. This refers to the sanctuary lamp which burned throughout the night, so it’s from this reference that we infer the story happens at night.
- If you would like to know what God is referring to in 1 Samuel 3:12-13, look back at 1 Samuel 2.
- Conversation starters:
- Read verse seven. This story is Samuel’s first awakening as a prophet. Talk about your own moments of awakening - or your yearning for them.
- Notice that Samuel’s first prophecy isn’t exactly a joyful one. This will be the case for many of his prophecies. He says yes to a hard life here. Think about this alongside many of the things we are often told about saying yes to God.
week 16: do not destroy
Read: Psalm 57
Key Verses: Psalm 57:1, Psalm 57:7
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Psalm 57:1, Psalm 57:7
Prime the pump:
- Contextual Reading: This psalm is connected to a story in 1 Samuel 22. Consider reading this story (which really begins a few chapters earlier) to understand the psalm in a deeper way.
- Things to notice:
- The first line of the Psalm repeats itself. Imagine hiding from something you feared and repeating this line. Another translation is, “Grant me grace, God, grant me grace.” It’s almost a mantra, something we repeat to help center ourselves. A repeated prayer.
- Psalms usually have a transition point where they come back to trust in God. In this psalm, that happens at verse 7. Notice the mirroring with verse 1.
- Verse one talks about taking shelter in the shadow of God’s wings. This kind of parental protection is common in scripture.
- There’s a lot of “steadfast” going on in here! These are not all the same Hebrew words - some are hesed, the word we learned about in the Ruth and Naomi story. Some are more literally translated as “firm.” But all imply something unwavering. Notice all these words in the psalm - maybe count them or list them out in some way.
- Background information about the psalms:
- The Hebrew term for “psalm” is mizmor, which means “something sung.” But the name of the book of Psalms in the Jewish tradition is Tehilim, which means “Praises.”
- Like modern poetry, the psalms are meant to be read in all kinds of ways! Some of them are acrostics (in Hebrew, each line begins with the next letter of the alphabet). Many are chiasms, which means they’re written kind of like a palindrome. Whatever is in the middle of that chiasm is often the most important part. Chiastic structure is actually found in many places in the Bible, and once you start looking for chiasms it’s hard to stop! If you’re intrigued, look up more about it!
- When you see a psalm that says “of David,” that “of” can also be translated “for.” We don’t know definitively who wrote each Psalm, but these descriptions do help us understand their inspiration. Like our modern music, these psalms probably developed over time. They were produced by many different poets over probably 500 years.
- Robert Alter summarizes the purpose of the Psalms like this: “...the psalm was a multifaceted poetic form serving many different purposes, some cultic and others not, and it played a vital role in the life of the Israelite community and of individuals within that community throughout the biblical period.” (Alter, Robert. 2019. The Hebrew Bible, vol. 3: The Writings. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, pg. 8.)
- The psalmic tradition is similar to the literature of the cultures that surrounded the people of God. We can hear echoes of those cultures in our Psalms. For example, the warrior-god is similar to the Canaanite Baal. Knowing this could be cause for discomfort - or we can look at our own worship and its intermingling with the culture, and see that this has long been a part of our evolving worship.
- Conversation starters:
- This prayer intermingles cries and supplications to God, complaining, descriptions of entrapment, trust, fear, declarations of what God will do, ill-wishes for enemies - all of this in one poetic and brief prayer. If you used this psalm as inspiration or guide, what might your prayer be in your present situation?
- The psalm ends with perspective. God is big, so much bigger than present circumstances. What would happen if this kind of perspective was woven into your prayer life in this time, in this place?
- Read verse 8. This lovely poetry talks about awakening creation with music. Maybe you want to try this...
week 17: watch over it anyway
Read: 1 Kings 8 or if you want a shorter section to read, try 1 Kings 8:1-6, 12-27, 41-43, 65-66; Shine On Bible page 99
Key Verses: 1 Kings 8:27
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: 1 Kings 8:27
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- In 1 Kings 8:31-53, notice the variety of examples Solomon gives of ways that this temple might be a symbol of God’s presence. Do you hear echoes of other stories you know?
- Notice verses 41-43. What promise/covenant does this remind you of? How is the story continuing?
- Notice verses 46-52. There is some foreshadowing here!
- Background information:
- There is a wealth of online information about the layout and design of the temple. If you are intrigued by this, look it up and explore it further!
- Solomon’s words in verses 41-43 can be read as a reminder of the inclusiveness of God’s love. They can also be a reflection of Solomon’s attitude toward surrounding nations. Whether in taking wives or trading, Solomon tended not to be an isolationist. In fact, he did a lot of trading with one particular king, King Hiram, to build the temple.
- Conversation starters:
- The temple is a big deal. It would be the central gathering place and a center of identity. But it is complicated. God is clear that God will not be confined to a building. If you are reading this in the midst of a pandemic, how does this strike you?
- This dedication is described as happening in October during Succoth, or the Feast of Tabernacles/Festival of Booths. During this festival, the people gathered in Jerusalem and lived outdoors to remember God’s provision in the wilderness. It was a good time to hold the dedication, because it was a time that the people would be gathered anyway. But consider, was there some irony in a dedication of a structure like this during a festival that celebrated the simplicity of God’s provision when the people lived in impermanent tents and God led by a pillar of fire and cloud? Wrestle with this.
- What might be the political benefits to Solomon in the building of this temple?
week 18: a nation tears apart
Read: Read 1 Kings 11-12. Or if you want a shorter section to read, try 1 Kings 11:1-6; 9-13; 26-43; 1 Kings 12:1-16; 20-33
Key Verses: 1 Kings 11:11; 1 Kings 11:37-38; 1 Kings 12:16; 1 Kings 12:22-24
Prime the pump:
- There is no corresponding Shine On story, but the story on page 101 may be helpful for families.
Key Verses: 1 Kings 11:11; 1 Kings 11:37-38; 1 Kings 12:16; 1 Kings 12:22-24
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Solomon is said to have had a thousand wives, most of them from foreign countries. Notice what it is about having all of these wives that Solomon gets in trouble for.
- 1 Kings 11:42 says that Solomon reigned for forty years. This is a typological number. Where else do you remember forty years from the stories we have already read?
- “High places” and altars play a big role in these stories. Notice all the times one of these places is described. Is it positive or negative? Notice the description of Jeroboam’s altars in 1 Kings 12:28. What does that remind you of?
- Notice which country shelters Jeroboam in 1 Kings 11:40. Hmm…
- Notice who Rehoboam listens to in Kings 6-14. This tendency has apparently been around for a long time.
- Background information:
- The story of tearing of clothing in 1 Kings 11:29-32 reflects back on a story in 1 Samuel 15:27-28. Look it up and see if it gives you some insight into this story.
- This passage has a parallel telling of the same story in 2 Chronicles 10-11. If that interests you, read the Chronicles story and find the similarities and differences.
- Maps make this story intriguing! This map can help you visualize the story.
- The festival described in 1 Kings 12:33 refers to Succoth. But it is a month later than the same festival in the south.
- Conversation starters:
- Solomon had a thousand wives. Jacob had two wives and two concubines. What was acceptable in marriage certainly changed over the course of history. How much of this change do you think was a change in culture, and how much was a change in understanding of God’s will?
- Shechem, where Rehoboam comes for his coronation, is in the north. It is interesting that this is the chosen place for this event instead of Jerusalem. What might have been the political reasons for this?
week 19: in desperate times
Read: 1 Kings 17; Shine On Bible page 103
Key Verses: 1 Kings 17:13-14; 24
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: 1 Kings 17:13-14; 24
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Time to get out the map again! This map shows some of the sites of Elijah’s travels. If you want to catch the Bible talking to itself, look at stories of Jesus and his travels in Mark 6-8.
- Zaraphath is not part of Israel. It’s in Phoenicia, the heart of Baal territory. Read this story about the widow while keeping who she is and where she is in mind.
- Background information:
- Elijah’s name means, “My god is the LORD.” He spends much of his life trying to bring the people back from worship of false gods.
- Baal is understood to be the god of the weather. What do you think God might be communicating by bringing about a drought?
- In I Kings 17:18, when the woman says, “You have come to bring my sin to remembrance,” she is not talking about some great sin she committed. People of this time and region had the understanding that affliction, or bad things happening to them, were retribution for something they had done. She may not even have any sin in mind, she just assumes that she’s being punished for something she did.
- Conversation starters:
- Elijah figures prominently in the story of Jesus. Maybe you want to look up some of those references. Why do you think Jesus is so often compared to Elijah? Find some of the parallels.
- The woman’s trust of Elijah and recognition of his God is remarkable. Read and discuss the story with empathy and imagine her experience.
week 20: scrolls and consequences
Read: 2 Kings 22:1-23:25. Or if you want a shorter section to read, try 2 Kings 22:1-2; 2 Kings 22:8-20; 2 Kings 23:1-4; 2 Kings 23:21-25
Key Verses: 2 Kings 22:2; 2 Kings 22:11; 2 Kings 23:3; 2 Kings 23:25
Prime the pump:
- Shine On Bible page 112
Key Verses: 2 Kings 22:2; 2 Kings 22:11; 2 Kings 23:3; 2 Kings 23:25
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- What do the words of 2 Kings 23:25 remind you of? Now look at 2 Kings 23:3.
- Huldah is a woman - the only female prophet to be named in the Bible. Notice that this is not considered particularly noteworthy in the text. Wonder - may there have been others that aren’t named?
- Background information:
- At this point in the story, it may be helpful to look at a table of the kings of Israel and Judah. This one maps them out well, although the “good/evil” labels on the kings may be lacking in nuance.
- What is the book of the law that was found??? Scholarly consensus is that it was some form of what we now know as the book of Deuteronomy. It would not have been identical, since the form we have now dates to the Babylonian exile - which hasn’t happened yet in this story!
- If you read 2 Kings 23:5-20, you’ll notice a lot of burning of human bones. What?! Doing this on an altar was permanent defilement - by burning human bones, Josiah made sure sacrifices would never happen on these altars again.
- Scholars also are fairly unanimous in thinking that the core of this book was actually composed at this time to centralize worship in Jerusalem and to do away with paganism.
- At this point in the story, it may be helpful to look at a table of the kings of Israel and Judah. This one maps them out well, although the “good/evil” labels on the kings may be lacking in nuance.
- Conversation starters:
- The prophet Huldah says that Josiah will die in peace. In 2 Kings 23:29, we learn about Josiah’s death. Do you think Huldah’s prophecy was true? What does it mean to die in peace?
- Notice all the destruction of temples and monuments and statues that are ordered in this passage. Why did all of these things need to be destroyed? Wrestle with that in connection with current events.
week 21: is there any hope left for you, jerusalem
Read: Jeremiah 13 (or just Jeremiah 13:1-14)
Key Verses: Jeremiah 13:11
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Jeremiah 13:11
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Because this part of the Bible isn’t as linear in its narration, it is harder to keep a steady timeline of what is happening here! Consider creating a timeline of the events of Part 5 - and maybe you want to continue it with Part 6. Notice how long (or short) the time frame is between these stories we’re reading.
- If you’ve been mapping, find Parath on a map.
- Read 13:14. Does that make you squirm? Sit with that. Wrestle with it.
- Background information:
- A loincloth is, essentially, underwear. God compares the people of Israel to underwear, and God’s self to the “loins.” Read verse 11. What does this mean?
- When a loincloth is ruined, it exposes the genitals. What kind of “exposure” do you think Jeremiah and God might be worried about for the Israelites?
- In verse 1, God tells Jeremiah not to enter water/dip the loincloth in water. Some interpret this to mean Jeremiah is to wear the loincloth and get it dirty before burying it, and some think it may be to ensure that the loincloth is not altered or damaged before it’s buried.
- The bit about jars filled with wine in verses 12-14 can be confusing, and it’s written to be a kind of riddle. The people are telling Jeremiah that jars are made to be filled. The riddle is that they’re filled with wine, causing them to be unstable and liable to fall. They think they’re fine, doing what they’re meant to do, but really, they’re setting themselves up for disaster.
- Verse 17 is intriguing. First, it shows a window into God’s longings for the people. There is also an interesting word at work, which the NRSV translates as “pride.” The Hebrew word here is geiwah, an obscure word. “Pride” as its translation is only a guess. Robert Alter tells us that it also has been connected with a word in Job that can mean “community.” (Alter, Robert. 2019. The Hebrew Bible, vol. 2: Prophets. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, pg. 905.) Read the passage with that word, and it changes considerably!
- Here’s a window into the tough job biblical translators have to do. The NRSV translation flips verse 27b - the original Hebrew has what NRSV translates as “How long will it be” last in the passage. But the literal Hebrew translation is “after when still.” (Alter, Robert. 2019. The Hebrew Bible, vol. 2: Prophets. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, pg. 907.)
- Conversation starters:
- Jeremiah wasn’t terribly popular, because his messages for the people were often critical of their behavior and often predicted the fall of Jerusalem. So he was imprisoned and persecuted. He seemed to see his role as a prophet as perpetual torment. Yet he faithfully prophesied. Wonder about the sense of calling that would lead a person to do something so unpopular and unpleasant.
- This story, like many of Jeremiah’s stories, lends itself to enactment and humor. Here is a video of Ted Schwartz’s dramatic interpretation of this story. Try retelling the story. Play with the verbs and nouns. Discover the humor. Why is it that humor has such power to make us listen and see things in new ways?
Week 22: How can we sing when you are gone, jerusalem?
Read: Psalm 137
Prime the pump:
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice the story here. The Babylonian captors have plundered them and taunted them, and the psalmist, broken, sits on the foreign soil by the foreign water and hangs their lyre on the foreign tree to weep and ask for justice.
- The final verse of the psalm is very squirmy, and often omitted in modern usage of this psalm. But take a moment to empathize. Have you ever wished harm on those who hurt you? The psalmist is being honest here.
- Background information:
- The “songs of Zion” the captors tell them to sing would be any temple songs. They were being commanded to provide entertainment. The contrast here is that the psalmist views these songs not as entertainment but as holy songs of YHWH.
- Verse 5 is wordplay. The Hebrew word translated as both “forget” and “wither,” tishkah actually only means “forget,” but a simple letter switch, tikhhash, means “wither.” (Alter, Robert. 2019. The Hebrew Bible, vol. 3: Writings. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, pg. 314.)
- The nation of Judah, the southern kingdom, was the second to fall to invading powers. This psalm was most likely written shortly after the people were deported to Babylon in 586 B.C.E.
- The exile was a complicated time. If you’re intrigued by these complexities, dig around a little for more information. Here’s a good place to start: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/the-babylonian-exile.
- Conversation starters:
- Most scholars think that the stories of Genesis and Exodus were written down by the scribes during this time. Think back to those early stories. How do you hear them differently when you think of people in exile writing them down? If you looked at the Babylonian creation myth back in Week 1, how do its differences with the Genesis creation story strike you now?
- We think the synagogue system began during exile. Synagogues are localized worship spaces, a portable way to worship God. Even after the temple was rebuilt, synagogues continued (and continue to this day). If you are reading this in a time of pandemic, what wheels does this get turning for you?
- The exile really shook up the systems of power. The tribe of Levi (priests) was the only tribe that really survived the exile. Prophets took on new roles, and leadership was localized. Do some internet digging if this intrigues you, and talk about the ways that you may see this phenomenon mirrored in today’s world.
week 23: god's breath is hope
Read: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Shine On Bible page 146
Key Verse: Ezekiel 37:14
Prime the pump:
Key Verse: Ezekiel 37:14
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice how many times you see the words “spirit,” “wind” and “breath” in this passage. All of these come from the Hebrew word ruah (or ruach). Do you remember that word? Look all the way back at Genesis 1… Read the passage paying attention to where ruah pops up, and see how that changes or deepens the way you read the story.
- Notice other parallels to the Genesis 1-2 story. How does this change the story?
- Background information:
- “Ezekiel is surely the strangest of all the prophets.” (Alter, Robert. 2019. The Hebrew Bible, vol. 2: Prophets. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, pg. 1049.) Many prophets were considered to ride the borders of insanity, but Ezekiel is in a class of his own. It is helpful as we read Ezekiel to remember that his prophecies have a hallucinatory quality to them.
- When Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, those of the elite classes were exiled, while the more common people remained in Judah. Ezekiel, of a priestly family, was placed in exile, and that is where his visions take place.
- The NRSV translates the Hebrew hayil in verse 10 as “vast multitude.” But its meaning has military connotations, so Robert Alter suggests that “legion” is a better translation. Read the story with that word and see how you hear it.
- Conversation starters:
- Some early Jewish and Christian interpreters read this story as a story of resurrection of the dead. But if you really read the passage, it is clear that it’s a story of resurrection of a people. It’s restoration to wholeness. It is communal, not individual. And it is specifically about the restoration of the people of Israel to their homeland. How should we talk about and interpret stories like this in our context?
- Read verses 11-14. When have you felt the way the people feel here, all hope lost and completely cut off? What does this exile story have to say to you? How do we read this differently than we would have before a global pandemic?
week 24: she risks her life
Read: The whole book of Esther for the full, intriguing story! Or if you want a shorter version, read Esther 1:1-5; 1:10-12; 1:16-20; 2:1-2; 2:4-12; 2:15-18; 2:21-23; 3:1-6; 3:8-11; 4:1-2; 4:5-17; 5:1-9; 5:12-14; 6:1-11; 7:2-6; 7:9-10; 8:3-6; 8:8; 8:17; 9:24-26; 9:32
Key Verses: Esther 4:14-16
Prime the pump:
- Read page 123 in the Shine On story Bible
Key Verses: Esther 4:14-16
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- This story is kind of the biblical equivalent of a tall tale. Rooted in real experiences and a historical context, it’s a heroic folk story. As you read it, notice the elements of the story that remind you of other legends and tall tales you’ve read.
- As you read the book of Esther, notice how many times God is mentioned. What do you think of that?
- This is a story of reversals, many of them comedic (like when Haman dreams up a triumphal parade for himself, only to realize the recipient of his plans will be his enemy). Notice and maybe even list all of these reversals.
- King Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes) is depicted as bumbling and week. Notice how many decisions he makes based on his own convictions and how many he makes based on the people who have his ear. He’s a “last person in the room” kind of ruler.
- Background information:
- Esther is the only book in the Hebrew Bible that was not found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, and it is not mentioned in the New Testament. Its inclusion was controversial among rabbis and among early Christians. Yet the book won out and was included. Why do you think that might have been?
- This book is peppered with Persian words and names. It was written during or right before the return from exile, and is truly a product of its time. In its original language, the use of Persian/Hebrew has a comedic effect.
- Get out a map and check out where India to Cush (Ethiopia/Nubia) is. How does this change the way you picture the story? The Persian Empire was known to be very tolerant of other religions. Looking at the map, does this make sense?
- Conversation starters:
- The hero of this story is a woman! This is even unusual in folklore today. Talk about Esther as a hero and the importance of her inclusion in the big story of the Bible.
- The festival of Purim is a celebration of the end of winter (similar timing to Mardi Gras). Like the story, the festival has a kind of carnival feeling to it. It plays with all the reversals of the story. If you’re intrigued, put Purim on your calendar (February 25-26, 2021) and come back to the story and celebration then.
- Rules are a theme in this story. “Their rules are different from our rules.” This difference in rules is the cause of a lot of the conflict. Rules here seem to be the outward way (religion) that values and beliefs (faith) are lived out. Can you come up with a parallel tale in today’s world?
week 25: a sea of joy and celebration
Read: Ezra 5:6-6:2; 6:13-22; Shine On Bible page 118
Key verses: Ezra 5:11-12; Ezra 6:22
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Ezra 5:11-12; Ezra 6:22
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Read Ezra 5:11 - you know the story this refers to! Remember it.
- In Ezra 5:13, the king is called Cyrus of Babylonia! Why? It seems he went by this for a bit after conquering Babylon.
- Read Ezra 5:2. Where have you heard these names before? Yes, these two were contemporaries of this story!
- This is a very political situation! Read back earlier in Ezra if you’re intrigued by this. It’s not as simple as returning and rebuilding. For example, the building project is funded by Persia. Notice the political turns in the story.
- Background information:
- Ezra and Nehemiah are traditionally read together, even though they are definitely written by at least two different authors. Ezra writes from the perspective of a scribe and priest, and is chiefly interested in the reestablishing of the worship/communal practices. He is known as a “separatist.”
- Ezra is mostly written in Hebrew, but some of this passage is one of two parts that are written in Aramaic. It’s only the end of the passage, verses 19-22, that return to Hebrew. Look at the difference of subject matter here to get a clue for the reason for the language switch.
- Conversation starters:
- As the book of Ezra continues, the next focus is on the rebuilding of the community. And then, Nehemiah continues the project with the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem. Discuss possible reasons for this order.
- Here’s another squirmy part of the story. The people who were not exiled (who would have been the commoners, as the elite were the exiles) were treated as second-class citizens when the exiled returned. They were regarded as inauthentic (particularly the Samaritans). They weren’t included in the building project. Wrestle with this. Does it change how we read the Ezra text? As we continue in the story, how will this change our reading of the New Testament?
week 26: Comfort to jerusalem
Read: Isaiah 40; Shine On Bible page 138
Key verses: Isaiah 40:3; Isaiah 40:21-23; Isaiah 40:31
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Isaiah 40:3; Isaiah 40:21-23; Isaiah 40:31
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Isaiah 40 is a poem. This is not unusual in this book of the Bible - in fact, most of the book is written in poetry! Why do you think this is?
- Do any words from this scripture sound familiar to you? Notice all the phrases that ring a bell. You may even want to list out all the songs and commonly quoted verses that come from Isaiah 40. How do the meanings of these quotes and songs change when you think of them in the context of the whole poem - and of exile?
- Background information:
- Isaiah 40 begins the second half of Isaiah, and from here on the writings are thought to be by a different prophet (or multiple prophets) living in the Babylonian exile. It would not have been considered dishonest or odd for a disciple/follower of a prophet to continue to prophesy under that prophet’s name.
- Isaiah 40:3-4 makes a different kind of sense when you look at the terrain between Babylonia and Judah. Check out a topographic map if you’re intrigued.
- The NRSV translates a word in verse 6 as “constancy.” The Hebrew word here is hesed, a word we know well by this point!
- In verse 17, NRSV translates a word as “emptiness.” But the Hebrew is tohu. It’s an allusion back to Genesis 1:2!
- The final verse of this chapter is familiar to many of us. The first half of it more literally translates “grow new pinions like the eagles” - as in, molt and grow new feathers. It’s less about growing something totally new and more about renewal. (Alter, Robert. 2019. The Hebrew Bible, vol. 2: Prophets. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, pg. 752.)
- Conversation starters:
- It is tempting to read prophetic texts like Isaiah as predictors of things that are going to happen to us here and now. But this text was written in a specific time and place, and it is a commentary on what was happening in that moment. The people of God had REALLY missed the mark, and had to deal with major consequences. Read this passage in the context of people who have been exiled from their homes and place of worship. How is this poem an example of God sticking with the people?
- There are a lot of metaphors here! If metaphors make sense in your household, find all the metaphors and discover what the prophet is trying to tell us about who God is and how God relates with the world.
week 27: Abraham to jesus
Read: Matthew 1:1-17
Key verses: Matthew 1:1; 1:17
Prime the pump:
This genealogy sets up who Jesus is by telling who has come before him. So this week, we are going to look closely at it, and place each person in the genealogy in their spot in the big story. There are lots of surprises here - and this genealogy is unusual in that it features women - non-Israelite women, at that! You may want to place these ancestors in a timeline. Or maybe you’ll write or print out the big song and insert each of them into it!
Key verses: Matthew 1:1; 1:17
Prime the pump:
This genealogy sets up who Jesus is by telling who has come before him. So this week, we are going to look closely at it, and place each person in the genealogy in their spot in the big story. There are lots of surprises here - and this genealogy is unusual in that it features women - non-Israelite women, at that! You may want to place these ancestors in a timeline. Or maybe you’ll write or print out the big song and insert each of them into it!
- Things to notice:
- Jesus: the Hebrew name “Yeshua,” a form of “Joshua,” which means “YHWH is help/salvation.”
- Messiah: In Greek, this is “Christos,” which we also translate as “Christ” or “Anointed One.”
- Son of David, Son of Abraham: This is Jesus’ pedigree - he is a descendant of the great king of Israel. Traditional Jewish belief was that the Messiah would descend from David for a reign of kings that would never end. And he’s a true Israelite, because Abraham is seen as the father of Judaism.
- Notice that here we have three sets of fourteens. We are back to numerology! Three is a holy, complete number. Seven is perfection - and fourteen is double perfection.
The First 14 Generations
The Second 14 Generations
The Third 14 Generations
|
Put it Together:
- This is fascinating. We begin and end with a claim of Jesus as Messiah, but our notion of what that means gets flipped upside down in what comes between those claims.
- It looks like Jesus is being proven Messiah through this royal, thoroughly Jewish lineage. It’s the ultimate insider lineage.
- We get clues along the way that there’s a twist here. The women are the clues. Look back - what do they have in common?
- If we’ve been tracking these women, verse 16 will come as less of a surprise. There is this great, royal heritage...and the twist at the end is that Jesus is adopted into it. We’re reading along, thinking, “This genealogy matters! It proves who he is!” and then we get to the end and realize it isn’t even Jesus’ genealogy by birth.
week 28: God looked at me
Read: Luke 1:26-56; Shine On Bible page 161
Key verses: Luke 1:31; 38; 46-47
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Luke 1:31; 38; 46-47
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- This story invites us to imagine and empathize. If you choose to do that, try it multiple times with different personalities for Mary. She’s often portrayed as meek and mild, but notice what happens if you imagine her as strong, thoughtful but direct with the angel.
- Verse 29 says “in the sixth month.” The sixth month of what? Of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. Imagine. Time is being measured by gestation.
- Notice what Mary does in verse 39. For a woman of her time to have freedom of travel is a big deal!
- If you have heard this story a lot, the wonder of it may have worn off. Read it with fresh eyes. It’s full of mystery, of the supernatural. An angel, a virgin conception, overshadowing by the Holy Spirit, an unborn child leaping for joy…
- Mary’s song is political. Read it and really notice what it’s proclaiming.
- Mary went to Elizabeth in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy and left three months later. Do the math.
- Get out your map and notice where these things happen. Where is Nazareth in relationship to Judah? And how did Joseph’s people, from Judah, end up in Nazareth?
- Background information:
- This passage is full of allusions to Old Testament scripture. Here are just a few:
- “The Lord is with you” (vs 28) is a conventional greeting. Find it elsewhere: Judges 6:12; 2 Samuel 7:3; 2 Chronicles 15:2.
- All of verse 32-33 mirrors 2 Samuel 7:13-16, the promise made to David.
- “Son of God” sometimes refers to humans (like Adam), but also refers to divinities (see Psalm 29:1).
- “Nothing will be impossible with God” (verse 37) - this phrase has been said several other times, including in Genesis 18:14 about Sarah being pregnant with Isaac.
- Mary’s Song, the canticle of verses 46-55, is similar to Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 2), and also has similarities to other songs sung by women like Miriam and Deborah. All of these are highly political songs.
- This passage is full of allusions to Old Testament scripture. Here are just a few:
- Conversation starters:
- The name we translate as Jesus was a really common name of the time and culture. It means “the Lord saves,” and variants of it include Joshua and Hosea. How does it feel/sound to think of this extraordinary baby having such an ordinary name?
- There is an arch to this story. Fear and confusion, then acceptance, and then, when Mary gets to Elizabeth, the emotion turns to joy. Wonder: Why did Mary go “with haste” to Elizabeth? What was it about this woman-to-woman relationship that brought Mary to her song?
- Scholars think that Luke/Acts (they go together) was written primarily for a Gentile audience, and there is a complicated relationship with Judaism here. But the commentary of The Jewish Annotated New Testament encourages the reader to consider that Jesus’ care for the poor, the sick, the sinners, etc, are not in contrast to his Jewish context, but rather grow out of his identity as a Jew. (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 107.) He is calling all the people of God to realize who they really are and who God really is. Read and discuss the passage with this in mind.
week 29: A Grueling journey
Read: Luke 2:1-5
Key verse: Luke 2:4
Prime the pump:
Key verse: Luke 2:4
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- There’s a lot of “fulfillment of the scriptures” going on in the story of Jesus’ birth. Even this traveling story is a fulfillment - read Psalm 87:5-6.
- Read verse 4 in light of what we learned last week through studying the genealogy. Why is this verse so specific?
- Wait a minute. Where’s the donkey??? Every tradition has inserted assumptions and additions to this beloved story. It’s okay to do that! And it’s good to recognize those additions as our own way of doing midrash, playing with and interpreting the story.
- Background information:
- There’s a lot of “fulfillment of the scriptures” going on in the story of Jesus’ birth. Even this traveling story is a fulfillment - read Psalm 87:5-6.
- Read verse 4 in light of what we learned last week through studying the genealogy. Why is this verse so specific?
- Wait a minute. Where’s the donkey??? Every tradition has inserted assumptions and additions to this beloved story. It’s okay to do that! And it’s good to recognize those additions as our own way of doing midrash, playing with and interpreting the story.
- Conversation starters:
- Get out your map! Trace this journey. How long is it? How long would it have taken to travel? This site (http://www.photorientalist.org/exhibitions/palestines-nativity-trail-a-journey-through-history/) is one place to explore the journey.
- We don’t know exactly what this journey looked like. It’s likely that Mary and Joseph were part of a caravan of people. They probably walked most or all of the way. Mary was heavily pregnant. Do your own imagining and playing with this story.
- Women were registered under men as property in Roman censuses. So why did heavily pregnant Mary even go along?
- Journeys are a major biblical theme. Think about the journeys we already have talked about in the big story. This is already the second journey in the story of Jesus’ birth, and there are more to come. If this intrigues you, talk about and explore this theme.
week 30: She has her baby
Read: Luke 2:6-20; Shine On Bible page 165-167
Key verses: Luke 2:7; Luke 2:14; Luke 2:19
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Luke 2:7; Luke 2:14; Luke 2:19
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Last week we noted that the story doesn’t mention a donkey. Are there other things you remember from the story that you don’t find here? Every culture puts its own spin on the story. For example, check out the French addition to the nativity scene - look up “caganer.”
- Shepherds often appear in scripture as a positive image. Where else do you remember shepherds from the big story?
- Notice the different names given for Jesus in verse 11. Why do you think all of these are used?
- Background information:
- Have you ever wondered why Jesus is specifically called Mary’s “firstborn”? The original readers would have understood that this meant he was dedicated to God. It would also have sparked a memory for them of Israel as God’s “firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22).
- “Bands of cloth” would be like swaddling a baby today. Some say it also foreshadows Jesus being wrapped in bands of cloth for burial.
- A “manger” is a feeding trough for animals. This is the clue that we use to deduce that Jesus was born in an area that included animals. The article referenced under “conversation starters” can tell you a little more about what that probably meant, but in short, Jesus was probably born in a home instead of in an area reserved for guests. The word translated as “inn” in verse 7 is elsewhere translated as “guest room” (Luke 22:11). Another interesting tidbit: some say that this reference to a feeding vessel anticipates the Last Supper.
- Conversation starters:
- We make a lot of Western assumptions on this story. It’s an imagination-sparking story, and it’s perfectly okay to try to imagine it! But it may also be good to learn a little bit about the culture Jesus was born into. This article (https://sarahbessey.substack.com/p/why-everything-you-know-about-the?fbclid=IwAR0I_EZNMV4V5AphJVosn0JgwrfJCN-NSNgfUplc1CXbrHfRkop_S8lXEeY) makes an interesting case for a less-lonely nativity story.
- The Greek word translated as “the Lord” in verse 7 is kyrios, which is also used consistently in the Septuigent (Greek translation of the Old Testament) to translate YHWH (the name God answers Moses with at the burning bush). What does it mean for Jesus to be proclaimed this way? Who is Jesus???
week 31: tell those who wait
Read: Luke 2:21-38; Shine On Bible page 169
Key verses: Luke 2:30-31; Luke 2:34-35; Luke 2:38
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Luke 2:30-31; Luke 2:34-35; Luke 2:38
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Jesus gets circumcised! This was a fulfillment of the covenant God made with Abraham.
- Jesus is presented at the temple in Jerusalem. Remember when this temple was built? It’s not the one Solomon built; it’s the second temple. Jesus will keep coming back to this temple in the story.
- Notice how Simeon and Anna each come to be in the temple just when the infant Jesus is there.
- Background information:
- We don’t really know what is meant by “purification” in verse 22. There was not purification requirement for fathers or infants, and Mary’s purification would have been 40 days after the birth.
- In Simeon’s speech in verses 29-32, he references familiar passages from Isaiah (Isaiah 52:10, Isaiah 49:6 and Isaiah 46:13). Then in verses 34-35, he foreshadows what will come. Read just the words spoken by Simeon and see what it tells you about Jesus.
- Conversation starters:
- In verse 36, Anna off-handedly called a “prophet.” How does this strike you?
- Simeon had been promised he would see the Messiah, and after he did, he said he was ready to die. Imagine and talk about this.
- Simeon and Anna are both described as old, wise and devout. They fill in a necessary piece of the story of Jesus' birth. Look back over the richness of the characters in this New Testament story so far.
- Read verse 33. Imagine being Mary and Joseph in this situation, surrounded by wisdom and overwhelmed with this special child.
week 32: They hide their discovery
Read: Matthew 2:1-12; Shine On Bible page 170
Key verses: Matthew 2:10-11
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Matthew 2:10-11
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Mappers, here’s another one for you! The Magi probably came from Persia. Find that on the map and trace the journey of the Magi to Bethlehem.
- Notice the uses of the title “King” in the first couple verses. What do you think the writer of Matthew might be trying to point our attention to?
- Like with the donkey on the journey to Bethlehem, we have added to this story over the years. What are some of the things you’ve assumed about this part of the story that aren’t here? Look through the story for clues about the origins of some of those imaginings.
- Notice how God speaks to the Magi in this story. Look back at Matthew 1:20 and forward to Matthew 2:13. What’s going on here?
- Background information:
- What in the world were these Magi/Wise Men/Kings? Magi were a class of Zoroastrian priests, known as great astrologers. Interestingly, early Jewish readers would have regarded Persian astrologers as foolish, not wise.
- And what was this star? A supernova? A comet? An alignment of the planets? We haven’t yet found reliable sources to cross-reference its appearance with, so we don’t know. We can know that the star “stopping” over the house Jesus was in is probably symbolic. If a star literally stopped over a house, it would incinerate it!
- What do these gifts mean? Gold has much the same meaning and value today, but frankincense and myrrh take a little more explanation. They were often used for religious rituals, including anointing of kings and burial. These gifts may have had different symbolic meanings at different points in Jesus’ life. Wonder: Do you think Mary, Joseph and Jesus ever used these gifts?
- Conversation starters:
- The Magi are Gentiles. Think back to Jesus’ genealogy. Here we have one more foreshadowing of the mission to the Gentiles. The definition of the people of God was expanding. If you think of this expansion as a continuing pattern throughout history, what does that mean for us today?
- What do you make of the lurking danger in this story? What is Herod up to, enlisting the explanations of the scribes and priests and asking to pay homage?
Week 33: Escape
Read: Matthew 2:13-23; Shine On Bible page 173
Key verses: Matthew 2:14
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Matthew 2:14
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Read Matthew 2:13-14. What other story does this remind you of? The original hearers would have connected this and seen Jesus as the “new Moses.”
- Verses 16-18 are devastating. The story evokes Exodus 1:16. Again, the story is a cycle.
- Background information:
- Because the story of the Exodus looms so large for us, we often think of Egypt as a place to escape from. But it’s actually a place of refuge in much of scripture.
- Curious about which prophecies are being fulfilled? 2:15 refers to Hoseah 11:1, 2:18 quotes Jeremiah 31:15, and 2:23 doesn’t directly quote any prophecy. But scholars hypothesize that it may refer to Isaiah 11:1, because netzer, which means “branch,” is closely related to “Nazorean.” (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 14.)
- Map it! Hint: Ramah is about 6 miles north of Jerusalem (home of the tomb of Rachel). You’ll be able to find the other places on a Bible map.
- Conversation starters:
- The Jeremiah passage quoted is Jeremiah 31:15, which comes from a chapter of Jeremiah often quoted by the early followers of Jesus. Read Jeremiah 31 and see if you can discover why.
- As you can see from all of these prompts, this whole passage is in conversation with the Old Testament. Why do you think the writer of Matthew was so concerned with this?
- This passage sets baby Jesus up as a refugee. We live in a world that does not make life easy for those who flee like Mary and Joseph did. How can this scripture be “good news” in our world?
Week 34: jesus growing up
Read: Luke 2: 41-52; Shine On Bible page 174
Key verses: Luke 2:47
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Luke 2:47
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Mark out the days of this story. This spans a longer time than we realize when we quickly read it.
- Read verses 48-49. Notice the way “father” is used. What are Mary and Jesus saying? What’s going on here?
- Notice verse 51 - where have we heard that before?
- Background information:
- Mary and Joseph probably traveled with a large group of pilgrims for this “pilgrimage festival.” That’s why they wouldn’t have known he was missing at first.
- We don’t know much about Jesus’s conversation with the teachers, other than that it was certainly a two-way conversation. Jewish culture highly valued children, and it wasn’t unusual for a child to talk with the teachers. What’s unusual here seems to be the depth of his insights and questions.
- Verse 52 echoes Proverbs 3:4, recognizable by the original hearers.
- Conversation starters:
- Read the story through the eyes of Mary and Joseph. Imagine how you would have felt at each point in the story. Maybe it wasn’t so easy to parent Jesus.
- Read this story through the eyes of Jesus. He knew he was perfectly safe and at home. Wonder: Did he stumble upon this group of teachers or did he seek them out?
- Read this story through the eyes of the teachers. Are you excited by this young prodigy? Intimidated? In awe?
Week 35: the skies are opened
Read: Matthew 3; Shine On Bible page 177-78
Key verses: Matthew 3:3; Matthew 3:17
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Matthew 3:3; Matthew 3:17
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Verse 3 refers to Isaiah 40:3, which we read in Week 26!
- “Cross over Jordan, stories and stones…” - we are back at the Jordan! Reflect back on that story as you read this one.
- What imagery do you recognize in verses 16-17? Water, heavens opening, a dove...
- Background information:
- Most of us understand baptism as a Christian sacrament/ritual. But it has much deeper roots, and was a common practice of a Jewish sect called the Essenes. Since other parts of John the Baptist’s description fit this group, many scholars think he may have been part of this group.
- Immersion for purification has deep roots in Jewish practice. Look up mikvah to learn about practices that continue today. The River Jordan was known as a place of purification.
- Original hearers would have recognized the words of the voice from heaven as a well-known passage from Genesis 22:2 (God’s instructions to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac). Let that soak in.
- Conversation starters:
- John and Jesus’s stories parallel each other. Both have miraculous birth stories proclaimed by angels. Both are foretold by prophets, proclaim and draw followers, defy social norms, and end up being killed by the political powers. How did they relate to each other? We don’t really know! Search for some articles like this one to give you food for thought.
- Read and imagine the conversation between John and Jesus. What is going on here?
- Imagine being an observer at Jesus’ baptism. What would you see? What would you tell your friends later about it?
- Why did Jesus get baptized? Western Christianity has often defined baptism as necessary for personal salvation. Does this story make you rethink that?
Week 36: come follow and come see
Read: Luke 5:1-11; 5:27-28; 6:12-16; Shine On Bible page 184
Key verses: Matthew 2:10-11
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Matthew 2:10-11
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- If you’re familiar with this story, it may sound a little strange. We often combine this story as told in Matthew, Mark and Luke. Read the other versions of the story (Mark 1:16-45; John 1:35-51; and Matthew 4:18-22) and notice similarities and differences.
- Notice what Simon calls Jesus in verse 5. This seems to be Luke’s version of “Teacher,” which is more commonly used in the other gospels.
- 12 apostles...hmm, what does this number remind you of?
- Elsewhere in the gospels, we hear about other disciples, some of whom were women. These twelve play a unique role; they are an inner circle, but there were others as well.
- Background information:
- Mappers! The lake referred to in 5:1 is the Sea of Galilee. It’s referred to in Numbers 34:11 as one of the eastern boundaries of the promised land (in the Old Testament, it’s called the Sea of Chinnereth).
- Levi (also known as Matthew) is a tax collector. This was a complicated job with a lot of stigma. They were seen as collaborators with Romans by their fellow Jews, and they basically made their living by cheating their people.
- Apostle is a Greek word that means “agent or emissary.” The Hebrew equivalent would mean someone who so fully represented the sender that it was as if they were the person themselves. (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 125.)
- What does “Iscariot” mean? Scholars aren’t sure. It may mean he’s from a certain Judean village (making him the only Judean in the bunch). Or it might derive a word that means “false one.” Neither of these options is really a perfect match! (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 125.)
- Conversation starters:
- “Word of God” in 5:1 means Torah as interpreted by Jesus. We often only use that term to describe scripture. What do you think of this?
- Why does Simon Peter react to the miracle by confessing his sins?
- What do you think it meant to “leave everything”?
week 37: life inside the blessing
Read: Matthew 5-7(the whole “sermon”). Or excerpts: Matthew 5:1-19; 5:38-48; 6:9-14; 6:19-21; 7:12; 7:15-20; 7:24-29.; Shine On Bible pages 194-203
Key verses: Matthew 5:14; 5:43-45; 7:12
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Matthew 5:14; 5:43-45; 7:12
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Jesus goes up on a mountain to give wisdom. Who else do you remember going up on the mountain?
- As you read this, what sounds familiar? Does what Jesus says in his sermon match up with what you’ve learned about God’s way earlier in the story?
- Jesus quotes and references so much scripture in these two chapters! We won’t list all of them here, but if you have a study Bible, start digging in.
- Jesus calls us the “light of the world.” You may have heard Jesus called the light of the world, too. He’s called that in Philippians 2:15 and John 8:12.
- Notice Jesus’ instructions in 5:39-40. Think ahead to what will eventually happen to Jesus. Does he live what he preaches?
- 6:9-13 may be familiar to you! But wait - isn’t there a part missing at the end? The last few words of the Lord’s prayer, the doxology, weren’t added until the time of King Henry VIII.
- Is 7:12 familiar to you? We often call it the “golden rule.” It’s a way of interpreting the law and the prophets.
- Background information:
- The phrase “blessed are…” is common in Jewish writings. Sometimes it’s translated as “happy are…” Remember back to our story of God calling a family as you think about what blessing means here!
- “Meek” (5:5) in Hebrew thought refers to people who “don’t take advantage of their position.” (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 19.)
- The word for “merciful” (5:7) is the Greek version hesed - that word from the Ruth and Naomi story! Steadfast love, one of the two primary aspects of God (the other is “justice”).
- In verse 29, Jesus refers to “hell.” The Greek here is Gehenna, an actual, physical place, a “valley south of Jerusalem associated with child sacrifice.” By Jesus’ time, Gehenna was often used figuratively to describe torture after death for the wicked. (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 21.)
- “Go the second mile” (5:42) - Roman soldiers would often conscript people to carry their gear for one mile, so this had very real connotations.
- Teleios, the Greek word we interpret as “perfect,” implies wisdom and maturity more than our definition of perfection.
- Conversation starters:
- Matthew puts the beatitudes and the sayings of Jesus into one long sermon. Luke spreads it out a little more and focuses more on the here and now. The parallel texts are mostly in Luke 6, but keep popping up through Luke 14. Take a look at the parallels - how are they different and how are they similar? Why do you think the writers did things differently?
- Christian are often tempted to say that Jesus contradicts the Old Testament. But we can see here that this sermon is one long interpretation of what’s already there in scripture. Why do you think we’ve dismissed the Old Testament so often in our history? Play that out - how has this disregard impacted the world?
- The word interpreted as “wealth” in 6:24 is the Greek mamonas, sometimes said in English as “mammon.” It means so much more than wealth - it means placing trust in something other than God. In a sense, this idea of where our trust is pervades this whole sermon. What does it mean in life to place our trust in God?
week 38: the wind dies down
Read: Matthew 14:22-33; Shine On Bible page 212
Key verses: Matthew 14:27
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Matthew 14:27
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Jesus walks on the water. He has power over the water! What does this remind you of? Think back to our Old Testament stories…
- When else in the story have people been terrified when God does something? When else have you heard, “Don’t be afraid” from an angel or from God?
- Read what came before in this scripture. Jesus got the news that his cousin John was beheaded. He tried to be alone to process it, but the crowds followed it. He fed the multitude. This passage begins with him, at last, getting to retreat from the crowds. Imagine this day for Jesus.
- Background information:
- Verse 27 is such a comforting one. It carries echoes of some familiar Old Testament stories, most notably of Exodus 3:14. “It is I” echoes “I am who I am.”
- “You of little faith” is a frequent phrase Jesus says to the disciples. It’s not a condemnation, rather an encouragement to grow in faith.
- “Son of God” in verse 33 has a divine connotation. We’ve seen Jesus called that other times, too. We’ll continue to see it when people recognize Jesus.
- Conversation starters:
- Read this scene and imagine it in different ways. Try it with a very calm Jesus, a playful Jesus, a parental Jesus. Try Peter as a toddler, as an intense adult...you get the picture. This scene can play out in many different ways, and we can find ourselves in it.
- Peter overthought it. He was fine until he noticed the obstacles, then he froze. Does this sound familiar to you? When has Jesus needed to reach out his hand to catch you?
- There are numerous stories of Peter missing the mark. Yet Jesus nicknames him “rock.” Let that give you hope.
week 39: and no one left out
Read: Mark 6:30-44 and Mark 8:1-9; Shine On Bible page 210
Key verses: Mark 6:41-42
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Mark 6:41-42
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- When else have people been hungry, and then God miraculously provides food? “Daily food…” “...widow’s gift…” What might this story have to do with those stories?
- Notice the words of Jesus blessing and breaking the bread (6:41). Is this familiar? When will we see this again?
- Jesus cares about our physical needs. That’s important.
- Background information:
- “Sheep without a shepherd” (6:34) - one of many times Jesus (or more generally, God) is referred to as a shepherd.
- Numerology time! Like we have said before, numbers mean something in the Bible. Here’s the number breakdown for these passages:
- 5 (loaves, 5,000 men in Mark 6): The book of the law of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy - otherwise known as the Pentateuch).
- 12 (baskets leftover in Mark 6): The twelve tribes of Israel.
- 7 (loaves, baskets left over in Mark 8): Number of completion (think about the 7 “days” of creation).
- 4 (4,000 people in Mark 8): The four corners of the earth, the whole earth.
- Bonus: Read 7:24-30. The woman was Syrophoenician, a widow, with a child who needed healing. Think back to one of our other stories of Elijah...
- Conversation starters:
- Read these stories and make side-by-side notes of them so you can compare them. Notice what is the same and what is different. Here are a few things in particular to watch for:
- Look at the map - one of these stories is in Jewish territory, and one is on the margins, in heavily Gentile territory.
- Who is the most concerned with the people’s hunger in each story?
- What are the numerology differences in each story?
- The disciples and Jesus went by boat. The people noticed where they were headed, recruited people, and got there on foot before Jesus arrived. What?!
- Read these stories and make side-by-side notes of them so you can compare them. Notice what is the same and what is different. Here are a few things in particular to watch for:
week 40: like a little child would
Read: Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16 Shine On Bible page 238
Key verses: Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:15
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:15
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice who the grumblers are in this story. Why do you think they’re so grouchy about people bringing children to Jesus?
- Picture this scene. Notice the tenderness of the language about Jesus’ actions with the children.
- Background information:
- The Jews of the Second Temple Period deeply valued children. This passage is an illustration of that. People brought children to be blessed by Jesus.
- Every time the people of God try to restrict the definition of who belongs, God says, “Nope!” This is one more example in a long line of stories of this broadening of the understanding of the people of God.
- The children were there. Of course the children were there. Where the parents went the children went. Babysitters weren’t a thing. This little story brings up something that was there all along. Through this whole big story, the children are present. As you picture each part of the story, chances are children are there. Children belong in each part of the story.
- Conversation starters:
- Read what comes before and after this story (it’s similar in each of these gospel accounts). Why do you think the blessing of the children is right here in the middle of conversations about divorce and a rich man being told he must give up everything to inherit eternal life?
- The Victorians idealized childhood, and that still permeates our reading of this text. But Jesus isn’t holding up children as an ideal here - rather, they are an example of how one enters the kingdom of God. They aren’t ideal and perfect; but the disciples can certainly learn from the way they come to Jesus. How might you learn from the way children come to Jesus?
week 41: what's most important
Read: Luke 10:24-37; Matthew 22:36-40; Shine On Bible page 223
Key verses: Luke 10:27; Luke 10:36-37
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Luke 10:27; Luke 10:36-37
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Do these words about loving God ring a bell? They should! Think back to the Shema. Jesus is also quoting Leviticus 19:18.
- Notice the characters in the story. What roles might they have had in society? Would they have been expected to behave as they did?
- Notice the lawyer’s response to Jesus’ question in 10:37. He can’t even bring himself to say “Samaritan.”
- Background information:
- In Matthew 22:40, Jesus seems to be saying that all scripture can be interpreted through the lens of love for God and neighbor, not that all other laws should be disregarded.
- Jesus often responded and taught in parables. A parable is, quite simply, a story that teaches us about something else. It’s kind of like boiling a complex concept down to its essence and describing it with a story. Jesus uses a lot of stock characters from Hebrew midrash in his parables, so the listeners would have quickly recognized them.
- Jesus seems to interpret the word “neighbor” in the standard Jewish way of the times. (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 645-650.) A neighbor is someone we are in some kind of relationship/encounter with. He’s not saying anything radical here; it’s more of a reminder of what the listeners should already know.
- Samaritans were people of a specific geographical area, and were kind of a subgroup of Jews. They had their own systems and even scripture. They were on the margins of the group Jesus was speaking to in this story, looked down on and avoided.
- Levites were the tribe that was in charge of the temple equipment (see Numbers 1:50).
- Two denarii would have been about enough money for two months’ lodging at an inn.
- Conversation starters:
- The question the lawyer asked was, “Who is my neighbor?” But is that really the question Jesus answered with his story? In his article “The Concept of Neighbor in Jewish and Christian Ethics,” Michael Fagenblat proposes that rather than answering the question, Jesus illustrates how to love. (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 649.) Read the passage again. Do you agree?
week 42: what Mary's choosing
Read: Luke 10:38-42; Shine On Bible page 224
Key verses: Luke 10:41-42
Prime the pump:
Key verses: Luke 10:41-42
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice that the writer of Luke calls the place, “a certain village.” According to the writer of John, Mary and Martha lived in Bethany, which was just east of Jerusalem.
- What comes right before this story in your Bible?
- How do you feel when you read this? Do you identify with a certain character? How does Jesus’ response to Martha make you feel?
- According to John’s gospel, Mary and Martha were sisters of Lazarus, who died and was brought back to life by Jesus.
- The NRSV interprets 10:40 as “many tasks.” The Greek pollen diakonian literally means “much serving” or “much ministry.”
- Conversation starters:
- Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened, the posture of a disciple. As you can see from the matter-of-fact way this is written, this was not unusual. Women learned and taught in synagogues and homes. Yet in our history, women have been excluded from the very thing Mary is doing here. What’s going on with that?
- Imagine the rest of the scene. Did Martha put her “much serving” aside and have a seat? If she did, did the “many tasks” get done? If they didn’t, was that okay? Did Mary (or Jesus) get up and take a turn doing them?
- We included miracle stories in this series, but not a miraculous healing - mostly because we wanted to make space for stories like this one. Consider, is there any healing that might be part of this story?
week 43: god's kid
We are suggesting daily scripture passages for this week. A deep dive into Holy Week makes Easter Sunday so much more meaningful! There are prompts for each story - but fewer than there usually would be for a weekly story. There is also an activity prompt each day, in case you want to put these stories on their feet. Remember, though - it’s enough to just read the stories! And if it isn’t Holy Week on the calendar when you arrive at this week, we are an Easter people, so celebrate it whenever you find yourself.
To access each day's scripture, prompts and activity suggestions, click each day below:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
To access each day's scripture, prompts and activity suggestions, click each day below:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
week 44: early in the morning
We have daily scripture passage suggestions again for this week, but this time with a deeper dive into the first story, and simply suggestions of what to read and a reflection prompt for the rest of the week. This week begins with accounts of Jesus showing up to people after his resurrection, takes us through his ascension, and ends with the disciples beginning to figure out what will come next. Reading through this Easter week can help us begin to imagine how we make the leap from Jesus here on earth to Jesus with us today.
To access the daily scripture and reflections, click below:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
To access the daily scripture and reflections, click below:
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
week 45: the people understand and wonder
Read: Acts 2; Shine On Bible page 280
Key verse: Acts 2:4; 17; 22-24; 36
Prime the pump:
Key verse: Acts 2:4; 17; 22-24; 36
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- There is so much to spark the imagination in this passage! Here are just a few things to track/note/draw as you read:
- Elements: Note each time earth, air, fire and water are mentioned or alluded to.
- 5 Senses: Note everything that gets felt, tasted, smelled, heard and seen.
- Verbs: There are a lot of strong verbs here! Note each verb - and who gets them.
- Notice what happens when people become repent and are baptized (hint: read 2:44-47).
- There is so much to spark the imagination in this passage! Here are just a few things to track/note/draw as you read:
- Background information:
- Interested in this festival they were celebrating? Look at Leviticus 23:9-21. It’s essentially a harvest festival. Here’s just one place you can go to learn some more about Shavuot/Pentecost. Somewhere in the Second Temple times, the festival also became a celebration of the gift of Torah.
- The people present in this story would have seen many, many parallels with stories they already knew. See if you can catch some of them. Here are just a few:
- Wind - we keep coming back to the wind, taking us back to Genesis 1:2.
- Fire that doesn’t consume - the burning bush! Fire was seen as a symbol of divine presence.
- Galileans - people from this region were often characterized as mediocre and inarticulate.
- In 2:17-21, Peter quotes Joel 2:28-32, a passage seen as referring to the world to come.
- 2:25-28 quotes Psalm 16:8-11.
- “Save” language here goes hand-in-hand with the “repent” language. It’s about turning away from false living and entry into the way of God. Or in our words for this series, turning away from missing the mark and living inside the blessing.
- Conversation starters:
- Pull out your map! Find the places mentioned in verses 9-12. Read the scripture with this diversity in mind. Imagine a worship experience like this.
- This story has a lot of apocalyptic (“end times”) language. Given what we know of this story, how does this alter our culture’s common understanding of “end times”?
week 46: among them
Read: Acts 2: 43-47 and 4:32-37 (similar stories); Shine On Bible page 283
Key verse: Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32
Prime the pump:
Key verse: Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice what in the passage sounds familiar to you (like the way that you live) and what doesn’t. Why do you think we’ve maintained some, but not all, of these practices in Christian community?
- What other story does this theme of everyone having enough remind you of?
- Background information:
- Communal ownership, as described in both these passages, was a characteristic of the Jews at Qumran, and was valued in philosophical teachings.
- “Heart and soul” (Acts 4:32) was a phrase often heard in Deuteronomy to describe complete devotion to God. Here it describes not just unity with God but with each other.
- Barnabas pops up later in the story - as Paul’s coworker.
- Conversation starters:
- Communal eating was commonly seen as a way of strengthening bonds between people in Greco-Roman society. Our culture also has communal eating practices that are used for bonding (which many of us missed dearly during pandemic times!). Name some of these communal eating practices. What is it about eating together that strengthens community?
- These two passages paint a rosy picture of the Christian community. If you’d like to see the shadow side, keep reading (Acts 5:1-11)
week 47: stephen sees jesus
Read Acts 6:1-8:1 (or shorten it to Acts 6:8-7:3; 7:8-15; 7:17-18; 7:30-39; 7:44-8:1); Shine On Bible page 287
Prime the pump:
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice what Stephen was originally chosen to do. Did he stick to what he was appointed to do?
- Read 6:11. Notice the irony of what Stephen is accused of - then of what he accuses the people of in his testimony.
- Notice the theme, continued from the gospels, of misunderstanding or rejecting God’s messengers.
- Notice Stephen’s last words, in 7:60. What does this remind you of?
- Background information:
- Why does this one small group of Jews have it in for Stephen? We don’t really know, though it seems they feel in some way threatened by him. It’s important to remember that this was a small group of Jews. Just like we don’t usually want to be associated with all Christians, we shouldn’t read into this story that all Jews were against Stephen.
- If you want to get picky, you can spot places that the story Stephen tells doesn’t quite match with the stories in Genesis and Exodus. Is he taking liberties, telling other traditions, referring to midrash…? We don’t know, but probably all of the above.
- Conversation starters:
- Stephen has some harsh words in his speech! In his telling of the story, he reminds the people of the times they have disobeyed God in the past - and points out the mistakes they’re repeating in the present. He’s not the first to make a speech like this (see Nehemiah 9 and Psalm 78). If Stephen were speaking to us today, what do you think he’d point out to us?
- Stephen gives an interesting interpretation of the building of the temple in 7:44-50. Does this match with what you’ve learned this year?
week 48: Something like scales fall
Read Acts 9:1-22; Shine On Bible pages 291
Key Verses: Acts 9:4-5, Acts 9:15, Acts 9:18
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Acts 9:4-5, Acts 9:15, Acts 9:18
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Notice what disciples are called in 9:2. This is the first time we’ve come across this description in our series, but it was a common name for the early followers.
- This story talks a lot about sight and names. Trace these two themes throughout the story.
- Background information:
- Saul’s encounter with God includes elements that are common to divine encounters - flashing light, falling to the ground, double naming, and commissioning. Do you recognize any of these from other God-encounters we’ve talked about?
- “Lord” in verse 5 is a title of respect/divinity, not a specific name for YHWH.
- Conversation starters:
- Saul will tell his story in Acts 22:1-21 and Acts 26:9-18. Read these to see how he uses his experience to bring the good news of Jesus to others. Some in today’s world would call this “bearing witness” or “giving testimony.” What stories do you tell to communicate the gospel?
- Why did God choose Saul? How do you imagine the other early followers of the Way might have felt when their persecutor was chosen for a special job? Can you think of other unlikely people that God has worked through?
- In this story, as well as our story from last week and some upcoming stories, people are baptized immediately upon belief. This is different from many of our modern practices surrounding baptism. Wrestle with that.
- Some of us grew up hearing that upon Saul’s conversion, he was renamed “Paul.” Notice that this is missing from the text. In fact, there’s no change in name - these are two forms of the same name, and he casually begins being called Paul in Acts 13:9. Saul is the Jewish form of the name, and Paul is the Roman form, so being called “Paul” was similar to a person named Paul from the USA calling himself “Paulo” when he travels to a Spanish-speaking country.
week 49: beyond the boundaries of god's family
Read Acts 10 (read the whole thing if you can; it's an intriguing story!); Shine On Bible page 295
Key Verses: Acts 10:15, Acts 10:47
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Acts 10:15, Acts 10:47
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Numbers usually have some meaning, so notice the numbers here and see if you can find their connections. For example, 3:00 in the afternoon reflects back to Acts 3:1. 3:00 was the time for afternoon prayer.
- Read 10:12. What Genesis story does this remind you of?
- Divine encounters are prominent in this story. Find each one and notice the ways God shows up to Cornelius, Peter, and “all who heard the word” (10:44).
- Notice the difference in language between 10:15 and 10:28. How did Peter interpret his vision?
- Read 10:44-48. What story from a few weeks ago does this remind you of? What are the key differences?
- Background information:
- The “centurion of the Italian cohort” means that Cornelius was an officer in the Roman army who led several hundred soldiers. (Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Zvi Brettler, Eds, 2017. The Jewish Annotated New Testament, 2nd Edition. New York: Oxford University Press, pg 243.)
- Find Caesarea and Joppa on a map and trace the travel in the story. It’s about a 30 mile journey.
- The phrase “Lord of all” (10:36) was a title used for Roman emperors and pagan gods.
- Read vs 28. This isn’t strictly true - most Jews associated regularly with Gentiles.
- Conversation starters:
- Cornelius is described as a man who fits all the characteristics of a devout Jew, but is missing a key detail - complete conversion would have meant being circumcised. This personal story of a relationship has a ripple effect on what it means to be part of the covenant community of Christians. Cornelius doesn’t have to convert to Judaism to be baptized into the community. It’s another broadening of the story of the people of God. Reflect on this in our times. How do personal stories continue to broaden our ideas of the community of believers?
- In Peter’s dream, he’s being told to do something he has been taught he must not do. How must this have felt to him? We know he was hungry, so maybe he thought he was supposed to resist temptation? We think of this as “just food,” but it was definitely not just food to him. This vision demanded that Peter change practices and beliefs that were a core part of his faith. Imagine that and see if you can relate to it.
week 50: god's salvation
Read Acts 16:11-40; Shine On Bible page 301
Key Verses: Acts 16:14; Acts 16:31
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Acts 16:14; Acts 16:31
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- Who is the “we” in 16:11? In verse 10, the narrative suddenly shifts to first person, and it continues through verse 17, then switches back to third person. What is going on here???
- Notice what prompts Paul to cast the spirit out of the slave girl. It wasn’t empathy, but annoyance!
- Notice what happens between Paul, Silas and the magistrates in 16:35-39. Paul and Silas, as citizens of Rome, were protected, and the city of Philippi could be punished for their mistreatment.
- Background information:
- You can visit the ruins of ancient Philippi today, including what is believed to be the prison. Do a google image search for “ancient Philippi” if you’re intrigued.
- Paul, Silas, and perhaps Timothy and Luke were part of this journey together. They did what Paul usually did in his journeys - they first found the local Jewish community. Synagogues in the diaspora (scattered Jewish community) were often located by water, so that’s where they went to look.
- There are all kinds of clues in the text about Lydia. She is described as “a worshipper of God” in 16:14. This indicates that she is a Gentile who is involved in the Jewish community but has not converted. She’s from Thyatira, which is in the Lydia region of modern-day Turkey, a place known for dyed cloth. She has a home (16:15), which indicates she’s prosperous, and this prosperity seems to be tied to herself, not a husband. Lydia is the first in Philippi to embrace the Way and her home is the central hub of the budding community of believers there. Her story challenges some of our narrative about the role of women in the early church and today.
- You can visit the ruins of ancient Philippi today, including what is believed to be the prison. Do a google image search for “ancient Philippi” if you’re intrigued.
- Conversation starters:
- Why are Paul and Silas really thrown in jail? Note the difference between what prompted their arrest and what they were charged with. Draw parallels with situations in today’s world.
- The story of the jail is dramatic and fascinating. Picture it, retell it, or act it out. Paul and Silas could have just escaped (and considered it an answer to prayer), but they chose not to. Talk about this choice, and what came of it.
- To learn more about this fledgling community, read the letter to the Philippians! Try reading it in one sitting, with one person reading it aloud, as it would have been heard by its original audience.
Week 51: All Things new
Read: Revelation 21:1-8; Shine On Bible page 315
Key Verses: Revelation 21:3
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Revelation 21:3
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- A lot of this imagery refers back to stories we have read before in this series! Notice the things that sound familiar. If you’re curious, look up the parallels in a study Bible. You’ll find references in these eight verses to Isaiah, Ezekiel, Genesis, Psalms, Romans, Galatians and John.
- Verses 1-7 are so lovely, and then verse 8 is a little startling. Here, the writer is describing the things that threaten the churches.
- Background information:
- The book of Revelation has sparked revolts, cults, panic, books, movies, renewal, and a host of other things over the years. The graphic imagery of the book can scare us at any age! Here’s some background on the book, as well as some ways to think about it:
- There’s a lot we don’t know. We don’t know who “John” was. We don’t know when he wrote this. We don’t know exactly who it was written for, although it does address the “seven churches of Asia.”
- John models much of his writing on Ezekiel. Remember what we learned about Ezekiel. He rode the border of insanity, and his visions had a hallucinatory quality to them. If you’re intrigued by the Ezekiel/Revelation parallels, do a google.scholar search on it!
- Revelation has been used as an anti-Semitic text. But John of Patmos was clearly Jewish, with imagery of the Jewish diaspora and frequent references to the Hebrew version of the Tanakh (rather than the Greek Septuagint).
- The world was a big hot mess when John wrote this. He describes the monsters and evil of the world he lives in, then he describes an earth cleansed of them. In our language from this series, he describes a world where everyone is missing the mark, then shows a picture of life inside the blessing.
- The book of Revelation has sparked revolts, cults, panic, books, movies, renewal, and a host of other things over the years. The graphic imagery of the book can scare us at any age! Here’s some background on the book, as well as some ways to think about it:
- Conversation starters:
- Some people are fascinated by Revelation, some dismiss it, and some have a lot of baggage associated with it. Talk about your own experiences with this book of the Bible.
- This book has been used for good and for harm. Having gone through almost a year of Bible study, how do you think these writings fit in with the big story? What impact does/should it have on how we see ourselves in this story?
Week 52: this is the story, this is the celebration
Read Luke 1:67-79
Key Verses: Luke 1:78-79
Prime the pump:
Key Verses: Luke 1:78-79
Prime the pump:
- Things to notice:
- This isn’t the first “song” we have read in “This is the Story…” Can you remember some of the other ones? They are sprinkled throughout the series…Read 10:12. What Genesis story does this remind you of?
- Verse 67 says Zechariah was “filled with the Holy Spirit.” Where have we heard that phrase recently?
- Notice that there are two distinct parts to this song. A big proclamation (vs 68-75), then a specific blessing (vs 76-79). Try reading it dramatically, with a shift at that spot, and see what new things you notice.
- Background information:
- This passage is commonly called the “Benedictus.” The name comes from the first couple of words, “Blessed be.” It has been an important part of worship for many Christians, including Anabaptists, throughout the centuries. For a contemporary Anabaptist take on the passage, check out this article by Mary Shertz (https://www.christiancentury.org/article/sunday-november-21-2010).
- The NRSV translates verse 69 to say “mighty savior.” The word means more literally “horn of salvation.” This ties to Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2, David’s song in 2 Samuel 22, and many other Hebrew Bible songs. The horn is a sign of power.
- Most of Zechariah’s song quotes and references Jewish scriptures. If you’re intrigued, get out your study Bible and start looking them up!
- Conversation starters:
- Look around in Luke 1 and 2. There are a lot of canticles, or songs, packed into these two chapters. Why do you think this is?
- Zechariah’s song is a combination of remembering the story, remembering God’s work, and proclaiming the future story of God. He sang it when his heart was full to bursting. Have you ever been so full you needed to proclaim like this? If you had a canticle, what would it include? If you’re inspired, write your own.
- There are many words of comfort and inspiration in this passage. Try saying Zechariah’s song (or parts of it) daily and notice how it shapes you. You may also want to try dancing to it, painting it, or doing something else inspired by it.