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Lectionary blogging: Transfiguration: Matthew 17: 1-9

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves.²And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. ³Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. ⁴Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ ⁵While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’⁶When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. ⁷But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ ⁸And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, ‘Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’

Translation:  And after six days, Jesus takes alongside Peter and James and his brother John with him and brings them up into a high mountain by themselves.  And he was transformed before them and his face shone like the sun, and his garment became white as the light.  And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking together with him.  But Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here.  If you desire, I will make three tents here--to you, one, to Moses, one, and to Elijah, one.  Yet, while he was speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, "This one is my son, the beloved, in whom I am well-pleased.  Hear him."  And when the disciples heard, they fell upon their face, and they were struck with great fear.  And Jesus came and touched him, saying, "Be raised up and do not be afraid."  And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone.  And as they were coming down out of the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, "You may not speak of the vision to anyone until the son of humanity has been raised out of death."

Background and situation:  The primary source is Mark--the parallels are Mark 9: 2-9 and Luke 9: 28-36.  Both Matthew and Luke follow Mark fairly closely, but with some "tweaks" and changes.  As in Mark, Matthew's account of the Transfiguration follows Jesus' remarks about suffering and cross.

Prior to that, Mark has Peter's confession--"You are the Messiah"--and his subsequent rebuke for not understanding the theology of the cross.  Matthew has a similar scene, including a rebuke, but over-all makes Peter look much better than Mark does.  

In fact, in Matthew, Jesus gets rather gushy about Peter.  Right after Peter makes his confession that Jesus is the "Messiah, the son of the living God," (16:16) Jesus says,  "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!...you are Peter, and on this rock,I will build my church...I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven..." (Mt 16: 17-19)

The Metamorphosis:  "And he was transformed before them and his face shone like the sun, and his garment became white as the light."  Our vision is clouded.  "Now we see through a glass darkly," said St. Paul.  In the "transfiguration", however, the veil is pulled back for a glimpse of the universe's essential spiritual reality, the centrality of Jesus in the world of light.

Pray for Venezuela

 

  

Hickenlooper with solid lead in Colorado

According to Quinnipiac's latest poll, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper enjoys solid leads against all his primary challengers:  48-39 vs. ex-Rep. Tom Tancredo, 46-40 vs. Secretary of State Scott Gessler, 47-37 vs. state Sen. Greg Brophy, 47-38 vs. former state Sen. Mike Kopp.

Curiously, the poll also noted that, by a 52-43 margin, Coloradans opposed stricter new gun control laws, but they support requiring background checks for all gun buyers by an 86-13 margin! 

Lectionary blogging: Epiphany 7: Matthew 5: 38-48

³⁸“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ ³⁹But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; ⁴⁰and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; ⁴¹and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. ⁴²Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

⁴³“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. ⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Translation:  You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth," but I say to you, do not violently resist the evil one, but whoever strikes you to the right cheek, turn to him the other, and to the one wanting to sue you and taking your tunic, release to him your coat also, and whoever will press you into service one mile, go with him two.  To the one asking you, give, and to the ones wanting to borrow from you, do not turn away.

You have heard that it was said, "You will love the one near you and hate your enemy."  But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for the ones persecuting you, that you might come to be children of your Father who (is) in heaven, for he makes his sun rise upon the evil ones and good ones, and he sends rain upon the just ones and the unjust ones, for if you love the ones loving you, what reward do you have?  Do not even tax collectors do the same?  And if you embrace your brothers and sisters alone, what more are you doing?  Do not even the gentiles do the same?  You-all, therefore, will be consummated ones as your Father in heaven is consummation.

Background and situation:  Most of the text has its origin in Q, though Matthew's version is in a different order than in Luke.  For example, Matthew 5: 39b-40 is parallel to Luke 6: 29-30; Matthew 5:44 with Luke 6 27;  5:46-47 with Luke 6: 32-34, 5:42 resembles Luke 6:34 (also Gospel of Thomas 95).

The reading is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount.  The "six antitheses" run from 5:21-48.  Four of the six were in last week's reading.  This week's reading contains the other two--one dealing with retaliation against enemies, the other in regard to loving of enemies.

Following the Beatitudes and the announcement of the Jesus movement as "salt" and "light," the focus of the sermon moves to these six instances in which Jesus pronounces on established law.  His purpose is not to establish a "new law', even less a new and improved Old Community.  His purpose is an articulation of life as it is lived in the New Community which lives the reign of God on earth, what Martin Luther King called "the beloved community."

Short Review: Game of Thrones

Fantasy is not my favorite genre, but reading George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series has been strangely captivating.  

The story is (very) loosely based on England's War of the Roses.  In the 15th century, it was the House of York versus the House of Lancaster.  In Game of Thrones, it's Stark versus Lannister.

To that, add something like Hadrian's Wall, which, in real life, kept the Picts at bay.  Martin's "Wall" keeps the "wildlings" and "the Others" at bay.  Toss in the Mongols--the "dothraki"--as well as dragons, seasons that last decades, and the machinations of medieval politics, and you have begun to enter the world imagined by George R.R. Martin.

It's a dismal one.  The violence is frequent, masochistic, and described with relish.  It gets a bit much, frankly, but that seems to be one of Martin's main points.  The ethical man--Lord Stark--is beheaded right off the bat, on the whim of a testosterone-addled teenager.  Life is "nasty, brutish, and short," as Thomas Hobbes once put it, and Game of Thrones underlines the point repeatedly.

Through five volumes, the poor Starks have endured much.  Lord Stark, the Hand of King Robert, was beheaded.  His son Robert, the King of the North, was killed at the Red Wedding, as was his mother, Catelyn.  Bran was thrown out of a window at age 4 and crippled for life.  Rickon is presumably dead.  Arya was last seen mind-merging with a tree.  

Jon Snow, Lord Stark's bastard son, is apparently assassinated by his colleagues at the end of volume 5.  I say "apparently" because Brienne of Tarth was presumed dead as well, but managed to reappear somehow.  Snow was last seen being stabbed by several daggers, like Julius Caesar, but was not actually pronounced dead.  Maybe Jon Snow will reappear in upcoming volumes 6 and 7.

Volumes 1-3 were compelling.  The main characters are interesting and well-described.  (Lesser characters number at least in the dozens, if not hundreds.)  The narrative moves with energy along multiple trajectories.  

Everything seemed to fall apart after the Red Wedding.  The assassination of young King Robert was a shock, especially since it seemed King Robert was the one perhaps most likely to win the "game of thrones," the battle for sole kingship in the seven kingdoms.

After the Red Wedding, the narrative loses its forward movement.  The narrative bogs down and nobody really seems to do anything.  They move around a lot.  Various characters are on various difficult journeys of great length, described often and in great detail, in which every moment is fraught with sudden danger and arbitrary violence.  

Yet, nothing actually seems to happen.  At the beginning of volume 5, Lord Stannis was in the snows outside Winterfell, precisely where he would be at the end of volume 5.

Volume 6 is not due for a few years, to be followed by a final volume 7.  Perhaps that will give the author sufficient space to bring at least a few of the many threads together.  Perhaps he will hew to his line of life's dismal suffering and drudgery, or perhaps Arya Stark will reclaim Winterfell!

Volumes 1-3 were riveting.  Volumes 4 and 5 were rather a slog.  Here's hoping the final volumes are a return to the series' former glory.

Image:  gameofthroneswallpaper.com 

 

Because freedom!

By a vote of 72-42, the Kansas House of Representatives has taken a stand in favor of "religious freedom" by denying same-sex couples their rights under the law.  The bill would deny services, including unemployment benefits and foster care, to same-sex couples.  (The bill offers no exemption from taxation for same-sex couples, however.)

State Rep. Charles Macheers (R), one of the bill’s staunchest advocates, argued that the provision was designed to prevent discrimination against religious individuals during a speech on the House floor Tuesday.

The bill enables "religious individuals" to continue to discriminate against gays because...because...because...freedom!  Yeah, that's the ticket!  The freedom to harrass homosexuals must not be infringed upon!    

Why does one have the feeling that these people are about a notch from trying to reinstate slavery?

Pretzel logic

Mark Creech, called a "Rev." and affiliated with some outfit named the Christian Action League, has criticized Rev. Pat Robertson for his dismissal of young-earth creationism.  Reacting to the Bill Nye/Ken Ham debate on creation and science, Robertson had said Ken Ham was making Christianity look like a "joke" by asserting that the earth was only 6000 years old.  Said Creech:

“Modern science asserts that the geological ages are predicated on the fossil record, and these fossils speak to us of suffering and death millions of years before Adam and Eve — before the creation of man.  That’s a direction contradiction of the Bible’s teaching that pain, anguish; travail, death and the dysfunctions of nature are a direct result of divine judgment because of man’s sin.”

“If there was a primeval prevalence of these things before the fall of man, then that would leave only God himself responsible for such menace and mayhem. The very notion a God of love and order would work arbitrarily and brutally as suggested in evolution’s old earth hypothesis – a way so contrary to his own nature – carries with it an implication [of] blasphemy.”

Put another way, sin and death entered the world through the sin of Adam and Eve.  If there was death before Adam and Eve, it can't be blamed on Adam and Eve and must, therefore, be God's fault, which we don't like.

I'd bet that Creech's own theology doesn't solve the problem.  Even if Adam and Eve are responsible for all the sin in the world, didn't the devil make them do it?  And where did the devil come from?

 

Lectionary blogging: Epiphany 6: Matthew 5: 21-37

²¹“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ ²²But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.²³So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. ²⁵Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. ²⁶Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

²⁷“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. ³¹“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³²But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

³³“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ ³⁴But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ³⁶And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. ³⁷Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Translation:  You have heard that it was said to the ones living long ago, "You will not murder," and whoever might murder is subject to the judgment.  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother (or sister) is subject to the judgment.  And whoever might say to his brother (or sister), "you empty-head," is subject to the Sanhedrin, but whoever might say, "you fool," is subject into the hell-fire.  If, then, you might offer your gift upon the altar and there might remember that your brother (or sister) has something against you, leave there your gift before the altar and go first to be reconciled to your brother (or sister) and then come offer your gift.  You agree with your adversary quickly, as long as whoever is with him on the way, lest the adversary deliver you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison.  Truly I say to you, you will surely not go out from there until you might give over the last farthing.

You have heard that it was said, "You will not commit adultery."  But I say to you that anyone seeing a woman in order to desire her is now committing adultery in his heart.  But if your right eye might cause you to stumble, take it out and throw (it) from you, for it is profitable for you that one of your members might perish and not (that) your whole body might be thrown into hell.  And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw (it) from you, for it is profitable for you that one of your members might perish, and not your whole body be gone into hell.  But it has been said, whoever might release his wife, let him give her a divorce.  But I say to you that anyone releasing his wife, except of word of illicit sex, does adultery to her, and whoever might marry the one released is being adulterous.

Again, you have heard it was said to the ones living long ago, "Do not swear falsely, but you will give to the Lord your oaths."  But I say to you, do not swear at all, not by heaven, for it is a throne of God, nor by the earth, for it is a footstool of his feet, nor by Jerusalem, for it is a city of the great king, nor might you swear by your head, for you are not able to make one hair white or black.  But let your word be "yes, yes, no, no."  But whatever is more than these is out of the evil one.

Background and situation:  This section (5:21-37) is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount.  Thus far, Jesus has spoken the prologue, the Beatitudes.  He then began his first major speech in Matthew with the proclamation of his listeners as salt and light and proclaimed the fulfillment of prophesy and the law.  The law remains in full force "until all has come to be," a reference to the death and resurrection of Jesus which brings the New Creation.

The major source seems to be Q with some Special Matthew worked in, and with a couple of bank shots off Mark.  Matthew 5: 25-26 has a parallel in Luke 12: 58 while 28-29 seem to have come out of Mark 9: 43-48.  Matthew 5: 27-28 has a connection to Luke 16:18, Mark 10:2-4 and 11-12.

Of course he lost

Ken Ham is exactly the wrong person to represent the Christian faith in any intellectual argument, and it dearly showed in his much-publicized encounter with atheist Bill Nye.  Ham is the CEO of the Creation Museum in Kentucky, which features dinosaurs and humans in the same environment, and not so long ago either.

Ham is a "young-earth creationist," meaning he believes that the Biblical account in Genesis 1 refers to a literal seven 24-hour days during which time the entire universe was created.  This took place only a few thousand years ago.  

"Old-earth creationists" hold that the Biblical word for "day" in Genesis 1 can also refer to eras or epochs, and thus will allow that creation could have been a very long time ago.  Within fundamentalism, "old-earth creationist" is probably the majority position, which makes Ken Ham a representative of a minority (young-earth creationist) within a minority (fundamentalism) within a minority (evangelicalism).  

We should give the "young-earth creationists" their due.  Genesis 1 does indeed read as though it were talking about seven 24-hour days--"and there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day," for example.  "Young-earth creationists" are at least consistent in their fundamentalism.

That notwithstanding, "young-earth creationism" is pure theological quackery.  It occupies itself with ridiculous and irrelevant questions--the location of Noah's Ark, say, or cosmological charts for the star of Bethlehem--and meets challenges by taking refuge in pious fluff.

This is not to say that Bill Nye "won" the debate.  He was given to irrelevent tangents and rather dry analysis on some points, but Ham clearly lost it.  He'd have lost it if he were debating a fish.

 

Random factoid

February 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have had a full moon.