Notes and Reflections for Next Week's Readings

2016 Bible in Time
Saturday Notes & Reflections for Next Week’s Readings
Holy Saturday, 26 March 2016

Psalms 148, 93, 103, 97, 146, 136, 145
Literary Types | Click here | Created by Lay Theologian in Residence - Barbara Klugh

148: Hymn |
This is a praise hymn where the verb “to praise” is used twelve times; the motive for the psalm is the majesty of God as Creator of all things; This piece recognizes the Priestly version of creation in Genesis 1

93: Enthronement Psalm |
Praises the Lord as King of the Universe; creates stability in all things; in the cosmic battle - God wins!; the defeat of Baal brings new decrees that will govern a new universe.

103: Hymn |
Song praising God for forgiveness; both for the individual and nation; 6 blessings are one big blessing - healing of life threatening forces.

97: Enthronement Psalm |
A Song celebrating the coming of the Lord to rule all things; God will manifest the justice needed for the people.

146: Hymn |
A Song noting the rescue or savior that God is for the downtrodden; this is both for this class of individuals needing redemption and the nation.

136: Hymn |
Refrain - For God’s steadfast love endures forever; God as Creator is celebrated in all aspects of creation and the salvation history for the people of Israel.

145: Hymn |
A song of David praising the goodness of God; it emphasises God’s active rule of the Lord’s people and nation; this is a God that is involved in everything of life.

Source | New Oxford Annotated Bible, 4th ed. | Notes in Psalms  by Richard J. Clifford | Oxford Press | © 2010

First Reading: Exodus 12, 13, 14

This section of the salvation story deals with the Exodus in the Celebration of the Passover as an individual family event, release from captivity, and the leaving of Egypt. Mostly from the Priestly source.

As we get to the Gulf of Aqaba - the Sea of Reeds - to see the mighty acts of God; they cross as a nation into liberation.

Source | Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, 2nd Ed. | John J. Collins | Fortress | © 2014

Second Reading |1 Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 4

Mark Powell’s overview - Click here

Chapter 15 is often regarded as a theological high point of the New Testament where Paul clearly focuses on the Resurrection as the element of the faith; if Christ had not been raised then preaching would be worthless and we would be pitied on the planet; Death no longer is the stopping point and has lost its power. His focus is on the resurrection of the body and not the immortality of the soul.

Chapter 4 finishes Paul defense of his ministry and worthiness to proclaim and doing ministry in times of hardship and persecution.

Source | Introducing the New Testament | Mark Allen Powell | Baker Books (Pure Michigan) | © 2009

Gospel Reading  | John 1; Mark 16; Matthew 28; Luke 24; Mark 12

Our readings this week take us through the joy of resurrection and how it affects even to the entire Universe.  The prologue of John is a cosmic reorientation where God becomes human and Jesus shows up as something brand new in the salvation narrative.

In Mark, most agree that this story stops with the women at the empty tomb greeted with the great news of the resurrection but flee in terror and amazement not knowing what to do with it but run. Other endings of Mark places Peter and the boys going into the world. A longer ending places Mary Magdalene and the disciples seeing Jesus and getting instructions.

In Matthew, the tomb is empty and the disciples go off to the Galilee after hearing the angel and they are met with a risen Jesus with marching orders to convert and baptize the world through teaching them everything the disciples have witnessed, and knowing Jesus will be with them always.

In Luke, of course we have a longer narrative, with the women seeing angels at the empty tomb, the bible study on the road with Jesus, the disciples tell of this study and Jesus shows up and tells them all and blesses them. They go to Bethany where he is taken up into heaven and they go with great joy, dancing and praising God, even in the Temple.

Mark 12 takes us back to some of the basic teachings of Jesus to us as disciples: parables, paying taxes, arguing with the Sadduces, the greatest commandment, a question about who is the messiah, a warning about the religious establishment.

Sources | so many stored in the mind of Dave Eitland |  base Bible used  noted above.