What makes our message different?

To go off of the idea about the t-shirt slogans that we talked about in class I though of something. When my oldest brother Tim and my dad and I went to the LSU game this past fall, Tim showed me how he kind of viewed Christians. He began to joke around about it and then said this to one of the LSU fans "Could I talk to you about making Darren McFadden your personal lord and savior?" When he said that at first I just laughed it off. But thinking back on it I realize that it is how he views Christians. And I think the reason he says things like that is partly do to Christians throwing around religious language in the same way that a beer commercial advertises. And when we do that we are basically saying that are message is no different from a beer commercial. But our message is different because it is the message that saves people through Christ's blood.

Tobias: Fisher Demon Slayer

I read Tobit 6-8 and I'm not sure what it has to do with anything that we covered in class, or Mark at all for that matter, but it was quite entertaining. Tobias was washing in a river and an angel told him to catch a fish and remove his innards. These he would use to cast away a demon. His cousin had married 7 men, all whom had died on the wedding night (stinks for them) and Tobias was told to marry her and use the fish heart and liver to make smoke and repel the demon in love with her.
Tobias did as was told despite his fear and was found asleep but very alive the next morning by his father in law, who filled in Tobias' already prepared grave (not much faith in the guy), praised God, and had a PARTY!!!
I guess the moral of the story is Don't throw your fish back, you never know when a demon is going to come around. It was really interesting to see the demon exorcism compared to Jesus' and how in-depth Tobias' was, when all Jesus did was speak.

Hello Mountain

I really enjoyed talking about the different possible contextes for the "mountain be moved" passage. I had never heard the story about Herod having the one mountain poured on to another so that his would be higher. I thought that was so rediculous and yet, it makes perfect sense. That was the power a king had. I do not think that that is what Jesus was making refrence to, though. I always have an image in my mind of Jesus walking up to a mountain, completely unintimidated, and asking it to move. Then, the Mountain gets up on "legs" of some sort and runs to the Ocean and jumps in. That seems so silly. It only seems so crazy because that is too much power/authority for me to wrap my mind around. I am too weak to imagine that God has intrusted that kind of power to me. The first mountain I would need to say hello to would be my Everest of unbelief.

The Irony of the Triumphal Entry

Prior to our discussion of the Triumphal Entry of Jesus I have to be honest and say that I was a bit confused as to exactly what was going on in the text. I think that Dr. Foster's description of Louisville during the Kentucky Derby was right on in regards to Jerusalem during this time. I never really understood why the people waved palm branches at Jesus until we talked about the Maccabean revolt. I suppoose the great irony of this passage is that the same people that shouted 'Hosanna' also cried 'Crucify Him' only a few short days later. I often wonder if we today do not ask God to be the main part of our lives and then do not acknowledge him as if our prior request to God was false. I think that we can (and should) learn a lot from the Jews who participated in the Triumphial Entry.

-Steven

Just a game!

As I read today's reading selection I was taken back at the motives of the guards and on lookers of Jesus' Crucifixion. I have read the story many of times and I have been alive for twenty one Easter's. I know the story. However, the older I get the more it feels as though I am able to process the reality of situations, especially this situation. It never occurred to me that the guards and priests cared so much about Jesus. That's right they cared. They cared about giving Jesus the best/worst treatment possible on the cross. The guards where doing their best to make sure nobody ever forgot the day, that the "King of Jews" was killed. It was a game to them, they wanted to see how much humiliation they could put the destroyer of the temple through. They did not care about who's son he was, they cared about pain. The one point that gets me thinking about this whole story is the part at the end of the Crucifixion story when the guard says, "Surely He was the son of God." This statement implies that the guard thought that he was God's Son, but he is now dead and will not be again. This guard as part of it right, He is God's Son. But the thing the guard missed is that He still is. Why after all the miracles Jesus preformed and exorcisms did this guard decide who Jesus was based on His last words. I can't figure it out, I wonder if I would have done the same.

What kind of shirts do you wear?

We've all seen the t-shirts that Dr. Foster talked about in class on Monday...the ones that take secular images and turn them into Christian sayings. To be honest, I never gave those shirts much thoguht before that class...I mean I see them all the time...especially in my hometown. We host numerous events and designing the newest and latest t-shirt is the highlite of planning the event....okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a little bit, but I'm not too far off. We should be original in what we have to say. Why do we need to take an idea that's already been used way too many times before? The slogan usually supports things that are most certainly not completely centered around Christ. So why use the secular slogans? It doesn't make that shirt any different from another one....and if it isn't different, then the message isn't portraid in a different way either. I think about it like this. If someone says they are a Christian, then they have to show it with everything they do, right? So when we see someone who conforms to the ways of this world but still says they are Christ-like, what impression does that leave? You know as well as I do that his or her witness is hindered by these actions. Same with the shirt...the wonderful message being written on that shirt shouldn't be hidden beneath the ideas of this world.

People existed before me and they were much smarter.

I was reading the section on apocalyptic in DJG and A new wave of dumb swept over me. The article kept repeatedly referring to apocalyptic literature that existed from the time. I knew that there was the apocrypha and pseudepigrapha but it came over me just how crazy it is the movement of numerous theological ideologies were circulating within the culture. A great deal more literature could have existed that didn't survive the wear of time. I struggle because I’ve always thought that ancient writings that weren’t considered to be the word of God were worthless, but that’s crazy because that’s like saying Robert Frost’s poetry meant nothing. There is a wealth of knowledge that can be learned from those texts about the culture of the day from doctrinal stances to heresies. I think trying to wrap my head around this fact will take me a while. Just the simple idea that a culture existed and that ideas were shared, I feel ignorant truly in neglecting how complex the society of the late B. C.’s early A. D.’s.

Transfiguration

The Transfiguration passage has always intrigued me. I have always wondered why this happened. Why did Moses and Elijah show up? Why did Peter, James, and John get to go with Jesus? I won't take the time to post them all, but Garland gives a chart comparing Jesus with Moses (342). Garland also talks about Elijah. I think it's interesting, and I like what Garland says about the Transfiguration: "It serves to confirm that the suffering Jesus will endure is not incompatible with His glory."
Mark mentions that Peter wants to build three shelters. Verse 6 though, says he did not know what to say because he was afraid. So did he really want to build three shelters? Or did he, in fear, just say something that might sound good to Jesus? I wonder what I would have done if I were one of the disciples that day....and that's something I still wonder, because I don't know what I would have done.

They Cant Treat my King that Way!

As we see blasphemy and mockery of Christ in modern media, as Christians we find ourselves to be overly offended, which we should be. However, do we consider the offense we should take at the mockery of Jesus prior to his crucifixion? I know I never really think about it much, but reading the Biblical passage for today and Garland’s commentary on the passage has made it more clear to me the mockery that occurred. As the passage in chapter 15 of Mark goes, Jesus has been scourged and given over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified. Prior to his execution, they throw robes on him and bow in mockery, and hit him with sticks and spit on him. Quite a gruesomely disturbing form of entertainment: to beat and spit and mock a man who was beaten within an inch of his life with leather, stones, bone, and metal. Garland says that the company of soldiers referred to in this passage was around 600. Just think, 600 over-powering, heartless men with nothing better to do than make fun of you. I never thought of the numbers being so great! I don’t like when 2 or 3 people make fun of me let alone 600! The humiliation our Savior endured; a humiliation of love for you and me. Truly Christ did suffer, but what a great conquest to rise again! Thank you, God.

Zach Pyron

Just in Acts and in the gospels?

While reading in dictionary of Jesus and the gospels it was talking about how often the crowd's were used in the bible. It brough up something that I have never thought about before the word crowd was only used in Acts and in the gospels. When they were referring to the crowd it often times meant pharisees or people of that nature. It again makes me think deeper about things and ask myself why isn't crowd mentioned other places. Did Jesus draw crowds more than any other person is that why? I know this is a small nit picky thing to blog about, but it's just another little thing that i have never thought about.

In God We Trust

In every time I have read the passage Mark 12:13-17 I have always come to the conclusion that it was about money and that we are required to pay taxes to our local government. When Dr. Foster made mention of the fact that the "graven image" was were some of the focus was placed I was confused. What did this mean, "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's"? I never really that about the fact that we are God's and we are created in His image for this passage. We are God's and we are to give all that we are to Him. The coinage says it all, "In God We Trust." Do we really believe and act upon that or do we still think the passage is only about what we owe to our government?

DO NOT RUN IN CHURCH

Maybe we should recover some of the sacredness of our Temples, i.e., church buildings. My son, Austin, who is two is not allowed to run in the sanctuary. He can run in the hall and in the fellowship center, but not in the place where we gather for corporate worship. Jesus would not let those carrying merchandise use the Temple mount as a short-cut, for that place is holy. Also, Jesus ran off those who were exploiting the poor and those robbers who found asylum on the Temple grounds. As I began to process the lecture, I began to ask myself if I really viewed the place I attended church as holy or just a building to keep the weather out. And why I did not let me son run in the sanctuary? Was this just because I did not want people talking bad about me as a parent, "Can you believe that Michael let Austin run through here?". I need to learn a deeper respect for those things that have been set apart for God's use. Not that my church building on Sunday morning is the only place that I can encounter God, but I should come there with this expectation and a reverent respect for that place. To often what happens on Sundays has been reduced to a social gathering of the saints, some feel good advice on some vague topic, and watching a choir perform. What would happen if when we gathered we came with fear and trembling, and the expectation that this place is truly the house of the Lord?

Two versions of the Faith of a Gentile Woman

Having read about the faith of the Syrophoenician woman in both Mark and Matthew, there are some subtle differences. In Mark, Jesus almost seems mean. It is a hard passage for me to understand. In Matthew (15) , however, Jesus almost seems like he is being sarcastic. This intrepretation may be incorrect, but I think it is at least plausible. a Canaanite woman comes and is crying out to Jesus to have mercy on her and heal her daughter. Jesus did not answer her. It almost seems like he is waiting for his disciples to do something. Finally, the disciples--get this--come and BEG him to send her away. Wow, aren't they compassionate. To me, Jesus' reply is almost sarcastic, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But the woman is persistant, even though Jesus seems to return all her comments with cutting remarks. It almost seems like he is mocking the thoughts of the disciples. Then he shows that faith is for ALL people. I could be wrong, but I found this point of view interesting.

The Fig Tree Dilema

The part in Mark where Jesus cursed the fig tree I had never understood until Dr. Foster elaborated on why Jesus despised the tree. You see if a fig tree has leaves it must bear fruit because that the way God made it. Before knowing this I thought Jesus could have cursed all of the fig trees in the area cause non of them would bear fruit if it was not the season for figs. However now I realise that if any leaves are on the tree, it must have some fruit, it just may not ripe. Maybe Jesus planned to eat the unripe fruit. Who knows ? We do know that Jesus said to the tree "may no one ever eat fruit from you again." Now I realise his frustration because off in the distance when he was approaching tree he thought beauty, it has leaves on it, so I can eat from it. Only to realise when he got closer that the tree was deceiving and he could not eat from it.

The uniqueness of God's death

I had always thought of Christ's crucifixion as unique; specifically in light of the spiritual significance. I understand that the spiritual significance impacted the historical uniqueness
of Jesus' death, but I had never taken into consideration that uniqueness outside of the specifically spiritually significant events, such as the resurrection.
The unique things of Jesus' death play into the spirituality. For example, Jesus was taken off the cross after his death. The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels states that most convicts were left on the cross to be eaten my carrion. However, if Jesus had been left, as was customary the resurrection would have turned out quite differently, to say the least. The fact that Jesus legs were not broken, is also untypical, according to DJG. That, along with Simon carrying Jesus' cross near the end of the journey to the crucifixion cite, was also unusaul.
It is interesting how the small, unique events in Jesus crucifixion either, prepared for certain following event, or fulfilled prophecies concerning Jesus death.

Alex H.

a vague prediction

matthew 24. luke 21. mark 13. what do they mean? much of my previous influence (through my mid teens) on the interpretations of these came from a well known book series that shall be left unnamed, perhaps put behind me, if you will. i find that Jesus addresses the destruction of the temple here with the disciples, not the coming of a 7 year period preluded by rapture. to them, the end of the world would be the destruction of the temple.
Jesus gives several hints to when it wouldnt be, but not signs to the coming of the end. he mentions that men will falsely come in His name, wars will break out and earthquakes will come, but those are not signs of the end. Instead, he tells them to be ready at all times because no one knows when.
the most dynamic thing i find in this chapter is the coming of the Son of Man. that comes without warning and there is no way to determine when it will happen. i like how Garland points out that Jesus was certainly ambiguous for a reason. we are not meant to know when, just that it will happen and be ready for it, whenever that might be.

Christmas shopping or Worshipping God?

I thought about the Triumphal Entry a lot since Dr. Foster told us about how it wasn't anything special for the people to be celebrating while Jesus came in. It was a triumphal entry, but it was for all people coming into the city of Jerusalem. Jesus was special and deserved a New York City caliber parade but most of the people didn't know who He really was and is. I always heard that "it was a big rush" and it always seemed to be compared to the mall on Saturday before Christmas but Dr. Foster was right in saying we didn't understand the size of the people there. I now have a "better" grasp on how it was instead of my church play version of 12 people walking down the aisle as a crowd. This is a wall to wall on the streets affair, and it wasn't just for a day during rush hour, this had to be for days. People were camping everywhere, most there to truly worship the Lord God that provides. I love the crowds here. They are all happy, but the crowds for Christmas are bitter because they do not understand the meaning of why they are even shopping other than because someone else is buying me a present i must repay.

PARTY!!!!!!!! or NOT

The closer I look at the entry into Jerusalem by Jesus and the disciples before his death the more i come to realize how crazy and unbelieveable it probably was there at this time. What really makes me think about there being so many people in Jerusalem and the people just having a huge party is this, this was Jesus last stop as he would be crucified here. Was it planned all along for him to be crucified while there were so many people in Jerusalem or did it just happen that way. I seem to feel like it was meant to happen, either for the fact of more people being there and witnessing it or whatever it might be but, that has just been something that has been running through my mind. The people in a matter of hours went from party time to kill Jesus, was it meant to b e during this crazy time??????

Andy Miller