Psalms: 87, 93 Meditation Luke: Setting: the house of a Pharisee. Verses 12-14 are an apt description of the contrast between “nice” and “kind”. The nice person will seek some sort of repayment – perhaps not in kind but something. I call these people “counters”; those who want to ensure the books are balanced! Rather, …
Tag: Paul
Monday, November 8
Psalm: 119:49-72 Meditation Ecclesiasticus: As I read this passage, I am reminded of Paul’s discourses on spiritual gifts. Sirach considers the various artisans who make up the town: farmer, artist, blacksmith (or what we may call an auto mechanic) and potter, to name a few. Each of these gifts/talents is necessary for each exercises his …
Sunday, November 7
Psalm: 118 Meditation 1 Corinthians: If ever you have the opportunity to discern your gifts, (there are objective ways to do this; affirmation from others is helpful) you must take it. Paul lists quite a few here but he knows one need not have all. These gifts are both a responsibility (i.e., use them) and …
Saturday, October 23
Psalm: 75 Meditation Acts: This passage closes the book of Acts. You may notice Paul had a great deal of latitude during his confinement (house arrest) whereas while he was an itinerant preacher, now the Jews are coming to him in droves. He was imprisoned but not bridled. While Paul may have been limited like …
Wednesday, October 20
Psalm: 103 Meditation Acts: This voyage Luke describes Paul’s last. Verse 9 tells us “…the Fast had already gone by”. This “Fast” is none other than the Day of Atonement for Jews which put us, likely in the month of September. Life at sea made strong men quake – remember how terrified the Apostles were …
Sunday, October 17
Psalms: 4, 5 Meditation 1 Corinthians: I love sarcasm and so does Paul. I think Paul is hoping to awaken this body of believers of just how much the world has permeated this church. Verse 8 which opens this paragraph (in the NRSV) addresses the arrogance of the church. He spends the rest of the …
Thursday, October 14
Psalm: 18 Meditation Acts: We can easily glean from a look at this passage, the thrust of the accusations, whatever the excuses laid before Felix, is the issue of the resurrection (see Monday’s meditation). You will note that the prosecutor was Ananias, former high priest, who leveled charges against Paul. Ananias, as a priest would …
Monday, October 11
Psalms: 113, 121 Meditation Acts: Paul is now back in Jerusalem – the place where Agabus had prophesied that Paul be taken captive by the Jews and that they would hand him over to the Gentiles (the Romans, in this case). Paul could read a crowd. He was being examined by both Pharisees and Sadducees. …
Friday, October 8
Psalms: 122, 123 Meditation Acts: Perhaps Paul was a more dynamic speaker in Hebrew than in Greek, though I doubt it. We saw last Saturday (Acts 20) that Paul was so riveting that he managed to put a young man to sleep who then fell out the window 3 floors below. Eutychus, survived. Paul is …
Tuesday, October 5
Psalms: 138, 141 Meditation Acts: This reading easily splits into to two: vs. 1-7 and then 8-14. Verses 1-7 give a somewhat detailed account of Paul’s departure from Ephesus to Ptolemais to Philip the deacon’s house where Paul receives a prophesy. Vs. 8-14 discus that event. Agabus, a prophet, was there at Philip’s with a …
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