Lectionary Ruminations for Sunday, July 8, 2012, the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

Posted each Thursday, Lectionary Ruminations focuses on the Scripture Readings, taken from the New Revised Standard Version, for the following Sunday per the Revised Common Lectionary. Comments and questions are intended to encourage reflection for readers preparing to teach, preach, or hear the Word. Reader comments are invited and encouraged. All lectionary links are to the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible via the PC(USA) Devotions and Readings website, but if you prefer another translation, feel free to use that instead. (Other references may be linked to the NRSV via the oremus Bible Browser.)  Lectionary Ruminations is also cross-posted on my personal blog, Summit to Shore. 

First Reading - 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

v. 1 All the tribes, or representatives of all the tribes?  Why Hebron?

v. 2 Could someone be putting words into their mouths?

v. 3 Is this the only instance of a covenant not involving God?

vs. 1-5, 9-10 What is the significance of moving the seat of power and authority from Hebron to the City of David?

Psalm - Psalm 48

v. 1 Where is the city of our God?

v. 2 Who is the great king?

v. 6 I do not like this simile or metaphor and would love to have some comments and feedback by women.

v. 9 Do you ever ponder?

v. 10 Another slight toward left-handedness.

v. 12 How many towers were around Zion?

v. 13 What is a citadel?

Second Reading - 2 Corinthians 12:2-10

v. 2 This must be one of the stranger and more bizarre verses in the New Testament.  Have you ever had an out of the body experience?  How many heavens are there?

v. 4 How does Paul know this?

v. 7 What do you make of this thorn?  I think it was a person!

v. 10. I wish the Reverend Tara McCabe-Spuhler had read and ruminated on this verse before resigning as Vice Moderator of the PC(USA) 220^th General Assembly.

Gospel - Mark 6:1-13

v. 1 Who went to his hometown and what town was it?

v. 2 When was the last time anyone was astounded by your teaching?  How would YOU answer the questions asked in this verse?

v. 3 You mean Jesus was not an only child?  That his brothers but not his sisters are named is just an example of the patriarchy of the times.  Let us not return to those times or that patriarchy.

v. 5 As if laying your hands on a few people and healing them is something minor.

v. 6 Whose unbelief?

vs. 8-9 Why these instructions?  How could they be expected to accomplish their mission without a building and/or sanctuary?

v. 11 Enacting this verse can be quite cathartic.

v. 13 Why do Presbyterians not do more anointing with oil?

ADDENDUM

In addition to serving as the half time Pastor of North Church Queens and writing Lectionary Ruminations, I also tutor part time.  If you or someone you know needs a tutor, or if you would like to be a tutor, check out my WyzAnt page and follow the appropriate links.

The photograph of a Bible that has accompanied all my postings of Lectionary Ruminations, my photograph of one of my study Bibles, was used in the PowerPoint presentation accompanying the Overture Advocate presentation to General Assembly Committee 13 as the Overture Advocates sought to inform the committee of the need for an Authoritative Interpretation that would have protected Teaching Elders and Sessions from disciplinary action for officiating at or allowing same sex weddings in the District of Columbia and states where same sex marriage is legal.