Thursday, January 17, 2013

Lectionary Ruminations for Sunday, January 20, 2013, the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)


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

I have been posting Lectionary Ruminations to Presbyterian Bloggers for nearly three years.  I will attempt to continue posting through the Readings for February 10, 2013, Transfiguration of the Lord.   I may continue posting Lectionary Ruminations to my personal blog, Summit to Shore but not here.  If you have been following my Lectionary Ruminations on Presbyterian Bloggers, please migrate over to my personal blog.

62:1 Who is speaking?

62:2 What is the significance of a new name?

62:3 What is a diadem?

62:4 What is the meaning of married land?  Does this metaphor justify this passage being paired with John 2:1-11?

62:5 Does this verse inform any New Testament metaphors?

36:5  Where does the LORD’s love extend from?

36:6 Is this just a poetic way of saying height and depth?  Do dogs and cats and other animals and pets have to be baptized or born again to be saved?

36:7 What sort of avian creature is God being likened to?

36:9 Does this lead to myths and legends about the fountain of youth?  How do we see light in light?  Do we see light, or what light illuminates? Is light a wave or a particle?

36:10 So God’s steadfast love does not extend to strangers?

12:1 Are most Christians today informed or uninformed about spiritual gifts.

12:2 Is this a valid portrayal of paganism?  What is the difference between Paganism and Atheism? Agnosticism?

12:3 Really?

12:4 Why am I thinking about Isabel Briggs Myers?

12:4-6 Is there any scheme at work here: gifts-Spirit, services-Lord, activities-God?

12:8 What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge?

12:8-10 Was this list meant to be exhaustive or just suggestive?

2:1 How does this passage foreshadow the resurrection?  Why is the mother of Jesus not named?  Who do you think was being married?

2:3 Is she stating the obvious?  Why tell Jesus?  Did he not already know?

2:4 Why does Jesus address his mother as “Woman”?  What “hour” is he referring to?

2:5 What gave the mother of Jesus the right and authority to tell the servants what to do?  Maybe she was catering the reception.  Is “servants” a play on words?  Do the disciples always do what Jesus tells them?

2:6 Is there any significance in the number of jars?  Does the number of jars matter?  What are the jewish rites of purification?

2:7 Does this assume that the jars were empty?  Does it make a difference?  Is there any significance that the jars were filled to the brim?

2:8 Did the servants draw out water or wine?  Who and what was the chief steward?

2:9 This reads as if the servants drew water out of the jars but that the water turned to wine as the servants were taking it to the steward.

2:10 Why serve good wine first and then inferior wine?

2:11 If this was the “first” of his signs, how many were there and what were they?  Is there any significance to “Cana if Galilee” being mentioned twice?  What do you know about Tabgha?  Was his glory hidden before this?  Did his disciples not believe in him before this?

2:1-11 This is one of my favorite passages in my favorite Gospel.  I think it could several sermons to unpack, interpret, and apply it. 

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.

No comments:

Post a Comment