Some of the oddest pieces of the Bible to many of us today are the long sections taken up with genealogies. We can be excused for asking why, considering the great expense of writing materials in the ancient world, biblical authors felt the need to include this content at all. Moreover, thinking of the Bible … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Genealogies
Yesterday in this series on understanding the literary genres of the Bible, we looked at myths – the big stories around which civilizations, are built. I identified four such stories in the Bible: Creation, Exodus, Deuteronomy/Exile, and, for Christians, the story of Jesus. But of course not all ancient stories told around campfires would have … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Legends
There can be no doubt that Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus is, to put it plainly, weird. Rising from the dead is simply something that people don’t do. But more than that, the way the Gospels talk about Jesus after the resurrection is also weird: He can appear out of nowhere and walk … Continue reading Scars: A Reflection on John 20.19-31
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Alleluia! These words of the Easter greeting identify us as those who believe in, and claim the power of, the resurrection of Jesus. In short, they make it clear that we as Christians identify as being, in the language I’ve used the past couple days, an Easter … Continue reading An Easter People: A Reflection for Easter Sunday 2023
Over the past decade or so, Holy Saturday has become one of my favorite parts of Holy Week. In a world of twenty-four-hour news cycles, constant change, and consistent demands to do more with less, Holy Saturday offers a beautiful opportunity to pause. Even though it’s a day when on the surface, nothing is happening, … Continue reading Harrowing the Hades Within: A Reflection for Holy Saturday 2023
