Contemplative Bible Reading

John 10:19 (New Living Translation)

19 When he said these things, the people were again divided in their opinions about him.

This is what the people felt about Jesus. Jesus had just finished talking to them about a sheepfold, a gate, thieves, sheep herders, and sheep. Jesus was the gate. Jesus was the sheep herder. The father sent the sheep herder Jesus. Huh? Wait. What are we talkin’ ’bout here?

Some of the people said Jesus was crazy and, “Why listen to a man like that?”

Other people absorbed what Jesus said. They were amazed at wisdom and thought and everything. This was not a divide of ditch diggers on one side and Oxford philosophers on the other. This was a divide of common folk with common experiences and beliefs. Some believed; some didn’t.

I see the same today. People with much in common divide over Jesus. People with little in common unite through Jesus. What are we talkin’ ’bout here?

I find this to be the timeless miracle of the story of Jesus. Some people here a paraphrase of, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son,” and they life changes. Others study for decades only to walk away shaking their heads.

It doesn’t make sense to me. I guess that is the nature of miracles. I can observe and note them. I can’t explain them. Thank you God.

Acts 10:43 (New Living Translation)

43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.

Peter is talking to a group of Gentiles at the home of a man named Cornelius. Peter is telling them about Jesus, that fellow from Nazareth who had recently been executed by the Romans. Peter refers to “the prophets” and their prediction of a person who would come and have sins forgiven.

The first question I had was, “Who were these prophets.” I needed references and cross references and all that. Well, a little research produced dozens of mentions in the Old Testament. Okay. And I won’t repeat them all here, but see, e.g., Isaiah chapters 43, 44, 53, and 55 for a start.

Then we come to the question of audience. Peter, a Jew, is mentioning old Jewish prophets in old Jewish writings. Peter is speaking in the home of a Roman army officer. Wrong audience, wrong. This Roman army officer lived in the homeland of the Jews. He had been converted, so to speak, to the religion and beliefs of the Jews. He, being an officer in the army of Rome, had some money and much education. He could afford copies of the Jewish writings. He could read, think, contemplate, and believe.

And then again, Peter is in the home of an officer dedicated to subjugating the Jewish people. Peter is in the wrong place, wrong. Peter is in just the right place at just the right time. God arranged all this.

There is too much here that doesn’t make sense. It does, however, make perfect sense. This is how God works. God does everything wrong (it seems wrong in my puny mind) to make things right and righteous. Please God, help me to stay out of the way of your miracles.

Luke 13:1 (New Living Translation)

13:1 About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple.

Jesus is teaching about sin and repentance. He begins the lesson with this statement of fact that He uses as an illustration. Pause for a moment and consider this.

Pilate murdered some people in the Temple.

Note, this is not lawful execution for breaking ordinances. This is not after trial by a jury of peers. There is nothing right about this. Pilate simply murdered some people in the Temple. Pilate didn’t like some people, so he had them killed right in front of everyone else. Take that. See the power of Pilate? The rest of you better behave or you are next!

I have never seen a governor send someone into a church building and have people murdered. I pray that I never do. This is not a nut walking in and shootin’ up the place. This is the government murdering people. I cannot understand this. This is impossible, right? Wrong. This is possible. This happened with Pilate and this happens today in some parts of the world.

Thank you God that I live in a time and a place where this doesn’t happen. At least it hasn’t happened in front of me. Some say that such a thing would wake Christians from our complacency and cause something good. I don’t know about that. I don’t know what would happen. I am thankful for how God has blessed me. Please God, help me to live according to that thankfulness.

John 14:27 (New Living Translation)

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Jesus is speaking soon before the crucifixion. Jesus is leaving Jesus is leaving the followers with a gift —peace of mind and heart. Well, that’s a nice gift. We could all use peace of mind in these troubled times. Thank you.

Note, however, this gift cannot come from anything on earth. My wife can’t give me this. My grandchildren can’t give me this. My … the list continues. This gift comes from Jesus O N L Y.

Well, that sounds sort of arrogant. What do you mean no one else can give this? I can find that in a lot of places! Really? Nope. Don’t waste time and breath arguing with Jesus. There is no other source of true peace of mind and heart. Hmm. I don’t like that. Hmm. I better accept what Jesus says and stop trying to be God or make the coffee shop God because I get peace of mind in the coffee shop on Saturday morning and … Nope. Wrong direction. Wrong idea.

Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Acts 13:39 (New Living Translation)

14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets.

Paul is speaking to an audience of people who have gathered around a governor named Felix. This is a long story about Paul being arrested and making a long, time-consuming journey to Rome. Paul is accused of being a troublemaker and a ringleader of troublemakers who tried to desecrate the Temple in Jerusalem. Oh, by the way, the Romans built that Temple for the Jews.

Paul responds. He is a devoted Jew, just like his accusers are devoted Jews. He is also a member of the Way. A new group of people who believe that this fellow from Nazareth was sent by God to save the world.

Paul says that it is not either or, it is both and. Paul is both a devoted Jew and a believer in Jesus as the Christ.

Both-and is hard to swallow in some cases. I like both meat and vegetables. Well, okay. I like both Alabama and LSU (fill in your case of rivals). Well, that one is a little harder to accept. I am both a devoted Jew and a believer in Jesus as the Christ. STOP RIGHT THERE! Nope, that one is not acceptable to these people described here.

Today? We have people stating that they are both this and that. Do we accept the statement? As shown above, sometimes yes and sometimes no. We draw a line somewhere. It is not possible to be both-and in some cases. At least, I say so. I can be both loving and exclusionary. I can both love a person and hate what they are doing. Can’t I?

This becomes complicated quickly. Words often fail me at the critical moment. Please God, help me.

John 11:38 (New Living Translation)

38 Jesus was still angry as he arrived at the tomb, a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance.

This is part of the (hi)story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead after Lazarus had been dead for several days. Jesus was among believers, not among people attacking his ministry. Why angry? And what is this “still” angry?

A few sentences before, Jesus became angry and deeply troubled when Mary, a sister of Lazarus, complained about Jesus being late, too late to save Lazarus. The people were weeping and wailing over the death.

Jesus was angry about the lack of faith and belief. Jesus was the life. THE LIFE. Human death was not powerful.

Okay, let’s step back a moment. Jesus was omnipotent or all powerful. The people had seen Jesus heal and do other miracles. But Lazarus had died several days before. There was a funeral and a burial and rolling the stone over the mouth of the burial cave and all that. The family and friends felt betrayed that Jesus had not come in time. This was awful. The family and friends felt awful. This was three days. Put ourselves in that position. Awful. Sure, Jesus is here now. So what.

So everything. Was Jesus putting on a show or was Jesus actually upset with these people. When would they believe? When would they REALLY BELIEVE? Not today. Good grief! Okay, let’s show them.

Jesus told Lazarus to come out of the tomb. The dead Lazarus did as told. I think it is at this moment in the movie that they played the Hallelujah chorus. That aside, try to imagine being there. No wonder Jesus was angry and still angry. See the wonder. Believe. Please God, help me in my unbelief.

Acts 11:27-28 (New Living Translation)

27 During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)

This is part of the (hi)story of Paul and his journeys. During this history, some prophets are mentioned. Hmm. Prophets like in the Old Testament. And here they are in the New Testament after the life of Jesus. Prophets still existed.

Much is written about prophets. They were not born into the position like the priests were in the family line of Levi. They were not anointed to be the king. They were born like everyone else, and one day God spoke to and through them. Much is debated about prophets today. Do we still have them? Why? Why not?

Regardless, we read about prophets who lived after Jesus. The did exist. Let the disagreements begin (and continue).

John 7:30 (New Living Translation)

30 Then the leaders tried to arrest him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.

This is one of those statements that make no sense upon close examination. Here is Jesus in the Temple area. Everyone sees him. Everyone knows him. Jesus is not hiding from anyone.

Here are the leaders. They are in charge. They are like the Mayors or Town Council of the Temple area. They have a law enforcement group. They can arrest and detain people who are violating the laws of the Temple. This is a Jewish area the Romans ignored.

How can these leaders “try” to arrest Jesus, but fail? Who stopped them? What was happening? Huh?

My explanation: this is a miracle. There are many events recorded in the Bible of miracles. 180,000 people die overnight. The first-born of Egypt die in one night. Jesus was in a crowd and walked through it without anyone touching him. And this case is similar. It is like the police arrive, look right a Jesus, and time freezes. Jesus walks right past them as they cannot do the simplest thing.

God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. Yes. I believe it happens right in front of us every day. Praise God.

Luke 17:12-14 (New Living Translation)

12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

This is a (hi)story of Jesus healing ten men with leprosy. Note, Jesus did not immediately heal them.

They came to Jesus asking for mercy. Jesus told them to show themselves to the priests. This was part of the old law. When a skin disease dissipated, a person was to go to a priest. The priest would examine the person and declare they were well. There were a few things to happen after that, but first things first.

This case differs from others where Jesus healed a leper, everyone could see the healing, and Jesus told the leper to go to the priest. In this case, the lepers were healed while they were traveling to the priest.

Wait a minute. I’m a leper. I obviously still have leprosy. Jesus tells me to go to the priest as if I were healed. Uh, isn’t Jesus supposed to heal me first? Well, what do I have to lose. I’ll go. While going, I notice I am healed. Was that the attitude of the ten lepers? It seems they had much more faith. It seems they believed in the power of Jesus and went on just as if all was well.

I guess I read a message into that faith. Jesus has cleansed me and forgiven me. I still stumble and bumble. Regardless, I am to go on just as if all is well with me. All is well with me. And all is well with many people I see everyday. They don’t seem so well and good, but that is just my perception. I don’t see with the eyes of Jesus. I should, but many times I don’t. Yet, all is well. Please God, give me the faith I need and help me in my unbelief.

Mark 2:15-17 (New Living Translation)

15 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) 16 But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”

17 When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Levi was a tax collector. That was not like working for the Internal Revenue Service today. Levi was an agent of an occupying army. That army didn’t want to deal day-to-day with the locals, but it had to collect money to send back to Rome. The solution was to pay some locals to extract money from other locals. Tell the enemy that your neighbors weren’t cooperating. The enemy took care of the neighbors. That didn’t endear the tax collector to anyone.

About the only folks who would talk to a tax collector were other tax collectors. There was some sense of honor about the hated and disreputable. Levi called his accomplices to his house for meals with Jesus.

The religious Jews asked, “Why does Jesus eat with such scum?”

That was a good question. The religious Jews knew that Jesus performed miracles. They knew there was something special about Jesus—sometimes too special. The Pharisees were right in saying it was wrong to associate with these agents of the enemy.

Jesus answers well. Jesus was present to help those who knew they were wrong. Jesus was showing them the right way.

Many people since have followed the example of Jesus eating with the wrong crowd. Some of the righteous were swayed by the wrong crowd. Others, the exceptions, influenced the wrong crowd while remaining righteous. That isn’t easy. Jesus did it well. That doesn’t mean everyone else can do it well.

Let’s be careful and caring at the same time. That isn’t possible without the aid and direction of God.