Bible Resources
Bible Resources
Psalm 94
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Thoughts on Psalm 94
Psalm 941O Lord, you God of vengeance, The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
At first sight this looks like a Psalm a modern western person would want to pass over. We are not usually comfortable with talk of vengeance - especially in church. And yet this Psalm rises from an oppressed people. Like many of the other Psalms in this Book, one can imagine it fitting the people of Israel before the exodus. The cry is not so much a plea for personal vengeance as it is for God to act to help his own people, especially the weak and vulnerable such as the orphan and widow. And to act for the sake of his own reputation - they say he does not see. But the Psalmist knows God sees alright. And that God will act against wickedness. People who are threatened and suffer wrong look for someone to stand up for them, and the Psalmist knows that the LORD has already looked after him. Indeed he would be dead by now if the LORD had not helped him. And he also knows that although people in power may claim God's backing, he is never the ally of wickedness or injustice. Is there ever an end to evil? In the end will it bring everything to a dark and terrible end? History suggests that it will difficult to eradicate and that so far no real progress has been made. The Bible has another point of view. We may struggle and suffer and be unable to overcome evil, but God is able to. That is why we call out to him. And we also call out to him because we believe in justice. We believe that evil should be overthrown, and that evil doers should be punished. Which brings us back to the question of vengeance. Why should God wipe them out? Is it because they are our enemies? Is it because they are God's enemies? Or is it just because they are wicked? That is the bit some have trouble with. Why does not God just leave them alone? Why do they need to be punished? Put simply, if no one punishes wickedness, then wickedness rules. Why stop yourself killing widows and backpackers and orphans if no one else is going to stop you? But does it need to be punished? Can't it just be stopped and the evil doers reformed? Possibly that may work for some, especially if one took away any ability they had to disagree with the reforms. But what if evil doers do not want to stop, and do not want to change? A discussion like this that is confined within the boundaries of human society, may end up in a debate about what is good for the group, and how much the group is willing to tolerate. But the Psalm is not written in that closed world. It is written within God's world, where a holy and just God expects humans to live in his world according to his way, a way of justice and love and holiness. It is because of that world view that the Psalmist expects and calls on God to right the wrongs, to remove the wrong-doers, to punish the guilty. It offers hope to all those who long to see a world, and their own lives, freed from wickedness and oppression. Indeed it is only with the LORD that any hope is to be found. Dale |
Notes on Luke 18.1-14 October 20
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- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Luke
Notes on Luke 18.1-14 October 20
Each of these two parables includes an explanation about the meaning of the parable.
A Parable about Prayer 18.1-8
The first verse tells us what the parable is about. Disciples should always pray and not give up. This helps us understand the story that Jesus tells.
The corrupt judge gives in to the widow because she persists. He does give her justice (18.2-5). Jesus contrasts this with what God does. Will God act like the bad judge? Will he keep ignoring the cry of his people? No, says Jesus, He will act quickly to see they get justice.
What does the question in verse 8 mean? When the Son of Man (Jesus) comes will he find disciples still believing in God and asking for help? Disciples will always have trouble. The question is whether they will persist in asking God for help. Or will they lose faith and give up? Jesus says disciples should always pray and not give up. Keep on calling out to God as long as troubles last.
A Parable about Righteousness 18.9-14
Notes on Matthew 24.36-44 Advent Sunday 1 December 2013
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Notes on Matthew 24.36-44 Advent Sunday 1 December 2013
One of the themes of Advent is the return of Christ. In the New Testament this is linked with the great Day of the Lord that the Old Testament looked forward to. This Day will be a day of judgement and a day of salvation.
But when will it happen? That has been a big question for long time. Jesus gives a very clear answer to the question. He says no one knows when it will be.
In this passage he tells us three important things:
1. No one knows when the great Judgement Day will be (24.36). So this means we should not try to calculate when it will be. And we should be very careful about listening to anyone who tells us that they know. Or anyone who tells us that they have worked out how to tell if it is getting near.
2. The Day will come as a surprise (24.36-41). People will not be ready for it. People will not be able to predict when it will happen. Jesus will come when we do not expect him (24.44).
3. Therefore we must be ready (24.42-44). We must keep watch. Be alert. Be ready. What does this mean? Jesus explains it in the next two passages. We should be doing what we are meant to be doing. We should be serving the Lord in the way he has called us to serve him. We should not be lazy or spending our time doing something else (24.45-51). We should remember the warning of Matthew 7.21-23. We should be praying and looking for him to come. The story of the ten girls warns us to be ready (25.1-13).
Psalm 139
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Thoughts on Psalm 139
Psalm 139
1O LORD, you have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. 7 Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night," 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. 17 How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 I try to count them-they are more than the sand; I come to the end -I am still with you. 19 O that you would kill the wicked, O God, and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me- 20 those who speak of you maliciously, and lift themselves up against you for evil! 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. 24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
Is it a good thing to be known by God? “O Lord you have searched me and known me.”, said David. Lots of us think it is a good thing that God knows who we are, recognises us, knows our name as it were. But some are less sure about God knowing everything about us. Most of us prefer to keep some parts of our life (or our past) secret.
It is a foolish idea, as David recognises. Where can one go where God isn’t? What thoughts do we have that God does not know before we can put them into words? It is possible to read this Psalm from the point of view of one’s guilt and embarrassment, and so feel a bit apprehensive about what God knows. But I think David has a different angle. He begins the psalm by reminding God that he has already searched and known David – from as long ago as the time he was in the womb. And he ends the psalm by asking God once again to search him and test his thoughts. Presumably David thinks God’s knowledge of him is a good thing, helpful even. Helpful at least to being led in the everlasting way. Helpful to get rid of wickedness.
But what is so important to David that he takes so long reminding God (or himself) of how wonderful God’s knowledge of him is? Perhaps David’s concern is the part of the psalm that we think is out of place. David appears to be surrounded by bloodthirsty people. People who are not just after David’s blood but who more importantly are really against God himself. Wicked people who hate God.
David has put himself in God’s place and sees these people for what they are really doing – speaking against, and opposing God. So he wants to be rid of them. Well, he wants God to get rid of them. He hates them from God’s point of view.
Many western Christians give a high cringe rating to this part of the psalm. In fact many feel the psalm would be much better without it. But only as a piece of pietist poetry. As it stands it is a piece of realist poetry. When you read it, do you think David is comfortable with his pure zeal against the wicked? Or is he unsure? When we feel like skipping this bit of the psalm, are we also comfortable with the deletion? Or if we affirm it, are we comfortable with our own attitude to those who wickedly oppose God?
I think that is why David calls on the person who knows him best to help him know what is really in his heart - is he thinking in the right way, or not? Who can he ask who can see into his heart and know both what he thinks and whether it is right? Dale |
Notes on Luke 17.11-19 October 13
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- Category: Notes on the Gospel readings from Luke
Notes on Luke 17.11-19 October 13
There are three important things in this story.
Leprosy: In Jesus’ day, leprosy referred to a range of skin diseases. It did not necessarily refer to what we know as leprosy which is an infection that affects the nerves of the hands and feet and other parts of the body. People with leprosy were not allowed to mix with others. Healthy people were not allowed to touch them. That is why these ten men stood at a distance. This story is unusual because Jesus usually touched the lepers when he healed them. In this case he tells them to go to the priests who were the ones who could decide that they were healed. Only the priests could give them permission to return to normal society. But these ten men had to go to the priests before they were healed. In other words they had to believe Jesus. As they did as he said, that is, as they started to go to the priests, they were healed. This is another example of Jesus’ power to heal.
Giving Thanks: Only one of them came back to thank Jesus. The story suggests that he came back as soon as he saw that he was healed. Before he got to the priests. He did it immediately. He came back very excited and full of praise. Notice the way Luke describes what he did. He praised God, threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. He praised God and thanked Jesus. Luke puts these two things together so that we can see how closely God and Jesus are linked. Jesus asks about the other nine men. The bible has a great deal to say about giving thanks. Humans complain a lot. But God’s people ought to give thanks all the time.