process biblical interpretation

Matt. 13:31-33, 44-52
The selection from Matthew is again from the parables discourse, so that the theme of the conflict of the Rule of Heaven/God with that of Satan is still in the background. The Parable of the Net emphasizes the coming judgment and makes clear that not everyone who initially responds to the preaching of the word will survive that judgment. It therefore has the character of a warning to church members, which makes a fitting thematic conclusion to the string of parables that comprises most of the chapter.

In the Genesis story we have the familiar “Jacob’s ladder” story, with its powerful theme of the presence of God. Unlike the tower of Babel, which arrogant humans built to gain access to heaven, this ladder has been “set up,” and it is not human beings but angels who use it. Significantly, they are going in both directions—ascending and descending—which suggests that the value is in the interaction between the two realms.  

The lections for today move the imagination in so many directions. The continuing high drama and mischief of the Jacob cycle; the profoundly personal and poignant musings of the Psalmists; Paul’s expansive and exuberant adventures in the world of metaphor; and the gospel use of earthy storytelling to deliver a message provide the preacher with a wellspring of bubbling possibilities.

Matt.13:1-9, 18-23

Today’s New Testament lectionary readings are grounded in the interplay of ambivalence, confession, and grace. They invite us to embrace and affirm the totality of our lives as a means of discovering God’s vision. The passages from Genesis and the Psalms need to be handled with care by the preacher. Simplistic biblical interpretations of passages such as the quest for a wife for Isaac and royal marriage in Psalms are best avoided by preachers unless they can proclaim them in liberating, inclusive, and egalitarian ways. 

I suppose one of the features that makes scripture Scripture is that it can be read and experienced in myriad ways. Our lessons for today, for instance, could be read with appreciation for patriarchal tenacity, or respect for the artistry of Israelite poets, or curiosity over Paul’s occasional eruptions of humility, or gratitude for Jesus’ clarity in the midst of such unremitting chaos, or...

Jeremiah 28: 5-9 and Psalm 89:1-4, 15-18

Genesis 21:8-12 & Ps 86:1-10, 16-1

 Exodus recounts the stories of the establishment of the covenant between Israel and God. The context of this passage is Israel’s redemption from slavery in Egypt . Earlier in the book, Yahweh says “I have heard my people crying for redemption and have answered them.

Hosea 5:15-6:6