Month: January 2018

The 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (04 February 2018)

Job 7:1-4,6-7; Ps 147:1-6; 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22-23; Mk 1:29-39

Theme: Our צבא

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Who among us would like to suffer or struggle in this life? I suppose no one. Today’s readings point to this human reality of צבא (tzaba): warfare, struggle, battle, hardship or service. Almost the entire book of Job deals with understanding human suffering, and many of us can identify with him. His struggle is so intense that the way he described is triply-troubled, “days of emptiness, and nights of misery.” By the sound of it, he is tired, in pain, wasted and sees an “end without hope.” Just like him, we long wait for a צל(tzel: shadow), a sort of relief from the struggles we encounter. In the 1st letter of Paul to Corinth, he told them that he accepts his weakness, his pain, because it is through it that he can be one with those who go through hardships. Similarly, Jesus, in the beginning of the gospel of Mark, never had second thoughts of being with people who are inflicted with bodily sufferings. We might have that orthodox belief that Jesus provided a צל (tzel), a relief by curing or solving their daily “battles”. If we remain with this notion, there is a possibility that Jesus might become irrelevant today, because in reality, not all illnesses, deformity and other “battles” we face can be cured or simply solved. Perhaps, we could look at Jesus in a different angle in the gospel, in order to make him relevant to the reality that besets Job, and us.

Recently, biblical scholarship took notice on disability, deformities and bodily concerns in the scripture. Many of the scholars present alternate interpretations on the healing narratives in the gospels. One of them is Dr. Jin Young Choi, who used a postcolonial reading in the gospel of Mark. She suggests that when Jesus touched the people, it is possible that he is likewise touched by the one being touched. She calls this a “somatic engagement”, that is, bodies encounter each other, inside and out. Metanoia is possible in bodily encounters, and Jesus is not immune to metanoia as well. Never forget his humanity. In Jesus daily bodily encounters, especially to those infirm, he could have been touched by their stories, their lives, and their struggles, and so on. He learned not only bodily frailty, but more so, life’s limits. In his “somatic engagements” with peoples, he saw and sensed, inside and out what צבא (tzaba) is. Touching them, he too was touched by them.

Let us give the gospel a concrete context. Have you met someone who is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, or PLHIV (Person Living with HIV)? Up to this date these people are stigmatized by society, and this makes them צבא (tzaba), suffer all the more. There is no automatic cure for HIV just as yet, but we can lessen their “night of misery”, sense of “emptiness”, compounded troubles when we allow ourselves to encounter them. Let us remove our (homo)phobic tendencies, and listen to these people. Just like Jesus, let us not be afraid to be touched by the people who this society excludes and stigmatizes. Many people suffer not merely because of bodily frailty, but because we stigmatize their condition. We blatantly isolate them, making them alone in their sufferings. Abandoning them is an ultimate pain – it’s rejection.

Perhaps, Jesus’ compassion grew through his constant bodily engagement with peoples. He was not selective; he was and is inclusive, and so should we be. It is only when we overcome our sets of stigma against peoples that we can chant with the psalmist, “Hallelujah! The L-rd heals their broken hearts, and binds up their wounds. The L-rd gives courage to the lowly.” That in the end, there is hope.

For Reflection and Discussion: 1. What are my internalized stigma against people who differs from me? What brought me to this stigmatization? 2. What am I afraid to lose or give whenever I encounter someone in need? Why? 3. When was the time in my life that there was a reversal of things, that is I was touched by the least person or event I expect to challenge my beliefs in a pleasant way? 4. Days from now is the beginning of Lent, how could Jesus’ bodily encounters with the frailty prepare him for his ultimate experience of rejection on the cross?

Bibliography: Choi, Jin Young. Postcolonial Discipleship of Embodiment: An Asian and Asian-American Feminist Reading of the Gospel of Mark. New York: Palgrave Macmillian, 2015.

This week’s Sunday Gospel Commentary was prepared by

Kristine Meneses, Ph.D., Philippines; Bat Kol Alumna 2016

Email address: krstn.rw@gmail.com

[Copyright © 2018]

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol. Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

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Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

gill@batkol.info Website: www.batkol.info

Sunday Gospel and Readings Commentary

The 4^th Sunday of Ordinary Time

28^th of January, 2018

Lectionary readings: Dt.18:15-20; Ps. 95:1-2, 6-9; 1Cor.7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28

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In today’s Gospel, Mark clearly shows us that Jesus is both teacher and healer. He is the one who nourishes by his word and makes us whole again. The setting is in the synagogue at Capernaum where the people have gathered on Sabbath as a community to worship.

While speaking on the scripture, Jesus is interrupted by the shouting of a man who is possessed with an unclean spirit who questioned Jesus, “What have you come to do – to destroy us?” (1:24)  Jesus immediately addressed the inflicted man and rebuked the unclean spirit commanding, “Be silent and come out of him!” (1:25)  Immediately the unclean spirit left the man. He now stood erect freed from his tormentors. Those attending were astonished as they remarked, “What is this? A new teaching – with authority! He commands the evil spirits, and they obey him.” (1:27)

Those in attendance were not only amazed at what they had witnessed but were shocked and  therefore questioned by what authority does he do this. They had never seen anything like this before. Other teachers had never acted in this way but now Jesus taught with a power that they had never seen.

It was not the unclean spirit that troubled the audience for this was a common occurrence in their lives.  What disturbed them was the way that Jesus acted.  He had asserted by his words and actions that he had the authority and the right to act in this manner.

The common belief at that time was that a person would become defiled if he/she had any contact with a person possessed by an unclean spirit. “In fact, the simple presence of the unclean spirit in the synagogue contaminates the entire synagogue. The scribal advice was avoidance. The people and individuals were holy to the degree they kept distance from what was unholy.”  (Shea, 48)

Therefore, it was common practice to avoid all contact with a person possessed by an unclean spirit. That person was to be left alone. The unclean spirit knew this and counted on being left alone. That is why the unclean spirits wondered what Jesus would do to them. They realized who Jesus is, the Holy One of God, and they did not think that he would risk defilement.

Jesus, however, did not accept this thinking for it is a form of domination of God’s good creation.  He silenced this way of reasoning with power and authority and the unclean spirits obeyed.  “The higher Spirit of God who descended upon Jesus at his baptism (Mark 1:10) and leads his mission does not allow lesser beings to harm those whom God loves.  It commands them, “Get out!” And they got out, taking with them all the pain they have caused.” (Shea, 50)

In this extremely dramatic scene, Jesus by his actions addressed both the plight of this poor individual and the prevailing understanding of the people. Was avoidance the way to deal with these evil spirits?  No, Jesus wanted to convey that no human being needs to be held captive by evil and tormented like this.  What this man had endured was a very real experience of bondage to the powers that enslaved him and destroyed his ability to be free.

God’s creation is good and cannot be ruled by evil. Jesus’ inclusive manner has shocked the crowd as well as the unclean spirits! He has come among us to teach that in the all-embracing love of his Father, no one is excluded and barriers are broken. “The reign of God is the ultimate threat to the reign of evil and this form of the “good news” has radical implications for every aspect of the Church’s life.” (Farmer, 1406)

For Reflection and Discussion: [1.] How do I face evil in my own life and in our world?  [2.] If I see creation as a gift of God, how do I appreciate and treat this gift?

Bibliography:  W.R.Farmer, The International Biblical Commentary, (Collegeville, 1998),

John Shea, The Spiritual Wisdom of the Gospels for Christian Preachers and Teachers, (Collegeville, 2005)

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

Rita Kammermayer, nds, BA, B.Ed, Masters of Pastoral Studies, Jerusalem, Israel

Bat Kol alumni 2001

Email: ritakammermayer@netscape.net

[Copyright © 2018]

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

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~~1983–2018~~

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Website: www.batkol.info; Administration: gill@batkol.info

 The Third Sunday of the Year (21 January 2018)

Lectionary readings: Jonah 3:1-5,10; Psalm 24(25):4-6,7b-9; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

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Today’s gospel offers a summary of Jesus’ mission according to Mark (1:14-15), highlighting four important aspects: it is good news (euangelion); it is responsive to the possibility of the present time (kairos); it is focused on the reign of God (basileia); and asks people to respond through their actions (“repentance”, metanoia).

This summary is followed by two separate call narratives. The first is of Simon (Peter) and Andrew, who in the Marcan tradition are two poor fishermen casting their nets from the shore as they presumably do not own a boat (1:16-18). Next, Jesus calls James and John, who are part of a family business with workers and a boat (1:19-20). The call of Jesus is for those who are poor and wealthy alike, and invites them into the mission of proclaiming good news of God (euangelion tou theou, 1:14): “the theological focus for this Gospel” (Beavis, Kindle locations 1274-1275).

In this commentary, I will focus on two aspects of this summary: time (kairos) and good news (euangelion). Time features in three of the four passages we listen to today. In the first reading, Jonah is commanded to proclaim the message of The Eternal (YHWH) to the city of Nineveh (Jonah 3:2): “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown! (nehpakhet)” (3:4). There is some ambiguity as to the translation of nehpakhet, which might also be translated as “turns over (i.e., reforms itself)” (J.S.B., 1192). Whilst the number forty indicates a considerable period of time, the turnaround in the behaviour of the citizens of Nineveh “great and small alike” is as immediate as it is universal (3:5).

The reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is framed with a sense of eschatological urgency: “the appointed time [kairos] has grown short…For the present form of this world is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:29, 31). “Paul’s advice is not to withdraw into the safe and unrestricted realms of the inner life, but to maintain freedom in the midst of involvement” (Conzelmann, 133). Paul is exhorting his readers to be present to the possibilities that the present – the only time we can encounter the Mystery of the Divine – is offering us, as we are.

A similar sense of “eschatological urgency” (Beavis, Kindle location 1384) is evident in Jesus’ first words in Mark’s Gospel, “The time [kairos] is fulfilled!” (Mark 1:15), as well as the responses of Simon, Andrew, James and John to Jesus’ call to follow him. Their response is immediate, as they leave their families and their livelihoods to follow Jesus as disciples (Mark 1:18, 20). Although it is more common for a disciple to seek out a rabbi (cf. last Sunday’s gospel, John 1:35-42, also b. Eruv. 30a; b. Ketub. 66b) there is also biblical precedent in Elijah’s seeking out Elisha (1 Kings 19:19-21, JANT, 637) – not the only echoes of the Elijah stories to find their way into the Gospels.

Karl Barth (Time Magazine, 1966) noted “Take your Bible and take your newspaper, and read both. But interpret newspapers from your Bible.” Here we find a link to the Psalm, with repeated requests for The Eternal to teach (lammed) its author God’s paths and truth (25:4, 5). The Eternal instructs and leads (25:8, 9). Just like Simon, Andrew, James and John, we are called to follow as disciples (talmidim): people eager to learn the ways of the Divine.

At mass on Sunday, our priest remarked that there is no ordinary time – the season to which we have just returned – only “extraordinary time.” I could not help but think of the richness of the term kairos, “which has the connotation of “proper” or “opportune” time as well as a time of crisis” (Donahue & Harrington 70-71). We can only live in the present and we are being called to read the “news” (reality) of our world in the light of the Good News of God announced by Jesus, which is rooted in the Scriptures we share with the Jewish people. Now is the time, there is only now, there is only kairos!

For Reflection and Discussion: How do I read the “news” of our world? Through what eyes do I consider its veracity? How will I respond to the Good News of God and of God’s Reign that I am called to participate in?

Bibliography: Mary Ann Beavis, Mark: Paideia Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group, 2011); Adele Berlin, Marc Zvi Brettler, and Michael A. Fishbane, eds., The Jewish Study Bible (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004); Conzelmann, 1 Corinthians, Hermeneia 67 (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1975); John R Donahue & Daniel J Harrington, The Gospel of Mark (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2002); Amy-Jill Levine & Marc Zvi Brettler, The Jewish Annotated New Testament (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012).

This week’s Sunday Gospel Commentary was prepared by

Mark David Walsh, B.A., B.Theol. Grad. Dip. R.E., M.R.E., Australia,  Bat Kol alum ‘01, ‘02, ’04, ‘13
Email address: markdavidwalsh@gmail.com

[Copyright © 2018]

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome

……………………………………………………………………

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

 The Second Sunday of the Year (14 January 2018) 

Lectionary readings: 1Sam 3:3-10. 19; Ps 40; 1Cor 6:13-15. 17-20; Jn 1:35-42 

Theme: Jesus, the Lamb of God

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What strikes me about this gospel narrative is the use of names and titles. It begins with naming John whom we know as the Baptizer. The two with him are ‘disciples’ who are not named. John sees Jesus and points him out with the title “Lamb of God”. The ‘disciples’ (still not named) leave John and follow Jesus. Jesus speaks his first words in this gospel: “What do you seek?” They answer him with another title ‘Rabbi’ meaning ‘Teacher’.

We then learn that one of the ‘disciples’ is Andrew. Interestingly enough he is designated as being the brother of ‘Simon Peter’ whom we have not met. Andrew tells Simon (now we are introduced) that they have found the ‘Messiah’ known in Greek as the ‘Christos’, the anointed one.

Andrew brings Simon to Jesus and Jesus looks at the man who is Simon the son of John and gives him his title: Cephas, Peter or Rock.

‘Titles’ can often take away the humanity of the person and raise them to something that enhances their ego and gives them power especially over other mere mortals. In this passage ‘titles’ designate a calling. John is the one who prepares the way by baptizing with water as he attests to in verses 31-34 where he gives Jesus his true identity: ‘Son of God’.

The disciples are followers or learners in the ways of God first with John and then with Jesus whom they recognise as ‘Rabbi’ but after spending time with Jesus attest to the fact that he is the ‘Messiah’ the anointed Saviour of God.

Why does John call Jesus the ‘Lamb of God’? The first time he uses the title is in verse 29 and he gives his reason for that: “who takes away the sin of the world”. We are meant to recall the paschal lamb of Exodus 12 and to follow this through to Jesus’ death which John puts at the time of the slaughtering of the paschal lambs. The second time John uses this title is to point out to his disciples who Jesus is, about whom he has already spoken.

McKenzie: Dictionary of the Bible (1965) p.491 says that this title refers to Is 53:7 one of the ‘Songs of the Suffering servant of the Lord’ which is also quoted in Acts 8:32 and Jn 19:36: all of which point to Jesus.

McKenzie further points out that Joachim Jeremias has suggested that the original Aramaic word talyᾱ’ means both lamb and servant. He says that the original statement was: “Here is the Servant of God”.

So ‘titles’ in the kingdom of God are about being a servant, pointing the way to Jesus away from ourselves and showing Jesus to others. As Sirach says in 2:1: “My son (daughter) when you come to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials”.  Our answer with Jesus is: “I delight to do your will, O my God; your instruction lies deep within me” (Ps 40:9).

For Reflection and Discussion: 1. At the beginning of this New Year what is your answer to Jesus’ question: “What do you seek?” 

Bibliography: King, N. The New Testament, (Great Britain: 2004); McKenzie, J.L. Dictionary of the Bible (New York: 1965); The African Bible, (Nairobi: 1999).

This week’s Sunday Gospel Commentary was prepared by

Bernadette Chellew, ,Durban, South Africa

 Bat Kol Alum 2008
Email address: btrnchellew@gmail.com

[Copyright © 2018]

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

…………………………………………………………………

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible  within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”