01-15-21

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
January 15, 2021
Scripture: Mark 1:21-22
They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Thought for the Day: Do you sense a little passive-aggressive behavior from the Gospel writer? Those last words, “not as the scribes,” sound a little like an unnecessary dig. Instead of just being clear about the differences, the author offers a passing jab at some of the religious leaders. I understand it very well. We’ve all been there, at one time or another, with our snarky comment that is left unpacked. Sadly, I see a lot of that these days. There are code words tossed around, and you almost expect to hear the music associated with the villain from a melodrama. Yet often these so-called bad words are really heard negatively only because people do not understand them. And the people using them in a mocking tone do not want others to educate themselves and understand the complexity behind the words. We’ve got to move to a place where we can have intelligent conversations that rise above the uncritical emotional nonsense. Jesus probably did teach differently than the scribes, but let’s have a conversation where we are better able to understand the subtle, yet important differences.

Prayer: Holy God, I always need your assistance when it comes to my fears or my insecurities. They can so easily steer my language away from the grace that should guide all my words. Amen.

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