Job 38:1-7, (34-41)

This is the Job passage that gets the most play. The beginning verses were covered earlier.

There, we stopped after God had described the basics of creation. Here he continues with how he is still involved with the daily workings of the earth, making floods and sending lightning bolts. I'm not sure if the mention of lightning bolts is a threat or not. Gods have been known to hurl them at unbelievers and Job has been wrestling with belief for much of this book. As Terry Pratchett said about gods in his book "Small Gods", "they like atheists, gives 'em something to aim at."

This list gives us some insight into the god that filled the gaps of knowledge of the time. Clouds and stars as well as human consciousness and animal's ability to hunt were directly attributed to gods. It almost answers its own question when it mentions that ravens wander about for lack of food. But it doesn't mention that sometimes they never find anything and die, God does not provide. Apparently we are to accept His will because He provides and accept that sometimes He decides not to. Reading this, we don't get much of a proof of God. It says he speaks from a whirlwind, so we are to accept for the sake of the story that the vision and presence was convincing. Some read this to mean Job was actually taken up or somehow shown visions of all the things that God describes, but I don't see that in the text.

In the end Job returns to believing, and it seems to be the seeing of God that does it. The convincing was more about creation itself, which holds wonders no matter how it was created or whether or not there was a "who" that did the creating. Job realizes he had declared that which he did not know. There is still much we don't know but as we have come to know why many things are as they are, some of us have also become comfortable with not knowing everything. We don't need to invent explanations or be reminded to wonder about the stars.

Isaiah 53:4-12

Our gospel passage today speaks of the suffering servant, and so does this from Isaiah. One of the debates of the historicity of Jesus is about the likelihood that they would invent a messiah that is tortured and killed. David, who was studied this summer, was also a candidate for messiah. It was hoped that the conqueror would return, or at least someone like him. The details of this debate are too much for me to cover, but with this passage, we get some idea that it has been going on for a long time. It is the work of historians to sort out when these stories were written and their audiences and even how they were misinterpreted later. My job is just to point out there is more than one way to look at them.

The idea of a sacrificial lamb is one that resonates throughout time and across cultures. Someone who is pure of heart and does not complain when persecuted, but stands as an example of the best of what we are and what we can obtain. They are "an offering for our sin." By bearing our iniquities, he makes many righteous, and "by his bruises we are healed." The details of how that all works out vary but when we see sacrifice being made, but we relate to stories like this and hope that there is some justice, some purpose, in the end.

Hebrews 5:1-10

We get a rare appearance from our friend Melchizedek this week. I gave you Rob Bell's perspective on him back in the 5th week of Lent. If you want more perspective on him there is a story found in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Scroll 11:Q13 if you want to look it up. It's in the form a "pesher", an attempt to connect existing scripture and come up with a theory of how they fit together and what they tell us about God and the universe. This scroll links the Isaiah passage from today with Daniel 9 and talks of a dying messiah, the overthrowing of demons, absolving of sins and a day of atonement. At least some scholars say so. I bring it up to point out that this is not some new thing that Pentecostal preachers invented. It has been around as long as the Bible has, and may help explain the origin of some later parts of the New Testament.

This passage refers to the 2nd Psalm "today I have begotten you", also used in the Gospel of John referring to Christ. The next couple chapters of Hebrews go on to give us more details about Melchizedek, apparently saying Jesus is a replacement for that earlier high priest. This one is better of course. The lack of clarity seems almost purposeful as earlier statements in this letter indicate this is a secret teaching, not for early initiates.

Mark 10:35-45

Today's reading gives us the third and last time the disciples are confronted by what is going to happen to Jesus. This time, they seem less concerned with how that will be for Jesus and more concerned with what they will get. The other disciples aren't too happy about this conversation. Jesus reminds them all about what it is to be a leader. If you leave off the last bit about being a ransom, and don't take the "slave" analogy too literally, it's the root of some good advice. There is also a bit of allegory here, as we'll see in Mark 15:27, Jesus is crucified with criminals to his right and to his left. The old order not fighting for a position of power is ending. To be part of the new order, pick your cross and sacrifice.