Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Matthew 17:22-27

We could go in a few directions with a reflection on today’s Bible passage: something about Jesus’ prediction of his death, or something about Jesus’ relation to the Temple. As I read the passage, though, I was struck by an annotation to verse 22. “As they were gathering in Galilee” might also be translated “As they were living in Galilee” (New Revised Standard Version translation). 

For some reason this stuck out to me today. It has me wondering what it might have been like to have been a follower of Jesus. 

• How did people receive his message and actions (within his inner circle, or in the larger crowds)? 
• How did Jesus talk? Like an old preacher quoting the King James Bible? Or in a soft voice? Or crudely? In social situations was he an introvert or extrovert?
• How did the atmosphere in the room (or countryside) change after he’d speak about his impending betrayal and death? 
• Did the big events and miraculous happenings recounted in the Gospels happen all the time, or did they come about every few months, punctuating a more mundane existence? 
• What was the primary way in which people saw Jesus? As a teacher? A social activist? A wonder-worker?

Someone recently mentioned a view, I’m not sure how well-researched, but a view nonetheless, that all of Jesus’ apostles (other than Peter, whom we know was married), were adolescents. What an interesting thought! Kind of reminds me of Jesus Christ Superstar, with all the hippy kids who can’t sing (but do they ever!). 

Some questions we have about the world of the Bible can be answered by digging into the text or by studying the culture of the day. Other questions remain partially answered or quite mysterious. Sometimes it’s beneficial to just sit with the reading and imagine what it was like to be there in it, or even in there between the lines.

- Matthew Kieswetter