Thursday Theological Threads

  As we read the Bible, we'll encounter stories and even phrases that refer back to earlier stories. The fancy literary term for this is intertextuality. We have some examples of that in this story of Jesus appearing to two disciples on the Emmaus Road in Luke 24:13-35.  The Meal The first one we'll talk about is the meal. Jesus sits down to share a meal with this couple. Do you remember the first meal in the Bible? It was in Genesis 3 when Eve took some fruit and gave it to Adam. Then there's an important line, ". . . the eyes of both of them were opened . . ."  Did you notice what happens after Jesus breaks bread in this story? ". . . their eyes were opened . . ." Now, it's not enough to see these two stories as connected. We have to think about what it means? After that first meal, we realize death enters the world. At this meal, we realize death has been defeated. Jesus has overcome death and new life is available.  Hospitality and a Divine Messe...

  I started this blog as a place to share things that didn’t fit in my Sunday sermons—because it didn’t feel right in the flow of the sermon, or the word count would have been too high, or I thought it was too technical or nerdy to include. If you’re wondering, I start with handwritten notes, then move to typing a manuscript. Maundy Thursday, Luke 22:1-27.   Luke attributes Judas’ action to Satan. This passion narrative (the story of Jesus dying on the cross and the events that led up to it) includes political and spiritual conflicts. There’s a bigger fight taking place out of sight. Something cosmic—that’s what I think is meant by spiritual warfare. The Last Supper is Jesus’ twist on the Passover meal. Jesus dying at Passover feels tragic. And I’m sure it complicated things for the disciples living through it. Because Passover remembers God’s deliverance. As Jesus dies on the cross, it looks like God’s ability to save has failed. But we, who know how the story ends, know this...