Creative Space for Wanderers
A year ago I set out to blog through the Bible again, this time with an emphasis on deeper understanding and a desire to leave a legacy for my girls. It started when I was looking at some material I had sitting around: the Old Testament Challenge. That seemed like enough structure to get started, …
Read: In a rather factual-reporting style, John Mark covers the brief appearance of Jesus before the Roman magistrate. Not much drama in these words, but the impact is, of course, huge! The chief priests (plural) have one last task to do: convince the Roman authority to kill the man who stands to destroy their plans. …
Continue reading “Mark: Jesus Before Pilate; Mocked by Soldiers”
Read: The NIV heading for this section is exceptional: Peter Disowns Jesus. Ouch! Such a poignant word. In the wild sequence of events that happens in this narrative, Peter is lost and shows us he is completely human, too human perhaps, at this moment. Denial One – Servant Girl When she saw Peter warming himself, …
Read: Betrayal complete, now the leaders have their work cut out for them as they prepare their case against Jesus. Meanwhile, Peter is doing his very best not to be the one Jesus called out a few hours earlier: Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he …
Read: Christmas 2017 was celebrated yesterday. Lots of gifts were exchanged as a reminder of the incredible gift that Jesus is to our world. Today is Boxing Day, a day to reflect on the crescendo of the Christmas season (and pack-up stuff). We don’t really celebrate Boxing Day here, but I like the idea. Instead, …
Read: It’s almost Christmas and here I am writing about the trials and tribulations surrounding Jesus’ last days walking around in skin. Sure, I know how the story ends, goodness, but it’s still a challenge thinking about the disciples and those that surely knew Jesus of Nazareth well. At this point in His earthly ministry, …
Read: Peter’s denial is one of the most striking episodes in the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ life on earth. The bold, brash, step-out-of-the-boat-guy, loud-mouth Peter speaks before letting the thought sink in when Jesus tells them all: “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written: “‘I will strike the shepherd, and …
Read: We come to the point where Jesus institutes a new tradition: The Lord’s Supper. This is a significant event among many during this period we refer to as Passion Week. It’s interesting that we only have a few verses to record this huge shift during the Passover feast. For hundreds of years, the Passover …
Read: One of the scenes portrayed frequently: Jesus and His disciples in the upper room to celebrate the Passover. This time, it’s quite different: the bread and wine were used to represent His body and blood. Our familiar “Lord’s Supper” begins not by eating the Seder meal, a tradition created after the time of Jesus …
Read: The emotional scene of the preceding verses leaves us with a sense of wonder about this woman who anointed Jesus and His proclamation that she is the one we will remember wherever the gospel is preached. Though unnamed, she symbolizes what it means to honor the Savior. John Mark is careful to point out …