Friday, January 16, 2015

Lent One

We return today to Jesus' Baptism as recorded in Mark followed by the Temptation, and the beginning of his ministry:

Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,
Mar 1:15  and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

All this is covered in 7 short verses. Repetitiveness seems to be a hallmark of the B series of lessons. This Gospel is paired with the myth of the Rainbow presented after Noah and his family exit from the Ark:

Gen 9:9  "Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,
Gen 9:16  When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
Gen 9:17  God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth."

And Psalm 51:

Psa 51:1  To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.

Psa 51:5  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Psa 51:6  Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Psa 51:10  Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psa 51:11  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Psa 51:12  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

It seems to me that the pericope cut off the Psalm prematurely.

I may not agree with Pauline theology as expressed in First Peter but he continues today's theme which appears to be being made right with God.

Having been claimed by God at his baptism Jesus undergoes trial by Temptation in the wilderness before he begins his ministry.

The story of Noah and the Ark demonstrates vividly the retributive justice of the Old Covenant and the Rainbow is made a symbol of God's forgiving love.

King David orchestrated the death of another man so that he might be free to have relations with his wife. Psalm 51 is his act of penitence. In spite of that act of contrition the firstborn of their union dies.

Mar_1:15 in one verse summarizes the entire Good News. The Kingdom of God is present among you, repent and believe.

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