“While the crowd was gathered together by the thousands, so as to trample upon each other, he began to speak to his disciples first: take heed to yourselves from the leaven, i.e., hypocrisy, of the Pharisees. And nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be made known. So whateverContinue reading “When the crowds of followers gather, watch for hypocrisy—in our leaders, in ourselves”
Tag Archives: Luke
Seeing the glory (Luke 9:28–36)
We have to make the same decision, on the basis of the same physical evidence, that the ancients had to make. And closely related is our decision about how to read the Bible.
Why doesn’t reasoning (with people) work?
What is wrong with their (and our) heads? Why do truth and reason not persuade us?
Gestalt shift: Jesus and the woman in Simon’s house
Isn’t it funny how you can look at something, and look at it, and look at it, and see the same thing, and then again look at it and see something completely different? I guess we’ve all stared at drawings like Wittgenstein’s duck/rabbit, or the old woman/young maiden drawing, or the one that at oneContinue reading “Gestalt shift: Jesus and the woman in Simon’s house”
Jesus will always level with us (Luke 6)
In Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks to his followers, but in Luke’s Sermon on the Plain Jesus speaks to everyone—plainly.
When Jesus went on his way, where did he go? (Luke 4:31–37)
Jesus will never be our homey who assures us that we are OK until we first hear him as the stranger who tells us that we are not OK, until we accept his exotic words as authoritative, as so authoritative and powerful that they cast out the demons that indwell us (verses 33–37), until we have been unmade and remade by his word.
Jesus meets the Nazareth-firsters (Luke 4:14–30)
What happens when Jesus fails to affirm our “us first!” expectations? Things get ugly fast.
Verba Sparsa 