I John 3:16-24

1)I would urge that one at least drops back to v. 14 whoever does not abide in love, abides in death.

2) To get the self-sacrificial contrast for Christ at v. 16, one is well-served to see Cain as the archetypal murderer, after a sacrifice, no less. Some thought Cain's father was the devil. His murder of Abel shows us that we are often more children of Cain than children of God.

3)The elder moves quickly from abstractions about life and death and directly to the physical necessities of life itself. The NIV is closer when it says shows no pity, it is a matter of seeing it as gut-wrenching, or less forcefully, opening ones heart and mind  in compassion to those in need. In other words, no compassion=no love=abiding in death, or at least death's path.

4) Most people love to hear stories about love in action that goes beyond words.

5) This notion of the heart condemning us is a powerful aid toward truth, because God knows us better than we know ourselves. It is the loving God who is the final arbiter. One can play around with courtroom scenes to push the image a bit.

6) To do the truth is a nice way of getting at authenticity.

7) Prayer here is generated by love, not the path of death, the path of mere self-interest. If I understand correctly, the energy comes from the community itself.

8)Belief may well have the sense here of being faithful to Jesus, more than doctrine.Put differently, Christian ethics move from Christ outward, not by applying ethical norms to Christ.

9)Note well that faithfulness is then linked to loving one another as a command, an imperative, not an option.

10) Abiding, mutual life, remaining all work well here. In a time when we are speaking more of divinization and theosis, here is a good Reformed starting point, of participating. Abiding sounds like Calvin's union with Christ. Of course, that includes the presence of the Spriit of life as well. 

 

Ps. 23

1) i realize that this is so well known that we are resistant to looking at it.

2) It is a funeral standard around here, how can we also appropriate for the gift of life?

3) Shepherds were often made in a political leadership analogy. shepherds by the time of jesus.s had a reputation somewhere around used-car salesman and telephone solicitors.

4) In our economic troubles, v. 1 could be  read as: I will lack nothing.

5) Spiritually, where are your green pastures and still waters. One could do a nice turn on the different paths in our lives.What keeps your soul alive, what restores your soul/life/nephesh?

6) What are the darkest valleys of spiritual and emotional life? You could go with jung and examine the shadow side of life

7) In Hebrew evil and shepherd are a little close in sound. what do you make of that?

8)Instead of deterrence or striking, the rod comforts. How? The rod could be a royal scepter.

9) I don't get the shift here, but shepherd blurs into the role of host, like Abraham.some link it to communion.

10) Mercy is hesed, steadfast love, loyalty.

11) follow si weak, it is more like pursuit, prosecute.

12)It is good to be reminded that we do have enemies.

13 where is the house of the Lord for you, especially internally? what does the room inside you called house fo the Lord look like?

 

Limburg makes the excellent point tht for you are with me is at the center of the psalm. God was with joseph.Gideon, and Jeremiah.Abrah, Moses, and Israel in Is. 41. Emmanuel means God with us.

Mays cites God leading Israel in right paths in Ex. 15.

Israel lacked nothing in the wilderness (Dt. 2:7)