Jesus

The Politics of the Cross: Part Five

23 Mar 2016

 John: A Kingdom Not of This World

John’s passion story is dominated by the excitement engendered by Lazarus’ coming back to life. All Jerusalem was agog, though it made the authorities jittery (12.9-11). Indeed they thought of getting rid of both Lazarus and Jesus. But...

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The Politics of the Cross: Part Three

23 Mar 2016

Matthew: Resistance and Challenge

Matthew, on the other hand, though dependent on Mark in many ways, gives a very different picture. Jesus comes to a strange and hostile city. ‘Who is this?’ the citizens ask (21.11). The crowd who have travelled up with Jesus form the...

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The Politics of the Cross: Part Four

23 Mar 2016
Luke: Peace and Justice
 

In Luke, Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, weeps over the city: ‘Would that even today you knew the things that made for peace’ (19.42). The procession is one of triumph and praise for the mighty works they had seen: ‘Blessed be the...

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The Politics of the Cross: Part Two

23 Mar 2016

Mark: Service and Solidarity

In Mark, the procession into Jerusalem shows a king coming into his city. The crowd forms itself into a procession, singing Psalms of welcome to the Davidic king (Mk. 11.1-10; Ps. 118.26). Jesus enters the city and is depicted moving about...

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The Politics of the Cross: Part One

23 Mar 2016

Politics and Religion

Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and the cleansing of the Temple were clearly enacted parables that carry overtly political overtones. Jesus, at the highpoint of the Jewish religious year- Passover- where the Roman imperial rule rubbed the hardest, was...

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Putting Faith into Action

17 Aug 2015

Some people may well think that being a Christian just means professing a faith in Jesus, but Jesus clearly said 'Follow me'. Sometimes, that means literally dropping everything like those first disciples, and doing what we feel called by God to do. It can feel risky, but often exciting, and God...

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Misreading the parable of the talents

28 Aug 2014

There are few passages in the Bible that I feel more strongly about than the parable of the talents. This is partly because it is so often interpreted in a way that means it can be used to justify ideas that are contrary to Jesus’ teachings and to much of the Bible. I am convinced we have been...

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