Colossians 1:10

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."


This is a difficult verse. There are a lot of phrases to figure out. "Walk worthy of the Lord." What does that mean? Presumably that we should live our lives in such a way as to make God happy through our behavior. Is that even possible? I mean, we're supposed to be covered in the blood of the Lamb - this is the only way we appear acceptable.

"Unto all pleasing." Is this to mean we should please God in all or that we should please everyone else? Either task is difficult (nigh impossible) - can't please everyone all the time. Can't even please our own selves all of the time. I assume, however, it is pleasing God in all given the segment preceeding. Still not easy, but maybe more doable.

Then the last part, the part about "every good work" and "increasing in the knowledge of God." As an Evangelical, it has been my experience that these two segments of the Christian life - works and intellect - are the most likely to be ignored. Most likely to be allowed to shrivel. Above these are often placed the life of the spirit and the life of faith. Pity then that Paul should have been so misguided...

Yet there is nothing in the gospels or the epistles to denigrate good works. How many good works do Jesus perform? He was forever healing and helping. The care of widows and orphans was the job of the first seven church deacons (including my msrtyred namesake). Coming to the aid of the poor and infirmed is positively enjoined upon Christians. And NOT in the cynical (though still useful) sense of "let's help the poor so that they can join the congregation."

And the intellect is an instrument developed within us by God Himself tht we may better know Him. Does it really need a defense? Do Christians really need to be told that they should cultivate their mental faculties? After all, both Jesus and Paul always sought out the synagogues whenever they entered a town. They debated, they taught. How much more active could they have been to guarantee that followers will be thinkers? How much more incentive would a Christian need to cultivate this aspect of their personality? The Christian, that is, who seeks to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing."

John 21:17a

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me?


Now, we know Peter. Rash enough to step out of a boat to walk on water, brash enough to raise a sword against a soldier...and lop off an ear. We know also that Peter had denied Christ three times. Not a nice thing to have on your resume if your a disciple. Not that many others among the disciples would have done things differently. There was a lot of fleeing going on when Jesus was arrested. A lot of hiding. Am I wrong to think that one of the disciples left his clothes behind and escaped naked rather than be caught up in the trouble that Jesus was in? Think I read that somewhere.

In any event, the interesting thing for me in this section is the excruciating (pun intended) pain Jesus was putting Peter through. Let me set up what I think this pain consisted of:

Peter the impetuous was told by Christ that he would betray his lord three times. "No way" Peter says. "That would never, ever happen." Then it happens. Now, the first shame has got to be that he allowed himself to be a coward when his valor was most needed (not for Jesus' sake - valor on Peter's part wouldn't have freed Jesus. For Peter's own sake.). The second shame is that he'd been warned about this and it came true - even knowing the future didn't help him.

But I imagine that Peter, when he finally met up with the other disciples, did not make his denials a highlight of conversation. He kept that quiet. Probably nobody thought to ask "Hey, did that prophecy about your denials come true?" Since they hadn't hung around, they wouldn't have heard the denials firsthand. A set of anxious hours later and the the master is back. Glory! Hallelujah! but then...

If Peter didn't tell the others about the prophecy coming true, he wouldn't have made that a topic of conversation with Jesus in front of the others. In fact, "good chance that Jesus didn't even know about the denials" was probably at the forefront of Peter's mind. "Good thing Jesus was otherwise occupied while I was denying away."

Then Jesus asks the questions just enough times - three - and in front of others, to erase the three denials if Peter will make the three affirmations. Let's Peter know he knew all about the denials. Sounds like slow and deliberate torture to me. Yet...It also lets Peter know that the slate can be wiped clean. How glorious is that?

Building the Bible Library...

Just got back from a local booksale at a historical society. Every April they open the doors to a big hall filled with tables covered with books. I have, of course, plenty of books at home, but my inability to pass up a booksale is how my basement got so cluttered.

In any event, i thought I was going to make my way through this sale without a single purchase until I got to their relatively small section of religious books.

Harper's Bible Commentary
The Interpreter's Bible (Vol. I - Introductory essays and Genesis & Exodus)
A spanking brand new copy of The Life Application Study Bible (NIV edition)
The New Bible Commentary

Each for a $1 a piece. The bible I already have a copy of (although of the NRSV which I don't particularly like), but I figured it might be nice to hand over to someone who doesn't have one. If you know of someone, let me know.

The commentaries, I didn't have. The Interpreter's should come in handy as I am learning about Genesis (more on that later...I promise). Now, why there was only the one volume is a mystery to me.

Library booksale tomorrow, but it's a weekly one so the pickings are slim on any particular Saturday.