Luke 1:1-4, 3:1-14
You may be aware of the variety of thoughts that go through my mind at times. It's akin to when I find my husband talking to himself, he says there "a lot of people in there". Of course he's joking. I think. My thoughts today are legion as I read about Luke's intent to set down 'on paper' an account of Jesus' life. It begs me to ask some interesting questions that I would like to pose to you. So I am going to simply write down these questions for you to research and think about and perhaps learn from. Perhaps you may come away with a healthier and more robust faith.
Q. Are there only the 4 Gospels? Are there any others? ( like the Gospel of Thomas or Mary? )
Q. Of the 4 Gospels we are most familiar with, who wrote them ? ( hint: it was not Matthew, Mark,
or Luke. Maybe John )
Q. What accounts for the similar stories in some of the Gospels ?
Q. When were the Gospels written ?
Q. Are there any other, non religious accounts of the life of Jesus ?
Q. What were the original texts of the New Testament and stories of Jesus' life written in ?
( hint: it was not Greek, Latin or English )
Q. How come some Bibles have more "books" than others ?
Q. There are so many translations of the Bible with different words for the same passages, which
one is correct?
Q. Did Jesus say anything about homosexuality ?
( hint: the word wasn't invented until the 1800's )
Q. Are there any references to gay people or couples in scripture ?
( hint: Ruth and Naomi; David and Jonathan; the Centurion and his "dear slave" )
Q. Is there a fundamental message that is consistent throughout scripture?
The answer is, love. Scripture is a rather realistic and sometimes unflattering collection of books about humans and their relationship with God who loves them dearly. No matter what we yearn for our destiny, our creator.
Certainly an unusual blog entry but questions that I ave come to answer and have helped me grow in understanding and faith.
Q. Are there only the 4 Gospels? Are there any others? ( like the Gospel of Thomas or Mary? )
Q. Of the 4 Gospels we are most familiar with, who wrote them ? ( hint: it was not Matthew, Mark,
or Luke. Maybe John )
Q. What accounts for the similar stories in some of the Gospels ?
Q. When were the Gospels written ?
Q. Are there any other, non religious accounts of the life of Jesus ?
Q. What were the original texts of the New Testament and stories of Jesus' life written in ?
( hint: it was not Greek, Latin or English )
Q. How come some Bibles have more "books" than others ?
Q. There are so many translations of the Bible with different words for the same passages, which
one is correct?
Q. Did Jesus say anything about homosexuality ?
( hint: the word wasn't invented until the 1800's )
Q. Are there any references to gay people or couples in scripture ?
( hint: Ruth and Naomi; David and Jonathan; the Centurion and his "dear slave" )
Q. Is there a fundamental message that is consistent throughout scripture?
The answer is, love. Scripture is a rather realistic and sometimes unflattering collection of books about humans and their relationship with God who loves them dearly. No matter what we yearn for our destiny, our creator.
Certainly an unusual blog entry but questions that I ave come to answer and have helped me grow in understanding and faith.
Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” ’
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’
And the crowds asked him, ‘What then should we do?’ In reply he said to them, ‘Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.’ Even tax-collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, ‘Teacher, what should we do?’He said to them, ‘Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.’Soldiers also asked him, ‘And we, what should we do?’ He said to them, ‘Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.’
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