Give us this Day our Daily Bread 7:10-7:25 Genesis Recap 7:25-7:40 Jesus is rejected in Nazareth – Jesus’ brothers/sisters? Mark 6:1-6 7:40-8:00 Opening Prayer 7:05-7:10
Lord, you promised that when two or three of us are gathered in your name, you are there – which means there is power in numbers! Therefore, together we ask for your blessings to be poured out upon those who have asked for your help and healing. We would also ask the same for all of us here tonight gathered here to learn more about your Word. Please bless our lives, families, our health, our friends, our work, and, most of all, our relationship with you. Finally, Lord, we ask the Holy Spirit to fill the Zoom Air between us: open our ears so we can discern your words; open our minds so that we may receive wisdom and understanding; and open our spirits so that we learn to reflect your love onto all those who cross our paths. We ask these things through your Son, Jesus Christ.
Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who have trespassed against us. Lead us through all our trials and temptations And deliver us from evil. Amen
Q: What is exegesis?
Technically, critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially in the bible.
Informally, it is Bible Study, what we are doing. And if you forget, we just recall “Eggs and Jesus.”
We are currently doing exegesis on the Our Father, which is deep!
Give us this Day our Daily Bread 7:10-7:25
Speaking of which, there are three levels of meaning to today’s petition!
1. Bread for physical sustenance especially the poor. When we say “give us” and “our” bread, we are praying for the bread for the world, for everyone. This is nothing less that God’s message of love and His preference for the poor. This should not surprise anyone.
“Our” and “us” also means we are praying together with the rest of the body of Christ – Christians all around the world, plus those who have died, plus all the Saints and Angels. The Body of Christ is Team Jesus – we are all in it and we are rowing this boat together! 2. Dependence. An even more important point than the food itself for the poor is the act of praying. When we ask someone for something, it means we need them, which is a form of dependence. Dependence on God is a good thing because as you may recall, the Fall of Man was our independence from God. God wants the relationship, because spiritual powers require us not to be on our own.
Our dependence on God is real whether or not we recognize it or appreciate it. Even in our physical example of bread for the poor, there is dependence the internal design of the seed to regenerate, and then there’s the sun and rain to bring it to its potential. We depend on God for our physical existence in far more ways than we stop to acknowledge.
This dependence also goes beyond our physical needs to our spiritual needs and development. It is in our praying that our soul finds its roots and grows. Every act of prayer is an act of faith that opens the door for the HS to bring us grace.
Whereas God provides the sun and rain for the seed to find new life, God likewise provides us with the grace we need to grow spiritually.
3. Bread of Life. Above we discussed physical bread for physical sustenance, but what about bread for our spiritual sustenance?
Q: Notice how the petition seems to repeat the word day: Give us this day our daily bread. What does this mean? Do you think Jesus just threw an extra word in there to be redundant? God doesn’t waste words. The Greek words used for these are, in fact, different:
day à semeron = today; this day daily à epiousion = for the morrow; sufficient; what is necessary (to not need again)
The first word ‘day’ is what it says. However, the second word ‘daily’ is complex. Interestingly, one of the great masters of the Greek language – the theologian Origen (184-254 AD) – says that it is only used here and was coined by the Gospel writers. St. Jerome (342-420 AD) translated it into Latin as “supersubstantial” bread. The early Fathers of the Church agree that our petition begins with a focus of the “bread for today” for our physical sustenance, especially the poor, as act of love; then, then it elevates us to the “bread of tomorrow” which is the “Bread of Life” that Jesus speaks of extensively.
This only makes sense given the focus on bread in salvation history: God’s wandering people who were fed the manna in the desert, the “Bread of the Presence” kept in the Ark of the Covenant and afterwards in the Temple in Jerusalem, Jesus’ multiplication of bread that fed 5000, Jesus’ great (scandalous) discourse in John 6 about he, himself, being the “bread of life,” and finally Jesus words over the bread at the Last Supper – “this is my body which is given up for you.”
The Bread of the Presence in the OT has becomes the Bread of Real Presence (Eternal Life in Jesus Christ) in the NT, and prepares us for the journey that begins here and now, and ends at the eternal wedding banquet. Bible Study from Genesis to Revelations 7:25-7:40
Q: How many books in the bible?
46 OT, 27 NT = 73. Although there are 73 books in the Catholic Bible, we only need to cover 15-20 of these books to cover the Biblical narrative from beginning to end. Once we get through the Genesis to Revelations narrative, we can go back and choose certain other books to read. One topic I think worth covering are the Great Women of the Bible. Some pretty amazing stories!
We started the bible last year but stopped at Genesis 4. We will pick up with Genesis 5 in a couple of weeks, but for those who weren’t here for Gen 1-4, I will provide a recap this week and next. This week we will discuss our Intro to the Creation Story, which was about Religion and Science – do they conflict? The answer is: of course not. Next week we will recap Gen1-4.
Religion and Science
There is some confusion among both Christians and non-Christians regarding the scientific value of the bible, most particularly as it relates to the Creation Story in Gen1. Our first job is to point out that the bible is neither a science book nor a history book; it is a religion book, a book of faith, and a book about the truth about humans and about life.
Christianity gets a bad rap from the media and academia because most of them are non-believers, so that is the lens through which they report and teach. Also contributing to the confusion are fundamentalist Christians who tend to read everything in Genesis literally, which makes them easy targets for nonbelievers to caricaturize (i.e., were dinosaurs on Noah’s Ark?). These are the kind of images the secular culture holds of all Christians, even though fundamentalism only makes up 10-13% of Christians in the world.
As for Catholicism, as far back as the 4th century AD, parts of Genesis were already being called figurative or allegorical by Augustine (354-430 AD). By the way, figurative aspects of Scripture do not lessen truth of Scripture one iota. If anything, they edify!
1. Catholicism was the primary supporter of science and universities throughout the Middle Ages. Many scientists are Catholic and the Vatican even has a science department and their own “Vatican Observatory.” Some famous Catholic scientists are Copernicus, Kepler, Galileo, Pascal, and Isaac Newton. The modern-day characterization of the disagreements between Galileo and the Church are mostly inaccurate and overblown by those who dislike the Church, or religion in general. For those interested in this story, see link: https://www.catholic.com/tract/the-galileo-controversy
Q: Who is Fr. Georges Lemaitre?
The Catholic priest who developed the Big Bang theory.
Fr. Georges Lemaitre with Albert Einstein
2. Modern science, by its own definition, investigates, analyzes, measures, and theorizes about the physical universe only. The existence or nonexistence of the spiritual (God, free-will, love, faith, truth…) cannot be proven or disproven by science simply because science limits itself to the observation and measurement of the material/physical world.
3. Although science is a wonderful tool of man, it is not an end in itself. It is a means to an end – a means to learning about the material universe. When science becomes an end in itself is when we come to scientism. Scientism is the secular belief that only science has all the answers.
Q: What about spiritual matters, such as our lives having meaning, or goodness, or justice, or free will, or God, or just the dignity of humans? What does scientism have to say about these?
It says there is no spiritual anything because the spiritual isn’t physically measurable. Therefore, God and free will are imaginary (i.e., free-will is an illusion and is just a function of our brain’s biochemistry). This is scientism and atheism. However, the premise that “only the material exists” also cannot be proven. Since it can’t be proven, scientism requires ‘belief,’ and if it requires belief, then it’s a religion, but don’t tell them that because it will cause them to get angry and throw temper tantrums.
One simple argument: if free-will doesn’t exist, then how am I responsible for anything I do, since every decision I make is simply a function of my biochemistry? It can only be “my fault” if I had a choice, which requires free-will. If I told had told my father that when I was a kid (“Dad, it’s not my fault, it’s just the way my mind’s biochemistry works”), he would have said, “Nice try, kid,” and then smack me.
4. If scientism is a religion, does that make atheist scientists the high priests? They would like to be held on a pedestal if they could, but that would be akin to worshipping Madonna. From both a character and integrity standpoint, they are no different than teachers, bankers, plumbers, or store clerks. They make just as many mistakes and have just as many failures and successes in judgment and in life.
All that said, remember that science used properly and objectively is an outstanding tool of mankind’s and deserves everyone’s respect and support. But again, its own self-definition precludes it from having any professional opinion whatsoever about anything religious or spiritual. You can get an equally qualified opinion from a McDonald’s cashier.
5. Figurative Language means parables, allegories, analogies, symbolic meanings, etc. The Bible employs a lot of figurative language because that is often the best way for God to communicate complicated/spiritual ideas to humans. Figurative language is especially prevalent prior to Abraham (2000 BC). After 2000 BC, it just so happens that most of events we will read match up quite well with modern history books. Note: it didn’t always. Just 200 hundred years ago, coming out of the ‘Enlightenment,’ much of the bible was considered to be myth by secular historians. However, archeology continued uncovering artifacts showing that many Biblical places/events were true, such as when they discovered King David’s palace buried below Old Jerusalem in 1980, and the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in 1947: over 900 Old Testament scrolls, many written in Hebrew, carbon-dated to 3rd century BC, including copies of much of the Septuagint (the bible used at that time and the source for the Catholic Bible). Before this discovery, the oldest Hebrew version of the OT that the Jews had in their possession was from 900 AD!
Q: If the Bible is not a science or history book, then what possible value could the Creation Story/Adam & Eve be?
First, we always consider the context first – the time it was written and the audience it was written for. In those days, there were pagan gods everywhere – every tribe and region had their own gods – many of them – and these gods treated humans capriciously, often exploiting sex and demanding human sacrifice. Humans were chattel to be used.
However, the Bible tells man quite a different story. It is more poetry than textbook and its goal was to communicate to earlier man that there was only One God, and that this God wasn’t arbitrary and capricious but actually a God of reason and love – how bizarre that must have seemed. And, that this God wasn’t part of nature, or over one part of nature (i.e., the sun god, sea god, forest god, goddess of fertility…), but rather was the Creator of nature, who stood outside our space and time. The Creation Story further conveyed that there was an order to creation, not chaos; and that it emerged from Reason, not madness. Moreover, this God does require humans to serve Him like the pagan gods but, rather, invites humans be in communion with Him; and one day a week spend the whole day with Him (7th Day/Sabbath). These are the point of the Creation Story.
The story of Adam & Eve explains that once humans were given spiritual awareness and free-will, they chose self over God (independence over dependence). It explains how we are tempted to be gods and seek control over others, our environment, and even the past and future. But that God never intended us to have these spiritual powers alone, but in partnership with Him.
Gospel Reading for Sunday: Jesus is rejected in Nazareth – Mark 6:1-6 7:40-8:00
Context:
The message of Jesus’ rejection in his home town of Nazareth is the same stumbling block that others will have later: 1) Jesus’ messiahship given his lowly status in life and the expectations that the Messiah would save Jerusalem, and 2) his apparent divinity by forgiving sins and incredible miracles – these did not jibe with his known humanity!
These same stumbling blocks will occur in Jerusalem and bring about his death on the cross, yet another scandal. It appears Jesus was just a very scandalous person just by who he was and how he conducted himself.
He could care less if this agenda offended them. That God humbles himself to become a poor human Jew who then humbles himself to ignore the rich and powerful and spend all his time with the lowly people, teach that humility and love are the keys to the kingdom, and then willingly submit to a lowly death so that we could receive forgiveness for the asking, was opposite of the ways of this world! God wouldn’t do this, would he?
There was another prophet who was treated this way and Jesus calls the people’s attention to him – Ezekiel. Ezekiel prophesied around 600 BC; but if you remember, Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians in 597 BC. God told Ezekiel his mission would be tough and people would not listen to him, but he had to preach the message anyway!
Jesus speaks at the synagogue in Nazareth
Jesus is rejected in Nazareth – Mark 6:1-6
Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.
When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”
And they took offense at him.
Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.”
So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Q: People took offense at Jesus, why?
They had never heard him speak like this. And although they no doubt heard that he did miraculous things while working in Galilee, he did not do that when he was living in Nazareth.
The issue is not that the hometown folks reject what Jesus said – they reject him because they don’t know who he really is. As it turns out, Nazareth is a kind of preparation for what is coming in Jerusalem.
Q: Who were all these brothers and sisters of Jesus?
The Greek word for brother is adelphos (sister adelphai), which can also refer to kinsman (cousin). The way you tell which is by its context. The helpful context here is that James and Joses – called brothers here – are known sons of another Mary who was also at the cross (Mark 15:40,47). They were kinsmen.
Q: What does Jesus mean by saying a prophet is without honor in his native place?
First, he is stating what had become kind of a proverb: ‘a prophet is not recognized in his own country.’ More specifically, though, he is channeling Ezekiel 2:
“I am sending you to the Israelites, a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me to this very day. Their children are bold of face and stubborn of heart—to them I am sending you. You shall say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD. And whether they hear or resist—they are a rebellious house—they shall know that a prophet has been among them. But as for you, do not fear them or their words. Do not fear, even though there are briers or thorns and you sit among scorpions. Do not be afraid of their words or be terrified by their looks for they are a rebellious house.”
Q: Why was Jesus unable to perform any big miracles there?
Well, it can’t be because he didn’t have the ability, because in the previous chapters he fed 5000 with 7 loaves of bread, healed dozens of lame/sick people, and calmed the Sea of Galilee during a storm.
Remember what Jesus requires for a miracle? Humility and faith. What was missing in Nazareth?
Q: What was Jesus’ trade before starting his mission in Cana?
The word in Greek is tekton, which is a carpenter but also a stone mason. Builder would be closer to the mark.
Side note: years ago when I asked 8 year old son what Jesus did for a living, he said “He sold carpets.” He thought that’s what carpenters did.
Closing Prayer
Beloved Heavenly Father,
In the unfolding events of salvation history, you have revealed yourself to mankind.
You have expressed through real time and historical events your plan of salvation
and your desire that every human being should come to know you,
to experience your love, and to accept your gift of the Kingdom.
Bless us Father as we take what we have learned about your Kingdom
a plan in which each of us has a journey to take and a role to play
and in which the success or failure of our lives will be measured
by how we implement Your love into our daily lives.
In the name the Most Holy Trinity:
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Prayer of Ignatius
Lord Jesus Christ,
Take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will.
All that I have and cherish you have given me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will;
your love and your grace are wealth enough for me.
Give me these, Lord, and I ask for nothing more.
Amen.
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