We are smack dab in the middle of the Farewell Discourse this week. In the Gospel of John, 4 chapters, 4 whole chapters are dedicated to Maundy Thursday. Jesus’ final night and his final meal with the disciples. It begins in chapter 13 with him washing their feet and Judas leaving. Then from chapters 14 through 17 Jesus is sharing his final words with them before he will be arrested. Many call this the “Final Discourse,” the last words to his disciples, to his friends, before he is killed. So, in chapter 15, our text for today, we are in the middle, the heart of his last words to his friends. And really, the words immediately after this are the essential portion: 9“As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.” If you talk with many pastors, they feel that John is just kind of ramble-y. There are SO MANY WORDS! And yet, they all build on each other. While John is wordy, he isn’t often talking just to talk. There is always a theological point or nuance that he is making. And so, we can’t really understand the vine and the branches without looking at these verses that come immediately after. And we can’t understand that vine and the branches without looking at the entirety of this night and the days to come.
John 15:9-17 (6th Sunday of Easter) – May 5th, 2024
There is a fascinating logic in this short passage this week that I think carries some interesting things to think about. Of course, this is following right on the heels of last week’s text (the vine and the branches) and so if you went a different direction last week, you could reference my commentary from last week for some other perspectives. But what a lot of introductions and prayers talk about this week is friendship and love. But today, Jesus indicates that friendship wasn’t possible until this moment. So, what does it mean that Jesus is introducing the idea of friendship now? And how does that inform us as a church?
John 10:11-18 (4th Sunday of Easter/Good Shepherd) – April 21, 2024
Truthfully, I struggle with the Season of Easter each year at this point. Often the last 4 Sundays are from the Gospel of John and they jump around from chapter to chapter without a lot of narrative connection. In my interpretation, those compiled the Revised Common Lectionary were trying to do one major thing by choosing these later Easter Season texts. They were trying to establish a hindsight perspective. So, every year we jump back to different portions of the Farewell Discourse (John’s foot washing/Last Supper scene) when we hear about the commandment to love one another (John 15:9-17 - which we’ll get in 2 weeks) or “I am the vine, and you are the branches” (John 15:1-8 - which we get next week). These texts, as you look back make you see the crucifixion and resurrection in a new light. Even Good Shepherd Sunday (this week) which makes us look at this even earlier text from chapter 10 through the lens of a Shepherd laying down his life for the sheep. But, reading these texts narrative order (from chapter 1 to the crucifixion), they have a more sinister tone. When we read the commandment to love on Maundy Thursday, it is with the knowledge that Jesus is about to be betrayed and killed. When we hear that Jesus is the Good Shepherd, we know that it is with religious leaders plotting to have him killed. Our anxiety is peaked. We know that Good Friday looms over it all. But when we read them in hindsight, it is through the glory of the resurrection. Easter has happened. The tomb is empty. Jesus is Risen! We are experiencing what the disciples on the sea experienced from last week’s (Luke 24:36b-48) when Jesus opened their mind to the scriptures. When we hear these words now, they are promise and filled with glory, not anxious anticipation. So, how does this inform how we preach this text that takes us back in time?
Luke 24:36b-48 (3rd Sunday of Easter) – April 14, 2024
There are a lot of oddities to this text but I’m not sure that’s where the focus should be. Yes, it’s weird how many points are addressing Jesus being a ghost. Yes, it’s weird that Jesus is given broiled fish. From a narrative perspective these just make sense. There are only a few explanations for how a man who was killed could be alive again. Either 1) they’ve begun to lose their minds, 2) Jesus is a ghost, or 3) his words could actually be true, and he could be risen from the dead. He has flesh and he has bones, and they can touch him. He is eating in their presence. His words must be true.
Mark 16:1-8 (Easter Sunday) – March 31, 2024
There are many commentaries that look and reflect on the short ending of Mark. I will say that much of the scholarship right now believes this to be the original ending. It’s not a mistake. It’s not negligent. It has a narrative purpose. This ending in particular is supposed to inspire the listener/reader/audience. So how do we lean into the discomfort of this short ending in Mark? Lean into the Discomfort “And they were afraid.” In other Gospels we get additional stories after this. In John we hear about Thomas and his doubts. In Luke we hear about the Road to Emmaus and Jesus walking along side two disciples that don’t recognize him until he breaks bread. In Matthew we hear the Great Commission, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” These Gospels have endings that feel like real endings. Endings that we’re used to and that we’re comfortable with. Like Luke and his Father defeating the emperor in Star Wars and the Rebels are able to destroy the Death Star and we see them gathered together to celebrate. Like Harry vanquishing Voldemort in one final duel and know that our three heroes, Harry, Hermione, and Ron, can finally just live. Like Matilda finally having a place to call home and a mother to love her. Like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in every Nora Ephron movie finally falling in love at the end. But Mark’s ending is different. “And they were afraid.” It’s a cliffhanger. Even in Greek, this is an odd final phrase. Technically, this is a complete sentence. So, it’s not exactly like the Sopranos when the series ended in the middle of a sentence. But it is still abrupt and concluding a sentence with γάρ (gar) – which could be translated as “for” or “because” – is certainly uncommon (although not unheard of). And yet, narratively, it’s the perfect ending. The Final Fleeing/Betrayal Throughout Mark’s Passion, Jesus has been left by those who should be the most trusting and faithful. I argue that it starts with Palm Sunday and the crowd (that has been following him throughout the region) leaving him before he arrives at the temple (11:11). Then the disciples flee after his arrest, including the certain disciple who flees naked (14:50-52). Then Peter denies him three times (14:66-72). And now, the final group of women that have been with him through it all and even stayed during the crucifixion and watch, fled because they were afraid (16:8). We want to ease this tension. And so, we want to say, they fled in great awe or they fled with purpose. But that’s not exactly what’s being set up here by Mark. Mark is trying to inspire the audience (us) with a sense of urgency. The Messianic Secret Reversal Throughout all of Mark, whenever there is a healing or exorcism, Jesus commands the person to not say anything about it. But what does the person do? Immediately go and tell everyone about it! This is the great Messianic Secret. And all of the theological points around it are good. For example, Jesus hadn’t been crucified, so they couldn’t know what being the Messiah really meant. Or Jesus needed more time and couldn’t risk being arrested (like John the Baptist) too early. Or Jesus wanted them to focus on the restoration of community rather than the individual healings themselves. But no matter what Jesus said or how they said it, the proclamation of the Good News of Jesus Christ and his works of healing and love could not be contained. Time and time and time again this happens in the Gospel of Mark. And now here, after the crucifixion, after the resurrection, and with a Divine proclamation to “Go and tell!” the women are silent, and they flee. Willi Marxsen describes this as the Messianic Secret Reversal, and it is for the purpose of evangelism.[1] Markan Context The greatest threat to the Gospel, the Good News, in the Markan context, was fear. Scholars debate whether Mark was written in the late 60s or early 70s, but it feels more likely to me that it is immediately after the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. There is fear. Everywhere. Christians and Jews are terrified of the Roman Empire and their violence. There is tension and discord between the early Church and Jewish communities. Nero had just persecuted Christians on and off for the last 5-10 years. What is the greatest threat to the proclamation of the Gospel? Fear.
Mark 11:1-11 (Palm Sunday) – March 24, 2024
It’s Palm Sunday! So of course, there are familiarities within some of the Gospel accounts. In all three of the Synoptics, we hear about the two disciples going on ahead and get the colt or donkey (or colt and donkey – Matthew) that have never been ridden. And we hear that the disciples are given instructions on what to say when confronted about why they are taking it. Then we hear that cloaks and coats are thrown onto the colt and then some cloaks and leafy branches are thrown onto the road while some group of people begin to chant a variation of “Hosanna! Blessed is the one that comes in the name of the Lord!” But there are a few differences that are very interesting. And maybe there’s something there for our preaching this week.
John 12:20-33 (5th Sunday in Lent) – March 17, 2024
I love this reading. It comes completely out of nowhere (and this jump from chapter 3 to chapter 12 is absurd), but this is such an incredible scene in John. And if you are preaching John this Sunday, you’ll need to explain where we are in the story. Because otherwise none of this feels urgent but in actuality everything is right on the edge.
John 3:14-21 (4th Sunday in Lent) – March 10, 2024
If you’ve been following this commentary for a while, you know that I’m all about narrative. The context of the story matters. I feel that these authors/storytellers were incredibly sophisticated in their compositions of these gospels and so it’s important to know how they are placing these passages within the context of the overall narrative. And I still believe that. But I’m not sure it’s as important this week. Of course, this is the great story introduction to Nicodemus (who will come around two more times in the gospel). But if ever there was a pericope that fell outside of the context, it’s this one. Apart from vs 14 and 15, the rest of the passage seems to be a narrative aside. Do we think that Jesus continued to speak to Nicodemus in this way from 16-21? No, this is a beautiful aside that helps the reader/listener understand the depth of where the story is going.
John 2:13-22 (3rd Sunday in Lent) – March 3, 2024
In the Synoptics we can see the tension and the conflict before, during, and after this scene. We’ve been told that the tension is coming (like in last week’s Gospel when Jesus first pronounces his death and resurrection) and it can be argued that this temple scene is the catalyst that forces the hand of the religious leaders to have him arrested. But today’s version comes from John. And if we look closely, there’s not actually any external conflict around it (outside of the most violent Jesus we see in any of the gospels, fashioning a whip of cords). We are conditioned (because of the Synoptics) to read this version as being full of “passion” conflict and that immediately Jesus is in trouble and moves him toward the cross. But that’s not how the Jewish authorities respond. Instead, they respond with curiosity.
Mark 8:31-38 (2nd Sunday in Lent) – February 25, 2024
This pericope will actually come up twice in year B. First will be this coming Sunday in Lent and then with a slightly longer pericope (8:27-38) in mid-September. In September we’ll get the fuller scene as Jesus asks who people say he is and Peter answering that he is the Messiah. Then of course, this scene for this week becomes more comical (or sad depending on your take) because Peter is then immediately scolded for not understanding what Jesus must go through. But even though there are many months between these texts, it can be challenging to preach on the same text multiple times in a year. Especially if you are taking a narrative approach. And truthfully, Epiphany into Lent doesn’t do us any favors in understanding Mark in year B. There is very little narrative lead up to this text. And so, while I think we can take some time to remind folks that Peter did just proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, there’s only so much we can do to catch people up on the narrative. That will be much easier to do in September after we’ve been going through Mark chapter by chapter.
Micah Krey 