Good morning! Doesn’t time pass quickly. On Sunday we are at the Third Sunday in Lent! I have been reading, for the second time, a book by Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan entitled “THE LAST WEEK’. Its sub-title is: “What the Gospel’s really teach about Jesus’s final days in Jerusalem. I have found that this book helps me make better sense of the events as we follow Jesus through the story of what we call Holy Week, from his entrance into Jerusalem for the last time, his execution and through the remarkable experience we call the resurrection. The authors make full use of the recent enormous increase in knowledge about life in New Testament times and in the meanings of the words used at that time. We now have available written accounts of some events contemporary with Jesus and we can amplify the meaning of events in the New Testament by relating them to these documents.
The stories of Jesus last week in the New Testament were set down many years after the events described, and were based on stories circulating mainly in oral form around a small group of Jesus followers in a particular place.
No historian can make claims for the truth of what is said, but Borg and Crossan offer some new views and encourage us to think again about this time in the life of Jesus.
On Sunday I will give the first of two reflections on the book. The first will deal with the events between Palm Sunday and Maundy Thursday. The second, on 21st March, will deal with Good Friday to Easter Day. I am using this book because I believe that it looks more carefully at the traditional Easter story than many other commentaries.
I know I will not be able to do justice to the book in two short reflections – but I hope to be able to create enough interest for you to want to read the whole book for yourself!
I look forward to seeing you on Sunday – remember we are in the Hall.
Shalaom
Jim
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