A Nice Little Meeting?

 First Thursday of Lent

 Lectionary texts for today:

OT: Genesis 6:9-22

NT: 1 Peter 3:18-22

 

First, I have a bit of sad news. Dr. James M. (Mickey) Efird died yesterday, Ash Wednesday. He was a professor at Duke Divinity School for many decades. Many of you at University UMC knew Mickey well. He did numerous Bible Studies and Lecture Series there, as well as at churches all over North Carolina.I first met Mickey in the fall of 1967, when I entered Duke Divinity School. Mickey primarily taught Introductory OT and NT and First Year Greek. Since I already had those courses as an undergraduate I never actually took a course with Mickey. I did however serve as a Preceptor (teaching assistant) for him in Intro NT in 1972 and 1973. Among my other Preceptorial duties (leading a seminar section, grading term papers and exams) I sat in on his classes. He served as sort of a teaching model for us Ph.D. students and budding professors. Mickey combined a certain small town NC charm with a really solid intellect. I remember once when we were both teaching classes in the Wednesday evening study program at West Market Street UMC in Greensboro. We were both in the Men's Room debating the date of composition of the book of Revelation. Our debate was becoming more involved when we both realized that we were late for our classes. It was a quick exit and rush to the classrooms. Mickey and I continued that debate off and on for a couple of decades. Although it was obvious (to me) that I was right, I never convinced Mickey. I and many of you will miss him.

 

Second, thanks to April for her comments. I would love to hear many more comments from many more of you. I would agree with April that the Susan Howatch series of six Starbridge novels is a must read. She and I have read them all more than once. Marianne has read them too. I gave a set to my sister-in-law, Ginger for Christmas one year. She binged them. My brother, Gerald, complained to me that he hardly saw Ginger that week. 

Today we return to our Bible Study of Acts. Please read Acts 15:15-29. This is the Jerusalem Council of 48 AD. Luke gives us a summary of most crucial Christian meeting in the first century. The issue is whether gentiles must follow the Jewish Law (Torah) and gentile males be circumcised in order to be Christians. In the largest scope of things the issue is whether you have to become a Jew in order to be a Christian.

Participants include James, the brother of Jesus, Peter, Paul, Barnabas, and a group Luke calls the Sect of the Pharisees. That group represents the viewpoint that Torah observance and circumcision are necessary for faith in Christ. 

Luke presents the Council as a friendly meeting resulting in common consent. In verse 7 Luke writes, "After there had been much debate..." He does not report any of that debate. My guess is that it was quite contentious, more like the way Paul reports the same event in Galatians 2:1-10. 

Luke then reports a speech by Peter proclaiming strongly his view that Torah observance was not  necessary for gentile Christians. Luke then reports that Paul and Barnabas told of the successes on their missionary journey, though Luke does not record their actual speeches, as he does with Peter and James. James speaks last. He speaks as having the authority to issue a judgment on the issue. His judgment is that gentiles do not need circumcision or Torah observance. They just need to abstain from four things: food offered in sacrifice to idols, fornication, eating fowl that have been killed by strangling, and eating any meat with the blood still in it (no rare steaks). Why these four things? 

Also look at verse 19. Why does James assume that he is the one with authority to decide the matter? The written letter that Paul and Barnabas will take back to Antioch contains almost exactly the same words as James's speech. James appears to be the leader of the church. Paul, in Galatians, disputes this.We'll deal with these issues in our next Bible Study.

Tomorrow will be another chapter in the High Church--Low Church series. 

O Triune God,

We pray for your blessings on our Lenten practices during this seasons. We ask you to draw closer to us, even as we try drawing closer to you.

In Christ's name,

Amen

Faithfully,

Christian