By the Well

Dorothy Lee joins us as we talk about the liberating force of the Ten Commandments as a grace-filled way to live out salvation. We touch on Paul’s counter-cultural theology of the cross in Corinthians: God goes with shame and undercuts our notions of strength and power. Dorothy outlines how worship and market places operated in the temple, highlighting a key way John 2 has been misinterpreted. The writer of John is concerned with who Jesus is as the temple of God, and the manifestation of his glory in his resurrection. we talk about what it might mean for the church to be cleansed.

We refer to El Greco’s painting The Cleansing of the Temple.

God comes to Abraham with the promise of a new future, one where God is present and faithful. We talk about covenant, the paradox of walking before God and following the call. We mention the nature of human response to God: Abram falls on his face – laughing, Peter (in Mark) rebukes Jesus. God’s faithfulness in Genesis is the backdrop to the sharp call to discipleship found in Mark 8. We explore what denial of the self means, and underline that suffering is ‘for the sake of the gospel’ not to further oppress those already bowed down.

We mention this article by Robyn Whitaker and this book by David Carr.

Echoes from the first creation story ring throughout Genesis 9 as God establishes a renewed covenant with Noah and ‘every living creature’. We note the emphasis on God being the main player in this covenant; there is nothing expected of Noah or creation, except to receive God’s faithfulness. God’s faithfulness is in remembering God’s people. What is the human experience of being forgotten and remembered? We highlight Mark’s use of geography and apocalyptic imagery to paint Jesus as the unlikely new human to bring the kingdom near, and to be the one who is God’s remembering for all time.

Brian Kolia joins the podcast to discuss the unusual succession story in 2 Kings 2 and the Transfiguration in Mark 9. Whether it’s chariots of fire, separating water, heavenly ascent, or discovering God is in the dark shadow, these stories are rich with imagery and preaching themes.