Gospel for Sunday, July 22nd

Mark 6:30-34 King James Version (KJV)

30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 33 And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. 34 And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Mark 6:53-56 King James Version (KJV)

53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. 54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, 55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

Life goes on, thank God, and there’s our gospel for tomorrow morning. Several things come to mind. First, every sentence begins with “and” (Greek “kai”) which is not good form in English composition; the KJV is shown because it translates Mark's NT Greek faithfully word for word. Second, unlike last Sunday’s gospel in which King Herod had the head of John the Baptist chopped off and delivered to the banquet on a platter, this gospel is actually Good News. Third, here’s another case of the Lectionary framers skipping over something: what did they leave out, and why?

Mark’s use of “and” is somewhat unique to him as a way of stringing sentences, thoughts, actions together. He begins 410 of 678 verses with the Greek conjunction “kai.” It’s called “parataxis,” a writing style of placing thoughts together loosely connected. What comes to mind is Linda’s string of pearls that we bought in Japan fifty years ago: there’s a tiny knot between each pearl and the next pearl. There are other peculiar features to Mark’s writing, but this one is the most noticeable. Why does he do it? Wasn’t a good writer? Intends to give his story a sense of breathlessness? It’s a good subject for someone’s PhD dissertation, eh? Maybe not: been done.

After last Sunday’s horrific gospel, this one is entirely Good News. Someone dear and faithful pointed out that I made a liturgical gaffe last Sunday. Instead of a sequence hymn, we are singing a Gospel Acclamation Alleluia before and after the gospel reading some Sunday mornings. Why? Just to experience an ancient practice that was meant to herald the presence of Jesus in our midst and speaking to us in the gospel reading. It should be done selectively, though. Last Sunday, unfortunately, the gospel ended with John getting his head chopped off and his disciples coming to bury the headless body, and we immediately sang “halle, halle, halle-lujah.” I noticed it as we were doing it and thought, “Uh oh, that don’t sound right, do it!” But my mind was on the bishop’s “Pastoral Letter,” and it was already sung, and I just let it go. Sorry. The trendy saying is, “My bad.”

So, what did the Lectionary framers skip this time? Last time they left out the gruesome verse of Samuel in which the innocent young shepherd boy David takes Goliath’s sword and whacks off his head; from what have they shielded us this time? 

Actually, there’s valid reason for skipping over Mark 6, verses 35-52. There, Jesus feeds the five thousand and then walks on the sea. We’ll read that story next Sunday morning, from John’s gospel, chapter 6, when we begin a five-week series of reading what scholars call “the Bread of Life Discourse.”

Shabbos: shalom.

Tom+