IDK

Hebrews 5:1-10 (RSV)

5 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is bound to offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. 4 And one does not take the honor upon himself, but he is called by God, just as Aaron was.
5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
“Thou art my Son,
today I have begotten thee”;
6 as he says also in another place,
“Thou art a priest for ever,
after the order of Melchiz′edek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus[a] offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard for his godly fear. 8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9 and being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchiz′edek.


I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (Ps 2:7 KJV)


Ignorant, wayward, and beset with weakness, it is common and ordinary for me to make a fool of myself. Though mostly I see it in retrospect, sometimes I realize it during actual manufacture as Raca DeLuxe sport roadster clunk-clunk-clunks off the assembly line with square wheels.
 No matter. But no, it does matter and stirs thoughts that I’ve used myself up and it's time to sit down.

Lunch with a priest friend today: if it’s still listed, I’ll have the oyster basket, but with double pepper slaw and no fries.

Second reading for Sunday, Hebrews 5:1-10 in mind, confronting me verse 5b, Hebrews writer quoting from Psalm 2, “thou art my son, today have I begotten thee.” Or he may've quoted from original, pre-Nicene forms of Matthew 3:17 and Luke 3:22. (No scholar I’ve looked at relates this to Mark 1:11, which might suggest what? that MtLk took their baptismal account from Q? IDK). At any event, it leaps from the frying pan into the fire with the old case of Scripture revised by the early church to correct a discomfiting contradiction of the Nicene formula “eternally begotten of the Father” — “begotten of the Father before all ages.” Not to say of Matthew’s and Luke’s own nativity narratives, much less of John’s prologue.

Nothing new or original here, but the Hebrews 5 reading raises the doctrinal head in a suggestion this week that we explore the divinity of Christ: how and when did Jesus become God? There are many resources on this, especially Scripture itself; and in a gathering where supposedly no question is off limits, it might be a fair seminar topic heading into Advent, which starts the end of next month and leads to a fifth gospel in which shepherds watch as kings on camels arrive bringing gifts to the manger.  

Clump of cormorants, couple dozen floating about fifty yards out, having breakfast as both Navy craft head out to sea.

Thos+