faux 23rd Psalm
Friday morning, thought I heard thunder, but the sky is clear with a few wispy clouds pink in the sunrise. Maybe the loud sound was a truck or a motorcycle revving up.
Coming up, always with the 23rd Psalm, though nowadays instead of the genuine KJV, unnecessarily with some lookalike imposter that causes one to stumble and be distracted and annoyed in the reading of it, the Fourth Sunday of Easter is called Good Shepherd Sunday.
Meantime, our First Lesson throughout Easter Season this year is from Luke's Volume 2, Acts of the Apostles:
Acts 9:36-43
Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
++++++++++
An interesting story showing, I reckon, that anyone wielding the power of the Creator can raise the dead. Faith would say that One who says "Let there be" and it is so, might grant that power to whomever. Elijah received and exercised it. Elisha received and exercised it. Jesus did it: at what point did he receive the power? Maybe it would depend on whose gospel story one is reading, Mark at Jesus' baptism? Matthew at conception, because Mary was already pregnant when the angel visited Joseph? Luke, depending on which version, when Mary accepted the angel's offer (did she conceive in that moment?), or at Jesus' baptism when the voice from heaven said "this day have I begotten thee"? John from eternity as the Logos?
Here in today's story, Peter does it, as Luke meaning for us to understand that Peter received the power as he prayed. As a dead body is no more alive than a block of wood, giving life to an inanimate object requires Creator power and authority, eh, and raising the dead is not simply "calling back", but creation itself.
For me, I like the story, enjoy when it comes up in the lectionary for Sunday reading.
And I like the name Tabitha better than its stated Greek equivalent Dorcas.
Some other time, I've commented here about the house of Simon the Tanner said likely to have been a ways outside of town center, off to itself, right on the beach so the sea breezes carry away the putrid stench of the tannery, and even of Simon Tanner himself.
Coming up, always with the 23rd Psalm, though nowadays instead of the genuine KJV, unnecessarily with some lookalike imposter that causes one to stumble and be distracted and annoyed in the reading of it, the Fourth Sunday of Easter is called Good Shepherd Sunday.
Meantime, our First Lesson throughout Easter Season this year is from Luke's Volume 2, Acts of the Apostles:
Acts 9:36-43
Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, "Please come to us without delay." So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them.
Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, "Tabitha, get up." Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
++++++++++
An interesting story showing, I reckon, that anyone wielding the power of the Creator can raise the dead. Faith would say that One who says "Let there be" and it is so, might grant that power to whomever. Elijah received and exercised it. Elisha received and exercised it. Jesus did it: at what point did he receive the power? Maybe it would depend on whose gospel story one is reading, Mark at Jesus' baptism? Matthew at conception, because Mary was already pregnant when the angel visited Joseph? Luke, depending on which version, when Mary accepted the angel's offer (did she conceive in that moment?), or at Jesus' baptism when the voice from heaven said "this day have I begotten thee"? John from eternity as the Logos?
Here in today's story, Peter does it, as Luke meaning for us to understand that Peter received the power as he prayed. As a dead body is no more alive than a block of wood, giving life to an inanimate object requires Creator power and authority, eh, and raising the dead is not simply "calling back", but creation itself.
For me, I like the story, enjoy when it comes up in the lectionary for Sunday reading.
And I like the name Tabitha better than its stated Greek equivalent Dorcas.
Some other time, I've commented here about the house of Simon the Tanner said likely to have been a ways outside of town center, off to itself, right on the beach so the sea breezes carry away the putrid stench of the tannery, and even of Simon Tanner himself.