Jesus’ wife

I often find myself thinking about my generation’s attitude towards the church.  I wonder if we speak with the voice of love or the voice of condemnation?  I wonder if we speak as prophets or as critics?  The image of the church I see the writers in of the New Testament use is that of the bride of Christ whom he gave his life for, whom he loves immensely, desires to see clean, holy, beautiful, and one day will be united with and have a wedding feast like none we can imagine. 

I want to love the church as Jesus loves the church.

Hildegard of Bingen, a woman mystic, who lived in the 1100’s, recorded several books consisting of visionary images and their theological interpretations.  To interpret her vision of the church in the last days as a woman with various scaly blemishes, she wrote the following.  “This is to say that… before the time in which the son of perdition will try to perfect the trick he played on the first woman, the Church will be harshly reproached for many vices, fornication, and murder and rapine.  How?  Because those who should love her will violently persecute her…”

Those who should love her…  do I love her?

Top five funny moments in the Bible, #3

A little embarassing for the authorities…

The apostles were meeting regluarly at the Temple teaching, preaching, and healing. 

Provoked mightily by all this, the Chief Priest and those on his side, mainly the sect of Sadducees, went into action, arrested the apostles, and put them in the town jail. But during the night an angel of God opened the jailhouse door and led them out. He said, “Go to the Temple and take your stand. Tell the people everything there is to say about this Life.” Promptly obedient, they entered the Temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching. Meanwhile, the Chief Priest and his cronies convened the High Council, Israel’s senate, and sent to the jail to have the prisoners brought in. When the police got there, they couldn’t find them anywhere in the jail. They went back and reported, “We found the jail locked tight as a drum and the guards posted at the doors, but when we went inside we didn’t find a soul.”The chief of the Temple police and the high priests were puzzled. “What’s going on here anyway?”

Just then someone showed up and said, “Did you know that the men you put in jail are back in the Temple teaching the people?”

Top five funny moments in the Bible, #4

God describing to Job how he created the ostrich with no good sense…

 “She lays her eggs on the ground and lets them warm in the sand, unmindful that a foot may crush them, that some wild animal may trample them.  She treats her young harshly, as if they were not hers; she cares not that her labor was in vain, for God did not endow her with wisdom or give her a share of good sense.”

Top five funny moments in the Bible, #5

Jesus said, “If anyone wants to sue you for your shirt, hand over your coat as well.”  Most Jews of the day wore two articles of clothing, an inner tunic and a outer cloak.  Imagine someone getting sued and responding by saying, “you want my clothes?  Here is my cloak and tunic!” and standing their buck naked holding out their clothing.  “No, no, please keep your tunic, oh my virgin eyes.” 

Was Jesus funny?

So I enjoy these Jesus videos that Vintage 21 put together.  They make me laugh.  I posted the first one below and I will post the others in the near future.  But it brings up a question in my mind?  Did Jesus tell jokes?  Now, my understanding of God says that he invented humor and joy and must love to laugh and tell jokes.  And since Jesus was God I imagine him brimming with life and stories and jokes.  He liked parties and people wanted to be around him.  But are there any scriptures that demonstrate Jesus’ sense of humor?