Fully Alive in God

https://abluemug.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/whole-hearted/ M. Campbell-Langdell+ All Saints, Oxnard (Song of Songs 2:8–13; Ps. 45:1–2, 7–10; James 1:17–27; Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23) “Quit Picking on the Pharisees!” this was the title of an article I read recently by a Jewish New Testament scholar, Amy-Jill Levine. Her idea was that we tend to look at the Pharisees in scripture and just see them as the bad guys, the ones who “didn’t get it.” Levine’s contention was that they were a varied bunch and that, while some certainly came up against Jesus and may have helped lead to his death, they were not by and large the “above it all,” haughty folks that we see portrayed in much New Testament commentary. They lived among the people, were frequently workers of trades. St. Paul himself mentions that he is of Pharisee extraction with some pride. They were an important part of the Jewish religious scene in 1 st century Palestine. [1] Looking at today’s gospel reading, we might eas...

https://abluemug.wordpress.com/2013/01/26/whole-hearted/ M. Campbell-Langdell+ All Santos, Oxnard (Cantares 2:8–13; S. 45:1–2, 7–10; Santiago 1:17–27; Marcos 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23) “Quit Picking on the Pharisees!” o “Dejar de Maldecir a los Fariseos” este fue el título de un artículo que le í recientemente por una académica judía que estudia el nuevo testamento, quien se llama Amy-Jill Levine. Su idea fue que tendemos a ver a los Fariseos en las sagradas escrituras como si solo fueran los “malos,” o los que “no entendían.” Su idea de ella es que ellos fueron un grupo grande y variado que solía vivir con la gente ordinaria y trabajaba como el apóstol Pablo en trabajos ordinarios. El apóstol Pablo hasta hablaba de ser parte de un grupo de fariseos en su origen con mucho orgullo. The Pharisees, says Levine, far from being “above it all,” were among the people. Fueron importantes a los judíos del primer siglo en Palestina. [1] Al ver al evangelio de hoy, es posible que podemo...