It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Mount Zion, a Reflection on Hebrews 12:18-24

The preacher is describing what the community ruled by God is like. He uses the metaphor of two mountains. He describes the first as a place where some things can be seen and heard and touched. The other mountain, Mount Zion, is not like this.

Another important difference is that people had been terrified to approach the first mountain. At Mount Zion is a city whose residents are having a celebration.

From Eugene Boring and Fred Craddock's People's New Testament Commentary:
The judge is the God of all and therefore, the believers can anticipate fairness, impartiality, and vindication....The righteous dead have completed their pilgrimage, to be joined by the faithful readers....That the blood of Jesus speaks a better word than that of Abel is not a contrast but a comparison; reference to Abel recalls 11:4, which refers to his acceptable sacrifice of an animal (Geneses 4:4).

No comments: