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seeler

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Acts 6: 1-4

One of the lectionary readings for today was about the stoning of Stephen.  Our Bible Conversations group decided to put it in context and read Chapter 6 and 7 leading up to this tragic event.   And something unrelated to the topic under discussion leaped out at me.

 

Ch. 6: 1-4    "Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word."

 

What do you think of this scripture passage?  Does anybody else think that the Twelve hadn't quite learned the lesson of humility that Jesus taught and showed?  

Do you see them claiming that they are too good to wait on tables?  that certain tasks are beneath them?

Is feeding the hungry less important than prayer and serving the word (whatever that means)?   

 

 

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seeler's picture

seeler

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If they had called the assembly and presented the problem as "This group is growing and it has come to our attention that certain important tasts are not being taken care of properly.  We need help.  Let's ask for volunteers (or appoint some of our group) to share in the work to be done."  I would have no problem with that.  But to say "We are too important for menial work of feeding widows and children.  Appoint someone else to do it."  reeks of pride and self-importance (some of the very things Jesus seems to have been against).

 

 

 

 

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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Not necessarily. Maybe there was a lot to be done and they felt called elsewhere so they put their trust in 7 to hold down the fort while they spread the word elsewhere. The more places the word is spread, the more people available to feed the hungry? That's what it makes me think of. Kind of like...one church can't handle the whole problem of hunger in isolation- they need to go outside themselves and connect with others- and they felt called to do that. Networking. In those days it take would a lot more time and effort and foot travel (and it could be dangerous) to carry their message from one village to the next and they couldn't be feeding people there and be away at the same time, and they felt called to take the message on the road so they had to delegate the local work to others. They took on a leadership role- not that they were being stuck up, just that they felt it was time to delegate to others and "take the show on the road", so to speak? So, they organized and did what they had to do, no apologies? I'm not sure but that's what crossed my mind. It seems to me, even though peoples' (in the case of most bible stories- men's) intentions were humble, they spoke (or wrote) with boldness and determination. The culture of the time. Men were expected to be brave and step up? Just thinking about old middle eastern culture. Even Jesus was bold- but his intentions were humble. He wasn't apologetic about what he felt needed to be done. If they had stayed the word wouldn't have spread.

seeler's picture

seeler

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I'm not speaking against asking for help.  I'm actually very much in favour of involving as many people as possible in the work of the church (or any other organization).  Also it is important to find out what people's talents are.

 

My problem is with the attitude expressed:   We're too busy to wait on tables.  We've got more important things to do.

 

Jesus doesn't seem to have been too busy praying to stop and feed the hungry, heal the sick, acknowledge the humanity of the outcast.

 

My own church spends a lot of time and effort feeding and befriending the hungry and the poor.  We don't expect our minister to do it all.   We appreciate her interest and her support - her acknowledgement that this is important work.  I don't expect her to cook for congregational dinner, or to organize an outing for the Youth Group, or to become overly involved in the maintenance of the building or the finances of running a church (although our present minister has excellent administrative skills).  I appreciate being asked to contribute - not because she is too good to do 'menial' tasks - but because we all have different talents to offer and no person can 'do it all'.

 

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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The story doesn't go into enough detail to determine whether or not they stopped and fed the hungry along the way while they were ministering. I imagine they may well have. They felt called to spread the ministry they were doing there, elsewhere? I think that's probably the point of the story. They appointed 7 (or asked the community to appoint people) whom they respected while they went and spread their message. Maybe they felt a higher, or at least a different, calling and they needed to get moving on it. I feel a little put off sometimes by the bold and brazen way things are said in the bible- but it was ancient middle east. I don't know that politeness was expected, or maybe we misinterpret it to sound rude when it didn't to them.

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Kimmio

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You could be right, that they felt a little self important. I think organized religion in general became too self important, not seeing the work being done or needing to be done outside of itself- it's a human tendency- and that's partly why it declined. Ironically, because the Catholic church has been historically most ostentatious and self important, even the Pope, I think, recognizes this- which is why he reached out to atheists of good will and so on- and spreading the message beyond the church walls. It's certainly one thing I do admire him for (not to mention, he washes feet, and feeds the homeless, and delegates tasks). Like, it's not as important that the work be done within the context of the church institution- rather, it's important that people recognize need with their hearts and minds, reaching out beyond themselves, working together to get the work done regardless.

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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One thing that occurred to me...the Hellenists weren't necessarily present in the crowd at the time. They may have been complaining that the Hebrews at that time and place were too concerned with themselves and waiting on their own tables, and that was coming to these disciples', attention, perhaps? So that's why, instead of sticking around to wait on "their own" they felt called to minister beyond?

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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Nothing wrong is going on in this passage. The Twelve were the leaders of the community, and, realizing that they needed help in said leading, began to delegate some of the responsibility involved to others. There's no mention here that the Twelve thought of waiting on tables as being an inferior function that was beneath them. Rather, it appears that they just felt more dedicated to the task of serving spiritual food to the community. The division between men who have church roles primarily dedicated to spiritual matters and men dedicated primarily to practical matters is reflected today in many churches in the separate roles of Elders and Deacons. Some overlapping does tend to occur between the offices. For example, at my church we have pastors, men who are primarily charged with tending to peoples' spiritual needs, even though at times they may also do such tasks as serving food, and driving people places. We also have deacons, men who are charged to tending to the practical needs of the church, even though they may at times be called on to pray for people, and to give short spiritual talks, and even preach.

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Mendalla

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Reading the whole passage in context, I think the only issue is the way that translations words it. Really, as Jae suggests, they are realizing that there is more work than can be done by twelve adn that someone needs to focus on the spiritual side of things so they are expanding the ranks of their leadership so someone else can look after the more physical needs of the growing community. More hands make light work and all that.

 

Mendalla

 

unsafe's picture

unsafe

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seeler    your questions ---     Does anybody else think that the Twelve hadn't quite learned the lesson of humility that Jesus taught and showed?  

Do you see them claiming that they are too good to wait on tables?  that certain tasks are beneath them?

 

Understanding what was happening in the church at that time is important ----I personally think they did a great job in fixing their problem -----They had a meeting --found out the problem and fixed it ----

 

The church was growing ----distention was  dividing the 2 groups on what duties they should be doing ----the apostles were becoming over worked and they felt that their preaching was suffering because they were trying to serve the widows who were increasing in numbers and felt the need to delegate some work to others who could do the job of serving leaving the widows so God's word could be preached ----

 

Delegating work to others is a good thing to do when the workload becomes too much to handle as productivity will suffer in one area or another ----So it was a smart decision to appoint others who qualified for the job to serve the widows ----

 

It has nothing to do with humility ----it is all about getting the job done and doing it well so no one gets less than the other -----Feeding the widows is very important and preaching God's word is just as important -----It was a great Business Decision ----

 

It was never beneath them to serve the widows they had been doing it all along --the numbers were increasing and trying to preach and server everyone became too much and was causing bickering among the group ---it needed to be addressed and fixed and that is what they did ----- 

 

The lesson here is when bickering happens in your Chruch ---find out what the cause is and deal with it right away and peace will be restored ------it is all about communication and working together to restore order -----

 

These are my thoughts on this ----Peace

 

 

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Could we in the Christian Church have pride supported in our midst ... like the thought that we're better than ... "them"?

 

Then who'd ever think about who them is ... when thinking and knowledge is shunned right from the beginning by god(s) ...

 

Such is expressed well in the hue mon psyche ... but who would know that in a world that doesn't even wish to know simple things little more than complexity like the integral "i"? Just imagine it is abstract ... and ignore or deny it as an infinite thing cause ... ethereal even --- PSalm 139:7, 9, 10 ... on stuff on the far edges of de Zea ... shamayim? A truly vast metaphor like the Greek "Mu" and "eta" sometimes confused with the "v" a nitch or notch in the log ... as a break in reality ... a spot to escape to the other side and imagine how they fell as outlanders to the powerful ... that'd be judi-in with Roman twist to wit!

 

Could a mortal see into the imaginary? Sometimes we can't see what's right under our noses! That'd be a fearful, angry, curious, Joey, or observational character and procrastinating (patient) for someday we'll realize (decide, judge) we are our own worst enemy for our inabitity to look after a broad-based echo-nomy that includes all the wee parts ... some include the parts that we call negative thinkers ... because they would even consider going against a larger body of desire that is a naive critter ... as sum zero consideration when all is gathered. Such is that in the larger concerns we're nothing except to the poor devil that collects small scraps of dat, information and intelligence on how to subtly make the world a better place. This is likely done elsewhere as only emotional input is allowed here ... a God-based system where the intellectual side is extremely subtle or underlying cause for another cosmos ... out there somewhere under foot ...

 

The thinking devil has some wit, gods don't ... they like headless followers not brilliant leaders who look after the wee things and details in a general intelligence without too much specialization that isolates such characters from real life. Alas to learn this one must look at it from outside the marginal ... fa route a' bis? Is psyche observation a broad-based vision that requires a bit of muðður hoo din ... a chaotic state to any mortal man that tends towards isolating and conquering? Alas heh is so prone to being sucked into de vale ... root word of valentinian when the maas acre is felt as impulse ... sometimes like a Ham Mere ...

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Sometimes this imaginary abstraction is refered to as Babylonian Strom Essence ... just a wail over the horizon warning you to keep your head out of sight ...

 

It is best to be thoughtless in an overly emotional system of idealism ... at least appear that way ... as pathè (way in old words) but who pays any attention to old ways like Golden Christian Ways of balance? I. E. don't take more than you need ...

 

In a world where we don't know the difference between needs and wants is this a classic dilemma that could go on and on in the present dimension?

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Anybody know what a "strom" is? Sometimes taken as a straw Miss and there's territory to be cautious about if your thinking about tumbles ... fallout and all that stuff ... strom is like abba'd ... something separate and isolated ... like a mortal soul as compared to sole ...

 

Very difficult to explain to characters that like simple and don't have enough LOGOS for the full understanding of the dark side ... and you know the Shadow Knows ... a sort of occult or obtuse expression about things that are limited to kahn de mortals ... like thoughts and information outside the norm are noxious ... It appears in regard to noxious stuff we need more sun flowers ... or the blossoming of light Dais ... to sweep us out of here ...smiley

seeler's picture

seeler

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I guess I'm the only one who sees "We're too busy to wait on tables" or care for the 'least of these' as the beginning of a hierarchy - from a group of people who followed the One who told them to take the lowliest place at the table and who washed their feet.  

 

Note, I have no objection to asking for help, delegating tasks, involving others in the work of the church - just in the attitude that some jobs are more important than others and that some people are more entitled to do these jobs.

 

I see that same attitude in many churches today -- more so in some denominations than others, but in the UCC as well.  Despite the fact that many churches have the phrase  "Ministers -- all of us"  in their bulletins, we all know who's who -- and who works in the kitchen, feeds the hungry, distributes clothing to the poor, visits the sick, befriends the friendless, and takes care of the children.  

 

Of course this is not only in the church but in society as well - the work of some people is not valued as much as others.   And some of the richest companies can get off paying their employees less than a living wage and telling them they are not worth it.  

 

unsafe's picture

unsafe

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seeler     your quote       Of course this is not only in the church but in society as well - the work of some people is not valued as much as others.   And some of the richest companies can get off paying their employees less than a living wage and telling them they are not worth it.  

 

God's word on this very subject  ---and these people who ownes these rich companies are in for a rude awakening when they pass on ------God hates worldly wealth ----The only true wealth comes from God not this world  ------worldly wealth thrives on power and greed ------

 

James 5

New International Version (NIV)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

 

Now listen,(A) you rich people,(B) weep and wail(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.(D) Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.(E) Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.(H)You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves(I) in the day of slaughter.[a](J) You have condemned and murdered(K) the innocent one,(L) who was not opposing you.

 

 

 

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Is this ire reversable or in-con-vertable as green vegetation?

 

Do mire plants think? Tis a dilemma ... for those that don't consider alien plants ...

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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Seeler, what gives you the impression that the 12 thought of tending to peoples' spiritual needs as being a loftier thing than tending to peoples' practical ones?

InannaWhimsey's picture

InannaWhimsey

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the 12 were proto-union breakers?

waterfall's picture

waterfall

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seeler wrote:

One of the lectionary readings for today was about the stoning of Stephen.  Our Bible Conversations group decided to put it in context and read Chapter 6 and 7 leading up to this tragic event.   And something unrelated to the topic under discussion leaped out at me.

 

Ch. 6: 1-4    "Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word."

 

What do you think of this scripture passage?  Does anybody else think that the Twelve hadn't quite learned the lesson of humility that Jesus taught and showed?  

Do you see them claiming that they are too good to wait on tables?  that certain tasks are beneath them?

Is feeding the hungry less important than prayer and serving the word (whatever that means)?   

 

 

 

I see a church that is growing rapidly. Reminds me of any church that welcomes people but once they get there, they may not be prepared to follow through past the welcome. Fortunately this problem was addressed and not ignored. Ministering within and outside the church seems right to me.

 

 

InannaWhimsey's picture

InannaWhimsey

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or what happens when a Church/religion/practice outgrows its creators/believers of the moment?

 

when it becomes an epiphenomenon, which is a fancy term for 'we did NOT expect that' :3

Jim Kenney's picture

Jim Kenney

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Note that the widows of the Jewish members were not being neglected.  The Apostles, like most people saw the people more like them more clearly than the ones who were not like them.  I saw subconscious racism in this passage.

InannaWhimsey's picture

InannaWhimsey

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Jim Kenney,

 

why not conscious racism?

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Because to be conscious requires the spirit of the brain ... and if you don't believe in psyche ... how would yah know?

 

Thus subconsciousness or the subtle powers ... as obtuse! The un thunk cannot see into what they do not believe ...

 

Clearly a farse ID effect ...

revjohn's picture

revjohn

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Hi seeler,

 

seeler wrote:

What do you think of this scripture passage?

 

A number of things.

 

First and foremost, the Apostles are living in the community Jesus envisioned but had yet to bring into being.  So there is no template in place for what must be done first.

 

Second, the Apostles had been disciples and now, with the ascension of Christ they take the step up from disciples to teachers.  There is a learning curve involved in that and frankly, changes in responsibility and responsibilites.  They are now looked at for leadership.

 

Third, they are overseeing a community which is unlike any they have known before.  It is not simply Jewish with familiar customs and traditions.  It is also Greek with unfamiliar customs and traditions.  They are expected to set the tone for this blended family of believers which is comprised of many folk who see things differently.

 

Talk about recipe for disaster.

 

seeler wrote:

Does anybody else think that the Twelve hadn't quite learned the lesson of humility that Jesus taught and showed?  

 

Humility is a difficult lesson for anyone to learn so I don't know how we, sitting where we are without having to shoulder the burden suddenly laid upon the Apostles can do so without a failure of humility ourselves.

 

But let's take a closer look at what is going on.

 

The Christian community (Jew and Gentile) is coalescing into one blended community.  Monies are being held in trust and the expectation is that they will be managed for the benefit of all.  Previously the public purse was managed by Judas and he no longer hangs with this crowd.

 

None of them have experience managing money in this way.

 

And what is the complaint?  Gentile widows aren't being looked after.  What exactly does that mean?  Likely it means that Gentile widows do not have family willing to take them in nor do they have resources to buy themselves their daily bread.

 

They are exactly who the public purse is set up to serve.

 

The problem is that they aren't represented well and the complaint is that they are being discriminated against.

 

So they Apostles decide that this is a legitimate problem and needs a workable solution.

 

seeler wrote:

Do you see them claiming that they are too good to wait on tables?  that certain tasks are beneath them?

 

No.  I don't.  I see them claiming that they haven't been trained to do that.  And frankly we only have one story of Jesus washing anyone's feet and serving anyone a meal so it would appear that Jesus didn't teach the Apostles how to do either.

 

In fact, we have more stories of Jesus sitting around waiting for others to look after his basic needs than we have stories of Jesus asking others to sit while he looks after theirs.

 

The Apostles were not trained to man a soup kitchen.  Others in the community have a better grasp on how to do that and so the Apostles show leadership by getting out of the way and allowing others to step forward.

 

Problem solved and according to the narrative the whole community was pleased with that solution.  They don't have a problem but some thousands of years later we have a bee in our bonnet.

 

Who is struggling with humility now?

 

seeler wrote:

Is feeding the hungry less important than prayer and serving the word (whatever that means)?   

 

Neither is less important to this community.  Which is why the leadership of the community decides that those with certain skills should take responsibility for valuable services.

 

We are talking about the Apostles remember, the same crew who performed so poorly at the arrest and crucifixion.  Whose faith faltered with Christ's death and required a resurrection to get their flame burning so brightly.

 

Has this crowd gone from being so slow in understanding to so uber capable in so little time?

 

Not likely.

 

However, humility actually accepts that there are things which we cannot do well and are best left to others.

 

Perhaps they could have communicated that more tactfully.  Still, I think the words used offend our modern ears more than it did the audience they were talking to.

 

I think they deserve a lot of credit for being cognizant of the fact that they couldn't manage everything and that they needed others to help them.

 

Modern clergy who consolidate their power and have their controlling finger in every pie could learn a lesson in leadership from this story.

 

Grace and peace to you.

John

seeler's picture

seeler

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Jim Kenney wrote:

Note that the widows of the Jewish members were not being neglected.  The Apostles, like most people saw the people more like them more clearly than the ones who were not like them.  I saw subconscious racism in this passage.

 

Yes, that attitude is definitely present in the reading.  Some widows (no doubt the mothers, relatives, neighbours, and friends of the disciples and those closest to them)  got taken care of.  Others, who the disciples did not know personally were apparently being neglected.  The group had grown too big to be managed by simply taking care of friends and needed some organization.  

I'm glad the problem was addressed.  I'm just concerned about the attitudes that I see being displayed.

 

 

seeler's picture

seeler

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Rev John - you claim that we only have one story about Jesus washing feet - I'll grant you that.  It probably only happened that one time.   

And perhaps to balance it I'll also say that in another story Jesus was a bit put off when he visited a home and the host did not offer to have someone wash Jesus' feet.

 

But you also say that Jesus only served one meal.  

Which was that?   

One of the two occasions when he took bread (and fish) and blessed it and distributed it and fed thousands?

Or when he hosted the meal we generally call 'the last supper'?

or maybe when he kindled a fire on the seashore, cooked fish, and invited the disciples to 'come and have breakfast'?

 

Also we have the times when he teaches us to sit at the foot of the table or to put ourselves last.

 

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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It is a subtle hint about haute-i-ness ... some water will cool the overheated soul!

 

It may be important if you indulge in dancing all about 'eLLe and Light and what we know little about! REX-tyran-ta-sore us has difficulty with such concepts ... these are often found deep between the sheets as thinly disguised truths of gross profundity ... not simple truths!

revjohn's picture

revjohn

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Hi seeler,

 

seeler wrote:

And perhaps to balance it I'll also say that in another story Jesus was a bit put off when he visited a home and the host did not offer to have someone wash Jesus' feet.

 

Actually it only became an issue when Simon the Pharisee objected to Jesus allowing a woman of questionable virtue to wash his feet.  And then it serves only to point directly at Simon's own questionable virtue.

 

seeler wrote:

Which was that?   

One of the two occasions when he took bread (and fish) and blessed it and distributed it and fed thousands?

 

He blessed bread and broke it.  Who did the actual serving?  Am I picking a nit?  Perhaps.  He certainly wasn't waiting on tables was he?

 

seeler wrote:

Or when he hosted the meal we generally call 'the last supper'?

 

Hosting is not serving.  Same nit as above I guess.

 

seeler wrote:

or maybe when he kindled a fire on the seashore, cooked fish, and invited the disciples to 'come and have breakfast'?

 

This is the one I was thinking of and I note that there were probably no tables present here either.

 

seeler wrote:

Also we have the times when he teaches us to sit at the foot of the table or to put ourselves last.

 

We do have those teachings.  How they apply to the complaint you raise escapes me at the moment.  The Apostles aren't saying that folk should go hungry or stop complaining about being treated unfairly.  They point out that the work can be done by somebody else, those somebodies are found and everyone is happy.  

 

Problem solved.

 

Grace and peace to you.

John

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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seeler wrote:

Rev John - you claim that we only have one story about Jesus washing feet - I'll grant you that.  It probably only happened that one time.   

And perhaps to balance it I'll also say that in another story Jesus was a bit put off when he visited a home and the host did not offer to have someone wash Jesus' feet.

 

But you also say that Jesus only served one meal.  

Which was that?   

One of the two occasions when he took bread (and fish) and blessed it and distributed it and fed thousands?

Or when he hosted the meal we generally call 'the last supper'?

or maybe when he kindled a fire on the seashore, cooked fish, and invited the disciples to 'come and have breakfast'?

 

Also we have the times when he teaches us to sit at the foot of the table or to put ourselves last.

 

Something I recently discovered is that Foot-Washing used to be an ordinance in the Baptist church when we first started up. For some reason we put that one aside, holding on only to Communion, and Baptism.

Kimmio's picture

Kimmio

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Dcn. Jae wrote:
seeler wrote:

Rev John - you claim that we only have one story about Jesus washing feet - I'll grant you that.  It probably only happened that one time.   

And perhaps to balance it I'll also say that in another story Jesus was a bit put off when he visited a home and the host did not offer to have someone wash Jesus' feet.

 

But you also say that Jesus only served one meal.  

Which was that?   

One of the two occasions when he took bread (and fish) and blessed it and distributed it and fed thousands?

Or when he hosted the meal we generally call 'the last supper'?

or maybe when he kindled a fire on the seashore, cooked fish, and invited the disciples to 'come and have breakfast'?

 

Also we have the times when he teaches us to sit at the foot of the table or to put ourselves last.

 

Something I recently discovered is that Foot-Washing used to be an ordinance in the Baptist church when we first started up. For some reason we put that one aside, holding on only to Communion, and Baptism.

Too many people didn't change their socks? ;)

Dcn. Jae's picture

Dcn. Jae

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Kimmio wrote:
Dcn. Jae wrote:
seeler wrote:

Rev John - you claim that we only have one story about Jesus washing feet - I'll grant you that.  It probably only happened that one time.   

And perhaps to balance it I'll also say that in another story Jesus was a bit put off when he visited a home and the host did not offer to have someone wash Jesus' feet.

 

But you also say that Jesus only served one meal.  

Which was that?   

One of the two occasions when he took bread (and fish) and blessed it and distributed it and fed thousands?

Or when he hosted the meal we generally call 'the last supper'?

or maybe when he kindled a fire on the seashore, cooked fish, and invited the disciples to 'come and have breakfast'?

 

Also we have the times when he teaches us to sit at the foot of the table or to put ourselves last.

 

Something I recently discovered is that Foot-Washing used to be an ordinance in the Baptist church when we first started up. For some reason we put that one aside, holding on only to Communion, and Baptism.
Too many people didn't change their socks? ;)

 

Hm... perhaps... at any rate it's a tradition that I'd like to get started up anew.

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Thus the expression sooc rates ... a tax on foot fetishes ... could be the death of wonderers and pilgrims that drift into other areas of curiosity! Somebody needs to knit a clean Nus foot to start off on ... but this can't be straightforward truth  ... perhaps a myth as mortals can't stand truth! Proof? Look at the lies we accept without question!

 

People with firm dispositions related to statues can't deal with change, alteration and redaction unless they are in control (a form of avarice) when they really believe they are loosing it ... they go Ba aListic, or on tilde ... Bucket List? Explosive boil order?

 

Now consider in a world approaching 8 bill (wiles) with less than a hundred controlling 95% of the wealth ... where do you expect to find most of the intelligence if moni blinds mortal senses? Such is the Sues-la state or what used to be called eÐ'm-ism when common people were isle iterate ... especially about satyrs. Has anything changed? Nope ... never will with our present state of thinking ... that the best wins and the lesser of two evils is just chit!

 

Nun-the less deserves some thought ... is my narrative experience! Believe me I've red a lot of stories, myth and bull ... and deb UL is somewhat de void without an awkward thinking creature ... 

 

Imagine me as bottom line and considered crazy by religious authority with fixations! I was recently asked if I thought humanity was a bit off in its intelligence ... leaning more towards emotional deciions than intelligent ones! By the circumstation evidence that lies all about us what do you think if you dare ... considering the church has been against knowledge and intelligence since djinn-Isis 2 ....\

 

On this thought I've been wells-crewed over by many people deficient in word power ... that's LOGOS bi god!

GeoFee's picture

GeoFee

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Hi all...

 

Seems to me that the incident indicates a slight shift towards the seperation of ordered and lay ministry.

 

George

 

Who would you rather be: the one who eats the dinner or the one who serves the dinner? You’d rather eat and be served, right? But I’ve taken my place among you as the one who serves."  - Jesus speaking somewhere in Luke

 

WaterBuoy's picture

WaterBuoy

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Many will believe this subtly stupid without a' priori thought, or prescience ...

 

Again an other fey opinion without evidence of meta physics ... just isn't such a thing in the world of those that believe physics must take on shape and form as maas and no phloe of energy allowed ... that power to drive a thought of passion home as Onyx ... or hitting a poetic just Isis right on the nailed head ... like Sarah of past  in the brae ham consideration ... a smookin as is as burnt with conceptions? That be a rare cognizance in anon-thoughtful groupie ... big dark phesh ... or Shadow in dew aters ...

 

What do wind Shadows mean to sailors? Go my childe and ask ... just so much to learn out there as defined by Webster!

RAN's picture

RAN

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Does it seem more likely that the widows were all Jewish, some ("Hebrews") from Judea or Galilee, others ("Hellenists") from the Greek-speaking Jewish diaspora? The first gentile Christians seem to be the household of Cornelius, as described in Acts 10. 

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