We have now reached the third retelling of Jesus’ story in Acts, and in some ways it’s just as dangerous as the second retelling. You will remember that Stephen tells the story the second time when he’s on trial in front of the temple authorities. Peter’s retelling of the story to Cornelius and his household … Continue reading Luke 10:34-48 The Third Retelling
Cornelius is praying at 3:00 in the afternoon, which is the time of the temple sacrifice far away in Jerusalem. But divine presence doesn’t make itself felt in the temple. Instead an angel appears to Cornelius, who is a gentile, a centurion who has shown interest in Judaism and is generous in giving alms. But … Continue reading Acts 10:1-16 Shocking Visions and the Temple
The Parable of the Sower is the first parable in Luke’s Gospel, and includes a handy teaching on the very nature of parables and what we can expect from them in v. 10. Richard Rohr compares parables to Zen koans. They’re meant to split apart our normal ways of thinking about things and help us … Continue reading Luke 8:1-25 Being the Good Soil
The Holy Spirit pours into the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, embodied by angels and the singing, leaping responses that human beings make to them. When the angels arrive its with a wildness and strangeness that has mutating effects on the people who encounter them. An old man falls silent, an old woman becomes pregnant, a … Continue reading Luke 1:1-56 Suddenly the Spirit is Talking to Everybody
KPB Stevens 