Hace dos semanas le "prometí" a mi esposa, "esto no tomará mucho tiempo".  Eso es más largo de lo previsto, con abundantes notas sobre las fuentes-hambre.  Tómese el tiempo para leer y pensar, y considerar algunas cosas. Si lo que sigue es desconcertante, bienvenido a leer el Nuevo Testamento en el mundo de la audiencia inicial, en lugar del nuestro. De este modo, obtenemos una imagen más profunda y multidimensional, y más completa del contexto del mensaje de Pablo.

Two weeks ago I “promised” my wife, “this won’t take long.” This is more in-depth than planned, with generous endnotes for the source-hungry. Take time to read and think, look some things up. If what follows is disconcerting, welcome to reading the New Testament in the world of its initial audience, instead of ours. In doing so, we gain a deeper, multi-dimensional and more complete picture of the context of Paul’s messages.

En vez de un tomo con muchas notas de pie de página, los comentarios de esta semana son un ejemplo de cómo ser un testimonio vivo.

"Abuela": Una miembro de la Iglesia “común y corriente”

"Abuela" era miembro de una de mis iglesias. Ella estaba en su 70, no había terminado la escuela primaria y había vivido en la misma casa por más de 50 años, en una zona rural agrícola.  Había sido educada en la "Universidad de la Vida" y sus manos estaban retorcidas por el trabajo duro y la artritis reumatoide.

Instead of a footnoted tome, this week’s comments are an example of being a living witness.

“Granny”: An “Ordinary” Church Member

“Granny” was a member of one of my churches. She was in her 70’s, had not finished grade school and lived in the same house in a rural agricultural area for over 50 years. She had been heavily educated in the “University of Life” and her hands exhibited it, gnarled by hard work and rheumatoid arthritis.

The Collision (or Cooperation?) of Evangelism, Compassion, Environment and Apocalypse

This week’s lesson on God and creation care grapples with a complex set of theological and sociological conundrums. Our commitment to proclamation of the gospel, anticipation of the coming of Christ, and theological understanding of our world’s destruction in final judgment, collides with the expression of God’s character in His creation and our responsibility for care of the environment and humanity.

(Traducido por Carlos Enrique Espinosa)

This quarter’s lessons have been a helpful guide to the intricacies of Pauls’ discourse in Galatians and unfolding the gospel. Carl Cosaert has managed both, and I appreciate his work in these lessons.

The following thoughts explore listening to Galatians 3:26-4:11 from the audience perspective in its Greco-Roman social context. I would suggest having a Bible open before reading further.

Entremezclado con la escritura de estos comentarios me aparece un recuerdo persistente del discurso del Presidente Obama sobre el Estado de la Unión, que estuvo salpicado de referencias a los ideales, las virtudes, la disciplina y el sacrificio.  Algunos entre el público eran ejemplos vivos de las ideas y los ideales propugnados en el discurso.  Éste no sólo examinó el pasado y comentó el presente, sino que su propósito era vaticinar una visión, imaginar un estado futuro para el pueblo estadounidense.   Las declaraciones

Intermingled with writing these comments is a lingering memory of President Obama’s State of the Union address, sprinkled with references to ideals, virtues, discipline, and sacrifice. Some in the audience were living examples of the ideas and ideals espoused in the speech. It not only reviewed the past, commented on the present, but its purpose was to vision-cast, to picture a future state for the American people. Obama’s imperative statements were intended to move his audience to grasp that vision of renewal and ideals – by action.