That is what yesterday's response by the congregation to the First Reading at my church, Micah 6: 1-8. The Prophet Micah is spelling out what God expects of Israel. My wife tells me the response to Biblical readings used to be more uncompromising: "this is the Word of the Lord."
But I can't help looking at Old and New Testaments and trying to reconstruct the scene when these readings were first written or read out. When we read psalms which scholars believe may have composed in the time of David, what they mean to that king? Indeed, what did David and his audience?
How about Zion, sometimes known as Mount Zion? Here it is:
Mountain, Royal city (or castle), whatever, it sure gives a different impression than the endless talking up of Zion.
I am by no means the first historically-minded person to take this approach, but it sure is interesting.
No comments:
Post a Comment