Break Open the Word

The Third Sunday in Lent, 23 March 2014 Exodus 17:1-7 Psalm 95 Romans 5:1-11 St. John 4:5-42     Background: The Samaritans The Samaritans make an entrance in the Hebrew Scriptures and also in the New Testament in John (the Gospel for today) and in Luke with the story of the Good Samaritan.   Who were these people?   They exist at the nexus of several political events, and have their own history and narrative, which is at odds with what is reported in the Hebrew Scriptures and in contemporary Assyrian documents.   We must remember that David is first anointed King in Judea, with an heir of Saul claiming kingship in the northern tribes.   The heir of Saul, Ishboseth, is assassinated and soon the northern tribes ask David to serve as their king as well.   Thus, there exists a rift between the south and the north, between the tribe of Judah, and especially the tribes in the north associated with Joseph. With the Assyrian defeat ...

The Second Sunday in Lent, 16 March 2014 Genesis 12:1-4a Psalm 121 Romans 3:1-17 St. John 3:1-17     Background:   Ur of the Chaldees An ancient city dating from ca. 3800 BCE, although there is evidence that it was already inhabited in the 4 th century BCE, Ur was the cult center of the moon god, Urim, and the name of the city, indicates that it was the “home of Urim”.   Originally it was a coastal city where the River Euphrates flowed into the Persian Gulf.   Now it is situated inland, about 16 km from the coast.   The city had a Ziggurat (an artificial mountain) that served as the abode of the god.   In the Hebrew Scriptures, Ur is called Ur Kasdim, and is known as the birthplace of Abraham, sometime in the 2 nd millennium BCE.   It is known as Ur of the Chaldees, although the Chaldeans were not evident at Ur until 850 BCE.   Biblical references to Ur can be found at Genesis 11:28 and 31 , Genesis 15:7 , and Nehemiah ...