A Poem a Sunday

Epiphany 2 – A

January 15, 2017

John 1:29-42 – NRSV

Why four o’clock?  Might John be mentioning the hour after the Lamb was sacrificed at Passover (3 o’clock)?  Four o’clock in Hebrew time is the Tenth Hour.  Might John be telling us the urgency of Jesus’ invitation, or be referencing the Law, namely the 10 Commandments?  The Law came through Moses, grace and truth through Jesus, the Christ.  John throws in this enigmatic detail and our inspired imaginations can take it from there.

The Lamb of God

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”[a]

The First Disciples of Jesus

35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” 39 He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o’clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed[b]). 42 He brought Simon[c] to Jesus, who looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter[d]).

Footnotes:

John 1:34 Other ancient authorities read is God’s chosen one

John 1:41 Or Christ

John 1:42 Gk him

John 1:42 From the word for rock in Aramaic (kepha) and Greek (petra), respectively

A Poem a Sunday

Epiphany 2 – A

January 15, 2017

Tenth Hour

Four o’clock is the Tenth Hour for God’s people.

Time to see -

attentiveness matters.

Don’t just come,

‘Come and see.’

Be a mystic,

a poet, a saint

with eyes wide

open to God’s

wild reign.

It is time,

dear disciple,

beloved of God,

to see

the coming Wedding

and toast

with a shout.

The Hour is now.

Open your eyes

to the light

in the darkness,

and new sight.

For the Lamb is alive

come to open all eyes

to God’s loving Kingdom

and the divine surprise.

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