Q: Can you call upon your community or neighbors in a time of need, as we do with our community or family?
A: We should be able to call upon our community and neighbors in a time of need, no matter how big the favor is.
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Parable draft #1
This parable is not a very easy one to interpret because of several reasons. First, it is not said who the main character is, and more importantly there is no lesson taught by it, at least on an obvious level. Most parables have one that is clearly stated…not just said, but the story implies it. For example, they are usually named after what they are supposed to teach. For example, “The parable of the wicked tenants” is obviously teaching about the wicked tenants. However, this one is named “Further Teachings on prayer” but also has other names, such as “a knock at midnight” or other ones.
The main characters are not very obvious in this story, as Jesus did not tell their names or their professions, only the story. This made finding out the main characters difficult due to the fact that in most parables, Jesus gives the profession of them, (ie the baker said...) and he does not in this. All he says is "imagine one of you..." implying that the story could be about them, but it can technically be about anyone, not just the ones he addressed it too. Most would assume when they read this parable that the main character could either be the travelers who are about to leave, or the neighbors who refuse bread to them. However, the main character could be the community as a whole, not just one person. The reason is that back in the days of Jesus, communities stuck together in the often dangerous
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Parable Documention
1. Identify main characters / events:
The main characters are not very obvious in this story, as Jesus did not tell their names or their professions, only the story. This made finding out the main characters difficult due to the fact that in most parables, Jesus gives the profession of them, (ie the baker said...) and he does not in this. All he says is "imagine one of you..." implying that the story could be about them, but it can technically be about anyone, not just the ones he addressed it too. Most would assume when they read this parable that the main character could either be the travelers who are about to leave, or the neighbors who refuse bread to them. However, the main character could be the community as a whole, not just one person. The reason is is that back in the days of Jesus, communities stuck together in the often dangerous middle east areas. This shows that the community is the main character, not just one person. It was the communities responsibility to feed the travelers, not just that particular house. Herzog points out that in this time if one house did not feed the traveler, it was also the villages responsibility to feed them. Especially since when people asked for food in a small village, it was not a private matter, this made it impossible for any village to completely ignore their visitors, and the whole community is responsable.
2. Identify the environment the story is told in, the economic situation, setting, and who is addressed too.
The environment that the story is told in is another parable teaching. This one is different however, because this is not addressed "the parable of..." instead, it is addressed "Further teachings on prayer, which does not reveal what it is actually about. As in the usual parable his disciples are watching him and listening to his teachings. This story is told as a "village scene" and in the countries of either Jordan, Syria, or Egypt. This village could be very poor, which would make the fact that they were not able to feed the traveler excusable. Or, the village could be very rich, and that could make it not excusable at all.
3. Why? (Ie Jesus is telling the story to, the problem...etc)
The point of this story is to show the strength of community. One man has no bread to go on a journey with, and goes to his neighbor asking for some food, and his neighbor refuses to give him any. The point of this story is to show that you should be able to ask for food from your neighbor, even if they refuse. It shows that you SHOULD be able too, and that they should give you food and take care of you, because that is what a community is. That is the point of Jesus telling the story, to really describe what a community is and to "love your neighbor as yourself"
4. The question being asked and answer.
The question being asked is nothing. This is not a parable in most senses as the others have been, it is simply more teachings on something that Jesus has already talked about, loving your neighbor as yourself.
5. Ask questions to unlock the answer
Why wasn't the neighbor given bread?
6. Core values
7. Apply to current event.
It seems like the hurricane katrina arguement has been overdone, however this parable seems to fit. When HK hit, New Orleans was devastated and 80% underwater. They asked for help from the government and hoped that it would be answered, however, the government (the neighbor) turned them away. They did not turn them away completely, but instead waited 5 days to respond. This can be compared, because although they did help them in the end, they at first waited. This could be compared to "turning them away" because waiting 5 days caused so much damage that it could have just been ignoring them.
The main characters are not very obvious in this story, as Jesus did not tell their names or their professions, only the story. This made finding out the main characters difficult due to the fact that in most parables, Jesus gives the profession of them, (ie the baker said...) and he does not in this. All he says is "imagine one of you..." implying that the story could be about them, but it can technically be about anyone, not just the ones he addressed it too. Most would assume when they read this parable that the main character could either be the travelers who are about to leave, or the neighbors who refuse bread to them. However, the main character could be the community as a whole, not just one person. The reason is is that back in the days of Jesus, communities stuck together in the often dangerous middle east areas. This shows that the community is the main character, not just one person. It was the communities responsibility to feed the travelers, not just that particular house. Herzog points out that in this time if one house did not feed the traveler, it was also the villages responsibility to feed them. Especially since when people asked for food in a small village, it was not a private matter, this made it impossible for any village to completely ignore their visitors, and the whole community is responsable.
2. Identify the environment the story is told in, the economic situation, setting, and who is addressed too.
The environment that the story is told in is another parable teaching. This one is different however, because this is not addressed "the parable of..." instead, it is addressed "Further teachings on prayer, which does not reveal what it is actually about. As in the usual parable his disciples are watching him and listening to his teachings. This story is told as a "village scene" and in the countries of either Jordan, Syria, or Egypt. This village could be very poor, which would make the fact that they were not able to feed the traveler excusable. Or, the village could be very rich, and that could make it not excusable at all.
3. Why? (Ie Jesus is telling the story to, the problem...etc)
The point of this story is to show the strength of community. One man has no bread to go on a journey with, and goes to his neighbor asking for some food, and his neighbor refuses to give him any. The point of this story is to show that you should be able to ask for food from your neighbor, even if they refuse. It shows that you SHOULD be able too, and that they should give you food and take care of you, because that is what a community is. That is the point of Jesus telling the story, to really describe what a community is and to "love your neighbor as yourself"
4. The question being asked and answer.
The question being asked is nothing. This is not a parable in most senses as the others have been, it is simply more teachings on something that Jesus has already talked about, loving your neighbor as yourself.
5. Ask questions to unlock the answer
Why wasn't the neighbor given bread?
6. Core values
7. Apply to current event.
It seems like the hurricane katrina arguement has been overdone, however this parable seems to fit. When HK hit, New Orleans was devastated and 80% underwater. They asked for help from the government and hoped that it would be answered, however, the government (the neighbor) turned them away. They did not turn them away completely, but instead waited 5 days to respond. This can be compared, because although they did help them in the end, they at first waited. This could be compared to "turning them away" because waiting 5 days caused so much damage that it could have just been ignoring them.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Research Article
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-9231(199723)116%3A3%3C505%3AAATFAM%3E2.0.CO%3B2-V
Herzog
Herzog believes that one of the reasons the family wasn't fed by the neighbor in the parable A knock at Midnight is because of a few reasons:
1. It is considered not right for someone to give a guest rotten food, maybe the bread was old and could not be eaten.
2. There was nothing to eat it with, without anything to eat the bread with, its not worth it.
However, he believes that back then, if it wasn't the family's responsibility's to feed the traveler, it was the villages. The village was supposed to care for them as one family might, which did not happen.
3. Furthermore, in a small village, one of these midnight greetings was not a very private matter, as it was obvious visitors had come.
4. At this time, the visitor was was expected to eat a meal as the host was to serve one, there it was required by both parties that they eat and serve.
5. The host did not do any of these, therefore reflecting badly on his village as a whole. This was not good, as it risked many things happening.
It is not the particular villagers fault that he did not feed them, because technically the whole village should have risen to the occasion, but they did not. So, it is actually the villages fault for not rising to the occasion of feeding these unlucky travelers.
Another reason they didn't feed them is that in the parable, it is not really described what kind of village this is. It could have been a extremely poor village, not a huge city, therefore maybe the peasants living in the village were not able to feed them due to lack of funds! Due to the fact that there was a trial king, there were many of these poor villages around. However, this could not have been the case, and simply that the villagers were greedy. Herzog says that most, if not, all peasants were aware of "all desired things in life" Examples of these are land, wealth, health, love, or influence. Even though the peasants know what they are supposed to do and live by those values, they were in such short supply back then that they were almost completely gone.The peasants knew that their lives were horrible, and they had to deal with it their own way. Perhaps the fact that peasants could even go lower if they did not make enough money was the motivation to not feed the random strangers that showed up.
All these could be reasons why they didn't feed the stranger, and the parable doesn't go into any of them.
1. It is considered not right for someone to give a guest rotten food, maybe the bread was old and could not be eaten.
2. There was nothing to eat it with, without anything to eat the bread with, its not worth it.
However, he believes that back then, if it wasn't the family's responsibility's to feed the traveler, it was the villages. The village was supposed to care for them as one family might, which did not happen.
3. Furthermore, in a small village, one of these midnight greetings was not a very private matter, as it was obvious visitors had come.
4. At this time, the visitor was was expected to eat a meal as the host was to serve one, there it was required by both parties that they eat and serve.
5. The host did not do any of these, therefore reflecting badly on his village as a whole. This was not good, as it risked many things happening.
It is not the particular villagers fault that he did not feed them, because technically the whole village should have risen to the occasion, but they did not. So, it is actually the villages fault for not rising to the occasion of feeding these unlucky travelers.
Another reason they didn't feed them is that in the parable, it is not really described what kind of village this is. It could have been a extremely poor village, not a huge city, therefore maybe the peasants living in the village were not able to feed them due to lack of funds! Due to the fact that there was a trial king, there were many of these poor villages around. However, this could not have been the case, and simply that the villagers were greedy. Herzog says that most, if not, all peasants were aware of "all desired things in life" Examples of these are land, wealth, health, love, or influence. Even though the peasants know what they are supposed to do and live by those values, they were in such short supply back then that they were almost completely gone.The peasants knew that their lives were horrible, and they had to deal with it their own way. Perhaps the fact that peasants could even go lower if they did not make enough money was the motivation to not feed the random strangers that showed up.
All these could be reasons why they didn't feed the stranger, and the parable doesn't go into any of them.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Final Reading Strategy
1. Identify main characters / events
2. Identify the environment the story is told in, the economic situation, setting, and who is addressed too.
3. Why? (Ie Jesus is telling the story to, the problem...etc)
4. The question being asked and answer.
5. Ask questions to unlock the answer
6. Core values
7. Apply to current event.
2. Identify the environment the story is told in, the economic situation, setting, and who is addressed too.
3. Why? (Ie Jesus is telling the story to, the problem...etc)
4. The question being asked and answer.
5. Ask questions to unlock the answer
6. Core values
7. Apply to current event.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Interpretation Medothology
First, I will scan through the parable, this doesn't mean not read it, but just to get a feel for it. Following this I will actually read the parable in depth, not just scanning. I will interpret the parable using this method.
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