“There was an old lady who swallowed a cow, to catch the dog, to catch the cat, to catch the bird, to catch the spider, that wriggled and wiggled and tickled inside her. She swallowed the spider to catch the fly. I don’t know why she swallowed the fly – Perhaps she’ll die!” (Traditional Nursery […]
Matthew 10:16 is a veritable menagerie of biblical imagery: “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Not since the ark have so many animals been crammed into so short a Scriptural space. Yet Jesus thinks we will be well prepared […]
Jesus splits the world in two. But He does it by descending right into our midst. There He is, the son of Mary, an itinerant preacher with no qualifications and no fixed abode. Surrounded by the poor, the meek and the persecuted, He holds forth with His distinctive northern accent. Yet as He concludes His […]
In the wake of new forms of electronic media, traditional publishers will be relieved at this verse: “of making many books there is no end” And students can particularly identify with the second half: “and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) Even wise king Solomon sees the weariness of books and […]
When we use the phrase it’s usually with a wry smile… “Now what’s this I hear about you and a new lady love…” we tease. What lady? “Oh a little bird told me you were out with so-and-so.” It’s all a bit of fun in our modern usage. It’s a playful way of concealing our […]
In Proverbs we heard the wisdom of Solomon, here in Ecclesiastes we listen in on his despair. “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1:1-2) So begins the spiritual journal of the richest, wisest and most famous […]
This is many people’s favourite Scripture. It was the verse written by my mother into my confirmation bible: “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:4-5) I wonder what approach you take to the […]
We’ve seen Job and the Psalms, now the books of “wisdom literature” continue as we turn to the book of Proverbs. Here we have a long and colourful fireside chat. It’s the words of a father to his son. Verse 1 introduces us to the father: “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king […]
We love to tell jokes about stupid politicians. Try this one on for size: The President’s aide briefs him about international affairs: “‘Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed.” “Please no! How terrible!” exclaims the President, aghast. His staff are amazed at such emotion. He continues: “Tell me again, how many is a brazillion?” You might […]
