April 12: Leviticus 7-9; Psalm 33; Mark 7-8

 Leviticus 7-9  The list of kinds of offerings gets longer and more complicated.  In today's reading we have:

• guilt offering
• sin offering
• offering of well-being
• thank offering
• votive offering
• freewill offering
• burnt offering
• grain offering
• guilt offering
• offering of ordination
• a burnt offering for a pleasing odor
• an offering by fire to the LORD--these last 2 are probably descriptive of a class of offerings rather than specific types of offering.

Also notice how strong the injunctions are against eating fat or blood.  The blood part I was much more aware of.  "You shall eat no fat of ox or sheep or goat.  The fat of an animal that died or was torn by wild animals may be put to any other use, but you must not eat it" (7:23-24).

Leviticus 8--Aaron's descendants are set apart (ordained) for service.  Their role is marked by clothing and rituals and anointing.  It takes a week to do all the parts of this ritual.

Psalm 33   Notice how things we could call "technology" are both  part of praising God (all the instruments with which we make music and praise God) AND a "vain hope" (horses and other implements of war) for keeping us safe.  There are limits and proper uses for the products of human creativity.

Mark 7-8   (This is a reading that overlaps by one chapter with what we read yesterday.) More challenges from the religious establishment, this time re: keeping dietary laws.
And note the wonderful liberating words of Jesus:  "there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the thing that come out ware what defile" (7:15).  This can be very reassuring to people who have experienced sexual abuse.  That abuse does not defile a person, as it comes from the outside.

Why does Mark include both the feeding of the 5000 AND the feeding of 4000?  Is it a way to say that the disciples just didn't get it the first time? (see 8:14-21)

Note once again the implications for our practice of the Eucharist in Mark's descriptions of Jesus' actions:  Take, thank (bless), break, give.

Peter's confession of Jesus as Messiah appears here, right in the middle of the book.
Jesus begins to foretell his crucifixion.  (8:31ff)
Jesus invites his followers to take up their own crosses and follow him in this context.