By the Book - Pastor's Pen for 13th July 2024

Part of my library

The late poet, Brian Turner, wrote about libraries; "From every shelf there's a ticking, a pulse, respect for the integrity in exploration through language, measured by the music, the cadence in the arrangement and meaning of words, sly or brash, subtle or blunt, where plainness, striving to simplify the complex, can be loveliest and golden like grace."

I have already shared with you my relief at finding the plain, scholarly sense of Leon Morris's commentary on John, his "plainness, striving to simplify the complex..." Bible commentaries are books about books, because we are trying to engage meaningfully with a text written many centuries ago, in a different language and into a different culture. We often need help to do that, and commentaries are a necessity for preachers needing to come to grips with the text. The gift in an author of being able to see the main issues and summarise them effectively for others should not be taken lightly.

Regarding John's Gospel, there is a beauty and uniqueness to it, with its own music and cadence which hopefully we will come to appreciate more in the coming weeks. This week we will hear about the coming together of the first disciples, either by word of mouth and actively seeking out Jesus, or a specific invitation to Philip of Bethsaida from Jesus himself. There is a kind of informality to the assembling of a band of disciples in John, which is in itself intriguing.

My prayer is that together, as we delve into John, we would enjoy its depths, but also appreciate the moments of grace when the complex appears simple to our minds and hearts.