‘The Difficult Words of Jesus’ Bible Study for Lent
A Beginner’s Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings
a multimedia study by: Amy-Jill Levine
Jesus provided his disciples teachings for how to follow Torah, God’s word; he told them parables to help them discern questions of ethics and of human nature; he offered them beatitudes for comfort and encouragement. But sometimes Jesus spoke words that followers then and now have found difficult. He instructs disciples to hate members of their own families (Luke 14:26), to act as if they were slaves (Matthew 20:27), and to sell their belongings and give to the poor (Luke 18:22). He restricts his mission (Matthew 10:6); he speaks of damnation (Matthew 8:12); he calls Jews the devil’s children (John 8:44).
In The Difficult Words of Jesus, Amy-Jill Levine shows how these difficult teachings would have sounded to the people who first heard them, how have they been understood over time, and how we might interpret them in the context of the Gospel of love and reconciliation.
Join us in the CPC Social Hall Wednesdays at 7pm starting on February 25th. Copies of Dr. Levine’s book are available from Pastor Alex for $15, or participants can purchase one elsewhere. Participants are encouraged to read the introduction and Chapter 1 prior to our first session. While we hope that most will be present for each session, feel free to attend and participate in any session whether or not you’ve purchased the book. Those who decide to examine these challenging texts with the guidance of New Testament scholar A-J Levine will come away with new perspectives and insight.