Lectionary Reflection—21 January 2018
14-15After John was arrested, Jesus went to Galilee preaching the Message of God: “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.”
16-18Passing along the beach of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew net-fishing. Fishing was their regular work. Jesus said to them, “Come with me. I’ll make a new kind of fisherman out of you. I’ll show you how to catch men and women instead of perch and bass.” They didn’t ask questions. They dropped their nets and followed Jesus.
19-20A dozen yards or so down the beach, Jesus saw the brothers James and John, Zebedee’s sons. They were in the boat, mending their fishnets. Right off, Jesus made them the same offer. Immediately, they left their father Zebedee, the boat, and the hired hands, and followed him, too.
Other Readings:
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“Time’s up!”
It’s amazing to me how God’s Providence works. As we saw at this year’s Golden Globes, the key social justice cry was, “Time’s Up!” The Time’s Up movement started this year in response to allegations of sexual abuse made against Harvey Weinstein. Pins with the caption, “Time’s Up” were seen on most of the people attending the Golden Globes and many of the women (and men) peppered their acceptance speeches with the phrase. So I was a little more than shocked reading it in today’s lectionary lesson. Let’s look a little more deeply into what Jesus was talking about.
Whenever I read Mark’s Gospel, I always feel in a rush. Like Ethan Hunt from Mission Impossible, I get the sense that there should be a warning after reading it, “This message will self destruct in five seconds …” (queue the theme music2). As I’m sure you’re aware, dear Reader, Mark is the shortest of the Canonical Gospels. It seems that “Mark”3 just hits the highlights of the life of Jesus and each passages gives the impression that we’re heading at neckbreak speeds to the next breathtaking scene.
And Mark sets that pace right from the beginning.
In the first few verses we’re told that before God returns to Israel, God’s messenger would come from the wilderness to clear the way, just as promised (vv. 1-3). And then Mark tells us that John the Baptizer is that messenger and he’s already here (vv. 4-6)! But then John tells his audience that’s he’s just the preview — “The real action comes next” (vv. 7-8)!
And he’s not kidding! In the next passage, Jesus shows up, the sky splits open, the Spirit descends upon Jesus like a dove, and God speaks audibly telling everyone that Jesus is God’s Son (vv. 9-11). Then, just when we think we can take a breath, Mark tells us “at once” Jesus is driven into the wilderness where he’s tested by Satan, surrounded by wild animals, and cared for by angels (vv. 12-13).
Lastly, John’s arrested and Jesus starts his ministry telling us, “Time’s up!”
Sheesh! The way Mark’s telling this story … it’s like the helicopter scene from the first movie!
Again, verse 15 says, “Time’s up! God’s kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.” What could Jesus mean by this? Perhaps another translation would help.
Common English Bible (CEB):4 “Now is the time! Here comes God’s kingdom! Change your hearts and lives, and trust this good news!”
English Standard Version (ESV):5 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
International Standard Version (ISV):6 “The time is now! The kingdom of God is near! Repent, and keep believing the gospel!”
New International Version (NIV):7 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”
New King James Version (NKJV):8 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
New Living Translation (NLT):9 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV):10 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
The Passion Translation (TPT):11 “At last the fulfillment of the age has come! It is time for the realm of God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness! Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!”
In each one of these translations, we get the same feeling of urgency. An allotted time has expired and something new is taking form.
“Now is the time…”
“The time is now…”
“At last the fulfillment of the age has come…”
“The time promised by God has come at last…”
It all started with the birth of Jesus. Paul wrote, “But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law” (Galatians 4.4; MSG). Jesus tells us the expiration date comes with a need for an immediate response — “repent,” “turn your lives back to God,” “change your heart and lives.” Why? Because “The time promised by God has come at last! The Kingdom of God is near!” What does this mean? To find out, we’ll need to quickly glance back to Malachi.
In Malachi 3, we read, “Look! I’m sending my messenger on ahead to clear the way for me. Suddenly, out of the blue, the Leader you’ve been looking for will enter his Temple — yes, the Messenger of the Covenant, the one you’ve been waiting for. Look! He’s on his way” (verse 1). This is what Jesus meant by the “time promised by God.” It was the time when God would return to the Temple and set up God’s Realm “on earth as it is in heaven.”
But, if God was returning to set up God’s Rule, why would the message be “Repent” or “Change your hearts and lives?” Again, a quick look at Malachi gives us our answer:
But who will be able to stand up to that coming? Who can survive his appearance?
He’ll be like white-hot fire from the smelter’s furnace. He’ll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He’ll take his place as a refiner of silver, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He’ll scrub the Levite priests clean, refine them like gold and silver, until they’re fit for God, fit to present offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will Judah and Jerusalem be fit and pleasing to God, as they used to be in the years long ago.
“Yes, I’m on my way to visit you with Judgment. I’ll present compelling evidence against sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who exploit workers, those who take advantage of widows and orphans, those who are inhospitable to the homeless — anyone and everyone who doesn’t honor me.”
He’ll be like white-hot fire from the smelter’s furnace. He’ll be like the strongest lye soap at the laundry. He’ll take his place as a refiner of silver, as a cleanser of dirty clothes. He’ll scrub the Levite priests clean, refine them like gold and silver, until they’re fit for God, fit to present offerings of righteousness. Then, and only then, will Judah and Jerusalem be fit and pleasing to God, as they used to be in the years long ago.
“Yes, I’m on my way to visit you with Judgment. I’ll present compelling evidence against sorcerers, adulterers, liars, those who exploit workers, those who take advantage of widows and orphans, those who are inhospitable to the homeless — anyone and everyone who doesn’t honor me.”
This is why Jesus (and John the Baptist) told his audience to repent — God was returning and justice would be meted out. Jesus’ and John’s generation had roughly 40 years to repent and turn back to their God. Most refused. God’s justice was displayed with the fall of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 CE. From then, to now, and on into the future, God’s Realm has been established and is continuing to grow and spread throughout the cosmos. According to Jesus, the coming of God’s Realm was — is — the Gospel.
So, “Time’s Up!” And time’s been up for a long, long time. We shouldn’t wait until things “get better.” Our vocation as followers of Jesus is to make things better now — “Now is the time … ”
Not when it’s more convenient.
Not soon.
Not some day.
Now.
This very moment.
Time’s Up!
Time’s Up! Now is the time for those assaulting and abusing others to face justice.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for those who have been assaulted or abused to raise their voices and let them ring.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for the lowly to be lifted up.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for those falsely imprisoned or imprisoned by unjust laws to be released.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for those who have been marginalized to take their rightful place of equality.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for the bluffing braggarts to be scattered.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for the tyrants to be knocked off their high horses.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for the victims to be pulled up from the mud.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for the starving poor to sit at the best seats of the banquet.
Time’s Up! Now is the time for the callous rich to be left out in the cold.12
Time’s Up!
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In the Love of the Three in One,
Br. Jack+, LC
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1. Scripture quotations marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
3. The ancient church widely attested that the author of this Gospel was John Mark, the companion of Peter. However, modern scholarship regard the author as unknown.
5. English Standard Version (ESV). The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
6. International Standard Version (ISV). Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission of Davidson Press, LLC.
7. New International Versiona (NIV). Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
8. New King James Version (NKJV). Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
9. New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
10. New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
11. The Passion Translation (TPT). The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com.
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