CADRE Comments

Allow me some reflections today, on a connection to Passover which isn't always appreciated. On the first Passover, the Hebrews (the dusty ones) were instructed to escape the destroyer sent by God (leaving aside whether the destroyer was or wasn't God Himself in action), by painting the blood of a slain lamb around their doors. On the last Passover (or the greatest Passover so far anyway, since we still celebrate it every year in remembrance as though we are participating in the event ourselves at that time), the One Who authoritatively sent the destroyer (or Who possibly even was acting as the destroyer Himself), voluntarily dies in a way the lambs had been symbolizing for centuries (as well as fulfilling other Jewish sacrificial prefigurations). The Lamb of God dies in solidarity with the lambs. But not only in solidarity with the lambs. The Only-Begotten of God dies in solidarity with the firstborn sons of man (and beasts) who were destroyed by the d...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) This chapter is longer than usual, so I'm presenting it in two parts. The scripture references will be given at the end of part 2. Passings Over (Part 1) Now the birthday of Herod (Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee) had come (tells the Follower, with the Disciple--sometime in early spring, based on various implications); and for his birthday he made a feast inviting his captains and magnates and other foremost men of Galilee. And at the feast, the daughter of (his wife) Herodias enters and dances in their midst, pleasing Herod and those who lay back with him (at the dinner table). Now the king said to the maiden, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you!" And he (even) swears an oath to her: "Whatever you may be asking of me, I will give you--up to half my kingdom!...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Since some of the later chapters are long enough that I'll want to break them into two parts, I'm taking the opportunity to consolidate some shorter chapters here. The Teacher of the People After this (wedding at Cana, says the Evangelist), Jesus went with His mother and brothers, and with His disciples, down to Capernaum (to visit family, or because Jesus already had a house there. Capernaum was a town on the northwest coast of Galilee Lake, between Magdala and Chorazin.) They stayed there for a few days, until the Passover (Festival) of the Jews was at hand; then Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And in the Temple (specifically in the outer court which was supposed to be reserved for the non-Jews and anyone currently not ritually clean, so they could worship), Jesus found merchants sell...

Introductory note from Jason Pratt: see here for the previous entry; and see here for the first entry of the series. (It explains what I'm doing, and how, and contains the Johannine prologue.) Due to plot complexities and subtleties, I will need to give more overt plotnotes (not just parenthetical helps like this) as things progress. This plot tracking won't really kick in until the end begins in Gethsemane, but I thought I'd mention it now since I'll have to include more notes than usual in this entry today. The title of today's entry comes from a portion of the seder service where the burn-striped unleavened bread is hidden for a time. A turn of phrase used by the Evangelist, and the fact that the seder meal is being prepared for in this chapter, suggested the title to me. The Hiding of the Bread (the day before the end...) Then (say the Scholar, Disciple and Follower) was coming the first day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover (lamb) must be sacrifice...