The Big Four

a Biblical thought...
A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, "It's done . . . complete." Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit. (John 19:29-30)

a Book thought...
I think one of the most misconstrued notions in the territory of blessings is that blessings from God always appear in monetary form. (p193 Munn)

a Dave thought...
Wright, one of the greatest, and certainly most prolific, Bible scholars in the world, will touch a nerve with this book. What happens when we die? How should we think about heaven, hell, purgatory and eternal life? Wright critiques the views of heaven that have become regnant in Western culture, especially the assumption of the continuance of the soul after death in a sort of blissful non-bodily existence. This is simply not Christian teaching, Wright insists. The New Testament's clear witness is to the resurrection of the body, not the migration of the soul. And not right away, but only when Jesus returns in judgment and glory. The "paradise," the experience of being "with Christ" spoken of occasionally in the scriptures, is a period of waiting for this return. But Christian teaching of life after death should really be an emphasis on "life after life after death"-the resurrection of the body, which is also the ground for all faithful political action, as the last part of this book argues. Wright's prose is as accessible as it is learned-an increasingly rare combination. No one can doubt his erudition or the greatness of the churchmanship of the Anglican Bishop of Durham.

I have had many recommend over the years that I read some of N.T. Wright's works so I am just about to embark on gathering some books for furlough which I begin in a week. Surprised by Hope is the first on my list, if you have read it or have views about whether I should, feel free to comment.

Also as today is Maundy Thursday I encourage you to take time to remember the four events that occurred this day - the washing of the Disciples' feet by Jesus Christ, the Last Supper, the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot.

Just a thought.