Queerying 3rd after Epiphany B

River Needham, MA queeries the Tanakh reading.

Tanakh: Jonah 3:1-5, 10

The word of the Becoming One came to Jonah a second time: “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city of mine, and preach to it.” Jonah went at once to Nineveh in accordance with the Becoming One’s command. Nineveh was an enormously large city a three days’ walk across. Jonah started out and made his way into the city the distance of one day’s walk, and proclaimed: “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” The people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast, and great and small alike put on sackcloth.

[...]

God saw what they did, how they were turning back from their evil ways. Then, God renounced the punishment She had planned to bring upon them, and did not carry it out.

Queeries for the text:
What does God's word sound like?
What does preaching look like?
Does God speak Hebrew? What does a Hebrew command look like?

Why are cities enormously large?

What is missing from this passage?

How can we turn from our evil ways?

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Rev. Emily E. Ewing queeries the Gospel reading.

 

Gospel: Mark 1:14-20

¹⁴Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, ¹⁵and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the reign of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” 

 

¹⁶As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. ¹⁷And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” ¹⁸And immediately they left their nets and followed Jesus. 

 

¹⁹As Jesus went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰Immediately Jesus called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.  

Queeries for the text:

Why was John arrested?  What happened to him?

What does it look like to repent?

When a fisher catches fish, what happens to the fish?

Who are the Sons of Thunder?

How do you mend nets?

How did Zebedee feel?

 

What are your queeries?

 

 

 

3rd after epiphany year b - jonah

Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (#thanksriver for help translating)

The word of the Sovereign came to Jonah a second time, saying, 

     ²“Get up,

     go to Nineveh,

          that great city,

     and cry out against it 

          the cry which I am about to tell you.” 

³So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh,

     according to the word of the Sovereign.

          Now Nineveh was an great city to God,

              a three day journey across. 

          ⁴Jonah began to enter Nineveh,

              a one day journey;

              and he cried out,

                   “Forty days until Nineveh is destroyed.”

⁵And the people of Nineveh believed God! 

     They proclaimed a fasting period,

     and they put on sackcloth,

          from the greatest of them to the least. 

... 

     ¹⁰God saw their deeds,

          that they had turned from their evil ways,

              and God repented from the evil  

                   that God had said would be done to them.

                   And God did not do it.

Queeries for the text:

What did Jonah do the first time the word of God came to him?

Does Jonah still smell like a big fish?

How will the people of Nineveh respond to the fish smell? (#thanksrevjoshua)

Does Jonah even want the people of Nineveh to repent?

Is Jonah's the shortest sermon ever?

Did Jonah even finish walking through the city or just stop one day in?

Is it possible to be a worse prophet than Jonah?

How often does God change Her mind?

Why did the cattle get left out of the Revised Common Lectionary?

What are your queeries?