Lectionary Year B
June 8, 2003
Romans 8:22-27
Disposition
Disposition:
(BE) - STEP TWO: DISPOSITION
A. Genre: The genre of this text for me is one of instruction. I say
that because Paul is instructing us
about a great mystery. That is the balance that is maintained between
the already and the not yet in
which we live. This is not instruction in the sense that an answer is
given about the details to any one
person but rather instruction on the matter in general for the purpose
of laying down a premise. We
are in the midst of a theological statement about Christ of which this
is a part. There is also a pinch
of encouragement to this pericope and so I would add a genre element of
exhortation.
B. Personal Interaction and Organization:
Issues which catch my immediate attention include:
The complexion of "groaning" for creation, us, and the Spirit;
The solidarity between God's creation(including us) and Godself through
the Spirit;
The meaning of being adopted by God and the question of just what that
includes so that I know
better what to eagerly anticipate;
That hope is tied into our groaning[I recall a professor at seminary
saying, perhaps Dr. Shelton, that
when one uses the word hope one should have in mind the longing of a
maiden waiting in the tower
for her beloved knight to return from the battle];
The notion of waiting patiently [my dictionary defined patience as "the
quality of being patient;
The power or capacity of physical endurance; the character or habit of
mind that enables one to
suffer afflictions, provocation, or other evil, with a calm unruffled
temper; calmness; composure;
quietness or calmness in waiting for something to happen; forbearance;
longsuffering; constancy in
labor or exertion; perseverance];
That our "weakness" is here associated with prayer;
A related issue is that the Spirit's response to our weakness is a
prayer of sorts which is unutterable.
I guess that part of those things which are unutterable for us reside
quite explicitly in the being of the
Word which is Jesus Christ. It suggests a tenderness to me of God's
love for us, like that of a parent
to the child who doesn't know quite what he or she is doing as they
imitate their parent's everyday
motions. Its a pleasureable moment for a parent - what about for God -
what about in the other
areas of weakness we have which are not in imitation of our Father in
heaven?
| Return to Gospel text listings | Return to Epistle text listings |
| Return to Old Testament listings | Return to Psalm listings |
| User response form |