Living in cornavirusworld 42: Reflections on the "Good Shepherd"

5/4

...and the braking of bread....

At the beginning of our Bible Study tonight, I bring up that it is the 50th anniversary of the shootings at Kent State. And I ask what we remember. Russ was a grad student Michigan who thought, “Well, that’s it…”. Marsha asks “the end?” and Russ says, “No, the beginning.”  As for Marsha, she was a grad student at Washington U. in St.Louis where the ROTC building was also burned. She remembers thinking, “Well, there’s work to be done,” much as she does today. I have recorded my memories in yesterday's post, but my biggest point was how my friend Del, who was an eye witness, saw two groups of working class Ohio young people, neither  of whom wanted to be drafted or go to war, turned against one another. “The guys who were shooting at us were us,” he said, “that’s what they do to us.” And the rest were too young to remember.

Yesterday was the fourth Sunday of Easter, traditionally known for reasons not entirely clear, as “Good Shepherd Sunday.”  We decide to start our discussion by reading the 23rd Psalm, as a way of centering. Marsha reads from the King James Version, which is how we hear it in our heads.  Russ reads it in the Message, Gene Peterson’s rewrite.  (Bible passages follow.) We talk about why it’s so important, so beloved by us. Because we remember it. Because we hear it so often, and yes, at funerals. And I add because of the sense of “abundance,” and Marsha says, ‘Yes, like the banquet in the presence my enemies, I still don’t get why that’s good, I’d rather eat without them around.” She also wonders “why sheep? They’re dumb and run off the side of mountains. Is that us? “ And Leila says that they are in need of someone to look after them and trusting.  And it’s a bit like Lou Reed, “Well, I guess but I just don’t know.”

Our main text is the classic John10: 1-10.  I say that verse 9:40 tells us that this is from a conversation between Jesus and the Pharisees. Russ reminds us that it was written  as much as 30 years after the fall of the Temple. The first 5 verses  are the closest that any passage in John comes  to being a parable. It's based on a realistic picture of a Palestinian sheepfold, an enclosure usually with four stone walls. In my doctoral studies, we read the theory that sheep folds were the first step away from nomadic life and the walled enclosure became the model from which eventually cities would grow. Ironically, by the time Jesus came along, shepherds were the only ones to sleep outside the city walls, even farmers would come inside at night. So shepherds were already somewhat othered. (Jesus is a good shepherd.) There is already romantic nostalgia in the shepherd image harkening back to “little David” who became the great king. 

In verse 4 where the shepherd “goes in before them,” the language is as of a military procession, like Palm Sunday, giving us a bit of a subversive use of image.  Verse 4 also gives us the image of the sheep “knowing his voice,” an image of intimacy, like in John's resurrection story, Mary doesn’t recognize him until she hears his voice(20:16)…In verse 6 where it says”… they did not understand..” That’s a pretty common theme. (Mt. 13: 13-15, Is. 6: 9-10, Mk4: 11-12).  In verses 7-10, Jesus presents himself as the gate, the shepherd image come is at verse 11. 

In verse 8, Jesus refers to “robbers.” The actual word, however is “bandits.” This is important because bandits in Jesus day was a word used to describe anti-Roman guerrilla revolutionaries who would lie in wait and ambush Romans. In Matthew 27:38, Jesus is crucified between “two bandits,” meaning Rome executed him as a revolutionary. Talking to the Pharisees, Jesus is setting up a contrast for how to respond to the occupation. The Pharisees' way, the revolutionaries' way, or his way.

                                                 "Good Shepherd," Jefferson Airplane

                                                 "Blood Strained Banders" Jimmy Strothers

                                             "Blood Stained Banders" Mike and Peggy Seeger

The bandit language reminds me of the song, “Good Shepherd,” the Jorma Kaukonen Jefferson Airplane  version.  Turns out the song goes back to Methodist minister Rev. John Adam  Granade in 1808. It made its way into African American culture and the form that Kaukonen learned was recorded first by blind prisoner Jimmy Strothers in 1936, collected by Alan Lomax and transcribed by Rachel Crawford Seeger.   Strothers called his version “Blood strained banders. ” One scholar said his version was “ ..a dark homily that bubbles up invective for the devil that huddles behind every stranger’s face.” Later three Seeger children, Mike, Peggy and Penny; would record that version as well.   Kaukonen would make the widest known, maybe even definitive, version. Lomax was convinced that for Struthers  ‘Blood stained bandits” referred to the Ku Klux Klan.  The three groups we’re warned against are:

*Blood stained bandits

* Gun shot devils (think recent armed demonstrations in the Michigan State House)

* Long tonged liars (well….)

Maybe in this coronavirusworld we need a good shepherd. 

OK then. Maybe the reason this is ‘Good Shepherd Sunday” is that in the middle  of Easter season, we need to get clear what this resurrection is for. What is Jesus’ job description? As he says in verse 10, “….that they might have life and have it abundantly.” Someone once said that Christians tend to fall into one of two camps, either “pick up your cross and follow me” or “have life and have it abundantly.” Most Presbyterians tend to fall into the ‘Pick up your cross” side. That was sure my experience. Interestingly, it is the Black Church  and other communities of struggle that have embraced the abundant life side. The fullness of the 23rd Psalm. In John, Jesus uses that phrase six times. So we have to ask, what is the nature of abundant life in coronavirus time?

Jesus’ desire for us is to live. What does that look like collectively?  For today we look at Acts 2: 42-47.

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Verse 45 could have come right out if Marx. Or perhaps Marx came out of Acts 2: 45.

The collective life involves:

*Study

*Breaking of bread

*Prayers

It’s interesting that worship took place in the temple. They went there regularly. Their principle community ritual, the breaking of bread, took place in the home. The implications are clear. It is not a building that defines the community, it is their life together. Coronavirus time is for us to be communities without buildings. Post virus, we will be in a different  world economically and hopefully many other ways as well. This will call us to be a different church. What we learn during this time can help us prepare. 

                                                     **** 

I see on 116th street the “social distancing “ footprints from last week. Leading to the Food Bank door. Another way to break bread and share “..as any and need…” 

stand here

And the popular street corner memorials apes as frequently as the emergency vehicles….

another memorial

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

1-3 God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

4 

Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

5 

You serve me a six-course dinner
    right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
    my cup brims with blessing.

6 

Your beauty and love chase after me
    every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
    for the rest of my life.

John 10:1-10 (RSV)

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; 2 but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. 9 I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.