Reading Log 1

[This paper was written for the Synoptic Gospels class at Capital University, where I am currently seeking a minor degree in religion.]

Jesse Harmon

RELIG 330

September 16, 2013

Reading Log #1: Styles

            I’ve noticed the writing styles of the three synoptic gospels are very different from each other.  I’ve seen Matthew as being a persuasive letter to the Jewish people.  Mark always seemed like a news article, while Luke was an informal informational letter.  I will be exploring why I think each Gospel has these tendencies by looking at the scripture, not as a bits and pieces, but as a whole.  I will be using the New International Version of the Bible for this experiment.  It would be interesting to compare word-for-word and thought-for-thought versions of the Bible.

The Feeding of the 45,026

I love it when things in the Bible suddenly stand out to me that I hadn't noticed before.

Today while reading the KJV of Matthew's account of Jesus feeding the five thousand, something stood out to me. It says, "And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children."

Notice, "besides women and children." This is what got me.

Now let's say each man had one wife and three kids.
1 man
1 wife
3 kids

Take all this, and multiply it by 5000 (the number of men).

We get...

5,000 men
5,000 women
15,000 kids.

Add all these up, and we get...(drumroll please)....25,000 people. Now, add in the 12 disciples and Jesus. 25,013 people fed.

Now, let's do the same for chapter 15's feeding of the 4000 men.

4,000 men
4,000 women
12,000 kids

We get a total of 20,000 people being fed. Now add the 12 disciples and Jesus. 20,013.

Add both chapter 14 and chapter 15's numbers together. Let's say that no person has been fed in both occasions, except the disciples and Jesus. We get, 45,026 people being fed.

So why do we say "the feeding of the 5,000" instead of the "feeding of the 37,000?"

Peace, Peace, There Is No Peace

I still applaud Mrs. Cook-Porter and Mrs. Ogle for being so calm on this day 12 years ago.  We all watched the Today Show on the old Zenith television set in the blue classroom near the door at Enterprise Elementary.  I remember drawing a picture of what I was seeing on the back of my homework (that picture is now lost).

Here's the church. Here's the steeple. Open the doors, and....

....see all the bickering, fighting, name-calling, war-mongering, and general chaos that is St. Matthew Lutheran Church, located in downtown Logan, Ohio, USA.

St. Matthew To Remain With ELCA....At Least For Another 2 Week

Last Sunday, the people of St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Logan, Ohio, spoke their voice when they voted down a measure to disaffiliate with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and join the North American Lutheran Church.