Virtual Vestry ~ Hospitality in the Bible

As I am putting this series together I realize I am asking us to look at well-known stories and events through a very different lens. I can almost hear some of your reactions... I look forward to seeing how well I know you. This study has, for sure, shifted how I am viewing Biblical literature. I knew the concept of hospitality was core. I didn't not understand how much. I find myself re-evaluating my spiritual journey through this window. The goal is to look at a variety of people who chose to be hospitable in caring ways. I asked Steve to attach some materials (see 'Resources' below). I put them in because I think they can be helpful in our thinking for the rest of the series.

Some Basic Principles:

Genesis 1 & 2; Exodus 20:8-11; Romans 12:13, Romans 16:23, 1 Timothy 5:10, 1 Peter 4:9, 3 John 1:8

Some Teaching Stories:

Genesis 14:17-20; Exodus 12:7,13; Luke 10:25-37.
(These are just quick and/or odd examples. We will be looking at different stories, in more depth, over the next six weeks)

Some Lenses to Consider:

1. Context
2. Language
3. Location of story in a series; what are the texts or stories around the one we consider?
4. Spiritual stages or places of the writer, the people in the stories, the intended audience.
5. Intention of the writer; for instance, the focus of both Moses and Paul to create communities that represented God.

I posit that hospitality stories in the Bible include (at least) these seven components:

1. Hospitality welcomes the outsider, the stranger, or the vulnerable traveler.
2. In every story but one there is a possibility of some sort of danger or disaster
3. Beings who are hospitable make a choice to take personal risks.
4. A primary core value of a hospitable person, locale, or choice is that they are safe for the guest but also for others of the environs.
5. Nurture is involved.
6. Guests can be any sort of being.
7. There are often unexpected results or blessings.

Genesis 1 and 2... Teaching principles through story.

1. Who was/or were the host(s)?
2. Who took the risk?
3. What was done to make this first environ safe?
4. What was done to make it nurturing?
5. The danger... but information and cautions.
6. What was the unexpected result(s)?
7. What is it like for you to view this story through the lens of hospitality principles?

Just a note on Genesis 6 - I am starting to see the Noah story through the lenses of hospitality.

Genesis 14:17-20

• What are the ways in which the concepts of hospitality play out with Abraham and Melchizdek?

Exodus 12:7,13

• Because of these and other teaching stories found in Genesis, I see this Passover event through the eyes of Biblical hospitality principles. Where do you see it fitting?

• Some extra materials:
  Two difference constructs to look at spiritual or moral development:
  • Kohlberg Stages of Moral Development
  • Spiral Dynamics of Personal and Organizational Growth
  The outline of a workshop I do (Nourishing Safe Communities: Healing Injured Ones) to give you a sense of how I think about what makes a community safe and nurturing.
  • Nurturing Safe Communities Workshop
• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)

Texts: Exodus 20:1,8-10, Genesis 14:17-20, Genesis 18 (To get a sense of context you might was to also read Genesis 17. I am assuming you know the story of Genesis 19), Luke 10:25-37 (Luke 10 is actually three stories about hospitality. You might want to read the whole chapter to get context)

Hospitality

1. Welcomes the outsider, the stranger, or the vulnerable traveler.
2. In every story but one there is a possibility of some sort of danger or disaster
3. Beings who are hospitable make a choice to take personal risks.
4. A primary core value of a hospitable person, locale, or choice is that they are safe for the guest but also for others of the environs.
5. Nurture is involved.
6. Guests can be any sort of being.
7. There are often unexpected results or blessings.

************The Great Dismal Swamp***********

1. Context
2. Language
3. Location of story in a series; what are the texts or stories around the one we consider?
4. Spiritual stages or places of the writer, the people in the stories, the intended audience.
5. Intention of the writer; for instance, the focus of both Moses and Paul to create communities that represented God.

I am the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt; from the house of slavery...

Remember the Sabbath day to set it apart as holy. For six days you have permission to work; to follow your business or occupation. The seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh (with whom you have a covenant relationship), the plural One of majesty and power. On the Sabbath you will not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male servant, your female servant or your cattle or the resident foreigner who is within your gates.

1. What are the qualities of hospitality that God was exhibiting to the children of Israel in Sinai?
2. What are the similarities between this and the hospitality of Eden?
3. How does the idea that God is providing hospitality in the desert affect your reading of the commandments that follow?
4. What do you think were the various stages of spiritual or moral development of the people who heard these words spoken at Sinai?
5. How do you think those stages affected reactions to the commandment?

1. What is the context of this story?
2. How does the meaning of Melchizedek's name and the name of his location affect your understanding of what his hospitality may have been offering Abraham?
3. What would have been the meaning that Melchizedek came out of his village/town to feed Abraham?
4. How is this story different from other Biblical stories of hospitality you have read?
5. At what stage of his spiritual development do you think Abraham was here? Why?

1. This story of a day's hospitality takes place between two major events. Why is the story placed here? Do you think it is just about chronology?
2. What do you think are the unexpected results or gifts of this act of hospitality?
3. Did Abraham take any personal risks? If so, what were they?
4. What lesson or gift was there in Abrahams's negotiation during this visit?
5. What do you think of the interactions of the visitors with Sarah?
6. Are there any parallels in your own life?

1. There are three stories that touch on hospitality in this chapter or section of Luke's good news. Why do you think Luke put the Good Samaritan's hospitality where he did?
2. This is a compare and contrast story of hospitality. What do you think the Samaritan's stage of Spiritual development is? The Priest's. The Levite? Why?
3. What risks did the Samaritan take?
4. What do you think is the Samaritan's gift or blessing in his acts of hospitality?

1. Which one do you like the best? Why?
2. Which is most frustrating? Why?
3. From which one did you learn some something new or see something from a different angle?
4. Any of them scary?
5. Any of them a comfort?

• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)

(Please read it in full, more than once if you have the time)

The book of Ruth is a rare insight into the outworking of some of the Mosaic Laws. The social and cultural realities of the time centred around ownership of land, and the preservation of family. Community and social responsibility were critical. The fundamentals of the social structure in an agrarian society were so different to what we deal with in our society that it's looking into an alien world.

What were the pillars of this world?

• Lev 25:8-12: The year of Jubilee: every 50 years there was a general amnesty to DEBT. Families that had sold land because of financial challenge had the opportunity to get their land back.
• Lev 25:25-55: There was a social structure in which the successful and wealth had to accept responsibility in relationship to their fellow Jews. There were RULES that determined in advance through the principles of Guardian-Redeemers who were allotted to these roles.
• Deut 25:5-6: is directly related to a passage which we have studied. (Matt 22:23-33) defines the role played when brothers are involved.

All the above factors play into the Book of Ruth. Care for the POOR & VULNERABLE is the key factor behind all these rules. It would be impossible to apply the methods in our modern world, but the PRINCIPLES are eternal .

Over the last two weeks we have already broadened the principle of HOSPITALITY to include all the ways of protecting the oppressed and vulnerable. Hence the link to Hospitals, Hospices, and multiple other ways of helping people.

Last week we looked at the Parable of the Good Samaritan which contrasts someone who understood this principle, and two spiritual leaders who avoided it. One of the predominant rebukes by the OT prophet against the oppression of the widows, orphans and poor resonate with this reality as being important to God.

Another message from Jesus himself underscores this same reality. Matt 25:31-46 (THE SHEEP & GOATS)

Despite all the CULTURAL ODDITIES found in the OT which are offensive to our modern minds and ways, there is an ungirding framework of CARE AND LOVE for all mankind.

In the REVELATION OF GOD, through the life and ministry of JESUS this reality comes to life.

Today we step into this strange world recorded in the Book of Ruth and see the principles at work in that world of the past.

1. Naomi, her husband and two sons left Israel during a time of famine and went to Moab. The story later reveals that they must have sold their property to fund their move.

   • If they had ALL returned to Bethlehem, what difference would it have made to their lives?
   • If they had returned after Elimelek died but the boys were unmarried, what difference would it have made?

   I have asked those questions to challenge your comprehension of the Mosaic Regulations.

2. Naomi stayed, her two sons married Moabite women, and the two sons died. All that had happened in a period of 10 years. Neither of the Moabite women had children or the story would have recorded that reality. It probably indicates that the marriages were short enough to explain the absence of children, or the two sons could have been sterile.

3. Ruth 1:8-15
   • What does the story tell us about Naomi and her relationship with her daughters-in-law?
   • Why would Naomi suggest that they return home to their own families and gods?
4. Ruth 1:1-22
   • What does this tell us about Ruth?
5. Chapter 2
   • What dangers did Ruth face in going into the fields to glean?
   • What do we discover about Boaz in this passage?
6. Chapter 3

   An odd encounter.

   • Why did Naomi send Ruth to Boaz?
   • What problems could have come about that would have led Boaz to want to keep her visit a secret?
7. Chapter 4
   • Why did Boaz go through all the protocols that he did in order to become Ruth's husband?

8. RUTH'S CHILD BECOMES THE ANCESTER OF KING DAVID

   • What does that tell us?

PLENTY OF SCOPE FOR DISCUSSION!

• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)

The story of Elijah and the Widow of Zarephath is a short insight into the experience of the Prophet Elijah. I would like us to broaden the scope of our study of hospitality today and look at it from the different perspectives, and at the same time understand more about the Prophets.

1 Kings 12 onwards provides an outline on the events that took place after the death of Solomon and the s plitting the tribes of Israel. Judah and Benjamin became JUDAEA, and the 10 Tribes were ISRAEL which of course included Samaria which had featured to prominently in our study of the life of Jesus. Both kingdoms went through significant spiritual rebellion.

PLENTY OF SCOPE FOR DISCUSSION

1 Kings 13:1-32 tells the story of a prophet from JUDAH sent by God to King Jeroboam in Israel.

• Man of God curses Israel and its altar at the command of God.
• Jeroboam tried to kill the prophet... And his hand shrivelled up... Man of God restores hand.
  (v 7-10) Hospitality offered & refused?
• (v 11-19) A prophet lies to the Man of God; offers him hospitality and he accepts.
• (v 20 -32) Both prophets taught bitter lessons.

We have already seen in our study of the Life of Jesus that he was often offered hospitality tinged with evil intent. History is replete with acts of treachery in the disguise of hospitality.

• What lessons can be learned from the story above?
• Is a prophet always a prophet?

The incident of the Widow of Zarephath is best seen in the light of the whole story.

1 Kings 14-16 records the continued spiritual rebellion of both Judah and Israel. Rampant idolatry proliferated everywhere. Ahab becomes king of Israel and marries Jezebel. They both set out to totally eradicate the worship of God and to kill the Lord's Prophets.

This mission is so intense that ELIJAH does not know that he is not alone!

1 Kings 17:1-24

• (v 1) Elijah throws down the gauntlet.
• (v 2-6) Water in the Ravine. The Lord provides the hospitality through the Ravens.
• 1 Kings 18:1-46
  Jesus refers to this incident and to the cleansing from leprosy of Naaman the Syrian when he refused to perform miracles in his hometown of Nazareth.
  • Where was Zarephath?
  • Elijah was told a widow had been directed to help him. How specific was that?
  • What does this tell us about Elijah and the Widow?
  • Does this remind you of other stories in the Bible?
  • Did the Son die?

Elijah has already promised the Widow that the supplies would be there till his task is done and the RAIN RETURNS, and the famine gone.

1 Kings 18:1-46 ~ Call to Carmel

• (v 1-15) What does the story of Obadiah tell us?
• • (v 16-40) MT CARMEL
  • (v22) why did Elijah think he was the only prophet left?
  • Did the prophets of BAAL and ASHERAH deserve death?
  • (v 41-46) The sound of rain!

1 Kings 19:1-18 ~ Flight to Horeb

• From the Mountain Top to the Cave of Despair.
• The Lord provides the hospitality... once again.

What lessons are here for us today?

• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)

Read Luke 10:38-42, John 11, and John 12:1-7.

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at Jesus's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, so she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her, then, to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, but few things are needed - indeed only one. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

Bethany: A village in Judea not far from Jerusalem. The meaning of Bethany has been debated but it most likely means "House of affliction" or "poorhouse". It was thought that was some sort of almshouse or hospital in Bethany.

The family lived in a village (not a city) outside Jerusalem. Martha appears to be the head of the household. The sisters were also not married and there appeared to be no parents around.

• What can we say about Bethany, a village that seems to be connected to suffering and/or poverty.
• Who were Martha and Mary and Lazarus? Were they wealthy or not? Why were Martha and Mary not married?
• What might have been different or not different about their household?

Martha was the first to meet Jesus and she invited Jesus into her home. Jewish tradition is that there is a legal obligation to welcome strangers and outsiders into our homes, feed them and generally take care of them.

• Why would Jesus go to their home? What about this home is better than a different place to stay? Why might it be a safe place or why would he feel comfortable there?
• Was Martha taking a risk inviting Jesus to her home?
• What is Mary doing in verse 39? What was the significance of this? Was this actually uncommon for women at the time (read Tom de Bruins's article "Gender and Jesus").
• What is Jesus view of hospitality, given that he appears to think that what Mary is doing is better than what Martha is doing? Why might we see things differently to them (i.e. cultural lenses)?
• What do they give to Jesus and what does Jesus give in return? (Maybe we can come back to this question at the end as well.)

When Jesus heard of Lazarus death he stayed two more days before he returned to Bethany. At first he says that Lazarus is asleep but when the disciples don't get it he bluntly says Lazarus is dead. When Jesus arrives at Bethany he doesn't go straight in. Martha goes out to meet him alone at the place where they first met. Jesus speaks with Martha to reassure her and tell her some truths about resurrection. When Martha comes back to get Mary, she runs out to meet Jesus, along with the people. Unlike with Martha, when Jesus sees Mary's grief he is visibly moved and weeps. He goes straight away to the tomb and resurrects Lazarus. Before this though, both women affirm that if Jesus had been there Lazarus would not have died.

• Was there danger for Jesus to go back to Judea/Bethany (see John 11:8)?
• What is the meaning of John 11: 9,10. And what about verse 15?
• Did Mary and Martha have any right to expect that Jesus should have been there?
• Why does Jesus not go into the village but rather waits outside for Mary and Martha to come to him?
• Given that both sisters stated their belief that if Jesus had been there their brother would not have died, what is their level of spiritual development? What else does Martha say that Mary does not?
• Why was Jesus so much more moved by Mary's grief than when Martha came out to him?
• Why did Jesus choose to resurrect Lazarus rather than go earlier and keep him from dying? (see John 11:45)

Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus's feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

Jesus often shared a meal with people. Sharing a meal implies many things from simple friendship to partaking in the kingdom of God in a tangible and fulfilling way. In fact Jesus spent a lot of time welcoming people of all segments of society and being hospitable to them.

• What is the significance of giving a dinner for Jesus? Why is Jesus happy to share a meal with people? As a guest, what does Jesus give?
• What is Martha doing? What is her demeanour?
• What is Mary doing?
• What is the significance of the anointing? (perfume on the feet six days before Passover) Compare to the story of the other anointing in Mark 14:1-9? (perfume on Jesus head two days before Passover)
• What is the significance of both these anointings?

Read "Understanding the significance of Jesus being anointed by oil" , an article that explains the significance of the anointings.

• Why does Jesus defend Mary once again?
• Why was it considered a waste to use the pure nard? What were the disciples not seeing?
• Why would it be women who did both of these anointings?

As it turns out, these anointings were very important. Think also about the women going out with spices after Jesus crucifixion. Women were caring for Jesus throughout the gospels before and after his death.

• What do they give to Jesus and what does Jesus give in return?

• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)

Two unique stories this week that are very similar.

Luke 7:36-50 tells the story of Jesus in Simon the Pharisee's house, where an unnamed sinner washes Jesus's feet.

In Mark 14:3-9 Jesus is in Simon the Leper's house, and an unnamed woman anoints Jesus's head. Matthew 26:6-13 and John 12:1-8 also tell this story.

We/you discussed these stories in October 2021. The Mark/Matthew/John narrative is quite different to the one in Luke. Besides basic facts - compare the description of the woman, the time, the place, what the woman does, who reacts - the theology is very different between Luke and the other gospels. Luke's story is about hospitality.

The whole of Luke 7:1-8:3 is a single section. Read it and consider what themes Luke is discussing in this section of his gospel.

Luke's narrative consists of four scenes. I'd suggest you try to discover them yourself; you can compare your answer to mine in the footnotes  ¹.

There are also four characters in the story, can you identify them? Again, see the footnotes  ².

For each scene try to figure out the following:

• What is each character doing in the scene?
• What does each character think/say about the other characters in the scene? Here's an example (I might well be wrong!):
  1st scene:
  • Simon invites Jesus to a meal.
  • Thinks Jesus is not the prophet he imagined he was;
  • thinks the woman is a sinner;
  • thinks that the other guests must feel lucky to be invited by him!
  (The text might be silent—feel free to use your imagination like I did!)

Some questions to ponder

• What acts of hospitality does Jesus say Simon didn't show?
• How do these reflect the customs from other passages we have studied?
• What hospitality customs are unmentioned? Any idea why they are missing?
• Gender plays a big role here. Watch this 5-min video I recorded for my classes at Newbold. Try to answer the final question of the video to this text: 'Apply the scale of gender to this story''.
• Reflect on Jesus's final words. What faith is he talking about?

• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)

Matthew 14:13-21, Matthew 21:12-15,
Mark 5:1-20, Mark 10:13-16,
Luke 8:26-39,
John 3:1,2, John 4:4-7, John 21:9,10.

There are two substantive things different about our study of hospitality this week. First, these are stories about Jesus, the Originator of hospitality for the universe; its galaxies, star systems, and created beings. Secondly, we are not focusing on a single story but using 7 very different ones to see how they represent qualities or processes of hospitality. (I seem to be obsessed with that number. There is one story I added because I wanted there to be seven stories.) I think this method might let you pick stories you particularly like to contemplate for each of the foci for this week.

1. Hospitality welcomes the outsider, the stranger, or the vulnerable traveler.
2. In every story here there is a possibility of some sort of danger or disaster
3. Beings who are hospitable make a choice to take personal risks.
4. A primary core value of a hospitable person, locale, or choice is that they are safe for the guest but also for others of the environs.
5. Nurture is involved.
6. Guests can be any sort of being.
7. There are often unexpected results or blessings.

1. A Pharisee Visits at Midnight
2. High Noon Hospitality at a Well.
3. Children Come for Hugs and Blessings
4. Feeding a Lot of People
5. Meeting at Gerasene.
6. Jesus Welcomes the Blind and Lame.
7. Breakfast for Exhausted Fishermen (I really really wanted to say "Fisherfolk" but I am pretty sure this one was all men.)

• What kinds of locations did Jesus use for His acts of hospitality?
• How were these locations safe or how did Jesus make them safe?
• What are the lessons for you?

1. Were the wanderers?
2. The strangers?
3. The vulnerable ones?
4. Were the various kinds of beings involved in these stories?

1. What were the needs?
2. How were they demonstrated?

1. What humans are included in these acts of hospitality?
2. What are their parts?
3. Do any of them surprise you?
4. What one did you almost miss?
5. What do you think are the stages of spiritual development of the people participating in Jesus' hospitality?
6. What do you think are the intended lessons for the readers?
7. What do you think are the lessons for you? - Yea! There were seven!

1. What are the ways Jesus nurtured?
2. Did any of them surprise you?
3. Did any of them expand your notion of what nourishes?

1. What different kinds of danger are possible in these various acts of hospitality?
2. How are they addressed?

1. Any of them surprise you?
2. Are there lessons in them for you?

I look forward to our discussion. I always learn from you. In the meanwhile, I wish for you healing and unexpected blessings.

• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)

• Revelation 3:20
• Revelation 21:9–22:5

Looking back:

• Genesis 1 and 2
• Genesis 14:17-20
• Genesis 18:1-8
• Exodus 20:1
• Ruth 1
• I Kings 17
• Luke 7:36-30
• Luke 10:38-42

In all of these vignettes God has a part, however subtle in the story or its results. In order get a perspective on Revelation 3:20 it might be helpful to think about the part of God in each of these events.

1. Hospitality welcomes the outsider, the stranger, or the vulnerable traveler.
2. In every story here there is a possibility of some sort of danger or disaster
3. Beings who are hospitable make a choice to take personal risks.
4. A primary core value of a hospitable person, locale, or choice is that they are safe for the guest but also for others of the environs.
5. Nurture is involved.
6. Guests can be any sort of being.
7. There are often unexpected results or blessings.

Pictures of Jesus in the letter to the seven churches:

1. The One who has a firm grasp of the seven stars in his right hand – who walks among the 7 lampstands.
2. The First and the Last; the One who was dead and came to life.
3. The One with the sharp double edged sword.
4. The Son of God with eyes like a fiery flame; whose feet are polished bronze.
5. The One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.
6. The Holy One the True One who holds the keys of David; who opens doors no one can shut and shuts doors no one can open.
7. The Amen; the originator of God's creation.

And yet: I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into in their home and share a meal with them; and they with me.

Here, God is the wayfarer and the traveler asking for our hospitality. Unlike Mamre, unlike Bethany, there is no guarantee of welcome.

When I read this I feel both poignancy and one final request/promise.

What I will ask us to think about is how each of the qualities, listed above, for hospitality can refer to Jesus, as petitioner and the person on the other side of the door.

Knowing this group, we won't have time to compare and contrast Genesis 1 and Revelation 21/22. This is the only story we've looked at where there is no danger or death. I am going to read sections from this and then I will invite us to talk about what stands out for us about how concepts of hospitality are represented here. What part is important to you?

• PDF of these notes
• Audio recording of class discussion (password protected)