Baptized into a Death Like His

In 2006, post-Youth Gathering in San Antonio, Texas, we had some free time on our hands. This was because there are limited flight options when traveling to or from Fairbanks, Alaska. So in the cool of an air conditioned theatre, we took in the newly opened Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, the much anticipated sequel to the surprise break out hit of PotC.

There's a lot I've forgotten about that movie (something something Davy Jones' Locker, something something over the top fight scene, something something Keira Knightley's plump lips) but I've never forgotten this opening scene. (If possible, watch at least the first minute of the clip before reading further.)

While the whole audience burst into cheers when Captain Jack burst forth from his 'escape pod', I was bursting into giddy cheers for a whole other reason. It was a quintessential scene of resurrection. Life from death - and in the waters (of baptism) no less! I was experiencing theological palpitations!

To summarize the scene: here is a coffin, one of many, floating out on a sea. A raven pecks at it; the sound like the knocking on a door, booming with the hollowness of a tomb. Then that knock is answered. (Granted, in a way a bit unfortunate for the raven, who is now nevermore.) And from the gunshot hole, an arm, then the entire splintering of the lid. The music during all of this is perfect - eery and forlorn, then as Jack breaks free, swelling with triumph. He has returned - and mischief with him.

Then we learn in a practical, if ghoulish way that Jack wasn't alone in that coffin. He was sharing the space with someone long dead, reduced to bone. Again, this twining of life and death.

Romans 6:1b-11 is also that twining of life and death; in our Christ crucified there is not one without the other.

And it's not just resurrection following death-death, but also resurrection following death in baptism. As the opening words in our Order of Holy Baptism say:

"In baptism our gracious heavenly Father frees us from sin and death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are born children of a fallen humanity; by water and the Holy Spirit we are reborn children of God and made members of the church, the body of Christ. Living with Christ and in the communion of saints, we grow in faith, love, and obedience to the will of God." (p. 227, Evangelical Lutheran Worship)

In in this new life, we don't always know where we're going, but trust that Christ does. (Not dissimilar from Captain Jack's non-north pointing compass.)

We are claimed, changed, and a completely new course is charted. What are some of the unexpected places you've been since being baptized into Christ death?

If Pentecost were a Musical

As someone who loves to sing (and pretend to dance), I've often thought life would be a lot more interesting if it were a musical where we broke out in song and dance to express ourselves. However, this rarely occurs (unless you stumble across a 'flashmob' that's just happens to be the cast of the Godspell revival).

But the lack of musical moments in real life hasn't stopped me from making mental connections between lectionary texts and musical tunes or other bits of popular culture.

Pentecost is this Sunday (time to put on your red everyone). The biggie text is Acts 2:1-21. Suddenly with the Spirit upon them, everyone starts speaking in the variety of languages used by the Jews from far away places who were visiting Jerusalem. Imagine the crazy cacophony.

Imagine the releasing, the freeing that the Spirit is doing among the disciples. This is the turning point from them being huddled up, turned in upon themselves, and uncertain what to do, to being freed to share God's story with the world. Visions, dreams, prophesy - freed from fear and "ought tos" to imagine a whole new future where a Messiah is crucified for the sake of the world. 

Unsurprisingly some of them suggested, "They are filled with new wine." (Translation: They are drunk.)

Peter reassures folks that they aren't drunk (at least not drunk on wine maybe on the Holy Spirit). However the musical number that came to mind when I think of the joyful freedom does have someone who is a bit drunk. (She misunderstood the ratio of Bacardi to Milk in a Dolce de Leche.) When asked how she feels, she shares a whole variety of joy filled imagines, starting with "If I were a bell, I'd be ringing."

So how do you express the Spirit freed joy within you? How do you ring and swing?

Was Peter really fishing naked?

This past Sunday our Gospel text was John 21:1-19. In the middle of a lot of interesting theological stuff, there's a rather distracting line: "When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea." (New Revised Standard Version

Afterward a fairly brave parishioner asked, "Was he really naked?"

Good question, as I can't imagine it helpful to risk one's bait & tackle among the bait and tackle. Or in this case, gaffs & nets.

Sometimes looking to other translations and how they phrased things can be helpful: 

• "He wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water." ~New International Version
• "When Simon heard that it was the Lord, he put on the clothes that he had taken off while he was working. Then he jumped into the water." ~Contemporary English Bible
• "When Simon Peter realized that it was the Master, he threw on some clothes, for he was stripped for work, and dove into the sea." ~The Message, a paraphrase

They all provide the general sense that Peter wasn't wearing much and then pulled on some garment before jumping into the water. It's not that these translations are trying to be more discrete than the NRSV in describing Peter's state of dress (or lack there of). It's not that the NRSV got it wrong. It's the fact that translating involves making choices and trying to provide clarity. 

Raymond Brown, who wrote The Anchor Bible commentary on this section of John, circa 1970 (hey, it's what's at hand), provides some helpful information. He shares that the Greek word 'gymnos' can be translated as either 'naked' or 'lightly clad'. So it's probable, particularly given cultural custom as well as practicality, that Peter wasn't naked-naked, but wearing something akin to a loincloth.

Brown goes into a lengthy reflection on the oddness of Peter putting on clothes to then jump into the water. Perhaps like me, you remember being taught that water-soaked clothes are heavy and weigh one down. If one's boat/canoe/whatever tips over, it's best to shed those heavy clothes before swimming any distance.

The theories Brown reviewed boiled down to the idea that Peter had another garment on that would still qualify as 'lightly clad' and then he tucked up the garment, since the word "diazonnynai" can mean 'to put on clothes' as well as 'to tuck up into the cincture' (belt).

To have a better picture of what 'tucking up' means, imagine having on the long robe-like garments common to the time. If you took the hem of the backside of the garment, pulled it forward so it went around and over the front side, then tucked it into the belt, that would be 'tucking up'. It would keep the robe from tangling in one's legs. (Or at least this is my best guess for how tucking up would work.)
 
Personally, I think Peter's actions are meant to be odd and not due to the writer of John being less than clear. It's humorous that poor Peter is so frazzled that he puts on clothes before jumping in. Perhaps the main reason he was stripped down to the basics was to keep his clothes dry and free from the slime and smell of fish. So what does he do? Soaks his whole self in wet, fishy-smelling water because he can't wait an extra minute to greet Jesus. (That must of been a fun hug for Jesus!)

Peter's actions remind me of a story. One day Robert Redford entered a small town Montana ice cream shop. The woman who was already at the counter wanted to be respectful of Mr. Redford by not making a fuss, even though he made her twitterpatted. All was going well until she was given her ice cream cone and her change. She held onto her change and dropped her ice cream cone into her purse.

Like Peter, this fan of Redford's was so dazzled and distracted that she didn't even know what she's doing. Which is utterly adorbs to me.

So the next time you have the option of staying respectful or being a bit foolish for the sake of the Gospel, remember dripping wet Peter and go for it.