Today I’m kicking off a weekly video series called “Eating Scripture” in which I attempt to break apart this week’s gospel in about 4 minutes or fewer to pass out the juiciest and crunchiest bits for each of us to chew on over the weekend.

This week, we dive into the text (Mark 7:24-37) which contains a deeply challenging concept for the modernist evangelical Christian, and for many of us that were taught that Jesus is right and always good, and without sin. And yet, it appears that Jesus is not only judgey, but racist! So what do we do with that?

What we do is figure out what we’re going to preach. And I don’t only mean the people who are invited into pulpits this Sunday, but in their homes and their personal lives. What are we all going to preach about this text?

If you like this, or want more, visit Carl Gregg’s post on The Hardest Question this week. And for a must read case for the racist Jesus in this text, visit the brilliant David Henson’s blog. He never fails to get me thinking.

Lastly, the name for this series comes from one of my favorite poems by Mark Strand, “Eating Poetry“. Which, when applied to Scripture is just cool.

Eating Poetry

Ink runs from the corners of my mouth.
There is no happiness like mine.
I have been eating poetry.

The librarian does not believe what she sees.
Her eyes are sad
and she walks with her hands in her dress.

The poems are gone.
The light is dim.
The dogs are on the basement stairs and coming up.

Their eyeballs roll,
their blond legs burn like brush.
The poor librarian begins to stamp her feet and weep.

She does not understand.
When I get on my knees and lick her hand,
she screams.

I am a new man,
I snarl at her and bark,
I romp with joy in the bookish dark.