How odd of God …

To choose …

G.K. Chesterton? “How odd of God to choose the Jews.”

God chose them when they weren’t even a dlimmer in Abram’s eye

Saul :

Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”

1 Samuel 10:1 “Then Samuel took a flask of oil and poured it on his head and kissed him and said, “Has not the Lord anointed you to be prince over his people Israel? And you shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their surrounding enemies. And this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you to be prince over his heritage.”

Levi

Mark 2:16–17 “And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.””

It’s a theme

all through the Bible

God chooses people whom others reject:

poor, low social status, young, sinners

They are the ones God chooses to carry forward his plan.

The Jerome Biblical Commentary (The Gospel - According to Mark, Section 17)

The point of the story lies in Jesus’ proverbial pronouncement, which Mark understands … as an epiphany of Jesus’ Messianic power to forgive sins. He invites sinners to the Messianic banquet rather than letting himself be contaminated by their presence. … It is not that those who were upright according to Mosaic Law lay outside the scope of Jesus’ invitation, but that in fact those Jews who did accept Christ were, by and large, not from among the scribes and Pharisees, but from among those considered by them as sinners (J. Mousson, ColMech 43 [1958] 134-39).

2 Conclusions

(for today)

Solutions or help from God

will nearly always come from those you least expect.

That person could as well be you or me, as anyone.

Speculation is useless;

the person, or the means God chooses will surprise you

& every now and then, God laughs.