Confirmation Class "Midrash Project"

WHAT IS MIDRASH?

“Midrash” is a Hebrew word that means “interpretation” or “inquiry.” Midrash is an ancient practice used by Jewish scholars to help explain the meaning of passages in holy scripture. St. Paul sometimes used midrash in his letters. Today we are going to see four candidates for Confirmation in the Christian Faith at Central Lutheran Church demonstrate midrash as part of their biblical education.

To do a midrash means to re-tell the stories from the Bible in a creative way that helps communicate the meaning of ancient texts in today’s cultural context. To re-tell the story creatively and faithfully brings the Bible alive. It makes the Bible’s blessings accessible to those who consider it boring, odd, and incomprehensible. This is a basic part of Christian life.

I ask you to listen carefully to our four young candidates for confirmation as they share the fruit of much hard work. They have worked with me for weeks to read, understand, and interpret a text from one of the gospels. Each person’s approach is different; each has value; each is faithful. I am grateful for the labor and love that these kids have put into this project. I hope you will thank them and encourage them in their walk toward the Rite of Confirmation that will take place here on September 9 of this year, “Rally Day.”

Pastor Brian Brandt

NELSON UNSWORTH

Nelson chose Matthew 8:28-34 for his Midrash. Here’s the NRSV text.

When Jesus came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs coming out of the tombs met him. They were so fierce that no one could pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?”

Now a large herd of swine was feeding at some distance from them. The demons begged him, “If you cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And Jesus said to them, “Go!” So they came out and entered the swine; and suddenly, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the water. The swineherds ran off, and on going into the town, they told the whole story about what had happened to the demoniacs. Then the whole town came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.

Nelson’s Midrash

It was a dark night and Superman was flying around the city making sure all was well. He heard a noise and saw some movement below. As he looked down, he saw two cloaked figures bent over what appeared to be a drunken man slumped against a tombstone. Superman swooped down for a closer look and as the startled, cloaked figures looked up, he saw that they were vampires that had just bitten the neck of the unconscious man. When the vampires saw Superman they fell to their knees and cried out; “Oh no! Superman, why are you here? What are you going to do to us? Do not torment us. Instead let us go into those mice scampering over there by the gravestone. Superman permitted this and the vampires went into the mice. As the mice began to run off, there was a rustling sound and a huge owl came flying fast and low and, with one gulp, the mice were gone. The man near the tombstone awoke confused and frightened. Superman assured him that all was well and that although two vampires had bitten him, he would remain a human and not become a vampire.

As all this was unfolding, two teenagers who were in the cemetery on a dare had witnessed the whole event as they hid behind a large headstone. They were freaked out at what they saw and couldn’t believe it was happening. They grabbed the man who had been bitten and ran to town. They told how a human dressed in strange clothes who had seemingly come out of the sky had changed vampires into mice that were then eaten by an owl. A group of frightened parents and policeman ran back to the cemetery just as they saw a figure walking away. They called out to the man. “ Leave this place and don’t come back”. “ We don’t need you here. We can take care of ourselves”. The man turned and said, “ I will leave, but never forget that I will always be here if you need me”.

Nelson’s Explanation

This story is my way of retelling Matthew 8:28-34. In this passage Jesus heals a man that is thought to be unclean by the villagers because he is possessed by demons. Jesus comes upon the man near the tomb and the two demons speak to Jesus. They call out to Jesus, the son of man, and ask that he not torture them and instead let them go into some nearby pigs. Jesus allows the demons to go into the pigs and then the pigs run into a lake and drown themselves. The villagers who were upset and angry about the loss of their pigs, ask Jesus to leave the village. I chose this way of retelling the story because as I read the passage about Jesus saving the man from the demons inhabiting his body, I immediately thought of a superhero. After all, a superhero is a human body possessed with extraordinary powers. What better way to portray Jesus who also has a super-human authority? I thought about how I wanted to relay the story and decided that a super hero going against vampires who prey on weak and unsuspecting people would help me get my point across. After all, vampires, not unlike demons, are an evil presence that take over an unsuspecting body and cause it to behave in an unnatural or bad way. I picked teenagers to represent the villagers and be frightened because usually they might think something like that would be cool, but it was so extraordinary that it really frightened them. The drunken guy was just freaked out too, but really glad to be saved from being a vampire. The mice represented the pigs and the owl that ate the mice and thereby killing them represented the pigs running into the lake and drowning. There are many ways much less drastic than vampires and demons that distract us from being good Christians, but with God’s help, we can cast out these “demons” and once again find the right path.

go back to top

BEN HORTEN

Ben chose Mark 2:13-17 for his Midrash. Here’s the NRSV text.

Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As Jesus was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And Levi got up and followed him.

And as Jesus sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples ? for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

Ben’s Midrash

There was a man named John who was giving a lecture about the teachings of God at the Schnitzer Hall in Portland, Oregon. His main view on life was that America was made for Americans and wouldn’t be the same if it weren’t that way. Now, there was also a preacher named Simon, who strongly believed that everyone was welcome and we should make way for others. While Simon was walking home from preaching in Pioneer Square, he met two illegal immigrant children who had just arrived in Portland after crossing the border from Mexico less than a week before and were looking for a place to stay. They had come looking for work and were eager to earn some money so they could get their parents to America as well. Simon told them to follow him, and they did. He allowed them to eat in his home and stay there until their parents came. While the children were there, John and his friends who believed the same way were walking by Simon’s house and noticed through the window that he was harboring the immigrants. They were frustrated and outraged that he would let them stay in his household, so they questioned the people who had listened to him preach at the square why he was letting them stay there. When Simon heard this, he rushed outside and asked them, “Why do you complain about me giving these two children food and shelter? You don’t need any shelter, so why should you care, since it doesn’t harm you at all. I believe my purpose in life is to help those who are in need, not those who want free food and a place to stay when they don’t need it.”

Ben’s Explanation

I used this story as a modern day metaphor of Mark 2: 13-17. That is the passage where Jesus finishes his preaching by the sea, and while he was walking home, he meets Levi, the tax collector. When Jesus sees him he simply says, “follow me,” and Levi gets up and follows Jesus to his home. There, Jesus eats with Levi and other tax collectors while talking to them about the teachings of God. During dinner, some Pharisee scribes see Jesus eating with the tax collectors and start harassing the disciples about why he is eating with them. When Jesus hears this, he goes outside and says to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to come to call not the righteous but sinners.” In my retelling I use the illegal immigrants as the tax collectors, because whether we like it or not, they are looked down upon by many people. I used Simon to represent Jesus because he is the one doing the right thing and helping those who need to be helped, whether it’s physically or spiritually. I use John and his followers to represent the Pharisee scribes because they think that they are better than everyone else, even though they really aren’t. Lastly, I use Simon’s followers to represent the disciples because they are the ones who follow Simon, AKA Jesus, and are asked the question by John and his followers, AKA the Pharisee scribes. In the Bible passage I thought it was pretty confusing, because the Pharisee scribes were basically hypocrites, yet Jesus tells them that they are righteous. When I thought more about it, I realize that even though they are aren’t actually right and pure, their religion is a righteous practice and that he needs to cleanse those that aren’t that way. It also seemed ironic to me that after calling the Pharisees righteous they still thought it was fit to kill him in the end. No matter what they think, though, they will never in their dreams be better than a certain person. They will never be better than Jesus or their fellow humans, but rather they are to be equal with all the other people.

go back to top

MARGARET KOWITZ

Margaret chose Luke 10:25-37 for her Midrash. Here’s the NRSV text.

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” The lawyer answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. The Samaritan went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then the Samaritan put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of this person; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’
Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” The lawyer said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Margaret’s Midrash

A freshman from Grant High School named John Mason was grieving over the death of his grandfather. This made him think about life. So, on Sunday, he went to his confirmation class at Grace Memorial, and he asked his teacher, Linda, “is there anything I can do to have eternal life, to succeed in school?” Linda said to him “what has the word of God taught you to do, what have you been taught all of your life?” John answered from reading in a bible “to love the lord you God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.” And he answered, not reading from a bible, “to succeed in school, I should treat not only students from my school, but from other schools as well as I wish to be treated.” And Linda answered “That is the correct answer, by doing those things, not only will you have eternal life, but you shall also succeed in school.” John didn‘t like some kids from other high schools, so he said “you can’t possibly mean that to succeed in school, I have to become friends with kids from other schools, especially those no-good, druggies from Lincoln!” And all Linda could say was “yes, that is exactly what I mean.”

John didn’t like what he was hearing, but after some thought, he asked his teacher “ok, who are these other students that I must become friends with? “Then Linda answered after giving it some thought, “A few years ago, at a State Track Meet at Lincoln, Lincoln was kickin’ all the other schools’ butt in track, and as you can imagine, the fans from other schools were mad, and they took things personal. A student from Lincoln, named Connor Kavanaugh ran into a bunch of Cleveland students. As you can imagine, since Lincoln was winning, that wasn’t a good thing. The Cleveland students beat him and left him in critical condition. Well, only a few minutes after the beating, a student from Benson, named Kristine Walters walked by, but because Benson students were angry at Lincoln, they also don’t get along, so, she just kept on walking. She didn’t want to stop and help Connor. Then another student walked by, a student from Jefferson, named George Samson. Now he was also mad with Lincoln, but a lot of schools were. So when this student saw Connor, he also just walked by, not caring about what had happened to him. But a student from Grant walked by, and his name was Kaseem Osheroff. Even though Kaseem and Connor were rivals, and didn‘t like each other, in fact they hated each other, Kaseem felt pity for Connor. He covered Connor’s wounds with band aids and gauzes. Kaseem then carried Connor to his car and drove him to the Good Samaritan Hospital. Because Kaseem did not know where Connor’s family was, he paid for his hospital bill.

When Linda was finished, she asked the student, “which of those three students, Kristine, George, or Kaseem, do you think, was the one who treated Connor as he wished to be treated, as though he wanted eternal life?” And John replied, “The one who showed Connor mercy, the one who took care for him, and the one who took him to the hospital and paid for his bills, Kaseem.” Then Linda replied, “ Go help others, whether they are friend or foe, or in this case your rival.”

Margaret’s Explanation

This is my modern day metaphor of Luke10:25-37. I decided that John was the person, who in the parable was the lawyer because students test their teachers often, and I thought the best kind of teacher to test was a confirmation teacher. I also decided that his church was Grace Memorial because I know that the confirmation there doesn’t start until high school. I used a high school track meet to be the setting because that was an easy way of being able to come up with the characters. I used Connor Kavanaugh from Lincoln H.S. as the Jew who was beaten because in the passage it shows that many people did not like or care for Jews, and I thought that Lincoln students were probably looked upon the same. So for the Samaritan, I had to use someone who Connor wouldn’t like, because in the passage, the Jew and the Samaritan didn’t like each other. And I knowing a lot about Lincoln because of my older sister, remembered that Grant and Lincoln were the highest of all rivals. I also knew that at Grant, this guy named Kaseem Osheroff, would be the perfect person as the Samaritan because he played a major part in Grant beating Lincoln in football, and the is Connors’ best sport. Then I just filled in the other characters in the parable with kids from other high schools.

go back to top

JESSICA DAVISON

Jessica chose Luke 16: 1-9 for her Midrash. Here’s the NRSV text.

Then Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich person who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property.
So the rich person summoned him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’
Then the manager said to himself, ‘What will I do, now that my master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.’
So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, the manager asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.’
Then the manager asked another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He replied, ‘A hundred containers of wheat.’ The manager said to him, ‘Take your bill and make it eighty.’
And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.
And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes.

Jessica’s Midrash

One day Jesus was preaching to his disciples, saying, “A very rich man named Donald Trump had a woman named Carolyn to take his money to the bank. Basically she was Donald’s Chief Financial Advisor. He believed Carolyn to be very trustworthy.
“Donald’s assistant, George, wanted Carolyn’s job, so he checked all of the books and the balances in the bank and found they didn’t match. About $40,000 was missing. George went to Mr. Trump and told him of his findings. Donald was furious. Donald called Carolyn into his office.
‘Carolyn, I hear you have been pocketing some of my money.’
‘Sir,’ Carolyn stammered, ‘I can explain.’
‘I don’t want an explanation. Carolyn, YOU’RE FIRED,’ the big voice boomed throughout the room.
“Carolyn didn’t know what to do. She had no friends to stay with or anyone to turn to. Finally it clicked. She knew a lot of people owed Donald money in rent because Donald was BIG name in real estate. Carolyn called the clients in one by one, asking each one in turn, ’How much do you pay for rent to Mr. Trump.’
“‘I pay $10,000 per month,’ the first one answered. ‘Quick, give me your receipt and your rent will now be $6,000 per month, and I will pay the rest of it’ Carolyn said. She brought in the next client and asked the same question. ‘$2,600,’ replied the second client. ‘Quick, give me your receipt. You now pay $1,800 and I will pay the rest.’ This process was repeated for a week until she was pleased with herself. Many people thanked her and offered to take her to lunch or dinner. Carolyn made many friends for herself.

Jesus continued, “Donald got wind of Carolyn’s plan and thought it was ingenious. He congratulated Carolyn on being so smart in looking out for herself, and using the invested money she took to help others pay their rent.
“By doing what she did, Carolyn, lost a lot of money but at the same time she was able to use those contacts to line up some big job interviews with major companies, as well as gain some lifelong friends.

Jessica’s Explanation

Carolyn used the money she ripped off from Donald to help herself make friends. This is known as Wicked Wealth. The quote from the bible that addresses this is: “Make friends for yourself by the means of wicked wealth so that when it is gone you shall be welcomed into the eternal homes.”
I believe the moral to this story or the reason Jesus preached it to his disciples is, you cannot serve God and money because you will like one more than the other or will be more loyal to one. You should use your wealth to serve God ? don’t use God to serve your wealth. The wealth you have is God’s and He chose to give it to you just as easily as He could take it all away.
The reason I chose to interpret the story this way is because I think almost everyone knows who Donald Trump is and because it is something that could totally happen. It is in a modern setting. I mean, who knows, it could be happening as we speak. Another reason I interpreted it this way is because I think people understand things better when it is more realistic and they know who the characters are in real life.

go back to top