Discerning the Scriptures Readers' Theatre: A Dialogue between Jesus and Satan

There are many voices in scripture. Many traditions in the Bible struggle to be heard. How do we discern? How do we meld and mix and merge? How do we take the full biblical canon seriously and seek the trajectory that reflects the will of God and the vocation of God’s people? When does Isaiah inform the Psalmist? How does Deuteronomy shed light on Isaiah?

Jesus struggled with how best to discern scripture; his people also struggled with that. They all wanted to be faithful to God. What can we learn from the way Jesus interprets the teachings of the Law and the Prophets? How do we interpret the voices calling to us in scripture?

A two-voice dialogue on biblical hermeneutics based on Jesus' temptations in the desert, Matthew 4:1-11. Also includes an accompanying powerpoint.

Presented in conjunction with the paper Being a Faithful Church: Testing the Spirits in the Midst of Hermeneutical Ferment at the 2009 Mennonite Church Canada Assembly.

(2-4 actors, 6 minutes)