Bible Studies

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"Who were
the BARBARIANS,
Lord?"

[CHUCKLE.]
"What are you
reading,
My beloved?"

"HUH?"
(Puzzled squint.)
"YA know:
THIS!"

[WISE NOD.]
"And,
what is that?"

"This 'ROMANS'.
Don't You know
Your Own....STUFF?"
(Grimmace.)
"HERE:

I am under
obligation
to
the Greeks
and
to the
barbarians.
[Romans 1:14]

(Kvetchy frown.)
I don't like the title,
though."

[SMILE!]
"Ah.
I see."

"Yeah.
It doesn't really
FIT,
at all."

[CALM NOD.]
"Tell Me,
Mein kinder."

(Squirm.)
"Well.....I thought
the ROMANS
KILLED Jesus?"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

"And....wasn't PAUL
in PRISON by these
GUYS?"
(Clueless squint up at ceiling.)
"...When he was WRITING
this STUFF? Wasn't
he, like, in CHAINS...
at the TIME?"
(Squint.)
"You think he'd be really
MAD at them....and
wanna name this letter,
'GREEKS'...or somethin'."

[PATIENT SIGH.]

"So.....WHY would
Ya name one 'a
Your BOOKS,
after THEM?"

[CALM GAZE.]

"It doesn't make
any SENSE."

[NOD.]
"Not to you,
child."

"Well."
(Squirm.)
"NOTHIN'
about You,
makes any
SENSE."

[GENTLE SMILE.]

(Thoughtful squint.)
"The Romans were
so nasty.....this title
is really distasteful."

[CALM NOD.]
[LISTEN TO CNN
WHILE GAZING OUT
AT NEPTUNE.]

"CHANGE it!"

[CHUCKLE.]

"Why NOT?"

"Because,
child."

(Roll eyes with sarcasm.)
"THAT'S a dumb
answer!"

[CURIOUS GAZE.]
"Child,
Who is holding you..
in the Palm of
His Hand?"

"Oh, LORD!"
(Wave puny hands around.)
"YOU know I'm just
givin' You some
SCHTICK*!"
(Laugh!)
"You STILL haven't told
me, who the BARBARIANS
were: weren't they in
some MOVIE, back in
the '80's?"

[GENTLE FROWN.]

(Woeful smile!)
"Come ON!
This stuff is really HEAVY!"

[SOLEMN NOD.]

"I'm just tryin' to ....."

"To what,
Mein kinder."

(Philosophical nod.)
"Ya know: breathe
some LIGHTNESS
into the READING."

[WISE NOD.]
"I've already
breathed
into it,
My child."
*************************
To all God's
beloved
in Rome,
who
are called
to be
saints.
[Romans 1:7]
____________________
*Yiddish: goofy humor.

(Author's note: 'Conan
the Barbarian' was an
Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.
It was before he ran for
office, and became Govenor
of California. I have to
admit it: every time I
hear his voice, on the news...
I can't help it: I think
of this movie.)

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