Capon paper

Re: the assignment on the Capon book; I do realize this may have been too intense a reading. I do apologize. But remember, this is only a five point paper, and if you just give your impressions ("I don't get it," "I am not sure I agree" or "I think he may be saying this...."_)....that will score most of your points.

The syllabus also said to read inSorry! tro chapter and chapters 1 and 2, but only the page numbers for chapter 1 and 2 were given. So I will not hold you to any material in the intro.

Here are some of the helpful points for me; you could include some of these:

He suggests that almost everything Jesus said and did was a parable..or an acted parable. The theme of everything is basically the Kingdom. And often the point was to remind us that He--and therefore we--sh0uld be prayerful and careful about using power (at least the way the world defines it). Capon calls biblical/Kingdom power "left-handed"...indirect and not showy.

He suggests that in a way, even the temptations of Jesus by the devil, and the ascension of Jesus were both parables (AND historical events), making the same point: Jesus (and we) do not cater to the devil's version of power (temptations) or worldly political definitions of power (Jesus said before ascension that it was about "times and dates" of a political liberation of Israel from Rome).

For the parable to end your paper with, try the parable of the servants in Matt. 20. Note an "inclusio": Before and after the parable, he says "the first shall be last." So here Capon's thesis is helpful: parables often model and make the point that the way God defines power is quite different than the world's way,

Hope this helps. Again, just do your best; and if it didn't make sense, say that!



Grace!