He also says, “In the beginning, Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end.” – Hebrews 1:10-12

Today’s Scripture Reading (February 16, 2015): Hebrews 1

I recently read a list of the good, the bad and the ugly of the television spinoffs and I was reminded of the fact that how you felt about the original show has a lot to do with how you view the spin-off. But it also reminded me that the best of the spin-offs maintain a similar format to that of the original series. And also that we have to care about the characters tht are featured in the new show. So “The Simpsons” expanded on a format that was already a success, albeit in a shorter version, on “The Tracy Ullman Show.” The Simpsons worked. “Frasier” was a successful spin-off of “Cheers” and “The Tortellis” failed because we cared for Frasier, and the only Tortelli we really liked was Carla – but the spin-off wasn’t about her, it was about Nick (who we didn’t care about.) It is also probably the reason why I liked “After-M*A*S*H” while the rest of the world panned on the show. In my case, I actually liked the characters (After M*A*S*H featured the story of Col. Potter, Klinger, and Father Mulcahy) feature on the show. But I do understand why most wouldn’t care about a Hawkeye-less spin-off. The Brady Bunch Variety Show, after the failing of the Brady Bunch, was just a stupid idea from start to finish (although at that time a show that concentrated on “Marsha on her own” may have actually worked if it was written in the right way.)

So why all the talk about spin-offs? It probably goes back to the problem that I have when we talk about the “Old Testament God,” usually identified as mean and cranky, and the much more accepting and loving “New Testament God.” When we speak that way, then we seem to be wanting to start a new religion with a new God – something that Christians really don’t believe. The Christian story of God should simply be an extension – or a spinoff – of the God of Hebrew Bible. He is one God, no matter where or when we find him.

And the writer of Hebrews reminds us of exactly that. The importance of these words in the opening of this anonymous letter (I love the idea that Hebrews might have been written by Priscilla, the wife of Aquila, but the reality is that we will never know) is that it takes words that were written by another unknown author in the Psalms to describe the God of the Hebrew Bible - and applies them to Jesus. For a people who believe that the Christian story is simply an extension of the Hebrew one, that makes incredible sense.

But if that is not true, then we really do not have the story that we proclaim to have – or we find this Jesus having to make apologies for his own actions in times past, which really does not fit anywhere into our theology. In my opinion, the spin-off of the Christian faith only makes sense if the love that we see in Jesus is just a reflection of the love of God that is already present in the Hebrew Bible. Any belief that takes away from that is problematic to the faith (and it highlights part of the problem of Islam who wants to change the essential character of Jesus while proclaiming that Islam is simply another extension of this ancient story of the God of Abraham.)   

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Hebrews 2