During Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 32:1-14
Reading
1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a festival to the LORD.” 6 They rose early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel.
7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8 they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10 Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.”
11 But Moses implored the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s reading is separated by 11 Chapters from last week’s reading in which YHWH gave the Decalogue and the people asked Moses to serve as their covenant mediator by speaking directly with YHWH (Ex. 20:19).
Chapters 21 to 23 contain ordinances called the “Covenant Collection.” Moses and the people ratified the Covenant (24:8), and Moses went up to the top of Mount Sinai (24:18). In Chapters 25 to 31, YHWH was said to give instructions to Moses on building and furnishing a Tabernacle, ordaining priests, and priests’ vestments. YHWH emphasized that observance of the sabbath was the sign of the perpetual covenant between HYWH and the Israelites (31:16). Finally, YHWH gave Moses two tablets on which YHWH had written the covenant (31:18).
Chapters 25 to 31 contain the instructions about the way in which YHWH would dwell among the Israelites and be acknowledged as their God. Because the Golden Calf story follows soon after these instructions, the author of Exodus wanted to emphasize that making an idol was a perverted, humanly devised means of securing God’s presence and a violation of YHWH’s instructions.
The Golden Calf story has some curious elements. The gold for the idol presumably comes from the gold jewelry that was mysteriously given to the Israelites by Egyptians when they were leaving Egypt (12.35-36). Aaron, who was Moses’ brother and the first High Priest, led the idolatry (v.5).
The calf was a symbol of strength and fertility, key elements in Baal worship that was present in Israel until the Exile (587 BCE). The “festival” described in verses 5 and 6 was not for the worship of some other “gods,” but was a festival to YHWH (v.6). Making the idol itself, however, was a violation of the commandment that no idols of God could be made (20:4).
In anger, YHWH told Moses that the Israelites were “your” people (v.7) and that YHWH was going to “consume” them (v.10). In urging YHWH to change his mind, Moses appealed both to YHWH’s reputation with other nations and his earlier unconditional promises to the patriarchs (v.12-14). After Moses broke the two covenant tablets in anger, he ground the golden calf into powder, mixed it with water and made the people drink the mixture (v.19-20).
The idea that an anthropomorphic YHWH could have a change of mind (v.14) is also found in the story of the decision by God to destroy mankind by the Great Flood (Gen. 6:6), and when Abraham negotiated with YHWH to dissuade God from destroying Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:23-32).
Isaiah 25:1-9
Reading
1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful, and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,
5 the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled.
6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
7 And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever. Then the LORD God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Commentary
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were made from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE, and then assembled into a single book.
Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Israel and Judea to repent in the years before Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 in which a prophet gave encouragement to the Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
Today’s reading is part of four chapters (24-27) that are called the “Isaiah Apocalypse” because of the eschatological (end times) themes in them. Although they are included in First Isaiah (Ch. 1-39), most scholars date these four chapters to the Persian Period (539-333 BCE) or the early Hellenistic Period (333-300 BCE).
Today’s reading is in the form of a psalm and contains two distinct themes. Verses 1-5 began with praise for YHWH and then recounted the destruction of an unidentified city (v.2). Some scholars suggest that the verse is a “look back” and that city may be Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, that was destroyed by the Babylonians in 612 BCE.
The last four verses depicted God’s victory over evil and sorrow. The image used is an eschatological banquet reminiscent of the banquet on Mount Sinai alluded to in Exodus 24:11. Because YHWH will “swallow up death forever” (v.8), it reversed the customary image of death swallowing up everything. These verses are often read at funerals.
Philippians 4:1-9
Reading
1 My brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Commentary
Philippi was a major city in Macedonia on the Roman road to Byzantium (Istanbul). Most of its inhabitants were Roman citizens. Paul had deep affection for the Jesus Followers in Philippi and had founded the Jesus Follower community there in 50-51 CE (Acts 16:11-40). Paul thanked the Philippians for gifts sent to him in prison (4:18). Paul wrote this letter from prison, but it is not clear if he was in Rome, Caesarea, or Ephesus.
Euodia and Syntyche were women leaders in the Jesus Follower community in Philippi and were likely heads of house-churches. Paul saw their disagreement as harmful to the community. He urged them “to be of the same mind in the Lord” (v.2) and asked an unidentified “loyal companion” to assist them in resolving their differences (v.3).
As the early (c. 55-60 CE) Jesus Follower community tried to determine what it meant to be a Jesus Follower in terms of beliefs and practices, it is not surprising that disagreements arose. At the time of Paul’s writing to the Philippians, none of the Gospels had been written (“Mark” was written around 70 CE) and it took many years for “orthodox” positions and practices to develop.
2020, October 11 ~ Exodus 32:1-14; Isaiah 25:1-9; and Philippians 4:1-9
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 32:1-14
Reading
1 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a festival to the LORD.” 6 They rose early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to revel.
7 The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; 8 they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. 10 Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.”
11 But Moses implored the LORD his God, and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s reading is separated by 11 Chapters from last week’s reading in which YHWH gave the Decalogue and the people asked Moses to serve as their covenant mediator by speaking directly with YHWH (Ex. 20:19).
Chapters 21 to 23 contain ordinances called the “Covenant Collection.” Moses and the people ratified the Covenant (24:8), and Moses went up to the top of Mount Sinai (24:18). In Chapters 25 to 31, YHWH was said to give instructions to Moses on building and furnishing a Tabernacle, ordaining priests, and priests’ vestments. YHWH emphasized that observance of the sabbath was the sign of the perpetual covenant between HYWH and the Israelites (31:16). Finally, YHWH gave Moses two tablets on which YHWH had written the covenant (31:18).
Chapters 25 to 31 contain the instructions about the way in which YHWH would dwell among the Israelites and be acknowledged as their God. Because the Golden Calf story follows soon after these instructions, the author of Exodus wanted to emphasize that making an idol was a perverted, humanly devised means of securing God’s presence and a violation of YHWH’s instructions.
The Golden Calf story has some curious elements. The gold for the idol presumably comes from the gold jewelry that was mysteriously given to the Israelites by Egyptians when they were leaving Egypt (12.35-36). Aaron, who was Moses’ brother and the first High Priest, led the idolatry (v.5).
The calf was a symbol of strength and fertility, key elements in Baal worship that was present in Israel until the Exile (587 BCE). The “festival” described in verses 5 and 6 was not for the worship of some other “gods,” but was a festival to YHWH (v.6). Making the idol itself, however, was a violation of the commandment that no idols of God could be made (20:4).
In anger, YHWH told Moses that the Israelites were “your” people (v.7) and that YHWH was going to “consume” them (v.10). In urging YHWH to change his mind, Moses appealed both to YHWH’s reputation with other nations and his earlier unconditional promises to the patriarchs (v.12-14). After Moses broke the two covenant tablets in anger, he ground the golden calf into powder, mixed it with water and made the people drink the mixture (v.19-20).
The idea that an anthropomorphic YHWH could have a change of mind (v.14) is also found in the story of the decision by God to destroy mankind by the Great Flood (Gen. 6:6), and when Abraham negotiated with YHWH to dissuade God from destroying Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:23-32).
Isaiah 25:1-9
Reading
1 O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful, and sure.
2 For you have made the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin; the palace of aliens is a city no more, it will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.
4 For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,
5 the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled.
6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
7 And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations;
8 he will swallow up death forever. Then the LORD God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
9 It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
Commentary
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were made from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE, and then assembled into a single book.
Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Israel and Judea to repent in the years before Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 in which a prophet gave encouragement to the Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
Today’s reading is part of four chapters (24-27) that are called the “Isaiah Apocalypse” because of the eschatological (end times) themes in them. Although they are included in First Isaiah (Ch. 1-39), most scholars date these four chapters to the Persian Period (539-333 BCE) or the early Hellenistic Period (333-300 BCE).
Today’s reading is in the form of a psalm and contains two distinct themes. Verses 1-5 began with praise for YHWH and then recounted the destruction of an unidentified city (v.2). Some scholars suggest that the verse is a “look back” and that city may be Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, that was destroyed by the Babylonians in 612 BCE.
The last four verses depicted God’s victory over evil and sorrow. The image used is an eschatological banquet reminiscent of the banquet on Mount Sinai alluded to in Exodus 24:11. Because YHWH will “swallow up death forever” (v.8), it reversed the customary image of death swallowing up everything. These verses are often read at funerals.
Philippians 4:1-9
Reading
1 My brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.
2 I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Commentary
Philippi was a major city in Macedonia on the Roman road to Byzantium (Istanbul). Most of its inhabitants were Roman citizens. Paul had deep affection for the Jesus Followers in Philippi and had founded the Jesus Follower community there in 50-51 CE (Acts 16:11-40). Paul thanked the Philippians for gifts sent to him in prison (4:18). Paul wrote this letter from prison, but it is not clear if he was in Rome, Caesarea, or Ephesus.
Euodia and Syntyche were women leaders in the Jesus Follower community in Philippi and were likely heads of house-churches. Paul saw their disagreement as harmful to the community. He urged them “to be of the same mind in the Lord” (v.2) and asked an unidentified “loyal companion” to assist them in resolving their differences (v.3).
As the early (c. 55-60 CE) Jesus Follower community tried to determine what it meant to be a Jesus Follower in terms of beliefs and practices, it is not surprising that disagreements arose. At the time of Paul’s writing to the Philippians, none of the Gospels had been written (“Mark” was written around 70 CE) and it took many years for “orthodox” positions and practices to develop.
2020, October 4 ~ Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 3:4b-14
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20
Reading
1 Then God spoke all these words:
2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before me.
4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8 Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. 9 For six days you shall labor and do all your work.
12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
13 You shall not murder.
14 You shall not commit adultery.
15 You shall not steal.
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
18 When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraid and trembled and stood at a distance, 19 and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.” 20 Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.”
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s reading is set at Mount Sinai (“Horeb” in other parts of Exodus and in Deuteronomy) during the time in the Wilderness. In a theophany (an “appearance” of the Divine) in thunder, lightning, and smoke (v. 18), YHWH gave the Decalogue – literally, the ten “words” (v.1) – often called the Ten Commandments. The words are presented as God’s words.
The structure of the Decalogue was as an exclusive covenant similar to a Lord-Vassal relationship in the Ancient Middle East: YHWH recounted what had been done for the Israelites (v.2) and then directed reciprocal obligations of the Israelites (vv. 3-17). There are no punishments stated for not obeying the words, but the omitted verses (5 and 6) state that the guilt of the parents who reject YHWH will be visited upon the children to the third and fourth generations.
The Commandments are divided into two groups: duties to God (vv. 2,4,7,8) and to other humans (vv.12-17). Because Ancient Israel was a patriarchal society, the Ten Words were addressed to males. Wives “belonged to” men, just as houses, oxen and other items did (v.17).
This version of the Decalogue is called the “Priestly Decalogue” because of its emphasis on the Sabbath, particularly in the omitted verses 10 and 11. Other versions of the Decalogue appear in Exodus 34:11-26 (the “Ritual Decalogue”) and in Deuteronomy 5:6-21, and both are different in some respects from the Priestly Decalogue.
In the Deuteronomic version of the 10 Commandments, for example, wives do not “belong” to men (Dt. 5:21), and the rationale for observing the Sabbath is the liberation from Egypt rather than YHWH’s resting on the seventh day of creation (vv.9-11).
Isaiah 5:1-7
Reading
1 Let me sing for my beloved my love-song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
2 He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.
3 And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard.
4 What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done in it? When I expected it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?
5 And now I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard. I will remove its hedge, and it shall be devoured; I will break down its wall, and it shall be trampled down.
6 I will make it a waste; it shall not be pruned or hoed, and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.
7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting; he expected justice, but saw bloodshed; righteousness, but heard a cry!
Commentary
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were made from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE, and then assembled into a single book.
Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Israel and Judea to repent in the years before Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 in which a prophet gave encouragement to the Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
Today’s verses from First Isaiah (c. 730 BCE) used a vineyard as a metaphor for Israel (the northern 10 tribes) and Judea. It began as a love song but turned into an indictment of Israel and Judea. In speaking for YHWH, the prophet spoke in the third person (vv. 1-2) and expressed how his beloved (YHWH) loved the vineyard and cared for it.
In verses 3 to 6, YHWH was the speaker and expressed disappointed that the carefully cultivated vineyard yielded only “wild grapes” (v.4) unsuitable for wine. In verses 5 and 6, YHWH said the vineyard would become “a waste.” (The Assyrians conquered Israel in 722 BCE, and the Babylonians conquered Judea in 597 and destroyed the Temple in 586 BCE.)
In Verse 7, the voice is again that of the prophet. This verse contains two word plays in Hebrew: YHWH expected justice (mishpat) but saw bloodshed (mishpah) and expected righteousness (tsedaqah) but heard a cry (tse’aqah).
Philippians 3:4b-14
Reading
4b If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. 8 More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death, 11 if somehow I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.
Commentary
Philippi was a major city in Macedonia on the Roman road to Byzantium (Istanbul). Most of its inhabitants were Roman citizens. Paul had deep affection for the Jesus Followers in Philippi and thanked them for gifts sent to him in prison (4:18). Paul wrote this letter from prison, but it is not clear if he was in Rome, Caesarea, or Ephesus.
Today’s reading follows verses (2-4a) in which Paul opposed “Judaisers” – Jesus Followers who claimed that a person needed to be circumcised to be a Jesus Follower. (This was a major issue in the early Jesus Follower Movement.)
In later epistles, Paul used “flesh” to mean human weakness. Here, however, he used it to mean an emphasis on physical rituals (v. 4b). Paul spoke of his own Jewish credentials (v.5-6) but rejected them as “rubbish” (his actual word in Greek is “dog poop”) because he is now in “righteousness” (a right relationship) with God through his faith in the resurrection of Jesus the Christ (v.9-10).
These verses also reflect Paul’s view that “righteousness” did not come through his own efforts by obeying the law (v.9) but from God through faith. “Faith” for Paul was not a matter of intellectual assent to a series of propositions (as it has become for post-Enlightenment persons). The Greek word pistis that Paul used (usually translated as “faith”) has an active component and is better understood as “faithfulness” – the active living into a life of love.
2020, September 27 ~ Exodus 17:1-7; Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32; and Philippians 2:1-13
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 17:1-7
Reading
1 From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” 3 But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?” 4 So Moses cried out to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” 5 The LORD said to Moses, “Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.” Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7 He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the LORD, saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s reading recounts Moses’ striking a rock at Horeb (another name for the mountain called “Sinai” in other Torah sources) to provide water for the Israelites during the time in the Wilderness. This story also appears in Numbers 20:2-13, but there Moses struck the rock twice (which was understood as his not having enough confidence in YHWH). For this lack of faith, he and Aaron were not permitted to enter the Promised Land with the Israelites.
The “test” by the Israelites (v.2) was their demand for proof that YHWH was among them and controlling events (v.7). The names given to the places (v.7) reflect the Hebrew words for “quarrel” and “test.”
Archeologists cannot determine the location of the Wilderness of Sin or Rephidim, and most scholars doubt that these accounts are historical. No evidence of substantial numbers of persons inhabiting the Sinai Peninsula at any time before 1000 BCE has ever been found.
Moreover, Numbers 1:46 contains a “census” of the Israelites in the Wilderness and says the men older than 20 years numbered more than 603,000. Adding women and children would bring the total number of persons to over 1.2 million. If each person received a half pound of food and a pint of water each day, 300 tons of food and 150,000 gallons of water would have been needed every day for 40 years.
The accounts are a reminder, however, that even if the Bible is not always historically or scientifically true, the stories are “profoundly true” and intended to help us understand our relationships with God and others.
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32
Reading
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? 3 As I live, says the LORD God, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. 4 Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.
25 Yet you say, “The way of the LORD is unfair.” Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? 26 When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. 27 Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. 28 Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, “The way of the LORD is unfair.” O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the LORD God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the LORD God. Turn, then, and live.
Commentary
Ezekiel (whose name means “God strengthens”) is one of the three “Major” Prophets – so called because of the length of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a priest who was among the first group of persons deported by the Babylonians when they captured Jerusalem in 597 BCE.
In today’s reading, YHWH was presented as rejecting the idea that a prior generation’s wrongs are borne by later generations (v.3). This is at variance with other portions of the Hebrew Bible in which the sins of the parents are visited upon the children to the third and fourth generation (Ex. 34:7) or to the next generation (1 Kings 21:29).
For Ezekiel, the fall of Jerusalem and fall of the House of David in 586 BCE was seen as resulting from the actions of the kings who reigned after the death of Josiah in 609 BCE during the years prior to the Exile.
A major emphasis in the Book of Ezekiel was on personal moral responsibility rather than seeing acts of prior generations as the cause of current situations. This was a new development in the theology of Ancient Israel. As a corollary to this, Ezekiel said that because the community in Exile was responsible for its own plight, repentance by that community was the way to a restored life (vv.27-32).
Philippians 2:1-13
Reading
1 If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, 2 make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Commentary
Philippi was a major city in Macedonia on the Roman road to Byzantium (Istanbul). Most of its inhabitants were Roman citizens. Paul had deep affection for the Jesus Followers in Philippi and thanked them for gifts sent to him in prison (4:18). Paul wrote this letter from prison, but it is not clear if he was in Rome, Caesarea, or Ephesus.
The last part of today’s reading is derived from a hymn that was already in use in Jesus Follower communities, perhaps in a Baptism liturgy. Its statements are not only religious, they are also political. The Roman Caesars claimed to be “in the form of God” and (as rulers) to be the “Lord.” This hymn affirms the Jesus as The Christ was both divine and human. Instead of exploiting his being “in the form of God” (v.6), — that is sharing the essence and nature of God — Jesus also had the form of (the essence or nature of) a human/slave/servant (v.7) and emptied himself (poured himself out) for others. For this, he has been highly exalted (resurrected) by God (v.9).
As the Christ/Messiah, he is also “Lord” and Paul asserted that at the name of Jesus (rather than at Caesar’s name) every knee should bend.
2020, September 20 ~ Exodus 16:2-15; Jonah 3:10-4:11; and Philippians 1:21-30
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 16:2-15
Reading
2 The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.” 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaining against the LORD. For what are we, that you complain against us?” 8 And Moses said, “When the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the LORD has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD.”
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, ‘Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.’“ 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11 The LORD spoke to Moses and said, 12 “I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.’“
13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s reading was set one month after the Crossing of the Sea of Reeds. As in numerous other places in stories set in the time in the Wilderness, the Israelites complained about their food, water, and other matters, in a manner that (for the reader) is mildly humorous.
This reading combines two traditional stories – finding manna and the arrival of quail (meat). An expanded story about food – particularly quail — is in Chapter 11 of the Book of Numbers.
The manna story is Priestly (dated to about 550-450 BCE) as shown by the prohibition on collecting manna on the Sabbath (v. 5). Manna (which is an Arabic word that means “what is it?”) is the carbohydrate-rich excretion of two scale insects that feed on twigs of tamarisk trees. It can be purchased, even today, in the Arab Quarter of Jerusalem.
One of the overarching themes of the Book of Exodus is acknowledging that YHWH is Israel’s God, and Moses and Aaron emphasized this to the Israelites (v. 6-7).
Jonah 3:10-4:11
Reading
3:10 When God saw what the people of Nineveh did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
4:1 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. 3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the LORD said, “Is it right for you to be angry?” 5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
6 The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?” And he said, “Yes, angry enough to die.” 10 Then the LORD said, “You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?”
Commentary
The Book of Jonah is one of the shortest in the Bible and is included in the Bible with the 12 Minor Prophets. Even though Jonah is never described in the Book as a “prophet,” he is a “reluctant prophet” who speaks for YHWH (translated as “LORD” in the NRSV) by urging the Assyrians to repent (3:4). Ironically, although Jonah initially rejects YHWH’s call, he is — according to the story – the most successful prophet ever.
The Book of Jonah was written during the “Persian Period” (539 BCE to 333 BCE). The story, however, was necessarily set hundreds of years earlier in the period of Assyrian power – a time of Assyrian conquests and threats against Israel and Judea (850 to 650 BCE).
Sending Jonah to convert Nineveh (the Assyrian capital, and modern-day Mosul) at the height of Assyria’s power would be seen by everyone as a “Mission Impossible” task. When told by God to go to Nineveh, Jonah got on a ship for Tarshish (the end of the earth for a Mediterranean person, namely, Spain) – about as far from Assyria as he could possibly go.
Notwithstanding his attempts to avoid his mission to Nineveh, the story recounted that Jonah was thrown overboard by the sailors, swallowed by a fish, spit out by the fish on the shore and went to Nineveh. Once there, he warned the Assyrians of impending destruction if they did not repent. To Jonah’s amazement, the Assyrians and their king repented. God’s mind was changed, and God decided not to punish them.
Today’s reading recounts Jonah’s anger with God for being merciful to the Assyrians. Echoing YHWH’s “self-description” in Exodus 34:6 that God is merciful and abounding in steadfast love, Jonah told YHWH that he fled to Tarshish precisely because he knew God would be willing to relent from punishing the Assyrians (4:2). Jonah wanted Nineveh to be punished and was so angry about God’s relenting that he preferred to die (4:3, 4:8) rather than see the “enemy” repent and receive God’s mercy.
The Jonah story is not history. Nineveh never repented in the 8th Century BCE. The Assyrian Empire destroyed the Northern 10 tribes (Israel) in 722 BCE. Assyria put Judea under siege for many years around 700 BCE. By the time of the writing of this story, Nineveh had long since been destroyed by the Babylonians in 612 BCE.
The Book of Jonah emphasized the inclusivity of God’s love and mercy for all, not just the people of Israel and Judea. Similarly, the Book of Ruth (in which a Moabite woman – the Moabites were a hated enemy of Judea — became the great grandmother of King David) and portions of the Book of Isaiah convey the message that God’s mercy and love are inclusive.
Other books of the Bible, such as Ezra and Nehemiah (written around 450 BCE), required the Jewish people be exclusive. Some of the Jews who remained in Jerusalem during the Exile had intermarried. After the Exile, they were required by Ezra to send away their foreign wives and the children they had by them (Ezra 10:3).
The tension (and disagreement within Judaism) between inclusivity and exclusivity continued into the First Century of the Common Era. In opposition to the exclusivist Sadducees, Jesus of Nazareth was clearly presented in the Gospels as an inclusivist.
Philippians 1:21-30
Reading
21 To me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God’s doing. 29 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well—30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
Commentary
Philippi was a major city in Macedonia on the Roman road to Byzantium (Istanbul). Most of its inhabitants were Roman citizens. Paul had deep affection for the Jesus Followers in Philippi and thanked them for gifts sent to him in prison (4:18). Paul wrote this letter from prison, but it is not clear if he was in Rome, Caesarea, or Ephesus.
Today’s reading reflects Paul’s tension between living in the flesh and seeing dying as “gain” for living in Christ (v. 21). In his epistles, Paul used the phrase “living in the flesh” in two different ways – to denote a life that is governed by the values of the world and, in other contexts, to simply be alive as a human being. Here, he used it in the latter sense.
Paul’s exhortation to “live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (v.27) was a subversive statement for Roman citizens in that it presented Jesus the Christ as Lord rather than Caesar. Paul recognized that having Jesus as Lord might lead to suffering but that it would bring salvation (wholeness) for the Philippians (vv. 28-29).
2020, September 13 ~ Exodus 14:19-31; Genesis 50:15-21; and Romans 14:1-12
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 14:19-31
Reading
19 The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. 20 It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. 22 The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. 23 The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. 24 At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army and threw the Egyptian army into panic. 25 He clogged their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.”
26 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. 28 The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. 29 But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
30 Thus, the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. 31 Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So, the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s reading tells the story of the deliverance of the Israelites from Pharaoh by the parting of the Sea of Reeds. Just before this account, (somewhat curiously) YHWH told Moses that he would “harden the hearts of the Egyptians so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army” (14.17). In this portion of the Exodus, the focus was on the power of YHWH (translated as LORD in the NRSV) versus the power of Pharaoh (whom Egyptians saw as a god). The exercise of YHHW’s power led the Israelites to “fear the LORD and believe in YHWH and his servant Moses” (v. 31).
The story of the deliverance through the sea (“yam suf” in Hebrew and variously translated as Sea of Reeds, Sea of the End, or Red Sea) is found a number of times in Exodus and in Psalms 78:13, 53 and 106:9. The oldest account is the “Song of Moses” and is in poetry form in Chapter 15:1-20, just after today’s reading. In that reading, Miriam (identified as Aaron’s sister) is described as a prophet because she led the celebration of the deliverance (15:20).
Genesis 50:15-21
Reading
15 Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, “What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?” 16 So they approached Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this instruction before he died, 17 ‘Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.’ Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, “We are here as your slaves.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? 20 Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 21 So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.” In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.
Commentary
The word “Genesis” means “origin” and the Book of Genesis starts with Creation and concludes with the death of Joseph (Jacob’s son) in Egypt. The Book is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated to about 950 BCE and some as late as 450 BCE.
Today’s reading is from the last chapter of Genesis. Jacob/Israel had died and was buried in Canaan (Gen.50:1-14). Afterwards, Joseph and his brothers returned to Egypt. Joseph’s brothers then offered themselves as Joseph’s slaves (thereby fulfilling Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9-10) but Joseph forgave them for their treatment of him.
He told them that even though they intended to do harm to him, God intended their sale of him into slavery “for good, in order to preserve a numerous people” (v. 20). This statement reflects two important theological ideas of the authors of Genesis and Exodus – that God controls everything and God’s purposes are not always readily apparent.
Other portions of the Hebrew Scriptures, such as much of the Deuteronomic History, Ezekiel, and some of the Minor Prophets, emphasize the importance of human “agency” and the idea that the decisions which people make have an effect on outcomes.
Romans 14:1-12
Reading
1 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. 2 Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. 3 Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
5 Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. 6 Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also, those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God.
7 We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. 8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” 12 So then, each of us will be accountable to God.
Commentary
Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written – to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.
The “backstory” is that the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. His successor, Nero (54-68 CE), allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return to Rome, and this created tensions about leadership and worship within the Jesus Follower Community.
In today’s reading, Paul urged Gentile Jesus Followers not to look down on Jewish Jesus Followers who follow the Kosher laws (v. 2-3) and who observe the Lord’s Day (Sabbath) on a different day (v. 5-6). Paul emphasized that Jews and Gentiles both live in honor of the Lord (v.8). Paraphrasing (and expanding) Isaiah 45:23b, Paul urged both groups to honor God and reminded them that they will each be accountable in their own ways (v.12).
2020, September 6 ~ Exodus 12:1-14; Ezekiel 33:7-11; and Romans 13:8-14
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 12:1-14
Reading
1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: 2 This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. 3 Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. 4 If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. 7 They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. 10 You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. 11 This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the LORD. 12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
In last week’s reading, Moses’ call from YHWH in the Burning Bush Story was recounted. In the intervening chapters, Moses got permission from his father-in-law to return to Egypt with his wife, Zipporah, and his son. Enroute, there is a story of Moses’s circumcision (Ex. 4:24-26) that can only be described as bizarre. In Egypt, Moses and Aaron entreated Pharaoh nine times to let the Israelites leave and sometimes Pharaoh would agree. But then YHWH (who is portrayed as controlling everything) would harden Pharaoh’s heart, and Pharaoh would renege on his promise. As a result, nine plagues were sent upon Egypt.
Today’s reading comes after Pharaoh’s ninth refusal to free the Israelites and just before the final plague (death of the firstborn). It gives detailed instructions for the first Passover.
Like Genesis, Exodus contains portions that were written around 950 BCE and parts that were written as late as 450 BCE by the Priestly writers. The directions in today’s reading are presented as being given by YHWH to both Moses and Aaron (the first high priest). Like almost all the Priestly writings, it contains specific details as to dates for observances.
The sacrifice of the Passover lamb and putting its blood on the houses of the Israelites were integral to their deliverance from Egypt. The sacrifice of the Passover lambs was not described in Exodus as a means of atonement for sin.
The Fourth Gospel described Jesus as “the Lamb of God” (Jn.1:29,36) – a reference is to the Paschal Lamb. In this Gospel (unlike the Synoptic Gospels in which Jesus was crucified on the second day of Passover), Jesus was crucified and died before the beginning of the Passover at the time the lambs were being slaughtered at the Second Temple in preparation for Passover (Jn.19:31). Like the Paschal Lamb (Ex. 12:46), Jesus’ bones were not broken (Jn.19:36). In the Fourth Gospel, the crucifixion of “the Lamb of God” was presented as the means of deliverance from the power of societal sin.
Ezekiel 33:7-11
Reading
7 You, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 8 If I say to the wicked, “O wicked ones, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. 9 But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.
10 Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: “Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?” 11 Say to them, As I live, says the LORD GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel?
Commentary
Ezekiel is one of the three “Major” Prophets – so called because of the length of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a priest who was among the first group of persons deported by the Babylonians when they captured Jerusalem in 597 BCE.
The Book of Ezekiel is in three parts: (1) Chapters 1 to 24 are prophesies of doom against Jerusalem before the destruction of the Temple in 586 BCE; (2) Chapters 25 to 32 are prophesies against foreign nations; and (3) Chapters 33 to 48 are prophesies of hope for the Judeans written during the Babylonian Exile (586-539 BCE).
Like other prophets, Ezekiel “prophesied” by speaking for God. Prophesy in the Hebrew Bible was not about telling the future. A prophet was one who speaks for YHWH.
Here, YHWH referred to Ezekiel as Israel’s “sentinel” to warn the people to turn from their wicked ways (v.8). The emphasis in the Book of Ezekiel was on personal responsibility (“their blood I will require at your hand” v.9), rather than seeing the acts of prior generations as the cause of the current situation. This was a new development in the Theology of Ancient Israel. Ezekiel also presented repentance (turning around) as the way to a restored life.
The Hebrew words (ben-adam) translated as “mortal” in verses 7 and 10 are sometimes translated in other contexts as “son of man.”
Romans 13:8-14
Reading
8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.
11 Besides this, you know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; 12 the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; 13 let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
Commentary
Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written – to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.
Paul was a Jew who became a Jesus Follower who saw the Jesus Follower Movement as part of a broader Judaism. As such, he continued to have expectations about the fullness of the Coming of the Messiah/the Christ.
Reflecting his Jewish roots, Paul exhorted the Jesus Follower Community in Rome to follow the Commandments, particularly to love one another as neighbors. Like most early Jesus Followers, Paul believed that Christ would return soon (“salvation is nearer to us now” v.11). Paul used “the flesh” (v.14) as his code word for the values of the world – values that are not consistent with living a life modeled on the life of the Jesus the Christ.
2020, August 30 ~ Exodus 3:1-15; Jeremiah 15:15-21; and Romans 12:9-21
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 3: 1-15
Reading
1 Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. 3 Then Moses said, “I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.” 4 When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He said further, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
7 Then the LORD said, “I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. 10 So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.”
13 But Moses said to God, “If I come to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” He said further, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’“ 15 God also said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you’: This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness. Like most of the Torah, it is an amalgam of different traditions that were written down from 950 BCE to 450 BCE.
Today’s reading is the first account of the Call of Moses and is from the “J” (or Yahwistic) Source. God is presented anthropomorphically and has a conversation with Moses. The other account of Moses’ call is in Exodus 6 and comes from the “P” (or Priestly) Source
Prior to today’s reading, Moses fled from Egypt after killing a man and went to Midian where he met his wife, Zipporah, at a well (naturally). While tending his father-in-law’s flocks, he came to Horeb (sometimes called Sinai in other parts of Exodus), encountered an angel of YHWH in a burning bush, turned away, and heard YHWH’s voice. After being commissioned by YHWH to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses asked, in effect, which of the gods was directing him. He asked God’s name.
In the Bible, names describe a person’s qualities and functions, and the power to call someone by name gives some ability to control them. When Moses asks for God’s name, the elliptical response he received was “YHWH” – a form of the Hebrew word “to be.”
The name Moses received showed that God is not to be controlled. “YHWH” is variously translated as “I AM WHAT I AM” or “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE” or “I AM BECOMING WHAT I AM BECOMING.” One of the great insights of the Hebrew Bible is that YHWH is a God of Mystery, is active (as verbs are active) and is not a fixed being that can be described by a noun.
Jeremiah 15:15-21
Reading
15 O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance do not take me away; know that on your account I suffer insult.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of merrymakers, nor did I rejoice; under the weight of your hand I sat alone, for you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail.
19 Therefore, thus says the LORD: If you turn back, I will take you back, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall serve as my mouth. It is they who will turn to you, not you who will turn to them.
20 And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you, but they shall not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you, says the LORD.
21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
Commentary
After the righteous and reforming King Josiah was killed in battle at Megiddo (from which we get the Greek word Armageddon) in 609 BCE, the fortunes of Judea took a sharp downward turn. Babylon threatened Judea’s existence, and Judea had a series of hapless kings from 609 until Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Babylonians deported many Judean leaders to Babylon in 597 and a larger number in 586 (the Babylonian Exile).
Jeremiah’s prophesy (i.e. speaking for YHWH) began around 609 and continued until 586 BCE when he died in Egypt.
Most Bible scholars agree that the Book of Jeremiah underwent substantial revisions between the time of Jeremiah (627 to 586 BCE) and the First Century. In the Dead Sea Scrolls, there are different versions of the Book of Jeremiah. The Ancient Greek Septuagint Translation (the LXX – dating from 300 to 200 BCE) has some chapters that are not in the Hebrew versions.
Sections in the book that are in “poetry style” are generally attributed to the prophet, and parts in “prose style” were added later by writers whose theological outlook was closely aligned with the Deuteronomists. (In fact, Chapter 52 in Jeremiah is virtually word-for-word with 2 Kings 24:18 to 25:30 written by the Deuteronomists after the Exile.)
Jeremiah’s predictions of harsh times for Judea and Jerusalem were rejected by the kings and the “court prophets.” Because he opposed the power structure, he was ridiculed and mistreated.
Today’s reading is a lament by Jeremiah in which he asks YHWH to vindicate him (v.15), given the fact that he internalized YHWH’s words (“I ate them” v.16) and was suffering an incurable wound (v.18). In verses 19-21, YHWH replied to Jeremiah that he would be delivered and redeemed.
Because Jeremiah is largely a prophet of doom and gloom, the English word “jeremiad” means a long, mournful complaint or lamentation, a list of woes. Because of Jeremiah’s laments, authorship of the Book of Lamentations was incorrectly attributed to him.
Romans 12:9-21
Reading
9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. 18 If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. 19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 No, “if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Commentary
Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written – to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.
The “backstory” is that the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. His successor, Nero (54-68 CE), allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return to Rome, and this created tensions about leadership and worship within the Jesus Follower Community.
Building on his prior discussions, in today’s reading, Paul urged all the Jesus Followers in Rome to love one another (v.10) and live in harmony (v.16). In verse 19, Paul paraphrased Deuteronomy 32:35 to say “vengeance” is God’s, but a better translation is “vindication” (or wholeness) because the idea in the paraphrased verse in Deuteronomy was that God would bring about justice (in the sense of making things right) — rather than revenge.
2020, August 23 ~ Exodus 1:8-2:10; Isaiah 51:1-6; Romans 12:1-8
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 1:8-2:10
Reading
1:8 Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 He said to his people, “Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labor. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. 13 The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, 15 and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labor. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.
15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, 16 “When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.” 17 But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. 18 So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?” 19 The midwives said to Pharaoh, “Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.” 20 So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. 21 And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. 22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every boy that is born to the Hebrews you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.”
2:1 Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. 2 The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him three months. 3 When she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. 4 His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.
5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. 6 When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him, “This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,” she said. 7 Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” 8 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Yes.” So the girl went and called the child’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.” So, the woman took the child and nursed it. 10 When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses, “because,” she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible, and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
Today’s reading is the familiar story of the rescue of Moses by Pharaoh’s daughter from the reeds in the Nile River. The same story was told of Sargon of Akkad (2300 BCE) and likely was the model for the Moses story. In Hebrew, the word for “ark” in the Noah story is the same word used for “basket” (v.2:3) in the Moses story. (Just as Noah’s ark rescued humankind, Moses liberated the Israelites from Pharaoh.) Moses’ priestly role is emphasized by stating that both his father and mother were Levites (v. 2:1). Moses’ sister (v. 2:4 and 7) will later be identified as Miriam (15:20).
Although the text (2:10) says Moses’ name was related to the fact that he was drawn out of the water, “Moses” is derived from an Egyptian word that means “son” or “to beget a child” and is found in names of Egyptian deities such as Thut-mose.
Isaiah 51:1-6
Reading
1 Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness, you that seek the LORD. Look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.
2 Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many.
3 For the LORD will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places, and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.
4 Listen to me, my people, and give heed to me, my nation; for a teaching will go out from me,
and my justice for a light to the peoples.
5 I will bring near my deliverance swiftly, my salvation has gone out and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and those who live on it will die like gnats;
but my salvation will be forever, and my deliverance will never be ended.
Commentary
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were compiled from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE.
Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 30 years before Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 in which a prophet gave encouragement to the Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
Today’s reading is a powerful affirmation that the promises to Abraham regarding the land and descendants (v.2) will be kept by YHWH, and Israel will be a teacher to “the peoples” (v.5). The promise of “salvation” (v.5 and 6) is the restoration of Jerusalem and the promise will even survive the created order.
The word for “peoples” is sometimes translated as “nations” or “pagans” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.
Romans 12:1-8
Reading
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God– what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
Commentary
Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written – to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.
The “backstory” is that the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. His successor, Nero (54-68 CE), allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return to Rome, and this created tensions about leadership and worship within the Jesus Follower Community.
Today’s reading is built on the theology expressed by Paul in earlier chapters and emphasized that all members – Jewish and Gentile – of the Jesus Follower Community in Rome were “brothers and sisters” (v.1). They should not be “conformed to this world” (v.2), which is another way Paul spoke of being “subject to the flesh” – having earthly values. Paul urged the Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers to be humble (v.3). Using the familiar metaphor of the body for the Community, Paul stated that they are one body in Christ (v.5) with many members with separate roles to play (vv.6-8).
2020, August 16 ~ Genesis 45:1-15; Isaiah 56:1, 6-8; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Genesis 45:1-15
Reading
1 Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So, no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10 You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ 12 And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
Commentary
The word “Genesis” means “origin” and the Book of Genesis starts with Creation and concludes with the death of Joseph (Jacob’s son) in Egypt. The Book is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated to about 950 BCE and some as late as 450 BCE. If the stories about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are historical, these events took place in the 1700’s BCE.
Today’s reading continues the story of Joseph. In the intervening chapters since last week’s story of Joseph’s being sold into slavery by his 10 older brothers, he was then sold to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh who put him in charge of his own house. Potiphar’s wife tried unsuccessfully to seduce Joseph, then falsely accused him, and had him imprisoned. When in prison, Joseph (with YHWH’s help) interpreted dreams for the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker. Later, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams and Pharaoh placed Joseph in charge of the nation. Joseph’s interpretation of the dreams was accurate, and Egypt prepared for (and survived) a famine.
The famine also hit Canaan, and Jacob/Israel sent his 10 oldest sons to Egypt where they bought grain. Joseph did not identify himself to them when they came to Egypt. When the grain ran out again in Canaan, the 10 brothers (along with Benjamin, the youngest and favorite son of Jacob) went to Egypt. After Joseph devised a ruse by which the brothers unknowingly took Joseph’s silver cup, Joseph accused them of stealing it and threatened to keep Benjamin as his slave. Judah (the fourth oldest brother) agreed to be Joseph’s slave if Joseph would spare Benjamin. Judah’s selflessness showed he was a true brother to Benjamin and his other brothers.
Hearing this affirmation of brotherhood, Joseph identified himself to his brothers in today’s emotional reading.
The author of the story conveys the theological idea that God controls everything – that Joseph’s being sold into slavery was God’s plan (v.5); God made Joseph “a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land” (v.8); and “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors” (v.7). Other parts of the Bible emphasize human agency to a greater extent.
The term “remnant” is a shorthand expression used in other parts of the Bible to designate those Judeans who were preserved in Babylon during the Exile and who were permitted to return to Jerusalem in 539 BCE when the Exile ended. Its use in today’s reading in anachronistic and reflects the late date at which the Joseph story was finalized.
Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
Reading
1 Thus says the LORD: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.
6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant —
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
8 Thus says the LORD GOD, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.
Commentary
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were compiled from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE.
Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 30 years before Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 in which a prophet gave encouragement to the Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
Today’s reading is part of Third Isaiah and is inclusive in tone. Speaking for YHWH, Isaiah affirmed that foreigners (Gentiles) who join themselves to YHWH and keep the sabbath will be joyful in the Temple, YHWH’s house (v.7). In the omitted verses, Isaiah spoke for YHWH in giving eunuchs (sexually mutilated persons) who observe the sabbath access to the Temple (v.4-5). These verses contradict the prohibitions in Lev. 21:18 and Deut. 23:1.
In the period after the Exile, there was a tension between those who sought to keep Judaism only for Jews and those who were open to including Gentiles. Ezra and Nehemiah (who wrote around 450 BCE) were exclusivists who sought to keep Judeans “pure” by excluding foreigners, including the foreign wives some Jews who remained in Jerusalem had married during the Exile (Ezra 10). An inclusivist position was taken by the authors of 3rd Isaiah, and the Books of Jonah and Ruth.
This disagreement continued into the First Century of the Common Era. In opposition to the exclusivist Sadducees, Jesus of Nazareth is clearly presented in the Gospels as an inclusivist. As shown in Acts of the Apostles and in the reading today from Romans, Paul saw the Jesus Follower Movement (which remained a Jewish sect for most of the First Century), as inclusive and welcoming to Gentiles.
Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
Reading
1 I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2a God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.
Commentary
Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written – to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.
The “backstory” is that the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. His successor, Nero (54-68 CE), allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return to Rome, and this created tensions about leadership and worship within the Jesus Follower Community.
Paul was a Jew all his life, and the Temple in Jerusalem was active all during Paul’s life. (Paul died in 63 and the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE.) In today’s reading, Paul reaffirmed that he is an “Israelite” (v.1) and warned against arrogance by Gentile Jesus Followers (v.31-32).
For Paul, the Jesus Follower Movement was a part of a reformed and expansive Judaism, one that was also open to uncircumcised Gentiles. Paul’s view was consistent with the inclusivism of Jesus in the Gospels and the inclusivism in 3rd Isaiah in today’s reading.
2020, August 9 ~ Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28; 1 Kings 19:9-18; Romans 10:5-15
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienDuring Pentecost Season 2020, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Genesis 37:1-4,12-28
Reading
1 Jacob settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. 2 This is the story of the family of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves. 4 But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.
12 Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. 13 And Israel said to Joseph, “Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.” He answered, “Here I am.” 14 So he said to him, “Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.” So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.
He came to Shechem, 15 and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, “What are you seeking?” 16 “I am seeking my brothers,” he said; “tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.” 17 The man said, “They have gone away, for I heard them say, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’“ So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan.18 They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer. 20 Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” 21 But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, “Let us not take his life.” 22 Reuben said to them, “Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him” —that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. 23 So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he wore; 24 and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
25 Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. 26 Then Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? 27 Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers agreed. 28 When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
Commentary
The word “Genesis” means “origin” and the Book of Genesis starts with the Creation Stories and concludes with the death of Joseph (Jacob’s son) in Egypt. If the stories about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are historical, these events took place in the 1700’s BCE.
Today’s reading begins the long and remarkably cohesive story of Joseph and his brothers in Chapters 37 to 50. Joseph was Jacob’s 11th son; his mother was Rachel, Jacob’s favorite wife.
Joseph’s older brothers had antipathy and resentment toward him because of a “bad report” Joseph gave to Jacob (v. 2) and because of Jacob’s giving Joseph a robe with sleeves (not many colors), a sign of royalty (v.3). This animosity was enhanced when Joseph recounted to his brothers (in verses 5 to 11) two dreams which he interpreted as showing that he would lord over his older brothers.
Joseph was captured by his brothers in Dothan (v.18), a town near Shechem along a trade route. He was sold into slavery (depending on the source) to Ishmaelites (v.27), the descendants of Abraham’s son by Sarah’s maid, Hagar, or to Midianites (v.28). Joseph was and saved from death by the oldest brother, Reuben (v.22), and the fourth oldest brother, Judah (v.27).
Continuing this inconsistency from multiple sources, the story later says that Joseph was sold to Potiphar in Egypt by the Midianites (v.36) and by the Ishmaelites (39:1). Judah later took the leadership role in dealing with Joseph in Egypt. Judah’s tribe eventually inhabited Jerusalem and the area around it.
1 Kings 19:9-18
Reading
9 At Horeb, the mount of God, Elijah came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”
11 He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; 12 and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He answered, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” 15 Then the LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. 16 Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Commentary
The authors of the Book of Kings also wrote the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Samuel, usually called the “Deuteronomic History,” a didactic history of Ancient Israel from the time in the Wilderness (c. 1250 BCE) to the Babylonian Captivity in 587 BCE.
These books were given their final form around 500 BCE – long after the events they described. The authors used the stories to demonstrate that it was the failures of the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judea to worship YHWH properly and obey God’s commands that led to the conquest of Northern Israel in 722 BCE by the Assyrians and the conquest of Judea by the Babylonians in 597 BCE. (The conquests were not seen as the result of the Assyrians’ and Babylonians’ greater wealth and more powerful armies.)
Today’s reading is set during the reign of the evil King Ahab of Israel (the northern 10 tribes) from 873 to 852 BCE. Ahab’s wife was Jezebel, and she was a Baal worshiper. Just before today’s reading, the prophet Elijah demonstrated that YHWH’s power was greater than the priests of Baal, in that YHWH immolated a bull on a water-soaked pyre on an altar at Mount Carmel. Elijah then killed all the priests of Baal.
When Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done, she vowed revenge on Elijah. In fear for his life, Elijah fled to the wilderness (as far to the south as he could go) and then went to a cave in the holy mountain, Horeb (the name used by the Deuteronomists, rather than Sinai).
There, Elijah asked YHWH to let him die (v.4). After YHWH passed by in the wind, an earthquake and fire (all of which were manifested at Mount Carmel), Elijah heard the voice of YHWH in the still silence (v.12). He was directed by YHWH to anoint Hazael as King of Aram (Syria) (v.15), Jehu as king of Israel (an act of treason because Israel had a king), and Elisha as his own successor (v. 16).
Romans 10:5-15
Reading
5 Moses writes concerning the righteousness that comes from the law, that “the person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that comes from faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say?
“The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. 11 The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. 13 For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
14 But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? 15 And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? 15 And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
Commentary
Paul’s letter to the Romans was his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) – about ten years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written – to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.
The “backstory” to this situation was that the Roman Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. His successor, Nero (54-68 CE), allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return to Rome, and this created tensions about leadership and worship within the Jesus Follower Community.
Paul was a Jew all his life, and the Temple in Jerusalem was active all during Paul’s life. (Paul died in 63 and the Temple was destroyed in 70 CE.) For Paul, the Jesus Follower Movement was a part of a reformed and expansive Judaism, one that was also available to uncircumcised Gentiles.
In Romans, Paul used terms that need to be unpacked. “Righteousness” (v.5) is understood as being in right relationships with God and others and is sometimes translated as “justified.” A “just” person is also a “righteous” person, and “justified” (v.10) is used the same way that a page of type is “justified” – all the margins are straight and in order.
“Faith” (v.6) is not used as an intellectual assent to one or more propositions. The Greek word for “faith” (pistis) has an active aspect and should be understood as “faithfulness” – active living into one’s beliefs through grace and trust in God. Paul emphasized that “belief” is a matter of the heart (v.10), not the intellect.
As a Jewish Jesus Follower, Paul continued to respect the “law” (the Torah) but emphasized that mere obedience to the Law was not sufficient for salvation or wholeness or righteousness. Righteousness is a matter of the heart and living in active faithfulness just as Jesus the Christ was faithful to the God of Love.
In the last verses (v.12 and 13), Paul continued his call for unity between the Jewish Jesus Followers and the Gentile Jesus Followers (“no distinction between Jew and Greek”).