2017, November 1 or 5 (All Saints’ Day) ~ Revelation 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3
In many Episcopal congregations, the Readings on Sunday, November 5, 2017 will be the Readings from All Saints’ Day. In the Roman Catholic tradition, these readings will be read on November 1, 2017.
Revelation 7:9-17
The Book of Revelation is also known as the “Apocalypse” (Greek meaning “unveiling” or “disclosure” of a new age or heaven, or both). Apocalyptic writing usually describes a dire situation ruled by evil powers that can be overcome only by the “in-breaking” of a force (such as God) to bring about a new age. Like other apocalyptic writings, the Book of Revelation uses dualistic images and metaphors to describe the conflict between good and evil.
In today’s reading, those who worship the Lamb have symbols of righteousness (white robes) and victory (palm branches) (v. 9) because blood (sacrifice) leads to victory (white). The idyllic state that is described in verse 16 (hunger and thirst no more) is derived from Isaiah 49:10. Paradoxically, the Lamb is also the shepherd (verse 17). God as “shepherd” is best known from Psalm 23 and the Fourth Gospel.
1 John 3:1-3
The author of the First Letter of John was likely a disciple of the author of the Fourth Gospel, and part of a group of teachers (“We declare to you” – 1:1). The letter was written after 100 CE to a group of Jesus Followers who were receiving conflicting messages about the messiahship of Jesus. Some false teachers denied the humanity of Jesus; others denied the equivalence of the Son and the Father. The letter was written in opposition to these false teachers.
Eusebius (c.260-340 CE) attributed the letter the author of the Fourth Gospel. Eusebius was a bishop who wrote the first “history” of Christianity during and after the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine (272-337 CE). Scholars today recognize that although some phrases in 1 John remind readers of the Fourth Gospel, both the language and the theology indicate that it was written by a person who was part of a group of followers of the author of the Fourth Gospel.
Today’s reading emphasizes that God shares God’s love with us, and we can therefore be called “children of God.” As such, we are called to become like Jesus the Christ.