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2022, November 13 ~ Isaiah 65:17-25; Malachi 4:1-2a; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13; Luke 21:5-19

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
NOVEMBER 13, 2022

During Pentecost Season 2022, 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.

Isaiah 65:17-25

Reading

17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind.
18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.
19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress.
20 No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD — and their descendants as well.
24 Before they call, I will answer, while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent — its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the LORD.

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 from Third Isaiah and appears to be a late insert into Chapter 65. The first seven verses in the Chapter are a lament by YHWH that the people had not asked for assistance even though YHWH was ready to assist. The Jewish Study Bible points out that the fact that YHWH “spread out My hands” (v.2) meant that YHWH assumed a human-like posture of prayer. Verses 8 to 16 are a statement by YHWH that those who are his servants shall prosper, but those who forsake YHWH and worship foreign gods will perish.

Verses 17 to 25 have an apocalyptic tone – the existing dire situation will be reversed because divine intervention will bring about a profound change. Similar eschatological motifs are found in the so-called “Isaiah Apocalypse” in Chapters 24 to 27.

The reading presents a “new world” (v.17) in which there is no infant mortality and persons will live more than 100 years (v.20). This eschatological vision reversed some of the consequences of the “Disobedience Event” in the Garden of Eden. Endless and sometimes futile toil (Gen. 3:17-18) is changed into “you shall not labor in vain” (v. 23). As in the Garden of Eden before the Disobedience Event (Gen. 1:29-30), no creatures (human or animal) will kill for food (v.25).

The images in verse 25 (“the lion and the lamb shall feed together” and “the lion shall eat straw like the ox”) became integrated into the expected signs of the Messiah’s presence and the Shalom (peace, good order) that the Messiah is expected to bring.

The Jewish Study Bible notes that although the new era will be one in which persons will live to an old age, there is no prediction of eternal life or resurrection in these passages. The JSB also notes that there are passages in Daniel and in the Isaian Apocalypse that did form a basis for Rabbinic Judaism to formulate a belief in the resurrection of all.

Malachi 4:1-2a

Reading

1 See, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. 2a But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings.

Commentary

The Book of Malachi is the last book of the 12 “Minor” Prophets – so called because these 12 books are much shorter than the three “Major” Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel). His name literally means “my messenger” and the book appears to have been written in the 5th Century BCE, after the Second Temple was built.

Malachi held a high view of the Temple priesthood and its responsibilities and wrote to an audience that was disheartened that the hopes of the “restoration prophets” (Haggai and Zechariah) had not materialized. Malachi asserted that YHWH (“LORD” in all capital letters) had been true to God’s promises, but that the hopes of the other prophets were not fulfilled because Judah (Judea and Jerusalem) had not been faithful.

Malachi asserted that the “Day of the LORD” was coming soon, and the “messenger” of the Day of the LORD was later identified as Elijah (4:5). In most prophetic books, the Day of the LORD was presented as a time of wrath, darkness, fear, and trembling.

In today’s reading from the last chapter in the book, the author reiterated that the Day of the LORD will be terrible for the arrogant and evildoers, but that those who revere YHWH’s name will rise (v.2). The Jewish Study Bible suggests that a “sun of righteousness” (or “victory” in the Jewish Publication translation) in v.2a is a metaphor for a new “day” – a new era of history.

In the Hebrew Bible, the Books of the Prophets are in the middle of the Bible and are followed by the Writings. In Christian Bibles, Malachi is the last book of the Hebrew Bible, so that when one turns the page, a prophet much like Elijah (John the Baptist) is encountered in the Gospel According to Matthew.

2 Thessalonians 3:6-13

Reading

6 Now we command you, beloved, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from believers who are living in idleness and not according to the tradition that they received from us. 7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you, 8 and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. 9 This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. 11 For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. 12 Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living. 13 Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

Commentary

Thessalonica, a port city in northern Greece, was capital of the Roman province of Macedonia in the First Century. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians is the oldest part of the Christian Scriptures and was written by Paul before 50 CE, about 20 years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written. A principal theme of both 1 and 2 Thessalonians is the return of the Lord Jesus in the end time.

In 2 Thessalonians, however, there was what appears to be a conscious imitation of 1 Thessalonians, an emphasis on living in the present, and warnings about forgeries of Paul’s writings. For these reasons, many scholars conclude that 2 Thessalonians was written by one of Paul’s disciples after Paul’s death in 64 CE. Unlike Paul’s authentic letters, this letter is addressed only to Gentiles and, although the author appears well-grounded in Jewish thought, nothing is said about Jews or Judaism.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that in 1 Thessalonians assumes that the Christ’s reappearance will be a surprise, but that 2 Thessalonians suggests that it will come only after a struggle with evil and an unidentified “lawless one” (2:3) at some future time (2:8). The letter addressed problems perceived at the time: persecutions, disagreements about the end-times, and a refusal to work.

Today’s reading is from the final chapter in the letter and was an exhortation to the entire community. The writer presented his own behavior as the model for the community (v.7) and commanded that those who were able to work must do so (v.10).

The verses that follow today’s reading closed the letter with a wish of peace for the community and an assertion by “Paul” that he wrote the letter with his own hand – a claim that ironically shows that the author was concerned about the authenticity and authority of the letter.

Luke 21:5-19

Reading

5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”

7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, `I am he!’ and `The time is near!’ Do not go after them.

9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; 15 for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

After the Babylonian Exile (586-539 BCE), a modest Temple in Jerusalem was built in the period from 515 to 505 BCE. This is called the “Second Temple” in recognition of the Biblical account of Solomon’s building a Temple in Jerusalem from 961 to 954 BCE (1 Kings 6). Solomon’s Temple was modest (about 15% the size of his Palace).

In 37 BCE, Herod the Great became the King of the Jews and he reigned until 4 BCE. Herod had what has been described as an “Edifice Complex” – he greatly enlarged the Temple starting in 19 BCE so that it covered 20% of the area of Jerusalem inside the walls. It was adorned with gold and was a magnificent structure. He also built the port and amphitheater at Caesarea, and the Fortress at Masada.

Today’s reading is the “foretelling” of the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE during the Jewish-Roman War from 66 to 73 CE. This foretelling is also described in similar detail in Mark 13 and Matt. 24:1-28.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes: “Numerous writers, Jewish and Christian, and also Stoic philosophers, shared the belief that history was headed for some great transforming cataclysm. The destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE was seen as the beginning of the end.”

Jesus’ speech used apocalyptic motifs in verses 7 to 11 to caution against over-interpreting any of these apparently apocalyptic events: the Destruction of the Temple (v.6), the claims of false Messiahs (v.7), wars and insurrections (v.9), and earthquakes, famines, and plagues (v.11), each of which were often seen as signs the end is near. Instead, he noted that “the end will not follow immediately” (v.9).

Verses 12 to 17 described the persecution Jesus predicted for the disciples, including being handed over to synagogues (v.12). It is difficult to know if this was a statement made by the Historical Jesus or was an expression by the gospel writing communities after the Destruction of the Temple that recognized some of the consequences of the intensifying struggle between two remaining Jewish sects — the Pharisaic Movement and the Jesus Follower Movement — for control of the future of Judaism.

2022, October 30 ~ Habakkuk 1:1-4,2:1-4; Isaiah 1:10-18; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4,11-12; Luke 19:1-10

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
OCTOBER 30, 2022

During Pentecost Season 2022, 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.

Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4

Reading

1 The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?
3 Why do you make me see wrong-doing and look at trouble? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.
4 So the law becomes slack and justice never prevails. The wicked surround the righteous–
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

2:1 I will stand at my watchpost, and station myself on the rampart; I will keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what he will answer concerning my complaint.
2 Then the LORD answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it.
3 For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.
4 Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith.

Commentary

Habakkuk is one the “Minor Prophets” – the 12 prophets whose works are much shorter than those of the “Major Prophets” (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel) and are found in a single scroll.

Because of the reference to the Chaldeans (Babylonians) in v.1:6, Habakkuk is considered a contemporary of Jeremiah. His prophesy – speaking for YHWH – is dated after 612 BCE when the Babylonians gained domination of the Middle East. His messages are similar to Jeremiah’s.

After the righteous and reforming king, Josiah, was killed at Megiddo in 609 BCE, Judea had a series of hapless kings until the first deportation of exiles to Babylon in 597 BCE. The book of Habakkuk reflected the difficulties that faced Judea during this 12-year period. Habakkuk lamented the destruction and violence in Judea and the lack of justice.

Today’s reading is structured as a dialogue between Habakkuk and YHWH (“LORD” in all capital letters) in which the prophet asserted that YHWH was not listening (v.1). The prophet also noted that the reforms of Josiah were not being followed by King Jehoiakim who reigned from 608 to 598 BCE (“the law (Torah) becomes slack” v.1.4) and stated – just as Jeremiah did – that injustice was prevailing.

In the omitted verses between the two parts of today’s reading, Habakkuk asserted on behalf of the LORD that the Babylonians (Chaldeans) would serve as YHWH’s instrument of divine justice.

In the second part of today’s reading, Habakkuk was directed (v.2) by the LORD to make a record of the visons presented by the LORD. YHWH responded that there was “still a vision for the appointed time” (v.3), a phrase interpreted in Judaism as referring to a future Messianic time. Christians have also interpreted it as a prophesy of the Messiah.

In verse 4, YHWH was understood to say that the “righteous” (the Judahites) would survive in spite of the “proud” (the Chaldeans/Babylonians). The Jewish Study Bible notes that the last part of verse 4 (“the righteous shall live by their faith”) had an important influence in Christianity and in the doctrine of justification through faith as expressed in Romans and Galatians.

The JSB also noted that the Dead Sea Scrolls contain a commentary on Habakkuk written in the First Century BCE in which the Chaldeans/Babylonians were understood to be the then-contemporaneous Romans – demonstrating that prophetic works were seen as having information about the life of the current community and not merely “an arcane report of past historical periods.”

Isaiah 1:10-18

Reading

10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
12 When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more; bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation — I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

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. The name “Isaiah” means “YHWH has saved” or “May YHWH save.”

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.

The Jewish Study Bible points out that one of major religious issues faced by First Isaiah was the extent to which Judea should attempt to confront its enemies by using military and diplomatic means or, alternatively, the extent it should rely on YHWH to protect them. Isaiah (unlike most of his contemporaries) preferred the latter option.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that two themes dominate the book of Isaiah as it now exists: (1) that YHWH controls all historical events and (2) the centrality of Jerusalem for Israel, both for kingship and for worship.

Today’s reading is from First Isaiah. A later editor inserted verse 1:1 to set the time period for Isaiah as from 740 BCE (the ending years of the reign of Uzziah – also known as Azariah) to the 14th year of the reign of Hezekiah (701 BCE – when the Assyrians conquered most of Judea and besieged Jerusalem). This was a time of the ascendancy of the Assyrian Empire which conquered Northern Israel in 722 BCE and threatened Judea during all this time.

Today’s reading is a strong prophetic statement condemning worship divorced from social justice (vv. 10-17), a theme also found in Amos, Micah, and Jeremiah. Sodom and Gomorrah (v.10) – and their destruction — were commonly used symbols for divine judgement on immorality. In Genesis, the evil done by those cities was not showing hospitality (a high value) by threatening to commit sexual violence upon visitors to Lot’s home (Gen.19:5).

The call for purification (v.16) was not presented as a substitute for moral purification, but a sign of the purification that would occur when the people learned to do good and seek justice (v.17).

The verses then shifted from condemnation to a legal argument (v.18) in which YHWH offered forgiveness if Judea repented but said Judea would be “devoured by the sword” (v.20) if it did not repent. Except for a period of Deuteronomic reform under King Josiah (640 to 609 BCE), Jerusalem did not repent and it was conquered by the Babylonians – the successors to the Assyrians – in 597 BCE. The First Exile began in 587 BCE.

The Jewish Publication Society translation takes a different approach to v.18a. Instead of “let us argue it out” as in the NRSV, the JPS translates the phrase as “Come, let us reach an understanding.” Annotations in both the NOAB and the JSB acknowledge that the meaning of the Hebrew is unclear.

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

Reading

1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers, and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions that you are enduring.

11 To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Commentary

Thessalonica, a port city in northern Greece, was capital of the Roman province of Macedonia in the First Century. Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians is the oldest part of the Christian Scriptures and was written by Paul before 50 CE, about 20 years before the first Gospel (Mark) was written. A principal theme of both 1 and 2 Thessalonians was the return of the Lord Jesus in the end time.

In 2 Thessalonians, however, there was an emphasis on living in the present and warnings about forgeries of Paul’s writings. For these reasons, most scholars conclude that 2 Thessalonians was written by one of Paul’s disciples late in the First Century.

In today’s reading, the salutation was identical to 1 Thessalonians, followed by a thanksgiving for the faith of the community. “Love for one another” (v.3) is a statement of their solidarity and separated them from outsiders.

The author referred to “persecutions and afflictions” (v.4), an indication that the letter was written in the late First Century because there is little evidence of major persecutions in the mid-century when Paul was still alive.

The omitted verses (5 -10) assert that God would afflict the persecutors and work vengeance on those who did not obey the gospel of the Lord Jesus.

Today’s reading concluded with an intercessory prayer that God will make the people worthy of God’s call so that the name of the Lord Jesus will be glorified in the believers’ lives.

Both The New Oxford Annotated Bible and The Jewish Annotated New Testament see Isaiah 66:5 as the basis of the idea “the glory of the name” (v. 12) — except that in Isaiah, it is YHWH’s name that is glorified.

Luke 19:1-10

Reading

1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

The story of Zacchaeus is found only in Luke. The setting, Jericho, was an important customs center because of its location. As the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus (whose name – ironically — is derived from the Hebrew word for “righteous” or “upright”) would have contracted with the Roman overlords to collect these taxes or fees and would have been despised by his neighbors for his active role in the Roman domination system.

Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus was presented by Luke as a sharp contrast to story of the “certain ruler” in Luke 18:18 who had asked what he needed to do to inherit eternal life but went away sad (v.23) when he was told to sell all he owned and distribute the money to the poor (v.22).

Zacchaeus said he would give “half his possessions to the poor” and pay back anyone he had defrauded four times the amount by which he defrauded them. This was consistent with Exodus 22:1 which mandated that someone who stole a sheep had to repay it four times over.

The last two verses of the reading need interpretation. In a footnote, The NOAB described “salvation” as “the kingdom of God that has come to this house in Jesus’ presence and message and evinces itself in Zacchaeus’s transformation.” (Italics in original) This interpretation in The NAOB seems to raise more questions than it answers.

If this were the correct understanding, why does the text go on to say that salvation has come “because he too is a son of Abraham.” (v.9b)? Regarding this phrase, when Jesus cured the woman who was crippled (13:13), he referred to her as a “daughter of Abraham” (13:16) meaning that she was Jewish. Is Jesus saying that salvation came to Zacchaeus’ house simply because he was Jewish? Or have Zacchaeus’ actions transformed him into a devout Jew who is following the Torah? Or is the ”house” to which salvation has come the house of Israel?

Saying that the Son of Man (a term derived from Daniel and Ezekiel) came to save the “lost” (v.10) is a theme that occurs numerous times in Luke – in the Prodigal Son, the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and in other stories in this gospel.

2022, August 21 ~ Jeremiah 1:4-10; Isaiah 58:9b-14; Hebrews 12:18-29; Luke 13:10-17

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
AUGUST 21, 2022

During Pentecost Season 2022, 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.

Jeremiah 1:4-10

Reading

4 The word of the LORD came to me saying,
5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born, I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “Ah, LORD God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.”
7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you, 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.”
9 Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

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 627 and continued until 586 BCE when he fled to Egypt and died there.

Jeremiah was descended from the priestly line of Eli (v.1) and his prophesying for 40 years was seen as a parallel to the 40 years Moses led the Israelites in the desert. He was a constant opponent of King Jehoiakim (608-598) who was an Egyptian sympathizer and of King Zedekiah, (597-586) a Babylonian appointee who nevertheless went to war with Babylon in 597 BCE.

Most Bible scholars agree that the Book of Jeremiah underwent substantial revisions between the time of Jeremiah (627 to 587 BCE) and the First Century. In the Dead Sea Scrolls, there were different versions of the Book of Jeremiah. The 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” are thought to have been 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.)

Today’s reading is in “poetry style” and describes Jeremiah’s call in terms that are reminiscent of the calls of Moses in Exodus 3, of Gideon in Judges 6, and of Isaiah in Isaiah 6. In this sense, Jeremiah was presented as a “prophet like Moses” who would be raised up as anticipated in Deut. 18:15.

Just as with Moses, Gideon and Isaiah, Jeremiah claimed (v.6) he was not fit to speak for YHWH (translated as “LORD” in all capital letters), but YHWH touched Jeremiah’s mouth (v.9) and put words in it so that he could speak for YHWH, just as a seraph touched Isaiah’s lips with a burning coal (Is.6:6-7).

The phrase in verses 4 and 7 (“the word of the LORD came to me”) appears multiple times in the Book of Jeremiah and gave a clear statement that Jeremiah was not speaking for himself but was speaking for YHWH. Serving as a “prophet to the nations” (v.5) meant that he was not only a prophet to Judea but also to non-Jews, although most of Jeremiah’s prophesy to “nations” was oracles against them.

The phrase “to destroy and overthrow and to build up and plant” (v.10) expressed a key theme expressed in Jeremiah, particularly in the prose passages attributable to the Deuteronomists – Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Babylonians but would be rebuilt after the Exile ended.

Isaiah 58:9b-14

Reading

9b If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,
10 if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.
12 Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.
13 If you refrain from trampling the sabbath, from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;
if you call the sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;
14 then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

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. The name “Isaiah” means “YHWH has saved” or “May YHWH save.”

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.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that two themes dominate the book of Isaiah as it now exists: (1) that YHWH is behind all historical events and (2) the centrality of Jerusalem for Israel, both for kingship and for worship.

Just before today’s reading from Third Isaiah, the prophet was told by YHWH to reveal to the people (“the house of Jacob”) who returned to Jerusalem that their way of living was immoral, and that prayer and sacrifices without serious moral reformation did not please YHWH (vv. 1-5).

Instead of fasting and sacrifices, the LORD wanted justice, freedom for the oppressed, sharing of food, bringing the homeless into one’s home, and sharing one’s goods and clothing (vv. 6-8).

In today’s reading, the author spoke for YHWH who told the Judeans to “remove the yoke” from the downtrodden and stop having contempt for one another (“pointing the finger”) (v.9b).

YHWH offered conditional encouragement to the Judeans that YHWH would guide the people, make them prosperous, the ruins of Jerusalem would be rebuilt, and their fortunes would be restored if they cared for the hungry (v.10) and properly observed the Sabbath (v.13).

Hebrews 12:18-29

Reading

18 You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, 19 and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. 20 (For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.”) 22 But you have come to Mount Zion 23 and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

25 See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! 26 At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of what is shaken — that is, created things — so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; 29 for indeed our God is a consuming fire.

Commentary

The Letter to the Hebrews was an anonymous sermon to both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers, urging them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. The letter developed a number of important images such as Jesus the Christ as the High Priest.

Although the Letter to the Hebrews is sometimes attributed to Paul, most scholars agree that it was written some time after Paul’s death in 63 CE, but before 100 CE. The letter introduced a number of important theological themes. The first four chapters explored the word of God spoken through the Son.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament described Hebrews as the only document in the Christian Scriptures that contained a sustained argument on the nature of Christ. It is also often perceived as the New Testament’s most anti-Jewish text because of its supersessionism.

Today’s reading reflects the growing separation – after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E. – between the Jesus Follower Movement (which morphed into Christianity in the last part of the First Century) and Pharisaical Judaism (which morphed into Rabbinic Judaism).

The author contrasted Mount Sinai as a place of terror with Mount Zion where the spirits of the righteous are made perfect by Jesus. He said the blood of Abel cried for vengeance (Gen. 4:10) but the blood of Jesus “speaks a better word” (v. 24).

He paraphrased the prophet Haggai 2:6 for the expression “Yet once more” as a basis for the removal of created things in favor of “that which cannot be shaken” (v. 27). The actual context in Haggai is that the LORD would cause the return of riches from foreigners so the Temple could be rebuilt in splendor after the Exile ended in 539 BCE.

Luke 13:10-17

Reading

10 Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” 13 When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” 17 When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading about Jesus’ healing a woman on the sabbath tells a story found in the other gospels and in other places in Luke (for example 14:1-6). In the 30+ years after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the early Jesus Follower Movement regarded “putting the sabbath in its place” an important distinguishing factor from its rival movement, Pharisaic Judaism.

As the belief in Satan as a force of evil continued to expand in the First Century, the gospel writer had Jesus state that the woman’s crippling was the result of Satan’s having bound her for 18 years (vv.11 and 16). This idea was also reflected (for example) in Luke 11:14 when Jesus cast the demon out of person who was mute. The gospel writer presented Jesus as setting persons free from their bondages (v.12 and 16).

The Jewish Annotated New Testament notes that the word “the entire crowd was rejoicing” (v.17) showed that “they correctly find no violation of halakhah [Jewish Law].”

2022, August 14 ~ Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 23:23-29; Hebrews 11:2912-2; Luke 12:49-56

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
AUGUST 14, 2022

During Pentecost Season 2022, 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.

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 compiled from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE. The name “Isaiah” means “YHWH has saved” or “May YHWH save.”

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.

The Jewish Study Bible points out that one of major religious issues faced by First Isaiah was the extent to which Judea should attempt to confront its enemies by using military and diplomatic means and the extent it should rely on YHWH to protect them. Isaiah (unlike most of his contemporaries) preferred the latter option.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that two themes dominate the book of Isaiah as it now exists: (1) that YHWH is behind all historical events and (2) the centrality of Jerusalem for Israel, both for kingship and for worship.

Today’s reading is part of First Isaiah. The first part is characterized as a “love song” (v.1) for the prophet’s “beloved” – identified in verse 7 as YHWH. In ancient poetry, a vineyard was often a symbol of someone who is beloved, and YHWH’s beloved was identified as “the house of Israel and the people of Judah” (v.7).

In the third verse, the voice shifted from that of the prophet to the voice of YHWH asking for persons to judge between YHWH and the vineyard (Judea).

Because the vineyard yielded wild grapes (v.4), YHWH stated that the vineyard would be trampled down and made a waste (vv.5-6). This occurred when the Assyrians conquered Northern Israel in 722 BCE and Babylonians conquered Judea in 597 BCE.

Like many other prophets, Isaiah criticized injustice in Israel and Judah. Using clever word plays in Hebrew, the author noted that where YHWH expected justice (“mispat”), there was bloodshed (“mishpah”). YHWH expected righteousness (“tsedaqah) but heard a cry (“tse’aqah”) (v.7).

Jeremiah 23:23-29

Reading

23 Am I a God near by, says the LORD, and not a God far off? 24 Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the LORD. 25 I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, “I have dreamed, I have dreamed!” 26 How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back– those who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? 27 They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. 28 Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the LORD. 29 Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

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 were different versions of the Book of Jeremiah. The Greek Septuagint Translation (the LXX – dating from 300 to 200 BCE) has some chapters that are not in the Hebrew versions.

Jeremiah is largely a prophet of doom and gloom, so much so that the English word “jeremiad” is defined as a long, mournful complaint or lamentation, a list of woes. In the Bible, the Book of Lamentations was placed after the Book of Jeremiah because of the (incorrect) view that Jeremiah wrote the Book of Lamentations.

Sections in the book that are in “poetry style” are generally attributed to the prophet, and parts in “prose style” were mostly 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.)

One of the consistent themes in Jeremiah was his ongoing battles with the “court” prophets who told the king what the king wanted to hear and who opposed Jeremiah at every turn.

Todays reading is in prose and asserts that because YHWH is omnipresent (v.23), YHWH was aware of the lies that some (false) prophets were speaking in YHWH’s name (v.25). In the Scriptures, dreams were sometimes seen as messages from God, but here Jeremiah accused the false prophets of claiming that dreams were a basis to “forget YHWH’s name” (v.27).

In describing YHWH’s word as a “hammer that breaks rock into pieces” (v.29), the prophet emphasized the great power of true prophesy.

Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2

Reading

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. 30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace.

32 And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets – 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received their dead by resurrection. 36 Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented – 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.

39 Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect.

12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Commentary

The Letter to the Hebrews was an anonymous sermon to both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers, urging them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. The letter developed a number of important images such as Jesus the Christ as the High Priest.

Although the Letter to the Hebrews is sometimes attributed to Paul, most scholars agree that it was written some time after Paul’s death in 63 CE, but before 100 CE. The letter introduced a number of important theological themes. The first four chapters explored the word of God spoken through the Son.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament described Hebrews as the only document in the Christian Scriptures that contained a sustained argument on the nature of Christ. It is also often perceived as the New Testament’s most anti-Jewish text because of its supersessionism.

In today’s reading, the author asserted that it was “faith” that enabled (or caused) a large number of notable events that were recounted in the Hebrew Bible (vv. 29-38).

Many of the references are clear, but some are not. Rahab (v.31) was a prostitute who hid Joshua’s spies from the King of Jericho before Joshua crossed the River Jordan. According to Josh. 2:8-12, Rahab gave a (Deuteronomic) speech to the spies about YHWH’s power. She also demanded that Joshua give her and her family safe passage – knowing that Joshua was going to destroy Jericho and kill all its inhabitants. She is mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. Matt:1:5.

Judges 4-5 told of Barak, a fearful Jewish general who was unwilling to face the Canaanite army unless Deborah, the prophet, accompanied him. Because of the LORD’s help, he won the battle, but the Canaanite general, Sisera, escaped and hid in the tent of a Kenite woman, Jael. Jael induced him to sleep, and while asleep, drove a tent peg into his temple.

It is difficult to understand why Jephthah is included. As described in Judges 11-12, he was the leader of Israel’s forces against the Ammonites. He made a vow to YHWH that if he were successful, he would make a burnt offering of the first person to come out of his house upon his return. When he returned home, the first person he saw was his beloved daughter, and he sacrificed her to YHWH.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible suggests that “resurrection” (v.35) refers to the raising of dead children by Elijah and Elisha in 1 Kings 17 and 2 Kings 4, and that the reference to “better resurrection” refers to the belief that persons killed by Antiochus IV would be resurrected but that Antiochus IV would not. (2 Macc.7:14-15).

All the Christian Scriptures were written in Greek, and the Greek word for “faith” in the Letter is “pistis” – a word that has an active connotation and can fairly be understood as “faithfulness.” Faith is not presented in this letter (or in Paul’s genuine letters) as an intellectual assent to a series of propositions (as “Faith” is often understood today). Instead, as stated in the beginning of Chapter 11, Faith is action based on “the conviction of things not seen” (11:1).

The reading concluded with the supersessionist view that although the faithful persons in the Hebrew Bible were “commended” (v.39), they could not be made “perfect” (or complete) without Jesus as the “pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (12:2).

Luke 12:49-56

Reading

49 Jesus said, “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50
I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! 51 Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! 52 From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

54 He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain’; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading is parallel to Matt. 10:34-36 in which Jesus said, “I have come not to bring peace, but a sword.”

In this passage from Luke, the word “fire” is understood by some commentators as Jesus bringing judgment, but others understand “fire” as a symbol of purification. Earlier in Luke, Jesus’ baptism was described as “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16) and in Acts of the Apostles, the presence of the Holy Spirit was shown by “divided tongues, as of fire” (Acts 2:3).

Commentators understand Jesus’ “baptism” (v.50) to be a reference to his own death.

The language about dividing a household (v.53) echoed the prophet Micah 7:6 who described the society of Judea in the late 700’s BCE as “the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; your enemies are members of your own household.”

But in Malachi 4:6, the prophet spoke of the Messiah as one who “will turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents.”

The second part of the reading is also in Matthew in which Jesus told the Pharisees and Sadducees that they are not able to “interpret the signs of the times” (Matt.16:3).

2022, August 7 ~ Isaiah 1:1,10-20; Genesis 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:1-3,8-16; Luke 12:32-40

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
AUGUST 7, 2022

During Pentecost Season 2022, 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.

Isaiah 1.1,10-20

Reading

1 The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
12 When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more;
13 bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation — I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.
14 Your new moons and your appointed festivals my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you stretch out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.
16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil,
17 learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;
20 but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

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. The name “Isaiah” means “YHWH has saved” or “May YHWH save.”

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.

The Jewish Study Bible points out that one of major religious issues faced by First Isaiah was the extent to which Judea should attempt to confront its enemies by using military and diplomatic means and the extent it should rely on YHWH to protect them. Isaiah (unlike most of his contemporaries) preferred the latter option.

The New Oxford Annotated Bible observes that two themes dominate the book of Isaiah as it now exists: (1) that YHWH is behind all historical events and (2) the centrality of Jerusalem for Israel, both for kingship and for worship.

Today’s reading is from First Isaiah and is an indictment of Israel (and particularly Judea) for religious infidelity. The first verse (inserted by a later editor) sets the time period as being from 735 BCE (the ending years of the reign of Uzziah – also known as Azariah) to the 14th year of the reign of Hezekiah (701 BCE – when the Assyrians conquered most of Judea and besieged Jerusalem). This was a time of the ascendancy of the Assyrian Empire which conquered Northern Israel in 722 BCE and threatened Judea during all this time.

The balance of the reading is a strong prophetic statement condemning worship divorced from social justice (vv. 10-17), a theme also found in Amos, Micah, and Jeremiah. Sodom and Gomorrah (v.10) were commonly used symbols for divine judgement on immorality. In Genesis, the evil done by those cities was not showing hospitality (a high value) by threatening to commit sexual violence upon visitors to Lot’s home (Gen.19:5).

The call for purification (v.16) was not a substitute for moral purification, but a sign of the purification of learning to do good and seek justice (v.17).

The verses then shifted from condemnation to a legal argument (v.18) in which YHWH offered forgiveness if Judea repented but said Judea would be “devoured by the sword” (v.20) if it did not repent. Except for a short period of Deuteronomic reform under King Josiah (640 to 609 BCE) Jerusalem did not repent, and it was conquered by the Babylonians – the successors to the Assyrians – in 597 BCE. The Exile began in 587 BCE.

Genesis 15:1-6

Reading

1 The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O LORD God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” 4 But the word of the LORD came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” 5 He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Commentary

Genesis is the first book of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). The Torah also called the Pentateuch (“five books”) in Greek. Genesis covers the period from Creation to the deaths of Jacob and his 11th son, Joseph, in about 1650 BCE, if the accounts are historical.

The Book of Genesis (like the Torah as a whole) is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated to about 950 BCE and some of which were developed as late as 450 BCE. Since the late 19th Century, Biblical scholars have recognized four major “strands” or sources in the Torah, and these sources are identified (among other ways) by their different theological emphases, names for God, names for the holy mountain, and portrayals of God’s characteristics.

The first 11 Chapters of Genesis are called the “primeval history” which ends with the Tower of Babel story — an “etiology” (story of origins) relating to the scattering of humankind and the multiplicity of languages. The last chapter of the primeval history also traces Abram’s lineage back to Noah’s son, Shem (which means “name” in Hebrew and from which we get the word “Semites”).

Today’s reading is one of the versions of the covenant between YHWH and Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars (v.5). The other versions of the covenant are in Gen.12:1-3 and Gen.17:1-27.

The reference to Eliezer of Damascus is understood by some commentators as indicating that Abram had adopted him because he did not expect to have a natural heir. It appears that Eliezer was the “servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all he had” (Gen. 24:2) whom Abraham later sent to Haran to find a wife for Isaac.

In speaking of Abram’s “belief in the LORD” (v.6), The Jewish Study Bible translates the word as “trusts” and affirms that belief (when used in the Tanakh) does not mean believing in spite of the evidence. Instead it means trusting profoundly in someone, here YHWH. The New Oxford Annotated Bible sees “righteousness” (tzedakah in Hebrew) as “being true to one’s social obligations and commitments” and that Abram believed that YHWH would be true to the promises made to him.

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Reading

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old– and Sarah herself was barren– because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, “as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.”

13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

Commentary

The Letter to the Hebrews was an anonymous sermon to both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers, urging them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. The letter developed a number of important images such as Jesus the Christ as the High Priest.

Although the Letter to the Hebrews is sometimes attributed to Paul, most scholars agree that it was written some time after Paul’s death in 63 CE, but before 100 CE. The letter introduced a number of important theological themes. The first four chapters explored the word of God spoken through the Son.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament described Hebrews as the only document in the Christian Scriptures that contains a sustained argument on the nature of Christ. It is often perceived as the New Testament’s most anti-Jewish text because of its supersessionism.

Today’s reading presented faith as insight into a sacred world of reality and spoke of faith as a concrete reality by using words such as “assurance” and “conviction.” An example of faith was Abraham’s obedience to leave his homeland and travel to Canaan (Genesis 12). His faith was rewarded by his being the father of numerous descendants. In some manuscripts of Hebrews, Sarah’s faith is paralleled to Abraham’s and she is also presented as a heroic person of faith.

The ”city” (v.10) is understood by commentators as the heavenly Jerusalem.

Luke 12:32-40

Reading

32 Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

35 “Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; 36 be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. 37 Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. 38 If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

39 “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading follows the Parable of the Rich Fool (vv. 16-21) and lengthy advice (vv.22-32) to not worry about material possessions. Consistent with sayings in the other Synoptic Gospels and Acts, persons were urged to lay up “treasure in heaven” and were reminded that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (v.34)

The focus of the reading then shifted to watchfulness, readiness, and faithfulness. Using imagery of a wedding banquet as a messianic event, the exhortation advised that the “master” (Kyrios in Greek – usually translated “LORD”) will serve those slaves whom he finds alert (v.37).

The motif of the master serving others is found in John’s account of the Last Supper in which Jesus washed the feet of his disciples (John 13:3-16). It is also in Mark 10:45 in stating that the Son of Man came “not to be served but to serve” and in Luke 22:27 in response to the controversy among some of the apostles about who is the greatest.

2022, July 3 ~ 2 Kings 5:1-14; Isaiah 66:10-14; Galatians 6:1-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
JULY 3, 2022

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.

2 Kings 5:1-14

Reading

1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy. 2 Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my LORD were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his LORD just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.”

He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.”

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.” 11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage. 13 But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, `Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

Commentary

The authors of the Book of Kings were also the authors of the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Samuel. These books were given their final form around 550 BCE – long after the events they described. The authors used the stories in these books to demonstrate that it was the failures of the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judea to worship YHWH 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.)

After Solomon’s death in 928 BCE, the nation divided in two. The Northern Kingdom consisted of 10 tribes and was called “Israel.” The Southern Kingdom had two tribes, Judah and Benjamin and was called “Judea.” For the most part, the Deuteronomists portrayed the Kings of the North as unfaithful to YHWH, and Ahab (873-852 BCE) was one of the worst offenders. His wife was the Baal-worshiping foreigner, Jezebel.

Consistent with the theological view that YHWH controlled all that occurs, the authors of Kings asserted, somewhat surprisingly, that YHWH gave victory to Naaman, a general of Aram (modern Syria) over Israel around 850 BCE (v. 1). This occurred presumably because King Ahab and his successors did not worship YHWH faithfully.

Elisha, the successor to Elijah, was in Samaria, the capital of Northern Israel at this time. The King of Aram heard from his wife (who learned from an Israeli slave girl) that Elisha was a prophet who could cure Naaman of his leprosy (which could have been any skin ailment). The King sent Naaman to Elisha and to the King of Israel along with staggeringly generous offerings (750 lbs. of silver and 150 lbs. of gold). Naaman also had a letter from the King of Aram to the King of Israel asking that Naaman be cured of his leprosy (v.5).

The King of Israel’s reaction emphasized that YHWH controlled life and death (v.7) and it also showed the foolishness of the Kings of Israel. The King refused the gifts and (in his anger and frustration) was about to tell Naaman to return to Aram. Elisha prevailed on the King of Israel to allow Naaman to come to see that he (Elisha) was a true prophet (speaker for God).

Elisha’s prescription did not involve divine guidance or prayer as Naaman expected (v.13). Instead, Elisha directed Naaman to wash seven times in the River Jordan. After initially refusing to do so, Naaman’s servants convinced him, and he went to the River Jordan and was healed (v.14).

In the verses that follow today’s reading, Naaman stated that YHWH’s power was not territorially limited to the lands of Israel and Judea – it extended to the whole world (v.15), an important theological message the Deuteronomists sought to convey. Naaman also took some soil from Israel so he could make offerings to YHWH (v.17).

The Jewish Study Bible points out: “One motif of the story is that people of higher status are dependent on people of lower status: Naaman on counsel from his wife reporting information from and Israelite slave girl (vv.2-3); the king of Aram on the king of Israel, and the latter on Elisha (vv.5-8); and Naaman on the advice of his own servants and Elisha (vv.13-15).”

Isaiah 66:10-14

Reading

10 Thus says the LORD: “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her;
rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her–
11 that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom.
12 For thus says the LORD: I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.
13 As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
14 You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bodies shall flourish like the grass;
and it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants, and his indignation is against his enemies.”

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 was set in the time after the return and presented Jerusalem as a nourishing mother for the returning Judeans (vv. 10-11). In verse 13, however, the metaphor changed so that YHWH was presented as the mother who will “comfort her son” (v.13) but will rage against his foes (v.14).

Galatians 6:1-16

Reading

1 My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if those who are nothing think they are something, they deceive themselves. 4 All must test their own work; then that work, rather than their neighbor’s work, will become a cause for pride. 5 For all must carry their own loads.

6 Those who are taught the word must share in all good things with their teacher.

7 Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. 8 If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time if we do not give up. 10 So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

11 See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised — only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. 14 May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! 16 As for those who will follow this rule — peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Commentary

Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was likely written by Paul in the late 40’s or early 50’s (CE), and deals in part with controversies between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers regarding the continuing importance of Torah (Law) to Jesus Followers. In particular, did Gentiles have to be circumcised and follow the Kosher dietary law to become Jesus Followers? If not, what was the role of Torah for both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers?

These issues are also described in Chapter 15 of Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letter to the Romans (written in the early 60’s).

Galatians is a “transitional” letter in that – when compared to Paul’s last letter (Romans) — it shows an evolution in his views on the relationship between the Torah and the Gentile Jesus Followers.

These issues were also described in Chapter 15 of Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letter to the Romans (written in the early 60’s).

Today’s reading is the conclusion of this letter. Paul continued to emphasize that the Spirit enabled believers to live out the principle of love (the “law of Christ” in v.2), thus fulfilling the law without slavishly observing the law’s requirements. He noted that teachers deserved support from their students (v.6).

He affirmed the opposition of “the flesh” to the Spirit and emphasized that whether or not a person is circumcised is not important (vv. 12-15).

In the final words of today’s reading, Paul asked for peace and mercy upon the “Israel of God” (v.16) – words that are unique to this verse. Scholars understand these words as meaning the “true Israel,” that is, those who followed Paul’s understanding of the Gospel rather than those who followed the teachings of Paul’s opponents. The blessing was conditional – it was “for those who follow this rule” (v.16).

Luke 10:1-11,16-20

Reading

1 The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace to this house!’ 6 And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 `Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’

16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading is reminiscent of YHWH’s direction to Moses to appoint 70 elders to assist him (Ex. 24 and Num. 11). The instructions given by Jesus are very specific and have antecedents in the Hebrew Bible: take no purse, or bag or sandals, greet no one (lest you be delayed) (v.4) is the instruction given by Elisha to his servant; use a specific greeting (v.5), a greeting used by messengers sent by David (1 Sam. 25:6); and laborers deserve to be paid (v.7) echoes Deut. 24:15.

The Jewish Annotated New Testament suggests that shaking the dust off one’s feet “in protest” (v.11) was a statement that the disciples were not responsible for the fate of the inhospitable.

In the omitted verses (12-15), Jesus said that the towns that rejected his disciples would have a fate similar to Sodom and that the towns of Chorazin (about two miles north of Capernaum) and Bethsaida should have repented because of the deeds of power done in them (v.13). Jesus went on that the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon would have repented (v.13b).

The joyful return of the 70 was met with a statement about Satan’s falling from heaven like a flash of light (v.18). This image is based on Isaiah 14:12-14 in which YHWH overcame two Canaanite gods (whose names are translated as Morning Star and Dawn) and brought them down to Sheol. The New Oxford Annotated Bible provides this analysis: These gods “fall from heaven as a result of rebellion. In Christianity, the myth reemerges as the fall of Lucifer and his attendant angels (cf. Lk.10.18).”

The Jewish Annotated New Testament points out that the Hebrew word for “Day Star” comes into Latin as “Lucifer” (lit. ’light bringer’)” and that by the First Century CE, the concept of Sheol had begun to morph into “hell” as a permanent place of damnation.

2022, June 19 ~ 1 Kings 19:1-15a; Isaiah 65:1-9; Galatians 3:23-29; Luke 8:26-39

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
JUNE 19, 2022

During Pentecost Season 2022, 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.

1 Kings 19:1-15a

Reading

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” 3 Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: “It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, “Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.” 8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. 9 At that place he 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; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 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.”

Commentary

The authors of the Book of Kings were also the authors of the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Samuel. These books were given their final form around 550 BCE – long after the events they described. The authors used the stories in these books to demonstrate that it was the failures of the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judea to worship YHWH 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.)

After Solomon’s death in 928 BCE, the nation divided in two. The Northern Kingdom consisted of 10 tribes and was called “Israel.” The Southern Kingdom had two tribes, Judah and Benjamin and was called “Judea.” For the most part, the Deuteronomists portrayed the Kings of the North as unfaithful to YHWH, and Ahab (873-852 BCE) was one of the worst offenders. His wife was the Baal-worshiping foreigner, Jezebel.

The prophet Elijah is the subject of today’s reading. Just prior to these verses, Elijah invoked the power of YHWH to overcome the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel in the Northern part of Israel. He brought fire upon a huge sacrifice, rain to end a drought, and then killed all the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).

Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done (v.1). Jezebel swore to kill Elijah (v.2), so he ran away as far south in Israel as he could – first to Beer-sheba and then to the Wilderness where he hoped to die (v.4). (The theme of a prophet wishing to die out of a sense of isolation and failure was repeated in Jonah 4:3.)

YHWH’s angels provided food to Elijah so he could journey to Horeb and continue his ministry. (For the Deuteronomists, the holy mountain was called “Horeb” rather than Sinai. “Sinai” was the name used by the authors of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.) Elijah’s receiving food in the wilderness was parallel to Hagar’s story in Genesis 21:19.

The Jewish Study Bible points out that a person could cover 20-25 miles a day walking. If Elijah walked for 40 days and 40 nights (v.8), he could have covered between 800 and 1,000 miles. The JSB suggests that 40 is merely a “formulaic number” for a long time.

When Elijah was at Horeb, the voice of YHWH came to him in the silence (vv.12-13) and told him to anoint Hazael as king of Aram (modern Syria). In the verse after today’s reading, Elijah was told to commit treason by anointing Jehu as King of Israel even while Ahab was still alive (v.16).

This is not the first instance of treasonous activity in the Deuteronomists’ accounts. YHWH told Samuel to anoint David as King even when Saul was still alive. (1 Sam.16:13).

Isaiah 65:1-9

Reading

1 I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that did not call on my name.

2 I held out my hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good,
following their own devices

3 a people who provoke me to my face continually, sacrificing in gardens and offering incense on bricks

4 who sit inside tombs, and spend the night in secret places, who eat swine’s flesh, with broth of abominable things in their vessels

5 who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all day long.

6 See, it is written before me: I will not keep silent, but I will repay; I will indeed repay into their laps

7 their iniquities and their ancestors’ iniquities together, says the LORD; because they offered incense on the mountains and reviled me on the hills, I will measure into their laps full payment for their actions.

8 Thus says the LORD: As the wine is found in the cluster, and they say, “Do not destroy it,
for there is a blessing in it,” so I will do for my servants’ sake, and not destroy them all.

9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob, and from Judah inheritors of my mountains; my chosen shall inherit it, and my servants shall settle there.

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 set in the time after the return and follows a lament by the people (Chapter 64) claiming that YHWH seems to be continuing to punish the people.

Today’s reading is YHWH’s response and noted that the people acted as if they were self-sufficient and did not call on YHWH for help (v.1). The middle verses (3-5) are descriptions of pagan practices adopted by some Israelites and verses 6 and 7 set forth their punishments. According to The New Oxford Annotated Bible, “sacrifices in gardens” (v.3) were sacrifices “in open-air sanctuaries and involved the invocation of nature deities, often with overt sexual content.”

The last two verses of today’s reading are YHWH’s promise that he would raise up those who were the righteous remnant and true servants of YHWH.

Galatians 3:23-29

Reading

23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.

Commentary

Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was likely written by Paul in the late 40’s or early 50’s (CE), and deals in part with controversies between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers regarding the continuing importance of Torah (Law) to Jesus Followers. In particular, did Gentiles have to be circumcised and follow the Kosher dietary law to become Jesus Followers? If not, what was the role of Torah for both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers?

These issues are also described in Chapter 15 of Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letter to the Romans (written in the early 60’s).

Galatians is a “transitional” letter in that – when compared to Paul’s last letter (Romans) — it shows an evolution in his views on the relationship between the Torah and the Gentile Jesus Followers. In many ways, the letter was a defense of Paul’s Gentile mission as whole.

In today’s reading, Paul spoke of the Jewish Law as “guarding and imprisoning” us until the Christ came so that “we might be justified by faith” (vv. 23-24). The Introduction to Galatians in The New Oxford Annotated Bible points out that verse 24 has been understood to imply that Judaism and the Torah are “redundant, and perhaps even an obstacle to God’s plan for human salvation.” The NOAB noted, however, that Paul did not draw this conclusion, and expressly rebutted it in Romans 9-11 by acknowledging the continuing force of the Torah and the need for Jewish Jesus Followers to continue to observe it.

Understanding many of the terms used by Paul is often challenging for modern readers. As a devout Jew, Paul recognized the value of the Law, but his conversion caused him to see that “justification” (or righteousness) was no longer a matter of obeying specific laws, but of living a life of faithfulness. “Justified” is to be understood as “being in right relationships with God, others, the world and oneself.” (A page of type in which the right and left margins are straight is described as “justified.”)

The term “faith” as used by Paul also needs to be understood in context. “Faith” is a translation of the Greek word “pistis” – a word that conveys an active quality. The word is perhaps better understood as “faith-ing” or “active faithfulness.” For Paul, “faith” was not a matter of intellectually assenting to a series of doctrines (as many Christians today think of “Faith”).

Instead, “faith” is living a life of loving faithfulness as Jesus of Nazareth lived his life and trusting – as he did — that death will not have the final victory. For Paul, the Resurrection allowed him (and allows us) to encounter the Risen Christ.

Faithfulness to the Christ and a life of loving others also enables us to recognize our essential unity in which there is no Jew or Greek (Gentile), slave or free, male or female (v.28), for we are all one in the Christ.

In footnotes, the NOAB and The Jewish Annotated New Testament state that a “disciplinarian” (paidagōgos) in verses 24 and 25 was a household slave who escorted the master’s son outside the house school to keep him out of trouble and who sometimes punished the boy for his behavior. The Greek word is also translated as “trainer” or “guardian.”

Luke 8:26-39

Reading

26 Jesus and his disciples arrived at the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me” – 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” He said, “Legion”; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading is also found in Mark and Matthew, although Matthew set the story as occurring in Gadara, which is a more likely location because Gerasa was 15 miles inland. Both Gadara and Gerasa were in the area known as the Decapolis, the area east of the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River (modern Jordan).

The Decapolis was primarily non-Jewish. Everything about the man possessed by demons (in Matthew, there were two men) was unclean: living in tombs and not wearing clothes (v.27). Unlike the disciples who were confused by Jesus’ identity (v.25), the Demoniac called him “Son of the Most High God” (v.28).

In the First Century, having knowledge of the name of a supernatural power gave the knower an advantage in dealing with the person or power. The Demoniac’s response “Legion” (v.30) represented a division of the Roman Army consisting of 5,000 soldiers, so the name showed the power of the demons who possessed the man and was also a not-so-subtle “dig” at the Roman occupiers.

The demons begged to be sent into the herd of swine (Mark said there were about 2,000) and they rushed into a lake (a “sea” in Mark and Matthew) and drowned. Swine were unclean for Jews, but not for Gentiles.

Having lost a sizeable herd of swine would have been a significant economic loss for the residents of the area, and it is not surprising that they asked Jesus to leave (v.37) before he adversely affected their economic situation further.

The request by the cured man to become a follower (v.38) and Jesus’ direction to him to declare what God had done for him in his home. Instead, the man declared what Jesus had done for him (v.39).

2022, April 10 ~ Luke 19: 28-40; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 22:14-23:49

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
APRIL 10, 2022

Liturgy of the Palms

Luke 19:28-40

Reading

28 After telling a parable to the crowd at Jericho, Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When he had come near Bethpage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.'” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

This reading is Luke’s version of the Entry into Jerusalem. All of the gospel accounts present Jesus riding on a donkey, a Messianic motif found in Zechariah 9:9 in which a prince of peace would enter Jerusalem on a donkey rather than on a war-horse. (Matthew misunderstood the text and depicted Jesus riding on both “a donkey and a colt” Matt. 21:7.)

The Mount of Olives is part of a ridge on the east side of Jerusalem, and Jewish tradition held that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem from the east (Zech. 14:4).

Cloaks were the costliest piece of a person’s clothing and spreading cloaks (2 Kings 9:13) and palm branches (1 Macc. 13:51) were a sign of honor as well as a symbol of victory, a matter that would have been of concern to the Roman authorities.
The crowd’s shout of phrase “blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD” is derived from Psalm 118:26. In Matthew, the shout was for “the son of David” and in Mark the crowd looked for the “kingdom of our father David that is coming” (Mk.11:9). Luke added “the King” and the phrase “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! (v. 38), and John added “the King of Israel” in the words that were shouted (John 12:13).

Primary Liturgy

Isaiah 50:4-9a

Reading

4 The LORD GOD has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens — wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.
5 The LORD GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward.
6 I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard.
I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.
7 The LORD GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8 he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me.
9 It is the LORD GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty?

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 from “Second Isaiah.” In it, the prophet affirmed loyalty to YHWH and asserted that his words were from YHWH. In speaking in the first person, the prophet set a model that the nation as a whole should follow because the nation has a prophetic role to the world at large.

The last part of the reading (vv. 6 to 9) recounted the prophet’s suffering and is sometimes called the “Third Suffering Servant Song” because the speaker referred to himself as a “servant” in the verse immediately following today’s reading.

The prophet recounted sufferings similar to that of the Prophet Jeremiah (v.6) and asserted that the LORD God would vindicate him so he would not be put to shame (v.7).

The longer Fourth Suffering Servant Song begins in Isaiah 53:13. Many of its images were used in the Gospel According to Mark to describe the suffering of Jesus of Nazareth.

Philippians 2:5-11

Reading

5 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.

Commentary

Philippi was a major city in Macedonia on the Roman road to Byzantium (Istanbul), and most of its inhabitants were Roman citizens. Paul wrote this letter from prison. For this reason, some think the letter was written from Rome around 62 CE. Other scholars note that Paul was also imprisoned earlier in Ephesus and made trips to Philippi from Ephesus. Paul had a deep affection for the believers in Philippi and thanked them for gifts sent to him in prison (4:18).

Today’s reading is the best-known part of this Epistle. It emphasized the divinity of Jesus the Christ (v.6), the self-emptying love of Jesus (v.7), his servant ministry (v.7), and that (like all human beings) he was subject to death, even a degrading death on a cross (v.8).

The phrases “every knee should bend” (v.10) and “every tongue confess” (v.11) were echoes of Isaiah 45:23 in which the prophet (speaking for YHWH) asserted YHWH had power to free the Judeans from Babylon and “to me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

The Letter to the Philippians contains some of Paul’s strongest assertions about Jesus the Christ as “Lord” and equivalent to YHWH.

The NRSV translates the Greek word Kyrios in the Christian Scriptures (which were written in Greek) as “Lord” with a capital “L.” When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek in the period from 300 to 200 BCE, the name for God, YHWH, was also translated as “Kyrios.”

The NRSV translates the letters “YHWH” from the Hebrew Scriptures (which were written in Hebrew) as “LORD” with all capital letters.

Luke 22:14 – 23:56 (The Passion According to Luke)

Reading

14 When the hour for the Passover meal came, Jesus took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. 22 For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!” 23 Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this.

24 A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

28 “You are those who have stood by me in my trials; 29 and I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

31 “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me.”

35 He said to them, “When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “No, not a thing.” 36 He said to them, “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, `And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.” 38 They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is enough.”

39 He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40 When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” 41 Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done.” [43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44 In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.] 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”

47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” 49 When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” 50 Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!”

54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. 55 When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56 Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.

63 Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; 64 they also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 They kept heaping many other insults on him.

66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. 67 They said, “If you are the Messiah, tell us.” He replied, “If I tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I question you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 All of them asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!”

23:1 Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.” 3 Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.” 5 But they were insistent and said, “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place.”

6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. 9 He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. 12 That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, 14 and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 I will therefore have him flogged and release him.”

17 [Now he was obliged to release someone for them at the festival.] 18 Then they all shouted out together, “Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!” 19 (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) 20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.” 23 But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

26 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 [Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, 45 while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. 47 When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.” 48 And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. 49 But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council, 51 had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. 54 It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.

On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Commentary

The Passion according to Luke follows the same general approach as the other gospels: Last Supper (though John does not include the institution of the Eucharist), the anticipated betrayal by Judas, the Agony in the Garden, the betrayal by a kiss, a “trial” by the Sanhedrin (the “council”), an appearance before Pilate, the release of Barabbas, the Crucifixion, and the burial.

Luke’s account presents Jesus exhibiting more of those qualities traditionally attributed to God (foreseeing events, being in control of events, and taking other actions properly belonging to God) than is found in the Gospels According to Matthew and Mark. For example, in Luke, Jesus did not cry out “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” as in Mark 15:34 and Matt 27:46.

Luke’s account has a number of events that are unique to Luke. Some examples follow:

The statements in 22:15-18 (about not eating the bread or drinking the cup until the Kingdom of God occurs) can be understood both eschatologically and as a statement that the Kingdom of God is inbreaking now.

Only in Luke were the chief priests present at the arrest of Jesus (22:52). In the same passage, although Mark and Matthew reported that one of Jesus’ followers cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest, in Luke Jesus touched the ear and healed it (22:51).

The passage in Luke 22:35-38 is unique to Luke, and the phrase “he was counted among the lawless” is based on the Third Suffering Servant Song in Isaiah 53:12. Most commentators opine that Jesus’ exhortation to sell one’s cloak and buy a sword (v.36) was a metaphor, and that Jesus’ response to the report “Look, look, here are two swords” was dismissive and ironic and should be understood as “Enough, already.” One’s cloak was the most expensive garment a person wore. If you sold your cloak, you would not have any clothing.

Luke avoided calling the garden “Gethsemane” (an Aramaic word meaning “olive press”) and called it the Mount of Olives. Verses 43 and 44 (about the angel comforting Jesus and his sweat appearing as blood) are disputed and not included in many ancient authorities.

When Peter denied Jesus, only in Luke did Jesus look at him and face him (22:61).

Only in Luke is there a report of Jesus appearing before Herod Antipas (23:7-12).

Only in Luke did Jesus speak to the Daughters of Jerusalem (23:27-31).

Only in Luke did Jesus have an exchange with the two criminals and tell one of them that this day he would be in Paradise with Jesus (23:39-43).

2022, April 3 ~ Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
APRIL 3, 2022

Isaiah 43:16-21

Reading

16 Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings out chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18 Do not remember the former things or consider the things of old.
19 I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild animals will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches; for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.

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 from “Second Isaiah” and is part of an extended discourse that YHWH will redeem the Judeans from Babylon. The people are reminded that YHWH led them in the Exodus from Egypt (“make a way in the sea” v.16). YHWH promised to “do a new thing” (v.19) by delivering the Judeans from Babylon. The reading concluded with the theme that the Judeans were chosen (v.20) and formed by YHWH so they could praise YHWH (v.21).

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), and most of its inhabitants were Roman citizens. Paul wrote this letter from prison. For this reason, some think the letter was written from Rome around 62 CE. Other scholars note that Paul was also imprisoned earlier in Ephesus and made trips to Philippi from Ephesus. Paul had a deep affection for the believers in Philippi and thanked them for gifts sent to him in prison (4:18).

Today’s reading is a continuation of Paul’s statements in opposition to those who claimed that one had to become a Jew by being circumcised before one could be a Jesus Follower (3:2-3).

To emphasize his standing to make these assertions, he described these opponents as “being confident in the flesh” (v.4) and stated that he himself was circumcised (as a Hebrew) and was a blameless Pharisee (v.6). He referred to all his religious “gains” prior to knowing Christ Jesus as “rubbish” (v.8). (The Greek word is literally translated as “dog poop.”).

Paul emphasized the importance of “faith in The Christ” (v.9) – by which he meant a transformation of one’s deepest “heart” that would lead one to “know” (have a close relationship with) The Christ and share in his sufferings “by becoming like him in his death” (v.10) – a death that was imposed on Jesus by the authorities because he lived and taught a life of selfless love. Paul aspired to have the hope of resurrection (v.11b).

Paul acknowledged that, as a human being, he had only partially reached the goal of sharing in the sufferings of The Christ (v.12) but that he was “pressing on” to the “prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus” (v.14).

John 12:1-8

Reading

1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

Commentary

The Fourth Gospel is different in many ways from the Synoptic Gospels. The “signs” (miracles) and many stories in the Fourth Gospel are unique to it, such as the Wedding at Cana, Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, and the Raising of Lazarus.

The chronology of events is also different in the Fourth Gospel. For example, the Temple Event (“Cleansing of the Temple”) occurred early in Jesus’ Ministry in the Fourth Gospel, rather than late as in the Synoptic Gospels. In the Synoptic Gospels, the Last Supper was a Passover Seder, but in the Fourth Gospel, it occurred the day before the first day of Passover so that Jesus (who is described as “the Lamb of God” in the Fourth Gospel) died at the same time lambs were sacrificed at the Temple for the Passover Seder that was to be held the night he died.

The story of Jesus’ being anointed before his Passion was told in each of the Gospels, though it may be a conflation of two different traditions.

In Luke’s account (Lk. 7:36-50), the event occurred in the middle of Jesus’ public ministry. In Mark (14:1-9), the event occurred two days before the Passover (and the festival of the Unleavened Bread – which Mark incorrectly separated from the Passover). In Matthew (26:6-16), the date is unspecified, but is clearly just before the Passover. In today’s reading from John, the event occurred six days before the Passover.

The place of the event is also different. In Mark and Matthew, it occurred at the home of Simon the Leper. In Luke, Jesus was at the home of a Pharisee who is later named as Simon (7:40). In John, the event occurred in the home of Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary.

In Mark and Matthew, the woman is not identified, and in Luke she is identified only as “a sinner” (7:37). In today’s reading the woman is said to be Mary, Lazarus’ sister (v.3).

In Mark, Matthew and Luke, the woman had “an alabaster flask of ointment” which was described in Matthew as “very expensive.” Mark and John identify the ointment as “pure nard.” In John, Mary used a pound of nard (a Roman pound was 11.5 ounces).

Nard comes from the oil of the spikenard plant that is found in the Himalayas. Mark and John valued it at “300 denarii” which would be a year’s wages for a laborer (about $40,000 today for a worker paid $20 an hour and working 40 hours a week.)

In Mark and Matthew, Jesus’ head was anointed, but in Luke and John his feet were anointed. According to The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, perfume or oil would not usually be used to anoint feet.

In Mark and Matthew, the disciples or others present saw the anointing as a “waste” and urged that the proceeds of the nard could have been given to the poor. In John, only Judas raised the issue and the account used the story to call Judas a thief (v.6), a characterization not found in the other Gospels.

Giving alms to the poor is a Passover obligation (John 13:29). The statement “The poor you always have with you” is taken from Deut. 15:11 where YHWH commanded the Israelites to be generous to the poor in the land.

In Mark, Matthew and John, the anointing was presented as preparing Jesus for burial (v.7).

2022, February 6 ~ Isaiah 6:1-13; 1 Corinthians 15:1-11; Luke 5:1-11

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TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
FEBRUARY 6, 2022

Isaiah 6:1-13

Reading

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. 2 Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. 5 And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!” 9 And he said, “Go and say to this people: `Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’

10 Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed.”

11 Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is utterly desolate;

12 until the Lord sends everyone far away, and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.

13 Even if a tenth part remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains standing when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.

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 referred to as “the Call of Isaiah.” To identify years in which events occurred, it was common to use the year of a particular king’s reign. Isaiah’s call is dated to the year King Uzziah of the Kingdom of Judea died (v.1). This was 742 or 733 BCE (scholars are not sure of the chronology), but it was clearly a time when the Assyrian Empire was becoming more dominant. The Assyrians conquered the Kingdom of Israel (the Northern 10 Tribes) in 722 BCE. Isaiah’s ”call” served as an introduction to the prophet’s comments on Judean politics and treaties in chapters 7 and 8.

The scene of Isaiah’s Call was intended to inspire awe and it used hyperbole (the hem of the Lord’s robe fills the temple) (v.1) to create that sense. The LORD was surrounded by angels – seraphs (literally, “burning ones”) with six wings, two of which cover their faces (so as not to look upon God), two of which cover their “feet” (a customary euphemism in Hebrew Scriptures for one’s private parts), and two of which to maintain their position around the throne).

Using a customary literary device (and as Moses did when he was called by YHWH), Isaiah protested that he would not be able to speak for the LORD. Isaiah said he had “unclean lips” (v.5). In a metaphorical response, a seraph touched Isaiah’s lips with a live coal (v.7). After this purification, just as Samuel responded to the LORD’s call in 1 Sam. 3, Isaiah responded with the same words: “Here I am, send me” (v.8).

The refusal of persons to listen and understand the prophet’s message (vv. 9-10) “explains” the failure of the people and kings of Judea to change their behaviors. It also assumed (as much of the Hebrew Bible did) that the LORD controls all that happens, including the refusal of people to hear a prophet’s message.

The LORD’s sending “everyone far away” (v.12) is regarded by scholars as a post-exilic addition that referred to the Babylonian Exile from 587 to 539 BCE. The “stump” (v.13) was also a post-exilic reference to the “remnant” – the Judeans who returned to Jerusalem after the Exile.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Reading

1 I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you — unless you have come to believe in vain.

3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them — though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Commentary

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic, and Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it means to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) (likely while Paul was in Ephesus) and presented his views on several issues.

It is one of Paul’s most important letters because it is one of the earliest proclamations interpreting Jesus’ death as being on behalf of sinners (v.3), proclaiming his resurrection (v.4), and because it contains the basic formula for celebrating the Lord’s Supper (11:17-34).

In today’s reading, Paul presented an early creed about the death and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. In saying that “Christ died for our sins,” (v.3) the word “for” can be understood as “on account of” or “because of” or “to atone for.” The phrase that the Christ was raised “in accordance with the scriptures” (v.4) became part of the Nicene Creed.

In discussing the appearances of the risen Christ, Paul asserted that the risen Christ appeared first to Cephas (Peter) and the twelve (v.5) — rather than to women as presented in Matt. 28:9, or Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9 and John 20:14), or to two disciples at the inn on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:31).

Paul then said the Christ appeared to James (presumably the brother of Jesus) and then to “all the apostles.” (v.7), which seems to contradict his earlier statement about the appearance to “the twelve.” Finally, Paul listed himself as a person to whom the Christ “appeared” though there is no suggestion in the Epistles (or in Acts 8, 22 or 26) that this appearance (presumably Paul’s Damascus Road Experience) was a physical appearance of the Christ.

Although Paul described himself as “the least” of the apostles (v.9), he made clear to the Corinthians that his authority arose from the fact that he was an “apostle.” He asserted that he “worked harder” (v.10) than any of the other apostles.

Today’s reading also served as an introduction to Paul’s extended discussion of “resurrection of the dead” in Chapter 15. The Corinthians were Hellenists who generally accepted the Platonic division between the body and the “immortal soul.” Paul emphasizes that not only the body is resurrected, but the entire person, and Paul used the “resurrection of the dead” to encompass the entirety of resurrection.

Luke 5:1-11

Reading

1 Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.

Commentary

The Gospel According to Luke is generally regarded as having been written around 85 CE. Its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were written in elegant and deliberatively crafted Greek and presented Jesus of Nazareth as the universal savior of humanity. Both emphasized the Holy Spirit as the “driving force” for events.

The Gospel followed the same general chronology of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection as the Gospel of Mark, and more than 40% of Luke’s Gospel was based on Mark. The other portions of Luke include (a) sayings shared with the Gospel According to Matthew but not found in Mark and (b) stories that are unique to Luke such as the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Presentation in the Temple, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan.

Today’s reading has a number of elements that appear in other gospels. Teaching by the Sea of Galilee (or Gennesaret) appears in the other Synoptic Gospels, as does the call of the fishermen to become “fishers of people” (v.10). The huge draught of fish appeared in the Fourth Gospel in an Epilogue (21:4-7) as a post-resurrection event.

Hearing the “Word of God” (v.1) means hearing the Torah as interpreted by Jesus, and “Master” (v.5) is the word Luke uses for “Rabbi.” The decision to “leave everything” (v.11) included one’s home, business, and family. This decision to leave fishing and follow Jesus also appears in the other Synoptic Gospels.