OLD TESTAMENT: Genesis 45: 1 - 15 (RCL)

Gene 45:1 (NRSV) Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, "Send everyone away from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come closer to me." And they came closer. He said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 6 For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, "Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. 10 You shall settle in the land of Go'shen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children's children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. 11 I will provide for you there--since there are five more years of famine to come--so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.' 12 And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here." 14 Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.


Isaiah 56: 1, 6 - 7 (Roman Catholic)
Isaiah 56: 1, 6 - 8 (alt. for RCL)

Isai 56:1 (NRSV) Thus says the LORD:
Maintain justice, and do what is right,
for soon my salvation will come,
and my deliverance be revealed.

6 And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,
and hold fast my covenant--
7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.
8 Thus says the Lord GOD,
who gathers the outcasts of Israel,
I will gather others to them
besides those already gathered.


PSALM 133 (RCL)

Psal 133:1 (NRSV) How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the LORD ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.


133 Ecce, quam bonum! (ECUSA BCP)

1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!

2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,

3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.

5 For there the LORD has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.


Psalm 67 (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 67: 1 - 2, 4, 5, 7 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 67:1 (NRSV) May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, [Se'lah]
2 that your way may be known upon earth,
your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth. [Se'lah]
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, has blessed us.
7 May God continue to bless us;
let all the ends of the earth revere him.

Note : Verse numbering in Roman Catholic Bibles is one higher than the above.


67 Deus misereatur (ECUSA BCP)

1 May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of his countenance and come to us.

2 Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.

3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.

5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

6 The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.

7 May God give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.


NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 11: 1 - 2a, 29 - 32 (RCL)
Romans 11: 13 - 15, 29 - 32 (Roman Catholic)

Roma 11:1 (NRSV) I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

13 I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I glorify my ministry 14 in order to make my own people jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead!

29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now {Other ancient authorities lack [now]} receive mercy. 32 For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul has argued that Israel will not be saved at the Last Day. Most Jews have rejected the approach to oneness with God attainable through God’s love. The fault for their alienation from God, he has written, lies with them. But he has hinted, based on Isaiah, that “a remnant of them will be saved” (9:27).
“Has God rejected his people?” (v. 1) No, says Paul: you can be a member of God's first chosen people, an “Israelite” and Christian: he is an example. So God has not totally cast off the people he chose long ago, even if they are at times disobedient to God's will. When God makes a promise, he keeps it: Israel is still chosen (v. 29). (Vv. 2b-24 speak of the waywardness of Israel. As in Elijah’s time, there is now a faithful remnant, i.e. Jewish Christians. It was, he says, the failure of the mission to the Jews that led to the mission to the Gentiles. Gentile Christians will provide an example for Jews, leading them to seek oneness with him in faith.)
Now vv. 30-32: Gentile Christians (“you”) were once unfaithful (“disobedient”) to God but because they (Israel) were unfaithful, Gentiles have been brought to Christ. Their unfaithfulness has a purpose: that they may be brought back to God. “Disobedience” provides God with the opportunity to give his love (“mercy”) to both Jews and Gentiles.

Verses 1-36: Israel’s failure is partial and temporary. [NJBC]
Verse 1: “Israelite”: Paul uses their title of honour, bestowed on them by Yahweh (see Genesis 32:28, Jacob at Jabbok), not Jews, their common political title. [NJBC]
Verses 2-5: After his long journey to reach Mount Horeb, the mount of God, Elijah sheltered in a cave where he complained bitterly to God about Israel’s infidelities. Yahweh announced the coming chastisement of his people but also the deliverance of a significant number in Israel who had not yet deserted Yahwism for Baal-worship. Just as Elijah was not alone in his fidelity, so Paul is not alone among Jews in believing in Christ. [NJBC]
Verse 3: Paul uses 1 Kings 19:10 in abbreviated and inverted form. The example of Elijah is drawn from Israel’s history to reveal God’s plan in the present situation too. [NJBC] The quotation is a free one, and is per neither the Septuagint translation nor the Masoretic Text.
Verse 5: “a remnant, chosen by grace”: Literally a remnant according to the selection of grace, i.e. without regard of their fidelity to the Law. [NJBC]
Verse 6: “no longer on the basis of works”: NJBC offers not on the basis of deeds. See also 3:24; 4:4; 9:16. Existence of the remnant is evidence of God’s benevolence rather than of human merit.
Verses 7-12: The resistance of many Jews is providential: God has “hardened” (v. 7) their hearts for a loving purpose, i.e that Gentiles might have the opportunity to hear and receive the gospel. [NOAB]
Verse 7: “Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking”: Most Jews, apart from the remnant, did not achieve the oneness with God they were seeking. See 9:30-31. [NJBC]
Verse 8: In this and the following verses, Paul uses a literary form known as testimonia. It strings together Old Testament verses to illustrate a common theme. Paul did not invent it, for it is found in pre-Christian Judaism and in the Qumran literature: see 4Q (Qumran) Testimonia. Here the link between the verses is “eyes that would not see”. God has sealed the situation that exists, but the situation is neither entire nor final. [NJBC] The quotation in this verse is Deuteronomy 29:3, freely quoted, with an addition from Isaiah 29:10 (part of a passage in which Isaiah speaks of the spiritual blindness and perversity of Israel). Deuteronomy 29:3 says that while Israel has witnessed all the plagues God has inflicted on the Egyptians on their behalf, they have not appreciated their full significance. [NJBC]
Verse 9: “David”: His name is in the superscription of the psalm quoted here. He was thought to be the author of the book of Psalms. The quotation in vv. 9-10 is Psalm 69:22-23. [NOAB]
Verse 11: “so as to fall”: and not to be able to regain their footing. [NJBC]
Verse 11: “salvation has come to the Gentiles”: The apostles turned from Israel to the Gentiles: see Acts 13:45-48; 18:6. [NJBC] The idea that other nations will share with Israel in God’s salvation is found in the Old Testament: see Isaiah 2:2-4; 25:6-10; 60:3-7; Jeremiah 16:19; Micah 4:1-4; Zechariah 14:16; Psalm 22:27-29. [CAB]
Verse 11: “so as to make Israel jealous”: In 10:19, Paul has quoted Moses’ words (spoken on God’s behalf) in Deuteronomy 32:21: “They made me jealous with what is no god, provoked me with their idols. So I will make them jealous with what is no people, provoke them with a foolish nation”. When Israel sees that the Gentiles’ right relationship with God exists through God’s grace (love) alone, they will desire such a relationship, based on God’s love, for themselves. Put another way: In the long run, stumbling will arouse in Israel jealousy of Gentiles, who are attaining the goal Israel had long pursued. [NJBC]
Verse 12: “their full inclusion”: The Greek word is pleroma, which NJBC translates as “their full number” (although other translations/interpretations are possible). NJBC says that the word most likely means here that which is brought to fullness, full number, completement as in v. 25, but the word can be understood as their fulfilling (the divine command). If the “remnant” has resulted in such incredible benefits, how much greater will be the benefits for the world of their full acceptance of Jesus as Messiah.
Verse 13: “you Gentiles”: 1:5 indicates that Paul is writing to Gentiles but some scholars see the first audience as predominantly Jewish Christians. [NJBC] Paul, as a Jew, takes pride in his ministry, for it will bring greater glory to Israel. [CAB]
Verse 15: “reconciliation of the world”: Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:19: “... in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us”, where “them” are “those who boast in outward appearance and not in the heart” (2 Corinthians 5:12).
Verse 15: “life from the dead”: There are three possible meanings:
• The general resurrection at the end of time, or
• An event of great happiness, or
• For Jews, accepting the gospel will be a passage from the status of death to life.
Here Paul uses a word different from the one he uses elsewhere for resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:12-13, 21, 42; Romans 6:5), so the first meaning is unlikely. The most likely is third meaning, which fits the context here.
Verse 16a: This appears to be a reference to Numbers 15:18-21 which says that God expects “a donation from the first of your batch of dough”. Giving this to God will make the whole harvest holy. [NOAB]
Verse 16b-24: Paul seems to allude to Jeremiah 11:16-17. The “root” may be either:
• Christ, whose holiness guarantees the blessing of all Israel, or
• The converted remnant (this fits the context), or
• The patriarchs – because in v. 17 “root” is used again to designate ancient Israel.
If the root is Christ, so is the first part of the dough. NJBC prefers the interpretation in which the first part of the dough is the remnant that has already accepted Christ and the root is the patriarchs – because on this interpretation, this verse links the preceding and following verses.
Verse 17: “the branches ... broken off”: i.e. unbelieving Jews. [NOAB]
Verse 17: “a wild olive shoot”: This image depends on Jeremiah 11:16 and Hosea 14:6, but also on ancient horticultural practice in which a young wild olive branch was granted onto an old, worn-out olive tree that has given good fruit. [NJBC]
Verse 18: “the root that supports you”: Israel of old still occupies the privileged position of carrier of salvation to the world. [NJBC]
Verses 20-22: Having been made a part of the tree only because of faith (not merit or works), Gentile believers have no reason for pride, else God who grafted them into the tree may later cut them off. [NOAB]
Verse 20: “That is true”: Israel’s defection has facilitated the conversion of Gentiles, but Israel was not broken off in order that Gentiles might be grafted on to the stock; rather, its disbelief has resulted in its being lopped off, but that has no intrinsic connection with the election of the Gentiles actually grafted on in its place.
Verse 20: “They”: i.e. unbelieving Jews.
Verse 20: “you stand only through faith”: i.e. not through God’s promise to Abraham.
Verse 22: “continue in his kindness”: i.e. continue in living in God’s grace (love).
Verse 23: “for God has the power to graft them in again”: He has not yet consigned them to the garbage (rubbish).
Verse 24: The restoration of Israel will be easier for God than the calling of the Gentiles. [NOAB]
Verse 25: “not claim to be wiser than you are”: i.e. not claim your view of human history as the only valid one. [NJBC]
Verse 25: “mystery”: A truth once hidden, now revealed by God.
Verse 25: “the full number of the Gentiles”: Perhaps those Gentiles whom God calls.
Verse 26: “all Israel will be saved”: This is an echo of Isaiah 60:21-22, but how will Israel be saved? Either:
• Theologically: It will be saved by God – in a merciful act independent of the acceptance of Jesus as the Messiah, or a mass conversion prior to the parousia. They will be rescued from their hardening by “the Deliverer”, who would be Yahweh himself. In this case, the “covenant” (v. 27) is not the new one of Jeremiah 31:33, in which God will forget sins and all will fully know God, or
• Christologically: Here “will be saved” has a nuance of conversion, “the Deliverer” is applied to Christ at the parousia (as in 1 Thessalonians 1:10), and the “covenant” is the new one of Jeremiah 31:33: meaning that all Israel will be pardoned and accept Christ in faith as the Messiah.
The second interpretation is more likely, for Paul is unlikely to envisage two kinds of salvation: one for Gentiles and another for Jews. This would go against his thesis of justification by grace through faith. [NJBC]
NOAB suggests that “all Israel” is either the elect (of both Gentiles and Jews) or the elect of Israel or Israel as a whole, but not every Israelite.
Verse 26: “Out of Zion ...”: Again testimonia, this time favourable to Israel! The quotation combines Isaiah 59:20-21 and 27:9. See also Psalms 14:7; 53:6; 110:2.
Verse 28: “enemies of God”: Israelites are “enemies” because their temporary and partial failure to accept Jesus as Messiah. [NJBC] They are oriented away from Christ: see 5:10.
Verse 32: Both Jews and Gentiles as groups have been unfaithful to God, who makes use of such infidelity to show to all of them his bounty and mercy, to reveal what kind of God he really is. [NJBC] See also 3:21-26. The same thought is found in Galatians 3:22. [CAB]
Verses 33-36: A doxology concluding Chapters 9-11. [CAB] God’s faithfulness to his covenant promises, in spite of human unfaithfulness, is reason for grateful wonder and unceasing praise.
Verse 34: The quotation is Isaiah 40:13 in the Septuagint translation. Paul quotes freely. In the original context, this verse refers to the Yahweh’s deliverance of Israelites from exile and extols his greatness. [NJBC] See also 1 Corinthians 2:16.
Verse 35: In Job 35:7, Elihu asks Job: “If you are righteous, what do you give to him; or what does he receive from your hand?”. See also Job 41:3, 11 (Yahweh asks Job some penetrating questions). [NOAB]
Verse 36: God is creator (“from him”), sustainer (“through him”) and goal of the universe (“to him are all things”). In 1 Corinthians 8:6, Paul writes: “... for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist”. See also 1 Corinthians 11:12; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 2:10. [NOAB]


GOSPEL: Matthew 15: (10 - 20) 21 - 28 (RCL)
Matthew 15: 21 - 28 (Roman Catholic)

Matt 15:10 (NRSV) Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." 12 Then the disciples approached and said to him, "Do you know that the Phar'isees took offense when they heard what you said?" 13 He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit." 15 But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us." 16 Then he said, "Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? 18 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile."
21 Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Si'don. 22 Just then a Ca'naanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." 24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." 26 He answered, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." 27 She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." 28 Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly.


Pharisees have come to Jesus asking why his disciples break the oral law, which they believe to be God-given and to have equal status with Mosaic Law: why do they not wash before eating? (v. 2) He has pointed out to them that at times they give priority to the oral law over the biblical Law. The Pharisees teach rules of human, rather than divine, origin.
Now (v. 10) he tells the crowd a “parable” (v. 15), a saying with a hidden meaning. He sees moral behaviour (“out of the mouth”, v. 11) as important, not food laws (“into the mouth”). When the disciples point out that he has offended the Pharisees (v. 12) by his reply to their question, he is blunt: do not follow them; being “blind” (v. 14), they and their followers will be judged adversely (“pit”). When Peter asks for an explanation, Jesus addresses all the disciples (“you”, v. 16, is plural). What is eaten, Jesus says, even though ritually clean, ends up unclean (“sewer”, v. 17), so food laws are unimportant (in spite of being in the Law). The “mouth” (v. 18) was seen as the channel by which the “heart”, the very being, expressed itself. Immoral behaviour (“evil intentions ...”, v. 19) does alienate one from God (“defile”, v. 20) but breaking laws of human origin does not.
Now a “Canaanite” (v. 22) woman, from Phoenicia (“Tyre ...”, v. 21) and probably a Gentile, calls for help. She recognizes him as the Messiah (“Lord, Son of David”, v. 22). Even though the disciples advise sending her away and Jesus says that his mission is to “Israel” (v. 24), she manages to kneel before him (v. 25). He tests her (v. 26): the “children” are Jews, their “food” the gospel, and “the dogs” the Gentiles. Her answer, that he can still help her, demonstrates her faith in him.
The parallel is Mark 7:1-30. [NOAB]
Verse 2: “the tradition of the elders”: Also known as the Aural Torah. It formed an insulating layer around Mosaic law, lessening the chances of breaking the Law itself. The tradition was later written down in the Mishna.
Verse 2: “wash their hands”: This particular tradition, found in Mishna Yadayim, was based on a rigorous interpretation of Leviticus 15:11. It could be applied to handling anything. Leviticus 15:11 says: “All those whom the one with the discharge touches without his having rinsed his hands in water shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening.”. There a “discharge” would usually be from a sore.
Verse 3: “the commandment of God”: i.e. the Law of Moses.
Verse 4: See Exodus 20:12; 21:17; Deuteronomy 5:16; Leviticus 20:9. [NOAB]
Verse 5: Korban vows made by a son promised that he would give, upon death, all his possessions to the Temple – and to no one else at any time – while retaining use of them during his lifetime. Making such a vow made the possessions sacred, so he could not give any of them to his parents. So he did not need to support his “father or mother”. This tradition, found in the Aural Torah, was controversial in Jesus’ day. It is recorded in Mishnah Nedarim.
Verse 6: You Pharisees use the Aural Torah to nullify one of the Ten Commandments.
Verses 7-9: Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13, in the Septuagint translation, thus criticizing the Pharisees. [NOAB]
Verses 10-20: The teaching here depends on a principle in the Law that certain physical conditions can and do render one unfit to share in the worship of the community. [NOAB]
Verse 11: “defiles”: i.e. renders one unfit to share in the worship of the community. See also Acts 10:13-15 (Peter and the voice in Cornelius’ house). In 1 Timothy 4:3, the author writes of those who “forbid marriage and demand abstinence from foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth”. [NOAB]
Verse 13: The quotation is Isaiah 60:21.
Verse 14: In Matthew 23:16-17, Jesus says: “‘Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the sanctuary is bound by nothing, but whoever swears by the gold of the sanctuary is bound by the oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the sanctuary that has made the gold sacred’”. See also Matthew 23:24 and Luke 6:34.
Verse 17: For the types of clean food, see Leviticus 11 and 17:10-16.
Verses 19-20: Violations of the rights and interests of another person hinder worship. In 5:23-24, Jesus advises: “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift”. [NOAB]
Verses 21-28: I offer below part of the Comment I wrote in 1996, which interprets only these verses. In later years, I condensed to cover all of vv. 10-28.
Jesus leaves the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and travels west (or northwest) to southern Phoenicia (now southern Lebanon). The woman, a Gentile, a “Canaanite”, “comes out” of Phoenicia – or travels to the Phoenicia/Galilee border. (In the Old Testament, Canaanites were a sinful race that embodied all that was wicked and godless. In other words, they were scum.)
The dialogue in verses 22 to 28 has a distinctly Middle Eastern flavour. To us, the disciples' request (in v. 23) and Jesus' response (in v. 24) seem very harsh, but to Middle Eastern ears they sound less harsh. In those cultures, barb is traded for barb, and insult for insult. It is a kind of wit unknown to Westerners. As one commentator puts it: “It is good peasant humour, not theological debate.” Here insult is turned into commitment.
Verse 22: “started shouting”: BlkMt points out that the tense in the Greek is the imperfect, so she calls out repeatedly.
Verse 24: This is probably a parable or a proverbial statement.