OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus 16: 2 - 15 (RCL)

Exod 16:2 (NRSV) The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 3 The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."
4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. 5 On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days." 6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, "In the evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, 7 and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaining against the LORD. For what are we, that you complain against us?" 8 And Moses said, "When the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the LORD has heard the complaining that you utter against him--what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD."
9 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, "Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.'" 10 And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. 11 The LORD spoke to Moses and said, 12 "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, "At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"
13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14 When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. 15 When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.


Jonah 3: 10 - 4: 11 (alt. for RCL)

Jona 3:10 (NRSV) When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. 4:1 But this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tar'shish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. 3 And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." 4 And the LORD said, "Is it right for you to be angry?" 5 Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.
6 The LORD God appointed a bush, and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, "It is better for me to die than to live."
9 But God said to Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?" And he said, "Yes, angry enough to die." 10 Then the LORD said, "You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labor and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should I not be concerned about Nin'eveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?"


Isaiah 55: 6 - 9 (Roman Catholic)

Isai 55:6 (NRSV) Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.


PSALM 105: 1 - 6, 37 - 45 (RCL)

Psal 105:1 (NRSV) O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples.
2 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wonderful works.
3 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Seek the LORD and his strength;
seek his presence continually.
5 Remember the wonderful works he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,
6 O offspring of his servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

37 Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold,
and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed,
for dread of them had fallen upon it.
39 He spread a cloud for a covering,
and fire to give light by night.
40 They asked, and he brought quails,
and gave them food from heaven in abundance.
41 He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
it flowed through the desert like a river.
42 For he remembered his holy promise,
and Abraham, his servant.
43 So he brought his people out with joy,
his chosen ones with singing.
44 He gave them the lands of the nations,
and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,
45 that they might keep his statutes
and observe his laws.
Praise the LORD!


105 (ECUSA BCP)

1 Give thanks to the LORD and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds among the peoples.

2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, *
and speak of all his marvelous works.

3 Glory in his holy Name; *
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

4 Search for the LORD and his strength; *
continually seek his face.

5 Remember the marvels he has done, *
his wonders and the judgments of his mouth,

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, *
O children of Jacob his chosen.


37 He led out his people with silver and gold; *
in all their tribes there was not one that stumbled.
38 Egypt was glad of their going, *
because they were afraid of them.

39 He spread out a cloud for a covering *
and a fire to give light in the night season.

40 They asked, and quails appeared, *
and he satisfied them with bread from heaven.

41 He opened the rock, and water flowed, *
so the river ran in the dry places.

42 For God remembered his holy word *
and Abraham his servant.

43 So he led forth his people with gladness, *
his chosen with shouts of joy.

44 He gave his people the lands of the nations, *
and they took the fruit of others' toil,

45 That they might keep his statutes *
and observe his laws.
Hallelujah!



Psalm 145: 1 - 8 (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 145: 2 - 3, 8 - 9, 17 - 18 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 145:1 (NRSV) I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will bless you,
and praise your name forever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
4 One generation shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
and I will declare your greatness.
7 They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good to all,
and his compassion is over all that he has made.
10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your power,
12 to make known to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
The LORD is faithful in all his words,
and gracious in all his deeds.
14 The LORD upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16 You open your hand,
satisfying the desire of every living thing.
17 The LORD is just in all his ways,
and kind in all his doings.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desire of all who fear him;
he also hears their cry, and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.


Psalm 145 Exaltabo te, Deus (ECUSA BCP)

1 I will exalt you, O God my King, *
and bless your Name for ever and ever.

2 Every day will I bless you *
and praise your Name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD and greatly to be praised; *
there is no end to his greatness.

4 One generation shall praise your works to another *
and shall declare your power.

5 I will ponder the glorious splendor of your majesty *
and all your marvelous works.

6 They shall speak of the might of your wondrous acts, *
and I will tell of your greatness.

7 They shall publish the remembrance of your great goodness; *
they shall sing of your righteous deeds.

8 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, *
slow to anger and of great kindness.


NEW TESTAMENT: Philippians 1: 21 - 30 (RCL)
Philippians 1: 20b - 24, 27a (Roman Catholic)

Phil 1:20 (NRSV) Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again.
27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing. 29 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well-- 30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul writes from prison; in v. 12 he says that he wants the Christians at Philippi “to know ... that what has happened to ... [him] has actually helped to spread the gospel”. The good news has become known to his jailers; they now know that his “imprisonment is for Christ” (v. 13, and not for a crime) and thereby, in his absence, most of his fellow Christians have gained the confidence to “speak the word with greater boldness and without fear” (v. 14). Realizing that he may be facing death, he ponders what this may mean. The spread of the faith will need to go on without him, and he will not live to see the Day of the Lord, the coming of Christ at the end of time. And so he thinks of living and dying.
For him, Christ gives meaning to existence (“living is Christ”, v. 21), and physical death brings greater oneness with Christ (“gain”); living means preaching Christ, a “fruitful labour” (v. 22), while dying is being with him in glory. He would like to “depart”, (v. 23), to move on, but to continue his earthly life is needed more – for the benefit of those he has, and will, bring to Christ. And because of the greater need (v. 25), his life, he thinks, will continue in “progress and joy” with the church at Philippi, so that he may share with them when he next visits them (v. 26). He exhorts them as a community to live in an ethical way, consistent with “the gospel” (v. 27). They are to stand firm, as a soldier does at his post, sharing a common approach (“spirit”), working together to be of “one mind” in the faith – and not being scared off, “intimidated” (v. 28), by those who harass Christians. This one-mindedness is evidence that they are contributing to the downfall of their persecutors on the Day of Judgement, and the assurance of their own salvation – and God gives this. Then v. 29: God has given the Philippians the opportunity to suffer for Christ’s sake as well as believing in him: they share the same “struggle” (v. 30) or contest (as in a wrestling match) as Paul endures and expects.

Verses 12-26: Paul’s own situation. [NJBC]
Verse 13: “imperial guard”: The NRSV footnote notes that the Greek is praetorium. As usually in the New Testament (see also Matthew 27:27; John 18:28, 33; Acts 23:35), this term refers to the precincts of the Roman governor’s palace, where the guard was quartered and prisoners were held. [NJBC]
Verse 14: “dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear”: God has emboldened others to fill the vacuum of preaching created by Paul’s imprisonment. [NJBC]
Verses 15-18: That some of his fellow Christians regarded Paul with suspicion and ill-will also appears in Galatians and in 1 and 2 Corinthians – especially in 2 Corinthians 10-13. [NOAB]
Verse 15: “from envy and rivalry”: As though reaching the goal of oneness with God is competitive, as Paul had to face in Corinth: see 2 Corinthians 10:12; 11:21-22; 13:1-3.
Verse 17: “to increase my suffering ...”: That some proclaim Christ other than with goodwill causes Paul distress over and above that of being imprisoned. [NJBC]
Verse 18: “rejoice”: A theme through to the end of Chapter 2. [CAB] Zeal for the gospel transforms Paul’s hurt into joy. [NJBC]
Verse 19: “the help of the Spirit”: In the Synoptic gospels Jesus pledges the help of the Holy Spirit to Christians arraigned before earthly tribunals: see Mark 13:11; Matthew 10:20; Luke 12:12. [NJBC]
Verse 19: “this will turn out for my deliverance”: This is a quotation from the Septuagint translation of Job 13:16. Paul identifies himself with Job’s plight and with his hope. [NJBC]
Verse 20: Paul’s eventual release will mean vindication not only for him but also for the Christian gospel. It will show that the gospel is not a subversive political message against the Roman government. [CAB]
Verse 20: “Christ will be exalted”: The power of the risen Lord, operative through the Holy Spirit, will be so effective as to demand public acknowledgement. The Greek word translated as “body” is soma; here it means Paul’s whole being as others see him. [NJBC]
Verse 21: Through baptism, Paul’s whole existence, his mind set, has been taken over by Christ. In Galatians 2:19-20, he writes: “For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”. See also Galatians 3:27-28; Philippians 3:7-11; Romans 6:3-11. [NJBC]
Verse 22: “live in the flesh”: i.e. continue his earthly life.
Verse 23: “depart”: The word simply means die. There is no implication of separation of the soul from the burden of the body. [NJBC]
Verse 23: “to ... be with Christ”: There seems to be a notion here of some state of being with Christ before the General Resurrection. This idea may also be in 2 Corinthians 5:2-4: “For in this tent we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling – if indeed, when we have taken it off we will not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan under our burden, because we wish not to be unclothed but to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life”
Verses 26-30: Exhortation for community unity and steadfastness. [NJBC]
Verse 26: “boasting”: i.e. rejoicing: see v. 18.
Verse 26: “when I come to you again”: We do not know whether Paul got to visit the Philippian Christian community again.
Verse 27: “live your life”: The Greek word, politeuesthai literally means discharge one’s duty as a citizen, so NJBC offers live your communal pattern of life.
Verse 28: “intimidated by your opponents”: Probably a reference to day-to-day harassment by non-Christians. Persecution per se is unlikely to be in view. [NJBC]



GOSPEL: Matthew 20: 1 - 16 (all)

Matt 20:1 (NRSV) "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; 4 and he said to them, "You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. 5 When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. 6 And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, "Why are you standing here idle all day?' 7 They said to him, "Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, "You also go into the vineyard.' 8 When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, "Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' 9 When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. 10 Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. 11 And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, 12 saying, "These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' 13 But he replied to one of them, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? 14 Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' 16 So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
The landowner appears to be unfair, but note that the passage begins “... the kingdom of heaven is like ...” and that the wages stand for God’s grace. God chooses to give (v. 14) the same to all: the landowner pays “whatever is right” (v. 4) – there is no hierarchy in heaven. God is generous to all who believe. Many who seem less deserving (in the story, those hired “about five o’clock”, v. 6, at the end of the day) will be treated generously too: this is God’s (free) choice. All true disciples are equal in God’s eyes, however and whenever they come to faith. What matters is God’s call to us, and our response. V. 16 is unexpected: those who were hired last are paid first (v. 8); those who have worked all day expect, but do not receive, a bonus. In Jesus’ day, opportunity and privilege were far from equal; he goes against contemporary thinking and action: we are all dependent on God’s mercy. A scholar has defined a parable as a metaphor or simile drawn from nature or common life, arresting the hearer by its vividness or strangeness, and leaving the mind in sufficient doubt about its precise application to tease it into active thought. It is strange that the landowner miscalculates his need for help three times – but to emphasize this is to miss the point.
Note: The Roman Catholic lectionary omits the last part of v. 16.


There is another vineyard parable in 21:33-44. [NJBC]
Verse 1: “early”: i.e. about 6 a.m. [NOAB]
Verse 2: “vineyard”: An important prophetic symbol for the people of God in their need: see Isaiah 5 (the song of the unfruitful vineyard) and Jeremiah 12:10. [CAB] Jesus’ hearers would have identified the story as about them.
Verse 3: “in the marketplace”: The usual place to seek day-labourers in the Near East. [NJBC]
Verse 8: Leviticus 19:13 says: “... you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a labourer until morning”. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 says: “You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy labourers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the LORD against you, and you would incur guilt.”
Verse 8: “beginning with the last”: To NJBC, this is evidence that this parable is a midrash on 19:30 (quoted below).
Verse 9: “the usual daily wage”: Per the NRSV footnote, the Greek literally means a denarius. There were smaller coins in circulation so the landowner could have paid the labourers hired later less than a full day’s pay. [NOAB]
Verse 11: “they grumbled”: See also Exodus 16:3-8 (read today). [NJBC]
Verse 12: In 21:31, the last verse of the parable of the two sons, Jesus says: “‘"Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you”.
Verse 15a: i.e. I can enter into different contracts.
Verse 15b: Per the NRSV footnote, literally: Is your eye evil because I am good?
Verse 16: This is found only in Matthew. It is put a little more softly in 19:30: “... many who are first will be last, and the last will be first”.
Verse 16: To NJBC, this verse forms a chiasm with 19:30, where the saying occurs in the reverse order.
Comments: A scholar has defined a parable as ...”: The scholar is C. H. Dodd.
Irenaeus saw the groups of labourers as who have been saved in various periods of history but to Blomberg the various hours at which the workers start working merely illustrate the diverse nature of the citizens of the Kingdom.