7 Henry Melchior Muhlenberg, Lutheran Pastor in North America, 1787 was a German Lutheran pastor sent to North America as a missionary, requested by Pennsylvania colonists. 8 William Dwight Porter Bliss, Priest, 1926, a was an American Christian Socialist writer, editor, and activist. He is remembered as a pioneer historian of the world socialist movement, and Richard Theodore Ely, Economist, 1943 9 Wilfred Thomason Grenfell, Medical Missionary, 1940 was a medical missionary to Newfoundland and Labrador. 10 Vida Dutton Scudder, Educator and Witness for Peace, 1954 11 Philip, Deacon and Evangelist appears several times in the Acts of the Apostles. He was one of the Seven chosen to care for the poor of the Christian community OLD TESTAMENT: Lamentations 1: 1 - 6 (RCL) Lame 1:1 (NRSV) How lonely sits the city that once was full of people! How like a widow she has become, she that was great among the nations! She that was a princess among the provinces has become a vassal. 2 She weeps bitterly in the night, with tears on her cheeks; among all her lovers she has no one to comfort her; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they have become her enemies. 3 Judah has gone into exile with suffering and hard servitude; she lives now among the nations, and finds no resting place; her pursuers have all overtaken her in the midst of her distress. 4 The roads to Zion mourn, for no one comes to the festivals; all her gates are desolate, her priests groan; her young girls grieve, and her lot is bitter. 5 Her foes have become the masters, her enemies prosper, because the LORD has made her suffer for the multitude of her transgressions; her children have gone away, captives before the foe. 6 From daughter Zion has departed all her majesty. Her princes have become like stags that find no pasture; they fled without strength before the pursuer. Habakkuk 1: 1 - 4; 2: 1 - 4 (alt. for RCL) Habakkuk 1: 2 - 3; 2: 2 - 4 (Roman Catholic) Haba 1:1 (NRSV) The oracle that the prophet Habak'kuk 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 wrongdoing 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. PSALM: Lamentation 3: 19 - 26 (RCL) Lame 3:19 (NRSV) The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! 20 My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. 21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." 25 The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Psalm 37: 1 - 9 (alt. for RCL) Psal 37:1 (NRSV) Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, 2 for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday. 7 Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret-it leads only to evil. 9 For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land. Note : verse numbering in your Psalter may be different from the above 37 (ECUSA BCP) Part I Noli aemulari 1 Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; * do not be jealous of those who do wrong. 2 For they shall soon wither like the grass, * and like the green grass fade away. 3 Put your trust in the Lord and do good; * dwell in the land and feed on its riches. 4 Take delight in the Lord, * and he shall give you your heart's desire. 5 Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, * and he will bring it to pass. 6 He will make your righteousness as clear as the light * and your just dealing as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord * and wait patiently for him. 8 Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, * the one who succeeds in evil schemes. 9 Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; * do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil. 10 For evildoers shall be cut off, * but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land. Psalm 137 (alt. for RCL) Psal 137:1 (NRSV) By the rivers of Babylon-- there we sat down and there we wept when we remembered Zion. 2 On the willows there we hung up our harps. 3 For there our captors asked us for songs, and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" 4 How could we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! 6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. 7 Remember, O LORD, against the E'domites the day of Jerusalem's fall, how they said, "Tear it down! Tear it down! Down to its foundations!" 8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator! Happy shall they be who pay you back what you have done to us! 9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rock! 137 Super flumina (ECUSA BCP) 1 By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, * when we remembered you, O Zion. 2 As for our harps, we hung them up * on the trees in the midst of that land. 3 For those who led us away captive asked us for a song, and our oppressors called for mirth: * “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” 4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song * upon an alien soil? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, * let my right hand forget its skill. 6 Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, * if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy. 7 Remember the day of Jerusalem, O Lord, against the people of Edom, * who said, “Down with it! down with it! even to the ground!” 8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, * happy the one who pays you back for what you have done to us! 9 Happy shall he be who takes your little ones, * and dashes them against the rock! Psalm 95: 1 - 2, 6 - 9 (Roman Catholic) Psal 95:1 (NRSV) O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! 6 O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice! 8 Do not harden your hearts, as at Mer'ibah, as on the day at Mas'sah in the wilderness, 9 when your ancestors tested me, and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Timothy 1: 1 - 14 (RCL) 2 Timothy 1: 6 - 8, 13 - 14 (Roman Catholic) 2Tim 1:1 (NRSV) Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I am grateful to God--whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did--when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lo'is and your mother Eu'nice and now, I am sure, lives in you. 6 For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7 for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline. 8 Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, 12 and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. 13 Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. h/t Montreal Anglican Paul was made an apostle as part of God’s plan of salvation (vv. 1, 11) to bring eternal “life”, found in the Christian community (“in Christ Jesus”), to all. Paul worships God in continuity with his Jewish “ancestors” (v. 3). V. 4a probably recalls Paul’s departure from Timothy: may sorrow be replaced by “joy”. Timothy’s faith has been handed down from generation to generation (v. 5). He was given and received “the gift of God” (v. 6), through Paul (“my hands”) but now this gift, “a spirit of power ... love ... self-discipline” (v. 7, or ethical behaviour) has become dormant through neglect. God has not withdrawn it, so, Timothy, “rekindle” (v. 6) the gift! The teaching of Jesus (or the preaching about him, “testimony ...”, v. 8) and of Paul’s servitude (“prisoner”) are not shameful; rather Timothy should emulate Paul in suffering for spreading the good news (“the gospel”). Our godly “calling” (v. 9) is based on God’s plan and his gift of love (“grace”). Grace, in Jesus’ becoming human, was part of the plan since “before” God’s creative act. In his “appearing” (v. 10, in taking on human form) Christ brought eternal life (“abolished death ... immortality”). The body of faith (Christian doctrine) has been entrusted to Paul until “that day” (v. 12) when Christ comes again. So, Timothy, faithfully hand on the valuable teachings you have received from me, with the help of the “Holy Spirit” (v. 14), which is present and active in us. GOSPEL: Luke 17: 5 - 10 (all) Unlike Titus and 1 Timothy, this book presents Paul as speaking directly to Timothy, so it is the most likely of the Pastoral Epistles to be Pauline or to include substantial Pauline elements. [NOAB] 1:1: “Paul, an apostle”: Paul’s letters often begin with his claim to apostleship: see Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:1. See also Ephesians 1:1; Colossians 1:1; 1 Timothy 1:1. Some in Paul’s time questioned whether he was an apostle: see 1 Corinthians 9:1ff and 2 Corinthians 13:3. [CAB] 1:1: “by the will of God”: In the Pastoral Epistles, Paul’s role as Christ’s emissary was part of God’s plan of salvation. See also Romans 1:1; Galatians 1:15; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11; Titus 1:3. [NJBC] [CAB] 1:1: “for the sake of”: Can also be translated in accord with. [NJBC] 1:1: “for the sake of the promise of life”: A shorthand summary of Titus 1:2-3: “in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began – in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Saviour”. [NJBC] 1:2: “beloved child”: Can also be translated as legitimate, and hence Paul’s heir. “Child” is Paul’s usual designation for those he has brought to the faith: he writes in Galatians 4:19 “My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you”. See also Philemon 10. [CAB] 1:2: “Grace, mercy and peace”: Only “grace ... and peace” are wished to addressees in letters generally accepted as Pauline. Verses 3-5: A typical thanksgiving developed with the help of Romans 1:8-11: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God's will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you”. [NJBC] 1:3: “clear conscience”: For the importance of a clear conscience, see also 1 Timothy 1:5 (“the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith”); 1 Timothy 4:2; Romans 2:15; 9:1; 2 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Peter 3:16; Acts 24:16. [CAB] 1:3: “as my ancestors did”: A phrase not found in letters which are generally accepted as Pauline. This phrase accords with the emphasis in 2 Timothy on Christianity’s continuity with its Old Testament roots. See also vv. 9-10; 2:8, 19; 3:8, 14-17. [CAB] See also Acts 24:14-15 (Paul before Felix) and Acts 26:6 (Paul before Agrippa). [NJBC] 1:4: “Recalling your tears”: Acts 20:37-38 tells of the weeping upon Paul’s departure from Ephesus. [NJBC] 1:5: “that lived first ...”: This implies that both Timothy’s mother and grandmother were Christians. Acts 16:1 says that his mother was a Christian of Jewish extraction, but his grandmother is not mentioned there. [CAB] Perhaps his father is omitted because he was a pagan: see Acts 16:1, 3. [NJBC] 1:6: “the laying on of hands”: 1 Timothy 4:14 advises: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders”. This designates the donation and reception of a gift. Other examples are: Jesus blesses children (see Mark 10:16); Jesus heals with a touch (see Mark 6:5); the Holy Spirit is given to the baptised (see Acts 8:17; 19:6); believers are set aside for special tasks in the Church (see Acts 6:6; 13:3). Laying on of hands is rare in the Old Testament, but see Deuteronomy 34:9 (“Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses”) and Numbers 27:18-23. We do not know whether the reference in our reading to Timothy’s baptism or to his ordination. NJBC sees this verse as an effort to make clear that Paul alone authenticated Timothy’s mission. 1:7: The structure of this sentence is very like Romans 8:15: “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption ...”. [NJBC] Throughout the letter, Timothy is exhorted to courage and endurance, which are possibilities not because of native human qualities but through the gift of the Holy Spirit. See also Ephesians 1:17. 1:7: “but ...”: The REB offers “but one to inspire power, love and self-discipline”. 1:8: “Do not be ashamed”: Timothy was apparently overawed by his surroundings and did not make his witness boldly. [NOAB] The language is close to that of Paul in Romans 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, ...”. “Not ashamed” also occurs in v. 12. [NJBC] 1:8: “the testimony about our Lord”: In the Pastoral Epistles, the function of ministry is to safeguard the traditions handed down about Jesus and the apostles: see also vv. 13-14; 2:2, 14-15, 24-25; 3:14; 4:2; 1 Timothy 6:20. The “testimony” may mean the actual teachings of Jesus (as in 1 Timothy 6:3) or the preaching about him (as in 1 Timothy 4:13). [CAB] To NJBC, it is Paul – not Christ – who is proposed as the prime model for imitation. 1:8: “of me his prisoner”: This is ironic: being Christ’s, he is actually free. In 1 Corinthians 7:22, Paul writes “For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave of Christ”. [NJBC] Verses 9-11: Much of the language of this schema of revelation is found in the Pauline letters. For this pattern, see also Titus 1:1-3; Ephesians 3:5-7, 9-11; Romans 16:25-26. [NJBC] 1:9: “who saved us”: See also 1 Timothy 1:15; 2:3-4; 4:10; Titus 2:10; 3:4-5. [CAB] For Paul, salvation is usually a future event; however Romans 8:24-25 says “... in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience”. [NJBC] 1:9: “not according to our works ...”: In the gospels, God invites humans to become his own not as a reward for works but because he is gracious. In Galatians 2:16, Paul says: “... we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ ...”. See also Romans 9:10-11; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5. [NOAB] [NJBC] 1:9: “before the ages began”: Titus 1:2 says “in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began”. [CAB] 1:10: “the appearing of ... Jesus”: i.e. the Incarnation. [NOAB] See also Titus 2:11-13 says that “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all ... while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ”. See also Titus 3:4 and 1 Timothy 6:14. [CAB] The Pastoral Epistles use the title “Saviour” both of God and of Christ. [NJBC] 1:10: “who abolished death”: In 1 Corinthians 15:26, this is a future event: “The last enemy to be destroyed is death”. [NJBC] See also Romans 6:9; 8:2; Hebrews 2:14-15. [NOAB] 1:10: “life and immortality”: i.e. immortal life. Paul writes in Romans 8:11: “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you”. [NOAB] 1:11: Of Paul’s essential role in working out the plan of salvation, Titus 1:3 says: “in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Saviour”. See also 1 Timothy 2:7. [CAB] [NJBC] 1:12: “until that day”: See also v. 18 wishes “may the Lord grant that he [Onesiphorus] will find mercy from the Lord on that day!”. See also 2 Thessalonians 1:10. [NOAB] 1:13-18: V. 15 illustrates negatively, and vv. 16-18 positively, the principle enunciated in vv. 13-14. Paul and his teaching remain the exemplar for the Christian community. [NJBC] 1:14: “the good treasure entrusted to you”: The Greek word, paratheke, can refer to a deposit of money which is to be returned exactly as received, hence a trust. Scholars sometimes call the body of doctrine which is to be safeguarded the deposit of faith. [NJBC] 1:15-17: Things may be bad in Asia but on the other hand “the household of Onesiphorus” is a blessing. 1:15: We do not know what the precise controversy referred to here was, but note that 2 Corinthians 1:8 mentions “the affliction we experienced in Asia; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself”. 2 Timothy 4:16 says: “At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them!”. [CAB] 1:15: “Asia”: i.e. the Roman province of that name in western Asia Minor. [NOAB] Ephesus was the chief city. [JBC] 1:15: “Hermogenes”: Only mentioned here in the New Testament. With Demas, he appears in Acts of Paul and Thecla as an apostate follower of Paul. [NJBC] 1:17: “Onesiphorus”: Both this and the reference in 4:19 are to his household, so one possibility is that Onesiphorus has died. [CAB] Other than these two references, he is known only in Acts of Paul and Thecla, where he is also depicted as a faithful friend of Paul. [NJBC] 1:17: “Rome”: This suggests that Paul’s imprisonment was in Rome. Acts 28:30-31 says that Paul “lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance”.[CAB] 1:18: “Lord ... Lord”: In the Greek, the two words are the same, so we can only conjecture that the first “Lord” refers to Christ and the second to the Father. [NJBC] 1:18: “on that day”: i.e. At the second coming of Christ. See Clipping on v. 12. [NOAB] Luke 17:5 (NRSV) The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" 6 The Lord replied, "If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you. 7 "Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, "Come here at once and take your place at the table'? 8 Would you not rather say to him, "Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink'? 9 Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, "We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'" Jesus has told his followers that there will be times when you lose your faith, but if you cause another to do so, your fate will be worse than death! (vv. 1-2) and if a fellow Christian sins, rebuke him; if he repents, forgive him – however often he sins and repents (vv. 3-4). The twelve (“the apostles”, v. 5) now speak to him, asking him to give them enough faith to remain faithful. (The “mustard seed”, v. 6, is very small. The “mulberry tree” is large with an extensive root system, making it hard to uproot. It would not normally take root in the sea.) Jesus tells them that with genuine faith, however small, anything is possible. Quality of faith matters more than quantity. Jesus now tells a parable (vv. 7-10). Slaves were expected to do their duties, and no master would absolve a slave of them, so the disciples would answer of course not! to the question in v. 7: should a slave eat before his master? The master stands for God and the slave for his people. The Greek word translated “worthless” (v. 10) means those to whom nothing is owed, to whom no favour is due, so God’s people should never presume that their obedience to God’s commands has earned them his favour. (The Revised English Bible translates v. 10b as We are servants and deserve no credit; we have only done our duty.) However, as 12:35-38 says, God will reward those who are prepared when Christ comes again. Verses 1-10: A series of sayings points up the themes of responsibility of members of the new community toward each other on such issues as causing others to sin, forgiving those who sin against one, increasing one’s faith, and accepting even a menial role (cooking and serving meals) within the new community. [CAB] Verses 1-6: These sayings are found in a different sequence and in different settings in Mark 9:42; Matthew 17:20; 18:6-7, 15. [JBC] Verses 1-2: Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 8:12: “... when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ”. [NOAB] Verse 2: “millstone”: The millstone common in Palestine was a disk of basalt weighing at least 45 kg (100 lb). [NJBC] Verse 2: “little ones”: NOAB sees this as a reference to disciples of Jesus, who calls them “children” in Mark 10:24 and “infants” in Matthew 11:25. Followers are as helpless as small children in the face of the mighty force of a person who makes them lose their faith. [NJBC] Verse 3: “seven times”: For this phrase as meaning many times, see also Genesis 4:24: “If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold”. [JBC] Verse 6: Jesus emphasizes not power in faith but the power of God, his illustration being figurative. Faith will command only according to God’s will. In Mark 11:23, Jesus uses the figure of a mountain rather than of a mulberry tree. [NOAB] Verse 6: “it would obey you”: The sense of the Greek verb is it would already have obeyed you. So does fulfilment anticipate faith? [JBC] Verses 7-10: This parable is known as the Parable of the Unprofitable Servant, although unprofitable is misleading. Unworthy is an improvement. One’s relationship to God makes obedience to him a duty to be fulfilled and not an occasion for reward. [Blomberg] Verse 7: “take your place at the table”: i.e. eat before I do.