·
8 Geoffrey Anketell Studdert Kennedy,
Priest, 1929
·
9 Gregory,
Bishop of Nyssa, c. 394 was bishop of Nyssa from 372 to 376 and from 378
until his death. He is venerated as asaint in Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism. Gregory, his brother Basil of Caesarea, and Gregory of Nazianzus are
collectively known as the Cappadocian Fathers.
·
12 Gregory the
Great, Bishop of Rome, 604 was Pope from 3 September 590 to
his death in 604. Gregory is well known for his writings, which were more
prolific than those of any of his predecessors as pope.[2] He is
also known as St. Gregory the Dialogist in Eastern Christianity because
of his Dialogues.
OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus 20: 1 - 17 (all)
Exod 20:1 (NRSV) Then God spoke all these words:
2 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land
of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; 3 you shall have no other gods before
me.
4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the
form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or
that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or
worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for
the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who
reject me, 6 but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those
who love me and keep my commandments.
7 You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD
your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
8 Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. 9 Six days
you shall labor and do all your work. 10 But the seventh day is a sabbath to
the LORD your God; you shall not do any work--you, your son or your daughter,
your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns.
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in
them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day
and consecrated it.
12 Honor your father and your mother, so that your days
may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
13 You shall not murder.
14 You shall not commit adultery.
15 You shall not steal.
16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall
not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or
anything that belongs to your neighbor.
Note: Vs.
4-6 and 9-11 are optional for the Roman Catholic lectionary.
PSALM 19 (RCL )
Psalm 19: (1 - 6) 7 -
14 (C of E)
Psalm 19: 7 - 10 (Roman Catholic)
Psal 19:1 (NRSV) The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding
canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.
7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the LORD are sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
12 But who can detect their errors?
Clear me from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from the insolent;
do not let them have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart
be acceptable to you,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Note:
Verse numbering in Roman Catohlic bibles is one higher than the above.
19 Caeli enarrant (ECUSA
BCP )
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
2 One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
3 Although they have no words or language,
*
and their voices are not heard,
4 Their sound has gone out into all lands,
*
and their message to the ends of the world.
5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for
the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his
chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its
course.
6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of
the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and
revives the soul; *
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and
gives wisdom to the innocent.
8 The statutes of the Lord are just
and
rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and
gives light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is clean
and
endures for ever; *
the judgments of the Lord are true
and
righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
more
than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey,
than
honey in the comb.
11 By them also is your servant enlightened,
*
and in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can tell how often he offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.
13 Above all, keep your servant from
presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my
heart
be acceptable in your sight, *
O Lord,
my strength and my redeemer.
1
Corinthians 1: 22 - 25 (Roman Catholic)
1Cor 1:18
(NRSV) For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are
perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is
written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the
world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through
wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those
who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we
proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to
Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God's foolishness is wiser than
human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
h/t Montreal
Divisions within the Church should be avoided, but between believers and others they are legitimate. Now v. 18: the message of the cross makes sense to the faithful: to us, it is the revelation of God's power, but to others, it is nonsense (“foolishness”, vv. 18, 21). In v. 19, Paul recalls a verse from Isaiah referring to events that occurred when
Believers must detach themselves from the standards of fallen humanity – the cause of the divisions at
Verse 18: The fact of acceptance or rejection of humanity is the basis of division of humanity into two groups. God has not predestined some to salvation and others to condemnation. In the future, the status of a member of either group may change. In 5:5, writing of a sexually immoral man, Paul says “you are to hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord”. Note also 10:12: “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall”. [ NJBC]
Verse 18: “the cross”: Paul writes in 2:1-2: “When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”
Verse 19: The quotation is Isaiah 29:14 in the Septuagint translation. There King Ahaz accepts the advice of “wise” counsellors to form an alliance with
Verses 20-25: Proud, self-centred humans want God to be at their disposal, but God’s way of dealing with human sin through the cross of Christ stands in contrast to human power and wisdom. Those who have been “called” (v. 24) by the message of the cross find in it God’s “power” and “wisdom”. [ CAB]
Verse 20: The questions are inspired by Isaiah 19:11; 33:18; 44:25; Job 12:17. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “the wisdom of God”: Not a divine plan, but the organization and beauty of creation: see also Romans 1:19-20. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “the world did not know God through wisdom”: Rational speculation, which in the world passes for wisdom, had failed to perceive that God has acted through a suffering saviour. [ NJBC]
Verse 22: “demand signs”: i.e. demand miracles. In so doing, Jews refuse to trust in God, thus camouflaging their contentment with the status quo. [ NJBC]
Verse 22: “Greeks”: The Greek word is ethnoi, the same word translated as “Gentiles” in v. 23, so Paul means non-Jews in general. In Galatians 3:28 he writes: “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”. [ NJBC]
Verse 23: “stumbling block to Jews”: Because of their particular messianic expectations. [ NJBC]
Verse 23: “foolishness to Gentiles”: Because of their rationalism. [ NJBC]
Verse 24: “those who are the called”: Even though Paul uses kletoi, the called ones, he speaks of those who hear and accept the good news. Paul often calls members of the Church the called ones. In Romans 8:28, he writes: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose”. See also 2:2 and Romans 1:6-7. [ NJBC]
Verse 24: “Christ ...”: The authentic humanity of Jesus makes visible God’s intention for humans and radiates an attractive force that enables response. [ NJBC]
GOSPEL: John 2: 13 - 22 (RCL )
John 2: 13 - 25 (Roman Catholic)
John 2:13
(NRSV) The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem .
14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the
money changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all
of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out
the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 He told those
who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my
Father's house a marketplace!" 17 His disciples remembered that it was
written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." 18 The Jews then said
to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" 19 Jesus answered
them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20
The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six
years, and will you raise it up in three days?" 21 But he was speaking of
the temple of his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples
remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word
that Jesus had spoken.
23 When he was in Jerusalem
during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the
signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to
them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to testify about anyone;
for he himself knew what was in everyone.
Perhaps John
contrasts “the Passover of the Jews” with the sacrifice of our “pascal lamb,
Christ” (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Jesus, as did many Jews, goes “up to Jerusalem Temple Temple
NJBC says that there are sufficient differences between John’s version of this story and that in thesynoptic gospels to assert that John’s version came from an independent tradition.
Verse 13: “The Passover of the Jews”: John characteristically dissociates himself from Judaism: see also 5:1; 6:4; 7:2; 11:55. [ BlkJn]
The annual pilgrimage of Jews to
Verse 14: The traders provided a service which was a great convenience for worshippers: the animals they sold were guaranteed as suitable for sacrifice by the
Verses 15-16: Not an outburst of temper, but the energy of righteousness against religious leaders to whom religion had become a business. [ NOAB]
Verse 15: It is likely that the fracas involved more than Jesus and the traders. His use of a “whip” and his upsetting of the tables was probably resisted, and this resistance was overcome by force, presumably with the help of Jesus’ disciples and sympathizers. Staves and other weapons were forbidden in the
Verse 16: In the other gospels, it is solely the dishonesty of the traders that Jesus attacks, but here Jesus also objects to the trade as such. In Mark 11:17, Jesus recalls the prophecy in Isaiah 56:7: “‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations’”. [ BlkJn]
Comments: V. 19 may show that Jesus also speaks against the Jewish sacrificial system: TheQumran community also objected to
Verse 17: Psalm 69 is an urgent appeal to God to vindicate the righteous man who has been oppressed for his zeal and faithfulness to God, but v. 9 of the psalm is to be understood as a prophecy that the zeal which Jesus showed would later lead to his destruction. In the synopticgospels (but not here) the cleansing of the
Verse 17: “remembered”: Remembering in John is a technical term for the process by which the community came to see Jesus as the fulfilment of Scripture after the resurrection. [ NJBC]
Verse 18: In the synoptic gospels, the disciples join in seeking a “sign”. There, Jesus refuses to give signs: see Mark 8:12; Matthew 12:39; Luke 11:29. Usually in John, Jesus performs signs to confirm faith, not to convince sceptics. [ BlkJn]
Verse 19: In John 4:21, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman at the well that the
Comments: The religious leaders ... misunderstand: The religious authorities presume that Jesus threatens to destroy the
Verse 20: Josephus tells us in his Antiquities that Herod began rebuilding the
- The naos was completed in a year and five
months and
- The whole complex of temple buildings was only completed in about
63 AD.
- Josephus means the
sanctuary proper by naos while in John it refers to a
larger group of buildings, and
- Reconstruction was suspended in 26 AD – when this larger group of
buildings was almost complete.
The
Verse 21: “his body”: While the primary reference is to the body of Jesus which was raised from the tomb, there may be an allusion here to the Church, the new
Verse 22: “they believed ...”: For other examples of belief as the response to Jesus’ words and actions, see 2:11 (the disciples at the wedding at Cana); 4:39 (Samaritans at the well),4: 41, 50 (the official with the son who is ill), 4:53; 6:69 (the disciples); 7:31 (many in the crowd); 8:30; 9:38(the man born blind); 10:42; 11:27 (Martha), 11:45 (“many of the Jews”); 12:11, 42 (“many, even of the authorities”); 16:30; 20:8 (“the other disciple”).
Verse 22: “the scripture”: The word in Greek is in the singular, so John probably means that the disciples understood Psalm 69:9 as applied to Jesus. [ BlkJn]
Verses 23-25: Faith which rests merely on “signs” and not on him to whom they point is shallow and unstable. [ NOAB]
No comments:
Post a Comment