· 9 Columba, Abbot of
Iona, 597 was an Irish abbot and missionary credited with spreading Christianity in
present-day Scotland.
He founded the important abbey on Iona, which became a dominant religious and political
institution in the region for centuries.
· 10 Ephrem
of Edessa, Syria, Deacon, 373 was a Syriac
deacon and a prolific Syriac-language hymnographer and theologian of
the 4th century from the region of Syria
OLD TESTAMENT: 1 Samuel 8: 4 - 11 (12 - 15) 16 - 20 (11:14 - 15) (RCL)
1Sam 8:4 (NRSV) Then all the elders of Israel gathered
together and came to Samuel at Ra'mah, 5 and said to him, "You are old and
your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern
us, like other nations." 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said,
"Give us a king to govern us." Samuel prayed to the LORD, 7 and the
LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they
say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from
being king over them. 8 Just as they have done to me, from the day I brought
them up out of Egypt
to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to
you. 9 Now then, listen to their voice; only--you shall solemnly warn them, and
show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
10 So Samuel reported all the words of the LORD to the
people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, "These will be the ways
of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to
his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; 12 and he
will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and
some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of
war and the equipment of his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be
perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and
vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. 15 He will take
one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and
his courtiers. 16 He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your
cattle and donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take one-tenth of your
flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out
because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will
not answer you in that day."
19 But the people refused to listen to the voice of
Samuel; they said, "No! but we are determined to have a king over us, 20
so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and
go out before us and fight our battles."
1Sam 11:14
(NRSV) Samuel said to the people, "Come, let us go to Gil'gal and there
renew the kingship." 15 So all the people went to Gil'gal, and there they
made Saul king before the LORD in Gil'gal. There they sacrificed offerings of
well-being before the LORD, and there Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced
greatly.
Genesis 3: 9 - 15 (Roman Catholic)
Genesis 3: 8 - 15 (alt. for RCL
Gene 3:8 (NRSV) They heard the sound of the LORD God
walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his
wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the
garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are
you?" 10 He said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was
afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself." 11 He said, "Who told
you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you
not to eat?" 12 The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me,
she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate." 13 Then the LORD God said to
the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said,
"The serpent tricked me, and I ate." 14 The LORD God said to the
serpent,
"Because you have done this,
cursed are you among all animals
and among all wild creatures;
upon your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will strike your head,
and you will strike his heel."
PSALM 138 (RCL)
Psal 138:1 (NRSV) I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole
heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and
your faithfulness;
for you have exalted your name and your word
above everything.
3 On the day I called, you answered me,
you increased my strength of soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5 They shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
6 For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly;
but the haughty he perceives from far away.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;
you stretch out your hand,
and your right hand delivers me.
8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.
138 Confitebor tibi (ECUSA BCP)
1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; *
before the gods I will sing your praise.
2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and praise your Name, *
because of your love and faithfulness;
3 For you have glorified your Name *
and your word above all things.
4 When I called, you answered me; *
you increased my strength within me.
5 All the kings of the earth will praise
you, O Lord, *
when they have heard the words of your
mouth.
6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, *
that great is the glory of the Lord.
7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; *
he perceives the haughty from afar.
8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you keep me safe; *
you stretch forth your hand against the fury
of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.
9 The Lord
will make good his purpose for me; *
O Lord,
your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands.
Psalm 130 (Roman Catholic; alt. for RCL)
Psal 130:1 (NRSV) Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with you,
so that you may be revered.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
6 my soul waits for the Lord
more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.
7 O Israel,
hope in the LORD!
For with the LORD there is steadfast love,
and with him is great power to redeem.
8 It is he who will redeem Israel
from all its iniquities.
130 De profundis (ECUSA BCP)
1 Out of the depths have I called to you,
O Lord;
Lord,
hear my voice; *
let your ears consider well the voice of my
supplication.
2 If you, Lord,
were to note what is done amiss, *
O Lord,
who could stand?
3 For there is forgiveness with you; *
therefore you shall be feared.
4 I wait for the Lord; my soul waits for him; *
in his word is my hope.
5 My soul waits for the Lord,
more than watchmen for the morning, *
more than watchmen for the morning.
6 O Israel, wait for the Lord, *
for with the Lord there is mercy;
7 With him there is plenteous redemption,
*
and he shall redeem Israel from all their
sins.
NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Corinthians 4: 13 - 5: 1
2Cor 4:13 (NRSV) But just as we have the same spirit of
faith that is in accordance with scripture--"I believed, and so I
spoke"--we also believe, and so we speak, 14 because we know that the one
who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will bring us with
you into his presence. 15 Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as
it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of
God.
16 So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature
is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. 17 For this
slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory
beyond all measure, 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what
cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is
eternal. 5:1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we
have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
h/t Montreal Anglican
This is happening, so Paul does not “lose heart” ( 4:16), despite those who oppose his efforts. Even though his “outer nature”, his appearance (probably due to his health) is deteriorating, his “inner nature” (his faith and certain hope) increases; he becomes more like Christ every day. He thinks of his sufferings and humiliation as merely “this slight momentary affliction” ( 4:17). It is preparing him for enormous fullness (“eternal weight”) of glory of being with Christ. Why? Because his vision is fixed on the unseen, “eternal” ( 4:18), not on the “seen”, “temporary”, transitory.
In 5:1 he explains 4:18 using two metaphors: “earthly tent” and “building from God”. The “earthly tent”, our fleshly bodies, are destroyed by death, but the “building from God” is a dwelling place that is permanent, secure, guaranteed, protected and eternal. His “we know” is an assertion of definite hope.
Comments: “the usual translation of his day”: i.e. the Septuagint, where it is 115:1. [ NJBC]
4:14: “will raise us”: The thought of death leads Paul to the reward of resurrection, which robs death of its power. [ NJBC] Constant opposition and persecution of Paul and the other apostles recalls the cross of Jesus, where death is overcome by the resurrection-life, which will vindicate and renew the life of God’s faithful messengers. [ CAB] Paul writes of the significance of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:12-24. [ JBC]
4:15: The thanksgiving of the community grows in proportion to the increasing number of those who accept Paul’s grace-filled message (see 3:5-6) and so become capable of giving glory to God (see 1 Corinthians 2:7). [ NJBC]
4:16-5:1: Paul affirms his confidence by contrasting what is of permanent value with what is only transitory. [ NJBC]
4:16: “we do not lose heart”: or we are not faint-hearted . [ NJBC] In 3:18, Pauls writes: “And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit”. [ NOAB]
4:16: “our inner nature is being renewed day by day”: The inner person is renewed daily in that the person who strives continuously to please God grows in the life of Christ, becoming more and more like him. [ JBC]
4:17: The vast disproportion between humiliation and reward is articulated in terms of weight and time. [ NJBC]
4:18: “what can be seen ... what cannot be seen”: 5:12 tells us that Paul’s opponents tend to focus on external appearance. Philippians 1:9-10 state what really matters. [ NJBC]
5:1-10: Very divergent interpretations of this paragraph have been proposed because of disagreement concerning the topic discussed. The majority would tend to see the problem as that of bodily existence between burial and resurrection and so would interpret the images anthropologically and individualistically. The context, however, would suggest that Paul is concerned with showing that present sufferings are not a valid criterion for apostleship because the true home of all believers is elsewhere. The images, in consequence, should be interpreted existentially. [ NJBC]
5:1: “earthly tent”: NJBC offers tentlike house. The image highlights the impermanence and fragility of the human body, the “clay jars” of 4:7.
Secular authors also use the figure of the tent to show the mortal condition of bodies. To Paul, we shall not (as Greek philosophers claimed) exist as disembodied spirits, wafting around forever somewhat aimlessly; rather, he insists that at the second coming of Christ we will be given bodies of a different nature than the ones we have now – they will be immortal and unable to suffer (see 1 Corinthians 15). I tend to think that his emphasis on bodily resurrection is rooted in his culture. We will certainly have a new modality of existence.
5:1: “we have”: The present tense emphasizes the certainty of the hope. [ NJBC]
5:1: “building from God”: This is the “spiritual body” of 1 Corinthians 15:42-50. [ NOAB] This image may have been influenced by the eschatological temple (see Apocalypse of Baruch 4:3 and 2 Esdras 10:10-47). It symbolizes a new existence (see Philippians 3:12-21) rather than the resurrection body. [ NJBC]
5:1: “not made with hands”: When Jesus appeared before the Jerusalem Sanhedrin: “Some stood up and gave false testimony against him, saying, ‘We heard him say, 'I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands’’” (Mark 14:57-58).
5:2: to be clothed”: The clothing metaphor of 1 Corinthians 15:53-54 fits badly with the building image. The common denominator is a new modality of existence (as in Galatians 3:27 and in Romans 13:14), which however, refers to the new way of living this life: in Christ. [ NJBC]
5:3: “if indeed”: NJBC points out that the Greek introduces a necessary assumption. It thus expresses assurance, not doubt. He renders it as presupposing.
5:3: “not be found naked”: The image does not suggest the stripping-off of the body in death, as in the Greek philosophical tradition, but in conjunction with the clothing metaphor refutes the view that there is no life after death. [ NJBC] Paul hopes that the Lord will come and that he will receive his new body before he has to put off the old one. [ NOAB]
5:4: See also 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. [ NOAB] A repeat of the thought in 5:2. [ NJBC]
5:4: “still in this tent”: i.e. still living in this world. [ NJBC]
5:4: “burden”: i.e. of afflictions. He mentions them in 1:6; 4:8, 17. [ NOAB] Paul’s suffering intensifies his longing for another mode of existence. [ NJBC]
5:4: “ not to be unclothed but to be further clothed”: Paul hopes that Christ will come again before he is killed. He writes in 1 Corinthians 15:50-51 “... We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet ...”. See also 1 Thessalonians 4:15. [ NJBC]
5:5: Paul’s hope is based on what God has already done through the Spirit. He says in 1:21-22: “it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment”. [ NJBC]
GOSPEL: Mark 3: 20 - 35 (all)
Mark 3:20
(NRSV) and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21
When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were
saying, "He has gone out of his mind." 22 And the scribes who came
down from Jerusalem said, "He
has Beel'zebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." 23
And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan
cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot
stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able
to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he
cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's
house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then
indeed the house can be plundered.
28 "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for
their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal
sin"-- 30 for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing
outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him;
and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are
outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and
my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my
brother and sister and mother."
Word has reached “Jerusalem” (v. 22); scribes say that he is possessed by a demon, “Beelzebul”, a foreign god, and by Satan, the devil, the “ruler of evil spirits”. Jesus answers them in “parables” (v. 23, analogies). It is logically impossible for Satan to cast out Satan. Since Jesus’ exorcisms are defeats for Satan, they could hardly be performed through Satan. If Satan’s realm (“kingdom”, v. 24) is divided – some demonizing people and others removing evil spirits – it would cease to be, as would a “house” (v. 25, a building or those who live in it). V. 26 puts this plainly. Then v. 27: to rob the house of a strong, powerful, man would require a stronger, more powerful man. In 1:7, John the Baptizer has called Jesus “more powerful”, so Jesus speaks of himself: he is beginning to eliminate Satan.
“Truly” (v. 28) shows that Jesus speaks with authority. In his baptism, the Holy Spirit came to Jesus , so it is in his words and actions. One blasphemes if one claims that Jesus’ authority is from Satan rather than from the Spirit. All sins, however heinous, will be forgiven, except believing that the spirit in Jesus is “an unclean spirit” (v. 30), from Satan: this sin will stand forever (“eternal”, v. 29).
Mark employs a sandwich construction: vv. 19-21 are one slice of bread, vv. 22-30 the meat, and vv. 31-35 the other slice. We return to Jesus’ house. He is inside; his blood family and the crowd are outside the open door. Jesus considers all who do the will of God (v. 35), including recognizing that he heals through the Holy Spirit, to be his family.
V. 19b, although not part of the reading, is important for the interpretation given in Comments.
Verse 19b: “home”: While CAB says that this in Capernaum, HenMk says that it was in Nazareth. The Greek word may mean into a house here. [ BlkMk] I attempt to tracing Jesus’ movements:
- In 3:7, “ Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea ...”
- In 3:13, “He went up the mountain ...”
- In 4:1, “Again he began to teach beside the sea ...”
Verse 20: “the crowd”: V. 8 says the the crowd came from “Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon”. Idumea was west of the Dead Sea, south of Judea, east of Gaza. People from Idumea would have travelled some 240 km (150 miles) to hear Jesus and be healed!
Verse 21: “his family”: BlkMk says that the Greek word can mean either his family, near or remote (as in the Septuagint translation of Proverbs 29:31), or his followers, so he translates it as his associates . They try to avoid embarrassing the family. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “restrain”: HenMk translates the Greek as seize. He says that the verb is a violent one. It also appears in 6:17 (“Herod himself had sent men who arrested John”) and 12:12 (The Jewish leaders want to arrest Jesus after he tells the Parable of the Vineyard).
Verse 21: “He has gone out of his mind”: To BlkMk, the Greek word does not mean pathological excitement (in the medical sense) but religious frenzy induced by a god, its meaning in 2 Corinthians 5:13: “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you”.
Verse 22: In Luke 7:33, Pharisees attribute John the Baptizer’s way of life to being possessed by a demon. In John 10:20, after Jesus likens himself to a good shepherd, many of the Jewish authorities say “‘"He has a demon and is out of his mind’”. [ NOAB]
Jesus has already driven out demons in 1:23-27 and 3:11-12. [ HenMk]
Verse 22: “scribes”: They were professional interpreters of the Law. [ CAB]
Verse 22: “down”: The Sea of Galilee is at a much lower elevation than Jerusalem. [ BlkMk]
Verse 22: “Beelzebul”: The name, meaning lord of dung , may come from a Hebrew word, Baal-zebub, meaning lord of the dwelling or house. This would be appropriate for Jesus’ words in v. 27. It also occurs in Matthew 12:25. The Syriac and Vulgate versions have Beelzebub (meaning lord of the flies), the false god of Ekron (a Philistine town) in 2 Kings 1:2. [ HenMk] [ HBD]
Verse 23: “parables”: Unlike the material usually considered parables, here the word is related to the Hebrew mashal, translated in the Septuagint as parabole. They are short, pithy sayings, riddles, proverbs, etc. [ HenMk]
Verses 24-27: Inner division is destructive. [ NOAB]
Verse 25: “house”: The Greek word oikia can refer to either a building or the people inhabiting it (household). [ NJBC]
Verse 27: Jesus’ victory over the devil has already begun with his time in the wilderness: see 1:12-13. [ HenMk]
Verse 28: “Truly”: This is a translation of Amen. That this word is at the beginning of words (rather than at the end, as in Jewish liturgy) highlights them. This usage is unique to the gospels. [ HenMk]
Verse 28: “people will be forgiven for their sins”: NJBC says that this includes murder, unchastity and apostasy.
Verses 29-30: Matthew 12:31-32 is very similar. [ NOAB]
Verse 29: When the Spirit of God in Jesus is denied, how can God forgive? [ HenMk]
Verses 31-35: “brothers”: Matthew 13:55 tells us that Jesus’ brothers were named “James and Joseph and Simon and Judas”. [ NOAB]
Verse 35: “does the will of God”: Jesus establishes a new criterion for membership in his family. For Christians, this includes the will of God to establish the Kingdom of God: see 1:15. [ HenMk]
Can Jesus’ family include his blood family? I think that the answer lies in whether his mother and brothers are still “standing outside” (v 31) when he says “‘Here are my mother and brothers” (v. 34), or are they by then seated around him.
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