• . 27 Cornelius Hill, Priest and Chief among the Oneida, 1907
• 28 Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, c. 202also referred to as Saint Irenaeus, was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire (
• 29 Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles

July

·  1 Harriet Beecher Stowe, Writer and Prophetic Witness, 1896 and Pauli Murray, Lawyer, Poet, Author, Activist, Priest (First African-American Woman ordained in Episcopal Church), 1985

·  2 Walter Rauschenbusch, 1918, Washington Gladden, 1918, and Jacob Riis, 1914, Prophetic Witnesses

·  4 Independence Day

·  6 Jan Hus, Prophetic Witness and Martyr, 1415often referred to in English as John Hus or John Huss, was a Czech priest, philosopher, early Christian reformer and Master at Charles University in Prague. After John Wycliffe, the theorist of ecclesiastical Reformation, Hus is considered the first Church reformer, as he lived before Luther, Calvin and Zwingli.

OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Kings 2: 1 - 2, 6 - 14   (RCL)

2Kin 2:1 (NRSV) Now when the LORD was about to take Eli'jah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Eli'jah and Eli'sha were on their way from Gil'gal. 2 Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Beth'el." But Eli'sha said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Beth'el.

6 Then Eli'jah said to him, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets {Heb [sons of the prophets]} also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Eli'jah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed, Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Eli'sha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." 10 He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Eli'jah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Eli'sha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

13 He picked up the mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of Eli'jah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Eli'sha went over.

1 Kings 19: 15 - 16, 19 - 21 (alt. for RCL)

1 Kings 19: 16b, 19 - 21 (Roman Catholic)

1Kin 19:15 (NRSV) Then the LORD said to him [i. e., Elijah], "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Haz'ael as king over Ar'am. 16 Also you shall anoint Je'hu son of Nim'shi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Eli'sha son of Sha'phat of A'bel-meho'lah as prophet in your place.

19 So he set out from there, and found Eli'sha son of Sha'phat, who was plowing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Eli'jah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Eli'jah, and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." Then Eli'jah said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done to you?" 21 He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Eli'jah, and became his servant.

PSALM 77: 1 - 2, 11 - 20 (RCL)

Psal 77:1 (NRSV) I cry aloud to God,

aloud to God, that he may hear me.

2 In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;

my soul refuses to be comforted.

11 I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD;

I will remember your wonders of old.

12 I will meditate on all your work,

and muse on your mighty deeds.

13 Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is so great as our God?

14 You are the God who works wonders;

you have displayed your might among the peoples.

15 With your strong arm you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph. [Se'lah]

16 When the waters saw you, O God,

when the waters saw you, they were afraid;

the very deep trembled.

17 The clouds poured out water;

the skies thundered;

your arrows flashed on every side.

18 The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

your lightnings lit up the world;

the earth trembled and shook.

19 Your way was through the sea,

your path, through the mighty waters;

yet your footprints were unseen.

20 You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

77   Voce mea ad Domi     (ECUSA BCP)

1               I will cry aloud to God; *

     I will cry aloud, and he will hear me.

2               In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; *

     my hands were stretched out by night and did not tire;

     I refused to be comforted.

11  I will remember the works of the Lord, *

     and call to mind your wonders of old time.

12  I will meditate on all your acts *

     and ponder your mighty deeds.

13  Your way, O God, is holy; *

     who is so great a god as our God?

14  You are the God who works wonders *

     and have declared your power among the peoples.

15  By your strength you have redeemed your people, *

     the children of Jacob and Joseph.

16  The waters saw you, O God;

the waters saw you and trembled; *

     the very depths were shaken.

17  The clouds poured out water;

the skies thundered; *

     your arrows flashed to and fro;

18  The sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

your lightnings lit up the world; *

     the earth trembled and shook.

19  Your way was in the sea,

and your paths in the great waters, *

     yet your footsteps were not seen.

20  You led your people like a flock *

     by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Psalm 16 (alt. for RCL)

Psalm 16: 1, 2a, 5, 7 - 11   (Roman Catholic)

Psal 16:1 (NRSV) Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you."

3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,

in whom is all my delight.

4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out

or take their names upon my lips.

5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

I have a goodly heritage.

7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

8 I keep the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;

my body also rests secure.

10 For you do not give me up to She'ol,

or let your faithful one see the Pit.

11 You show me the path of life.

In your presence there is fullness of joy;

in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

16   Conserva me, Domine   (ECUSA BCP)

1  Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *

 I have said to the Lord, "You are my Lord,

 my good above all other."

2  All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, *

 upon those who are noble among the people.

3  But those who run after other gods *

 shall have their troubles multiplied.

4  Their libations of blood I will not offer, *

 nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.

5  O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; *

 it is you who uphold my lot.

6  My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *

 indeed, I have a goodly heritage.

7  I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *

 my heart teaches me, night after night.

8  I have set the Lord always before me; *

 because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.

9  My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *

 my body also shall rest in hope.

10  For you will not abandon me to the grave, *

 nor let your holy one see the Pit.

11  You will show me the path of life; *

 in your presence there is fullness of joy,

 and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

NEW TESTAMENT: Galatians 5: 1, 13 - 25 (all but Roman Catholic)

                                    Galatians 5: 1, 13 - 18 (Roman Catholic)

Gala 5:1 (NRSV) For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. 14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

16 Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul wrote this letter to counter certain evangelists in Galatia who expected Christians to adopt some (but not all) practices of Judaism. They seem to have argued: so long as you are circumcised and keep Jewish feasts, you are free to do anything you like – you can indulge in “the flesh” (v. 16, self-centeredness and the vices listed in vv. 19-21). Paul denounces this theology vehemently. He has said that what “counts is faith working through love” (v. 6). In v. 14, he may be thinking of Leviticus 19:18, or a contemporary Jewish summary of the Law, or of Jesus’ summary. In v. 16, “live” is literally walk by, a Semitism for conduct yourself. The way of God, brought to us by the Spirit, is incompatible with doing whatever we wish (v. 17). The way of the Spirit also brings freedom from an external norm, i.e. the Law, for our norm is within us (v. 18). The results of living by the Spirit are in v. 22; note that the first is “love”. V. 24 is a summary: Christians share in Christ’s death to worldliness; we died (“crucified”, cast aside) not only to the Law but also to self-centeredness and its degrading tendencies. We have undergone a basic reorientation – to God. Thus reoriented, our actions should be guided “by the Spirit” (v. 25).

Comments: Paul wrote this letter to counter certain evangelists in Galatia who expected Christians to adopt some (but not all) practices of Judaism : See v. 3. They insist on circumcision but apparently not all requirements of Mosaic law.
Verses 2-12: To seek justification by legal works is futile; Christ and the Mosaic law of circumcision are mutually exclusive. Faith alone justifies, but the faith that justifies is not alone – it produces good works “through love” (v. 6). [ NOAB]
Verse 2: “Christ will be of no benefit to you”: NJBC translates the Greek as Christ can do nothing for you. See also 2:21.
Verse 3: See also Romans 2:25 (“Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision”) and James 2:10 (“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it”). [ CAB]
Verse 4: Paul sees that either one obeys Mosaic law or one lives by the promise of Christ, but not both. [ CAB] As NJBC puts it: the Galatians must choose one or the other: Christ and freedom or the Law and slavery.
Verse 5: For Paul, God always remains the promising God, whose future judgement will come. See also v. 18 and Romans 2:5-16 (where he says that of those who take on God’s role of judging the godliness of others “by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed”). [ CAB]
Verse 6: The ethical results of the gospel is one’s faith expressing itself in loving deeds. If the Greek translated as “working” is rendered as “made effective” (per NRSV footnote), the sense may be coming to effective expression in love or made effective by God’s love. [ NOAB] Paul writes in 6:15: “For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything!”. See also 1 Corinthians 7:19 and Romans 14:13-21 (“Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another ...”). [ CAB]
Verse 6: “circumcision”: Literally the foreskin. [ NJBC]
Verse 6: “faith working through love”: This is the example set by Christ. In 2:20, Paul says: “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 Romans 5:5-8. [ NJBC]
Verse 7: “You were running well”: In 2:2, Paul tells us that he visited Jerusalem and conferred with the leaders of the Church there about his missionary efforts: “ in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run, in vain”. He also uses the simile of Christian effort being like runners in a race, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26. [ NJBC]
Verse 9: “A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough”: A proverb. The Judaizing influence can spread rapidly and widely. [ NJBC] Paul also quotes this proverb in 1 Corinthians 5:6; Jesus uses it in Matthew 16:1 (and in the parallel, Luke 12:1) and Matthew 13:33 (and in the parallel, Luke 13:20-21). [ CAB]
Verse 11: “if I am still preaching circumcision”: There are four possible interpretations:

• Paul might have preached circumcision at one time if he was once a missionary for Judaism
• A charge based on the case of Timothy reported in Acts 16:1-3: Timothy’s mother was Jewish and his father Gentile, thus Timothy was Jewish; Paul “had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places”. [ NOAB]
• Evidently Paul’s opponents were saying that he still would uphold the command for circumcision [ CAB]
• The Judaizers may have claimed that Paul himself admitted the validity of circumcision, when it suited his purposes: in 1 Corinthians 9:20 he says “To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law ... so that I might win those under the law”. He answers: if I were still of that mind I would not be opposed by the Judaizers. In 2:3 he points out that he did not demand that Titus, a Gentile, be circumcised. [ NJBC] I prefer this interpretation.

Verse 11: “the offense of the cross”: CAB and NJBC translate the Greek as stumbling block of the cross. See also 1 Corinthians 1:22-23 (where the NRSV translates the Greek as stumbling block)
Verse 12: A bitterly satirical wish. In Philippians 3:2, Paul says: “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who mutilate the flesh!”. [ NOAB]
Verse 12: “castrate”: In Galatia, castration was ritually practised in the Attis and Cybele cults. [ CAB]
Verses 13-26: Though free from the Law, Christians must not abuse their liberty. Paul’s emphasis on ethical responsibility may be intended to answer those concerned about libertine opponents, though his letters regularly include moral imperatives. For example, see Romans 12:1-8. [ NOAB]
Verse 13: Freedom from the cross must not be understood as rank libertinism. [ CAB]
Verse 13: “opportunity”: NJBC offers incentive.
Verse 13: “slaves”: Paul’s choice of this word is interesting. He seems to be saying that each Christian is to be totally devoted to every other. See v. 6 and Matthew 20:26 (“... whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant”). [ NOAB].
Verse 14: The quotation is Leviticus 19:18. [ CAB] In Leviticus, “neighbour” is one’s fellow Israelite but here it is anyone at all: in Romans 10:12, Paul says “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek”. [ NJBC]
Verse 14: “the whole law is summed up”: Jesus’ summary is in Matthew 7:12. See also Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 22:34-40 (and the parallels: Mark 12:28-34 and Luke 10:25-28). [ CAB]
Verse 16: “Spirit ... flesh”: In 3:3, Paul asks: “Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?”. See also Romans 8:5-11. To “live by the Spirit” is to belong to the new community of faith where God dwells as Spirit. [ NOAB] Christians no longer live according to worldly standards (“the flesh”) but by God’s standards (“the Spirit”). See also vv. 5, 18 and Romans 8:1-8. [ CAB] “Flesh” is the symbol of all human opposition to God. [ NJBC]
Verse 17: Paul gives a graphic description of his experience in Romans 7:15-23: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate ...”. [ NOAB]
Verses 19-21: Similar lists were used in Greco-Roman moral instruction. For other Pauline lists of vices, see Romans 1:29-31; 1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9-10. [ NOAB] [ CAB] Paul contrasts the “works” (deeds) of the flesh with the “fruits” of the Spirit. [ NJBC]
Verses 22-23: In 2 Corinthians 6:6-7, Paul gives another list of virtues: “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left” . [ NOAB] See also 1 Corinthians 13:13 and Philippians 4:8. [ CAB]
Verse 23: “There is no law against such things”: There is no need to enact a law against such “fruits” for the Law “was added because of transgressions” (see 3:19).
Verse 24: Paul writes in 2:19-20: “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”. [ CAB]

GOSPEL: Luke 9: 51 - 62 (all)

Luke 9:51 (NRSV) When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53 but they did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 Then they went on to another village.

57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

In telling us of the Transfiguration, Luke has told us that Peter, John and James have seen Moses and Elijah talking to Jesus “of his departure [exodus], which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” ( 9:31). Now Jesus approaches the time when he will be “taken up” (v. 51), i.e. crucified, raised from the dead, and restored to glory with the Father. Jesus resolutely travels to the city where this will happen. He sends “messengers” (v. 52) to arrange food and lodging for him and his disciples. “Samaritans” did not help pilgrims going to keep feasts in Jerusalem because they believed the true temple to be theirs (on Mount Gerizim). James and John ask: do you wish them to be treated as Elijah treated followers of Baal? (v. 54) Jesus has taught non-retaliation against enemies (v. 55), but the point here is that any temple (and Law) is irrelevant: it is trust in him that counts.
Vv. 57-62 contain sayings about discipleship which are hard to interpret because Jesus exaggerates to jolt his listeners out of complacency. The “Son of Man” is Jesus, the exemplary human. Those who follow him will not have a resting place , a position to which they can resort: there is no room for conservatism. We are to launch continually into new ways of being Christian. Burying a parent (v. 59) was deemed important in Jewish culture, but proclaiming the good news must have priority (v. 60). We must answer a call to tell the good news immediately (v. 61). A Palestinian plow required constant attention; diverting one’s attention for a moment led to disaster. Jesus demands constancy and concentration in proclaiming his message; once committed to Christ, there is no going back.

Verse 51: We should see this verse as marking a new stage in Jesus’ mission rather than tracing his route on a map. He has been conscious of his calling; now he is conscious of the necessity of suffering. Luke shows his ignorance of Palestinian geography. According to this gospel, Jesus does indeed arrive at Jericho (see 18:35-43 and 19:1-10) but before this he is in Galilee ( 13:31-33). [ BlkLk]
Verse 51a: NJBC translates this as It happened that in the fulfilment of the days of his assumption. The word translated “taken up” is symplerousthai . Here it is a noun; in Acts 1:2, 11, 22 (the Day of Pentecost), the verb form is used. The word can also be translated as fulfill, approach or come. The reference here in Luke is to Jesus’ death, crucifixion and resurrection. It may also be to Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, but I doubt it. An almost identical expression, using the same basic word, is used in the Septuagint translation, of Elijah’s assumption (see 2 Kings 2:9-11; 1 Maccabees 2:58) and, in a Servant Song, of the Servant’s exaltation. [ BlkLk] [ JBC]
Verse 51: “set his face”: A Semitism frequently used in the Old Testament for opposition and hostility: see Ezekiel 6:2; 13:17; 14:8; Isaiah 50:7. [ JBC] However, BlkLk feels that while in the Septuagint translation this phrase implies decision, “his face” has no stronger meaning here than himself, as it has commonly in rabbinic writings. The Septuagint translation uses this phrase in Exodus 33:14; Deuteronomy 4:37; 2 Samuel 17:11.
Verse 52: “Samaritans”: That Luke would mention Jesus’ entry into a village that is Samaritan at this point is surprising. Luke’s emphasis in this section is generally on Jews and Judaism. He usually shows the Samaritans as friendly to Jesus: see 10:33 (the Good Samaritan) and 17:16 (the leper who thanks Jesus). In Acts 8:4-25, the Samaritans accept the message of the Christian Way. [ NJBC] The Samaritans were a mixture of:

• Jews whom the conquering Assyrians (in 721 BC) had deemed too insignificant to deport to Babylon and
• Gentile people whom the Assyrians had settled in Palestine.

See 2 Kings 17; Ezra 4:1-3; Nehemiah 4:1-9. John 4:9 tells us that “Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans”. [ BlkLk]
Verse 53: “did not receive him”: Jesus encounters opposition in the initial stages of his journey to Jerusalem as he did at the start of his Galilean ministry: see 4:16-30 (Jesus speaks in the synagogue at Nazareth). BlkLk translates the Greek as they did not welcome him because he was going to Jerusalem. (The word receive has shifted meaning since the Revised Standard Version, the antecedent of the NRSV, was written.)
Verse 54: Perhaps this is why Jesus called James and John “Sons of Thunder” (see Mark 3:17). What they say echoes 2 Kings 1:10, 12: there Elijah calls down fire to destroy his enemies. [ CAB]
Verse 55: Comments: Jesus has taught non-retaliation against enemies: In 6:27-29, 35, he says, in his sermon in a level place: “‘... I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. ... But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked’”. [ NJBC]
Verse 56: “another village”: Perhaps this village was also in Samaria. [ JBC]
Verses 57-62: See also Matthew 8:19-22. [ CAB] Jesus lives a risky, itinerant, life. His disciples can expect to do the same.
Verse 57: “along the road”: i.e. of discipleship. [ NJBC]
Verse 58: Another interpretation is that Jesus takes on the lowest estate possible. Recall 2:7: Mary “... laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn”. The saying also appears in Matthew 8:19-20. [ BlkLk]
Verse 58: “air”: The Greek literally means heavens. Whether this is significant is unknown.
Verse 59-62: Filial piety, especially in burying one’s parents, is deep within Judaism: see Genesis 49:28-50:3 (Jacob); Exodus 13:19; Tobit 4:3; 6:15. [ JBC] In 1 Kings 19:19-20, Elisha asks for time to bid his family farewell before following Elijah. Jesus refuses to allow the delays Elijah did. See also v. 62. Several other passages in Luke show the influence of the stories of Elijah and Elisha: 4:25-30; 7:11-17 (Jesus heals a widow’s son), 7:36-50. In 4:24-25 Jesus draws the close parallel between his own rejection at Nazareth and events in the lives of Elijah and Elisha. [ BlkLk]
Verse 60: Another is interpretation is: let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead, i.e. those who are not alive to seeing the greater demands of the Kingdom of God. Perhaps there is a warning in this verse that the ways of the Kingdom are not necessarily in step with human ways. [ NJBC]
Verses 61-62: Paul writes in Philippians 3:13: “Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”. See also Hebrews 6:4-6. [ CAB]
Verse 62: Jesus demands more than God required of Elisha: in 1 Kings 19:19-21, as Elijah suggested, Elisha returned to his plow and oxen before following Elijah. [ JBC] The Palestinian plow was very light. With one hand the plowman guided the plow; with the other he drove the unruly oxen. If he looked back, the new furrow became crooked. [ NJBC]

·  22 Alban, First Martyr of Britain, c. 304 is venerated as the first recorded British Christian martyr,^[1] and is considered to be the British protomartyr

·  24 The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

·  25 James Weldon Johnson, Poet, 1938

·  26 Isabel Florence Hapgood, Ecumenist and Journalist, 1929

OLD TESTAMENT: 1 Kings 19: 1 - 4 (5 - 7) 8 - 15a (RCL)

1Kin 19:1 (NRSV) A'hab told Jez'ebel all that Eli'jah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 Then Jez'ebel sent a messenger to Eli'jah, saying, "So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." 3 Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Be'er-she'ba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.

4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors." 5 Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, "Get up and eat." 6 He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. 7 The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, "Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you."

8 He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Ho'reb the mount of God. 9 At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Eli'jah?" 10 He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away."

11 He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Eli'jah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Eli'jah?" 14 He answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away." 15 Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus;

Zechariah 12: 10 - 11, 13: 1  (Roman Catholic)

Zech 12:10 (NRSV) And I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that, when they look on the one whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. 11 On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Ha'dad-rim'mon in the plain of Megid'do.

13:1 On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

Isaiah 65: 1 - 9 (alt. for RCL)

Isai 65:1 (NRSV) I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask,

to be found by those who did not seek me.

I said, "Here I am, here I am,"

to a nation that did not call on my name.

2 I held out my hands all day long

to a rebellious people,

who walk in a way that is not good,

following their own devices;

3 a people who provoke me

to my face continually,

sacrificing in gardens

and offering incense on bricks;

4 who sit inside tombs,

and spend the night in secret places;

who eat swine's flesh,

with broth of abominable things in their vessels;

5 who say, "Keep to yourself,

do not come near me, for I am too holy for you."

These are a smoke in my nostrils,

a fire that burns all day long.

6 See, it is written before me:

I will not keep silent, but I will repay;

I will indeed repay into their laps

7 their iniquities and their

ancestors' iniquities together,

qsays the LORD;

because they offered incense on the mountains

and reviled me on the hills,

I will measure into their laps

full payment for their actions.

8 Thus says the LORD:

As the wine is found in the cluster,

and they say, "Do not destroy it,

for there is a blessing in it,"

so I will do for my servants' sake,

and not destroy them all.

9 I will bring forth descendants from Jacob,

and from Judah inheritors of my mountains;

my chosen shall inherit it,

and my servants shall settle there.

PSALM 42 & 43 (RCL)

Psal 42:1 (NRSV) As a deer longs for flowing streams,

so my soul longs for you, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God.

When shall I come and behold

the face of God?

3 My tears have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me continually,

"Where is your God?"

4 These things I remember,

as I pour out my soul:

how I went with the throng,

and led them in procession to the house of God,

with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,

a multitude keeping festival.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;

therefore I remember you

from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,

from Mount Mi'zar.

7 Deep calls to deep

at the thunder of your cataracts;

all your waves and your billows

have gone over me.

8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,

and at night his song is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God, my rock,

"Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I walk about mournfully

because the enemy oppresses me?"

10 As with a deadly wound in my body,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me continually,

"Where is your God?"

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help and my God.

43:1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause

against an ungodly people;

from those who are deceitful and unjust

deliver me!

2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;

why have you cast me off?

Why must I walk about mournfully

because of the oppression of the enemy?

3 O send out your light and your truth;

let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy hill

and to your dwelling.

4 Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God my exceeding joy;

and I will praise you with the harp,

O God, my God.

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help and my God.

42   Quemadmodum     (ECUSA BCP)

1          As the deer longs for the water-brooks, *

     so longs my soul for you, O God.

2          My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *

     when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?

3          My tears have been my food day and night, *

     while all day long they say to me,

     "Where now is your God?"

4          I pour out my soul when I think on these things; *

     how I went with the multitude and led them into the

                        house of God,

5          With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *

     among those who keep holy-day.

6          Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

     and why are you so disquieted within me?

7          Put your trust in God; *

     for I will yet give thanks to him,

     who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

8          My soul is heavy within me; *

     therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,

     and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.

9          One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *

     all your rapids and floods have gone over me.

10         The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; *

     in the night season his song is with me,

     a prayer to the God of my life.

11         I will say to the God of my strength,

“Why have you forgotten me? *

     and why do I go so heavily while the enemy

                        oppresses me?”

12         While my bones are being broken, *

     my enemies mock me to my face;

13         All day long they mock me *

     and say to me, “Where now is your God?”

14         Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

     and why are you so disquieted within me?

15         Put your trust in God; *

     for I will yet give thanks to him,

     who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

43   Judica me, Deus

1          Give judgment for me, O God,

and defend my cause against an ungodly people; *

     deliver me from the deceitful and the wicked.

2          For you are the God of my strength;

why have you put me from you? *

     and why do I go so heavily while the enemy

                        oppresses me?

3          Send out your light and your truth, that they may lead me, *

     and bring me to your holy hill

     and to your dwelling;

4          That I may go to the altar of God,

to the God of my joy and gladness; *

     and on the harp I will give thanks to you, O God my God.

5          Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *

     and why are you so disquieted within me?

6          Put your trust in God; *

     for I will yet give thanks to him,

     who is the help of my countenance, and my God.

Psalm 63: 1 - 5, 7 - 8 (Roman Catholic)

Psal 63:1 (NRSV) O God, you are my God, I seek you,

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

beholding your power and glory.

3 Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

4 So I will bless you as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

5 My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,

and my mouth praises you with joyful lips

7 for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

8 My soul clings to you;

your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 22: 19 - 28 (alt. for RCL)

Psal 22:19 (NRSV) But you, O LORD, do not be far away!

O my help, come quickly to my aid!

20 Deliver my soul from the sword,

my life from the power of the dog!

21 Save me from the mouth of the lion!

From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him!

All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;

stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

24 For he did not despise or abhor

the affliction of the afflicted;

he did not hide his face from me,

but heard when I cried to him.

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the LORD.

May your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the LORD;

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before him.

28 For dominion belongs to the LORD,

and he rules over the nations.

22   Deus, Deus meus    (ECUSA BCP)

18         Be not far away, O Lord; *

     you are my strength; hasten to help me.

19         Save me from the sword, *

     my life from the power of the dog.

20         Save me from the lion's mouth, *

     my wretched body from the horns of wild bulls.

21         I will declare your Name to my brethren; *

     in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.

22         Praise the Lord, you that fear him; *

     stand in awe of him, O offspring of Israel;

     all you of Jacob's line, give glory.

23         For he does not despise nor abhor the poor in their poverty;

neither does he hide his face from them; *

     but when they cry to him he hears them.

24         My praise is of him in the great assembly; *

     I will perform my vows in the presence of those who

                        worship him.

25         The poor shall eat and be satisfied,

and those who seek the Lord shall praise him: *

     “May your heart live for ever!”

26         All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to

                        the Lord, *

     and all the families of the nations bow before him.

27         For kingship belongs to the Lord; *

            he rules over the nations.

NEW TESTAMENT: Galatians 3: 23 - 29 (all)

Gala 3:23 (NRSV) Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 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. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to the promise.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Some Jewish Christians have visited Galatia and argued that a right relationship with God comes through Mosaic law, but Paul argues that it is God’s promise(s) that establish this link. After all, Paul has written, God’s promise to Abraham predated the Law by centuries (v. 17). The Law was “added” (v. 19) because people deviated from God’s ways. It also came through a “mediator” (Moses), while the promise came directly (v. 20). The Law doesn’t “make alive” (v. 21), give life, so it doesn’t yield oneness with God. All of scriptural (Old Testament) tradition locks people into sinfulness, but God’s (new) promise of the gift of Christ is freely given to “those who believe” (v. 22): it is different; it gives life.
In v. 23, by “before faith came” Paul means before the Christian era , before the fulfilment of God’s promises. The word translated “disciplinarian” (v. 24) was used of a slave who supervised a child outside school hours. We were restricted in our development until Christ came. Living under the Law prepared the first Christians for Christ, for oneness, through faith, with God; however, now they are no longer subject to the Law. Baptism has implications for daily living (v. 27). Having taken on Christ, we are spiritually akin to Abraham (v. 29). Being “one in Christ” (v. 28), racial, social and gender differences are insignificant.

Comments: Some Jewish Christians had visited Galatia ...: Paul wrote in 1:6-7: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” Paul founded churches in Galatia during his first missionary journey.
Those who are advocating the law are the Judaizers, i.e. Jewish Christians who see Christianity as still a sect of Judaism, which is still under the Law. Paul argues vehemently throughout this whole letter against a law-based religion, and in particular against the Judaizing party. It is probable historically that these were not native Galatians but itinerant evangelists who were coming after Paul to correct the error that he had left behind in the various communities where he had planted churches.
The Judaizers had moved into Galatia after Paul's departure and convinced the new converts Paul had left behind that they needed to bring themselves under the Law. There is an obvious attraction in this sort of approach, because it makes life a lot easier: with a law to follow there is no need for discernment or decision-making. But for Paul that is not the way forward. Instead, Paul functions with a high (developed) theology of, and a great deal of trust in, the Spirit.
Verse 15: “no one adds to it or annuls it”: NJBC offers no one can annul or alter a man’s will. Only the testator can do so, by cancellation or a codicil, but no one else. So God’s will, made manifest in his promises and covenant, cannot be altered by “angels” (v. 19).
Verse 15: “will”: The Greek word, diatheke, means (in Hellenic Greek) last will or testament. The Septuagint translators had used diatheke (rather than syntheke, treaty) to express Hebrew berit (covenant) probably because it characterized more closely the kind of covenant that God made with Israel, in which, as in a vassal treaty, stipulations were set by the overlord that Israel was expected to obey. Paul begins using it in its Hellenic sense, and by v. 17 he has shifted to using it in its Septuagint sense. So the NRSV translates it there as “covenant”. [ NJBC]
Verse 16: “the promises”: i.e. those made to Abraham: see Genesis 17:4-8: “the ancestor of a multitude of nations ... exceedingly fruitful ... make nations of you ... establish ... an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you ... I will give to you, and to your offspring ... all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding”. [ CAB]
Verse 16: “offspring”: The word used in Genesis 12:7 ( Yahweh’s promise to Abram); 17:7-8; 22:17-18 is literally seed, a collective singular. [ NOAB] While Abraham had more than one son, only one was the child of the promise, Christ. [ CAB]
Verse 17: “four hundred and thirty years later”: Paul follows the chronology found in some manuscripts of the Septuagint translation of Exodus 12:40, according to which the 430 years included the sojourn of Israel’s forebears in Canaan and in Egypt; on the other hand the Masoretic Text of this verse refers to the 430 years as solely the sojourn in Egypt (thus the NRSV). In Acts 7:6 (Stephen’s speech to the Sanhedrin), the figure is 400 years, a rough estimate. [ NOAB]
Verse 17: “covenant”: The unilateral disposition diatheke made to Abraham was not altered by subsequent obligations imposed in Mosaic law. Thus Paul rejects the Judaizers contention that the covenant promises were subsequently made conditional to the performance of deeds of the Law. [ NJBC]
Verse 18: “inheritance”: This comes either from the Law or from Christ, not from both. [ CAB] If inheritance comes from the Law, it is bilateral, not a “promise” (which is unilateral). “Inheritance” in the Septuagint translation means the land of Canaan but here it denotes the blessings promised to Abraham in general. [ NJBC]
Verse 19: “because of transgressions”: The Greek literally means for the sake of transgressions, so NJBC translates it as to produce transgressions. He says that the sense is clear from Romans 4:15; 5:13-14, 20; 7:7-13. In Romans 4:15, Paul says “For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation”. [ NJBC] Where there is no law, there is none to break, but where there is one, it will be broken.
Verse 19: “until the offspring would come”: The Law was a temporary measure by God: see also vv. 24-25. [ NJBC]
Verse 19: “ordained”: Literally ordered or directed . [ CAB] NJBC has enacted.
Verse 19: “angels”: In Jewish tradition, angels had a role in the giving of the Law at Sinai; it was not given directly by God. See Deuteronomy 33:2, Septuagint translation (NRSV: “holy ones”). This idea is also found in Acts 7:38, 53; Hebrews 2:2. [ NOAB] Its mode of promulgation reveals its inferiority, when compared with promises made directly by God. [ NJBC]
Verse 19: “mediator”: NOAB says Leviticus 26:46 identifies Moses as a mediator between God and God’s people; however NJBC says that Leviticus 26:46 and Deuteronomy 5:4-5 contain vague allusions to Moses as mediator and that this is the most likely interpretation of a highly disputed phrase.
Verse 20: “Now a mediator involves more than one party; but God is one”: REB has but an intermediary is not needed for one party acting alone, and God is one; NJBC offers a similar translation. The translations appearing to be rather different, let us look at the Greek. A literal translation is: The and/but mediator one not is, the and/but God one is where and/but translates de (which can mean and or but).
One can now see the translator’s problem, but not the solution. The King James Version, being a rather literal translation, is helpful in showing us how many words had to be inserted to turn the Greek into reasonably coherent English; it shows these words in italics: “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one”. This verse is a perfect example of the difficulty of doing justice to one language when translating into another. The thought processes are often very different.
The translators do agree that the first one does not refer to the mediator; Paul is not saying that the mediator is plural while God is singular: something that would make no logical sense.
In this case the REB is a bit more literal in its translation than the NRSV on this point, in that it expresses the first phrase in the negative, as Paul does, but it still interprets significantly. Both are trying to get at the same notion: that where there is a mediator, there are two parties, and where there is only one party there is no need for a mediator. But/and God is one. In other words, God being one does not require a mediator; hence the Law is rendered null and void in God's case.
Recall earlier verses: a mediator is only needed in a bilateral agreement (or dispute); the Law is bilateral but a promise (and the fulfilment) is unilateral. Both the NRSV and the REB are correct; they both do the best possible in translating between thought processes and languages. [Alan T. Perry]
A very free rendering is: There is no need for a mediator where there is only one party; and God is one. [Therefore in God's case the Law is superfluous.]
Verses 21b-22: Paul says, in Romans 3:20, “For ‘no human being will be justified in his sight’ by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin” and, in Romans 7:7, “What then should we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet, if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”. [ NOAB] The Law cannot give life: v. 11 says “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’”. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “make alive”: Paul has just written in v. 11: “Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith’”. See also Romans 8:3. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “righteousness”: God’s act of putting a person in a right relationship with him. [ CAB]
Verse 22: “scripture”: Two interpretations are possible: the entire Old Testament biblical tradition, [ NOAB] or the Law and the texts quoted in Romans 3:10-18 (which are from Psalms and Isaiah 59:7-8 and together illustrate the sinfulness of all human beings) . [ NJBC]
Verse 22: “all things”: Two interpretations are possible:

• human beings: in Romans 11:32, Paul writes: “... God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all”
• all creation, as people were before Christ’s coming: the Greek word translated “all”, panta, is neuter. See Romans 8:19-23: “... the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God ...”. [ NJBC]

Verse 22: “faith in Jesus Christ”: Per the NRSV footnote, faith of Jesus Christ is also a good translation. Faith of Jesus Christ assumes Christ’s faithful obedience unto death (see Romans 5:18-21 and Philippians 2:8) or in becoming incarnate (see Philippians 2:6-8), or the entire ministry of Jesus, possibly involving an interchange with “all who believe” in God (Romans 4:24) and in Christ (Galatians 3:24). The same Greek phrase also occurs in Romans 3:26; Galatians 2:16, 20; Philippians 3:9. [ NOAB]
Verse 23: “until faith would be revealed”: NJBC offers in view of the coming revelation of faith. The reign of Law was divinely ordained to prepare for the coming reign of Christian freedom. In 1 Corinthians 4:3, Paul says “But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself”. [ NJBC]
Verse 24: “disciplinarian”: The same Greek word is translated as guardian in 1 Corinthians 4:15. [ NOAB]
Verse 27: “baptized into Christ”: See also Romans 6:3-11 for development of the connection between baptism into Christ and its implications for daily living. [ CAB] Baptism is the sacramental complement of faith, the rite whereby a person achieves union with Christ and publicly manifests his commitment. [ NJBC]
Verse 27: “clothed yourselves ...”: See also Romans 13:13; Colossians 3:9-10 and Ephesians 4:22-24 ; Psalm 132:9; Isaiah 61:10; 64:6; Zechariah 3:3. [ CAB] The term may either:

• be borrowed from Greek mystery religions, in which an initiate identified himself with the god by donning his robes, or
• be Paul’s use of an Old Testament expression for adoption of another’s moral dispositions or outlook. In Job 29:14, Job says: “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban”. 2 Chronicles 6:41 says: “... Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation ...”. As Paul also uses it in Romans 13:14 (“put on the Lord Jesus Christ”), this interpretation is more likely. [ NJBC]

Verse 28: Romans 10:12 is similar: “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him”. See also Colossians 3:11. [ CAB]
Verse 29: “Abraham’s offspring”: And so fulfilling God’s promise. See also vv. 6-7, 16-17. [ NOAB]

GOSPEL: Luke 8: 26 - 39 (RCL)

Luke 8:26 Then they arrived at the country of the Ger'asenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 As he stepped out on land, a man of the city who had demons met him. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he did not live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he fell down before him and shouted at the top of his voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me"-- 29 for Jesus had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many times it had seized him; he was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the wilds.) 30 Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" He said, "Legion"; for many demons had entered him. 31 They begged him not to order them to go back into the abyss.

32 Now there on the hillside a large herd of swine was feeding; and the demons begged Jesus to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When the swineherds saw what had happened, they ran off and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told them how the one who had been possessed by demons had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Ger'asenes asked Jesus to leave them; for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.

Jesus and his disciples arrive in Gerasa, a city some 30 km east of the Jordan – in Gentile territory. Ancient ideas of dementia were very different from ours:

·  demons were spirits of an evil kind, thought to do battle, as a “legion” (v. 30), with God and his allies;

·  they were thought to invade human bodies and personalities, causing mental (and some physical) illness, and taking control of people;

·  “the wilds” (v. 29, the desert) was the abode of demons and destructive forces;

·  “the abyss” (v. 31) was the realm of Satan and home to demons.

People who had been deprived of their liberty (e.g. prisoners) lost the right to wear clothes. “Tombs” (v. 27) were ritually unclean places. Jesus has power over evil forces (“fell down”, v. 28; “commanded”, v. 29). The man recognizes Jesus for whom he is. “Swine” (v. 32) were a symbol of pagan religion and of Roman rule: even they are subject to Jesus’ authority. Perhaps Luke predicts the fall of Rome in telling the fate of the swine (v. 33): that Roman legions will drown. The man not only sits “at the feet of Jesus” (v. 35), as disciples did, but becomes a missionary to fellow Gentiles (v. 39). This is a story of transformation; so dramatic is the change in the man that the people are “seized with ... fear” (v. 37): they can’t handle it.
What does Luke mean by “had been healed” (v. 36) or saved? Look at the changes in the man’s life:

·  from outside the city to inside it;

·  from living in tombs and being driven into the desert to living in a house;

·  from nakedness to being clothed; and

·  from being demented to being of sound mind.

From destructive isolation, he has become part of a nurturing, human community. He proclaims the good news. To Luke, a “house” (v. 27) is a home where one belongs, is a person, interacts with others, and exercises personal and communal rights and obligations, including moral ones.
The parallels are Matthew 8:28-34 and Mark 5:1-20. [ NOAB] The account here is very close to that in Mark.
Verse 26: “Gerasenes”: Gerasa was a city of the Decapolis, a federation of ten cities of Hellenic culture in an area east of Samaria and Galilee. Gerasa was about 50 Km (30 miles) southeast of the Lake of Galilee. While Gergesenes and Gadarenes are found in some manuscripts, “Gerasenes” is the best attested reading. From a geographical viewpoint, this story presents problems. Swine have no sweat glands, so they would not survive a 50 km rush down to “the lake” (v. 33, the Sea of Galilee) from Gerasa; on the other hand, Gergesa is thought to have been close to the shore of the Sea. Gadera was about 8 Km (5 miles) from the Sea, but this would still be a long way for pigs to run! The story is moving at a symbolic level. [ BlkLk] [ NJBC] [ OBA]
Verse 27: “demons”: Demons were thought of as non-material existences of a personal sort, hostile to God. The gospels reflect the widespread dread of demons and a general sense of helplessness when faced with demonic activity. See also Matthew 4:24; 8:16, 28; 9:32; 15:22; Luke 4:33; 13:11, 16. Per Revelation 9:1-11; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1-3, demons are ultimately under God’s control. [ NOAB]
Verse 27: “had worn no clothes”: Comments: People who had been deprived of their liberty (e.g. prisoners) lost the right to wear clothes. Other examples were slaves (see Isaiah 20:2-4), prostitutes (see Ezekiel 16:38-40), demented people (see 1 Samuel 19:23-24) and damned people. [ NJBC]
Verse 29: “unclean spirit”: The spirit was considered “unclean” because the effect of the condition was to separate the person from the worship of God. [ NOAB]
Verse 30: “‘Legion’”: A Roman legion consisted of 6,000 foot soldiers. Perhaps the man is saying that his personality has lost unity, that he has multiple personalities, as did a legion. [ BlkLk]
Verse 31: “abyss”: Elsewhere in the New Testament the Greek word occurs only in Romans 10:7 and Revelation 20:1-3 (“pit”). There it is the abode respectively of the dead and of evil spirits. It occurs frequently in the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament; there it means sea. Luke may be connecting the depths of the sea with the abode of evil spirits. The demons are, in the story, literally assigned to the Sea of Galilee. [ BlkLk] [ NJBC]
Verse 32: “swine”: Roman might was symbolized by a very fecund sow that gave birth to thirty piglets, and by the wild boar. The wild boar was the symbol of the Legio X Fretensis; this legion was stationed in Syria, and fought in the Jewish revolt of 66-70 AD. See also 15:15-16 (the Prodigal Son feeds the pigs). The pig was the most frequently used sacrificial animal in Greek and Roman worship. For Jews, eating pork was equivalent to paganism and apostasy from Judaism. See 2 Maccabees; 4 Maccabees; Isaiah 65:1-5. [ NJBC]
Verse 35: “at the feet of Jesus”: The posture of a follower of Jesus. In 10:39, Mary, sister of Martha, sits at Jesus’ feet to listen to what he is saying. In Acts 22:3, Paul says that he was “brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel”, the great teacher. [ NJBC]
Verse 39: “throughout the city”: Mark 5:20 says “in the Decapolis”. Note Luke’s emphasis on the city. [ CAB]