·  23 Saint James of Jerusalem, Brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Martyr, c. 62can also be Anglicized as Jacob), who died in martyrdom in 62 or 69 AD, was an important figure of the Apostolic Age. Other epithets used to refer to James include James the Just, or a variation of James, brother of the Lord.  

·  26 Alfred the Great, King of the West Saxons, 899 was King of Wessex from 871 to 899.
Alfred successfully defended his kingdom against the Viking attempt at conquest, and by the time of his death had become the dominant ruler in England

·  28 Saint Simon and Saint Jude, Apostles

·  29 James Hannington, Bishop of Eastern Equatorial Africa, and his Companions, Martyrs, 1885

·  30 John Wyclif, Priest and Prophetic Witness, 1384

·  31 Paul Shinji Sasaki, Bishop of Mid-Japan, and of Tokyo, 1946, and Philip Lindel Tsen, Bishop of Honan, China, 1954

OLD TESTAMENT: Hosea 1: 2 - 10 (RCL)

Hose 1:2 (NRSV) When the LORD first spoke through Hose'a, the LORD said to Hose'a, "Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD." 3 So he went and took Go'mer daughter of Dibla'im, and she conceived and bore him a son.

4 And the LORD said to him, "Name him Jez'reel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Je'hu for the blood of Jez'reel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. 5 On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jez'reel."

6 She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the LORD said to him, "Name her Lo-ruha'mah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. 7 But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen."

8 When she had weaned Lo-ruha'mah, she conceived and bore a son. 9 Then the LORD said, "Name him Lo-am'mi, for you are not my people and I am not your God."

10 Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God."

Genesis 18: 20 - 32 (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)

Gene 18:20 (NRSV) Then the LORD said, "How great is the outcry against Sod'om and Gomor'rah and how very grave their sin! 21 I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."

22 So the men turned from there, and went toward Sod'om, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23 Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" 26 And the LORD said, "If I find at Sod'om fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." 27 Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. 28 Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." 29 Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." 30 Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." 31 He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." 32 Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."

PSALM 85   (RCL)

Psal 85:1 (NRSV) LORD, you were favorable to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

2 You forgave the iniquity of your people;

you pardoned all their sin. [Se'lah]

3 You withdrew all your wrath;

you turned from your hot anger.

4 Restore us again, O God of our salvation,

and put away your indignation toward us.

5 Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger to all generations?

6 Will you not revive us again,

so that your people may rejoice in you?

7 Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,

and grant us your salvation.

8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,

for he will speak peace to his people,

to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.

9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,

that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;

righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,

and righteousness will look down from the sky.

12 The LORD will give what is good,

and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness will go before him,

and will make a path for his steps.

85   Benedixisti, Domine     (ECUSA BCP)

1               You have been gracious to your land, O Lord, *

     you have restored the good fortune of Jacob.

2               You have forgiven the iniquity of your people *

     and blotted out all their sins.

3               You have withdrawn all your fury *

     and turned yourself from your wrathful indignation.

4               Restore us then, O God our Savior; *

     let your anger depart from us.

5               Will you be displeased with us for ever? *

     will you prolong your anger from age to age?

6               Will you not give us life again, *

     that your people may rejoice in you?

 

7               Show us your mercy, O Lord, *

     and grant us your salvation.

8               I will listen to what the Lord God is saying, *

     for he is speaking peace to his faithful people

     and to those who turn their hearts to him.

9               Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him, *

     that his glory may dwell in our land.

10             Mercy and truth have met together; *

     righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11             Truth shall spring up from the earth, *

     and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12             The Lord will indeed grant prosperity, *

     and our land will yield its increase.

13             Righteousness shall go before him, *

     and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.

Psalm 138   (alt. for RCL)

Psalm 138: 1 - 3, 6 - 8   (Roman Catholic)

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.

NEW TESTAMENT: Colossians 2: 6 - 15 (16 - 19)   (RCL)

                                    Colossians 2: 12 - 14   (Roman Catholic)

Colo 2:6 (NRSV) As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, 14 erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in it.

16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. 17 These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way of thinking, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body, nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth that is from God.

h/t Montreal Anglican

From this letter, we know that Christians at Colossae, an industrial city, were subject to influences from other religions: some tried to synthesize Christianity with them. Our reading gives us an idea of notions they tended to adopt. Vv. 6-7 advise them to remain true to the gospel as they received it – in continuity with tradition. Vv. 8-13 warn against false teachings: “be on your guard” (Revised English Bible) that you not be made “captive” (and carried off) by any of these errant beliefs (“philosophy ...”) which are of “human” (not divine) origin: they see “elemental spirits” (spirits thought to infuse the four basic elements of the world) and cosmic (angelic) powers (“ruler and authority”, v. 10) as controlling the universe for God. The whole of God is found in Christ, without such intermediaries! (v. 9). (“Bodily” may mean:

·  corporately: in the Church;

·  incarnate: in bodily form; or

·  actually: not only in appearance.

) Christians have full access to God’s power; he is superior to (and over) these spirits and angels.
Vv. 11-12 speak of “baptism” as “spiritual circumcision”. (The “body of the flesh” is probably human weakness.) Baptism introduces us to sharing in Christ’s suffering and death (“buried with him”, v. 12); through it, we are already exalted with Christ (although our appearance with him in glory will come later). Before baptism, the Colossian Christians were alienated from God (“dead”, v. 13), mired in sin; now they are “alive”: for God (in love) forgave their sins. In effect, he cancelled the legal note of debt (v. 14a); Christ took this note on himself. V. 15 continues the military image begun with “captive” in v. 8: Christ leads the triumphal parade, followed by the subjugated angels who are on public display (perhaps in chains). Vv. 16-19 refute specific errant beliefs. Neither adopt Jewish dietary laws nor observe their holy days. The real “festivals” are Christ’s, not theirs (v. 17). Don’t be led astray from Christ’s way by those who insist on extreme asceticism (“self-abasement”, v. 18), by worship of powers other than Christ (“angels”), by devaluing earthly things in favour of spiritual fancies (“visions”), or by false pride. Take care not to separate yourself from Christ (“the head”, v. 19), the source of nourishment, unity and spiritual growth.

A reading of Augustine's City of God would help any reader understand that what the author is concerned with here is the Colossians' angelolatry and the elemental spirits; for Augustine discusses thoroughly the Platonist idea that God had made lesser gods to create and maintain the earth, and to act as mediators between God and humanity.
Augustine argues that the angels' nature depends on God just as much as humanity's does. For the author, the cosmic Christ is more than just the world-soul (which was another teaching of Platonism), but God himself through, by, and in whom God created everything. It's very complex. The author keeps warning his readers away from “philosophy” (v. 8), but you really have to know some philosophy to understand him here!
I think the problem the author may have perceived (as Augustine did several centuries later) is that Platonism was so close in many ways to Christianity, and in many ways so attractive, that it was all too easy to let Platonist assumptions creep unexamined into Christian faith. The author has to walk the thin line between the influences of Judaism and Platonism, obviously not easy for his readers! References to the bodily image of God that Jesus is may also be inserted as a way of pulling the Colossians back from Platonic notions that the body was inherently evil. The incarnate Christ leads the disembodied elemental spirits captive. [Abbott Conway]
Verse 6: “received”: The Greek word, paralambano, is used of teaching in Galatians 1:9; Philippians 4:9; 1 Corinthians 11:23. It is a technical term for receiving a tradition. [ NJBC]
Verse 6: “Christ Jesus the Lord”: This phrase is found only here and in Ephesians 3:11. [ JBC]
Verse 7: “thanksgiving”: The Greek word is eucharistos . It is repeated throughout the epistle: see also 1:12; 3:15, 17; 4:2. [ JBC]
Verse 8: “takes you captive”: The rare Greek verb sylagogeo has the added sense of carry you off as booty. [ NJBC]
Verse 8: “philosophy”: Some scholars render this as vain speculation, but this translation reads certain assumptions into the word. The Greek word philosophia itself implies simply love of wisdom. [ NOAB]
Verse 8: “empty deceit”: The Greek word, apate also occurs in Ephesians 4:22 (NRSV: “deluded”); 2 Thessalonians 2:10; Hebrews 3:13; 2 Peter 2:13 (NRSV: “dissipation”). [ CAB]
Verse 8: “human tradition”: In Matthew 15:2-3, 6, when some Pharisees ask Jesus “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?”, namely washing their hands before eating, he answers “for the sake of your tradition, you make void the word of God”. See also Mark 7:3, 5, 8-9, 13; Galatians 1:14; 1 Peter 1:18. [ CAB]
Verse 8: “elemental spirits”: The elements of which the world was thought to be composed are earth, fire, air and water. Spirits were thought to infuse these elements. (Many centuries later, scientists discovered chemical elements, e.g. hydrogen.) There were also spirits of the upper air.
Verse 9: “in him”: Christ crucified, resurrected and exalted. [ CAB]
Verse 10: “the head of every ruler and authority”: Ephesians 1:21-22 says that Christ is “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion” and is “the head over all things for the church”. [ NOAB]
Verses 11-12: These verses reflect Romans 6:3-11, but here baptism is named as Christian circumcision. Circumcision is used figuratively in the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 10:16; Jeremiah 4:4; Ezekiel 44:7), in the Qumran literature (see 1QS (Rule of the Community) 5:5) and elsewhere in the New Testament (see Romans 2:28-29 and Philippians 3:3). [ NJBC]
Verse 11: “putting off ...”: Greek apekdysis. This noun is used only here in the New Testament. The verb apekdyomai is found in 2:15; 3:9. There may be an allusion to mystery cults here: in some of them, initiates laid aside their garments during the rite. In the early Church the first act of the baptismal rite was the taking off of one's vesture. [ NJBC]
Verse 12: “you were also raised”: In Romans 6:5, the resurrection of Christians is in the future, but here it has already happened. See also Ephesians 5:14. [ NJBC]
Verse 12: “power”: Greek: energeia. This is a favourite word in Colossians and Ephesians: see also 1:29; Ephesians 1:19; 3:7; 4:16. Interestingly enough, in Greek philosophy energeia doesn't really mean power – that concept is rendered by the term dynamis. The Latin equivalent of dynamis is potentia, which is power (potency), but also potential, that which a thing is in itself before being manifested. The equivalent of energeia is operatio, that which is brought about to reflect the innate being of the thing. So energeia is really a bringing about, an actualizing, of something. I suspect that for the author, it is an important word because it signifies God actually having done the thing, not merely postulating it in some theoretical dimension. [Abbott Conway]
Verse 12: Comments: our appearance with Christ in glory will come later: 3:3-4 says: “... you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory”.
Verse 13: See also Ephesians 2:1, 5 and Romans 6:11. Acts 2:38 also connects baptism with the forgiveness of sins. See also Matthew 6:9-15 and Luke 11:1-4 (the Lord’s Prayer).
Verse 13: “made you alive”: The word syzopoieo is only used in the New Testament here and in Ephesians 2:5. [ JBC]
Verse 14: “erasing the record”: An accounting term. Ephesians 2:15 says: “He [Christ] has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two ...”. See also 1 Peter 2:24. [ NOAB]
Verse 14: “legal”: i.e. in Mosaic law. Death was the penalty for disobeying the Law: see Genesis 2:17 and Deuteronomy 30:19. [ JBC] Jews believed that the Law was given to Moses by angels: In Galatians 3:19, Paul writes that “it was ordained through angels by a mediator” (Moses).
Verse 15: “made a public example of them”: As captives, stripped of their armour, were displayed as proof of victory.
Verse 16: “festivals, new moons, or sabbaths”: In Galatians 4:10, Paul notes that some Christians in Galatia are “observing special days, and months, and seasons, and years”. This phrase (or variants of it) occur in 1 Chronicles 23:31; 2 Chronicles 31:3; Ezekiel 45:17; Hosea 2:11. [ CAB]
Verse 17: “shadow ... substance”: NJBC sees this as reflecting the Greek shadow/reality notion. “Substance” here is soma, literally body. An earthy thing was seen as a pale imperfect shadow of the heavenly perfect reality. Hebrews 8:5 says of the Jewish high priests that “They offer worship in a sanctuary that is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly one”. See also Hebrews 10:1; 1 Corinthians 13:10.
Verses 18-19: “Do not let anyone ... dwelling on visions, ... head”: Another interpretation is that those who have given themselves to fanciful visions have also lost touch with their own heads.
Verse 19: “the head”: See also Ephesians 1:22 (quoted above). Christ is also mentioned as head of the church in Ephesians 4:15. [ NOAB]
Verses 20-23: These verses contrast the constraints of philosophy and the liberty of believers. [ NJBC]

GOSPEL: Luke 11: 1 - 13   (all)

Luke 11:1 (NRSV) He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." 2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.

And do not bring us to the time of trial."

5 And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, "Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' 7 And he answers from within, "Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

9 "So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? 12 Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Then and now, a religious community has a distinctive way of praying; ours is exemplified by the Lord’s Prayer. In 5:33, Pharisees and scribes have noted that followers of John the Baptist “frequently fast and pray”; now Christians have their own prayer. Luke’s version of the Lord’s Prayer is shorter than Matthew’s (which we use). We approach God in a personal way, as “Father” (v. 2). His “name” is more than just a name: we pray that all may give respect due to him, so all may see his love. “Your kingdom come” looks forward to the Kingdom, where all barriers – of wealth, sex and ritual cleanness – will no longer exist. Of the five petitions, the last two seek filling of our needs. “Bread” (v. 3) is what we need to live; it is God’s gift to us. We share it with all, especially in the Eucharist. “Daily” here means day after day. The “time of trial” (v. 4) is the final onslaught of evil forces, before Christ comes again; it is also the temptations which assail us day-by-day. In vv. 5ff, Jesus tells two stories: even one who is asleep with his family responds “because of ... persistence” to a neighbour in need; a parent provides for a child. Even these people, separated from God, respond to the needs of others. How much more so will God respond to our prayers for help, through the Holy Spirit.

The parallel to vv. 1-4 is Matthew 6:9-13 and to vv. 9-13 is Matthew 7:7-11. [ NJBC]
Verse 1: “He was praying”: For prayer as a part of recorded momentous events in Jesus’ life, see, e.g., Mark 1:35; Luke 3:21 (Jesus’ baptism); 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28 (the Transfiguration); 22:41-46 (on the Mount of Olives). [ CAB]
Verse 1: “‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples’”: BlkLk says that, in the days of Jesus’ ministry, Judaism considered a great part of the Eighteen Benedictions as obligatory. Here we have a request for a special prayer to express the particular outlook and concerns of a group of disciples of Jesus.
Verses 2-4: The versions of the Lord’s Prayer are compared in the following table:

Matthew 6	Luke 11
9. ... Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.	2. Father, hallowed be your name.
10. Your kingdom come.	Your kingdom come.
Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
11. Give us this day our daily bread.	3. Give us each day our daily bread.
12. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.	4. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
13. And do not bring us to the time of trial,	And do not bring us to the time of trial.
but rescue us from the evil one.

Each of the clauses found in Matthew but not in the commonly accepted Lucan text is found in some manuscripts of Luke.
Matthew’s form is closer to Jewish prayers, and Luke’s to other Christian prayers. The Lord’s Prayer is probably based on Jewish prayers. [ JBC]
The doxology For the kingdom, ... (For thine is the kingdom... ) was added in the early Church. It is based on David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:11-13: “Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.”. It is found in some early manuscripts of Luke.
Verse 2: “Father”: God as a caring, provident, gracious and loving parent. In 10:21, we read “... Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father ...’”. In 22:42, on the Mount of Olives, Jesus prays: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done”. Jesus also addresses God as “Father” in 23:34, 46. [ NJBC]
Verse 2: “hallowed”: The verb, in the aorist passive tense, gives a once-for-all aspect to the petition; hence it is an eschatological motif. [ JBC]
Verse 3: “Give us each day our daily bread”: Throughout the gospels, the giving of bread has a eucharistic meaning. See also 9:17 (the Feeding of the Five Thousand). This is a petition for daily physical and moral renewal. [ JBC]
Verse 4: “forgive”: In Mark 11:25, Jesus instructs his disciples: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses”. See also Matthew 18:35 (the fate of those who do not forgive, in the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant). [ CAB]
Verse 4: “And do not bring us ...”: 2 Thessalonians 3:3 says: “... the Lord will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one”. See also James 1:13.
Verse 4: “trial”: Temptation is another translation. In Luke, it is always bad; it never has the effect of strengthening. [ NJBC]
Verse 7: “the door has already been locked”: A door was barricaded with a large wooden or iron bar, which would be tiresome and noisy to remove. [ JBC]
Verse 7: “my children are with me in bed”: In a one-room Palestinian house, the whole family slept on a mat in the raised part of the room. [ JBC]
Verse 7: “I cannot get up”: i.e. I won’t! [ JBC]
Verse 8: “persistence”: JBC puts a different spin on the Greek word: shamelessness.
Verse 9: The Greek implies an introduction: I personally tell you ... [ JBC]
Verse 9: In Matthew 18:19, Jesus tells his disciples: “... truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven”. See also Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24; James 1:5-8; 1 John 5:14-15; John 14:13; 15:7; 17:23-24. [ NOAB]
Verses 11-12: See also Psalm 91:12-16: “... Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. When they call to me, I will answer them; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honour them ...”. [ JBC]
Verse 12: “scorpion”: A scorpion is black, so it could not possibly be mistaken for an “egg”. [ JBC]
Verse 13: “you ... who are evil”: “You” here is surely people in general. Opposed to God’s ways as shown by Jesus, they are even so made in the image of God, so reflect some of his ways.
Verse 13: “Holy Spirit”: The Holy Spirit enables our sharing in Jesus’ sonship: see also Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:13-14. It is Luke who tells us of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (see Acts 2). Some manuscripts have Your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us rather than “Your kingdom come” (v. 2). Both Marcion (died ca 160 AD) and Gregory of Nyssa (ca 330 - ca 395) knew the prayer with these words. BlkLk says that it is likely that Your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse us is a liturgical adaptation of the original form of the Lord’s prayer used perhaps when celebrating the rite of baptism or of the laying-on of hands.