20 Frederick Douglass, Prophetic Witness, 1895

21 John Henry Newman, priest and theologian, 1890

22 Eric Liddell, Missionary to China, 1945

23 Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr of Smyrna, 156 was a 2nd-century Christian bishop of Smyrna.^[2] According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him.

24 Saint Matthias the Apostle

OLD TESTAMENT: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18   (RCL)

                                   Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18   (Roman Catholic)

19:1 (NRSV) The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

  2 Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

9 When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10Y ou shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the Lord your God.

  11 You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. 12 And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the Lord.

  13 You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. 14 You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling-block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

  15 You shall not render an unjust judgement; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbor. 16 You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not profit by the blood of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

  17 You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Genesis 1:1 - 2:3   (C of E)

1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

6 And God said, ‘Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ 7 So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8 God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

9 And God said, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.’ And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

14 And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, 15  and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. 16God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, 18to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

20 And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.’ 21 So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

24 And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

26 Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’

27 So God created humankind in his image,

   in the image of God he created them;

   male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ 29 God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. 31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.

PSALM 119:33-40   (RCL)

119:33 (NRSV) Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end.

  34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.

  35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.

  36 Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain.

  37 Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways.

  38 Confirm to your servant your promise, which is for those who fear you.

  39 Turn away the disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good.

  40 See, I have longed for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life.

Psalm 119   (ECUSA BCP)

33             Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, *

     and I shall keep it to the end.

34             Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law; *

     I shall keep it with all my heart.

35             Make me go in the path of your commandments, *

     for that is my desire.

36             Incline my heart to your decrees *

     and not to unjust gain.

37             Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; *

     give me life in your ways.

38             Fulfill your promise to your servant, *

     which you make to those who fear you.

39             Turn away the reproach which I dread, *

     because your judgments are good.

40             Behold, I long for your commandments; *

     in your righteousness preserve my life.

Psalm 136: 1-9 (10-22) 23-26    (C of E)

1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

2 O give thanks to the God of gods,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

4 who alone does great wonders,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

5 who by understanding made the heavens,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

6 who spread out the earth on the waters,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

7 who made the great lights,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

8 the sun to rule over the day,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

10 who struck Egypt through their firstborn,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

11 and brought Israel out from among them,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

12 with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

13 who divided the Red Sea in two,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

14 and made Israel pass through the midst of it,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

15 but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

16 who led his people through the wilderness,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

17 who struck down great kings,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

18 and killed famous kings,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

20 and Og, king of Bashan,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

21 and gave their land as a heritage,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

22 a heritage to his servant Israel,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

23 It is he who remembered us in our low estate,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

24 and rescued us from our foes,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever;

25 who gives food to all flesh,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

26 O give thanks to the God of heaven,

   for his steadfast love endures for ever.

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13   (Roman Catholic)

103:1 (NRSV) Bless the Lord, O my soul,

   and all that is within me,

   bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

   and do not forget all his benefits—

3 who forgives all your iniquity,

   who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the Pit,

   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,

   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

   nor repay us according to our iniquities.

12 as far as the east is from the west,

   so far he removes our transgressions from us.

13 As a father has compassion for his children,

   so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him.

NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23   (RCL)

                                    1 Corinthians 3:16-23   (Roman Catholic)

3:10 (NRSV) According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.

  16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?* 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

  18 Do not deceive yourselves. If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written,

  ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’,

20 and again,

  ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise,

   that they are futile.’

21 So let no one boast about human leaders. For all things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all belong to you, 23and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

Romans 8: 18-25    (C of E)

8:18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labour pains until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5:38-48   (all but C of E)

5:38 (NRSV) ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39 But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40 and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42 Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

  43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

h/t Montreal Anglican

Paul has offered two metaphors for the Church: a crop in a “field” (v. 9) and a “building”. As God’s agents, he and Apollos have worked together: he has planted, i.e. founded the church at Corinth, and Apollos has watered, i.e. nurtured the community. He now likens the growth of the church to constructing a building. He founded the community properly; “that foundation is Jesus Christ” (v. 11). Others must construct the building above the foundation “with care” (v. 10). Sloppy or improper craftsmanship will be apparent on “the Day” (v. 13), when Christ comes again to judge people; he will evaluate it (“with fire”). Good work will be rewarded, but those whose work fails the test will be saved, but only just (v. 15). Perhaps he thinks of leaders who expected all Christians to obey Mosaic law and follow Jewish practices.
He now changes metaphor again: “you are God’s temple” (v. 16); the Holy Spirit is within you. The disputes among members of which he has heard ( 1:11), and attempts to divert the church from its founding principle (Christ) can destroy it (v. 17). God will condemn those who do so. If you think you are wise by earthly standards, may you become foolish in earthly terms in order to become wise by God’s standards (v. 18). So end your quarrels regarding leaders (v. 20). You “belong” ( 1:12) to none of them; rather you belong “to Christ” (v. 23) and “to God”. They are servants of Christ and thus of the church. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, they, and everything else, belong to you (the community), and you to Christ.

Verse 11: A parenthetical allusion to a claim of the Cephas party that the church should be founded on Peter (see Matthew 16:18). [ NJBC]
Verse 13: “the Day ... with fire”: Fire is also associated with the Judgement Day of Yahweh in Isaiah 26:11; Daniel 7:9-11 and Malachi 4:1. The Day is described in Isaiah 2:12; Jeremiah 46:10 and Amos 5:18. Here Paul uses “fire” to denote the second coming of Christ, an event he also mentions in 4:5 and 5:5. [ NJBC]
Verse 14: “reward”: This is God’s approval; for the full use of one’s talents in contributions appropriate to the nature of the church. [ NJBC]
Verse 15: To give mistakenly (e.g. the attempt of the Cephas party to impose Jewish customs on the church) or inadequately in terms of one’s talents will merit salvation – but only just.=, as one who runs out of a burning house. [ NJBC]
Verses 16-17: The community comprises the true “temple” of God, where God dwells among his people, as in ancient Israel. See 2 Chronicles 6:20-23 and Psalm 18:6. [ CAB]
Verse 16: “you”: In the Greek, this is in the plural. [ NOAB]
Verse 18b: “If you think that you are wise in this age, you should become fools so that you may become wise”: Blk1Cor translates this as If any one among you supposes that he is wise by the standards of this age, let him become foolish by the standards of this age, in order that he may become truly wise. See 1:18-25 (Christ and the cross). [ NOAB]
Verse 19: The quotation is from Job 5:13, but not from the Septuagint translation. What the Corinthian Christians think of as wisdom is only craftiness. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]
Verse 20: The quotation is from Psalm 94:11, but he substitutes “the thoughts of the wise” for “our thoughts”. [ NOAB] [ NJBC]
Verses 21-22: “For all things are yours ... all belong to you”: God has given them leaders (“Paul ... Apollos ... “Cephas”) and in Christ they have been granted understanding of “all things”: “life ... death ... present” and “future”. [ CAB]
Verse 22: “Cephas”: From the Aramaic kepa, meaning rock, Paul’s habitual name for Peter. He also uses it in 1:12; 9:5; 15:5; Galatians 1:18; 2:9, 11, 14. Peter may have visited Corinth. If not, Judeo-Christians may have invoked his name to legitimize a more law-observant form of Christianity than Paul found palatable. [ NJBC]

Matthew 6:25-34    (C of E)

6:25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? 28 And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” 32 For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

34 ‘So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The Pharisees and the scribes kept Mosaic law diligently, and taught it. Jesus has said this is not enough; one must exceed the requirements of the Law (v. 20). He fleshes out its meaning fully (v. 17). For example (vv. 21-22), God expects us to refrain not only from the act (e.g. murder) but from even thinking thoughts that may lead to it (e.g. nursing anger).
In v. 38, Jesus reminds his audience of two laws. They did limit retaliation to one for one. By Jesus’ time the authorities often commuted the penalty to a fine. Jesus goes further: avoid physical violence (v. 39). To strike “the right cheek” with the back of the hand was particularly dishonouring; shame your opponent into a change of heart. Avoid litigation (v. 40); overcome greed with generosity to the wrong-doer. The “coat” was the inner garment, a short-sleeved knee-length tunic held in at the waist by a girdle; the “cloak” was the outer garment. Now v. 41: a soldier could force a civilian to carry his pack. The Greek words translated “forces” and “mile” reflect the imperial messenger service, a courier service using relays of horses. To “go ... the second mile” would be to avoid another civilian being compelled. Be generous, even under duress.
“Love your neighbour” (v. 43) is in Leviticus 19:18. People generally thought that outsiders were “enemies” and should be hated. V. 44 is wise advice for overcoming persecution. To be “children of” (v. 45) God is to pattern one’s attitudes after God’s; he provides for all, both good and evil people. In v. 46, Jesus thinks of both earthly and heavenly “reward”. “Tax collectors” worked under contract with the Romans. To meet their stipulated target, they often extorted money; they collaborated with the occupiers. Being morally suspect, their reward was seen as being only earthly. A greeting (v. 47) in the Near East, then and now, is a prayer for blessing on the one greeted. “The Gentiles” were at the time mostly pagan. What distinguishes your love from that of unbelievers? “Be perfect” (v. 48), conform to the divine ideal, as God does: love everyone!

Our reading is part of the Sermon on the Mount ( 5:1-7:29). Matthew has included portions of Jesus’ teaching given on other occasions. [ NOAB]

Verses 38-42: Rather than demand equal compensation for what others have taken, God’s people are to overcome greed by generosity toward the wrongdoer. [ CAB]

Verse 38: This law is in Exodus 21:23-24, Leviticus 24:19-20 and Deuteronomy 19:21. [NOAB] The rule is called talion from the Latin talis meaning such, the same. This rule is also found in the Code of Hammurabi and Roman law. While it sounds barbarous today, it did limit revenge. When first introduced, it constituted genuine moral progress. [NJBC]

Verses 39-42: See also Luke 6:29-30, 1 Corinthians 6:7 and 1 Peter 2:19; 3:9. [ NOAB]

Verse 39: “Do not resist an evildoer”: While physical violence is prohibited, the possibility of psychological or moral resistance, as exemplified by Gandhi and Martin Luther King, is open. The parallel in Romans 12:17, “Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all” (which is based on Proverbs 25:21-22) shows that Jesus’ teaching is a strategy for winning, not for passive resignation nor for indifference to evil.

Comments: To strike the right cheek with the back of the hand was particularly dishonouring: NJBC found this in the Mishnah. A right-handed person could strike the right cheek of an opponent in two ways:

• weakly, a slap with the back of the right hand, and
• forcefully, with the left fist or hand, but in Jesus’ time in Palestine, the left hand was only used for unclean tasks, e.g. toilet cleaning. [Milavec, Aaron The Didache: faith, hope, & life of the earliest Christian communities, 50-70 C.E. New York: Newman Press 2003]
• forcefully, with the left fist or hand, but in Jesus’ time in Palestine, the left hand was only used for unclean tasks, e.g. toilet cleaning. [Milavec, Aaron The Didache: faith, hope, & life of the earliest Christian communities, 50-70 C.E. New York: Newman Press 2003]

Verse 40: See also v. 25 [ NJBC]

Verse 41: “forces”: The Greek word, which can be translated compel, is a Persian loan word reflecting the imperial messenger service like the old Pony Express, but without paying for the horse. [ NJBC]

Verse 42: “Give”: The theme of giving to beggars and borrowers goes beyond the scope of non-resistance to evil to advocate general kindness, forbearance, generosity and an open attitude towards people. [ NJBC]

Verse 43: “You shall love your neighbour ...”: This quotation is from Leviticus 19:18 but it is incomplete: it leaves out “as yourself”. Further, “and hate your enemy” is not in the Bible. These words restrict love to one’s own ethnic group. It is unfortunate that the NRSV (and other translations) place these words within the quotation marks. Jesus attacks a false interpretation. [ NJBC] There was debate as to who was one’s neighbour, a widespread assumption being that outsiders were enemies and thus they were targets of hatred, although no scripture directly states this. Psalms 58:6-11; 68:21-31; 83:13-15 call for the punishment of one’s enemies. Deuteronomy 7:2 hints at hating the enemy. 1QS (Rule of the Qumran Community) 1:3-4 calls for hatred of them. [ CAB]

Verse 43: Jesus calls for responding to enemies with love, which can transform them. [CAB] It is unfortunate that the NRSV (and other translations) include “and hate your enemy” within the quotation marks, for it is not in the Bible. [ NJBC]

Verses 44-48: See also Luke 6:27-28, 32-36. [ NOAB]

Verse 44: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”: This is not hopeless idealism but a wise strategy for overcoming the persecutor. The heroic stance of the martyr gives the persecutor a bad image and is hard for governments to control. Christianity is not introverted aggression, but aggression transmuted into a strategy for winning through the wisdom of love. [ NJBC]

Verse 45: “children of your Father”: Paul mentions being adopted as children of God in Romans 8. [ NJBC] The words “children of” commonly mean people who show the quality named or trait of character implied. See also Luke 6:35; 10:6 and John 8:39-47. [NOAB]

Verse 46: See also Luke 14:12-14. [ NJBC]

Verse 46: “reward”: If you love those who love you, your reward is an increase in their love. If you love those who hate you, your reward is an increase in God’s love. In 5:3, the reward is “the kingdom of heaven”; in 5:8 it is that “they will see God”. [ NJBC]

Verse 46: “tax collectors”: They could keep the excess funds over the contracted amount. Their work involved assessing goods in transit through Palestine. This put them in contact with ritually unclean items. Accordingly, they were considered by pious Jews to be sinners. [ CAB] In Luke 19:1-10, Jesus befriends them but he never approves of their sins. Tax collectors are symbols of low morality. [ NJBC]

Verse 47: “Gentiles”: Use of this word suggests that Matthew was written for a Jewish Christian audience. [ NJBC]

Verse 48: “perfect”: The Greek word teleios is often translated as mature (in following Christ’s example). In the Qumran literature, a perfect person is one who observes the whole law. [ NJBC] Colossians 3:14 advises “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony”. See also 1 John 4:19. [ NOAB]

A five-stage evolution in biblical thinking on retaliation and love of enemies can be traced:

• unlimited revenge. See Genesis 4:15, 24
• talion or limited revenge. See Deuteronomy 19:16-21
• the silver rule, “... what you hate, do not do to anyone” (Tobit 4:15) or Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you
• the golden rule, “do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12): more positive than the silver rule, reaching out to do good, taking the initiative to create an atmosphere of good will
• loving one’s enemies, an invitation to moral heroism and sanctity.

The last stage is the loftiest level. Is it lacking in ethical sobriety, as its critics have suggested? It can be quite effective, e.g. in Gandhi. It can be no more un-sober than a general strike is. Two questions that remain are:

• Is it the only legitimate rule of conduct for Christians in conflict situations?
• Are the earlier stages of biblical teaching cancelled out?

No, the earlier stages represent a permanent resource for believers when appropriate. Which level of biblical ethics should be employed depends on the moral level of the opponent. Given this range of options, you can govern with the Sermon on the Mount, provided you also include the earlier moral stages which it presupposes. The Sermon is not the whole of biblical revelation but does represent a summit of moral wisdom whose validity proves itself in daily life when wisely applied. [ NJBC]