·
27 Cyril, Bishop of Alexandria,
Teacher of the Faith, 444 from 412 to 444. He
was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within
the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote
extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the late-4th and 5th centuries. He was a central
figure in the Council of Ephesus in 431, which led to the deposition of Nestorius as Patriarch of Constantinople.
·
28 Irenæus, Bishop of Lyon,
Teacher of the Faith, c.200 was a Greek cleric noted
for his role in guiding and expanding Christiancommunities in what is now the south of France and, more
widely, for the development of Christian theology by combatting heresy and defining orthodoxy.
OLD TESTAMENT: 1 Samuel 17: (1a, 4 - 11, 19 - 23) 32 -
49 (RCL)
1Sam 17:1 (NRSV)
Now the Philis'tines gathered their armies for battle;
4 And there came
out from the camp of the Philis'tines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose
height was six cubits and a span. 5 He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and
he was armed with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels
of bronze. 6 He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung
between his shoulders. 7 The shaft of his spear was like a weaver's beam, and
his spear's head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer
went before him. 8 He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why have
you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philis'tine, and are you not
servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. 9
If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but
if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve
us." 10 And the Philis'tine said, "Today I defy the ranks of Israel!
Give me a man, that we may fight together." 11 When Saul and all Israel
heard these words of the Philis'tine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.
19 Now Saul, and
they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of E'lah, fighting with the
Philis'tines. 20 David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper,
took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the
encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war
cry. 21 Israel and the Philis'tines drew up for battle, army against army. 22
David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks,
and went and greeted his brothers. 23 As he talked with them, the champion, the
Philis'tine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the
Philis'tines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.
32 David said to Saul, "Let no one's
heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this
Philis'tine." 33 Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against
this Philis'tine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a
warrior from his youth." 34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant
used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took
a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb
from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw,
strike it down, and kill it. 36 Your servant has killed both lions and bears;
and this uncircumcised Philis'tine shall be like one of them, since he has
defied the armies of the living God." 37 David said, "The LORD, who
saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me
from the hand of this Philis'tine." So Saul said to David, "Go, and
may the LORD be with you!"
38 Saul clothed
David with his armor; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a
coat of mail. 39 David strapped Saul's sword over the armor, and he tried in
vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, "I
cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them." So David removed them.
40 Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the
wadi, and put them in his shepherd's bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his
hand, and he drew near to the Philis'tine.
41 The Philis'tine
came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. 42 When
the Philis'tine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a
youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. 43 The Philis'tine said to David,
"Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philis'tine
cursed David by his gods. 44 The Philis'tine said to David, "Come to me,
and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of
the field." 45 But David said to the Philis'tine, "You come to me
with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of
hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This very day
the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off
your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philis'tine army this very
day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all
the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47 and that all this assembly
may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the
LORD's and he will give you into our hand."
48 When the
Philis'tine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line
to meet the Philis'tine. 49 David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone,
slung it, and struck the Philis'tine on his forehead; the stone sank into his
forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.
Job 38: 1 - 11 (alt. for RCL but not Can. BAS)
Job 38: 1, 8 - 11 (Roman Catholic)
Job 38:1 (NRSV) Then the LORD answered Job out of
the whirlwind:
2 "Who is
this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
3 Gird up your
loins like a man,
I will question
you, and you shall declare to me.
4 "Where were
you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you
have understanding.
5 Who determined
its measurements--surely you know!
Or who stretched
the line upon it?
6 On what were its
bases sunk,
or who laid its
cornerstone
7 when the morning
stars sang together
and all the
heavenly beings shouted for joy?
8 "Or who
shut in the sea with doors
when it burst out
from the womb?--
9 when I made the
clouds its garment,
and thick darkness
its swaddling band,
10 and prescribed
bounds for it,
and set bars and
doors,
11 and said,
"Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall
your proud waves be stopped'?
16 "Have you
entered into the springs of the sea,
or walked in the
recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates
of death been revealed to you,
or have you seen
the gates of deep darkness?
18 Have you
comprehended the expanse of the earth?
Declare, if you
know all this.
1 Samuel 17: 57 - 18:
5, 18:10 - 16 (alt. to 1 Samuel reading
above, for RCL)
1Sam 17:57 (NRSV)
On David's return from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him
before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand. 58 Saul said to him,
"Whose son are you, young man?" And David answered, "I am the
son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."
18:1 When David
had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of
David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 2 Saul took him that day and
would not let him return to his father's house. 3 Then Jonathan made a covenant
with David, because he loved him as his own soul. 4 Jonathan stripped himself
of the robe that he was wearing, and gave it to David, and his armor, and even
his sword and his bow and his belt. 5 David went out and was successful
wherever Saul sent him; as a result, Saul set him over the army. And all the
people, even the servants of Saul, approved.
10 The next day an
evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while
David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his
hand; 11 and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, "I will pin David to
the wall." But David eluded him twice.
12 Saul was afraid
of David, because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul
removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and
David marched out and came in, leading the army. 14 David had success in all
his undertakings; for the LORD was with him. 15 When Saul saw that he had great
success, he stood in awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David; for
it was he who marched out and came in leading them.
PSALM 9: 9 - 20 (RCL - goes with the Goliath reading)
Psal 9:9 (NRSV)
The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,
a stronghold in
times of trouble.
10 And those who
know your name put their trust in you,
for you, O LORD,
have not forsaken those who seek you.
11 Sing praises to
the LORD, who dwells in Zion.
Declare his deeds
among the peoples.
12 For he who
avenges blood is mindful of them;
he does not forget
the cry of the afflicted.
13 Be gracious to
me, O LORD.
See what I suffer
from those who hate me;
you are the one
who lifts me up from the gates of death,
14 so that I may
recount all your praises,
and, in the gates
of daughter Zion,
rejoice in your
deliverance.
15 The nations
have sunk in the pit that they made;
in the net that
they hid has their own foot been caught.
16 The LORD has
made himself known, he has executed judgment;
the wicked are
snared in the work of their own hands. [Higgai'on. Se'lah]
17 The wicked
shall depart to She'ol,
all the nations
that forget God.
18 For the needy
shall not always be forgotten,
nor the hope of
the poor perish forever.
19 Rise up, O
LORD! Do not let mortals prevail;
let the nations be
judged before you.
20 Put them in
fear, O LORD;
let the nations
know that they are only human. [Se'lah]
9 Confitebor tibi (ECUSA
BCP)
9 The
Lord will be a refuge for the
oppressed, *
a
refuge in time of trouble.
10 Those
who know your Name will put their trust in you, *
for
you never forsake those who seek you, O Lord.
11 Sing
praise to the Lord who dwells in
Zion; *
proclaim
to the peoples the things he has done.
12 The
Avenger of blood will remember them; *
he
will not forget the cry of the afflicted.
13 Have
pity on me, O Lord; *
see
the misery I suffer from those who hate me,
O you
who lift me up from the gate of death;
14 So
that I may tell of all your praises
and rejoice in your
salvation *
in
the gates of the city of Zion.
15 The
ungodly have fallen into the pit they dug, *
and
in the snare they set is their own foot caught.
16 The
Lord is known by his acts of
justice; *
the
wicked are trapped in the works of their own hands.
17 The
wicked shall be given over to the grave, *
and
also all the people that forget God.
18 For
the needy shall not always be forgotten, *
and
the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever.
19 Rise
up, O Lord, let not the ungodly
have the upper hand; *
let
them be judged before you.
20 Put
fear upon them, O Lord; *
let
the ungodly know they are but mortal.
Psalm 133 (alt. for RCL - goes with the Saul / David
reading)
Psal 133:1 (NRSV)
How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live
together in unity!
2 It is like the
precious oil on the head,
running down upon
the beard,
on the beard of
Aaron,
running down over
the collar of his robes.
3 It is like the
dew of Hermon,
which falls on the
mountains of Zion.
For there the LORD
ordained his blessing,
life forevermore.
133 Ecce, quam bonum! (ECUSA
BCP)
1 Oh,
how good and pleasant it is, *
when
brethren live together in unity!
2 It
is like fine oil upon the head *
that
runs down upon the beard,
3 Upon
the beard of Aaron, *
and
runs down upon the collar of his robe.
4 It
is like the dew of Hermon *
that
falls upon the hills of Zion.
5 For
there the Lord has ordained the
blessing: *
life
for evermore.
Psalm 107: 23 - 26, 28
- 31 (Roman Catholic)
Psalm 107: 1 - 3, 23 -
32 (alt. for RCL - goes with Job
reading)
Psal 107:1 (NRSV)
O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast
love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed
of the LORD say so,
those he redeemed
from trouble
3 and gathered in
from the lands,
from the east and
from the west,
from the north and
from the south.
23 Some went down
to the sea in ships,
doing business on
the mighty waters;
24 they saw the
deeds of the LORD,
his wondrous works
in the deep.
25 For he commanded
and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up
the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up
to heaven, they went down to the depths;
their courage
melted away in their calamity;
27 they reeled and
staggered like drunkards,
and were at their
wits' end.
28 Then they cried
to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought
them out from their distress;
29 he made the
storm be still,
and the waves of
the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were
glad because they had quiet,
and he brought
them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank
the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wonderful
works to humankind.
32 Let them extol
him in the congregation of the people,
and praise him in
the assembly of the elders.
107 (ECUSA
BCP)
1 Give
thanks to the Lord, for he is
good, *
and
his mercy endures for ever.
2 Let
all those whom the Lord has
redeemed proclaim *
that
he redeemed them from the hand of the foe.
3 He
gathered them out of the lands; *
from
the east and from the west,
from
the north and from the south.
23 Some
went down to the sea in ships *
and
plied their trade in deep waters;
24 They
beheld the works of the Lord *
and
his wonders in the deep.
25 Then
he spoke, and a stormy wind arose, *
which
tossed high the waves of the sea.
26 They
mounted up to the heavens and fell back to the depths; *
their
hearts melted because of their peril.
27 They
reeled and staggered like drunkards *
and were
at their wits’ end.
28 Then
they cried to the Lord in their
trouble, *
and
he delivered them from their distress.
29 He
stilled the storm to a whisper *
and
quieted the waves of the sea.
30 Then
were they glad because of the calm, *
and
he brought them to the harbor they were bound for.
31 Let
them give thanks to the Lord for
his mercy *
and
the wonders he does for his children.
32 Let
them exalt him in the congregation of the people *
and
praise him in the council of the elders.
NEW TESTAMENT: 2 Corinthians 6: 1 - 13 (RCL)
2 Cor 6:1 (NRSV)
As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God
in vain. 2 For he says,
"At an
acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of
salvation I have helped you."
See, now is the
acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! 3 We are putting no obstacle
in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as
servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great
endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments,
riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience,
kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, 7 truthful speech, and the power of
God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8
in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as
impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying,
and see--we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet
always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet
possessing everything.
11 We have spoken
frankly to you Corinthians; our heart is wide open to you. 12 There is no
restriction in our affections, but only in yours. 13 In return--I speak as to
children--open wide your hearts also.
h/t Montreal Anglican
They have laid everything (their innermost thoughts) on the table
to the Church (v. 11).
He loves without limits all at Corinth – even his opponents who do not love
him. May his critics grow up (“children”, v. 13)
and imitate his love.
2 Corinthians 6:1-13
Verse 1: Human cooperation is essential if the power of
the gospel is to act effectively. In 1 Corinthians 15:10,
Paul says: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has
not been in vain”. The word translated “in vain” is kenos, meaning
(in Paul’s usage) non-productive. [ NJBC] Note also 1
Corinthians 1:17:
“For Christ did not send me to baptise but to proclaim the gospel ... so that
the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power”. Emptied here
is kenou. (The REB translates
this clause lest the cross of Christ be robbed of its effect .)
In 1 Corinthians 10:1-13,
Paul says that being baptized and sharing in the Lord’s Supper alone do not
assure us of salvation: we also need to be productive (in spreading the good
news).
Verse 2: “have listened” and “have helped” are in the
prophetic perfect. Isaiah 49:8 is
a verse in one of the Servant
Songs. [JBC]
Verses 3-7: Paul’s ministry is characterized not by
success by human standards, but by hardship – and virtues which God bestows
through his power at work through the apostles. [ CAB] Paul’s self-recommendation is
the antithesis of that of his opponents (see 5:12);
he stresses suffering (see 4:10-11)
and internal attitudes, not external trappings of spiritual power. [NJBC]
Verse 4: See also 11:23-29:
“Are they ministers of Christ? I am talking like a madman – I am a better one:
with far greater labours, far more imprisonments, with countless floggings, and
often near death ...”. [ NOAB]
Verses 4-5: What Paul has endured. The words in Greek
translated “afflictions” and “calamities” have similar meanings. V. 5a is
a list of “afflictions/calamities”: (not all are recorded in the New
Testament):
- “beatings” – with rods, a Roman punishment (see
Acts 16:23),
and stoning (see Acts 14:19)
- “imprisonments” (see Acts 16:22-23)
- “riots” – i.e. mob action (see Acts 14:5, 19; 17:5; 18:12; 19:23)
[ JBC]
“Hardships”:
- “labours” – tiring work Paul has had to do to fulfill
his basic needs, as a tentmaker (see 1 Thessalonians 2:9,
2 Thessalonians 3:8,
Acts 18:3,
1 Corinthians 4:12)
- “sleepless nights” – see 2 Corinthians 11:27 and
2 Thessalonians 3:8
- “hunger” – he has had little to eat, because of his way
of life [ JBC]
Verses 6-7: He has endured them through gifts of the
Spirit:
- “purity” – integrity, holiness of life
- “knowledge” – of the gospel and how to apply it to
concrete situations (see 1 Corinthians 14:6 and
Romans 15:14)
- “patience” – acceptance of the shortcomings of others
- “kindness” – his attitude towards those with
shortcomings (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-22)
- “holiness of spirit” – godliness
- “truthful speech” – a quality his opponents definitely
lack [ JBC]
He has received these
gifts “in the power of God” – Paul’s success is from God, not himself (see also
1 Corinthians 2:4,
2 Corinthians 2:17, 4:2)
[ JBC]
Verse 9: “dying, and see – we are alive”: This is a
summary of 4:7-5:10.
Verse 10: “sorrowful”: Paul has refused help from the
Christians at Corinth because “friends who came from Macedonia” had already
helped him sufficiently (see 11:7-11).
He did not wish to burden the Christians at Corinth with a request for support
(see 12:14-18).
Verse 13: “children” : In 1 Corinthians 13:11,
Paul writes: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish
ways”.
2 Corinthians is a
composite of several letters. In 7:2-13,
Paul says that he has learnt through Titus that his letter (the one we are
reading) has led his critics to a change of heart, that they desire to correct
the problems in the community. They have developed obedience and a sense of
awe, realizing what God is doing amongst them through the apostle and his aides
GOSPEL: Mark 4: 35 - 41 (all)
Mark 4:35 (NRSV)
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to
the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them
in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm
arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being
swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him
up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"
39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be
still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to
them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" 41 And they were
filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that
even the wind and the sea obey him?"
After teaching from a boat, with the crowds along the shore, he
now suggests to the disciples that they “go across to the other side” (v. 35),
to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. A flotilla of boats follow, but
they scatter before the storm. (He is “just as he was”, v. 36,
in the same posture as earlier, in the boat.) Squalls (“windstorm”, v. 37)
are common on the Sea of Galilee, for the hills around it are high. Jesus is
“in the stern”, v. 38,
on the helmsman’s seat, well above the waves. He is “asleep”: he has complete
confidence in God. The disciples see him as “teacher”; they do not yet know him
fully. Jesus is awoken and rebukes (v. 39)
the wind – as though it is a demon (see 1:25).
To ancients, the sea symbolized the powers of chaos and evil. Jesus commands it
to be still: only God can control nature. He castigates the disciples (v. 40):
either they lack faith in God (do not follow Jesus’ example of trust in him) or
in him (as a worker of wonders). Their question in v. 41 is
an implicit confession of Jesus’ divinity: the sea obeys him as it does God in
the Old Testament (Genesis 1:2).
Jesus’ power extends even to power over natural disasters, then thought to be
the work of the devil.
Jesus saves the lives of
the disciples and demonstrates the power over all creation granted to him by
the Father.
This is the first of
four stories showing Jesus’ ability to act in ways beyond human ability:
- 4:35-41:
(this story): he has power over evil (Satan) in nature
- 5:1-20:
In exorcising a demon, he defeats possession by the devil
- 5:25-34:
In healing the woman with vaginal bleeding, he demonstrates his power over
disease
- 5:21-24, 35-43:
In healing Jairus’ daughter, he shows power over death. [ NJBC]
Verse 38: “asleep”: A sign of his complete confidence in
God. Jesus may fulfil Psalm 4:8 and
Proverbs 3:24-26.
[ NJBC]
Verse 38: “Teacher”: For other uses of such titles as
expressions of the disciples’ attitude toward Jesus, see also Matthew 17:4 (the
Transfiguration); Mark 9:5; 11:21 (Jesus
curses the fig tree); 14:45 (Judas);
Luke 8:24; 17:13 (Jesus
cleanses ten lepers); John 1:38 (the
first disciples). [ NOAB]
Verse 38: “do you not care ...”: Both Matthew and Luke
soften this question. [ NJBC]
Verse 39: For God alone as ruler of the sea, of chaos,
see Psalms 74:13-14; 89:9 (There,
“Rahab” is a mythical monster symbolizing the powers of chaos.) [ NJBC]
Verse 39: “Peace! Be still!”: A similar formula in 1:25 (where
Jesus performs an exorcism) suggests that here Jesus is manifesting control
over the powers of evil. [ NJBC]
Verse 39: “dead calm”: This shows Jesus’ complete and
effective action over evil. [ NJBC]
Verse 39: God’s work in creation is the conquest of the
sea or of the sea dragon (see Genesis 1:2;
Psalm 89:9;
Job 9:8; 26:12-13)
and is parallelled by the deliverance of Israel (see Psalm 74:12-14;
Isaiah 51:9; 63:12-13;
Exodus 15:8).
In Psalm 107:23-31,
God is portrayed as stilling a storm. [ NJBC]
Verse 40: “faith”: Faith trusts God to achieve his
purpose, even through apparent destruction. See also Matthew 6:25-33; 10:38;
Mark 14:35-36 (Garden
of Gethsemane). [ NOAB]
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