3 John and Charles Wesley, Priests, 1791, 1788 Charles
Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of
the Methodist movement,
most widely known for writing about 6,500 hymns.[1]
Wesley
was born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, the son of Anglican
cleric and poet Samuel Wesley and his wife Susanna.
He was a younger brother of Methodist founder John Wesley and
Anglican cleric Samuel Wesley the Younger, and he became
the father of musician Samuel Wesley and
grandfather of musician Samuel Sebastian Wesley.
·
·
4 Paul Cuffee,
Witness to the Faith among the Shinnecock, 1812
·
6 William W. Mayo, 1911, and Charles Menninger,
1953, and their sons, pioneers in medicine
7 Perpetua &
Felicity and their Companion Martyrs, Martyrs at Carthage, 203 Perpetua
and Felicity (believed to have died in 203 AD) were Christian martyrsof
the 3rd century. Vibia Perpetua was a married noblewoman,
said to have been 22 years old at the time of her death, and mother of an
infant she was nursing. Felicity, a slave imprisoned with her and pregnant at
the time, was martyred with her. They were put to death along with others
at Carthage in
the Roman province of Africa.
·
·
8 Geoffrey
Anketell Studdert Kennedy, Priest, 1929
·
9 Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, c. 394 Gregory lacked the administrative ability of his brother
Basil or the contemporary influence of Gregory of Nazianzus, but he was an
erudite theologian who made
significant contributions to the doctrine of the Trinity and the Nicene Creed.
OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus
34: 29 - 35 (RCL)
Exod 34:29 (NRSV)
Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the
two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of
his face shone because he had been talking with God. 30 When Aaron and all the
Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to
come near him. 31 But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of
the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. 32 Afterward all
the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had
spoken with him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses had finished speaking with them,
he put a veil on his face; 34 but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to
speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came
out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, 35 the Israelites
would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses
would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)
27: 5 - 8 (Roman Catholic)
Sir 27:5 (NRSV)
The kiln tests the potter's vessels;
so the test of a
person is in his conversation.
6 Its fruit
discloses the cultivation of a tree;
so a person's
speech discloses the cultivation of his mind.
7 Do not praise
anyone before he speaks,
for this is the
way people are tested.
8 If you pursue
justice, you will attain it
and wear it like a
glorious robe.
PSALM 99 (RCL)
Psal 99:1 (NRSV)
The LORD is king; let the peoples tremble!
He sits enthroned
upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!
2 The LORD is
great in Zion;
he is exalted over
all the peoples.
3 Let them praise
your great and awesome name.
Holy is he!
4 Mighty King,
lover of justice,
you have
established equity;
you have executed
justice
and righteousness
in Jacob.
5 Extol the LORD
our God;
worship at his
footstool.
Holy is he!
6 Moses and Aaron
were among his priests,
Samuel also was
among those who called on his name.
They cried to the
LORD, and he answered them.
7 He spoke to them
in the pillar of cloud;
they kept his
decrees,
and the statutes
that he gave them.
8 O LORD our God,
you answered them;
you were a
forgiving God to them,
but an avenger of
their wrongdoings.
9 Extol the LORD
our God,
and worship at his
holy mountain;
for the LORD our
God is holy.
99 Dominus regnavit (ECUSA BCP)
1 The
Lord is King;
let the
people tremble; *
he is enthroned upon the cherubim;
let the earth shake.
2 The
Lord is great in Zion; *
he is high above all peoples.
3 Let
them confess his Name, which is great and awesome; *
he is the Holy One.
4 "O
mighty King, lover of justice,
you have
established equity; *
you have executed justice and righteousness in
Jacob."
5 Proclaim
the greatness of the Lord our God
and
fall down before his footstool; *
he is the Holy One.
6 Moses
and Aaron among his priests,
and
Samuel among those who call upon his Name, *
they called upon the Lord, and he answered
them.
7 He
spoke to them out of the pillar of cloud; *
they kept his testimonies and the decree that
he gave them.
8 "O
Lord our God, you answered them indeed; *
you were a God who forgave them,
yet punished them for their evil deeds."
9 Proclaim
the greatness of the Lord our God
and
worship him upon his holy hill; *
for the Lord our God is the
Holy One.
Psalm 92: 1
- 2, 12 - 15 (Roman Catholic)
Psal 92:1 (NRSV)
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
to sing praises to
your name, O Most High;
2 to declare your
steadfast love in the morning,
and your
faithfulness by night,
12 The righteous
flourish like the palm tree,
and grow like a
cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are
planted in the house of the LORD;
they flourish in
the courts of our God.
14 In old age they
still produce fruit;
they are always
green and full of sap,
15 showing that
the LORD is upright;
he is my rock, and
there is no unrighteousness in him.
Note: Verse numbering
in Roman Catholic Bibles is one higher than the above.
NEW TESTAMENT: 2
Corinthians 3: 12 - 4:2 (RCL)
2Cor 3:12 (NRSV)
Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13 not like
Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at
the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14 But their minds were
hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old
covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside.
15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their
minds; 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord
is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And
all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though
reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one
degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. 4:1
Therefore, since it is by God's mercy that we are engaged in this ministry, we
do not lose heart. 2 We have renounced the shameful things that one hides; we
refuse to practice cunning or to falsify God's word; but by the open statement
of the truth we commend ourselves to the conscience of everyone in the sight of
God.
Paul interprets the “veil” ( 3:13)
in Exodus as signifying the limited duration of the old covenant. The new
covenant in Christ sets aside the old. The thinking
of Israelites was frozen in time (“hardened”, 3:14),
and it still is: when they hear the Law read (“old covenant”, 3:14;
“Moses”, 3:15),
they only see God’s plan for saving people dimly, i.e. through a “veil”, but
when one is converted (“turns to the Lord”, 3:16),
one sees the plan clearly. In Judaism and Christianity, the motive
force is the spirit, but for us Christ and the Holy Spirit are one
(“the Lord is the Spirit”, 3:17),
and in Christ we have “freedom” from the Law: as we become more and more
Christ-like, we are more and more able to render to God the honour
(“glory”, 3:18)
he is due, with the Spirit’s help. In 10:9-11,
Paul’s accusers claim that he is strong on words but weak on action. He now
retorts: “by God’s mercy” ( 4:1)
he has turned from persecuting Christians to “this ministry” which he does with
“great boldness” (3:12),
not losing heart. Unlike his accusers, he has cast aside his horrible hidden
deeds of the past, namely unscrupulous acts and misrepresentations of the
gospel ( 4:2).
He speaks openly, appealing to all to authentically discern the truth.
GOSPEL: Luke 9: 28 -
36, (37 - 43a) (RCL)
Luke 9:26 (NRSV)
Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be
ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy
angels. 27 But truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not
taste death before they see the kingdom of God."
28 Now about eight
days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went
up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his
face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two
men, Moses and Eli'jah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were
speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32
Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had
stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as
they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to
be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for
Eli'jah"--not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud
came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud.
35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, "This is my Son, my Chosen;
listen to him!" 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And
they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.
37 On the next
day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 Just
then a man from the crowd shouted, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son;
he is my only child. 39 Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he
shrieks. It convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will
scarcely leave him. 40 I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."
41 Jesus answered, "You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer
must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." 42 While he
was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus
rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43
And all were astounded at the greatness of God.
Jesus has predicted his
suffering, death and resurrection to his disciples; he has called on them to
“take up their cross” (v. 23),
has warned that those who hear the gospel but fail to trust in it will be
condemned, and has promised that some present will see the kingdom of God. Now
he and the inner circle of disciples ascend “the mountain” (v. 28).
In Luke, Jesus always prays before an important event.
The Revised Common
Lectionary says that the reading extends to the end of v. 43;
however, it would then end in the middle of a sentence.
The parallels are:
Comments: An aura of
unnatural brightness is linked with mystical appearances in Exodus and Acts: The references are Exodus 34:29-35 and
Acts 9:3 (Paul’s
vision on the road to Damascus). Other references are Nahum 3:3;
Ezekiel 1:4, 7;
Daniel 10:6 (particularly
in the Septuagint translation).
[ BlkLk]
Verse 28: “about eight days after”: Luke may be
intending the octave day of the Feast of Tabernacles.
During this feast, the whole city was brightly illuminated. [ JBC]
Verse 28: “these sayings”: i.e. those in vv. 23-27.
Luke intends to link Jesus’ prediction of the coming of the Kingdom with the
Transfiguration. [ NJBC]
Verse 28: “went up on the mountain to pray”: For prayer
as part of many recorded momentous events in Jesus’ life, see, for example,
Mark 1:35;
Luke 3:21 (the
baptism of Jesus); 6:12 (Jesus
Chooses the Twelve Apostles); 9:18 (Peter’s
recognition that Jesus is the Messiah); 11:1 (the
Lord’s Prayer); 22:21-46 (Jesus
Predicts Peter's Denial). [ NOAB]
Verse 29: “the appearance of his face was changed”:
Mark 9:2 has
“transfigured”. BlkLk suggests
that Luke avoids the apparent metamorphosis lest his Hellenic readers think in
terms of human deities.
Verses 30-31: On the road to Emmaus, in 24:26-27,
Jesus asks: “‘Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things
and then enter into his glory?’. Then beginning with Moses and all the
prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the
scriptures”. “Glory” is associated with the risen and heavenly life. [ NJBC]
Verse 30: “Two men”: There are two similar appearances:
- at the Resurrection, in 24:4:
“While they [the women who had come from Galilee] were perplexed about
this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them”
- after the Ascension, in Acts 1:10:
“While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two
men in white robes stood by them”. [ JBC]
Verse 31: “departure”: God’s secret burial of Moses (per
the Septuagint translation
of Deuteronomy 34:6)
led to the tradition that Moses did not die, but rather ascended. Elijah’s
taking up into heaven is mentioned in 2 Kings 2:1-12.
[ CAB] Joshua and Jesus are the
same name. As Joshua succeeded Moses, so Jesus does now. [ BlkLk]
Verse 32: “weighed down with sleep”: This suggests that
the Transfiguration took place at night. [ NOAB]
However, BlkLkoffers a second
alternative: Luke may be seeking a way of excusing Peter’s strange suggestion
in v. 33 (although
it can also be seen as an attempt to delay the departure of Moses and Elijah).
Verse 33: “three dwellings”: For the Feast of Tabernacles (“booths”),
see Zechariah 14:16.
[ JBC]
Verse 35: “This is my Son ...”: The words at Jesus’
baptism, in 3:21-22,
are “‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased’”. [ NJBC]
Verse 35: “Chosen”: The Greek word has much the same
meaning as that translated Beloved, found in the parallel passages.
See also John 12:28-30.
[ NOAB] Both titles indicate an
act of will rather than of feeling. CAB suggests
that “my Chosen” refers to the concept of Israel in Isaiah 42:1:
“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have
put my spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.” The voice
identifies Jesus as the agent of the new-covenant people.
In Psalm 106:20,
Moses is spoken of as “his chosen one”. The scoffers at the cross refer to
Jesus as God’s “chosen one”: see 23:35.
[ BlkLk]
Verse 35: “listen to him”: Perhaps a reference to
the prophet like Moses of Deuteronomy 18:15,
whom the Israelites are to heed. Here the meaning is that the disciples are
commanded to be attentive to this new phase in God’s revelation of who the Son
is: one who returns to God via the cross. The implications for the disciples of
Jesus’ journey to the cross will be spelt out in 9:51-19:27.
[ NJBC]
Verse 38: “I beg you to look at my son”: See also 1
Samuel 1:11 (Hannah’s
vow) and Luke 1:48 (the Magnificat). [ NJBC]
Verses 39,42: Epilepsy was thought to be due to the
influence of the moon, a demonic force: Psalm 121:6 comforts:
“The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night”. [ NOAB]
Verse 41: “faithless and perverse generation”: Whom does
Jesus address? Neither the boy’s father nor the disciples have shown lack of
faith, and neither have turned against him, so it seems that Jesus speaks of
general human infidelity and, in particular, that of his contemporaries.
Reading ahead, we know that Jesus’ deeds of mercy will be greeted with
disbelief, and that this will eventually lead to the cross. [ NJBC]
Verses 43-44: All Jesus’ mighty deeds must be seen from the
vantage point of the cross. [ NJBC]
Verse 44: “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into
human hands”: Jesus has predicted this in the verses preceding our reading: see
v. 22.
At the empty tomb, the two men remind the women of this prophecy. [ NJBC]
Verse 45: Only after Jesus’ resurrection and his gift of
insight (his interpretation given on the road to Emmaus) will the disciples
understand the meaning of his cross. [ NJBC]
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
An aura of unnatural
brightness is linked with mystical appearances in Exodus and Acts; “dazzling
white” (v. 29)
is a symbol of transcendence. In Jewish tradition, both “Moses and Elijah”
(v. 30)
were taken into heaven without dying. Jesus’ agenda is in accord with the Law
and the prophets; he is doing God’s will. “Two men” also appear at the
resurrection and at the ascension. Jesus’ “departure” (v. 31, exodos in
Greek) is his journey to Jerusalem and his passage from this world. Peter
clearly doesn’t understand; perhaps he thinks he is witnessing a super Feast of
Tabernacles (“dwellings”, v. 33)
– a time when the whole city was brightly illuminated. The “cloud” (v. 34)
is a symbol of God’s presence; the words from it recall Jesus’ baptism, and add
“listen to him!” (v. 35).
Vv. 37-43a,
the healing of an epileptic child, present three contrasts:
·
from the mountain to the needy world;
·
Jesus’ great power over evil (vs. the disciples’); and
·
Jesus’ fidelity to God vs. general human infidelity.
The child is in miserable
condition. In healing him, Jesus shows God’s “greatness” to “all” (v. 43).
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
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