·
31 John Donne,
Priest, 1631 He is considered the pre-eminent representative
of the metaphysical
poets. His works are noted for their strong, sensual style and
include sonnets, love poems, religious poems, Latin translations, epigrams, elegies, songs, satires and sermons. His poetry is noted for its vibrancy of language and
inventiveness of metaphor,
·
1 Frederick Denison Maurice, Priest, 1872
·
2 James Lloyd
Breck, Priest, 1876
3 Richard, Bishop of Chichester, 1253 also
known as Richard de Wych, is a saint (canonized 1262) who was Bishop of
Chichester.
In Chichester Cathedral a shrine dedicated to Richard had become a
richly decorated centre of pilgrimage. In 1538, during the reign of Henry VIII,
the shrine was plundered and destroyed by order of Thomas Cromwell.
·
·
4 Martin Luther King Jr., Pastor, Civil Rights
Leader, 1968
·
5 Pandita Mary Ramabai, Prophetic Witness and
Evangelist in India, 1922
·
6 Daniel G. C. Wu,
Priest and Missionary among Chinese Americans, 1956
OLD
TESTAMENT: Joshua 5: 9 - 12 (RCL)
Joshua 5: 9a, 10
- 12 (Roman Catholic)
Josh
4:19 (NRSV) The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first
month, and they camped in Gil'gal on the east border of Jericho. 20 Those
twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in
Gil'gal, 21 saying to the Israelites, "When your children ask their
parents in time to come, "What do these stones mean?' 22 then you shall
let your children know, "Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry
ground.' 23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you
until you crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried
up for us until we crossed over, 24 so that all the peoples of the earth may
know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may fear the LORD
your God forever."
9 The
LORD said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of
Egypt." And so that place is called Gil'gal to this day.
10 While
the Israelites were camped in Gil'gal they kept the passover in the evening on
the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. 11 On the day after
the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened
cakes and parched grain. 12 The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of
the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the
land of Ca'naan that year.
PSALM
32 (RCL)
Psal
32:1 (NRSV) Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven,
whose
sin is covered.
2
Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity,
and in
whose spirit there is no deceit.
3
While I kept silence, my body wasted away
through
my groaning all day long.
4 For
day and night your hand was heavy upon me;
my
strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. [Se'lah]
5 Then
I acknowledged my sin to you,
and I
did not hide my iniquity;
I
said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,"
and
you forgave the guilt of my sin. [Se'lah]
6
Therefore let all who are faithful
offer
prayer to you;
at a
time of distress, the rush of mighty waters
shall
not reach them.
7 You
are a hiding place for me;
you
preserve me from trouble;
you
surround me with glad cries of deliverance. [Se'lah]
8 I
will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;
I will
counsel you with my eye upon you.
9 Do
not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,
whose
temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,
else
it will not stay near you.
10
Many are the torments of the wicked,
but
steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.
11 Be
glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous,
and
shout for joy, all you upright in heart.
32 Beati quorum (ECUSA
BCP)
1 Happy
are they whose transgressions are forgiven, *
and
whose sin is put away!
2 Happy
are they to whom the Lord imputes
no guilt, *
and
in whose spirit there is no guile!
3 While
I held my tongue, my bones withered away, *
because
of my groaning all day long.
4 For
your hand was heavy upon me day and night; *
my
moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5 Then
I acknowledged my sin to you, *
and
did not conceal my guilt.
6 I
said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.”
*
Then
you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7 Therefore
all the faithful will make their prayers to you in
time of trouble; *
when
the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8 You
are my hiding-place;
you preserve me
from trouble; *
you
surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9 “I
will instruct you and teach you in the way that you
should go; *
I
will guide you with my eye.
10 Do
not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; *
who
must be fitted with bit and bridle,
or
else they will not stay near you.”
11 Great
are the tribulations of the wicked; *
but
mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord.
12 Be
glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord;
*
shout
for joy, all who are true of heart.
Psalm 34: 1
- 6 (Roman Catholic)
Psal
34:1 (NRSV) I will bless the LORD at all times;
his
praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My
soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let
the humble hear and be glad.
3 O
magnify the LORD with me,
and
let us exalt his name together.
4 I
sought the LORD, and he answered me,
and
delivered me from all my fears.
5 Look
to him, and be radiant;
so
your faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This
poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,
and
was saved from every trouble.
Note: Verse numbering
in Roman Catholic bibles is one greater than the above.
NEW
TESTAMENT: 2 Corinthians 5: 16 - 21 (RCL)
2 Corinthians 5:
17 - 21 (Roman Catholic)
2Cor
5:16 (NRSV) From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of
view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him
no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation:
everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is
from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world
to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the
message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God
is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be
reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so
that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
So he no longer judges anyone by worldly standards (“human point
of view”, v. 16)
as he once did (when he was a Pharisee) in thinking that Jesus was rightly put
to death. He now sees Jesus as the risen one, the reconciler. By “new creation”
(v. 17),
he probably means a new standard of judgement, set by Christ for
the Church, by which its members (“in Christ”) live: they have been radically
changed. In the process of reconciliation, of returning humankind to oneness
with God, he mediates, he tells God’s message of forgiveness to
people. He (the we is editorial) is God’s
representative in the world, God’s agent (“ambassadors”, v. 20).
He does not coerce, but rather entreats, acceptance of God’s offer
of his gift of forgiveness. In v. 21,
Paul does not say made Christ a sinner; he means to bear
our sin : Jesus was sin-less, yet became part of sinful humanity, as
mediator with God – in order that we might attain unity with God.
Verse 13: “if we are beside ourselves”: If we are insane (as some think). Perhaps Paul’s opponents claimed that religious ecstasy validated their ministry [ NJBC] or that they accused him of madness because of his doctrine and zeal. [ JBC]
Verse 14: “love of Christ”: On Christ as the model of authentic existence
(v. 15),
Paul writes in Galatians 2:20: “it
is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now
live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me” and in Romans 8:35-38 “Who
will separate us from the love of Christ? ... I am convinced that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, ... nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. [ NJBC]
Verse 14: The prerequisite for being Christian is death to all that is
hostile to God. In Romans 8:13,
Paul writes: “... if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by
the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live”. [ NJBC]
Verse 14: “all have died”: i.e. live no longer for themselves but for God.
[ NOAB]
Verse 16: “from a human point of view”: For the by worldly
standards interpretation, see also 1 Corinthians 1:26:
“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by
human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth”. Another
interpretation is: humanity in its weakness, temporality and inclination for
self-seeking: in Romans 8:4-5, 12;
Galatians 4:23, 29 (the
allegory of Hagar and Sarah). As a Pharisee, Paul had judged Christ falsely
because of his uncritical acceptance of current Jewish opinion. [ NJBC]
Verse 17: “anyone is in Christ”: On the believing community as Christ,
Paul asks, probably rhetorically, in 1 Corinthians 6:15:
“Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?”. See also 1
Corinthians 8:12; 12:12.
[ NJBC]
Verse 17: “there is”: This is missing from the Greek; “he is” is also
possible. This would mean that Christ is the new creation. If Paul intended
“there is”, the “new creation” is like the new, transformed Jerusalem described
in 1 Enoch 72:1-2
The old order, the relationship to God found in the Old Testament, has been
replaced by the new. Lived acceptance of the new way of being human, as
exemplified by Christ, is a radical change. [ NJBC]
Verse 17: “a new creation”: In apocalyptic Judaism
(see 1 Enoch 72:1-2; 2 Baruch 32:6; Jubilees 4:26; 1QS 4:25)
the “new creation” inaugurated the end-times. 1QS (*Qumran Rule of the
Community) 4:25 says: “For God has sorted them into equal parts until the
appointed end and the new creation. ...” although one scholar translates new
creation as making of the new. [NJBC] Life in Christ is the new sphere
of existence, a totally transformed way of looking at life and the world, into
which one enters through trusting in Christ. [ CAB]
Verse 18: “has given us the ministry of reconciliation”: See Acts 9:4-6 (Paul’s
conversion); 22:10 (Paul
recalls his conversion to the council in Jerusalem); 26:15-18 (before
Agrippa). [ JBC]
Verse 18: “reconciled”: Pauls says in Romans 5:10:
“For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of
his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his
life”. Colossians 1:20 says:
“through him [Christ] God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross”.
[ NJBC]
Verse 19: “world”: Unlike in John, for Paul “world” does not have a
pejorative connotation. [ JBC]
Verse 19: “was reconciling”: The use of the imperfect shows that the
process of reconciliation is considered as taking place throughout Jesus’
earthly life. See also Romans 5:10-11.
On the other hand, “entrusting” is in the aorist, so Paul was entrusted at a
particular point in time. [ JBC]
Verse 19: “reconciliation”: It restores us to authenticity. [ NJBC]
Verse 20: “ambassadors for Christ”: While the word ambassador seems
to be a very suitable description of Paul’s role and work, he generally avoids
the term in his letters because it suggests a position of privilege and
immunity (which he did not enjoy). He uses his authority sparingly: in
Philemon 8-9 he
writes to the master of the slave Onesimus: “though I am bold enough in Christ
to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis
of love” and in Ephesians 6:20,
he (or a follower writing in his name) says “I am an ambassador in chains”. [ Blk2Cor] In 1
Corinthians 1:17,
he tells the Christians at Corinth that God sent him to “proclaim the gospel”
in ways that could be understood by many (“not with eloquent wisdom”) while
avoiding over-simplifying the message to the point of distorting it (“that the
cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power”).
Verse 20: “entreat”: Beg is another translation. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “he made ... no sin”: As Messiah (see Isaiah 53:9; Psalms of Solomon 17:40-43; Testament of Judah 24:1; Testament of Levi 18:9),
Christ was acknowledged as sinless (see Hebrews 4:15;
1 Peter 2:22;
John 8:46;
1 John 3:5),
yet through God’s choice (see Romans 8:3),
he came to stand in that relationship to God which normally is the result of
sin; he became part of sinful humanity. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “to be sin”: Galatians 3:13 says
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us”.
Perhaps “to be sin” means to be sin offering. Romans 8:3 says,
in part, “in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin”; Isaiah 53:10 speaks
of “an offering for sin”. [ NOAB]
God took the initiative in “reconciling the world to himself” (v. 19)
by placing the wholly obedient Jesus under the power of sin so that through him
sinful humans might come into right relationship with God. [ CAB]
Verse 21: “knew”: The Greek word, gnonta, means personal
experience gained through action, not theoretical knowledge. [JBC]
Verse 21: “in him”: The Greek can also be translated as by him.
[ JBC]
Verse 21: “the righteousness of God”: It originates in the divine nature
(see Romans 3:5)
acting to effect pardon or acceptance with God, a relationship that we do not
achieve, but which is God’s gift. In Romans 1:17,
Paul writes “For in it [the good news] the righteousness of God is revealed
through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live
by faith’” (where “righteousness”, Greek dikaiosyne , is
better translated uprightness). [ NOAB]
GOSPEL: Luke 15: 1 - 3, 11b - 32 (RCL)
Luke 15: 1 - 3, 11 - 32 (Roman Catholic)
Luke
15:1 (NRSV) Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen
to him. 2 And the Phar'isees and the scribes were grumbling and saying,
"This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them."
3 So
he told them this parable:
11
Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them
said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the property that will
belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the
younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he
squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a
severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need.
15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who
sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself
with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But
when he came to himself he said, "How many of my father's hired hands have
bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and
go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me
like one of your hired hands." ' 20 So he set off and went to his father.
But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with
compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son
said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.' 22 But the father said to his slaves,
"Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on
his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and
let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.
25
"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the
house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked
what was going on. 27 He replied, "Your brother has come, and your father
has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' 28
Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead
with him. 29 But he answered his father, "Listen! For all these years I
have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your
command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might
celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has
devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!'
31 Then the father said to him, "Son, you are always with me, and all that
is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother
of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"
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Luke 15:1-3,11b-32
The dregs of society (“tax
collectors and sinners”) coming to Jesus causes the religious leaders (“the
Pharisees and the scribes”, v. 2)
to wonder whether Jesus sees anyone as beyond God’s mercy. To explain, Jesus
tells three parables: the Lost Sheep (vv. 4-7),
the Lost Coin (vv. 8-10)
and the Lost (or Prodigal) Son (vv. 11-32).
In all three, the recovery of what was lost is cause for rejoicing. There are
no limits to God’s mercy.
Briefly, the story of the Lost Son
is this: the younger son leaves home and squanders his inheritance (vv. 12-16);
finding himself a hungry outcast resorting to Gentile ways (feeding “pigs”,
v. 15),
he decides to return to his father (vv. 17-19);
his father, who seeks him, welcomes him back (v. 20);
the son confesses, and his father celebrates his return (vv. 21-24);
the elder son returns (v. 25);
he learns the reason for the festivities (v. 26-27);
he accuses his father of favouritism (vv. 28-30);
the father explains the situation to him (vv. 31-32).
In the context of first-century Palestine, several things look out of the
ordinary:
·
for a son to ask his father for his share of the inheritance would be
like a death wish;
·
no older self-respecting Jew would run (v. 20)
to his son;
·
a father would demand a full display of repentance, not the truncated
one of v. 21.
Clearly Jesus tells a somewhat
unrealistic story to make a point. Allegory is at work: each character stands
for someone other than himself: the younger son for the “tax collectors and
sinners” (v. 1),
the elder son for the religious authorities, and the father for God. Jesus
makes three points:
·
the younger son could return home – so all sinners may repent and turn
to God;
·
the father sought the son (he saw him while “still far off”, v. 20)
and offered him reinstatement – so God seeks people out to restore them; and
·
the good brother begrudges his father’s joy over his brother’s return
– so those who are godly should welcome God’s extension of love to the
undeserving.
The parable raises a question: at
the end of the era, will godly people be ready to be joyous in sharing the
Kingdom with reformed sinners and a God who loves them?
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
Verses 1-32: God’s mercy is as foolish as
a shepherd who abandons 99 sheep to save one, as a woman who turns her house
upside down to recover a paltry sum (but see Clipping on
v. 8),
and as a Jewish father who joyfully welcomes home his wastrel son who has
become a Gentile. [ NJBC]
Verse 1: “tax collectors and sinners”: 5:30 tells
us: “The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples,
saying, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’”. See
also 7:34.
[ JBC]
Verses 4-7: The Parable of the Lost Sheep illustrates
God’s concern for those who lack the ability to find him: he seeks them. [ NOAB] Jesus’ audience knew that
a lost sheep simply lies down and will not budge. Matthew 18:12-14 is
a possible parallel, but it lacks “he calls together his friends and
neighbours”.
Verses 8-10: The Parable of the Lost Coin intensifies the
picture of human helplessness and divine concern. [ NOAB] A Palestinian house had a
door and no windows. The woman “does not light a lamp”; she hopes to hear the
coin tinkle.
Verse 8: “silver coins”: The Greek word is drachmas .
A drachma was a day’s wage for a labourer. [ NOAB]
Verses 12-32: This parable plays on the hearers’ knowledge
of two-brother stories, in which the younger brother triumphs over the older
brother(s). Two examples are Esau and Jacob (Genesis 25:27-34; 27:1-26)
and Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 37:1-4).
Jesus doubly reverses expectations:
Verse 12: A father could abdicate before his death and
divide his wealth: see 1 Kings 1-2 (David)
and Sirach 33:19-23.
[JBC] The elder son received twice
as much as the younger: see Deuteronomy 21:17.
[ NOAB]
Verse 13: “dissolute living”: See v. 30 for
the elder son’s story about the younger son’s activities. [ JBC]
Verse 15: To feed pigs was the ultimate indignity for
a Jew. [ NOAB] Pigs
symbolized pagan religion and Roman rule. See 8:26-39 (Jesus
heals the Gerasene demoniac) tells of demons entering pigs. [ NJBC]
Verse 16: “pods”: The fruit of the carob tree. The
younger son was too disgusted to eat with the pigs; no one gave him anything
else. He must have stolen his food. [ JBC]
Verse 18: “I will get up and go to my father”: His
remembrance of his father’s goodness revives his hope and compunction. [NJBC]
Verse 18: “heaven”: i.e. God [ JBC]
Verse 22: Jesus’ hearers would have recalled the story
in Genesis 41,
especially v. 42 : “Removing
his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph's hand; he arrayed
him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck”. [JBC] A “robe” was a festal garment. A
“ring” was a symbol of authority. Only free people (not slaves) wore
“sandals”; slaves went bare-foot. [ NOAB]
Verse 23: “fatted calf”: Meat was rarely eaten. [ NJBC]
Verse 24: “was dead and is alive again”: See also
Ephesians 2:1-5 (“...
God, ... out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead
through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ...”) and
Luke 9:60.
[ NOAB]
Verses 26-32: Jesus shows the difference between God’s
loving kindness and self-centred complacency that not only denies love, but
cannot understand it. [ NOAB]
Verses 29-30: The elder son omits the polite address,
“Father”, which the younger son uses in v. 21.
[ JBC] Further, he cannot
bring himself to acknowledge the younger son as his brother: he calls him “this
son of yours”. [ NJBC]
Verse 31: “Son”: The Greek word, meaning child,
shows the father’s affection for the elder son. [ JBC]
Verse 32: “was dead and has come to life”: This makes
one think of Jesus’ passion and resurrection. although it may be a reference
to Abraham’s (almost) sacrifice of Isaac. Jesus, by his union with human
nature, has become the wayward son! [JBC]
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
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