·
1 Harriet Beecher Stowe,
Writer and Prophetic Witness, 1896 and Pauli Murray, Lawyer, Poet, Author, Activist,
Priest (First African-American Woman ordained in Episcopal Church), 1985
·
2 Walter Rauschenbusch,
1918, Washington Gladden,
1918, and Jacob Riis, 1914,
Prophetic Witnesses
·
4 Independence
Day
·
6 Jan Hus, Prophetic Witness and Martyr, 1415 was a Czechtheologian,
philosopher, master, dean, and rector[3] of the Charles University in Prague who became a
church reformer, an inspirer of Hussitism, a key predecessor to Protestantism and a seminal
figure in the Bohemian Reformation.
11 Benedict of Nursia,
Abbot of Monte Cassino, c. 540 a Christian saint, is venerated in
the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Anglican Communion and Old Catholic Churches.[3] He
is a patron saint of Europe.[4]
Benedict
founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, Lazio,
Italy (about 40 miles (64 km) to the east of Rome), before moving to Monte Cassino in
the mountains of southern Italy.
·
OLD TESTAMENT: 2 Kings
2: 1 - 2, 6 - 14 (RCL)
2Kin 2:1 (NRSV)
Now when the LORD was about to take Eli'jah up to heaven by a whirlwind,
Eli'jah and Eli'sha were on their way from Gil'gal. 2 Eli'jah said to Eli'sha,
"Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Beth'el." But Eli'sha
said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave
you." So they went down to Beth'el.
6 Then Eli'jah
said to him, "Stay here; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan." But
he said, "As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave
you." So the two of them went on. 7 Fifty men of the company of prophets
{Heb [sons of the prophets]} also went, and stood at some distance from them,
as they both were standing by the Jordan. 8 Then Eli'jah took his mantle and
rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to
the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.
9 When they had
crossed, Eli'jah said to Eli'sha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I
am taken from you." Eli'sha said, "Please let me inherit a double share
of your spirit." 10 He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet,
if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it
will not." 11 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and
horses of fire separated the two of them, and Eli'jah ascended in a whirlwind
into heaven. 12 Eli'sha kept watching and crying out, "Father, father! The
chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" But when he could no longer see him,
he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
13 He picked up
the mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the
bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Eli'jah that had fallen from him,
and struck the water, saying, "Where is the LORD, the God of
Eli'jah?" When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one
side and to the other, and Eli'sha went over.
1 Kings 19: 15 - 16, 19
- 21 (alt. for RCL)
1 Kings 19: 16b, 19 -
21 (Roman Catholic)
1Kin 19:15 (NRSV)
Then the LORD said to him [i. e., Elijah], "Go, return on your way to the
wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Haz'ael as king over
Ar'am. 16 Also you shall anoint Je'hu son of Nim'shi as king over Israel; and
you shall anoint Eli'sha son of Sha'phat of A'bel-meho'lah as prophet in your
place.
19 So he set out
from there, and found Eli'sha son of Sha'phat, who was plowing. There were
twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Eli'jah passed
by him and threw his mantle over him. 20 He left the oxen, ran after Eli'jah,
and said, "Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow
you." Then Eli'jah said to him, "Go back again; for what have I done
to you?" 21 He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and
slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and
gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Eli'jah, and
became his servant.
PSALM 77: 1 - 2, 11 -
20 (RCL)
Psal 77:1 (NRSV) I
cry aloud to God,
aloud to God, that
he may hear me.
2 In the day of my
trouble I seek the Lord;
in the night my
hand is stretched out without wearying;
my soul refuses to
be comforted.
11 I will call to
mind the deeds of the LORD;
I will remember
your wonders of old.
12 I will meditate
on all your work,
and muse on your
mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O
God, is holy.
What god is so
great as our God?
14 You are the God
who works wonders;
you have displayed
your might among the peoples.
15 With your
strong arm you redeemed your people,
the descendants of
Jacob and Joseph. [Se'lah]
16 When the waters
saw you, O God,
when the waters
saw you, they were afraid;
the very deep
trembled.
17 The clouds
poured out water;
the skies
thundered;
your arrows
flashed on every side.
18 The crash of
your thunder was in the whirlwind;
your lightnings
lit up the world;
the earth trembled
and shook.
19 Your way was
through the sea,
your path, through
the mighty waters;
yet your
footprints were unseen.
20 You led your
people like a flock
by the hand of
Moses and Aaron.
77 Voce mea ad
Domi (ECUSA BCP)
1 I will cry aloud to God; *
I will cry aloud, and he will hear me.
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; *
my hands were stretched out by night and did
not tire;
I refused to be comforted.
11 I will remember the works of the Lord, *
and call to mind your wonders of old time.
12 I will meditate on all your acts *
and ponder your mighty deeds.
13 Your way, O God, is holy; *
who is so great a god as our God?
14 You are the God who works wonders *
and have declared your power among the
peoples.
15 By your strength you have redeemed your
people, *
the children of Jacob and Joseph.
16 The waters saw you, O God;
the
waters saw you and trembled; *
the very depths were shaken.
17 The clouds poured out water;
the
skies thundered; *
your arrows flashed to and fro;
18 The sound of your thunder was in the
whirlwind;
your
lightnings lit up the world; *
the earth trembled and shook.
19 Your way was in the sea,
and
your paths in the great waters, *
yet your footsteps were not seen.
20 You led your people like a flock *
by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Psalm 16 (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 16: 1, 2a, 5, 7 -
11 (Roman Catholic)
Psal 16:1 (NRSV)
Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the
LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good
apart from you."
3 As for the holy
ones in the land, they are the noble,
in whom is all my
delight.
4 Those who choose
another god multiply their sorrows;
their drink
offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their
names upon my lips.
5 The LORD is my
chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The boundary
lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
I have a goodly
heritage.
7 I bless the LORD
who gives me counsel;
in the night also
my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the LORD
always before me;
because he is at
my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my
heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests
secure.
10 For you do not
give me up to She'ol,
or let your
faithful one see the Pit.
11 You show me the
path of life.
In your presence
there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand
are pleasures forevermore.
16 Conserva me,
Domine (ECUSA BCP)
1 Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you;
*
I have said to the Lord, "You are my
Lord,
my good above all other."
2 All my delight is upon the godly that are in
the land, *
upon those who are noble among the people.
3 But those who run after other gods *
shall have their troubles multiplied.
4 Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
5 O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; *
it is you who uphold my lot.
6 My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.
8 I have set the Lord always before me; *
because he is at my right hand I shall not
fall.
9 My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit
rejoices; *
my body also shall rest in hope.
10 For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
11 You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for
evermore.
NEW TESTAMENT:
Galatians 5: 1, 13 - 25 (all but Roman Catholic)
Galatians
5: 1, 13 - 18 (Roman Catholic)
Gala 5:1 (NRSV)
For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit
again to a yoke of slavery.
13 For you were
called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an
opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.
14 For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love
your neighbor as yourself." 15 If, however, you bite and devour one
another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
16 Live by the
Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For what the
flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed
to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing
what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the
law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity,
licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger,
quarrels, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things
like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things
will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 By contrast,
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such
things. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with
its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by
the Spirit.
Paul wrote this letter to counter certain
evangelists in Galatia who expected Christians to adopt some (but not all)
practices of Judaism. They seem to have argued: so long as you are circumcised
and keep Jewish feasts, you are free to do anything you like – you can indulge
in “the flesh” (v. 16, self-centeredness
and the vices listed in vv. 19-21). Paul denounces this theology vehemently. He has said that
what “counts is faith working through love” (v. 6). In v. 14, he may be
thinking of Leviticus 19:18, or a contemporary Jewish summary of the Law, or of Jesus’
summary. In v. 16, “live” is
literally walk by, a Semitism for conduct yourself. The way of God, brought to us by the Spirit, is
incompatible with doing whatever we wish (v. 17). The way of the
Spirit also brings freedom from an external norm, i.e. the Law, for our norm is
within us (v. 18). The results of
living by the Spirit are in v. 22; note that the
first is “love”. V. 24 is a summary:
Christians share in Christ’s death to worldliness; we died (“crucified”, cast
aside) not only to the Law but also to self-centeredness and its degrading
tendencies. We have undergone a basic reorientation – to God. Thus reoriented,
our actions should be guided “by the Spirit” (v. 25).
Comments: Paul wrote this letter to counter
certain evangelists in Galatia who expected Christians to adopt some (but not
all) practices of Judaism : See v. 3.
They insist on circumcision but apparently not all requirements of Mosaic law.
Verses 2-12: To seek justification by legal works is
futile; Christ and the Mosaic law of circumcision are mutually exclusive. Faith
alone justifies, but the faith that justifies is not alone – it produces good
works “through love” (v. 6).
[NOAB]
Verse 2: “Christ will be of no benefit to you”: NJBC translates the Greek as Christ
can do nothing for you. See also 2:21.
Verse 3: See also Romans 2:25 (“Circumcision
indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your
circumcision has become uncircumcision”) and James 2:10 (“For
whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for
all of it”). [ CAB]
Verse 4: Paul sees that either one obeys Mosaic law or
one lives by the promise of Christ, but not both. [ CAB] As NJBC puts it: the Galatians must
choose one or the other: Christ and freedom or the Law and slavery.
Verse 5: For Paul, God always remains the promising
God, whose future judgement will come. See also v. 18 and
Romans 2:5-16 (where
he says that of those who take on God’s role of judging the godliness of others
“by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the
day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed”). [ CAB]
Verse 6: The ethical results of the gospel is one’s
faith expressing itself in loving deeds. If the Greek translated as “working”
is rendered as “made effective” (per NRSV footnote), the sense may be coming
to effective expression in love or made effective by God’s
love. [ NOAB] Paul writes
in 6:15:
“For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is
everything!”. See also 1 Corinthians 7:19 and
Romans 14:13-21 (“Let
us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another, but resolve instead never
to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of another ...”). [ CAB]
Verse 6: “circumcision”: Literally the foreskin.
[ NJBC]
Verse 6: “faith working through love”: This is the
example set by Christ. In 2:20,
Paul says: “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”. See also Romans 5:5-8.
[ NJBC]
Verse 7: “You were running well”: In 2:2,
Paul tells us that he visited Jerusalem and conferred with the leaders of the
Church there about his missionary efforts: “ in order to make sure that I was
not running, or had not run, in vain”. He also uses the simile of Christian
effort being like runners in a race, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26.
[ NJBC]
Verse 9: “A little yeast leavens the whole batch of
dough”: A proverb. The Judaizing influence
can spread rapidly and widely. [ NJBC]
Paul also quotes this proverb in 1 Corinthians 5:6;
Jesus uses it in Matthew 16:1 (and
in the parallel, Luke 12:1)
and Matthew 13:33 (and
in the parallel, Luke 13:20-21).
[ CAB]
Verse 11: “if I am still preaching circumcision”: There
are four possible interpretations:
- Paul might have preached circumcision at one time if he
was once a missionary for Judaism
- A charge based on the case of Timothy reported in
Acts 16:1-3:
Timothy’s mother was Jewish and his father Gentile, thus Timothy was
Jewish; Paul “had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those
places”. [NOAB]
- Evidently Paul’s opponents were saying that he still
would uphold the command for circumcision [ CAB]
- The Judaizers may
have claimed that Paul himself admitted the validity of circumcision, when
it suited his purposes: in 1 Corinthians 9:20 he
says “To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under
the law I became as one under the law ... so that I might win those under
the law”. He answers: if I were still of that mind I would not be
opposed by the Judaizers. In 2:3 he
points out that he did not demand that Titus, a Gentile, be circumcised. [ NJBC] I prefer this
interpretation.
Verse 11: “the offense of the cross”: CAB and NJBC translate the Greek as stumbling
block of the cross. See also 1 Corinthians 1:22-23 (where
the NRSV translates the Greek as stumbling block)
Verse 12: A bitterly satirical wish. In
Philippians 3:2,
Paul says: “Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of those who
mutilate the flesh!”. [ NOAB]
Verse 12: “castrate”: In Galatia, castration was
ritually practised in the Attis and Cybele cults. [ CAB]
Verses 13-26: Though free from the Law, Christians must not
abuse their liberty. Paul’s emphasis on ethical responsibility may be intended
to answer those concerned about libertine opponents, though his letters
regularly include moral imperatives. For example, see Romans 12:1-8.
[ NOAB]
Verse 13: Freedom from the cross must not be understood
as rank libertinism. [ CAB]
Verse 13: “opportunity”: NJBC offers incentive.
Verse 13: “slaves”: Paul’s choice of this word is
interesting. He seems to be saying that each Christian is to be totally devoted
to every other. See v. 6 and
Matthew 20:26 (“...
whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant”). [ NOAB].
Verse 14: The quotation is Leviticus 19:18.
[ CAB] In Leviticus, “neighbour”
is one’s fellow Israelite but here it is anyone at all: in Romans 10:12,
Paul says “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek”. [ NJBC]
Verse 14: “the whole law is summed up”: Jesus’ summary
is in Matthew 7:12.
See also Romans 13:8-10;
Matthew 22:34-40 (and
the parallels: Mark 12:28-34 and
Luke 10:25-28).
[ CAB]
Verse 16: “Spirit ... flesh”: In 3:3,
Paul asks: “Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now
ending with the flesh?”. See also Romans 8:5-11.
To “live by the Spirit” is to belong to the new community of faith where God
dwells as Spirit. [ NOAB]
Christians no longer live according to worldly standards (“the flesh”) but by
God’s standards (“the Spirit”). See also vv. 5, 18 and
Romans 8:1-8.
[ CAB] “Flesh” is the symbol of
all human opposition to God. [ NJBC]
Verse 17: Paul gives a graphic description of his
experience in Romans 7:15-23:
“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the
very thing I hate ...”. [ NOAB]
Verses 19-21: Similar lists were used in Greco-Roman moral
instruction. For other Pauline lists of vices, see Romans 1:29-31;
1 Corinthians 5:9-11; 6:9-10.
[ NOAB] [ CAB] Paul contrasts the “works”
(deeds) of the flesh with the “fruits” of the Spirit. [ NJBC]
Verses 22-23: In 2 Corinthians 6:6-7,
Paul gives another list of virtues: “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness,
holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with
the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left” . [ NOAB] See also 1
Corinthians 13:13 and
Philippians 4:8.
[ CAB]
Verse 23: “There is no law against such things”: There
is no need to enact a law against such “fruits” for the Law “was added because
of transgressions” (see 3:19).
Verse 24: Paul writes in 2:19-20:
“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have
been crucified with Christ; and 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”. [ CAB]
GOSPEL: Luke 9: 51 - 62
(all)
Luke 9:51 (NRSV)
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to
Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a
village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; 53 but they did not receive
him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 54 When his disciples James and
John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down
from heaven and consume them?" 55 But he turned and rebuked them. 56 Then
they went on to another village.
57 As they were going
along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you
go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the
air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To
another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, first let me
go and bury my father." 60 But Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury
their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61
Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to
those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts a hand to
the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
Vv. 57-62 contain
sayings about discipleship which are hard to interpret because Jesus exaggerates
to jolt his listeners out of complacency. The “Son of Man” is Jesus, the
exemplary human. Those who follow him will not have a resting place ,
a position to which they can resort: there is no room for conservatism. We are
to launch continually into new ways of being Christian. Burying a parent
(v. 59)
was deemed important in Jewish culture, but proclaiming the good news must have
priority (v. 60).
We must answer a call to tell the good news immediately (v. 61).
A Palestinian plow required constant attention; diverting one’s attention for a
moment led to disaster. Jesus demands constancy and concentration in
proclaiming his message; once committed to Christ, there is no going back.
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
Verse 51: We should see this verse as marking a new
stage in Jesus’ mission rather than tracing his route on a map. He has been
conscious of his calling; now he is conscious of the necessity of suffering.
Luke shows his ignorance of Palestinian geography. According to this gospel,
Jesus does indeed arrive at Jericho (see 18:35-43 and 19:1-10)
but before this he is in Galilee ( 13:31-33).
[ BlkLk]
Verse 51a: NJBC translates
this as It happened that in the fulfilment of the days of his
assumption. The word translated “taken up” is symplerousthai .
Here it is a noun; in Acts 1:2, 11, 22 (the
Day of Pentecost), the verb form is used. The word can also be translated
as fulfill, approach or come. The
reference here in Luke is to Jesus’ death, crucifixion and resurrection. It may
also be to Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit, but I doubt it.
An almost identical expression, using the same basic word, is used in the Septuagint translation, of
Elijah’s assumption (see 2 Kings 2:9-11;
1 Maccabees 2:58)
and, in a Servant Song,
of the Servant’s exaltation. [ BlkLk]
[ JBC]
Verse 51: “set his face”: A Semitism frequently used in
the Old Testament for opposition and hostility: see Ezekiel 6:2; 13:17; 14:8;
Isaiah 50:7.
[ JBC] However, BlkLk feels that while in
the Septuagint translation
this phrase implies decision, “his face” has no stronger meaning here
than himself, as it has commonly in rabbinic writings. The Septuagint translation uses
this phrase in Exodus 33:14;
Deuteronomy 4:37;
2 Samuel 17:11.
Verse 52: “Samaritans”: That Luke would mention Jesus’
entry into a village that is Samaritan at this point is surprising. Luke’s
emphasis in this section is generally on Jews and Judaism. He usually shows the
Samaritans as friendly to Jesus: see 10:33 (the
Good Samaritan) and 17:16 (the
leper who thanks Jesus). In Acts 8:4-25,
the Samaritans accept the message of the Christian Way. [ NJBC] The Samaritans were a
mixture of:
- Jews whom the conquering Assyrians (in 721 BC) had
deemed too insignificant to deport to Babylon and
- Gentile people whom the Assyrians had settled in Palestine.
See 2 Kings 17;
Ezra 4:1-3;
Nehemiah 4:1-9.
John 4:9 tells
us that “Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans”. [ BlkLk]
Verse 53: “did not receive him”: Jesus encounters
opposition in the initial stages of his journey to Jerusalem as he did at the
start of his Galilean ministry: see 4:16-30 (Jesus
speaks in the synagogue at Nazareth). BlkLk translates the Greek
as they did not welcome him because he was going to Jerusalem. (The
word receive has shifted meaning since the Revised Standard
Version, the antecedent of the NRSV, was written.)
Verse 54: Perhaps this is why Jesus called James and
John “Sons of Thunder” (see Mark 3:17).
What they say echoes 2 Kings 1:10, 12:
there Elijah calls down fire to destroy his enemies. [ CAB]
Verse 55: Comments: Jesus has taught
non-retaliation against enemies: In 6:27-29, 35,
he says, in his sermon in a level place: “‘... I say to you that listen, Love
your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray
for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other
also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
... But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your
reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind
to the ungrateful and the wicked’”. [ NJBC]
Verse 56: “another village”: Perhaps this village was
also in Samaria. [ JBC]
Verses 57-62: See also Matthew 8:19-22.
[ CAB] Jesus lives a risky,
itinerant, life. His disciples can expect to do the same.
Verse 57: “along the road”: i.e. of discipleship. [ NJBC]
Verse 58: Another interpretation is that Jesus takes on
the lowest estate possible. Recall 2:7:
Mary “... laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the
inn”. The saying also appears in Matthew 8:19-20.
[ BlkLk]
Verse 58: “air”: The Greek literally means heavens.
Whether this is significant is unknown.
Verse 59-62: Filial piety, especially in burying one’s
parents, is deep within Judaism: see Genesis 49:28-50:3 (Jacob);
Exodus 13:19;
Tobit 4:3; 6:15.
[ JBC] In 1 Kings 19:19-20,
Elisha asks for time to bid his family farewell before following Elijah. Jesus
refuses to allow the delays Elijah did. See also v. 62.
Several other passages in Luke show the influence of the stories of Elijah and
Elisha: 4:25-30; 7:11-17 (Jesus
heals a widow’s son), 7:36-50.
In 4:24-25 Jesus
draws the close parallel between his own rejection at Nazareth and events in
the lives of Elijah and Elisha. [ BlkLk]
Verse 60: Another is interpretation is: let the
spiritually dead bury the physically dead, i.e. those who are
not alive to seeing the greater demands of the Kingdom of God. Perhaps there is
a warning in this verse that the ways of the Kingdom are not necessarily in
step with human ways. [ NJBC]
Verses 61-62: Paul writes in Philippians 3:13:
“Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I
do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead”. See
also Hebrews 6:4-6.
[ CAB]
Verse 62: Jesus demands more than God required of
Elisha: in 1 Kings 19:19-21,
as Elijah suggested, Elisha returned to his plow and oxen before following
Elijah. [ JBC] The Palestinian
plow was very light. With one hand the plowman guided the plow; with the other
he drove the unruly oxen. If he looked back, the new furrow became crooked. [ NJBC]
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
