• 28 Richard Rolle, 1349, Walter Hilton, 1396, was an English Augustinian mystic, whose works became influential in the 15th century.
•
• and Margery Kempe, c. 1440, Mystics
• 29 Saint Michael and All Angels
• 30 Jerome, Priest, and Monk of Bethlehem, 420 was a Latin Catholic priest, confessor, theologian, and historian, commonly known as Saint Jerome. He was born at Stridon, a village near Emona on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia.[3][4][5] He is best known for his translation of most of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate), and his commentaries on the Gospels. His list of writings is extensive.[6]
• 1 Remegius, Bishop of Rheims, c. 530 ), was Bishop of Reims and Apostle of the Franks, (c. 437 – January 13, AD 533). On 25 December 496 he baptised Clovis I, King of the Franks. This baptism, leading to the conversion of the entire Frankish people to Christianity, was a momentous success for the Church and a seminal event in European history.
• 3 George Kennedy Allen Bell, Bishop of Chichester, and Ecumenist, 1958. John Raleigh Mott, Evangelist and Ecumenical Pioneer, 1955
• 4 Francis of Assisi, Friar, 1226
OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah 32: 1 - 3a, 6 - 15 (RCL)
Jere 32:1 (NRSV) The word that came to Jeremi'ah from the LORD in the tenth year of King Zedeki'ah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrez'zar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremi'ah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, 3 where King Zedeki'ah of Judah had confined him.
6 Jeremi'ah said, The word of the LORD came to me: 7 Han'amel son of your uncle Shal'lum is going to come to you and say, "Buy my field that is at An'athoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours." 8 Then my cousin Han'amel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the LORD, and said to me, "Buy my field that is at An'athoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself." Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
9 And I bought the field at An'athoth from my cousin Han'amel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions, and the open copy; 12 and I gave the deed of purchase to Bar'uch son of Neri'ah son of Mah'seiah, in the presence of my cousin Han'amel, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. 13 In their presence I charged Bar'uch, saying, 14 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last for a long time. 15 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.
Amos 6: 1a, 4 - 7 (Roman Catholic, alt. for RCL)
Amos 6:1 (NRSV) Alas for those who are at ease in Zion,
and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria,
4 Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,
and lounge on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock,
and calves from the stall;
5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,
and like David improvise on instruments of music;
6 who drink wine from bowls,
and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
7 Therefore they shall now be the first to go into exile,
and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.
PSALM 91: 1 - 6, 14 - 16 (RCL)
Psal 91:1 (NRSV) You who live in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
2 will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress;
my God, in whom I trust."
3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence;
4 he will cover you with his pinions,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
5 You will not fear the terror of the night,
or the arrow that flies by day,
6 or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
or the destruction that wastes at noonday.
14 Those who love me, I will deliver;
I will protect those who know my name.
15 When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble,
I will rescue them and honor them.
16 With long life I will satisfy them,
and show them my salvation.
91 Qui habitat (ECUSA BCP)
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the LORD,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”
3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid-day.
14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.
Psalm 146 (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 146: 7 - 10 (Roman Catholic)
Psal 146:1 (NRSV) Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortals, in whom there is no help.
4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth;
on that very day their plans perish.
5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God,
6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith forever;
7 who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the strangers;
he upholds the orphan and the widow,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The LORD will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD!
146 Lauda, anima mea (ECUSA BCP)
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O my soul! *
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
2 Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
for there is no help in them.
3 When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
and in that day their thoughts perish.
4 Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *
whose hope is in the Lord their God;
5 Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
who keeps his promise for ever;
6 Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
and food to those who hunger.
7 The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind; *
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
8 The Lord loves the righteous;
the Lord cares for the stranger; *
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
9 The Lord shall reign for ever, *
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!
NEW TESTAMENT: 1 Timothy 6: 6 - 19 (RCL)
1 Timothy 6: 11 - 16 (Roman Catholic)
1Tim 6:6 (NRSV) Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7 for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; 8 but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 9 But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.
11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life, to which you were called and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pon'tius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep the commandment without spot or blame until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will bring about at the right time--he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords. 16 It is he alone who has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see; to him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.
17 As for those who in the present age are rich, command them not to be haughty, or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, 19 thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
Our passage is the concluding section of the book. In vv. 3-5, the author has again warned against those who teach other than the body of faith passed down from Jesus and the apostles. He has charged these teachers with monetary gain for teaching falsehoods. Now, writing in Paul’s name, he counters that there is “great [spiritual] gain” (v. 6) in teaching the truth; those who do so are content with enough to pay for necessities (“food and clothing”, v. 8). But false teachers “who want to be rich” (v. 9) succumb to “senseless and harmful desires”, and lead people astray from godliness. The true church leader is very different.
Now he addresses Timothy, a “man of God” (v. 11), spiritual leader of the Church. He sees Christian life as a “fight” (v. 12). Timothy “made the good confession” that Jesus is Lord at his baptism; Jesus made his “confession” (v. 13) of fidelity in his conduct when facing death. Timothy is to keep “the commandment” (v. 14, Christ’s orders) until he returns at the end of the era, “at the right time” (v. 15), i.e. when God chooses. “Immortality” (v. 16) is an attribute of God. We cannot see him, but Jesus can and will reveal him. The author now speaks to affluent members of the community (v. 17). They should not set store in money, but rather in God, for it is God’s gift. It is to be used in a godly way, for “good works” (v. 18) and sharing with the needy, for through such generosity they will attain eternal life, “life that really is life” (v. 19).
Author's note:
Sometimes I have material left over when I edit Comments down to fit the available space. This page presents notes that landed on the clipping room floor. Some may be useful to you. While I avoid technical language in the Comments (or explain special terms), Clippings may have unexplained jargon from time to time.
A hypertext Glossary of Terms is integrated with Clippings. Simply click on any highlighted word in the text and a pop-up window will appear with a definition. Bibliographic references are also integrated in the same way.
Jeremiah 32:1-3a,6-15
Placing this passage here emphasizes the validity of the preceding oracles. [ NOAB] 39:1-14 tells of the siege of Jerusalem which began in January 588: “In the ninth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it ...”. It was interrupted during the summer when Egyptians armies, sent by Pharaoh Hophra (Apries), marched against those of Babylon. [ NJBC] [ NOAB]
Verse 1: “Nebuchadrezzar”: While in English this king is known as Nebuchadnezzar, “Nebuchadrezzar” is a transliteration of the name in Babylonian.
Verses 2-5: A later editor has summarized the events recorded in Chapters 34, 37 and 38 to show the historical context. [ JBC]
Verse 4: “Chaldeans”: i.e. Babylonians
Verse 7: “Anathoth”: About 5 km (3 miles) northeast of Jerusalem. 1:1 tells us that Jeremiah was “son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth”. The village is also mentioned in 11:21-23
Verse 8: “the right of possession ...”: The law is found in Leviticus 25:25-31. [ NOAB] In Ruth 4:1-4, Boaz meets a kinsman of Elimelech who has an obligation to buy the land which Elimelech has left Naomi, and which she wishes to sell. [ NJBC]
Verse 9: “seventeen shekels”: Here the shekel is a unit of weight. Seventeen shekels is about 195 grams (7 ounces). The value is unknown. [ NOAB]
Verse 10: “the deed”: It would be written on papyrus. [ NOAB]
Verse 12: “Baruch”: 36:4 says: “Then Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at Jeremiah's dictation all the words of the LORD that he had spoken to him”. [ NOAB]
Psalm 91:1-6,14-16
This appears to be a wisdom psalm. Note the “punishment of the wicked” in v. 8. This psalm is unusual in that it speaks of God’s protection not against enemies (as many do) but against “the deadly pestilence” (vv. 3, 6) and “scourge” (v. 10, meaning plague). [ NJBC]
Verses 1-13: For those who trust in Yahweh not needing to fear any peril, see also 121:2-8. Some of the dangers mentioned are human foes; others are demonic forces. [ NOAB]
Verse 4: “he will cover you with his pinions”: For this figure as a reference to God’s motherly protection of his faithful, see also 17:8; 36:7; 57:1; 61:4; 63:7. Some deities in the ancient Near East were pictured as winged. [ NJBC]
Verses 5-6: “the terror of the night ... by day ... in darkness ... at noonday”: These four times of danger are balanced by the four animals in v. 13. [ JBC]
Verse 9: Repetition of the divine titles “ LORD” and “Most High” from vv. 1-2 summarize the thrust of the psalm so far: the one who dwells in God’s presence will suffer no harm. [ NJBC]
Verse 11: The idea that Yahweh provided his followers with guardian spirits only became common in late Old Testament times (see Tobit 5:1-12); however, it is found occasionally in earlier times. 34:7 says “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” [ NJBC] and Abraham tells his servant whom he sends to find a wife for Isaac that God “will send his angel before you” (see Genesis 24:7). [ JBC]
Verses 11-12: These verses are quoted in Matthew 4:6 and Luke 4:10-11, by Satan in his temptation of Jesus. [ NOAB]
1 Timothy 6:6-19
It is all too easy to take the warning in vv. 3-5 as only applying to the behaviour of slaves towards their masters (vv. 1-2), but the division into chapters (made many centuries later) is unfortunate in this case. Vv. 1-2 is the last of the author’s instructions for various groups of members of the Church. This section begins at 4:11: “These are the things you [Timothy] must insist on and teach”. 6:3-10 concerns false teachers; 6:11-16 are instructions to Timothy as to how he is to act; 6:17-19 is a supplementary reflection on the rich. [ NJBC]
Verses 3-10: Much of the language of this section, especially the charge of money-grubbing, is borrowed from the polemic of Greek philosophers against their opponents. In the dialogues of Plato, the opponents are depicted as Sophists who teach for pay and seek to please, rather than presenting the truth. [ NJBC]
Verses 3-5: The author has harsh words for the false teachers; they are conceited, contentious, and greedy. [ NOAB]
Verse 3: “sound words”: i.e. apostolic testimony. [ NOAB] See also Titus 1:13 (“That testimony is true”) and 2:1 (“teach what is consistent with sound doctrine”). A scholar suggests that the author is referring to the second quotation in 5:18 (i.e. “‘The labourer deserves to be paid’”), a saying of Jesus (see Luke 10:7 and Matthew 10:10) which is also alluded to in 1 Corinthians 9:14. NJBC offers healthy words. The true philosopher was often looked on as a physician of the soul. The Pastoral Letters all hold that falsehood is a disease that only the truth can remedy.
Verse 4: For similar lists of vices, see 1 Corinthians 5:10-11; 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:1-5; Colossians 3:5; 1 Peter 2:1; 4:1-3. [ CAB]
Verse 4: “conceited”: In 3:6, the author says that a bishop “must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil”. [ CAB]
Verse 4: “controversy and ... disputes about words”: In 1:4, the author cautions Timothy about “certain people” ( 1:3) – that members of the community not to occupy themselves with myths and endless genealogies that promote speculations rather than the divine training that is known by faith”. A similar caution is found in Titus 3:9. [ CAB] “Envy” and “wrangling” show a state of affairs directly opposed to the love produced by the true “instruction” of 1:5: “the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith”. [ NJBC]
Verse 4: “slander”: 2 Timothy 3:2-5 says: “You must understand this, that in the last days distressing times will come. For people will be ... slanderers ...”. Titus 3:2-3 advises “Remind them ... to speak evil of no one”. In Mark 7:21-23, Jesus says: “... it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: ... slander ... All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person”. See also Colossians 3:8 and Ephesians 4:31. [ CAB]
Verse 5: In 2:3-4, the author writes that “God our Saviour ... desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth”. See also 4:3; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:7-8. [ CAB]
Verse 5: “imagining that godliness is a means of gain”: Platonists charged so-called Sophists with teaching for profit ideas that would please, rather than presenting the truth.
Verse 6: “contentment”: The Greek word autarkeia was current from the time of Aristotle to the time of the Stoics. It was used to describe the virtue that makes a person content with what he has. [ NJBC] In 2 Corinthians 9:8, Paul writes “God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work”. [ NOAB]
Verse 7: “for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it”: This sentiment is found in many ancient sources: see Job 1:21; Wisdom of Solomon 7:6, Philo, and Seneca. [ CAB] [ NJBC]
Verse 8: See also Genesis 28:20 (Jacob’s dream at Bethel); Deuteronomy 10:17-18; Sirach 29:21; 1 Corinthians 9:15-17; Philippians 4:11; James 2:15-16. [ CAB] 2 Timothy 4:13 depicts Paul as exemplifying simplicity in his clothing needs. [ NJBC]
Verse 9: In Mark 10:25, Jesus tells his disciples: “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”. See also 1 John 2:15-17 and James 1:13-18. [ CAB]
Verse 10: “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”: A common proverb in Greek philosophical writings – frequently misquoted today. [ CAB]
Verse 10: “some have wandered away from the faith”: The author writes in 4:1-2: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared with a hot iron”. See also 5:8. [ CAB]
Verse 11: “you”: In Greek the word is in the singular, so it clearly refers to Timothy.
Verse 11: “man of God”: An appellation often applied to Old Testament prophets, e.g. Deuteronomy 33:1 (Moses); 1 Samuel 2:27; 1 Kings 12:22 (Shemaiah); 13:1, calling attention to the spiritual power and responsibility of church leaders. [ NJBC]
Verse 11: “pursue righteousness”: For other list of virtues, see Galatians 5:22-23; Colossians 3:12; 2 Peter 1:5-7. [ CAB]
Verse 12: “Fight the good fight ...”: Timothy is also instructed to “fight the good fight” in 1:18. Paul uses another figure, that of a foot-race: see 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and Philippians 3:12-15. Paul’s own life exemplified how this fight should be carried out: see 2 Timothy 4:7. [ CAB] [ NJBC]
Verse 12: “made the good confession”: From the language of worship: adoration and praise of God. In baptism and before a Roman court the believer praises God by confessing that Jesus is Lord. CAB holds that this is a reference to Timothy’s ordination: 4:14 advises “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders”; see also 2 Timothy 2:2. The “commandment” (v. 14) is then the charge given to Timothy on this occasion.
Verse 13: “his testimony”: For Jesus’ testimony before Pilate, see Mark 15:1-5. [ CAB] Jesus’ own conduct in facing his passion and death when “Pilate” was governor exemplifies proper fidelity. [ NJBC]
Verse 14: “commandment”: This word is here probably synonymous with the Christian way of life. [ NOAB] Often the Greek word refers to a specific commandment from God (divine revelation), but here it refers to the entire divine mandate given to Timothy. [ NJBC]
Verse 14: “until the manifestation ...”: Titus 2:11 says “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all” and Titus 2:13: “while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ”. [ NJBC]
Verses 15-16: A doxology in praise of God somewhat parallel to that in 1:17 (quoted below). It is Hellenistic Jewish in inspiration; it stresses God’s transcendence and his superiority to all earthly rulers. [ NJBC] These verses are probably from an ancient Christian hymn.
Verse 15: “King of kings”: A phrase picked up from Ezekiel 26:7 and Daniel 2:37, and also found in Revelation 19:16. [ CAB]
Verse 15: “Lord of lords”: A phrase also found in Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:3; Revelation 17:14. [ CAB]
Verse 16: 1 John 1:5 says “God is light and in him there is no darkness at all”. [ CAB]
Verse 16: “he alone who has immortality”: In 1:17, the author writes “To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever. Amen”. See also John 5:26. [ NOAB]
Verse 16: “unapproachable light”: Psalm 104:2 speaks of God as “wrapped in light as with a garment”. [ NOAB]
Verse 16: “whom no one has ever seen”: John 1:18 says “No one has ever seen God”. See also John 6:46 and 1 John 4:12. But the Son can and will reveal him (see Matthew 11:27; 1 John 3:2; Revelation 22:4), [ NOAB] but with the aid of grace, some vision of God is (or will be) available to humans. A beatitude in Matthew 5:8 says: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”.
Verses 17-19: Perhaps raising the issue of money in vv. 6-10 led the author to adding this piece of instruction to the more prosperous members of the community. It seems that there were a significant number of them: see 2:9 (women were dressing expensively); 6:2 (slave owners); Titus 2:9-10 (slaves and masters). [ NJBC]
Verse 18: “do good”: 2:10 says that women who hold God in awe should be known for their “good works”. 5:10 says that a widow of great age should be put on the list (presumably of those to be assisted by the community) if, amongst other things, she is known for her good works. 5:10, 25; 6:18; 2 Timothy 2:21; 3:17; Titus 1:16; 2:7; 3:1, 8, 14 also emphasize the importance of “good works”. [ CAB]
Verse 19: Jesus told the Parable of the Rich Fool: see Luke 12:16-21. [ CAB]
Verse 20: “guard what has been entrusted to you”: In the Pastoral Letters, the function of ministry is to safeguard the traditions handed down about Jesus and the apostles. See also 1:3, 18; 2 Timothy 1:13-14; 2:2, 14-15, 24-25; 3:14; 4:2; Titus 1:13; 2:1. [ CAB] The Greek word paratheke (“entrusted”) can refer to a deposit, e.g. of money, which a person is to hand back exactly as received. The emphasis here is on preservation of a trust. [ NJBC]
Verse 20: “profane chatter”: This is also mentioned in 2 Timothy 2:16, as to be avoided. [ CAB]
Verse 20: “what is falsely called knowledge”: The Greek word translated “knowledge” here is gnosis. The false teachers called their teachings gnosis, so they may be forerunners of those we today call Gnostics. On the other hand true Christianity is epignosis, clear knowledge . See Titus 1:1; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Timothy 2:25; 3:7. [ NJBC]
Verse 21: “you”: The Greek word is in the plural, so this blessing is intended for a wider group of readers. [ NJBC]
GOSPEL: Luke 16: 19 - 31 (all)
Luke 16:19 (NRSV) "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, covered with sores, 21 who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from the rich man's table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried away by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was being tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Laz'arus by his side. 24 He called out, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Laz'arus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.' 25 But Abraham said, "Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, between you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 27 He said, "Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house-- 28 for I have five brothers--that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.' 29 Abraham replied, "They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.' 30 He said, "No, father Abraham; but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' 31 He said to him, "If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
Luke has described Pharisees as “lovers of money” (v. 14). Now Jesus expands on a tale from popular folklore to tell a parable. Only the rich could afford cloth dyed with “purple” (v. 19), and “fine linen” undergarments from Egypt. No moral judgements are made directly on the “rich man” and Lazarus (v. 20), but they are implied: v. 30 infers that the rich man, and his brothers, have not repented of their sins, but “Lazarus” (v. 21) means God helps, so he has. (“Dogs” ate the bread guests had used to wipe their plates and hands and then tossed under the table.) Vv. 22-23 tell of the reversal of fates after death, in contemporary Jewish terms: Lazarus goes to a place of bliss, beside “Abraham”, the founder of God’s covenant people, but the rich man roasts in “Hades” (v. 23, the Greek name for Sheol, the abode of the dead). Recall that Abraham was wealthy, and obedient to God’s will.
In v. 27-28, the rich man changes tactics: upon learning that the gulf between him and Lazarus cannot be bridged (“a great chasm has been fixed”, v. 26), he asks that his brothers be saved from the same fate. Abraham’s answer (v. 29) amounts to: God reveals himself and his will in the Old Testament, so the “brothers” (v. 28) have been warned of the fate that awaits them. The Law required landowners, God’s tenants, to share with the needy.
In v. 31, in speaking of “someone rises from the dead”, Jesus is referring to his resurrection. Even then, “they” will not “repent” (v. 30). Like Lazarus, those whom God helps will come into his presence but, like the rich man, the ungodly will suffer irreversible punishment. God has revealed his will through “Moses and the prophets” (v. 29); those who neglect it will suffer after death. In this case, Jesus overturns conventional Jewish wisdom: it said that wealth was a sign of being blessed by God; if one was poor, one must be ungodly.
© 1996-2019 Chris Haslam
This story may illustrate vv. 10-15 [ NOAB], but note that while Jesus has been speaking to Pharisees “who were lovers of money” (v. 14), they sought to find justification in their own punctilious observance of the Law ( 11:37-44).
Will the “five brothers” (v. 28) and Luke’s readers follow the example of the rich man or heed Jesus’ teaching and that of the Old Testament regarding care of the needy, like Lazarus, and thus be children of Abraham? If they do not, they will not have places at the messianic banquet. [ NJBC]
There are parallels to this story in Egyptian folklore and in the Jewish story of the rich tax collector, Bar Ma’yan, but the parallels do not include the dialogue between the rich man and Abraham. Also, in the parallels, Lazarus gloats over the punishment of the rich man. See also 1 Enoch 92-105 and Apocalypse of Peter 13. [ NJBC] In the Jewish story, Bar Ma’yan is a rich tax collector. He dies, and is given a well-attended ostentatious funeral. About the same time, a poor scholar dies and is buried without pomp or attention. Yet the scholar finds himself in Paradise, by flowing streams, while Bar May’an finds himself near the bank of a stream unable to reach the water. [ Blomberg]
This is the only parable that has a transcendental element, and in which the characters have names. [ Blomberg]
Verses 19-20: Some hold that the text gives no indication that the rich man was guilty of moral wrong or that Lazarus was morally right. Using 1:51-53 (the Magnificat) and 6:20-26 (the Beatitudes) to support their argument, they say that these verses condemn the rich just because they are rich, and bless the poor because they are poor. NJBC disagrees.
Verse 19: “rich man”: He is commonly called Dives, the Latin for rich man. [ NOAB]
Verse 19: “purple”: The dye came from a type of sea snail found along the coast of Syria and Palestine. [ NOAB]
Verse 19: “fine linen”: In the Allegory of the Unfaithful Wife (Ezekiel 16), based on a folktale, Yahweh speaks, through the prophet, of Jerusalem. In Ezekiel 16:11-13, he says that he adorned her with ornaments, that he “adorned [her] with gold and silver, while ... [her] clothing was of fine linen, rich fabric, and embroidered cloth. [She] ... had choice flour and honey and oil for food. She ... grew exceedingly beautiful, fit to be a queen”, but she “trusted in [her] ... beauty, and played the whore because of [her] ... fame, and lavished [her] ... whorings on any passer-by”. See also Revelation 18:11-13. [ JBC]
Verse 20: “Lazarus”: He is not the same Lazarus as in John 11:1-44; 12:1, 9. [ NOAB] Lazarus is a shortened form of Eleazar. Aaron, the priest, had a son by this name: see Exodus 6:23. [ CAB] Perhaps his name is given because it means God helps; he is probably meant to be seen as one who has faith in God. [ Blomberg]
Verses 22-26: Being developed from folklore, we should probably not use this story to deduce the detailed post mortem state of believers and unbelievers. [ Blomberg]
Verses 21-22: The moral quality of Lazarus is passed over to illustrate the fatal deficiency in the life of the rich man, and the impossibility of changing the latter’s condemnation. [ NOAB]
Verse 22: “to be with Abraham”: In 13:28-29, Jesus says “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrown out. Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God”. [ NJBC] Abraham’s bosom was a contemporary Jewish term for the lodging place of the godly dead prior to the expected general resurrection. [ NOAB]
Verse 23: “Hades”: Chapter 22 of 1 Enoch, a popular book in Jesus’ time, speaks of adjoining quarters for the ungodly and the godly in this abode of the dead, and seems to imply that they will be there until the general resurrection. Rabbinic teaching was that, after the apocalyptic battles of the messianic age, an age to come would dawn. [ JBC]
Verse 25: Your request is futile!
Verses 27-31: The Old Testament speaks an urgent and sufficient call to repentance. [ NOAB] The rich man’s failure to care for Lazarus is not in accord with the Old Testament (vv. 29-31) and with Jesus’ teaching in v. 9: “And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into the eternal homes”. [ NJBC] Every Jew knew the Old Testament laws commanding the compassionate use of riches, so the rich man had no excuse for his wanton neglect of one whom he saw regularly (vv. 20-21) and could have helped easily. [ Blomberg]
Verse 29: See also John 5:45-47 and Acts 15:21. In John 5:46, Jesus says: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me”. [ NOAB]
Verse 30: In 3:8, Jesus says: “Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham”. See also 19:9 for his words to Zacchaeus. [ NOAB] Mere words do not make one a child of Abraham, and therefore a member of reconstituted Israel. The rich man’s claim that Abraham is his father is of no effect, for he has not done the deeds which would have signified repentance from his self-centred, callous way of life. [ NJBC]
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Saturday, September 21, 2019
·
22 Philander Chase, Bishop of Ohio, and of
Illinois, 1852
·
25 Sergius,
Abbot of Holy Trinity, Moscow, 1392 also
transliterated as Sergey Radonezhsky or Serge of Radonezh, was a spiritual leader and monastic reformer of medieval Russia. Together with
Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, he is one of the Russian Orthodox Church's most highly venerated saints.
·
26 Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester,
1626. Wilson Carlile,
Priest, 1942
·
27 Vincent de Paul, Religious, and Prophetic
Witness, 1660. Thomas Traherne,
Priest, 1674 was a French Catholic priest who dedicated
himself to serving the poor. He is venerated
as a saint in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. He was canonized in 1737.[1] He was
renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity. Founder of Congregation of the Mission and Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul.
·
28 Richard Rolle, 1349, Walter Hilton, 1396, and Margery Kempe, c. 1440, Mystics was an English Christian mystic, known for writing through dictation The Book of
Margery Kempe, a work considered by some to be the first autobiography in the English language. Her book
chronicles her domestic tribulations, her extensive pilgrimages to holy sites
in Europe and the Holy Land, as well as her
mystical conversations with God. She is honoured in the Anglican Communion, but was never made a Catholic saint.
·
30 Jerome, Priest, and Monk of Bethlehem, 420 was a Latin Catholic priest, confessor, theologian, and
historian, commonly known as Saint Jerome. He was born at Stridon, a village near Emona on the border
of Dalmatia and Pannonia.[3][4][5] He is best known for his translation of most of the Bible into Latin (the
translation that became known as the Vulgate), and his commentaries on the Gospels. His list of writings is extensive.[6]
OLD TESTAMENT: Jeremiah
8: 18 - 9: 1 (RCL)
Jere 8:18 (NRSV)
My joy is gone, grief is upon me,
my heart is sick.
19 Hark, the cry
of my poor people
from far and wide
in the land:
"Is the LORD
not in Zion?
Is her King not in
her?"
("Why have
they provoked me to anger with their images,
with their foreign
idols?")
20 "The
harvest is past, the summer is ended,
and we are not
saved."
21 For the hurt of
my poor people I am hurt,
I mourn, and
dismay has taken hold of me.
22 Is there no
balm in Gil'ead?
Is there no
physician there?
Why then has the
health of my poor people
not been restored?
9:1 {Ch 8.23 in Heb}
O that my head
were a spring of water,
and my eyes a
fountain of tears,
so that I might
weep day and night
for the slain of
my poor people!
Amos 8: 4 - 7 (Roman
Catholic, alt. for RCL)
Amos 8:4 (NRSV)
Hear this, you that trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin
the poor of the land,
5 saying,
"When will the new moon be over
so that we may
sell grain;
and the sabbath,
so that we may
offer wheat for sale?
We will make the
ephah small and the shekel great,
and practice
deceit with false balances,
6 buying the poor
for silver
and the needy for
a pair of sandals,
and selling the
sweepings of the wheat."
7 The LORD has
sworn by the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will
never forget any of their deeds.
PSALM 79: 1 - 9 (RCL)
Psal 79:1 (NRSV) O
God, the nations have come into your inheritance;
they have defiled
your holy temple;
they have laid
Jerusalem in ruins.
2 They have given
the bodies of your servants
to the birds of
the air for food,
the flesh of your
faithful to the wild animals of the earth.
3 They have poured
out their blood like water
all around
Jerusalem,
and there was no
one to bury them.
4 We have become a
taunt to our neighbors,
mocked and derided
by those around us.
5 How long, O
LORD? Will you be angry forever?
Will your jealous
wrath burn like fire?
6 Pour out your
anger on the nations
that do not know
you,
and on the
kingdoms
that do not call
on your name.
7 For they have
devoured Jacob
and laid waste his
habitation.
8 Do not remember
against us the iniquities of our ancestors;
let your
compassion come speedily to meet us,
for we are brought
very low.
9 Help us, O God
of our salvation,
for the glory of
your name;
deliver us, and
forgive our sins,
for your name's
sake.
79 Deus, venerunt (ECUSA BCP)
1 O
God, the heathen have come into your inheritance;
they have profaned
your holy temple; *
they
have made Jerusalem a heap of rubble.
.
2 They
have given the bodies of your servants as food for the
birds of the air,
*
and
the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts
of the field.
3 They
have shed their blood like water on every side
of Jerusalem, *
and
there was no one to bury them.
4 We
have become a reproach to our neighbors, *
an
object of scorn and derision to those around us.
5 How
long will you be angry, O Lord? *
will
your fury blaze like fire for ever?
6 Pour
out your wrath upon the heathen who have not
known you *
and
upon the kingdoms that have not called upon
your Name.
7 For
they have devoured Jacob *
and
made his dwelling a ruin.
8 Remember
not our past sins;
let your compassion
be swift to meet us; *
for
we have been brought very low.
9 Help
us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your Name; *
deliver
us and forgive us our sins, for your Name's sake.
Psalm 113 (alt. for RCL)
Psalm 113: 1 - 2, 4 - 8
(Roman Catholic)
Psal 113:1 (NRSV)
Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants
of the LORD;
praise the name of
the LORD.
2 Blessed be the
name of the LORD
from this time on
and forevermore.
3 From the rising
of the sun to its setting
the name of the
LORD is to be praised.
4 The LORD is high
above all nations,
and his glory
above the heavens.
5 Who is like the
LORD our God,
who is seated on
high,
6 who looks far
down
on the heavens and
the earth?
7 He raises the
poor from the dust,
and lifts the
needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit
with princes,
with the princes
of his people.
9 He gives the
barren woman a home,
making her the
joyous mother of children.
Praise the LORD!
113 Laudate, pueri (ECUSA BCP)
1 Hallelujah!
Give praise, you
servants of the Lord; *
praise
the Name of the Lord.
2 Let
the Name of the Lord be blessed, *
from
this time forth for evermore.
3 From
the rising of the sun to its going down *
let
the Name of the Lord be praised.
4 The
Lord is high above all nations, *
and
his glory above the heavens.
5 Who
is like the Lord our God, who sits
enthroned on high, *
but
stoops to behold the heavens and the earth?
6 He
takes up the weak out of the dust *
and
lifts up the poor from the ashes.
7 He
sets them with the princes, *
with
the princes of his people.
8 He
makes the woman of a childless house *
to be
a joyful mother of children.
NEW TESTAMENT: 1
Timothy 2: 1 - 7 (RCL)
1 Timothy
2: 1 - 8 (Roman Catholic)
1Tim 2:1 (NRSV)
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high
positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and
dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4
who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5
For
there is one God;
there is also one
mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus,
himself human,
6 who gave himself
a ransom for all
--this was
attested at the right time. 7 For this I was appointed a herald and an apostle
(I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith
and truth.
8 I desire, then,
that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or
argument;
At a time when
Christians were suspect for not joining in worship of Roman gods, an act
expected of all, the author urges them to pray for “everyone”, including civil
authorities (“kings ...”, v. 2),
so that Christians may live “a quiet and peaceable life”, as good
citizens yet godly ones. This, he says, is in accord with God’s plan,
for he wishes “everyone” (v. 4)
to be saved, through knowledge of Christian “truth”. God desires this for:
·
he is the “one God” (v. 5)
for all people;
·
the “one mediator”, Christ, shared in being human with all of us, and
represents us all before the Father, and
·
gave his life as the price of freedom (“ransom”, v. 6)
for all.
His life and death were
“attested” (shown to be an authentic part of the plan) “at the right time”, at
the time chosen by God. Paul (“I”, v. 7)
was “appointed” by God to announce (“herald”) this to all, genuinely sent out
by him (“apostle”) to teach doctrine (“faith”) and the truth about God to
everyone.
Verses 1-15: The community’s conduct at worship. [ NJBC]
Verses 1-7: Prayer intentions. The stress on God’s desire
to save every human being is also found in 1 Timothy 4:10:
“For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the
living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe”.
See also Titus 2:11; 3:2, 8.
[ NJBC]
Verses 1-2: The Christian prays even for bad rulers. CAB says that praying for secular
authorities will result in respect for Christianity among those outside the
faith, and will lessen the risk of persecution. In Romans 13:1,
Paul says “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there
is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been
instituted by God”. [ NOAB]
Such prayer is not out of patriotism; there is a hope (possibly implied) that
these rulers/authorities might “come to the knowledge of the truth” (v. 4).
[ NJBC]
Verse 4: This is one of the strongest affirmations of
the universality of God’s grace. [ NOAB]
Verse 4: “to come to the knowledge of the truth”: The
same phraseology is found in 2 Timothy 2:25; 3:7.
The notion that knowledge of Christian truth is a fundamental requirement for
salvation is also found in Colossians 1:5; 2:2, 7;
Ephesians 1:9; 4:13 –
but Christian conduct and good works are also necessary. [ JBC]
Verses 5-6: This is very like a hymn or confession spoken
in a worship setting. See also Colossians 1:15-20;
Ephesians 1:15-2:3; 4:5-6.
[ CAB] It at least seems to be a
traditional formula. The logical argument is: if God is one, he must be
concerned with all peoples, not just with a particular group or nation. [ NJBC]
Verse 5: “one mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human”: NJBC offers one
intermediary between God and humanity, the human being Christ Jesus. In
Galatians 3:19-20,
Paul calls Moses a “mediator”, as does the Jewish philosopher Philo. Hebrews also speaks of Christ as
“mediator”: see Hebrews 9:15; 12:24.
[ NOAB]
Verse 5: “himself human”: For the humanity of Christ,
see also Hebrews 2:14 and
Galatians 3:19-20.
[ JBC]
Verse 6: “this was attested at the right time”: NJBC offers the testimony
at the proper times. Given this translation, proper times probably
refers not only to Christ’s death but to the whole of his activity. What Christ
did witnesses to the fulfilment of God’s promise: see also Titus 1:2-3 (“God
... revealed his word”) and 2 Timothy 1:1.
Verse 6: “ransom”: i.e. the price paid for someone’s
freedom. In Matthew 20:26-28,
Jesus tells his disciples: “It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to
be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among
you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life a ransom for many”. Mark 10:43-45 is
similar. [ NOAB]
Verse 7: References to Paul’s past are more frequent in
post-Pauline letters: see also Colossians 1:23-29;
Ephesians 3:1-11;
1 Timothy 1:12-16; 3:14-15;
2 Timothy 1:3; 4:11, 15-18.
For the story of Paul’s conversion, see Acts 9:1-22; 22:1-16; 26:9-18.
[ CAB]
Verse 7: “(I am telling the truth, I am not lying)”:
The author draws from Paul’s words in Romans 9:1:
“I am speaking the truth in Christ – I am not lying; my conscience confirms it
by the Holy Spirit”. [ NJBC]
Verses 8-15: The author says how men (v. 8),
and then women (v. 15)
should behave in the worshipping assembly. [ NJBC] These verses should be
understood in the context of Greco-Roman society, and perhaps in the context of
a particular Christian community.
Verses 8-10: It seems that men were given to “anger” and
“argument” and women to ostentation. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 and
2 Timothy 2:14, 23 say
that false teachers promote debates and arguments.
Verse 8: “in every place”: i.e. in the liturgy. A
formula used in worship legislation, drawn from Malachi 1:11:
“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the
nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering;
for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts”. It is also found in Didache 14:3. [ NJBC]
Verse 8: “lifting up holy hands”: A common posture for
prayer in the early Church: standing, with hands outstretched, also mentioned
in Psalms 141:2; 143:6.
The palms were turned upward towards heaven to indicate receptivity of God’s
gifts. Liturgically this is referred to as the orans position,
and is today normally adopted by the presider (celebrant) at the Eucharist
during the prayer of consecration (eucharistic prayer). In the early Church,
all worshippers would adopt this posture. [ NOAB] [ CAB] [ NJBC]
Verse 8: “without anger or argument”: i.e. at peace
with one’s neighbour. In Philippians 2:14,
Paul urges “Do all things without murmuring and arguing”. In Matthew 5:23-24,
Jesus says that one should be reconciled with one’s “brother or sister” before
worshipping, and in Mark 11:25 “‘Whenever
you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your
Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses’”. See also Matthew 6:14 (the
Lord’s Prayer). [ NJBC]
Verse 9: “suitable clothing”: In 1 Peter 3:3-6,
“Do not adorn yourselves outwardly by braiding your hair, and by wearing gold
ornaments or fine clothing; rather, let your adornment be the inner self with
the lasting beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in
God's sight”. Concern for attire was common in Greco-Roman philosophy. It is
likely that men were also expected to wear suitable clothing. [ NOAB]
Verse 10: “good works”: 5:10 advises:
“she [a widow] must be well attested for her good works, as one who has brought
up children, shown”. See also 5:25; 6:18;
Titus 2:7, 14; 3:8, 14;
Ephesians 2:10.
[ CAB]
Verses 11-15: The thought structure and wording are like 1
Corinthians 14:33-36,
a passage that some scholars think was not part of the original letter. It may
have been added later by those who shared the viewpoint of the author of these
verses in 1 Timothy. Paul honours the place of women in Philippians 4:2-3 (“Euodia
and ... Syntyche”) and Romans 16:1-2 (“Phoebe,
a deacon”). [ CAB]
Verse 11: “in silence”: In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35,
Paul writes: “women should be silent in the churches. For they are not
permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says”. [ NOAB]
Verses 12-14: NJBC says
that these verses present a scriptural argument drawn from , and using the
language of, the Septuagint translation
of Genesis 2-3.
They make two points:
- The male has priority over the female because he was
created first, and
- As in Genesis 3:13,
where deception is predicated of the female but not of the male, women are
more likely to be led astray and so should not be teachers. (Paul himself
assigns the blame to Adam, as the counterpart of Christ: see Romans 5:12-21 and
1 Corinthians 15:45-49.)
Verse 12: In the author’s view, for a woman to have
authority over a man would violate Genesis 3:16;
however, in Pauline churches women held responsible positions, and as in 1
Corinthians 11:5,
they are assumed to have the right to pray aloud in Christian worship. Here the
author is specifically concerned about women exercising teaching and preaching
roles. In 5:13,
the author says that young widows “learn to be idle, gadding about from house
to house; and they are not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, saying
what they should not say”. See also Ephesians 5:22-23.
[ NJBC]
Women who held
responsible positions in the Pauline churches include Phoebe, a deacon, in
Romans 16:1-2;
Prisca, who hosted a church in her house, in Romans 16:3 and
1 Corinthians 16:19;
perhaps Junia in Romans 16:7.
Women are also depicted as preaching (in 1 Corinthians 11:5)
and as teaching (in Acts 18:26).
See also Acts
of Paul and Thecla. [ NJBC]
Verse 13: Genesis 2:7 says
“then the Lord God
formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the
breath of life; and the man became a living being” and Genesis 2:21-22 “So
the Lord God caused a
deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and
closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he
made into a woman and brought her to the man” . [ NOAB] The notion of the primary
role of the male in God’s creation is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 11:7-12.
[ CAB]
Verse 14: For the story of the deception of Eve by the
serpent, see Genesis 3:1-6.
[ NOAB] The interpretation of
Genesis 3:1-21 as
identifying woman as the cause of humankind’s fall into sinfulness can be seen
in Sirach 25:24:
“From a woman sin had its beginning, and because of her we all die” . This
contrasts with Paul’s treatment of the Fall in Romans 5:12-21:
“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came
through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned”. In
Romans 7:7-25,
Paul argues that humans only came to know they had sinned once the Law had been
given at Sinai. [ CAB]
Verse 15: This verse can also been translated as:
- She will be saved through the birth of the Child (i.e.
Christ), and
- She will be brought safely through childbirth. [ NOAB]
Genesis 3:16 presents
pain in childbirth as a punishment, but here it is a means of salvation! The
author probably had in mind the false teachers ( 4:3-5)
who forbade marriage. True faith insists on the goodness of human sexuality, as
something created by God. Women are to be saved by the very thing that the
false teachers reject! [ NJBC]
GOSPEL: Luke 16: 1 -
13 (all)
Luke 16:1 (NRSV)
Then Jesus said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager,
and charges were brought to him that this man was squandering his property. 2
So he summoned him and said to him, "What is this that I hear about you?
Give me an accounting of your management, because you cannot be my manager any
longer.' 3 Then the manager said to himself, "What will I do, now that my
master is taking the position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and
I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed
as manager, people may welcome me into their homes.' 5 So, summoning his
master's debtors one by one, he asked the first, "How much do you owe my master?'
6 He answered, "A hundred jugs of olive oil.' He said to him, "Take
your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.' 7 Then he asked another,
"And how much do you owe?' He replied, "A hundred containers of
wheat.' He said to him, "Take your bill and make it eighty.' 8 And his
master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly; for the
children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than
are the children of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by
means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome you into
the eternal homes.
10 "Whoever
is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest
in a very little is dishonest also in much. 11 If then you have not been
faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12
And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give
you what is your own? 13 No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will
either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise
the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
From elsewhere in the New Testament and from the Qumran
literature, we know that “the children of light” (v. 8)
are the spiritually enlightened: business-people are more pragmatic in their
sphere than are disciples in affairs of the Kingdom. Then v. 9:
Jesus advises accumulation of heavenly capital by providing
for the needy. If one does this in one’s own small way, God will see one as
trustworthy regarding Kingdom affairs (v. 10)
– and if one isn’t, he won’t. Being “faithful” now involves sharing
possessions; one who doesn’t now won’t be entrusted with “true riches”
(v. 11),
i.e. the Kingdom. Financial resources are God’s gift; they belong “to another”
(v. 12),
i.e. to him. “Your own” is your inheritance as God’s children, i.e. eternal
life. So in v. 12 Jesus
asks: if you have not managed your finances prudently, will God give
you eternal life? Then v. 13:
one cannot make a god out of money and serve God. Disciples must serve God
exclusively, using material resources for his purposes, sharing with the needy.
The alternative is enslavement to materialism.
The unifying theme of
this apparently disunified chapter is that of using possessions to benefit
others, especially the needy. [ NJBC]
Usually in a parable one
can recognize good and evil characters, but here both the master and the
manager are at least suspected of being evil, at least to an extent. Perhaps
Jesus is saying: one can learn even from the dishonest. [ CAB]
Luke offers
various example stories instead of parables, to arrest his
readers’ attention and to drive home a lesson. To some scholars, this is such a
story. But others take it as a parable. [ NJBC]
As an example story, it
is interpreted in two ways:
- A popular version: Jesus is teaching that his disciples
should imitate the actions of the dishonest manager. (This is morally
repugnant.)
- A scholarly version: What is to be imitated is the steward’s
shrewdness in the use of possessions (even though the possessions are not
his own). [ NJBC]
As a parable about the
kingdom of God, it is interpreted in two ways:
- That there is a point of contact between the actions in
the parable and the actions in Jesus’ audiences as he travels to
Jerusalem: as the manager was decisive when faced with a crisis, so too
should Jesus’ listeners be; they are wavering in their decision to follow
him and his kingdom message.
- That the point of contact is one of dissimilarity: the
sense of justice normally implied in Kingdom does not
accord with the behaviour of the master in v. 8a:
how can the master praise such unjust conduct perpetrated on him and not
have the rascal punished? Are normal standards of justice being denied in
the Kingdom Jesus preaches? Yes, in Jesus’ kingdom of justice and power,
masters do not get even. Recall Jesus’ command to love one’s enemies and
his teaching about non-retaliation and love of enemies: see 9:51-55 (Samaritans
“did not receive him”); 10:29-37 (the
Good Samaritan, and bad robbers, priest and Levite); 17:11-19 (the
nine lepers); 22:47-55 (Judas
Iscariot); 23:34 (on
the Cross). [ NJBC]
Blomberg says that the context
is instruction for disciples, not controversy with opponents; it is about good
stewardship, and is directed towards those who are already Christians (see
v. 9).
Followers must demonstrate actions befitting repentance even (or perhaps
especially) in the area of worldly wealth.
Verse 1: “rich man”: See also the story of the rich man
and Lazarus in 16:19-31.
Verse 1: Strangely, the text does not say that the
master brought the charges against the manager.
Verse 4: “I have decided what to do”: The manager acts
decisively; he neither pities himself not wavers. [ NJBC] The verb in Greek is in
the aorist tense so I
have known all along what I would do in a case like this is what he
says. He has planned ahead.
Verse 5: There is no evidence that the manager foregoes
his commission. The manger is going to get even with his master at his master’s
expense. He cancels the usurious profit of his master. Surely, the debtors will
reciprocate such largess: “people may welcome me into their homes” (v. 4).
[ NJBC]
Verses 8-9: Blomberg sees
three lessons in these verses that correspond to the three episodes and three
main characters of the story:
- v. 8a:
the praise of the master: all of God’s people will be called to give a
reckoning of the nature of their services to him
- v. 8b:
the shrewdness of the servant: preparation for that reckoning should
involve a prudent use of all our resources, especially in the area of
finances.
- v. 9:
the grace of the debtors: such prudence, demonstrating a life of true
discipleship, will be rewarded with eternal life and joy.
Verse 8a: “dishonest manager”: This is a reference to
his actions in vv. 5-7,
not a repetition of what is implied in vv. 1-2.
[ NJBC]
Verse 8: “commended”: or praised. The
master neither beats nor otherwise punishes the manager, as the master does to
the slave in 12:46.
[ NJBC]
Verse 8: “the children of light”: This phrase is also
found in John 12:36;
Ephesians 5:8;
1 Thessalonians 5:5.
In the Qumran
literature, the children of light are contrasted with the children of darkness:
see CD (Damascus Document) 20:34; 1QS (Rule of the Community) 1:9; 2:16; 3:13,
24; 1QM (War Scroll) 1:1, 3, 9. [ NJBC]
[ NOAB] [ CAB] [ JBC]
Verse 9: “dishonest wealth”: The King James Version
uses the Greek word mammon. This word is close to the Aramaic and
Hebrew. It probably means that in which one puts one’s trust. Sirach 31:8 says
“Blessed is the rich person who is found blameless, and who does not go after
gold”. See also 1QS (*Qumran Rule of the Community) 6:2; CD (Damascus Document)
14:20. [ JBC] Blomberg points out that, from
clarifications from discoveries at Qumran, “dishonest wealth” was simply a
stock idiom for all money, much as one today might say filthy lucre;
it is not a command to use ill-gotten gain for one’s own interest.
Verse 9: Other interpretations are:
- Use the wealth you have prudently, to ensure your
status in the final era. Remember that wealth tends to lead men to
dishonesty. When earthly goods fail, you will be welcomed into the kingdom
of God. Blomberg sees wealth as
including everything God has given you. [ JBC]
- The dishonest manager was prudent in using the things
of this life to ensure the future; believers should do the same. [ NOAB]
Verse 13: This notion is also found in Matthew 6:24:
“No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love
the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God
and wealth”. [ NOAB]
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
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