·
3 Richard Hooker, Priest, 1600 was an English priest in the Church of England and an influential theologian.[2] He was one of the most important English theologians of
the sixteenth century.[3] His defence of the role of redeemed reason informed the theology of the seventeenth century Caroline Divines and later provided many members of the Church of
England with a theological method which combined the claims of revelation, reason and tradition.[3]
·
6 William Temple,
Archbishop of Canterbury, 1944
·
7 Willibrord, Archbishop of Utrecht, Missionary
to Frisia, 739 was a Northumbrian missionary saint, known as the "Apostle to the Frisians" in the modern Netherlands. He became the first Bishop of
Utrecht and died at Echternach,
Luxembourg.
OLD TESTAMENT:
Habbakuk 1: 1 - 4, 2: 1 - 4 (RCL)
Haba 1:1 (NRSV)
The oracle that the prophet Habak'kuk saw.
2 O LORD, how long
shall I cry for help,
and you will not
listen?
Or cry to you
"Violence!"
and you will not
save?
3 Why do you make
me see wrongdoing
and look at
trouble?
Destruction and
violence are before me;
strife and
contention arise.
4 So the law
becomes slack
and justice never
prevails.
The wicked
surround the righteous--
therefore judgment
comes forth perverted.
2:1 I will stand
at my watchpost,
and station myself
on the rampart;
I will keep watch
to see what he will say to me,
and what he will
answer concerning my complaint.
2 Then the LORD
answered me and said:
Write the vision;
make it plain on
tablets,
so that a runner
may read it.
3 For there is
still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the
end, and does not lie.
If it seems to
tarry, wait for it;
it will surely
come, it will not delay.
4 Look at the
proud!
Their spirit is
not right in them,
but the righteous
live by their faith.
Isaiah 1: 10 - 18
(CofE, alt. for RCL)
Isai 1:10 (NRSV)
Hear the word of the LORD,
you rulers of
Sod'om!
Listen to the
teaching of our God,
you people of
Gomor'rah!
11 What to me is
the multitude of your sacrifices?
says the LORD;
I have had enough
of burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fed
beasts;
I do not delight
in the blood of bulls,
or of lambs, or of
goats.
12 When you come
to appear before me,
who asked this
from your hand?
Trample my courts
no more;
13 bringing
offerings is futile;
incense is an
abomination to me.
New moon and
sabbath and calling of convocation--
I cannot endure
solemn assemblies with iniquity.
14 Your new moons
and your appointed festivals
my soul hates;
they have become a
burden to me,
I am weary of
bearing them.
15 When you
stretch out your hands,
I will hide my
eyes from you;
even though you
make many prayers,
I will not listen;
your hands are
full of blood.
16 Wash
yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of
your doings
from before my
eyes;
cease to do evil,
17 learn to do
good;
seek justice,
rescue the
oppressed,
defend the orphan,
plead for the
widow.
18 Come now, let
us argue it out,
says the LORD:
though your sins
are like scarlet,
they shall be like
snow;
though they are
red like crimson,
they shall become
like wool.
Wisdom 11: 22 -
12:2 (Roman Catholic)
Wisdom 11:22
(NRSV) Because the whole world before you is like a speck that tips the scales,
and like a drop of
morning dew that falls on the ground.
23 But you are
merciful to all, for you can do all things,
and you overlook
people’s sins, so that they may repent.
24 For you love
all things that exist,
and detest none of
the things that you have made,
for you would not
have made anything if you had hated it.
25 How would
anything have endured if you had not willed it?
Or how would
anything not called forth by you have been preserved?
26 You spare all
things, for they are yours, O Lord, you who love the living.
12:1 For your
immortal spirit is in all things.
2 Therefore you
correct little by little those who trespass,
and you remind and
warn them of the things through which they sin,
so that they may
be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O Lord.
PSALM 119: 137 -
144 (RCL)
Psal 119:137
(NRSV) You are righteous, O LORD,
and your judgments
are right.
138 You have
appointed your decrees in righteousness
and in all
faithfulness.
139 My zeal
consumes me
because my foes
forget your words.
140 Your promise
is well tried,
and your servant
loves it.
141 I am small and
despised,
yet I do not
forget your precepts.
142 Your
righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,
and your law is
the truth.
143 Trouble and
anguish have come upon me,
but your
commandments are my delight.
144 Your decrees
are righteous forever;
give me understanding
that I may live.
119 Sadhe
Justus es, Domine (ECUSA BCP)
137
You are righteous, O Lord, *
and upright are your judgments.
138
You have issued your
decrees *
with justice and in perfect faithfulness.
139
My indignation has
consumed me, *
because my enemies forget your words.
140
Your word has been tested
to the uttermost, *
and your servant holds it dear.
141
I am small and of little
account, *
yet I do not forget your commandments.
142
Your justice is an
everlasting justice *
and your law is the truth.
143
Trouble and distress have
come upon me, *
yet your commandments are my delight.
144
The righteousness of your
decrees is everlasting; *
grant
me understanding, that I may live.
Psalm 32: 1 - 7
(CofE, alt. for 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 {Meaning of Heb uncertain} 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.
Note: Verse
numbering in your Psalter may differ from the above.
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.
Psalm 145: 1 - 2,
8 - 11, 13b - 14 (Roman Catholic)
Psal 145:1 (NRSV)
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your
name forever and ever.
2 Every day I will
bless you,
and praise your
name forever and ever.
3 Great is the
LORD, and greatly to be praised;
his greatness is
unsearchable.
4 One generation
shall laud your works to another,
and shall declare
your mighty acts.
5 On the glorious
splendor of your majesty,
and on your
wondrous works, I will meditate.
6 The might of
your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,
and I will declare
your greatness.
7 They shall
celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,
and shall sing
aloud of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is
gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and
abounding in steadfast love.
9 The LORD is good
to all,
and his compassion
is over all that he has made.
10 All your works
shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your
faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall
speak of the glory of your kingdom,
and tell of your
power,
12 to make known
to all people your mighty deeds,
and the glorious
splendor of your kingdom.
13 The LORD is
faithful in all his words,
and gracious in
all his deeds.
14 The LORD
upholds all who are falling,
and raises up all
who are bowed down.
NEW TESTAMENT: 2
Thessalonians 1: 1 - 4, 11 - 12 (RCL)
2
Thessalonians 1: 1 - 12 (C of E)
2
Thessalonians 1: 1, 11 - 2: 2 (Roman Catholic)
2The 1:1 (NRSV)
Paul, Silva'nus, and Timothy,
To the church of
the Thessalo'nians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
2 Grace to you and
peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 We must always
give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your
faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is
increasing. 4 Therefore we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for
your steadfastness and faith during all your persecutions and the afflictions
that you are enduring.
5 This is evidence
of the righteous judgment of God, and is intended to make you worthy of the
kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering. 6 For it is indeed just of
God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to give relief to the
afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with
his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not
know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 These
will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, separated from the presence
of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes to be glorified
by his saints and to be marveled at on that day among all who have believed,
because our testimony to you was believed. 11 To this end we always pray for
you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by
his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord
Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our
God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2:1 As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ
and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, 2 not
to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by
letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already
here.
V. 1 indicates
that “Paul” is the principal author of this letter; “Silvanus, and Timothy”
share in writing it. (“Silvanus”, called Silas in Acts, worked
with Paul in Thessalonica and Corinth. “Timothy” joined him at Lystra, in
central Asia Minor.) Paul’s wishes for the “church”, the community of people of
God called to intimate fellowship with Christ, are both Greek (“grace”,
v. 2)
and Jewish (“peace”); they are from the Father and the Son.
Paul gives thanks for
the Christians at Thessalonica on two counts:
their growth in “faith” (v. 3,
trust) and love – for faith works itself out in love; and
their example to other churches of remaining faithful in spite of
sufferings (probably ostracism) (v. 4).
That they do endure is
an indication (“evidence”, v. 5)
that, at the end of the era, God will find them worthy of eternal life.
(Suffering is not a prerequisite for entry into the Kingdom.) When Christ comes
again (“is revealed ...”, v. 7),
God will cause those who hurt you to suffer (v. 6);
he will grant “relief” (v. 7,
rest) to those who have suffered. (God’s appearing to people is accompanied by
“fire”, v. 8,
in Isaiah 66:15-16.)
In general, those who
have never heard of God, and those who have heard but refused to accept the
gospel, will suffer “eternal [unending] destruction” (v. 9,
the opposite of eternal life), forever separated from Christ. When Christ comes
again, he will raise the faithful (“saints”, v. 10)
to be with him. With this objective (“to this end”, v. 11),
Paul continually petitions God in prayer
to make the Christians at Thessalonica worthy of being called by God,
and
to support to completion (through the power of,
“the name of our Lord
Jesus”, v. 12)
whatever intentions (“resolve”, v. 11)
and acts of trust in God they initiate. Thus Christ’s godliness (goodness) will
be seen in them, and theirs in Christ. This will be achieved through the
Father’s and the Son’s “grace” (v. 12),
his gift of love.
Verse
1: “Silvanus”: This is generally thought
to be the same person as the Silas mentioned in Acts 15:22, 40; 16:19-25; 17:1-9; 18:5.
[ NOAB] This may be the same
Silvanus as in 1 Peter 5:12.
[ CAB] Silvanus is
a Latinization of Silas. Silas is either Semitic
or a shortened Greek form of Silvanus. [ HBD]
Verse
1: “Thessalonians”: Thessalonica was
founded in 315 BC. In 167 BC it became the capital of one of the districts of
the Roman province of Macedonia. Acts 17:1-13 reports
a positive response there to Paul’s message, from both Jews and Gentiles, but
also that his preaching and its response led eventually to hostilities against
Paul. See also Acts 20:4;
Philippians 4:16;
2 Timothy 4:10.
[ CAB]
Verse
3: Comments: faith
works itself out in love: In Galatians 5:6,
Paul says “the only thing that counts is faith working through love”. See also
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10.
[ CAB]
Verse
4: “steadfastness”: NJBC offers patient
endurance.
Verses
5-11: CAB says that this section is a
working out of Paul’s principle articulated in Romans 12:14-21,
especially the admonition found in v. 19:
“... never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is
written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’”. In 2 Thessalonians,
traditional apocalyptic imagery
is used to portray when and how God’s vengeance on the ungodly oppressor will
occur.
Verses
5-6: To suffer persecution for the faith is
a guarantee of a future reward, for God is a just judge: see also
Philippians 1:28;
Romans 2:5-11;
2 Corinthians 4:16-18.
Verse
5: 1 Peter 4:17-18 asks
“For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God; if it
begins with us, what will be the end for those who do not obey the gospel of
God? And ‘If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the
ungodly and the sinners?’”. [ CAB]
Verse
5: “to make you worthy ...”: The same
notion as suffering for Christ. [ CAB]
Verse
6: “just of God to repay ...”: NJBC offers just on God’s
part ... For God’s sovereign right to punish the wicked, see
Isaiah 66:6 and
Psalm 137:8.
For God’s recompense in the end times, see also Romans 8:18.
[ CAB]
Verse
7: “to give relief ...”: In Acts 3:19-21,
Peter tells a crowd: “Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may
be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the
Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who
must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God
announced long ago through his holy prophets”. See also 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 5:10.
Verse
7: “revealed”: The Greek word is apokalypsis.
The book of Revelation is also called The Apocalypse.
Verse
7: “with his mighty angels”: In
Jewish apocalyptic literature,
God comes in judgement with angels who execute the decrees of his power:
see 2 Enoch 29:3; Testament of Judah 3:10; 1 Enoch 61:10. The New
Testament transfers this imagery to Christ (see Matthew 13:39, 49; 16:27; 24:30-31; 25:31;
Mark 8:38;
Luke 12:8-9)
and the power of God becomes the power of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 1:24; 6:14;
2 Corinthians 13:4).
[ JBC]
Verses
7b-10: This description of judgement is
dependent on the Old Testament and Jewish apocalyptic writings. Isaiah 2:10 is
a primary source. Traditional apocalyptic imagery is used to portray when and
how God’s vengeance on the unjust oppressor will occur: see Philippians 1:28.
Verse
8: “in flaming fire”: Fire is a common
ingredient in Old Testament theophanies: see Exodus 3:2 (the
burning bush); Psalm 18:8;
Ezekiel 1:4, 13, 27;
Habakkuk 3:4;
Isaiah 66:15-16.
In Acts 26:13,
Paul says of Christ’s appearance to him on the road to Damascus: “I saw a light
from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions”. [ CAB]
Verse
8: “vengeance”: i.e. just recompense (not
revenge). [ NOAB]
Verse
8: “on those who do not know God”: Pagans
throughout all ages are considered culpably ignorant of not religiously
acknowledging the Lord. See Romans 1:18-32 and
Wisdom of Solomon 13:1-9.
[ NJBC] In Psalm 79:6,
the psalmist asks of God: “Pour out your anger on the nations that do not know
you, and on the kingdoms that do not call on your name”. [ CAB]
Verse
8: “on those who do not obey the gospel”:
Paul speaks about obeying the gospel in Romans 1:5 and
2 Corinthians 9:13.
[ CAB]
Verse
9: “eternal destruction ...”: i.e. endless
ruin in separation from Christ, not annihilation. [ NOAB] NJBC offers everlasting
just punishment and says that the writer is not speaking of physical
punishment, roasting. (In some Jewish apocalyptic literature, the
wicked will be annihilated.)
Verse
9: “separated from the presence of the
Lord”: Jesus describes such a state as being in “the eternal fire prepared for
the devil and his angels” (see Matthew 25:41).
In Luke 13:27,
he says of the fate of the ungodly: “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”. [ CAB]
Verse
10: “he comes to be glorified by his
saints”: The Lord’s glory is shown in the transforming power of his
resurrection. Made immortal, the faithful will share angelic status.
What Christ has done for his people will be seen, and added to his glory. [ NJBC]
Verse
10: “to be marvelled at”: The admiration
of the saved in Christ their saviour. NJBC offers to be held in
awe.
Verse
10: “because our testimony to you was
believed”: This manifestation of God’s glory will happen because Christians are
faithful to apostolic testimony. [ NJBC]
Verse
12: “so that the name of our Lord Jesus
may be glorified in you”: The language is borrowed from Isaiah 66:5.
The idea is mutual glorification. In the ancient Near East, knowing a person’s
name involved sharing in his power. Jesus’ name is his character and fame: in
Philippians 2:9,
Paul says of him: “Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name
that is above every name”. [ NOAB]
GOSPEL: Luke 19: 1
- 10 (all)
Luke 19:1 (NRSV)
He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named
Zacchae'us; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see
who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short
in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because
he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and
said to him, "Zacchae'us, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your
house today." 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who
saw it began to grumble and said, "He has gone to be the guest of one who
is a sinner." 8 Zacchae'us stood there and said to the Lord, "Look,
half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded
anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much." 9 Then Jesus said
to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son
of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost."
Now
we meet Zacchaeus, a tax farmer working for the Romans and
therefore also rich – a despised person and an outcast from Jewish society. He
is curious about Jesus (v. 3).
Jesus senses his presence up in a “sycamore tree” (v. 4).
He even invites himself to Zacchaeus’ home! (God extends hospitality to all
people.) The crowd grumbles (v. 7),
for Jesus has crossed social and religious barriers: good people don’t
associate with sinners. Zacchaeus, unlike the rich ruler, is prepared to give
generously, and to recompense anyone he has defrauded, as the Law requires.
(The Law required that a stolen sheep be replaced by “four”, v. 8,
sheep.) “Salvation has come” (v. 9)
to Zacchaeus’ house, indeed to his whole household: Jesus chose to stay with
him, Zacchaeus accepted him and has changed his life. Being saved is
the same spiritual experience as inheriting eternal life and entering
the kingdom of God. In spite of the crowd’s grumbling, thinking him “lost”
(v. 10),
the tax (or toll) collector is a “son of Abraham” (v. 9),
a true member of God’s people.
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
It would not be
permissible for a faithful (and clean) Jew to accept a dinner invitation to the
house of a Gentile or a sinner. Zacchaeus, knowing this, would not even think
to invite Jesus, but Jesus invites himself! This self-invitation indicates that
Jesus intends to break with the customs of closed table-fellowship – as he is
accused of by those who grumble (v. 7).
This openness, as practised here and elsewhere in the Gospels, is seen by many
modern commentators as a significant sign of the openness of God's kingdom.
Verse 1: “Jericho”: On a main trade route and an
important customs centre. [ NOAB]
Verse 2: “Zacchaeus”: The name means clean.
It also occurs in Ezra 2:9 (“Zaccai”);
Nehemiah 7:14;
2 Maccabees 10:19.
Verse 7: In 5:27-32,
Jesus has answered objections regarding his association with tax collectors.
Now a tax collector answers them. There and in 15:1-2,
Pharisees grumble about Jesus dining with tax collectors. [ NOAB] Here “all ... grumble”. [ BlkLk]
Verse 8: “will”: The Greek can be translated will
continue to. If this is intended, the lesson Jesus teaches has a little
less impact.
Verse 8: “four times as much”: The Law placed the
following obligations on those who commit commercial crimes:
He who steals an ox must pay back five oxen; if he steals a sheep he
must repay four sheep: see Exodus 22:1.
When you repent of robbery or fraud, you shall pay back the principal
plus 20%: see Leviticus 6:5.
Perhaps Zacchaeus’ promise
to compensate any he has defrauded as though he had stolen a sheep is
significant.
Verses 9-10: By ancient Near East custom, the house was
open, so the crowd would have heard what Jesus said.
Verse 9: “he too is a son of Abraham”: BlkLk notes that this notion of
salvation as promised only to Jews is also found in 13:16 and
perhaps also in 13:28.
Acts 1:6 (“‘Lord,
is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’”) and 2:39 show
that it left its mark on the apostles’ conception of the Kingdom. The idea of
salvation in Christ being only for Jews cannot have been invented by Luke, for
he saw clearly that salvation is for Gentiles too, and records the surprise of
Jewish Christians at this fact (see, for example, Acts 10:45,
the conversion of Cornelius and his family: “The circumcised believers who had
come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured
out even on the Gentiles”). In fact, both Mark and Matthew have the story of the
Syro-Phoenician woman (whose daughter Jesus heals when she persists in claiming
that his healing is also available to Gentiles). It seems that Luke’s sources
said that salvation in Christ was for Jews only.
Verse 10: “to save the lost”: Like God, portrayed as a
shepherd in Ezekiel 34:16,
Jesus seeks out the lost to save them. [ BlkLk]
For other tax collectors
who respond generously to God’s call, see 3:12-13; 7:29-30; 15:1-2; 18:9-14.
© 1996-2019
Chris Haslam
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