·
3 The Dorchester Chaplains:
Lieutenant George Fox, Lieutenant Alexander D. Goode, Lieutenant Clark V.
Poling, and Lieutenant John P. Washington, 1943
·
4 Anskar, Archbishop of Hamburg, Missionary to Denmark
and Sweden, 865 was Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen in the northern part of the Kingdom of the East Franks. Ansgar became
known as the "Apostle of the North" because of his travels and the See of Hamburg received the
missionary mandate to bring Christianity to Northern Europe.[4][5]
·
5 Roger Williams,
1683, and Anne Hutchinson,
1643, Prophetic Witnesses
·
6 The Martyrs of Japan, 1597were Christian missionaries and followers who were persecuted and
executed, mostly during the Tokugawa shogunate period in the 17th century. More than 400 martyrs of
Japan have been recognized with beatification by the Catholic Church, and 42 have been canonized as saints.
The
Episcopal / Canadian BAS Psalm is from the ECUSA BCP.
OLD TESTAMENT: Malachi 3: 1 - 4 (all but C of E)
Malachi 3:
1 - 5 (C of E)
Mala 3:1 (NRSV)
{The Coming Messenger} See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before
me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger
of the covenant in whom you delight-indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of
hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he
appears?
For he is like a
refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; 3 he will sit as a refiner and purifier
of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold
and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness. 4 Then
the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days
of old and as in former years.
5 Then I will draw
near to you for judgment; I will be swift to bear witness against the
sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against
those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow and the orphan,
against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the LORD of
hosts.
Psalm 24 (RCL)
Psalm 24: (1 - 6) 7 -
10 (C of E)
Psalm 24: 7 - 10 (Roman Catholic, alt. for ECUSA, Can. BAS)
Psal 24:1 (NRSV)
{Of David. A Psalm.} The earth is the LORD's and all that is in it,
the world, and
those who live in it;
2 for he has
founded it on the seas,
and established it
on the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend
the hill of the LORD?
And who shall
stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have
clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up
their souls to what is false,
and do not swear
deceitfully.
5 They will receive
blessing from the LORD,
and vindication
from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the
company of those who seek him,
who seek the face
of the God of Jacob. [Selah]
7 Lift up your
heads, O gates!
and be lifted up,
O ancient doors!
that the King of
glory may come in.
8 Who is the King
of glory?
The LORD, strong
and mighty,
the LORD, mighty
in battle.
9 Lift up your
heads, O gates!
and be lifted up,
O ancient doors!
that the King of
glory may come in.
10 Who is this
King of glory?
The LORD of hosts,
he is the King of
glory. [Selah]
Psalm 84 (ECUSA, Can. BAS)
1 How
dear to me is your dwelling, O LORD of hosts! *
My
soul has a desire and longing for the courts of
the LORD;
my
heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.
2 The
sparrow has found her a house
and the swallow a
nest where she may lay her young; *
by
the side of your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my
King and my God.
3 Happy
are they who dwell in your house! *
they
will always be praising you.
4 Happy
are the people whose strength is in you! *
whose
hearts are set on the pilgrims' way.
5 Those
who go through the desolate valley will find
it a place of
springs, *
for
the early rains have covered it with pools of water.
6 They
will climb from height to height, *
and
the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.
7 Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; *
hearken,
O God of Jacob.
8 Behold
our defender, O God; *
and
look upon the face of your Anointed.
9 For
one day in your courts is better than
a thousand in my
own room, *
and
to stand at the threshold of the house of my God
than
to dwell in the tents of the wicked.
10 For
the Lord God is both sun and
shield; *
he
will give grace and glory;
11 No
good thing will the Lord withhold
*
from
those who walk with integrity.
12 O
Lord of hosts, *
happy
are they who put their trust in you!
NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 2: 14 - 18 (all)
Hebr 2:14 (NRSV)
Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise
shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has
the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives
were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he did not
come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to
become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a
merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of
atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself was tested by what
he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.
Hebrews couches the good
news in Jewish terms: it sees Jesus as the great high priest. V. 10 says
something like It was appropriate that God, the creator, should – in
bringing us to share in his glory – make Jesus (the forerunner of our
salvation), a priest, but (unlike other priests) a priest who suffers. Why?
V. 11 says:
because Jesus and we have the same Father. God reveals himself in the Church.
There is a close affinity between Jesus and his followers.
In v. 14,
“flesh” refers to human nature, considered in its weakness and infidelity. The
writer sees the devil as having the power of death – perhaps a reminder of the
link between sin and death portrayed in the story of the Garden of Eden. Jesus,
through his redemptive act, frees us from the fear of death – death is no
longer separation from God. Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, the
nature of death has changed: it has become the way out of the domain of sin.
The “descendants of Abraham” (v. 16)
are those who believe in Christ. Old Testament priests were expected to be
“faithful” (v. 17),
but Christ, the “high priest” is unique in being “merciful”, compassionate.
Before Christ, when
·
one deviated from God’s ways (sinned),
·
God became angry and separated one from him,
·
one offered a sacrifice (thus obtaining purification), and
·
regained a right relationship with God.
Christ’s “sacrifice”,
death, ends this cycle: he continually takes sins on himself, keeping us in
unity with God. Then v. 18:
it is because Christ was “tested” in life and when dying that he is able to
help those who are tempted to abandon his ways.
Verse 14: Paul writes in Romans 6:23:
“the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord”. [ NOAB]
Verse 14: “flesh and blood”: For flesh contrasted with
the spirit of God, see also Psalms 56:4; 78:39;
Isaiah 31:3;
2 Chronicles 32:8.
“Flesh and blood” meaning human beings does not occur in the
Old Testament proper; however it is found in Sirach 14:18 and 17:31.
In the New Testament, see also Matthew 16:17;
Galatians 1:16 (NRSV:
“human being”); Ephesians 6:12.
[ NJBC]
Verse 14: “so that through death ...”: Hellenistic Judaism held
that death was no part of God’s plan for humans and that it was brought into
the world by the devil: see Wisdom of Solomon 1:12-13; 2:23-24.
The connection between sin and death was broken by Christ when he, through his
high-priestly work, removed sin: see Romans 8:3-4.
[ NJBC]
Verse 15: “fear”: The fear here is that death severs one’s relationship
with God (see Isaiah 38:18 and
Psalm 115:17-18)
and also that death, being connected with sin, is more than a physical evil; in
1 Corinthians 15:26,
death is the “last enemy” to be destroyed by Christ. This Jesus realized: by
his death, the way of unending life with God was opened up to all who obey him.
[ JBC]
Verse 16: “help”: The “descendants of Abraham” are believers in
Christ. NJBC points out
that the Greek word translated “help” really means take hold of – in
order to help, so suggests that the author is thinking of the Incarnation.
The verb is in the present tense, so this action is continuing. See also 8:9:
“took them by the hand”.
Verse 17: “merciful and faithful”: That the high priest be merciful is
found in the Bible only in Hebrews; that he be faithful is part of the
high-priestly tradition: see 1 Samuel 2:35.
The author probably bases the use of “merciful” on what he sees Jesus as having
been during his earthly ministry. For faithfulness as a priestly quality in
Hebrews, see also 3:2, 6.
That he be gentle (sympathetic) is found in 5:2-3.
[ NOAB]
Verse 18: “tested”: Tempted is another translation. In
the gospels, Jesus is tempted to abandon his mission; the readers of this book
are tempted to apostasy, infidelity. [ NJBC]
GOSPEL: Luke 2: 22 - 40 (all but Roman Catholic)
Luke 2: 22 - 32 (33 -
40) (Roman Catholic)
Luke 2:22 (NRSV)
{Jesus Is Presented in the Temple} When the time came for their purification
according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him
to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn
male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), 24 and they offered a
sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of
turtledoves or two young pigeons."
25 Now there was a
man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout,
looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on
him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see
death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 27 Guided by the Spirit, Simeon
came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do
for him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took him in his arms and praised
God, saying,
29 "Master,
now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your
word;
30 for my eyes
have seen your salvation, 31 which you have prepared in the presence of all
peoples,
32 a light for
revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to
your people Israel."
33 And the child's
father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon
blessed them and said to his mother Mary, "This child is destined for the
falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed
35 so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed - and a sword will
pierce your own soul too."
36 There was also
a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a
great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37
then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but
worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 At that moment she
came, and began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were
looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
39 When they had
finished everything required by the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth. 40 The child grew and became strong, filled with
wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.
Simeon looks forward to the coming of the Messiah to restore
Israel to favour with God (“the consolation of Israel”, v. 25).
The Spirit has told him that he will see the Christ before he dies (v. 26).
Simeon’s words in vv. 29-32 are
known as the Nunc Dimittis, from the first words in Latin. He
begins by saying that God is setting him free, as a slave is granted liberty.
He is now free to die (for the Spirit’s revelation to him is now fulfilled),
and Israel is free of bondage. God has saved Israel, as he promised to “all
peoples”; his salvation is for Gentiles too. In v. 33,
Joseph is Jesus’ legal father. Simeon prophesies in vv. 34-35 through
the Spirit (v. 25).
Jesus is destined for the death and resurrection (“the falling and the rising”,
v. 34)
of many; he will meet opposition, and will cause many to think deeply about
him. Mary too will need to decide for or against Christ (“own soul”, v. 35).
Simeon and Anna together stand before God; to Luke, men and women are equal in
God’s eyes. Anna praises God, and tells many the meaning of Jesus, as Simeon
has prophesied. Like Samuel, “the favour of God was upon him” (v. 40).
© 1996-2020
Chris Haslam
The continuity between the traditions of Israel and what God was to do through Jesus is exemplified:
- By the presentation of Jesus in the Temple and the
sacrifices offered,
- By Simeon’s recognition and affirmation of Jesus as
“Messiah” and bringer of “revelation to the Gentiles” (v. 32)
as well as a cause of controversy within Israel (Isaiah 8:14),
and
- by the prophetess Anna’s acclaim of Jesus as the one
who will redeem “Jerusalem” (v. 38),
the symbol of God’s people (see Isaiah 52:7-10).
[ CAB]
When a child was one
month old, he was redeemed for five shekels (see Numbers 3:47-48; 18:15-16),
but Luke does not mention this. Rather, he introduces Jesus’ presentation – for
which there is no regulation in the Old Testament. [ NJBC] However, being “designated
as holy” (v. 23)
was probably to be done in a liturgy, a public event, a presentation. Luke has
presented both John and Jesus as dedicated to God from the time they were in
the womb. So both are, in a sense, Nazirites. Matthew 2:23,
in saying that Jesus “will be called a Nazorean”, may be saying that he will be
called a Nazirite. While we know of no ritual for initial consecration of a
Nazirite, Numbers 6:9-12 prescribes
an elaborate ritual for reconsecration of a Nazirite should he or she become
ritually unclean. [ HBD] Also
recall that it is Luke that gives us the Magnificat (in 1:46-55),
the song of Mary modelled after Hannah’s song before the dedication of her son
Samuel to temple service (see 1 Samuel 2:1-10).
Perhaps Luke is continuing his parallel with Samuel.
Verses 22-24: For the requirement for, and the delay in,
purification, see Leviticus 12:2-8.
[ NOAB]
Verse 22: “to present him to the Lord”: For Samuel’s
presentation in the temple (at Shiloh), see 1 Samuel 1:22-24.
Luke also probably thinks of Malachi 3:1-2 (“the
Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple”). [NJBC]
Verse 22: “Jerusalem”: The Greek is Hierosolyma,
literally meaning holy Salem or holy space. In his
gospel, Luke sometimes uses Hierosolyma and sometimes Ierosalem.
Perhaps he is showing the etymology of the name of the city. [ NJBC]
Verses 25-28: “Simeon”: Some interpreters, especially
ancient ones, saw Acts 15:14 as
referring to this Simeon. Other than that possible reference, he is unknown.
Both he and Anna (v. 38)
express faith in Jesus as Saviour, Messiah and universal Lord. [ NOAB] Simeon means God
has heard. He is described in much the same way as John the Baptist’s parents: 1:6 tells
us “Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all
the commandments and regulations of the Lord”. [ NJBC]
Verse 25: “the consolation of Israel”: While I have
interpreted these words in an eschatological sense, it
is also possible that Simeon looks forward to the independence of Israel from
Roman occupation. The word translated “consolation” is paraklesis.
This word is used in the Septuagint translation
of Isaiah 40:1,
“Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God.”. [ BlkMt] JBC notes that according to the
rabbis, this term denoted the final, unrecorded words that passed between
Elijah and Elisha (see 2 Kings 2:11)
and that would be made known when Elijah reappeared (see 1:17).
[ JBC] Isaiah 66:12-13 may
also be in Luke’s mind. [ NJBC]
Verse 26: “the Lord’s Messiah”: The Lord here is God
(the Father). Christos is the Greek translation of Messiah.
In 9:20,
Peter identifies Jesus as “the Messiah of God”. [ NOAB]
Verse 27: “Simeon came into the temple”: Note that he is
not a priest. He and Anna do embody the heart of Temple cult: service to God. [ NJBC]
Verses 29-32: The vocabulary of these verses, the
theological centrepiece of the passage, seems to be drawn from Deutero-Isaiah: see
Isaiah 52:9-10; 49:6; 46:13; 42:6; 40:5.
They stress the universal nature of Christ’s salvation. See also Isaiah 46:13;
Acts 13:47; 26:23.
[ NJBC]
Verse 29: “you are dismissing your servant”: As in the
freeing of a slave.
Verse 29: “in peace”: i.e. in a state of harmony with
God.
Verse 30: See also 3:6 (“‘...
all flesh shall see the salvation of God’”) and Isaiah 52:10 (“...
all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God”). [ NOAB]
Verse 30: “salvation”: See also 1:47 (the Magnificat,
where Mary says “‘my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour’”). See also 1:71, 77; 2:11.
[ NJBC]
Verses 31-32: God’s salvation in Jesus moves out and
embraces God’s people Israel and then encircles the others, the nations. See
also 24:44-47 (Jesus
appears to his disciples). [ NJBC]
Verse 33: “father”: Joseph is Jesus’ legal father as
Mary’s husband. In Matthew 13:55,
people at the synagogue ask: “‘Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his
mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and
Judas?’”. In Luke 3:23,
we read “...He was the son (as was thought) of Joseph ...”. [ NOAB] His lineage is traced,
through Joseph, back to David and the patriarchs in the following verses.
Verse 35: “sword”: Ezekiel 14:17-18 speaks
of a sword of discrimination between the godly and the ungodly; perhaps this is
view, rather than a sword of punishment. Mary too has to choose for or against
God’s revelation in Jesus, family ties not withstanding. [ NJBC]
Verse 36: “Anna”: Her name means grace, favour.
Her pairing with Simeon, and of Elisabeth and Zechariah, illustrate an
important theme in Luke: men and women stand side-by-side before God, equal in
honour and grace, endowed with the same gifts, with the same responsibilities.
See also Genesis 1:27 and
Galatians 3:28.
Other pairings are Zarephath and Naaman ( 4:25-28),
the healing of the demoniac and Peter’s mother-in-law ( 4:31-39),
and the centurion of Capernaum and the widow of Nain ( 7:1-17).
[ NJBC]
Verse 36: “Asher”: See Joshua 19:24 for
Asher’s portion in the division of the Promised Land into tribal territories. [ NOAB]
Verse 37: “to the age of eighty-four”: There is an
alternative translation: for eighty-four years. This would make
Anna over 100 years old at the time. Perhaps Luke is symbolically linking her
to Judith, also a devout widow, who lived to the age of 105: see Judith 16:23.
Verse 38: “Jerusalem”, i.e. all the elect.
Verse 40: “filled with wisdom”: i.e. God’s practical
all-embracing plan of salvation: see Proverbs 8:22ff and
Sirach 24.
© 1996-2020
Chris Haslam
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