July 26, 2009 - Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Scripture Study
PROPER 12
YEAR B
JULY 26, 2009


THE READINGS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE

A reading from Second Kings

A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, "Give it to the people and let them eat." But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred people?" So he repeated, "Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the LORD, `They shall eat and have some left.'" He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.


Remaining seated, let us read responsively from Psalm 85

10 All your works praise you, O LORD,
and your faithful servants bless you.

11 They make known the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your power;

12 That the peoples may know of your power
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;
your dominion endures throughout all ages.

14 The LORD is faithful in all his words
and merciful in all his deeds.

15 The LORD upholds all those who fall;
he lifts up those who are bowed down.

16 The eyes of all wait upon you, O LORD,
and you give them their food in due season.

17 You open wide your hand
and satisfy the needs of every living creature.

18 The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and loving in all his works.

19 The LORD is near to those who call upon him,
to all who call upon him faithfully.



A Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians [Ephesians 3:14-21]

I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.


The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint John
Glory to you, Lord Christ. [John 6:1-21]

Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world."

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.


EXEGESIS:

CHAPTER 6: GALILEE, JERUSALEM, GALILEE, JERUSALEM

The end of chapter 4 finds Jesus in Galilee. Chapter 5 moves to Jerusalem. Chapter 6 (our reading for this week) moves back to Galilee. In chapter 7 Jesus returns to Jerusalem. It would simplify the geography to put chapter 6 between chapters 4 and 5, but this author is more concerned with theology than geography. Jerusalem will be the place of Jesus' death during a subsequent Passover. There he will break bread with the disciples in the Upper Room, temporarily closeted away from his enemies. Here, at Passover, far from Jerusalem, he will break bread with thousands on a mountaintop.

This week's Gospel lesson includes two stories. The first (vv. 1-15) recounts the feeding of the five thousand. The second, (vv. 16-21) tells of Jesus walking on water. Both the miraculous feeding of bread from heaven and the miraculous crossing of the sea are reminiscent of the Exodus.


VERSES 1-4: JESUS WENT UP THE MOUNTAIN AND SAT DOWN

1After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. 2A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. 3Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. 4Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.


"After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee" (v. 1a). The "other side" is probably the eastern side, across from Tiberius, but this isn't certain. Wherever they are, the disciples will get in their boat and depart for Capernaum, at the north end of the sea, when evening comes (6:16).

"also called the Sea of Tiberias" (v. 1b). The Sea of Tiberius is a name found in the Gospels only here and at 21:1. The name comes from the city of Tiberius which was built on the west shore of the sea by Herod Antipas, completed in 20 A.D. and named in honor of Tiberius Caesar, who reigned as the Roman emperor from 14-37 A.D. The sea is also known as Gennesaret (Luke 5:1).

"A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick" (v. 2). In Galilee, Jesus healed the son of a royal official (4:46-54). In Jerusalem he healed a man who had been sick for 38 years (5:1-18). This verse suggests that there were additional healings in Galilee during this visit.

"they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick" (v. 2b). The words "sign" and "signs" are important in this Gospel, occurring 17 times. A sign is "something that points to, or represents, something larger or more important than itself.... In the New Testament, ...signs point primarily to the powerful, saving activity of God as experienced through the ministry of Jesus and the apostles" (Lockyer, 991). "Miraculous 'signs' as a source of faith play an important part in the gospel of John (cf. John 20:30). The positive and correct reaction of the people to Jesus' signs is recorded (6:2, 14; 7:31; 10:41-42; 12:18-19). But, even in John, Jesus retains a skeptical assessment of faith induced by signs (2:23-25; 4:48) and attempts to point beyond the signs to the demands and promises of his message (3:2-3; 6:26-27, 35-40)" (Myers, 949).

"Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples" (v. 3). These words signal that something important is about to happen. Mountains are places where God and God's will are revealed –– where God gave the Torah to Moses (Exodus 19) –– where God defeated the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) –– where Jesus gave his greatest sermon (Matthew 5-7) –– and where he will be transfigured (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9).

This reference to the mountain is one of a series of Exodus/Moses images in this chapter. Others include crossing the sea (v. 1), the mention of the Passover (v. 4), God's provision of bread (manna) (v. 11), the gathering of fragments (v. 12), the mention of manna (vv. 31-32, 49-50), and the mention of "the bread that came down from heaven" (v. 58). Jesus is like Moses, but is greater than Moses.

"Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near" (v. 4). The mention of the Passover is another signal that something important is happening. This Gospel tells of three Passovers:

•The first was in Jerusalem, where Jesus cleansed the temple at Passover (2:13-25). In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), the cleansing takes place near the end of Jesus' ministry, but this Gospel reports it as taking place immediately after the first of Jesus' signs, a miracle of abundance, the making of wine from water at the wedding feast in Cana of Galilee (2:1-11).

• Now, at Jesus' second Passover, we have another miracle of abundance, the feeding of the five thousand (6:1-14), a miracle like unto God's gift of manna in the wilderness –– a linkage that Jesus will make clear in the Bread of Life discourse (6:22-40) that follows the feeding of the five thousand.

• The story of Jesus' third Passover will require eight chapters for its telling (11:55 - 19:42), and will include the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion as well as the crucifixion itself. The Passover celebrates the Exodus, with the Passover lamb commemorating the salvation of the Israelites from the death angel. In this Gospel, Jesus is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world" (1:29, 36 –– see also 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:18; Revelation 5:12). Just as the Passover lamb saved the lives of the Israelites, so the Lamb of God has come into the world "so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (3:16).


VERSES 5-9: WHERE ARE WE TO BUY BREAD FOR THESE PEOPLE TO EAT?

5When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" 6He said this to test (Greek: peirazon) him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. 7Philip answered him, "Six months' wages (Greek: diakosion denarion –– two hundred denarii) would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." 8One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 9"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?"


Unlike Matthew 14:14 and Mark 6:34; 8:2, this Gospel does not mention Jesus' compassion for the crowds, who are like sheep without a shepherd. In this Gospel, this story has to do with faith in Jesus rather than his compassion.

The story of the Feeding of the Five Thousand is also found in Luke 9:10-17, making it the only miracle story to be found in all four Gospels.

"Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?" (v. 5). Jesus addresses his question to Philip, whose home is in nearby Bethsaida (1:44). If anyone would know where to purchase bread locally, Philip should know.

This is an allusion to the question raised by Moses to God in the wilderness: "Where am I to get meat to give to all this people?" (Numbers 11:13).

Jesus "said this to test (peirozon) him" (v. 6a). Peirazon can mean "to examine" or "to tempt." The examiner hopes that the student will pass the test, while the tempter hopes that the student will fail. Jesus is an examiner here –– hoping to find in Philip a man of faith.

"for he himself knew what he was going to do" (v. 6b). Jesus has a plan in mind. He is not asking Philip a question to initiate a brainstorming session to solve a difficult problem. He is probing Philip to learn the depth of his faith.

"Six months' wages (diakosion denarion –– two hundred denarii) would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little" (v. 7). Philip points out the obvious difficulty –– the purchase of bread for such a large crowd would be very expensive. The Greek says diakosion denarion –– two hundred denarii. A denarius is a day's wages for a working man, so two hundred denarii represents at least six month's wages –– a capital sum that would seem enormous to a man like Philip. How can he get that kind of money?

Philip could go even further by pointing out the logistical problems associated with the procurement and transportation of such a large quantity of bread. Even if the disciples could collect sufficient funds, they could hardly expect to find bread already baked in sufficient quantities to feed thousands. How many ovens would be required? How many bakers? How much flour? How long would it take for the dough to rise? To bake? How could the disciples transport thousands of loaves of bread? What about water? What about toilet facilities? If the disciples were to tackle this monumental task and gather the necessary food, could Jesus reorganize the crowd for teaching again after dinner? Wouldn't it make more sense to dismiss them now and let them find their own dinner?

But doesn't Philip remember Jesus' miracle at Cana (2:1-11) –– "the first of his signs" (2:11) –– revealing Jesus' glory and causing his disciples to believe in him (2:11)? Philip was already Jesus' disciple when Jesus worked that miracle of abundance (1:43-48). While we are not specifically told that Philip was present at the Cana wedding, surely he has heard about that miracle. For whatever reason, he fails to connect that miracle of abundance with the need for abundance here.

"One of (Jesus') disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, 'There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?'" (vv. 8-9). Andrew makes a feeble stab at a solution, identifying a modest resource –– a boy with his lunch. But then he endorses Philip's pessimism by saying, "But what are they among so many people?" Both Philip and Andrew help us to understand the magnitude of the coming miracle by stressing the obvious difficulties.

"five barley loaves" (v. 9). Barley loaves are an inferior bread usually eaten by poor people. It is less nutritious, less tasty, and harder to digest than bread made from wheat.

These barley loaves recall Elisha's miraculous feeding of one hundred people with a small supply of barley loaves. In that story, a man from Baal-shalishah brought twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain to give to Elisha for the offering of the first fruits. Elisha said, "Give it to the people and let them eat." But his servant said, "How can I set this before a hundred people?" So Elisha repeated, "Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, 'They shall eat and have some left.'" The servant "set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord" (2 Kings 4:42-44). The connections between the stories of the prophet Elisha and the prophet Jesus are unmistakable.

"and two fish" (v. 9). The fish are probably small –– an accompaniment for the bread, which is the main course.

This is all that the Gospels have to say about this boy (the Synoptics don't even mention him). The boy is an unlikely candidate to save the day, just as the shepherd-boy, David, was an unlikely opponent for Goliath many years earlier. His pitiful offering is as inadequate as was David's sling. The boy has little to offer, but he offers that little bit. Jesus will transform that little bit into more-than-enough.

What if the boy were unwilling to share his lunch? What if he were to say, "I need this for myself" –– or "My little bit won't make any difference"? "In the parable of the talents our Lord makes it plain that... it is the one-talent people who are most likely to falter and fail him; and this on the ground that anything they could do is so trivial as to be not worth doing.... That, says Christ, is a fallacy that has disastrous consequences" (Gossip, 555). "There would have been one great and shining deed fewer in history if that boy had refused to come or if he had withheld his loaves and fishes. The fact of life is that Jesus Christ needs what we can bring Him. We may not have much to bring but He needs what we have" (Barclay, 207).


VERSES 10-14: THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND

10Jesus said, "Make the people (Greek: anthropous –– men) sit down." Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they (Greek: hoi andres –– the men) sat down, about five thousand in all. 11Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks (Greek: eucharistesas), he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12When they were satisfied, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, so that nothing may be lost." 13So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets. 14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they began to say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world (Greek: erchomenos eis ton kosmon)."


"Jesus said, 'Make the people sit down'" (v. 10a). Jesus might intend this gesture to signal the crowd to prepare for lunch. If so, it is a bold move for a man with so many mouths to feed and so little food.

"Now there was a great deal of grass in the place; so they (hoi andres –– the men) sat down, about five thousand in all" (v. 10b). The "in all" at the end of this sentence is absent in the Greek, and might mislead us to assume that it includes women and children. In that time and place, this sort of count would include only men, so the total crowd would be larger, probably much larger. Matthew's Gospel makes this explicit by saying, "And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children" (Matthew 14:21).

"Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks (eucharistesas), he distributed them to those who were seated" (v. 11). Eucharistesas is the Greek word from which we get our word Eucharist. "At this point in the story, (eucharistesas) carries little meaning beyond its obvious sense of giving thanks to God.... But as the chapter unfolds, the term will take on a particular meaning for the Johannine community and its audience" (Howard-Brook, 145). The traditional prayer of thanksgiving is "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who bringest forth bread from the earth" (Carson, 270). It expresses, not a blessing of food, but thanks to God.

In the Synoptics, the disciples distribute the bread, but in this Gospel, Jesus does it. "Jesus' actions do not reflect the more liturgically stylized actions of the synoptic accounts (e.g., Mark 6:41; Luke 9:16), but rather reflect the actions of a host at a Jewish meal" (O'Day, 594). The emphasis is less clearly eucharistic in this gospel than in the Synoptics.

"When they were satisfied" (v. 12a). The people eat their fill –– not just a token amount as some scholars have suggested. Nor is this a lesson in sharing, as others have suggested. This is NOT the story of a young boy who sets an example of generosity that inspires the rest of the crowd to share their food which turns out to be adequate for the occasion. This IS a story –– one of many in both Old and New Testaments –– about God's/Jesus' ability to transform too little into more than enough.

Attempts to explain this story by rationalistic or humanistic interpretations only diminish it –– shrinking the miracle to fit our vision instead of expanding our vision to see God's majesty. We must ask why some interpreters find it possible to believe in the miracle of the resurrection but not the miracle of the loaves and fishes –– and if they do not believe in the miracle of the resurrection, how can they be faithful spiritual guides?

Jesus commands, "Gather up the fragments left over, so nothing may be lost" (v. 12b). This is somewhat different from the Exodus account, where God commanded the Israelites to gather the manna but not to keep it until the next day (Exodus 16:16-21). When the Israelites disobeyed this order by keeping food for the next day, "it bred worms and became foul" and was lost (Exodus 16:20). "The discourse will allude to this in terms of the food that perishes (v. 27). It will also go on to talk of Jesus not losing anything that the Father has given him (v. 39; cf. also 10.28; 17.12; 18.9)" (Lincoln, 213).

The emphasis in the Exodus story was the faithfulness of God's providence, while the emphasis here is the abundance of God's providence. Jesus makes no mention of gathering only what is needed for the day.

"So they gathered them up, and from the fragments of the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten, they filled twelve baskets" (v. 13). The twelve baskets of leftovers are more food than Jesus started with –– one basket each for the twelve tribes of Israel. The supply is abundant. God provides plenty to meet our needs.

In an article on the significance of various numbers in the Bible, Borchert says, "The combinations of four and three (the world and the divine) are important. Three and four when added equal seven, which is regarded as a reference to fullness or perfection. The multiplication of three and four equals twelve, which is the representative number of the people of God. Five and ten often are regarded as signifying human or mortal completeness.... A thousand (three multiples of ten), the general big number" (Borchert, 255 –– see also the article on "Numbers" in Bromiley, 556-561). While our text provides no interpretation of the numbers involved here, it includes several of these significant numbers –– seven resources (five loaves and two fish) (v. 9) –– a crowd of five thousand (v. 10) –– and twelve baskets of leftovers (v. 13).

Seeing the miracle, the people say, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world" (erchomenos eis ton kosmon) (v. 14). This apparently refers to Moses' promise, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet" (Deuteronomy 18:15). "In Greek, the phrase is the same as the description of the as yet unnamed Jesus in the prologue (1:9): 'The true light was coming into the world' (erchomenos[n] eis ton kosmon). It is John's way of speaking of the advent of Jesus" (Smith, 149).


VERSE 15: JESUS WITHDREW AGAIN TO THE MOUNTAIN BY HIMSELF

15When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

"When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king" (v. 15a). The crowd wants to institutionalize Jesus' role as provider and deliverer. Having seen power at work, they want to harness it for their own purposes. "If this was the second Moses, he would surely do for them what the first Moses had done for their ancestors and deliver them from oppression" (Bruce, 146).

While the crowd's response is natural enough, it makes too little of Jesus, whom they wish to claim as their own personal genie. Their response "reverses the answer to the catechism question so that it would read, 'Our chief end is to be glorified by God forever" (Brueggemann, 446).

"he withdrew again to the mountain by himself" (v. 15b). Seeing that they are about to make him king by force, Jesus withdraws. He has a ministry to fulfill, but not the one that these people envision. To become the king that they want would shrink his ministry from the world (3:16) to the eastern end of the Mediterranean –– from all of history to a generation or two –– from a giver of eternal life to a giver of temporal security. And to become their king would expose Jesus to a justifiable charge of treason, legitimizing his execution as a criminal. No longer would he be the innocent lamb dying for the sins of the world, but he would instead die as a rightfully convicted felon.

There is "much of St. John's irony in the passage; He who is already King has come to open His kingdom to men; but in their blindness men try to force Him to be the kind of king they want; thus they fail to get the king they want, and also lose the kingdom He offers" (R.F. Bailey, Saint John's Gospel, quoted in Morris, 307).


VERSES 16-21: THEY SAW JESUS WALKING ON THE SEA

16When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, 17got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. 19When they had rowed about three or four miles (Greek: hos stadious eikosi pente e triakonta –– about twenty-five or thirty stadia), they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified. 20But he said to them, "It is I (Greek: ego eimi); do not be afraid." 21Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going.


"When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum" (vv. 16-17a). In Matthew 14:22 and Mark 6:45, the disciples depart on Jesus' orders. Here they leave on their own initiative. Luke 9 doesn't report this departure.

"It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them" (v. 17b). In this Gospel, darkness is more than the absence of physical light –– it signals evil or danger. It is now dark, and Jesus is absent.

"The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing" (v. 18). Located nearly 700 feet (215 meters) below sea level, the sea is nearly surrounded by high hills. The topography is such that high winds often sweep down suddenly from the hills, making the sea a dangerous place to be in a small boat. There is no indication yet that the disciples are in danger or afraid, but their journey will not be easy.

"When they had rowed about three or four miles" (hos stadious eikosi pente e triakonta) –– about twenty-five or thirty stadia) (v. 19a). A stadion is a little more than 600 feet (180 meters), so this distance is 15,000-18,000 feet or roughly 3 - 3.5 miles (4.8 - 5.6 km). The sea (really a good-sized lake) is 8 miles (13 km) east to west at its widest point and about 13 miles (21 km) north to south. The point here is that the disciples are somewhere in the middle of the lake. They have rowed a considerable distance in the storm, but have a considerable distance left to go. Their group includes experienced fishermen who have surely been on the lake during storms. While the text doesn't say that they are afraid, anyone who has ever been caught in a storm in the middle of a large lake will appreciate the challenge that they face –– the danger that the storm poses.

"they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were terrified" (v. 19b). Now, for the first time, we hear that the disciples are terrified. It is not the storm that terrifies them, but the sight of Jesus walking on the sea and coming near their boat. John doesn't specify the cause of their fear, but the Synoptic Gospels tell us that the disciples are afraid because they think that Jesus is a ghost (Matthew 14:26; Mark 6:49; Luke 24:37).

Jesus says, "It is I (ego eimi); do not be afraid" (v. 20). Ego eimi can be translated "I AM" –– God's name (Exodus 3:14) –– and Jesus uses this phrase often in this Gospel to say "ego eimi the bread of life" (6:35) –– "ego eimi the light of the world" (8:12) –– "ego eimi the good shepherd" (10:11) –– etc. Here on the chaos of these troubled waters, therefore, Jesus is revealing himself on two levels. He is the leader whom the disciples have been following, but he is also the presence of God in their midst. He comes to help them in their distress. "Jesus' glory is not revealed for power, but for grace-filled pastoral care" (O'Day, 597).

Matthew includes the story of Peter attempting to walk on the water to meet Jesus (Matthew 14:28-31), a story not found in the other Gospels.

"Then they wanted to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going" (v. 21). The immediacy of their arrival suggests that Jesus is somehow responsible for their quick return to land. The movement of this story is from the chaos that the disciples experience when separated from Jesus to the peace that he brings when he joins them. It echoes Psalm 107:23-30:

23Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the mighty waters;
24they saw the deeds of the LORD,
his wondrous works in the deep.
25For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;
their courage melted away in their calamity;
27they reeled and staggered like drunkards,
and were at their wits' end.
28Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
and he brought them out from their distress;
29he made the storm be still,
and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30Then they were glad because they had quiet,
and he brought them to their desired haven.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS: (Top of page)

In many of the families I visited nothing was certain, nothing predictable, nothing totally safe. Maybe there would be food tomorrow, maybe there would be work tomorrow, maybe there would be peace tomorrow. Maybe, maybe not. But whatever is given –– money, food, work, a handshake, a smile, a good word, or an embrace –– is a reason to rejoice and say gracias. What I claim as a right, my friends in Bolivia and Peru received as a gift; what is obvious to me was a joyful surprise to them; what I take for granted, they celebrate in thanksgiving; what for me goes by unnoticed became for them a new occasion to say thanks.

Henri J. M. Nouwen, Gracias! A Latin American Journal

* * * * * * * * * *

One of the characteristics of truly great people is that they can receive graciously. I know a very famous man in the academic world who by no means always dresses like an academic. In a London railway station he saw an old lady in difficulties and offered to carry her bag. When he had put it in her carriage for her, she gave him sixpence –– which he gravely and courteously received rather than embarrass the old lady who offered it.

Jesus could receive. He could take a boy's picnic lunch because it was all that the boy could offer –– and with it he could work a miracle.

William Barclay, Everyday with William Barclay

* * * * * * * * * *

To give without any reward, or any notice, has a special quality of its own. It is like presents made for older people when you were a child. So much went into them –– dreams and prayers and hours of knotted fingers and frozen effort and there... only a dirty piece of knotted string came out of it. But you knew, even if they didn't, that you were giving them something worthy of them.

There is something of worship or prayer in laying down an offering at someone's feet and then going away quickly. The nicest gifts are those left, nameless and quiet, unburdened with love, or vanity, or the desire for attention.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh, The Flower and the Nettle

* * * * * * * * * *

The fragrance always stays
in the hand that gives the rose.

Hada Bejar,
17th century British playwright

* * * * * * * * * *

A candle loses nothing
by lighting another candle.

Anonymous

* * * * * * * * * *


BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 1 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Bromiley, Geoffrey (General Editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Volume Three: K-P - Revised (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1986)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Hoyer, Robert J., Lectionary Bible Studies: The Year of Mark: Pentecost 1 (Minneapolis and Philadelphia: Augsburg and Fortress Press, 1976)

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Saint John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Lockyer, Herbert, Sr., Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).

Myers, Allen C., The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987)

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999)

Richard Niell Donovan, Sermonwriter.com

July 19, 2009 - Seventh Sunday after Pentecost

Image via Wikipedia

SCRIPTURE STUDY
PROPER 11
YEAR B
JULY 19, 2009


THE READINGS FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE

A reading from the Second Samuel [2 Samuel 7:1-14a]

When David, the king, was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, "See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent." Nathan said to the king, "Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you."

But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, "Why have you not built me a house of cedar?" Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me.


From Psalm 89

20 "I have found David my servant;
with my holy oil have I anointed him.

21 My hand will hold him fast
and my arm will make him strong.

22 No enemy shall deceive him,
nor any wicked man bring him down.

23 I will crush his foes before him
and strike down those who hate him.

24 My faithfulness and love shall be with him,
and he shall be victorious through my Name.

25 I shall make his dominion extend
from the Great Sea to the River.

26 He will say to me, 'You are my Father,
my God, and the rock of my salvation.'

27 I will make him my firstborn
and higher than the kings of the earth.

28 I will keep my love for him for ever,
and my covenant will stand firm for him.

29 I will establish his line for ever
and his throne as the days of heaven."

30 "If his children forsake my law
and do not walk according to my judgments;

31 If they break my statutes
and do not keep my commandments;

32 I will punish their transgressions with a rod
and their iniquities with the lash;

33 But I will not take my love from him,
nor let my faithfulness prove false.

34 I will not break my covenant,
nor change what has gone out of my lips.

35 Once for all I have sworn by my holiness:
'I will not lie to David.

36 His line shall endure for ever
and his throne as the sun before me;

37 It shall stand fast for evermore like the moon,
the abiding witness in the sky.' "



A Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians
[Ephesians 2:11-22]

Remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called "the uncircumcision" by those who are called "the circumcision" -- a physical circumcision made in the flesh by human hands-- remember that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.


SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.


EXEGESIS:

VERSES 30-56: OVERVIEW

The Gospel lesson this Sunday is composed of two passages linked by their similar content –– the story of Jesus and the apostles going away to a deserted place for solitude together, but being interrupted by the crowds with their great needs (vv. 30-34) –– and the story of the crowds coming to Jesus in Gennesaret for healing (vv. 53-56). Between these two passages, Mark tells the stories of the feeding of the five thousand (vv. 35-44) and Jesus walking on the water (vv. 45-52). This is an example of a story (or stories) within a story –– a favorite genre for Mark. In this case, Mark ties together stories of Jesus' teaching and healing ministry (vv. 30-34, 53-56) with a story of his providing bread –– a story with eucharistic overtones (vv. 35-44).

These passages speak to us, because we have felt like the disciples must have felt –– hurried and harried. The needs were great; the crowds were large; and the disciples could not even find time to eat. If busyness was a problem for them, it seems even worse now. Our problem is a world in which experts have engineered out all the breathing room. Our laborsaving appliances fail to save us from laboring –– our communications technology (voicemail, for instance) creates barriers instead of bringing us together –– and our leisure is filled with chores.

Worst are the interruptions! If we could just concentrate on the task at hand, we could get the job done. If we could just plan our work and work our plan, life would be simple. If it weren't for the phone –– and the person with a question –– and the sudden requirement for a new report –– and the line of people at the counter!

And these passages speak to us, because we have felt like the people who came to Jesus. We, too, have been sick in body and sick in spirit –– in desperate need of Jesus' healing touch. We, too, have rushed around hoping to find help –– begging Jesus that we might touch even the fringe of his cloak so that we might be healed.


VERSES 30-32: THE APOSTLES GATHERED AROUND JESUS

30The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. 31He said to them, "Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves.


Mark 6:7-13 tells of Jesus sending out the Twelve two-by-two with authority over unclean spirits. They preached repentance, cast out demons, and healed the sick. In verses 14-29, Mark interrupts that story to tell of the death of John the Baptist. Now, in verses 30-34, Mark resumes the story of the Twelve, who report the results of their mission to Jesus. This is another example, then, of one of Mark's story within a story –– the story of John the Baptist set inside the story of the mission of the Twelve.

"The apostles gathered around Jesus" (v. 30). Jesus sent them out as "the twelve" (v. 7), but now Mark calls them apostles (v. 30). This is the only place in this Gospel where Mark uses the word "apostles" (except for 3:14, where the word is disputed). The word "apostles" is particularly appropriate in verse 30, because it comes from the Greek word apostello, which means "to send" –– and it was that word that Mark used in verse 7 to speak of sending out the Twelve. Apostle is "a technical term for the early Christian missionaries, (indicating) that they are official agents (...saliah)" (Perkins, 600). Such a person is considered to have the authority and stature of the person whom they represent –– in this case, Jesus.

"Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves, and rest a while" (v. 31a). Jesus sees that the apostles are weary after their busy mission tour, and invites them to a place of solitude where they can rest. Soon Jesus will have compassion on the crowd, but first he has compassion on his apostles, who have not even had time to eat. Discipleship must balance time for service with time for physical and spiritual renewal. Vincent de Paul advises, "Be careful to preserve your health. It is a trick of the devil, which he employs to deceive good souls, to incite them to do more than they are able, in order that they may no longer be able to do anything."

"For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat" (v. 32b). It is the disciples who are so busy that they have not had time even to eat. People can miss a meal now and then without harm –– but people who are too busy to eat or rest or gather their thoughts soon find the stress wearing –– debilitating.

Contrast the hunger of the disciples in this verse with that which went before (the grim feast at which Herod had the head of John the Baptist served on a platter at his debauched banquet) and what will follow (the feeding of the five thousand).


VERSES 33-34: AND HE HAD COMPASSION FOR THEM

33Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion (Greek: esplanchnisthe) for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.


"Now many say them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them" (v. 33). The crowds see where the boat is going, and move in that direction to intercept Jesus.

"As (Jesus) went ashore, he saw a great crowd" (v. 34a). When Jesus arrives at his resting place, a great crowd awaits him. Jesus and the disciples have reason to be annoyed. They have not eaten (v. 31), and were in need of rest even before rowing the boat to this destination. We would expect tired, hungry men to respond with anger to this unexpected demand on their ebbing energy.

"and he had compassion (esplanchnisthe) for them" (v. 34b). Mark doesn't tell us how the disciples respond, but Jesus has compassion on the crowd, because they are "like sheep without a shepherd" (v. 34). Jesus has a sharp tongue for the self-satisfied, but a soft heart for people in need. He "seems never put off by our interruptions, by our constant need of his compassion and teaching. This text affirms his extraordinary availability" (Brueggemann, 436). It also affirms the depth of his feeling for people in need. The word translated "compassion," esplanchnisthe, is also the word for bowels –– guts, and describes a sympathetic feeling that starts in the deepest regions of a person's being.

"because they were like a sheep without a shepherd" (v. 34c). These words remind us of Moses' request for God to appoint someone to succeed him as leader of the people "so that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep without a shepherd" (Numbers 27:17). God chose Joshua, whose name is a variant of the name Jesus.

"Sheep without a shepherd" also reminds us of the words of Ezekiel the prophet, who said, "So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them" (Ezekiel 34:5-6).

Sheep need a shepherd to lead them on safe pathways, to help them to find food, to defend them against danger, to find them when they wander off, and to restore them to the fold. "Shepherd" is often used in the Bible as a metaphor:

• For faithful or unfaithful kings, priests and prophets (2 Samuel 5:2; Psalm 78:70-72; Isaiah 56:11-12; Jeremiah 3:15; 10:21; 23:1-4; 50:6).

• For God (Psalms 23:1-4; 28:9; 80:1; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 31:10)

• For Jesus (Matthew 26:31; John 10:11-18; Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25; Revelation 7:17)

• For church leaders (John 21:15; Acts 20:28ff; 1 Peter 5:2-4). (Myers, 939-940).

The words, "sheep without a shepherd" imply a rebuke on the religious leaders of Jesus' day, who have failed in their shepherd role.

And Jesus "began to teach them many things" (v. 34d). "Here the Marcan emphasis on teaching is evident.... Now, in response to a crowd probably seeking a miracle, Jesus offers teaching" (Williamson, 126). Mark gives us no sense, however, that the crowd is disappointed. As we will see shortly, they just keep coming (vv. 53-56).

Teaching (v. 34), feeding (vv. 35-44) and healing (v. 56) show Jesus' concern for people's physical and spiritual welfare, providing a model for ministry that has served the church well through the centuries. Word and sacrament constitute the core of our ministry, but bread and blankets are almost as important.


VERSES 35-55: NOT INCLUDED IN THE LECTIONARY READING

While these verses are not included in the lectionary reading, the preacher needs to be aware of them. They are comprised of two stories:

• The feeding of the five thousand (vv. 35-44).
• Jesus walking on the water (vv. 45-52).


VERSES 53-56: PEOPLE BEGAN TO BRING THE SICK ON MATS

53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, 55and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats (Greek: krabattois) to wherever they heard he was. 56And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe (Greek: kraspedou) of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed (Greek: esozonto –– from sozo –– to heal or to save).


"When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat" (v. 53). After feeding the five thousand (vv. 35-44) and walking on water (vv. 45-52), Jesus travels by boat with his disciples to Gennesaret, a fertile plain about three miles long and a mile wide between Capernaum and Tiberius on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee.

"When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region" (v. 54). The people recognize Jesus and rush to bring sick people to him. The picture is at once awful and wonderful –– awful in that dozens or even hundreds of pitiful people converge on one place seeking Jesus' help –– wonderful in the faithful devotion of people who spare no effort to help their loved ones –– and wonderful in that all who touch even the fringe of Jesus' cloak are healed (v. 56).

"and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was" (v. 55). The mats on which the sick lie are known as krabattois –– mattresses commonly used by the poor. The poor and needy are often more receptive to Jesus than are more prosperous people. We are even more receptive when we are seriously ill.

"the fringe (kraspedou) of his cloak" (v. 56a). This fringe is probably the fringe or tassels worn by Jewish men in compliance with Torah law to remind them of God's commandments (Numbers 15:38-39; Deuteronomy 22:12) –– thereby marking Jesus as an observant Jew, concerned with obedience to Torah law. Significantly, Mark will tell us next of Pharisees and scribes who rebuke Jesus for his disciples' failure to comply with the "tradition of the elders" (7:5) –– in this case, ritual handwashing. "The reference to the fringe of Jesus' garment, then, provides a fitting transition to a passage in which he will set the divine commandment over against traditions of human beings whose hearts have strayed from God" (Marcus, 439).

"and all who touched it were healed" (v. 56b). The Greek word for healed is sozo, which also means saved. As anyone who has survived a serious illness knows, to be healed is to be saved, not only from death but from suffering and incapacitation, which can be even worse than death.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS: (Top of page)

In 1991, before the advent of the Internet, Joseph Epstein had this to say:

"Hell, I assume, will be full of newspapers,
with a fresh edition every 30 seconds,
so that no one will ever feel caught up."

Which makes me wonder, "Who needs Hell?"
We have CNN and Fox News.

* * * * * * * * * *

The treasure to be found in the quiet times alone with the Lord
can seldom be found in the rush of a too-busy day.

Herman Riffel, Learning to Hear God's Voice

* * * * * * * * * *

Most of us are working ourselves to death. At least we feel that way as we rush to our next appointment. We are consumed by our jobs, working longer hours than ever before, struggling to stay employed and to get the next promotion. Cellular phones and E-mail make it harder for us to escape. We search restlessly for the meaning of life in what we accomplish. Most of us are also caught up in a spiral of materialism and consumer spending. We want more money so we can buy more things. We may deny that our happiness depends on these purchases, but the more we have, the more we seem to want.

Robert Wuthrow, God and Mammon in America

* * * * * * * * * *

Nothing is more indicative of false timesaving than the current emphasis on speed reading. It is almost made to appear that giving adequate time to a book or to serious ideas in print smacks of retardation. An author may spend days in composing a paragraph or two in order to get at the essence of an idea or to bring out the full force of a paradox. Lingering over such a passage and allowing it to stimulate the mind is a civilizing experience. No one need apologize for savoring the full meaning of print or for combining thinking with reading. Time given to thought is the greatest timesaver of all.

Norman Cousins

* * * * * * * * * *

Jack Welch, while still serving as CEO of General Electric, said:

If someone tells me, "I'm working 90 hours a week,"
I say, "You're doing something terribly wrong.
I go skiing on the weekend.
I go out on Friday.
Make a list of 20 things that make you work 90 hours,
and ten of them have to be nonsense."

* * * * * * * * * *



BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible: Gospel of Mark (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1954)

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Testament Library, Mark, A Commentary (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)

Brooks, James A, The New American Commentary: Mark (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991)

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV –– Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Donahue, John R. and Harrington, Daniel J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of Mark (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2002)

Edwards, James R., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

France, R.T., The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Geddert, Timothy J., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Mark (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2001)

Grant, Frederick C. and Luccock, Halford E., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Westminster Bible Companion: Mark (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)

Hurtado, Larry W., New International Biblical Commentary: Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1983, 1989)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8 (New York: Doubleday, 1999)

Moule, C.F.D., The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Gospel of Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965)

Myers, Allen C. (ed.), The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1987)

Perkins, Pheme, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Williamson, Lamar Jr., Interpretation: Mark (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1983)

Copyright 2009, Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com

July 12, 2009 - 6th Sunday after Pentecost

Image by Sacred Destinations via Flickr

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Sunday closest to July 13
Year B
Proper 10
RCL

Amos 7:7-15
Psalm 85:8-13
Ephesians 1:3-14
Mark 6:14-29


The Collect

O Lord…mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Old Testament

Amos 7:7-15

This is what the Lord God showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb line, with a plumb line in his hand. And the LORD said to me, "Amos, what do you see?" And I said, "A plumb line." Then the Lord said,

"See, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel; I will never again pass them by;
the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,
and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,
and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword."

Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the very center of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos has said,

`Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel must go into exile
away from his land.'"

And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."

Then Amos answered Amaziah, "I am no prophet, nor a prophet's son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, `Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'"


The Psalm
Psalm 85:8-13 Page 709, BCP
Benedixisti, Domine

8 I will listen to what the LORD God is saying,
for he is speaking peace to his faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts to him.

9 Truly, his salvation is very near to those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.

10 Mercy and truth have met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth shall spring up from the earth,
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.

12 The LORD will indeed grant prosperity,
and our land will yield its increase.

13 Righteousness shall go before him,
and peace shall be a pathway for his feet.


Ephesians 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.


Mark 6:14-29

King Herod heard of the demons cast out and the many who were anointed and cured, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him." But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."

For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer." Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.

SCRIPTURE: Mark 6:14-29

King Herod heard of the demons cast out and the many who were anointed and cured, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him." But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."

For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer." Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter." The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.


EXEGESIS:

VERSES 14-29: THE MARTYRDOM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

The opening words of this Gospel are: "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, 'See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way'" (1:1-2). The messenger was John the Baptist (1:3-11). John prepared the way by preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins (1:4). After John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee preaching much the same message, "Repent, and believe in the good news" (1:14-15).

The mission of the twelve (6:6b-13) leads into this story of John's martyrdom, but Mark concludes the mission story (6:30) only after telling us the martyrdom story (6:14-29). He sandwiches the martyrdom story within the mission story for a reason. The disciples' mission is quite successful (6:12-13), and reassures us that God's work continues unabated even in the face of the martyrdom of a great, Godly servant. Mark's church needed to hear this, because they were suffering great persecution. We need to hear it too, because we, like God's people through the ages, are prone to interpret difficult times as a sign that evil has trumped God. This story tells us that God does not always reward faithful discipleship with an easy life. The prophetic Christian might be beheaded –– crucified –– thrown to the lions –– expelled from college –– fired from a job –– required to apologize. The truth-teller's road is narrow and filled with potholes. We should not expect applause for living or preaching prophetically.


VERSES 14-16: JESUS' NAME HAD BECOME KNOWN

14King Herod heard of it, for Jesus' name had become known. Some were saying, "John the baptizer has been raised from the dead; and for this reason these powers are at work in him." 15But others said, "It is Elijah." And others said, "It is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old." 16But when Herod heard of it, he said, "John, whom I beheaded, has been raised."


"King Herod heard of it" (v. 14a). Hearing of Jesus' ministry, Herod immediately thinks of John the Baptist, whom he killed some time earlier (1:14). The story of John's death that follows, then, is a flashback to that time.

Herod Antipas is not really king, but tetrarch –– governor over one fourth of the territory over which his father reigned. His portion is Galilee and Perea (Matthew 14:1; Luke 9:7). He rules at Rome's pleasure, and is subject to Rome's guidance. Calling him "king" is "an example of the evangelist's irony, for it is prominent in a passage in which Herod is outwitted and manipulated by two women and hamstrung by his own oath and his fear of losing face before his courtiers" (Marcus, 398). He has reigned since 4 B.C., but will be deposed and sent into exile in 36 A.D. Consider that for a moment –– Herod's forty-year reign will come to an ignominious end not long after he is involved in the deaths of John and Jesus.

Herod's name raises a red flag. Earlier, Herod the Great tried to kill the baby Jesus (Matthew 1-20). Herod Archelaus threatened Joseph and his little family (Matthew 2:22). Now Herod Antipas murders John the Baptist. "The Herod family left bloody footprints across the New Testament" (Craddock, 343). The mention of Herod's name warns us of trouble ahead.

"for Jesus' name had become known" (v. 14b). While this is the story of John's death, it begins by mentioning both Herod and Jesus. The linkage of Herod, John, and Jesus is important to this text. We have seen linkages between John and Jesus from the beginning:

• Mary and Elizabeth celebrated their pregnancies together, and Elizabeth told Mary of the preeminent role that Mary's son would play.

• John prepared the way for Jesus.

• John baptized Jesus, and his baptism became an occasion God to reveal Jesus' sonship.


Now both John and Jesus are linked to Herod, who will play a role in their deaths (see Luke 23:7-15):

• Herod kills John for telling the truth. In due time, we will see Herod involved in Jesus' death.

• Herod is ambivalent about John, as he will be about Jesus (Luke 23). Both Herod and Pilate will have misgivings about authorizing Jesus' execution, but both will be persuaded by a crowd of people.

• John's disciples "came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb" (v. 29). Joseph of Arimathea will do the same for Jesus.

• Both John and Jesus continue to wield power after their deaths. The thought of John's death continues to haunt Herod, and he believes Jesus to be John resurrected (6:16). Jesus will, in fact, be resurrected.


This, then, is more than a story about John. It is a story about Jesus –– a glimpse into the death that he will die and the resurrection that will follow. John blazed the trail for Jesus both in life and in death.

The disciples will also find themselves on that trail. Norman Perrin discovered the following pattern (mentioned in Williamson, 123):

• John the Baptist preaches (1:4-8) and is delivered up (1:14; 6-17-29).

• Jesus preaches (1:14-15) and is delivered up (9:31; 10:33, 14, 15:1, 10, 15).

• The disciples preach (6:7-13) and are delivered up (13:9-13).


"But others said, 'It is Elijah" (v. 15). Based on the prophecy of Malachi 4:5, the people of Jesus' day expected Elijah to return to usher in the day of the Lord. In this Gospel, John is Elijah the prophet. Jesus said, "Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him" (9:13).

There are close parallels between this story and the story of Elijah, Ahab, and Jezebel (1 Kings 16):

• John wore a leather belt, like Elijah (2 Kings 1:8; Mark 1:6).

• The sin of both kings involves their marriage to wicked women (1 Kings 16:31; Mark 6:1-8).

• Both Elijah and John challenge their respective kings prophetically, causing both Jezebel and Herodias to scheme murder.

• Both kings are weak men who find themselves caught between their confrontation with a prophet and their fear of a strong wife.

• But Jezebel fails in her attempt to kill Elijah, while Herodias succeeds in her effort to kill John.


But Herod sees Jesus as "John, whom I beheaded," raised from the dead (v. 16):

• It doesn't make sense for Jesus to be John resurrected, because Jesus and John lived at the same time and knew each other. "What is meant is simply that the spirit of John now rests on Jesus, just as Elijah's spirit rested on Elisha (2 Kings 2:15)" (Hare, 75).

• Soon Peter will correctly identify Jesus: "You are the Messiah" (8:29).


VERSES 17-20: AND HERODIAS HAD A GRUDGE AGAINST JOHN

17For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her. 18For John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." 19And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him.


"For Herod himself had sent men who arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison" (v. 17a). Josephus says that John was imprisoned at Herod's order at Herod's palace at Machaerus in southern Perea, a place far removed from Tiberius, where we believe this banquet takes place. However, the executioner's quick action in vv. 27-28 suggests that John is a prisoner in the palace at which the banquet takes place.

"on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because Herod had married her" (v. 17b). Herod arrested John and imprisoned him because of John's opposition to Herod's marriage to Herodias, formerly the wife of Herod's brother. The name of Herod's brother is in question. Mark calls him Philip, but Josephus says that the brother is also named Herod, as are many men in that family.

The Herod family tree is both complex and disturbing. Herod the Great married several women who bore him seven sons. Herodias is the daughter of one of these seven sons and marries two of the other seven sons –– which means that both of her husbands are also her uncles. Herod the Great was quite paranoid, and murdered three of his seven sons for fear that they might try to depose him. Of the remaining four sons, three marry either Herodias or Herodias' daughter (Barclay, 150-152).

"For John had been telling Herod, 'It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife'" (v. 18). John exhibited great courage in criticizing the king for violating Torah law by marrying his brother's wife (Leviticus 18:16; 20:21). That would have been legal under certain circumstances were the brother dead (Deuteronomy 25:5-10), but Herod's brother is alive.

"And Herodias had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him" (vv. 19-20). We are surprised at Herod's response to John's criticism. "He protected him" (v. 20). It sounds as if Herod's motive in arresting John may have been twofold –– to curtail John's criticism and to protect John from Herodias' wrath. If John is in Herod's custody, he cannot provoke Herodias further, and he is also beyond Herodias' reach.

Herod, hearing John, "was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him" (v. 20). We would expect Herod to close his ears to John's criticism, but holiness and truth have great power. People in positions of power tend to surround themselves with "Yes men" –– people who tell them what they want to hear. They do so because they prefer flattery to criticism –– they don't want their subordinates to raise objections to their program. But sometimes, like someone who has overindulged on candy, the ruler who has heard nothing but flattery yearns for something more substantial–– something more nourishing–– a word of truth.

"for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man" (v. 20). Even though John is a simple man with no trappings of power, Herod is afraid of him. Even though John confronts Herod, telling him things that Herod prefers not to hear, Herod nevertheless likes to listen to John. Even though Herod surely has advisors who readily offer comfortable counsel, he is drawn to John's rock-solid integrity. As preachers, we need to remember the authority of holiness and truth.

Herodias, formerly Philip's wife and now Herod's wife, is a different story. She "had a grudge against (John), and wanted to kill him" (v. 19). She "felt that the only place where her marriage-certificate could safely be written was on the back of the death-warrant of John the Baptist" (T.W. Manson, quoted in Edwards, 186). Frustrated by Herod's protection of John, she bides her time and waits for her opportunity. Herodias is the archetypical evil queen, much like Jezebel.

Jewish rabbis taught that a good woman might marry a bad man and hope to reform him, but a good man should not marry a bad woman lest she drag him down. The truth is that neither a bad man nor a bad woman is any bargain. The New Testament tells Christians to be equally yoked –– to seek a believing spouse.


VERSES 21-25: BUT AN OPPORTUNITY CAME

21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and for the leaders of Galilee. 22When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it." 23And he solemnly swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom." 24She went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" She replied, "The head of John the baptizer." 25Immediately she rushed back to the king and requested, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."


"But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and offers and for the leaders of Galilee" (v. 21). Herodias' opportunity finally comes as a result of her daughter's dance (v. 22). The NRSV identifies the daughter as Herodias, but acknowledges, "Other ancient authorities read the daughter of Herodias herself." Josephus calls the daughter Salome.

"When his daughter Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests" (v. 22). The dance was most likely a licentious dance that most fathers would quickly stop –– but not Herod. The Herod family is known for debauched behavior, and this scene is believable based on what we know about Herod from other sources.

"Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom" (v. 23). Herod's offer of half his kingdom is "a sham, for Rome would not allow him to part with an acre of land" (Edwards, 187).

Little does Herod guess what the daughter will ask. She seeks advice from her mother, who tells her to ask for the head of John the baptizer (v. 24). "The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her" (v. 26). Like Pilate, Herod's convictions melt easily in the face of a crowd.

Herodias asks only for John's head; Salome adds her own personal touch –– "on a platter" –– an especially macabre touch for a banquet setting (v. 25).

There are a number of parallels between this scene and the story of Esther –– parallels that would be quite apparent to early Jewish readers of Mark's Gospel:

• Both Esther and Salome gain advantage over their enemies at a banquet.

• Esther won the king's favor (Esther 5:2) and Salome "pleased Herod" (v. 22).

• Both kings offer up to half of their kingdoms (Esther 5:3; Mark 6:23).

• While Esther did not ask for the death of her enemy, Haman, her exposure of his treachery resulted in his being hung from the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai, Esther's uncle (Esther 6). Salome asks for John's death, a request that Herod quickly answers.

• The major difference between the two stories is that Esther sought only to expose Haman's treachery so that she might save her people –– her motives were pure. We cannot say the same for Salome and Herodias.


VERSES 26-29: HE WENT AND BEHEADED JOHN

26The king was deeply grieved; yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison, 28brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.


"Immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard with orders to bring John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison" (v. 27). The king dispatches a soldier to bring John's head on a platter, which is done.

The guard "brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl" (v. 28). The head is presented to the daughter, who gives it to her mother. It is hard to imagine a girl and her mother who could face such a gory sight, but Mark notes no distaste on the part of either one.

Marcus notes the parallel between the passing of this platter and the passing of the bread in the story of the feeding of the five thousand (6:30-44), which follows immediately on the heels of this story. He suggests that what we have in this story of John is "a kind of demonic eucharist" (Marcus, 403).

"When (John's) disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb" (v. 29). This is another parallel with Jesus' burial. While Jesus' disciples will abandon Jesus and fail to claim his body (14:50), Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple, will take care of the burial (15:43-46).

Josephus reports an interesting sequel to this story. To marry Herodias, Herod Antipas divorced his first wife, who was the daughter of King Aretas of Nabatea. To avenge the insult, Aretas will start a war with Herod Antipas and soundly defeat him. That, among other things, will lead to Rome deposing Antipas and sending him into exile in Gaul. Early Christians saw this as punishment for Herod's role in the executions of John and Jesus.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

I was drawn into the reading of the Bible when I got my first Bible from an American army chaplain as a young prisoner of war in 1945, while I was in a Belgian prison camp. The psalms of lamentation spoke to me when I felt completely lost and forsaken. And the passion story of Jesus spoke to me, because I felt that Christ understood me in my situation. Step after step I discovered the Gospel and the promise of God for the poor and the imprisoned. The Bible is the book which rescued me from resignation and despair.

Juergen Moltmann, German theologian

* * * * * * * * * *

If God sends us on stony paths,
he will provide us with strong shoes.

Alexander MacLaren

* * * * * * * * * *

There are times in the life of every disciple
when things are not clear or easy,
when it is not possible to know what to do or say.
Such times of darkness come as a discipline to the character
and as the means of fuller knowledge of the Lord.
Such darkness is a time for listening, not for speaking.
The Lord shares the darkness with his disciple; he is there.

Oswald Chambers

* * * * * * * * * *

I never had great suffering
that I did not turn into a poem.

Goethe

* * * * * * * * * *

I must be poor and want,
before I can exercise the virtue of gratitude;
miserable and in torment,
before I can exercise the virtue of patience.

John Donne

* * * * * * * * * *

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible: Gospel of Mark (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1954)

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Testament Library, Mark, A Commentary (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)

Brooks, James A, The New American Commentary: Mark (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991)

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV –– Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Edwards, James R., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

France, R.T., The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Geddert, Timothy J., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Mark (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2001)

Grant, Frederick C. and Luccock, Halford E., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Westminster Bible Companion: Mark (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)

Hooker, Morna D., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Saint Mark (Hendrickson Publishers, 1991)

Hurtado, Larry W., New International Biblical Commentary: Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1983, 1989)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8 (New York: Doubleday, 1999)

Moule, C.F.D., The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Gospel of Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965)

Perkins, Pheme, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Williamson, Lamar Jr., Interpretation: Mark (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1983)

Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com

July 5, 2009 - 5th Sunday after Pentecost

SCRIPTURE STUDY
PROPER 9
ORDINARY TIME 14, YEAR B
JULY 5, 2009


The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Sunday closest to July 6
Proper 9, Year B, RCL

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10
Psalm 48
or
Ezekiel 2:1-5
Psalm 123

2 Corinthians 12:2-10
Mark 6:1-13

The Collect

O God, you have taught us to keep all your commandments by loving you and our neighbor: Grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit, that we may be devoted to you with our whole heart, and united to one another with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Look, we are your bone and flesh. For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The LORD said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel." So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inward. And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

Psalm 48 Page 651, BCP

Magnus Dominus

1
Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised; *
in the city of our God is his holy hill.

2
Beautiful and lofty, the joy of all the earth, is the hill of Zion, *
the very center of the world and the city of the great King.

3
God is in her citadels; *
he is known to be her sure refuge.

4
Behold, the kings of the earth assembled *
and marched forward together.

5
They looked and were astounded; *
they retreated and fled in terror.

6
Trembling seized them there; *
they writhed like a woman in childbirth,
like ships of the sea when the east wind shatters them.

7
As we have heard, so have we seen,
in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God; *
God has established her for ever.

8
We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness, O God, *
in the midst of your temple.

9
Your praise, like your Name, O God, reaches to the world's end; *
your right hand is full of justice.

10
Let Mount Zion be glad
and the cities of Judah rejoice, *
because of your judgments.

11
Make the circuit of Zion;
walk round about her; *
count the number of her towers.

12
Consider well her bulwarks;
examine her strongholds; *
that you may tell those who come after.

13
This God is our God for ever and ever; *
he shall be our guide for evermore.

or


Old Testament
Ezekiel 2:1-5

The Lord said to me: O mortal, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD." Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.

The Psalm
Psalm 123 Page 780, BCP
Ad te levavi oculos meos

1
To you I lift up my eyes, *
to you enthroned in the heavens.

2
As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *
and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,

3
So our eyes look to the LORD our God, *
until he show us his mercy.

4
Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy, *
for we have had more than enough of contempt,

5
Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *
and of the derision of the proud.


2 Corinthians 12:2-10

I know a person in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven-- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows. And I know that such a person-- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows-- was caught up into Paradise and heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat. On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. But if I wish to boast, I will not be a fool, for I will be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think better of me than what is seen in me or heard from me, even considering the exceptional character of the revelations. Therefore, to keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

Mark 6:1-13

Jesus left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching. He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.


EXEGESIS:

CHAPTERS 3-6: THE CONTEXT

The stories of Jesus' visit to his hometown and his commissioning of the twelve are two separate stories. The first story has to do with belief and unbelief. The second story has to do with the call of disciples and the proclamation of the Gospel. Both stories have to do with the acceptance or rejection of Christ or his representatives. Brueggemann suggests that the preacher choose one of the stories rather than trying to integrate both of them into a single sermon (Brueggemann, 418).

Mark positions these two stories after the miracle stories of chapter 5: Jesus' healing of the Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20), the healing/resurrection of Jairus' daughter (5:21-23, 35-43), and the healing of the woman with the hemorrhage (5:24-34). In these stories, Jesus' demonstrated his great power on both sides of the Sea of Galilee –– the eastern Gentile side and the western Jewish side. Those who witnessed his power, Gentile and Jew, were amazed (5:20, 42). Jesus' visit to his hometown therefore follows great demonstrations of Jesus' power. To the extent that they are aware of these miracles, Jesus' hometown folk have reason to be proud. We would expect them to welcome him with a ticker-tape parade –– but they don't.

However, this isn't the first account in this Gospel of Jesus visiting his hometown. In an earlier visit, his family "went out to restrain (Jesus), for people were saying, 'He has gone out of his mind.' And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, 'He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons'" (3:21-22). Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that the hometown folk fail to welcome Jesus more warmly in this later visit.

Immediately following these two stories, Mark tells us of the death of John the Baptist (6:14-29). The call of the disciples is therefore sandwiched between two stories of rejected prophets –– Jesus rejected by his hometown people (vv. 1-6a) and John killed by the king (vv. 14-29). Following the death of John the Baptist, Mark reports the disciples gathering around Jesus to report the results of the mission on which he has sent them (6:30) –– perhaps suggesting that, no matter how dark the moment, the church continues its work. God will not be stymied even by the death of one of his greatest servants.

The report of the death of John the Baptist (6:14-29) is sandwiched between the account of Jesus sending the disciples on a mission (6:7-13) and their reporting the results of that mission to Jesus (6:30). The stories of Jesus' rejection at Nazareth and John's death demonstrate the power of evil arrayed against God's prophets and give us a hint of what lies ahead for Jesus. They also prepare us for the opposition that the disciples will face in the early church and warn us that we cannot expect an evil world to welcome our witness to Christ more warmly that it welcomed Christ.


VERSES 1-3: AND THEY TOOK OFFENSE AT HIM

1He left that place and came to his hometown (Greek: patrida), and his disciples followed him. 2On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 3Is not this the carpenter (Greek: tekton), the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense (Greek: eskandalizonto –– scandalized –– offended) at him.

"He left that place and came to his hometown" (patrida) (v. 1a). Padrida is related to patros, the Greek word for father. Padrida can mean fatherland, but here it is rightly translated hometown. Nazareth is not identified by name here, but Mark told us earlier that "Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee" (1:9). He has since made Capernaum his home (2:1; see also Matthew 4:13), but Nazareth is his hometown –– the place where he grew up –– the place where his family lives –– the place to which he would be expected to come to revisit his roots.

Nazareth is a village of 500 people (Hare, 68; Edwards, 169) or 1,600 to 2,000 people (Perkins, 592) –– a town small enough that everyone would know everyone else –– and everyone else's business. We would not expect such villagers to be very sophisticated or accepting of new ideas.

"and his disciples followed him" (v. 1b). This is not just a hometown boy returning for a casual visit. Having disciples in attendance marks Jesus as a rabbi.

"On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue" (v. 2a). Jesus' ministry is characterized by both teaching and mighty works. The synagogue is central to the religious and social life of the community, and teaching is central to synagogue ministry. In a day when many people cannot read and do not have access to the precious scrolls, hearing the scriptures read and expounded in the synagogue is their primary way of learning their religious heritage. However, this Gospel will not tell us of another occasion where Jesus teaches in a synagogue again. Hereafter, he will teach in houses (7:17, 24; 9:33; 10:10).

"and many who heard him were astounded" (v. 2b). The people are astounded, and ascribe wisdom and deeds of power to Jesus. It sounds as if they are responding favorably and are properly proud of this hometown boy-made-good. But then they ask, "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary.... And they took offense at him" (v. 3). Even though they hear something special in Jesus' teaching –– a word of wisdom –– Jesus' words repel rather than attract them. "The defection of the Nazareth citizens is obviously linked to Jesus' roots. Their expectations preclude the possibility that he could be anything more than a hometown kid who is putting on airs" (Brueggemann, 419).

"Is not this the tekton?" (v. 3a). A tekton is a carpenter or stonemason –– almost certainly a carpenter in this instance. Such craftsmen are respected and well-paid, and rabbis are "expected to themselves by a trade and teach without pay. Such was the practice of Paul" (Brooks, 99). However, there are two problems here. The first is that Jesus has not had the formal training required for rabbis. The second is that Jerusalem scribes have begun to spread malicious rumors about him –– "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons" (3:22). Jesus' hometown neighbors are therefore reluctant to accept him as anything other than a tekton –– a carpenter.

Luccock labels these neighbors "factfinders" –– people who place their faith in facts and the conclusions that they reach by adding the facts (Luccock, 727). The phrase today is "bean counters" –– people who place too much trust in the data –– who fail to see the forest for the trees –– who are prone move in wrong directions because of their "right" answers.

"the son of Mary" (v. 3b). People would usually identify a man by his relationship with his father rather than his mother, and he is so identified in John 6:42. It is possible that Joseph is dead by this time, although we would expect people to identify Jesus by his father's name even after the father's death. Identifying Jesus as Mary's son may be intended as a slur on the legitimacy of his birth.

"brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" (v. 3c). Earlier, Jesus' family "went out to restrain him, for people were saying, 'He has gone out of his mind' " (3:21). When the people told Jesus that his mother and brothers were waiting for him, he responded, "Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother" (3:35).

After the resurrection, Jesus will make an appearance to James (1 Corinthians 15:7). James will become an apostle (Galatians 1:9) and a pillar of the church in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:9). Jude might be the author the New Testament book by his name, but that is not certain. We know little about the rest of Jesus' brothers and sisters, "but references to Jesus' brothers as meeting with the disciples in Acts 1:14, and to the adelphoi tou kuriou alongside Paul, Peter, and the other apostles in 1 Cor. 9:5 suggest that the family as a whole eventually joined the church" (France, 243).

There is a long-standing controversy over Jesus brothers and sisters. Protestants regard them as natural children of Joseph and Mary. Catholics, favoring a doctrine of Mary's perpetual virginity, regard them otherwise –– as cousins of Jesus or sons of Joseph by a previous marriage.

"and they took offense at him" (v. 3d). Jesus has experienced opposition from demons (1:24; 5:7) and religious authorities (2:16, 18, 24; 3:6, 22) and even his own family (3:21), but this is the first time that he experiences rejection by ordinary Jewish people. It will not be the last time (15:11-14).


VERSES 4-6a: AND HE WAS AMAZED AT THEIR UNBELIEF

4Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 5And he could do no deed of power (Greek: dunamin –– the word from which we get "dynamite") there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6aAnd he was amazed at their unbelief.


"Prophets are not without honor except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house" (v. 4). Jesus expands a familiar proverb to include "kin" and "house" –– drawing three concentric circles, each circle bringing the proverb closer home (Edwards, 174). By applying this proverb to himself, Jesus implies that he is, indeed, a prophet, and that the people of Nazareth are guilty of rejecting him as the people of Israel have so often rejected the prophets.

"And he could do no deed of power (dunamin) there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them" (v. 5). Chapters 4-5 are replete with deeds of power –– the stilling of the storm (4:35-41); the exorcism of the Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20); the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (5:21-24; 35-43); and the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage (5:25-34). The exorcism took place in Gentile territory, but Jesus can work no mighty deeds in his hometown. He is amazed at their unbelief (v. 6). This raises the question of the relationship between faith and healing. Does Jesus refuse to heal unbelievers –– or is his power constrained in the presence of unbelief –– is he unable to heal unbelievers?

The belief that failure to achieve a healing miracle demonstrates a failure of faith "is common as a rationalization for unfulfilled healing requests today, but it is not a biblical concept" (Geddert, 136). Well-meaning Christians sometimes further injure sick people by telling them that their lack of faith is the reason for their continued infirmity. The truth is that full-of-faith people get sick and die too. The Lord heals some, but not all, faithful people.

There is a bit of mystery here –– some ambiguity with which we must live. Perhaps the best answer is that two phenomena are at work here: First, unbelievers fail to avail themselves of God's power. Second, God is less disposed to act in favor of unbelievers. Beyond that, perhaps we should not be too certain.


VERSES 6b-7: HE CALLED THE TWELVE

6bThen he went about among the villages teaching. 7He called the twelve and began to send them out (Greek: apostellein) two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.


"Then he went about among the villages teaching" (v. 6b). He accepts rejection in stride, leaving behind people who have rejected him, and continuing his ministry elsewhere –– a good model for the church today.

"He called the twelve" (v. 7a). "Mark does not tell us of the existence of a wider group of mathetai (disciples) such as could supply the seventy (-two) missioners of Lk. 10:1" (France, 247). Mark will refer to these twelve as "apostles" when they report back to Jesus in 6:30 –– the only time that Mark uses the word "apostles" in this Gospel.

"and began to send them out (apostellein) two by two" (v. 7b). The word "apostle" comes from this word apostellein, which means "sent out."

There are parallel accounts in Matthew 10:1-42 and Luke 9:1-6 –– as well as an account of the sending of the seventy in Luke 10:1-16. These accounts vary somewhat, as we would expect of stories that had their origins in oral tradition.

Jesus sends out the twelve two-by-two. This strategy is powerful for three reasons:

• A partner bestows strength –– "For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help" (Ecclesiastes 4:10). Not only do partners protect each other from physical danger, but they also provide pleasant companionship and encourage each other in difficult circumstances.

• A second person lends credibility. Deuteronomy 15:19 requires two or three witnesses to convict a person of a crime, because a single witness is likely to make a mistake. For that same reason, one witness has less credibility than two –– an important consideration when sending disciples to bear witness. Jesus could have sent them in groups of three, but two people are usually more effective than three. In a group of three, often two will bond with each other and will not fully accept the third person.

• A partner fosters accountability. A person is less likely to succumb to temptation when accompanied by a partner.

"and gave them authority over unclean spirits" (v. 7c). Mark doesn't mention teaching, which has been an important component of Jesus' ministry. The emphasis for the disciples on this particular journey is on preaching (v. 12), casting out demons, and healing the sick (v. 13).


VERSES 8-11: HE ORDERED THEM TO TAKE NOTHING FOR THEIR JOURNEY

8He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money (Greek: chalkon –– the smallest of copper coins) in their belts; 9but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 10He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 11If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony (Greek: marturion –– testimony, witness –– this is where we get our word, martyr) against them."


"He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics" (vv. 8-9). Jesus tells the twelve to take nothing but a staff and sandals –– no bread, no bag, no money, and only a single tunic. Jesus prohibits not only frivolous items, but essential ones as well. His requirements go beyond simplicity to reckless faith. The disciples are to proceed without adequate preparation, trusting local people for hospitality but, above all, trusting God to provide for their needs.

Jesus is no ascetic –– people have called him a drunk and a glutton (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34) –– and he does not require his disciples to be ascetics. He does, however, require faith, and starting a journey without provisions is a profound act of faith.

There are several parallels with the Exodus:

• Jesus' instructions to the twelve sound very much like God's instructions regarding the Passover lamb: "This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand" (Exodus 12:11).

• The requirement that the twelve not carry bread is reminiscent of God's instructions to the Israelites regarding manna. They were to trust that God would provide daily manna, gathering only an omer of manna per person each day and not keeping any of it overnight (Exodus 16:16-19).

• The requirement that they carry no money reminds us of the problems that the Israelites experienced when they stole gold from the Egyptians in preparation for their journey (Exodus 3:22). While the gold was useful for adornment of the Tabernacle, it led to their undoing when the people persuaded Aaron to make a golden calf (Exodus 32).

"Mark probably wishes to imply that the disciples' missionary journey will be a participation in the new exodus inaugurated by Jesus.... The Twelve will not need to take along with them the usual travel kit, because they will be entering into this divine act of eschatological liberation, and the God of the exodus and of Jesus Christ will sustain them along the way" (Marcus, 389-390).

"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place" (v. 10). The requirement for the disciples not to move from house to house serves two purposes: First, it prevents bad feelings among hosts who might be embarrassed if the disciples leave their home for better accommodations. Second, it prevents the disciples from being distracted by concern for their physical comfort.

To what extent do these prohibitions apply to disciples today? Does Christ require this same freedom from possessions of us?

• On the one hand, we can say no. Jesus gives these instructions to disciples engaged in a particular, short-term ministry. Also, their environment is quite different –– Jewish hospitality demanded that villagers receive and provide for travelers. "When a stranger entered a village, it was not his duty to search for hospitality; it was the duty of the village to offer it" (Barclay, 144). No such requirement exists today in most places, so we must be prepared to provide for our own needs while traveling.

• On the other hand, we can say yes. Jesus' instructions called for the disciples to focus on mission rather than personal comfort. Jesus called them to a great purpose, and they were not to be distracted by trivia. That emphasis is timeless. "In this regard, we of the twentieth-century American church need first to repent in order effectively to proclaim repentance to others" (Williamson, 121).

• The example of the New Testament church is helpful at this point. Brooks notes that there is no indication that Paul observed the restrictions that Jesus gave to the twelve. "Nevertheless some basic mission principles have relevance for all times, such as simplicity of life-style and contentment with provisions. Many modern ministers in all their affluence have forgotten these things" (Brooks, 102).

This tension is never easily resolved. Is ministry enhanced by the pastor having an automobile –– and a computer –– and a professional library? Probably! Is ministry enhanced by a congregation having an attractive church building? Probably! Do these things sometimes become ends in themselves, detracting from our mission? Certainly! How do we manage ministry without church budgets and pastoral compensation packages becoming distractions? By prayer and constant vigilance!

"If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them" (v. 11). Jews returning from Gentile lands would shake off pagan dust as a gesture of cleansing and contempt. When the disciples shake off the dust of an unreceptive village, they are declaring that village pagan –– announcing God's judgment on that village –– washing their hands of further responsibility for that village (Guelich, 322-323). The gesture serves as a warning to the offending village and frees the disciples to move to more fertile fields. Their responsibility is faithful proclamation –– not success.


VERSES 12-13: THEY CAST OUT MANY DEMONS

12So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. 13They cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.


The disciples go where Christ sends them and do what Christ tells them to do. They are not great men, but they accomplish great things in Christ's name. Like John the Baptist (1:4) and Jesus (1:15), they preach repentance (v. 12). Like Jesus, they cast out demons (1:25-26, 34, 39, 5:1-13). Like Jesus, they cure the sick, but unlike Jesus they anoint with oil. By the time of the writing of this Gospel, anointing with oil is a regular ministry of the church. James calls for the anointing of the sick, but says that it is the prayer of faith that saves them (James 5:14-15).


VERSE 30: THE DISCIPLES REPORT TO JESUS

30 The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught.

This is a very spare account of the disciples' report to Jesus, giving no details regarding their difficulties or accomplishments. It brings to a close the story of the disciples' mission. It also serves as an ending bracket (the story of Jesus' instructions to the disciples for their mission is the opening bracket) for the story of the death of John the Baptist. The story of John's death is therefore a story set inside the story of this mission.




THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

Some things have to be believed
to be seen.

Ralph Hodgson

* * * * * * * * * *

To see the world in a grain of sand
And Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour.

William Blake

* * * * * * * * * *

Leonaro da Vinci spoke of three classes of people:

Those who see.
Those who see when they are shown.
Those who do not see.

* * * * * * * * * *

He was a member of the crew of Columbus's caravel.
He kept wondering whether he would get back to his home village
in time to succeed the old shoemaker
before anybody else could grab the job.

Dag Hammarskjold

* * * * * * * * * *

Just as a hand held before the eyes conceals the greatest mountain,
so does petty earthly life conceal from view
the vast lights and mysteries of which the world is full.

Rabbi Nachman of Bratislava

* * * * * * * * * *



BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible: Gospel of Mark (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1954)

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Testament Library, Mark, A Commentary (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)

Brooks, James A, The New American Commentary: Mark (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991)

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV –– Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Edwards, James R., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

France, R.T., The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Geddert, Timothy J., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Mark (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2001)

Grant, Frederick C. and Luccock, Halford E., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Guelich, Robert A., Word Biblical Commentary: Mark 1 - 8:26 (Dallas: Word Books, 1989)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Westminster Bible Companion: Mark (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)

Hurtado, Larry W., New International Biblical Commentary: Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1983, 1989)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8 (New York: Doubleday, 1999)

Moule, C.F.D., The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Gospel of Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965)

Perkins, Pheme, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Williamson, Lamar Jr., Interpretation: Mark (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1983)

Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com

June 28, 2009 - Pentecost 4

SCRIPTURE STUDY
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
PROPER 8, YEAR B
JUNE 28, 2009

SCRIPTURE:

FIRST READING: Lamentations 3:22–33

A reading from the book of Lamentations.

The book of Lamentations is one of our most important sources of information about the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587 B.C. Though the people admit that God’s judgment was just, today’s reading declares a fervent trust that God will not leave them forever.


22The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
23they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."
25The LORD is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul that seeks him.
26It is good that one should wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.
27It is good for one to bear
the yoke in youth,
28to sit alone in silence
when the LORD has imposed it,
29to put one's mouth to the dust
(there may yet be hope),
30to give one's cheek to the smiter,
and be filled with insults.
31For the LORD will not
reject forever.
32Although he causes grief, he will have compassion
according to the abundance of his steadfast love;
33for he does not willingly afflict
or grieve anyone.




PSALM: Psalm 30

1I will exalt you, O LORD, because you have lifted me up
and have not let my enemies triumph over me.

2O LORD my God, I cried out to you,
and you restored me to health.

3You brought me up, O LORD, from the dead;
you restored my life as I was going down to the grave.

4Sing praise to the LORD, all you faithful;
give thanks in holy remembrance.

5God's wrath is short; God's favor lasts a lifetime.
Weeping spends the night, but joy comes in the morning. Page 3
6While I felt secure, I said,
"I shall never be disturbed.

7You, LORD, with your favor, made me as strong as the mountains."
Then you hid your face, and I was filled with fear.

10Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me;
O LORD, be my helper."

11You have turned my wailing into dancing;
you have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.

12Therefore my heart sings to you without ceasing;
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.



SECOND READING: 2 Corinthians 8:7–15

A reading from the second letter to the church in Corinth.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to honor their commitment to participate in the collection his churches are organizing for the Christians in Jerusalem. He presents Jesus as an example of selfless stewardship and reminds them that Christians have received abundantly so that they can share abundantly.

7Now as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you — so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking.

8I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. 9For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 10And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something — 11now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 12For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has — not according to what one does not have. 13I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between 14your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. 15As it is written,

"The one who had much did not have too much,
and the one who had little did not have too little."



The Gospel: Mark 5:21-43

Jairus, a respected leader, begs Jesus to heal his daughter. A woman with a hemorrhage is ritually unclean, treated as an outcast in Jewish society. Both Jairus and the unnamed woman come to Jesus in faith, believing in his power to heal and bring life out of death.

21When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live." 24So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." 29Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?'" 32He looked all around to see who had done it. 33But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

35While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" 36But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 37He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" 42And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.


EXEGESIS:

CHAPTERS 4-5: THE CONTEXT

The stories of the woman with a hemorrhage and Jairus' daughter (5:21-43) are two of four miracles in this section. The first was Jesus' calming of the storm (4:35-41), demonstrating Jesus' power over nature. The second was Jesus healing the Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20), demonstrating Jesus' power over demons. The third and fourth miracles (5:21-43) now demonstrate Jesus' power over sickness and death –– his power to bring salvation even to hopeless situations.

The story of the woman with a hemorrhage demonstrates great faith on the part of a woman who had tried every remedy without avail –– a woman who could have been expected to give up –– to lose all hope. The story of Jairus and his daughter demonstrates great faith on the part of a religious leader –– part of the establishment. Most religious leaders oppose Jesus, but Jairus comes as a believer.

These two stories of belief in the midst of adversity lead into the story of Jesus' rejection at Nazareth, his hometown (6:1-6a). We would expect the hometown folk to receive Jesus gladly as the hometown boy made good –– but they will not believe, and Jesus will be amazed at their unbelief.


VERSES 21-43: A STORY WITHIN A STORY

This is a story within a story –– the story of the woman with the hemorrhage set within the story of Jairus and his daughter. The stories belong together. Mark creates dramatic tension by telling the two stories together. Each story finds enhanced interest and power through its juxtaposition with the other.

• The stories show Jesus dealing with people of vastly different standing. Jairus is well-to-do and influential, while the woman with the hemorrhage is financially impoverished and socially outcast. Jesus does not favor one over the other. He neither rebukes Jairus for his money and social standing nor ignores the woman because of her poverty and marginality.

• The interruption of Jesus' journey to Jairus' house heightens the drama. Just imagine Jairus' impatience as Jesus talks with the woman. He must wonder what is happening to the little girl while they delay. The answer, as they will learn, is that the little girl was dying. Jesus is now faced with a requirement, not for healing, but for undoing death.

• In both stories, competent authorities have proven that no remedy is possible. The woman spent all her money on physicians over the years, and their best remedies failed. The crowd at Jairus' house has started mourning ceremonies, because the little girl is dead. They laugh when Jesus says the little girl is only sleeping.

• Both stories involve issues of ritual uncleanness. The woman is unclean because of her hemorrhage (Leviticus 15:25-30). The child is unclean because she is dead (Numbers 19:11-20). Anyone who touches either of them is rendered unclean by that touch.

• In the miracle stories in this Gospel, only Jairus and blind Bartimaeus (10:46) are named. Neither the woman with the hemorrhage nor the little girl is named. While both Matthew and Luke use Mark's Gospel as one of their primary sources, Luke uses Jairus' name (Luke 8:41), but Matthew does not (Matthew 9:41).

• The woman has been afflicted for twelve years and the little girl is twelve years old.

• Both the little girl and the woman are called "daughter" (vv. 22, 34).

• In both stories, the Greek word sozo is important. Jairus begs that Jesus might come and sothe his daughter. Jesus says to the woman, Daughter, your faith has sesoken you. Sozo can refer to healing or delivery from danger, but the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) often uses it to refer to the salvation of the Israelites (Psalm 44:1-8; Isaiah 43:11; 45:21; 63:9; Hosea 14:3) and the New Testament uses it to refer to Christian salvation (1 Corinthians 1:21; 9:22; Ephesians 2:5). The stories of Jairus' daughter and the woman with the hemorrhage are not just healing stories, but salvation stories as well.

• Both Jairus and the woman demonstrate considerable faith in Jesus. Jairus is convinced that Jesus' touch will make his daughter well (v. 23), and the woman is convinced that just touching Jesus' garment will heal her (v. 28). Jesus commends the woman for her faith, saying, "Daughter, your faith has made you well" –– or "has saved you" (sesoken –– a form of sozo –– v. 34). When Jairus gets the word that his daughter is dead, Jesus says, "Do not fear, only believe" (v. 36), and then restores the little girl's life. Faith is a key component in both of these stories.

In that patriarchal society, women were second-class citizens. Jesus, however, attends to the needs of this woman and this little girl as if they are the most important people in the world –– just as he earlier devoted his full attention to the healing of the Gerasene demoniac (5:1-20).


VERSES 21-24a: MY LITTLE DAUGHTER IS AT THE POINT OF DEATH

21When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him; and he was by the sea. 22Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23and begged him repeatedly, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well (Greek: sothe –– healed or saved), and live." 24So he went with him.


"When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side" (v. 21a). The Sea of Galilee has a Gentile eastern shore and a Jewish western shore. Jesus moves by boat between the two, ministering to both communities. "By this arrangement of the material, Mark is declaring that Christ blesses without partiality Jew and Gentile, near and far, clean and unclean" (Craddock, 328). Jesus is now returning to the Jewish side.

"Then one of the leaders of the synagogue named Jairus came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet" (v. 22). Jairus is a prominent member of the community. Lay people routinely lead synagogue services, but the synagogue leader is responsible for the synagogue facilities, the security of the scrolls, the selection and oversight of worship leaders, and the general administration of the synagogue. Jairus is clearly an "insider" –– a person who counts –– a person who belongs.

It is worth noting that that the last time Jesus visited a synagogue, the Pharisees and Herodians tried to kill him (3:6) and the next time he visits a synagogue they will take offense at him (6:3 –– in Luke's version, they will try to kill him –– Luke 4:29).

Jairus "fell at (Jesus') feet and begged him repeatedly" (vv. 22b-23a). In one sense, this is remarkable. "Jairus had to cast aside his rank, his prestige, in falling at the feet of an unauthorized, itinerant teacher" (Luccock, 718). Jairus would be accustomed to other people begging him for favors, and would himself stoop to begging only in a terrible situation. We might expect him to send an emissary rather than appearing in person before Jesus. While Jesus' popularity gives him a kind of prominence, the established religious leadership –– Jairus' colleagues –– views him askance. Mark has already told us that the Pharisees and Herodians are plotting against Jesus to destroy him (3:6).

In another sense, though, there is nothing at all remarkable about Jairus' appeal. A parent of a dying child will do nearly anything to save the child. Jairus is driven by desperation to seek Jesus' help. This is the first of three stories in this Gospel of parents bringing their child to Jesus for help. The other two are the Syrophoenician woman (7:25-30) and the father of the son with a spirit (9:14-29). In all three cases, the parents experience obstacles to the child's healing, but persist –– and Jesus heals all three children.

"My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live" (v. 23b). Jairus' invitation to come contrasts with the Geresenes' request that Jesus go away (v. 17). Where the Geresenes responded to Jesus' miracles with fear, Jairus responds with faith. He does not ask Jesus to help if he can, but instead expresses confidence that Jesus can restore his daughter's health if he will only lay his hands on her.

"So he went with him" (v. 24a). "In that simple statement, ...Mark testifies to Jesus' commitment to minister to human need and to the inestimable worth of the human individual for Jesus" (Edwards, 162).


VERSES 24b-34: DAUGHTER, YOUR FAITH HAS MADE YOU WELL

24bAnd a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years. 26She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse. 27She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28for she said, "If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well." 29Immediately her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?" 31And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, 'Who touched me?' " 32He looked all around to see who had done it. 33But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well (Greek: sesoken –– healed or saved you); go in peace, and be healed (Greek: hugies –– healed or healthy) of your disease."


"Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years" (v. 25). Thus begins a story set within another story –– the story of the woman with the hemorrhage (vv. 25-34) set inside the story of Jairus and his daughter (vv. 21-24; 35-41). Jairus must be beside himself as Jesus delays on his journey to Jairus' daughter, who is at the point of death (v. 23) to help this woman whose condition is serious but not life-threatening.

"She had endured much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but rather grew worse" (v. 26). This woman has suffered at the hands of many physicians, who took her money but failed to cure her. Her circumstance is very different from that of Jairus. Her bleeding, most likely a vaginal discharge, renders her ritually unclean, isolating her from most human contact. Not only is she unclean, but her touch renders unclean anyone whom she touches. She defiles even the bed upon which she lies and the chair on which she sits, and these then transmit her uncleanness to anyone who touches them (Leviticus 15:25-30). Given the ease with which a man can divorce his wife (see Matthew 5:31), it seems likely that her husband has long since divorced her. Her condition would make it impossible for her to find a job as a household servant and would, ironically, make her ineligible to attend Jairus' synagogue (Cousar, 410). Her situation is very much like that of a leper (see 1:40-45), in that she is cut off from social contact. Such isolation must be nearly unbearable. This woman is clearly an "outsider"–– a person who does not count –– does not belong.

The real purpose behind this verse, however, is to set up a contrast between the physicians, who did not help the woman, and Jesus, who does.

"She had heard about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak" (v. 27). Jairus approached Jesus directly, face to face, but this woman approaches Jesus from behind, cloaked in the anonymity of the crowd. She believes that just touching Jesus' garment will make her well (v. 28). Having avoided touching other people for so many years, it must require a great effort to reach out and touch even Jesus' cloak. Because she is unclean, "there is a danger that any physical contact she may have with the healer will annul his miracle working power and wreck the whole effort" (Marcus, 366). Even if she has heard the story about Jesus touching a leper (1:41), it must be hard to imagine that Jesus would welcome her touch.

However, "Instead of uncleanness passing from the woman to Jesus, healing power flows from Jesus to the woman" (Davies and Allison, quoted in Marcus, 367). Immediately upon touching Jesus' cloak, "her hemorrhage stopped; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease" (v. 29). Jesus senses that power has gone from him and asks, "Who touched my clothes?" (v. 30). The disciples believe this to be an unreasonable question, given the press of the crowd, but the woman falls down before Jesus and tells him the whole truth (v. 33). Jesus says, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease" (v. 34). Jesus does not say, "Be healed" or "I will heal you." Instead, he says, "Your faith has made you well."

When the woman touched Jesus' cloak, she was healed of her disease. However, only after she presents herself to Jesus does he say, "Daughter, your faith has sozo you" –– has saved you (Williamson, 110).

Note the relationship of faith and healing. "Daughter, your faith has made you well" (v. 34). In the next chapter, Jesus will visit his hometown, where he will be unable to do any deed of power because of their unbelief (6:1-6). The power by which Jesus heals is God's power. The faith of the individual, however, is an important component in receiving the blessing of healing.

The word, "daughter," might seem paternalistic to our ears, but was a common form of address in Jesus' day. His use of the word reflects a kind of warmth and acceptance that this woman has most likely not heard in a long time –– a daughter is a beloved member of a family. In this context, daughter is a healing word.


VERSES 35-43: LITTLE GIRL, GET UP

35While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader's house to say, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" 36But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe." 37He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38When they came to the house of the leader of the synagogue, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39When he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping." 40And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha cum," which means, "Little girl, get up!" 42And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43He strictly ordered them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.


"Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" (v. 35). This story is reminiscent of Lazarus' resurrection in John 11. If Jesus had come earlier, he could have prevented Lazarus' death. Once Lazarus died, Martha and Mary lost hope in Jesus' power to help. Mark does not tell us Jairus' reaction when he sees the mourners, but we can imagine his desolation when he sees that rites for the dead have begun.

"He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James" (v. 37). These three men constitute Jesus' inner circle, and will be invited to accompany Jesus at the Transfiguration (9:29) and at Gethsemane (14:33).

Jesus "saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly" (v. 38b). Mourning includes professional mourners, who wail, beat their breasts, tear their hair, and rend their garments. Flutes play a dirge. These actions alert the community to the death and signify grief. They are "designed to stress the desolation and the final separation of death. The triumphant victorious hope of the Christian faith (is) totally absent from them" (Barclay, 133). "The professional mourners represent the hard-core realists of every age who decide when empirical realities have foreclosed on divine possibilities" (Lane, 167).

However, when we consider the custom of professional mourners, we should not discount the presence of real grief. The tragic death of a child would break the hearts of friends and neighbors in any time or circumstance.

The crowd greets Jairus, saying "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?" (v. 35). Jesus tells Jairus, "Do not fear, only believe" (v. 36). He allows no one to follow as they go to see the little girl (v. 37) –– mourners are inappropriate for a girl who will soon be walking and eating.

To the crowd, Jesus says, "Why do you make a commotion? The child is not dead but sleeping" (v. 39). His comment is difficult to understand, because this is clearly a story of resurrection rather than of healing. However, sleep is a temporary condition and death is permanent. This girl will soon be "up and running," so Jesus considers her condition temporary.

"And they laughed at him" (v. 40a). The crowd has no doubt regarding the little girl's death. Their comment prepares us for the difficulty of the miracle that Jesus will work.

Jesus limits the audience for the healing/resurrection to the parents of the little girl and "those who were with him," (Peter, James and John) (v. 40). "He took her by the hand and said to her, 'Talitha cum,' which means, 'Little girl, get up!'" (v. 41). "Talitha cum" is Aramaic, a Semitic language related to Hebrew. "Among the Jews, Aramaic was used by the common people, while Hebrew remained the language of religion and government and of the upper class" (Encyclopedia Britannica 2003, "Aramaic"). Mark translates "Talitha cum" into Greek for Gentile Christians of the early church who might not know Aramaic.

"He took her by the hand" (v. 41a). Touching this girl violates Torah law, which renders a person who touches a dead body unclean until evening (Leviticus 11:39) or for seven days (Numbers 19:11). Such a person is required to remain outside the camp (Numbers 5:2-3).

In this chapter, Jesus violates many taboos. The story of the demoniac (vv. 1-20) "featured unclean spirits (Legion), an unclean place (the graveyard), unclean animals (pigs) in an unclean land (Decapolis). Jesus was not at all reluctant to minister there" (Geddert, 122). Jesus affirmed the unclean woman for touching his garment in faith. Now he touches a corpse. "But the miracle makes the issue moot by removing the cause of the defilement" Guelich, 302). How can anyone accuse Jesus of touching a woman with a discharge if she is now clean –– or touching a corpse if the girl is now walking and eating (vv. 42-43).

"And immediately the girl got up and began to walk about (she was about 12 years of age)" (v. 42a). Immediately is one of Mark's favorite words, occurring 27 times in this Gospel. The little girl is 12 years old, which corresponds to the 12 years that the woman suffered with a hemorrhage (v. 25).

"He strictly ordered them that no one should know this" (v. 43). This seems odd, because there was no way that the crowd would not learn of the girl's healing/resurrection, and there was no way that the crowd would keep the news quiet. "A similar command to the leper had been immediately disregarded (1:44-45)" (Perkins, 589).

"We have here once again the theme of secrecy in connection with one of Jesus' miracles: the child's cure must not be announced to those who are unable to comprehend it –– which includes, of course, all of Jesus' contemporaries. The miracle of resurrection can only be understood by those who believe in the one who has himself been raised from the dead" (Hooker, 151).



THOUGHT PROVOKERS: (Top of page)

A 1996 Yakelovich Partners survey of 269 doctors at an American Academy of Family Physicians meeting showed that 99 percent of the doctors thought that religious beliefs have a healing effect on patients. 75 percent believed in the power of intercessory prayer.

* * * * * * * * * *

The Bible,
the greatest medicine chest of humanity.

Heinrich Heine

* * * * * * * * * *

Healing and the healing of the whole person
are creative acts of God,
no matter what the agent may be.
He who has healing in his hands,
be he physician, surgeon, psychiatrist,
pastor or layman,
may only thank God humbly
that he is used in this ministry.

John Sutherland Bonnell

* * * * * * * * * *

In the central place of every heart
there is a recording chamber;
so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, and courage,
so long are you young.
When the wires are all down
and your heart is covered with the snows of pessimism and the ice of cynicism,
then and only then have you grown old.

Douglas MacArthur

* * * * * * * * * *

Doubtless there are many doctors
who in their struggles against disease have had, like me,
the feeling that they were confronting not something passive,
but a clever and resourceful enemy.

Paul Tournier, Swiss psychiatrist, A Doctor's Casebook

* * * * * * * * * *



BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, Gospel of Mark (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1954)

Boring, M. Eugene, The New Testament Library, Mark, A Commentary (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006)

Brooks, James A, The New American Commentary: Mark (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1991)

Campbell, Charles L., in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001)

Cousar, Charles B., in Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV -- Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Donahue, John R. and Harrington, Daniel J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of Mark (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 2002)

Edwards, James R., The Gospel According to Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

France, R.T., The New International Greek Testament Commentary: The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2002)

Geddert, Timothy J., Believers Church Bible Commentary: Mark (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2001)

Grant, Frederick C. and Luccock, Halford E., The Interpreter's Bible, Vol. 7 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1951)

Guelich, Robert A., Word Biblical Commentary: Mark 1 - 8:26 (Dallas: Word Books, 1989)

Hare, Douglas R. A., Westminster Bible Companion: Mark (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996)

Hooker, Morna D., The Gospel According to Saint Mark (Hendrickson Publishers, 1991)

Hurtado, Larry W., New International Biblical Commentary: Mark (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1983, 1989)

Jensen, Richard A., Preaching Mark's Gospel (Lima, OH: C.S.S. Publishing Co., 1996)

Lane, William L., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Mark (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1974)

Marcus, Joel, The Anchor Bible: Mark 1-8 (New York: Doubleday, 1999)

Moule, C.F.D., The Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible: The Gospel of Mark (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1965)

Perkins, Pheme, The New Interpreter's Bible, Vol. VIII (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Thayer, Joseph Henry, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (NY: American Book Company, 1889)

Williamson, Lamar Jr., Interpretation: Mark (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1983)

Richard Niell Donovan, Sermonwriter.com

May 32, 2009 - The Day of Pentecost

SCRIPTURE STUDY
PENTECOST, YEAR B
MAY 31, 2009



SCRIPTURE: John 15:26-27; 16:4-15
Jesus said to his disciples, "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.
"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But, now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.
"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."


EXEGESIS:

CHAPTERS 14-17: THE PARACLETE

Parakletos (the word translated "Advocate" in verse 26 below) is used only five times in the New Testament, four times in this Gospel to refer to the Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) and once in 1 John 2:1 to refer to Jesus. Parakletos can mean a lawyer who pleads your case or a witness who testifies in your behalf. It can refer to a person who gives comfort, counsel, or strength in time of need. The literal meaning is "someone called in; but it is the reason why the person is called in which gives the word its distinctive associations.... Always a parakletos is someone called in to help when the person who calls him in is in trouble or distress or doubt or bewilderment" (Barclay, 194).

Parakletos has been translated Advocate, Counselor, Comforter, and Intercessor, but each of those expresses only one facet of parakletos. The original readers of this Gospel would have heard the full richness of its various meanings. Some Bibles use the word Paraclete, which is not an English word but a transliteration of the Greek word. The problem is that most people don't know what a Paraclete is, so using Paraclete without explanation will probably convey less meaning rather than more.

The Paraclete, of course, is the Holy Spirit, God's Spirit dwelling in and among God's people. In this Gospel, two of the Paraclete sayings (14:16 and 14:26) are found prior to today's Gospel lesson. The others (15:26 and 16:7; see also 16:13-14) are part of this lesson.

Note that the various translations of Paraclete (Advocate, Counselor, Comforter, and Helper) all point to the helping, supporting role of the Spirit. In our culture, we are accustomed to paying expensive professionals for these services. We speak of lawyers as Counselors or Advocates, because they advise and defend us in legal matters. We depend upon psychology professionals to comfort us –– to help us through life's difficult times. Not only are such professionals expensive, but they are available only by appointment and are subject to error. The Paraclete is with us always, and offers power and wisdom that are simply unavailable elsewhere at any price. This is not to say that we should not consult lawyers and psychologists, but it gives us an appreciation for the ever-present and powerful help that God makes available to us through the Paraclete.

This was good news to those early Christians, whom the world would hate, the synagogues would excommunicate, and Rome would persecute (15:18-25; 16-1-4). They had no access to professional counsel, but they did have each other –– and they had the Paraclete. This is also good news for us. Neither our lawyer nor our psychiatrist welcomes a phone call in the middle of the night when terror jolts us from our slumbers. The Paraclete, however, is always present and ready to help.


VERSES 18-25: THE CONTEXT

In these verses, Jesus talks about the persecution that his disciples can expect to experience –– about a world (Greek: kosmos –– the realm opposed to God) that will hate them for not belonging to the kosmos. He talks about kosmos-people who hate the Son for exposing them to the light and making them accountable for their sins. He says that these kosmos-people hate both the Father and the Son. He said, "They hated me without a cause," thus fulfilling the prophecy of scripture (either Psalm 69:4 or 35:19).


VERSES 26-27: WHEN THE ADVOCATE COMES

26"When the Advocate (Greek: parakletos) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify (Greek: marturesei) on my behalf. 27You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.


"When the Advocate (parakletos) comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father" (v. 26a). See above for information about the parakletos.

The language suggests a courtroom setting. Jesus outlined the problem in verses 18-25 (see above), and now outlines the response that the disciples can expect.

"he will testify on my behalf" (v. 26b). John the Baptist testified on Jesus' behalf earlier (1:7, 15, 32, 34; 3:26; 5:33). Jesus' works testified that the Father had sent him (5:36; 10:25), and the Father testified on his behalf (5:37). The scriptures testified on his behalf (5:39). Jesus also testified on his own behalf (8:14, 18). Now the Spirit testifies on his behalf (15:26b).

"You will also testify because you have been with me from the beginning" (v. 27). Jesus' disciples are to testify on Jesus' behalf, because they have been with him from the beginning (15:27). The church must also serve as a witness for Jesus. The testimony (marturesei) of the Paraclete and the testimony of the church go hand in hand. The Paraclete's testimony came first, and provides the power without which the church's testimony would fall flat. The church's testimony, steeped in personal experience and bathed in the Spirit, makes the witness visible to the world. Jewish Law requires two witnesses to convict (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15). The two witnesses, the Spirit and the church, will convict the world of its sin and its need for Christ.


VERSES 1-4a: THEY WILL KILL YOU

1"I have said these things to you to keep you from stumbling. 2They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God. 3And they will do this because they have not known the Father or me. 4aBut I have said these things to you so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them.


In these verses (not included in this Gospel lesson) Jesus warns the disciples that the world will respond with great hostility to their testimony. The Paraclete will not only strengthen the disciples for the trials that lay ahead, but will insure the eventual triumph of the Gospel message. The disciples need not fear, because Christ has already overcome the world.


VERSES 4b-11: IT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE THAT I GO AWAY

4b"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' 6But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. 7Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because they do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; 11about judgment, because the ruler of this world (Greek: kosmou) has been condemned.


"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you" (v. 4b). Verses 1-4a tell of the coming persecution. Jesus did not tell the disciples of this persecution while he was with them, but is telling them now "so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you about them" (v. 4a). The world's hostility should not come as a surprise, because the disciples have been warned. Now Jesus is "going to the one who sent me" (v. 5a), with the result that "sorrow has filled (the disciples') hearts" (v. 6b). Not only will the disciples face terrible opposition, but they will face it without Jesus. It is no wonder that they are sad.

"yet none of you asks me 'Where are you going?'" (v. 5b). This seems like a peculiar statement in view of 13:26, where Peter asked, "Lord, where are you going?" and 14:5, where Thomas said, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Much scholarly ink has been spilled in an attempt to resolve this. Some have suggested that it reflects weak organization on the part of the author or weak editing on the part of a redactor. Lincoln says that Jesus is not saying "none of you has asked me," (past tense) but rather "none of you is asking me" (present tense) (Lincoln, 418). Borchert says that trying to read this Gospel "within sequential time and space frames" doesn't work (Borchert, 164). Morris says that Peter's question "had not been a serious inquiry as to Jesus' destination, (and that he) had been diverted immediately, and he made no real attempt to find out where Jesus was going" (Morris, 617). This diversity of proposals, none of them compelling, suggests that we won't resolve this issue this side of heaven. There is nothing to be gained by airing this kind of unresolved issue in our preaching.

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" (v. 7). The disciples are sad that Jesus is leaving, but he gives them reason to rejoice. He is leaving so that the Paraclete might come. The net result will be a gain for the disciples. "This reflects the characteristic Johannine concept that during his earthly ministry Jesus embodies the presence of God among humans, while after Jesus' exaltation through death and resurrection the Holy Spirit is the way the presence of the Father and the Son is experienced on earth" (Williamson, 209).

Preachers often note that the Paraclete is not subject to the limitations of humanity that Jesus took upon himself. Jesus could be only in one place at a time, while the Paraclete can be present with believers everywhere. Jesus, however, does not call attention to that advantage but to the fact that the Paraclete will "prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment" (v. 8).

"The picture is clearly one of a trial, in which the Paraclete has the role of prosecuting attorney and the world is the defendant, standing before the believing community" (O'Day, 771) "By convicting the world on three counts he will reverse its erroneous judgment passed upon Jesus in his crucifixion" (Howard, 731). The Paraclete will expose the world for what it is –– will convict the world –– will prove the world wrong (elengcho):

• "about sin, because they do not believe in me" (v. 9). In this Gospel, "sin is a theological, not a moral category. The world's sin is not to believe in Jesus" (O'Day, 772). The world's sin is to reject Christ in favor of "the ruler of this kosmos" (v. 11).

• "about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer" (v. 10). The world judged Jesus guilty, and condemned him to a sinner's death. Jesus, however, has overcome the death sentence and is going back to the Father. His resurrection and ascension not only vindicate his life and ministry, but also stand as judgment on those who condemned him. Their joy at Jesus' death has turned out to be "the rejoicing of the damned" (Blank, quoted in Borchert, 167).

"It is possible, however, to understand 'righteousness' in the sense of moral goodness and to read the verb as 'expose'.... On this reading, Jesus' return to the Father exposes the world's error about what constitutes moral goodness. It is not strict adherence to the law.... (It) includes mercy as well as justice" (Williamson, 210).

• "about judgment, because the ruler of this world (kosmou –– from kosmos) has been condemned" (v. 11). In this Gospel, the kosmos (world) is the sphere of evil that is opposed to God. It has given its heart to the ruler of the kosmos –– the devil (6:70; 8:44; 13:2) or Satan (13:27) instead of God. God has condemned the ruler of the kosmos, but still loves the world and seeks to save it (3:16). The kosmos, however, cannot be saved as it is, but must be redeemed –– must accept the Christ that it has rejected. Otherwise, it can expect to suffer the same judgment as the ruler of the kosmos –– the ruler whom it has chosen to follow (Lincoln, 420).


VERSES 12-15: THE SPIRIT WILL GUIDE YOU INTO ALL THE TRUTH

12"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.


"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now" (v. 12). Jesus has pointed to the cross, but the disciples were not been able to see it. They expected a warrior-king, and could not imagine a suffering servant. They will have to walk the walk –– to make the journey –– to experience the darkness –– before the light will begin to break through.

Jesus will ascend to the Father a short time after the resurrection, and the Paraclete will assume responsibility for the disciples' enlightenment. The Spirit of Truth "will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears" (v. 13). Jesus has spoken what he heard from God (7:16-18; 8:26-28, 40; 12:49-50), and now the Spirit of Truth will speak what it hears. The faithfulness of Jesus and the Spirit in proclaiming what they heard guarantees the truth of their proclamation as well as its continuity.

The Spirit of Truth "will declare to you the things that are to come" (v. 13b). Every generation of Christians faces new challenges to its faith and practice. What is the right Christian response to cloning? To euthanasia? To abortion? To economic systems such as capitalism and socialism? The Spirit of Truth keeps God's word alive and fresh through every changing circumstance.

"He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you" (vv. 14-15). Earlier, Jesus had declared that his teaching was not his own but was from the one who had sent him. He continued, "Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false about him" (7:18). Jesus has been faithful in glorifying the Father, and the Spirit will be faithful in glorifying the Son.

"Like Elijah, Jesus has ascended into heaven –– but his mantle falls not on just one successor. The gift of the Holy Spirit is poured out at Pentecost upon all people" (Burridge, 572).

THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

God is no distant deity but a constant reality,
a very present help whenever needs occur.
So? So live like it.
And laugh like it!
(The apostle) Paul did.
While he lived, he drained every drop of joy
out of every day that passed.

Charles R. Swindoll

* * * * * * * * * *

Even the most Starless midnight
may herald the dawn of some great fulfillment.

Martin Luther King

* * * * * * * * * *

God's might to direct me,
God's power to protect me,
God's wisdom for learning,
God's eye for discerning,
God's ear for my hearing,
God's Word for my clearing.

Saint Patrick

* * * * * * * * * *

The true believer in the Holy Spirit
is one who knows how to hoist the sail of his own spirit
to catch the winds of God.

Ralph W. Sockman

* * * * * * * * * *

To the church, Pentecost brought light, power, joy.
There came to each illumination of mind,
assurance of heart,
intensity of love,
fullness of power,
exuberance of joy.
No one needed to ask if they had received the Holy Ghost.
Fire is self-evident.
So is power!

Samuel Chadwick

* * * * * * * * * *


BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1957)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 12-21, Vol. 25B (Nashville: Broadman Press, 2002)

Burridge, Richard A., in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)

Cousar, Charles B., in Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993).

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Keener, Craig S., The Gospel of John: A Commentary, Volume II (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003)

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John, Revised (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995)

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, Interpretation: John (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999)

Williamson, Lamar, Jr., Preaching the Gospel of John: Proclaiming the Living Word (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004)

Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com

May 24, 2000 - The 7th Sunday of Easter

SCRIPTURE STUDY
THE SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER, YEAR B
MAY 24, 2009


Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
Psalm 1
1 John 5:9-13
John 17:6-19


The Collect

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The First Lesson
Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, "Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus-- for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry. So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us-- one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection." So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

The Psalm
Psalm 1 Page 585, BCP
Beatus vir qui non abiit

1
Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked,
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!

2
Their delight is in the law of the LORD,
and they meditate on his law day and night.

3
They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither;
everything they do shall prosper.

4
It is not so with the wicked;
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

5
Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes,
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.

6
For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked is doomed.

1 John 5:9-13

If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

The Gospel
John 17:6-19

Looking up to heaven, Jesus prayed, "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth."


EXEGESIS OF THE GOSPEL:

CHAPTERS 13-18: THE CONTEXT

Following the Passover foot washing (13:1-20), Jesus begins to prepare the disciples for his departure. He foretells his betrayal (13:21-30), gives them the great love commandment (13:31-35), and foretells Peter's denial (13:36-38). He then tells them that he is going to the Father's house where he will prepare a place for them (14:2) and that he will come again to take them with him (14:3). He promises them the gift of the Holy Spirit (14:16) –– not to leave them orphaned (14:18) –– and that the Holy Spirit will teach them everything (14:26). Also implied in his call for them to abide in him is a promise of ongoing connectedness (15:1-17). He warns of the world's hatred (15:18 - 16:4a), and gives the rationale that the Spirit cannot come unless he goes (16:4b-15). He promises them joy (16:16-24) and peace (16:25-33).

Jesus then prays his High Priestly Prayer, of which our Gospel lesson is part. This prayer "really belongs to the discourses. Prayers of Jesus in this Gospel are sermonic (11:42; 12:30), and therefore the readers of 17:1-26 are as a congregation overhearing a pastoral prayer" (Craddock, 277). (Editor's note: Lengthy passages of Jesus' teachings are often called discourses. Craddock is suggesting that this prayer of Jesus is also a discourse –– a vehicle for conveying Jesus' teachings.)

After this prayer, Jesus and his disciples will go to a garden in the Kidron Valley where he will be arrested. This prayer, then, serves as a transition from the discourses of the Upper Room to Jesus' passion (his death on the cross).


VERSES 1-26: JESUS' HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER

This prayer concludes the farewell dinner. It is often called The High Priestly Prayer for two reasons: First, Jesus is preparing to offer himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Second, he intercedes for his disciples (vv. 6-26) in the same way that the high priest intercedes for the people of Israel (see Romans 8:34).

This prayer is often likened to Moses' farewell address (Deuteronomy 31:30ff), which concluded with Moses' final blessing on Israel (Deuteronomy 33). The tone of that address was positive, very much like Jesus' prayer. Moses was preparing to die, but he said, "Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord" (Deuteronomy 33:29). Jesus is preparing to die, but he prays, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you" (17:1).

Lincoln suggests that this prayer is the Johannine equivalent of the Lord's Prayer as found in Matthew 6:9-15. He calls it "the Lord's prayer transposed into a Johannine key," and notes the following parallels (Lincoln 432-433):

• "Our Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:9) is paralleled in John 17:1 by a mention of heaven and Jesus addressing God as Father. Jesus also addresses God as Father in 17:11.

• "hallowed be your name" (Matthew 6:9) is paralleled in several places by concerns for God's holiness or God's name (John 17:6, 11, 26).

• "Your kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10) is paralleled by a concern for Jesus' hour having come (John 17:1) and a concern about eternal life (John 17:2-3).

• "Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10) is paralleled by Jesus' comment that he has finished the work that the Father sent him to do (John 17:4).

• "And do not bring us to the time of trial" (Matthew 6:13) is paralleled by Jesus' plea for the Father to protect the disciples, living as they do in a hostile kosmos (John 17:11b-16).

This Johannine prayer is quite unlike Jesus' Gethsemane prayer in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46). There Jesus sweats drops of blood and prays, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me." In John's Gospel, there is a hint of anxiety in Jesus' earlier prayer, "Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say –– 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour," (12:27) but no anxiety about his personal fate in chapter 17. "Far from being shaken and shattered by the ruin of all his hopes, as one might have expected him to be, Christ blesses God with a full heart for enabling him to carry through the task with which he had been entrusted" (Gossip, 744).

But though Jesus' prayer is positive, we hear an urgent, concerned tone. He is, after all, about to depart, leaving his disciples in a difficult world with a critical mission. He includes three petitions for the disciples in this prayer:

• First, he prays, "Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one" (v. 11).

• Second, he prays, "I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one" (v. 15).

• Third, he prays, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth" (v. 17).

• He also prays, "I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (John 17:20-21). This expands on the emphasis one oneness in the first petition.

"Although the prayer is set within the ministry of the historical Jesus, the perspective of the prayer is also that of the glorified Christ looking pastorally on his church in the world.... The prayer seems, then, to hang between heaven and earth, between the historical and the glorified Christ" (Craddock, 291).

Verses 1-11 have to do with the interrelationship between Jesus, God and the disciples. While Jesus has promised the Holy Spirit on several occasions (7:39; 14:16-26; 15:26; 16:13), there is no mention of the Spirit in this prayer.


VERSES 1-5: GLORIFY THE SON

These verses are not included in this Gospel lesson. In these verses, Jesus deals with various concerns, including his "hour," by which he means his death and resurrection (v. 1a) –– the glorification of the Son and Father (v. 1b) –– the Son's God-given authority (v. 2) –– and eternal life (vv. 2-3).


VERSES 6-8: I HAVE MADE YOUR NAME KNOWN

6"I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word (Greek: logos). 7Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; 8for the words (Greek: rhemata) that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.


"I have made your name known" (v. 6a). From the beginning, Jesus' mission has been revelation. He is the Logos, the Word, the one sent to reveal God to us (1:1). He has made the Father's name known.

The Jewish people have always been sensitive about God's name, because they consider God's name to be synonymous with God's true nature or character. At the burning bush, Moses asked God's name, and God replied, "I AM WHO I AM" (Hebrew: YHWH or Yahweh) and commanded Moses to tell the people, "I AM has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14). In John's Gospel, Jesus frequently uses this "I AM" formula (Greek: ego eimi) to identify himself ("I AM the bread of life" –– "I AM the light of the world" –– "I AM the gate for the sheep" –– "I AM the good shepherd").

For much of their history, Jewish people considered God's name, YHWH, too sacred to pronounce, so they substituted the word adonai. Now Jesus makes God's name known "to those whom you gave me from the world" (v. 6) –– and the name is Father. Jesus makes God accessible –– makes it possible for us to address God as Father.

"to those whom you gave me from the world" (v. 6b). The disciples about whom Jesus speaks are not outstanding in any way. Jesus could easily complain about their mediocrity, but instead speaks of them respectfully, as if they were a treasure that the Father has placed into his hands. As events will prove, once they are filled with the Spirit, they will become worthy witnesses –– powerful advocates for the kingdom.

"and they have kept your word" (logos) (v. 6c). It is surprising that Jesus would say that the disciples have kept the Father's word. Their performance thus far has been mixed at best –– but see below on verse 8a.

"Now they know that everything you have given me is from you" (v. 7). The disciples do not yet understand Jesus' teachings about his death and resurrection, but they have placed their faith in Jesus as God's prophet –– as one who speaks God's word.

"for the words (rhemata) that you gave to me I have given to them" (v. 8a). Note the difference between "word" singular (logos) in verse 6 and "words" plural (rhemata) in verse 8. Logos (singular) and rhemata (plural) are two different words with significantly different meanings.

• Logos is important in this Gospel. Jesus is Logos –– Word –– the revelation of God. "In the beginning was the Word (logos), and the Word (logos) was with God, and the Word (logos) was God" (1:1).

• Rhemata is a different word. "A good case can be made that when the Fourth Gospel Jesus refers to his words (plural) he is talking about the precepts he lays down, almost equivalent to his 'commands'…, but when he refers to his word (singular) he is talking about his message as a whole, almost equivalent to 'gospel' " (Carson, 559).

"for they have received them and know in truth that I came from you" (v. 8b). Jesus does not say that the disciples have kept his rhemata –– his words –– his teachings –– but only that they have received them. It would be stretching things to say that the disciples have been faithful to Jesus' teachings, which they have thus far understood only dimly. Prior to the resurrection, they are more clueless than faithful. However, they have been faithful to the Father's logos –– to the Father's revelation of himself through the Son, who is the Logos. The disciples have hung in there with Jesus through good times and bad, because, "You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God" (6:68-69). It is the disciples' faithfulness to himself to which Jesus refers when he says, "they have kept your word" (v. 6).

"and they have believed that you sent me" (v. 8c). Jesus establishes the chain of custody by which God's words are transmitted. The words came from the Father, who gave them to the Son, who in turn gave them to the disciples. These disciples have not rejected these words, but have "received" them. They are receptive to the words that Jesus gives them, because they believe that Jesus was sent by the Father. If Jesus is truly sent by the Father, it follows that his words are trustworthy.


VERSES 9-11a: I AM ASKING ON THEIR BEHALF

9I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world (Greek: kosmou –– from kosmos), but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. 10All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11aAnd now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you.


"I am not asking on behalf of the world (kosmou), but on behalf of those whom you gave me" (v. 9). This has a harsh ring to it, as if Jesus cares only about his little band of disciples and nobody else. However, when Jesus speaks of the world, he is not speaking of planet earth or all humanity but of the kosmos, which is the "sphere of enmity to God…. The only hope for the kosmos is precisely that it should cease to be the kosmos" (O'Day, 792). The kosmos poses a threat to the disciples, who "are in the kosmos" even as Jesus is preparing to depart from the kosmos (v. 11).

But God and Jesus do not respond with hostility to a hostile world. Instead, this Gospel portrays them as loving the world and working to redeem it. Jesus said:

• "For God so loved the world (kosmon) that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world (kosmon), but in order that the world (kosmos) might be saved through him" (3:16-17)

• "I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world (kosmon), but to save the world" (kosmon) (12:47).

This was clear even to the Samaritans, who said to the woman at the well, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world" (kosmou) (4:42).

"But the salvation of the world depends on the witness of those whom the Father has given him 'out of the world' (see vv. 21, 23), and it is they that need (Jesus') intercession at this junction" (Bruce, 331).

"All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them" (v. 10). "What strikes one... most in our Lord's prayer is not even (Jesus') moving loyalty to his friends, ...but rather his unmistakable pride in them" (Gossip, 746). It seems astonishing that Jesus would claim to be glorified in these disciples. They are a small and ordinary group of people who exhibit no unusual intelligence or talent. They seem unable to learn from the numerous clues that Jesus gives them concerning his future. No matter what Jesus says, they just don't get it. How can Jesus claim to have been glorified in them?

Keep in mind that this Gospel was written quite late, probably after most of Jesus' original disciples died. The author has seen that, somehow, through the grace of God and the work of the Spirit, Jesus has indeed been glorified by these disciples. The church is growing and spreading. However imperfect these disciples might have been, they have succeeded in glorifying the Lord. In fact, when Jesus says that he has been glorified in them, he uses the perfect tense, suggesting an already completed glorification, showing full confidence that they have glorified him and will glorify him.

This is an encouraging word to those of us who are tempted to despair of disciples and discipleship today –– who long for a wart-free church. While the future of the church might seem compromised by the quality and commitment of its people, we can rest assured that the glorification that began with those first disciples continues with the work of the church today. The church is one example of the principle that God chooses the foolish and weak to shame the wise and strong (1 Corinthians 1:27).

"And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you" (v. 11a). Technically, Jesus is still present in the world, and his death and resurrection lie ahead, but he has begun the process by which he will be glorified and will return to the Father. The kosmos will soon succeed in killing him, but he will emerge victorious through the resurrection. The disciples, however, will continue to live in the kosmos, an alien and hostile kosmos, and we can hear a note of angst in Jesus' voice as he speaks of leaving them behind.


VERSES 11b-16: HOLY FATHER, PROTECT THEM IN YOUR NAME

11bHoly Father, protect (Greek: tereson –– keep, hold, maintain) them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. 12While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost (Greek: ho huios tes apoleias –– the son of perdition), so that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. 14I have given them your word (Greek: logon), and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. 16They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.


"Holy Father" (v. 11b) –– in verse 25, Jesus says, "Righteous Father." God is indeed holy and righteous. The holiness of God is "a divine characteristic which we are allowing to fall out of sight. We talk much about the love of God. But...we are not blinded these days by the blazing whiteness of God's holiness" (Gossip, 743). Neither have we adequately emphasized personal holiness as an important element of discipleship. It is an emphasis that we would do well to revive.

This righteous aspect of God was emphasized in the Old Testament to the extent that Jewish people did not feel worthy to address God by name. Now Jesus makes known God's name –– and that name is Father. That name helps us to see God in a new light, not simply as holy and righteous, but also as nurturing. But we must not forget that the nurturing Father is also holy and righteous.

"protect (tereson –– keep, hold, maintain) them in your name" or "keep them in your name that you have given me" (v. 11b). Jesus has been their protector, and gives an account of his stewardship (v. 12). Now he is preparing to depart, so he asks the Father to assume the role of protector to these disciples who are in the kosmos (world) but not of the kosmos –– belonging to the Father but dwelling in a hostile land. If we had been praying, we would have asked simply that the Father protect them, but Jesus prays, "protect them in your name" –– by which he means, " 'keep them in loyalty to you' or 'keep them in full adherence to your character' " (Carson, 562) –– the concern being not so much for physical danger –– and by the time of the writing of this Gospel, the church will have experienced the full savagery of Rome's persecution –– but for spiritual victory in the face of great trials.

"so that they may be one, as we are one" (v. 11b). In recent years, the ecumenical movement has worked to bring denominations together organizationally, their efforts reflecting concerns both for this petition of Jesus and for the church's witness. The unity for which Jesus is praying, however, is deeper –– a unity of heart and purpose. Organizational unity is only a first step. We must also be concerned about disunity within denominations –– within congregations –– between individual Christians.

This is a prayer that, in many respects, has not been answered. The church has fragmented into many denominations and factions. Christians spend altogether too much time fighting one another. And yet, in some respects, Jesus prayer has been answered. Christians work together across denominational lines in many ways –– from sponsoring community worship services to financing relief efforts. There have been a number of efforts to bring together denominations, either in formal mergers or through shared initiatives and mutual recognition of clergy. It is not enough, but it is a beginning.

"While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost" (Greek: ho huios tes apoleias –– literally, "the son of perdition" or "the son of utter ruin") (v. 12a). This probably refers to Judas, who is "characterized by 'lostness,' (rather than being) predestined to be 'lost'…. The reference to the fulfilling of Scripture brings out the divine purpose. This does not mean that Judas was an automaton. He was a responsible person and acted freely. But God used that man's evil act to bring about his own purpose" (Morris, 645).

In a dissenting opinion, Moloney regards this as a reference to Satan rather than Judas. "The only figure in the story Jesus could not 'care for' is Satan who planned the betrayal (cf. 13:2). Jesus washed the feet and shared the morsel with Judas despite Satan's designs (cf. 13:2). Nevertheless, Satan entered Judas (cf. 13:27) 'that the Scripture might be fulfilled' (17:12d; cf. 13:18). There is a divine order in the events of the life and death of Jesus beyond his control. The son of perdition is beyond the control of Jesus, but he has cared for his disciples" (Moloney, 467).

"so that the scripture might be fulfilled" (v. 12b). The fulfilled scripture is almost surely Psalm 41:9, which is applied to Judas in John 13:18.

"But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves" (v. 13). Earlier, Jesus commanded the disciples to abide in him and to keep his commandments "so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete" (15:11). The world in which we live –– the kosmos –– tends to think of joy in terms of the baser pleasures. Such joy tastes sweet for awhile, but then turns rancid, leaving a bitter aftertaste. There are joys with deeper roots –– the joy of hearth and home –– the joy of creativity and productivity –– the joy of service and benevolence –– the joy of knowing and serving truth –– the joy of having one's feet firmly planted on a solid foundation –– the joy of being in a right relationship with God. It is these joys that Jesus offers, and they "compensate for the world's hatred, which (the disciples) must encounter because of their loyalty to Christ, whose refusal to accept worldly standards has incurred the hostility of the world" (Howard, 748).

"I have given them your word (logos), and the world (kosmos) has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world" (v. 14). Jesus has given the disciples God's word –– God's logos –– and that word has made them different. These logos-people do not belong to the kosmos-world –– the world that is opposed to God. Their new identity, their separateness, draws the world's ire.

The kosmos-world is suspicious –– afraid of those who have rejected its ways. Kosmos-people feel insecure except in the company of other kosmos-people –– those who accept their values and seek the same pleasures. We see it with drug-addicts, who cannot abide the addict who has quit using drugs. We see it in the criminal world, that cannot abide the person who has "gone straight." Kosmos-people know that the person who used to belong to them but no longer belongs, is especially dangerous, because that person knows their secrets but no longer shares their loyalties.

We see something similar in the shadowy world of enterprises (legal or illegal) that profit from people's weaknesses –– manufacturers of cigarettes or alcohol, people who run casinos and bars, pimps, sellers of pornography and the like. Kosmos-people move among a small circle of colleagues and see the rest of the world as their enemy. They hate anyone who opposes them, whether overtly or by wholesome example, and respond viciously to any perceived threat to their kosmos-enterprise.

We see it in the movies, where Christians are seldom portrayed in a favorable light –– and in the news media, which seldom reports anything good about the church but delights in clergy-gone-awry stories. And we see it in places that we don't expect to see it. I have a neighbor who is likable enough but who has nary a good word to say about the church. I think that he senses something good there, but something that would require a change of heart –– a change that he is unwilling to make. Jesus has not overstated the case at all when he says that the kosmos "hates" the disciples "because they do not belong to the kosmos." That hatred is fueled by guilt, fear of exposure, and fierce resistance to change.

"I am not asking you to take them out of the world (kosmou), but I ask you to protect them from the evil one" (v. 15). "The juxtaposition of the language of being kept in the Father's name and that of being kept from the evil one indicates the two antithetical spheres of power operative in the world" –– God and Satan (Lincoln, 437).

The mission of the disciples is to carry on Christ's work in the kosmos-world, so Jesus cannot remove them from the kosmos. They will do their work in a world to which they no longer belong and in which they no longer feel wholly comfortable. "The church's radical otherworldliness…consists precisely in this: its protection by and orientation to a name not certified by the world. Whenever it neglects its otherworldliness and assumes it exists as an institution like all other institutions, it contradicts its very being" (Cousar, 344). The old gospel song comes to mind: "This world is not my home; I'm just a-passing through." The poetry might be doggerel, but the sentiment is exactly right.

Jesus does pray that God will "protect them from the evil one" (v. 15). Jesus doesn't pray that God would "wrap (the disciples) in some plastic, danger-free safety casing where they would never encounter evil. But the prayer of Jesus was to protect them from succumbing to the onslaught of evil or the evil one" (Borchert, 200).

What does seem to be overstated is Jesus' claim that "They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world" (v. 16). "That sounds by far too generous; more generous than true" (Gossip, 748). These disciples are flawed people who have failed Jesus in the past and who will fail him again in the future. Nevertheless, they have become different, because Jesus has given them God's word (v. 14). That word moved them from the kosmos camp to God's camp. Jesus is not just being generous. The disciples, in fact, no longer belong to the kosmos.


VERSES 17-19: SANCTIFY THEM IN THE TRUTH

17Sanctify (Greek: hagiason –– set apart as sacred to God –– make holy –– consecrate) them in the truth; your word (Greek: logos) is truth. 18As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19And for their sakes I sanctify (Greek: hagiazo) myself, so that they also may be sanctified (Greek: hegiasmenoi) in truth.


"Sanctify (hagiason) them in the truth" (v. 17a). Hagiason comes from the word, hagios, which is often translated holy, but which also means separate or set apart (Barclay, 253). Hagiason (and variants) is the word used in the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament) for the consecration of animals for sacrifice to God (Deuteronomy 15:19). God required that animals set aside for sacrifice be without blemish or serious defect (Exodus 12:5; Leviticus 22:21). People were not allowed to sacrifice an animal that was lame or blind (Deuteronomy 15:19).

This is related to Jesus' concern in this passage for the holiness of the disciples (vv. 15-19). Jesus has already said that the disciples "do not belong to the world" (v. 14), which is simply another way of saying that they are separate or holy. We cannot perform our mission of witnessing to the love of the holy Father in this world unless we ourselves are holy. While the concern with regard to sacrificial animals was physical wholeness, the concern with regard to disciples is spiritual wholeness –– spiritual holiness –– freedom from serious spiritual defect.

Hagiason is also the word used for the consecration of prophets and priests (O'Day, 793). God did not set apart prophets and priests for honor but for service. The same is true today when we ordain people to church offices. While it is, in one sense, an honor to be chosen for such work, it is, in a larger sense, ordination to servitude –– to becoming a servant.

Hagios and its variants are found in only two places in this Gospel –– here and in 10:36 –– part of the Festival Cycle (chapters 10 ff.) where "the high priest, the one who bore the insignia of holiness/set-apartness to God...settled for an unholy compromise to kill Jesus in order to calm religious renewal and zeal and to maintain his own status and position (11:48-52)" (Borchert, 196-197, 202-203). Being holy in an unholy kosmos (world) was fatal for Jesus, and we should understand that being holy will be dangerous for us too.

"your word (logos) is truth" (v. 17b). " 'Your word is truth' (v. l7b) is a subtle allusion to John 1:14. Although Jesus is never explicitly called 'the Word' in the body of the Gospel, this understanding of him underlies the affirmation here. God's Word, incarnate in Jesus, is truth-as well as the way and the life (14:6)" (Williamson, 226).

It was the gift of God's word that made the disciples separate and holy in the first place (v. 14). Now Jesus calls for an additional measure of this same gift to make the demarcation even clearer and to equip the disciples for their difficult work.

"As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world" (v. 18). Jesus is not of this world, but emptied himself so that he might take on human form and live in the kosmos-world on a mission of mercy and salvation (Philippians 2:5-11). Now he is preparing the disciples to continue this incarnational ministry in a world that is no longer their own. "The task is no less than the sanctification of the world through the sanctification of the disciples" (Sloyan, 197). "The parallelism between (Jesus') sending and (the disciples' sending) is to be observed…. (Jesus is at the end of his earthly ministry, and) therefore hands over the mission to his men whom he has prepared for this task…. As Bultmann expressed it, 'The community takes over Jesus' assault on the world' " (Beasley-Murray, 300-301).

"And for their sakes I sanctify (hagiazo) myself" (v. 19a). "If the disciples are to be effectively set apart for the work which they must do, the Son must first set himself apart for the work which he must do" (Bruce, 334). When Jesus speaks of sanctifying himself, he is talking about setting himself apart for the sacrifice of the cross.

"so that they may be sanctified (hegiasmenoi) in truth" (v. 19b). "The holiness of God, made visible in the human story in the holiness of Jesus' gift of himself for his own (v. 19a), is to be matched by the holiness of the disciples (v. 19b) as Jesus is sending them into the world to make God known, just as God sent him (v. 18). To succeed in this mission they must be holy, as God is holy (cf. Lev 11:44; John 17:11b, 17,19)" (Moloney, 469).


TRUE STORY:

Speaking of mothers' prayers, Richard Moore's mother prayed for him for many years. Richard, you see, lost his eyesight as a child. He grew up in Northern Ireland during the troubled times there, and was hit by a rubber bullet fired by a British soldier. He was walking home from school –– ten years old.

Richard's mother prayed for him. He remembers waking up to find his mother kneeling beside his bed, pleading with God that her son's eyesight might be restored –– but, as nearly as anyone could tell, nothing happened.

Many years later, as a grown man, Richard learned the name of the soldier who shot him. He located the man's address and asked if he could come to visit. When the man gave his permission, Richard went to see him and to offer his forgiveness.

When he did that, he felt something change deep inside himself. He discovered a kind of peace that had eluded him throughout his life. He said:

"When I met the soldier and forgave him,
I believe my mother's prayers were answered.
I was given a new vision,
and my real wound,
the one that needed healing more than my eyes,
was healed."


THOUGHT PROVOKERS: (Top of page)

There is nothing that makes us love a person so much
as praying for him....
By considering yourself as an advocate with God
for your neighbors and acquaintances,
you would never find it hard to be at peace with them yourself.

William Law


* * * * * * * * * *

He prayeth well, who loveth well
Both man and bird and beast.
He prayeth best, who loveth best
All things both great and small;
For the dear God that loveth us,
He made and loveth all.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge,
The Ancient Mariner


* * * * * * * * * *

The servants of Christ are protected by invisible,
rather than visible, beings.
But if these guard you,
they do so because they have been summoned by your prayers.

Ambrose

EDITOR'S NOTE: And Jesus' prayer.

* * * * * * * * * *

No Christian escapes a taste of the wilderness
on the way to the Promised Land.

Evelyn Underhill

* * * * * * * * * *

The Church is not so much a continuously living thing,
as something that has survived a thousand crucifixions
through a thousand Resurrections.

Fulton J. Sheen

* * * * * * * * * *


BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Beasley-Murray, George R., Word Biblical Commentary: John (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 12-21, Vol, 25B (Nashville: Broadman Press, 2002)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI (Garden City: Doubleday, 1970)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983).

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Cousar, Charles B., in Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Malcolm, Lois, in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Palmer, Earl F., The Book That John Wrote (Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 1975)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999)

Lamar Williamson Jr., Preaching the Gospel of John: Proclaiming the Living Word (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004)

Wright, Tom (N.T.), John for Everyone: Part 2, Chapters 11-21 (London: SPCK and Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2002, 2004)

Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com

May 17, 2009 - The 6th Sunday of Easter

THE SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
YEAR B
MAY 17, 2009

Acts 10:44-48
Psalm 98
1 John 5:1-6
John 15:9-17


The Collect

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The First Lesson
Acts 10:44-48

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. 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, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

The Psalm
Psalm 98 Page 727 BCP
Cantate Domino

1
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done marvelous things.

2
With his right hand and his holy arm
has he won for himself the victory.

3
The LORD has made known his victory;
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.

4
He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to
the house of Israel,
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.

5
Shout with joy to the LORD, all you lands;
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.

6
Sing to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and the voice of song.

7
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
shout with joy before the King, the LORD.

8
Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it,
the lands and those who dwell therein.

9
Let the rivers clap their hands,
and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD,
when he comes to judge the earth.

10
In righteousness shall he judge the world
and the peoples with equity.

1 John 5:1-6

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.

The Gospel: John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."


EXEGESIS:

CONTEXT:

This is near the end of Jesus' life. Jesus' lengthy discourse began in chapter 14 and will run through chapter 16. Chapter 17 is Jesus' prayer for his disciples, and chapter 18 starts with his arrest and betrayal.

Verses 1-8 set the stage for verses 9-17. Those earlier verses introduced the idea of abiding in Jesus ("Abide in me," v. 4), and the later verses continue that imagery ("Abide in my love," v. 9). They also introduce the idea that "everything begins with the Father" (Ridderbos, 519). This is reflected in the earlier portion with Jesus' statement, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower" (v. 1). It is repeated in the second section by Jesus' statement, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you" (v. 9).


VERSES 9-11: ABIDE IN MY LOVE

9As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.


In verses 1-8 Jesus told us that the Father is the vinegrower, Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. In those verses Jesus said, "Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me" (v. 4). Now he continues, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love" (v. 9). The message throughout is of interrelationships among Father, Son, and disciples.

This Gospel, from the beginning, has emphasized the unity of Father and Son:

• "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being" (1:1-3).

• Jesus has already said, "The Father and I are one" (10:30).

• In his high priestly prayer, shortly before his death, he will pray that the disciples "may be one, as we are one" (17:11, 22).

Now the emphasis is on love. Love begins with the Father and flows through the Son to the disciples (v. 9). It is contingent on obedience –– "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love" (v. 10). Jesus provides us with a model of obedience. He has come to do the will of the one who sent him (4:34; 6:38; 8:29). He keeps the Father's word (8:55). He does the Father's will so that the world might know that he loves the Father (14:31). The Father loves Jesus because he lays down his life in obedience to the Father's command (10:17-18).

Borchert speaks of the circle of love. "The Father loves the Son (cf. 3:35; 17:23, and the Son obediently loves the Father (cf. 10:17; 14:31); the Son loves his followers, and they are to love and obey him (cf. 13:34; 14:15, 23); loving and obeying the Son means being loved by the Father (cf. 14:21, 23; 17:23); being loved by the Son also implies loving one another (cf. 13:34; 15:12, 17); God not only loves the disciples but loves the world and gave his Son for its people (cf. 3:16); but many in the world love darkness and do not do the will of God (cf. 3:19; 14:24). In his first epistle John carries the theme of love further and insists that the disciple must not love in words only but in actual deeds of love (cf. I John 3:18) and that hating one's brother is actually an indication of not loving God (cf. 3:15) because love is the sign of knowing God (cf. 4:7)" (Borchert, 146).

Now Jesus asks us to obey the Father as he obeys the Father. "To be a disciple abiding in the love of Jesus means to 'do' something, and that 'doing' is determined by the commandments of Jesus" (Moloney, 421). The reward of faithful obedience is relationship –– abiding in the Son who abides in the Father.

The image that comes to mind is that of nested dolls –– the kind that pull apart to reveal a smaller doll inside –– and inside of that doll there is a still smaller doll. Jesus invites us to obey so that we might abide in him as he abides in the Father. If we abide in Jesus and Jesus abides in the Father, it follows that we also abide in the Father. The little disciple nestles into the larger Jesus, who then nestles into the great Father. This series of relationships is made complete as we keep Jesus' commandments.

Howard-Brook notes that 15:10 is the third time in a short time (see also 14:15 and 14:23) that Jesus enjoins our obedience. We respond, "'Enough of this already –– we get the message!' But alas, the problem is that we do not get the message, for if people kept the commandment to love one another, what a different world we would live in!" (Howard-Brook, 335). Even the church, the body of Christ, often fails at this point. Our focus is too often on programs, dogma, or buildings. Sometimes we field programs and build buildings instead of loving God and each other.

Jesus then says, "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete" (v. 11). Jesus is not calling us to dreary, lock-step obedience but to joy. "The joy of Jesus is the joy that arises from the sense of a finished work. It is creative joy, like the joy of the artist. It produces a sense of unexhausted power for fresh creation" (Strachan, quoted in Morris, 598). It is not the hollow joy of luxurious surroundings and sated appetites –– joy that dissipates as soon as things change. It is, instead, the joy of the disciplined life, like the joy of the athlete who rejoices after conquering a difficult challenge to win the race. That athlete might have blistered feet or strained muscles, but those matter little while experiencing the joy of victory.


VERSES 12-13: THIS IS MY COMMANDMENT

12"This is my commandment, that you love (Greek: agapate) one another as I have loved you. 13No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.


"This is my commandment, that you love (agapate) one another as I have loved you" (v. 12). This is a restatement of Jesus' "new commandment" in 13:34.

In verse 12, the "commandments" of verse 10 are narrowed down to one –– loving one another as Jesus has loved us. This Gospel does not emphasize moral teaching in the way that Matthew does. The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) includes many specific teachings that are missing here. Part of the reason is that John is a different person with a different style and emphasis. However, it is also true that Jesus' love-commandment pulls together all the law and the prophets. The person who loves needs no commandment not to steal or kill, because the person who loves will not do those things. Reflecting on this principle, Augustine said, "Love, and do what thou wilt."

The agape (pronounced a-GAH-pay) love that Jesus commands "does not primarily represent a feeling, nor is it a synonym for 'like.' To love is to be for another person and to act for another, even at cost to oneself. The supreme act of love is the giving of one's life for the other (v. 13)" (Craddock, 265).

This understanding of love is quite different from that of our culture –– a culture that too often understands love as the satisfaction of one's own needs rather than as satisfying the needs of the other. The person who says, "I love you," may mean only "I want you" and may even resort to manipulation to possess you. How different that is from the person who stands ready to sacrifice in behalf of the other person –– even to quietly walk away if that best meets the other person's needs. To understand the love of which Jesus speaks, it helps to understand how we have debased the word love in our common usage.

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends" (v. 13).
"Friendship was very important in the Greco-Roman world. It was commonly recognized that the supreme duty of friendship may involve self-sacrifice for one's friend even to the point of death" (Kostenberger, 458).

At this point, the disciples do not understand that Jesus will soon die for his friends. After the resurrection, they will finally understand the significance of these words. Jesus' love will require him to go to the cross for his friends. His commandment to love each other as he has loved us (v. 12) also requires serious sacrifice. The love of which Jesus speaks is more than a feeling –– it is love in action –– love that pays the price.

1 John 3:16 makes this explicit: "We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us––and we ought to lay down our lives for one another." Note the similar emphasis of 1 John 3:16 and John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Godly coincidence!

Earlier, Thomas said to the other disciples, "Let us go also (to Jerusalem), that we may die with him" (11:16), but it was clear that Thomas had no enthusiasm for sacrifice. Peter said, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you" (13:37), but when the time came, Peter denied Jesus. Talk is cheap! Love is costly!


VERSES 14-15: NOT SERVANTS, BUT FRIENDS

14You are my friends (Greek: philoi) if you do what I command you. 15I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.


"You are my friends (philoi) if you do what I command you" (v. 14). What Jesus has commanded is that his disciples "love one another as I have loved you" (v. 12). The Greeks have three words for love:

• Agape, a love characterized by concern for the welfare of the other person.

• Philos, companionate love (Philadelphia, which means the city of brotherly love, is derived from philos, which means love and adelphos, which means brother).

• Eros, romantic or sexual love.

"The Fourth Gospel uses…agapao and phileo interchangeably (cf…. 13:2 and 20:2; 5:20 and 10:17), so when Jesus speaks of friends here, he is really saying 'those who are loved' (cf. the description of Lazarus at 11:3, 11). The English word 'friend' does not fully convey the presence of love that undergirds the Johannine notion of friendship…. A comparison of 14:15 and 21 with 15:14 suggests that to be Jesus' friend and to love Jesus are synonymous, because both are defined as keeping Jesus' commandments" (O'Day, 758).

Jesus says, "I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing" (v. 15a). Earlier, he called them disciples (8:31; 13:35; 15:8), and that is the word that this Gospel usually uses for them –– but Jesus also implied that they are his servants. He said, "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also" (12:26) and "The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him" (13:16).

There is no shame attached to being God's servant. The people identified in the Bible as God's servants include Moses (Deuteronomy 34:5), Joshua (Joshua 24:29), David (Psalm 89:20), Paul (Titus 1:1), and James (James 1:1). Jesus acted as servant to the disciples at the foot-washing (John 13:13-16).

But now Jesus refers to the disciples as friends, saying, "but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father" (v. 15b). A friend enjoys a deeper relationship with the other than a servant –– or even a disciple. A master gives servants orders, but a friend communicates with friends, sharing knowledge and involving them at a deeper level. "The mark of difference between a servant and a friend is precisely the confidence which is extended to the latter" (Beasley-Murray, 274-275). "As with perfect friendships from time immemorial all secrets are shared, both from above and below" (Sloyan, 190). In the prologue to this Gospel (1:1-18), John refers to Jesus as the Word. A word is a means of communication. Christ came to earth in human form to reveal God and God's mind clearly to us. As God in flesh, he made it possible for us to see what God is really like. He "made known to (us) everything that (he had) heard from (his) Father" (v. 15b). This kind of openness is characteristic of friends.

This friendship is contingent on the obedience of the disciples –– "You are my friends if you do what I command you" (v. 14). Jesus and the disciples have not become equals, and their friendship is not a democracy. "Jesus' absolute right to command is in no way diminished, but he takes pains to inform his friends of his motives, plans, purposes…. In times past God's covenant people were not informed of God's saving plan in the full measure now accorded Jesus' disciples…. The Paraclete…(will) complete the revelation bound up with the person and work of Christ (14:26; 16:12-15)" (Carson, 523).

Jesus' words here gain even more significance in the light of then-contemporary usage. In Roman courts, the phrase "friends of the Emperor" designated the emperor's closest advisers. "At all times they had access to the king; they had even the right to come to his bedchamber at the beginning of the day. He talked to them before he talked to his generals, his rulers, and his statesmen" (Barclay, 208).


VERSES 16-17: GO AND BEAR FRUIT

16You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed (Greek: etheka –– from tithemi –– set aside) you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.


"You did not choose me, but I chose you" (v. 16a). Rabbis mentor students preparing for the rabbinate, and prospective students seek rabbis to become their mentors. The greater the rabbi, the more students seek his assistance. Jesus, however, tells his disciples that he has chosen them.

It is a great honor to apprentice under a great rabbi, so we would assume that Jesus has chosen the brightest and best –– but we would be wrong. These disciples hardly qualify as quick to learn. Instead the Gospels present them to us as slow –– a bit thick-headed –– weak of faith –– sometimes denying –– sometimes doubting. A few, such as Peter, James, and John, will become prominent, but even they often veer off course. Most will remain obscure. One will betray Jesus.

We wonder what Jesus was thinking when he chose this very ordinary group of disciples. And yet, the growth of the first-century church shows that Jesus chose well –– or that he empowered well. These disciples will do great things, not because they are great, but because the one who empowers them is great.

There is an important lesson here. God chooses whom God chooses. God empowers whom God empowers. A quick glance around the typical congregation shows that God has not chosen the brightest and the best. Most Godly work is done by ordinary people distinguished by only one characteristic –– they have given God their heart. That should encourage us. It should also make us hesitant to judge any person's potential. The star athlete and the valedictorian might be too full of self to be much heavenly good. The person who seems to have the least to offer might be the person that God chooses to transform the world. God chooses whom God chooses.

"And I appointed (etheka –– from tithemi –– set aside) you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last" (v. 16b). It is this verb, tithemi, that Jesus used in verse 13 to speak of laying down his life. Paul will use this verb in Acts 13:47 to speak of God setting Barnabas and himself aside to be a light to the Gentiles. Paul will use this verb again in 1Timothy 1:12 to express his thankfulness to Christ for appointing Paul to Christ's service. Tithemi brings to mind an ordination where a person is set apart for a particular ministry. The purpose of such appointment is not to honor the person being ordained, although there may be honor associated with it. The purpose is mission –– getting the job done –– bearing fruit. "It is absolutely crucial...to realize that election is not about privilege but purpose" (Borchert, 150).

Jesus says that he appointed these disciples "to go and bear fruit" (v. 16b). Jesus does not specify the fruit, but disciples are appointed to bear the fruit with which God endows them. I am reminded of Dale Bruner, a renowned Presbyterian teacher and scholar. When he was younger, friends told him that he had to be evangelistic –– to buttonhole people –– to tell them about Jesus. He tried, but failed mightily. He then spent a decade as a missionary in the Philippines, producing little fruit. Finally he found his calling. It was not on the street corner or in the pulpit, but in the classroom –– in the library. Bruner loves libraries, and produces beautiful fruit for Christ there. He has written a great commentary on Matthew, and is now working on the Gospel of John. Great scholarship! Great fruit! God calls other disciples to produce other kinds of fruit.

If we are to produce fruit for Christ, it is important that we seek his will for our lives –– to let him direct our appointment. The humblest Sunday school teacher, serving whole-heartedly in a Christ-given appointment, can render as important a service as any pastor or bishop. Christ often uses very humble people to change the world.

"fruit that will last" (v. 16b). Some people are called to produce reports that will be good for a few weeks –– others to build cars that will last for a few years –– still others to build houses that will last for a few decades. Christ appoints disciples to bear fruit that will last for centuries –– for eternity –– forever.

"so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name" (v. 16c). Earlier Jesus said, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (v. 7). The person who abides in Christ –– who becomes one with the Son as the Son is one with the Father –– becomes so attuned to the will of God that God will give that person whatever he or she asks in Christ's name. So it is with the person who serves whole-heartedly in the appointment to which Christ has appointed him or her (v. 16).

"I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another" (v. 17). This is almost a restatement of verse 12, but with an interesting twist. In verse 12 Jesus commands us to love, but verse 17 he says that these commands enable us to love one another. How is that so?

There is a synergy here –– intertwined elements that feed each other. The Father loves the Son, and the Son loves us and invites us to abide in his love (v. 1). As we keep his commandments, we abide in his love (v. 2), and we experience a complete kind of joy (v. 3). This joy fills our hearts, driving out poisonous feelings that would otherwise make it difficult to love our neighbor. Knowing that this neighbor is a child of our Father and is therefore our brother or sister also helps us to love. Thus God's love, Jesus' love, our love, our abiding in Christ, and our keeping of the commandments change us in ways that enable us to love those imperfect souls with whom we rub elbows every day –– to love them warts and all –– and that is a miracle!


THOUGHT PROVOKERS: (Top of page)

I went out to find a friend,
But could not find one there;
I went out to be a friend,
And friends were everywhere!

Author unknown

* * * * * * * * * *

No Cross, No Crown.

William Penn

* * * * * * * * * *

To a world stricken with moral enervation
Christianity offered its spectacle of an inspired self-sacrifice;
to those who refused themselves nothing,
it showed one who refused himself everything.

Matthew Arnold

* * * * * * * * * *

The great use of a life
is to spend it for something that outlasts it.

William James

* * * * * * * * * *

He who bears another,
is borne by another.

Pope St. Gregory the Great

* * * * * * * * * *


BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Beasley-Murray, George R., Word Biblical Commentary: John (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 12-21, Vol. 25B (Nashville: Broadman Press, 2002)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI (Garden City: Doubleday, 1970)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983).

Burridge, Richard A., in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Cousar, Charles B., in Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Palmer, Earl F., The Book That John Wrote (Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 1975)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999)

Williamson, Lamar, Jr., Preaching the Gospel of John: Proclaiming the Living Word (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004)

Wright, Tom (N.T.), John for Everyone: Part 2, Chapters 11-21 (London: SPCK and Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2002, 2004)

Richard Niell Donovan: SermonWriter.com

May 10, 2009 - The 5th Sunday of Easter

The Lessons Appointed for Use on the

Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 10, 2009
Year B
RCL

Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:24-30
1 John 4:7-21
John 15:1-8


The Collect

Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


The First Lesson
Acts 8:26-40

An angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it." So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:

"Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth."

The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.



The Psalm
Psalm 22:24-30 Page 611, BCP
Deus, Deus meus

24
My praise is of him in the great assembly;
I will perform my vows in the presence of those who worship him.

25
The poor shall eat and be satisfied,
and those who seek the LORD shall praise him:
"May your heart live for ever!"

26
All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations shall bow before him.

27
For kingship belongs to the LORD;
he rules over the nations.

28
To him alone all who sleep in the earth bow down in worship;
all who go down to the dust fall before him.

29
My soul shall live for him;
my descendants shall serve him;
they shall be known as the LORD'S for ever.

30
They shall come and make known to a people yet unborn
the saving deeds that he has done.


1 John 4:7-21

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.

God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.


The Gospel
John 15:1-8

Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples."


EXEGESIS:

13:31 –– 14:31: THE CONTEXT

These verses serve as the foundation for chapter 15, and introduce several themes on which Jesus expands in chapter 15:

• The commandment to love (13:31-35; 15:12).
• The possibility of denying or not abiding in Jesus (13:36-38; 15:6).
• The use of the word meno in its various forms (vv. 4-7; see also 14:2, 23; 15:4 ff).
• The vital nature of the disciple's connection to Jesus (14:6; 15:5-6).
• The promise of fulfilled prayer (14:14; 15:7).
• The importance of keeping Jesus' commandments and bearing fruit (14:15; 15:8).

"One new theme is introduced: the world's hatred (15:18-25; 16:1-4a)" (Williamson, 194).


VERSES 1-8: OVERVIEW

These verses are an allegory (a work in which the characters represent other things and symbolically express a deeper meaning). There are four actors in this little drama.

• The Father is the vinegrower (v. 1).
• Christ is the vine (v. 5).
• The disciples are branches (v. 5).
• Those who do not abide in Christ are useless branches (v. 6).

Where is the church here? The fruitful church is the branch that the vinegrower prunes, but the unfruitful church is the branch that the vinegrower removes and throws into the fire.

The vine imagery is familiar. The Old Testament frequently pictures Israel as a vine or vineyard, but typically these references are negative:

"My beloved has a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes" (Isaiah 5:1b-2).

"For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah are his pleasant planting;
he expected justice, but saw bloodshed;
righteousness, but heard a cry!" (Isaiah 5:7)

"Yet I planted you as a choice vine, from the purest stock.
How then did you turn degenerate and become a wild vine?" (Jeremiah 2:21).

"Therefore thus says the Lord God:
Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest,
which I have given to the fire for fuel,
so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem" (Ezekiel 15:6).

"Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard transplanted by the water,
fruitful and full of branches from abundant water….
But it was plucked up in fury, cast down to the ground;
the east wind dried it up; its fruit was stripped off,
its strong stem was withered; the fire consumed it" (Ezekiel 19:10, 12).

But there is something new here. "The Father is still portrayed as the gardener, but Jesus is the Vine, not Israel, and the disciples...are pictured as branches. (This) insertion into the old image...changes it radically. The 'vine' (here) is hardly in any danger of judgment as in the Old Testament texts. That possible scenario is ascribed only to the branches. Jesus, the Vine, appears to stand between the vineyard keeper/gardener and the branches as a kind of 'mediator' of life and sustenance" (Borchert, 139).

Vineyards are familiar. People pass vineyards as they walk from place to place. Some own their own vineyard or work in a vineyard. They are able to discern fruitful branches from those that will drain the vine's energy. They trim unfruitful branches, all the while feeling good about the surgical purpose of their work. The pruning might seem cruel, but it renews the vine's vitality. Useless vines drain the plant's strength. To leave them in place serves no purpose and reduces the value of the vineyard. The vinegrower cuts away unfruitful branches and, finding them unusable, burns them.


VERSES 1-3: I AM THE TRUE VINE

1"I am (Greek: ego eimi) the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes (Greek: airei) every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes (Greek: kathairei) to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed (Greek: kathairoi) by the word that I have spoken to you.


"I am (ego eimi) the true vine" (v. 1a). In this Gospel, Jesus uses "I am" (Greek: ego eimi) on a number of occasions:

• "I am the bread of life" (6:35).
• "I am the living bread that came down from heaven" (6:51).
• "I am the light of the world" (8:12).
• "I am the gate for the sheep" (10:7).
• "I am the good shepherd" (10:11).
• "I am the resurrection and the life" (11:25).
• "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (14:6).

This "I am" language hearkens back to Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush when God identified himself to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM," telling Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you' " (Exodus 3:14). In other words, "I AM" is God, and these "I am" metaphors identify Jesus as God. This is in keeping with the opening statement of this Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (1:1).

This is the last of the "I am" metaphors in this Gospel. Like the other "I am" metaphors (bread, light, gate, shepherd, etc.), the vine metaphor is reassuring –– comforting. "For a nomadic people, a vineyard is a natural symbol of settling down, calling a place home" (Howard-Brook, 330).

When Jesus identifies himself as the true vine, he implies that there is a false vine. The Old Testament passages cited above make it clear that Israel has been a false vine.

"and my Father is the vinegrower" (v. 1b). This suggests that the Father is the superior, but it also suggests great mutuality. The vine is dependent on the vinegrower for its care and feeding, but the vinegrower is also dependent on the vine for its produce. Each gives life to the other and takes life from the other. While this might press the metaphor overly far, we cannot overstate the mutuality that exists between the Father and the Son. Jesus says, "The Father and I are one" (10:30).

The Father/vinegrower performs two services to enhance the productivity of the vine. First, "He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit" (v. 2a). Second, "every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit" (v. 2b). It is important to note that, whether the branch is productive or not, the vinegrower wields a sharp knife. If the branch is not productive, the vinegrower removes it, but if the vine is productive, the vinegrower nevertheless prunes it to enhance its future productivity.

This should be instructive to us. We would like to believe that the Father will remove the unproductive branch but will spare the productive branch. However, the Father's loving care means being subject to the vinegrower's sharp knife. This means that we, as faithful disciples, can expect pain as a normal part of our lives. This can be difficult to accept. "Is it not the case that pruning (severing of debilitating relationships, loss of burdensome things, cessation of meaningless pursuits) is often understood by those suffering the pain as being cut away from God, leaving believers hurt, confused and angry?" (Craddock, 260).

The author of Hebrews explains it this way: "The Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts" (Hebrews 12:6). He goes on to say that "discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11). The parent's discipline and the vinegrower's pruning are painful but beneficial. That is important to remember, because life involves pain, and this text assures us that our pain is not necessarily a sign of God's displeasure. On the contrary, pain may well be a sign that God is still working to mold us –– to shape our lives –– to help us to become the best that we can be.

Jesus further reassures the disciples, "You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you" (v. 3). At the Passover footwashing, he told them, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you" (13:10), the exception being Judas, the one who would betray him (13:11). Now, once again, he pronounces them clean. "The disciples have heard, believed, and obeyed Jesus' word, although they may not even yet have comprehended it fully" (Smith, 283). Jesus' word has cleansing power when we believe it and obey it. This, too, is instructive. The closer our relationship to Christ, the more "cleansed" we are and the less pruning/cleansing we will require (the Greek, katharoi, means both pruned and cleansed).

There is a word play in verses 2-3 that is apparent only in the Greek. The vinegrower "removes (airei) every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes (kathairei) to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed (katharoi) by the word that I have spoken to you." It seems clear that the author chose these words with their literary value in mind.


VERSES 4-8: ABIDE IN ME AS I ABIDE IN YOU

4Abide (Greek: meinate –– from meno) in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.


"Abide (meinate –– from meno) in me as I abide in you" (v. 4a). This verb, meno, in its various forms (including the equivalent noun form), occurs in a number of passages in this Gospel. In most cases, they describe an important relationship or spiritual condition:

• John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained (emainen) on him" (1:32).

• Jesus rebukes the Jewish religious leaders, saying, "You do not have his word abiding (menonta) in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent" (5:38).

• Jesus says, "I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain (meine) in the darkness" (12:46).

• Jesus says, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places (monai). If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?" (14:2).

• Jesus says, "Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home (monen) with them" (14:23).

15:1-8, with its emphasis on abiding in Jesus, "is the Johannine counterpart of the Pauline view of the church as the body of Christ and of believers as 'in' Christ. Both are ways of bringing out the vital connection that exists between Christ and his own…. (However,) Jesus does not say that the church is the vine but that he is. The church is no more than the branches that are 'in' the vine" (Morris, 593)

In 15:4-7, Jesus makes it clear that our relationship with him –– our abiding in him –– is the key both to our fruitfulness and to our destiny. The Christian finds strength and purpose through relationship with Christ. The weak person becomes strong when grafted onto the Christ-vine, and the strong person becomes vulnerable when detached from it.

Furthermore, Jesus has promised his disciples that the Father "will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned" (14:16b-18a).

C.J. Jung says that Christ "adds a new rung to the ladder of evolution, producing a new creature who lives in a new way to which the natural man can no more attain than a crawling thing can fly…. And… this daring claim cannot be laughed out of court. For (Christ) has done it. And we meet such new creatures every day upon the streets. And we are meant to be one of them; are intended so to live that others, meeting us, will look at us, and look again, and then from us to Jesus Christ…. And that perhaps is the most signal way in which we can help Christ" (quoted in Gossip, 717).

"Abide in me as I abide in you" (v. 4a). These words are also addressed to the church, "whose communal life and ministries of social justice are no more than branches to be tossed into the fire, apart from the indwelling Christ" (Cousar, 315). "Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me" (v. 4b). The church is always tempted to look elsewhere –– to politics or wealthy donors –– for strength, but Jesus tells us that fruitfulness starts in a very different place. As long as we are in his presence, his strength becomes ours. As soon as we turn our back on him, our strength begins to drain away.

We are tempted to believe otherwise. Our prayer life gets swallowed up in busyness. Our true values are revealed in the way that we set priorities –– or allow priorities to set themselves. For clergy, many things are Priority One. We must conduct worship, weddings, and funerals –– console the grieving –– visit hospital patients –– attend board meetings –– supervise staff –– counsel –– teach catechetical classes –– answer the phone –– prepare the bulletin –– attend civic activities. We know that we must also pray, but prayer too easily gets lost in the rush. We hope that a quick cry for help is enough, but Jesus says, "Abide in me."

We are also tempted by other loyalties. We know that abiding in Jesus is central to our ministry, but we also know that loyalties to denomination, bishop, and theological heritage help us to get ahead. It is all too easy to make these our abiding places, but Jesus says, "Abide in me."

"Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me" (v. 4b). Abiding in Jesus enables the branch to bear fruit. What fruit?

• Jesus commands us to love one another (13:34; 15:12), so love must be one of the fruits.

• Jesus calls us to obey his commandments (v. 10), so obedience must be one of the fruits.

• Jesus promises joy (v. 11), so joy must be one of the fruits.

• But perhaps the fruit involves more than is revealed in this chapter. Paul mentions the fruits of the Spirit –– love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). Surely abiding in Jesus must produce each of these in some measure.

When asked to measure our fruitfulness, we look to baptisms –– attendance at worship –– funds raised for a new building –– or other statistics. True fruitfulness, however, flows from our abiding relationship with Jesus and the Spirit whom Jesus promises (v. 26). It follows, then, that our fruit will be that which we are given, and will be specific to each disciple. Bultmann says, "The nature of the fruit-bearing is not expressly stated; it is every demonstration of vitality of faith, to which, according to vv. 9-17, reciprocal love above all belongs" (quoted in Smith, 283).

I am reminded of a young woman of limited circumstances whose ministry consisted of reading the daily newspaper and praying for newborn babies, newly married couples, bereaved families, and others in need of God's help. I believe that she had a fruitful ministry. The fruit need not be things that fit neatly on charts and graphs. The acid test is whether it gives glory to God (v. 8).

But we are faced with the practical question of how to go about the business of abiding in Jesus. What must we do? There are at least three disciplines to which we need to attend.

• Service to God through public worship and support of the church.
• Service to others, in particular service to the needy.
• Service to self through personal prayer, devotions, and scripture study.

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing" (v. 5). Jesus does not say, "I am the tree and you are the branches." The branch of a tree might have some value as firewood even if detached from the tree. The branch of a vine, however, "is suitable only for one of two things, either the vine or the fire" (Augustine).

Rather than becoming simply mediocre when not connected to Jesus, we become absolutely powerless. Rather than the value of our work and witness being just diminished, it becomes completely worthless. We can no more function spiritually when unconnected to Jesus than we can function physically when cut off from the air that we breathe. Being unconnected to Jesus is being cut off from the source of life. Without our connection to Jesus, we are completely dependent on our own resources, resulting "either in total unfruitfulness or lapsing into the wild growth that is no longer shaped by his word, into activism or idealism that is neither derived from nor directed to him" (Ridderbos, 517).

"Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned" (v. 6). This echoes the tone of judgment in Jesus' metaphor of the sheep and the goats. We would prefer that Jesus affirm our goodness and assure us of life. Instead we learn that, apart from Christ, there is no goodness or life.

"If you abide in me, and my words (Greek: rhemata) abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you" (v. 7). "The 'words' (plural) here are rhemata; the 'word' (singular) of verse 3 is logos. The logos is (Jesus') teaching in its entirety; the rhemata are the individual utterances which make it up. He himself is the living embodiment of all his teaching" (Bruce, 309).

"If...my words abide in you" (v. 7a). "Mutual indwelling involves more than just obedience...; it also entails a growing absorption of Jesus' teaching in one's understanding and life practice that issues in the bearing of much fruit" (Kostenberger, 455).

Verse 7 sounds very much like the "Ask and you will receive" passage in the Sermon on the Mount, but verse 7 establishes an important condition. It is only the person who abides in Christ who can expect to receive whatever he or she asks. We have great power, but only as we are connected to the source of power. Such connectedness shapes our asking. If we abide in Christ and his words abide in us, our asking will be in accord with his will. Jesus says, "Ask whatever you wish," but the person who abides in Christ will not wish for frivolous or evil things. As we abide in Christ, our hearts will be focused on Christ's concerns and our prayers will sound more and more like his prayers.

"My Father is glorified by this" (v. 8a). The word "glory" is used in the Bible to speak of various wonderful things –– but it is used especially to speak of God's glory –– an aura associated with God's appearance that reveals God's majesty to humans.

Christ shares God's glory. The glory of the Lord was revealed at his birth (Luke 2:9; John 1:14). His disciples, Peter, James and John, were privileged to see Christ's glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (9:28-36). Christ's cross was necessary so that he might "enter into his glory" (Luke 24:26; see also Philippians 2:5-11). The Gospel of John in particular speaks of the cross as Christ's glorification (John 12:23; 13:31-32). Jesus spoke of returning "with power and great glory" (Luke 21:27).

This verse tells us that we, too, can glorify God by our actions and fruitbearing.

"that you bear much fruit and become my disciples" (v. 8b). This is puzzling. Jesus is speaking to people who are already disciples. Why does he speak of their "becoming" his disciples? Perhaps the answer is that our discipleship is always imperfect and we are always learning (the word "disciple" means one who learns). Our fruit bearing helps us to grow as disciples. Growth in saintliness brings glory to God.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

"The branch severed from the vine means paralysis and death.
But it means also an impoverished vine.
The healthy branch is a vehicle for the expression of the vine.
Paul said, 'I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.'"

John Henry Jowett

* * * * * * * * * *

The big end of the branch is always toward the vine.
The fruit comes on the little end.
When we daily direct the big end of our lives toward Christ and his Word,
an amazing thing takes place.
The fruit comes on the little end.
It will come in a way that will let us know
that it was because of him and in spite of us.

Lane Adams

* * * * * * * * * *

We ask the leaf, "Are you complete in yourself?"
And the leaf answers, "No, my life is in the branches."
We ask the branch,
and the branch answers, "No, my life is in the root."
We ask the root,
and it answers, "No, my life is in the trunk
and the branches and the leaves.
Keep the branches stripped of leaves, and I shall die!"

So it is with the great tree of being.
Nothing is completely and merely individual.

Harry Emerson Fosdick

* * * * * * * * * *

In Christian service
the branches that bear the most fruit
hang the lowest.

Anonymous

* * * * * * * * * *

Living with...handicapped people, I realize how success oriented I am. Living with men and women who cannot compete in the worlds of business, industry, sports, or academics, but for whom dressing, walking, speaking, eating, drinking, and playing are the main "accomplishments," is extremely frustrating for me. I may have come to the theoretical insight that being is more important than doing, but when asked to just be with people who can do very little I realize how far I am from the realization of that insight.... Some of us might be productive and others not, but we are all called to bear fruit: fruitfulness is a true quality of love.

Henri J. M. Nouwen in Lifesigns

* * * * * * * * * *

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Beasley-Murray, George R., Word Biblical Commentary: John (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 12-21, Vol. 25B (Nashville: Broadman Press, 2002)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI (Garden City: Doubleday, 1970)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983).

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Cousar, Charles B., in Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Palmer, Earl F., The Book That John Wrote (Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 1975)

Pazdan, Mary Margaret, in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999)

Williamson, Lamar, Jr., Preaching the Gospel of John: Proclaiming the Living Word (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004)

Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com

May 3, 2009, The 4th Sunday of Easter

SCRIPTURE STUDY
THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
YEAR B
MAY 3, 2009


Acts 4:5-12
Psalm 23
1 John 3:16-24
John 10:11-18


The Collect

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.


The First Lesson
Acts 4:5-12

The day after they had arrested Peter and John for teaching about Jesus and the resurrection, the rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?" Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is

`the stone that was rejected by you, the builders;
it has become the cornerstone.'

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."


The Psalm
Psalm 23 Page 612, BCP
Dominus regit me

1
The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not be in want.

2
He makes me lie down in green pastures
and leads me beside still waters.

3
He revives my soul
and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.

4
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5
You spread a table before me in the presence of those
who trouble me;
you have anointed my head with oil,
and my cup is running over.

6
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.


1 John 3:16-24

We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us-- and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God's love abide in anyone who has the world's goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?

Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth and will reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before God; and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we obey his commandments and do what pleases him.

And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us.


The Gospel
John 10:11-18

Jesus said, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away-- and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."


EXEGESIS:

CHAPTERS 9-10: THE CONTEXT

The "I am the good shepherd" passage has as its background the story of the man born blind (9:1-34). Jesus healed the blind man, precipitating a controversy with the Pharisees, who refused to believe that Jesus had performed a miracle and who tried to discredit Jesus. That story ended with the formerly blind man bearing testimony to Jesus and the Pharisees driving him out –– an ironic twist in which the formerly blind man is blessed with spiritual insight as well as physical sight while the spiritual leaders of Israel refuse to see –– a fact that Jesus lifts up in his discourse on spiritual blindness (9:35-41).

Jesus then uses various pastoral metaphors about sheep, gatekeepers, and the gate of the sheepfold (10:1-10), identifying himself first as the gate of the sheepfold (v. 7) and then as the good shepherd (v. 11). He contrasts himself with thieves, bandits who do not enter by the gate (v. 1) and strangers whom the sheep refuse to follow (v. 5). Then he contrasts himself with the hired hand who is supposed to take care of the sheep but who really cares only for his own personal welfare (vv. 12-13).

These negative images (those who refuse to see, thieves, bandits, strangers, and hired hands) are thinly veiled metaphors for the Pharisees who, in their encounter with the formerly blind man, reveal themselves to be uncaring about the blind man and heedless of the truth. Their actions are selfish, and have nothing to do with love of God or man. The formerly blind man not only refuses to follow them but also courageously opposes them. Even though he was blind, now he sees clearly –– and he sees that Jesus, not the Pharisees, is the good shepherd –– that Jesus deserves his trust.

An interesting nuance occurs in that story when the Pharisees question the blind man's parents, asking how he can see (9:19). The parents answer, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself" (9:20-21). The narrator explains, "His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, 'He is of age; ask him'" (9:22-23). In other words, these parents are acting like a hired hand who "sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away" (10:12). Finding themselves in danger, they abandon their son.

Evidence that these various metaphors are really one continuous story is also found in vv. 19-21, which repeat two of the themes stated earlier, the division of the Jews regarding Jesus (9:16 and 10:19) and the significance of the healing as testimony to Jesus' Godly power (9:33 and 10:21).

One unresolved problem is that 7:2 says that the festival of Booths was near, and 10:22 says, "At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem." These festivals are roughly three months apart, and it is not clear where the story shifts from the earlier to the later time.


VERSES 11-13: I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD

11"I am (Greek: ego eimi) the good (Greek: kalos) shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away –– and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep.


"I am (ego eimi) the good shepherd" (v. 11a). Ego eimi is an important phrase in this Gospel, which includes a number of "I am" sayings:

• "Ego eimi he" (4:26)
• "Ego eimi the bread of life" (6:35).
• "Ego eimi the living bread" (6:51).
• "Ego eimi the light of the world" (8:12; 9:5).
• "Before Abraham was, Ego eimi" (8:58).
• "Ego eimi the door of the sheep" (10:7).
• "Ego eimi the door" (10:9).
• "Ego eimi the good shepherd" (10:11).
• "Ego eimi the resurrection and the life" (11:25).
• "Ego eimi the way, the truth, and the life" (14:6).
• "Ego eimi the true vine" (15:1).

Ego eimi can be understood as coded language that refers back to Moses' encounter with God many centuries earlier. On that occasion, when Moses asked God's name, God replied, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you' " (Exodus 3:14). In that verse, "I AM" is "ego eimi" in the Septuagint (the Greek version of the Old Testament). Also, in Isaiah 40-55, God uses this phrase, "I am," over and over to refer to himself. In other words, ego eimi can be construed as God's name. When Jesus applies ego eimi to himself, he is subtly identifying himself with God –– as God.

"The 'I am' sayings form the distinctive core of Jesus' language of self-revelation in the Fourth Gospel.... Through these common symbols, Jesus declares that people's religious needs and human longings are met in him" (O'Day, 601).

"I am the good (kalos) shepherd" (v. 11a). The Old Testament uses shepherd as a metaphor for God (Genesis 48:15; 49:24; Psalm 23:1; 28:9; 80:1; Isaiah 40:11). God also appointed leaders to be shepherds for Israel (Numbers 27:16-17; 2 Samuel 5:2; 7:7; 1 Chronicles 11:2; 17:6; Isaiah 44:28).

Barclay notes that there are two Greek words for good. The first is agathos, which "simply describes the moral quality of a thing." The second is kalos (used in this verse), "which means that a thing or a person is not only good; but in the goodness there is a quality of winsomeness, loveliness, attractiveness which makes it a lovely thing." Barclay then likens the phrase "the good shepherd" to the phrase "the good doctor." When people speak of the good doctor, "they are not thinking only of the doctor's efficiency and skill as a physician; they are thinking of the sympathy and the kindness and the graciousness which he brought with him, and which made him the friend of all. In the picture of Jesus as the Good Shepherd there is loveliness as well as strength and power" (Barclay, 71). Brown suggests that "noble" would be a good translation for kalos in verse 11, noting that "kalos means 'beautiful' in the sense of an ideal or model of perfection; we saw it used in the 'choice wine' of ii 10" (the story of the wedding at Cana) (Brown, 386).

"The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (v. 11b). This brings to mind David, the shepherd boy who slew a lion and a bear in defense of his sheep (1 Samuel 17:35-36). Surely some shepherds lose their lives trying to protect their sheep from wild animals or thieves. Others lose their footing as they search for lost sheep at night, suffering injury or even death. Being a shepherd is not for the fainthearted.

But Jesus goes beyond that. A good shepherd will risk his life to protect the sheep, but that is different from laying down one's life. The shepherd who risks his life for the sheep does not expect to die, but expects to live. Occasionally, a shepherd will die in an encounter with animals or thieves, but most will not. People who engage in risky occupations typically believe that it will be the other person who will die. They don't plan to lay down their own lives, but rather to make their foe to lay down his/her life.

Also, a shepherd who dies leaves the sheep defenseless, so the only good shepherd is a live shepherd –– or so it would seem. Jesus says otherwise. "The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (v. 11b). While a good shepherd does not go to the field intending to die, Jesus will do exactly that in obedience to the Father (v. 18). Jesus came into the world to die on the cross, and it is the death of the Lamb of God that saves us from death (1:29; Revelation 7:17) –– or perhaps we should say that it is the Lamb's resurrection –– his victory over death –– that insures our victory over death. His resurrection will bring him back to his disciples. When he finally leaves them, he will not leave them comfortless but instead will give them the gift of the Comforter (14:25) and will return to take them to a place that he has prepared for them (14:2). This is no "dead and gone" shepherd –– no absentee Lord.

Lincoln notes that the Greeks have a concept of dying nobly (kalos). "To be praiseworthy or honourable, (such death) should be voluntary and for the sake of others." He then talks about the Maccabean martyrs, who in 164 B.C. overthrew the Seleucid king, Antiochus Epiphanes, who had profaned the Jerusalem temple and tried to suppress the Jewish faith. "The Maccabean martyrs are said to have died nobly because their deaths were suffered on behalf of their kindred or the nation and in order to save them" (Lincoln, 297).

"The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away –– and the wolf snatches them and scatters them" (v. 12). Exodus 22:1-14 includes laws of restitution. For instance, a thief would be required to repay twofold, fourfold, or fivefold, depending on the circumstances. If unable to pay, he could be sold into servitude (Exodus 22:1-4). However, if an animal "was mangled by beasts, let it be brought as evidence; restitution shall not be made for the mangled remains" (Exodus 22:13). However, the Mishnah (commentary on Jewish law) required a hireling to protect the sheep from one wolf, but relieved him of responsibility if more than one wolf was involved (Kosenberger, 305-6).

If there is such a thing as a good shepherd, there must also be such a thing as a bad shepherd. Jesus contrasts the good shepherd, not with a thief, but with a hired hand –– a mercenary who cares only for his paycheck –– who has no affection for the sheep and who feels no great responsibility for them –– who sees shepherding, not as a calling, but only as a job –– who runs away from danger, allowing the wolf to snatch and scatter the sheep. Such a hired hand will tend the sheep only until he receives a better offer. If a sheep wanders off at night, he can easily justify staying with the flock rather than seeking the one who was lost. If a lion stalks the sheep, the hired hand can easily justify sacrificing a lamb or two to save the flock –– and himself.

"The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep" (v. 13). In a sense, having a hired hand as a shepherd is worse than having no shepherd at all. The hired hand gives the illusion of protection without protecting. If the owner has no shepherd, he will work to find one. If he has a hired hand, the owner will relax, thinking that the sheep are safe.

On a morality scale of one to ten, the hired hand is somewhere in the middle. He intends to be neither a hero nor a villain, but becomes a villain because of what happens to the sheep in his care. He fails to recognize (or perhaps to care) that his work is important –– literally a matter of life or death for the sheep. His indifference is likely to result in the death of the sheep in his care. His attitude is important, because lives are at stake.

There is a lesson here for us. It is not enough to go through the motions as a Christian. Christ wants more than lip service –– he wants our hearts. In the letters to the seven churches, Jesus warns the church at Laodicea: "I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Revelation 3:15-16). The reason is simple. Christ calls us, in ways great or small, to proclaim the Good News of the salvation available through him. Indifference is a serious evil, because lives are at stake.

Jesus takes the metaphor of good and bad shepherds from Ezekiel 34, which speaks of the shepherds of Israel –– religious leaders –– "who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep" (34:2-3). It contrasts these bad shepherds with God, the true shepherd (34:11-31). The passage concludes with God promising Israel, "You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture and I am your God, says the Lord God" (34:31).

There are good and bad shepherds today, both clergy and laypeople. The difference is in the shepherd's heart. The good shepherd cares about the people in his/her care, whether they are a diocese, a congregation, or just a few children in a Sunday school class. The good shepherd seeks ways to lead faithfully, and stands for what is right –– even in the face of opposition or danger. Bad shepherds care only about their own welfare. A bad shepherd might preach false doctrine –– or care more for programs or building campaigns than for people –– or become embroiled in a sexual scandal –– but it is bad enough for a shepherd simply not to care about the sheep. Fortunately, Christ has many more good shepherds than bad.


VERSES 14-16: I KNOW MY OWN AND MY OWN KNOW ME

14I am the good shepherd. I know (Greek: ginosko) my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold (Greek: aules). I must (Greek: dei –– it is necessary –– a divine necessity) bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock (Greek: poimne), one shepherd (Greek: poimen).

"I am the good shepherd. I know (ginosko) my own and my own know me" (v. 14). In verse 11, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. In verse 14, the good shepherd knows (ginosko) the sheep and the sheep know him. Ginosko is more than superficial knowledge –– it involves experience –– relationship. The Old Testament talks of a man knowing his wife in the sense of sexual intimacy, a relationship that has significance beyond the physical act. When Jesus says that the good shepherd knows the sheep, he is not implying anything sexual, but is nevertheless talking about a very significant relationship.

The shepherd (Jesus) knows the sheep (people) because he "became flesh and lived among us" (1:14). "Though he was in the form of God, (he) did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death –– even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus knows his own, because he has lived in our skin and has experienced our joys and sorrows.

Jesus says that he knows his own and his own know him "just as the Father knows me and I know the Father" (v. 15a). The unity of Father and Son is a major theme of this Gospel:

• "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (1:1).

• Jesus tells the Jewish leaders, "The Father and I are one" (10:30).

• When the Jews reject Jesus, he challenges them, "even though you do not believe me, believe (my) works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father" (10:38).

• In his high priestly prayer, Jesus prays for the disciples, "that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (17:21).

In verses 14-15a, Jesus gives us the sense of an all-encompassing intimacy that begins in his relationship with the Father and extends to those whom the Father has given to him (17:6) and to all "who will believe in me through their word" (17:20). What Jesus is describing, then, is a grand extended family that begins with the loving Father and, through the love of the Son, embraces all believers.

I experienced something like that many years ago in a little country church when I was a student-pastor. A wonderful member of that congregation, a woman named Matie, had grown sons and daughters who lived nearby. They were a close-knit family who gathered regularly for Sunday lunch at Matie's house. Matie had a big table that would seat twenty people, and I seldom saw an empty seat. I was unmarried at the time, and Matie adopted me into her family. I often stayed at her house on Saturday nights and ate lunch at her table on Sunday afternoons. It was a wonderful experience that was possible only because of Matie –– the fine person that she was. That large but intimate fellowship grew out of her large and loving heart. So it is with the church, the extended family that grows out of the loving hearts of the Father and the Son.

"And I lay down my life for the sheep" (v. 15b). Jesus reminds us once again that he lays down his life for the sheep, a theme that he will pick up again in verse 17.

"I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold (aules). I must (dei) bring them also" (v. 16a). A sheepfold is an enclosure or a corral where the sheep live when they are not grazing for food. It provides security and fosters a sense of community. Jesus says that he will bring these other sheep also, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Who are these other sheep? Some scholars have speculated that they are other Jewish-Christian communities, but "this view is both needlessly anachronistic and hopelessly speculative" (Carson, 390). Most scholars believe that Jesus is referring to Gentiles. When Jesus says, "I have," he implies that these sheep already belong to him, but he has yet to bring them to the fold. He must do so (Greek: dei –– it is necessary for him to do so).

"and they will listen to my voice" (v. 16b). Earlier Jesus said, "the sheep follow (the shepherd) because they know his voice" (v. 4). Borchert, who lived for a time in Israel, recounts two incidents that reflect this truth. In the first, a shepherd led his sheep through the busy traffic in Jerusalem, singing and whistling to keep the sheep together. In the second, four shepherds shared a sheepfold. In the morning, each shepherd in turn would sing and call his sheep, who "dutifully separated from the larger flock and began to follow him to the hills for their daylight feeding" (Borchert, 330).

Jesus concludes, "So there will be one flock (poimne), one shepherd" (poimen) (v. 16c). Brown suggests that we translate this "one sheep herd, one shepherd" as a way of preserving the similar sound of poimne and poimen in the original (Brown, 387). Today the barriers that separate us are likely to be denominational, national, racial, educational, vocational, or financial. Such barriers are inappropriate among Christians. Christ calls us to be "one flock" (v. 16).

Some earlier translations translated verse 16b "one fold, one shepherd," but that is not correct. The Greek clearly says poimne (flock or herd) instead of aules (fold). Jesus is speaking here of the church, the people of God. We might not all be corralled in one enclosure, but we are all one flock.


VERSES 17-18: I HAVE OTHER SHEEP NOT OF THIS FOLD

17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."


"For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again" (v. 17). This is difficult to understand –– doesn't the Father love the Son because he is his Son? "For the fourth gospel, neither God's love for the Son nor Jesus' love for his disciples is unconditional. It is expressly and clearly grounded in the willingness of the beloved to witness to their faith by laying down their lives and trusting that they will be received again" (Howard-Brook, 241).

The Son lays down his life "in order to take it up again" (v. 17). John's Gospel views the cross and resurrection differently from the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and Acts (also written by Luke):

• In the Synoptics, it is God who acts. In John, the Son acts in obedience to the Father but of his own accord.

• In the Synoptics, Jesus prays, "Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want" (Mark 14:36). In John's Gospel he lays down his life himself –– but only so that he might take it up again. In John's Gospel, Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension together constitute a single salvation action. Jesus is not a reluctant martyr but a willing savior carrying out the purpose for which he came. We should not see his death "as an accident of fate or…as a tragedy perpetrated by misguided men, but as the Father's plan" (Carson, 389). "The mutual love of the Father and Son thus was seen in a deed of love for the world, in which the Father in love willed to save all and the Son in love freely gave his all" (Beasley-Murray, 171).

• In the Synoptics and Acts, the emphasis is on God raising Jesus from the dead (Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:24, 32; 3:15, etc.), but in John's Gospel, Jesus takes his life up again (v. 17). Not only does he take up his own life again, but he also makes our resurrection possible –– "No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day" (6:44).

"No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father" (v. 18). "While Peter accuses the Sanhedrin of putting Jesus to death (Acts 4:10) and, with Paul and the other apostles, affirms that God raised him from the dead (Acts 2:32; 4:10b), John's Jesus insists that he lays down his life of his own accord, and in his own power takes it up again" (Williamson, 121).

"In the convention about a noble death not only is such a death voluntary but those who suffer it can also be said to be unconquered and to triumph.... Jesus in his death is not the vanquished but the vanquisher and so, contrary to normal evaluation, his crucifixion is not a matter of shame or disgrace but a noble or honourable death" (Lincoln, 299).

TRUE STORY:

In her book, All Is Calm, All Is Bright, Cheryl Kirking tells the story of Brenda Nixon, whose Christmas was made stressful by the possibility that her husband would be laid off from his job. How would they cope?

Brenda was a Sunday school teacher –– teaching the three-year old class. When she picked up her teacher's manual, she saw that the lesson was about Jesus as the Good Shepherd. "What does that have to do with Christmas?" she wondered.

After the children had finished gluing cotton balls to sheep pictures, she gathered them in a circle. She asked, "What is a good shepherd?" –– hardly expecting that the three-year-olds would have any idea.

But one of the children replied, "He (the Good Shepherd) picks up his sheep when they fall down." That child reminded Brenda that, even when we fall down, Jesus is there to pick us up.


THOUGHT PROVOKERS:

There are three theories of power and therefore of authority, to wit:
the robber theory that all power is for mastery;
the hireling theory that all power is for wealth;
the good shepherd theory that all power is for service.

Vincent McNabb

* * * * * * * * * *

The wolf will hire himself out very cheaply as a shepherd.

Russian proverb

* * * * * * * * * *

Back when the sacred authors used the imagery of the shepherd to depict Jesus, they had a clear understanding of the job description. A shepherd is needed only when there are no fences. He is someone who stays with his sheep at all cost, guiding, protecting, and walking with them through the fields. He's not just a person who raises sheep.
Though our bishops consider themselves "tenders of the flock," most are nothing more than mutton farmers. They build fence after fence, keeping the flock within sight so they don't have to dirty their feet plodding through the open fields. After all, the landowner frowns upon dirty feet.

Lena Wolterin

* * * * * * * * * *

God's main purpose with us is not to get us somewhere but to make something of us on the way…. When your way is rough and lonely, when you are beaten by failure and chilled with disappointment, remember that God is seeking to develop your soul by those experiences…. It is not getting somewhere or finding something on which we have set our hearts that matters. It is what we become on the way that counts.

John Bishop, A Word in Season

* * * * * * * * * *

In the Holy Land poisonous plants abound. Each spring the shepherd must be alert. When he finds the plants he takes his mattock and grubs out every stock and root he can see. He lays them on little stone pyres, some built by shepherds in Old Testament days, and by the morrow they are dry enough to burn....the sheep eat in peace in the presence of their enemies.

James K. Wallace, The Basque Sheepherder and the Shepherd's Psalm

* * * * * * * * * *

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Beasley-Murray, George R., Word Biblical Commentary: John (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 1-11, Vol. 25A (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1996)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John I-XII (Garden City: Doubleday, 1966)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Johnston, Scott Black, in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Palmer, Earl F., The Book That John Wrote (Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 1975)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999)

Williamson, Lamar, Jr., Preaching the Gospel of John: Proclaiming the Living Word (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004)

Copyright 2009, Richard Niell Donovan

April 26, The 3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B

SCRIPTURE STUDY
THE THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER
YEAR B
APRIL 26, 2009


Acts 3:12-19
Psalm 4
1 John 3:1-7
Luke 24:36b-48


The Collect

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.


Acts 3:12-19

When Peter saw the astonishment of those who had seen the lame man healed, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

"And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out."



The Psalm
Psalm 4 Page 587, BCP
Cum invocarem

1
Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause;
you set me free when I am hard-pressed;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2
"You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory;
how long will you worship dumb idols
and run after false gods?"

3
Know that the LORD does wonders for the faithful;
when I call upon the LORD, he will hear me.

4
Tremble, then, and do not sin;
speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.

5
Offer the appointed sacrifices
and put your trust in the LORD.

6
Many are saying, "Oh, that we might see better times!"
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O LORD.

7
You have put gladness in my heart,
more than when grain and wine and oil increase.

8
I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep;
for only you, LORD, make me dwell in safety.


1 John 3:1-7

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Everyone who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous.


Luke 24:36b-48

While the disciples were telling how they had seen Jesus risen from the dead, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.

Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you-- that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."


EXEGESIS:

CHAPTER 24: RESURRECTION APPEARANCES

Jesus' appearance to the "eleven and their companions" takes place in Jerusalem where the two men who encountered the risen Christ on the road to Emmaus find "the eleven and their companions gathered together (v. 33). Luke has told us that the encounter with the two men on the Emmaus road took place "on that same day" (v. 13) –– meaning the day of Christ's resurrection. He then tells us that, after recognizing Jesus as he broke bread with them, "that same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem (v. 33), where they met with "the eleven and their companions gathered together" (v. 33). This encounter, then, almost certainly takes place on Easter evening. The place is almost certainly the room where the disciples gathered behind locked doors as related in the Gospel of John (John 20:19-23) –– although Luke doesn't specify the place.

This is Jesus' third resurrection appearance in Luke's Gospel. The women find the empty tomb, but do not see Jesus (vv. 1-12). Jesus' first resurrection appearance is to Peter, but Luke only mentions that encounter, giving no details (v. 34). Jesus' second resurrection appearance is to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, an incident that Luke records in considerable detail (vv. 13-35).

The Emmaus Road appearance (vv. 13-35) lays the foundation for Jesus' appearance to his gathered disciples (vv. 36-49). There are a number of parallels between the two appearances:

• Jesus appears to disciples who do not recognize him (v. 16) or who believe that they are seeing a ghost (v. 37).

• Jesus rebukes the disciples for their failure to believe (vv. 25, 38).

• Jesus breaks bread for the disciples (v. 30) or eats in their presence (v. 43).

• Jesus interprets scripture for the edification of the disciples (vv. 27, 44-47).

• The disciples hearts burn with them as Jesus teaches them (v. 32) or they respond with joy (v. 41).

"The only element that is added, which was not present in the Emmaus episode, is the commission that Christ gives to his disciples" (see vv. 46-49 for the commission) (Fitzmyer, 1573).


VERSES 36-43: A GHOST DOES NOT HAVE FLESH AND BONES

36While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 37They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost (Greek: pneuma –– spirit). 38He said to them, "Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." 40And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate in their presence.

"While they were talking about this" (v. 36a). Who are "they"? They include the two disciples from the Emmaus road encounter, the eleven, and companions of the eleven (v. 32-35). The topic of discussion just prior to this appearance of Jesus was his earlier appearance on the Emmaus road. The two disciples who saw Jesus on that occasion were telling "how (Jesus) had been made known to them in the breaking of bread" (v. 35). The apostles were ready to listen to this report, because Peter had also reported seeing the risen Christ (24:34).

"Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you'" (v. 36b). Luke doesn't tell us where the disciples were when Jesus appears to them. Mark says "they were sitting at the table" (Mark 16:14). In the Fourth Gospel, they were inside a locked room (John 20:19). Nor do any of the Gospels tell us how Jesus entered the room. It is clear from the next verse that Jesus' visit is a great surprise to the disciples.

"They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost" (v. 37). Given the presence and testimony of the Emmaus road disciples, we would think that the gathered disciples would be well prepared for Jesus to appear in their midst but, rather than gladdening them, Jesus' sudden appearance startles and terrifies them. They assume that they are seeing a pneuma –– a disembodied spirit or ghost.

"Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have" (vv. 38-39). Jesus presents two forms of evidence that he is not a ghost but, instead, has a resurrected body. First, he shows them his hands and feet and invites them to touch him. Second, he asks for food and eats it in their presence (vv. 41-43). Neither would be possible if Jesus were a disembodied spirit.

In relating this story, Luke has an apologetic purpose –– to establish that Jesus has been raised from the dead with a physical body, a fact to which this rather large group of disciples can bear eyewitness testimony. Jesus will call these disciples to be "witnesses of these things" (v. 48), and the effectiveness of their witness will depend on their personal experience of the risen Lord.

This emphasis on Jesus' physical body requires us to consider two popular Greek beliefs –– dualism and immortality.

• Dualism divides the world into the physical and the spiritual, saying that the physical world is bad but the spiritual world is good.

• The concept of immortality, growing out of this dualistic understanding, says that, at death, the good spirit or soul separates from the bad body and continues to live independently of the body.

We should note that many Christians today have a very fuzzy understanding of the difference between resurrection (future oriented –– God raises a person from the dead after a period of time) and immortality ("now" oriented –– life continues after death with no lapse of time). At a funeral, it isn't uncommon to hear Christians say, "That isn't Joe. Joe is somewhere else" –– acting as if the body were like a skin shed at death –– something no longer important to the deceased person. However, Jesus presents himself to the disciples after the resurrection, not as a disembodied spirit, but as a person in bodily form –– a body recognizable by sight and touch –– a body capable of eating food. The scriptures teach us that we too shall be resurrected from the dead in bodily form. The body is not some sort of useless debris that we leave behind, but is an integral part of our identity.

However, we also need to acknowledge that while resurrection is the central teaching of the New Testament, there are also New Testament scriptures that hint at immortality.

• In his High Priestly Prayer, Jesus says, "And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent" (John 17:3) –– thus giving a "now" dimension to eternal life, which we usually consider to be something that we can experience only in the future.

• In his classic resurrection chapter that is almost totally future-oriented, Paul speaks of immortality: "For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory'" (1 Corinthians 15:53-54).

• Jesus incorporates both the "now" and the "future" dimensions in a single sentence when he says, "Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life (now), and I will raise them up on the last day" (future) (John 6:54).


There are also sensitive pastoral issues here:

• For one thing, we need to be careful about correcting grieving people. It is good to preach resurrection, but not so good to take a grieving person to task for saying, "That isn't Joe."

• Also, the doctrine of resurrection raises questions about people whose bodies were destroyed in an explosion, fire, or other disaster. What becomes of them? The answer is that the God who gave them life (and bodies) originally is quite capable of restoring life (and bodies) in the resurrection.

• Then there is the issue of cremation –– is cremation an obstacle to resurrection? It is hard to imagine that the God who can resurrect bodies lost at sea or torn apart in an explosion cannot also resurrect cremated bodies. There are other issues to consider, such as the respect with which we treat the dead body. In my opinion, cremation seems as respectful as embalming.

• What about donated organs? If, after a person dies, physicians use various parts of that person's organs to give life or functionality to a dozen people, how can God get all the right parts together in the resurrection? Once again, the God who gave us bodies in the beginning is surely capable of restoring our bodies in the resurrection.


Understanding that Luke has an apologetic purpose here (to establish that Jesus has been raised from the dead with a physical body), we might be inclined to doubt the truth of this story. Perhaps Luke has just fabricated the story to make Jesus' resurrection believable. However, the story is credible because of the changed lives of these disciples. Before this appearance, they were defeated and afraid. After this appearance, they will find courage to preach publicly on a street corner in Jerusalem at Pentecost –– to bring thousands of Jews into the Christian faith in a very public baptism (Acts 2). They will go on to change the world.

We should also note that, while Jesus' resurrected body is a physical body, it is apparently different from his pre-resurrection body. He makes surprising appearances from out of nowhere (v. 36). In John's Gospel, he enters a room without regard for a locked door (John 20:19). The Emmaus disciples did not recognize him for the longest time, and the gathered disciples require reassurance that he is not a ghost.

Paul talks about the resurrected body in 1 Corinthians 15:35-57, contrasting the physical body and the spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:44). However, Paul "sought to emphasize the difference between Jesus of Nazareth before the resurrection and the Lord Jesus after the resurrection, (but) Luke sought here to emphasize the similarity" (Stein, 618).

The disciples respond to Jesus with joy, disbelief, and wonderment (v. 41). Jesus' sudden appearance overloads their ability to process what is happening. A lifetime's experience tells them that death is the end, but Jesus' sudden presence tells them otherwise. We should not be surprised that they are befuddled. Just imagine how you would respond if you were to bury a loved one only to find that person standing in your midst again, fully alive, a few days later. Joy, disbelief, wonder! Yes! Confusion! Absolutely!


VERSES 44-48: HE OPENED THEIR MINDS

44Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you––that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be (Greek: dei –– it is necessary –– a divine necessity) fulfilled." 45Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations (Greek: ethne), beginning from Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses (Greek: martures –– from maruria –– this is where we get our word "martyr") of these things.


"These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you –– that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be (dei) fulfilled" (v. 44). Jesus first demonstrated the physical reality of his resurrected by body by inviting the disciples to look at him and to touch him and also by eating food in their presence. We have the sense that they watch in stunned silence. Now Jesus takes the next step in the revelatory process, first reminding the disciples of what he said to them earlier –– and then helping them to understand the scriptures –– scriptures that speak of the Messiah suffering and rising from the dead on the third day (v. 46) –– scriptures that speak of "repentance and forgiveness of sins to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (v. 47).

Luke does not specify which of the earlier words of Jesus he now brings to the disciples attention, but they must surely include his passion predictions (9:22; 18:31-33). Both of these predict his suffering and death at the hands of the Jewish leaders as well as his resurrection on the third day. 18:31 specifies that this will happen in Jerusalem and that it is in accord with the writings of the prophets.

"Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures" (v. 45). Neither does Luke specify which scriptures Jesus opens their minds to understand. There is no single Old Testament scripture that incorporates all the three major themes of vv. 46-47 –– three themes that will form the core of the church's kerygma: (1) the suffering and death of the Messiah, (2) his resurrection on the third day, and (3) the proclamation of repentance and forgiveness to all nations. There are, however, a number of Old Testament scriptures that address particular elements. Luke alludes to or quotes a number of these in Luke-Acts (see Bock, 387-389 and Evans, 358-360):

• Isaiah 53:7-8 says, "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By a perversion of justice he was taken away. Who could have imagined his future? For he was cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people." Luke tells us that it was these verses that the Ethiopian eunuch was reading. Philip will use these verses to proclaim the good news about Jesus to him (Acts 8:32-35).

• Psalm 16:10 says, "For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit." Peter will allude to this verse in Acts 2:27 and Paul will allude to it in Acts 13:35 (in both cases recorded by Luke).

• Hosea 6:2 says, "After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him." This may be the verse to which Jesus refers in Luke 24:46.

• In Luke 11:29-32, Jesus referred to the sign of Jonah. In Matthew's version Jesus said, "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40).

• Isaiah 49:6 says "I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Luke alludes to this verse in Luke 2:32; Acts 1:8; 13:47.

• Joel 2:32 says, "Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved," which Peter (recorded by Luke) quotes in Acts 2:21.

• Other Old Testament scriptures that Jesus might have used to open the disciples' minds include Psalms 22; 31:5; 69; 110:1; 118:22-26 and Isaiah 11:10.

Green notes the unusual reference to the psalms in verse 44 (the usual phrase would be "the law and the prophets," but Jesus adds the psalms). Green calls this "a consequence of the important role of the psalms in Luke's interpretation of Jesus' passion" and concludes, "Not only Isaiah…, then, but all of the Scriptures speak of Jesus and have their consummation in him" (Green, 856). As one of my professors used to say, all of the Old Testament points forward to Jesus and all of the New Testament points back to Jesus. Jesus is the focal point of all scripture.

"repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in (the Messiah's) name" (v. 47a). While this is not in the imperative mood (Jesus does not say, "You shall proclaim") it nevertheless constitutes Jesus' mission statement for the disciples. They are to proclaim two things –– repentance and forgiveness of sins. They are to do so in the name of the Messiah, who is the one who makes forgiveness possible.

"to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem" (v. 47b). The disciples are to proclaim repentance and forgiveness "to all nations" (eis panta ta ethne). The word ethne can mean nations or Gentiles, and these words suggest an opening of the door to Gentile Christians. Luke will spell out in the Acts of the Apostles how the disciples come to grips with understanding the Jewish Messiah to be everyone's Messiah (see especially Acts 10).

This proclamation is to begin from Jerusalem, but it will not be limited to Jerusalem. The disciples are to be Jesus' witnesses "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8 –– also written by Luke). Prior to Jesus, the Jews had assumed a centripetal model, with the world being drawn toward a central point, Jerusalem. After Jesus, the model reverses, spinning outward from Jerusalem.

In Mark and Matthew Jesus issues even more explicit commissioning statements –– "in each case (tailored) to suit a major theme of each Gospel" (Fitzmyer, 1578). Whereas Luke emphasizes repentance and forgiveness of sins (v. 47), Mark emphasizes preaching the Gospel (Mark 16:15) and Matthew emphasizes making disciples and teaching (Matthew 28:19-20a).

The initial proclamation will take place on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem with Peter's sermon (Acts 2), which will emphasize the three great themes of vv. 46-47:

• The suffering and death of the Messiah (Acts 2:23, 36)

• His resurrection on the third day (Acts 2:24, 31-36)

• The proclamation of repentance and forgiveness to all nations (Acts 2:17, 21, 38-39).

"You are witnesses (martures –– from marturia –– a witness, one who bears testimony) of these things" (v. 48). "The concept of 'witness' develops in the course of the NT writings from the role of an eyewitness, to one who can testify to the gospel, to one who dies for the sake of the gospel (a martyr)" (Culpepper, 488).

These disciples to whom Jesus speaks in our Gospel lesson, opening their minds to understand the scriptures (v. 45), are witnesses of the risen Christ. They have seen him with their eyes and experienced him with their lives. Now they will testify to what they have seen, and some will be killed as a consequence. They were "to tell the story. To tell it not as hearsay, but as of their own knowledge (I John 1:1). And to tell it at cost. There was no other plan" (Scherer, 433).

There still is no other plan. We have not seen the risen Christ with our own eyes, but we have experienced him in our lives. Our responsibility is "to tell the story. To tell it not as hearsay, but as (our) own knowledge…. And to tell it at cost. There (is) no other plan."


VERSES 49-53: THE ASCENSION

49 And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."

50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; 53 and they were continually in the temple blessing God.


These verses are not included in the Revised Common Lectionary (RCL) reading, presumably because the RCL deals with verses 44-53 for Ascension, Years ABC. However, Fitzmyer rightly notes that verses 36-53 form "a literary unit, for they recount but one appearance of the risen Christ" (Fitzmyer, 1572, cf. 1578).

The failure of the lectionary to include verse 49 in this reading seems particularly puzzling. In that verse, Jesus is still with the disciples in Jerusalem and gives them their orders. They are to remain in Jerusalem until they have received "what my Father promised" –– until they "have been clothed with power from on high" –– until they have received the Holy Spirit. They "are not to proceed on their own; Christ's commission to them clearly involves a grace, but it is also an authorized commission, one invested with dynamis (power), which they will need to carry it out" (Fitzmyer, 1580).

TRUE STORY: See http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=1539249

Lots of people would like to have the assurance that Christians have already –– the assurance of the resurrection –– and that leads them to do bizarre things.

David and Trudy Pizer have arranged with Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Arizona to freeze their bodies when they die. They hope that, during the next century, someone will figure out a way to bring a frozen body back to life –– and that the someone will remember to bring them back to life. To make sure that they have plenty of money when they come back to life, they are trying to set up a "personal revival trust" with $10 million that they will receive when they come back to life.

It costs $150,000 to have your body frozen and stored at Alcor, but some people opt to have just their heads frozen for $80,000. They hope that they will be able to attach their heads to someone else's body when they come back to life. I'm not sure where they expect to find a spare body.

The question is: Who do you trust? Do you trust whoever happens to be running Alcor a century from now –– or do you trust Jesus? Personally, I'm happy to trust Jesus!


THOUGHT PROVOKERS: (Top of page)

What reason have atheists for saying that we cannot rise again?
Which is the more difficult, to be born, or to rise again?
That what has never been, should be,
of that what has been, should be again?
Is it more difficult to come into being than to return to it?

Blaise Pascal

* * * * * * * * * *

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes,
dust to dust,
in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection
unto eternal life.

Book of Common Prayer

* * * * * * * * * *

The Gospels do not explain the resurrection;
the resurrection explains the Gospels.
Belief in the resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian faith;
it is the Christian faith.

J.S. Whale

* * * * * * * * * *

Christ has turned all our sunsets into dawns.

Clement of Alexandria

* * * * * * * * * *

Jesus was born twice.
The birth at Bethlehem was a birth into a life of weakness.
The second time he was born from the grave ––
"the first-born from the dead" ––
into the glory of heaven and the throne of God.

Andrew Murray

* * * * * * * * * *


BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Atkins, Martyn D., in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2001)

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, The Gospel of Luke (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1953)

Bock, Darrell L., The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Luke (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994)

Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R.; McCann, J. Clinton; and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV–Year C (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1994)

Craddock, Fred B., "Luke," Interpretation (Louisville: John Knox Press,(1990)

Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holliday, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year, C (Valley Forge: Trinity Press, 1994)

Culpepper, R. Alan, The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX. (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Evans, Craig A., New International Biblical Commentary: Luke (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1990)

Fitzmyer, Joseph A., S.J., The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to Luke X-XXIV (New York: Doubleday, 1985)

Gilmour, S. MacLean & Scherer, Paul, The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8. (Nashville: Abingdon , 1952)

Green, Joel B., The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Hendriksen, William, New Testament Commentary: Luke (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978)

Johnson, Luke Timothy, Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of Luke (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1991)

Nickle, Keith F., Preaching the Gospel of Luke (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2000)

Nolland, John, Word Biblical Commentary: Luke 18:35 - 24:53 (Dallas: Word Books, 1993)

Ringe, Sharon H., Westminster Bible Companion, Luke (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995)

Stein, Robert H., The New American Commentary: Luke (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1992)

Tannehill, Robert C., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: Luke (Nashville: Abingdon, 1996)

Thayer, Joseph Henry, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (NY: American Book Company, 1889)

Copyright 2009, Richard Niell Donovan

April 19, 2009 - The 2nd Sunday of Easter, Year B

SCRIPTURE STUDY
THE SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER
YEAR B
APRIL 19, 2009

SCRIPTURE: John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

EXEGESIS:

VERSES 1-21: THE CONTEXT

This Gospel is a richly woven tapestry that derives its richness from inter-related threads. For example:

• In the Prologue, the Evangelist declared, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being" (1:1-3a). Now Thomas addresses Jesus as "My Lord and my God" (v. 28), reaffirming Jesus' deity. Many scholars believe that chapter 21 was added later. If that is true, then this Gospel is framed by these beginning and ending statements about the deity of Jesus.

• Jesus promised the disciples, "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you" (14:18). Now he returns after his resurrection to those who feel orphaned by the crucifixion.

• In that same discourse he said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid" (14:27). Now coming into the presence of the disciples, his first words to them are, "Peace be with you!" (v. 19). He repeats this giving of peace a week later when he meets again with the disciples and Thomas (v. 26).

• In his prayer shortly before his death, Jesus prayed, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you" (17:1). Now Jesus has been glorified on the cross and appears as the risen Savior to the disciples.

• Earlier, the Evangelist said, "...as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified" (7:39). Now that Jesus has been glorified, he gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples (v. 22).

There are surely other examples, but these serve to illustrate how this week's Gospel lesson relates to themes expressed throughout the Gospel.


VERSES 19-31: JESUS APPEARS TO THE DISCIPLES

"John gives a simple, straightforward account of this resurrection appearance, revealing his confidence in it. If he had been less certain, he would have embellished the account" (Lindberg, 61). The two appearances of Jesus take place a week apart, the first being on Easter evening and the second being after eight days (meth hemeras okto) –– often translated "a week later".

Jesus speaks to the disciples three times. "Each time his words give power to the disciples who hear them" (Althouse, 107):

• "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (vv. 19, 21).

• "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (vv. 22-23).

• "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe" (v. 27).

This Gospel tells us that disciples are gathered, but not which disciples. In Luke's parallel telling of this story (Luke 24:36-49), it is the Eleven "and their companions" (24:33). In this Gospel, given Thomas' absence, it is really the Ten and their companions.

This Gospel shows us that there are different kinds of faith, and that faith comes in different ways and with differing intensities to different people. The beloved disciple believes upon seeing the empty tomb (v. 8). Mary believes when the Lord calls her name (v. 16). The disciples must see the risen Lord (v. 20). Thomas says that he must touch Jesus' wounds (v. 25) –– although that need seems to evaporate once he sees the risen Christ (v. 28). People have differing needs and find various routes to faith.

It is instructive to note that Thomas believed, lost faith, and then returned to even greater faith.


VERSES 19-23: THE FIRST APPEARANCE

19When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked (Greek: kekleismenon –– from kleio –– closed or locked) for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."


"When it was evening on that day" (v. 19a). This is Easter evening, the same day that the disciples saw the empty tomb and Mary saw Jesus. This is consistent with Luke's account, where Jesus encountered two disciples on the Emmaus road "that same day" (Luke 24:13), which was "the first day of the week" (Luke 24:1). Once the disciples recognized Jesus, "he vanished from their sight" (Luke 24:31). "That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you'" (Luke 24:33, 36).

The disciples meet in a room in Jerusalem "locked for fear of the Jews" (v. 19b). The locked doors reflect the fear of the disciples, but will also demonstrate the power of the risen Christ, who can be contained neither by a rock tomb nor a locked door.

It is surprising that the disciples are afraid, because Peter and "the other disciple" have seen the empty tomb (vv. 6-8) and "the other disciple" has seen and believed (v. 8). Mary Magdalene has spoken with the risen Christ and has told the disciples of her experience (v. 14-18). However, even after "the other disciple" has seen and believed, it is not clear what he believes, "for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead" (v. 9). Furthermore, the disciples are still traumatized by the crucifixion, and are frightened concerning what might happen next.

Their fear disappoints us, because they are acting like disciples whose leader is dead. Their fear "puts them, of course, in the same camp as the parents of the healed blind one and secret disciples like Joseph of Arimathea (9:22; 19:38).... Apparently, even the formerly 'Beloved' Disciple has been reduced to this sorry state of fear" (Howard-Brook, 456). However, after they see the risen Christ and receive the Holy Spirit, they will be transformed and emboldened.

"If the first disciples had reasons to fear, John's audience probably has similar reasons to fear the successors of the Judean authorities in their own day and therefore will learn from the model of assurance Jesus provides in this passage" (Keener, 1200-1201).

"Peace be with you" (v. 19c). To these frightened disciples, Jesus gives his peace, even as he has promised (14:27). The disciples will have peace in spite of persecution by a world that will hate them even as it hates Jesus (15:18-25). While this text uses the Greek word for peace, eirene, the concept is the Jewish shalom –– more than the absence of conflict –– a wholeness that is the gift of God. "In Jewish thought peace and joy were marks of the eschatological period when God's intervention would have brought about harmony in human life and in the world. John sees this period realized as Jesus returns to pour forth his Spirit upon men" (Brown, 1035).

"After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side" (v. 20a). On one hand, Jesus enters through a closed door, suggesting that his body has assumed a different quality. On the other hand, his wounds confirm his bodily resurrection, and his body is clearly recognizable by the disciples. Luke tells of Jesus eating a meal with the disciples (Luke 24:43). There is mystery here –– Jesus' resurrected body is, at the same time, like ours and not like ours. Paul speaks of the resurrection body as imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). However, we must not press the word "spiritual" too far, because Jesus' body is also clearly physical. "The significant point, of course, is that the very person who was crucified is risen" (Sloyan, 224).

In the day in which this Gospel was written, the church was having a serious problem with Docetists and Gnostics, both of whom believed that physical matter was evil and that therefore Jesus could not have been truly human. The mention of Jesus' wounded hands and side refutes that kind of dualism.

"The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord" (v. 20b). Earlier, Jesus warned the disciples that they would weep and mourn and experience pain, but then he promised, "your pain will turn into joy" (16:20) –– a joy so profound that they would forget their former pain, even as a woman forgets the anguish of labor pains "because of the joy of having brought a human being into the world" (16:21). This visit of Jesus to the disciples, then, is the fulfillment (or at least the beginning of the fulfillment) of that promise. The disciples did, indeed, weep and mourn and experience pain when Jesus was arrested and crucified. But now their pain has turned into joy at seeing Jesus alive once again.

This is also a turning point for the disciples. Never again will they be fearful and unbelieving.

Jesus gives the disciples his peace a second time and then says, "As the Father has sent me, so I send you" (v. 21). Earlier, in his High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prayed, "As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world" (17:18). Now he makes explicit to the disciples what he had spoken of in that prayer.

This is the Johannine equivalent of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). It reflects the principle that the authority of the one who is sent is the same as the authority of the one who sent him –– the king's emissary speaks with the authority of the king. God is present in the work of Jesus; Jesus will be present in the work of the disciples. It is a passing of the baton –– the designation of succession. "Jesus succeeds the Baptist and is followed by both the Spirit and the Twelve (minus Judas)" (Kostenberger, 574).

"When he had said this, he breathed on them" (v. 22a). However, to send these disciples into the world alone would be futile, so Jesus prepares them by breathing on them –– or breathing into them (Greek: enephusesen). Just as God breathed into man the breath of life (Genesis 2:7 –– LXX), Jesus breathes into the disciples the Spirit of life. This gift of the Spirit renews the life of these disciples just as Godly breath gave new life to the bones of the dead (Ezekiel 37:9). They have been afraid and confused –– hidden in a locked room to escape danger. Now they find strength to stand up, unlock the door, go outside, and begin their proclamation.

"Receive the Holy Spirit" (v. 22b). As far back as the first chapter of this Gospel, John the Baptist spoke of Jesus as "the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit" (1:33) –– and Jesus spoke to Nicodemus of the necessity of being "born of the Spirit" (3:8).

How can we reconcile this giving of the Spirit with the account of Pentecost in Acts 2?

• Some scholars say that the two accounts are irreconcilable and that verse 22 is the Johannine Pentecost.

• Others, noting the lack of a definite article –– Jesus says, "Receive Holy Spirit" rather than "Receive the Holy Spirit" –– believe that the disciples received something less than the full gift of the Spirit on this occasion.

• Others say that John knows of Pentecost, but writes the story this way "because of his peculiar theological vision that tightly ties the descent of the Spirit to Jesus' death/ exaltation.... John's account, in other words, is theological but not chronological" (Carson, 651).

• Still others say, "It is false alike to the New Testament and to Christian experience to maintain that there is but one gift of the Spirit. Rather the Spirit continually manifests himself in new ways.... John tells of one gift of the Spirit and Luke of another" (Morris, 748).

"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained" (v. 23), This is reminiscent of Matthew 16:19 in which Jesus tells Peter, "Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 18:18 gives the same authority to the disciples in a context having to do with the resolution of church conflict.

Rabbis have the authority to "bind" and "loose" in the sense that they interpret the law to determine what is and is not allowed, but they do not forgive sins. Jesus breaks new ground here. "This mode of speech plainly shows that originally the formula 'loose and bind' describes the ...judge's declaration of the guilt or innocence of persons brought before him, who are 'bound' to or 'loosed' from the charges made against them" (Schlatter, quoted in Beasley-Murray, 383).

"In John, sin is a theological failing, not a moral or behavioral transgression (in contrast to Matt 18:18)" (O'Day, 847). Sin is a failure to see the truth –– a refusal to accept the risen Christ. Jesus is sending the disciples into the world, empowered by the Spirit, to proclaim the risen Christ. Some people will accept their testimony, and others will reject it. Their response will determine whether they will find themselves among those whose sins are forgiven or among those whose sins are retained.

Verse 23 raises two questions: First, does Jesus give power to forgive or to retain sins –– or only power to discern the will of God in particular cases and to make God's judgment known? Second, does Jesus give this power to individual Christians or to the church? While there may be some room for debate, one thing is clear –– only as we act under the leadership of the Spirit do we have any God-given power at all.

Williamson raises an interesting possibility. "This word of the risen Lord...can...be read as descriptive: if members of the community forgive one another their sins, those sins are forgiven and the community is living from and in the Spirit of Jesus; but if members of the community harbor grudges and resentment toward other members who have sinned against them, then those sins remain to spoil the bond of unity, and the Spirit of Jesus is no longer resident in the community" (Williamson, 283).


VERSES 24-25: UNLESS I SEE, I WILL NOT BELIEVE

24But Thomas (who was called the Twin [Greek: didymos]), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."


"But Thomas (who was called the Twin [didymos]), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came" (v. 24). Didymos is the Greek word for twin. We don't know why Thomas was absent, but we do know that he earlier thought that going to Bethany with Jesus would mean death for the disciples as well as Jesus (11:16).

"So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord' " (v. 25a). The first person to whom the disciples witness is one of their own, Thomas, who was not present when Jesus first appeared to them. Their words to Thomas ("We have seen the Lord") are essentially the same words ("I have seen the Lord") that Mary used to tell the disciples of her encounter with Jesus.

"Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe" (v. 25b). "Thomas' unwillingness to believe without seeing reflects a thread that runs throughout the Gospel; many respond to signs with faith (1:50; 10:38; 11:15, 40; 14:11) and refuse faith without signs (4:48; 6:30), but unless this faith matures into discipleship, it must prove inadequate in the end" (Keener, 1208).

Thomas does not believe the disciples, but neither did the disciples believe Mary. They were a despondent, defeated people until they saw Jesus with their own eyes.

Thomas's reaction "is undoubtedly not intended to lay down a serious condition for belief but to expose the absurdity of what they tell him: 'before I would believe that, I would first...'" (Ridderbos, 646-647).

"From the evangelist's perspective, Thomas's objection becomes a welcome foil for forestalling the incipient Gnostic notion that Jesus only appeared to be human" (Kostenberger, 578).

Thomas was not the sole doubter and will not remain a doubter. He doubts the witness of the other disciples and so cannot believe the resurrection. Once he sees what they have seen, he will manifest great faith.

A Preaching Point: "Thomas was not with the disciples when Jesus made his first appearance to them. As a result, he refused to believe. This should serve as a lesson for us. It is difficult to believe when we do not strengthen ourselves with the fellowship of other believers" (Gossip, 798).

Thomas' demand to see the mark of the nails and to put his hand in Jesus' side is outrageous. Earlier, Jesus condemned those who demanded signs and wonders before they would believe (4:48). Thomas goes even further. "He is only prepared to lay aside his unfaith if the risen Jesus meets his criteria.... Thomas demands that Jesus be 'touchable.' ...He insists that the risen body of Jesus fulfill his requirements" (Moloney, 537).

However, Borchert provides an interesting perspective: "Although this statement of Thomas may seem to be quite obstinate, there is a sense in which contemporary believers ought to thank God that someone like Thomas was there to do the reality check for us" (Borchert, 312-313).

Perhaps we can understand Thomas' reluctance if we remember his words as Jesus prepared to go to Jerusalem –– "Let us also go, that we may die with him" (11:16). Thomas has been zealous for Jesus, but has seen his worst fears realized. The crucifixion has broken his heart. The phrase, "Once burned, twice shy!" comes to mind. Thomas believed, but his belief was betrayed. We can understand why he would be slow to believe again. Perhaps this is the reason for the great compassion and sensitivity with which Jesus reaches out to Thomas in the verses below.


VERSES 26-29: THE SECOND APPEARANCE

26A week later (Greek: meth hemeras okto –– after eight days) his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." 27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." 28Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."


"A week later (meth hemeras okto –– after eight days) his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them" (v. 26a). The eight days are to be counted inclusively –– Sunday through Sunday –– it is once again the first day of the week. Jesus appears to them once again.

"Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them" (v. 26b). Once again the doors are shut, but no longer is there any mention of fear. All is the same as it was the previous Sunday except for this lack of fear. Jesus' appearance to the disciples the week before has transformed their fear to faith.

"Peace be with you" (v. 26c). Once again Jesus gives them his peace. The scene is very much parallel to that of a week earlier.

"Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side" (v. 27a). Jesus does not condemn Thomas for his failure to believe, but gives him that which enables him to believe (v. 27). Thomas has demanded to see and touch the risen Lord, and Jesus allows him to do that. There is no indication that Thomas actually touches Jesus' wounds. Seeing the wounded, resurrected Christ is enough.

"Do not doubt but believe" (v. 27b). Jesus says, "kai me ginou (and do not be) apistos (unbelieving) alla pistos (but believing)." We think of this as the Doubting Thomas story, but the word doubt does not appear unless we translate apistos that way.

"My Lord and my God!" (v. 28). In response, Thomas makes "the supreme christological pronouncement of the Fourth Gospel" (Brown, 1047). His confession goes far beyond any titles or confessions found elsewhere in this Gospel. "So it comes about that the most outrageous doubter of the resurrection of Jesus utters the greatest confession of the Lord who rose from the dead" (Beasley-Murray, 385).

Jesus responds by offering a blessing to "those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (v. 29). In biblical times, a blessing had great meaning. "Of particular significance...was the blessing of a son by his father whereby a man passed on his property and authority to the next generation" (Myers, 162-163). "God...blesses people by giving life, riches, fruitfulness, or plenty (Gen. 1:22, 28). His greatest blessing is turning us from evil (Acts 3:25-26) and forgiving our sins (Rom. 4:7-8)" (Lockyer, 185).

"Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (v. 29). This is Jesus' final beatitude or blessing. These words will encourage early Christians who will feel cheated, having missed seeing Jesus by only a few months or years. They also encourage us, who are among those who have not seen but who have believed. The few first-generation Christians who saw Jesus in person have no advantage over the many later-generations of Christians who have not. Note that Jesus does not say that these later Christians will be more blessed than the "seeing" disciples, but only that they will be blessed.


VERSES 30-31: THESE ARE WRITTEN THAT YOU MIGHT BELIEVE

30Now (Greek: men oun –– therefore) Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 31But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.


In verse 29, Jesus pronounced a blessing on those who will believe. Now the narrator says, "Therefore (men oun)... these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God." The purpose of this Gospel is that we, the readers of this Gospel, may enjoy the promised blessing.

In this Gospel, Jesus' miracles are called signs. These signs give people reason to believe, but many who witness them do not believe (6:36). The choice is ours.

"and that through believing you may have life in his name" (v. 31b). Faith rather than works determines salvation (Romans 1:6; 4:1-3; 9:31-32; 10:9; 1 Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 3:1-12; Ephesians 2:8).

Most scholars agree that these verses conclude this Gospel in its original form. The Evangelist states the purpose of his writing –– that we might believe. He achieved this goal. Millions of Christians have been strengthened in their faith by reading this Gospel, and millions of others have been brought to faith, at least in part, by its witness to Christ.


TRUE STORY:

In her book, The Irrational Season, Madeleine L'Engle talks about doubt as a "virulent virus" that strikes us now and then.

She talks about the time that the doubt virus struck her. She had received a phone call about a friend –– a young woman living in a small Midwestern town –– who was kidnapped, raped, and brutally murdered. Then she encountered another friend –– a young woman who was grieving terribly over an abortion that she had the day before. They embraced each other and stood there weeping together.

And then, a few nights later, the doubt virus struck. She was lying in bed with the words of the Jesus Prayer wending through her consciousness. And then "I thought bitterly, why on earth am I saying these meaningless and empty words. They mean nothing. Lord Jesus Christ is only an illusion. There is nothing. Nada. Nada. Nada."

"And then I flung myself onto the words of the prayer like a drowning person clutching at a rope thrown into the dark sea. I held onto it with all my strength and I was slowly pulled from the waters which had been sucking me under, pulled out of the dark and into the light, and the Lord Jesus Christ did indeed have mercy on me. I know that I am not immune from further attacks. But I also know now that the darkness can never put out the light."


THOUGHT PROVOKERS: (Top of page)

Doubt is not the opposite faith;
it is one element of faith.

Paul Tillich

* * * * * * * * * *

There lives more faith in honest doubt,
Believe me, than in half the creeds.

Alfred, 1st Lord Tennyson

* * * * * * * * * *

Once I heard a man say: "I spent twenty years trying to come to terms with my doubts. Then one day it dawned on me that I had better come to terms with my faith. Now I have passed from the agony of the questions I cannot answer into the agony of answers I cannot escape. And it's a great relief."

David E. Roberts

* * * * * * * * * *

Never doubt in the dark
what God told you in the light.

V. Raymond Edman

* * * * * * * * * *

Your doubt can become a good quality if you train it. It must become knowing, it must become criticism. Ask it, whenever it wants to spoil something for you, why something is ugly, demand proofs from it, test it, and you will find it perhaps bewildered and embarrassed, perhaps also protesting. But don't give in , insist on arguments, and act in this way, attentive and persistent, every single time, and the day will come when, instead of being a destroyer, it will become one of your best workers—-perhaps the most intelligent of all the ones that are building your life.

Rainer Maria Rilke

* * * * * * * * * *


SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONS are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. All rights reserved. Used by permission


BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Althouse, LaVonne, "Words of Power," Clergy Journal (May-June, 1996)

Barclay, William, The Daily Study Bible, "The Gospel of John," Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1955)

Beasley-Murray, George R., Word Biblical Commentary: John (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999)

Borchert, Gerald L., New American Commentary: John 12-21, Vol. 25B (Nashville: Broadman Press, 2002)

Brown, Raymond, The Anchor Bible: The Gospel According to John XIII-XXI (Garden City: Doubleday, 1970)

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1983).

Brueggemann, Walter; Cousar, Charles B.; Gaventa, Beverly R. and Newsome, James D., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV––Year B (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1993)

Carson, D. A., The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel of John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991).

Craddock, Fred R.; Hayes, John H.; Holladay, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M., Preaching Through the Christian Year B (Valley Forge: Trinity Press International, 1993)

Gossip, Arthur John and Howard, Wilbert F., The Interpreter's Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville: Abingdon, 1952)

Howard-Brook, Wes, Becoming the Children of God: John's Gospel and Radical Discipleship (New York: Maryknoll, 1994).

Hultgren, Arland J. in Van Harn, Roger (ed.), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sunday's Text. The Third Readings: The Gospels (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001)

Keener, Craig S., The Gospel of John: A Commentary, Volume II (Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003)

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004)

Krenz, Edgar and Vogel, Arthur A., Proclamation 2, Easter, Series C

Lincoln, Andrew T., Black's New Testament Commentary: The Gospel According to John (London: Continuum, 2005)

Lindberg, Paul H., Lectionary Bible Studies: The Year of Luke: Lent/Easter, Study Book (Minneapolis/Philadelphia: Augsburg Publishing House/Fortress Press, 1976)

Lockyer, Herbert, Sr. (ed.), Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1986)

Moloney, Francis J., Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of John (Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1998)

Morris, Leon, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1995).

Myers, Allen C. (ed.), The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987)

O'Day, Gail R., The New Interpreter's Bible, Volume IX (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995)

Palmer, Earl F., The Book That John Wrote (Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, 1975)

Ridderbos, Herman (translated by John Vriend), The Gospel of John: A Theological Commentary (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997)

Sloyan, Gerald, "John," Interpretation (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1988)

Smith, D. Moody, Jr., Abingdon New Testament Commentaries: John (Nashville: Abingdon, 1999)

Williamson, Lamar, Jr., Preaching the Gospel of John (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004)

Richard Niell Donovan, SermonWriter.com