Affirming a mystery
Commentary
The Holy Trinity is a mystery indeed. The purpose of this Sunday's lectionary passages is not to seek to explain in simplistic terms the profundity of this ancient doctrine, but rather to affirm God's saving action as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The usual emphasis throughout the Pentecost season is upon events and teaching in the life of Jesus Christ. On this particular Sunday, however, the focus is upon the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. The observance of the Holy Trinity in the liturgical calendar is not one of the early festivals, but rather it only dates back to the 11th century. Nonetheless, there is great value in affirming the mystery of the Holy Trinity on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
On this special Sunday the whole work of salvation involving God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is stressed. There has always been the temptation in preaching to accentuate one person of the triune God at the expense of other persons. The feast of the Holy Trinity provides us with theological balance.
In the first lesson the writer of Proverbs personifies wisdom. In subtle language wisdom is portrayed as being of ancient origin, no less than a helper with God in the formation of the universe, a task which can only be described as joy, delight and playfulness. In Hebrew thought wisdom is not only seen as a guiding principle in the creation of the universe, but also as the foundation for ethical living.
In the second lesson based upon a brief passage in the Letter to the Romans, Paul writes of justification, faith, peace, grace, hope and love. The activity of the Holy Trinity --Father, Son and Holy Spirit --is evident from beginning to end in effecting salvation.
The reading from the Gospel of John centers upon one of the later discourses of Jesus with his disciples on the night before his death. Here, once again, as in the second lesson, there is explicit reference to the Holy Trinity. In particular, the work of the Holy Spirit is brought out forcibly. The preacher has an excellent opportunity to show how God's truth is communicated. The Spirit takes what Jesus has taught and reveals that personal message to believers today.
OUTLINE I
Wisdom personified
Proverbs 8:22-31
A. vv. 22-26. Eternity. Wisdom is not a recent phenomenon by any means; on the contrary, the writer of this practical collection of proverbs understands wisdom to have existed before the earth, sky and oceans were formed. Wisdom holds a unique place in God's loving relationship to the world.
B. vv. 27-29. Creativity. Veritably, wisdom is a partner with God in the creative process. Wisdom knew something of God's formation of the earth, the heavens above and the waters of the deep. Wisdom was there when the infrastructure of the world was established.
C. vv. 30-31. Delight. Remarkable of all is the "playful" association between God and wisdom in the creation of the universe. Such work was not solemn but delightful, not tedious but joyful. Furthermore, wisdom's delight extends to all people, to everyone who receives and obeys her words. Thus wisdom is linked not only to God's concern for the physical world but wisdom also instructs the moral life of individual men and women.
OUTLINE II
The divine peacemaking
Romans 5:1-5
A. v. 1. God's peace. In one of Paul's great summaries of the meaning of justification in his Letter to the Romans he draws attention to the threefold work of the divine peacemaking. He begins with God's peace. Paul's concept of peace is not something that can be earned by human merit, but rather it is a gift to be received from God alone.
B. v. 2. Christ's mediation. The manner in which we gain "access" to God's peace and grace is through Christ, the mediator. More specifically, it is through the life, death and resurrection of Christ that we obtain this peace. Hence, we are able to stand in God's grace. Even further, we rejoice in "our hope of sharing the glory of God." In a word, it is the Son who reveals most clearly the love and forgiveness of the Father.
C. vv. 3-5. The Spirit's presence. Paul claims that there is even "more." The followers of Christ in the apostle's day, and not a few in our own day, faced opposition even persecution. Reflecting upon his own personal experience Paul encourages all Christians to consider the possibilities that their sufferings will produce endurance, strength, character and in the end hope. What makes all of this achievable is the presence of the Holy Spirit within us as the channel of God's incredible love.
OUTLINE III
The triune intimacy
John 18:12-15
A. vv. 12-13. The Spirit's guidance. Jesus promised his disciples that they would not be left alone. He would send the Spirit to guide them into all God's truth. In this passage the triune intimacy is revealed. As Christians we are not left to our own devices. We have the guidance of the Spirit. Jesus had begun to teach his followers something of God's truth, and now his Spirit will continue the teaching and bring it to fruition.
B. v. 14. The Son's glory. While the Spirit conducts us into all the truth the Spirit also glorifies the Son. The Spirit and the Son are closely connected. The Spirit is not an interpreter of abstract truth; he is one who conveys the teaching of the Son in a personal way. Neither is the Spirit the revealer of the trendy and the speculative; he speaks only on the authority of Jesus himself.
C. v. 15. The Father's grace. All of the Father's grace that Jesus possessed and disclosed will now be taken by the Spirit and declared to the disciples and to future generations. There is no friction in the triune God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together in guiding us into all the truth.
The usual emphasis throughout the Pentecost season is upon events and teaching in the life of Jesus Christ. On this particular Sunday, however, the focus is upon the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. The observance of the Holy Trinity in the liturgical calendar is not one of the early festivals, but rather it only dates back to the 11th century. Nonetheless, there is great value in affirming the mystery of the Holy Trinity on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
On this special Sunday the whole work of salvation involving God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit is stressed. There has always been the temptation in preaching to accentuate one person of the triune God at the expense of other persons. The feast of the Holy Trinity provides us with theological balance.
In the first lesson the writer of Proverbs personifies wisdom. In subtle language wisdom is portrayed as being of ancient origin, no less than a helper with God in the formation of the universe, a task which can only be described as joy, delight and playfulness. In Hebrew thought wisdom is not only seen as a guiding principle in the creation of the universe, but also as the foundation for ethical living.
In the second lesson based upon a brief passage in the Letter to the Romans, Paul writes of justification, faith, peace, grace, hope and love. The activity of the Holy Trinity --Father, Son and Holy Spirit --is evident from beginning to end in effecting salvation.
The reading from the Gospel of John centers upon one of the later discourses of Jesus with his disciples on the night before his death. Here, once again, as in the second lesson, there is explicit reference to the Holy Trinity. In particular, the work of the Holy Spirit is brought out forcibly. The preacher has an excellent opportunity to show how God's truth is communicated. The Spirit takes what Jesus has taught and reveals that personal message to believers today.
OUTLINE I
Wisdom personified
Proverbs 8:22-31
A. vv. 22-26. Eternity. Wisdom is not a recent phenomenon by any means; on the contrary, the writer of this practical collection of proverbs understands wisdom to have existed before the earth, sky and oceans were formed. Wisdom holds a unique place in God's loving relationship to the world.
B. vv. 27-29. Creativity. Veritably, wisdom is a partner with God in the creative process. Wisdom knew something of God's formation of the earth, the heavens above and the waters of the deep. Wisdom was there when the infrastructure of the world was established.
C. vv. 30-31. Delight. Remarkable of all is the "playful" association between God and wisdom in the creation of the universe. Such work was not solemn but delightful, not tedious but joyful. Furthermore, wisdom's delight extends to all people, to everyone who receives and obeys her words. Thus wisdom is linked not only to God's concern for the physical world but wisdom also instructs the moral life of individual men and women.
OUTLINE II
The divine peacemaking
Romans 5:1-5
A. v. 1. God's peace. In one of Paul's great summaries of the meaning of justification in his Letter to the Romans he draws attention to the threefold work of the divine peacemaking. He begins with God's peace. Paul's concept of peace is not something that can be earned by human merit, but rather it is a gift to be received from God alone.
B. v. 2. Christ's mediation. The manner in which we gain "access" to God's peace and grace is through Christ, the mediator. More specifically, it is through the life, death and resurrection of Christ that we obtain this peace. Hence, we are able to stand in God's grace. Even further, we rejoice in "our hope of sharing the glory of God." In a word, it is the Son who reveals most clearly the love and forgiveness of the Father.
C. vv. 3-5. The Spirit's presence. Paul claims that there is even "more." The followers of Christ in the apostle's day, and not a few in our own day, faced opposition even persecution. Reflecting upon his own personal experience Paul encourages all Christians to consider the possibilities that their sufferings will produce endurance, strength, character and in the end hope. What makes all of this achievable is the presence of the Holy Spirit within us as the channel of God's incredible love.
OUTLINE III
The triune intimacy
John 18:12-15
A. vv. 12-13. The Spirit's guidance. Jesus promised his disciples that they would not be left alone. He would send the Spirit to guide them into all God's truth. In this passage the triune intimacy is revealed. As Christians we are not left to our own devices. We have the guidance of the Spirit. Jesus had begun to teach his followers something of God's truth, and now his Spirit will continue the teaching and bring it to fruition.
B. v. 14. The Son's glory. While the Spirit conducts us into all the truth the Spirit also glorifies the Son. The Spirit and the Son are closely connected. The Spirit is not an interpreter of abstract truth; he is one who conveys the teaching of the Son in a personal way. Neither is the Spirit the revealer of the trendy and the speculative; he speaks only on the authority of Jesus himself.
C. v. 15. The Father's grace. All of the Father's grace that Jesus possessed and disclosed will now be taken by the Spirit and declared to the disciples and to future generations. There is no friction in the triune God. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit work together in guiding us into all the truth.
