All Are One
Commentary
This is a Sunday for celebrating that All are One.
2 Samuel 7:1-4a
The First Lesson is taken from a book that has its origins as a distinct body of literature derived from the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures (the Septuagint), which divided the story of Israel’s monarchy into four sections (1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings). The book is probably the result of two or three sources: (1) Early traditions about Samuel and Saul; (2) Editor-molded materials brought together into a connected history, implying a critique of the events, deeming kingship as problematic, and so advocating that the nation should be set under the rule of God and Samuel his prophet; and (3) Incorporating the previous strand into the more Deuteronomistic (D) oral tradition responsible for the Pentateuch. Recall that this latter strand was the result of sweeping religious reforms launched under King Josiah in 621 BC. Not surprisingly, this source entails that a central theme of this book is the struggle to remain obedient to Torah, to be God’s Covenant people, and to inherit divine blessings.
The book especially relates to the reign of David as King of Israel. This particular test accounts David’s desire, expressed to the prophet Nathan, to build a temple (vv.1-3) and what happens following this dream. The Lord appears to Nathan indicating his contentment with continuing to dwell in a portable tent (vv.4-7). This overlooks that the Ark of the Covenant had earlier been housed in a building in Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:7; 3:3). Scholars tend to conclude that the entire pericope is a later addition to older sources, based on Psalm 89. Others argue that, insofar as vv.6-7 seem to give no permission for the Tabernacle to be placed in a permanent building, these passages are in fact part of the earlier source.
Yahweh instructs Nathan instead to recount to David how he had brought him to power, from the life of a shepherd to an internationally known uncontested leader (vv.8-9). Yahweh claims that he will appoint a place for Israel from which the people will no longer be disturbed and afflicted (v.10). The establishment of a permanent Davidic dynasty is promised (vv.11b-12).
Reference is made to a Davidic offspring who would build the house for Yahweh’s Name and the throne would be established forever (v.13). (Only in the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 28:6 is Solomon expressly designated as the one who will build the Temple.) Yahweh promises to be a Father to the Davidic ancestor and his status as Yahweh’s son [ben] is proclaimed (v.14a). The promise and the desire to build a temple have close parallels to ceremonial texts of the royal house in Israel.
There is a lot of discouragement in the American labor force. Sure, according to a November 2017 report the unemployment rate was only 4.1%, and there seems to have been no dramatic changes in the ensuing months. But this figure is altered by the fact that many American workers are so disappointed that they have stopped looking for work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there is only 62.7% of the labor force participating, that 35.2% of American workers have stopped looking for a job (see Nicholas Eberstadt, Men Without Work: America’s Invisible Crisis). The tepid character of wage growth further contributes to the discouragement.
CNN Money reports that only 6 in 10 Americans have enough in savings to cover $500 to $1000 in emergency expenses. In this context God’s response in the lesson to the disappointment David felt when his dreams were not fulfilled is an important word of comfort for 21st-century Americans. Our dreams of prosperity, the good job, and the comfortable retirement may be challenged, but we can point in this text to how God always finds a way to fulfill our dreams in unexpected ways, even through others whom we love (in this case the promise that Solomon would build the Temple). When we recognize that the goods God offers us are for everyone, disappointing situations for us as individuals are less hard to bear if we consider that with God our dreams may be realized for others we love.
Psalm 89:20-37
This psalm is drawn from a collection of Hebraic hymns of praise, most of which were composed to accompany worship in the Temple of Jerusalem. Some were composed early in Israel’s history; others after the Babylonian captivity. The tradition of ascribing Psalms to David does not historically substantiate his authorship. It is indicative of the great esteem in which David was held as a singer.
This psalm is identified as a Maskil, an artful song composed with artful skill by Ethan the Ezrahite. He was either a wise man in Solomon’s court (1 Kings 4:31) or a Temple musician (1 Chronicles 15:17,19). This is a hymn extolling God’s power and faithfulness; it has its origins as part of a king’s prayer for deliverance from his enemies. It is considered a Royal psalm, for it portrays itself as a prayer of a king for deliverance, a national lament.
Having been defeated in battle (vv.38-45), the psalmist refers to the anointment of David by Yahweh (v.20), the Lord’s faithfulness is extolled (v.24), and his unalterable covenant with David is remembered. It is God’s promise that David’s descendants be established forever (vv.19-26). David is considered the Lord’s firstborn, the highest of all the kings of the earth (v.27). The Lord pledges steadfast love for David and his covenant with him forever (vv.28-29). If David’s heirs forsake God’s law, Yahweh says that he will punish them but will not remove his steadfast love (vv.30-33). The eternity of the covenant with David is reiterated (vv.34-37). The Second Lesson makes clear now that all the faithful belong to this Covenant (Ephesians 2:17-20).
The signs of discouragement in the American labor force noted above in the analysis of the First Lesson are also relevant to sermons on this text. God’s promise in the psalm about his steadfast love, which seems to be made to all the faithful, is a comforting word. Sermons on this lesson can elaborate on this hope, helping the faithful to recognize in this text too the message that when we recognize that the goods God offers us are for everyone, disappointing situations for us as individuals are less hard to bear as we consider that with God our dreams may be realized for others we love.
Ephesians 2:11-22
The Second Lesson is embedded in a circular letter, either written by Paul from prison late in his career or by a follower of the Apostle who had had a hand in assembling the collection of his Epistles. These conclusions follow from the fact that the letter includes vocabulary and stylistic characteristics different from the Pauline corpus. It was likely addressed to a younger generation of Christians (1:15). This lesson is an exposition of Christ’s benefits, bringing together Gentile and Jew, with special attention to implications for Justification By Grace and Ecclesiology.
Paul notes that though the Gentiles were originally aliens from Israel, in Christ they have been brought near (vv.11-13). Christ is said to be our peace, breaking down the wall that had divided Jew and Gentile (v.14). In his abolition of the law, Christ is said to create a new humanity in order to reconcile the group into one body through the cross (vv.16-17). Through Christ, then, we have access to the one spirit and father. None are aliens, but members of the household of God built on the foundation of the Apostles with Christ the cornerstone (vv.17-20). Paul next speaks of the church as a holy temple [katoiketerion, dwelling-place] of the Lord in which we are all joined together in the spirit (vv.21-22).
Americans are seriously divided. Pew Research Center 2017 polls revealed that the gap between Democrats and Republicans on social issues has grown significantly from 1994 (when 15 points divided those polled in each party) to today (when they are divided by 36 points). In the other Pew poll the difference among the races was evident, as while only 15% of African Americans believed that our society gives the right amount to racial issues, 22% of whites are satisfied. A 2012 book by Charles Murray, Coming Apart provides data on how divided we are by economics and occupation, not even living near those of a different social class. There is even division in the church, as Sundays at 11:00 AM remain the most segregated hour of the week. A 2012 poll conducted by Pew Research Center found 57% of congregations are still mostly white. And it seems that a lot American Christians do not want it to be different. A 2014 poll conducted by LifeWay found that churchgoers are lukewarm about diversity. More than half (53 percent) disagree with the statement, “My church needs to become more ethnically diverse.” Four in 10 agree. This lesson invites sermons on our unity that critique and provide an alternative to all these trends, that stress our unity in Christ and the Spirit.
Mark 6:30-34,53-56
The Gospel is drawn from the first of the Gospels to be written, perhaps the source of the other Gospels. It is probably based on oral traditions of the Passion narrative and accounts of Jesus’ sayings (the so-called Q-source). Probably written prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, this anonymous work has been traditionally ascribed to John Mark, perhaps an associate of Paul (Acts 12:12-25; 15:37; Colossians 4:10) or Peter’s scribe (1 Peter 5:13). Some speculate that the original audience was the church in Rome (especially Gentiles), as it presumes readers unfamiliar with Jewish customs and Palestinian geography (see 7:2-4,31), but it also could have been written for Palestinian Christians.
In this lesson we read first of the beginning of the story of The Feeding of the Five Thousand, with the actual miracle omitted. All four of the Gospels include this narrative, except the final verses have no parallel in Luke.
At the outset of the lesson the author reports that the Disciples had just returned from their commission to preach and heal (vv.7-13). They report to Jesus and retreat with him in a boat to a deserted place (vv.30-32). Many are said to have seen Jesus and his followers and followed them on land, meeting them when they docked their boat. Going ashore Jesus saw a great crowd and had compassion on them, as they were like sheep with no shepherd (vv.33-34). The actual feeding of the 5,000 account follows (vv.35-44), along with a story of Jesus walking on water (vv.45-52). Both accounts are omitted from the lesson.
The account resumes with Jesus and his followers landing their boat at Gennesaret. The crowd recognizes him and brings the sick to him, begging that they might touch the fringe of his cloak to be healed. All touching his cloak are healed (vv.53-56).
Americans have always been individualistic, but since the Baby Boomer Generation’s ascendancy we have taken this to new heights/depths. There has been a decline in caring about what others think of us. We don’t trust others, as evidenced in a decline from 46% of high school students trusting people in 1976 to only 26% saying the same 1997. At the beginning of the century, 64% in this age group thought people were just looking out for themselves. The abandonment of organized religion is certainly related to this distrust, specifically to a sense that its institutions impose rules and ideas that get in the way of one’s own personal “spiritual life” (Jean Tweng, Generation Me, esp. pp.26,34-36). Jesus’ compassion for the crowds and his disciples response in the lesson opens the way to sermons which portray our Lord and our faith as responses to this selfishness, as a way to find meaning in a world in which nothing seems to matter as much as self-fulfillment.
All the lessons remind us that we are not alone in the world, not isolated in grappling with life’s challenges. With Christ, “faith is all about we, not me!”
2 Samuel 7:1-4a
The First Lesson is taken from a book that has its origins as a distinct body of literature derived from the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures (the Septuagint), which divided the story of Israel’s monarchy into four sections (1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings). The book is probably the result of two or three sources: (1) Early traditions about Samuel and Saul; (2) Editor-molded materials brought together into a connected history, implying a critique of the events, deeming kingship as problematic, and so advocating that the nation should be set under the rule of God and Samuel his prophet; and (3) Incorporating the previous strand into the more Deuteronomistic (D) oral tradition responsible for the Pentateuch. Recall that this latter strand was the result of sweeping religious reforms launched under King Josiah in 621 BC. Not surprisingly, this source entails that a central theme of this book is the struggle to remain obedient to Torah, to be God’s Covenant people, and to inherit divine blessings.
The book especially relates to the reign of David as King of Israel. This particular test accounts David’s desire, expressed to the prophet Nathan, to build a temple (vv.1-3) and what happens following this dream. The Lord appears to Nathan indicating his contentment with continuing to dwell in a portable tent (vv.4-7). This overlooks that the Ark of the Covenant had earlier been housed in a building in Shiloh (1 Samuel 1:7; 3:3). Scholars tend to conclude that the entire pericope is a later addition to older sources, based on Psalm 89. Others argue that, insofar as vv.6-7 seem to give no permission for the Tabernacle to be placed in a permanent building, these passages are in fact part of the earlier source.
Yahweh instructs Nathan instead to recount to David how he had brought him to power, from the life of a shepherd to an internationally known uncontested leader (vv.8-9). Yahweh claims that he will appoint a place for Israel from which the people will no longer be disturbed and afflicted (v.10). The establishment of a permanent Davidic dynasty is promised (vv.11b-12).
Reference is made to a Davidic offspring who would build the house for Yahweh’s Name and the throne would be established forever (v.13). (Only in the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 28:6 is Solomon expressly designated as the one who will build the Temple.) Yahweh promises to be a Father to the Davidic ancestor and his status as Yahweh’s son [ben] is proclaimed (v.14a). The promise and the desire to build a temple have close parallels to ceremonial texts of the royal house in Israel.
There is a lot of discouragement in the American labor force. Sure, according to a November 2017 report the unemployment rate was only 4.1%, and there seems to have been no dramatic changes in the ensuing months. But this figure is altered by the fact that many American workers are so disappointed that they have stopped looking for work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there is only 62.7% of the labor force participating, that 35.2% of American workers have stopped looking for a job (see Nicholas Eberstadt, Men Without Work: America’s Invisible Crisis). The tepid character of wage growth further contributes to the discouragement.
CNN Money reports that only 6 in 10 Americans have enough in savings to cover $500 to $1000 in emergency expenses. In this context God’s response in the lesson to the disappointment David felt when his dreams were not fulfilled is an important word of comfort for 21st-century Americans. Our dreams of prosperity, the good job, and the comfortable retirement may be challenged, but we can point in this text to how God always finds a way to fulfill our dreams in unexpected ways, even through others whom we love (in this case the promise that Solomon would build the Temple). When we recognize that the goods God offers us are for everyone, disappointing situations for us as individuals are less hard to bear if we consider that with God our dreams may be realized for others we love.
Psalm 89:20-37
This psalm is drawn from a collection of Hebraic hymns of praise, most of which were composed to accompany worship in the Temple of Jerusalem. Some were composed early in Israel’s history; others after the Babylonian captivity. The tradition of ascribing Psalms to David does not historically substantiate his authorship. It is indicative of the great esteem in which David was held as a singer.
This psalm is identified as a Maskil, an artful song composed with artful skill by Ethan the Ezrahite. He was either a wise man in Solomon’s court (1 Kings 4:31) or a Temple musician (1 Chronicles 15:17,19). This is a hymn extolling God’s power and faithfulness; it has its origins as part of a king’s prayer for deliverance from his enemies. It is considered a Royal psalm, for it portrays itself as a prayer of a king for deliverance, a national lament.
Having been defeated in battle (vv.38-45), the psalmist refers to the anointment of David by Yahweh (v.20), the Lord’s faithfulness is extolled (v.24), and his unalterable covenant with David is remembered. It is God’s promise that David’s descendants be established forever (vv.19-26). David is considered the Lord’s firstborn, the highest of all the kings of the earth (v.27). The Lord pledges steadfast love for David and his covenant with him forever (vv.28-29). If David’s heirs forsake God’s law, Yahweh says that he will punish them but will not remove his steadfast love (vv.30-33). The eternity of the covenant with David is reiterated (vv.34-37). The Second Lesson makes clear now that all the faithful belong to this Covenant (Ephesians 2:17-20).
The signs of discouragement in the American labor force noted above in the analysis of the First Lesson are also relevant to sermons on this text. God’s promise in the psalm about his steadfast love, which seems to be made to all the faithful, is a comforting word. Sermons on this lesson can elaborate on this hope, helping the faithful to recognize in this text too the message that when we recognize that the goods God offers us are for everyone, disappointing situations for us as individuals are less hard to bear as we consider that with God our dreams may be realized for others we love.
Ephesians 2:11-22
The Second Lesson is embedded in a circular letter, either written by Paul from prison late in his career or by a follower of the Apostle who had had a hand in assembling the collection of his Epistles. These conclusions follow from the fact that the letter includes vocabulary and stylistic characteristics different from the Pauline corpus. It was likely addressed to a younger generation of Christians (1:15). This lesson is an exposition of Christ’s benefits, bringing together Gentile and Jew, with special attention to implications for Justification By Grace and Ecclesiology.
Paul notes that though the Gentiles were originally aliens from Israel, in Christ they have been brought near (vv.11-13). Christ is said to be our peace, breaking down the wall that had divided Jew and Gentile (v.14). In his abolition of the law, Christ is said to create a new humanity in order to reconcile the group into one body through the cross (vv.16-17). Through Christ, then, we have access to the one spirit and father. None are aliens, but members of the household of God built on the foundation of the Apostles with Christ the cornerstone (vv.17-20). Paul next speaks of the church as a holy temple [katoiketerion, dwelling-place] of the Lord in which we are all joined together in the spirit (vv.21-22).
Americans are seriously divided. Pew Research Center 2017 polls revealed that the gap between Democrats and Republicans on social issues has grown significantly from 1994 (when 15 points divided those polled in each party) to today (when they are divided by 36 points). In the other Pew poll the difference among the races was evident, as while only 15% of African Americans believed that our society gives the right amount to racial issues, 22% of whites are satisfied. A 2012 book by Charles Murray, Coming Apart provides data on how divided we are by economics and occupation, not even living near those of a different social class. There is even division in the church, as Sundays at 11:00 AM remain the most segregated hour of the week. A 2012 poll conducted by Pew Research Center found 57% of congregations are still mostly white. And it seems that a lot American Christians do not want it to be different. A 2014 poll conducted by LifeWay found that churchgoers are lukewarm about diversity. More than half (53 percent) disagree with the statement, “My church needs to become more ethnically diverse.” Four in 10 agree. This lesson invites sermons on our unity that critique and provide an alternative to all these trends, that stress our unity in Christ and the Spirit.
Mark 6:30-34,53-56
The Gospel is drawn from the first of the Gospels to be written, perhaps the source of the other Gospels. It is probably based on oral traditions of the Passion narrative and accounts of Jesus’ sayings (the so-called Q-source). Probably written prior to the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, this anonymous work has been traditionally ascribed to John Mark, perhaps an associate of Paul (Acts 12:12-25; 15:37; Colossians 4:10) or Peter’s scribe (1 Peter 5:13). Some speculate that the original audience was the church in Rome (especially Gentiles), as it presumes readers unfamiliar with Jewish customs and Palestinian geography (see 7:2-4,31), but it also could have been written for Palestinian Christians.
In this lesson we read first of the beginning of the story of The Feeding of the Five Thousand, with the actual miracle omitted. All four of the Gospels include this narrative, except the final verses have no parallel in Luke.
At the outset of the lesson the author reports that the Disciples had just returned from their commission to preach and heal (vv.7-13). They report to Jesus and retreat with him in a boat to a deserted place (vv.30-32). Many are said to have seen Jesus and his followers and followed them on land, meeting them when they docked their boat. Going ashore Jesus saw a great crowd and had compassion on them, as they were like sheep with no shepherd (vv.33-34). The actual feeding of the 5,000 account follows (vv.35-44), along with a story of Jesus walking on water (vv.45-52). Both accounts are omitted from the lesson.
The account resumes with Jesus and his followers landing their boat at Gennesaret. The crowd recognizes him and brings the sick to him, begging that they might touch the fringe of his cloak to be healed. All touching his cloak are healed (vv.53-56).
Americans have always been individualistic, but since the Baby Boomer Generation’s ascendancy we have taken this to new heights/depths. There has been a decline in caring about what others think of us. We don’t trust others, as evidenced in a decline from 46% of high school students trusting people in 1976 to only 26% saying the same 1997. At the beginning of the century, 64% in this age group thought people were just looking out for themselves. The abandonment of organized religion is certainly related to this distrust, specifically to a sense that its institutions impose rules and ideas that get in the way of one’s own personal “spiritual life” (Jean Tweng, Generation Me, esp. pp.26,34-36). Jesus’ compassion for the crowds and his disciples response in the lesson opens the way to sermons which portray our Lord and our faith as responses to this selfishness, as a way to find meaning in a world in which nothing seems to matter as much as self-fulfillment.
All the lessons remind us that we are not alone in the world, not isolated in grappling with life’s challenges. With Christ, “faith is all about we, not me!”
