EPIPHANY 6
Worship
Scripture Notes
For use with Common, Lutheran and Roman Catholic Lectionaries
Within the texts selected for next Sunday, Psalm 119 and Deuteronomy 30:15-20 depict the significant theme of the Israelite Scriptures that happiness, blessings, and security are given by God to those who live their lives in accordance with the commandments and precepts that are so frequently expressed in the Israelite Scriptures themselves. Although the happiness, blessings, and security promised in the Psalm 119 and in the Deuteronomy 30:15-20 texts are intended primarily for this life and for its continuation here throughout the coming generations rather than in terms of eternal life with God, these Psalm and Torah readings may be considered to be more specifically liberating "Good News" than are the Matthew 5 "Gospel" readings selected for this occasion.
If we look at the Matthew 5 reading without superimposing a "salvation by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus as Lord" emphasis on it from the Pauline Epistles, we find in Matthew 5 stringent requirements for acceptance into God's favor. Only in the Second Lessons, in the 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 and 3:1-9 texts, do we see a Christian Gospel message in these texts. Therefore, if we wish to proclaim "Good News" during the Epiphany Season next Sunday, we shall find our starting point, not in Matthew 5, but in 1 Corinthians 2:9 or 3:9.
Common:
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
The Christian Gospel in 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 is that the persons to whom Paul was writing do not belong to Paul, or to Apollos; instead, they belong to God. Paul and Apollos work for God. The place in which they work belongs to God. The persons to whom 1 Corinthians was written belong to God. They are the result of the labor of Paul and Apollos, and all of them belong to God. That is the Christian Gospel here. We, also, as Christians belong to God.
Lutheran: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13
Roman Catholic: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Paul only hints at what these "unseen, unheard, and unperceived" gifts from God may be in this text. It is clear, however, that they are "seen, heard, and perceived" through a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory raised from the dead. Paul wrote that the rulers of this age (Caesar, the official representatives of the Roman State, and the advocates of Roman Civil Religion) did not perceive this. However, the members of the groups addressed in 1 Corinthians and "all who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place" are expected to perceive this, because they have a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord, not with Caesar as Lord. Obviously, we who through our Baptism and life "call upon the name of Jesus Christ as our Lord" are expected to be mature enough to perceive this. We note that even Paul does not presume to describe in detail the "unseen, unheard, and unperceived" gifts from God.
Common, Lutheran: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Here in the concluding portion of the great "sermon of Moses" that extends from Deuteronomy 4:44--30:20 we read about an option that Moses was said to have presented to the people before they entered the land of Israel. They car1 choose to obey the commands of Yahweh, to love Yahweh, to do what Yahweh says and prosper to become a large and happy nation, or they can choose to disobey Yahweh, worship other deities, and be destroyed. We see here the great theological motif of the Deuteronomic History of Israel in Its Land (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings) that obedience to Yahweh results in happiness, and disobedience to Yahweh results in defeat and death. Even though there are exceptions to this, at least in terms of the lives of individuals in this world, we should certainly stress with this text that those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ as Lord should choose to obey the commands of God and enjoy life here and now.
Roman Catholic: Sirach 15:15-20
The choices open to the Israelites collectively in the Deuteronomy 30:15-20 text are offered here to each individual. The choices are clearcut: life or death, fire that devours or water that cleanses and soothes. It is possible to keep the commandments of the Lord. It is wise to do so. The Lord has given no one permission to sin.
Because each of us has the choice and the free will to decide, each of us will be condemned if we sin. Perhaps this is a message that we should not fail to take seriously ourselves. Perhaps it is a message that we must proclaim to others. There is no grace, no forgiveness here. Will our behavior and the behavior of those who hear us be improved if we proclaim this message next Sunday? Shall we withhold grace and forgiveness for one Sunday? Is there too much "cheap grace" and easy forgiveness in our proclamation? Not only Roman Catholic Christians, but also Lutheran Catholic Christians and all other Christians should consider this text and these questions together. Lectionary study groups that cross denominational lines are ideal for this.
Common:
Psalm 119:1-8
Lutheran: Psalm 119:1-16
Roman Catholic: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34
The Torah of God and obedience to the Torah of God are acclaimed dozens of times and in dozens of ways in this great psalm. We should not depreciate the value of these acclamations. Like the Israelite tradition in all of its rich fullness, ours also is one in which we love God's Word, in both its written and oral forms. For us also, there are benefits to be enjoyed already in this life when we live according to the guidelines of Psalm 119.
Common:
Matthew 5:17-26
Lutheran: Matthew 5:20-37
Roman Catholic: Matthew 5:17-37
Most portions of this text are unique to Matthew in the New Testament. The text indicates some of the ways in which the Matthean church claimed its superiority over Jewish groups, especially over groups of Pharisees during the last third of the first century. It demonstrates clearly that the requirements of the Matthean writers were more stringent than were the requirements of most people among the Jewish Pharisees.
It is typical of a new religious group to set stringent ethical requirements for its participants as it defines itself over against its parent religious communities. We see this demonstrated, for example, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and by the Unification Church during the twentieth century. As the new religious group grows in size - and partly in order that it may grow in size - it gradually relaxes its stringent ethical requirements. When we are aware of this, we have a better understanding of Matthew 5.
It is likely that the Jesus of history made stringent ethical demands. Unfortunately, we do not have direct access to the views of the Jesus of history. As the views of the Jesus of history have come to us through the church and through the literature of the church, we can be certain that the Matthean church made stringent ethical demands because we have stringent ethical demands in Matthew 5.
EPIPHANY 7/(Proper 2)/ORDINARY TIME 7
In most of the texts appointed for this day, the People of God are acclaimed. Through use of these texts, it shall be our pleasure to acclaim the People of God with whom we live as we speak in our own situations what is revealed to us in God's Word and in our lives.
Common:
Psalm 62:5-12
The People of God are indeed fortunate to have Yahweh as God for them. Yahweh is like a mighty rock, a fortress against enemies. The People of God are to pour out their heart to God and to trust in God at all times. To the People of God, Yahweh's steadfast love and power are constantly revealed.
Lutheran: Psalm 103:1-13
Roman Catholic: Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13
These verses are perhaps the most extensive poetic expression of the great description of Yahweh incorporated into Exodus 34:6-7 and reiterated in Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Nehemiah 9:31, Jeremiah 32:18, Jonah 4:2, and here in Psalm 103:8. As such, they indicate the way in which Yahweh was perceived in the best of the theology of ancient Israel, they are excellent affirmations of faith, and they acclaim the Israelite People of God. They help us also as Christians to perceive God as God is revealed to us, to affirm our faith, and to acclaim the People of God where we are. They provide a basic text for us for this occasion, in which the oneness of the People of God that transcends the humanly imposed boundaries of ecclesial religion can be experienced.
Common:
Isaiah 49:8-13
The People of God, specifically the remnants of Israel after the exile in Babylonia, are affirmed here as sheep gathered together from many places and guided through many paths from the great powers to the north (Babylonia) and to the west (Egypt) among whom they had been scattered. They are guided by Yahweh, their good Shepherd, whose compassion is so notable that the heavens, the earth, and the mountains of the earth are called upon to sing for joy. It is our most pleasant privilege to extend this great affirmation of the People of God where we are next Sunday, to apply it to the People of God that is the church, without in any way excluding the People of God for whom it was originally intended.
Lutheran, Roman Catholic: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
In Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18, Yahweh's message for the congregation of the people of Israel, as expressed with the Hebrew imperfect verb form, can best be translated as, "You are going to be holy because I, Yahweh your God, am holy." The people will be holy because of their association with Yahweh their God, who is by nature holy. To use Paul Tillich's notable description of faith and the dynamics of the holy, in which whatever is our Ultimate Concern is holy for us, "You are going to be holy because you, my people, are my Ultimate Concern, and I, Yahweh your God, am going to be holy to you because I, Yahweh your God, am going to be your Ultimate Concern." "You are going to be holy" is a prediction; it is a promise from Yahweh. All of the statements that follow this in the Leviticus 19 Holiness Code can also best be translated as prediction and promise statements of Yahweh, "You are not going to bear a grudge ..." "You are going to settle your differences ..." "You are not going to take revenge ... or continue to hate ..." "You are going to love your neighbor ..." rather than as imperatives ("Be holy ..." "Do not be ..."), or as commands ("You must be ..." "You must not be ...").
Common, Lutheran: 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Roman Catholic: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
The positive affirmation is continued in this text. Because Jesus Christ is your foundation, "you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you." "You are God's temple, and God's temple is holy." You are God's temple because you are God's Ultimate Concern. If we are God's Ultimate Concern, certainly God should be our Ultimate Concern!
Common:
Matthew 5:27-37
(Please see the consideration of these verses provided above in the Proper 1 section.)
Lutheran, Roman Catholic: Matthew 5:38-48
Since the Matthew 5:48 text, which becomes the great climax of these four readings in the Lutheran and in the Roman Catholic Lectionaries, is also expressed in an acclamation form (a Greek future indicative rather than a hortatory imperative), it also can best be translated as a prediction and as a promise from Jesus Christ as our Lord. "You are going to be mature, fully developed, initiates into my community of faith, adults, perfected, just as your Father who is in heaven is mature, fully developed, and perfected." This translation, which conforms to the sense of the Greek future indicative much better than does the hortatory, "You must be perfect," to which we have been accustomed, puts the climax of this Gospel reading for the day into a futuristic sense, where grammatically it belongs. Our "being perfected" is a future action - like tomorrow, always future in this age for us. It is of great importance because it is a prediction and a promise made to us and for us by our Lord. Furthermore, the future indicative construction is used with the adjective teleioi, which as a descriptive adjective can be passive ("perfected"), implying God's action on us, just as well as active or stative, something that we can or must do or be.
This translation, which puts the emphasis on prediction and promise, is supported by our growing awareness that the situation of Jesus' ministry and message is fully charged with apocalyptic eschatology. We can recapture this sense of apocalyptic eschatology in the readings and in our message next Sunday.
The other portions of Matthew 5:38-48 are illumined also by this awareness. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ says to us in this text, "Because you are going to be perfected by God, you do not have to hate your enemies, or to refuse to help anyone who asks you anything. You can turn the other cheek and give away your garments because you are in my care."
How beautiful these statements of faith become when seen in this light! How well they correspond to the spirit of the great Beatitudes that begin this section of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3! We lose all of this when we use the RSV translation of Matthew 5:48 ("You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"), or the Good News Bible ("You must be perfect - just as your Father in heaven is perfect").
If we look at the Matthew 5 reading without superimposing a "salvation by the grace of God through faith in Christ Jesus as Lord" emphasis on it from the Pauline Epistles, we find in Matthew 5 stringent requirements for acceptance into God's favor. Only in the Second Lessons, in the 1 Corinthians 2:6-13 and 3:1-9 texts, do we see a Christian Gospel message in these texts. Therefore, if we wish to proclaim "Good News" during the Epiphany Season next Sunday, we shall find our starting point, not in Matthew 5, but in 1 Corinthians 2:9 or 3:9.
Common:
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
The Christian Gospel in 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 is that the persons to whom Paul was writing do not belong to Paul, or to Apollos; instead, they belong to God. Paul and Apollos work for God. The place in which they work belongs to God. The persons to whom 1 Corinthians was written belong to God. They are the result of the labor of Paul and Apollos, and all of them belong to God. That is the Christian Gospel here. We, also, as Christians belong to God.
Lutheran: 1 Corinthians 2:6-13
Roman Catholic: 1 Corinthians 2:6-10
Paul only hints at what these "unseen, unheard, and unperceived" gifts from God may be in this text. It is clear, however, that they are "seen, heard, and perceived" through a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory raised from the dead. Paul wrote that the rulers of this age (Caesar, the official representatives of the Roman State, and the advocates of Roman Civil Religion) did not perceive this. However, the members of the groups addressed in 1 Corinthians and "all who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in every place" are expected to perceive this, because they have a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord, not with Caesar as Lord. Obviously, we who through our Baptism and life "call upon the name of Jesus Christ as our Lord" are expected to be mature enough to perceive this. We note that even Paul does not presume to describe in detail the "unseen, unheard, and unperceived" gifts from God.
Common, Lutheran: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Here in the concluding portion of the great "sermon of Moses" that extends from Deuteronomy 4:44--30:20 we read about an option that Moses was said to have presented to the people before they entered the land of Israel. They car1 choose to obey the commands of Yahweh, to love Yahweh, to do what Yahweh says and prosper to become a large and happy nation, or they can choose to disobey Yahweh, worship other deities, and be destroyed. We see here the great theological motif of the Deuteronomic History of Israel in Its Land (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, 1-2 Samuel, and 1-2 Kings) that obedience to Yahweh results in happiness, and disobedience to Yahweh results in defeat and death. Even though there are exceptions to this, at least in terms of the lives of individuals in this world, we should certainly stress with this text that those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ as Lord should choose to obey the commands of God and enjoy life here and now.
Roman Catholic: Sirach 15:15-20
The choices open to the Israelites collectively in the Deuteronomy 30:15-20 text are offered here to each individual. The choices are clearcut: life or death, fire that devours or water that cleanses and soothes. It is possible to keep the commandments of the Lord. It is wise to do so. The Lord has given no one permission to sin.
Because each of us has the choice and the free will to decide, each of us will be condemned if we sin. Perhaps this is a message that we should not fail to take seriously ourselves. Perhaps it is a message that we must proclaim to others. There is no grace, no forgiveness here. Will our behavior and the behavior of those who hear us be improved if we proclaim this message next Sunday? Shall we withhold grace and forgiveness for one Sunday? Is there too much "cheap grace" and easy forgiveness in our proclamation? Not only Roman Catholic Christians, but also Lutheran Catholic Christians and all other Christians should consider this text and these questions together. Lectionary study groups that cross denominational lines are ideal for this.
Common:
Psalm 119:1-8
Lutheran: Psalm 119:1-16
Roman Catholic: Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34
The Torah of God and obedience to the Torah of God are acclaimed dozens of times and in dozens of ways in this great psalm. We should not depreciate the value of these acclamations. Like the Israelite tradition in all of its rich fullness, ours also is one in which we love God's Word, in both its written and oral forms. For us also, there are benefits to be enjoyed already in this life when we live according to the guidelines of Psalm 119.
Common:
Matthew 5:17-26
Lutheran: Matthew 5:20-37
Roman Catholic: Matthew 5:17-37
Most portions of this text are unique to Matthew in the New Testament. The text indicates some of the ways in which the Matthean church claimed its superiority over Jewish groups, especially over groups of Pharisees during the last third of the first century. It demonstrates clearly that the requirements of the Matthean writers were more stringent than were the requirements of most people among the Jewish Pharisees.
It is typical of a new religious group to set stringent ethical requirements for its participants as it defines itself over against its parent religious communities. We see this demonstrated, for example, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and by the Unification Church during the twentieth century. As the new religious group grows in size - and partly in order that it may grow in size - it gradually relaxes its stringent ethical requirements. When we are aware of this, we have a better understanding of Matthew 5.
It is likely that the Jesus of history made stringent ethical demands. Unfortunately, we do not have direct access to the views of the Jesus of history. As the views of the Jesus of history have come to us through the church and through the literature of the church, we can be certain that the Matthean church made stringent ethical demands because we have stringent ethical demands in Matthew 5.
EPIPHANY 7/(Proper 2)/ORDINARY TIME 7
In most of the texts appointed for this day, the People of God are acclaimed. Through use of these texts, it shall be our pleasure to acclaim the People of God with whom we live as we speak in our own situations what is revealed to us in God's Word and in our lives.
Common:
Psalm 62:5-12
The People of God are indeed fortunate to have Yahweh as God for them. Yahweh is like a mighty rock, a fortress against enemies. The People of God are to pour out their heart to God and to trust in God at all times. To the People of God, Yahweh's steadfast love and power are constantly revealed.
Lutheran: Psalm 103:1-13
Roman Catholic: Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 12-13
These verses are perhaps the most extensive poetic expression of the great description of Yahweh incorporated into Exodus 34:6-7 and reiterated in Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Nehemiah 9:31, Jeremiah 32:18, Jonah 4:2, and here in Psalm 103:8. As such, they indicate the way in which Yahweh was perceived in the best of the theology of ancient Israel, they are excellent affirmations of faith, and they acclaim the Israelite People of God. They help us also as Christians to perceive God as God is revealed to us, to affirm our faith, and to acclaim the People of God where we are. They provide a basic text for us for this occasion, in which the oneness of the People of God that transcends the humanly imposed boundaries of ecclesial religion can be experienced.
Common:
Isaiah 49:8-13
The People of God, specifically the remnants of Israel after the exile in Babylonia, are affirmed here as sheep gathered together from many places and guided through many paths from the great powers to the north (Babylonia) and to the west (Egypt) among whom they had been scattered. They are guided by Yahweh, their good Shepherd, whose compassion is so notable that the heavens, the earth, and the mountains of the earth are called upon to sing for joy. It is our most pleasant privilege to extend this great affirmation of the People of God where we are next Sunday, to apply it to the People of God that is the church, without in any way excluding the People of God for whom it was originally intended.
Lutheran, Roman Catholic: Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
In Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18, Yahweh's message for the congregation of the people of Israel, as expressed with the Hebrew imperfect verb form, can best be translated as, "You are going to be holy because I, Yahweh your God, am holy." The people will be holy because of their association with Yahweh their God, who is by nature holy. To use Paul Tillich's notable description of faith and the dynamics of the holy, in which whatever is our Ultimate Concern is holy for us, "You are going to be holy because you, my people, are my Ultimate Concern, and I, Yahweh your God, am going to be holy to you because I, Yahweh your God, am going to be your Ultimate Concern." "You are going to be holy" is a prediction; it is a promise from Yahweh. All of the statements that follow this in the Leviticus 19 Holiness Code can also best be translated as prediction and promise statements of Yahweh, "You are not going to bear a grudge ..." "You are going to settle your differences ..." "You are not going to take revenge ... or continue to hate ..." "You are going to love your neighbor ..." rather than as imperatives ("Be holy ..." "Do not be ..."), or as commands ("You must be ..." "You must not be ...").
Common, Lutheran: 1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Roman Catholic: 1 Corinthians 3:16-23
The positive affirmation is continued in this text. Because Jesus Christ is your foundation, "you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you." "You are God's temple, and God's temple is holy." You are God's temple because you are God's Ultimate Concern. If we are God's Ultimate Concern, certainly God should be our Ultimate Concern!
Common:
Matthew 5:27-37
(Please see the consideration of these verses provided above in the Proper 1 section.)
Lutheran, Roman Catholic: Matthew 5:38-48
Since the Matthew 5:48 text, which becomes the great climax of these four readings in the Lutheran and in the Roman Catholic Lectionaries, is also expressed in an acclamation form (a Greek future indicative rather than a hortatory imperative), it also can best be translated as a prediction and as a promise from Jesus Christ as our Lord. "You are going to be mature, fully developed, initiates into my community of faith, adults, perfected, just as your Father who is in heaven is mature, fully developed, and perfected." This translation, which conforms to the sense of the Greek future indicative much better than does the hortatory, "You must be perfect," to which we have been accustomed, puts the climax of this Gospel reading for the day into a futuristic sense, where grammatically it belongs. Our "being perfected" is a future action - like tomorrow, always future in this age for us. It is of great importance because it is a prediction and a promise made to us and for us by our Lord. Furthermore, the future indicative construction is used with the adjective teleioi, which as a descriptive adjective can be passive ("perfected"), implying God's action on us, just as well as active or stative, something that we can or must do or be.
This translation, which puts the emphasis on prediction and promise, is supported by our growing awareness that the situation of Jesus' ministry and message is fully charged with apocalyptic eschatology. We can recapture this sense of apocalyptic eschatology in the readings and in our message next Sunday.
The other portions of Matthew 5:38-48 are illumined also by this awareness. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ says to us in this text, "Because you are going to be perfected by God, you do not have to hate your enemies, or to refuse to help anyone who asks you anything. You can turn the other cheek and give away your garments because you are in my care."
How beautiful these statements of faith become when seen in this light! How well they correspond to the spirit of the great Beatitudes that begin this section of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3! We lose all of this when we use the RSV translation of Matthew 5:48 ("You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"), or the Good News Bible ("You must be perfect - just as your Father in heaven is perfect").
