Proper 6
Preaching
Preaching Luke's Gospel
A Narrative Approach
The lectionary at this point omits the material in Luke 7:18-35. Luke 7:18-22 is the very important material in which Jesus answers the question about his identity for John the Baptist. We have spoken a number of times about the fact that these verses along with Mary's Magnificat (1:46-55) and Jesus' quotation of the prophet Isaiah (4:18-19) set forth the central pulsating themes of Luke's Gospel.
In 7:23-30 Jesus gives a lesson about the ministry of John the Baptist. In this chapter which identifies Jesus as a prophet, John the Baptist is acclaimed as "greater than a prophet" (7:26-28). Still, the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John!
In 7:31-35 Jesus speaks of the rejection of John the Baptist and himself. Jesus is condemned by many because he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners (v. 34). This leads us naturally to the text appointed for this week which puts Jesus in the company of a woman who is very clearly defined as a sinner. This story of the sinful woman rings with a host of connections to other Lukan material. In the first place, this story resonates with the contention in the flow of Luke 7 that Jesus is a prophet. As far as the hosting Pharisee is concerned Jesus is no prophet (v. 39)! How can Jesus be a prophet when he cannot even recognize a sinner when he sees one? Luke clearly sees Jesus as a prophet (see Chapter 15) who breaks the mold. Jesus is a new kind of prophet who gathers sinners in his embrace.
Secondly, in Chapter 1 we identified this story as one of many Lukan stories that play out one of the themes of Mary's Magnificat. Mary sang that her God "has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly" (Luke 1:52). Other stories that relate to this theme of reversal are identified in Chapter 1. If you have not as yet stitched these stories together you can certainly do so this week.
A third way that this story is connected to other parts of the Lukan story is identified by Robert Tannehill. He sees this story as one of the many quest stories that occur in the Lukan narrative.1 In a "quest story" someone approaches Jesus in quest of something very important to human well-being. In a quest story we always have an ending to the quest. Tannehill cites Luke 5:17-26; 7:2-10 and 7:36-50 as early quest stories. Quest stories also appear in the final chapters of the Travel Narrative: Luke 17:12-19; 18:18-23 and 19:1-10. Tannehill is convinced, furthermore, that the thief on the cross belongs to these quest stories: 23:39-43. "The criminal is the last person who turns to Jesus for help during Jesus' ministry, he is also the one person who understands and accepts the path which Jesus must follow to fulfill God's purpose: through death to enthronement at God's right hand."2 Quest stories show us that Jesus is One who intercedes for those who are oppressed or ex-cluded. As such these quest stories are also part of the reversal theme of Mary's Magnificat. (For further discussion of quest stories see Chapter 37.)
Still another way, a fourth way, that this material connects to the larger Lukan material is with its reference to a meal in the house of the Pharisee. Luke is fond of picturing Jesus in meal-time situations. See also 10:38-42; 11:37-54; 13:22-30; 14:1-24; 15:1-32. Eucharistic type meals are reported in 9:12-22; 22:7-23; 24:28-35. This mealtime emphasis reminds us of another of the strong themes of Mary's Magnificat: "God has filled the hungry with good things ..." (1:53). Scholars have noted that mealtimes are often times of revelation in Jesus' ministry. This is particularly true of the eucharistic meals. Neither the meal in Luke 9:12-27 nor that in 22:7-23 (Lord's Supper) are included in the Lukan lec-tionary year. The meal at Emmaus (24:28-35) is dealt with only partially in the text appointed for Easter Evening. There is a great loss of key Lukan material here! Hopefully you can find occasion during this year to yoke the eucharistic type meals into one sermon. Emphasis would be placed on the revelation of Jesus that occurs through the meals. The church is a eucharistic people. We gather at table on a regular basis. In, with, and under our gathering the Lord is present to reveal himself to us. In such a meal setting Jesus is as close to us as he was to the disciples. The disciples on the road to Emmaus, after all, did not recognize Jesus until the "breaking of the bread." As today's disciples we share in this bread-breaking. Disciples of every age are fed by our Lord and in the feeding we come to ever greater recognition of who Jesus is for our life and ministry.
A fifth narrative connection for this wonderful story is to connect it with the narrative in 5:17-26. This Luke 5 story, which is not appointed for the Lukan year, is also a story of forgiveness of sins. Many commentators have observed that Luke often tells stories in doublets, with one story on a topic about a man and one about a woman. Luke 5:17-26 is the story of forgiveness and healing of a paralyzed man. Luke 7:36-50 is the story of forgiveness of a woman who is a sinner. (Luke 8:1-3 underscores the theme of the presence of women in the company of the One who preaches the good news of the kingdom of God.) A key phrase in both stories is Jesus' proclamation: "Your sins are forgiven." (See 5:20 and 7:48.) We remember as well that "release of sins" was one of the images of ministry Jesus claimed for himself in his reading from the prophet Isaiah in 4:18-19.
In this week's text the woman is clearly defined as a sinner. This accentuates her vulnerability. She is vulnerable as a sinner. She is vulnerable by entering the house of a Pharisee. She is vul-nerable because she does not behave properly in a male world. Simon for one was much offended by her anointing of Jesus.
A vulnerable woman comes to Jesus in her time of need and lavishes him with ointment. Her need is fulfilled. Jesus speaks a word of forgiveness over her life. Jesus clearly understands that this woman has believed his word of forgiveness. Thus he can say to her: "Your faith has saved you; go in peace" (7:50). There are three other Lukan stories which end in a pronouncement concerning saving faith. These stories are the story of the woman with a twelve-year flow of blood in 8:40-48, the story of the cleansing of the Samaritan leper in 17:11-19, and the story of a blind beggar on the road to Jericho in 18:35-43. In each case vulnerable people, people in deepest need, come to Jesus for help. Jesus speaks a word of power over the lives of these people. In the case of the woman with a twelve-year flow of blood, power went out from Jesus for her healing. Four vulnerable people are recipients of Jesus' word or deed of power. They believe in his power and they are healed. Their faith saved them. Faith is clearly portrayed here as trust in Jesus in the midst of extreme vulnerability. There is, therefore, a wonderful sermon on the substance of faith in these four stories.
A final comment on the forgiveness of the sinful woman. The loving power of Jesus' word and the loving deeds of the sinful woman stand in very tight relationship in verses 47-50. These verses dare not be read in such a way that the woman's loving deeds became the ground of her forgiveness. No! It's always the other way around. Jesus' word of forgiveness becomes the ground of this woman's loving deeds. Loved people love people. Forgiven people forgive people. That's what Jesus' story to Simon is all about. There is a kind of organic relationship between Jesus' love for us and our love for Jesus. We love because we are loved. We return to Jesus' love as often as possible in order that our love might be renewed.
Homiletical Directions
Each of the five narrative connections we have examined is open to story-stitching possibilities. Which of the five you choose to develop will depend upon the particular needs of your own congregation at this juncture of their life.
The first theme we touched upon suggested that this story fits into the larger context of the "Christological Drama" of Luke 7 which underlines Jesus' identity as a prophet. "Who is this man?" (7:49).
The second story-stitching possibility is to take up the theme of the stories that have their genesis in the reversal theme of Mary's Magnificat. At some point in the church year this group of stories ought to be told together. God can reverse our fortunes as well!
The "quest stories" offer a marvelous opportunity to tell stories of the One whose ministry includes the oppressed and the excluded. It would be important to include the thief on the cross in this battery of stories.
If it is time in your congregation to talk a bit about the nature of the eucharist in Christian life, the meal stories can be stitched together. The meal story before us is certainly a time of teaching and revelation. That is also true of the more "eucharistic-type" meal in 9:12-27. The eucharistic overtones in this story occur in 9:16 with language reminiscent of the Last Supper. In the context of this meal Jesus asks his disciples about his identity and reveals to them that he is to be a suffering Messiah. The revelatory char-acter of the Last Supper (22:7-23) and the supper at Emmaus (24:28-35) is clearly evident.
Themes of forgiveness and faith also dominate this week's text. In Luke's telling of the Jesus story, it is only in this story and in 5:17-26 that Jesus announces the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness of sins is such a central reality of the Christian message that this theme has much to commend it. The goal of telling these two stories would be to enable our people to hear Jesus' word addressed to them: "Your sins are forgiven!"
____________
1.aRobert C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, Volume One (Phila-delphia: Fortress Press, 1986), pp. 111-127.
2.aIbid., pp. 126-127.
In 7:23-30 Jesus gives a lesson about the ministry of John the Baptist. In this chapter which identifies Jesus as a prophet, John the Baptist is acclaimed as "greater than a prophet" (7:26-28). Still, the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John!
In 7:31-35 Jesus speaks of the rejection of John the Baptist and himself. Jesus is condemned by many because he is a friend of tax collectors and sinners (v. 34). This leads us naturally to the text appointed for this week which puts Jesus in the company of a woman who is very clearly defined as a sinner. This story of the sinful woman rings with a host of connections to other Lukan material. In the first place, this story resonates with the contention in the flow of Luke 7 that Jesus is a prophet. As far as the hosting Pharisee is concerned Jesus is no prophet (v. 39)! How can Jesus be a prophet when he cannot even recognize a sinner when he sees one? Luke clearly sees Jesus as a prophet (see Chapter 15) who breaks the mold. Jesus is a new kind of prophet who gathers sinners in his embrace.
Secondly, in Chapter 1 we identified this story as one of many Lukan stories that play out one of the themes of Mary's Magnificat. Mary sang that her God "has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly" (Luke 1:52). Other stories that relate to this theme of reversal are identified in Chapter 1. If you have not as yet stitched these stories together you can certainly do so this week.
A third way that this story is connected to other parts of the Lukan story is identified by Robert Tannehill. He sees this story as one of the many quest stories that occur in the Lukan narrative.1 In a "quest story" someone approaches Jesus in quest of something very important to human well-being. In a quest story we always have an ending to the quest. Tannehill cites Luke 5:17-26; 7:2-10 and 7:36-50 as early quest stories. Quest stories also appear in the final chapters of the Travel Narrative: Luke 17:12-19; 18:18-23 and 19:1-10. Tannehill is convinced, furthermore, that the thief on the cross belongs to these quest stories: 23:39-43. "The criminal is the last person who turns to Jesus for help during Jesus' ministry, he is also the one person who understands and accepts the path which Jesus must follow to fulfill God's purpose: through death to enthronement at God's right hand."2 Quest stories show us that Jesus is One who intercedes for those who are oppressed or ex-cluded. As such these quest stories are also part of the reversal theme of Mary's Magnificat. (For further discussion of quest stories see Chapter 37.)
Still another way, a fourth way, that this material connects to the larger Lukan material is with its reference to a meal in the house of the Pharisee. Luke is fond of picturing Jesus in meal-time situations. See also 10:38-42; 11:37-54; 13:22-30; 14:1-24; 15:1-32. Eucharistic type meals are reported in 9:12-22; 22:7-23; 24:28-35. This mealtime emphasis reminds us of another of the strong themes of Mary's Magnificat: "God has filled the hungry with good things ..." (1:53). Scholars have noted that mealtimes are often times of revelation in Jesus' ministry. This is particularly true of the eucharistic meals. Neither the meal in Luke 9:12-27 nor that in 22:7-23 (Lord's Supper) are included in the Lukan lec-tionary year. The meal at Emmaus (24:28-35) is dealt with only partially in the text appointed for Easter Evening. There is a great loss of key Lukan material here! Hopefully you can find occasion during this year to yoke the eucharistic type meals into one sermon. Emphasis would be placed on the revelation of Jesus that occurs through the meals. The church is a eucharistic people. We gather at table on a regular basis. In, with, and under our gathering the Lord is present to reveal himself to us. In such a meal setting Jesus is as close to us as he was to the disciples. The disciples on the road to Emmaus, after all, did not recognize Jesus until the "breaking of the bread." As today's disciples we share in this bread-breaking. Disciples of every age are fed by our Lord and in the feeding we come to ever greater recognition of who Jesus is for our life and ministry.
A fifth narrative connection for this wonderful story is to connect it with the narrative in 5:17-26. This Luke 5 story, which is not appointed for the Lukan year, is also a story of forgiveness of sins. Many commentators have observed that Luke often tells stories in doublets, with one story on a topic about a man and one about a woman. Luke 5:17-26 is the story of forgiveness and healing of a paralyzed man. Luke 7:36-50 is the story of forgiveness of a woman who is a sinner. (Luke 8:1-3 underscores the theme of the presence of women in the company of the One who preaches the good news of the kingdom of God.) A key phrase in both stories is Jesus' proclamation: "Your sins are forgiven." (See 5:20 and 7:48.) We remember as well that "release of sins" was one of the images of ministry Jesus claimed for himself in his reading from the prophet Isaiah in 4:18-19.
In this week's text the woman is clearly defined as a sinner. This accentuates her vulnerability. She is vulnerable as a sinner. She is vulnerable by entering the house of a Pharisee. She is vul-nerable because she does not behave properly in a male world. Simon for one was much offended by her anointing of Jesus.
A vulnerable woman comes to Jesus in her time of need and lavishes him with ointment. Her need is fulfilled. Jesus speaks a word of forgiveness over her life. Jesus clearly understands that this woman has believed his word of forgiveness. Thus he can say to her: "Your faith has saved you; go in peace" (7:50). There are three other Lukan stories which end in a pronouncement concerning saving faith. These stories are the story of the woman with a twelve-year flow of blood in 8:40-48, the story of the cleansing of the Samaritan leper in 17:11-19, and the story of a blind beggar on the road to Jericho in 18:35-43. In each case vulnerable people, people in deepest need, come to Jesus for help. Jesus speaks a word of power over the lives of these people. In the case of the woman with a twelve-year flow of blood, power went out from Jesus for her healing. Four vulnerable people are recipients of Jesus' word or deed of power. They believe in his power and they are healed. Their faith saved them. Faith is clearly portrayed here as trust in Jesus in the midst of extreme vulnerability. There is, therefore, a wonderful sermon on the substance of faith in these four stories.
A final comment on the forgiveness of the sinful woman. The loving power of Jesus' word and the loving deeds of the sinful woman stand in very tight relationship in verses 47-50. These verses dare not be read in such a way that the woman's loving deeds became the ground of her forgiveness. No! It's always the other way around. Jesus' word of forgiveness becomes the ground of this woman's loving deeds. Loved people love people. Forgiven people forgive people. That's what Jesus' story to Simon is all about. There is a kind of organic relationship between Jesus' love for us and our love for Jesus. We love because we are loved. We return to Jesus' love as often as possible in order that our love might be renewed.
Homiletical Directions
Each of the five narrative connections we have examined is open to story-stitching possibilities. Which of the five you choose to develop will depend upon the particular needs of your own congregation at this juncture of their life.
The first theme we touched upon suggested that this story fits into the larger context of the "Christological Drama" of Luke 7 which underlines Jesus' identity as a prophet. "Who is this man?" (7:49).
The second story-stitching possibility is to take up the theme of the stories that have their genesis in the reversal theme of Mary's Magnificat. At some point in the church year this group of stories ought to be told together. God can reverse our fortunes as well!
The "quest stories" offer a marvelous opportunity to tell stories of the One whose ministry includes the oppressed and the excluded. It would be important to include the thief on the cross in this battery of stories.
If it is time in your congregation to talk a bit about the nature of the eucharist in Christian life, the meal stories can be stitched together. The meal story before us is certainly a time of teaching and revelation. That is also true of the more "eucharistic-type" meal in 9:12-27. The eucharistic overtones in this story occur in 9:16 with language reminiscent of the Last Supper. In the context of this meal Jesus asks his disciples about his identity and reveals to them that he is to be a suffering Messiah. The revelatory char-acter of the Last Supper (22:7-23) and the supper at Emmaus (24:28-35) is clearly evident.
Themes of forgiveness and faith also dominate this week's text. In Luke's telling of the Jesus story, it is only in this story and in 5:17-26 that Jesus announces the forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness of sins is such a central reality of the Christian message that this theme has much to commend it. The goal of telling these two stories would be to enable our people to hear Jesus' word addressed to them: "Your sins are forgiven!"
____________
1.aRobert C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, Volume One (Phila-delphia: Fortress Press, 1986), pp. 111-127.
2.aIbid., pp. 126-127.
