+ ADVENT + T W O + Year A

Lexegete™ | Year A | St. Matthew

Second Sunday of Advent

December 5, 2010
Isaiah 11:1-10
Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 (7)
Romans 15:4-13
Matthew 3:1-12

Prayer of the Day

Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming nurture our growth as people of repentance and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia. Prepare the way | of the Lord.
All flesh shall see the salva- | tion of God. Alleluia. (Luke 3:4, 6)

1a. CONTEXT: Matthew 3:1-12

The formidable figure of John the Baptist appears in all four of the Gospels,but as is characteristic of Matthew, this account carries the Gospeler's own unique stamp. Source material taken from Mark (Mt. 3:1-6) and material shared with Luke (3:7-12) have been freely

adapted to communicate clearly Matthew's understanding of who John

was, why he had come, and the significance of his ministry for the

Jewish-Christian community for whom Matthew wrote. A widely known figure, John probably commanded initially a far greater following than Jesus himself, a fact with which the early had to struggle. Though the problem of the relationship between John and Jesus is treated most extensively in the Fourth Gospel, nowhere in the

Synoptics is there more concern for presenting the Baptist (or

Baptizer, Mk. 1:4) in his proper place within God's plan of salvation

than in the Gospel of Matthew (K. Stendahl, Peake's Commentary, p.

772).

Standing in the ancient tradition of the prophets--indeed by dress, habits and message being understood by some as Elijah himself—John appeared as the immediate forerunner of God's Anointed One. As Plummer perceptively pointed out decades ago, of the two trumpet notes John sounded, it was the second which revealed his particular role as herald of the Messiah (An Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Matthew, p. 22). Like the prophets before him, John preached the coming wrath of God and a call to repentance. Yet it was John alone who was commissioned to issue that summons because " the realm of heaven is at hand" (3:2,AILL).These words also sound the basic theme of Jesus' ministry (see Mt. 4:17, 10:7; Mk. 1:15) and yet take on new meaning in light of the Cross.

As one who came to fulfill the prophecy of a voice crying in

preparation of God's coming, John makes clear that no one is exempt

from the need to repent and to prepare themselves to make straight

the paths of God. Clearly Jewish lineage was not enough to guarantee

entrance into the kingdom (Mt. 3:9). Only those who bore the fruits

of repentance would be spared from God's righteous axe and the fire

of judgment (Mt. 3:10,7:19,12:33;Is. 10:34). "Repent"--not a

half-way declaration of our sins and vague feeling of contrition but

a radical turning, returning to God, beginning again in a new

relationship with God. This word drives home the total demand of

repentance in both the Old Testament and the New. The Hebrew root

for "repent" (sub) is closely connected to the notion of God's

covenant with Israel and implies a returning to that relationship

Yahweh has established between God and God's people, despite the

faithless breaking of that covenant again and again. That sense of

radical conversion which puts us back in right relationship with our

God is clearly what lies at the heart of the Baptist's message,

reminding us not only that God has continually searched us out, but

also foreshadowing the reality of a new and unending covenant made

with us through Jesus Christ.

Matthew portrays John as lashing out at the Jewish leadership (the

Pharisees and Sadducees) as faithless and sinful: "You brood of

vipers! Who warned you of the wrath to come?," invective which Luke

addresses to the multitudes (Lk. 3:7). For Matthew, the Jewish

authorities are seen as those who have willfully forsaken the true

Law of God, and are responsible for the people rejecting the Messiah.

(Compare Matthew's use of this harsh phrase in the words of Jesus in

12:34 and 23:33.) John comes to announce the time of judgment and

preaches a baptism of repentance and preparation using water as the

outward and visible sign of preparing ourselves to become highways of

God. Unlike Mark and Luke, Matthew reserves baptism "for the

forgiveness of sins" (Mk. l:4, Lk. 3:3) for Jesus alone. He may do

this to more clearly delineate the relationship between John and the

Messiah. As Stendahl has described it,John's batpism of preparation

and repentance gives way in Christ to a baptism not as preparation

for the Spirit but as one which gives the Spirit (Peake's Commentary,

p. 773). Suddenly baptism itself is transformed through Christ,

promising us both that which is life-threatening and life-giving, the

righteous judgment and the merciful love of our God. The humble and

despised servant depicted by Matthew, the Messiah, is understand as

the One who came to fulfill the Law and to go beyond it. John

pointed the way by proclaiming a baptism of repentance while

prophecying a baptism of judgment and redemption. The fire of

destruction John warned about becomes the fire that refines and

transforms and leads us to new life through Christ (Mal. 3:2a-3).

But as Matthew continues to reiterate, we must remember that it is

fire nonetheless (Mt. 13:30,40,49-50).

1b. TEXT: Matthew 3:1-12

The Proclamation of John the Baptist [NRSV]

3In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,

²‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’^{* 3}This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,
‘The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” ’

⁴Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, ⁶and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰Even now the axe is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 ‘I baptize you with^* water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with^* the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹²His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

The New Revised Standard Version © 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

GREEK TEXT:

¹Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ²[καὶ] λέγων, Μετανοεῖτε, ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. ³οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ. ⁴Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἶχεν τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, ἡ δὲ τροφὴ ἦν αὐτοῦ ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. ⁵τότε ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ πᾶσα ἡ Ἰουδαία καὶ πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ⁶καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν. ⁷Ἰδὼν δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς; ⁸ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας: ⁹καὶ μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ, λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι δύναται ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ. ¹⁰ἤδη δὲ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται: πᾶν οὖν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται. ¹¹ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν: ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστιν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι: αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί: ¹²οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ, καὶ συνάξει τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition © 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart;

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition © 1975, United Bible Societies, London

2. ANALYSIS: Matthew 3:1-12

Mt. 3:2 (see also Mt. 4:17) - metanoiete, eingiken gar hei basileia

ton ouranon - The Greek more literally means "the kingdom of the

heavens has drawn near" or "has come near." Marcan and Lucan

parallels employ "the kingdom of God"to point to the same reality.

Matthew paints a more eschatological picture (the final reign of God

yet to come in which all history is gathered up and brought to

perfection) while the teachings of Jesus in each of the Synoptics

also indicate the beginning of the new age here and now (Lk. 11:20,

17:21; Mt. 12:28; Mk. 4:11,26-29).

Mt. 3:9-10 - poiesate oun karpon axion teis metanoias - ("Bear fruit

that befits repentance": AILL) - The Greek for "bear" also means "do"

and is elsewhere translated as "produce" as well. For Matthew

"fruit" clearly equals "deeds," i.e. confession and repentance must

lead to something mroe than contrition, i.e. to works which embody

that radical re-turning to God.

Mt. 3:12 - kai diakathariei tein halona autou - ("the Sovereign will

clear the threshing floor":AILL) - The Greek literally means to

"thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor." In the mouth of John these

words point to the end time when the fiery wrath of God will consume

all those who have not born the fruit of repentance. If we consider

the image of cleansing itself, we also find important connections to

the reality of Jesus' ministry in the present: as he teaches the

multitudes about God's sovereign reign, Jesus has compassion on the

crowds and stands in their midst as one who heals, cleanses, casts

out demons and raises from the dead. These are the marks of the

Messiah's presence (Mt. 11:2-6, Advent III). Judgment, compassion,

and the forgiveness of sins are all woven together, fulfilling yet

going beyond John's prophecy of the One who was to come. No wonder even the Baptist had second thoughts: "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?" As Frederick Buechner succinctly put it, "Where John baptized, Jesus healed" (Peculiar Treasures, p. 70).

3. STRATEGY: Matthew 3:1-12

If we respond to Advent as a season of repentance, new possibility

and hope, indeed as an invitation to participate with God in

"creating all things new," then we recognize that serious personal

preparation and intentional outward action must be woven together to make ourselves the very pathways of God. It is a thrilling if

terrifying thing to join with Joseph and Mary in becoming bearers of

the Christ. What does this really mean for us, individually and

corporately? What does it mean to truly live in expectation, in

hope? As suggested above,we must begin by recognizing who we are and whose we are. Quite solitude and the kind of prayer which comes only out of the silence of our hearts is a good place to begin. We can

help our congregations continue on this journey even as the rush

towards Christmas accelerates. Advent is a time to discover God's

time, to create space in our lives for reflection and medition on the

One who has come and who is continually breaking into our everyday

lives now. Being ready, being prepared, yet living in open

expectation that we will be surprised and gifted beyond our most

cherished dreams--the preacher can help the congregation take

serously the Gospel's call to repentance while helping them see the

new life which awaits and the new life which we also give birth to

when we re-turn to our God. Rather than ignore or whitewash the notes of judgment sounded in this passage, it is part of our task to link

judgment, repentance and new obedience as the foundation of the love

and life we wait and hope for. In keeping with John's cry, key words

might be recognition and vision.

In an old Advent essay entitled "Recapturing Lost Visions," John

Westerhoff defines repentance as a change in our perception, the

recognition that the reign of God is at hand, that life in the world

to come has indeed begun (A Pilgrim People, p. 46). Advent, he says,

"is a season of paradoxes: longing anticipation and patient watching;

transforming the way we envision life and yet living prepared; living

out a wait for what never seems to come and continuing in hopeful

trust; desiring to give up control and opening ourselves to new

possibilities for life" (A Pilgrim People, p. 43). Just what IS the

kingdom of heaven all about? Who shall inherit it, and how? What

ARE the fruits of true repentance? The Gospels give us some rather

specific answers. How do we recognize our individual and corporate

fiathlessness, forsaking justice in the name of self-interest and

greed? How do we recognize the Christ within and around us, how do

we create enough room inside to be pregnant with new life,new grace,

new hope? How do we give birth to that Presence and receive it anew

through the lives of those around us, friend or stranger, rich or

poor, sinner or saint? In the midst of a tired, chaotic, sinful and

self-destructive world, Advent offers us the opportunity to see and

to help create a different reality, one which helps us to glimpse if

just for a moment the reign of God which is at hand. Repent--bear

fruit--enter new life in Christ!

4. REFERENCES: Matthew 3:1-12

Blickenstaff, Marianne. “The Bloody Bridegroom: Violence in the Matthean Family .“

(2001: http://www.class.uidaho.edu/jcanders/Matthew/marianne_blickenstaff.htm)

Bill, Alan. Gospel Origins (pdf). 2008: www.gospelorigins.com/GospelOrigins.pdf

Buechner, Frederick. Peculiar Treasures. San Francisco: Harper &

Row, 1979.

Plummer, A. An Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St.

Matthew. London: Charles Scribner and Sons, 1910.

Stendahl, Krister. "Matthew," pp. 769-98 in Peake's Commentary on

the Bible,ed.M.Black & H.H. Rowley. Edinburgh: Thomas Nelson and Sons,Ltd.,1962.

Stendahl, Krister. The School of St. Matthew and its use of the Old Testament. Uppsala: C. W. K. Gleerup, Lund, 1954; 2nd ed. 1968.

Stendahl, Krister. "Quis et Unde? An Analysis of Matthew 1-2," in The Interpretation of Matthew (ed. Graham N. Stanton; Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1995): 69-80.

Westerhoff, John. A Pilgrim People. Minneapolis: The Seabury Press,

1984.

5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: Matthew 3:1-12

The 2nd Sunday of Advent offers a rare opportunity to lift up the striking figure of John the Baptist not only in Scripture and sermon but in song as well. PREPARE THE WAY, O ZION (HB 65,LBW 26 alt.) and ON JORDAN'S BANKS THE BAPTIST'S CRY (HB 76,LBW 36) are good choices.

Other Hymns which also convey significant Advent images relating to

the Gospel texts include: HARK! A THRILLING VOICE IS SOUNDING (HB 59, LBW 37); COMFORT, COMFORT YE MY PEOPLE (HB 67, LBW 29); HERALD, SOUND THE NOTE OF JUDGMENT (HB 70); "THY KINGDOM COME" ON BENDED KNEE (HB 615); JUDGE ETERNAL, THRONED IN SPLENDOR (HB 596,LBW 418).

If the preacher wants to draw a conscious connection between the

Advent Gospel and the need for repentance, an unusual and

thought-provoking hymn choice would be WHERE RESTLESS CROWDS ARE THRONGING (LBW 430). This is a hard-hitting lyric to the old Welsh tune LLANGLOFFAN. It underscores the need for Christ's presence in a world where many do not have the eyes to see that presence.

ELW HYMNS:

Gathering: Of the Father’s Love Begotten – 295 (LBW 42)

Kyrie: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel – 257, st. 2

Praise: Angels We Have Heard on High | ELW 289, stanza 1

Wreathlighting: Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah - 240

Hymn of the Day: Canticle of the Turning – 723 [alt., ELW 241]

Offertory: In the Bleak Midwinter – 294 (vs. 3)

Communion: Unexpected & Mysterious – 258 [alt. 265 or 264]

Sending: Fling Wide the Door – 259 [alt. ELW 631, LBW 315]

Exegete: Rev. Katheryn Keene, a graduate of Yale Divinity School was ordained by the Episcopal Church in America, and has also served in Lutheran and Congregational Churches. She is presently Interim Minister at the First Congregational Church in Worcester, MA.

Email: firstuccworc@aol.com

______________________________________

Lexegete™

© 2010 Tischrede Software

Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747

http://yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

______________________________________

+ A D V E N T + O N E + 2010

Lexegete™ | Year A | St. Matthew
___________________________________________

First Sunday of Advent

November 28, 2010

Isaiah 2:1-5
Psalm 122 (1)
Romans 13:11-14
Matthew 24:36-44

Prayer of the Day

Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection save us from the threatening dangers of our sins, and enlighten our walk in the way of your salvation, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia. Show us your steadfast | love, O LORD,
and grant us | your salvation. Alleluia. (Ps. 85:7)

Color: Blue


1a. CONTEXT: Matthew 24:36-44

The first Gospel reading of the Church's new year begins with a
warning and with a large element of surprise. Matthew and Luke share some of the same source material for this passage, though each has freely adapted the tradition in the context of each Gospel (Lk.
17:26-7,30,34-5,39-40). The main thrust of the passage is also found
in Mark 13:33 and 35. Descriptions of what it will be like at the


end of time when the Messiah returns are brief and to the point (Mt.
24:37-41) and serve as the foundation for the parables on the coming
reign of God which follow (Mt. 25:1-46). The eschatological bent of
Old Testament prophecy interwoven as it was with the Messianic
promise is echoed here but with a twist: there will be no signs or
further warnings of what is to be. No one, not even the angels or
the Christ know when the time will be (contrast Mt. 24:15-34),
"Watch, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Sovereign
is coming" (24:42).


As often noted, the Noah story serves not to point up God's
judgment in light of human sin and wickedness; rather, transgression
is found in the thoughtless pursuit of everday life and work. Sin
lies in human unconcern and indifference to God's presence and
commands--we go about the occupations of our lives figuring the Lord
has already come (we are saved, right?) or convinced that the day of
judgment is so far away that it doesn't matter. Woe to those who are
oblivious, for like a thief in the night that day will come, and we
are called to be ready.



The theme of watchfulness appears in this Gospel first in 24:42
and is sounded again in 24:53 and 25:13. It is clear that watching
doesn't mean sitting back and waiting for something to happen; rather
to watch is to be actively involved, to be expectant, looking forward
to what is to come and being prepared and ready for it (24:45-6).
Expectation is an active, not a passive state. In that respect, the
Second Coming of Christ is something like childbirth; we know what
will happen but don't know all the details or just when it will take
place. The issue of time loomed large for the early church. Having
preached the imminence of Messiah's return, the church then had to
reckon with history as it continued to unfold and it became apparent
that Christ's return had been delayed. Today we continue to struggle
with interpreting the scriptures in light of two thousand years of
history. The pendulum has swung among theologians from totally
emphasizing the futuristic nature of the Parousia (Schweitzer) to
interpreting Jesus' words and actions as indicating that he
understood the kingdom had already arrived or, at least had begun
with his ministry (Otto, Dodd, Cullman and Kummel, The Oxford
Dictionary of the Christian Church, p. 470).In considering this text
it is necessary to keep three things in mind: the time in which
Matthew was writing, and the issues facing the early church; the time
in which we hear this Scripture read and its timeliness for us here
and now; and God's time, which we can't fully comprehend but to which we can open ourselves to be touched and in which we can participate.

1b. TEXT: Matthew 24:36-44


NRSV

‘But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

GREEK

36Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης καὶ ὥρας οὐδεὶς οἶδεν, οὐδὲ οἱ ἄγγελοι τῶν οὐρανῶν οὐδὲ ὁ υἱός, εἰ μὴ ὁ πατὴρ μόνος. 37ὥσπερ γὰρ αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ Νῶε, οὕτως ἔσται ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. 38ὡς γὰρ ἦσαν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις [ἐκείναις] ταῖς πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ τρώγοντες καὶ πίνοντες, γαμοῦντες καὶ γαμίζοντες, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν, 39καὶ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν ἕως ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς καὶ ἦρεν ἅπαντας, οὕτως ἔσται [καὶ] ἡ παρουσία τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. 40τότε δύο ἔσονται ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, εἷς παραλαμβάνεται καὶ εἷς ἀφίεται: 41δύο ἀλήθουσαι ἐν τῷ μύλῳ, μία παραλαμβάνεται καὶ μία ἀφίεται. 42γρηγορεῖτε οὖν, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδατε ποίᾳ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ κύριος ὑμῶν ἔρχεται. 43ἐκεῖνο δὲ γινώσκετε ὅτι εἰ ᾔδει ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης ποίᾳ φυλακῇ ὁ κλέπτης ἔρχεται, ἐγρηγόρησεν ἂν καὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴασεν διορυχθῆναι τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ. 44διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑμεῖς γίνεσθε ἕτοιμοι, ὅτι ἧ οὐ δοκεῖτε ὥρᾳ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται.

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition © 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart;

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition © 1975, United Bible Societies, London



2. ANALYSIS: Matthew 24:36-44

Mt. 24:37,39 - The parousia, often translated as the "coming" of the
"Son of Man" (AILL: "Human One") literally means "presence" or
"arrival" and is interestingly found only in Matthew. There is an
immediacy or closeness inferred from "presence" which may need to be lifted up even as we envision what is yet to come--Christ's return to complete God's plan of salvation and to "create all things new."



Mt. 24:37,39,44 - Scholars agree that few phrases in the New
Testament are more problematic and engender more disagreement than the title "the Son of Man." It remains very unclear just what this
title originally meant, how Jesus used it in reference to himself,
and for what purpose. He does clearly link the title with the image
of the Suffering Servant. There is not room here for an extended
analysis of various interpretations. The title becomes particularly
problematic as the Church becomes keenly aware of the need for more inclusive language in reference to God and God's people in order to more faithfully communicate the message of the Gospels. It may be
useful to remind the congregation that the critical factor in
understanding who the Coming One is has nothing to do with gender
(i.e., "Son" or "Man") but with Jesus' obedience in becoming fully
one of us, fully human. The One who has borne completely both our
sins and our suffering is the Messiah we both joyfully anticipate and
before whom we tremble.



Mt. 24:44 - dia touto kai humeis ginesthe etoimoi, hoti ei ou
dokeite hora ho uious tou anthropou erchetai.-- The KJV is slightly
more faithful to the Greek in this verse: "Therefore be ye also
ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh."

At first glance these words are the same as RSV; however, there may
be a small but significant difference for us today. Are we to be
ready because we've grown lax in our watchfulness and may miss the
hour our God appears (a concern for early Christians) or are we
perhaps addressed as those who may no longer believe the Christ will
really come again anyway? Matthew clearly intended the former
meaning, and we may stretch "an hour as ye think not" too far, but
can we ignore the fact that for some Christians now the second issue
is really the reason for not keeping watch?



3. STRATEGY: Matthew 24:36-44



The opportunity and challenge of Advent preaching lies in weaving the
season together as a whole fabric, intentionally focusing on a few of
the many rich themes which present themselves, and enabling the
congregation to experience and live into those themes in new and
deeper ways. In the swirl and glitter of the pre-Christmas season
the Church has a special opportunity through worship, preaching and
prayer to reveal another path in preparation for the festival of the
Incarnation. Liturgy can be simplified, keeping both the environment
and tone of the worship sparse, sober, yet quietly expectant and
hope-filled. Minor changes in the service format can have a
tremendous effect in creating a climate of watchful preparation for
Christ's coming. For example, festal hymns such as the Gloria are
normally dropped until Christmas, replaced by the Kyrie Eleison.
Vestments, other decorations and music can also be simplified. Some
parishes omit altar flowers and the use of bells during Advent,
making the impact of our Christmas celebration that much more
dramatic. The intentional use of silence and reflective prayer not
only offers the congregation an opportunity to rest in God in
contrast to the frantic rush of the commercial season, but also
begins a listening process by which we can encourage the personal
disciplines of solitude, silence and prayer during the week.



The real meaning of Advent can also be appropriated by creating
new traditions or adapting existing ones to give shape and voice to
the themes of the season. In addition to lighting the Advent wreath,
some families also offer at the table a separate food item to be
donated to the local food bank. The family member who picks the item for that meal can also remind those gathered of the world community, offering a prayer for a specific concern (such as peace, justice, the hungry, the sick, the unemployed, the homeless, for the right use of Creation). Some households set an extra place which is empty but which symbolizes their readiness to receive a stranger in need, thus welcoming their God. Let creativity go in gift giving! Some give the gift of time spent in community service volunteered on behalf of a friend. One of the most meaningful Christmas gifts I ever received came in the form of a note from my brother-in-law saying he had become a blood donor for the first time in my name.



Advent can be "an invitation to holiness," in Jim Fenhagen's
phrase, a time to perceive the reality of the world "if only
momentarily, through the eyes of Christ" (An Invitation to Holiness,
p. 10).New vision and responses to what God has done and will
do--these are the imperatives and the promises of Advent. We are
invited not only to watch but, as Fenhagen goes on to write, to
participate in the Kingdom itself, "the vision of what God created
the world to be" (pp. 20-21). Is the Gospel message for this first
Sunday in Advent simply a threat, or an invitation? Do we live in
fear, preparing for God's wrath, or in hope and expectation, sure of
judgment that heals and redeems? Do we look forward to the End or to the Great Surprise? Advent invites us to look for God's coming, as
One made flesh long ago, as One who will come to judge and renew,as
the One whose love is present in the faces and voices of those around
us and in the Creation signs of that presence ("parousia")
everywhere. If we dare to open ourselves to this holy season, the
Advent of Christ will bring with it "new vision and new strength to
use our lives in a different way" (An Invitation to Holiness, p. 50).

It is a sober, reflective, confessional season--it is also a time for
discovering anew who we are and whose we are--thus discovering the
true hope and joy of Advent.



4. REFERENCES & SUGGESTED READINGS - Year A / Matthew


Albright, W.F., and Mann, C.d., Matthew, Anchor Bible 26. NY: Doubleday: 1971.

Allen, W.C., A Critical and Exegetical Commentary onthe Gospel According
to St. Matthew, ICC, Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1912.

Argyle, A.W. The Gospel According to St. Matthew. CBC. Cambridge: C.Univ. Press, 1973.

Beare, F.W. The Gospel According to St. Matthew. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1981.

Benoit, P. L'Evangile selon S. Matthieu. Paris: Cerf, 1950.

Bonnard, P. L'Evangile selon S. Matthieu. Neuchatel: Delachaux et Niestle, 1970.

Cross, F.L. and E.A. Livingston,eds. The Oxford Dictionary of the
Christian Church. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1974.


Fenhagen, James C. Invitation to Holiness. San Francisco: Harper and
Row, 1985.

Fenton, J.C. The Gospel of St. Matthew. London: Penguin, 1963.


Green, H.B. The Gospel According to St. Matthew. New Clarendon Bible.
Oxford: Ox. Univ. Press, 1975.


Grundmann, W. Das Evangelium nach Matthaeus. Theologischer
Handkommentar I. Berlin: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 1972.


Gundry, R.H. Matthew: A Commentary on his Literary and Theological Art.
Grand Rapids, MI: Eeerdmans, 1982.


Hill, D. The Gospel of Matthew. New Century Bible. London: Oliphants, 1972.


Kingsbury, Jack Dean. Matthew as Story. 2d. ed. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1988.


Klostermann, E. Das Matthaeusevangelium. Handbuch zum N.T. Tuebingen:
Mohr, 1938.


Lagrange, M.-J. Evangile selon Saint Matthieu. Pars: Gabalda, 1927.

Lohmeyer, E. Das Evangelium des Matthaeus, ed. W. Schmauch. Goettingen:
Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1956.


McNeile, A.H. The Gospel According to St. Matthew. London: MacMillan, 1915.


Schlatter, A. Der Evangelist Matthaeus. 6th ed. Stuttgart: Calwer, 1963.


Schmid, J. Das Evnagelisum mach Matthaeus. Regensburg: Pustet, 1965.

Schniewind, J. Das Evangelium nach Matthaeus. NTD. Goettingen:
Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1956.

Schweizer, E. Das Evangelium nach Matthaeus. NTD. Goettingen:
Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, 1973, transl. at The Good News According to
St. Matthew. Atlanta: John Knox, 1975.

Stendahl, Krister. "Matthew", in Peake's Commentary on the Bible,
ed.M. Black and H.H. Rowley. London: Thos.Nelson Sons,Ltd.,1962

Stendahl, Krister. The School of St. Matthew and its Use of the Old
Testament. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1968.


Wellhausen, J. Das Evangelium Matthaei. 2d ed. Berlin, 1914.



5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS *

ELW Hymns:

Gathering: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel - 257

Wreathlighhting: Light One Candle to Watch for Messiah - 240

Hymn of the Day: Wake, awake, for night is flying - 436

Offertory: In the Bleak Midwinter – 294 (vs. 3)

Communion: My Lord, What a Morning - 438

Sending: Soon and very soon - 439


n.b. O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL is a powerful Advent hymn which may be used as a processional to begin the season, then used again with different verses as a recessional on Advent III (HB 56, LBW 34).COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS is another traditional selection (HB 66, LBW 30).

Other hymns with fitting texts include BLEST BE THE KING WHOSE COMING IS IN THE NAME OF GOD (HB 74); LIFT UP YOUR HEADS, YE MIGHTY GATES (HB 436,LBW 32); LOVE, DIVINE ALL LOVES EXCELLING (HB 657,LBW 315); NOW THE SILENCE (LBW 205), if the emphasis of the service is upon quite reflection; BE THOU MY VISION (HB 488), if the sermon pursues the "vision" theme. Finally, if the emphasis will be placed on "last things" or "maranatha" in a paradoxical way, THE KING SHALL COME WHEN MORNING DAWNS (HB 73, LBW 33) is an interesting alternative.

Exegete: Rev. Katheryn Keene-Babcock, a graduate of Yale Divinity School was ordained by the Episcopal Church in America, and has also served in Lutheran and Congregational Churches. She is presently Interim Minister at the First Congregational Church in Worcester, MA. Email: firstuccworc@aol.com




____________________________________________________________

* - HB hereafter refers to The Hymnbook 1982,copyright
1985, The Church Pension Fund; and published by The Church Hymnal Corporation, 800 2nd Avenue, New York,NY 10017.

LBW hereafter refers to the Lutheran Book of Worship, copyright 1978, Lutheran Church in America, The American Lutheran Church, The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada, and The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod; and published by the Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, MN and the Board of Publication, Lutheran
Church in America, Philadelphia, PA.

ELW refers to Evangelical Lutheran Worship (© 2006).



Andrew, Apostle

November 30, 2010

Ezekiel 3:16-21
Psalm 19:1-6 (4)
Romans 10:10-18
John 1:35-42

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, you gave your apostle Andrew the grace to obey the call of your Son and to bring his brother to Jesus. Give us also, who are called by your holy word, grace to follow Jesus without delay and to bring into his presence those who are near to us, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea | and Samaria,
and to the ends | of the earth. Alleluia. (Acts 1:8)

Color: Scarlet/Red





Lexegete™ © 2010

Tischrede Software

Dartmouth, Massachusetts

http://yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

+ C H R I S T + The K I N G + 2010

Lexegete™ | Year C | St. Luke
_________________________________________________________________

Christ the King/Last Sunday after Pentecost
November 21, 2010 (Lectionary 34)

Complementary Series

Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 46 (10)
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43

Semicontinuous Series

Jeremiah 23:1-6
Luke 1:68-79 (69)
Colossians 1:11-20
Luke 23:33-43

Prayer of the Day
O God, our true life, to serve you is freedom, and to know you
is unending joy. We worship you, we glorify you, we give
thanks to you for your great glory. Abide with us, reign in us,
and make this world into a fit habitation for your divine majesty
, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. Blessed is the one who comes in the name | of the Lord.
Blessed is the coming kingdom of our an- | cestor David. Alleluia. (Mark 11:9)


_________________________________________________________________

1a. CONTEXT: Luke 23:35-43

Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King

in 1925 in order to celebrate the authority of Christ

which shall lead all humanity into the peace of Christ in

the kingdom of Christ. It is now celebrated on the last

Sunday before Advent. Lutherans now celebrate the feast

and, while it is not referred to by name, the 1979

Episcopal BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER provides propers for it.



The gospel appointed for the day displays the paradox

of Christian worship of Christ as king. The one place in

the gospels where Christ is clearly depicted as king is on

the cross, where he is crucified as a pretender to

Messiahship. At the moment of degradation, suffering, and

death, a caption above him reads, in Luke's words "This is

the King of the Jews." The earliest Christian depictions

of the crucifixion displayed this paradox by presenting a

crowned Christ reigning from the cross, the so-called

"Christus victor" iconography.



The cross has scandalized non-Christians. Celsus, an

informed and perceptive second-century philosopher echoed

the Luke's mockers when he wrote of Jesus: "If he really

was so great he ought, in order to display his divinity,

to have disappeared from the cross." [CONTRA CELSUM 2.68,

tr. Henry Chadwick, p. 118]. One also thinks of a near

disaster which befell Matteo Ricci, the sixteenth-century

Jesuit missionary to China. The discovery of a highly

realistic crucifix among his personal effects deeply

shocked the Chinese and gave rise to suspicion that he

secretly engaged in malignant magical practices. Ricci,

in the words of Jonathan Spence, "found it hard to

marshall adequate explanation of the significance of

Christ crucified. 'On the one hand,' as he wrote later

(speaking of himself in the third person as he often did),

'he didn't want to say that that was our God, it seeming

difficult to him among these ignorant people, and at such

a time, to talk of these high mysteries, ...on the other,

because he saw all the people turned against him, full of

disgust for the cruelty which, it seemed to them, he had

done to that man' --that is, to Christ."[Jonathan Spence,

THE MEMORY PALACE OF MATTEO RICCI, pp. 246.]



Luke, departing from traditions otherwise attested,

dramatically intensifies the paradox of Christ's reigning

from the cross by including in his narrative Jesus'

forgiveness of a penitent criminal crucified beside him.

This is the crowning touch in a ministry consistently

directed toward society's outcasts. It is also

theologically appropriate. Forgiving the penitent thief

is, as Joseph Fitzmyer points out, the way Luke makes

clear the salvific character of Jesus' death [THE GOSPEL

ACCORDING TO LUKE I-IX, p. 23]. It is precisely that

ministry of reconciliation and forgiveness which brought

Jesus to the cross. In the words of Jurgen Moltmann [THE

CRUCIFIED GOD, p. 130.]:



Anyone who proclaimed the coming of the kingdom

and the closeness of God as prevenient and unconditional

grace to those who according to the law were rightly rejected and

could have no hope, and who demonstrated this coming grace by

giving himself to those outside the law and the

transgressors of the law, who placed himself above the authority of Moses,

and who was all the time no more than 'a carpenter's son from

Nazareth', wa inevitably bound to come into conflict with

the devout and the ruling class and their laws, and from the

human point of view was bound to lose this conflict. The conflict was

provoked not by his incomprehensible claim to authority as such, but by

the discrepancy between a claim which arrogated to itself the

righteousness of God and his unprotected and therefore vulnerable

humanity.



1b. TEXT: Luke 23:33-43


NRSV

33When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus* there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[ 34Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]]* And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah* of God, his chosen one!’ 36The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, 37and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!’ 38There was also an inscription over him,* ‘This is the King of the Jews.’
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding* him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah?* Save yourself and us!’ 40But the other rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ 42Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into* your kingdom.’ 43He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’



GREEK

23οἱ δὲ ἐπέκειντο φωναῖς μεγάλαις αἰτούμενοι αὐτὸν σταυρωθῆναι, καὶ κατίσχυον αἱ φωναὶ αὐτῶν. 24καὶ Πιλᾶτος ἐπέκρινεν γενέσθαι τὸ αἴτημα αὐτῶν: 25ἀπέλυσεν δὲ τὸν διὰ στάσιν καὶ φόνον βεβλημένον εἰς φυλακὴν ὃν ᾐτοῦντο, τὸν δὲ Ἰησοῦν παρέδωκεν τῷ θελήματι αὐτῶν. 26Καὶ ὡς ἀπήγαγον αὐτόν, ἐπιλαβόμενοι Σίμωνά τινα Κυρηναῖον ἐρχόμενον ἀπ' ἀγροῦ ἐπέθηκαν αὐτῷ τὸν σταυρὸν φέρειν ὄπισθεν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ. 27Ἠκολούθει δὲ αὐτῷ πολὺ πλῆθος τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ γυναικῶν αἳ ἐκόπτοντο καὶ ἐθρήνουν αὐτόν. 28στραφεὶς δὲ πρὸς αὐτὰς [ὁ] Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Θυγατέρες Ἰερουσαλήμ, μὴ κλαίετε ἐπ' ἐμέ: πλὴν ἐφ' ἑαυτὰς κλαίετε καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν, 29ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν, Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι καὶ αἱ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν. 30τότε ἄρξονται λέγειν τοῖς ὄρεσιν, Πέσετε ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, καὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς, Καλύψατε ἡμᾶς: 31ὅτι εἰ ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ ξύλῳ ταῦτα ποιοῦσιν, ἐν τῷ ξηρῷ τί γένηται; 32Ἤγοντο δὲ καὶ ἕτεροι κακοῦργοι δύο σὺν αὐτῷ ἀναιρεθῆναι. 33καὶ ὅτε ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τὸν καλούμενον Κρανίον, ἐκεῖ ἐσταύρωσαν αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς κακούργους, ὃν μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν ὃν δὲ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν. 34[[ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἔλεγεν, Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν.]] διαμεριζόμενοι δὲ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ ἔβαλον κλήρους. 35καὶ εἱστήκει ὁ λαὸς θεωρῶν. ἐξεμυκτήριζον δὲ καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντες λέγοντες, Ἄλλους ἔσωσεν, σωσάτω ἑαυτόν, εἰ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ ἐκλεκτός. 36ἐνέπαιξαν δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ στρατιῶται προσερχόμενοι, ὄξος προσφέροντες αὐτῷ 37καὶ λέγοντες, Εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, σῶσον σεαυτόν. 38ἦν δὲ καὶ ἐπιγραφὴ ἐπ' αὐτῷ, Ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὗτος. 39Εἷς δὲ τῶν κρεμασθέντων κακούργων ἐβλασφήμει αὐτὸν λέγων, Οὐχὶ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός; σῶσον σεαυτὸν καὶ ἡμᾶς. 40ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἕτερος ἐπιτιμῶν αὐτῷ ἔφη, Οὐδὲ φοβῇ σὺ τὸν θεόν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κρίματι εἶ; 41καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν δικαίως, ἄξια γὰρ ὧν ἐπράξαμεν ἀπολαμβάνομεν: οὗτος δὲ οὐδὲν ἄτοπον ἔπραξεν. 42καὶ ἔλεγεν, Ἰησοῦ, μνήσθητί μου ὅταν ἔλθῃς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν σου. 43καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Ἀμήν σοι λέγω, σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ.
Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition
© 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart;

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition
© 1975, United Bible Societies, London




2. ANALYSIS: Luke 23: 35-43


v. 35-36, 39 [ kai heistekei ho laos theoron.

exemukterizon de kai hoi archontes . . . enepaixan de

autoi kai hoi stratiotai . . . Heis de ton kremasthenton

kakourgon eblasphemei auton.]--Note the dramatic

character of the series: the people stood around

(pluperfect) looking, the ruler taunted (imperfect), the

soldiers mocked (aorist), the thief blasphemed (aorist).

While they are only second in order, the use of the

imperfect for the rulers, implying continual scoffing

proceding from a special malice, singles out them for the

greatest blame. The other tenses imply an action that was

done once and completed. [Theoron] and [exemukterizon]

allude to Ps. 22: 19. The contrast between the relatively

innocent role of the people ([theoron] implys gawking at a

spectacle) and the role of the rulers is striking.



v. 37 [en de kai epigraphe ep' autoi]--Fitzmyer (THE

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE X-XXIV, p. 152) points out that

the inscription on the cross constitutes the only thing

actually written about Jesus during his lifetime.



vv. 37 & 39 Note the contrast between the question

which the Roman soldiers ask, "If you are the king of the

Jews, save yourself," and that which the (presumably

Jewish) criminal asks, "Are you not the Messiah? Save

yourself and us?" The Jewish rulers (v. 35) also refer to

Jesus as "the Messiah." "King of the Jews" and "Messiah"

are equivalent terms used from different perspectives.



v. 40 [Oude phobei su ton Theon;] -- The first

criminal's question expresses shock that his companion

would speak in such a way in the face of God's judgment.

Note that both criminals ask for salvation.



v. 41 [ouden atopon] -- Not only has Jesus done

nothing criminal, he has done nothing "out of place."



v. 42 [Iesou, mnestheti mou hotan eltheis eis ten

basileian sou] --The criminal's request is modest, as

befits a genuine penitent. Alfred Plummer (ICC 535)

quotes Augustine on the faith of the penitent criminal:

"The Jews despised as he was raising the dead; the thief

did not dispise as he was hanging beside him on a cross. "

Both of the criminals, one with bitter sarcasm, the other

with humble faith, ask Jesus to save them.



v. 43 [semeron] -- This is strong evidence that Jews

of Jesus' time expected some sort of continued existence

after death, not simply to await the general resurrection.

Luke does not know of Jesus' descent into hell.






3. STRATEGY: Luke 23: 35-43



The discussion of context suggests an over-all

strategy for approaching the text. The feast of Christ

the King calls for a different approach to the text from

that which would be appropriate for Holy Week. Here the

emphasis is on the crucifixion as an event in Christ's

life or in salvation history. Rather, the emphasis is on

the character of Christ's kingship and, in particular, on

the way God's power manifests itself, a way summed up in

the opening phrase of Proper 21 in th BOOK OF COMMON

PRAYER: "O God, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly

in showing mercy and pity."





4. REFERENCES: Luke 23: 35-43



Chadwick, Henry, ed. and tr. ORIGEN: CONTRA CELSUM.

Reprinted with corr., Cambridge: University Press, 1964.



Fitzmyer, Joseph A. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE:

ANCHOR BIBLE Volumes 28 & 28A.



Moltmann, Jurgen. THE CRUCIFIED GOD: THE CROSS OF

CHRIST AS THE FOUNDATION AND CRITICISM OF

CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY. TR. R.A. Wilson and John Bowden,

New York: Harper & Row, 1974.





Spence, Jonathan. THE MEMORY PALACE OF MATTEO RICCI.

New York: Viking Penguin, 1985.



5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: Luke 23: 35-43


Hymns ought to connect the kingship of Christ

explicitly with the cross. Among those that do are "Hail,

thou once despised Jesus" (HYMNAL 1982, 495), "All praise

to thee, for thou, O king divine" (HYMNAL 1982 477), and

"Lord Christ, when first thou cam'st to earth" (HYMNAL

1982: 598, ELW 727); Others in ELW:

Gathering: Jesus Shall Reign - 434

Hymn of the Day: O Christ the Same - 760

Offertory: Come to the Table - 481

Communion: Soon and very soon - 439

Sending: Now Thank We All Our God – 839/840





Exegete: Joseph Trigg, PhD. Teaches at the Virginia Theological Seminary. His field is mainly Patristics in Church History. His publications include: ORIGEN (The Early Church Fathers, 1998),; “ Christianity and the Transformation of the Book: Origen, Eusebius, and the Library of Caesareaa”, Church History, 2007;and Biblical Interpretation, 1988; and “ Cambridge History of Christianity: Origins to Constantine” (Review) Church H,istory, 2007.







< Lexegete>


















____________________________________________________________




Lexegete ™

© 2010 Tischrede Software

Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747

http://Yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com





____________________________________________________________

+ Pentecost + Twenty-Five + 2010

Lexegete ™ | Year C | St. Luke
___________________________________________________

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

November 14, 2010 (Lectionary 33)

Complementary Series

Malachi 4:1-2a
Psalm 98 (9)
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19

Semicontinuous Series

Isaiah 65:17-25
Isaiah 12:2-6 (6)
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Luke 21:5-19

Prayer of the Day
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without you nothing is strong, nothing is holy. Embrace us with your mercy, that with you as our ruler and guide, we may live through what is temporary without losing what is eternal, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. 

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. Stand up and | raise your heads,
because your redemption is | drawing near. Alleluia. (Luke 21:28)

Color: Green

______________________________________________________




1a.CONTEXT: Luke 21:5-19

This pericope is framed by the story of the Widow's mite and Satan entering Judas. The setting is the Temple where Jesus continues his daily teaching. He is speaking to the disciples while all the people about them listen. Jesus had the support of the populace, which was enthusiastic about his teaching.

Verses 5-7 may be one of the hardest parts of the gospel tradition to interpret. There are many interpretations to choose from, so many that it tends to bewilder the serious student. Part of the problem is that these texts are often called Jesus' "eschatological discourse," for it is concerned with the eschata, "last things," of the world and Jerusalem. Others refer to this pericope as the Synoptic "apocalyptic discourse" as it presents the aforementioned eschata in apocalyptic garb. These words, "apocalyptic" and "eschatological", are problematic in themselves. We can say that "eschatological" describes a body of teachings about the last times which for the Lucan writer meant the end of Jerusalem, whereas "apocalyptic" is a form of writing about these end times. This Lucan discourse can be called "eschatalogical" in that it seeks to encourage its readers, as well as urge them to vigilance and prayer during times of persecution. Thus it can be regarded as apocalyptic writing.

This Lucan material has its parallels in Mark 13:5-37 and Matt. 24:1-36 and echoes material already used in chapter 17 (vv. 23-24, 26-27, 33, 34-35, 37).

In his Gospel Luke appears to have two primary aims. He has a special interest in ordering his story geographically, and he presents Jesus as bringing God's salvation to the publicans, sinners, Gentiles, and Samaritans, those whose need for the "Good News" is greatest. Also the Lucan Jesus deals gently with the outcast and the poor. Jesus is portrayed as a man of prayer and women have a special role in his ministry.

Although tradition holds for the authorship of Luke, the traveling companion of Paul and the "beloved physician," there is room for doubt. We find inconsistencies with the Pauline Letters and wonder whether his traveling companion would have been guilty of such monumental errors. There is, however, much support for a common author of Luke and Acts.

But in no case can the author be an eyewitness to events, rather he depends upon others who "were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word." (1:2) Nonetheless the writer of this gospel was an able and learned historian with a profound faith. The political situation during the reign of the Emperor Domitian (81-96) fits neatly into the situation of the church reflected in Luke's gospel; hence a date of AD 85 to 95 is likely. Since the evangelist's gospel contains such a highly developed style of Greek and where readers such as Theophilus (Acts 1-1) would have been at home_a locale where cultured Greek was the primary language_is about as much as we can ascertain about the church's locus. Persecution was a major problem for the disciples and would increase after Jesus' departure. The city of Jerusalem and the magnificent Temple would be totally destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. The Lucan church suffered greatly under Domitian. Hence, one would do well to study these terrible times before attempting to preach on this pericope.

It should be noted that Luke does not introduce the word parousia ; it is not a Lucan word. In any event, it should not enter into a discussion of the Lucan pericope. Luke has his own way of referring to future events, and to use the Holy Spirit in this case would not be respecting Luke's gospel. This is problematic when this text is assigned to Pentecost.






1b. TEXT: Luke 21:5-19








ESV

5 f And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, 6 “As for these things that you see, g the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” 7 And they asked him, “Teacher, h when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?” 8 And he said, i “See that you are not led astray. For j many will come in my name, saying, k ‘I am he!’ and, l ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. 9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be m terrified, for these things n must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”
Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution
10 Then he said to them, o “Nation will rise against nation, and p kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great q earthquakes, and in various places r famines and pestilences. And there will be s terrors and great t signs from heaven. 12 But before all this u they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to v the synagogues and w prisons, and you x will be brought before y kings and z governors for my name's sake. 13 a This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 Settle it therefore in your minds b not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for c I will give you a mouth and d wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or e contradict. 16 You will be delivered up f even by parents and brothers [1] and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17 g You will be hated by all for my name's sake. 18 But h not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your i endurance you will gain your lives.


________________________________


[1] 21:16 Or parents and brothers and sisters






Greek

5Καί τινων λεγόντων περὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ, ὅτι λίθοις καλοῖς καὶ ἀναθήμασιν κεκόσμηται, εἶπεν,
6Ταῦτα ἃ θεωρεῖτε, ἐλεύσονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται λίθος ἐπὶ λίθῳ ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται.
7Ἐπηρώτησαν δὲ αὐτὸν λέγοντες, Διδάσκαλε, πότε οὖν ταῦτα ἔσται, καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον ὅταν μέλλῃ ταῦτα γίνεσθαι;
8ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, Βλέπετε μὴ πλανηθῆτε: πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐλεύσονται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματί μου λέγοντες, Ἐγώ εἰμι: καί, Ὁ καιρὸς ἤγγικεν: μὴ πορευθῆτε ὀπίσω αὐτῶν.
9ὅταν δὲ ἀκούσητε πολέμους καὶ ἀκαταστασίας, μὴ πτοηθῆτε: δεῖ γὰρ ταῦτα γενέσθαι πρῶτον, ἀλλ' οὐκ εὐθέως τὸ τέλος.
10Τότε ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς, Ἐγερθήσεται ἔθνος ἐπ' ἔθνος καὶ βασιλεία ἐπὶ βασιλείαν, 11σεισμοί τε μεγάλοι καὶ κατὰ τόπους λιμοὶ καὶ λοιμοὶ ἔσονται, φόβητρά τε καὶ ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ σημεῖα μεγάλα ἔσται.
12πρὸ δὲ τούτων πάντων ἐπιβαλοῦσιν ἐφ' ὑμᾶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν καὶ διώξουσιν, παραδιδόντες εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς καὶ φυλακάς, ἀπαγομένους ἐπὶ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἡγεμόνας ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός μου:
13ἀποβήσεται ὑμῖν εἰς μαρτύριον.
14θέτε οὖν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν μὴ προμελετᾶν ἀπολογηθῆναι,
15ἐγὼ γὰρ δώσω ὑμῖν στόμα καὶ σοφίαν ἧ οὐ δυνήσονται ἀντιστῆναι ἢ ἀντειπεῖν ἅπαντες οἱ ἀντικείμενοι ὑμῖν.
16παραδοθήσεσθε δὲ καὶ ὑπὸ γονέων καὶ ἀδελφῶν καὶ συγγενῶν καὶ φίλων, καὶ θανατώσουσιν ἐξ ὑμῶν,
17καὶ ἔσεσθε μισούμενοι ὑπὸ πάντων διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου.
18καὶ θρὶξ ἐκ τῆς κεφαλῆς ὑμῶν οὐ μὴ ἀπόληται.
19ἐν τῇ ὑπομονῇ ὑμῶν κτήσασθε τὰς ψυχὰς ὑμῶν.

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition
© 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart;

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition
© 1975, United Bible Societies, London







2. ANALYSIS: Luke 21:5-19

Luke 21: 5-7 - These verses constitute the first pericope of this text. It is concerned with the fate of Jerusalem's glorious temple. Because of Luke's concern to keep Jesus in the temple, he doesn't go to the Mount of Olives and speak only to his disciples as he does in Mark 13:1-3. Jesus' reply to those commenting on the Herodian temple is not a warning, but a prophetic pronouncement, a terrifying prediction. The clarity of his words saw their fulfillment in late August and early September A.D. 70 when the Temple was utterly destroyed.

21:7 when will this happen? Here and later in the verse, "these things"
(tauta) refers clearly to the destruction of the Temple.

There is no mention of "the last things" for there is no mention of such in the Lucan gospel. Luke is concerned directly with events in history and shows Jesus as one who prophesies about coming events. This "when" question launches the reader into the monologue of terrible events to come.

21:8-11 - These verses are a collection of prophetic, threatening, terrifying sayings of Jesus. He uses apocalyptic language of wars, revolts and of natural disasters, yet they are not to be understood as referring to anything other than the devastation of the Temple and Jerusalem. This is a negative episode replete with horrifying images meant to warn the reader-hearer to remain true despite earth- shattering events. Jesus uses OT allusions in his discourse.(Isa 19:2, 2 Chr 15:6, Ezek. 38:19-22). The Jewish historian, Josephus, describes the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem with many horrifying details. Included in his story are references to charlatans and would-be messengers of god, as well as strange stars and the appearance of a comet. When considering such details as these, which accompanied the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, it is not implausible to conclude that this was the destruction or "the end" to which Luke was referring. Thus importing references to the end of the world at this point, although tempting, seems inappropriate, for this would be importing a Marcan or Matthean nuance into the context of Luke.


21:8 - Make sure that you are not led astray. The verb planao "led astray" is found only here; it connotes a departure from truth or fidelity. Such false prophets are not to be trusted. do not run after them, i.e. do not be taken in by their rhetoric and flair.


21:9 - The use of first of all (proton) and at once (eutheos) lead the way to the next pericope where Jesus warns his disciples that they will face persecutions before the "end" of Jerusalem.


21:12-19 - As background for this pericope it might be helpful to read Acts 4:16-18, 8:1b-3, 12:1-5, where actual persecutions are described. (Cf. I Thess 2:14, Gal 1:13). This part of the discourse describes the church under stressful conditions. Jesus recounts the coming persecutions which will come from all sorts of Jewish and Gentile sources. Families and friends, all will turn against them because they bear his name.



In addition, persecutions will consist not only of imprisonment but even death. And the reason will always be hatred because of "my name". Yet the evangelist's Jesus encourages his followers, "not a hair of your head will be lost" (an echo of Luke 12:7). By their endurance they will gain life, for they can never lose their souls even if their lives are lost. Here we see Luke at his finest, giving hope to the persecuted, truly Good News.


21:12 - will persecute you. The verb "pursue" (dioko) has a religious connotation here. Harassment takes place because of religious affiliation. hand you over to synagogues and prisons...kings and prefects. Luke alone adds "prisons" (phulakas). Synagogues and prisons refer to Jewish persecutions and kings and prefects refers to Gentile persecutions. because of my name
(eneken tou onomatos nou). Here Luke rewords Mark 13:9 in accordance with the Lucan emphasis on the name of Jesus in Acts.

21:13 - It will lead to your having to testify - you will be called on to act in a way that testifies to your fidelity, to what you truly are.

21:14 - not to rehearse your defense in advance. The verb (promeletao) is a technical expression for memorizing a speech in advance.

21:15 - I myself shall supply you with lips and with a wisdom. Literally this means "I shall give you a mouth and wisdom." Luke places the "I" (ego) at the beginning of the sentence as he substitutes Jesus as the giver of the needed gifts to his persecuted followers for the "holy Spirit" of the Markan gospel. In Acts 2:33 the Lucan writer has the risen Jesus saying that he will supply the wisdom and dispense the Father's promise.

21:16 - be handed over by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends. Conflict in families is part of the situation of persecution.
The disciples are not merely being given information but Jesus' words require difficult decisions for they conflict with loyalties both for the disciples in Luke's gospel as well as for its readers. The disciples are portrayed as persons who desire and expect the promise of salvation without suffering and rejection. This is Jesus' direct attack upon false expectations.
they will put some of you to death. A prophecy fulfilled in the deaths of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) and James, son of Zebedee(Acts 12:1-2).

21:18 - not a hair of your head will be lost. The inference is that God will be protecting his own during the times of persecution. This is a doublet with Luke 12:7 "Even the hairs of your head are all numbered". Therefore, the disciples need not fear. Since this follows the statement that "they will put some of you to death," it refers metaphorically to a preservation beyond death. The Lucan narrator is suggesting that Jesus is dealing with weighty matters of lasting importance.

21:19 - by your endurance...you will make your lives secure. Literally this means "in your persistence win your souls." The condition for salvation is not simply patience (hyptomoei) but persistent endurance. So one will acquire, "procure," (chtaomai) "inner life" (psyche).



3. STRATEGY: Luke 21:5-19

Although this text is difficult, due to verse 15, "For I will give you words and wisdom..." with no mention of the Holy Spirit and with Pentecost being the celebration of the coming of the Spirit, there are ways that one can handle this. One should stay true to the Lucan emphasis and not mention the Holy Spirit directly but place emphasis upon how Jesus Christ is with us as he promised, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you." (John 14:18) Jesus was honest with his hearers, he told them they could expect hard times, even death. We who preach his Gospel must also be honest. Although such persecutions are not afflicting us in our land, this is not true in all of Christendom. One way to address this might be to use a first person account of persecution in the sermon. This could be done by recounting an incident from the time of the Emperor Domitian. These are readily available in Tacitus, Josephus, and other histories of Christianity. For example: "I was five years old when they tied pig skins to my parents backs and set the dogs upon them...6,000 people starved to death in one week, my baby sister was one of those who died" etc.




Something along these lines can be an effective start for a sermon and give modern people a sense of the persecution suffered in the early church. Many parishioners have little sense of their Christian history. Although this may appear extreme, extreme measures are often required to bring the Bible to life. The Lucan church suffered severely. That is why his Jesus spoke so eloquently and gave such reassurance.

In addition, there are false teachers in America who beguile us with their rhetoric and flair. They preach false expectations, promise their hearers riches, and breed Christians who desire and expect the promise of salvation without suffering and rejection. Hence when people don't prosper, or when illness, drought, family problems, etc. befall them, they blame God or lose faith, and spend time in endless questioning. Either way life is lost, the inner life of zest which ends our text for today.

This text easily lends itself to this theme. Although our people are not starving, who knows what may come. Certainly we all struggle in one way or another. When Jesus spoke of a safety that went beyond the threats of this earth, "Not a hair of your head will be harmed," he assured us that although lives may be lost, our souls can never be lost. This makes an excellent message for today's blais_ generation, which so desperately needs something of substance.

It has been said that Jesus afflicted the comfortable and comforted the afflicted. This text certainly lends itself well to this concept. Most of our pews are full of the comfortable and we all know the afflicted. This text speaks a powerful word of hope, as well as warning those who glory in their tidy and comfortable little niche.

Ole Borgen, a Bishop of the Northern Europe Area since 1970 and a Norwegian by birth, residing in Sweden, is responsible for United Methodists in these two countries as well as those in Denmark, Finnland and Estonia. His leadership became especially important in recent years during the gradual decline and fall of communism in Eastern Europe. He has warned the European church against being complacent in the face of a critical lack of growth. Ironically, h is European churches fit the profile of many of our American churches.


Borgen believes they die because their small communities with one-industry economies have died; because materialism and hedonism are the principles guiding people's lives; and because the laity have a tendency to be consumers of faith rather than producers of faith. "A comfortable church will never grow," says this Bishop. "Life must never follow a set pattern. We must never be afraid of the Holy Spirit." How about a sermon on church growth to our very "set" congregations?















4.REFERENCES: Luke 21:5-19


Robert C. Tannehill. THE NARRATIVE UNITY OF LUKE-ACTS, A LITERARY INTERPRETATION Volume One: The Gospel According to Luke. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986.









5.Music & Worship : Luke 21:5-19


Gathering: Come, Ye Thankful People Come - ELW 693

Hymn of the Day: On Jordan’s stormy bank – ELW 437

Offertory: Come to the Table - ELW 481

Communion: We Come to the Hungry Feast - ELW 479

Sending: God, Whose Giving Know no Ending - ELW 678
(Tune “Hymn to Joy” # 836, ELW )




Exegete: Saundra Craig











___________________________________


Lexegete™

© 2010 Tischrede Software

Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747

http:yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

___________________________________

+ Pentecost 23 + October 31, 2 0 1 0 +

Lexegete™ | Year C | St. Luke

______________________________________

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost
October 31, 2010 (Lectionary 31)

Complementary Series

Isaiah 1:10-18
Psalm 32:1-7 (6)
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10

Semicontinuous Series

Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4
Psalm 119:137-144 (144)
2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12
Luke 19:1-10


Prayer of the Day

Merciful God, gracious and benevolent,
through your Son you invite all the world to
a meal of mercy. Grant that we may eagerly
follow his call, and bring us with all your
saints into your life of justice and joy,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia. Today salvation has come | to this house,
for the Son of Man came to seek out and to |
save the lost. Alleluia. (Luke 19:9, 10)



Ia. Context: Luke 19:1-10

This pericope seems to pick up right from where last Sunday’s

Gospel lesson left us dwelling on The humbling of the exalted and

the exaltation of the humble. Thus most commentators have

focused on both the righteousness of Zacchaeus and his simultaneous

material wealth.

See, for examples, Rev. Brian Stoffregen’s interesting

Exegetical notes at <>

And the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops note at

<>

Suffice it to say that here Luke is not so much isolating

“righteousness” from material existence in a sort of Venn

Diagram that separates Verba from Orba, rather Luke

Is pointing out the particular degree of understanding or

even mis-understanding shown by Zacchaeus.


Here the wordplay on his name (“righteous”)

is a fruitful context for development, along with

the symbolic meaning of his slight stature. The late

Bishop of Stockholm (and Dean of Harvard Divinity

School) , Krister Stendahl, often remarked on the human

tendency to absorb oneself in what he called “little me.”

Stendahl saw this as a leitmotiv in any standard inter-

pretation of Resurrection theology which treats the

afterlife as an individual destiny apart from the fuller

communion of all the Saints. The implications for

ecclesiastical inclusiveness, ecumenical dialogue, and

interfaith understanding seem obvious indeed, but the

accent in Luke on the “Sunday School” figure of Zaccheus

brings us back to the interplay between the earliest Church

and the rich complexity of inter-testamental Judaism,

the theological setting in life of this passage.



1b. Test: Luke 19:1-10

ESV

Jesus and Zacchaeus

19:1 He entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature. 4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. 5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. 7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” 8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

GREEK

1Καὶ εἰσελθὼν διήρχετο τὴν Ἰεριχώ.
2καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης καὶ αὐτὸς πλούσιος.
3καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν τίς ἐστιν, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν.
4καὶ προδραμὼν εἰς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐκείνης ἤμελλεν διέρχεσθαι.
5καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἀναβλέψας ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν, Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι, σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι.
6καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων.
7καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι Παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθεν καταλῦσαι.
8σταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν κύριον, Ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίσιά μου τῶν ὑπαρχόντων, κύριε, τοῖς πτωχοῖς δίδωμι, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν. 9εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, καθότι καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς Ἀβραάμ ἐστιν:
10ἦλθεν γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.


Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition
© 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart;

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition
© 1975, United Bible Societies, London


2. Analysis: Luke 19:1-10

The story of a tax collector named “ Zacchaeus ”
is unique among the four gospels. Though a rich man
(see Lk. 19:2), Zacchaeus can be contrasted with the wealthy man of Luke 18:18ff. who cannot remove himself from his material possessions to become a disciple of Jesus


According to Luke, Zacchaeus this is an examplar
of the proper approach to wealth. He pledges to
give half of his possessions to the needy (vs. 8) and
also becomes an heir of salvation (vs. 9):

Jesus said to him,

“Today salvation has come to this house,
since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
“Son of Abraham” is literally a “descendant of Abraham.”

Zacchaeus, whose repentance is shown by his
decision to amend his former living, reveals
himself as a true descendant of Abraham,
and true heir to the promises of God in the
Hebew scriptures. Underlying Luke's portrayal
of Zacchaeus as a SON of Abraham, the father of
Israel, is his recognition of the role played
by Israel in salvation history.


3. Strategy: Luke 19:1-10

A straightforward and succinct approach to this

all-too-familiar passage seems like the best approach.

But it is tempting to overlook some of the underlying
themes in Luke which might serve as “bookends”

as we approach the end of Year C. Luke’s emphasis

on the universality of the Gospel and the message of

salvation to the “ nations ” or Gentiles is a logical

starting point and one that rescues Zacchaeus from

being a caricature figure (remember the beloved

“Arch” book series for children in past years?).

Taking Zacchaeus as representative of Israelite

tradition, a remnant living once again amidst

oppression in the Roman Empire, raises the note of

irony in this text, and brings to the foreground

the counter-cultural aspect of Judeo-Christian

faith. There is a rewarding discussion of this

theme in John Dominic Crossan’s GOD & EMPIRE:

Jesus against Rome, Then and Now (Harper, 2007),

But for broader historical perspective one might

also take up Cullen Murphy’s remarkable study,

Are We Rome?: The Fall of an Empire and the

Fate of America (Houghton-Mifflin, 2007). As we

In the “First World” (and true heirs of Caesar)

reflect on our material prosperity, coupled with our

great military might, we might also consider the

connection we have with those who remain

“small” according to the ways “stature” is presently

in the eyes of a world filled with devilish nuclear weapons,

a poisoned ecology, Wiki-leaks, and other cannons loose

in the cosmos.




4. Notes


Crossan, J.D. GOD & EMPIRE: Jesus against Rome, Then and Now (San Francisco: Harper, 2007).


Douglas, J.D. , ed. The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament (UBS IV-NRSV). (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 1990).


Just, A. A., ed. LUKE. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. (Douners Grove, IL: I.V.P., 2003).


Murphy, C. Are We Rome?: The Fall of an Empire and the
Fate of America (Boston: Houghton-Mifflin, 2007).


Tunseth, S. et alia, eds. Lutheran Study Bible. (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortess, 2009).






5. Hymn Suggestions:



Depending on whether your parish will observe

this Sunday as a (slightly archaic) Reformation

Sunday or as a (immoveable feast of) All Saints Sunday,

hymn selections may vary widely. Here are just a few

hymns often sung on or around this time of year:


Gathering: A Mighty Fortress – ELW 503/5

Hymn of the Day: Christ is Made the Sure Foundation – ELW 645

Offertory: Come to the Table – ELW 481

Communion: Lord Keep us Steadfast in Your Word – ELW 517

Sending: Built on a Rock the Church Doth Stand – ELW 652

Lexegete: David A. Buehler, PhD, Editor




____________________________________________________



Lexegete ™

© 2010 Tischrede Software

Dartmouth, MA 02747

http:Yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com


____________________________________________________

+ Pentecost + X X I , 2010 +

Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost
October 17, 2010 (Lectionary 29)
Complementary Series
Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 121 (2)
2 Timothy 3:14–4:5
Luke 18:1-8

Semicontinuous Series
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Psalm 119:97-104 (103)
2 Timothy 3:14–4:5
Luke 18:1-8

Prayer of the Day
O Lord God, tireless guardian of your people, you are always ready to hear our cries. Teach us to rely day and night on your care. Inspire us to seek your enduring justice for all this suffering world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia. The word of God is liv- | ing and active,
able to judge the thoughts and intentions | of the heart. Alleluia. (Heb. 4:12)



1a. CONTEXT: Luke 18:1-8



This parable and the following (9-14) continue the

journey to Jerusalem, Jesus on the way to the cross. This

journey sets Jesus' theology of the kingdom in contrast to

the methods of the kingdoms of this world. Here we see

the freedom of God to act as God chooses, to the surprise

of those who have worked out the systems of the society in

which Jesus and the disciples lived and ultimately to the

surprise of the people of the infant church of Luke's

time. Jesus surprises us by praising unlikely people--a

woman, an unjust judge--for qualities that are not

acceptable in polite society, but are necessary for

survival. The negative example of the judge can be

compared to the dishonest steward of chapter 16.



At chapter 17:20, the Pharisees have asked a question

about the coming of the kingdom. Jesus discusses with

them the apocolyptic expectation of the day(s) of the son

of man. Danker points out that in this discussion Jesus

subsumes the traditional idea of the day of the Lord under

the idea of the Kingdom, rather than making the two

identical, thus making Jesus' appearance at the end of

time continuous with his contemporary activity. This

parable comes as an admonition to tenacity of faith in the

face of the oppostion of this world. The emphasis is not

on apocolyptic curiosity, but on current relationship to God.


1b. TEXT: Luke 18:1-8

(ESV)

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

18:1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’
4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’”
6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”



The Holy Bible, English Standard Version copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.



(GREEK)


1Ἔλεγεν δὲ παραβολὴν αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὸ δεῖν πάντοτε προσεύχεσθαι αὐτοὺς καὶ μὴ ἐγκακεῖν, 2λέγων, Κριτής τις ἦν ἔν τινι πόλει τὸν θεὸν μὴ φοβούμενος καὶ ἄνθρωπον μὴ ἐντρεπόμενος. 3χήρα δὲ ἦν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ καὶ ἤρχετο πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσα, Ἐκδίκησόν με ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀντιδίκου μου. 4καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν ἐπὶ χρόνον, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα εἶπεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, Εἰ καὶ τὸν θεὸν οὐ φοβοῦμαι οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπον ἐντρέπομαι, 5διά γε τὸ παρέχειν μοι κόπον τὴν χήραν ταύτην ἐκδικήσω αὐτήν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς τέλος ἐρχομένη ὑπωπιάζῃ με. 6Εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος, Ἀκούσατε τί ὁ κριτὴς τῆς ἀδικίας λέγει: 7ὁ δὲ θεὸς οὐ μὴ ποιήσῃ τὴν ἐκδίκησιν τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν αὐτοῦ τῶν βοώντων αὐτῷ ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐπ' αὐτοῖς; 8λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ποιήσει τὴν ἐκδίκησιν αὐτῶν ἐν τάχει. πλὴν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐλθὼν ἆρα εὑρήσει τὴν πίστιν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς;

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition© 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart;


The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition © 1975, United Bible Societies, London

2. ANALYSIS: Luke 18: 1-8



Lk.18: 1 & 7, 8 The extent of the parable itself is

in dispute. Those who limit the parable to verses 2-5

place primary emphasis on the tenacity of the woman.

Those who hold that the original story continues to verse

8a place a dual emphasis on the judge and the woman, with

the judge being a negative example: If an unjust judge

can be persuaded to act justly, how much more will God act

in behalf of the people of God--the elect. To the

people whom Luke addresses this Gospel, the question of

the Pharisees in chapter 17 is pertinent when rephrased:

How long do we need to put up with abuse in this world?

The answer comes in verse 8: God will come unexpectedly

to see justice done--therefore, remain faithful until the

end!

Under the latter interpretation, Luke's introduction to

the parable (verse 1) is too limiting, because it

emphasizes prayer in a manner that manipulates God,

whereas the emphasis on the judge in verses 7 and 8 lifts

up the compassion of God.





Lk. 18: 2-5 Scholars generally agree that the case as

presented is financial in nature, possibly relating to the

inheritance. The widow may have been quite young, as the

marriage age tended to be 12-15. Jeremias quotes an 1894

text which tells of a similar incident in Mesopotamia,

which the author had witnessed, wherein a woman cried out

because she did not have the money to bribe the judge's

secretaries in order to gain a hearing. The judge asked

about the ruckus, then heard the woman's case. Some

scholars see this as another instance of Luke's concern

for the oppressed, especially the poor and women.





Lk. 18: 5 [upopiaze me] It is debateable whether the

judge literally fears a black eye, or figuratively fears

exposure at some public scene.







3. STRATEGY: Luke 18: 1-8a



I suggest two possible themes for preaching: (1)An

emphasis on prayer without ceasing in the face of

difficult circumstances (God, are you listening?), or (2)

an emphasis on being found faithful to the end.



One way of recognizing the dual affect of prayer

without ceasing and faithfulness for an extended length of

time might be to recall the underground Christians of

Japan who continued to practice faith during persecution

by creating secret altars in their homes and passing the

faith quietly from generation to generation. One problem

with this illustration for those of us who worry about Too

much individualism in the American church is the fact that

even after the practice of Christian faith is safe in

Japan, the hidden Christians still continue their hidden

ways. Even so, the practice of prayerful hope in the

midst of an uncertain future supports both aspects of our

text.




"When Arsenius (one of the desert fathers) had asked

for the second time, "Lord, lead me to the way of

salvation," the voice that spoke to him not only said, '

be silent' but also, 'pray always'...The literal

translation of the words 'pray always' is 'come to rest.'

The Greek word for rest is [hesychia], and [hesychasm] is

the term which refers to the spirituality of the desert.

A hesychast is a man or a woman who seeks solitude and

silence as the ways to unceasing prayer. The prayer of

the hesychasts is a prayer of rest. This rest, however,

has little to do with the absence of conflict or pain. It

is a rest in God in the mist of a very intense daily

struggle." (Nouwen, p. 55f)





Another approach to continuous prayer might be an

introduction to Psalm 13: "How Long, O Lord..." The

Psalm concludes with reliance on the steadfast love of the

Lord.





"Our whole life is an effort to approach, to

appreciate, to some degree to participate in, the

absoluteness of God himself. But we can never do it;

that's why our whole life is a restlessness....This

restlessness may make us want to throw in the towel--or to

pull up our socks. You can play it either way. You can

either be creatively restless, as before the unknowable,

or you can simply collapse into futility. One of the

goals of the Christian message is to join together the

people of the way, the way of an eternally given

restlessness, and to win from that restlessness the

participation in God, which is all that our mortality can

deliver." (Sittler, p. 28.)







There are always stories of times of crisis in our

communities--either of personal, local, or broader

nature--in which there has been perseverence in the face

of great odds. I think of the variations in coping with

the great depression, the resentment that destroyed lives

and families as over against the faithfulness that created

systems of cooperation.









4. REFERENCES: Luke 18: 1-8a



Danker, Fredrick. LUKE [PROCLAMATION COMMENTARIES].
Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1976.

Jeremias, Joachim. REDISCOVERING THE PARABLES. New York:
Scribner’s, 1966.

Kittel, Gerhard, et. al. THEOLOGICAL DICTIONARY OF THE
NEW TESTAMENT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974. IV 187 f, 380 f; VIII435, 590 f; IX 449 f.





Nouwen, Henri. THE WAY OF THE HEART. New York:
Ballantine, 1981.


Sittler, Joseph. GRAVITY AND GRACE. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1986.



Exegete: Rev. Herman W. Frerichs III (RT) lives in Sprinfgield, MO.






























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