+ Epiphany + T W O + 2010

Lexegete™ | Year A Matthew

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY

January 16, 2011

Isaiah 49:1-7

Psalm 40:1-11 (8)

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

John 1:29-42

1a. CONTEXT: John 1:29-42

This is the testimony of John which parallels Matthew 3 and

Luke 3, and follows the account of the baptism of Jesus (Mt. 3:13-17)

on Epiphany I. Here the emphasis is on John the Baptist's

recognition of Jesus as his successor, the one whom his preaching

anticipated. Unlike the synoptic accounts, the Fourth Gospel

underscores this public acclamation of Jesus, a confessional formula

which links Jesus to Jewish apocalyptic. John's focus is on his

coming to awareness of who Jesus is, associated with descent of the

Spirit. Thus the passage becomes an important development of the

meaning of Epiphany, defined by Marion Hatchett as a "manifestation"

or "appearance." In the fourth gospel John's role as baptizer and

foreteller is subsumed under his recognition of Jesus as the Christ.

For John, Jesus becomes the source of the Spirit. After its

descent, it authenticates his person and witness. In turn the Spirit

abides in the church's witness, because it is mediated through Jesus.

Ever elusive, the Spirit assures unity and purpose to the community.

John the Baptist's role is to see the Spirit's descent upon Jesus.

John can link who Jesus is and what Jesus does. In turn, John

becomes the paradigm for the believer and for the Church. He

perceives the transfer of the Spirit through Jesus to a new

community.

However the new community, the Church, is not a total break

with the past. The calling of Simon and Andrew as Jesus' first

disciples occurs as a transfer. They are standing with John when

Jesus walks by. Again John acclaims Jesus as the eschatological

figure he has foretold. Andrew and Simon follow Jesus when they hear

John's identification of who Jesus is. The clear message is that

John's allegiance, including his following, has shifted to Jesus.

The theological implication is that John understands Jesus as the

legitimate heir to the Jewish apocalyptic expectation, as Israel's

fulfillment. John's contrast between a synagogue community and a new

community has encouraged scholars to believe that the fourth gospel

had a Christian group expelled from a synagogue as its backdrop. The

confessional formulae here argue that Jesus, in his person and in his

community, fulfill eschatological hope. Andrew's confession and

Jesus' designation of Simon as Cephas complete the creation of the

new reality.

1b. Text: John (NRSV)

Jn. 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Jn. 1:30 This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.'

Jn. 1:31 I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel."

Jn. 1:32 And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.

Jn. 1:33 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

Jn. 1:34 And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."

Jn. 1:35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples,

Jn. 1:36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!"

Jn. 1:37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

Jn. 1:38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

Jn. 1:39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon.

Jn. 1:40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

Jn. 1:41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed).

Jn. 1:42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).

Greek (Symbol font):

nen, oti prwtoV mou hn. ³¹kagw ouk hdein auton, all ina fanerwqh tw israhl dia touto hlqon egw en udati baptizwn. ³²kai emarturhsen iwannhV legwn oti teqeamai to pneuma katabainon wV peristeran ex ouranou, kai emeinen ep auton: ³³kagw ouk hdein auton, all o pemyaV me baptizein en udati ekeinoV moi eipen, ef on an idhV to pneuma katabainon kai menon ep auton, outoV estin o baptizwn en pneumati agiw. ³⁴kagw ewraka, kai memarturhka oti outoV estin o uioV tou qeou. ³⁵th epaurion palin eisthkei o iwannhV kai ek twn maqhtwn autou duo, ³⁶kai embleyaV tw ihsou peripatounti legei, ide o amnoV tou qeou. ³⁷kai hkousan oi duo maqhtai autou lalountoV kai hkolouqhsan tw ihsou. ³⁸strafeiV de o ihsouV kai qeasamenoV autouV akolouqountaV legei autoiV, ti zhteite; oi de eipan autw, rabbi {o legetai meqermhneuomenon didaskale}, pou meneiV; ³⁹legei autoiV, ercesqe kai oyesqe. hlqan oun kai eidan pou menei, kai par autw emeinan thn hmeran ekeinhn: wra hn wV dekath. ⁴⁰hn andreaV o adelfoV simwnoV petrou eiV ek twn duo twn akousantwn para iwannou kai akolouqhsantwn autw: ⁴¹euriskei outoV prwton ton adelfon ton idion simwna kai legei autw, eurhkamen ton messian {o estin meqermhneuomenon cristoV}: ⁴²hgagen auton proV ton ihsoun. embleyaV autw o ihsouV eipen, su ei simwn o uioV iwannou: su klhqhsh khfaV {o ermhneuetai petroV}.

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition

© 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart;

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition

© 1975, United Bible Societies, London

2. ANALYSIS: John 1:29-42

Jn. l:29,36 - Tei epaurion blepei ton Iesoun erkhomenon pros auton,

kai legei, ide ho amnos tou theou ho airon ten hamartian tou

kosmou....kai emblepsas toi Iesou perpatounti legei: ide ho amnos tou

theou - "John saw Jesus approaching, and said 'Behold, the Lamb of

God, who takes away the sin of the world!'...and he looked at Jesus

walking by, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' (AILL) - Early

Christian eucharistic imagery of Jesus as the Lamb is powerfully

expressed here. The innocence and purity of the ancient Israelite

sacrificial lamb and the lamb's role in restoring human relationship

to God were prominent features of the early Church's faith. The

image of the Lamb received impetus from the Jewish apocalyptic

tradition of the conquering lamb and the Essene tradition of the

Messiah who purifies the world of its sin. This image helped the

community to portray who Jesus was and what he did.

1:33 - k'ago ouk eidein auton, all' ho pempsas me baptizein en hudati

ekeinos moi eipen: eph' hon an ideis to pneuma katabainon kai menon

ep' auton, houtos estin ho baptizon en pneumati hagioi.... - "I

myself did not know who it was; but the one who sent me to baptize

with water said to me, 'The person on whom you see the Spirit descend

and remain, this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'..."

(AILL) - This verse parallesl a number of NT instances (Luke 3:22,

Mt. 3:16, Mk. 1:10, Acts 2:33, Acts 10:38) where the Spirit's descent

on Jesus revealed that he was holy. In John's Gospel, the Spirit's

descent has less to do with the performance of baptism than it does

with John the Baptist's recognition of who Jesus is.

l:34 - huios tou theou - Son of God ("Child of God" - AILL) is the

title of Jesus most characteristic of the Fourth Gospel. Jesus is

unique, beyond merely human origin (1:12-14). Jesus is sent to save

the world (3:16), and is equal with God (3:35f.). Jesus does not

need to testify to himself. The divine sonship becomes apparent to

those who are properly attentive. This emphasis on Jesus' identity

reaches its height in the Fourth Gospel.

3. STRATEGY: John 1:29-42

John's Gospel offers rich possibilities for an Epiphany homily.

Its emphasis upon Jesus' nature and identity lends itself to a rich

liturgical context. The passage is a treasure-trove of imagery of

the Eucharist and of the Church. It is appropriately confessional

without a triumphalist overtone. Rather it is an opportunity to

reflect upon the Church's dependence on its Lord, and the Church's

mystical oneness which has its source in the Spirit.

Themes of continuity and of change are a more subtle but

important aspect of this passage. John the Baptist presides over the

dissolution of his mission, realizing that the successor whom he

expected has arrived. Yet John the Baptist is not eclipsed. Instead

he is absorbed into a greater reality. The preacher might use John

as a believer's paradigm. He works not for his own glory, but for

the establishment of a cause that transcends any individual.

The passage also suggests an evangelism sermon. In the

twentieth century evangelism often stresses technique--what to do in

order to attract and to hold church members. Ultimately the care and

feeding of new members relies upon the recognition by all of Christ's

Lordship in the community. Faithfulness in ministry, more than any

technique, becomes the surest means of evangelism. When people are

acknowledged and seen for who they are, then Christ can be discerned

and worshipped. The passage could be used at an annual meeting, or

on a Sunday when ministry and evangelism are special foci.

4. REFERENCES: John 1:29-42

Brown, Raymond. The Gospel According to John. The Anchor Bible.

New York: Doubleday, 1966.

Hatchett, Marion J. Commentary on the American Prayer Book. New

York: Seabury, 1981.

Leon-Dufour, Xavier. Dictionary of the New Testament. San

Francisco: Harper and Row, 1980.

Smith, D. Moody. "The Presentation of Jesus in the Fourth Gospel,"

Interpretation, October, 1977.

5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: John 1:29-41

SONGS OF THANKFULNESS AND PRAISE (HB 135, LBW 90), if not

already used, is an excellent Epiphany hymn, as is CHRIST WHEN FOR US

YOU WERE BAPTIZED (HB 121). Alternatives would be AT THE NAME OF

JESUS (HB 435, LBW 179), O SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD (HB 531, LBW

388), SPREAD, O SPREAD, THOU MIGHTY WORD (HB 530, LBW 379),

JESUS SHALL REIGN WHERE E'ER THE SUN (HB 544, LBW 530), JESUS CALLS

US O'ER THE TUMULT (HB 549,550;LBW 494), and THE ONLY SON FROM HEAVEN

(LBW 86).

ELW HYMN SUGGESTIONS:

Gathering: Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies (ELW 553, LBW 265)

The Day: The Only Son from Heaven (ELW 309, LBW 87)

Offertory: Come to the Table – 481

Communion: Jesus, Priceless Treasure (ELW 775, LBW 457/8)

Sending: We are Marching in the Light of God (ELW 866, WOV 650)

MIDI= http://ingeb.org/spiritua/siyahamb.mid

Exegete: William L. Sachs is the Assistant Rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia. Author of The Transformation of Anglicanism.

6. FURTHER READING

If evangelism is the sermon topic, an interesting book to read

is OF ONE BODY: Renewal Movements in the Church (Atlanta: John Knox

Press,1986) by this week's exegete, William L. Sachs and Joseph W.

Trigg, also a contributor to LEXEGETE. There is much tension today

between renewal movements and "mainline" Christianity. The thesis

of the book is that the church needs to learn from the phenomenal

growth of such movements, and can be strengthened by a healthy

dialogue between these two areas of faith and life in the Spirit.

This thought-provoking thesis is well-stated, as noted by Martin E.

Marty in his Foreword. It speaks to all who would tell Good News!

Since January 15 is the official observance of the Birthday of

the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this is a good time in the church

year to remember the life and ministry of Martin Luther

King,Jr. An "evangelist" in the best sense of the word, his powerful

book of sermons, Strength to Love (Phila.: Fortress Press,

1981), remains indispensable reading for such an observance. Sermons like

"Paul's letter to American Christians" reveal a keen homiletical

strategist whose communication style was intensely creative. His

epitaph lives on : "he tried to love somebody." He was not only a

"drum major for justice" but a prophet of non-violence in an age

and a land riddled with violence.

______________________________________________________

LEXEGETE © 2011

TISCHREDE SOFTWARE

Dartmouth,MA 02747

http://yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

_______________________________________________________

Falling Backwards: A Hope-filled Lesson from Skiing

January 8, 2011

I took up skiing in the Sixties when I was a varsity wrestler at Wittenberg U. in Ohio. On a bus ride back to Springfield, spied a sign that read "Ski Valley High in Bellefontaine." The area is now known as "Mad River" and offers a variety of rolling midwestern terrain, even a few steeps. I spent winter nights in the library doing research on skiing round the world. Within three years, JFK had stared down Krushchev with the missiles of October, the Peace Corps was introduced, JFK II saluted his Dad, our fallen president on Pennsylvania Avenue, and I had dropped out of college to become a VISTA Volunteer working in the slums of Oakland, California.

Back in those first years of skiing, I learned a crucial lesson. It is better to lean downhill and risk a forward fall than to fall backward--a common weakness among amateur skiers. VISTA workers were given a week of vacation, so I spent mine working for food and a bunkbed in Squaw Valley, skiing KT-22 on an old pair of ski. Such small details show how little we know about what our future will bring. Perhaps because I was born on New Year's Eve, I have always taken this ignorance of my future as a basic stance for living my life.

I believe Vaclav Havel meant exactly this when he wrote:

"HOPE is definitely not the same thing as Optimism. It is not the
conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty
that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out."

My fellow earthlings, what we need now is Real Hope--the kind that Havel talked about even as his "velvet" revolution was unraveling in the Czech Republic. This is,
it turns that same kind of "hope" [aka "change"] that elected an obscure politician as our President 26 months ago, and elected an even more unlikely candidate (Scott Brown) to replace Ted "Lion-of-the-Senate" Kennedy one year ago.

You don't need ESP to see that so far things have not turned out as many of us imagined they would! (Who, for instance, would have dreamed that America
would pass Health Care Reform after it had been fought so fiercely by Big Pharma companies and other powerful interests?) But, in the aftermath of the August '08 collapse of our financial system, things have turned out to be far worse than any optimist could have foreseen.

Look at what our media report this morning: The newest issue of Foreign Policy has a cover story on "American Decline: This Time It's Real":

http://preview.tinyurl.com/Decline-Is-Real

Even more of a surprise comes now from Harvard Business School, the "West Point of Capitalism"[http://hbr.org/magazine]:

http://hbr.org/product/harvard-business-review-january-february-2011/an/BR1101-MAG-ENG

M.E. Porter and M.R. Kramer (authors of "Strategy & Society") acknowledge that Capitalism is under siege, if not broken. The best way to reinvent it, they argue, is by "Creating Shared Value". This echoes what was being attacked as " socialism" by Glenn Beck, Joe the Plumber, and other would-be economists ever since the collapse of Lehmann Bros., AIG, and other financial behemoths. Robert Reich, former Labor Secretary, argues that whatever "recovery" America is going through is too little and too late to make much difference.

(See <>).

Today, it is still better to lean into the future, risking a forward fall rather than a backward fall. To paraphrase the Kingston Trio, Glenn Beck, and Thomas Paine [though not in that order], "these are the times that try our souls."

Times like these require little more than hope, but opnly Real Hope will do. Without it we all fall backwards down a slippery slope of our own making.


David A. Buehler, PhD
davebuehler@post.harvard.edu

+ Epiphany + Epiphany ONE +

Lexegete™ | Year A | St. Matthew
_______________________________________




Epiphany of Our Lord

January 6, 2011

Isaiah 60:1-6
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 (11)
Ephesians 3:1-12
Matthew 2:1-12
Prayer of the Day
O God, on this day you revealed your Son to the nations by the leading of a star. Lead us now by faith to know your presence in our lives, and bring us at last to the full vision of your glory, 
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
 or
Almighty and ever-living God, you revealed the incarnation of your Son by the brilliant shining of a star. Shine the light of your justice always in our hearts and over all lands, and accept our lives as the treasure we offer in your praise and for your service, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
 or
Everlasting God, the radiance of all faithful people, you brought the nations to the brightness of your rising. Fill the world with your glory, and show yourself to all the world through him who is the true light and the bright morning star, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia. We have observed his star | at its rising,
and have come to | worship him. Alleluia. (Matt. 2:2)


1a. CONTEXT: MATTHEW 2:1-12

This pericope has little to connect it with the preceding chapter except the birth of Jesus, but just as with the foregoing, the interest is not biographical. The story has two main emphases. The first is the struggle between King Herod and the baby king. This conflict calls to mind the Old Testament story of Pharaoh and the Infant Moses (cf. Hebrews 3:1-6). As in the birth of Jesus, Moses' birth was foretold by an Egyptian scholar- astrologer and a turmoil ensues. Pharaoh calls together all the Egyptian astrologers. Based upon their information he orders the execution of all Hebrew male infants, hoping to slay the newborn savior of Israel (Josephus,ANTIQUITIES, ii 205-6, 215). In like manner, Herod convenes the chief priests and teachers of the law to learn what he can about this newborn king, but he relies upon the return of the Magi for complete information. One wonders why he didn't send soldiers or at least spies, rather that trust strangers.

Matthew has an interest in establishing Jesus' birth in the royal city of David, Bethlehem. This is done by means of inserting Micah 5:1-2 in his story at verse 6. This quotation already was interpreted in a messianic way by the Jews. The last line of verse 6 suggests Micah 5:3-4, but its actual wording is found in 2 Samuel 5:2, which is a promise to David.

The "Herod" of verse 1 is undoubtedly Herod the Great, thus Jesus' birth is dated in 7 B.C. when a brilliant conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter lit up the sky.

However this date is not easily confirmed, for about 11 B.C. Halley's comet shot across the skies, and in the years through 2 B.C.l, there was another rare phenomenon. On the first day of the Egyptian month of Mesori, the dog star Sirius rose at sunrise and shone incandescently.There is unusual significance here, for the name Mesori means "birth of a prince" and to astrologers such a star would herald the nativity of a great king.
To further complicate the matter, the Lucan narrative dates Jesus' birth 6-7 A.D. because of the tax enrollment and the governorship of Quirinius.

But the Matthean author knows nothing of a journey to Bethlehem. There is some evidence from Herodotus that the Magi were Medes, a part of the Persian Empire which became a tribe of priests much like the LevitesinIsrael. They were knowledgeable in the sciences, interpreting dreams, and were men of wisdom and holiness; hence the name "wisemen." Like all learned men of their day, they practiced astrology. Since it was their profession to watch the heavens, such a brilliant heavenly display bespoke the birth of a king.
Tacitus tells of the belief widespread throughout the known world at the time of Jesus' birth that a king was to be born: "There was a firm persuasion...that at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers coming from Judaea were to acquire universal empire." (Tacitus, HISTORIES, 5:13.) We find other such references in Josephus, Suetonius, as well as Virgil, the Roman poet who wrote of the golden days to come. In Numbers 24:17, the messiah himself is referred to as a star. The phrase "king of the Jews" (basileus ton Ioudaion) places the infant Jesus in opposition to Herod the Great, as does yearning of foreign dignitaries to "fall down and worship him."
In this story we see one of the central themes of Matthew, the relationship between Israel and the gentiles illuminated both by the pagans who worship the child and the Jewish king who refuses to accept him. Jesus is portrayed as the new Moses, sent by God to save the people of Israel and at peril from those holding worldly authority, even in the manger. Unlike Moses, Jesus is worshipped as king of the universe. The messiah is exalted by those who nothing of God except the beacons they see in the heavens, while the recognized authorities reject him. Hence both Israel's rejection and the nature of his kingdom are indicated, and even the city of the messiah....Bethlehem...will not be a haven for long.
Matthew's author wants to portray the unique status of Jesus as the savior of all humankind. Additionally, he is concerned with the image of Jesus as a forerunner of the life of Christian discipleship. At birth Jesus is Immanuel, the Son of God; forced to wander, at enmity with the world
whose servant-king he is, but guided and protected by God Almighty.
1b. TEXT: MATTHEW 2:1-12

The Visit of the Wise Men

2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men [1] from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose [2] and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, re by no means least among the rulers of Judah; or from you shall come a ruler ho will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
ESV: English Standard Version Greek:


GREEK


1του δε ιησου γεννηθεντος εν βηθλεεμ της ιουδαιας εν ημεραις ηρωδου του βασιλεως, ιδου μαγοι απο ανατολων παρεγενοντο εις
ιεροσολυμα
2λεγοντες, που εστιν ο τεχθεις βασιλευς των ιουδαιων; ειδομεν γαρ αυτου τον αστερα εν τη ανατολη και ηλθομεν προσκυνησαι αυτω.
3ακουσας δε ο βασιλευς ηρωδης εταραχθη και πασα ιεροσολυμα μετ αυτου,
4και συναγαγων παντας τους αρχιερεις και γραμματεις του λαου επυνθανετο παρ
αυτων που ο χριστος γενναται.
5οι δε ειπαν αυτω, εν βηθλεεμ της
ιουδαιας: ουτως γαρ γεγραπται δια του προφητου:
6και συ,
βηθλεεμ γη ιουδα, ουδαμως ελαχιστη ει εν τοις ηγεμοσιν ιουδα: εκ σου γαρ εξελευσεται ηγουμενος, οστις ποιμανει τον λαον μου
τον ισραηλ.
7τοτε ηρωδης λαθρα καλεσας τους μαγους
ηκριβωσεν παρ αυτων τον χρονον του φαινομενου αστερος,
8και
πεμψας αυτους εις βηθλεεμ ειπεν, πορευθεντες εξετασατε ακριβως περι του παιδιου: επαν δε ευρητε απαγγειλατε μοι, οπως
καγω ελθων προσκυνησω αυτω.
9οι δε ακουσαντες του βασιλεως επορευθησαν, και ιδου ο αστηρ ον ειδον εν τη ανατολη προηγεν
αυτους εως ελθων εσταθη επανω ου ην το παιδιον.
10ιδοντες δε
τον αστερα εχαρησαν χαραν μεγαλην σφοδρα.
11και ελθοντες εις
την οικιαν ειδον το παιδιον μετα μαριας της μητρος αυτου, και πεσοντες προσεκυνησαν αυτω, και ανοιξαντες τους θησαυρους αυτων προσηνεγκαν αυτω δωρα, χρυσον και λιβανον και
σμυρναν.
12και χρηματισθεντες κατ οναρ μη ανακαμψαι προς ηρωδην, δι αλλης οδου ανεχωρησαν εις την χωραν αυτων.

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 2:1-12

MATTHEW 2:1 - Bethlehem was a little town 6 mi. to the south of Jerusalem. AlsoitwastheplaceRuthlivedaftershemarriedBoaz,andit is the site of the pillar beside the grave where Jacob buried his beloved Rachel. Most of all Bethlehem was the city of David. It was here that Jews expected the birth of God's anointed one. The name Bethlehem means "The House of Bread" and it was here the one who as the bread of life entered the world in a stable.

Mt. 2:2 - The verb "to worship" (proskuneisai) refers to prostration in the presence of the king or God and means worship in the literal sense of the word. Hence the desire of the Magi to worship him stresses the universal significance of Jesus from the very beginning.
Mt. 2:3 - Herod's terror at the idea of a messiah was well-founded. Herod was half Jews and half Idumaean. There was Edomite blood in his veins and his parents were Jewish converts. He had been a tool of Rome. He was called "The Great" because he had brought peace and order to Palestine. And he was a great builder, having built the Templein Jerusalem. Yet this nature was bitter, warped and murderous. He killed his wife, his mother-in-law and three sons when he thought they might rival his power. Thus he feared any messianic movement that might dispute his right to the throne.
Mt. 2:4 - There was a history of severe tension between the chief priests and the teachers of the law of the people. It is difficult to believe that even Herod could have successfully called them together.
Mt. 2:10 - The astrologers' joy at finding the baby is powerfully portrayed in the Greek. "When they say the star they rejoiced (echareisan) with exceeding (sphodra), great (megalein) joy (charan). How happy they were,
what gladness they felt" (cf. Luke 2:10).
Mt. 2:11 - The gifts are royal gifts (Ps. 72:10-11, 15; 45:7-9; also Isaiah 60:6; Song of Solomon 3:6) of gold (chrusos) for the king Jesus "the Man born to be King," frankincense (libanos) for the priest and bridge-builder to God, and myrrh (smurna) for the embalming of the dead, and Jesus is the one who is to die.
Mt. 2:12 - Once again a dream plays an important role as the vehicle for God's message. The magi are warned in a dream not to return to Herod and they do not. Joseph was told in a dream "...take Mary to be your wife...she will give birth to a son...he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21).
Matthew's church is thought to have been located in Syria around AD 70. An association with Palestinian Judaism and the fundamental interpretation of the law is clearly delineated. Likewise a familiarity with the gentile world and the admission of pagans into the church are accepted facts. The Jewish background of Matthew's gospel is apparent. The debate on keeping the Law is a central question (5:17-20) and the Sabbath is being observed (24:20). Plainly the evangelist author of
Matthew was a Jewish Christian of the Syrian church, who had to deal with Gentile and Jew. Hence the universal theme of Matthew 2:1-12 would have struck a responsive chord with his community, as would the call to follow Christ's life as a wanderer, yet obedient to God in the life of discipleship.
3. STRATEGY: Matthew 2:1-12
The Universal theme of this Matthean pericope is strengthened when combined with the Lectionary text Ephesians 3:1-12. There Paul speaks of how "...the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and shares together in the promise in Christ Jesus." It is a powerful message for the universal church which has become a reality
today.
Psalm 60:1-6, which states that "kings will come to the brightness of your dawn...bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord," shows in the visit by the Magi the fulfillment of the promise given in the Old Testament. There is a reluctance today to see the New Testament as a fulfillment of the Old Testament. Though this can be overdone, certain great scholars, such as Gerhard Von Rad, affirm the validityofdoingso [seeTHEMESSAGEOFTHEPROPHETS].
Hence it would be possible and authentic to develop a sermon based upon the similarities between the Moses-Pharaoh story and the Jesus-Herod story.This could become quite interesting. One would have to be cautious and clearly delineate the differences. Only one, Jesus, was the Son of
God, the one who died on the cross.
Another theme that might be explored is what it means to be a disciple of Christ...the wanderer, the king with no throne, the lover of the world who is the brunt of its enmity and the savior of all the nations...still unaccepted by even those who know him well. If this is to be our way, how do we live in such an alien place?
Our text divides its participants into three groups:
(1) Herod, who despised Jesus and sought to kill him rather than share his power.
(2) The chief priests and teachers of the Law who were indifferent to him. They were preoccupied with their rituals and legal discourses. They had little time for him.
(3)TheMagi,theoutsiders,thealienswhosoughthim outandwhenthey found him were overjoyed and worshipped him. How are we to exist in this world when we face these same three types of people? What do we do? We have our moments of seeing, but the journey of faith is sometimes in darkness.
John Killinger wrote a small piece entitled "At the end of the journey is Christ." In it he pointed out that we often think that the Christian is to experience Christ as the journey's beginning. But the real surprise in store for us all is that he is at the journey's end as well. He goes on to develop the theme of pilgrimage through the darkness, noting that for the wise men there was no question about whether the journey was worthwhile.
Killinger says this is "good news to those who are in a darkened phase of their life's journey, isn't it? When you have lost the star, hold on; you will come out on the other end of the darkness, and there will be light you cannot no believe. That is what our faith is all about: He has been there allthetime. Throughallthedarknessandallthestruggles,pastallthe pitfalls and all the valleys, he is there. And that is what sustains all wise men, or women, on their journeys" (p. 116).
Paul ends his message with these words, "I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged..." This word of encouragment might be the most powerful theme of all as we celebrate the Epiphany, the festival of the manifestation of Christ to us, the Gentiles. Immanuel--God is with us.
4. REFERENCES: Matthew 2:1-12
Josephus.COMPLETEWORKS. (SeeBookTwo:THEJEWISHANTIQUITIES.) Grand Rapids,MI: Kregel, 1960.
Schweizer, Eduard. THE GOOD NEWS ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. Atlanta John Knox Press, 1975.
Killinger, John, "At the End of the Journey is Christ," in James Cox,ed. THE MINISTER'S MANUAL 1986. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1986.
von Rad, Gerhard. THE MESSAGE OF THE PROPHETS. New York: Harper and Row, 1965.
5. WORSHIP SUGGESTIONS: Matthew 2:1-12
Three hymns that are suggested for Epiphany by the United Methodist tradition are:
IN BETHLEHEM 'NEATH STARLIT SKIES (UMH 377), AS WITH GLADNESS MEN OF OLD (UMH 397, HB 119,LBW 82), and BRIGHTEST AND BEST OF THE STARS OF THE MORNING (UMH 400,LBW 84, HB 117/8). Two of these are based on the Matthean pericope.





Other recommended hymns for this day are:

IN CHRIST THERE IS NO EAST OR WEST (UMH 192,HB 529,LBW359)
COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS(UMH 350,HB 66, LBW30)
WE THREE KINGS OF ORIENT ARE (UMH 402,HB 128)
O LOVE, HOW DEEP (LBW 88,HB 448/9)
O WONDROUS TYPE, O VISION FAIR (LBW 80,HB 136/7)


There is a scarcity of children's messages which address this theme, but one which I have used to develop the universality of Christ for children is the song "Ordinary Baby" from a song in the cantata HE STARTED THE WHOLE WORLD SINGING by Bill and Gloria Gaither. When presenting this message I try to help the children grasp the significance of Christ as an infant, hungry, helpless, crying and needing love as we all did and do.



Exegete: Rev. Saundra Craig











Lexegete™ | Year A | St. Matthew


Baptism of Our Lord

January 9, 2011 (Lectionary 1)
Isaiah 42:1-9
Psalm 29 (3)
Acts 10:34-43
Matthew 3:13-17

Prayer of the Day
O God our Father, at the baptism of Jesus you proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized into Christ faithful to their calling to be our daughters and sons, and empower us all with your Spirit, 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. A voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, | the Beloved,
with whom I | am well pleased." Alleluia. (Matt. 3:17)
Color: White

_____________________________________________________

1. CONTEXT: Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus' baptism was the original theme of the feast of the
Epiphany, as it still is in the eastern Churches. The account in
Matthew follows the story of the ministry of John the Baptist at the
Jordan, and his announcement of one "stronger" than himself who will
come to bring judgment.
All the gospels agree that Jesus' ministry began after John had
made this testimony, though the Fourth Gospel does not say that Jesus
was baptized. The Synoptics portray baptism in the light of early
Christian theology.
When 3:3-17 is compared with the accounts in Mark and Luke, the
most striking feature is John's reluctance. Matthew does not suggest
that this is because Jesus is sinless, as in the apocryphal gospels,
only that he is greater than John. Since John's disciples continued
for some time as a sect independent of the Christian Church, his
witness to Jesus was an answer to anyone who claimed that John was
the leader and Jesus the follower. Jesus insists on being baptized, for it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness. Righteousness is the theme of the Sermon on the
mount, and Jesus is shown throughout Matthew as the model of perfect
obedience to the Father's will (cf. Kingsbury, Matthew, p. 39).

As in Mark, Jesus sees the Spirit descending like a dove, but
others may have seen the skies open and heard the voice. The rabbis
believed that canonical prophecy had ceased, but they told of a voice
from heaven (bath qol, "daughter of a voice") which often spoke words
of Scripture, as on this occasion. Jesus is now proclaimed as God's
Son (AILL: "Child") , beloved and chosen. Similarly, in 4:3,6, the
tempter calls him Son of God (an infrequent title in Q, which usually
speaks of the Son of Man).

Mark 1:11 could have been understood as suggesting that Jesus
became Son of God at his baptism, but in Matthew he is that at least
from the time of his conception (1:20,23; 2:15). Thus the baptism
is the solemn appointment of the Messiah for his ministry. Acts
10:38, in the second reading for the day, says that Jesus was
"anointed...with the Holy Spirit and with power"(AILL).


1b. TEXT: Matthew 3:13-17

ESV: English Standard Version:
The Baptism of Jesus
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, [2] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, [3] with whom I am well pleased.”
Footnotes: [1] 3:3 Or crying: Prepare in the wilderness 
[2] 3:16 Some manuscripts omit to him [3] 3:17 Or my Son, my (or the) Beloved


13τοτε παραγινεται ο ιησους απο της γαλιλαιας επι τον ιορδανην προς τον ιωαννην του βαπτισθηναι υπ αυτου.

14ο δε ιωαννης διεκωλυεν αυτον λεγων, εγω χρειαν εχω υπο σου βαπτισθηναι, και συ ερχη προς με;

15αποκριθεις δε ο ιησους ειπεν προς αυτον, αφες αρτι, ουτως γαρ πρεπον εστιν ημιν πληρωσαι πασαν δικαιοσυνην. τοτε αφιησιν αυτον.

16βαπτισθεις δε ο ιησους ευθυς ανεβη απο του υδατος: και ιδου ηνεωχθησαν [αυτω] οι ουρανοι, και ειδεν [το] πνευμα [του] θεου καταβαινον ωσει περιστεραν [και] ερχομενον επ αυτον:

17και ιδου φωνη εκ των ουρανων λεγουσα, ουτος εστιν ο υιος μου ο αγαπητος, εν ω ευδοκησα.

Greek: 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 3:13-17

Mt. 3:14 - diekoluen - "would have prevented" (AILL) - the imperfect
of attempted action


3:15 - prepon - "fitting" (AILL) - suitable, proper, right - It is
Jesus' purpose to fulfil, complete the law (5:17) and the prophets
(22:40). This is the righteousness appropriate for the Kingdom of
the Heavens, which is more than that of the scribes and Pharisees
(5:20).


3:16 - hosei peristeran - not in bodily form, as in Luke 3:22 - There
may be a reminiscence of Genesis 1:2, in which the Spirit hovers over
the waters. In Jewish tradition the dove is usually the symbol of
Israel, only occasionally of the Spirit.



3:17 - ho huios mou - The primary reference must be to Psalm 2:7,
which celebrates the anointing of a Davidic sovereign. A few MSS.
of Luke 3:22 quote the verse in full: "You are my son, today I have
begotten you." - ho agapetos - In Greek literature the word often
suggests "only-beloved;" it is applied to Abraham and Sarah's son
Isaac (Gen. 22:2) and to Ephraim (northern Israel) as God's son (Jer.
38:20 LXX). Eph. 1:6 uses egapemeno as a designation of Christ.

- en ho eudokesa - Literally," I delight in you," but the verb can
refer to a decision made by God, hence the phrase may reflect Is.
42:1 (in the first of today's readings), where God's pais (servant,
child) is Israel ho eklektos mou; cf. Is. 44:2, Jacob/Israel is God's
pais egapemenos. Thus the verse may have a secondary reference to
Jesus as the Servant of 2nd Isaiah (as in Mt. 12:18; cf. Acts 3:13,
26;4:27,30; Didache 9:2f., 10:2f.). Is Jesus then to be identified
as (the true) Israel? This may be going too far, for the NT never
says so explicitly, though theologians sometimes make the inference.


3. STRATEGY: Matthew 3:13-17

The baptism of the Lord ("Sovereign": AILL) is an epiphany, a
revelation of the nature of Christ. One way of approaching the
homily is to think of Jesus as the pattern of Christians, in his
servanthood and obedience to God's righteousness. Although John
recognizes that he is in the presence of a greater one, Jesus accepts
his baptism, not to become John's disciple but to associate himself
with the movement of national renewal; cf. Ezek. 36:25-27. As
Christians we too receive the Holy Spirit in baptism and become God's
children, crying Abba (Rom. 8:15).. As such we are members of the
Israel of God (Gal. 6:16; Rom. 11:13-24).

Acts tells of Christian baptism from Pentecost on, as though it
needs no explanation. The Fourth Gospel once speaks of Jesus
baptizing during his ministry (John 3:26) but later states that only
his disciples baptized (4:2).

In Matt. 28:19 it is the risen Christ who definitely commands
baptism. Is the story of Jesus' baptism a model for the Christian
rite, at least in Mark and Luke? The gospels suggest this only by
the prominent place they give it, yet we might properly use the event
as a prototype. A good disciple must be ready to drink the cup that
Jesus drank and undergo a baptism like his (Mark 10:38, but Mt. 20:22
speaks only of the cup), and Paul says that we were baptized into his
death (Rom 6:4).



Another approach is to concentrate on Acts 10:38. Immediately
after his baptism, Jesus resisted temptation and began his ministry
of healing and liberation.







4. REFERENCES: Matthew 3:13-17

Kingsbury, Jack Dean. Matthew (Proclamation Commentaries, G. Krodel,
editor). Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1977.


5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: Baptism of Our Lord (Epiphany 1)


Two hymns seems especially appropriate to the season and the day:

TO JORDAN CAME THE CHRIST (LBW 79) and SONGS OF THANKFULNESS AND
PRAISE (HB 135, LBW 90). Other suitable hymns include: "I COME," THE
GREAT REDEEMER CRIES (HB 116), THE SINLESS ONE TO JORDAN CAME (HB
120), CHRIST, WHEN FOR US YOU WERE BAPTIZED (HB 121), WHEN JESUS WENT TO JORDAN'S STREAM (HB 139), and FROM GOD THE FATHER, VIRGIN-BORN (LBW 83).If the Day is the occasion for a wider celebration or
affirmation of Holy Baptism, either BAPTIZED IN WATER (HB 294) or
ALL WHO BELIEVE AND ARE BAPTIZED (HB 298, LBW 194) might be
alternates.

Exegete: Sherman E. Johnson (†) was the fourth Dean and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific until his entry into the Church Triuymphant in 1993.


His online obituary by Bob Kraft (one of the two main pioneers in online Bible Study,
along with Emanuel Tov of Jerusalewm/Oxford) follows:

To: NT GREEK ONLINE
From: Robert Kraft (UPenn)
Subject: Sherman E. Johnson
Date: Tue, 18 May 1993

It is with great personal sadness that I pass along the following information received from Arthur Van Eck of the National Council of Churches:

On the 20th of April, I received word of the death of Professor
Sherman E. Johnson on March 23, 1993. He was 85 at the time of his death. The cancer had returned and, added to that, was a stroke, earlier in the year.

Sherman was a graduate of Seabury Western and of the University of
Chicago, from which he had his PhD. He taught a Yale Divinity School and
played a major role in the founding of the Graduate Theological Union in
Berkeley, and for 20 years was Dean at the Chruch Divinity School of the
Pacific.

His widow is Mary Johnson, 2328 Mono Avenue, El Cerrito CA 94530. [ now Deceased]

The above information was circulated to the NRSV translation committee,
on which Sherman served for many years. He was a mild mannered person
with good scholarly credentials and instincts, friendly and supportive.
He was president of the SBL in 1957. My recollection of his scholarly
publications is that they were both readable and solid -- I wish there
were time to list some samples on this occasion. If anyone has seen a
more detailed obituary, I would appreciate the reference or a copy.

He will be missed !


Bob Kraft, UPenn




6. FURTHER READING: Year A / Gospel of Matthew

Those who found the Proclamation Commentary, MATTHEW, by Jack Dean Kingsbury of great help in understanding the First Gospel were no doubt enjoy even more pleased with his volume, Matthew As Story (Phila.: Fortress Press, 1986; rev'd ed. 1988). Kingsbury's goal was to trace the plot of the gospel as it unfolds through a literary-critical method in terms of the main and minor characters, the basic conflict which erupts and the ultimate resolution in the death and resurrection of Jesus.


Of particular interest is the final chapter on "The Community of Matthew," an examination of the religious and social environment from which this gospel emerged and the evangelist. This is a concise, readable analysis of Matthew in light of recent scholarship. While Kingsbury is cautious about identifying the author of Matthew's gospel, his book as a whole draws a much clearer picture that makes excellent reading as Year A of the Lectionary gets underway!

Still highly recommended, especially for apprentice preachers, is Reginald H. Fuller's Preaching the Lectionary (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1984, Revised ed.). Fuller provides a brief comment on virtually every pericope in the 3-year cycle. Originally written for Worship in the 1970's, these articles have been rearranged and revised for easier reference. Written from a Roman Catholic perspective, Preaching the Lectionary has nevertheless been embraced by a wide ecumenical readership. This is truly a "handbook" which edifies the whole Church's exegesis and preaching!

Fortunately for those of us on the go, or lacking library access, this book has been added to the library at books.google.com:

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=A2d5meDOO3MC&dq=reginald+fuller+preaching+lectionary&printsec=frontcover&source=web&ots=gxcs5hDqHS&sig=6UFdZY_bHlRxdJxj-4dXf_fsEnM#PPP1,M1





D. Buehler, PhD | Editor, Lexegete






















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