Holy Textures

Matthew 14:13-21

This lesson invites us to remember our own wildernesses, our own places of chaos, when our own insufficiencies may have been blessed, broken, and given away. And yet it was precisely in risking that impossible insufficiency that there was enough. Indeed, more than enough.

We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish

Year A
Pentecost 10 
August 6, 2023 
Sunday Between July 31 and August 6 Inclusive
Proper 13, Ordinary Time 18

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 14:13-21, The Message   or   Matthew 14:13-21, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

 

The real miracle today would be for the feeble scraps of our sermons on the text to truly feed and satisfy the hungry who have gathered.

As I have said before, the key thing with any "miracle" story is to NOT get distracted by the special effects. The text does not explain how these things happen; nor should the sermon. But the text does explain why these things happen and invites us to be open to mystery and wonder, the strange, and the impossible possible.

I would suggest taking a day or two just to feel one's way into the full meaning of Verse 13:

When Jesus heard the news about John ...

"The news about John" is that he has been beheaded; killed as the result of jealousy and a foolish promise. And who is John to Jesus? Scholars suggest that John was Jesus' spiritual teacher / mentor. That before beginning his own public ministry, Jesus had been a follower of John.

Agnus Day, www.agnusday.org, makes an interesting connection between the royal feast at which John was killed and the feast to follow that Jesus hosts ...

According to Matthew, Jesus had just been rejected by his own town, Nazareth (Matthew 13:53-58); then John is executed (Matthew 14:1-12); and then

Jesus left in a boat and went to a lonely place by himself.
Good News Bible

So we begin this passage with Jesus rejected and grieving.

But when his boat arrives at the lonely place, he finds a large crowd has followed him on the shore. Jesus' heart is filled with compassion, with pity for them.

It is important to note that the crowds behaviour is an act of trust and risk on their part. They too have left behind their homes and trekked out into the wilderness.

What follows invites us to remember other wildernesses, and another "miraculous" feeding: Moses and the manna (Exodus 16).

What follows invites us to remember our own wildernesses, our own places of chaos, when our own insufficiencies may have been blessed, broken, and given away. And yet it was precisely in risking that impossible insufficiency that there was enough. Indeed, more than enough.

How many is 5,000 men, plus women and children?

This is not a trick question.

Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh (Page 81, see footnote below.) comment that:

A crowd of five thousand males would have been larger than the entire population of all but a handful of the very largest urban settlements. Matthew's image is that of a whole city in Jesus' entourage, whom Jesus nourishes out of compassion.

Rejection, grief, compassion, risk, trust, impossible insufficiency, enough and more than enough.

Is there a congregation anywhere that doesn't need to hear this Good News?

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Historical background information in this post is drawn primarily from Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, see below, pages 80-81.

Matthew 14:13-21 (NRSV)

   ¹³ Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. ¹⁴ When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. ¹⁵ When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." ¹⁶ Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." ¹⁷ They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." ¹⁸ And he said, "Bring them here to me." ¹⁹ Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰ And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. ²¹ And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Matthew 14:31-21 (The Message)

   ¹³ When Jesus got the news, he slipped away by boat to an out-of-the-way place by himself. But unsuccessfully—someone saw him and the word got around. Soon a lot of people from the nearby villages walked around the lake to where he was. ¹⁴ When he saw them coming, he was overcome with pity and healed their sick.

   ¹⁵ Toward evening the disciples approached him. "We're out in the country and it's getting late. Dismiss the people so they can go to the villages and get some supper."

   ¹⁶ But Jesus said, "There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper."

   ¹⁷ "All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish," they said.

   ¹⁸ Jesus said, "Bring them here." ¹⁹ Then he had the people sit on the grass. He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples. The disciples then gave the food to the congregation. ²⁰ They all ate their fill. They gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. ²¹ About five thousand were fed. 

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Matthew 14:22-33

Walking on the sea is not an idle, capricious, magic trick. After spending time alone in prayer, Jesus has stepped out onto the back of a chaotic and dangerous spirit to go and be with his friends.

Jesus immediately reached out his hand

Year A
Pentecost 11 
August 13, 2023 
Sunday Between August 7 and August 13 Inclusive
Proper 14, Ordinary Time 19

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 14:22-33, The Message   or   Matthew 14:22-33, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

 

I love this story.

First, my usual warning NOT to get distracted by the special effects. Too often modern day preachers spend all their time trying to make the "miracle" seem scientifically plausible, and in effect explain away the significance of the story. Believing in God is already scientifically problematic, so instead of being plausible, invite your congregation to wonder.

Having said that, it is important to know that at the time of Jesus, what happens in this story is NOT that Jesus walks on water. Jesus walks on the sea. And the sea was understood to be a living, chaotic, potentially deadly spirit.

When the disciples see Jesus walking on the sea, they are not relieved, do not shout for joy expecting that Jesus has come to rescue them from the storm (also caused by spirits). Instead, they are terrified. The word used here for "terrified" can also be used to describe a sea that has been agitated and stirred up. In other words, the disciples' inner state is now a perfect reflection of their outer circumstances.

They are terrified because they would realize that they are seeing with their human eyes events that can only happen in the realm of the spirits - their first reaction is that they are seeing a ghost. They are terrified because while spirits are everywhere in the human realm, it is deadly for humans to be in the realm of the spirits.

When Jesus immediately says to them, "Take courage, do not be afraid," he is inviting them to have HIS inner state instead of theirs. Walking on the sea is not an idle, capricious, magic trick. After spending time alone in prayer, Jesus has stepped out onto the back of a chaotic and dangerous spirit to go and be with his friends.

What happens next is a poignant testimony of the reality of discipleship, of being a follower of Jesus.

Good old impetuous Peter responds, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you."

It is important to note that Peter does not act on his own impulse or authority. He asks to be commanded to come to Jesus. He gets out of the boat under the protection of the authority of Jesus. And Peter does not go for a stroll on the sea; he does only what he has been commanded, he comes toward Jesus.

And for a brief few steps, it works!

Peter too is able to walk on the back of the chaotic, dangerous spirit, the sea. But as we all know too well, there are many distractions in life that take our attention away from what we most cherish. And instead of keeping his focus on Jesus, Peter notices the wind, and his bond with Jesus is weakened.

Notice that Peter BEGINS to sink. That is, Peter is not walking on water. No one BEGINS to sink in water. Try standing on water yourself and see how much time you have to cry out while beginning to sink.

And notice too, that Peter does NOT cry out, "Lord, IF it is you," as he did when he was back in the boat. Now there are no if's, and's, or but's. Now it is simply, "Lord, save me."

Jesus reaches out his hand and saves Peter. His comment and question to Peter, "You of little faith, why did you doubt," would be better translated as, "You of little trust, why did you hold back?"

The issue in this story is not intellectual faith / belief. The issue is loyalty / trust, and not getting distracted in times of trouble and testing.

When they get into the boat, the encounter between Jesus and the spirits of the sea and the wind end; things calm down.

The statement by the disciples, "Truly, you are the Son of God." is simply an affirmation by them of what they witnessed with their eyes: Jesus has shown authority over the spirits of the sea and wind - he is Son of God, since only one of that high a rank in the spirit realm could have authority over the sea and wind.

You and I will not likely go walking on the back of the sea any time soon. But we most certainly will - or already do - find ourselves in the midst of the storms of life. Jesus can and will walk toward us. Will we trust him enough to leave the security of the boats we have made for ourselves, and instead risk our lives into his command?

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Historical background information in this post is drawn primarily from Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, see below, pages 81-82.

Matthew 14:22-33 (NRSV)

   ²² Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. ²³ And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, ²⁴ but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them. ²⁵ And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea. ²⁶ But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. ²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."

   ²⁸ Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." ²⁹ He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!" ³¹ Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" ³² When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³ And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God. 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Matthew 14:22-33 (The Message)

   ²² As soon as the meal was finished, he insisted that the disciples get in the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the people. ²³ With the crowd dispersed, he climbed the mountain so he could be by himself and pray. He stayed there alone, late into the night.

   ²⁴ Meanwhile, the boat was far out to sea when the wind came up against them and they were battered by the waves. ²⁵ At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. ²⁶ They were scared out of their wits. "A ghost!" they said, crying out in terror.

   ²⁷ But Jesus was quick to comfort them. "Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid."

   ²⁸ Peter, suddenly bold, said, "Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water."

   ²⁹ He said, "Come ahead."

      Jumping out of the boat, Peter walked on the water to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, "Master, save me!"

   ³¹ Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, "Faint-heart, what got into you?"

   ³² The two of them climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. ³³ The disciples in the boat, having watched the whole thing, worshiped Jesus, saying, "This is it! You are God's Son for sure!" 

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28

But this incident is a beautiful illustration of the teaching Jesus has just made. Outwardly, this woman has nothing about her that is "clean." But she has two things in her heart that make her right with God: her unwavering, nagging, persistent care for her daughter; and, her unwavering, nagging, persistent trust that Jesus can cure her daughter. And these two things cause Jesus to undergo a change of heart himself.

Even dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table

Year A
Pentecost 12 
August 20, 2023 
Sunday Between August 14 and August 20 Inclusive
Proper 15, Ordinary Time 20

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28, The Message   or   Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

 

The story of the Canaanite woman in Verses 21-28 really needs the discussion about what makes a person "clean" / "undefiled" in Verses 10-20 in order to help us focus on the significance of what comes out of the mouth of Jesus and this non-Jewish (and therefore "unclean") woman.

The discussion in Verses 10 to 20 should not be read as an unconditional attack on, or dismissal of Jewish customs and traditions. Rather it is an attempt - once again - by Jesus to teach his uncomprehending, dull-witted, disciples to get to the heart of the matter:

To see through external, social conventions to the inner reality of what God desires for us as individuals and as communities.

Sounds easy. But there's a catch. "Social conventions" are time-tested codes of behaviour for living rightly.

That is, they are answers to the questions: "What must I DO to show my reverence for God; my honour for my family; and my social standing in my community?" Behaving in these ways will make us "clean" and "pure" and "undefiled."

Social conventions develop over centuries, and by definition, are NEVER explicitly discussed or agreed upon. A crucial aspect of "convention" is that it is unspoken, and taken for granted. Indeed, so taken for granted that we are by and large completely unaware of how much these codes are embedded in our most deeply held sense of what is true, right, and just.

Social conventions are the standards by which we judge the correctness of someone's behaviour. And therefore, also their motives. Someone whose outward behaviour is bad must also have inner motives that are bad.

However, the problem with social conventions is that they are also, by definition, conservative, closed, static, and unimaginative; and not progressive, open, dynamic, or creative. And therefore, while they maintain the distilled wisdom from past experience, they will also inevitably collide with the on-going creativity of God. Or as Isaiah puts it, social conventions are human wisdom and not God's wisdom.

In Jesus' day, washing ones hands before eating was NOT for hygienic reasons (they had no knowledge of bacteria). Hand washing was part of the ritual preparation that outwardly expressed inner reverence and respect for the Creator of the Universe who provided the food about to be eaten.

So when the Pharisees publicly challenge Jesus and question why his disciples are not washing their hands before eating (Verses 1-2), they are really saying, "You and your disciples cannot be holy men because you are not behaving in holy ways."

As usual, Jesus' response does not directly address their challenge. Instead of talking about hand-washing, he changes the topic to what goes into and comes out of our mouths. His response is about how what is in our hearts leads to what comes out of our mouths. And, without saying so directly, he implies that what has just come out of the mouths of the Pharisees has shown their inward evil thoughts.

If we hold onto this teaching that what comes out of our mouths is what truly makes us clean - what truly shows our reverence for God - then we can hear the story of the Canaanite woman in a new light.

Immediately following the teaching about ritual cleanliness, Jesus takes his followers into foreign - unclean - territory, near the cities of Tyre and Sidon. And in this unclean place a most unconventional thing happens. A foreign (gasp!) woman (horrors!) comes alone (unthinkable!) and speaks (outrageous!) to the disciples and won't obey (scandalous!) their instruction to stop following them (shocking!).

But this incident is a beautiful illustration of the teaching Jesus has just made. Outwardly, this woman has nothing about her that is "clean." But she has two things in her heart that make her right with God:

• her unwavering, nagging, persistent care for her daughter; and,
• her unwavering, nagging, persistent trust that Jesus can cure her daughter.

And these two things cause Jesus to undergo a change of heart himself.

Taken together, Verses 10-20 and 21-28, provide a wonderful illustration of the struggles we face as communities of faith. For we too have developed unspoken conventions for proper behaviour; and we too must be constantly be open to the unconventional and foreign that give us new insight into the wisdom of God.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Historical background information in this post is drawn primarily from Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, see below, pages 83-84.

Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28 (NRSV)

   ¹⁰ Then he called the crowd to him and said to them, "Listen and understand: ¹¹ it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles." ¹² Then the disciples approached and said to him, "Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?" ¹³ He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit." ¹⁵ But Peter said to him, "Explain this parable to us." ¹⁶ Then he said, "Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out into the sewer? ¹⁸ But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile."

   ²¹ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." ²³ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." ²⁴ He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." ²⁶ He answered, "It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." ²⁷ She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table." ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly. 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28 (The Message)

   ¹⁰ He then called the crowd together and said, "Listen, and take this to heart. ¹¹ It's not what you swallow that pollutes your life, but what you vomit up."

   ¹² Later his disciples came and told him, "Did you know how upset the Pharisees were when they heard what you said?"

   ¹³ Jesus shrugged it off. "Every tree that wasn't planted by my Father in heaven will be pulled up by its roots. ¹⁴ Forget them. They are blind men leading blind men. When a blind man leads a blind man, they both end up in the ditch."

   ¹⁵ Peter said, "I don't get it. Put it in plain language."

   ¹⁶ Jesus replied, "You too? Are you being willfully stupid? ¹⁷ Don't you know that anything that is swallowed works its way through the intestines and is finally defecated? ¹⁸ But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart. ¹⁹ It's from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing. ²⁰ That's what pollutes. Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands—that's neither here nor there."

   ²¹ From there Jesus took a trip to Tyre and Sidon. ²² They had hardly arrived when a Canaanite woman came down from the hills and pleaded, "Mercy, Master, Son of David! My daughter is cruelly afflicted by an evil spirit."

   ²³ Jesus ignored her. The disciples came and complained, "Now she's bothering us. Would you please take care of her? She's driving us crazy."

   ²⁴ Jesus refused, telling them, "I've got my hands full dealing with the lost sheep of Israel."

   ²⁵ Then the woman came back to Jesus, went to her knees, and begged. "Master, help me."

   ²⁶ He said, "It's not right to take bread out of children's mouths and throw it to dogs."

   ²⁷ She was quick: "You're right, Master, but beggar dogs do get scraps from the master's table."

   ²⁸ Jesus gave in. "Oh, woman, your faith is something else. What you want is what you get!" Right then her daughter became well. 

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Matthew 16:13-20

It is very problematic that the Lectionary separates Verses 13-20 from Verses 21-23, the first of three occasions of Jesus showing his disciples that he must go up to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and on the third day be raised. If we want the transformational bonding with Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God, we also can't avoid bonding with Jesus the Crucified One.

Who do you say I am

Year A
Pentecost 13 
August 27, 2023 
Sunday Between August 21 and August 27 Inclusive
Proper 16, Ordinary Time 21

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 16:13-20, The Message   or   Matthew 16:13-20, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

 

Interestingly, this pivotal passage occurs outside of the "home turf" of Jesus and his followers, in the district of Caesarea Philippi north of Galilee.

Jesus has been traveling about doing signs, teaching and healing. This has resulted in crowds being drawn to him. It is now time to do some assessing.

Notice Jesus begins with the more general and moves to the specific: first with the crowds, then with his followers. What's the gossip about me? What are the crowds saying? What honour / status / reputation are they attributing to me? The disciples name several prophets and holy men of Israel - they are saying you are - or are like - a prophet or holy man.

But what about you my closest associates?

This is a challenging question. It is direct and it puts Jesus and his followers on the spot - a potentially embarrassing spot if their answer is: "We don't think that much of you actually." Everything hangs on what their answer is.

Simon speaks for the group: "You are the Christ / the Anointed One / the Messiah (These three terms are all translations of the same Greek word.), the Son of God."

This affirmation by Simon is not just a formal statement of intellectual belief. It is a statement of an intimate relationship between Jesus and God, and between Jesus and his followers.

This statement reveals what up till then had been an unstated, organic process: the developing awareness of Jesus' followers and their bonding with him in his mission / ministry / identity.

This is not the sort of thing that ordinary human thinking could figure out.

The confirmation of this revelation from "my Father in Heaven," then also brings with it the blessings, privileges, and authority that come with being in such a relationship. Jesus had these as God's Son; now Peter and the others have these as true disciples of the Messiah.

Unfortunately, the Lectionary leaves out the scriptural context for this transformational revelation:

• "You of little faith" that came before in Verse 8; and
• "Get behind me, Satan! (Addressed to Peter) You are a stumbling block to me." that comes after in Verse 23.

The Lectionary gives us the beatific visions of the disciples divine affirmation (Chapter 16, verses 13-20) and the Transfiguration (Chapter 17, verses 1-13), but omits these tales of the disciples human failures. I personally find these stories comforting because if THEY could be disciples, maybe I could be too.

(Aside: And, ironically, the fact that such humbling / dishonourable stories are told by the disciples about themselves lends credibility to the Biblical eye witnesses.)

And even more problematic, the Lectionary separates Verses 13-20 from Verses 21-23, the first of three occasions of Jesus showing his disciples that he must go up to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and on the third day be raised.

If we want the transformational bonding with Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God, we also can't avoid bonding with Jesus the Crucified One.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Historical background information in this post is drawn primarily from Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, see below, pages 86-87.

Matthew 16:13-20 (NRSV)

   ¹³ Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" ¹⁴ And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." ¹⁵ He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." ¹⁷ And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." ²⁰ Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Matthew 16:13-20 (The Message)

   ¹³ When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?"

   ¹⁴ They replied, "Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets."

   ¹⁵ He pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?"

   ¹⁶ Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God."

   ¹⁷ Jesus came back, "God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn't get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. ¹⁸ And now I'm going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.

   ¹⁹ "And that's not all. You will have complete and free access to God's kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven."

   ²⁰ He swore the disciples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.  

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Matthew 16:21-28

Peter rebukes Jesus. Jesus rebukes Peter. Calls Peter - or at least Peter's rebuke - Satan. That is, Tempter, Snake in the Garden, Introducer of Hesitation, Mixer of Motivations, Flaunter of Red Herrings, Side-Tracker of Mission, Setter of One's Mind on Human Things. Well, fear of pain and death will do that to most people, and Peter was no exception.

Any who would be my followers must ...

Year A
Pentecost 14 
September 3, 2023 
Sunday Between August 28 and September 3 Inclusive
Proper 17, Ordinary Time 22

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Matthew 16:21-28, The Message   or   Matthew 16:21-28, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

 

When a passage begins with "From that time," it is usually a good idea to check back and see what the time / space reference is.

In this case, "From that time" refers to 16:13-20, where Jesus seeks confirmation from his inner group of disciples of what the gossip is about him - "Who do people say that I am?" And then of their assessment - "Who do you say that I am?"

When Peter says, "You are the Messiah," he confirms the authority of Jesus - as seen by others - to now take his show on the road to Jerusalem.

In a very real sense, up to now Jesus has been working the small town stages to build up his street cred's. And having made a name for himself, he is now ready to tackle the big leagues - Jerusalem and the Roman authorities.

The rest of Chapter 16 and all of Chapters 17 to 20 are the road trip to the big city - and Jesus' teachings and actions are now all focused on preparing his followers for the actions that will happen there as Jesus brings his proclamation of the Kingdom of God into direct, face-to-face, confrontation with the Empire of Rome.

Poor old Peter. In Verse 16, he calls Jesus, the Messiah. Seven short verses later, Jesus is calling Peter, "Satan."

Poor old Jesus. In Verse 16, his core inner followers affirm that they have "got it;" that they understand his authority and his mission. Seven short verses later, Peter reveals that they are still mis-understanding and/or unwilling to follow the logic of what he has been teaching them.

The prediction of his suffering and rejection by the religious authorities is actually not rocket science, nor does it require any special divinity on Jesus' part. Given the exalted status now being attributed to Jesus by the people, and given his challenge to the authority of the elders, chief priests and scribes, everyone alive then would know that this could only end badly.

The prediction of his resurrection is a different matter. That adds a whole new, completely novel twist.

As the one who proclaimed the new honour status of Jesus in Verse 16, Peter is quite unnerved by Jesus' teaching in Verse 21.

In Verse 16, Peter was not only affirming a high honour status for Jesus, but was also affirming his loyalty to Jesus. And as such, Peter was also anticipating participating in sharing the rewards of Jesus' honour as Messiah.

Peter and the other disciples know that their loyalty to Jesus demands that they share this fate - just as they had earlier expected to share a quite different outcome. Peter would be surprised, shocked and made fearful by Jesus' teaching in Verse 21.

Peter rebukes Jesus. Jesus rebukes Peter. Calls Peter - or at least Peter's rebuke - Satan. That is, Tempter, Snake in the Garden, Introducer of Hesitation, Mixer of Motivations, Flaunter of Red Herrings, Side-Tracker of Mission, Setter of One's Mind on Human Things. Well, fear of pain and death will do that to most people, and Peter was no exception.

Verses 24-26 repeat a teaching from Matthew 10:38-39. But in this context, we hear this teaching not as a wise proverb, but as what Jesus is setting out to do:

• Taking up his cross,
• Losing his life - for his life's purpose - and finding it.

We all know how to lose our life so that it is lost. The trick is to figure out how to lose one's life so that it will be found. And the key to that mystery is to lose our life for Jesus' sake. For Jesus' purpose, aim, or end.

Verses 27-28 need to be read in an upbeat tone of voice, and not as a finger-wagging threat.

Jesus is breaking down the social barriers between his peasant followers and the Most High.

At the time of Jesus, a peasant would never have access to a high official. But Jesus is saying that within their lifetimes, they will be repaid for their trust in and loyalty to him. This is good news indeed.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Historical background information in this post is drawn primarily from Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, see below, page 88.

* Link to Amazon.com Bibliography for Bruce Malina, Richard Rohrbaugh, et. al., Social Science Commentary on ... The Synoptic Gospels; The Gospel of John; The Book of Acts; The Letters of Paul; The Book of Revelation; and others.

Matthew 16:21-28 (NRSV)

   ²¹ From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. ²² And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." ²³ But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

   ²⁴ Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? ²⁷ "For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done. ²⁸ Truly I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Matthew 16:21-28 (The Message)

   ²¹ Then Jesus made it clear to his disciples that it was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. ²² Peter took him in hand, protesting, "Impossible, Master! That can never be!"

   ²³ But Jesus didn't swerve. "Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works."

   ²⁴ Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. ²⁵ Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. ²⁶ What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?

   ²⁷ "Don't be in such a hurry to go into business for yourself. Before you know it the Son of Man will arrive with all the splendor of his Father, accompanied by an army of angels. You'll get everything you have coming to you, a personal gift. ²⁸ This isn't pie in the sky by and by. Some of you standing here are going to see it take place, see the Son of Man in kingdom glory." 

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

The struggle that every community in every age faces - including our own - is how can the "tradition of the elders," which has given us our identity, now be changed so that what was good in it - the desire to live according to the will of God - can actually be expressed in our current circumstances.

Eating with unclean hands

Year B
Pentecost 14
August 29, 2021
Sunday between August 28 and September 3 inclusive
Proper 17, Ordinary Time 22

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, The Message   or   Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials. Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required. Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

 

The lectionary ends its 5 weeks of dabbling in John and returns to Mark. No murmurs from me about this.

Once again Malina and Rohrbaugh provide helpful background on this passage. (Pages 174-176, see footnote below.)

At one level, the controversy here is between the Judean elite who were 5% of the population, and everyone else. The elites lived in towns and cities and had access, time, and money for the water needed to follow their interpretation of the washing required to follow the Torah.

The "tradition of the elders" is NOT the teaching of Moses as found in the Bible. It is the practice of the Judean elite which they are seeking to impose as THE one and only correct practice. And, as noted, the amount of water, time and money to follow those practices was beyond the reach of most people. And so most people were seen by the elites as unclean.

Jesus then quotes Scripture (Verses 6-7, and 10) to counter their challenge of him and his disciples. When we read it today, we need to be careful to read this as a condemnation of the Judean elites and not of "Jews." Indeed, the crowd of peasant Jews with Jesus were cheering him on in this confrontation. Jesus is condemning hypocrisy not Judaism, and the all-too-human tendency to make sacred cows out of human customs and traditions. (A problem which I'm sure all of our congregations will have risen above. So unfortunately this text will have no practical applications for us personally.)

At another level, the question of what foods are proper to eat, what is the proper way to prepare them, and who are the proper people to eat with are crucial questions to determine, "Who is part of our group?"

Indeed, these very questions about food arise in Acts, and the community's new response opened the way for Jesus' followers to include Gentiles (non-Jews) like you and me.

The struggle that every community in every age faces - including our own - is how can the "tradition of the elders," which has given us our identity, now be changed so that what was good in it - the desire to live according to the will of God - can actually be expressed in our current circumstances.

The "tradition of our elders" did not drop down, fully formed, from heaven. The tradition of the elders is NOT the will of God. Rather the tradition is our elders' distilled wisdom through generations of trial and error. Because it is distilled wisdom, it is instructive and worthy of careful regard.

Discerning what practices actually embody God's will are more often learned from getting it wrong than they are from getting it right. Our elders' experiences of how human short-sightedness, human pride, human folly, human self-righteousness, and human self-justification have dressed themselves in "God's righteousness" are painful lessons best learned from tradition and not from personal experience.

But the truly respectful response to the tradition is for each generation to take its place in the dynamic process that leads to the creation of tradition. To take our place in the process of distilling wisdom through trial and error as we too seek to name the "best practices" for loving God (whose love is unchanging) and our neighbours, strangers, enemies, and one another (all of whom are constantly changing).

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Note: Historical background information in this post is drawn primarily from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh, Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, pages 174-176; and the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, et. al. See below.

Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 (NRSV)

   ¹ Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, ² they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. ³ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; ⁴ and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) ⁵ So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" ⁶ He said to them, "Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written,
         'This people honors me with their lips,
             but their hearts are far from me; 
      ⁷ in vain do they worship me,
             teaching human precepts as doctrines.'
⁸ You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition."

   ¹⁴ Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand: ¹⁵ there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile."

   ²¹ For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, ²² adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. ²³ All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person." 

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 20-23 (The Message)

   ¹ The Pharisees, along with some religion scholars who had come from Jerusalem, gathered around him. ² They noticed that some of his disciples weren't being careful with ritual washings before meals. ³ The Pharisees—Jews in general, in fact—would never eat a meal without going through the motions of a ritual hand-washing, ⁴ with an especially vigorous scrubbing if they had just come from the market (to say nothing of the scourings they'd give jugs and pots and pans).

   ⁵ The Pharisees and religion scholars asked, "Why do your disciples flout the rules, showing up at meals without washing their hands?"

   ⁶ Jesus answered, "Isaiah was right about frauds like you, hit the bull's-eye in fact:

            These people make a big show of saying the right thing,
               but their heart isn't in it. 
         ⁷ They act like they are worshiping me,
               but they don't mean it.
            They just use me as a cover
               for teaching whatever suits their fancy, 
         ⁸ Ditching God's command
               and taking up the latest fads."

   ¹⁴ Jesus called the crowd together again and said, "Listen now, all of you—take this to heart. ¹⁵ It's not what you swallow that pollutes your life; it's what you vomit—that's the real pollution."

   ²⁰ He went on: "It's what comes out of a person that pollutes: ²¹ obscenities, lusts, thefts, murders, adulteries, ²² greed, depravity, deceptive dealings, carousing, mean looks, slander, arrogance, foolishness—²³ all these are vomit from the heart. There is the source of your pollution." 

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Luke 12:13-21

While Jesus does not ALWAYS attack wealth, this parable is reflective a consistent theme of his teachings: Possessions distract us from true wealth; from what is rich in the eyes of God.

Storing up treasure but not rich toward God

Year C
Pentecost 8
July 31, 2022 
Sunday Between July 31 and August 6 Inclusive
Proper 13, Ordinary Time 18

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Luke 12:13-21, The Message   or   Luke 12:13-21, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials. Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required. Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

Well for some reason, the creators of the Lectionary have skipped over most of Chapter 11 - going from last week's, Luke 11:1-13, lesson about prayer and hospitality to this text.

So we could be blithely traveling along with Jesus through August without being aware that back in Chapter 11, Jesus had so insulted the religious authorities (Luke 11:45) that:

When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile toward him and to cross-examine him about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.
Luke 11:53-54

I believe it is crucial to know this so that we don't read this and the other teachings that follow as being similar in tone and context as Luke 11:1, "Lord, teach us to pray." We are now in the midst of serious conflict and challenge.

Verse 13. But let's assume that the "someone" in the crowd is not an agent of the authorities and is making an honest request of Jesus to arbitrate a dispute between brothers.

Verse 14. Anyone in any leadership position should note that Jesus refuses to engage in "mission creep." That is, Jesus does NOT do what is requested because it is not part of his mission. Healing? Teaching? Proclaiming? All are OK. Acting as an arbitrator? No.

Verse 15. At the time of Jesus, the brother requesting the division of the inheritance would be seen as greedy - the brother would be trying acquire for his own personal possession a share of the family inheritance. Reducing the family's inheritance for personal gain is greedy, and "was always considered stealing." (Malina and Rohrbaugh, page 277, see footnote below. Emphasis is original.) Thus, Jesus comment is a logical response to the brother's request.

Verses 16 to 21. Malina and Rohrbaugh (Page 278, see footnote below.) helpfully comment on the parable:

An honorable man would be interested in what was rightfully his, meaning what he already had. He would not want "more." Anyone with a surplus would normally feel shame unless he gave liberally to ... the community. By keeping everything to himself and refusing to act (generously), the rich man in the parable reveals himself as a dishonorable fool.

While Jesus does not ALWAYS attack wealth, this parable reflects a consistent theme of his teachings: Possessions possess us. Care for possessions makes it more difficult to truly care for what God cares for. Possessions distract us from the fullness of life. Possessions distract us from true wealth; from what is rich in the eyes of God.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Note: Historical background information is primarily from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh, Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, pages 277-278; and the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, et. al. See below.

Luke 12:13-21 (NRSV)

   ¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." ¹⁴ But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?" ¹⁵ And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." ¹⁶ Then he told them a parable: "The land of a rich man produced abundantly. ¹⁷ And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?' ¹⁸ Then he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' ²⁰ But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' ²¹ So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God."  

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Luke 12:13-21 (The Message)

   ¹³ Someone out of the crowd said, "Teacher, order my brother to give me a fair share of the family inheritance."

   ¹⁴ He replied, "Mister, what makes you think it's any of my business to be a judge or mediator for you?"

   ¹⁵ Speaking to the people, he went on, "Take care! Protect yourself against the least bit of greed. Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot."

   ¹⁶ Then he told them this story: "The farm of a certain rich man produced a terrific crop. ¹⁷ He talked to himself: 'What can I do? My barn isn't big enough for this harvest.' ¹⁸ Then he said, 'Here's what I'll do: I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones. Then I'll gather in all my grain and goods, ¹⁹ and I'll say to myself, Self, you've done well! You've got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life!'

   ²⁰ "Just then God showed up and said, 'Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods—who gets it?'

   ²¹ "That's what happens when you fill your barn with Self and not with God."  

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Luke 12:32-40

Wow. God, for no other reason than it simply pleases God - delights God - for this reason alone - God gives us the kingdom. No worries. So get over all your anxiety, guilt, shame, unworthiness, wretchedness, etc., etc. You don't deserve it, but God is giving it to you anyway.

Where your treasure is, your heart will be also

Year C
Pentecost 9
August 7, 2022 
Sunday Between August 7 and August 13 Inclusive
Proper 14, Ordinary Time 19

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Luke 12:32-40, The Message   or   Luke 12:32-40, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials. Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required. Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

Every time I first look at this lesson, I do a double take to make sure I haven't mis-read the starting Verse number - shouldn't that be "22" and not "32?" Have the Lectionary planners really omitted Luke's telling of the birds of the air and the flowers of the field? Why yes, yes they actually have. No worries I guess. But personally I'm inclined to correct this oversight and change the reading back to Luke 12:22-34.

As it is, the Lectionary gives us about 6 different possible sermons in 9 verses. Oh well, no worries, right?

Verse 32. We could probably just stop and spend 20 silent minutes - or 20 years - letting this verse sink into the depths of the heart of our being. Everything else follows from this one verse:

it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Wow. God, for no other reason than it simply pleases God - delights God - for this reason alone - God gives us the kingdom. No worries. So get over all your anxiety, guilt, shame, unworthiness, wretchedness, etc., etc. You don't deserve it, but God is giving it to you anyway - not because of who you are or what you've done - but just because it tickles God no end to give it to you.

Verses 33 to 34. Now I suppose we could take that good news and start living recklessly - sinning even more boldly - eating, drinking, and being merry to the max. After all, God's gonna give us the kingdom.

But Jesus has another present in mind. What if we too started giving things away just for the great good pleasure of it?

We live in a world that wants us to treasure acquiring more and more stuff. Jesus wants us to find the fun in giving stuff away.

Verses 35 to 40. And just in case you're wanting to take a minute, or a decade, or the rest of your life, to mull this over, Jesus then tells a parable to remind us that right now, right this minute, is the time to act:

You must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

And when you stop and think about it, what exactly is holding us back? Why not let go? Right now. Just for the fun of it. No worries.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Note: Historical background information is primarily from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh, Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, pages 278-279; and the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, et. al. See below.

Luke 12:32-40 (NRSV)

   ³² "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

   ³⁵ "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; ³⁶ be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. ³⁷ Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. ³⁸ If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

   ³⁹ "But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."  

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Luke 12:32-40 (The Message)

   ³² Don't be afraid of missing out. You're my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

   ³³ "Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can't go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bank robbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. ³⁴ It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

   ³⁵ "Keep your shirts on; keep the lights on! ³⁶ Be like house servants waiting for their master to come back from his honeymoon, awake and ready to open the door when he arrives and knocks. ³⁷ Lucky the servants whom the master finds on watch! He'll put on an apron, sit them at the table, and serve them a meal, sharing his wedding feast with them. ³⁸ It doesn't matter what time of the night he arrives; they're awake—and so blessed!

   ³⁹ "You know that if the house owner had known what night the burglar was coming, he wouldn't have stayed out late and left the place unlocked. ⁴⁰ So don't you be slovenly and careless. Just when you don't expect him, the Son of Man will show up."  

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Luke 12:49-56

It is difficult to over-emphasize how revolutionary Jesus is being in stressing loyalty to him - and kinship with those who are also loyal to him - over family.

Households will be divided

Year C
Pentecost 10
August 14, 2022 
Sunday Between August 14 and August 20 Inclusive
Proper 15, Ordinary Time 20

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Luke 12:49-56, The Message   or   Luke 12:49-56, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials. Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required. Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

Rats! Just as I'm dusting off my fire and brimstone sermon Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh (See footnote below.) point out that "the earth" in Verse 49 refers to an outdoor oven:

"To bring fire to the earth" refers to lighting an outdoor oven, called "earth." It is an idiom for getting things started, or, as the USA idiom has it, "start things cooking."
Page 279.

And commenting on Matthew 5:13, "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot," Malina and Rohrbaugh add:

The "earth" is an outdoor earthen oven (Job 28:5, "As for the earth, out of it comes bread;" Psalm 12:6, "silver refined in a furnace on the ground") found near the house. The ideal house had a house fronted by a walled courtyard that contained (1) an earthen oven with (2) a double stove, (3) a millstone for grinding, (4) a dung heap, along with (5) chickens and (6) cattle. ... The earthen oven used dung as fuel. The dung heap was salted, and salt plates were used as a catalyst to make the dung burn. Salt loses its saltiness when the exhausted plates no longer serve to facilitate burning. Unlike Matthew, Luke specifies that salt without saltiness is "fit neither for the earth nor the dunghill; men throw it away." (Luke 14:34-35)
Page 41.

So let's read this text as Jesus being eager for constructive cooking and not destructive conflagration.

Verse 50. Just as "earth" in Verse 49 was used in a non-literal idiomatic way, so too Jesus here speaks of a "baptism" that does not refer to the ritual act using water. Since Jesus has already been baptized with water, we can only assume that the baptism yet to come which is causing him such stress until it is completed is his execution and resurrection.

Verse 51. Now here is an interesting question: "Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth?"

It would be a mis-reading of this verse that Jesus' mission / purpose is solely to bring division. This is not to be taken as justification for going about wreaking havoc in the name of Jesus.

Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

But on the other hand, it is also a mis-reading of Jesus' mission / purpose to believe that it is identical with unity.

All change - even Good News change - will cause conflict and grief for the simple reason that all change - even Good News change - means giving up / losing something, and it means valuing one thing over another.

Personal aside. In my not-so-humble opinion, too many congregations die because they will not face the inevitable conflict, division and losses that core identity / values / vision change requires. Sometimes you really do have to make an either / or decision and give up the false unity of both / and.

Verses 52 and 53. Notice that Jesus refers to division between family members and not divisions between nations or races. At the time of Jesus, such divisions among family members would not be simply painful family fights. Such separation from blood family in order to form comparable relationships within the new "family" of followers of Jesus was a shocking - and extraordinary - demand. Malina and Rohrbaugh comment (Page 280, see footnote below.):

Given the sharp sense of social stratification prevalent in antiquity, persons engaging in inappropriate social relations risked being cut off from the networks on which their positions depended. In traditional societies this was taken with deadly seriousness. Alienation from family or clan could literally be a matter of life or death, especially for the elite, who would risk everything by association with the wrong kind of people. Since the inclusive early Christian communities demanded just this kind of association across status lines, the situation depicted here is realistic indeed. The alienation would spread beyond the biological family to the larger kinship network formed by marriage.

It is difficult to over-emphasize how revolutionary Jesus is being in stressing loyalty to him - and kinship with those who are also loyal to him - over family. And we especially need to remember that for Luke, and all other non-Jewish and/or higher status people, joining the early Christian community did have these real-life consequences.

Verses 54 to 56. These verses use common local lore about weather - a topic that would be crucial in an agricultural society. The hypocrisy is to claim to be able to interpret God's purposes expressed in nature, but not do the same in human nature - the "present time."

Just as natural consequences follow from the weather, so do natural consequences follow from human behaviours. The "present times" presage the future, and it is hypocrisy to plead innocence or naivete when that future unfolds.

A warning that is as true now as it was in the time of Jesus.

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Note: Historical background information is primarily from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh, Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, pages 278-280; and the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, et. al. See below.

Luke 12:49-56 (NRSV)

   ⁴⁹ "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! ⁵² From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; ⁵³ they will be divided:
      father against son
         and son against father,
      mother against daughter
         and daughter against mother,
      mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
         and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."

   ⁵⁴ He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, 'It is going to rain'; and so it happens. ⁵⁵ And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. ⁵⁶ You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?"  

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Luke 12:49-56 (The Message)

   ⁴⁹ "I've come to start a fire on this earth—how I wish it were blazing right now! ⁵⁰ I've come to change everything, turn everything rightside up—how I long for it to be finished! ⁵¹ Do you think I came to smooth things over and make everything nice? Not so. I've come to disrupt and confront! ⁵² From now on, when you find five in a house, it will be—

      Three against two,
         and two against three; 
   ⁵³ Father against son,
         and son against father;
      Mother against daughter,
         and daughter against mother;
      Mother-in-law against bride,
         and bride against mother-in-law."

   ⁵⁴ Then he turned to the crowd: "When you see clouds coming in from the west, you say, 'Storm's coming'—and you're right. ⁵⁵ And when the wind comes out of the south, you say, 'This'll be a hot one'—and you're right. ⁵⁶ Frauds! You know how to tell a change in the weather, so don't tell me you can't tell a change in the season, the God-season we're in right now."  

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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Luke 13:10-17

This lesson invites all of us who seek to follow Jesus today to ponder the ways in which our own rules, customs, and habits of what is right and proper have in fact become "Bad News" for the poor, the blind, and the oppressed - and to break those bonds so that we might ourselves be proclaimers of Good News of release, recovery, and freedom.

(c)GoTell. Used with permission.

Year C
Pentecost 11
August 21, 2022 
Sunday Between August 21 and August 27 Inclusive
Proper 16, Ordinary Time 21

Read the passage at the bottom of this post: Luke 13:10-17, The Message   or   Luke 13:10-17, The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).

Permission is granted for non-profit use of these materials. Acknowledgement in oral presentations is not required. Otherwise, please acknowledge source as, "David Ewart, www.holytextures.com."

This is the second of 3 healings on the Sabbath that only Luke reports:

1. Luke 6:6-11. Man with a withered hand.
2. Luke 13:10-17. Bent over woman.
3. Luke 14:1-6. Man with dropsy (swollen legs).

These stories may have caught Luke's attention and not Matthew, Mark, or John because Luke himself is a physician. Or it may also be because, it is Luke alone who presents Jesus proclaiming a Year of Jubilee - a year-long Sabbath, Luke 4:18:

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
  because he has anointed me
     to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release
     to the captives
  and recovery of sight to the blind,
      to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

Questions about proper Sabbath observance will be a key source of conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities because Sabbath observance is the heart of Jewish practice - established by God in the very fabric of Creation; commanded directly by God to Moses in the Ten Commandments.

New teachings about the Sabbath could only come from God - or one authorized directly by God.

Nothing is more challenging to any religious community than changes to its Sabbath!

In our modern ears, we tend to focus on the woman's symptom - she is bent over - and skip over the cause of her ailment - a spirit: "And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years." Eighteen years! A powerful spirit indeed.

As Malina and Rohrbaugh note (Page 281, see footnote below), anyone with a physical deformity would also be socially deformed - that is, they would be shunned and outcast - lose their family support and become poor.

In other words they were precisely the people for whom Jesus has come! See Luke 4:18 above.

Verse 12. Notice that Jesus sets the woman free. This is not "healing" as we understand it - it is freeing someone from what has bound them; it is having authority over powerful inner demons.

The process of healing-freeing begins with Jesus speaking to the woman - in so doing, he initiates a relationship with her that everyone else would have studiously avoided - this may have been the first time in 18 years that anyone has ever directly, personally spoken to her in public.

Jesus addresses both her, "Woman," and her reality, "you are set free from your ailment." And so he restores both her social and her physical well being. The social aspect of healing will be emphasized in Verse 16 where Jesus further identifies her status as a member of the community, "a daughter of Abraham," that is to say, "one of us, as we too are all daughters and sons of Abraham."

Verse 13. Notice that the woman rightly praises God - not Jesus - for her freedom. Everyone in the room would have been awed by what has just happened, and they would be very aware that a powerful Holy Man, Jesus, was in their midst.

Aside: Remember that at the time of Jesus it was dishonourable to boast, to draw attention to oneself, to claim higher status, power or authority than one was born with. And Jesus was born at the bottom of the social ladder. So as Jesus goes about preaching, teaching and healing - others start gossiping about him and his public status does grow. That is fine. Others can honour you, but you must never deliberately seek such honour or even explicitly accept it. And it is especially important for an honourable son to NEVER act as an equal with their Father. They must always and only be seen as acting on behalf of the Father, with the Father's permission. Thus when Jesus says, "You are set free," the woman, and everyone else, would understand that the authority and power to set free is God's alone - it is not Jesus, but Jesus on behalf of God. And so it is God, not Jesus, who is to be praised and thanked.

Verse 14. However, since healing violates the Sabbath requirement for doing no labour, Jesus' action is a challenge that rightly provokes a response from the leader of the synagogue whose "job" is to enforce Sabbath laws.

Verses 15 and 16. Jesus meets this rebuke by first demonstrating his familiarity with Sabbath law - the permitted care of animals. And then asks an unanswerable question that silences his opponent.

Verse 17. Jesus' opponents are NOT ashamed because they have suddenly realized that, "Of course! How could we have been so stupid! Of course, it is OK to heal on the Sabbath!"

No. They are ashamed because Jesus has out-debated them; because he has crafted a legitimate question for which they can give no honourable response that would also be acceptable to the watching crowd.

Shaming authorities - those who control armies, police, and courts with force of arms - is dangerous today, and was more so at the time of Jesus.

This lesson invites all of us who seek to follow Jesus today to ponder the ways in which our own rules, customs, and habits of what is right and proper have in fact become "Bad News" for the poor, the blind, and the oppressed - and to break those bonds so that we might ourselves be proclaimers of Good News of release, recovery, and freedom.

Might the watching world - and God - also rejoice at all the wonderful things we were doing?

David Ewart,
www.holytextures.com,
Short, easy to use, faith inspiring explanations of the meaning of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for your sermon, homily, bible study, or reflection.

Note: Historical background information is primarily from Bruce Malina and Richard Rohrbaugh, Social Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, pages 281-282; and the writings of Amy-Jill Levine, et. al. See below.

Luke 13:10-17 (NRSV)

   ¹⁰ Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. ¹¹ And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." ¹³ When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. ¹⁴ But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." ¹⁵ But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? ¹⁶ And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" ¹⁷ When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing.  

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, 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.

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Luke 13:10-17 (The Message)

   ¹⁰ He was teaching in one of the meeting places on the Sabbath. ¹¹ There was a woman present, so twisted and bent over with arthritis that she couldn't even look up. She had been afflicted with this for eighteen years. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called her over. "Woman, you're free!" ¹³ He laid hands on her and suddenly she was standing straight and tall, giving glory to God.

   ¹⁴ The meeting-place president, furious because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the congregation, "Six days have been defined as work days. Come on one of the six if you want to be healed, but not on the seventh, the Sabbath."

   ¹⁵ But Jesus shot back, "You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. ¹⁶ So why isn't it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied these eighteen years?"

   ¹⁷ When he put it that way, his critics were left looking quite silly and red-faced. The congregation was delighted and cheered him on.  

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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