Yr. Obdt. Svt.

Advent 4 • Dec. 18, 2011

2011-12-17T08:39:00.001-08:00

Lexegete™ | Year A | Matthew

_____________________________________

Fourth Sundayof Advent • December 18, 2011

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16

Luke 1:46b-55 (52) or Psalm 89:1-4,19-26 (1)

Romans 16:25-27

Luke 1:26-38

Prayer ofthe Day

Stir up yourpower, Lord Christ, and come. With your abundant grace and might, free us fromthe sin that would obstruct your mercy, that willingly we may bear yourredeeming love to all the world, for you live and reign with the Father and theHoly Spirit, one God, now and forever.

GospelAcclamation

Alleluia. Here I am, the servant | of the Lord;

letit be with me according | to your word. Alleluia. (Luke 1:38)

____________________________________________________________

1a. CONTEXT: Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew's infancy narrative is uniquely his own. In it he

forged a narrative which addressed a mixedcommunity of gentile and

jewish christians and so set the stage for a gospel which had a

pluralistic church in mind. This gospel was directed to a converted

community (R. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah, p.47) and contained

exhortation and direction for the christianlife. There would be some

familiarity with the old testament in Matthew'saudience and he makes

good use of a prophecy/fulfillment scheme as hetells his story.

Matthew's particular theme in today's text is to introduceJesus

and to answer the question "who isHe?" It was a question posedby

the post-resurrection church which began to askchristological

questions. Matthew's answer is that Jesus is both Son of David and

Son of God while at the same time son of Mary andJoseph. To answer

these questions Matthew tells the story of Jesus'birth from Joseph's

perspective.

Thegenealogical table in Matthew makes allusions to OT salvation

history: Abraham as father of all nations, Moses and the exodus, and

the exile in Babylon. Jesus' story provides a parallel to these

events. Matthew also makes allusions to other characters in the old

testament stories. In today's text Joseph's reception of information

through his dreams is reminiscent of the oldtestament Joseph who was

famous for interpretation of dreams.

Joseph as the central character in the birth narrative is

difficult to square with modern assumptions aboutpaternity. Jesus is

Son of David through Joseph even though he wasnot the biological

father according to Matthew. Matthew's audience would not be caught

in a contradiction between a virgin birth andJoseph's paternity,

however. Jesus is established as Joseph's sonthrough his

acknowledgement (naming). Neither would Matthew's audience beoverly

concerned about the "historicity" ofthe virgin birth. They were

well-accustomed to these claims. Modern readers bring different

questions to the text. The important homiletical task is to help the

modern listener to appreciate the questions thetext is sensitive to

while giving adequate attention to the legitimatequestions which

arise for modern people and with which they live.

1a. TEXT: Matthew 1:18-25 (ESV/Greek)

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ [1] took place in thisway. When his mother Mary had been betrothed [2] to Joseph, beforethey came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man andunwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, anangel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, donot fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is fromthe Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son,and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from theirsins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lordhad spoken by the prophet:

23 “Behold, the virginshall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as theangel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her notuntil she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Footnotes

[1] 1:18Some manuscripts of the Christ

 [2] 1:18 That is, legally pledged to be married

Greek:

¹⁸tou de ihsou cristou h genesiVoutwV hn. mnhsteuqeishV thV mhtroV autou mariaV tw iwshf, prin h sunelqeinautouV eureqh en gastri ecousa ek pneumatoV agiou. ¹⁹iwshf de o anhr authV, dikaioV wnkai mh qelwn authn deigmatisai, eboulhqh laqra apolusai authn. ²⁰tauta de autou enqumhqentoV idouaggeloV kuriou kat onar efanh autw legwn, iwshf uioV dauid, mh fobhqhVparalabein marian thn gunaika sou, to gar en auth gennhqen ek pneumatoV estinagiou: ²¹texetai de uion kai kaleseiV toonoma autou ihsoun, autoV gar swsei ton laon autou apo twn amartiwn autwn. ²²touto de olon gegonen ina plhrwqhto rhqen upo kuriou dia tou profhtou legontoV, ²³idou h parqenoV en gastri exei kaitexetai uion, kai kalesousin to onoma autou emmanouhl, o estin meqermhneuomenonmeq hmwn o qeoV. ²⁴egerqeiV de o iwshf apo tou upnouepoihsen wV prosetaxen autw o aggeloV kuriou kai parelaben thn gunaika autou: ²⁵kai ouk eginwsken authn ewV oueteken uion: kai ekalesen to onoma autou ihsoun.

2. ANALYSIS: Matthew 1:18-25

Mt. 1:18 - mnesteutheises teis metros autouMarias to Joseph,

prin ei sunelthein autous heurethe en gastriechousa ek pneumatos

agiou - "When Jesus' mother Mary had beenbetrothed to Joseph, before

they came together she was found to be with childof the Holy

Spirit..." (AILL)- Matthew uses the word forbetrothal

(mnesteutheises) which indicates the two-stageprocess in the typical

marriage of that day. Betrothal was more formal than our engagement

period and some parts of Israel (Judah) evenallowed the man martical

rights with the woman (Brown, p. 124). According to Matthew, Joseph

and Mary were somewhere in the middle of the stages between promise

and cohabitation.

Mt. 1:19 - Joseph de ho aneir auteis dikaios onkai mei thelon autein

deigmatisai, ebouleithe lathra apolusai auten -"Joseph, being just

and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved todivorce her quietly"

(AILL) - Joseph's uprightness (dikaios) consistedof the fact that

although the law indicated that a man in hisposition should press

charges of adultery, he chose not to "make adisplay" (deigmatisai)

of Mary. Joseph took time to ponder his responsibility to the law,

but tempered it with mercy. "Divorce" is perhaps toostrong an

translation for at least some modern ears; hencethe TEV (Today's

English Translation) preference for "breakthe engagement." As

above, there is no exact modern equivalent in ourvocabulary.

Mt. 1:23 - Idou parthenos en gastri exei kaitexetai huion, kai

kalesousin to onoma autou Emmanouel - "Beholda virgin shall conceive

and bear a child, whose name shall be calledEmmanuel" (AILL) -

Here Matthew follows the Septuagint as he quotesIsaiah 7:14 but his

wording for conception is unique and agrees withthe earlier mention

in l:18 (LXX's" en gastrilepsetai" becomes "en gastri exei.")

The Masoretic text also uses the word"alma" which means "young girl"

and Matthew follows the more narrow rendering ofthe greek in LXX

and quotes this as "parthenos," or virgin. This is the first instance

of four in which Matthew uses aprophecy/fulfillment formula to

illustrate a particular aspect of the identity ofthe Christ. His

introductory formula in l:22 ,"All this tookplace to fulfill what the

Sovereign One had spoken by the prophet," ischaracteristic of all

four quotations in the infancy narrative. Usually Matthew chooses to

use these quotations to end a particular segmentof the narrative.

In this instance, the words from Isaiah areinserted in the middle of

the story. This enables Matthew to conclude the narration of Jesus'

birth with the naming of Jesus on Joseph's lips;l:25b, "and Joseph

named the child Jesus" (AILL). This established Jesus as Joseph's

legal son and ensured his place in thegeneological table as a Son of

David.

3. STRATEGY: Matthew 1:18-25

It is no longer enough to ask "What happened?" when onestudies

the birth stories in the gospels, writes PaulMinear (Matthew: The

Teacher's Gospel, p. 162). Even though many feel that the truth is

found only in the historical kernel underneaththe husk of narrative

embellishment, the preacher assumes theresponsibility of conveying

the message that there is another seed of truthin the gospel

proclamation. These stories are a witness to God's majestic act in

coming to the people of every generation and Goddoes not depend on

historians alone to get that message across. Nevertheless is is a

formidable task to transcend the many barriersthe modern mind

constructs which make it difficult for the modernperson to appreciate

the depth to which the story witnesses to thegreat act of God in

Christ.

Afocus on Joseph as a parent for Jesus seems to be in keeping

with Matthew's intention in this text. He plays the role of Jewish

witness to the events. He is the one conscious of the law and the

bearer of the Davidic line. His acknowledgement/naming of Jesus as

his legitimate son is paradigmatic for the"people of the law," the

jewish nation. The preacher may speculate on what scruples this man

had to overcome in making his decision. In addition it is important

to give this father credit for playing theparental role as he did. It

is one shortcoming of the church's tradition thatJoseph plays such a

cameo role.

4. REFERENCES: Matthew 1:18-25

Brown, Raymond. The Birth of the Messiah. Garden City, NY:

Doubleday - Image Books, 1977.

Minear, Paul S. Matthew: The Teacher's Gospel. New York:

Pilgrim Press, 1982.

Schweitzer, Eduard. The Good News According to Matthew. David

Green, translator. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1975.

5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: Matthew1:18-25

SAVIOR OF THE NATIONS, COME (HB 54, LBW 28) wouldbe an excellent

processional hymn. Sung to the accompaniment of a solo drum with

tambourine, it has a simple insistence to it thatis very compelling

for the Advent season. This is something that children could taught

during Advent and then could lead the processioninto the service.

COME, THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS (HB 66, LBW 30) isa good hymn of the

day as it sums up the theme of Matthew's Gospelso well. Finally,

two lesser known hymns that might find anapplication during Advent

might be mentioned: IN A LOWLY MANGER BORN (LBW 417) is a 20th

century Japanese hymn which fits perfectly with asermon depicting the

place of Joseph in the Nativity. Somewhat less suitable for the

season, yet worth considering for its strongmessage of reconciliation

and peace in a world of violence is LORD CHRIST,WHEN FIRST YOU CAME

TO EARTH (LBW 421,esp. stanza 3, "New adventof the love...").

Exegete: Dr. Maria Erling

Lutheran Theological Seminary atGettysburg, PA

6. FURTHER READING: Matthew 1:18-25

For further study of the "formulaquotations" in Matthew, the exegete

may want to look up "Quis et Unde--Who and Whence?Matthew's Christmas

Gospel,"chapter 5 in Stendahl, K., Meanings:The Bible as Document and

as Guide (Philadephia:Fortress Press, 1984), pp. 71-83. This brief

article gives a detailed, meticulous analysis of the shape of the

infancy narratives and Matthew's use of the Old Testament and would

serve as in interesting discussion-starter for agroup of ministers

preparing for serious exegesis duringAdvent/Christmas/Epiphany.

_____________________________________________________________________________

LEXEGETE © 2011

TISCHREDE SOFTWARE

Dartmouth, MA 02747

http://www.yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

_____________________________________________________________________________

A D V E N T • THREE • YEAR B

2011-12-07T08:46:00.001-08:00

Lexegete / Year B / Gospel of Mark
________________________________________________________________

Third Sunday of Advent

December 11, 2012

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126 (3) or Luke 1:46b-55 (52)
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28

Prayer of the Day

Stir up the wills of your faithful people, Lord God, and open our ears to the words of your prophets, that, anointed by your Spirit, we may testify to your light; 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. I am sending my messen- | ger before you,
who will prepare your | way before you. Alleluia. (Matt. 11:10)

__________________________________________________________________

1a. Context: Jn. 1:6-8, 19-28

    The gospel lesson for today describes two interviews with John in which he explains that he himself is not the foretold messiah nor is he another “Elijah.” It seems clear from the gospels that John did not have a full understanding of the meaning of Jesus’ coming. So it should not surprise that his followers or supporters might misunderstand his role or his connection with Jesus.    Some who accepted the role of Messiah for Jesus also claimed that John was a kind of “Elijah” who looked to the coming of the Day of the Lord, the day of judgment (cf. Malachi 3:1, 4:5).    The reference to Elijah in Malachi 3 describes as the “malakh” or messenger of the Lord, who was coming to cleanse the priesthood of which he himself was a member , teacher and keeper of the sacred Torah.   Ultimately he is expected to serve as a reconciler turning the hearts of the fathers to the children,   in other words making peace among the various groups emerging within Jewish religion and culture (cf. Jubilees 23:16ff.).    Prophetic eschatology associated various signs of the times with the return of the prophet Elijah to preach a message of repentance before the “great and terrible Day of the Lord.”    Such signs include the turning of the sun to darkness or the moon to blood, portents which according to Joel 2 were to impel persons to repentance.

It seems odd here that John the Baptist disavows the priestly claim to be another “Elijah” since elsewhere that title appears conferred on him by Jesus (cf. Matt. 17.10f.; Mark 9.12, Matt. 11.7f.; cf. Luke 1.17, Mal. 4.5f., Sirach 48.10). Possibly this has something to do with the unique way in which John relates Jesus and the Baptizer.
In the synoptics, John is arrested and cast into prison before the onset of the public ministry of Jesus. In John, however, Jesus begins his ministry before the arrest of John. John, however, uses the prologue to clarify this relationship, thus avoiding any possibility of confusion between Christ and the forerunner (1:6-8).   That this confusion is not only possible but actually occurred is shown by the fact that Herod believed that Jesus might be a John the Baptist resurrected:    “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised”   (Mark 6.16).

1b. Text: Jn. 1:6-8, 19-28
             Jn. 1:6   There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.   1:7   He
came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.   1:8   He
himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.....

           1:19   This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and
Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"   1:20   He confessed and did not
deny it,    but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." 1:21   And they asked him, "What
then? Are you   Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No."
1:22   Then   they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who
sent us. What do you say about yourself?"     1:23   He said, "I am the voice of one
crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord,' " as the prophet
Isaiah said.    1:24     Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.   1:25   They asked
him, "Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the
prophet?"   1:26   John   answered them, "I baptize with water. Among you stands one
whom you do not know, 1:27   the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal."     1:28   This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.

Greek:

6εγενετο ανθρωπος απεσταλμενος παρα θεου, ονομα αυτω ιωαννης: 7ουτος ηλθεν εις μαρτυριαν, ινα μαρτυρηση περι του φωτος, ινα παντες πιστευσωσιν δι αυτου. 8ουκ ην εκεινος το φως, αλλ ινα μαρτυρηση περι του φωτος....

19και αυτη εστιν η μαρτυρια του ιωαννου, οτε απεστειλαν [προς αυτον] οι ιουδαιοι εξ ιεροσολυμων ιερεις και λευιτας ινα ερωτησωσιν αυτον, συ τις ει; 20και ωμολογησεν και ουκ ηρνησατο, και ωμολογησεν οτι εγω ουκ ειμι ο χριστος. 21και ηρωτησαν αυτον, τι ουν; συ ηλιας ει; και λεγει, ουκ ειμι. ο προφητης ει συ; και απεκριθη, ου. 22ειπαν ουν αυτω, τις ει; ινα αποκρισιν δωμεν τοις πεμψασιν ημας: τι λεγεις περι σεαυτου; 23εφη, εγω φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω, ευθυνατε την οδον κυριου, καθως ειπεν ησαιας ο προφητης. 24και απεσταλμενοι ησαν εκ των φαρισαιων. 25και ηρωτησαν αυτον και ειπαν αυτω, τι ουν βαπτιζεις ει συ ουκ ει ο χριστος ουδε ηλιας ουδε ο προφητης; 26απεκριθη αυτοις ο ιωαννης λεγων, εγω βαπτιζω εν υδατι: μεσος υμων εστηκεν ον υμεις ουκ οιδατε, 27ο οπισω μου ερχομενος, ου ουκ ειμι [εγω] αξιος ινα λυσω αυτου τον ιμαντα του υποδηματος. 28ταυτα εν βηθανια εγενετο περαν του ιορδανου, οπου ην ο ιωαννης βαπτιζων.

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition © 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft,
The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition © 1975, United Bible Societies, London

2. Analysis: Jn. 1:6-8, 19-28

vs. 7 - hina martyreisei peri tou photos - as a witness to the light

vs. 9 - photizoo - to give light, illuminate or shine light -

vs. 19 - hereus - priest

vs. 20 - homologeoo - to confess, agree to   ;    vs. 20 - arneomai - to deny

vs. 22 - apokrisis - answer

vs. 23 - ephei - to declare or say ;     vs. 23 - boaoo - to cry

vs. 23 - ereimos - wilderness or desert   ;     vs. 23 - euthunoo - to make straight

vs. 26 - streikoo - to stand   ;        vs. 26 - oida - to see or know

vs. 27 - aksios - worthy or fitting

vs. 29 - epaurion - tomorrow, the morrow

vs. 29 - ide amnos tou theou ho airoon tein hamartian tou kosmou - behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world



For the Fourth Gospel the emphasis is not limited to the role of the Baptist as forerunner or prophetic figure or non-light (vs. 8). It also is inclusive of John’s role as witness (martyrion) to the light “so that all might believe through him.” Next the evangelist explains exactly how the Baptist witnesses to the light by describing his testimony when asked the question “Who are you?” (cf. Jn. 8:25 and 21:12).    It is tempting to see in these question a deeply psychological probing, but John’s answers are rather matter-of-fact. He tells his questioners whom he is NOT. He is neither the anointed messiah nor Elijah nor the prophet of old (cf. Deuteronomy 18:15ff.). Rather he is the " voice of one crying out in the wilderness, `Make straight the way of the Lord..’ “ In short, he is both herald and forerunner, one who comes before that One who is yet to come.   On the other hand, this form of Johannine questioning clearly resembles the famous “ego eimi” sayings of Jesus which appear throughout John.    The main difference is that the “I am” sayings of John the Baptist take the form of “I am NOT” sayings, in which John unequivocally refuses any of the titles which are reserved to the Lord.

The Baptist has abruptly appeared in the Fourth Gospel--coming almost out of nowhere. It seems self-evident that the evangelist felt compelled to clarify John’s relation to Christ, probably for the benefit of his surviving disciples apart from the rest of the Christian community.   It is worth noting that the arrival of the questioners is not supported by the synoptic gospels, yet it is not incompatible with similar passages in Mark 1:5 and Matthew 3:7, both of which note tension between the Jewish leadership and John the Baptist.   The uniqueness of John’s approach here is underscored by his term “priests and Levites” which appears nowhere else and which is more specific in tone that the term for “the Jews” usually mentioned in John’s gospel. That John the Evangelist has in mind something clearly Jewish in origin in this passage is reinforced again in the phrase the “Lamb of God who takes away sins of the world.” Though a liturgical term evoking the Paschal lamb for Christians today, the Agnus Dei is more likely understood by John the Baptist to be the Suffering Servant foretold in Isaiah 53:12 (cf. John 12:38).

3. Strategy: Jn. 1:6-8, 19-28

            One of the most frustrating challenges of the Advent Season is the continual back and forth, the ebbing and racing flow of time which flows through the season pulling us forward yet pushing us back to the Ancients with the force of an undercurrent and riptide.   The result of this is that some worshipers are almost confused and befuddled by the meaning of the season, a confusion obviously reinforced by the “realized eschatology” of the marketplace, where St. Nicholas arrived months ago.

          Now, to some extent, this is    harmless enough. For those of us in the Church, the coming of John the Baptist is but the penultimate phase in the emergence of the ministry of Jesus Christ.    But the important point is not OUR “mood” of “expectation” or OUR “waiting”( probably the most overworked among the many Advent themes).   The focus is primarily upon John’s “mood,” John’s “waiting,” John’s “expectation.”   And that mood comes close to the one expressed later by Jesus in Mark 3:19--22
(cf. John 3:27-30).   The best we can do is speculate about the the personal understanding John had of the meaning of Christ’s coming. Yet there is this poignant mention which implies that he saw himself as one who could let go of his own importance in order that another one might and grow.

       From a purely human standpoint, this seems almost to be the vantage point of a nurturer, a mothering figure. It may strike us as odd that the the “mothering” one here is not Mary, but John. For we have been over our lifetimes conditioned to think of him as a sort of wilderness wildman. This “masculine” approach seems to come naturally to us as Americans, with our history of Cooper’s Natty Bumppo, history’s Daniel Boone, the Disney version of Davy Crockett and more recently the character “Sully” on television’s “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.”    Perhaps the danger in this is that we settle for this “masculine” forerunner and yet often settle as well for a non-masculine
Jesus.   In these latter days of “politically correct” theology, this has become even more
sensitive an issue than ever before. Yet we should not be afraid of the way in which tends to move in its own unique way between genders.     Without question John’s story is intimately intertwined with that of Mary through his mother Elizabeth (cf. Luke 1:5-45).   Thus it should not surprise us if John appears as one who can say, as every mothering figure has spoken through actions (or even words): they (my offspring) must increase, and I must decrease.   This is a form of nurturing which is not necessarily gender-bound. Think of the father of the lanky teenage son who gradually hands off favorite pieces of his wardrobe to the next generation in the family. Or the mother who gives up some special treasure in order that her daughter (or son) might have an especially wonderful time of growth and development. We make sacrifices, we do. They may not be “sacrifices” as our Lord would have us understand them, yet we may be “letting go” of something in ourselves in order to make room for the growth of another person. Ultimately, the mother is the purest symbol of this in her allowing the new child to actually dwell inside her body, making room for her in the womb.
It is symbolic not just of giving up a bit of physical real estate for another (as it is often wrongly stated in the abortion debate) but a very “literal” letting go of some aspect of one’s self and ego in other that a new self might emerge. Again, this is not strictly a matter of gender. A good parent, ought to have the gift of nurturing, caring and giving of themselves.

    Decades ago James Dittes of Yale Divinity School wrote a remarkable book on what he termed the “Male Predicament.” In it he spoke of the phenomenon of “frozen Joseph” among in the church. He described to the usual role of Joseph in the local parish Christmas pageant as one who merely stands, almost paralyzed and immobile, in waiting for Mary and the child.   The image is a striking one, for in so many ways it fits hand and glove with the role which we in the church often hand on to the next generation of young boys and young men.   Often they see little place for themselves in the activities of the church. What a far cry from an earlier era when “men’s clubs” and “guilds” and “dartball leagues” and all the rest of the social trappings of maleness made for a church which was far more in keeping with hymns like “Rise up, O Men of God!” and cetera. The point here is not misogyny or to turn back the clock of patriarchal religion. The point is that there IS a place for both the “wild man” John the Baptist in our faith as well as the one who is so very unassuming and accepting of his role as one baptizing with “mere” water, in anticipation of “the one who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”   Perhaps in the simple tying and untying of the shoes of a little child we have the image for this text and this day and for all our endless waiting for Christ. It is an image which fits with the mothering, fathering, parenting, or in other words the adult nurturing role of who will one day “decrease” in order that another might increase and grow. It it an image which fits hand and glove, shoe and stocking with the tried and true image of a John the Baptizer who is both waiting AND witnessing in word and in deed.

4. References: Jn. 1:6-8, 19-28

Brown, Raymond. An Adult Christ at Christmas. Collegville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1978.

Brown, Raymond. A Coming Christ in Advent. Collegeville, Minn. Liturgical Press, 1988.

Dittes, James. The Male Predicament. New York: Harper and Row, 1983.

Mann, C.S. Mark. Anchor Bible, vol. 27. Garden City,NY: Doubleday, 1986.

5. Music Suggestions:   Jn. 1:6-8, 19-28

Many of the suggestions from Advent 2 carry over, along with some new ones:

Comfort, comfort now my people (LBW 29, HB 67)

Creator of the Stars of Night (HB 60)

Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding (LBW 37)

Hark, the Glad Sound (LBW 35, HB 71/2)

Herald, sound the note of judgment! (HB 70)

Lo! he comes, with clouds descending (HB 57-8)

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (LBW 23)

Once he came in blessing (HB 53)

On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s cry (LBW 36, HB 76)

Prepare the royal highway (LBW 26)

Prepare the way, O Zion (HB 65)

The Advent of our God (LBW 22)

The only son from heaven (LBW 86)

There’s a voice in the wilderness crying (HB 75)

What is the crying at Jordan? (HB 69) - This is a particularly beautiful text by Carol Drake (b. 1933) sung to an Irish melody. It captures the urgency of the Markan text.

More Hymns:

Gathering: ELW 259 - Fling Wide the Door - LBW 32 The Day:   ELW 239 - Hark, the glad sound! - LBW 35 Wreath:   ELW Light 3 Candles to Watch for Messiah - 240 (vs. 3) Offertory:   ELW 294 - In the Bleak Mid-Winter - vs. 3 Communion:   ELW 266 - All earth is hopeful – 266 [ OR 243, 501, or 726] Sending: ELW 538 - The Lord Now Sends us Forth – [ OR 248 or 543]

Exegete - David A. Buehler, PhD. Editor, MacAdemia™

_______________________________________________

LEXEGETE © 2011

TISCHREDE SOFTWARE

Dartmouth,MA 02747


http://yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com/

_______________________________________________

2011-11-28T11:10:00.001-08:00

Lexegete™ | Year B | Mark
_____________________________________________________

Second Sunday of Advent
December 4, 2011
Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 (13)
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8

Prayer of the Day
Stir up our hearts, Lord God, to prepare the way of your only Son. By his coming strengthen us to serve you with purified lives; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

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

1a. Context: Mark 1:1-8

     This is the beginning of THE GOOD NEWS. God’s News. The only news worth listening to!    Like St. Paul after him, the evangelist Mark uses the name “good news” to refer not only to words OF Christ , or the words ABOUT Christ, but to refer to CHRIST JESUS himself. From the outset this “passion narrative with a preface” strikes us as a compilation designed to convey the central meaning of Jesus and his life, the “old,old story.”   Hence there is no “Christmas Story” here for those who want one. This is tough, adult material, and needs to be handled with seriousness.

         The pericope for today from Mark is closely connected to both the Old Testament passage from 2nd Isaiah (40:3) and Malachi 3:1.   It is obvious that John the Baptist is understood to be the one who runs ahead of Jesus, preparing the way of the Lord.
The prophetic material stresses the importance of forgiveness as an essential in the coming manifestation of the messiah.   Thus is it reported at   1:4 that “ John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”     John comes proclaiming metanoia, change, even a kind of “revolution” if by that we mean a “turning” not unlike the “turning” which i s described in the American Shaker hymn, “ ‘Tis a Gift to be Simple.” As the new Church Year gains momentum, the texts very quickly become even more challenging and forceful and we are invited to take part in something vastly larger than our little selves. Though Mark is addressing a first century world crying out for mercy and repentance, the need for change and metanoia was never greater than it is today.   The context is prophetic proclamation. The context is “NOW!”

1b. Text: Mark 1:1-8

NRSV:

1:1   The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2   As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, "See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way;

3   the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: `Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,'"

4   John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

5   And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

6   Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.

Greek:
1 αρχη του ευαγγελιου ιησου χριστου [υιου θεου].

2 καθως γεγραπται εν τω ησαια τω προφητη, ιδου αποστελλω τον αγγελον μου προ προσωπου σου, ος κατασκευασει την οδον σου:

3 φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω, ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου, ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου

4 εγενετο ιωαννης [ο] βαπτιζων εν τη ερημω και κηρυσσων βαπτισμα μετανοιας εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων.

5 και εξεπορευετο προς αυτον πασα η ιουδαια χωρα και οι ιεροσολυμιται παντες, και εβαπτιζοντο υπ αυτου εν τω ιορδανη ποταμω εξομολογουμενοι τας αμαρτιας αυτων.

6 και ην ο ιωαννης ενδεδυμενος τριχας καμηλου και ζωνην δερματινην περι την οσφυν αυτου, και εσθιων ακριδας και μελι αγριον.

7   He proclaimed, "The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.

8   I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
7 και εκηρυσσεν λεγων, ερχεται ο ισχυροτερος μου οπισω μου, ου ουκ ειμι ικανος κυψας λυσαι τον ιμαντα των υποδηματων αυτου:

8 εγω εβαπτισα υμας υδατι, αυτος δε βαπτισει υμας εν πνευματι αγιω.

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition © 1979, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart; The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition © 1975, United Bible Societies, London

2. Analysis: Mark 1:1-8 [ Key Words ]

1:1 - Archei - beginning, the inception not only of the gospel, but of new being
1.1 - evangellion - good news, glad tidings - literally, proclamation, implying
some form of amnesty with the coming to power of new leadership
1.1 - Yesua - Jesus-Messiah - literally, the saving one from YHWH

1.2 - apostelloo - messenger
1:2 - kataskeuazoo - to prepare or make ready - appears once in Mark,
          and 11 times in the N.T.

1.3 - Boaoo - to cry out, call or shout
1.3 - euthus - Mark’s “trademark” work - meaning “straightway” or “immediately”
1.3 - tribos - the beaten pathway or track

1.4 - baptisma - baptism
1.4 - metanoia - repentance, turning around, conversion
1.4 - aphesis - forgiveness

1.5 - chora - land, country, region
1.5 - potamos - river
1.5 - eksomologeoo - promise or confession

1.6 - enduoo - clothing, dress, to put on clothing; 1.6 - thrix - hair;
1.6 - kamelos - literally, a camel ; 1.6 - zoonei - girdle or belt;
1.6 - dermatinos - leather ; 1.6 - akris - locust or grasshopper;
1.6 - meli - honey ; 1.6 - agrios - wild

1.7 - ischuros - strong, powerful - often with the implication of evil (cf. 3:27)
   but also to describe the Coming One (Mal. 3.1, 4.5, 3.23f.)
1.7 - ikanos - sufficient
1.7 - kuptoo - bowing one’s head
1.7 - luoo - to set loose
1.7 - himas - thong
1.7 - hupodeima - sandal

1.8 ego ebaptisa humas hudati - “ I have baptized you with water”
1.8 pneumati hagioo - Holy Spirit

    C.S. Mann of St. Mary’s Seminary, Baltimore, MD, overturned the smug notion that the First Gospel is necessarily the first of the four gospels in its chronological formation. Drawing upon recent linguistic, literary and historical evidence, he suggested that it is at least plausible that Mark’s gospel was written AFTER Matthew and Luke and is in some sense a conflated version of those two in compressed form, with a bias in favor of Matthew.    (Mark:   A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Anchor Bible Commentary, volume 27. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, 1986. )   Whether or not one agrees with this provocative theory, the fact is it challenges us in much the same way that Mark’s gospel itself is issued like a challenge to our smug sensibilities.    Mann notes the “clamorous note of urgency” of Mark’s gospel (p. 81), suggesting that it is this very urgency (epitomized by the term “euthus” or “straightway” which sets the tone for our entire understanding of Jesus’
life and ministry.   Mann clearly understands this gospel to be addressed to people
experiencing a “worsening and darkening political situation” (p. 84) and he shows the passion account as one designed to speak in a direct, immediate way to the concerns of his audience.

     For Mann, “the conflict is joined” at once at the very inception of the “good news” and it is clearly a conflict between good and evil, in a sense between “darkness” and “light” though these are not mentioned. Indeed there is much left unsaid: we are note told the origin of John the Baptizer, nor is there any explanation of his baptism. It is all presented like a “given” which the hearer is expected to understand or know. Nevertheless there is a crucial distinction being made in the passage between the baptism of John and the Baptism of the One who is to Come: “ I have baptized you with water; but the Coming One will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." In short, John’s baptism is only a glimpse of what is yet to come. This in no sense means to suggest there are “two baptisms” required for salvation, only that John’s understands himself to be the forerunner for a still more “powerful” Lord.

3. Strategy: Mark 1:1-8

    This is surely one of the most compelling pericopes in the entire Gospel. And yet how easily the themes of urgency and forgiveness can be lost from our view during this hectic season of preparation for the coming of Christ. More than enough has been said about the shallowness and superficial materialism of the commercialized Advent. Enough said. The danger is that we all can easily fall into the trap of making ourselves feel guilty about the self-indulgence of Christmas, as if John were aiming his message of “good news” at the credit card companies and plastic toy manufacturers. Nor is it sufficient to engage in preparatory nostalgia for Christmas Past. This is first and foremost a text about the God’s future reality breaking into our humdrum present and transforming it with the power of the Holy Spirit. In short, it is the Annunciation of One who is to Come, only this time to the whole cosmos.

    Thus the dual theme of metanoia and forgiveness is critical to the text. Without this as the centerpiece of the sermon, the message may be hopelessly corrupted. As Thor Hall said bluntly expressed it many years ago:

       “ Much preaching during Advent is dangerously close to misrepresenting the biblical message. Not a few among us reverse the factors and proclaim that God’s coming is a result of proper preparation. Not only during Advent do we twist things this way. We often preach as if repentance precedes grace and grace is the consequence of faith. But this is a misunderstanding of the nature of grace and a misrepresentation of the relationship between God and us.” (Proclamation, Series B, Advent/Christmas, Phila.: Fortress, 1975, p. 11).

    This is precisely what vexes us as we try to preach this text, proclaim this Good News.
We are heavy laden with all the bad news which drones about us like flies on the dungheap of “civilization.”   As I write this I am appalled by the “news” of the world.   Mindless violence and bloodshed on our streets....A fatal stabbing in my child’s high school classroom....The “news” from the National Rifle Association about still more “powerful” bullets now designed to rip apart inside the bodies of their victims.... (These were previously used only by criminals and mafiosi hit men...But now they are considered “respectable” for middle class and upper class American gun-handlers.)
    Children on trial for the brutal murder of another child....The spectre of horrible death by starvation and the slaughter of the innocents in Somalia and Syria ....The “buying” and selling of Native American tribal leaders and whole communities being swept away by our national frenzy of Gambling and Greed.... The possible “buying” of elections by corrupt politicians in states where representative democracy was originally born in the USA.....And, most pathetically, the   “Black Friday” shopper who collapsed while shopping in West Virginia but went almost unnoticed as customers continued to hunt for bargain deals.....Atrocity has become the commonplace.

    In such an context it would be easy for us to become cynical or depressed and to miss entirely the message of the simpleton and oddball, John the Baptist, dressed in his animal skins and gnawing on insects and bee’s wax and honey.   Yet isn’t it exactly the simplicity of it all which we are missing? John’s message is so very, very simple.   It is almost impossible to miss the point, and yet somehow we often do. He is saying, more or less, that it is in these very dark and devious times when the Lord comes to us, showing his power in strange and mysterious ways. For me it is not unlike the message of the Shaker people who came to America from England so long ago, and who now have dwindled to a few old women.   The discipline of celibacy did not do much to spread their faith. Yet in spite of this, they left behind them signs and artifacts which witness to the Lord and to a simpler living of life in the Holy Spirit. Perhaps nothing tells this better than their old hymn, Simple Gifts:

    ‘Tis the gift to be simple,
‘tis the gift to be free, ‘tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
and when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed;
To turn, turn, will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning, we come round right.”

(--from Early Shaker Spirituals, ed. D. W. Patterson, United Society of Shakers:
Sabbathday Lake, Maine, 1976. Recorded from 1963-1976 on Rounder Records
# 0078, 186 Willow Avenue, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144.)

    Now the point is not to recruit anyone to become a Shaker. The Shaker life is not for everyone. But all of us could learn a great deal from the spirituality and piety of these
now forgotten people who spread throughout the northeastern United States. Above all, their understanding of the coming of the Spirit as a “Gift” is so very timely in this season when we are caught up in the giving and receiving of material gifts. Shaker worship was spare, unaccompanied, but filled with spiritual fervor. Their doctrines were stark and even harsh, but no harsher than John the Baptist. Indeed, one thing we can perhaps learn from them was in dealing with the widening gap between their values and beliefs and those of “the world.”   Surely those who those who would follow Jesus today will find his “way” to be difficult and his “paths” to be extremely straight and narrow. Only through honest self-examination and metanoia can we repent of our past. Yet only through God’s forgiving love can we truly “turn” out as we have been called. Then and only then will we find ourselves in a spiritual “valley of love and delight” until we do in deed by our “turning” “come out right.”

    Timothy Jolley, O.H.C., an Anglican Benedictine monk, once wrote of his experience in a small “valley of love and delight, ” a South African squatter camp named Vlakfontein. It is no bucolic valley of love, but actually the valley of the shadow of death and despair.   It is literally “ five thousand people struggling to stay alive with everything pitted against them.” But in the midst of them there lives an elderly priest named Fr. Jeremy who “lives a peace which sparkles in his eyes each time he laughs with the children” there.    After a brief sojourn among the poor and malnourished of Vlakfontein, Brother Timothy spoke of his return to the comfort and safety of the Big City: “I wearied as I saw the land of civilized masks perched on the horizon awaiting my return like a patient vulture.”

(from Mundi Medicina: Newsletter of the Holy Cross Monastery, W. Park, N.Y.,
June ‘92, reprinted in Weavings, v. VIII, n. 3, May/June ‘93, pp. 34-38.)

    Each and every one of us each day of our lives is drawn toward the “valley of love and delight” which our Lord has prepared for us. Yet each day of our lives we are also called to contend with powers of evil and injustice which so permeate our world that it has become a valley of the shadow of death. May we find strength and peace and hope in the proclamation of John the Baptist, who tells in simple words of the powerful Lord who comes after him. To be simple in this way, in John the Baptist’s way, truly...it is a Gift!

4. References
    For further reading on the American Shakers, I can think of no better place to start than the inexpensive Dover book by Edward Deming Andrews, The People Called Shakers (New York: Dover, 1963). Andrews was the greatest Shaker scholar in American history because he was the first to gain a deeper and more sympathetic understanding of the Shaker people after generations of curiousity-seekers and sensationalists had dismissed them as an esoteric sect or cult. A visit to any of the many restored Shaker villages (from Sabbathday Lake, Maine, to Kentucky to Ohio) is for many people today a veritable “pilgrimage,” and one from which they glean many spiritual learnings.
    The article by Bro. Timothy Jolley is from one of our favorite publications, Weavings, which was long edited with great care and attention to detail by John S. Mogabgab and printed in a beautiful format by the Upper Room (1908 Grand Avenue, Box 189, Nashville, Tennessee 37202-9929). It is one of the finest ecumenical publications in North America.

5. Music Suggestions

Would it be too bold to invite the congregation to sing “Simple Gifts” on this day? How about Dona Nobis Pacem…or one of the other favorite old “simple songs” gathered into the 1996 “Christmas Revels Songbook” by John Langstaff (1920-2005)? That particular songbook is a welcome music resource at any time of year, but especially as the solstice draws near. Various texts and settings of the Shaker tune abound, including Aaron Copland’s famous version
in “Appalachian Spring.”     Perhaps it could serve as a gentle reminder that the ultimate Gifts during this season are inner, spiritual ones and not the glittering, gaudy, outward trappings of the Season which seem to bombard us from October to January.

For some reason, the Hymnbook 1982 was richly blessed with “Advent Carols” on the theme of John the Baptist, a practice emulated in the ELCA’s ‘cranberry’ hymnal as well.    The non-Episcopalians among us would do well to get hold of a copy and search its pages diligently.

Hymns in keeping with Advent Two include:

Comfort, comfort now my people (LBW 29, HB 67)

Creator of the Stars of Night (HB 60)

Hark, the Glad Sound (LBW 35, HB 71/2)

Herald, sound the note of judgment! (HB 70)

O Lord, How Shall I Meet You (LBW 23)

Once he came in Blessing (HB 53)

On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s cry (LBW 36, HB 76)

Prepare the royal highway (LBW 26)

Prepare the way, O Zion (HB 65)

The Advent of our God (LBW 22)

There’s a voice in the wilderness crying (HB 75)

What is the crying at Jordan? (HB 69) - This is particularly beautiful text by Carol Drake
    (b. 1933) sung to an Irish melody. It captures well the urgency of the Marcan text.

Exegete - David Buehler, PhD , teaches courses on Ethics, Violence, and Dystopia at Providence College in Rhode Island, and has edited Lexegete™ for two decades.

__________________________________________

Lexegete™       © 2011
Tischrede Software
Dartmouth, Massachusetts
www.Yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

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+ EASTER SIX + YEAR A +

2011-05-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

Lexegete ™ | Year A | Mark

__________________________________

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER • April 29, 2011

Acts 17:22-31

Psalm 66:8-20 (8)

1 Peter 3:13-22

John 14:15-21 [ or/and John 15:1-8 ]

1a. CONTEXT: John 15:1-8

Our text is a parable within the "Farewell Discourse" of chapters 13-17. A farewell discourse functions to teach about discipleship and has the following elements: talk of death, prediction of hard times, a listing of virtues and vices, a legacy and succession of authority. Our texts contains a virtue and a vice and talk of death. The discourse is aggressive and challenging and functions to put the best face forward in trying times.

The first two verses give the topic of the parable and may come from the early stage of the Johannine community when the Temple cult is being replaced by the new Jesus cult. I date the rest of the parable to the excommunication period.

The Old Testament background is the metaphor of Israel as the vine and God as the vinedresser, cf. Is. 5:1ff. God chooses the vine and judges the vine if it does not produce good grapes, i.e. keep covenant fidelity. This parable has been reworked by the Johannine community. Jesus is now the vine, not Israel. The branches are members of the church. The Father will

judge those members who are not faithful to the new covenant.

1b. TEXT: John 14:15-21 / John 15:1-8

2. ANALYSIS: John 15:1-8

John 15:1 -' Ego eimi 'he ampelos 'he 'alethine, kai ho pater mou ho georgos

'estin - "I am the true vine" does not equal "I am" in the divine sense,

according to most commentators. In viewing this parable from the

excommunication period I read "I am" in the divine sense. The issue

leading up to the expulsion from the synagogues is found in 5:18, "...called

God his own Father, making himself equal to God." Alethos and its

counterpart, alethinos, found here are vintage Johannine words which mean

"genuine" or "dependable."

15:2 - me pheron karpon -- The new virtue in the Johannine community is

"bearing fruit." This is an aggressive and challenging criterion for

membership in the church. "Bearing fruit" means eternal life, (4:36).

karpon pheron means to die (12:24). It means "loving" others in the group,

i.e. laying down one's life for one's friends (15:13).

"Bearing fruit" is to do what Jesus did, keep the Father's commandment,

10:18. This new virtue means the death of members of the church as it

meant for Jesus, (16:2). It functions to help members feel good about

their excommunication from the synagogue. The opposite of this is the

new vice, "not bearing fruit." This may refer to the "crypto-Christians"

who didn't want to express their faith publicly for fear of expulsion from

the synagogues. 12:42-43. (See Brown, THE COMMUNITY OF THE BELOVED

DISCIPLE, pp. 22, 71). It may also refer to other believers who lacked

genuine faith and left the church, (6:60-66).

katharei - is a double meaning word. In the agricultural sense it means to

remove or cut off dead or living parts or branches of a plant to improve its

growth or shape. Yet this is what is going to happen to the members who

don't bear fruit. Vawter (see JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY 63:148) notes

this word-play. To the members of the Johannine community, katharizo

meant purified or cleansed (cf. 13:10,11). They have already been purified

through hearing and receiving Christ's words and abiding with him. "Being

purified" means being bold and risking one's life. Hence ultimate

purification comes from dying, not from Jewish purity rites. This teaching on discipleship is consistent with the synoptics, cf. Mark

8:34-6, but has a highly sectarian flavor here.

15:6 - kai synagousin auta kai eis to pur ballousin kai kaietai--The

sectarian language continues here and echoes verse 2. In reaction to their

expulsion from the synagogues, the community is tightening group

membership. They are advocating the excommunication of members who

are unwilling to go public with their faith. One has to do what Jesus did or

be expelled from the church.

15:7 - 'ean meinete 'en emoi kai ta remata mou en humin meine, ho ean

thelete aitesasthe kai geneisetai humin -- "Abiding" (meinete) is a key

word in the fourth gospel. In 1:33 the Spirit abided on Jesus which

signified his holiness/purity. The former disciples of the baptizer abided

with Jesus in 1:39 and Jesus abided with the Samaritans in 4:40. The

"abiding" resulted in their belief in Christ and their holiness/purity as

linked to Jesus' holiness. If one abides with Jesus that person is holy and

pure in the covenant community. "Ask whatever you will, and it shall be

done for you." This promise is repeated in 15:16 and 16:23-24. It is the

promise of the Holy Spirit (14:15-17,26) who will be Christ's legacy, and

will guide, comfort, and continue to teach them, 16:13l. The promise

implies peace and joy (15:11, 16:24) and ultimately eternal life (4:36).

15:8 - en touto edoxasthe ho pater mou, hina karpon polun pherete kai

geneisthe 'emoi mathetai -- Death leads to glorification (21:19). Just as

God was glorifieda through Jesus' death (13:31,32), so will God be

glorified through the deaths of the disciples. This functions to make death

acceptable. There are going to be hard times and you will die, but that

will bring about your eternal joy with God.

The parable is written for members of the Johannine community during a

trying time. Earlier sign faith was good enough for membership. Later, cf.

4:4-42, faith based on Jesus' words was the criteria for membership.

Now doing works or "bearing fruit" is the new criteria for membership.

By laying down their lives the Johannine Christians will prove their

discipleship.

3. STRATEGY: John 15:1-8

In keeping with the Easter season and upcoming Rogation days, I

want to use the vine metaphor for a sermon on Discipleship. I suggest

pointing out the sectarian attitude of the Johannine community during this

stage of development particularly with regard to membership criteria. a I

would contrast this with the other membership model of the Church which

emphasizes building up the body. As an illustration, I would point out that

a gardener prunes and ties back large, leafy, viney plants like cucumbers

or squash, so other plants have an opportunity to grow in the garden.

Staying with the metaphor, it is clearly the case that sometimes in the

church we see some fellow members of the body who are overshadowed or

in some obstructed by others, perhaps even by ourselves. Sometimes we

must learn not only how to lead or point to "the way," but to know when we

are standing in the way of others' growth in grace. As Christ's disciples,

it bodes well for us to be " pruned " by Word and Sacrament, so that other

members have an opportunity to grow in their faith as well. A sermon

along these lines, coming at this time in the calendar year, might link up

easily with the preoccupations of those who are cultivating gardens or

pruning their vines.

4. REFERENCES: John 15:1-8

Brown, Raymond E. THE COMMUNITY OF THE BELOVED DISCIPLE. New York,

NY: Paulist Press, 1979.

Vawter, Bruce, C.M. "The Gospel According to St. John," ch. 63 of THE

JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY, ed. R.E. Brown, J.A. Fitzmyer and R.O.

Murphy. Englewood Cliffs,N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968.

5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: John 15:1-8

For the imagery of vines and growth, I particularly like the following for

this Sunday:

THOU HALLOWED CHOSEN MORN OF PRAISE (HB 198),

NOW THE GREEN BLADE RISETH (HB 204, LBW 148), if not used previously

during this Easter Season.

WE PLOW THE FIELDS AND SCATTER (HB 291, LBW 362).

To capture some of the flavor of the Johannine community described

above, a good choice would be:

ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, GIVE THANKS TO THE RISEN LORD! (HB 178).

Some other possible hymns for today are as follows:

SON OF GOD, ETERNAL SAVIOR (LBW 364)

DEAR CHRISTIANS, ONE AND ALL (LBW 299)

NOW WE JOIN IN CELEBRATION (LBW 203)

SENT FORTH BY GOD'S BLESSING (Ash Grove: LBW221).

Exegete: Lance B. Almeida †

6. FURTHER READING: John 14:15-21

Today's reading is one of the few occasions during Year A where the

LBW Lectionary and the New Common Lectionary are in agreement while

the Book of Common Prayer Lectionary diverges. Since this is the

exception rather than the rule [and since John 14:15-21 reappears in Year

B of the BCP Lectionary], we have covered Jn. 15:1-8 this week. A few notes and one reference on John 14:15-21 follow. While it is not the "final" word of Easter, it does convey a mood of farewell which carries over from John 14:1-14. It is clear that the closest followers of Jesus are apt to feel cast adrift in the wake of Jesus'

presence among them. The Spirit is promised as a parakletos, for comfort

and counsel(see Jn. 14:15-17, 25-6). This theme is picked up in the readings for Pentecost in the BCP Lectionary under Jn. 14:8-17.

One of the central features of this pericope as well as others in John is

the bold fusion of love and loyalty in Jesus' way of speaking, especially in

14:21--"Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, that is the one

who loves me; and all who love me will be loved by God, and I will love

them and manifest myself to them" (AILL). To fully comprehend this , it

is important to use the word "love" with the utmost care. The passage is

referring specifically to the verb 'agapao, not to some romantic notion of

"love." But in our attempt to "agapize" the love we see around us , we

often end up explaining it away, do we not? One strategy for preaching

this text may be not to preach it but teach it, i.e., to illuminate the

whole way in which the church speaks of love. Without setting up straw

persons, examples of contemporary distortions of "love" are readily

available. Likewise, careful observation reveals many valid and vivid

illustrations of agape in the life of God's people, in our own personal lives

and even in the daily papers. If not, we are--of all who commend or

command "love "--most miserable!

But it is crucial that we not lapse into snap formulations that make a

law out of love. The Fourth Evangelist is not here laying down a new law.

Instead, he is describing for us the conditions under which it is truly

possible to live by the commandments of Jesus by loving one another.

An apt analogy for this union/communion, even in this age of

disintegration, is Marriage, something mysterious and sacramental. The

vows in the Book of Common Prayer (1979) and others like them, say little or

nothing of "obedience" in marriage, yet it is hard to conceive of an open

and honest marriage which excluded sheer, mutual obedience, that love

may abound. (Obviously, we are not speaking here of the one-way

obedience of one spouse to the other as ritualized in the not too distant

past, but a shared, loving, two-way obedience.)

Finally, it is possible to see in this farewell message of Jesus a glimpse

into the future, not only the Parousia (14: 18f.) , but also a future that is

brimming with the energy and synergy that obtains in the love of God and the grace of God (compare 14:12-14 with 14:21). This passage is not a job description for sainthood, but it is a message of hope and joy for sinners who simply come to "know" Jesus.

by Tischrede Software

Dartmouth, Massachusetts

http://www.Yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

+ L E N T + F I V E + AD, 2011 +

2011-04-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

Lexegete™ | Year A | Matthew

Fifth Sunday in Lent • April 10, 2011

Ezekiel 37:1-14
Psalm 130 (5)
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, your Son came into the world

to free us all from sin and death. Breathe upon

us the power of your Spirit, that we may be

raised to new life in Christ and serve you

in righteousness all our days, through

Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who

lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Acclamation
I am the resurrection | and the life;
whoever believes in me will | never die. (John 11:25, 26)

1a. CONTEXT - John 11: 1-45

Our text occurs near the end of the first half of John. In this section Jesus reveals to the world glory (doksa)--both his and the Father's (2:1-12:50). In the next section (13:1-20:29) Jesus receives glory, the height of which is his crucifixion. Our passage, together with chapter 12, is the transition from the first part of the gospel to the second. It gives the narrative motivation for the succeeding chapters: namely, the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus, which serves to crystallize into a

definite plot the opposition of the religious leaders. (On theories of sources, including the semeia source, editing, and possible Synoptic connections see Haenchen, 67-69; and Schnackenburg, 318-20, 341-44.)

The author is unknown to us. In recent years his community has been identified as being in Asia Minor, Syria, and possibly even Samaria. The usual date assigned to the final version is somewhere in the 90's.

1b. TEXT- John 11: 1-45 (ESV)

11:1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus [1] was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, [2] said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles [3] off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. [4] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, [46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.]

NOTES

[1] 11:6 Greek he; also verse 17

 [2] 11:16 Greek Didymus

[3] 11:18 Greek fifteen stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters

[4] 11:25 Some manuscripts omit and the life

2. ANALYSIS- John 11: 1-45

John 11:1-4 Scene 1 - Message to Jesus; Jesus' Response. The name Lazarus immediately connects this chapter with chapter 12 (12:1, 9, 17).

Vs. 2 makes a similar connection to 12: 1-8, the annointing for burial performed by Mary. Jesus responds oddly to the sisters' message, predicting that Lazarus will not die and that his illness is (a) huper teis doxeis tou theou; and (b) hina doxasthe ho huios tou theou. Jesus throughout this gospel seeks the glory of the Father (7:18, e.g.); in seeking the Father's glory, Jesus himself is glorified, since he and the Father are one. How will the upcoming action glorify them? First, through the revealing of the life-giving power in Jesus, and secondly, by leading to the cross, which is the final and greatest glorification (12:16, 23, 28; 13:31-33;17:1, 4-5).

11:5-16 Scene 2: Jesus and the Disciples. The disciples object to returning to Judea (vs. 8; see 8:59; 10:31, 39), asking Jesus, "Are you going (hupageis) there again?" Elsewhere hupago refers to the threat of death in rather explicit ways (7:3, 8:22), but it more frequently refers to Jesus' returning to the Father (7:33; 8:14, 21;13:3,33,36; 14:4,5,28; 16:5, 10,17).

The way by which he returns is the crucifixion. It is therefore interesting that in 11:44, Jesus directs the bystanders to "Unbind him, and let him go" (hypagein). It is the act of Jesus in "hypago-ing" Lazarus that provides the opportunity for him to hypago to the Father (see also 12:11). Jesus explains his euphemism about Lazarus' death (vs. 15)! hina pisteusete foreshadows the meaning and function of the Lazarus event. Thomas reminds us once again that this entry into Judea will result in Jesus' death (vs. 16).

11:7-17 Scene 3: Jesus and Martha. The word "tomb" mnemeion (vs.17), assumes an unusual importance. It is used in John in three settings: (a) in 5:28-29 Jesus predicts the nearness ofthe hour when all in the tombs will hear the voice of the Son of God and come forth; at one level, that is exactly what is to happen in this miracle story; (b) in our current pericope

in verses. 17, 31, and 38; (c) in the burial and resurrection of Jesus (19:41, 42; 20:1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 11). Thus Lazarus and Jesus are closely linked by the use of the term.

Martha expresses her confidence in Jesus (vs. 21), and vs. 22, with its kai nyn oida, carries a strong confessional sense. At the center of the miracle story is the great revelation in vs. 25a: 'ego eimi he 'anastasis kai he zoe. Jesus is the Revealer; as in the other ego eimi sayings, he here reveals who he is. Yet that is not to say that in some metaphysical sense Jesus "is" resurrection and life. Rather, the nouns describe what Jesus does for humanity: i.e., he raises and gives life to the

one who believes in him. While Martha expects a future resurrection of the dead, the one with the resurrection power stands before her now.

The death in vs. 25b is biological death; such death does not end the life found in Jesus. The death of vs. 26 is death in relationship to God (spiritual death), a death which is not possible for the believer (note the ou mh of vs. 26a). The significance of believing is underlined by Jesus' final question, "Do you believe this?" Martha's confession in vs. 27 is solemn and formal: she calls him kyrie, and says, pepisteuka, literally,

" I have believed" (the perfect tense), which has the sense of "I firmly believe."

11:28-37 Scene 4: Jesus, Mary, and the Jews. While she repeats the first sentence of her sister (ves. 32 and 21), Mary's faith is only at the miracle-working stage; she is unable to take the next step taken by Martha. The reaction of Jesus in vs. 33 is anger.

The verb is 'enebrimesato, which literally means to snort like a horse. It is normally used for anger (Mark 1:43, 14:5, e.g.). He is angry at the inability of Mary and the Jews to understand who he is (vss. 25-26). They wail (klaiontas) and mourn, while Life stands before them. And so when these unseeing people tell Jesus to "come and see" (vs. 34), he can only weep (edakrysen). Vs/ 37 reminds the reader of 9:1-34, the healing of the blind man. By recalling that episode, John links the healing of the blind man and the raising of the dead man. Who is Jesus? He is and Light and the Life of humanity.

11:38-44 Scene 5: Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead. Once more Jesus snorts like a horse, this time at the remark in vs. 37. In vs. 39 Jesus commands; Martha objects, but she has good reason. The common belief among Jews at the time was that the soul stayed with the body for three days; after that period the soul entered the realm of the dead and the body began to decay. By the fourth day there is no possibility that the soul can reenter the body. Besides that, by now "he stinks" (hozei). Jesus' response in vs. 40 once more reminds us of earlier themes: vss. 4, 25-26. The key, though, as in the earlier exchange with Martha, is believing. Only by faith can one identify in the miracles the glory of God.

The miracle itself is characteristically brief and emphasizes the power of Jesus' effective word. The soudarion (vs. 44) was a cloth band that went over the head and under the chin; it was used to keep closed the mouth of the corpse. In John the word is used only here and for Jesus in 20:7, where, however, the soudarion had been laid aside in his resurrection. Jesus will leave behind forever the burial clothes which Lazarus will have once again to don.

11:45-53 Scene 6: Reactions. The fear of the leaders is outlined in vss. 47-48: Jesus and his signs are too popular. As more believe in him (as Messiah? see 6: 14-15) the Romans will become interested and will destroy "our place," meaning the temple ("holy" is not in the Greek) as well as the nation. To that Caiaphas responds, vss. 49-50. At one level, his statement simply means tht it would be better to get rid of one man,

Jesus, so that the nation and its institutions (including the positions of the priests and Pharisees!) could continue. At another level, the meaning is that Jesus dies for the nation and for the scattered children, i.e., the Gentiles, thus creating one new people of God (cf. the oneness theme in 17:11, 21-23). The final result of the meeting is the coalescence of disgruntled feelings into a definite plan (vs. 53). Jesus, the giver of life to Lazarus, must die.

3. STRATEGY- John 11: 1-45

One of the difficulties in preaching on this text on this Sunday is the proximity of Passion Sunday and Easter Sunday over the following two weeks. It will be difficult to avoid preaching about resurrection!

Perhaps the provisional nature of the "resurrection" of Lazarus (really a temporary resuscitation) can serve as a brake to our overly much anticipating Easter.

What then can be dealt with?

(a) Jesus glorifies the Father; the Father will glorify Jesus. But how?

Through the cross. An exploration of the topic of true glory, particularly given the current penchant in popular American religion for gloryland theology, could be quite helpful.

(b) At this point in Lent a consideration of the place of belief in Jesus and the meaning of his death would be most appropriate; one could built especially on vss. 25-26, 40, 42.

(d) Through faith God frees us to live life as God intended us to live. This theme would be especially approppriate if the first two lessons were used.

(e) Christ gives (eternal) life now. One could explore the Johannine idea--frightening that it is--that there is nothing the believer or unbeliever will have in the eschatological future besides what she or he has now. Life and death are present tense experiences.

4. REFERENCES - John 11: 1-45

Brown, Raymond E. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN (i-xii). Anchor Bible 29. Garden City: Doubleday, l966.

Bultmann, Rudolf. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: A COMMENTARY, trans. G.R. Beasley-Murray, gen. ed. Philadelphia: Westminster, l971.

Haenchen, Ernst. JOHN 2: A COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTERS 7-21. trans. Robert W. Funk. Hermeneia. Philadelphia: Fortress, l984.

Kysar, Robert. JOHN. Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament.

Minneapolis: Augsburg, l986.

Schein, Bruce E. FOLLOWING THE WAY: THE SETTING OF JOHN'S GOSPEL. Minneapolis: Augsburg, l980.

Schnackenburg, Rudolf. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN, Volume 2. trans. Cecily Hastings et al. London: Burns & Oates, l980.

5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS- John 11: 1-45

AN EXCELLENT ENTRANCE HYMN IS LBW #265 (HB 6/7) , "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies," especially if the glory theme from John is developed.

Two hymns are good sermon possibilities: LBW #97, "Christ, the Life of All the Living" and LBW # 464, "You Are the Way." Both would work well with the theme of life.

LBW #207, "We Who Once Were Dead" would be an excellent communion hymn, as would LBW #210(HB 174), "At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing," especially vss. 1-5.

ELW SUGGESTIONS:

Gathering: Through the Night of Doubt ands SOrrow (ELW 327, LBW 355)

The Day: Abide with Me (ELW 629, LBW 272)

Offertory: Come to the Table – 481

Communion: My Faith Looks Up to Thee (ELW 759, LBW 479)

Sending: In the Cross of Christ I GLory (ELW 324, LBW 104)

Exegete: Walter F. Taylor, Jr.

Dr. Taylor is the Ernest W. and Edith S. Ogram Professor

of New Testament Studies, and Director of

Graduate Studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.

6. FURTHER READING

For an interesting examination of the Easter theme of Resurrection,

see the work RESURRECTION, by Pheme Perkins ( Garden City,NY:

Doubleday, 1984). Perkins, a member of the theology faculty at Boston

College is one of the outstanding New Testament theologians today.

she received her PhD from Harvard and has published numerous books and articles in the field of New Testament studies. Hers is the rare ability to be able to bridge the great gulf that exists between the academic specialists in thelogy and ordinary laypersons (Luther's "simple ploughmen"). RESURRECTION has been compared with Raymond Brown's BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH for its thoroughness and thoughtfulness. During the brouhaha over the “gospel” of Judas a few years ago, Perkins issued an Excellent critique in AMERICA:

http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=4814

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TISCHREDE SOFTWARE

Dartmouth,MA 02747

http://www.Yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

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+ L E N T + F I V E + AD, 2011 +

2011-04-04T14:44:00.000-07:00

Lexegete™ | Year A | Matthew

Fifth Sunday in Lent • April 10, 2011

Ezekiel 37:1-14
Psalm 130 (5)
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, your Son came into the world

to free us all from sin and death. Breathe upon

us the power of your Spirit, that we may be

raised to new life in Christ and serve you

in righteousness all our days, through

Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who

lives and reigns with you and the

Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Gospel Acclamation
I am the resurrection | and the life;
whoever believes in me will | never die. (John 11:25, 26)

1a. CONTEXT - John 11: 1-45

1b. TEXT- John 11: 1-45 (ESV)

11:1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus [1] was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, [2] said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles [3] off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. [4] Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?”

38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, [46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.]

NOTES

[1] 11:6 Greek he; also verse 17

 [2] 11:16 Greek Didymus

[3] 11:18 Greek fifteen stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters

[4] 11:25 Some manuscripts omit and the life

GREEK:

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition

¹hn de tiV asqenwn, lazaroV apo bhqaniaV, ek thV kwmhV mariaV kai marqaV thV adelfhV authV. ²hn de mariam h aleiyasa ton kurion murw kai ekmaxasa touV podaV autou taiV qrixin authV, hV o adelfoV lazaroV hsqenei. ³apesteilan oun ai adelfai proV auton legousai, kurie, ide on fileiV asqenei. ⁴akousaV de o ihsouV eipen, auth h asqeneia ouk estin proV qanaton all uper thV doxhV tou qeou, ina doxasqh o uioV tou qeou di authV. ⁵hgapa de o ihsouV thn marqan kai thn adelfhn authV kai ton lazaron. ⁶wV oun hkousen oti asqenei, tote men emeinen en w hn topw duo hmeraV: ⁷epeita meta touto legei toiV maqhtaiV, agwmen eiV thn ioudaian palin. ⁸legousin autw oi maqhtai, rabbi, nun ezhtoun se liqasai oi ioudaioi, kai palin upageiV ekei; ⁹apekriqh ihsouV, ouci dwdeka wrai eisin thV hmeraV; ean tiV peripath en th hmera, ou proskoptei, oti to fwV tou kosmou toutou blepei: ¹⁰ean de tiV peripath en th nukti, proskoptei, oti to fwV ouk estin en autw. ¹¹tauta eipen, kai meta touto legei autoiV, lazaroV o filoV hmwn kekoimhtai, alla poreuomai ina exupnisw auton. ¹²eipan oun oi maqhtai autw, kurie, ei kekoimhtai swqhsetai. ¹³eirhkei de o ihsouV peri tou qanatou autou. ekeinoi de edoxan oti peri thV koimhsewV tou upnou legei. ¹⁴tote oun eipen autoiV o ihsouV parrhsia, lazaroV apeqanen, ¹⁵kai cairw di umaV, ina pisteushte, oti ouk hmhn ekei: alla agwmen proV auton. ¹⁶eipen oun qwmaV o legomenoV didumoV toiV summaqhtaiV, agwmen kai hmeiV ina apoqanwmen met autou. ¹⁷elqwn oun o ihsouV euren auton tessaraV hdh hmeraV econta en tw mnhmeiw. ¹⁸hn de h bhqania egguV twn ierosolumwn wV apo stadiwn dekapente. ¹⁹polloi de ek twn ioudaiwn elhluqeisan proV thn marqan kai mariam ina paramuqhswntai autaV peri tou adelfou. ²⁰h oun marqa wV hkousen oti ihsouV ercetai uphnthsen autw: mariam de en tw oikw ekaqezeto. ²¹eipen oun h marqa proV ton ihsoun, kurie, ei hV wde ouk an apeqanen o adelfoV mou: ²²[alla] kai nun oida oti osa an aithsh ton qeon dwsei soi o qeoV. ²³legei auth o ihsouV, anasthsetai o adelfoV sou. ²⁴legei autw h marqa, oida oti anasthsetai en th anastasei en th escath hmera. ²⁵eipen auth o ihsouV, egw eimi h anastasiV kai h zwh: o pisteuwn eiV eme kan apoqanh zhsetai, ²⁶kai paV o zwn kai pisteuwn eiV eme ou mh apoqanh eiV ton aiwna: pisteueiV touto; ²⁷legei autw, nai, kurie: egw pepisteuka oti su ei o cristoV o uioV tou qeou o eiV ton kosmon ercomenoV. ²⁸kai touto eipousa aphlqen kai efwnhsen mariam thn adelfhn authV laqra eipousa, o didaskaloV parestin kai fwnei se. ²⁹ekeinh de wV hkousen hgerqh tacu kai hrceto proV auton: ³⁰oupw de elhluqei o ihsouV eiV thn kwmhn, all hn eti en tw topw opou uphnthsen autw h marqa. ³¹oi oun ioudaioi oi onteV met authV en th oikia kai paramuqoumenoi authn, idonteV thn mariam oti tacewV anesth kai exhlqen, hkolouqhsan auth, doxanteV oti upagei eiV to mnhmeion ina klaush ekei. ³²h oun mariam wV hlqen opou hn ihsouV idousa auton epesen autou proV touV podaV, legousa autw, kurie, ei hV wde ouk an mou apeqanen o adelfoV. ³³ihsouV oun wV eiden authn klaiousan kai touV sunelqontaV auth ioudaiouV klaiontaV, enebrimhsato tw pneumati kai etaraxen eauton, ³⁴kai eipen, pou teqeikate auton; legousin autw, kurie, ercou kai ide. ³⁵edakrusen o ihsouV. ³⁶elegon oun oi ioudaioi, ide pwV efilei auton. ³⁷tineV de ex autwn eipan, ouk edunato outoV o anoixaV touV ofqalmouV tou tuflou poihsai ina kai outoV mh apoqanh; ³⁸ihsouV oun palin embrimwmenoV en eautw ercetai eiV to mnhmeion: hn de sphlaion, kai liqoV epekeito ep autw. ³⁹legei o ihsouV, arate ton liqon. legei autw h adelfh tou teteleuthkotoV marqa, kurie, hdh ozei, tetartaioV gar estin. ⁴⁰legei auth o ihsouV, ouk eipon soi oti ean pisteushV oyh thn doxan tou qeou; ⁴¹hran oun ton liqon. o de ihsouV hren touV ofqalmouV anw kai eipen, pater, eucaristw soi oti hkousaV mou. ⁴²egw de hdein oti pantote mou akoueiV: alla dia ton oclon ton periestwta eipon, ina pisteuswsin oti su me apesteilaV. ⁴³kai tauta eipwn fwnh megalh ekraugasen, lazare, deuro exw. ⁴⁴exhlqen o teqnhkwV dedemenoV touV podaV kai taV ceiraV keiriaiV, kai h oyiV autou soudariw periededeto. legei autoiV o ihsouV, lusate auton kai afete auton upagein. ⁴⁵polloi oun ek twn ioudaiwn, oi elqonteV proV thn mariam kai qeasamenoi a epoihsen, episteusan eiV auton: [ ⁴⁶tineV de ex autwn aphlqon proV touV farisaiouV kai eipan autoiV a epoihsen ihsouV. ]

2. ANALYSIS- John 11: 1-45

John 11:1-4 Scene 1 - Message to Jesus; Jesus' Response. The name Lazarus immediately connects this chapter with chapter 12 (12:1, 9, 17).

in verses. 17, 31, and 38; (c) in the burial and resurrection of Jesus (19:41, 42; 20:1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 11). Thus Lazarus and Jesus are closely linked by the use of the term.

one who believes in him. While Martha expects a future resurrection of the dead, the one with the resurrection power stands before her now.

" I have believed" (the perfect tense), which has the sense of "I firmly believe."

3. STRATEGY- John 11: 1-45

Perhaps the provisional nature of the "resurrection" of Lazarus (really a temporary resuscitation) can serve as a brake to our overly much anticipating Easter.

What then can be dealt with?

(a) Jesus glorifies the Father; the Father will glorify Jesus. But how?

Through the cross. An exploration of the topic of true glory, particularly given the current penchant in popular American religion for gloryland theology, could be quite helpful.

(b) At this point in Lent a consideration of the place of belief in Jesus and the meaning of his death would be most appropriate; one could built especially on vss. 25-26, 40, 42.

(d) Through faith God frees us to live life as God intended us to live. This theme would be especially approppriate if the first two lessons were used.

4. REFERENCES - John 11: 1-45

Brown, Raymond E. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN (i-xii). Anchor Bible 29. Garden City: Doubleday, l966.

Bultmann, Rudolf. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN: A COMMENTARY, trans. G.R. Beasley-Murray, gen. ed. Philadelphia: Westminster, l971.

Haenchen, Ernst. JOHN 2: A COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTERS 7-21. trans. Robert W. Funk. Hermeneia. Philadelphia: Fortress, l984.

Kysar, Robert. JOHN. Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament.

Minneapolis: Augsburg, l986.

Schein, Bruce E. FOLLOWING THE WAY: THE SETTING OF JOHN'S GOSPEL. Minneapolis: Augsburg, l980.

Schnackenburg, Rudolf. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN, Volume 2. trans. Cecily Hastings et al. London: Burns & Oates, l980.

5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS- John 11: 1-45

AN EXCELLENT ENTRANCE HYMN IS LBW #265 (HB 6/7) , "Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies," especially if the glory theme from John is developed.

Two hymns are good sermon possibilities: LBW #97, "Christ, the Life of All the Living" and LBW # 464, "You Are the Way." Both would work well with the theme of life.

LBW #207, "We Who Once Were Dead" would be an excellent communion hymn, as would LBW #210(HB 174), "At the Lamb's High Feast We Sing," especially vss. 1-5.

ELW SUGGESTIONS:

Gathering: Through the Night of Doubt ands SOrrow (ELW 327, LBW 355)

The Day: Abide with Me (ELW 629, LBW 272)

Offertory: Come to the Table – 481

Communion: My Faith Looks Up to Thee (ELW 759, LBW 479)

Sending: In the Cross of Christ I GLory (ELW 324, LBW 104)

Exegete: Walter F. Taylor, Jr.

Dr. Taylor is the Ernest W. and Edith S. Ogram Professor of New Testament Studies, and Director of Graduate Studies at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio.

6. FURTHER READING

For an interesting examination of the Easter theme of Resurrection,

see the work RESURRECTION, by Pheme Perkins ( Garden City,NY:

Doubleday, 1984). Perkins, a member of the theology faculty at Boston

College is one of the outstanding New Testament theologians today.

http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=4814

_________________________________________

TISCHREDE SOFTWARE

Dartmouth,MA 02747

http://www.Yourobdtsvt.blogspot.com

_________________________________________

+ L E N T + F O U R + AD, 2011

2011-04-04T14:11:00.000-07:00

Lexegete™ | Year A | Matthew

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

March 27, 2011

1 Samuel 16:1-13

Psalm 23 (5)

Ephesians 5:8-14

John 9:1-41

1a. CONTEXT - John 9:1-41

The LBW lectionary prescribed either a long form (as above) or

simply 9:13-17, 34-39. The BCP reading is 9:1-13, 24-28. A comparison

between the LBW short form and the BCP reading shows that what the one

has the other lacks. For this reason, it will be necessary to make

comments on 9:1-41 in entirety.

The passage relates the healing of a man born blind, one of seven

miracles ("signs") in John's Gospel. Filled with symbolism, it combines

elements of history with Johannine theology. Based on a miracle of

healing a man from physical blindness, it has become at the Johannine

level an account of healing from spiritual blindness--and the fall of Jesus'

opponents into spiritual blindness. At 8:12, Jesus has declared, "I am the

light of the world; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will

have the light of life." Already the Pharisees reject such a claim (8:13).

Jesus resuthe claim in our text (9:5): "As long as I am in the world, I am

the light of the world." Our analysis of the text, because of its length,

will have to consist of an outline and brief comments.

1a. TEXT - John 9:1-41 (ESV)

9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 Having said these things, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus [1] to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” [2] 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; [3] but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

NOTES

[1] 9:22 Greek him

 [2] 9:35 Some manuscripts the Son of God

 [3] 9:41 Greek you would not have sin

GREEK:

Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 26th edition

The Greek New Testament, 3rd edition

¹kai paragwn eiden anqrwpon tuflon ek genethV. ²kai hrwthsan auton oi maqhtai autou legonteV, rabbi, tiV hmarten, outoV h oi goneiV autou, ina tufloV gennhqh; ³apekriqh ihsouV, oute outoV hmarten oute oi goneiV autou, all ina fanerwqh ta erga tou qeou en autw. ⁴hmaV dei ergazesqai ta erga tou pemyantoV me ewV hmera estin: ercetai nux ote oudeiV dunatai ergazesqai. ⁵otan en tw kosmw w, fwV eimi tou kosmou. ⁶tauta eipwn eptusen camai kai epoihsen phlon ek tou ptusmatoV, kai epecrisen autou ton phlon epi touV ofqalmouV ⁷kai eipen autw, upage niyai eiV thn kolumbhqran tou silwam {o ermhneuetai apestalmenoV}. aphlqen oun kai eniyato, kai hlqen blepwn. ⁸oi oun geitoneV kai oi qewrounteV auton to proteron oti prosaithV hn elegon, ouc outoV estin o kaqhmenoV kai prosaitwn; ⁹alloi elegon oti outoV estin: alloi elegon, ouci, alla omoioV autw estin. ekeinoV elegen oti egw eimi. ¹⁰elegon oun autw, pwV [oun] hnewcqhsan sou oi ofqalmoi; ¹¹apekriqh ekeinoV, o anqrwpoV o legomenoV ihsouV phlon epoihsen kai epecrisen mou touV ofqalmouV kai eipen moi oti upage eiV ton silwam kai niyai: apelqwn oun kai niyamenoV anebleya. ¹²kai eipan autw, pou estin ekeinoV; legei, ouk oida. ¹³agousin auton proV touV farisaiouV ton pote tuflon. ¹⁴hn de sabbaton en h hmera ton phlon epoihsen o ihsouV kai anewxen autou touV ofqalmouV. ¹⁵palin oun hrwtwn auton kai oi farisaioi pwV anebleyen. o de eipen autoiV, phlon epeqhken mou epi touV ofqalmouV, kai eniyamhn, kai blepw. ¹⁶elegon oun ek twn farisaiwn tineV, ouk estin outoV para qeou o anqrwpoV, oti to sabbaton ou threi. alloi [de] elegon, pwV dunatai anqrwpoV amartwloV toiauta shmeia poiein; kai scisma hn en autoiV. ¹⁷legousin oun tw tuflw palin, ti su legeiV peri autou, oti hnewxen sou touV ofqalmouV; o de eipen oti profhthV estin. ¹⁸ouk episteusan oun oi ioudaioi peri autou oti hn tufloV kai anebleyen, ewV otou efwnhsan touV goneiV autou tou anableyantoV ¹⁹kai hrwthsan autouV legonteV, outoV estin o uioV umwn, on umeiV legete oti tufloV egennhqh; pwV oun blepei arti; ²⁰apekriqhsan oun oi goneiV autou kai eipan, oidamen oti outoV estin o uioV hmwn kai oti tufloV egennhqh: ²¹pwV de nun blepei ouk oidamen, h tiV hnoixen autou touV ofqalmouV hmeiV ouk oidamen: auton erwthsate, hlikian ecei, autoV peri eautou lalhsei. ²²tauta eipan oi goneiV autou oti efobounto touV ioudaiouV, hdh gar suneteqeinto oi ioudaioi ina ean tiV auton omologhsh criston, aposunagwgoV genhtai. ²³dia touto oi goneiV autou eipan oti hlikian ecei, auton eperwthsate. ²⁴efwnhsan oun ton anqrwpon ek deuterou oV hn tufloV kai eipan autw, doV doxan tw qew: hmeiV oidamen oti outoV o anqrwpoV amartwloV estin. ²⁵apekriqh oun ekeinoV, ei amartwloV estin ouk oida: en oida, oti tufloV wn arti blepw. ²⁶eipon oun autw, ti epoihsen soi; pwV hnoixen sou touV ofqalmouV; ²⁷apekriqh autoiV, eipon umin hdh kai ouk hkousate: ti palin qelete akouein; mh kai umeiV qelete autou maqhtai genesqai; ²⁸kai eloidorhsan auton kai eipon, su maqhthV ei ekeinou, hmeiV de tou mwusewV esmen maqhtai: ²⁹hmeiV oidamen oti mwusei lelalhken o qeoV, touton de ouk oidamen poqen estin. ³⁰apekriqh o anqrwpoV kai eipen autoiV, en toutw gar to qaumaston estin oti umeiV ouk oidate poqen estin, kai hnoixen mou touV ofqalmouV. ³¹oidamen oti amartwlwn o qeoV ouk akouei, all ean tiV qeosebhV h kai to qelhma autou poih toutou akouei. ³²ek tou aiwnoV ouk hkousqh oti hnewxen tiV ofqalmouV tuflou gegennhmenou: ³³ei mh hn outoV para qeou, ouk hdunato poiein ouden. ³⁴apekriqhsan kai eipan autw, en amartiaiV su egennhqhV oloV, kai su didaskeiV hmaV; kai exebalon auton exw. ³⁵hkousen ihsouV oti exebalon auton exw, kai eurwn auton eipen, su pisteueiV eiV ton uion tou anqrwpou; ³⁶apekriqh ekeinoV kai eipen, kai tiV estin, kurie, ina pisteusw eiV auton; ³⁷eipen autw o ihsouV, kai ewrakaV auton kai o lalwn meta sou ekeinoV estin. ³⁸o de efh, pisteuw, kurie: kai prosekunhsen autw. ³⁹kai eipen o ihsouV, eiV krima egw eiV ton kosmon touton hlqon, ina oi mh bleponteV blepwsin kai oi bleponteV tufloi genwntai. ⁴⁰hkousan ek twn farisaiwn tauta oi met autou onteV, kai eipon autw, mh kai hmeiV tufloi esmen; ⁴¹eipen autoiV o ihsouV, ei tufloi hte, ouk an eicete amartian: nun de legete oti blepomen: h amartia umwn menei.

2. ANALYSIS - John 9:1-41

John 9:1-7 - The verses relate the setting and the miracle. The miracle is

performed by Jesus "in order that (Greek) the works of God might be made

manifest" in the man blind from birth (9:3), rather than as a response to a

request. It is an "epiphany" of God's working through Jesus, the "light of

the world"(9:5). Jesus has been sent into the world by the Fathr to provide

illumination by which people can see. It is not a matter (in the story or

theologically) of "restoring" sight to the blind, but bringing light and sight

where none exist.

9:8-34 - This long section contains four interrogations. As we move from

one to another, we see that the man's understanding of Jesus is deepened,

ending with a full-blown christological confession; his statements

concerning Jesus are CAPITALIZED in our presentation. In the first case

(9:8-12), it is the neighbors who interrogate the man about how he

received his sight. The man recounts what happened, attributing his

healing to "THE MAN CALLED JESUS" (9:11). The people pass no judgment on

Jesus.

In the second case (9:13-17) the man is interrogated by Pharisees. He

tells the same story. Now the identity ofJesus becomes and issue, for the

healing had been performed on a sabbath. The Pharisees declare that Jesus

could not possible be "from God" because he does not keep the sabbath. But

the Pharisees become divided. They ask about Jesus' identity, and the man

declares "HE IS A PROPHET" (9:17).

The third interrogation (9:18-23) provides an interlude. Now it is the

parents who are quesstioned by "the Jews" (presumably more than the

Pharisees is meant, including the neighbors and perhaps others). The

parents confirm that the man is indeed their son and that he was born

blind. Yet they are unwilling to tell of the manner, or by whom, their son

was given the gift of sight. At this point, the Fourth Evangelist introduces

an explanation for the silence of the parents (9:22) which interpreters

(most notable J. Louis Martyn) take to be a reference to conditions in the

time of the Fourth Evangelist near the end of the first century, i.e., the

excommunication from the synagogue of those who confess Jesus as Christ

(cf. 12:42; 16:2). The late first century practice has thus been

"retrojected" into the story of Jesus.

It is probable that the Johannine community itself was composed in part

of persons who had been excommunicated from synagogues, persons who

understood themselves to have been enlightened, or healed from spiritual

blindness, and who had family and acquaintances who were not willing to

pay the price of being excluded as they had been. That means that the

Johannine community would hear a segment of its own history in this

story, when read, and be inspired by it. In any case, the parents direct the

intrrogators back to their son, who is "of age" to speak for himself.

The final interrogation (9:24-34) is more heated than the previous ones.

The interrogators speak of Jesus as a sinner (9:24; cf. 9:16) and call the

man a disciple of Jesus (9:28). The man bears testimony to what Jesus has

done and speaks of Jesus as "FROM GOD" (9:33; contrast 9:16).

9:35-38 - Again it is Jesus who approaches the man (cf. 9:1-7), not the

reverse. In the encounter, Jesus provides one of the christological titles

which applies to one who is "from God," i.e.,huion tou anthropou "SON OF

MAN" or "Human One" (so AILL)[9:35]--who descended from heaven (=God,

3:13)--and in 9:37 reveals that he is that person. In this scene the man

accepts this christological confession, and he worships Jesus.

9:39-41 - Eis krima - Jesus declares his mission, which is one of

"judgment," which here must mean not only the judgment he renders (5:22)

but also the judgment that he causes persons to make about himself. The

effect is that those who have spiritual pretensions are exposed as blind,

while those who make no claims are--here and there, where he enters

their lives, and they grow in understanding--given sight, spiritual

"seeing."

3. STRATEGY: John 9:1-41

The Gospel for this day sets forth both the themes of light and

passing from blindness to seeing. Both appear also in the first lesson

(Isa. 42:16, 18-20). The former occurs in the second lesson (Eph. 5:8-9,

14).

To keep a sermon in focus it is probably better to settle on one of

these themes in particular (without neglecting the other), and that would

be the theme of blindness and seeing, which is more thoroughly pervasive

in both the first lesson and the Gospel for the day. In the Isaiah text,

Israel is declared to be habitually blind (42:18-19). Even while seeing,

Israel tends not to "observe" what is there (42:20). And in the Gospel, the

opponents of Jesus are blind, while those who are led to confess him are

those who can see.

The preacher should avoid speaking of the "blindness of the Jews" in

the times of the Old Testament and Jesus. It is better to speak of Jesus'

"opponents," not "the Jews." Of course they were Jews (but not Pilate!).

Jesus lived in a Jewish world--but his followers were also Jews. A

sermon should not address issues in Jesus's day (except as background

information), but in ours.

Our habit is to think of human beings as capable of the knowledge of

God and God's will (natural revelation). But we learn from Paul that, even

though people may know God from what is revealed in nature, that does not

lead to right worship and service (Rom. 1:18-25). The judgment of Paul

and John is that the world is finally blind and groping about in darkness.

Not totally, of course. There is much good in the world, and the

Reformation doctrine of the "two kingdoms" teaches that even the secular

order is ruled by God and that the "natural" person can in principle seek

truth, justice, and civic righteousness and do it.

But our relationship to God is another matter. Christ has entered into

our world to bring light and seeing. In him and his Word we see that God

seeks us, overcoming the alienation between us and God, and gathers us

into a community of the redeemed. Never again can we say we don't know

God, for whoever has seen Christ has seen the Father (14:9). And in light

of that, the Christian community and individual no longer has an option

whether to seek truth, justice, and righteousness: "Awake, O sleeper, and

arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light," (Eph. 5:14). And God

leads his people, no longer blind, into ventures of faith and witness,

accompanying them, as Isaiah foretold (see 42:16).

4. REFERENCES

Brown, Raymond E., THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. Anchor Bible 29-29A.

2 vols., Garden City, NY: Doubleday, l966-70.

Martyn, J. Louis. HISTORY AND THEOLOGY IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL. Revised

Edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1979.

5. MUSIC SUGGESTIONS

"God, Whose Almighty Word" (LBW 400) contains the themes of light,

healing, and sight.

"In the Cross of Christ I Glory" (LBW 104, HB 441/2)celebrates the light

which Jesus brings.

Finally, "Amazing Grace" (LBW 448, HB 671) is virtually a commentary on

themes from our Gospel for the day.

Exegete: Arland J. Hultgren is the  Asher O. and Carrie Nasby Professor

of New Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN.

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2011-02-25T11:25:00.000-08:00