21st Sunday After Pentecost, 2003
21st Sunday after Pentecost
Job 23:1-9, 16-17 and Psalm 22:1-15
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Amos 5:6-7, 10-15 and Psalm 90:12-17
Hebrews 4:12-16
Mark 10:17-31
Major Themes:
There are two major themes that run through these passages, depending on which set of Old Testament passages you use. First, if you just Job 23/Psalm 22, there is the theme of suffering and our response. First we have Job?s complaint which should serve as a prime example of honesty in presenting one?s case to God. Then we have the prayer of Psalm 22, in which the Psalmist feels abandoned by God and cries out. This can tie to Hebrews 4:12-16, where there is nothing that is not visible to God, or the Logos, but nonetheless we have even Jesus, God?s son, suffering abandonment. In Mark 10, this theme would focus on the suffering that might accompany giving things up for the kingdom of God, especially verses 28-31. We see in the questioner?s situation that he leaves sorrowful when asked to accept suffering. He can avoid hurting others, but when asked to put himself on the line, he is unwilling to go that far.
How honest can one be in suffering? How honest are we in suffering?
How far are we willing to go to alleviate suffering?
The second theme is the theme of social justice. This feeds from Amos 5 through Psalm 90 and its prayer for justice, to Hebrews 4, where the word searches our thoughts and attitudes. But note here that the Word is also manifested in Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-4 [Carol, link back to that lectionary]), and he has come to us, and suffered with us and thus can sympathize. Is Hebrews a bit optimistic when it assumes that a human high priest will sympathize with the worshippers because he has suffered as well? Should not sympathy and empathy be important components of Christ-like leadership? Jesus is able to sympathize. Are we? This extends to our story in Mark 10, where the questioner is asked to heed the call to social justice, but is too attached to his ?stuff? to make such a radical change in lifestyle. In an age when Christians are often urged to be rich, and are even taught that riches are a sign (is it a sure sign) of God?s blessing, don?t be afraid to dig into this issue of riches and our responsibility as disciples of Christ. But also consider other things that might hold us back.
Job 23:1-9, 16-17
Review the theme of Job in order to get the setting for this passage.
Note that there are numerous places where the translation is very difficult. If you survey modern versions you will find many disagreements. I have chosen particular renderings, but it is beyond the scope of this presentation to give a full set of notes on all these options. I will note some major translation issues, and leave the rest for another study.
Job and his friends basically share a theology, even though they are debating. They all came to this discussion regarding the person who is blessed with wealth, family and position to be a righteous person who is blessed by God. Falling under plagues, poverty, losses, and disease are a sign of God?s disfavor. Job doesn?t argue against this. He doesn?t understand what is happening to him, but he knows that he is upright! He knows that he doesn?t deserve the things that have come to him. Why is God doing this to him? He doesn?t even resort to the type of argument we might use today, of blaming the activities on the Devil, or on some other agency. He accepts that God must be doing it to him, because it is happening, but he also knows absolutely that he is innocent.
In our story, Job never gets to find out what was going on. He holds firm to his position. Even when confronted by God he doesn?t confess to having done wrong. He simply repents because of his personal encounter with God. [Carol, we?ll link forward to the next two lectionary comments which include Job 38 and 42.] And God doesn?t condemn Job for complaining, claiming innocence or for wanting to take his case to God. Rather, we are informed that Job?s friends have not spoken of him ?what is right as ?my servant Job has? (Job 42:7 NRSV).
I see several lessons in this.
- We are allowed to complain to God when things don?t seem to be going all that well.
- God doesn?t expect us to pretend that bad things aren?t happening.
- God doesn?t expect us to give up our knowledge and observations in favor of a theological view that may be flawed. Job?s friends know so firmly that only a wicked person would suffer as Job has, so they abandon their own observations (Job was a good man and yet was suffering), in favor of their preconceived theological opinion (Job is suffering, so he must be unrighteous).
- Don?t expect to be rewarded for upholding theology over people.
- But, despite all this, don?t expect God to answer all your questions. He doesn?t really answer any of Job?s.
An alternative passage to use with this one is John 9, in which Jesus heals the blind man. The disciples want to know who sinned. They also had the assumption that there had to be blame somewhere if there was suffering. Jesus, on the other hand, was interested in the blind man and his healing. We can apply this theme to the church and AIDS as well. Ask yourself, and consider asking your congregation to ask themselves whether your first thought on encountering someone who is suffering from AIDS is ?how did he/she get it?? or ?how can I help?? I would suggest that the second question is the one Jesus would ask.
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Translation |
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(1) So Job answered and said, (2) Today indeed my complaining is bitter, My hand has become heavy from my groaning.
(3) Who will grant me knowledge, so that I might find him?
So that I could get to his dwelling place. (4) I would lay out my case before him, and fill my mouth with arguments. (5) I would understand the words he gave me in reply, And understand what he had to say to me.
(6) Would he contend with me by his great strength? No! He would just pay attention to me! (7) There an upright man could dialogue with him, So I would be rescued forever from the one who condemns me. (8) If I go forward, he’s not there! If I go back, I don’t perceive him. (9) Leftward, where he is working, I can’t get sight of him. He covers himself, so I can?t see him to the right! (16) But God has made my heart weak, The almighty has terrified me. (17) But I will not be terrified in the face of darkness, When all before me is covered with thick darkness. |
ASV reads ?rebellious? vice ?bitter? but I would suggest that is out of character with what Job is trying to say here.
Literally ?who will give that I might certainly find him?
Job?s desire is to take his complaint to God. If God will just hear him, he knows he is in the right. I believe this is one of Job?s positive attributes, and one that is commonly lost in Christianity, the conviction of innocence. We have the conviction of sin, we have the feeling of self-righteousness, of overbearing judgmentalism, but we need to find that feeling of innocence.
Did Job change his mind after chapters 38-41? Did God not at least present his strength as an argument?
This is a beautiful depiction of the search for God when one feels that God is absent. I hope that I have managed to translate without too much violence to the Hebrew here, which is very concise.
There are several ways to read verse 17. I have chosen to read it as a statement of determination.
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Psalm 22:1-15
This is a wonderful prayer for help by someone who feels abandoned by God. Most of us feel abandoned by God more often than we admit, but there is a notion in Christianity that we must somehow keep on a faith face even when things are bad, and not admit that somehow God isn?t doing things the way we want them to be. Some pieces of this prayer, if we didn?t know it was from the Bible, would probably be seen as blasphemous. Who, after all, can rightly ask God why he?s so far away? God is present everywhere! Who can tell God that he?s hard of hearing?
But this prayer is not only in the Bible, it is quoted in Matthew, Mark, and John (verse 18, not a part of our reading, but related) as part of the words of Jesus on the cross. Jesus himself prayed the question presented in verse 2 (Hebrew, 1 English) on the cross. It can be helpful to bring in that experience to make clear the value of an honest prayer, and also to make clear that we don?t always get what we want when we pray. Why would we be afraid to be equally honest.
My wife tells about her experience when our son was under treatment for cancer. One day she had to pull off the road because she was crying, and found herself pounding on the steering wheel, and yelling ?why? at God, telling God she was working for him, she was praying, how could he do this or allow this to happen. (For those who think the difference between God doing something personally and allowing it is somehow comforting, let me testify that it is not.) I remember preaching in Costa Rica on a mission trip, and breaking down in front of the congregation as I tried to talk about my own experience. Why God? You can ask ?why!? But read Job if you expect to get a satisfactory answer. Very often we will not understand ?why.? I?m not sure that there always is a reason at least in the sense that we would understand one. Even now, with our son living a normal life without cancer, I have no real idea of a why. But I do know that I can tell God whatever I feel like without fear of lightning bolts!
The idea here is to open up in prayer. You don?t have to pretend to God. You don?t have to put on a faith face, assume a holy smile and announce that everything is all right when it clearly is not. That kind of faith is really simple dishonesty clothed in holy robes. Further, never try to bolster someone?s faith and attitude by criticizing a lack of faith in their prayers or their presentation. That?s just telling them to lie.
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Translation (Hebrew Verse #s) |
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(1) To the leader, to the “Hind of Dawn,” a Psalm for David. (2) My God, My God! Why have you abandoned me? Why are you too far away to save me, to hear my groaning words? (3) My God! I call out by day, but you don’t hear! I call out by night, but there is no rest for me. (4) Yet you are holy! You are sitting on the praises of Israel! (5) Our ancestors trusted in you! They trusted, and you rescued them. (6) They cried out to you, and they were delivered! They trusted in you, and they were not ashamed.
(7) But as for me, I’m a worm and not a man. I’m a shame to humanity, and despised by people. (8) Everyone who sees me mocks me. Thy open their mouths, they shake their heads, (9) “He trusted in YHWH, so let Him save him! Let Him save him, since He takes delight in him!” (10) Yet you are the one who dragged me from the womb, You were the one I trusted in at my mother’s breast. (11) I was cast upon you from the womb, and from my mother’s belly you have been my God. (12) Don’t be far from me, because trouble is near, because there is nobody to help. (13) Many bulls have surrounded me, Mighty stallions of Bashan have encompassed me. (14) They have opened their mouths against me. A lion, tearing prey and roaring! (15) I have been poured out like water, All my bones have been separated, My heart was like wax, melted away in the midst of my abdomen. (16) My strength is dried up like a potsherd, My tongue clings to my palate, You have placed me in the dust of death. |
Words also attributed to Jesus on the cross.
Note the honesty. God should be near, he appears to be far, let?s go ahead and say that!
I see this as part of the complaint. ?Look God,? says the psalmist, ?we?re praising you all the time. Our ancestors trusted you. You didn?t leave them on their own to be ashamed.? The obvious question, asked more loudly because it isn?t spoken, is ?What are you up to now? What?s wrong with you??
This is the contrast between what the psalmist thinks God should do and what God is actually doing. God?s reputation is subtly brought in, by the implication that one who is known to trust in YHWH is being left unheard.
I see verse 10 as both a complaint and a basis for further petition. ?God, you?re the one who brought me into the world. I was feeding at my mother?s breast, but you?re the source.? Again we have the unvoiced, but very obvious question, ?What?s wrong now??
The psalmist is under attack. It?s possible that this is an attack by enemies or a disease. He believes that he is about to die.
And throughout, the question, ?Where is God?? |
Amos 5:6-7, 10-15
This is a theme passage for the prophetic tradition. The people, especially the leaders are condemned for taking care of themselves, but not taking care of the poor and needy. I believe that if we, as Christians, would take this passage and related prophetic passages seriously, it would condemn us for our attitudes and lives. We build beautiful churches, but we still have starvation and serious poverty not only outside, but inside the church. If we took the message of the prophets (which is reinforced in our passage from Mar by Jesus) seriously, we would consider the notion of starving Christians an incredible scandal. But even more, if we take the principles of Torah seriously (Leviticus 19:11-19, 33 & 34), on which these prophetic passages are built, we would find it a scandal that we do not make it a primary goal of our community to see that people are treated justly, that they are fed and clothed, that they can live in safety. But instead we stand back and allow governments to take care of it, and many of us fight even that.
I?m not attacking a particular political group or movement here. We can justly debate approaches to poverty and to justice. But we cannot permit ourselves as Christians to be apathetic. Christians who take their Lord and Savior seriously should be in the forefront of efforts to bring justice, whether political or economic. Our debates should be entirely about how, and never about whether. We?re supposed to be the salt of the earth. We wonder what has happened to Christianity in American life. What has happened is that we have abandoned our radical, prophetic role. We are just like everyone else, only we spend some Sunday time in a different building.
This is not a call to the social gospel. We need to recover the idea of the gospel as good news. We need to be in the business of transforming lives, one person at a time. We need to recover both the radical spiritual message of the gospel?you can be redeemed, you can be changed, you are a person of value no matter what you may have done?and also the radical social message that says, ?Yes, I am my brother?s keeper.?
This is the key message of this prophetic passage. Obeying that prophetic call does not make one religious. It makes one a servant, a world-changer, one who finds the lost. It doesn?t make you important, so that you can force off your ideas and your approaches, and even your religion on others; it makes you someone whose life and influence helps to change others for the better.
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Translation |
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(6) Seek YHWH so you may live, Lest he burst forth like a fire in the house of Joseph, which would eat, and nobody could quench, in Bethel. (7) Those who turn justice to wormwood, And throw righteousness down to the ground.
(10) They hate a reprover in the gate, And the regard one who speaks uprightly as an abomination.
(11) Therefore since you trample on the poor, And take from him his portion of grain,
You have built pretty houses, but you would live in them, You’ve planted fruitful vineyards, but you won’t drink their wine. (12) Because I know how many are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins! You are enemies of the righteous, and bribe takers, And you turned aside the poor at the gate. (13) Therefore those who are wise in this time are silent, Because it is a wicked time. (14) Seek good, and not evil, so that you may live! And so that YHWH, God of hosts may be with you, just as you claim. (15) Hate evil, and love good, and put justice in the gate! Maybe YHWH God of hosts will show mercy to the remnant of Jacob. |
There is a clear parallel here between seeking YHWH, life, and the carrying out of the call to justice. Frequently we see seeking God and ?spirituality? opposed to the seeking of justice and of life in this world, but here they are all in parallel. God makes it clear that trouble is coming if justice is not done. It is the ones who turn justice in ?wormwood? (read bitterness) who are bringing on the judgment. Note here that the indictment is not theological?it is not about failure to adhere to correct doctrine, but rather is about action. Now doctrine leads to action, and correct doctrine will likely lead to correct action, but it is the fruit that provides the test.
The one who reproves or speaks uprightly challenges the surrounding culture. Sometimes that will be the culture outside the church, but very frequently it will be the culture inside?and sometimes there will be no difference.
In this case we have specifically economic justice cited. In the church we have split social issues from issues of faith. But our faith should drive both redemptive activity (seeking those who need redemption) and activity in support of social justice. Because we understand the radical nature of who Jesus is and what he has done, we understand the need for a radical ministry to peoples? needs?both spiritual and social. The Bible does not divide these; neither should we.
What about pretty churches with artistic chandeliers when people were starving? There is a balance here. Buildings are needed, but do we really consider the mission of the church when we make decisions about facilities, or are we just working for our comfort.
When there is nobody to listen, the wise often must be silent.
When we should mercy to others, God will show mercy to us. See Matthew 7:1 & 2, and 6:14 & 15. |
Psalm 90:12-17
Both sets of passages for this week have a prayer in them. In some ways one could exchange the prayers. Both are honest and open. But this prayer has the special call to establish the work of our hands. On the sign of a local synagogue, this week I saw a sign that read something like this: ?Lord, make of my life a prayer, the kind of prayer that is its own answer.? I think that prayer, but also the prayer of Psalm 90, is an excellent prayer to offer when one is committing oneself to the prophetic call.
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(12) Let us understand how to order our days, So that our minds might come to wisdom.
(13) Turn, Oh Lord! How long will it be? When will you show compassion to your servants?
(14) We are satiated in the morning with your lovingkindness, And we sing for joy and are joyful in all our days.
(15) Make us rejoice according to the days when we were afflicted. According to the years in which we saw disaster.
(16) Let your works appear to your servants, and your wonder to their children.
(17) And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, Establish the work of our hands, Yes, the work of our hands, establish it! |
Order Hebrew manah, which has as its most basic definition ?count? but was used in the census and in decisions about groupings and so forth. I would suggest that the idea of military organization is behind this word. When we count our days, we can use them wisely and appropriately. (Tie to Hebrews 4:13, giving an account, and also the concept of accountability.)
This is the petition part. Note that this prayer is much more upbeat than Psalm 22. Comparing the two might make an interesting study on prayer. Psalm 90 gets around to praise much more quickly.
Now we praise God for the response, though the continuation of the prayer doesn?t suggest an answer. Rather, this praise suggests confidence.
A proportional restitution is a common theme in scripture.
Seeing and testifying to God?s works is part of building an experience with God. Letting God?s beauty work in and through us.
We don?t just wait for God to act, we act ourselves. |
Hebrews 4:12-16
Hebrews presents us with two sides of our great high priest. The first is in this passage, which presents the priest who understands our weakness. In two weeks we will read the passage in Hebrews 7:23-28, which describes the divine high priest who is perfect in all ways. This notion in Hebrews is radical! The high priest is, in fact, a son (1:1-3). God, through Jesus the son, becomes part of us, and builds this connection to God. It?s easy in all the theological terms in Hebrews to lose track of just how radical the notion is.
Each of us can approach God ourselves. We don?t need to find another, ?holier? human to do it for us.
If you are trying to use a full set of lectionary passages, this passage ties in by giving the root of the sympathy of Jesus. It is his empathy?he understands, because he has suffered. He knows the solution.
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12For God?s underlying message
is alive and active,
sharper than any two edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and spirit, bones and marrow, and judging the desires and thoughts of the mind.
13There is no creature he can?t see, for everything is naked and laid bare to before the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.
14Since we have such a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us grab hold of our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, since he has been tested in all things in the same way we have, but without sinning.
16Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we might receive mercy and find grace when we need it. |
God?s underlying message one of many translations I?ve used for ?word (Logos) of God.? It?s more than that. Read 1:1-3, and John 1:1-18, and then come up with your own expression of this idea to present to your congregation.
God?s message is not merely embodied in words on paper, but in lives, in creation, and in the life of Jesus. If it isn?t active, if it isn?t alive, it?s not God?s word. A slight spasm on Sunday morning doesn?t qualify!
God?s word tests us, but only when words of paper come into the heart. How do you stand up? This passage can be related to the prophetic call of Amos to justice, for example. Is it our desire as a church to see justice for all? We can?t get away from God. If we are bearing the name of Jesus without having the attitude of Jesus, we?re going to get caught. For most of us, we don?t need anything like the living and active Word to catch us. Everybody can pick out a hypocrite!
This presents the human side of the incarnation (except for the ?without sinning? part!) and makes it clear that Jesus has gone through what we have to go through. Consider this fact when you tend to present Jesus as too ?godlike? to relate. He had to deal with decisions and even the attack of doubts. Just look at this prayer (Psalm 22 can come in here.)
This is the key point of the passage. God sent Jesus. He?s willing to cross he gap, so we can cross back in return.
But while we?re considering the call to discipleship, and particularly the prophetic call, let?s consider this. If God, who is much more different from us than we are from our neighbors of different races, creeds, religions, nationalities, or any difference possible within the human race can cross that gap and become able to sympathize with us, what are we called to do about all those little differences we see a so big? |
Mark 10:17-31
I would tend to manage this passage in two parts, but in reality they are on one theme?the cost of discipleship. These days we have a form of discipleship which costs very little. The vast majority of our resources goes to maintain our buildings and keep existing congregations happy. Why do we have church buildings that remain empty most of the week? We do we have gymnasiums and classrooms that aren?t in use all the time? Because using them for hours causes difficulties for us. There is maintenance. We need volunteers. If we bring neighborhood youth in for a basketball league they may damage the nice floors. They may hang from the baskets and ruin them. They may use language we can?t approve.
But that?s part of the cost. We focus on family difficulties because Jesus refers to losing family for his sake. But that?s just one example.
Ask yourself: What is it that keeps me from taking the radical ideas of Jesus and making them effective in this world?
Ask yourself: Why is it that so many Christians look for ways to present a spoken witness to people when Jesus was continually interrupted by people who had observed him, but wanted to ask him questions?
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(17) And as he was going out on the road, someone ran up to him and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do so that I may inherit eternal live?”
(18) But Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me ‘good’? There is nobody good, except one, that’s God! (19) You know the commandments, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t bear false witness, don’t defraud, honor your father and your mother.” (20) He said to him, “Teacher, I have abided by all these commands since I was a youth!”
(21) Jesus, when he had looked at him intently, loved him, so he said to him, “You lack one thing. God, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, come, follow me.” (22) But the man became very sad when he heard this word, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions. (23) Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have possessions to enter into the kingdom of God.” (24) Now his disciples were amazed at his words, so Jesus answered them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter into the kingdom of God! (25) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (26) They were even more amazed, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?”
(27) But Jesus, gazing at them, said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God. For all things are possible with God.”
(28) Peter began to say to him, “Behold, we have left everything and we have followed you. (29) And Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, There is nobody who has left household or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake, and for the sake of the good news, (30) who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, households and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields with persecution, and in the coming age, eternal life. (31) But many who are first will be last, and those who are last will be first. |
There are minor variations in this story in the gospels (Matthew 19:16-30, Luke 18:18-30) but the major thrust of the story remains the same. Someone who is generally doing good things is asked for a total commitment and is not willing to make it. In our passage, someone who has followed the negative commands (along with the positive one to honor parents) is unwilling to go further.
Don?t be so anxious in preaching this passage to protect the doctrine of justification by faith that you blunt the message of Jesus. Jesus is talking about total, radical discipleship. Preachers like to make sure they?re not accused of talking about righteousness by works. But notice that Jesus doesn?t protect himself from the radical nature of the message.
Is it possible that ?looking at him and loving him? Jesus saw something great that he could be as a more radical disciple? We?re not told. In this case, the bar was possessions. Each person needs to ask what is barring me from accomplishing what I need to accomplish. Is it reputation, fame, authority, comfort?
This again was very radical. It was a common view that those who are rich are blessed. The disciples? perspective is simply that if it is impossible for the rich, how can it be possible for anyone.
Jesus says that with God all things are possible. Note the context. God can change peoples? lives and bring forth in them radical discipleship. With such radical discipleship, coupled with the prophetic call to justice, Christians could change the world, for the better. Notice that Jesus didn?t convert his questioner to a doctrine. He didn?t tell his disciples, ?Well, if they put their faith in me, then they can manage it.? He simply said, ?With God, all things are possible.? Many times we as Christians are tempted to write someone off. We are often seen as more, rather than less judgmental. But we should be the ones who are able to see the redeemable in the worst person, the one with the most barriers. We should be the ones who believe in and practice redemption.
Peter wants to make sure that the good stuff is coming, that there is a reward for this giving up of stuff. And Jesus assures him that there is. I?d like to call attention to the statement of Jesus that there is a reward in this life as well as in the next. Often we emphasize merely the value of Christianity as a ?get out of hell free? card. In fact, Jesus taught that his message had value for the here and now as well.
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