The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 17, 31 August 2014
Exodus 3:1-15
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c
Or
Jeremiah 15:15-21
Psalm 26:1-8
Romans 12:9-21
St. Matthew 16:21-28
Background: The Symbolism of the
Burning Bush
It is interesting that the root word SNH (bush or bramble) is similar to SNi (Sinai), so that some commentators
see it as mistaken substitution for Sinai.
The actual text is a weaving of the J document and the E document, but
the story has influenced Muslims, Christians, and Jews throughout the
centuries. The Eastern Church see the
story as evidence of God’s “uncreated energies”, just as Moses witnessed God’s
glory in Exodus 33:18ff. The
Orthodox also see in the burning yet not destroyed bush a symbol of the
virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Certain churches of the reformation used the symbol of the burning bush,
and its destruction/survival as a symbol of their own survival during the
turmoil amongst the churches following the reformation. Of note are the Huguenot Churches, along with
the Reformed Church of France, the Church of Scotland, the Presbyterian Church
in Ireland, and Presbyterian churches in other lands. The Jewish Theological Seminary of America
also makes use of the image.
Track 1:
Exodus 3:1-15
Moses was keeping the
flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock
beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel
of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and
the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. Then Moses said, "I must
turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned
up." When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him
out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."
Then he said, "Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the
place on which you are standing is holy ground." He said further, "I
am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.
Then the LORD said,
"I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard
their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and
I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out
of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to
the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the
Hivites, and the Jebusites. The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I
have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. So come, I will send you to
Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt." But Moses said
to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites
out of Egypt?" He said, "I will be with you; and this shall be the
sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of
Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain."
But Moses said to God,
"If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors
has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to
them?" God said to Moses, "I AM Who I AM." He said further,
"Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The LORD,
the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob, has sent me to you':
This is my name
forever,
and this my title for
all generations."
Identity and mission seem to be the themes of this reading from Exodus. The text is an interweaving of J and E, J
placing the event at Sinai, and E placing it at Horeb. In this theophany, God introduces Godself to
Moses, identifying God’s relationship to the Patriarchs, his knowledge of the
sufferings of the people in Egypt, and his identification of Moses as the one
to deliver God’s message of rescue. Into
this stream of information Moses directs a question, “What shall I say to them
when they ask who sent me?” To this
direction question, God puts up a theological statement, “He causes to be what
comes into existence”, or “I am that I am”.
This is not unique to this text or to the Hebrew Scriptures. Other Egyptian and Akkadian texts prior to
this time supply similar enigma.
So what happens here? First of
all the “naming of God”, the recognition of relationship, the mission of Moses,
and the promise of freedom from slavery.
There are the usual protestations of a prophet, this time from the mouth
of Moses, “Who am I that I should go to
Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt.” This objection is met with
God’s promise of presence, “I shall be
with you.” That will become a promise not only for Moses who is to return
into the face of great adversity, but also serves as a promise to the people
God promises to deliver. For this is not
a God newly present to these people, nor is God one who has been forgotten and
sidestepped. God is “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” If
Israel had forgotten the familial stories of those who had one before them, God
would soon remind them of their power for a people who now would know how to
call upon God. “This is my name forever, and this is my title for all generations.”
For further notes on the call of the prophet (here Moses) the reader may
want to read the notes on the reading from the prophet Jeremiah, below.
Breaking open Genesis:
- What does it mean to know someone’s name?
- What happens when you hear your name called? What are your feelings?
- What is your mission in life?
Psalm 105:1-6, 23-26, 45c Confitemini Domino
Give thanks to the LORD
and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds
among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing
praises to him, *
and speak of all his
marvelous works.
Glory in his holy Name;
*
let the hearts of those
who seek the LORD rejoice.
Search for the LORD and
his strength; *
continually seek his
face.
Remember the marvels he
has done, *
his wonders and the
judgments of his mouth,
O offspring of Abraham
his servant, *
O children of Jacob his
chosen.
Israel came into Egypt,
*
and Jacob became a
sojourner in the land of Ham.
The LORD made his
people exceedingly fruitful; *
he made them stronger
than their enemies;
Whose heart he turned,
so that they hated his people, *
and dealt unjustly with
his servants.
He sent Moses his
servant, *
and Aaron whom he had
chosen.
Hallelujah!
We have visited this psalm at several points during this ordinary time
(Proper 12 and Proper 14, in addition to this proper.) Artur Weiser in his commentary on the Psalms
considers the first six verses of this psalm, which is quoted in I Chronicles 16:8-22, as a
hymn used in the cult of YHWH. He
specifically titles it a “hymn of the covenant community.”[1]
From that introduction we move on to a pericope that includes verses 23 -26, with
45b serving as a coda. As in other
verses we are treated to the narrative of the Exodus, beginning with the
results of the Joseph story, and continuing with a portrait of cruel servitude
and then the introduction of Moses and Aaron.
All of this is held in a parenthesis of praise. This is “salvation history,” but it is a
historical narrative (if we can speak of such a think at this time) that is revealed
in a liturgical framework. It is
interesting that it is not Pharaoh who purposes such difficulties upon Israel,
but rather God, “whose heart he turned so
that they hated his people.” This is all about plan and purpose, so that
the beginning and concluding glory are met in God’s love of Israel, God’s
people.
Breaking open Psalm 105:
- Take some time and quickly rehearse your own family’s history.
- Where is God present in that history?
- What has God called your family to do?
or
Track 2:
Jeremiah 15:15-21
O LORD, you know;
remember me and visit
me,
and bring down
retribution for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance do
not take me away;
know that on your
account I suffer insult.
Your words were found,
and I ate them,
and your words became
to me a joy
and the delight of my
heart;
for I am called by your
name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit in the
company of merrymakers,
nor did I rejoice;
under the weight of
your hand I sat alone,
for you had filled me
with indignation.
Why is my pain
unceasing,
my wound incurable,
refusing to be healed?
Truly, you are to me
like a deceitful brook,
like waters that fail.
Therefore thus says the
LORD:
If you turn back, I
will take you back,
and you shall stand
before me.
If you utter what is
precious, and not what is worthless,
you shall serve as my
mouth.
It is they who will
turn to you,
not you who will turn
to them.
And I will make you to
this people
a fortified wall of
bronze;
they will fight against
you,
but they shall not
prevail over you,
for I am with you
to save you and deliver
you,
says the LORD.
I will deliver you out
of the hand of the wicked,
and redeem you from the
grasp of the ruthless.
Prophets, it seems, always have an objection, or a sense that they,
faithful, do not receive in turn a like faithfulness from God. Here Jeremiah complains to God, “Consider! For thy sake I suffer abuse.” And
later, “Ah, truly you are a dry wadi to
me, whose waters have failed.” This emotional outburst will link us to the
Gospel, where Jesus gives warnings about the cost of following him. Here, however, Jeremiah seeks an answer from
God. God does answer, promising protection
and repeating the promise that was made to Moses (see Track
1 first reading above), “For with you
am I, to help you and save you – YHWH’s word. Thus the prophet is called
again to the holy mission. This entire
mission is outlined again in the verses following in Chapter 16.
Breaking open the
Jeremiah:
- Do you ever feel abandoned by God?
- How do you react, what do you say?
- How does God renew God’s relationship with you?
Psalm 26:1-8 Judica me, Domine
Give judgment for me, O
LORD,
for I have lived with
integrity; *
I have trusted in the
Lord and have not faltered.
Test me, O LORD, and
try me; *
examine my heart and my
mind.
For your love is before
my eyes; *
I have walked
faithfully with you.
I have not sat with the
worthless, *
nor do I consort with
the deceitful.
I have hated the
company of evildoers; *
I will not sit down
with the wicked.
I will wash my hands in
innocence, O LORD, *
that I may go in procession
round your altar,
Singing aloud a song of
thanksgiving *
and recounting all your
wonderful deeds.
LORD, I love the house
in which you dwell *
and the place where
your glory abides.
Unlike Jeremiah, above, who is done with it
all, the psalmist here requests not only vindication, but purification as
well. “Test me, O Lord, and try me.” The psalmist makes a case before
YHWH, citing his faithfulness, his purity, and, really, his innocence. In the light of these protestations, the
psalmist sings a “song of thanksgiving,” which
relates all the wonderful things that God has done. Here, the protestations lead to praise and
love of God’s house, while in Jeremiah, they lead to a new mission.
Breaking open the Psalm 26:
- Do you ever feel the need to purge yourself of misdeeds?
- How do you do that?
- What is the resulting feeling or behavior?
Romans 12:9-21
Let love be genuine;
hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual
affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in
spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in
prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who
persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty,
but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not
repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.
If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it
is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." No,
"if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them
something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their
heads." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Paul goes on here to describe the various
aspects of genuine love. He permits
himself a list of venerable deeds: “hate
what is evil, hold fast to what is good,” etc. Oddly, even though not selected to do so, the
pericope serves as an ample commentary on Jesus’ discourse in the Gospel for
today. Paul lists the reactions that we
should have against those who do not agree with us. An empathy of equality is suggested, “weep with those who weep, rejoice with
those who rejoice.” What is projected is a nobility of accommodation and compassion.
Paul speaks against the ancient practice of vengeance, allowing that behavior
to the Lord.
Breaking open Romans:
- What does the word “love” suggest to you?
- Do any of the meanings touch your faith? How?
- In what ways have you been compassionate?
St. Matthew 16:21-28
Jesus began to show his
disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands
of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third
day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying,
"God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned
and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me;
for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."
Then Jesus told his
disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves
and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life
will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what
will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what
will they give in return for their life?
"For the Son of
Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will
repay everyone for what has been done. Truly I tell you, there are some
standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in
his kingdom."
Last Sunday we heard the demands of the Syro-Phoenician woman, which is
followed by another feeding,
the demand for a sign, and the confession of Peter. These, however, are missing from our lectio continua through the Gospel of
Matthew. It is interesting to juxtapose
Peter’s confession, indeed the woman’s confession as well, with the cost of
such a faith. In our reading Jesus
quickly begins to describe such a cost with predictions of the passion. Now it
is Peter who makes an “anti-confession” which Jesus’ quickly assigns to Satan. As to the costs, both Moses and Jeremiah
might be able to testify, but it will be up to Jesus to demonstrate such costs
as he is raised on the cross. And it
will be Peter in future years who will also be able to calculate such a
cost. For now, however, the disciples
are lost in a sea of doubt and uncertainly.
Jesus now instructs those who follow on what must follow, and what must
now be endured. The endurance, however,
is not with out a promise (for the Transfiguration will soon follow with its
own trip back into reality).
Breaking open the Gospel:
- Why does Matthew want us to hear this argument about what is
clean and what is unclean?
- What in your life do you consider unclean?
- Are there certain kind of people who are unclean? Who?
After breaking open the
Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Lord of all power and might, the author and giver of all good things:
Graft in our hearts the love of your Name; increase in us true religion;
nourish us with all goodness; and bring forth in us the fruit of good works;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
Questions and comments copyright © 2014, Michael
T. Hiller
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