The Second Sunday after the Epiphany - 16 January 2011
Isaiah 49:1-7
Psalm 40:1-12
I Corinthians 1:1-9
Saint John 1:29-42
BACKGROUND – The Lamb of God
The Lamb both as symbol and as actuality appears in numerous places in the Hebrew Scriptures. The reality of its use as a sacrificial animal (see the story of Cain and Abel, Genesis 4:1-5) is implied in this story, although both goats and sheep were regarded as wealth in the Ancient Near East. A lamb, however, was the preferred sacrifice in the temple, and soon becomes a symbol of that sacrifice. It is natural then that Christians quickly identified Jesus with such a sacrifice. In addition there was the actuality of the Paschal Lamb, the lamb offered up at the Passover, whose blood was painted over the doors of the Israelites in Egypt. IInd Isaiah in his Suffering Servant Songs (Isaiah 42-53) speaks of this idealized Israel (later identified with Jesus) as a “lamb led to slaughter.” The lamb appears in numerous places in the Christian Scriptures, today’s Gospel being only one example. The Revelation of Saint John the divine has several references as well.
Isaiah 49:1-7
Listen to me, O coastlands,
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The LORD called me before I was born,
while I was in my mother's womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword,
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow,
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, "You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
But I said, "I have labored in vain,
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the LORD,
and my reward with my God."
And now the LORD says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the LORD,
and my God has become my strength – he says,
"It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth. "
Thus says the LORD,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
"Kings shall see and stand up,
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the LORD, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."
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| Georges Rouault |
With this reading we have the beginning of the second of the Suffering Servant Songs of IInd Isaiah. Readers familiar with the prophetic work of Jeremiah will be struck by familiar themes here: called before birth, known in his mother’s womb, called to the Gentiles as well, bringer of a message of both doom and gladness, he like Jeremiah is at time discouraged. This servant, a collective of the whole of Israel, ponders what is to happen following the good deeds of Cyrus (Isaiah’s hero, and the liberator of Israel-in-Exile. This reading is an excellent example of the universalism that develops under Jeremiah, and all of the Isaiah’s, an especially appropriate reading on this day. Christians read in the final verse not only Christ’s selection as the Lamb, but also our being chosen in our own baptisms as well.
Breaking open Isaiah:
- Does the notion of “suffering” have a place in your personal theology? What is that role?
- In what ways have others suffered for you? Who are they?
- Who comes to mind when you read about Isaiah’s “suffering servant?”
Psalm 40:1-12 Expectans, expectavi
I waited patiently upon the LORD; *
he stooped to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the desolate pit, out of the mire and clay; *
he set my feet upon a high cliff and made my footing sure.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God; *
many shall see, and stand in awe,
and put their trust in the LORD.
Happy are they who trust in the LORD! *
they do not resort to evil spirits or turn to false gods.
Great things are they that you have done, O LORD my God!
how great your wonders and your plans for us! *
there is none who can be compared with you.
Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! *
but they are more than I can count.
In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure *
(you have given me ears to hear you);
Burnt-offering and sin-offering you have not required, *
and so I said, "Behold, I come.
In the roll of the book it is written concerning me: *
'I love to do your will, O my God;
your law is deep in my heart."'
I proclaimed righteousness in the great congregation; *
behold, I did not restrain my lips;
and that, O LORD, you know.
Your righteousness have I not hidden in my heart;
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your deliverance;*
I have not concealed your love and faithfulness from the great congregation.
You are the LORD;
do not withhold your compassion from me;*
let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe for ever.
This psalm is made up of three distinctly different contributions. The first verses are indicative of a psalm of thanksgiving for an answered prayer. Verses 7 through 11 almost have a prophetic tone to them (“In sacrifice and offering you take no pleasure”) quite reminiscent of Amos. The final section 13-18, not used this morning, forms a psalm of supplication. Perhaps this psalm was chosen for the lectionary for the verses that imply the suffering of the psalmist (and by extension, Jesus, the Lamb of God). The second verse recalls God’s acts of creation, in which the psalmist is pulled out of “the mire and clay”, or better put, “from the roiling pit (a reference perhaps to both chaos, and the place of the dead), and from the thickest mire” (Alter). This is a God who stoops down to be involved with human kind in the worst of its distress.
Breaking open Psalm 40
1. Do you wait patiently?
2. If you wait on the Lord, for what do you wait?
3. How has God delivered you?
I Corinthians 1:1-9
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus, for in every way you have been enriched in him, in speech and knowledge of every kind-- just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you-- so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; by him you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
With this reading we begin a series of continuing readings from the First Letter to the Corinthians. This first section is noted for its thanksgivings, for God’s grace, and the fullness of that grace amongst the Corinthians. Before beginning the bulk of his letter to this church, he wants to assure them of their stature and place.
With this reading we begin a series of continuing readings from the First Letter to the Corinthians. This first section is noted for its thanksgivings, for God’s grace, and the fullness of that grace amongst the Corinthians. Before beginning the bulk of his letter to this church, he wants to assure them of their stature and place.
Breaking open Acts:
- What kinds of grace has God shed in your life?
- What spiritual gifts have you been given?
- How has God strengthened you for life?
Saint John 1:29-42
John saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, "Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, `After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him; but I came baptizing with water for this reason, that he might be revealed to Israel." And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God."
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter).
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| Rodin |
These verses that follow on the Prologue recently read on Christmas Day make clear John the Baptist’s sense of who he was and who he was not. Prior to this reading he disclaims any role as the messiah, and in these verses begins by describing exactly who Jesus is. The comparison to “the Lamb of God” is quite deliberate, and in it, Saint John the Evangelist wants his readers to understand exactly the nature of Jesus. Although it might be easy and comfortable to compare Jesus to the Passover Lamb that saves Israel, John wants us to understand in this phrase the lamb that is offered on the altar of sacrifice, after the manner of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah. Following on John’s descriptions of the pre-existent Jesus, present at creation, we see John the Evangelist’s purpose – to root Jesus in the midst of Israelite salvation history, and to see Jesus as the sign (John’s code word) of what it is that God intends.
Breaking open the Gospel:
- Lamb is one of several descriptors used to describe Jesus. Which are the ones that you use?
- What role does John the Baptist see himself as taking?
- What do you think it meant to be “anointed”?
After breaking open the Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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