The Third Sunday in Lent - 11 March 2012
Exodus 20:1-17
Psalm 19
I Corinthians 1:18-25
St. John 2:13-22
Background – The Ten Commandments
There are two renditions of what we call the Ten Commandments in the Hebrew Scriptures, Exodus 20:1-17, and Deuteronomy 5:4-21. The Hebrew titles for the commandment can be either translated as “the ten words”, or as “the ten matters”. The term, “the ten commandments”, first appeared in the Geneva Bible, followed by the Bishops’ Bible, and then the Authorized King James Version. There are also various numbering systems. The Philonic scheme from the writings of Philo and Josephus in the first century is used by Hellenistic Jews, the Greek Orthodox, Protestants, and Anglicans. The Talmudic division is from the third century Talmud. The Augustinian division dates from the fifth century, and divides the commandment on coveting into two. The Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches use this scheme. Anglicans are reminded of the commandments at various points in the liturgy, especially the recital of the Decalogue prior to the Eucharistic Service, which follows the Exhortation in Rite I and optionally at the beginning of the service in Rite II.
Exodus 20:1-17
Then God spoke all these words: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.
You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.
Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work-- you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.
Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
You shall not murder.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
 |
| Marc Chagall - The giving of the Law |
As mentioned above, the Decalogue appears in two versions, one in Exodus, which is our reading for today, and another in Deuteronomy. There is a harmonization of the two that appears in the Nash Papyrus, which is dated in the 2nd century BCE and was found at Fayyum, Egypt in 1902. A third form, the Ritual Dialogue is found in Exodus 34:11-26. Other legal codes predate these provisions such as the Code of Hammurabi, the Code of Eshnunna, and various Hittite codes. What is different about the Hebrew code is that it is apodictic, that is that no condition precede the proscription – rather a simple “you shall not…”
Earlier codes always presupposed a condition – if you do this, then that will happen. Most commentators think that the latter commandments (4-10) represent an original text, and that the first three were edited to reflect the current practice at the time. The other difference between these codes and the codes that preceded them is that these codes find the law not in nature, but rather by God’s command.
Breaking open Genesis
- How are the values of the Ten Commandments worked out in the values of your everyday life?
- What does God expect of you in the first three commandments?
- What do you expect of God?
Psalm 19 Caeli enarrant
The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows his handiwork.
One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.
Although they have no words or language, *
and their voices are not heard,
Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
and their message to the ends of the world.
In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.
It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.
The law of the LORD is perfect
and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the LORD is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.
The statutes of the LORD are just
and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the LORD is clear
and gives light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean
and endures for ever; *
the judgments of the LORD are true
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.
By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.
Who can tell how often he offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.
Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offense.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight, *
O LORD, my strength and my redeemer.
In Psalm 19 we have, perhaps, the conflation of two separate poems, each celebrating a different aspect of God. In the initial verses (1-7) the poet celebrates the heavens and their silent yet poignant witness to the glory of God. This section may either use or restate a pagan poem to the sun god, or may simply borrow the vibrant imagery of God as the sun, making a journey across the heavens, observing all of creation.
The second section is a reverie on God’s word and commandments. There are examples in other ancient literatures of poems about the sun god and his wisdom. The idea is powerfully stated here, and the preciousness of these words is exhibited over and over again. Superlatives abound, “the absolute sweetness of the honey of honeys”, in describing the nature of God’s word. Also described is their universality – that no one can escape and perfectly keep God’s law. Thus the poet asks God, the rock and the redeemer, to forgive.
Breaking open Psalm 19
- Where is your bible?
- Do you ever read it?
- What do you think the psalmist means when comparing the Word of God to the sweetness of honey? What does that mean to youd?
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
The message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
 |
| Grünewald - The Crucifixion |
St. Paul asks a crucial question. “What is wisdom?” In an age, such as our own, that exalted in wisdom it was overwhelming to think that there might be a wisdom that surpassed one’s own. Thus Paul summarizes how the world is receiving the “foolishness of the cross”. Paul sees such “foolishness” as the fount of salvation, “saving those who believe.” Each segment of Paul’s world wanted something different. Jews wanted signs, and Greeks demanded wisdom. Paul gives us belief as a fulfillment of both. In typical word usage, Paul juxtaposes foolishness and wisdom, and strength and weakness.
Breaking open Romans
- What is wisdom to you, and who seems wise to you?
- Is the teaching of the church ever wise? In what way?
- How do you apply your own wisdom to your faith?
John 2:13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father's house a marketplace!" His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me." The Jews then said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews then said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
 |
| Watanabe - The Cleansing of the Temple |
In the Synoptic (with one eye) Gospel of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, the incident of the cleansing of the temple takes place late in Jesus’ ministry. In the Gospel of John it is set at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Thus we see that it is not the timing of the event but rather its content that ought to drive our attention. In John’s Gospel there are a series of signs that point to Christ’s mission, but it is this event which questions how such signs are received, used, or even needed. In a way, this event in John prefigures Christ’s resurrection. John uses the feasts of the Jewish liturgical year not to comment on Jesus ministry, but rather as a prefiguring of Jesus ministry. Here, then, the temple is cleansed of all its spurious meanings and signs, and the focus is rightly put on “my father’s house.” John looks back by means of a resurrection eye, to understand what it is that Jesus’ opposes and sets right here.
Breaking open the Gospel:
- What point do you think Jesus is trying to make?
- Would he be making the same point in our day and age?
- How is Jesus a temple?
After breaking open the Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment