The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 20 - 23 September 2012
Jeremiah
11:18-20
Psalm
54
James
3:13 – 4:3, 7-8a
Saint
Mark 9:30-37
Background: Jeremiah
Following the writing
of Proto Isaiah in the late eighth century, and the early part of the seventh
century BCE, Jeremiah came from a priestly and wealthy family. He was called to his ministry as a
prophet in 626 BCE and was largely responsible for moving Jewish theology from
a temple/community-centered enterprise to one that acknowledged the
individual’s relationship with God and that spiritualized many of the concepts
of Jewish practice at the time.
Like first Isaiah, Jeremiah had to deal with the politics of his time,
making difficult pronouncements to the Judean monarchy. Although he was active in the time of
King Josiah’s religious reforms, he also dealt with other kings who were not as
committed to the Yahwistic religion of Judah. He lived to see the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
in 586 BCE, and was exiled to Egypt where he probably died.
Jeremiah 11:18-20
It was the LORD who made it known to me, and I knew;
then you showed me their evil deeds.
But I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
And I did not know it was against me
that they devised schemes, saying,
"Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,
let us cut him off from the land of the living,
so that his name will no longer be remembered!"
But you, O LORD of hosts, who judge righteously,
who try the heart and the mind,
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
Often called the “Weeping Prophet”, we can see
in Jeremiah’s life the cause of such an emotional response to the people’s
reaction to his work and ministry.
In this oracle of judgment we hear Jeremiah’s revelation that YHWH has
made him aware of the enmity born him by others. Jeremiah is blunt in his descriptions of the ill will born
him by the unnamed people, and he describes himself in terms of innocence and
weakness (like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter). He is equally blunt in his description to YHWH of what he
wants to happen. He expects God to
try them, and in God’s “righteous judgment” to obliterate their cause. It is not clear to see why this reading
was paired with the Gospel for today.
Perhaps the conflict of the disciples in determining who “would be
greatest” is seen in the purposes of those who attempted to negate the
prophet’s cause.
Breaking
open Jeremiah
1.
Do you have
enemies? Do you share or
understand Jeremiah’s psychology about enemies?
2.
What do you
expect to God to do about your enemies?
3.
What might
your prayer be?
Psalm 54 Deus, in nomine
Save me, O God, by your Name; *
in your might, defend my cause.
Hear my prayer, O God; *
give ear to the words of my mouth.
For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life, *
those who have no regard for God.
Behold, God is my helper; *
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
Render evil to those who spy on me; *
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
and praise your Name, O LORD, for it is good.
For you have rescued me from every trouble, *
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.
As we have examined the Psalter over the last
year, we have become aware of many of the psalms that are constructed of “stock
phrases” that are either borrowed or repeated in other psalms. This lament/supplication we hear a call
for help, motivation for the call, a prayer of confidence, and finally a
thanksgiving. The cause of the
psalm is indicated in the initial verses, which are not used here, where it is
described as a psalm sung on stringed instruments. It is described as a “maskil” of David when the Ziphites
came to Saul and said, “David is hiding among us” (See I Samuel 23:19, and
26:1). A free-will offering is a
completely voluntary sacrifice not mandated by either ritual or vow.
Breaking
open Psalm 54:
1.
What laments
have you had in your life?
2.
What was your
prayer about them like?
3.
How has God
rescued you?
James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a
Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your
works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and
selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth.
Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual,
devilish. For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be
disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure,
then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits,
without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. And a harvest of righteousness is
sown in peace for those who make peace.
Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they
not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and
do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain
it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do
not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, in order to spend
what you get on your pleasures.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
In this continuing reading from James, we come
to the heart of his message.
Taking certain Hellenistic themes and virtues, James attempts to convert
his hearers into those who will choose God over the world. To make this clear he elicits a series
of comparisons (wisdom from above vs. earthly, unspiritual wisdom; gentleness
vs. bitter envy and selfish ambition).
The final appeal is that his readers should “submit themselves to God”
and by so doing resisting the devil.
What James writes against here is the “double-minded” person who would
be all things to all people. James
insists on a Christian focus.
Breaking
open James:
1.
In what ways
is your life double-minded?
2.
How do you
strive to be single-minded.
3.
Is one more
Christian than the other?
Mark 9:30-37
Jesus and his disciples went on from there and passed through Galilee. He
did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to
them, "The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will
kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again." But they
did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them,
"What were you arguing about on the way?" But they were silent, for
on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down,
called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be
last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child and put it
among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes
one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me
but the one who sent me."
Last week we heard Simon
Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi, but also heard his rebuke of Jesus’
prediction of his suffering and death.
Interposed between this second prediction of the passion of Jesus and
the first is the account of the Transfiguration, and a healing/exorcism story. Now again Jesus bluntly tells the
disciples what to expect (betrayed, killed, raised). Peter is not alone in his misunderstanding - however, the
others are equally clueless. This
is the pretext then for an argument among them regarding who might be the
greatest. Again Jesus calls them
to account in the same manner that he called Peter to account. He reminds them what it means to be
“first.” Several comparisons follow, some verbal and some actual (being the
last, being the servant, being a child).
The final statement about welcoming encapsulates Jesus announcement of
the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Breaking
open the Gospel:
- Do you have any sympathies for either Peter or the disciples?
- How do you react to Jesus’ hard words?
- How are you a servant?
After
breaking open the Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly
things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while we are placed among
things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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