The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 12, 28 July 2013
Hosea
1:2-10
Psalm
85
Or
Genesis
18:20-32
Psalm
138
Colossians
2:6-19
St.
Luke 11:1-13
Background:
Sodom
This city, along with its
sister community, Gomorrah, really serves as a fulcrum that stands between the
texts regarding the Visitation at Mamre, and the Bargaining over Sodom, and its
eventual Destruction. There is no clear
evidence that these cities even existed, although several candidates have been
proposed, even in recent history. One of
the most engaging was Walter Rast and Thomas Schaub’s dig in 1973 at several
sites along the eastern shore of the Dead Sea.
Some evidence was located under the surface of the sea, and there has
been an on-going debate as to the possibility of seismic activity in the
region. Other proposals have been judged
too distant from the Jordan/Dead Sea region, and have received no further
consideration. Rast and Schaub’s reports
of their digs indicated traces of sulfur and burning in the sites they had
visited. In Robert Alter’s work, The
Five Books of Moses[1],
he argues for a more symbolic presence noting the parallel structures in the
Mamre story and the Destruction story.
Whether real or not, these two cities have had an influence far beyond
most other biblical sites.
Hosea 1:2-10
When the LORD first spoke through
Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, "Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom
and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking
the LORD." So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she
conceived and bore him a son.
And the LORD said to him, "Name
him Jezreel; for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the
blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel.
On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel."
She conceived again and bore a
daughter. Then the LORD said to him, "Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no
longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. But I will have pity
on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God; I will not
save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen."
When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she
conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said, "Name him Lo-ammi, for you
are not my people and I am not your God."
Yet the number of the people of
Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor
numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, "You are not my
people," it shall be said to them, "Children of the living God."
In her commentary on
Hosea[2]
(ca. 750-723 BCE), Elizabeth Achtemeier describes Hosea’s message as having the
character of a love story between G-d and Israel. The examples that Hosea will use twist and
distort this relationship as he endeavors to explain and describe the
unfaithfulness of Israel, and God’s reaction.
Many of the examples are actually events in the life of Hosea in which
he literally embodies his proclamations.
Today’s reading is such an example.
We become bystanders who
listen in on a dialogue with G-d and Hosea.
The initial command to marry “a wife of harlotry” (Hosea’s wife, Gomer)
and Hosea obeys, immediately. He is to be a vessel, a channel, through which
G-d will give words to Israel. In a
fashion, Gomer becomes a symbol of what Israel has become, faithless and
seeking after others (gods). Two
children are born of this union, and both bear symbolic names. In addition they are characterized as
“children of prostitution”.
Permit me quick note on
prostitution. Such a condition could
have been the result of several things.
It may be that Gomer is a “symbolic whore” since Israel is depicted as a
harlot, unfaithful to G-d. Gomer is a
daughter of Israel, and thus bears the shame.
Or, she may have been considered such by: being a common prostitute,
being a sacred prostitute in one of the Canaanite cult centers, or having lost
her virginity to a male prostitute in a Canaanite temple. All are possible, but would miss the
point. The marriage and her condition is
a “sign” that is mean to communicate G-d’s word to Israel.
Meanwhile, the children:
The son is to be named Jezreel. It would be helpful if you want to delve into
this further to see II Kings 9-10. The slaughter at Jezreel is “over-the-top”
but its sin is that the renunciation of Ba’al is not genuine. This careful walk with G-d is not continued,
and Jehu and his actions at Jezreel become a sign of unfaithfulness.
The daughter is named
“not loved” (the verb indicates the kind of love a mother would have for her
child). What does this name mean? Israel is the daughter that can no longer
depend on the love of the mother (G-d).
There is, in the end, a third child, named “Not my people”. The promises of Exodus, Leviticus, and
Jeremiah (“I will be your G-d, and you
shall be my people.”) is negated in the symbolism of this child’s
name. The covenant stands empty, and the
remainder of Hosea will strive to reestablish it.
Breaking
open Hosea:
- Is Hosea trying to shock his readers? Why?
- How effective is his example?
- Have you ever known someone with a symbolic name? Who?
Psalm 85,
Benedixisti, Domine
You have been gracious to your land,
O LORD, *
you have restored the good fortune
of Jacob.
You have forgiven the iniquity of
your people *
and blotted out all their sins.
You have withdrawn all your fury *
and turned yourself from your
wrathful indignation.
Restore us then, O God our Savior; *
let your anger depart from us.
Will you be displeased with us for
ever? *
will you prolong your anger from age
to age?
Will you not give us life again, *
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your mercy, O LORD, *
and grant us your salvation.
I will listen to what the LORD God
is saying, *
for he is speaking peace to his
faithful people
and to those who turn their hearts
to him.
Truly, his salvation is very near to
those who fear him, *
that his glory may dwell in our
land.
Mercy and truth have met together; *
righteousness and peace have kissed
each other.
Truth shall spring up from the
earth, *
and righteousness shall look down
from heaven.
The LORD will indeed grant
prosperity, *
and our land will yield its
increase.
Righteousness shall go before him, *
and peace shall be a pathway for his
feet.
Notice the tense of the
first three verses – perfect, completed.
Now look at the verb in verse four – an imperative, hoping for a future
action. So is the argument of the
psalmist in Psalm 85. Perhaps the psalm
is written with the full knowledge of what had happened with the capture of
Jerusalem in 586 BCE, and the words of hope that all might return to a restored
Jerusalem. The concern of the poem is
that G-d would not “turn back” to former punishments, and that the people would
not “turn back” to the folly of ignoring God. In verse 10 we have one of the
most charming of phrases designed to describe the beauty of this new
relationship with God – “Mercy and truth have met together, Righteousness and
peace have kissed each other.” If indeed
this is an exile poem, then the last verse underscores the quality of the hoped-for
return. The return to and for Israel is
led by “justice” (in our translation, “righteousness”) and by peace. This psalm is an excellent accompaniment to
the oracles of Hosea.
Breaking
open Psalm 85
- What kind of past have you had with G-d?
- What future do you expect?
- What do you understand by the term “righteousness”?
Or
Genesis 18:20-32
The LORD said to Abraham, "How
great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I
must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry
that has come to me; and if not, I will know."
So the men turned from there, and
went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD. Then
Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with
the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then
sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it?
Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked,
so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the
Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the LORD said, "If I
find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for
their sake." Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to
the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are
lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said,
"I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to
him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake
of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be
angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I
will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Let me take it
upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He
answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he
said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose
ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not
destroy it."
You may want to go back
and refresh yourself on last Sunday’s first reading, for this reading follows
immediately after the Visitation at Mamre.
We return to the scene almost in mid sentence, with G-d reflecting on
the situation in Sodom. The “outcry” may
reflect the prayer of those oppressed by the sin of Sodom. Now, exactly what was that sin? The traditional view is that the sin was
“homosexual rape”. Not all commentators,
both Jewish and Christian, see that as the totality or even as descriptive of
the situation in Sodom (see Background above.) Other conditions merit our consideration as
well: economic oppression, treatment of the poor and of the stranger, or the
lack of hospitality on the part of Sodom (which serves as a negative to the
example of Abraham and Sarah’s hospitality in the introductory story). Each seems to provoke G-d’s wrath.
G-d “comes down” to deal
with Sodom. Alter thinks that this seems
to reflect the Babel text, but I think it reflects the geographic realities of
leaving the plain of the central ridge of the Levant and “going down” into the
Dead Sea valley where the towns may have been located (again, see the Background). Abraham “comes near” as an advocate
approaches a judge, and begins his argument.
The obsequious Abraham at Mamre now becomes more strident and assertive
as he argues for justice for any who
might be righteous. With all deference,
Abraham begins his bargaining session with G-d.
Abraham’s requests are met with a terse “I will not.” Abraham ends with a communal “ten,” and does
not mention his family (Lot’s family) as innocents. Abraham returns to his home – a nomad’s tent,
and we leave Lot in the midst of a teeming and complicated urban environment. I would say, “come back next week” but the
Lectionary does not allow for that. We
are left on tenterhooks.
Breaking
open Genesis:
- Do you pray out of need or out of thanksgiving?
- How would you characterize Abraham’s “prayer”?
- Does Abraham go far enough?
Psalm 138 Confitebor
tibi
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with
my whole heart; *
before the gods I will sing your
praise.
I will bow down toward your holy
temple
and praise your Name, *
because of your love and
faithfulness;
For you have glorified your Name *
and your word above all things.
When I called, you answered me; *
you increased my strength within me.
All the kings of the earth will
praise you, O LORD, *
when they have heard the words of
your mouth.
They will sing of the ways of the
LORD, *
that great is the glory of the LORD.
Though the LORD be high, he cares
for the lowly; *
he perceives the haughty from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of
trouble, you keep me safe; *
you stretch forth your hand against
the fury of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.
The LORD will make good his purpose
for me; *
O LORD, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your
hands.
In this thanksgiving
psalm, we see G-d receiving the praise and thanksgiving of the psalmist despite
the presence of the other gods. The
following verses recite the reasons for such faithfulness on the part of the
psalmist. The most profound of these
recitations (especially in light of the first reading, and Abraham’s advocacy)
is “When I called, you answered me.”
That is the strength and the relationship that the psalmist’s faith is
based on. There is an attempted
universality in the psalm that sits on a spectrum that ranges from the
individual thanksgivings of the psalmist to the “All the kings of the earth”
who have heard the words of G-d. There
is a similar dimensionality in the following verse in which G-d “on high” still
cares for the lowly, an arc of comfort and of justice. The final line “do not abandon (Hebrew –
“release, or let go of gently”) the work of your hands” gives us the image of a
potter (see Genesis 2:7)
setting down that which she has created at the wheel.
Breaking
open Psalm 138
- How does God answer your prayers?
- How do you give thanks for these answers?
- What is your conversation with God like?
Colossians 2:6-19)
As you have received Christ Jesus
the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and
established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you
captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition,
according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to
Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have come
to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority. In him also
you were circumcised with a spiritual circumcision, by putting off the body of
the flesh in the circumcision of Christ; when you were buried with him in
baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who
raised him from the dead. And when you were dead in trespasses and the
uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with him, when he
forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with
its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the
rulers and authorities and made a public example of them, triumphing over them
in it.
[Therefore do not let anyone condemn
you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or
sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs
to Christ. Do not let anyone disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and
worship of angels, dwelling on visions, puffed up without cause by a human way
of thinking, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the whole body,
nourished and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows with a growth
that is from God. ]
 |
| The Eleusian Mysteries |
The key terms that
capture our imaginations here, for they are the reasons for this letter to the people
of Colossae, are the terms “philosophy” and “empty deceit”. In his argument Paul seeks to contrast the
Gospel that was revealed to him with “human tradition”. The clue here is his reference to “the
elemental spirits of the universe”. What
Paul is arguing against is the ritual excess of not just Judaism, but also that
of the mystery religions, and also, apparently, those of Christians who have
adopted strict practices in contravention to the Gospel of Jesus. He alludes to some of the requirements in an
argument which he begins with “you were circumcised with a spiritual
circumcision” and then placing Christ at the center of the concept. In the manner of Paul, the author positions
to elements in distinction from the one another – the fleshly circumcision, and
that of the spirit. “The substance
belongs to Christ”, he declares, acknowledging that Christ is the head of the Body.
Breaking
open Colossians:
- What modern concepts, cultures, or philosophies distract you
from God?
- What is the difference between flesh and the spirit?
- How is Christ the head of the body, as the author of Colossians
describes it?
St. Luke 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain
place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord,
teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them,
"When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone
indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of
trial."
And he said to them, "Suppose
one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, `Friend,
lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have
nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within, `Do not bother me; the
door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get
up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give
him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will
get up and give him whatever he needs.
"So I say to you, Ask, and it
will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be
opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches
finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone
among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a
fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who
are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
This lesson on prayer was
urged upon Jesus by his disciples who apparently had experienced the disciples
of John the Baptist at prayer. In this
episode, Jesus discusses three aspects of prayer: the discipline and form of
prayer, the need for persistence, and the effectiveness of prayer. Luke’s forms are spare and simple, perhaps
reflecting an earlier form than that in Matthew, which is offered at the Sermon
on the Mount (Matthew 6:9-15). The terse phrases (Your kingdom come) give us
a sense of urgency. This lesson is also
offered in the context of Jesus own life of prayer. Indeed, Luke depicts Jesus at prayer often:
baptism, choosing of the Twelve, Peter’s confession, the Transfiguration, at
the Last Supper, on the Mt. of Olives, and at the Crucifixion.
The “Our Father” was seen
as a template for prayer (“When you pray say…”) but has come down to us as a
set prayer rather than as a listing of topics for which we ought to make
prayer. In one version, the prayer seems
to have been altered for use at Holy Baptism. In place of “your kingdom come”,
some early Fathers replace it with “May your Holy Spirit come upon us and cleanse”,
a clear example of how to extemporize on the prayers themes.
Persistence is taught in
the lesson about the persistent neighbor with the reminder that if lessor
obtains, how much more then with the greater.
If you can give good things, then how much more can G-d give. This lesson is amplified in the verses on
searching, finding, and knocking. The
lessons of prayer can be amplified by the Track 2 first reading and the
insistence of Abraham at Sodom.
Breaking open the Gospel:
- Where do you pray?
- How do you construct your prayers?
- Are you persistent in your praying?
After
breaking open the Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
O God, the protector of
all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: Increase
and multiply upon us your mercy; that, with you as our ruler and guide, we may
so pass through things temporal, that we lose not the things eternal; 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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