The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 15, 18 August 2013
Isaiah
5:1-7
Psalm
80:1-2, 8-18
Or
Jeremiah
23:23-29
Psalm
8s
Hebrews
11:29- 12:2
St.
Luke 12:49-56
Background: Jeremiah’s time
Jeremiah was active
during the reign of Josiah (626 BCE) and continued until the fall of Jerusalem
in 587 BCE. His work was supposedly
given to his secretary Baruch ben Neriah, who then published Jeremiah’s oracles
and sayings. Other kings ruled during
Jeremiah’s work: Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah. Josiah’s work was especially important, and
served as a cultural point of focus for Jeremiah. The reforms proposed by Josiah resulted in the
restoration of several aspects of the religious life of Judah, and were more
than likely to have included the editing and redaction of several pieces of
Hebrew Scriptures. Assyria, the threat
to the North was paling, and Josiah was able to assert himself and the Kingdom
of Judah. Jeremiah became a supporter of
the reforms of Josiah. What followed,
however, was a period of weakness during which the waning strength of Assyria
was replace by a resurgent Egypt. All
that Josiah gained was lost under the Egyptian puppet king, Jehoiakim. At the Battle of Carcamesh, the Egyptians
were out maneuvered by the Babylonians, who became the new threat to
Judah. The real politic of playing the
west (Egypt) off against the east (Babylonian) was for Jeremiah a “false god”,
and he railed against it.
Isaiah 5:1-7
Let me sing for my beloved
my love-song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard
on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a wine vat in it;
he expected it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem
and people of Judah,
judge between me
and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard
that I have not done in it?
When I expected it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?
And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the people of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
he expected justice,
but saw bloodshed;
righteousness,
but heard a cry!
The vineyard as an important economic unit in
the life of Israel often became a symbol of religious truths both in the Hebrew
Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures.
Here the first Isaiah composes a “Song of the Vineyard” in order to
discuss the faithlessness of Judah and Jerusalem. The “song” begins with a parable about a
vineyard owner who plants a vineyard and expects a wonderful vintage, but that
is not to be had. The entire song stands
as a metaphor of the religious life of Judah, which is not yielding the
expected results. At verse 7, those who
have been described in the initial verses of the song, are invited to serve as
judges and to listen to the accusations of the prosecution. This pattern of courtroom dramas is a
consistent pattern throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. It is called the “rib” (pronounced “rive”)
pattern, and it is common amongst the prophets.
A similar self-judgment is seen when Nathan confronts David over the sin
with Bathsheba, and David, hearing the parable, condemns himself. The final verse reveals the mystery and the
pattern (“For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.”) and
expresses the judgment in a series of comparisons (justice – bloodshed,
righteousness – a cry). Isaiah will use
this pattern and these elements frequently in his work.
Breaking
open Isaiah:
- Does your life have the aspect of a trial at times?
- Of what are you accused?
- How are you redeemed?
Psalm 80:1-2, 8-18 Qui regis Israel
Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.
In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.
You have brought a vine out of Egypt; *
you cast out the nations and planted it.
You prepared the ground for it; *
it took root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered by its shadow *
and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.
You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea *
and its branches to the River.
Why have you broken down its wall, *
so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?
The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it, *
and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.
Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine; *
preserve what your right hand has planted.
They burn it with fire like rubbish; *
at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.
Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
the son of man you have made so strong for yourself.
And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.
Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.
The psalmist uses a similar image with grapes and the image of the vine
appearing frequently in the poem. It is
one of several compelling images that the author uses to good advantage – the
enthroned Lord, and G-d as shepherd.
With these images it serves as a good commentary on the Isaiah text (see
the First Reading). The reference to
Joseph, in the first verse, and later to Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh
serves as a signal that these verses are devoted to the Northern Kingdom of
Israel. In the Septuagint, this psalm
has a superscription, “concerning the Assyrians”, the empire that conquered the
North and deported the majority of its population. The “vine” that the psalmist mentions refers
to the nation of Israel. Similar
identifications are found also in Jeremiah and Hosea. The reasoning that serves as the centerpiece
to the psalm is clear. A vine is
transplanted from one region (Israel) to another (Egypt). For what purpose, when in the end and in
spite of its promise it is destroyed.
Robert Alter translates “the beasts of the field” as “the swarm”
indicating the likely destruction of the vine by locusts or other insects
common to this area. It also serves as a
good description of the Assyrian army, which will sweep over the land of Israel. “The man of your right hand” shifts the
metaphor from the vine to the people of Israel as God’s heir, and represents
the continuing promise of G-d’s faithfulness to his chosen ones, in spite of
their lack of faithfulness.
Breaking
open Psalm 80:
- Have you ever been transplanted from one place to another?
- What dangers did you face in your new location?
- What saved you?
Or
Jeremiah 23:23-29
Am I a God near by, says the LORD, and not a God far off? Who can hide in
secret places so that I cannot see them? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven
and earth? says the LORD. I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy
lies in my name, saying, "I have dreamed, I have dreamed!" How long?
Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back-- those who prophesy lies, and
who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? They plan to make my people forget
my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors
forgot my name for Baal. Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but
let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common
with wheat? says the LORD. Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, and like a
hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
In these passages, Jeremiah ponders what it is
that constitutes true prophetic work, and determines that it is proclaiming the
word (of G-d) faithfully. In contrast to
this proclamation, he cites the work of the prophets who dream. It is an interesting comparison, for there is
a stream of dream connections both in the Hebrew Scriptures (Joseph and Daniel
in particular) and in the Christian Scriptures as well (Peter, Paul, Joseph,
the husband of Mary, and others). In his
commentary on Jeremiah, Thomas W. Overholt sees Jeremiah’s objections and
characterization of other prophets as being an exilic hindsight upon the return
of the exiles. Jeremiah’s 23rd
chapter is a compendium of commentary on the work of the prophets. They are compared to evil shepherds, and
liars. Jeremiah stands by his work by
means of historical verification. “See”,
he seems to say, “Look at what really happened.” In spite of his prophecy, which saw the dark
cloud of judgment brought down upon Israel, his word, nor the dreams of the
other prophets, was able to save the people.
As in the last verse, the rock is still shattered by the hammer of G-d’s
word.
Breaking
open Jeremiah:
- What is your understanding of prophecy?
- How is Jeremiah’s idea the same or different?
- How is G-d’s word like a hammer?
Psalm 82 Deus stetit
God takes his stand in the council of heaven; *
he gives judgment in the midst of the gods:
"How long will you judge unjustly, *
and show favor to the wicked?
Save the weak and the orphan; *
defend the humble and needy;
Rescue the weak and the poor; *
deliver them from the power of the wicked.
They do not know, neither do they understand;
they go about in darkness; *
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.
Now I say to you, 'You are gods, *
and all of you children of the Most High;
Nevertheless, you shall die like mortals, *
and fall like any prince.'"
Arise, O God, and rule the earth, *
for you shall take all nations for your own.
This poem may serve as a transition piece from
the mythology and polytheism of the prevailing culture that surrounded Israel,
to the exclusive monotheism that was to govern later theological writing. As in the verse that begins the Book of Job,
we see G-d presiding over all the gods, holding court and rendering
judgment. What follows is a listing of
complaints, “dishonest judgment, favoring the wicked, serving the poor and
orphan with injustice.” A verse from
Exodus serves as a parallel expression of the darkness with which these judges
view the world (Exodus 23:8). The psalmist expresses it well – “in darkness
they walk about” not seeing the realities with which the poor and destitute are
forced to deal. The psalmist goes
deeper, seeing justice as being foundational.
It is justice that allows the earth “to be” – “all the foundations of
the earth are shaken”, when justice is not allowed to have its way. Even G-d’s
own realization is shaken. “I thought
that you were gods”. Now there is a
different understanding on G-d’s part.
“You shall die like mortals, and fall like any prince.” The powers that were thought to rule life are
found to be wanting. It is G-d who will
rise and judge the earth.
Breaking
open Psalm 82:
- How are we like gods?
- How have we been, serving as gods in our time?
- What have we forgotten?
Hebrews 11:29-12:2
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but
when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. By faith the walls of
Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the
prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had
received the spies in peace.
And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon,
Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- who through
faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths
of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out
of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received
their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release,
in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging,
and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in
two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and
goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy.
They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive
what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would
not, apart from us, be made perfect.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run
with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer
and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him
endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right
hand of the throne of God.
So our author mining the treasures of the Hebrew
Scriptures exalts examples of faith, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, and
others. One wonders in his panoply of
examples of torture and difficulty if he weren’t pulling from his own memory of
persecution in his time. And that is his
purpose, to steal up the Christians for their own time of trial and
difficulty.
The final verses of the reading are actually the
beginning of a homily on Christ the perfect paradigm, and sets up the race, an
appropriate Hellenistic model, as the metaphor for life. That life might include difficulties is
exactly the connection that the author wishes to make with the life of
Christ. Ancient witnesses (we are
surrounded by so great a cloud of them) knew not the fulfillment of the
promise. The point is that the followers
of Jesus do know the promise, and run the race with him in spite of all else.
Breaking
open Hebrews:
- Who are examples of faith to you?
- Where did their faith get them?
- How is Christian life like a race?
St. Luke 12:49-56
Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were
already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I
am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to
the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one
household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will
be divided:
father against son
and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud
rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain'; and so it
happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be
scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the
appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the
present time?"
What we have here is an amalgam of apocalyptic
sayings from Jesus with two central images guiding us into the difficult
subject. First is fire, which destroys
but with also purifies. Secondly is
baptism in which water can be death or life.
All of these images are pointing to the passion, and this aspect will
serve as a dividing point for many. We
see it amongst the disciples, especially Peter, when they object to Jesus’
“passion talk” and intent. Here it is
seen as dividing many, including families – units of sometime comfort and
closeness. What follows in the next
verses is Jesus’ questioning the natural wisdom of those following him (which
seems to be intuitive and helpful), who see everyday kinds of connections,
Breaking open the Gospel:
- Why are the disciples put off by Jesus’ passion predictions?
- How is baptism a trial?
- What has been the fire in your life? Did it destroy or purify?
After
breaking open the Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be
for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to
receive thankfully the fruits of his redeeming work, and to follow daily in the
blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
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