The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - Proper 20, 22 September 2013
Jeremiah
8:18-9:1
Psalm
79:1-9
Or
Amos
8:4-7
Psalm
113
I Timothy 2:1-7
St.
Luke 16:1-13
Background: Amos
Amos, a wealthy farmer (sheep and sycamore
figs) served as a servant to the word of G-d, and did most of his work for a
limited period of time around 760 BCE not in his native Judea, but north, in
the Kingdom of Israel. Unlike the
prophets who came before him, his word (directed by the word of G-d) is spoken
not to individuals (as was the case with Nathan) but rather to the entire
nation. Earlier prophets were inspired
by the Spirit, but Amos receives the word of God. Finally, he is not a
professional. He belongs to no guild or
school, nor is he a member of the royal court, called from his daily life to
deliver G-d’s word to a specific time and place. He is also the first of the so-called
classical prophets, those who wrote down their words directed to the
nation. His words are also a departure
from what had been spoken before. He
announces total judgment to Israel.
Although he speaks against social ills, he sees them as evidence of
Israel’s loss of G-d and of the covenant with G-d. This covenantal message is the matter of some
controversy amongst Amos scholars.
Elizabeth Achtemeier, however, calls our attention to Amos 3, namely:
“Hear this word, Israelites, that the LORD speaks
concerning you,
concerning the whole family I brought up from the land of Egypt:
You
alone I have known,*
among all the families of the earth;
Therefore I will punish you
for all your iniquities.
Do two
journey together
unless
they have agreed?”
Amos 3:1-3, italics mine
Out of the basis of this covenant that was
made between G-d and Israel, Amos proclaims a breech of contract on the part of
the nation – and the judgment is soon coming.
Behind the scrim of this harsh word stand other proclamations about the
life of Israel over against the poor, the sick, and the orphan. They are sub points to the major word that
needs to be spoken. The contrast or
dialogue between these two points can make for good preaching and good reading.
Jeremiah 8:18-9:1
My joy is gone, grief
is upon me,
my heart is sick.
Hark, the cry of my
poor people
from far and wide in
the land:
"Is the LORD not
in Zion?
Is her King not in
her?"
("Why have they
provoked me to anger with their images,
with their foreign
idols?")
"The harvest is
past, the summer is ended,
and we are not
saved."
For the hurt of my poor
people I am hurt,
I mourn, and dismay has
taken hold of me.
Is there no balm in
Gilead?
Is there no physician
there?
Why then has the health
of my poor people
not been restored?
O that my head were a
spring of water,
and my eyes a fountain
of tears,
so that I might weep
day and night
for the slain of my
poor people!
In the verses that precede this reading, Jeremiah pronounces doom upon
Israel, and in harsh terms:
“Yes, I will send against you
poisonous snakes. Against them no charm will work when they bite you—oracle of
the LORD.”
Jeremiah
8:17
Jeremiah’s allusion is to Numbers 21:6 where poisonous
snakes inflict the Children of Israel as they make their way in the Sinai
wilderness. In the verses for this
morning, both the mood and action change.
Now it is the prophet (and G-d) who grieves over the fate of the
people. There is a pattern of dialogue
and sotto voce asides to the reader
(?), hearer (?), or to the witnesses (?) (heaven and earth). Here is the outline:
Pathos
(verses 18-19) my joy is gone…
Question by the People:
(verse 19b) Is the Lord not in Zion?
Question by G-d (verse
19c) why have they provoked
Question by the People
(verse 20) the harvest is past…we are not
saved.
Closing Pathos (verse 21) For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt.
Israel is waiting for something, but is indifferent to
the reality of the situation with which it is surrounded. To understand the dialogue above and its
cynicism (on the part of the people), and G-d’s grieving over a people that
have forgotten G-d’s deeds, it will be important to read the two chapters that
precede this reading. This poem is a
brief interlude of introspection and questions that interrupt the divine drama
and dialogue.
Breaking
open Jeremiah:
- Who all are speaking in this text?
- How do their points of view differ, one from the other?
- Does G-d grieve over you?
Why?
Psalm 79:1-9 Deus, venerunt
O God, the heathen have
come into your inheritance;
they have profaned your
holy temple; *
they have made
Jerusalem a heap of rubble.
They have given the
bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the air, *
and the flesh of your
faithful ones to the beasts of the field.
They have shed their
blood like water on every side of Jerusalem, *
and there was no one to
bury them.
We have become a
reproach to our neighbors, *
an object of scorn and
derision to those around us.
How long will you be
angry, O LORD?*
will your fury blaze
like fire for ever?
Pour out your wrath
upon the heathen who have not known you *
and upon the kingdoms
that have not called upon your Name.
For they have devoured
Jacob *
and made his dwelling a
ruin.
Remember not our past
sins;
let your compassion be
swift to meet us; *
for we have been
brought very low.
Help us, O God our
Savior, for the glory of your Name; *
deliver us and forgive
us our sins, for your Name's sake.
This psalm mirrors the anguish that Jeremiah spills as he reflects on
the fate of Judah. In the psalm the
focus is on the fate of Jerusalem. The
psalm takes us in our minds to look upon the Temple and its destruction there. In 586 BCE, the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem
and destroyed the Temple. The verse make
living testimony to what this must have been like. The question that becomes the center of this
poem is the one of “How long, O Lord?”
Like the question of the people in the Jeremiah reading, “The harvest is
past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved,” the psalmist and indeed all
of Judea are wondering how long it will take G-d to respond. The plaint of the psalm is somewhat of a
challenge to G-d: “Pour out your wrath on the nations that did not know you.”
And later “Do not call to mind against us our forebears’ crimes.” The need is for mercy and rescue. The psalmist’s people speak the prayer, I
think, that Jeremiah hoped would come from his own people.
Breaking
open Psalm 79:
- Have you had to wait for G-d to act in your life?
- From what did you need to be saved?
- What was prayer like for you during this time?
Or
Amos 8:4-7
Hear this, you that
trample on the needy,
and bring to ruin the
poor of the land,
saying, "When will
the new moon be over
so that we may sell
grain;
and the sabbath,
so that we may offer
wheat for sale?
We will make the ephah
small and the shekel great,
and practice deceit
with false balances,
buying the poor for
silver
and the needy for a
pair of sandals,
and selling the
sweepings of the wheat."
The LORD has sworn by
the pride of Jacob:
Surely I will never
forget any of their deeds.
In the final chapters of his book, Amos tallies the end of Israel, by
commenting on the details of daily life.
And it is here that we can see the commentary on social practice that
pierces the scrim of total destruction.
In this morning’s readings it is the merchant class that takes in on the
ear. They do not honor the holy days, or
even if they do, they cannot wait until they are over so that they can return
to their unjust business practices. Of
special concern are the needy (read peasants who live on the land). They become the focus of the prophet’s
concern and the dishonest merchants’ greed.
The issues are dishonest weights and measures, buying people as slaves
when they cannot pay their debts, and selling adulterated products. What a sermon for Wall Street?! There will be an end to such practices, but
it will be accompanied by an end to the nation as well. The prophet notes the title “The Pride of
Jacob”, namely YHWH who is the pride of Jacob.
In a reverse to the phrase “I will not forget…deeds” we see a
turnaround. Usually it is G-d who pleads
with Israel not to forget the deeds – the freedom from Egypt, the Promised
Land. But now it is the reverse. It is G-d who will not forget, and the deeds
are Israel’s unjust ways.
Breaking
open Amos:
- What do our financial practices of today say about our world?
- What would Amos say to us?
- What will you do?
Psalm 113 Laudate, pueri
Hallelujah!
Give praise, you
servants of the LORD; *
praise the Name of the
LORD.
Let the Name of the
LORD be blessed, *
from this time forth
for evermore.
From the rising of the
sun to its going down *
let the Name of the
LORD be praised.
The LORD is high above
all nations, *
and his glory above the
heavens.
Who is like the LORD
our God, who sits enthroned on high *
but stoops to behold
the heavens and the earth?
He takes up the weak
out of the dust *
and lifts up the poor
from the ashes.
He sets them with the
princes, *
with the princes of his
people.
He makes the woman of a
childless house *
to be a joyful mother
of children.
Here we are treated in the initial verses of the psalm to a setting of
magnificence. We are invited, as
servants of YHWH to give praise to G-d, and we are invited to do so in the
context of all time and space (May the Lord’s name be blessed now and forever
more. From the place the sun rises to
where it sets). The G-d worthy of this
praise is pictured as looking down over all
nations and over the heavens as well.
Seated there G-d sees humanity and acts, and his actions seem to be in
direct response to Amos’ criticism of Israel.
G-d raises up the poor from the dust and then seats the poor. Just as G-d
is enthroned in the heavens so are the poor raised up an enthroned. A similar action is accorded the “childless
woman” who is enthroned in her home as a mother. We see the inequity of the Ancient Near
Eastern society however. The man (poor)
is seated among the princes, and the woman (the barren one) is seated with her
sons.
Breaking
open Psalm 113:
- How have you been raised up?
- When G-d looks down on you what does G-d see?
- How do you praise G-d?
1 Timothy 2:1-7
First of all, I urge
that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for
everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a
quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. This is right and is
acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and
to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God;
there is also one
mediator between God and humankind,
Christ Jesus, himself human,
who gave
himself a ransom for all
- this was attested at the right time. For this I was
appointed a herald and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a
teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
And so the lectionary continues with a semi-continuous reading from I
Timothy. The author, writing for Paul,
or in Paul’s name begins with a set of instructions for the church, and it
begins with prayer. There is a
theological assumption here that prayer from the people is to G-d, and in G-d’s
intentions as well are intended “for everyone.”
The prayers themselves can ask and give thanks, speak for the well being
of others and give a good word for the stranger. There is a universalism here that is quite
attractive. The language is unambiguous,
“G-d…who desires everyone to be saved.”
Then the author makes an assertion, describing the monotheistic nature
of the religion that he is sharing with the reader. “For there is one G-d” precedes the mention
of Christ Jesus as the one “mediator.”
It is to these things that the author attaches himself as servant,
witness, and apostle.
Breaking
open I Timothy:
- How do you pray?
- When do you pray?
- How do you include others?
St. Luke 16:1-13
Jesus said to the
disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were
brought to him that this man was squandering his property. So he summoned him
and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Give me an accounting of
your management, because you cannot be my manager any longer.' Then the manager
said to himself, `What will I do, now that my master is taking the position
away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have
decided what to do so that, when I am dismissed as manager, people may welcome
me into their homes.' So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he asked
the first, `How much do you owe my master?' He answered, `A hundred jugs of
olive oil.' He said to him, `Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it
fifty.' Then he asked another, `And how much do you owe?' He replied, `A
hundred containers of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill and make it
eighty.' And his master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted
shrewdly; for the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their
own generation than are the children of light. And I tell you, make friends for
yourselves by means of dishonest wealth so that when it is gone, they may welcome
you into the eternal homes.
"Whoever is
faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in
a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful
with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you
have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is
your own? No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one
and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot
serve God and wealth."
Last Sunday we read of
lost things and found value. In a
trilogy of parables (The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son) in
chapter 15, in an address to the critical Pharisees and Scribes Jesus wants us
to examine our value of things, so that we might begin to value G-d and
neighbor as well, and not look at their “lack of value.” Thus in the sixteenth chapter, Luke continues
with two other parables on Value, however this time the teaching is directed at
the disciples. The first is our reading
for this morning, and concerns an unscrupulous manger who yet wins his boss’
praise.
This parable is really a
spin on the Prodigal story. Commentator
John T. Carol[1] in
his commentary on Luke’s Gospel suggests a comparison:
1 Both dispose of property, which is criticized.
2 Both decide within their own minds what action
is needed next.
3 Both take action on what they have decided to do
4 Both rely on the mercy of (a father, a master)
However, there are
differences. The world of the prodigal
son and the equally prodigal father are self-contained. Their actions only impact the household,
although the other son objects and is taught a lesson by the father. For the unjust manager many more are
affected. In addition to the master,
each of the debtors is affected as well, their debt having been reduced. The master indeed enjoys a renewed social
presence as a result of the manger’s “solution.”
What are we to make of
this? As we read of financial
transactions that seem to define our own age, we are reluctant to praise these
actions. Nor do we really know the real
cost of what the manager does. Was
interest reduced, or factored into the renewed and reduced debt? Did the manager get rid of his own
commission? Luke leaves a lot of
questions about the true nature of the transaction.
The remaining verses (8b
– 13) attempt to lead us to some point of view regarding the actions of the
parable. There are several reactions
from the viewpoint of Jesus’ Kingdom of Heaven.
Using those values, neither the manager nor the master are “righteous”
but merely exemplify “this age.” The
question for the Christian is asked in the concluding verse, albeit obliquely,
in the comments about two masters. Who
will the Christian’s master be, wealth, or godly service? Does that mean that Christians should eschew
wealth? It does have value in making
friends (temporal) and accomplishing good (eternal). There are other values that are held up as
well, “trustworthiness” in all things (both worldly and eternal) and doing
things “for the benefit of others.” Hung
on the horns of that dilemma Jesus then turns to poor Lazarus lying at the door
of the rich man. The stories about value
continue next Sunday with this parable.
Breaking open the Gospel:
- What do you think of the manager’s tactic?
- Have you ever done anything like it?
- What point is Jesus trying to make.
After
breaking open the Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
All commentary and questions are copyright © 2013 Michael T. Hiller
[1] Carroll,
John T., Luke: A Commentary, New Testatment Library, John Knox Press,
Louisville, Kentucky
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