The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 14, 10 August 2014
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b
Or
I Kings 19:9-18
Psalm 85:8-13
Romans 10:5-15
St. Matthew 14:22-33
Background: Dreams in Biblical Literature
Most of the dreams we read about in the Bible
are limited to the book of Genesis, and in the Track 1 reading for this Sunday
we meet Joseph, the son of Jacob and Rachel, whom his brothers call ba’al haalomot (lord of dreams, or
“dream master”). Used in the context of
that reading it is delivered with no small amount of sarcasm. Just what was the status of dream and dream
interpretation in the ancient world? The
Sumerians are known to have made records of dreams as far back as 3100
BCE. Mesopotamians had it that in
dreaming, the soul left the body and wandered about to the places and events of
the dream. The dreams were categorized
as either “good” or “bad”, with “good” dreams coming from the gods, and “bad”
dreams from evil spirits. Dreaming was
also considered a special gift and ability in Egypt as well. They, as well as the Mesopotamians, saw
dreaming as an opportunity for understand the desire of the gods or the intent
of the times, seeing dreams as either omens or messages from another realm of
reality. In the book of Samuel we learn
about the prophet’s habit of sleeping in the sanctuary before the Ark of the
Covenant there hoping to receive the Word of the Lord. Egyptians did this as well, having
sanctuaries where one could sleep and dream, receiving messages from the
gods. There is a long line of dreamers
in Hebrew/Christian culture: Joseph in Egypt, Daniel, Abimilech, Abraham,
Jacob, and Solomon among others. In the
Christian Scriptures, Matthew models Joseph after his forbearer as he
experiences the dreams about Jesus, and the dangers of Herod. Peter, Paul and John also have dream
experiences.
Track 1:
Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28
Jacob settled in the
land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. This is the
story of the family of Jacob.
Joseph, being seventeen
years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the
sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's wives; and Joseph brought a bad report
of them to their father. Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his
children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long
robe with sleeves. But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more
than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.
Now his brothers went
to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. And Israel said to Joseph,
"Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send
you to them." He answered, "Here I am." So he said to him,
"Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and
bring word back to me." So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.
He came to Shechem, and
a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, "What are you
seeking?" "I am seeking my brothers," he said; "tell me,
please, where they are pasturing the flock." The man said, "They have
gone away, for I heard them say, `Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went
after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. They saw him from a distance, and
before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. They said to one
another, "Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him
into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him,
and we shall see what will become of his dreams." But when Reuben heard
it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his
life." Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit
here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him" -- that he might rescue
him out of their hand and restore him to his father. So when Joseph came to his
brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleeves that he
wore; and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was
no water in it.
Then they sat down to
eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with
their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to
Egypt. Then Judah said to his brothers, "What profit is it if we kill our
brother and conceal his blood? Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and
not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh." And his
brothers agreed. When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up,
lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces
of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.
This is the first chapter in what will become and epic, a detective
story, and a human-interest story. In
this reading we are introduced to the main characters, although some will be
added in the coming weeks. Preeminent is
Joseph, a rather precocious and arrogant teen-ager. We are also introduced to his brothers, sons
of Israel by several wives and concubines.
There are traders, Ishmaelites or Midianites (the text seems to be a
weaving of two different traditions).
That weaving is also evident in the roles played by the brothers Ruben
and Judah, each moderating the vicious stance of the other brothers. The story is a set piece to get Joseph into
Egypt where he will be the consummate dreamer, politician, and healer of the
breach in the family. More will be revealed in next week’s first reading.
Breaking open Genesis:
- How does Joseph strike you in this text?
- Are the brothers justified in their action?
- Are Judah and Ruben righteous in their response?
Psalm 105, 1-6, 16-22, 45b Confitemini Domino
Give thanks to the LORD
and call upon his Name; *
make known his deeds
among the peoples.
Sing to him, sing
praises to him, *
and speak of all his
marvelous works.
Glory in his holy Name;
*
let the hearts of those
who seek the LORD rejoice.
Search for the LORD and
his strength; *
continually seek his
face.
Remember the marvels he
has done, *
his wonders and the
judgments of his mouth,
O offspring of Abraham
his servant, *
O children of Jacob his
chosen.
Then he called for a
famine in the land *
and destroyed the
supply of bread.
He sent a man before
them, *
Joseph, who was sold as
a slave.
They bruised his feet
in fetters; *
his neck they put in an
iron collar.
Until his prediction
came to pass, *
the word of the LORD
tested him.
The king sent and
released him; *
the ruler of the
peoples set him free.
He set him as a master
over his household,*
as a ruler over all his
possessions,
To instruct his princes
according to his will*
and to teach his elders
wisdom.
Hallelujah!
Breaking open Psalm 105:
- How is God made known to us by previous generations?
- How did you learn faith from your parents?
- How are you teaching the faith?
or
Track 2:
1 Kings 19:9-18
At Horeb, the mount of
God, Elijah came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the
LORD came to him, saying, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He
answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for
the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed
your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to
take it away."
He said, "Go out
and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass
by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains
and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind;
and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; and
after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the
fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his
mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a
voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He
answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for
the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed
your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to
take it away." Then the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to
the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king
over Aram. Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and
you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your
place. Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever
escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. Yet I will leave seven
thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth
that has not kissed him."
What immediately precedes this story is the account of the “contest”
with the priests of the Ba’al. Elijah
defeats them as they entreat their god to receive the sacrifice they wish to
offer – all to no avail. Elijah punctuates the power of YHWH by dowsing his
sacrifice, wood, and altar with water, and yet the sacrifice is burned. What follows is Jezebel’s anger at the murder
of all her priests, and she threatens the life of Elijah, who retreats to Beersheba. There he encounters the Angel of the Lord,
who asks of him his purpose in being there.
It might be a case of abandonment, for Elijah comments on how he only is
faithful. God then has every right to
ask, “What are you doing here?” The
subsequent command is to go and stand before the mountain of the Lord. Moses
has stood in this same place before, and even then Moses is shielded from the
glory of YHWH by the hand of God. Elijah is to have a different experience. It is not in earthquakes, fires, or other
grand events that Elijah is aware of God’s presence but rather in “a sound of
sheer silence”. The scene which Elijah
flees from: a King of Israel who does not follow God’s ways, and a people and
indeed prophets who seem not to care, this scene is redeemed by what God asks
Elijah to do. A series of anointings are
commanded – for God is still in charge of the nations. The scene will change for Elijah as well, as
God implies the end of his own days, for his is to “anoint a prophet in your
stead.” The language here is language of
royal succession. What follows next is
the ancient prophetic pattern of indication of unfaithfulness followed by
punishment at the hand of foreign powers, “who
escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, etc.” This is the real contest seen not in
liturgical acts, which were unconvincing, but rather in the realpolitik of the ninth century
BCE. There is a subtlety of the “small,
quiet voice” that has suasion here.
Breaking open the I Kings:
- How do you experience God?
- What do you do in God’s silence?
- How do you share that silence with others?
Psalm 85:8-13 Benedixisti, Domine
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.
As I often do, I recommend that you read the whole psalm. The initial verses give flavor and context to
the verses selected for this morning. Of
special notice, when linking this to the First Reading concerning Elijah, is
the verse, “you forgave your people’s
crime, you covered all their offense.” This provides a sense of completion
to Elijah’s mission that reconciles the people with the God whom they have
forgotten. The selection also speaks to
the “small quiet voice” as well, “let me
hear what YHWH God would speak.” What is spoken to the people, God’s
faithful people? It is the word of
peace, and a hope that they will not turn to old patterns. A new reality (perhaps one written in the
context of returning from exile) ensues, “that
his glory may dwell in our land.” What is pictured in the closing verses is
the juxtaposition of virtues: mercy and truth, righteousness and peace. This is the new land in which Israel ought to
dwell.
Breaking open the Psalm 85:
- What patterns of human behavior does the psalm expose?
- What is God’s reaction?
- What is your response?
Romans 10:5-15
Moses writes concerning
the righteousness that comes from the law that "the person who does these
things will live by them." But the righteousness that comes from faith
says, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'"
(That is, to bring Christ down) "or 'Who will descend into the
abyss?'" (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it
say?
"The word is near
you,
on your lips and in
your heart"
(that is, the word of
faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is
Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be
saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses
with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, "No one who believes
in him will be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and
Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him.
For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."
But how are they to
call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one
of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to
proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is
written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
In this continuing reading from Romans, like Paul, we wrestle with the
Law and what it must mean for us who are in the Body of Christ. In the verse immediately preceding this
reading Paul attempts to answer, “For Christ is the end* of the law for the justification
of everyone who has faith.” Other commentators suggest other
translations for the Greek word, telos (end)
by suggesting the words “goal” or “purpose.”
Paul assumes a holiness, goodness, and righteousness to the Law, but
only in that it is completed in the acts of Jesus, the Christ. The discourse of this reading revolves around
the desired confession that “Jesus is Lord”.
Jesus is seen as Lord of both Jew and Gentile, “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek.” In verse 13, Paul
encourages to “call on the name of the
Lord.” What follows are a series of questions that wonder how this is to
happen (preaching, and mission). This
reading poses serious questions for the Christian congregation that is
satisfied merely with numbers and not with message or proclamation. How beautiful are our feet?
Breaking open Romans:
- Why is there no difference between Jew and Gentile?
- In what ways are you a preacher?
- What is your parish’s true mission?
St. Matthew 14:22-33
Jesus made the
disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he
dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the
mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this
time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was
against them. And early in the morning he came walking toward them on the sea.
But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying,
"It is a ghost!" And they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus
spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid."
Peter
answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the
water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat, started
walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong
wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord,
save me!" Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to
him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" When they got into the
boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly
you are the Son of God."
There
is a word for this kind of thing, and that word is theophany – a glimpse of the
divine, akin to what Elijah experienced at Horeb. What does the Matthew tradition want us to
take from this? Is it only that Jesus
could walk on water, or is there infinitely more? Let’s look at the elements. The ship is crowded with those whom Jesus
will send out in mission. It is at the
mercy of the elements, sea and wind. It
is the church that exists at the time the Matthew tradition is being put
together, a community buffeted by culture, family, and world politics. So it is that the disciples, those who are to
share the word, do so in a difficult setting.
The readers of Matthew would have understood this.
Jesus
approaches them from another reality – that silence and spirit-filled
atmosphere that he constantly sought in the wilderness. In the midst of their difficulties they
recognized the Christ coming to be with them.
Is this a miss-placed Easter experience?
Peter is recognized as primary, but even he is not up to the task – he
sinks and calls for help. It is the
divine Jesus who must reach out and save.
In a way this confession by Peter follows others that he will make in
his lifetime, “Lord, save me,” and
later, “Truly you are the son of God,” a
confession shared by all of them. In Matthew 16, Peter will be
tested further and will make confession once again. So what are we to learn
from this episode, a Christ who makes us wonder at physical abilities, or a
Christ who reaches out to save and to guide our mission?
Breaking open the Gospel:
- How is Jesus Lord in your life?
- How do you know this?
- What kind of confession can you make about Jesus?
After breaking open the
Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Grant to us, Lord, we pray, the spirit to think and do always those
things that are right, that we, who cannot exist without you, may by you be
enabled to live according to your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Questions and comments copyright © 2014, Michael
T. Hiller
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