The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 23, 12 October 2014
Exodus 32:1-14
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23
Or
Isaiah 25:1-9
Psalm 23
Philippians 4:1-9
St. Matthew 22:1-14
Background: The Golden Calf and Enthronement
The LORD is king, the peoples tremble;
he is enthroned on the cherubim, * the earth quakes.
Psalm 99:1
In the psalm we have a distinct image of God seated upon
the cherubim, a realization of the Ark of the Covenant. Such enthronements were common in the ancient
near east, certainly in Israel. Here
YHWH is seated upon the cherubim, or might be seated upon the floods.
There are various enthronements used, from the physicality of the
cherubim, the virtual throne of praises.
Should you wander the ancient near eastern collections of the Louvre in Paris
or of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology you
will find examples of enthronement, but there it will be enthronement of the
Ba’alim upon the back of a bull. This
would have been an appropriate enthronement for a god of fertility, although
any of the enthronements mentioned above would have served the various ba’alim
in their various guises and powers.
This, however, brings us to the golden calf. Was it the god that Aaron urged the people to
worship, or was it the god’s throne? Was it YHWH’s throne? And there we have it
- discerning the cultural realities of a time long past, and the intents and
purposes of the memory of the people redacted by some unknown editor in the
Sixth or Seventh century BCE. What did
the golden calf symbolize, or was it something in and of itself. Or was the sin
the loss of focus on YHWH? Later, in Deuteronomy, we see similar calves
(enthronements) set up at Dan and Bethel in the Northern Kingdom. The raison d’etre for the first reading
(Track 1) below may be a polemic against that practice.
Track 1
Exodus 32:1-14
When the people saw
that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around
Aaron, and said to him, "Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us;
as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do
not know what has become of him." Aaron said to them, "Take off the
gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters,
and bring them to me." So all the people took off the gold rings from their
ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a
mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, "These are your gods, O
Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!" When Aaron saw this,
he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said,
"Tomorrow shall be a festival to the LORD." They rose early the next
day, and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the
people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.
The LORD said to Moses,
"Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of
Egypt, have acted perversely; they have been quick to turn aside from the way
that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and
have worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, `These are your gods, O
Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'" The LORD said to
Moses, "I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. Now let me
alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and
of you I will make a great nation."
But Moses implored the
LORD his God, and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your
people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a
mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, `It was with evil intent that he
brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the
face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not
bring disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your
servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, `I will
multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I
have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on
his people.
The section that precedes this pericope is a long account of the cultic
law that was so important to the priestly editors that fashioned this book in
the seventh (?) century. With this
reading we are back into the mainstream of the folk narrative, an aftermath and
consequence of the giving of the Law on Sinai.
The God that walked with Adam and Eve in the Garden in Genesis and that
seemed to be on a conversation with Abraham and Sarah is now hidden behind the
clouds and majesty of Sinai. It is God’s
Word that is perceivable, and this story tests the presumption of that
idea. In a real sense, leadership is
invisible here. Moses is somewhere in
the cloud, and God is absent as well. It
makes for a time of trouble.
The people who have recently grumbled about the lack of water, about the
lack of food, and the policies of Moses, now grumble about the divine absence, “make us gods that will go before us.” Not
only do they miss “the fleshpots of
Egypt,” they also miss the plethora of gods in that culture. So the absence is keenly felt. They did not leave Egypt empty-handed, but
with a great deal of precious metal, and a number of ideas. Despite the pronouncement by God at the
beginning of the Decalogue, “I am the
Lord your God that brought you out of Egypt,” and counter proclamation is
declaimed, “These are your gods, O
Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” The calf of gold was
not the god, but rather an enthronement for a god (see Background above). The question is, however, which god? Was it for YHWH, or some other god? There is
an implicit ambiguity in the situation, which is, I think, Aaron’s intent.
Finally, God speaks from the cloud, and expresses a deep disappointment
with the people. Moses becomes the negotiator after the fashion of Abraham,
arguing against God’s intent to “putting
and end” to the people. What is
brought to mind is the covenant that has been made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Does it not yet stand? Moses now holds God to the terms of the
contract, and God relents. Perhaps this is the real message.
Breaking open Exodus:
- How or where do you enthrone God?
- Do you have icons or other religious art in your home?
- How do you use it?
Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23 Confitemini Domino, Et fecerunt vitulum
Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the
LORD, for he is good, *
for his mercy endures
for ever.
Who can declare the
mighty acts of the LORD *
or show forth all his
praise?
Happy are those who act
with justice *
and always do what is
right!
Remember me, O LORD,
with the favor you have for your people, *
and visit me with your
saving help;
That I may see the
prosperity of your elect
and be glad with the
gladness of your people, *
that I may glory with
your inheritance.
We have sinned as our
forebears did; *
we have done wrong and
dealt wickedly.
Israel made a bull-calf
at Horeb *
and worshiped a molten
image;
And so they exchanged
their Glory *
for the image of an ox
that feeds on grass.
They forgot God their
Savior, *
who had done great
things in Egypt,
Wonderful deeds in the
land of Ham, *
and fearful things at
the Red Sea.
So he would have
destroyed them,
had not Moses his
chosen stood before him in the breach, *
to turn away his wrath
from consuming them.
This is a historical psalm that recounts for the hearer the events at
the Red Sea and at Sinai. From the sixth
verse on, however, we see an Israel that is unruly in its actions toward God
and Moses. The later verses recount the
situation recorded in the first reading.
The psalmist mocks the bull, by referring to it as, grass-eating.” Of special
interest is the portrait of Moses who “stands
in the breach.” It is not the debauchery or idolatry that fascinates us
here, but rather Moses’ courage and argument.
Breaking open Psalm 106:
- Have you ever argued with God?
- What was the argument that you made?
- Do you think about this as prayer?
Or
Track 2:
Isaiah 25:1-9
O LORD, you are my God;
I will exalt you, I
will praise your name;
for you have done
wonderful things,
plans formed of old,
faithful and sure.
For you have made the
city a heap,
the fortified city a
ruin;
the palace of aliens is
a city no more,
it will never be
rebuilt.
Therefore strong
peoples will glorify you;
cities of ruthless
nations will fear you.
For you have been a
refuge to the poor,
a refuge to the needy
in their distress,
a shelter from the
rainstorm and a shade from the heat.
When the blast of the
ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,
the noise of aliens
like heat in a dry place,
you subdued the heat
with the shade of clouds;
the song of the
ruthless was stilled.
On this mountain the
LORD of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a
feast of well-aged wines,
of rich food filled
with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear.
And he will destroy on
this mountain
the shroud that is cast
over all peoples,
the sheet that is
spread over all nations;
he will swallow up
death forever.
Then the Lord GOD will
wipe away the tears from all faces,
and the disgrace of his
people he will take away from all the earth,
for the LORD has
spoken.
It will be said on that
day,
Lo, this is our God; we
have waited for him, so that he might save us.
This is the LORD for
whom we have waited;
let us be glad and
rejoice in his salvation.
This is a theme with which we are familiar. The two parts of the
pericope provide images for an old theme of Isaiah’s (and the other prophets as
well). The first images are of war and desolation. The author reviews the depths of the
degradation of Judah at the hand of Moab, an ancient rival and enemy. Isaiah
twists us with his vision, however. He
begins his poem with words of praise to the God who seems to have punished the
country. Listen to the contrasts. “For you have done wonderful things. is
in sharp contrast to, “For you have made
the city a heap.” However there is a line that moderates our take on this
conflicted situation, “For you have been
a refuge to the poor.” Notice the tense and notice the condition. God was
not becoming a refuge for the poor, but had always been one, and now Judah
counted herself in that number as well.
And here is where our gaze is drawn into an entirely different scene.
We observe a fabulous feast – a feast to which all the peoples of the
earth are invited. Not only are the poor of the world (not just Judah alone)
feted with, “a feast of rich food, a
feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines
strained clear”, but also the powers who are defeated by God’s care for the
needy and the poor. Notice the superlatives, the repetitive nature of the
description that dwells on the richness of God’s response. Even in the
community of the victorious there are tears to be dried, sorrows to be
comforted. Thus Isaiah advances his
universalistic view of Judah’s situation over against the rest of the world,
but also in its relationship with YHWH. There are cautions, however, as the
prophet lauds the God who has redeemed them, “Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him.” In the realities of
Isaiah there reside the realities of time. There is no “pie in the sky”
immediacy here, but a patient waiting upon the Lord and the Lord’s salvation.
Breaking open the Isaiah:
- Are you among the “needy” of the earth? How?
- If you are not, why?
- Where in life do you see God’s banquet?
Psalm 23 Dominus regit me
The LORD is my
shepherd; *
I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in
green pastures *
and leads me beside
still waters.
He revives my soul *
and guides me along
right pathways for his Name's sake.
Though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for you are with me;
your rod and your
staff, they comfort me.
You spread a table
before me in the presence of those
who trouble me; *
you have anointed my
head with oil,
and my cup is running
over.
Surely your goodness
and mercy shall follow me all the days
of my life, *
and I will dwell in the
house of the LORD for ever.
This familiar psalm repeats the neediness and the generosity of the God
who sees it. Like Isaiah, the psalmist
sees a table being set for us right in the middle of our adversities. This is a
meal, however, with consequences. The phrase, “I shall fear no evil” becomes lost in the pastoral reverie that
has occupied us in the early part of the psalm. That we should be led out of
fear seems a much greater gift than the green pastures and the set table. It
matches well the themes in Isaiah, a needy and fretful people met with peace
and goodness.
Breaking open the Psalm 23:
- What do you fear in life?
- How does your faith help with that?
- How do you find peace in your faith?
Philippians 4:1-9
My brothers and
sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in
this way, my beloved.
I urge Euodia and I
urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my
loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in the
work of the gospel, together with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose
names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord
always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone.
The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the
peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and
your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, beloved,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and
if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing
the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the
God of peace will be with you.
If Isaiah has urged us to patiently wait for the salvation that God
offers us, it is Paul, who here outlines the patience that Christians must
effect in their anticipation of God’s presence with them. Let me save my comments on the first three
verses until the end of this section. The elements of holy waiting are so
beautifully outlined by Paul: joy, gentleness, peace, prayer, and thanksgiving
become the hallmarks of such patience.
That these begin with joy puts a different face upon Paul, who at this
writing is most likely “patiently waiting” in a Roman prison. Thus his
admonitions are not vacuous, without any reference to the difficulties of the
world. It is in the midst of those
adversities that these virtues exist, and it is in that same context that “the God of peace will be with you.”
One wonders what the problems were that so bothered Euodia and Syntyche,
although we can well imagine. As a
preface to a more irenic view of the church, this introduction gives us pause,
and to make a connection with real problems that becomes part and parcel of
Christian ministry. It seems we are
being called along with the unknown “loyal companion” to serve God’s peoples in
their difficulties.
Breaking open Philippians:
- Do you have disagreements with people in your parish?
- How do you deal with the situation or with them?
- How do you have joy in your congregation?
St. Matthew 22:1-14
Once more Jesus spoke
to the people in parables, saying: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared
to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call
those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come.
Again he sent other slaves, saying, `Tell those who have been invited: Look, I
have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and
everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' But they made light of it
and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized
his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his
troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his
slaves, `The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore
into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.'
Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both
good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
"But when the king
came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding
robe, and he said to him, `Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding
robe?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, `Bind him
hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are called, but few are chosen."
Again, we are greeted with a parable of the kingdom of heaven. One wonders whether the framers of the
lectionary took into account the difficulty preachers would have in wringing a
new meaning from each of these parables as they greet us in an on-going fashion
Sunday after Sunday. Following last
Sunday parable about the tenants and the vineyard, we begin to anticipate this
parable, perhaps too quickly, for Jesus has a surprise at the end that we may
not have anticipated. We see here those
who do not value the invitation, who see it as passé and avoidable. Upon their rejection Jesus becomes like
Isaiah (See the Track 2 first reading above) and invites anyone and everyone to
the banquet. Even in that situation of grace, however, there will be some who
will not have taken heed. Have we
forgotten John the Baptist’s words requesting our repentance? In the parable
one has, and yet Jesus says the requirement is not to be overlooked. Whether it
is our RSVP to the invitation or our turning back to God, something is required
of us, some decision, some change within life.
Breaking open the Gospel:
- Who are those, for you, who have not accepted the invitation?
- What will you do about that?
- What do you think of the final images?
After breaking open the
Word, you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Lord, we pray that your grace may always precede and follow us, that we
may continually be given to good works; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Questions and comments copyright © 2014, Michael
T. Hiller
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