The Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 28, 15 November 2015
I Samuel 1:4-20
I Samuel 2:1-10
Or
Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16
Hebrews 10:11-25
St. Mark 13:1-8
Background: Apocalyptic
Literature
With
the latter Sundays of the church year comes a series of readings that are
grounded in the apocalypticism of the Hebrew Scriptures, and of the early
Church. The readings reflect an “Advent Shadow” that shows us a longer season
of Advent. The apocalypticism (the revelation of hidden meanings) of the Hebrew
Scriptures provides a great deal of the content here. The origins of the Hebrew
material come from the post-exilic period and is largely found in the books of
Joel and Zechariah, with the chapters of 24-27, and 33 of First Isaiah as well
as the book of Daniel. The prophets Ezekiel and Jeremiah also contribute in a
developmental way to this literature. A great deal of this literature treats on
the coming of the Messiah, and thus fits in nicely with the Christian writings
that wrestle with the same notions. The intent of both schools, however, differ
sharply – a Messianic literature centering on the restoration of the Davidid
kings being one point of focus, and the description of Jesus as Messiah in the
Christian Scriptures providing an opposite focus. In the first case we have writings that
spring from a flourishing prophetic tradition informed by a Persian worldview,
and in the second, writings that are dependent on the prophets who are used to
support the Christology of the early Church. Placing these readings in the
literary context can help the parishioner, lector, or preacher to understand
the foundations, and how they were then attractive to both evangelist and
writers of the epistles.
Track One:
1 Samuel 1:4-20
On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give
portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; but to Hannah
he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her
womb. Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD
had closed her womb. So it went on year by year, as often as she went up to the
house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not
eat. Her husband Elkanah said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you
not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"
After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose
and presented herself before the LORD. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the
seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. She was deeply distressed
and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly. She made this vow: "O LORD of
hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me,
and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I
will set him before you as a nazirite until the day of his death. He shall
drink neither wine nor intoxicants, and no razor shall touch his head."
As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed
her mouth. Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was
not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. So Eli said to her, "How
long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine."
But Hannah answered, "No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have
drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before
the LORD. Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been
speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time." Then Eli
answered, "Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made
to him." And she said, "Let your servant find favor in your
sight." Then the woman went to her quarters, ate and drank with her
husband, and her countenance was sad no longer.
They rose early in the morning and worshiped before
the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife
Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. In due time Hannah conceived and bore a
son. She named him Samuel, for she said, "I have asked him of the
LORD."
This reading, which seems
to jump out of the cycle of readings that preceded it, seems only to provide a
context for the Responsorial reading that follows it, Hannah’s Song. The song,
perhaps a model for St. Luke’s Magnificat,
has its own ample theological themes that will be discussed below. In the
story we are introduced to Elkanah, but it is really Hannah that serves as the
main character of the story. We are caught in a cycle of time, and also in a
“contest” between wife “A” and wife “B”. The first has children, while the
second does not. It is on the second that the story focuses. It is also
interesting that Hannah is the favored one, and Elkanah seems to make special
efforts to indicate that to her. The real central notion in this story is first
the effectiveness of prayer, and secondly on a God who answers and intervenes.
The prayer has a quid pro quo aspect
matching the desire to have son with the willingness to give him away. A
surprise element is that of the High Priest Eli, who does not perceive the
genuineness of Hannah’s request, and who describes her attitude as like unto
someone who is drink. The cycle is typified by Eli’s question, “How long will you do on drunk?” Perhaps
Eli is jealous, for Hannah has not asked him to indicate God’s answer, but
rather depends on God providing the answer directly. The denouement is announced quickly and
succinctly – “they went back…he knew
her…YHWY remembered her, in due time she conceived. All of the elements of
a good story are here, and in it we see not only the intentions of the Prophet
Samuel, but also the intentions of his mother – a deeper context for the great
prophet.
Breaking open I Samuel:
- What makes Hannah’s prayer deeply personal?
- What makes her song of thanksgiving unusual?
- How often are others included in your prayer life?
1 Samuel 2:1-10
"My heart exults in the LORD;
my strength is exalted in my God.
"There is no Holy One like the LORD,
no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.
Talk no more so very proudly,
let not arrogance come from your mouth;
for the LORD is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the feeble gird on strength.
Those who were full have hired themselves out for
bread,
but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.
The barren has borne seven,
but she who has many children is forlorn.
The LORD kills and brings to life;
he brings down to Sheol and raises up.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he brings low, he also exalts.
He raises up the poor from the dust;
he lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes
and inherit a seat of honor.
For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's,
and on them he has set the world.
"He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,
but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;
for not by might does one prevail.
The LORD! His adversaries shall be shattered;
the Most High will thunder in heaven.
The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;
he will give strength to his king,
and exalt the power of his anointed."
The end of this psalm
indicates to us that it was written at a later date and added into the cycle of
the story, “(God) will give strength to
his king, and exalt the power of (God’s) anointed.” Here we are introduced
to a God who is intimately concerned with human beings, who knows the depths of
the human experience, and who is capable of and does turn the tables on their
misfortune. One commentator sees this psalm, and David’s victory psalm (II Samuel 22) as bookends to
the Samuel narrative that includes the fortunes of Saul and David as well. We
are, however, not reading this pericope for the history that it might provide
us, but rather to understand the theology that Luke will find so attractive for
his song of Mary. The psalm begins with a rejoicing heart and “exalted strength” (although Alter[1]
translates the word “strength” as “horn”). The horn imagery matches the closing
anointing verse, for the horn would have been used as a vessel for the
anointing. Thus we have a psalm that rejoices in the blessings of kingship. One
can read the verses as displaying the attributes of a benevolent God, or
perhaps as the vision of an anointed king, dispensing God’s blessings through
the royal office. The nation’s enemies are appropriately dealt with, and the
wicked are shown for what they are. It is, however, the lifting up of the lowly
that attracts Luke, and Hannah’s song becomes a bit of a promise to those who
will live in the future. Powers will be overthrown, but God’s goodness for all
the living regardless of their status will obtain.
Breaking open I Samuel:
- How is Hannah’s song like Mary’s song?
- Who is protected in Hannah’s song?
- What is the promise in Hannah’s song?
Or
Track Two:
Daniel 12:1-3
The Lord spoke to Daniel in a vision and said,
"At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people,
shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since
nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be
delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep
in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to
shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness
of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever
and ever."
The last six chapters of
Daniel provide for apocalyptic visions from which our pericope is taken. In
section called “The Final Revelation” we meet Michael, the great prince, and
the deeds of protection that he will perform. Clearly set as an unwrapping of
present history (the conflicts of Persia and Greece), the vision wants to make
certain that God is yet king, and that the fate of God’s people is assured – even
beyond death. Imported themes dominate the larger pericope (Daniel 10 -12:13) and we are
introduced to the idea of the resurrection of the dead, and the final outcomes
of Daniel’s vision. For the purposes of this day, however, the reading
introduces us to the notion of the end-times, and of expectation. In this
shadow of Advent, this introduction can be important. Preachers may want to
break open this test so that it is not an impediment to understanding its own
wisdom, but it’s wisdom in connection with the other readings.
Breaking open Daniel:
- What image of Michael do you get here?
- What is this reading’s sense of history?
- Why is resurrection a new idea here?
Psalm 16 Conserva me,
Domine
Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *
I have said to the LORD, "You are my Lord,
my good above all other."
All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land,
*
upon those who are noble among the people.
But those who run after other gods *
shall have their troubles multiplied.
Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.
O LORD, YOU are my portion and my cup; *
it is you who uphold my lot.
My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.
I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.
I have set the LORD always before me; *
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.
My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices;
*
my body also shall rest in hope.
For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.
You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.
In this psalm we have a
confession of faith that is made more poignant by the distancing the author
makes to pagan cults, “But those who run
after other gods shall have their troubles multiplied.” The psalmist is “casting his lot” with the God
of Israel. Dangers seem to abound even in what the author describes as “a pleasant land.” Paganism on one side
and death and “the Pit” extend on the other. In the midst is the psalmist and
his God who will show him “the path of life". It is a psalm of contrasts,
a happy companion to our readings for the day.
Breaking open Psalm 16:
- What does it mean to you “to believe”?
- What is it that you believe in?
- In ways do you follow God?
Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18)
19-25
Every priest stands day after day at his service,
offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But
when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat
down at the right hand of God," and since then has been waiting
"until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet." For by a
single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. [And
the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
"This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,"
he also adds,
"I will remember their sins and their lawless
deeds no more."
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no
longer any offering for sin.
Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to
enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he
opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we
have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in
full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil
conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the
confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful.
And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not
neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
This
is the last of our readings from the Letter to the Hebrews. It comes from a
section entitled, “Christ’s One Perfect Sacrifice”, and again compares the
ancient priestly service with the priestly service that Christ affords. There
is an economy here – a once and for all time sacrifice. The psychology of this
is, I suppose, the uncertainty that accompanies a repeated event compared to a
sense of surety with a once and for all time event. The author quotes from Jeremiah’s example of a
spiritualized faith, rather than one that relies on physical acts or documents,
“I will put my laws in their hearts.” Christ, the high priest, is the example of priestly service, and it
is in this model that we have assurance.
Breaking open Hebrews:
- What is perfect about Christ’s sacrifice?
- Which is better on perfect event, or repeated events? Why?
- What is your spiritual sacrifice?
St. Mark 13:1-8
As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples
said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large
buildings!" Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings?
Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."
When he was sitting on the Mount of
Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately,
"Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these
things are about to be accomplished?" Then Jesus began to say to them,
"Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say,
`I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of
wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come.
For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be
earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning
of the birth pangs."
If you have ever been to
Jerusalem and looked out over the city from the prospect afforded on the Mount
of Olives, you will have the context of this pericope well in mind. It may have
been both Jesus’ and the disciple’s first experience with Jerusalem, and the
view must have been stunning to someone not used to monumental architecture.
The disciples are in awe, but Jesus is not. Jesus is actually dismissive, “not one stone will be left here upon
another.” One wonders if Mark conveys this scene with the full knowledge of
the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. The disciples are eager to know, however, for
they are beginning to understand that they are in the midst of a decisive time.
This section of Mark is called the “Little Apocalypse” as opposed to the more
major revelations in the great vision of Saint John the Divine. These
apocalyptic sayings also appear in Matthew and Luke. We might wonder what the
purpose of these sayings was.
If Mark (or Matthew or
Luke, for that matter) experienced the final days before Rome put its foot down
on a rebellious Jewish state, then the categories that Jesus reveals to his
questioning disciples may move from the realm of “vision” to a certain reality.
What are the signs? – False leaders and teachers, wars and rumors of wars, international
upheaval, earthquakes and famine – and this is just the beginning. Perhaps
Jesus is supplying the answer to “what does our time mean?” Or it may be more
specific. Donahue and Harrington, in their commentary on Mark note the opinion
of some that these sayings stem from a Jewish reaction to the intent of
Caligula to place a statue of himself in the Jerusalem Temple.[2]
Whatever the source – it prepares the reader for the horrific events that will
follow in the next days. Why is it here on the cusp of Advent? Perhaps to give
us pause to reflect on our own horrific times.
Breaking open the Gospel:
- What were the disciples impressed by?
- What were Jesus’ thoughts about Jerusalem?
- What will happen to Jerusalem?
After breaking open the Word,
you might want to pray the Collect for Sunday:
Blessed Lord, who caused
all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them,
read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold
fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our
Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Questions
and comments copyright © 2015, Michael T. Hiller
[1]Alter, R
(2013), Ancient Israel: The Former
Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings: A Translation with Commentary, W.
W. Norton& Company, Kindle Edition, Location 5297.
[2]Donahue, J.,
Harrington, D., (2002), Sacra Pagina
Series Volume 2 The Gospel of Mark, The Liturgical Press, Collegeville,
Mn., Page 379
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