Proper 16 | Ordinary Time 21, Cycle B (2015)
THEME OF THE DAY
An almighty, caring God who dwells among us. The texts invite exploration of the awareness that we are in God’s presence and its implications for living the Christian life (Providence, Justification by Grace, and Sanctification).
Psalm 84
This is a Korah Psalm of Pilgrimage, perhaps for an autumn pilgrimage celebrating the Festival of Tabernacles (Booths). The Korahites were a group of temple singers (2 Chronicles 20:19) who may have collected and transmitted a number of the Psalms. Reference to the Gittith may refer to a type of melody. This is a song praising Mount Zion (the oldest and highest part of Jerusalem) as the goal for the pilgrim. Praise for the temple is offered (vv. 1-2). All who are there, even the birds, find a home in it (vv. 3-4). Selah at the end of verses 4 and 8 refers to the use of an instrumental interlude after these verses. The joys of making a pilgrimage to the temple are extolled. Those who live in the temple may ever sing the Lord’s praise (vv. 5-7). Reference to the pilgrims’ shield, the face [panim] of God’s anointed [mashiach] (vv. 8-9), refers to the king who functioned as the protector of such pilgrims (61:6-7). We do not know the exact location of the valley of Baca, but it may have been an arid place on the way to Jerusalem (v. 6). The superiority of life in the temple to anywhere else is extolled. Yahweh Elohim is said to be a sun [shemesh] and shield, withholding no good thing from those who walk uprightly. Those who trust [batazh, which also translates “lean on”] in Yahweh are said to be happy [ashere, which translates “blessed”] (vv. 9-12).
Application: A sermon on this Psalm will celebrate the goodness of God (as sun and shield), one we can learn on who makes us happy (Providence, Justification by Grace, and Sanctification). The possibility of intimate fellowship with God in the Jerusalem Temple can be a reminder for how good it is that today we have access to that sort of close fellowship, for now this God dwells among us.
OR
Psalm 34:15-22
Again we consider this thanksgiving for deliverance from trouble, traditionally attributed to David when he feigned madness before Abimelich so that he drove him out (1 Samuel 20:10-15, where, as we have noted previously, the king on whom David played this trick is King Achish of Gath). There is also an instructional and didactic agenda. The Psalm is acrostic so that every verse begins with a different successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. These verses continue the psalmist’s commending of his faith to the congregation. Yahweh’s eyes are said to be on the righteous [tsaddiq], open to their cry, while he cuts off the remembrance of evildoers. He is said to rescue the righteousness from all their troubles (vv. 15-17). We are reminded that although in its original Hebraic context the concept of righteousness could connote the demand for legal innocence, most Old Testament scholars note that this concept refers to faithfulness to a relationship. The righteous whom God notes are faithful, those in relation to him (Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology, Vol. 1, pp. 373, 376ff). Thus Yahweh is said to be near the brokenhearted, saving the crushed in spirit (v. 18). The Lord rescues the righteous [those in faith and right relationship with him] from afflictions which are many (vv. 19-20). Evil is said to bring death to the wicked. Those hating the righteous are condemned (v. 21). The Lord redeems [padah, which can also mean “free”] the life of his servants [ebed, could be translated “slaves”] (v. 22).
Application: Sermons emerging from this text will deal with how God delivers us from trouble (Providence and Justification by Grace). This is an opportunity to deal with the concept of righteousness of God, how God saves us by putting us in right relationship with him.
1 Kings 8 (1, 6, 10-11) 22-30, 41-43
We note again how this book and 2 Kings were originally one book, providing an account of Israel’s history from the death of David through Jehoiachim’s release form a Babylonian prison. There is speculation that these texts are the product of the Deuteronomistic reform of Josiah but later revised after the exile in 587 BC. This book recounts the history from the end of David’s kingship (ca. 961 BC) to the reign of Ahaziah (850-849 BC).
This is the story of the dedication of the Jerusalem Temple and especially Solomon’s prayer of dedication (vv. 22-30), a prayer which embodies the core themes of the Deuteronomistic writers. The account beings with the moving of the Ark of the Covenant into the temple (vv. 1, 6). Reference to the “city of David” is likely to Zion in Jerusalem’s southeast. Then it is noted that Yahweh’s glory filled the temple (vv. 10-11). The cloud filling the house of the Lord is likely a token of God’s glorious presence (John Wesley, Commentary on the Bible, p. 210). The king’s prayer begins with praise, that the Lord is the greatest of gods, steadfast in love. His covenant [berith] with David is remembered (vv. 22-25). The covenant’s provisional/contingent character is noted (vv. 23, 25). Yahweh’s watchfulness over the temple is requested that he heed and forgive those praying toward the temple (vv. 29-30). But it is still recognized that God is so sovereign as not to be contained in the temple or anywhere else in the creation (vv. 27, 30). This has implications for why the Deuteronomist stress on centralized worship does not preclude finding God in other settings, even on foreign soil. The influence on the prayer of the Deuteronomistic source, perhaps written after the Babylonian Exile, is suggested by the petition that the people he brought into the land of their ancestors be allowed to return despite their sin (v. 34) and by the expansion of the prayer which also includes an openness to having the Lord hear the prayer of Gentiles (vv. 41-43).
Application: Preaching on this text affords opportunities to clarify the ancient Hebraic belief that God was present in the Jerusalem Temple, that though God transcends our creaturely existence he was in the past and still is present among us today, ever ready to restore us despite our Sin (Justification by Grace, Providence, Creation).
OR
Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18
There is a general consensus that along with 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings, this book is part of the Deuteronomistic reform under King Josiah in the seventh century BC. It relates Israel’s conquest of the land and its settlement. This lesson provides insights about the covenant between God and Israel at Shechem. It provides a fuller description of events described in 8:30-35.
The lesson begins with a report that Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel and Shechem, (a city about forty miles north of Jerusalem, originally settled by the Canaanites and incorporated into Israel peacefully) and their Judges presented themselves before God. Joshua told the people that Yahweh proclaims that long ago their ancestors had lived beyond the Euphrates River serving other gods (vv. 1-2). A summary of God’s actions follows in the verses (3-13) not included in the lesson. The people are told to revere Yahweh, serve him faithfully, and put away the gods [elohim] of the ancestors (cf. Genesis 35:2-4). If they are willing to serve the Lord, they are to choose that day whom they will serve. Joshua proclaims he and his household will serve [ahad] Yahweh (vv. 14-15). The people answer that they will not forsake Yahweh to serve other gods, for he is the one who brought them out of Egypt and slavery, protecting them along the way they passed and driving out the Amorites who lived in the land. Yahweh is their God (vv. 16-18).
Application: The Complementary Version of the First Lesson provides an opportunity to remind the congregation that just as God became present to the tribes at Shechem by remembering his mighty acts, so he dwells among us today in the telling of the stories of his mighty acts. This God comes to set us free (Justification by Grace and Providence). Attention might also be given to how our modern idols (Sin) get in the way of seeing him and experiencing him today.
Ephesians 6:10-20
Again we note that this book is a circular letter, either written by Paul from prison late in his career or by a follower of the apostle who had had a hand in assembling the collection of his epistles. These conclusions follow from the fact that the letter includes vocabulary and stylistic characteristics different from the Pauline corpus. It was likely addressed to a younger, later generation of Christians (1:15). This lesson begins with an acknowledgement that our strength is the strength of the word (v. 10). Next follows a discussion of God’s armor and the Christian’s warfare. Evil is depicted as a force, including the devil (vv. 11-12).
Paul notes that the armor we are to wear includes the belt [thorax, breastplate] of truth and righteousness [dikaiosune] (vv. 13-15), the shield [thureos] of faith [pistis], and the hammer [perikefalaian] of salvation [soterion] (vv. 16-17). The armor may relate to the gifts of Baptism [baptisma] (v. 24). We are urged by Paul (while reminding us of his confinement in prison and asking prayer that he might remain bold [vv. 19-20]) to pray in the Spirit [pneuma] and persevere [proskarteresis] in supplication [deesis] for all the saints [hagios] (v. 18).
Application: With this lesson we may proclaim with Paul the good news about the trials we have in struggling with evil (Sin) and to assure that God’s grace (Justification by Grace and the Holy Spirit) affords us the armor we need to keep the faith and overcome evil (Sanctification).
John 6:56-69
We again consider a lesson from the last of the gospels to be written, probably not composed until the last two decades of the first century. We have noted that it is very different in style in comparison to the other three (so-called Synoptic) Gospels. It is probably based on these earlier gospels. The book has been identified with John the Son of Zebedee, the disciple whom Jesus loved, and this claim was made as long ago as late in the first century by the famed theologian of the early Church Irenaeus (Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1, p. 414). It is likely that it was written by a disciple of John. It was probably written for a Jewish Christian community in conflict with the synagogue, one in which Christians had been expelled from Jewish society. Its aim was to encourage its readers to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (20:31).
We continue in this week’s lesson with another account unique to John’s gospel. In a synagogue in Capernaum (v. 59), in comments reflecting again like last week’s gospel a sacramental orientation not typical of the Johannine theological orientation, Jesus continues to respond to Jewish critics of his identification of himself with the bread of life [artos tes zoes] (vv. 51ff). He notes that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood abide [meno, literally “remains”] in him and he in them (v. 56). This gives life to recipients, he proclaims (v. 57). He continues to contrast this bread that gives eternal life to the bread in the wilderness given the Jews (vv. 58, 31). The disciples begin to complain about Jesus’ teaching, saying that it was difficult to accept (v. 60). He confronts them, contending again that the Spirit gives life and the flesh is useless. He asks them what if they were to see the ascension of the Son of Man (vv. 61-63). Knowing some did not believe, Jesus notes that none can come to him unless the Father grants it (vv. 64-65). As a result, many followers deserted Jesus (v. 66). Jesus asked the twelve if they would depart, but Peter confesses that he has the words of eternal life and confesses Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God [Christos ho uios tou Theou tou zaontos] (vv. 67-69).
Application: In this gospel opportunity is given to proclaim Christ as bread of life, dwelling in us yet transcending us (Christology and Creation); this fellowship with him not only wonderfully benefits us (Justification by Grace), but sets us free to from the flesh to do good (Sin and Sanctification).
