Archive for the ‘Romans 11’ Tag
Above: St. Simon Peter, by Peter Paul Rubens
Image in the Public Domain
Hesed
SEPTEMBER 3, 2023
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Exodus 6:2-8
Psalm 138
Romans 11:33-36
Matthew 16:13-20
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God of all creation,
you reach out to call people of all nations to your kingdom.
As you gather disciples from near and far,
count us also among those
who boldly confess your Son Jesus Christ as Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 27
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O almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life,
grant us without doubt to know your Son Jesus Christ
to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life
that, following his steps,
we may steadfastly walk in the say that leads to eternal life;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 77
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One day in Athens, Georgia, I visited my favorite thrift store in search of a lamp. I saw a wooden lamp that needed polishing. The item looked ugly in the store. However, I recognized the lamp’s potential. So, I purchased the lamp, took it home, and polished it. I owned an attractive lamp.
In the assigned lessons, we read of the faithfulness of God.
- The Book of Exodus makes clear that God freed the Hebrew slaves in Egypt.
- Psalm 138 extols the faithful love of God.
- Romans 11:33-36 needs no summary; read the passage, O reader. No paraphrase can do justice to the text.
- When we turn to Matthew 16:13-20, we read one account of the Confession of St. Peter. St. (Simon) Peter is the rock in this passage; make no mistake to the contrary, O reader. 16:19 (addressed to St. Peter) resembles 18:18 (addressed to the disciples). Binding and loosing refer to rabbinic authoritative teaching–interpretation of the Law of Moses. Putting 16:19 and 18:18 together, the disciples, with St. Peter as the leader, had Christ’s approval to teach authoritatively, and this role played out on the congregational level.
Consider the Twelve, O reader. The canonical Gospels frequently portray them as being oblivious. The Gospel of Mark goes out of its way to do this. The other three Gospels tone down that motif. If there was hope for the Twelve, there is hope for us.
Jesus recognized potential in the Twelve.
Jesus recognizes potential in you, O reader. Jesus recognizes potential in me. If that is not an example of divine faithful love, I do not know what is.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 23, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN GERARD, ENGLISH JESUIT PRIEST; AND SAINT MARY WARD, FOUNDER OF THE INSTITUTE OF THE VIRGIN MARY
THE FEAST OF HEINRICH GOTTLOB GUTTER, GERMAN-AMERICAN INSTRUMENT MAKER, REPAIRMAN, AND MERCHANT
THE FEAST OF JOHN JOHNS, ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST VINCENT LEBBE, BELGIAN-CHINESE ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MISSIONARY; FOUNDER OF THE BROTHERS OF SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
THE FEAST OF WILHELM HEINRICH WAUER, GERMAN MORAVIAN COMPOSER AND MUSICIAN
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: World Map (1570)
Image in the Public Domain
Not Getting the Memo
AUGUST 27, 2023
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According to the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (ILCW) Lectionary (1973), as contained in the Lutheran Book of Worship (1978) and Lutheran Worship (1982)
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Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
Psalm 67
Romans 11:13-15, 29-32
Matthew 15:21-28
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Almighty and ever-loving God,
you have given great and precious promises to those who believe.
Grant us the perfect faith, which overcomes all doubts,
through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
—Lutheran Book of Worship (1978), 26
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Merciful Father,
since you have given your only Son as the sacrifice for our sin,
also give us grace to receive with thanksgiving
the fruits of this redeeming work
and daily follow in his way;
through your Son, Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
—Lutheran Worship (1982), 75-76
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The story of the Syro-Phoenician woman (Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30) is a topic of which I have written repeatedly already. I refer you, O reader, to those posts for those comments.
As Amy-Jill Levine points out correctly, Judaism has long welcomed the faith of Gentiles who follow God. Isaiah 56:1-8 is one of the texts Levine cites in making this case. And Psalm 67 speaks of the people of the world praising God.
Unfortunately, not everyone got the memo. This was evident in the New Testament. St. Simon Peter received the memo relatively late, for example.
I come not to criticize Judaism or any other religion. No, I come to set the record straight and to criticize all who are simultaneously zealous for yet uninformed of their religious traditions. I am a Christian. Many non-Christians think of Christians as being judgmental. Yet, Christianity, properly lived, is not judgmental. Nevertheless, many judgmental Christians exist, hence the stereotype.
Have you, O reader, missed any memos from God? Is your piety misdirected, despite your best intentions? Consequences matter more than intentions.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 22, 2022 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT ALBAN, FIRST BRITISH MARTYR, CIRCA 209 OR 305
THE FEAST OF DESIDERIUS ERASMUS, DUTCH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST, BIBLICAL AND CLASSICAL SCHOLAR, AND CONTROVERSIALIST; SAINT JOHN FISHER, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC CLASSICAL SCHOLAR, BISHOP OF ROCHESTER, CARDINAL, AND MARTYR, 1535; AND SAINT THOMAS MORE, ENGLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC CLASSICAL SCHOLAR, JURIST, THEOLOGIAN, CONTROVERSIALIST, AND MARTYR, 1535
THE FEAST OF GERHARD GIESCHEN, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER AND HYMN TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF JAMES ARTHUR MACKINNON, CANADIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 1965
THE FEAST OF SAINT NICETAS OF REMESIANA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OR REMESIANA
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAULINUS OF NOLA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF NOLA
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Link to the corresponding post at BLOGA THEOLOGICA
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Above: David and Goliath
Image in the Public Domain
Judgment and Mercy
OCTOBER 17, 2021
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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 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.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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1 Samuel 17:1-49 or Jeremiah 32:1-15
Psalm 110
Romans 11:22-36
Luke 16:19-31
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[Yahweh] smote kings in the day of his wrath,
he routed nations;
he heaped corpses high,
He smote heads across a vast terrain.
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The key term for this post comes from Romans 11:22–
the kindness and severity of God,
as The Revised English Bible (1989) renders that verse. That is another way of saying “judgment and mercy.” That which we call judgment or wrath of God is frequently the proverbial chickens coming home to roost. As logicians remind us,
If x, then y.
That formula can also work so that y is positive.
One can draw a variety of lessons from these readings. The lessons include:
- Never be insensitive to human suffering. (Luke 16)
- Never think that other people exist to do one’s bidding. (Luke 16)
- Never forget that one is vulnerable, regardless of how imposing one may be or seem. (1 Samuel 17)
- Never oppress. (1 Samuel 17)
- Never think oneself wiser than one is. (Romans 11)
- Never lose hope, regardless of how dark the times are or seem to be. (Jeremiah 32)
After all, God is just/righteous. Divine judgment and mercy, balanced, are expressions of God’s justice/righteousness.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 28, 2020 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JAROSLAV VAJDA, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER, HYMN TRANSLATOR, AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOZEF CEBULA, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR, 1941
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAMPHILIUS OF SULMONA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP AND ALMSGIVER
THE FEAST OF SAINT PETER CHANEL, PROTOMARTYR OF OCEANIA, 1841
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM STRINGFELLOW, EPISCOPAL ATTORNEY, THEOLOGIAN, AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/judgment-and-mercy-part-xviii/
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Above: The Parable of the Unjust Steward, by Jan Luyken
Image in the Public Domain
Perplexing Readings
OCTOBER 10, 2021
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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 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.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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1 Samuel 15:1-23 or Jeremiah 31:27-34
Psalm 109:1-5, 21-27, 30-31
Romans 11:1-21
Luke 16:1-15
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We have some perplexing readings this Sunday. Seldom does a lectionary load a Sunday with difficult lessons.
- The attack on the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 15 was to avenge an Amalekite attack on Israelites centuries prior, in Exodus 17:8-16.
- According to Deuteronomy 20:16-18 and 25:17-19, King Saul and his forces, engaged in a holy war (Is there such a thing?), should have killed all enemies, taken no prisoners, and taken no booty. They took booty and spared the life of King Agag, though. This, according to 1 Samuel 15, led to God’s final rejection of Saul, who had blamed others for his violation of the law. (Are we not glad that leaders everywhere no longer deflect blame for their errors? That is a sarcastic question, of course.)
- The tone in Psalm 109 is relentlessly unforgiving.
- We read in Romans 11:1-21 that Gentile believers are, by the mercy of God, a branch grafted onto the Jewish tree. Yet the Gentile branch is not exempt from the judgment of God. The Gentile branch also has a long and shameful record of anti-Semitism.
- The Parable of the Unjust Steward/Corrupt Manager is a challenging text. The titular character is not a role model, after all. Yet he is intelligent and able to secure his future by committing favors he can call in when he needs to do so. One point is that we should be astute, but not corrupt. Naïveté is not a spiritual virtue.
- Money is a tool. It should never be an idol, although it frequently is. Greed is one of the more common sins.
I admit my lack of comfort with 1 Samuel 15 and its background. As Amy-Jill Levine says, people did things differently back then.
I also know well the desire for divine vindication, as well as the unwillingness to forgive. And, when I want to forgive, I do not always know how to do so. This reminds me of the predicament of St. Paul the Apostle in Romans 7:19-20.
Each of us is susceptible to many forms of idolatry. Something or someone becomes an idol when one treats something of someone as an idol. Function defines an idol.
And what about that parable? In the context of the Gospel of Luke, one needs also to consider teachings about wealth–blessed are the poor, woe to the rich, et cetera. The theme of reversal of fortune is germane. Also, the order not to exalt oneself, but to be kind to those who cannot repay one (Luke 14:7-14) constitutes a counterpoint to the dishonest/corrupt/astute manager/steward. Remember, also, that if the fictional manager/steward had been honest, he would have kept his job longer, and we would not have that parable to ponder as we scratch our heads.
Obeying the Golden Rule, being as innocent as doves, and being as wise as serpents seems like a good policy. May we heed the law of God written on our hearts, by grace.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 27, 2020 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF GEORGE WASHINGTON DOANE, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF NEW JERSEY; AND HIS SON, WILLIAM CROSWELL DOANE, EPISCOPAL BISHOP OF ALBANY; HYMN WRITERS
THE FEAST OF SAINTS ANTONY AND THEODOSIUS OF KIEV, FOUNDERS OF RUSSIAN ORTHODOX MONASTICISM; SAINT BARLAAM OF KIEV, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT; AND SAINT STEPHEN OF KIEV, RUSSIAN ORTHODOX ABBOT AND BISHOP
THE FEAST OF CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, POET AND RELIGIOUS WRITER
THE FEAST OF SAINTS REMACLUS OF MAASTRICHT, THEODORE OF MAASTRICHT, LAMBERT OF MAASTRICHT, HUBERT OF MAASTRICT AND LIEGE, AND FLORIBERT OF LIEGE, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS; SAINT LANDRADA OF MUNSTERBILSEN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBESS; AND SAINTS OTGER OF UTRECHT, PLECHELM OF GUELDERLAND, AND WIRO, ROMAN CATHOLIC MISSIONARIES
THE FEAST OF SAINT ZITA OF TUSCANY, WORKER OF CHARITY
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/perplexing-readings/
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Above: Christ and Pilate, by Nicholas Ge
Image in the Public Domain
The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Part VII
OCTOBER 29, 2023
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The Collect:
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 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.
—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
Nahum 1:1-8
Psalm 33:(1-12) 13-22
Matthew 27:3-31a or Mark 15:2-20a or Luke 23:2-25 or John 18:29-19:16
Romans 10:14, 16-21 or Romans 11:2b-28 (29-32) 33-36
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Judgment and mercy relate to each other in the readings for this Sunday. Divine judgment and mercy coexist in Nahum 1, with judgment falling on the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The two factors also coexist in Psalm 33, but with the emphasis on mercy. Psalm 33, in the context of the readings from the Gospels and Romans 10 and 11, seems ironic, for rejection of Jesus does not fit with
Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD!
happy is the people he has chosen to be his own.
–Psalm 33:12, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
The options for the Gospel reading bring us to the verge of the crucifixion of Jesus, who was, of course, innocent of any offense (in the eyes of God), especially one that any Roman imperial official would consider worthy of crucifixion. To kill a person that way was to make an example of him, to extinguish him, and to convince (via fear) anyone from doing what he had done or had allegedly done. It was a form of execution usually reserved for criminals such as insurrectionists. The fact of the crucifixion of Jesus actually reveals much about the perception of Jesus by certain people.
Jesus was a threat to the religious establishment at a place and in a time when the separation of religion and state did not exist. He was not an insurrectionist, however. He was a revolutionary though. He was a revolutionary who continues to threaten human institutions and social norms by calling their morality into question.
Attempts to domesticate Jesus are nothing new. We can, however, access the undomesticated Jesus via the Gospels.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
DECEMBER 20, 2016 COMMON ERA
THE TWENTY-FOURTH DAY OF ADVENT
THE FEAST OF SAINT DOMINIC OF SILOS, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
THE FEAST OF ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL TAIT, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
THE FEAST OF SAINT PETER CANISIUS, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST
THE FEAST OF WILLIAM JOHN BLEW, ENGLISH PRIEST AND HYMN WRITER
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/12/20/the-passion-of-our-lord-jesus-christ-part-vii/
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Above: Christ and the Rich Young Ruler, by Heinrich Hofmann
Image in the Public Domain
Attachments
JULY 28-30, 2022
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The Collect:
Benevolent God, you are the source, the guide, and the goal of our lives.
Teach us to love what is worth loving,
to reject what is offensive to you,
and to treasure what is precious in your sight,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 44
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The Assigned Readings:
Proverbs 23:1-11 (Thursday)
Proverbs 24:1-12 (Friday)
Ecclesiastes 1:1-11 (Saturday)
Psalm 49:1-12 (All Days)
Romans 11:33-36 (Thursday)
Ephesians 4:17-24 (Friday)
Mark 10:17-22 (Saturday)
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In prosperity people lose their good sense,
they become no better than dumb animals.
So they go on in their self-assurance,
right up to the end they are content with their lot.
–Psalm 49:12-13, The New Jerusalem Bible (1985)
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The assigned readings, taken together, caution against becoming attached to temporal and transitory things, trusting in one’s imagined self-sufficiency, and endangering the resources of orphans. We should, rather, focus on and trust in God, whose knowledge is inscrutable and ways are unsearchable. One of the timeless principles of the Law of Moses is complete human dependency upon God. Related to that principle are the following ones:
- We are responsible to each other,
- We are responsible for each other, and
- We have no right to exploit each other.
In Mark 10 Jesus encounters a wealthy man who has led a moral life. He has not killed, committed adultery, stolen, borne false witness, defrauded anyone, or dishonored his parents. Yet the man is attached to his money and possessions. Our Lord and Savior tells him to detach himself by ridding himself of his wealth. The man, crestfallen, leaves.
I ponder that story and ask myself how it would be different had the man been poor. He still would have had some attachment of which to rid himself. The emphasis of the account, therefore, is attachments, not any given attachment. These attachments are to appetites, whether physical, psychological, or spiritual.
The challenge is, in the words of Ephesians, to clothe ourselves
with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
–4:24, The Revised English Bible (1989)
Fortunately, we have access to grace. We also have a role model, Jesus.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 18, 2016 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT LEONIDES OF ALEXANDRIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR; ORIGEN, ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGIAN; SAINT DEMETRIUS OF ALEXANDRIA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP; AND SAINT ALEXANDER OF JERUSALEM, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT ANSELM II OF LUCCA, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, BISHOP, THEOLOGIAN, AND LITURGIST
THE FEAST OF SAINT PAUL OF CYPRUS, EASTERN ORTHODOX MARTYR
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/03/18/attachments/
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Above: The Death of Absalom
Image in the Public Domain
The Parental Love of God
JUNE 9-11, 2022
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The Collect:
O God, throughout the ages you judge your people with mercy,
and you inspire us to speak your truth.
By your Spirit, anoint us for lives of faith and service,
and bring all people into your forgiveness,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
—Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 39
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The Assigned Readings:
2 Samuel 13:23-39 (Thursday)
2 Samuel 15:1-12 (Friday)
2 Samuel 18:28-19:8 (Saturday)
Psalm 32 (All Days)
James 4:1-7 (Thursday)
Romans 11:1-10 (Friday)
Luke 5:17-26 (Saturday)
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Countless troubles are in store for the wicked,
but the one who trusts in Yahweh is enfolded in his faithful love.
–Psalm 32:10, The New Jerusalem Bible (1985)
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Absalom rejected his father, King David, who mourned for him after he died. According to 2 Samuel, David brought the troubled life of his family upon himself via the incidents involving Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11 and 12). Absalom also brought his death upon himself by means of his ambition, pride, and variety. Nevertheless, the grief David felt upon losing another son was real.
People rejected God in the readings from the New Testament. Rejecting Jesus–especially accusing him of committing blasphemy–was–and remains–a bad idea. Those negative figures in the story from Luke 5 did not think of themselves as bete noires; they could not fit Jesus into their orthodoxy. There were also questions regarding our Lord and Savior’s credentials, so the issue of pride came into play. Attachment to tradition in such a way as to make no room for Jesus was also a relevant factor.
But, as the Letter of James reminds us, God opposes the proud and bestows grace upon the humble:
Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you men of double mind. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to dejection. Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will exalt you.
–James 4:8-10, Revised Standard Version–Second Edition (1971)
I propose that the grief of God over errant human beings is somewhat like that of David over Absalom. God loves us selflessly and unconditionally. Such love warrants reciprocation, but reality is frequently otherwise. Consequences of that rejection of grace unfold as they will. Yet abuses and misuses of free will, a gift of God, cannot override divine love, which permits us to decide how to respond to it. Yes, Hell is real, but no, God sends nobody there. Those in Hell sent themselves there.
May we not grieve God, who is our Father and our Mother, who, like the mother eagle in Deuteronomy, teaches us to fly and, like Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem, yearns to shelter us under henly wings. May we succeed in rejoicing God’s proverbial heart, by grace and free will.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
MARCH 4, 2016 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF PAUL CUFFEE, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MISSIONARY TO THE SHINNECOCK NATION
THE FEAST OF SAINT CASIMIR OF POLAND, PRINCE
THE FEAST OF EMANUEL CRONENWETT, U.S. LUTHERAN MINISTER, HYMN WRITER, AND HYMN TRANSLATOR
THE FEAST OF SAINTS MARINUS OF CAESAREA, ROMAN SOLDIER AND CHRISTIAN MARTYR, AND ASTERIUS, ROMAN SENATOR AND CHRISTIAN MARTYR
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2016/03/04/the-parental-love-of-god/
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Above: Icon of Christ the Merciful
Image in the Public Domain
A Loving Orthodoxy
SEPTEMBER 16-18, 2021
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The Collect:
O God, our teacher and guide,
you draw us to yourself and welcome us as beloved children.
Help us to lay aside all envy and selfish ambition,
that we may walk in your ways of wisdom and understanding
as servants of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 48
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The Assigned Readings:
Judges 6:1-10 (Thursday)
1 Kings 22:22-40 (Friday)
2 Kings 17:5-18 (Saturday)
Psalm 54 (All Days)
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (Thursday)
Romans 11:25-32 (Friday)
Matthew 23:29-39 (Saturday)
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Save me, O God, by your Name;
in your might, defend my cause.
Hear my prayer, O God;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life,
those who have no regard for God.
Behold, God is my helper;
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
Render evil to those who spy on me;
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
I will offer you a freewill sacrifice
and praise your Name, O LORD, for it is good.
For you have rescued me from every trouble,
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.
–Psalm 54, The Book of Common Prayer (1979)
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The prayer for divine destruction of enemies–hardly unique to Psalm 54–does violate the commandment to love one’s enemies as oneself, does it not?
Enemies exist. In the pericopes for these three days alone we read of Midianites, monarchs, Assyrians, Arameans, and corrupt officials from the Temple at Jerusalem. Furthermore, we, if we are to become properly informed, must know that many early Christians regarded Jews who rejected Jesus as enemies. Christianity began as a Jewish sect, one which remained on the Jewish margins. Frustrations over this reality became manifest in, among other texts, the Gospel of John, with its repeated references to “the Jews” in negative contexts. Nevertheless, St. Paul the Apostle, who preached to Gentiles, was always Jewish.
Sometimes enemies are others. On many occasions, however, one can find the enemy looking back at oneself in a mirror. A recurring theological motif in the Hebrew Bible is that the exiles of Hebrew people resulted from rampant societal sinfulness; the collective was responsible. That runs afoul of Western notions of individualism, but one finds it in the pages of the Bible. There are at least two varieties of responsibility and sin–individual and collective. We are responsible to God, for ourselves, and to and for each other. Thus reward and punishment in the Hebrew Bible are both individual and collective. Sometimes, the texts tell us, we bring destruction on ourselves.
But how does that translate into language regarding God? May we take care not to depict God as a cosmic tyrant while investing that God is also merciful. Yes, actions have consequences for ourselves and those around us. Yes, God has sent many prophets, a large number of whom have endured the consequences of rejection. Yes, both judgment and mercy exist in God. I do not presume to know where the former ends and the latter begins; such matters are too great for me, a mere mortal.
No, I reject false certainty and easy answers. No variety of fundamentalism is welcome here. No, I embrace what St. Paul the Apostle called
the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God,
complete with
his judgments
and
inscrutable ways.–Romans 11:33, The New Revised Standard Version (1989)
I favor “the mystery of God,” as in 1 Corinthians 2:1, as well as a relationship with God, which depends on divine faithfulness, not on human wisdom.
Kenneth J. Foreman, writing in Volume 21 (1961) of The Layman’s Bible Commentary, noted in reference to 1 Corinthians 2:1-5:
One point to note is that Paul does not present Christianity as a set of dogmas or as a manual of advice. It is a story, something that happened, something God has done.–Page 75
Orthodoxy can be healthy, so long as it is neither stale nor unloving. Pietism, with its legalism, is quite unfortunate. Pietism, a reaction against stale orthodoxy, is at least as objectionable as that which it opposes.
Some thoughts of Dr. Carl J. Sodergren (1870-1949), a theologian of the former Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church (1860-1962), from 1937 apply well in the context of these pericopes and many circumstances:
Orthodoxy is good. It means adherence to the truth, and no sane man would willingly surrender that. But orthodoxy without love is dangerous. It provides fertile soil for bigotry, hatred, spiritual pride, self-conceit, and a score of other evils which hide the Holy One from the eyes of the world. It turns men into merciless heresy hunters, the most contemptible vermin on earth. It aligns us with the scribes and Pharisees, the priests and high priests of the time of Jesus. Nobody ever questioned their orthodoxy, but because it was loveless, it blinded them to His divinity and made it easier to spike Him to a cross. We are not worried about the trumpet calls to orthodoxy which for some reason have begun to blare may drown out in our hearts the still small voice which prays for unity and love among all Christ’s disciples.
–Quoted in G. Everett Arden, Augustana Heritage: A History of the Augustana Lutheran Church (Rock Island, IL: Augustana Press, 1963), pp. 287-288
May love of God and for each other be evident in our lives and social structures and institutions. Wherever it is evident, may it increase. May we obey the divine commandment to take care of each other, not to exploit anyone or to discriminate against any person. The Golden Rule is difficult to live, but we have God’s grace available to us; may we avail ourselves of it. We also have an example–Jesus–to follow. May his love be evident (then more so) in us, especially those of us who claim to follow him or to attempt to do so.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JUNE 30, 2015 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF JOHANN OLAF WALLIN, ARCHBISHOP OF UPPSALA AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF ARTHUR JAMES MOORE, UNITED METHODIST BISHOP IN GEORGIA
THE FEAST OF HEINRICH LONAS, GERMAN MORAVIAN ORGANIST, COMPOSER, AND LITURGIST
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https://blogatheologica.wordpress.com/2015/06/30/a-loving-orthodoxy/
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Above: The Anointing of Jesus, from The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
A Screen Capture via PowerDVD
Kindness, Love, and Gratitude
AUGUST 28-30, 2023
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The Collect:
O God, with all your faithful followers in every age, we praise you, the rock of our life.
Be our strong foundation and form us into the body of your Son,
that we may gladly minister to all the world,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 45
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The Assigned Readings:
1 Samuel 7:3-13 (Monday)
Deuteronomy 32:18-20, 28-39 (Tuesday)
Isaiah 28:14-22 (Wednesday)
Psalm 18:1-3, 20-32 (All Days)
Romans 2:1-11 (Monday)
Romans 11:33-36 (Tuesday)
Matthew 26:6-13 (Wednesday)
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I love you, O Lord my strength.
The Lord is my crag, my fortress and my deliverer,
My God, the rock in whom I take refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation and my stronghold.
I cried to the Lord in my anguish
and I was saved from my enemies.
–Psalm 18:1-3, Common Worship (2000)
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Each of the four canonical Gospels contains an account of a woman anointing Jesus–Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, and John 12:1-8. The versions are sufficiently similar to indicate that they are variations on the same event yet different enough to disagree on certain details, such as chronology, at whose house the anointing happened, which part of his body the woman anointed, and the woman’s background. These factors tell me that something occurred, but the divergence among the written accounts means that I have no way of knowing exactly what transpired in objective reality. None of that changes one iota of the spiritual value of the stories, however.
In the Matthew account our Lord and Savior, about to die, is a the home of one Simon the leper in Bethany. We know nothing about the woman’s background, not even her name. In the Gospel of Luke she is an unnamed and repentant sinner, in the Gospel of John she is St. Mary of Bethany, and in the Gospel of Mark she is also an unnamed woman of whose background we know nothing. The importance of her–whoever she was–act was that unselfish love and gratitude motivated it. This was an extravagant and beautiful deed. Yes, the poor will always be with us; that is an unfortunate reality. May, through the creation of more opportunities for advancement, there be as little poverty as possible. But, as we strive for that goal, may we never fail to recognize and give proper attention to lavish kindness, love, and gratitude.
The woman (whoever she was) had a good attitude and a pure motivation. Most of the assigned readings for these days, however, speak of people who did not. Their memorials were wastelands and periods of exile. The woman’s legacy is an honored one, however. Her act, as extravagant as it was, was as nothing compared to what God has done, is doing, and will do for all of us. Even the most lavish act of gratitude–beautiful, to be sure, is inadequate, but God accepts it graciously.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 19, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF SAINT POEMAN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT; AND SAINTS JOHN THE DWARF AND ARSENIUS THE GREAT, ROMAN CATHOLIC MONKS
THE FEAST OF SAINT AMBROSE AUTPERT, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
THE FEAST OF SAINT JOHN PLESSINGTON, ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND MARTYR
THE FEAST OF SAINT MACRINA THE YOUNGER, ROMAN CATHOLIC NUN
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Kindness, Love, and Gratitude
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Above: The Star of David
Image in the Public Domain
The Gifts of the Jews
AUGUST 21-23, 2023
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The Collect:
God of all peoples, your arms reach out to embrace all those who call upon you.
Teach us as disciples of your Son to love the world with compassion and constancy,
that your name may be known throughout all the earth,
through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 45
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The Assigned Readings:
2 Kings 5:1-14 (Monday)
Isaiah 43:8-13 (Tuesday)
Isaiah 66:18-23 (Wednesday)
Psalm 87 (All Days)
Acts 15:1-21 (Monday)
Romans 11:13-29 (Tuesday)
Matthew 8:1-13 (Wednesday)
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Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken
Formed thee for His own abode:
On the Rock of Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
Thou mayst smile at all thy foes.
–John Newton, 1779, quoted in The Hymnal (1895), Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.
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That magnificent hymn, keyed to Psalm 87, fits well with the assigned Isaiah readings, which speak of the Jews as playing a pivotal role in the salvation of the Gentiles. And the cure of an enemy general’s skin disease comes via a Hebrew servant girl in 2 Kings 5. In the time of Christ many Gentiles recognized the superiority of the Jewish faith to pagan mythology. Our Lord and Savior acknowledged the faith of some of them and the early Church decided not to require Gentiles to become Jews before becoming Christians formally.
These were difficult issues because they were matters of identity, something which takes a negative form much of the time. “I am not…” is a bad yet commonplace starting point for individual and collective identity. “We are not Gentiles; we are the Chosen People” is as objectionable an identity as is “We are not Jews; we are Christians, who have a faith superior to theirs.” Examples and rejections of both errors exist in the pages of the Bible. My encounters with Jews have been positive, I am glad to say, but I have heard the second error repeatedly.
The question in Acts 15 was whether Gentiles had to become Jews to join the Church, thus it concerned male circumcision, a matter of Jewish identity and strong emotions then and now. The early Church and St. Paul the Apostle, who never ceased being Jewish, favored not placing obstacles in the way of faithful people. They favored a generous, inclusive policy which, ironically, functioned as an example of excessive leniency in the minds of conservative thinkers. How much tradition should the nascent Church–still a small Jewish act at the time–retain? Who was a Jew and who was not? Keeping laws and traditions was vital, many people argued. Had not being unobservant led to national collapse and exiles centuries before?
Unfortunately, Anti-Semitism has been a repeating pattern in Christian history. The writing of the four canonical Gospels occurred in the context of Jewish-Christian tensions, a fact which, I am sure, shaped the telling of the first four books of the New Testament. Jesus engaged in controversies with religious leaders, I affirm, but how could the conflicts of early Christianity not influence the telling of those stories? Sometimes I read these accounts and recognize that misreading of them has had devastating effects on uncounted numbers of people over nearly two thousand years and sit in silence and absolute sadness. On other occasions I focus on other aspects of these accounts.
St. Paul the Apostle offered sage advice. Gentiles are a branch grafted onto a tree, he wrote. That branch ought not to consider itself superior to the other branches. As for the tree itself, I have only respect for the Jews and Judaism, for salvation is of the Jews. Besides, I, as a Gentile and a Christian, have much to learn from those whom Pope John Paul II called the elder brethren in faith. To that end I read and study as I thank God for all the gifts of the Jews.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
JULY 15, 2014 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF RUTH, ANCESTOR OF KING DAVID
THE FEAST OF SAINT BONAVENTURE, THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF SAINT SWITHUN, ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOP OF WINCHESTER
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The Gifts of the Jews
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ORDINARY TIME DEVOTIONS 
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