The Bible This Week At Aldersgate

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January Scriptures

Readings for January 29, 2012 Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

Deuteronomy 18:15-20. Context. Deuteronomy is the fifth of the “Five Books of Moses” (aka Pentateuch or Torah), and its name is a Greek word that means “second law.” The narrative setting of the book places the people of Israel as they are about to cross the Jordan River from the plains of Moab in the east to the Promised Land, after having wandered in the wilderness for some 40 years following their liberation from slavery in Egypt. The book is largely one long “farewell address” to the people given by Moses. From an historical-critical point of view, Deuteronomy is a recasting of the Torah story, beginning in the 7^th c. BC and continuing into the 6^th, with an emphasis on the exclusive cultic role of the Temple at Jerusalem and on the laws and precepts that the Israelites must fulfill if they are to remain in the Promised Land. This recasting takes place precisely during the critical period of Israel’s captivity, exile, and eventual return. The central portion of the book, chapters 12-26, sometimes called the “deuteronomic law code,” is broadly structured according the Ten Commandments. This week’s reading falls under the Fourth Commandment, honor your parents, dealing with the respect due to society’s authorities, here a “prophet like Moses.” The first part of the passage refers to the account in Exodus 20, when God spoke the first ten commandments to Moses and the people at Sinai (also called Horeb) accompanied by thunder, fire and smoke; the fearful people begged to be dismissed and asked that Moses be their go-between for the rest of what God had to say.

The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. This is what you requested of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the LORD my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." Then the LORD replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak--that prophet shall die."

Reflection. The prophets of ancient Israel were rather like God’s umpires: denouncing those who broke God’s rules and pronouncing God’s penalties upon them. Generally speaking, no one really wanted to listen to them - they demanded too much change. It was only after disaster struck that the people would say to themselves, “Hey, wait a minute; didn’t the prophet tell us that this would happen if we didn’t straighten up?” The problem with prophets was that when they spoke, it wasn’t clear what the outcome would eventually be. Who are the prophets in the church today? What are they saying? And who’s listening?

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Psalm 111. Context. This psalm of praise describes the greatness of God’s works, both what God has done for Israel in the Exodus, as well as what God has given to Israel in God’s precepts (Sinai). The “fear of the Lord,” that is, an attitude of praise, gratitude and obedience, is the beginning of wisdom and true understanding. This psalm could well have been the Israelites’ response to Moses’ farewell address in Deuteronomy. The form of the psalm is an acrostic, each half-verse starting with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet (22 letters, 22 half-verses). This form generally symbolizes completeness: by using it, the author is telling us that this summarizes all there is to say on the subject.

Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the LORD is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant. He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever.

Reflection. This psalm describes wisdom in terms of knowing the works that God has revealed to us, and living in accordance with the lessons we learn by reflecting on what God has done for us and following God’s example of justice and faithfulness. True knowledge is not totally “objective,” devoid of commitment and values.

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1 Corinthians 8:1-13. Context. This week’s reading opens another issue among the contentious Corinthians: the issue of eating meat. For them, this is not a conflict over veganism but rather of idolatry, since much of the meat sold in the market would have started out as a sacrifice in one of the pagan temples. It seems that some of those more advanced in the faith, who were secure in the knowledge that there is only one God and that the pagan gods have no reality, made something of a show of eating meat. This was a cause of scandal and distress among others whose knowledge in the faith was not so secure, who believed that eating such meat defiled the eater. Paul appeals here as elsewhere to the idea that whatever our knowledge and freedom in Christ, we must not use them in a selfish way that disrupts or destroys the community. As he says, “knowledge puffs up but love builds up.”

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as in fact there are many gods and many lords-- yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. "Food will not bring us close to God." We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall.

Reflection. Paul was concerned that the behavior of a self-styled “spiritual elite” could very well destroy the fellowship of the community. Those who are indeed in the “vanguard” of the spiritual life must never look condescendingly on those who are not as far along. But Paul’s words should not be construed to mean that “weak believers” (or “babies in the faith”) should not be encouraged to mature. The challenge to the spiritually more mature is always to strive to bring others to a fuller understanding and life in the spirit. How have you encouraged the spiritual growth of others?

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Mark 1:21-28. Context. Immediately after his account of the call of the first disciples, the evangelist tells of Jesus teaching in the synagogue and there casting out an “unclean spirit.” These spirits or “demons” were a fixture of the ancient worldview: unseen spiritual forces, generally evil or unclean, that populated the world of human existence. Today, the behavior formerly attributed to demon possession is generally diagnosed under the heading of epilepsy or mental illness. But the evangelist’s main point in telling the story of Jesus casting out the demon is not so much to show Jesus as a psychologist but to show that Jesus has power and authority over the forces of evil and darkness. The evil spirit recognizes that Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit. The meaning of the contest is that the kingdom of God is breaking in and over human experience. Ironically, it is the demon who recognizes Jesus’ identity as the “Holy One of God,” not the people – they see only the power of an exorcist.

They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching--with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Reflection. When confronted with illness of any sort, we pray to God for healing because we understand that everything in life, including illness, has a spiritual dimension. That doesn’t mean that we believe that God will wave a magic wand and cure every disease. Still, when we let God make our spirits whole and open ourselves to God’s love through the love of those around us, it can transform our attitudes and relationships even in illness. When have you experienced spiritual healing, and how did that affect your physical well-being?