Trinity XIX- Forgiveness- Matthew 9:1-8

This post is a revised version of a post first published on 10 October 2010.

The Gospel for the Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity (St. Matthew 9:1-8) is another in the recent readings about confrontations between Jesus and the religious leaders of His time. The friends of a paralyzed man bring him to Jesus to be healed. Our Lord sees their faith and heals the sick man. Instead of starting the easy way and simply telling the man to get up and walk, Christ tells the man that his sins are forgiven. Although Christ does not always view illness as caused by personal sin (see for example St. John 9:3), in this particular case, sin is an issue that has to be remedied. The religious scholars are scandalized because in their tradition only God can forgive sins. Even the Aaronic priesthood would not make such a direct declaration of forgiveness. 

His ability to pronounce forgiveness is precisely the point that Jesus wishes to make. The Messianic Son of Man is God's earthly representative, and He is also God incarnate. So He has the power to forgive sins. This is a new power at work in Christ's ministry. Christ brings the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness, and the risen Christ shares His power to declare forgiveness with His Apostles. They spread pardon by preaching the Gospel in word and deed, by Baptism, and by granting absolution. Through the Apostles, the whole Church witnesses, preaches, baptizes, and grants pardon through confession-absolution. From the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ till the end of the age, God's forgiveness is at work in the world in a powerful new way that cannot be found apart from Christ and His Church.

William Tyndale, priest and translator- 6 October

On a few Anglican calendars, October 6 commemorates William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536). He was from Gloucestershire and studied at Oxford and Cambridge. After unsuccessful attempts to gain official support for a translation of the Bible into English, he seems to have left England for the Continent in 1524. He is known to have resided in Hamburg and Antwerp and may have spent time in Wittenberg and other German cities. 

Like many during the period, his theology was in flux. Influences seem to have included English Lollardy and Renaissance Christian humanism as well as Lutheran and Reformed theologies. Of course, Tyndale's greatest work was translating the Bible from ancient languages into 16th-century English. The New Testament was published in 1526, and the Old Testament remained incomplete at his death. In 1535, he was arrested by Hapsburg officials at Antwerp in modern Belgium (possibly betrayed by agents of English bishops). In  October 1536, he was strangled at the stake and his body burned. Supposedly, Tyndale's last words were, "Lord, open the eyes of the King of England."

Tyndale's great legacy is in all subsequent English Bible translations. (He also influenced the development of the English language possibly more than Cranmer or Shakespeare.) Ironically, despite his early rejection by English officials, Tyndale's work became the basis of works by Miles Coverdale, John Rogers, and several "official" translations during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Tyndale's work also influenced the Roman Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible of 1582 and 1609-10. The great majority of words in the Authorized or King James Version of 1611 reflect Tyndale, and later revisions such as the Revised Standard Version and the English Standard Version continue the English translation tradition started by Tyndale.

Thus, all English-speaking Christians are indebted to the efforts of William Tyndale. He loved the Bible more than his own life, and he left a legacy for people with diverse theologies. May the Lord open all our eyes to the truths of Holy Scripture!

Trinity XVIII- The Great Commandments- Matthew 22: 34-46

The Gospel for the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity is from St. Matthew 22:34-46. These verses contain what seem to be two very distinctive interactions between Jesus Christ and the Pharisees. Yet, upon closer consideration, one can easily see why these two encounters belong together. The question and answer about the Great Commandments show the common heritage between Pharisaic Judaism and Jesus and His followers. Loving the Lord God comes first, immediately followed by loving one's neighbor. That is a significant agreement. 

However, such a general agreement is only part of the story There are still very important differences between Jesus and other religious leaders. There are underlying questions about who God is and who the neighbor is. In the second part of today's Gospel, Jesus raises the question about the nature of God and His work by speaking of the Messiah or Christ. Jesus refers to Psalm 110 to suggest to the Pharisees that the Messiah shares the divine nature, and they are at a loss for words. He uses principles of interpretation that they accept, but they cannot affirm what He implies.

In fact, Jesus highlights the great difference between all humanistic religions and the true Christian understanding of faith. The key issue is about the unique person and nature of Jesus the Christ. In other words, is Jesus Christ the divine Son of God, the eternal Word incarnate? If one follows Christ, the answer is yes, and that answer changes the underlying meaning of the two Great Commandments. If Jesus is who He says He is throughout the Gospels, loving the Lord God also means loving Jesus Christ and following Him. In addition, Christian faith changes the meaning of loving the neighbor. It means loving all people created in God's image, especially those who believe in Jesus Christ.

So let us avoid bland modernistic interpretations of the two Great Commandments. They are not merely broad encouragements to be nice or respectable. The Gospel gives the Commandments a Christian context. They are meant to be applied in light of Jesus' teachings and in light of Jesus' unique identity as the Son of God.

Trinity XVII- Sabbath- Luke 14: 1-11

The Gospel for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity is from St. Luke 14:1-11 and is set at a dinner with the Pharisees. Jesus teaches through a miraculous healing on the Sabbath. This healing brings up the topic of Christ's attitude toward the Sabbath. Unlike many of His contemporaries, our Lord did not have a narrow or legalistic view of the Sabbath. 

Nevertheless, Jesus did not ignore or reject the commandment to observe and keep holy the Sabbath. He taught people to follow the general purposes of all the Commandments, and in the Gospels, we are shown that Jesus participated in Sabbath worship in synagogues. Even in those cases where Jesus or His disciples are accused of not keeping the Sabbath properly, He and His followers are not shown doing ordinary work. Instead, the issue is a matter of how to best use the Sabbath, as here in Luke 14. Basically, Jesus taught by word and example that the Sabbath had three purposes: worship, general rest, and performing deeds of mercy.

After Christ's Resurrection, His followers did add something. Because of the Resurrection, they also gathered for worship on the first day of the week (Sunday) which they called the Lord's Day. As the Church grew, the vast majority of Christians were Gentiles who were not required to keep all the details of Jewish ceremonial Law. So instead of observing both Saturday and Sunday, Christians soon just observed Sunday because it was the Day of Christ's Resurrection. Christians applied the three New Testament purposes of the Sabbath (worship, rest, and mercy) to the Lord's Day. 

Unfortunately, some Christians have had difficulty keeping a balanced view of  Sunday. Many people who claim to be Christians do not really observe any sort of sabbath. At most, they may say a private prayer or visit a short service, but then they devote themselves to ordinary work, household chores, or lots of beer and sports.

In my opinion, Christians need to reclaim New Testament respect for the general purposes of the Sabbath, and when possible, apply these purposes to Sunday. We shouldn't be harsh legalists who try to abolish all fun and recreation. But for ourselves, we should see Sunday as the Lord's Day- a time set aside for worship, for simple forms of rest and relaxation, and for showing mercy to the sick and afflicted.

 

Trinity XVI- Luke 7:11ff

The Gospel for the Sixteenth Sunday is from St. Luke 7:11ff. It recounts the story of Jesus raising the son of the widow from the village Nain. In this brief account, we see two very important points. First, we see Jesus' compassion. Of course, He is merciful to the young man, but even more, His compassion is for the mother. She is a widow left alone, and our Lord cares for her. Secondly, this account shows who Jesus is and the powers He has. Jesus is more than a country rabbi. He is the divine Christ who can conquer death. For those with eyes and hearts to see and understand, this miracle is a testimony to Christ's divine mission and nature.

Reflecting upon this miracle, let us be aware of Jesus' compassion toward all who are in need, and let us seek to follow Him in showing mercy. Let us also understand and have faith in the person of Jesus Christ. He is a compassionate man, but He is also very much more. He is God the Son come among us. And He embodies divine power over death and all destructive forces. On many occasions, He has restored physical life, and beyond that, He remains the source of eternal spiritual life!

Trinity XIV- Faith and Action- Galatians 5:16-24 Luke 17: 11-19

In differing ways the Collect for the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity, the Epistle from Galatians 5:16-24, and the Gospel from St. Luke 17:11-19 all highlight the connection between divine grace and human faith and works. In our corrupted condition, we human beings constantly seem to lose our spiritual and moral balance, We tend to forget that everything in our lives depends on the primacy of God's grace. And in considering the human response to divine grace, we tend to focus exclusively either on faith or on works. 

Living faith in Jesus Christ needs to be our first response to grace. Living faith is both a list of beliefs and an attitude of trust. It is also an openness to letting divine grace work. But although faith is our first response to grace, it does not remain alone. True faith bears fruit. It brings hope and love, and faith, hope, and love are expressed through deeds. We renounce and avoid evil actions, and we pursue good actions. For Christians, this process is never complete as long as we are in this world. We often fail, but we repent, seek further grace, renew our faith, and continue to respond with good works,

Trinity XIII- Luke 10:25-29

The Gospel for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity is from Luke 10: 23- 37 and includes the famous parable of the Good Samaritan. That parable is certainly an important example and an encouragement to compassion and true neighborliness, but this time, I would like to focus more on the context for the parable in Luke 10: 25-29, "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?"

This context shows us the difference between Jesus and His legalistic opponents. Jesus honors the Jewish Law and its chief principles and intentions. Jesus and the lawyer agree on the two great commandments- love God and love neighbor. However, there is a great difference in the attitudes of Jesus and the lawyer. Jesus sees the Law as a helpful guide to worshipping God and caring for other people. The lawyer focuses on the details of rule-keeping. He views the commandments as a checklist for self-congratulation and self-justification. Perhaps, he hopes that Jesus will praise him and say that he has done enough, or perhaps, he imagines that Jesus will just add some little rule to what the lawyer is already doing. Instead, Jesus tells a parable that shows good attitudes and actions may be found even among people who don't follow all the rules perfectly (Samaritans).

Unfortunately, Christians have often been like the lawyer in this account. We know basic commandments, and we might be able to check off some rules we have followed. But all too often, we try to justify ourselves without looking at our attitudes or at new opportunities to show mercy. Even doing charitable deeds has often been transformed into another sort of self-justifying legalism. So let us remain on guard about our motives and attitudes. Let us honor the principles of divine Law, and through divine grace, let us humbly seek to apply those principles with sincerity and compassion.

Trinity XII- Letter and Spirit- II Corinthians 3

 In the Epistle for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity from II Corinthians 3, the Apostle Paul speaks of the ministry of Christians.  In  II Cor. 3:6, he says that we are "ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." These words remain important for the Christian life, but they have often been misunderstood or interpreted in extreme or chaotic ways. 

The letter of the commandments had and continues to have value, The letter shows divine standards, points out human failures, and gives general guidance, but the letter of the law condemns sin. The letter does not give life. External rules are necessary in this world, but they do not save. Only the spirit brings life. The new testament, the message of Jesus Christ, goes beyond the external rules to the internal spiritual level. It brings life-giving power, guidance, and forgiveness. The spirituality of the gospel transforms the letter; it helps us move beyond literalism and legalism into sincere and loving service for the Lord.

Trinity XI- Creedal Christianity- I Corinthian 15: 1-11

Both the Epistle and the Gospel for this Eleventh Sunday after Trinity are powerful passages in differing ways. We always need to be reminded of the message in the Gospel from St. Luke 18:9-14. In the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, Jesus reminds us of the proper human attitude in prayer and in life. All are sinners in some respect, and all of us need to turn to God's mercy in humble repentance and faith, not in pride, self-righteousness, or self-justification.

As important as today's Gospel is, this time, I would emphasize the Epistle from I Corinthians 15:1-11. These verses constitute one of several New Testament passages which have been characterized as early Christian creeds. Here St. Paul emphasizes the core message preached by all the apostles. Jesus Christ really suffered, died, was buried, and rose again on the third day. He was seen alive by many witnesses. Christ our Lord did these things to save those who believe in Him from sin and to offer them new and eternal life.

In I Corinthians 15:1, Paul calls this core Christian message the gospel or the good news, to evangelion. Later in 15:11, he uses the verb kerysso, which means proclaim or preach. This message derived from the life and teaching of Jesus Christ is shared by the whole apostolic Church. It has specific content about Christ and His redeeming work. Although a person's attitude, thoughts, and feelings about the message are personally important, the message itself claims to be objectively true. Christians are expected to profess and really believe these teachings or doctrines. In other words, from the beginning, Christianity is by nature a creedal religion.

As time went on the ancient Church faced various challenges to biblical beliefs. These challenges led to the formulation of early baptismal creeds affirmed by those being baptized and by their Christian sponsors. The core of these creeds affirmed beliefs about Christ such as those found in I Corinthians 15. These creeds were not contrary to Scripture; rather they summarized and defended biblical faith. In different forms, two ancient baptismal creeds have come down to the Church through the centuries. One is the Apostles' Creed which developed from simple baptismal affirmations in the Western or Latin church. The other is the Nicene Creed which took Eastern or Greek baptismal creeds and added phrases to clarify true Christian beliefs in light of fourth-century un-biblical challenges. Later, a third creed, the so-called Athanasian Creed, was accepted in the Western Church as a longer statement defending the doctrine of the Trinity. Although theologically important, its use in popular Christian worship and instruction has been less frequent.

These three ancient and ecumenical/catholic creeds reflect Scripture and have become basic expressions of Christian doctrine. It is absurd for someone to claim that he/she has no creed but the Bible. Every person and every congregation has some kind of creed, explicit or implicit. Each of us may have our private summaries or paraphrases, but we are on much sounder ground to acknowledge and affirm the ancient Creeds. They reflect Scripture, apostolic preaching, and the wisdom of generations of faithful Christians. Ignoring or rejecting them is at best stubborn pride and at worst unbelief or heresy. May God guide us in His truth!

Trinity X- Luke 19: 41-47

The Gospel for Sunday is from Luke 19:41-47. In particular, Luke 19:41 says, “And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it…” In the first century, Jerusalem was so corrupt that our Lord wept over it/ It did not live up to its calling to be a truly holy city, and it chose the path that led to its destruction. 

Of course, no human city ever has been or will be completely pure. Sin is always present in this world, and various forms of moral, social, and political corruption will resist God's higher purposes till the end of the age. Nevertheless, there are degrees of corruption, and we live in times when the cities of what used to be called Christendom have become more corrupt than usual. Many of our leaders and institutions go beyond particular human failings and actually promote anti-Christian values. Such corruption even permeates many religious institutions.

Such turning from divine purposes has gone beyond the big cities to the small towns and villages. Local elites and many religious leaders seem more concerned about social and political "correctness" than about Biblical principles of belief and behavior. So surely Christ must weep over our cities, towns, communities, and congregations. We are in a sad predicament.

Yet, even as Christ weeps over us, He also prays for us and keeps working for our salvation. So let us turn to Him and repent of our own failings. Let us seek Christ's guidance, pray for those around us, and do our small parts to live in the ways God wants. No matter how corrupt a society and its institutions become, there is always hope for a faithful remnant.

Trinity IX- Prodigals- Luke 15: 11-32

The traditional Gospel for this Sunday from St. Luke 15:11-32 is well known. In fact, it might be so well known that we overlook its depth of meaning. It has often been called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and certainly the prodigal or wasteful son is important, but we must notice that there are three central characters in the story: 1) the ungrateful and wasteful son who repents and returns home, 2)  the legalistic and resentful older brother who is jealous and hurt, and 3) the merciful, gracious and forgiving father who celebrates the prodigal's return and admonishes the older son.

Focusing on any of the three characters can provide much food for thought. The example of the prodigal or wasteful son is significant. He represents all of us when we abuse our birthright as God's children, run away from God, eventually come to our senses, and finally return to our heavenly Father in repentance. The other son is also an important example. He seems to be mature, dutiful, and disciplined, but he is self-righteous, and he also needs to repent in a different way. He represents us in our smugness and our moral or spiritual pride. Even at our best, the most dutiful of God's children still need to be humble enough to repent. 

Although both the sons are important and although we should examine our lives in light of their examples, the key character in the parable is the forgiving father. It is the Father who exemplifies the qualities of God the Father. He cares for both sons. He respects their freedom and allows them to develop in their individual ways. He gives them guidance and sustenance, and He is saddened when they misunderstand Him, make mistakes, and drift away from Him in their different ways. Nevertheless, His love endures and is ready to express itself when one of His children repents and returns in humility. In His graciousness, He is ready to rejoice and have a feast when the penitent returns. We all have such a loving, gracious, and forgiving heavenly Father; so let us arise and go to Him in humility.

Trinity VII- Hungering for Righteousness- Mark 8:1-9

The Gospel for this Sunday from St. Mark 8:1-9 is one of several gospel accounts about Jesus feeding the thousands who came to hear Him (in this case, 4000 people). One can see several points in the account- Christ's miraculous power, His compassion for those in need, and the somewhat ambiguous response of His disciples. However, in re-reading the story this week, I was struck by another point: the identity of the people who received His miraculous act of compassion.

Without a doubt, the compassion of our Lord extends in some ways to all people. He surely cares for all hungry people. But in this instance, the physically hungry are not random human creatures. They are people who have followed Jesus out into the countryside and listened to His teachings for three days. They are physically hungry because in the words of the Sermon on the Mount, they "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matthew 5:6). So here we see Christ's special mercy that nourishes those who seek to follow Him.

Trinity VI- True Righteousness- Matthew 5:20-26; Romans 6:3-11

 For this Sixth Sunday after Trinity, let us begin with the first verse from the Gospel. Matthew 5:20 says, "Jesus said unto his disciples, "Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.'" What does this mean? The Pharisees were noted for their pursuit of legal righteousness. How could the disciples of Jesus even dare to hope that their righteousness could exceed that of the Pharisees?

We see the answer in Matthew 5:21-26. In these verses and throughout the Sermon on the Mount, it becomes clear that our Lord is not talking about a mere external legalistic obedience to the commandments of divine Law. While following certain rules helps restrain evil and provides some basic guidance, external obedience is not sufficient. Just following the rules is not enough. Seeking true righteousness involves inner attitudes. It means constant repentance and renewal in faith, hope, and love. Ultimately, true righteousness must come through divine grace poured into our sinful lives through Jesus Christ. 

In other words, Matthew 5 is referring to the same spirituality found in the Epistle for the day from Romans 6:3-11. The only way for fallen human beings to be righteous is through union with Jesus Christ, a union which takes place through Baptism and Faith. Disciples become righteous through dying and rising with Christ. This is symbolized initially in Christian Baptism, but in this fallen world, it must be constantly renewed until the end of our earthly pilgrimages. This renewal can take place in many ways, but notably, it occurs through hearing and reading the Word, participating in the Lord's Supper, and constant prayer. Day by day and week by week, we must continue dying to sin and being "alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:.11)

Fifth Sunday after Trinity- Luke 5:1-11

The traditional Gospel for Trinity V is St. Luke's account of the call of the apostles (Luke 5:1-11). This version includes some details not included by Matthew and Mark. Like other passages, this one mentions that the first disciples were Galilean fishermen. It adds that they had just had a poor night of fishing and that Jesus guides them to a great catch. Simon Peter is amazed and frightened because of Jesus' holy power. Jesus ignores such fear and calls Peter and the others to follow Him. He promises that they will catch people for the kingdom. They accept the call and leave their fishing business to others.

The miraculous catch of fish is an amazing event in itself, but it is also a miracle which points beyond itself. It points the Galilean fishermen and us to Jesus' ministry of gathering people for the kingdom of God. It is a call to discipleship. It is about Christian vocation. Like Peter and the other apostles, we are asked to leave behind old ways in order to follow Jesus in all things and in order to share in His mission of seeking people for God's kingdom.

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary- 2 July

The second day of July is a lesser feast or on traditional Anglican calendars, a "black letter day."  The day is the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Some calendars since the 1970's observe the Visitation on 31 May.) As a lesser feast, it is often overlooked, and that is especially true in North America, since it falls between Canada Day (July 1) and US Independence Day (July 4). Nevertheless, the Visitation is a significant biblical commemoration. This significance is seen in the Gospel from St. Luke 1:39-45:

"And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

In this Gospel account, there are several points. We see the kinship of Mary and Elizabeth, as well as the devotional and theological ties between them and their sons. Elizabeth also points to the blessedness of Mary and the fruit of her womb. Note that even this early in the story, Mary is called "the mother of my Lord." Mary's pregnancy is unique from the beginning; it is the Incarnation of our Lord, the Christ, God the Son. So it is certainly appropriate to meditate on the importance of the Incarnation and the role of Mary's faith in God's redeeming work.