8 The Lord determined to lay in ruins

the wall of daughter Zion;

he stretched the line;

he did not withhold his hand from destroying;

he caused rampart and wall to lament;

they languish together.

9 Her gates have sunk into the ground;

he has ruined and broken her bars;

her king and princes are among the

nations;

guidance is no more,

and her prophets obtain

no vision from the Lord.

10 The elders of daughter Zion

sit on the ground in silence;

they have thrown dust on their heads

and put on sackcloth;

the young girls of Jerusalem

have bowed their heads to the ground.

11 My eyes are spent with weeping;

my stomach churns;

my bile is poured out on the ground

because of the destruction of my

people,

because infants and babes faint

in the streets of the city.

12 They cry to their mothers,

"Where is bread and wine?"

as they faint like the wounded

in the streets of the city,

as their life is poured out

on their mothers' bosom.

13 What can I say for you, to what

compare you,

O daughter Jerusalem?

To what can I liken you, that I may

comfort you,

O virgin daughter Zion?

For vast as the sea is your ruin;

who can heal you?

14 Your prophets have seen for you

false and deceptive visions;

they have not exposed your iniquity

to restore your fortunes,

but have seen oracles for you

that are false and misleading.

15 All who pass along the way

clap their hands at you;

they hiss and wag their heads

at daughter Jerusalem;

"Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of all the earth?"

Lamentations has been described as “a sequence of five lyric poems that lament the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 586 BCE” (F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp, NOAB, 3^rd ed., Introduction to Lamentations). Remarkably, however, while there are eight references to Jerusalem’s “enemies” (1:2, 5, 10, 21; 2:16, 22; 3:46, 52) and other to the “enemy” (singular), and exile is mentioned twice (1:3; 4:22), the Babylonians are never mentioned as such. Based on Lamentations, it is the LORD that has brought about Jerusalem’s disaster. “How the Lord in his anger/has humiliated daughter Zion!” (Lam. 2:1a). “The Lord has destroyed without mercy, all the dwellings of Jacob” (v. 2a). Eight verses (Lam. 2:1-8) “focus on the Divine Warrior’s battle against Jerusalem” (Dobbs-Allsopp, on 2:1-8). Dobbs-Allsopp miscounts references to the Lord as the “enemy”: “In the space of four couplets the LORD is labeled an enemy three times (2:4a, b; 5a)” (on v. 4). In fact, the term occurs only twice (2:4a, 5a), but the list of the LORD’s actions against Jerusalem continues. “He has destroyed all its palaces,/laid in ruins its strongholds,/and multiplied in daughter Judah/mourning and lamentation” (v. 5b, c). Today’s reading begins with the last stanza of this litany: “The LORD determined to lay in ruins the wall of the daughter Zion” (v. 8a).

A couple verses follow with description of desolate Jerusalem (2:9-10). Then the poet gets personal. “My eyes are spent with weeping;/my stomach churns;/my bile is poured out on the ground/because of the destruction of my people, because infants and babes faint/in the streets of the city” (v. 11). The plight of the babes is lamented (v. 12). Zion’s ruin is “vast as the sea” (v. 13). Her prophets have been false to her (v. 14), and those who pass by “hiss and wag their heads/at daughter Jerusalem” (v. 15)

4 On the day after the murder of Gedaliah, before anyone knew of it, 5 eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain offerings and incense to present at the temple of the LORD. 6 And Ishmael son of Nethaniah came out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. As he met them, he said to them, "Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam." 7 When they reached the middle of the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them, and threw them into a cistern. 8 But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, "Do not kill us, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields." So he refrained, and did not kill them along with their companions.

9 Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men whom he had struck down was the large cistern that King Asa had made for defense against King Baasha of Israel; Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled that cistern with those whom he had killed. 10 Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king's daughters and all the people who were left at Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had committed to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

11 But when Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done, 12 they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at the great pool that is in Gibeon. 13 And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him, they were glad. 14 So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned around and came back, and went to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites. 16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took all the rest of the people whom Ishmael son of Nethaniah had carried away captive from Mizpah after he had slain Gedaliah son of Ahikam-soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon. 17 And they set out, and stopped at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt 18 because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land. (Jeremiah 41:4-18, NRSV)

Gedaliah, appointed governor by the Babylonians (Jer. 40:7), was assassinated at dinner–of all places–by Ishmael. “Ancient rules of hospitality and table fellowship bound host and guest to faithfulness toward one another. Ishmael’s act was therefore particularly heinous” (Mark E. Biddle, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Jer. 41:1). Ishmael was “of the royal family” (Jer. 41:1), but that doesn’t excuse his actions. The next day “eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria” to make offering at the temple site, following the law (Deut. 12:5-6), but Ishmael and his men “slaughtered them, and threw them into a cistern” (v. 7), all but ten (v. 8). Johanan and his group had had enough. When they “heard of all the crimes that Ishmael . . . had done, they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael” (vv. 11-12). But when Ishmael escaped to the Ammonites (v. 15), Johanan and his group decided to go to Egypt (v. 17) because they feared the Babylonians (v. 18).

51 Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on imperishability, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:51-58, NRSV)

Paul spell’s out his expectation for the Second Coming of Christ “at the last trumpet” (1 Cor. 15:52a). “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (v. 52b). There is a change from “this perishable body” and “this mortal body” to “imperishability” and “immortality” (vv. 53, 54). There is victory over sin and death (vv. 55-56). The quotations are from Isaiah 25:8 (v. 54) and Hosea 13:14 (v. 55). For these reasons (“therefore”), we are to “be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord” because we “know that in the Lord [our] labor is not in vain” (v. 58).

Sabbath Controversies*
Matthew 12:1-8	Mark 2:23-28	Luke 6:1-5
12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the sabbath; his disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 When the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the sabbath." 3 He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests. 5 Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless? 6 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."	23 One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" 25 And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food? 26 He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions." 27 Then he said to them, "The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; 28 so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath."	6:1 One sabbath while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. 2 But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" 3 Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?" 5 Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath."
Matthew 12:9-14	Mark 3:1-6	Luke 6:6-11
9 He left that place and entered their synagogue; 10 a man was there with a withered hand, and they asked him, "Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath?" so that they might accuse him. 11 He said to them, "Suppose one of you has only one sheep and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a human being than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the sabbath." 13 Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and it was restored, as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.	3:1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come forward." 4 Then he said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. 5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.	6 On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. 8 Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come and stand here." He got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 After looking around at all of them, he said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was restored. 11 But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Cf. Kurt Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels*, 1982, secs. 111-112, pp. 101-102

These two stories are similar, for the most part in the three Gospels. Within the Sabbath controversy over plucking and eating grain on the sabbath, Matthew includes a “denunciation of the priests in the Jerusalem Temple, possibly referring to Num. 28:9-10)” (J. Andrew Overman, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Mt. 12:;5-6). He quotes Hosea 6:6, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice” (quoted here, v. 7, and in 9:13; cf. Overman, on v. 7).

It seems that the “plot” of the Book of Mark is the “plot” (conspiracy) against Jesus (Mk. 3:6; cf. Mt. 12:14; Lk. 6:11), which was anticipated from the beginning of the Sabbath healing account (Mk. 3:2; cf. Mt. 12:10; Lk. 6:7). One might think that it comes very early in Mark (chap. 3) as compared with Matthew and Luke, where major speeches come earlier, but given the pace of action in Mark, the timing of this conspiracy is comparable in Mark to the other two Gospels.

It was apparently common among Jews of Jesus’ day to help an animal on a sabbath day (cf. Mt. 12:11), but the Essenes apparently would not (cf. CD 11:13-14 and Overman, on vv. 9-14). According to Dale C. Allison, Jr.,

Probably many but not most Jewish teachers of Jesus’ day would have thought it wrong, unless a life were at risk, to heal on a sabbath. In defence Jesus . . . appeals not to scriptural precept or example . . . but to the human sentiment of his hearers. He assumes that their common practice is to help animals on a sabbath . . . He then makes the inference from the lesser to the greater: if it is lawful to do go to an animal on a sabbath, surely it is lawful to do good to a human on a sabbath. (The Oxford Bible Commentary, 860).

Daily Scripture Readings
Wednesday (October 19, 2005)
Daily Office Lectionary, The Book of Common Prayer, the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A.	Daily Lectionary, The Book of Worship, the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.	Daily Lectionary, Book of Worship Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship, c. 1978 (2002 printing)
http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/index.htm http://www.pcusa.org/cgi-bin/lectiond.cgi
Unless otherwise indicated, the scripture texts quoted are from The New Revised Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers), 1989.
According to Proper22*	According to Proper 22*	According to Proper 21*
Wednesday AM Psalm 38 PM Psalm 119:25-48 Lam. 2:8-15 1 Cor. 15:51-58 Matt. 12:1-14 Henry Martyn: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Henry_Martyn.htm Psalm 98:1-4 or 96:1-7 Isaiah 49:1-6; John 4:22-26	Morning: Psalm 65:1-13 Lamentations 2:8-15 or Jeremiah 41:4-18 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 Matthew 12:1-14 Evening: Psalm 125:1-5	Morning Pss.: 65, 147:1-12 Jeremiah 37:3-21 1 Corinthians 14:13-25 Matthew 10:24-33 Evening Pss.: 125, 91
*For this week (of the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost): the Lutheran tradition remains a week behind the Episcopal and Presbyterian traditions.