On October 22, 2006 (the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two), comments were revised and supplemented from October 17, 2004, two years ago (the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two); the revised comments are repeated here with some editing and supplement:

The theme of almsgiving was introduced in yesterday’s lesson (Ecclus. 3:30). Today’s lesson continues with a series of duties toward the poor and oppressed (cf. Deut. 15:7-11). “My child, do not cheat the poor of their living.” says Ben Sira, “and do not keep needy eyes waiting” (4:1). “Do not grieve the hungry, / or anger one in need” (v. 2). One should not “add to the troubles of the desperate, / or delay giving to the needy” (v. 3); one should not “reject a suppliant in distress, / or turn [one’s] face away from the poor” (v. 4). At this point, Harold C. Washington refers to advice of Tobit to his son Tobias (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Ecclus. 4:4): “To all those who practice righteousness give alms from your possessions, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you” (Tobit 4:6b-7). The final promise there reminds us that Ben Sira’s next word of advice comes with a warning: “Do not avert your eye from the needy, / and give no one reason to curse you; / for if in bitterness of soul some should curse you, / their Creator will hear their prayer” (Ecclus. 4:5-6; cf. Ex. 22:23; Deut. 15:9).

Further advice, while applicable to all, is especially appropriate for community leaders. “Endear yourself to the congregation,” says Ben Sira; “bow your head low to the great” (Ecclus. 4:7). Courtesy, as well as generosity, is advised. “Give a hearing to the poor, / and return their greeting politely” (v. 8). Justice, “a verdict,” is advised for “the oppressed” (v. 9). Advice to care for orphans and widows comes with a promise: “you will then be like a son of the Most High, / and he will love you more than does your mother (v. 10). Washington comments: “Orphans and widows were likely to be poor and defenseless (Ex. 22:21-23). For God as father to orphans, see Ps. 68:5” (ibid., on Ecclus. 4:9-10).

According to Burton L. Mack, revised by Benjamin L. Wright III, Ben Sira employs “an ancient standard for social justice” here, “the care of widows, orphans, aliens, and the poor. “This covenantal standard,” they say,

was used to measure the righteousness of a king’s rule, the health of a society, and the piety of an individual Jew. It was basic for prophetic social critique. See Ex. 22:22; Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22; Deut. 10:18; 24:17-22; 217:19; Job 29:11-16; 31:13-22; Isa. 1:17; Am. 5:10-15; Ze3ch 7:10; Tob. 1:3, 8; Jas 1:27. See also Sir. 35:16-19. (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Ecclus. 4:1-10)

Micah 1:1-9 (Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions–see the comments for Tuesday, October 7, 2008, twelve days ago.)

10:1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness.

6 Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not become idolaters as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents. 10 And do not complain as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. 13 No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it. (Corinthians 10:1-13, NRSV)

On March 1, 2008 (Saturday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year Two), comments were repeated from October 6, 2007 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 28, Year One), when comments were repeated that were combined and revised on October 22, 2006 (the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two) from October 17, 2004, two years earlier (the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two), and from March 25, 2006 (Saturday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year Two). The combined and revised comments are repeated again here:

John Knox and John Reumann have called this lesson from 1 Corinthians “A warning against overconfidence,” adding that “Baptism and partaking the Lord’s supper do not guarantee salvation, any more than corresponding acts sufficed for the ancient Hebrews” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on 1 Cor. 10:1-13). Paul presents a warning against idolatry based on the fate of the wilderness generation of Israelites: though they had been “baptized” into Moses’ leadership, had eaten the spiritual food (manna) and drank from the “spiritual rock” (1 Cor. 10:2-4), “God was not pleased with most of them, and they were struck down in the wilderness” (v. 5). Paul takes these events as warnings against various sins, “examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did” (v. 6). Richard A. Horsley counts “five exhortations” introduced by “We must not/Do not . . . as some [of the ancestors] did” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on 1 Cor. 10:6b-10), framed by references to the events as examples (vv. 5a, 11). These would be warnings against desiring evil (v. 6), idolatry (v. 7), sexual immorality (v. 8), putting “Christ to the test” (v. 9), and complaining (v. 10). Horsley adds: “That Paul actually cites scripture (Ex. 32:6) only in connection with idolatry indicates that this is his major concern; see v. 14” (ibid.). The warning concludes with the admonition, “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall” (v. 12), and the encouragement, “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it” (v. 13).

We note that the larger context of these warnings is in the part of 1 Corinthians where Paul answers questions from Corinthian people. Note the beginning, “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote . . .” (1 Cor 7:1), and about the subject of food sacrificed to idols, “Now concerning food sacrificed to idols” (8:1), which is treated in chapters 8-10, more specifically in 8:1-13 and 10:14-33. Some feel that they have the right to participate in meals in the pagan temples because “we know that ‘no idol in the wold really exists,’ and that ‘there is no God but one’” (8:4, where Paul quotes their slogan). While Paul’s treatment of the subject in chapter 8 implies some difference in people’s understanding and conscience on these matters, he clearly rejects any association with pagan idolatry in chapter 10. Ben Witherington III says,

Here as before Paul is largely arguing against those who wrote to him, who were claiming the right to eat in pagan temples. He warns them in particular of possible serious spiritual consequences. Possibly the Corinthians had a magical view of the Christian sacraments and thought that since they had partaken of the Christian initiation rite (baptism) and the Christian communion rite (the Lord’s Supper) they were immune to spiritual danger at pagan feasts. They seem to have held to some form of an ‘eternal security by means of sacraments’ view. Paul is trying to dissuade them from this false sense of security. (Conflict & Community in Corinth, 1995. p. 220 on 1 Cor. 10:1-11:1).

Specific application of this warning against idolatry to the context of the Lord’s Supper is presented in the next lesson from 1 Corinthians (next Sunday, October 26, 2008).

13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rockI will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. (Matthew 16:13-20, NRSV)

On June 12, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 8, Year Two), comments were repeated from November 16, 2007 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One), when comments were repeated from October 22, 2006 (the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two); these were repeated from June 15, 2006 (Thursday of the week of Trinity Sunday, Year Two), when they were combined and revised from June 10, 2004 (Thursday of the week of Trinity Sunday, Year Two) in an email sent June 7, 2004 for June 7-1-3, and from November 11, 2005 (Friday of the week of the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Year One). (A few comments were also included from October 17, 2004, two years ago, the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two). The combined comments are repeated again here. For comments on these passages from the perspective of Mark’s version, see the Archive for March 6, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year Two); for comments from the perspective of Luke’s version, see the Archive for February 3, 2008 (the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two).

The following table presents this reading from Matthew with the parallel passages in other Gospels:

Peter’s Confession †
Matthew 16:13-20 *	Mark 8:27-30 *	Luke 9:18-21 *
13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rockI will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” 20 Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.	27 Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29 He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30 And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.	18 Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" 19 They answered, "John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen." 20 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Messiah of God." 21 He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone, John 6:67-71 * 67 So Jesus asked the twelve, "Do you also wish to go away?" 68 Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God." 70 Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil." 71 He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
† Cf. Kurt Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels, rev. printing, 1985, sec. 158, pp.149-150. * NRSV

The Gospel lesson is Matthew’s account of Peter’s Confession and Jesus’ response, which is later followed by the first Passion Prediction. This scene is set at Caesarea Philippi (at the northern border of most maps of Israel in Jesus’ time). Turning points, moments of decision, crises--sometimes we say, “Give me the simple life!” But life moves on, new challenges arise, and we pray for grace to endure. By any measure, the account of Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi is a major turning point in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. While miracles continue later in Matthew, the exorcism at the foot of the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt. 17:14-21), healing two blind men (20:29-34), they are not grouped together as the ten in chapters 8 and 9 to make the point about who Jesus is. In all of the Gospels, Peter’s confession about who Jesus is represents a decisive turning point in the narrative (Mt 16:13-21; Mk. 8:27-30; Lk. 9:18-21; Jn. 6:67-71). While John’s context appears to be significantly different than the others, here as there, this confession comes as Jesus turn’s his face toward Jerusalem. In John, Jesus leaves Galilee for the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem early in chapter 7 (Jn. 7:10), and does not appear in Galilee again until chapter 21, in a post-resurrection appearance at the Sea of Tiberias (Jn. 21:1). In the other Gospels, Jesus foretells his passion (Mt. 16:21-23; Mk. 8:31-33; Lk 9;22) and related events and teachings foreshadow the Passion Narrative, for example, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me” (Mt. 16:24).

Jesus asks, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Mt. 16:13; “that I am?” Mk. 8:27). Various answers are given but when Jesus makes the question more specific, “Who do you say that I am?” (v. 15), the disciples’ recognition is focused by Peter, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (16:16). Peter’s answer, a classic for us, was a clear step forward in the disciples’ understanding as portrayed in these Gospels. In John, when the multitudes attracted earlier by the Feeding of the Five Thousand (Jn. 6:1-15), begin to turn away (Jn. 6:66), Jesus initiates the discussion. “Do you [disciples] also wish to go away?” (v. 67). Peter’s answer is more complete: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (vv. 68-69).

Before Jesus orders the disciples not to “tell anyone” about this (Mt. 16:20; Mk. 8:30; Lk. 9:21), he says the following according to Matthew:

Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (Mt. 16:17-19, NRSV)

We note that these three verses are addressed to Peter, for the word “you” (Suv, Su) is singular (“thee” or “thou,” not “ye” or “you (plural)” in older English). The promise to Peter says, “You (Suv, Su) are Peter (PevtroV, Petros) and on this rock (pevtra, petra) I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it” (Mt. 16:18). William Barclay reviews the historic difference between Roman Catholics who use this passage as a basis for their understanding of the Papacy, and Protestants who hold a different view (The Gospel of Matthew, Daily Study Bible, 2^nd ed., 1975, vol. 2, 139-142). He reviews four interpretations of this passage and says that the last, the fourth,

is still the best. It is that Peter himself is the rock, but in a special sense. He is not the rock on which the Church is founded; that rock is God. He is the first stone of the whole Church. Peter was the first man on earth to discover who Jesus was; he was the first man to make the leap of faith and see in him the Son of the living God. In other words, Peter was the first member of the Church, and, in that sense, the whole church is built on him. (ibid., p. 141).

As for Jesus next words to Peter, “I will give you [singular] (soi, soi) the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you [singular] bind ( dhvsh/V, dēsē(i)s, 2^nd sing. verb) on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you [singular] loose ( luvsh/V, lysē(i)s, 2^nd sing. verb) on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt. 16:19), compare these words on dealing with issues between members of the “church”: “Truly I tell you [plural] (uJmi:n, hymin), whatever you [plural] bind ( dhvshte, dēsēte, 2^nd plural verb) on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you [plural] loose ( luvshte, lysēte, 2^nd plural verb) on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt. 18:18). There is no reference in chapter 18 to “the keys of the kingdom of heaven,” but the church, addressed with the plural “you” has the power of binding and loosing promised to Peter in chapter 16. Barclay says,

Finally, there is the saying about loosing and binding. It is a difficult saying. It cannot mean that the Church can remit or forgive sins, and so settle a man’s destiny in time or in eternity. What it may well mean is that the relationships which we establish with our fellow-men last not only through time but into eternity–therefore we must get them right. (Barclay, pp. 189-190, on Mt. 18:15-18).

Earlier, we have noted that Jesus’ response to Peter has been vigorously debated. Key terms are explained as follows by Elwyn E. Tilden & Bruce M. Metzger in the New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha (a study Bible which has approval from the Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions): “The Greek text involves a play on two words, ‘Petros’ (‘Peter’) and ‘petra’ (‘rock’). Palestinian Aramaic, which Jesus usually spoke, used the same word for both proper name and common noun: ‘You are “Kepha” [Cephas; compare 1 Cor. 15:5; Gal. 2:9], and on this ‘kepha’ [rock] I will build . . .’ For the view that all the apostles also form the foundation of the church, see Eph 2:20; Rev. 21:14. . . . The keys of the kingdom are a symbol of Peter’s power as the leader of the Church. Bind and loose are technical rabbinic terms meaning ‘forbid’ and ‘permit’ some action about which a question has arisen. Later the authority of binding and loosing was also conferred upon all the apostles (18:18)” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Mt. 16:18). Every part of the church needs to do its part in binding, loosing, and opening the kingdom to all who will enter.

Daily Scripture Readings
Sunday (October 19, 2008)*
Daily Office Lectionary, The Book of Common Prayer, the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A., 1979	Daily Lectionary, Book of Common Worship, the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., 1993	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
‡ Daily Lectionary, Evangelical Lutheran Worship, ELCA, 2006. In the Evangelical Lutheran Worship book of 2006, the Daily Lectionary (pp. 1121-1153) is revised to correlate with the Sunday Lectionary (the Revised Common Lectionary) on the three year cycle: Year A (now current), Year B, Year C. “The readings are chosen so that the days leading up to Sunday (Thursday through Saturday) prepare for the Sunday readings. The days flowing out from Sunday (Monday through Wednesday) reflect upon the Sunday readings” (p. 1121).
Unless otherwise indicated, the scripture texts quoted are from The New Revised Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers), 1989.
Sunday AM Psalm 148, 149, 150 PM Psalm 114, 115 Ecclus. 4:1-10 1 Cor. 10:1-13 Matt. 16:13-20 From the Sunday Lectionary: Exodus 33:12-23 & Psalm 99 or Isaiah 45:1-7 & Psalm 96:1-9, (10-13); 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22	Sunday Morning: Psalm 150:1-6 Ecclesiasticus 4:1-10 or Micah 1:1-9 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Matthew 16:13-20 Evening: Psalm 93:1-5	Sunday Morning Pss.: 67; 150 Ecclus. 4:1-10 or Micah 1:1-9 1 Cor. 10:1-13 Matt. 16:13-20 Evening Pss.: 46; 93
	Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm 99 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22	Sunday, Oct. 16-22, Year A Isaiah 45:1-7 Psalm 96:1-9, [10-13] (7) 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Matthew 22:15-22 Semicontinuous reading and psalm Exodus 33:12-23 Psalm 99 (5)
*The Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, refs. for the Sunday closest to October 19, Year Two