For the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Episcopal Readings in the file for June 8, 2010, two weeks ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Episcopal and Presbyterian Readings:

Numbers 16:20-35

20 Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: 21 Separate yourselves from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment. 22 They fell on their faces, and said, "O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?"

23 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 24 Say to the congregation: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. 25 So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed him. 26 He said to the congregation, "Turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins." 27 So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents, together with their wives, their children, and their little ones. 28 And Moses said, "This is how you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works; it has not been of my own accord: 29 If these people die a natural death, or if a natural fate comes on them, then the LORD has not sent me. 30 But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD."

31 As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them was split apart. 32 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households--everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods. 33 So they with all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they said, "The earth will swallow us too!" 35 And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred fifty men offering the incense. (Numbers 16:20-35, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from June 24, 2008 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), when they were repeated with editing and supplement from June 27, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), when comments were repeated from an email sent June 21, 2004 for June 21-27.

At the conclusion of yesterday’s reading, Korah had “assembled the whole congregation against them,” that is, against Moses and Aaron (Num. 16:19a), but at that moment the LORD appears on the scene, that is, “the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole congregation” (v. 19b). As Rabbi J. H. Hertz said, quoted yesterday, “The rebellion was indeed a serious matter. Korah’s demagogy, in addition to his rallying round him the ambitious leaders, had won over to his banner large sections in all the tribes” (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, p.641, on Num. 16:19). The LORD tells Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from the congregation, “so that I may consume them in a moment” (Num. 16:20). But Moses intercedes for the people (cf. 14:13-19, where Moses intercedes after the spies’ discouraging report), in a way that reminds us of Abraham’s intercession for Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:25). “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person [Korah] sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?” (Num. 16:22). But here, as in the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, God proceeds to judgment. The LORD instructs Moses (v. 23): “Say to the congregation: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram” (v. 24). Moses gets up and goes “to Dathan and Abiram [and] the elders of Israel [follow] him (v. 25). “Ibn Ezra suggests,” says Rabbi Hertz, “that these were the 70 elders who, according to xi, 16, 17, were to assist Moses in bearing the burden of the people. These remain loyal during the upheaval” (on v. 25). At the LORD’s direction, Moses tells the congregation, “Turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins” (Num. 16:26). ”So they got away” as instructed (v. 27a), “ and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents, together with their wives, their children, and their little ones” (v. 27b). The Rabbi quotes Rashi, who suggests that when “Dathan and Abiram . . . stood at the door” (from v. 27 JPS 1917), they stood “with a brazen mien, reviling and blaspheming God” (on v. 27).

Moses announces a test, as it were: “This is how you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do these works,” he says; “it has not been of my own accord” (v. 28). By “these works,” Moses means, according to Rabbi Hertz, “constituting myself the leader, and my brother the High Priest” (p. 642, on v. 28). “If these people die a natural death,” he continues, “or if a natural fate comes on them, then the LORD has not sent me” (v. 29). Moses knows his own heart, and certainly does not expect this outcome, but rather the miracle he predicts as the alternative. “But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD” (v. 30). According to David P. Wright, “Sheol [is] the underworld abode of all the dead (Isa. 14:15-20; Ps. 88:3-6)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Num. 16:30). But the Rabbi puts it a little differently. His text says, “But if . . .they go down alive into the pit . . . (JPS 1917), and he says, “lit. ‘into Sheol’; regarded as deep down under the earth, and as the place where the wicked go after death” (op. cit., on v. 30).

By the outcome of the test, Moses and Aaron are vindicated. “As soon as he finished speaking all these words,” we are told, “the ground under them was split apart. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households--everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods” (vv. 31-32). “All who associated themselves with Korah in his rebellion were suddenly engulfed,” says Rabbi Hertz. “See, however, xxvi, 11, ‘notwithstanding the sons of Korah died not’ ” (ibid., on v. 32). Jo Ann Hackett says, “Dathan and Abiram are not mentioned here; instead we have only everyone who belonged to Korah. Commentators [apparently representing a widely held theory of different sources combined in the Pentateuch] have assumed this phrase displaced the mention of Dathan and Abiram in an editor’s attempt to combine the two strands; cf. Deut.1 11:6; Ps. 106:17. This verse does not say that Korah himself was killed, but cf. 16:40; 26:10-11” (HarperCollins Study Bible, 1^st ed., 1993, on Num. 16:32). In any event, the summary seems to imply the death of their families. “So they with all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly” (16:33). It must have been an horrific scene. “All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they said, ‘The earth will swallow us too!’ ” (v. 34). The final blow to the rebels is a fire: “And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred fifty men offering the incense” (v. 35). Hackett says, “The two hundred fifty who are elsewhere ‘the company of Korah’ are killed separately by fire from the Lord; see 11:1. Cf. Lev. 10:1-2. In. Num. 16:17, it is assumed that the two hundred and fifty are Levites; each has his own censer. V. 2, however, implies they came from all the tribes; see 27:1-3” (ibid., on v. 35). Rabbi Hertz finds reference to Reubenites here. “The Reubenites who accused Moses of misleading the people were destroyed–like Nadab and Abihu–by fire from the LORD” (on v. 35). The Rabbi cites a rabbinic legend:

In brief, Korah was a demagogue, and recoiled from no weapon that would discredit Moses. Perhaps the best judgment on the man and the Cause he sought to destroy is contained in the following curious rabbinic legend. Rabbah bar Bar Chanah–the Munchausen of the Talmud--narrates that, while he was travelling in the desert, an Arab showed him the place where Korah and his companions had been engulfed. There was at the spot a crack in the ground, and on putting his ear to the crack he heard voices cry, ‘Moses and his Torah are true, and we are liars.’ (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, p. 638 in the Introduction to chapters 16-18)

Romans 4:1-12

The Example of Abraham (Gen 17.10)

4:1 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." 4 Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5 But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. 6 So also David speaks of the blessedness of those to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:

7 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven,
and whose sins are covered;

8 blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin."

9 Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, "Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness." 10 How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, 12 and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised. (Romans 4:1-12, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from those on Romans 4:7-12 of August 2, 2009 (the Sunday closest to August 3, Year One), comments that were based on earlier comments on Romans 4:1-12 of June 24, 24, 2008 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), those of March 16, 2009 (Monday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year One), and earlier comments as noted there.

After providing a definitive description of his theme, “that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law” (Romans 3:28), Paul turns to scriptural arguments for support. He offers biblical proofs for his doctrine of justification by faith. Abraham is exhibit A. “What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh?” (Rom. 4:1). Neil Elliott offers an alternative translation. “Abraham . . . the flesh [NRSV], this translation implies Paul refers only to Jews. The Gk. may also be translated ‘What shall we say: Have we found Abraham to be our ancestor according to the flesh?’ which leads to the negative answer in 4:11-12, 16 (cf. 9:6-9)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Rom. 4:1). Ben Witherington III, on the other hand, accepts the former understanding. He says, “The Jewish discussion out of which the material in 4:1-12 was germinated needs to be kept in view, and there is reason to see this as perhaps a continuation of the dialogue with the Jewish teacher which began in ch. 3” (Paul’s Letter to the Romans; A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, 2004, p. 118, on Rom. 4:1-25; compare his reconstruction of the continuing dialogue, p. 119, with ref. to Stowers and Hays).

In any event the question is raised as to whether Abraham was justified by works. “For if Abraham was justified by works ( e[rga, erga),” says Paul, “he has something to boast about, but not before God” (v. 2). For the answer, Paul turns to scripture. “For what does the scripture say? ‘Abraham believed [-Ba Nm9x$h,v4, he’emin b-; LXX kai; ejpivsteusen Abram tw:/ qew:/, kai episteusen Abram tō(i) theō(i) (dative)] God and it was reckoned (h!b,w4H4y01v1, wayyachš ^evehā [‘he reckoned it], LXX ejlogivsqh, elogisthē,‘it was reckoned’ = Rom. 4:3d) to him as righteousness [hq!d!c4, ts ^edāqah / dikaiosuvnh, dikaiosyne]’ ” (v. 3, citing Gen. 15:6). Paul then draws a contrast between “works” and “trust” or “faith”: “Now to one who works (tw:/ . . . ejrazomevnw/, tō(i) . . . ergazomenō(i), participle of the verb ejrgavzomai, ergazomai, related to the noun ‘works,’  e[rga, erga, v. 2), wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due” (Rom. 4:4). On the other hand, he says, “But to one who without works (tw:/ . . . mh; ejrazomevnw/, tō(i) . . . mē ergazomenō(i) ) trusts (pisteuvonti, pisteuonti, participle of pisteuvw, pisteuō, the LXX verb in Gen. 15:6) him who justifies the ungodly, such faith (hJ pivstiV, hē pistis, noun related to pisteuvw, pisteuō) is reckoned as righteousness” (v. 5).

Paul’s next argument turns to the Psalms. “So also David,” he says, “speaks of the blessedness of those to whom God reckons righteousness (logivzetai dikaiosuvnhn, logizetai dikaiosynēn) apart from works” (v. 6). The quotation focuses on forgiveness of sins: “Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, / and whose sins are covered; / blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon (bwoHy1, yachšōv, LXX logivzhtai = Rom. 4:8), / and whose sins are covered; / blessed is the one against whom the Lord will not reckon sin” (vv. 7-8, citing Ps. 32:1-2 [LXX 31:1-2]). The catchword “reckon” (bw1H!, chāšav, logivzomai, logizomai) may have drawn Paul’s attention to these two texts. He may have been applying a variation of Hillel’s second rule of interpretation “Gezerah shawah (‘Similar laws, similar verdicts’)” which

was originally restricted to a di;V lerovmeuon [sic! di;V legovmenon? dis legomenon, ‘said twice,’ rather than dis leromeuon?], i.e., a word occurring only in the two passages offering the analogy. Since such a word is found nowhere else, there is no reason to assume that it bears different meanings in the two passages. The gezerah shawah consequently attaches to the word in the one passage the entire sequence of ideas which it bears in the other. (Wilhelm Bacher and Jacob Zallel Lauterbach, “Talmud Hermeneutics,” The Jewish Encyclopedia, online at http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=34&letter=T#163, accessed again July 31, 2009; you may need to copy and paste the URL in your browser.)

Paul, of course refers to a verb that occurs frequently in Biblical texts. According to John Knox and John Reumann, “The commercial term reckoned [bwaHA, chāšav; cf. logivzomai, logizomai in both texts in the LXX] reminds Paul of Ps. 32:2” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Rom. 4:3). Paul illustrates the “sequence of ideas” in both texts, Genesis 15:6 and Psalm 32:1-2, by reference to the blessedness of reckoning righteousness, or not reckoning sin. “Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised,” he asks, “or also on the uncircumcised?” (Rom. 4:9a). We would agree that there is indeed a blessedness for those who have made their peace with God. Paul then returns to the example of Abraham: “We say, ‘Faith (hJ pivstiV, hē pistis) was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness (eijV dikaiosuvnhn, eis dikaiosynēn).’ How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised.” (vv. 9b, 10). The proof that Abraham had such faith before being circumcised is seen, according to Paul, in that the circumcision only came later. “He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised” (v. 11a). From this he infers the principle that Abraham is the “father” (pathvr, patēr, NRSV ‘ancestor’) of uncircumcised persons of faith [i.e., Gentiles such as Paul’s many Gentile converts]. “The purpose was to make him the ancestor (pathvr, patēr) of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them” (v. 11b). For Paul, the same principle applies to Jews, the “circumcised,” for he adds, “and likewise the ancestor (pathvr, patēr) of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor (pathvr, patēr) Abraham had before he was circumcised” (v. 12). For the Jews of Paul’s day, their circumcision could be assumed; the emphasis here is on a faith like Abraham’s. Paul thus includes among the people of God, that is, among the descendants of Abraham, his Gentile Christian converts who have believed in his gospel of justification by faith through the grace of God based on Christ’s sacrifice of atonement (3:21-26). In principle he includes the Jews as well (v. 12; cf. chaps. 9-11).

Matthew 19:23-30

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God." 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, "Then who can be saved?" 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, "For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible."

27 Then Peter said in reply, "Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?" 28 Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first. (Matthew 19:23-30, NRSV)

The following comments are based on those of November 25, 2009 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from June 21, 2009 (the Sunday closest to June 22, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from June 24, 2008 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two), when comments were repeated from November 28,, 2007 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), when comments were repeated with some editing from June 24, 2007 (the Sunday closest to June 22, Year One), when comments were based on those of June 19, 2005, (the Sunday closest to June 22, Year One), those of November 23, 2005 (Wednesday of the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), and those of June 27, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 22, Year Two).

In the three Synoptic Gospels this passage (Mt. 19:23-30; Mk. 10:23-31; Lk. 18:24-30), addressed to the disciples, follows the account of Jesus advice to the Rich Young Ruler (Mt. 19:16-22; Mk. 10:17-32; Lk. 18:18-23), who “went away grieving, for he had many possessions” (Mt. 19:22). For parallel accounts of the text of this discussion, see the separate file, On Riches and the Rewards of Discipleship. For recent comments on Mark’s version of these passages, see the Archive for March 25, 20-10 (the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two). For recent comments on Luke’s version, see the Archive for June 6, 2009 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year One).

This reading begins as Jesus says “to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 19:23); compare the exclamation in Mark’s version, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mk. 10:23; cf. Lk. 18:24). In Mark, because “the disciples were perplexed,” Jesus repeats the saying without reference to the rich: “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mk. 10:24). In each of the Gospels, Jesus explains with what J. Andrew Overman calls “a proverbial expression of impossibility” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Mt. 19:24). “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” ( Mt. 19:24; cf. Mk. 10:25; Lk. 18:15). For a proverbial saying–perhaps inevitably–the vocabulary varies here. For the “eye,” or “hole,” in the needle, Matthew and Luke have trh:ma (trēma)*; a variant reading (i.e. in some mss.) in Matthew is truvphma (trypēma)*. For “eye,” or “hole,” Mark has trumaliav (trymalia)*, which is a variant reading in Matthew and Luke. For “needle,” Matthew and Mark have rJafivV (hraphis)*, which is a variant reading in Luke. Luke’s word for “needle” is belovnh (belonē )*. As indicated by the asterisks (*), each of these words for “eye” or “needle” occurs only in this saying in the New Testament (cf. F. Wilbur Gingrich, Shorter Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, 1965, s.v. each word)–due, apparently, to subject matter, and not because the words as such were rare in ancient or biblical Greek.

In reference to the saying about the camel and the needle’s eye, there’s no need to look for “doorways” in and around Jerusalem for which a camel would have to kneel and then barely make it through. Elton Trueblood takes the saying (Mt. 19:24; Mk. 10:25; Lk. 18:25) as an example of “the preposterous.” We fail, he says

to recognize that Christ used deliberately preposterous statements to get his point across. . . . ‘It is easier,’ said Jesus, ‘for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God’ (Mark 10:25). This categorical statement, given with no qualifications whatever, follows, in all three accounts, the story of a wealthy man who came to Jesus to ask seriously how he might have eternal life. He claimed to have kept the standard commandments, but he went away sorrowfully when told that, at least in his case, it would be necessary to divest himself of all of his possessions.

We are informed that Christ’s hearers were greatly astonished, and well they might have been, if they took the dictum literally, as they apparently did. Taken literally, of course, the necessary conclusion is that no one who is not in absolute poverty can enter the Kingdom, because most people have some riches, and it is impossible for a body as large as that of a camel, hump and all, to go through an aperture as small as the eye of a needle. . . . That the listeners failed to see the epigram about the needle’s eye as a violent metaphor is shown by their question, ‘Then who can be saved?’ (Mark 10:26).

By making the statement in such an exaggerated form . . . Christ made sure that it was memorable, whereas a prosy, qualified statement would certainly have been forgotten. . . . Christ made his point, so that millions remember it today, though the first hearers misunderstood and kept it accurately only because it was so bizarre. (Elton Trueblood, The Humor of Christ, 1964, pp. 46-48).

R. McL. Wilson, commenting on Mark 10:25, says, “The saying about the eye of a needle should not be weakened by taking the ‘camel’ as a cable [sic] or the ‘needle’s eye’ as a postern gate; the saying is a vivid hyperbole to express what is humanly impossible.” He adds, “the whole passage [Mk. 10:17-31] contains in germ Paul’s doctrine concerning the law” (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, reprinted 1972, sec. 106 c, p. 811 on Mk. 10:25).

At the saying of Jesus, the disciples were amazed. “They were greatly astounded (perissw:V ejxeplhvssonto, perissōs exeplēssonto) and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ ” (Mk. 10:26); compare “When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded ( ejxeplhvssonto sfovdra, exeplēsonto sphodra) and said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ ” (Mt. 19:25). In Mark, Jesus directs these sayings to the disciples (10:23; cf. Mt. 19;23), but in Luke, there is a larger audience. “Those who heard it said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ ” (Lk. 18:26). At the end of this exchange, “he took the twelve aside” (v. 31). Jesus explains: “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible’ ” (Mk. 10:27). Matthew simplifies, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible” (Mt. 19:26); and Luke even more so, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God” (Lk. 18:27). Dale C. Allison, Jr. summarizes:

The disciples’ subsequent question, which uncritically presupposes (against the rest of Matthew) that wealth is a sign of divine favour, implies that if not even the rich man, blessed as he is by God, can enter the kingdom, who can? The answer lies in God’s omnipotence, which is antithetical to human impotence: regarding salvation only God has strength–just as, with regard to goodness, God and human beings belong to different categories (cf. v. 17). But note that v. 26 speaks only of the possible, not the probable. God’s omnipotence does not guarantee anyone’s salvation. V. 26 is not comfort for the rich; it does not cancel vv. 23-4. (Dale C. Allison, Jr., The Oxford Bible Commentary, 2001, p. 870, on Mt. 19:16-30)

It appears that Peter wanted to “change the subject,” so to speak. He wonders what this means for himself and others who, not like the rich man, have left all to follow Jesus. According to Mark, “Peter began to say (  [Hrxato levgein, Ērxato legein) to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you’ ” (Mk. 10:28). Peter completed his statement, of course, without interruption. The verb a[rcomai (archomai, “begin”), according to Gingrich, “at times . . . is pleonastic and adds little to the meaning of the sentence, e.g. w|n h[rxato oJ =Ihsou:V; poiei:n (hōn ērxato ho Iēsous poiein) = simply what Jesus did rather than what Jesus began to do Acts 1:1” (op. cit., s.v. a[rcw, archō 2. mid.). According to the unabridged Lexicon, “Often a[rcomai [archomai] only means that the person in question has been doing something else and that the activity now takes a new turn” (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich [BDAG], A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, 3^rd ed., 2000, s.v. a[rcw, archō 2. mid. b). The other Gospels understand Mark in this way. According to Matthew, “Then Peter said in reply, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” (Mt. 19:27), making explicit Peter’s implied question in Mark. Luke’s version also simplifies the “began to speak” phrase: “Then Peter said, ‘Look, we have left our homes and followed you” (Lk. 18:28).

In Mark, Jesus’ response is elaborate:

Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age–houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions–and in the age to come eternal life. (Mk. 10:29-30)

And in Matthew, even more so, with explicit reference to “the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory”:

Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. (Mt. 19:28-29)

Luke’s version simplifies, but includes the essentials from Mark:

And he said to them, "Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life. (Lk. 18:29-30)

According to Overman, this means they will “assume the role of the twelve patriarchs (T. Jud. [i.e. Testament of Judah] 25:1-2)” (op. cit., on Mt. 19:28).

But in Mark and Matthew, Jesus add a caveat, so to speak: “But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first” (Mk. 10:31 = Mt. 19:30). These verses, the same in English, are also the same in Greek (except that some manuscripts add the definite article in the final phrase, “and the last first,” kai; (oiJ) e[scatoi prw:toi, kai [hoi] eschatoi prōtoi).

As noted above, for the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Episcopal Readings in the file for June 8, 2010, two weeks ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.
rdworden@hgst.edu
deanworden@comcast.net