For the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Presbyterian Readings in the file for May 27, 2010, a week ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Episcopal and Presbyterian Readings:

Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3

Judgment and the Future Belong to God

16 Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work. 18 I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing them to show that they are but animals. 19 For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. 20 All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21 Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? 22 So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?

4:1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed-with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power-with no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; 3 but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:3, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from June 5, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year Two), when they were repeated with editing and supplement from June 8, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year Two, and the week of Pentecost Sunday in 2006), when comments were repeated from June 3, 2004 (Thursday of the week of Pentecost, Year Two) in an email sent June 2, 2004 for June 3-6).

Two perspectives are presented, the view that wickedness prevails over justice and righteousness, and the contrary view that God’s judgment will set things right. Qoheleth continues to be perplexed by the human situation. “I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well” (Eccl. 3:16). On the other hand, he says, “I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work” (v. 17). “Some, for example Raymond C. Van Leeuwen, revised by Kent Harold Richards, seek to resolve the tension concerning ultimate justice by attributing this verse [v. 17] to a later, more ‘orthodox’ editor of the book” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Eccles. 3:17). “Some see [Ecclesiastes] as a portrait of ‘life without God,’ for they do not see how life with God can be described as ‘vanity’.” But Van Leeuwen and Richards add, “The tensions and contradictions of Ecclesiastes are precisely its point” (ibid.). Earlier, they said, “Qoheleth [the Teacher of 1:1] is an utter realist, yet he will not let go of God” ( Study Bible, 1^st ed., 1993, Introduction to Ecclesiastes).

Qoheleth continues, saying, “I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing them to show that they are but animals” (v. 18). Both humans and animals die, he says (v.19a). “They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity” (v. 19b). “All go to one place,” adds Qoheleth, “all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again” (v. 20).

According to William P. Brown,

It is unclear, lamentably, what precisely is meant by the sage in verse 18, given the problematic nature of the Hebrew text, except that God somehow has a hand in the common fate of humans and animals. The reference to animals is perjorative; humans are no better than animals, morally or otherwise, which is certainly no compliment to the subhuman species! . . . The wicked are by definition morally deficient, but the righteous too are deficient, given their shared fate with the animals in God’s design. (Ecclesiastes, Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, 2000, p. 47, on Eccl. 3:16-22)

According to Roland Murphy,

These verses [vv. 19-20] supply the reason for equating humans and animals. Both have the one hrqm [miqrāh] ‘happening’ or ‘lot’: death. Both have the same hvr [rû ^ach] ‘spirit,’ or ‘life-breath,’ which is from God (Ps. 104:29-30). . . . Qoheleth is expressing himself in terms of Gen. 2:7, where God breathes the MyyH tmwn [nišmat chayyîm], ‘life-breath,’ and of Ps. 104:29-30, where life is dependent upon the presence of the hvr [rû^ach], ‘spirit’ of God in living beings. Everything lives because of the divine breathing. (Ecclesiastes, Word Biblical Commentary, 23A, 1992, p. 37, on Eccl. 3:19-20)

At first glance, it appears that these thoughts about the common fate of humans and animals are not necessarily the last word, for Qoheleth asks, “Who knows whether the human spirit goes upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth?” (v. 21). But Murphy says, “Qoheleth is apparently replying to a contemporary view that affirmed some kind of distinction in the ultimate fate of humans and animals. His question, ‘who knows?’ is equivalent to a denial” (ibid., on v. 21). Murphy does not spell out what that contrary view might be, though he quotes another: “N. Lohfink refers to the idea in Euripides that what comes from the earth returns to it in death, but what comes from the aijqhvr [aithēr], ‘the heavenly vault,’ ascends to it. He remarks, ‘This may have been a popular expression of Platonizing belief in the immortality of the soul, at least in Qoheleth’s milieu’ ” (ibid.). But Murphy himself is not so sure about that.

It is quite clear that Qoheleth rejects any view that claimed some kind of differentiation in treatment, as the ‘upwards’ and ‘downwards’ imply. It is useless to try to determine from this denial his specific views on Sheol and the next life. He is clear about Sheol in 9:10 and in 12:7 he recognizes that the hvr [rû^ach], ‘spirit,’ returns to God, but this is obviously not the same claim that he rejects in this verse. (ibid.)

So, in the light of the limited knowledge available to humans in respect to death and the afterlife, he again concludes that human beings should “enjoy their work,” or could we say, “live for the moment”? “So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?” (3:22; cf. 2:24; 3:12; 5:18; 8:15; 9:7-10; 11:9).

Qoheleth’s observations of life continue. “Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed–with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power–with no one to comfort them” (4:1). Although James L. Crenshaw sees here a continuation of the previous unit, “the Tears of the Oppressed” (3:16-4:3; Ecclesiastes, The Old Testament Library, 1987, p. 101, cf. pp. 101-107), Murphy, whose section division includes 3:1-4:6 (op. cit., pp. 28-39), notes progress in thought here. “The point of view [in 4:1] is broader than 3:16, which focused on the administration of justice. The repetition (‘no one to give comfort’) is deliberate and not to be deleted; it foreshadows the description of the plight of the solitary person in vv. 7-12” (op. cit., pp. 37-38, on Eccl. 4:1). Although Qoheleth is clearly not contemplating suicide, in the light of this observation about oppression, he does say, “And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive” (v. 2). And he adds, “but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun” (v. 3). “The living still have to witness the injustices of life,” says Leong Seow, “whereas the dead no longer have to do so, and those who have never been born never have to do so” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Eccl. 4:1-3). According to Murphy, “Qoheleth does not simply conclude ‘better off dead than alive.’ But death is preferable to oppression; it frees one from trouble” (op. cit., p. 38, on 4:2-3). And he quotes Ben Sira:

O death, how welcome is your sentence

To one who is needy and failing in strength,

Worn down by age and anxious about everything;

To one who is contrary, and has lost all patience! (Sir. 41:2 NRSV)

Murphy concludes that Qoheleth’s

judgment is at odds with the typical wisdom emphasis on life, but it is in agreement with one who ‘loathes life’ (2:17). Paradoxically, this judgment is rooted in a high appreciation of life. Because life is not what it should be–in the face of human oppression, he can praise the dead and the unborn. In this case ‘praise’ has an ironic edge, since death is not normally preferable. Similar irony is apparent in 9:4-5 . . . where he pursues a different tack: it seems better to be alive. From one point of view it is better to know something (9:5) even if this is (ironically) only that one must die! The thought of 4:2-3 is close in spirit to Job 3 and Jer. 20:14-18. (loc. cit.).

We are reminded that we have seen more than oppressions in our time; we have seen repeated attempts and instances of genocide, in Nazi Germany, in Uganda, in the former Yugoslavia, in Rwanda, in Iraq, to name a few.

Galatians 3:1-14

3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified! 2 The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4 Did you experience so much for nothing?--if it really was for nothing. 5 Well then, does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

6 Just as Abraham "believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," 7 so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you." 9 For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed.

10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law." 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for "The one who is righteous will live by faith." 12 But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, "Whoever does the works of the law will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us-for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"- 14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:1-14, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from December 24, 2009 (Thursday in the week of the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year Two) and December 22, 2009, two days earlier, when Galatians 3:1-14 was the Presbyterian reading. Those were based on comments on Galatians 3:6-14 from August 16, 2009 (the Sunday closest to August 17, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from those on Galatians 3:1-14 of earlier dates as noted there:

Hans. D. Betz has analyzed the Book of Galatians as comparable to a lawyer’s speech in court (Galatians, a commentary on Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia, Hermeneia, 1979). Betz compares the argument of the book to the practice of rhetoric in the Greco-Roman world, and sees the narrative portion, 1:13-2:14 as the background of the situation (the narratio in ancient rhetoric), 2:15-21 as a concise statement of the argument or thesis (the propositio), and chapters 3 and 4 as the arguments (probatio). Whether these technical terms from ancient legal rhetoric are necessary or not, it does appear that we have a series of arguments by which Paul seeks to defend his understanding of the gospel. In the three paragraphs of today’s reading, Paul develops three arguments in support of his gospel. As he begins the first argument, he chides the Galatian people. “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” (Gal 3:1a). In reference to his ministry there, Paul says, “It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly exhibited as crucified!” (v. 1b). “Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law,” he asks, “or by believing what you heard?” (v. 2). The chiding continues. “Are you so foolish? Having started with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?” (v. 3). “Ending with the flesh,” says Shiela Briggs, is “an oblique reference to circumcision” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Gal. 3:3). Emphasizing the value of their original experience under his ministry, Paul asks, “Did you experience so much for nothing?–if it really was for nothing” (v. 4). Paul asserts that his preaching and the response of the Galatian people, were moved by the Spirit of God. Paul asks, “Does God supply you with the Spirit and work miracles among you by your doing the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?” (v. 5). Their own experience should prove to them the value and sufficiency of Paul’s gospel.

The second argument uses Genesis 15:6; cf. Rom. 4:3, 16) to assert that Abraham’s “righteousness” was prior to his circumcision, and therefore not based on “works of the law.” “Just as Abraham ‘believed (ejpivsteusen, episteusen) God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (dikaiosuvnh, dikaiosynē )’,” says Paul, “so, you see, those who believe (oiJ ejk pivstewV, hoi ek pisteōs, lit. ‘those of faith/belief’) are the descendants of Abraham” (vv. 6-7, citing Gen. 15; 6; cf. Rom. 4:3). The Genesis text says, “And he believed (Nm9x$h@v4, w ^ehe’ ^emin; LXX ejpivsteusen, episteusen) the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness (hq!d!c4, ts ^edāqāh; LXX dikaiosuvnh, dikaiosynē )” (Gen. 15:6). In his application of the Genesis text Paul refers to those who believe as “people of faith” (oiJ ejk pivstewV, hoi ek pisteōs) (v. 7, above; cf. ‘men of faith,’ the translation of Betz, op. cit., p. 137). This point is based on the promise to Abraham. “And the scripture,” says Paul, “foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith ( ejk pivstewV, ek pisteōs), declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the Gentiles (pavnta ta; e[qnh, panta ta ethnē ) shall be blessed in you” (v. 8, referring to Gen. 12:3). In the Genesis text the LORD promises Abram that “in you all the families of the earth (hm!d!x3h! tHoP4w4m9 lko, kōl mišp^echōth hā’ ^adāmāh; LXX pavsai aiJ pulai; th:V gh:V, pasai hai pylai tēs gēs) shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3b). It’s fair to say that Paul’s term “Gentiles” would be included in the Genesis phrase, “all the families of the earth.” “For this reason,” says Paul as he concludes the second argument, “those who believe (oiJ ejk pivstewV, hoi ek pisteōs, lit. ‘the people of faith,’ cf. above) are blessed with Abraham who believed (su;n tw:/ pistw:/ =Abraavm, syn tō(i) pistō(i) Abraam, lit. ‘with the faith of Abraham’). Through a faith like Abraham’s, says Paul elsewhere, Gentiles become children of Abraham, who receive “the promise . . . to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, ‘I have made you the father of many nations’ ” (Rom. 4:16-17, citing Gen. 17:10).

In beginning the third argument, Paul points out that “all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law’ ” (Gal. 3:10, citing Deut. 27:26). The third argument combines Deut. 27:26; Lev. 18:5; Hab. 2:4 (LXX) and Deut. 21:23 to show that “no one is justified before God by the law, for ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith’ ” (Gal. 3:11, citing Hab. 2:4). “But the law does not rest on faith,” says Paul; on the contrary, ‘Whoever does the works of the law will live by them’ ” (Gal. 3:12, citing Lev. 18:5). Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law,” says Paul, “by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’ ” (Gal. 3:13). According to Bruce M. Megzger and John Reumann, in the climax of this series, “the tree in Deut. 21:23 is referred to Jesus’ cross” (NOAB, 2^nd. ed., 1994, on Gal. 3:13). This was “in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (v. 14). So the promises to Abraham, including the first, “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3), are for the Galatian Gentile converts to Christ.

Matthew 14:13-21

Feeding the Five Thousand (Mk 6.30-44; Lk 9.10-17; Jn 6.1-14)

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." 18 And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from November 6, 2009 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One), when comments were based on those of June 5, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year Two), when comments were based on those of November 9, 2007 (Friday in the week of the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost, references for the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One), when comments were based on those of November 4, 2005 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One), with some use of comments from other days, since the Feeding of the Five Thousand is the one miracle–apart from the resurrection of Jesus himself–that is reported in all four of the Canonical Gospels. For recent comments on Mark’s version of this miracle, see the Archive for April 25, 2010 (the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year Two); for Luke’s version, see the Archive for May 16, 2009 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year One); and for John’s version, see the Archive for January 20, 2010 (Friday in the week of the Third Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two). For parallel texts of this event from the Gospels, see the separate file, Five Thousand Fed.

As noted yesterday, the account of John’s death and Herod Antipas’ “banquet” is followed in Matthew and Mark by the Feeding of the Five Thousand. We noted the sharp contrast, more than the difference between midnight blackness and the brightest day. Minor variations in the way each Gospel tells the story are trivial when compared to the significance of the miracle itself. Luke says they “withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida,” whereas the others mention “a boat” and “a deserted place” (Mt. 14:13, 15; Mk. 6:32, 35; cf. Lk. 9:12) or “the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias” (Jn. 6:1), a “mountain” (v. 15), and “the sea” (v. 16). Bethsaida is located at the north end of the Sea of Tiberias, so the place references, while apparently not precise, are understandable. Richard A. Horsley refers to this as the “first of two wilderness feedings reminiscent of God’s feeding early Israel in the wilderness through Moses (Ex. 16; Num 11)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Mk. 6:30-44, with reference to Mk. 8:1-10, the Feeding of the Four Thousand).

When they arrived at the location, crowds followed Jesus (Mt. 14:13b, 14; Mk. 6:34a; Lk. 9:11a; Jn. 6:2a). According to Matthew, “he had compassion for them and cured their sick” (Mt. 14:14; cf. Lk. 9;11c; Jn. 6:2b). According to Mark, “he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things” (Mk. 6:34b; cf. Lk. 9:11b). Jesus is approached by the disciples “When it was evening” (Mt. 14:15a; cf. “When it grew late,” Mk. 6:35; and “The day was drawing to a close,” Lk. 9:12a). Their concern is that Jesus send the crowd away to get food (Mt. 14:15b; Mk. 6:36; Lk. 9:12b). In John, Jesus takes the initiative. “When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” (Jn. 6:5). Although the other Gospels have Jesus direct the disciples to give the crowd food to eat (Mt. 14:16; Mk. 6:37; Lk. 9:13), only John says that Jesus tested Philip with his question, and adds that he [Jesus] knew what he was going to do” (Jn. 6:6). According to Mark, when Jesus said to the disciples, “You give them something to eat,” they responded, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat? (Mk. 6:37). And when Jesus asked, “How many loaves have you? Go and see” (v. 38a), the answer was “five and two fish” (v. 38b). In Matthew this conversation is shortened; after the direction to give the people to eat, the disciples say, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish (Mt. 14:16-17). Luke’s exchange is similar, but the disciples reply, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish–unless we are to go and buy food for all these people (Lk. 9:13). John tells us that Andrew brought a boy forward “who has five barley loaves and two fish,” and Andrew asks, “but what are they among so many people?” (Jn. 6:9). The numbers are the same in all four Gospels, but only John’s report calls the loaves “barley loaves.”

At this point, Luke gives the size of the crowd, “about five thousand men” (Lk. 9:14a; cf. Jn. 6:10b). And the crowd is seated in the grass: Matthew reports that Jesus said, “Bring them [i.e., the loaves and fish] here to me” (Mt. 14:18). Then Jesus orders the crowds “to sit down on the grass” (Mt. 14:19a; cf. Jn. 6:10a). In Luke, Jesus says, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each” (Lk. 9:14b). Mark elaborates, saying that Jesus “ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties” (Mk 6:39-40).

In Matthew, Mark and Luke the accounts of Jesus blessing, braking and distributing the loaves and fish are practically identical: “And (dev, de, Lk. only; cf. kaiv, kai, Mk.) taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves (‘blessed them,’ Lk), and gave them to his disciples to set before the people (Mk.), before the crowd (Lk.), and the disciples gave them to the crowds (Mt.)” (Mk. 6:41a; Mt. 14:19b; Lk. 9:16). According to Krister Stendahl, “the terminology in [Mt. 13:]19 may show some influence from the account of the Last Supper (26:26) and consequently from the meal practice of the church” (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, 10^th printing 1972, sec. 686 e, p. 786, on Mt. 14:13-21). John describes Jesus’ blessing and distribution a little differently: “Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted” (Jn. 6:11). The others too say that “all ate and were filled” (Mk. 6:42; Mt. 14:20a; Lk. 9:17a), and all the Gospels number the leftovers as “twelve baskets full” (Mt. 14:20b; Mk. 6:43; Lk. 9:17; Jn. 6:13). According to Stendahl, “the twelve baskets seem to be related to the twelve disciples, see 15:32-9; in the feeding as well as in this whole Fourth Section [i.e., chaps. 14-18], the disciples play a strikingly significant role” (ibid.; cf. sec. 673 i, p. 770). At the end of the account Mark and Matthew give the number of the people who had eaten, “five thousand men” (Mk 6:44; cf. earlier Lk. 9:14a; Jn. 6:10b, ‘five thousand in all’) or “five thousand men, besides women and children” (Mt. 14:21).

If the Synoptic Gospel references to “a deserted place” (Mt. 14:13, 15; Mk. 6:32, 35; Lk. 9:12) allude to the manna in the wilderness, John makes the reference explicit, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (Jn. 6:32-33). In that context, Jesus goes on to assert, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (v. 35). This miracle, says Stendahl, “has both OT and messianic connotations (Elisha in 2 Kg. 4:42; Elijah in 1 Kg. 17:9-16; cf. on Moses, Jn. 6:32)” (loc. cit.).

As noted above, for the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Presbyterian Readings in the file for May 27, 2010, a week ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net