Daily Scripture Readings
Sunday (July 4, 2010)*
Daily Office Lectionary, The Book of Common Prayer, the Episcopal Church in the U.S.A., 1979; cf. The Revised Common Lectionary (RCL), Abingdon Press, 1992	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 YOU MAY NEED TO COPY AND PASTE THESE URLs IN YOUR BROWSER
‡ 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, Year B, Year C (now current). “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 146, 147 PM Psalm 111, 112, 113 Num. 27:12-23 Acts 19:11-20 Mark 1:14-20 From the Sunday Lectionary: (Cf. the RCL) 2 Kings 5:1-14 & Psalm 30 or Isaiah 66:10-14 & Psalm 66:1-9; Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 (Cf. BCP) Psalm 66 or 66:1-8 Isaiah 66:10-16 Galatians 6:(1-10) 14-18 Luke 10:1-12, 16-20	Sunday Morning: Psalms 108; 150 Num. 27:12-23 Acts 19:11-20 Mark 1:14-20 Evening: Psalms 66; 23	Sunday Morning Pss.: 67, 150 Num. 14:26-45 Acts 15:1-12 Luke 12:49-56 Evening Pss.: 46, 93
	14^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C 2 Kings 5:1-14 Psalm 30 Galatians 6:(1-6), 7-16 Luke 10:1-11, 16-20	Sunday, July 3-9, Year C Isaiah 66:10-14 Psalm 66:1-9 (4) Galatians 6:[1-6], 7-16 Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 Semicontinuous reading and psalm 2 Kings 5:1-14 Psalm 30 (2)
* The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, references for the Sunday closest to July 6, Year Two

Independence Day Sermon, Hillcrest United Methodist Church

For the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the Episcopal Readings in the file for June 20, 2010, two weeks ago. These traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.

Episcopal and Presbyterian Readings:

Numbers 27:12-23

Joshua Appointed Moses' Successor (Deut 31.1-8)

12 The LORD said to Moses, "Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites. 13 When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled with me. You did not show my holiness before their eyes at the waters." (These are the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15 Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, 16 "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep without a shepherd." 18 So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; 19 have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and commission him in their sight. 20 You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey. 21 But he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the LORD; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation." 22 So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation; 23 he laid his hands on him and commissioned him–as the LORD had directed through Moses. (Numbers 27:12-23, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from July 6, 2008 (the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, refs. for the Sunday closest to July 6, Year Two), when comments were repeated with editing from July 9, 2006 (the Sunday closest to July 6, Year Two), when comments were repeated with revision from July 4, 2004 in an email sent July 1, 2004, for July 2-4.

Moses is directed to ascend the mountain where he will view the Promised Land before he dies. “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites’ ” (Num. 27:12). The LORD adds information about his death. “When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was” (Num. 27:13), “because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled with me” (v. 14a). God’s statement of the reason continues, “You did not show my holiness before their eyes at the waters”(v. 14b, cf. “Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them,” 20:12). The command to ascend Mount Nebo where he will die after viewing the promised land is repeated later (Deut. 32:48-52) and fulfilled (Deut. 34). But for now Moses is assigned the task of facilitating the transfer of leadership and authority.

Understanding the need for this, Moses asks God to appoint his successor. “Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, ‘Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep without a shepherd’ ” (vv. 15-17). According to Nili S. Fox, “Key to the success of Israel’s inheritance of Canaan is the succession of Moses by a competent and worthy leader” (Nili S. Fox, The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 339 on Num. 27:12-23). Fox adds, “Moses requests that God appoint his successor. In this period, national leadership, unlike the priesthood, is not hereditary. Moses’ own descendants were not suitable for leadership” (ibid., on vv. 15-17). In support of the comment about Moses’ descendants, Fox refers to comments on Judges 18:30 by Yairah Yamit:

Here the Levite’s [Jonathan’s] identity is revealed, being a grandson of Moses, the third generation from the exodus. The name Moses is obscured and turned into Manasseh (an evil Judean king) by means of a hanging letter “nun” to clear Moses from his grandson’s misdeeds. (According to Exod. 2:22, Gershom is Moses’ son.) (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 549 on Judges 18:30)

This interpretation is consistent with the NJPS (1985, 1999) text note on Judges 18:30 which prefers the reading “Moses” (hw,mo) and attributes it to a few manuscripts (cf. “son of Moses” NRSV, with note b: “Another reading is son of Manasseh).

The LORD responds to Moses. “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and commission him in their sight” (vv. 18-19). Moses is to transfer authority to Joshua. “ You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey” (v. 20). We can look forward to the LORD’s assurance to Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you” (Josh. 1:5). But Moses was perhaps concerned about his own future. Still ahead are the remaining chapters of Numbers, with legislation and the war with Midian, and the long speeches which constitute the book of Deuteronomy. Rabbi J. H. Hertz comments,

The Midrash accounts for the insertion here of his summons to die in the following way: Moses had just received the Divine instructions concerning the ways in which the Promised Land was to be distributed amongst the tribes, and he said to himself: ‘Peradventure I too may be allotted a share. Peradventure the Divine decree forbidding me to enter the Promised Land has now been revoked.’ But God said unto him, ‘My decree stands unchanged’. (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, p. 692 on Num. 27:12-23)

The Rabbi says of verse 20, “Moses was to confer honour and dignity upon Joshua publicly; so that, when the people saw the high esteem in which he was held by Moses, they would feel it incumbent upon them to honour him likewise, as well as to obey him. The lit. translation is ‘put some of thy majesty upon him’, as no man was worthy to receive the whole of Moses’ majesty” (ibid., p. 693 on v. 20). And the Rabbi notes that, “Unlike Moses, he [Joshua] was not to receive Divine communications directly, but indirectly through the medium of Eleazar, the High Priest, after the latter’s consultation with God by means of the Urim and Thummin; see Exod. xxviii, 30” (ibid. on v. 21).

As the reading and the chapter come to a close, we are told that Moses follows the LORD’s directions. “So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation; he laid his hands on him and commissioned him–as the LORD had directed through Moses” (v. 23).

Acts 19:11-20

The Sons of Sceva

11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them. 13 Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims." 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. 15 But the evil spirit said to them in reply, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that they fled out of the house naked and wounded. 17 When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck; and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. 18 Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. 19 A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. 20 So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. (Acts 19:11-20, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from August 6, 2009 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 3, Year One), when comments were repeated from September 25, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year Two), when comments were repeated from August 9, 2007 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 3, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from July 9, 2006 (the Sunday closest to July 6, Year Two), and from September 28, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year Two).

According to Christopher R. Matthews, “Paul’s long ministry in Ephesus,” as reported in Acts, chapter 19, describes a “period of more than two years (v. 10; cf. 20:31) [which] forms the background of 1 and 2 Corinthians” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Acts 19:1-41). And Paul faced some severe opposition during his time at Ephesus, including the accusations of the silversmiths “who made silver shrines of Artemis,” as reported in Acts, and the consequent rioting (19:23-41), as well as Paul’s own reference to “the affliction we experienced in Asia [i.e., the Roman Province of Asia, of which Ephesus was the major city]; for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself” (2 Cor. 1:8).

Paul’s ministry at Ephesus leads many to burn their books of magic (Acts 19:19), but in the end will alienate the silversmiths (vv. 23-41). Through Paul’s ministry at Ephesus, “God did extraordinary miracles” (Acts 19:11), including various healings and exorcisms. According to Luke, “when the handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were brought to the sick, their diseases left them, and the evil spirits came out of them” (v. 12). This apparently attracted enough attention that some sought to imitate his methods. “Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists [‘seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva,’ v. 14] tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits” (v. 13), but without success. “But the evil spirit said to them in reply, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ ” (v. 15). Their attempted exorcism in fact led to disastrous consequences. “Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered them all, and so overpowered them that the fled out of the house naked and wounded” (v. 16). In reference to “Jewish exorcists,” Beverly Roberts Gaventa says, “See Josephus, Antiquities 8:45-49; see also Acts 13:6-11; cf. Deut. 18:10-14” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Acts 19:13). Matthews notes a reference to “Jewish exorcists” in Luke 11:19, and refers to the “use of the name outside the circle of Jesus” in Mark 9:38-39 (op. cit., on v. 13). He adds, “The story makes it clear that the name (v. 17 . . .) does not belong to the realm of magic. On a number of occasions Acts attempts to distinguish Christian miracle working from the activities of religious charlatans and profiteers (8:18-24; 13:6-12; 16:16-19)” (ibid., on vv. 15-16).

According to Gaventa, “The humorous account of the defeat of seven exorcists contrasts sharply with the report of Paul’s successful healings and exorcisms in 19:11-12” (op. cit., on Acts 19:13-16). By way of further contrast, Paul’s ministry met with acclaim, “When this became known . . . everyone was awestruck; and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised” (v. 17). This led to success for the apostle’s mission: “Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices” (v. 18). Proof of the latter was the public burning of books. “A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly” (v. 19a). Matthews points out that “Ephesus was such a noted center of magic that magical books were often called ‘Ephesian Scripts’ ” (on v. 19). The books burned had a “calculated” value of “fifty thousand silver coins” (ajrgurivou muriavdaV pevnte, argyriou myridas pente) defined as “50,000 (Attic silver) drachmas Acts 19:19 (=a worker’s wage for 137 years with no days off; cp. Jos., Ant. 17, 189)” (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich [BDAG], A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, 3^rd ed., 2000, s.v. ajrguvrion, argyrion [p. 128]). In other words, the silver coin in question was the day’s wage of a worker. The woman in Jesus’ Parable of the Lost Coin (Lk. 15:8-10) had “ten silver coins” (drachmas . . . deka) before losing one, only to find it again. So Paul’s ministry met with success, and “the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed” (v. 20).

Mark 1:14-20

The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry (Mt 4.12-17; Lk 4.14-15)

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news."

Jesus Calls the First Disciples (Mt 4.18-22; Lk 5.1-11)

16 As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea-for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. Mark 1:14-20, NRSV)

The following comments are based on relevant comments from those on Mark 1:14-29 of February 23, 2010 (Tuesday in the week of the First Sunday of Lent, Year Two), when comments were mainly repeated from those of July 11, 2009 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 6, Year One), when comments were repeated with some editing from January 13, 2009 (Tuesday in the week of the First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), when comments combined readings of July 6, 2008 (the Sunday closest to July 6, Year Two), on Mark 1:14-20, and comments of July 13, 2008 (the Sunday closest to July 13, Year Two), on Mark 1:21-27. Comments then were based on earlier comments, as noted there.

After introducing his topic, “The beginning of the good news [‘Or gospel ’ NRSV text note a] of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mk. 1:1), and a brief report on the ministry of John the Baptist (vv. 2-11), including the baptism of Jesus (vv. 9-11), Mark moves quickly to the temptation of Jesus (vv. 12-13) and the beginning of his ministry in Galilee (vv. 14–15) the call of first disciples (vv. 16-20). Next Sunday the readings report Jesus’ move to Capernaum (vv. 21-22), and the healing of the demoniac in the synagogue (vv. 23-28). Parallel passages for today’s reading are presented in the separate file, Beginning of the Galilean Ministry Note that after Jesus is baptized (Mk. 1:9-11), his temptation is reported in two verses (vv. 12-13, cf. 11 vv. in Mt., 13 vv. in Lk.).

“Now after John was arrested,” says Mark, “Jesus came into Galilee” (Mk. 1:14a). In Matthew and Luke, this return to Galilee follows the detailed report of the temptation of Jesus (Mt. 4:1-11; Lk. 4:1-13; cf. Mk. 1:12-13); in John, the return to Galilee follows an early period of ministry in Judea and Samaria (Jn. 2-4). Luke calls attention to Jesus’ being “filled with the power of the Spirit” (Lk. 4:14), after the temptation narrative, which Luke ends by reporting that “when the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time” (Lk. 4:13; cf. 22:3, 28, 53, refs. by Marion Lloyd Soards, NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Lk. 4:13). For Matthew, Jesus’ making “his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali” (Mt. 4:13), fulfills the prophecy of one of his “formula” quotations, “so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled” (v. 14): “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, / on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles–the people who sat in darkness / have seen a great light, / and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death / light has dawned” (vv. 15-16, citing Isa. 9:1b-2).

In each of the Synoptic Gospels, with the report of this return to Galilee, we are given a summary of Jesus’ preaching, to which Mark moves immediately. In Mark the report of Jesus’ return includes his “proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent (metanoei:te, metanoeite), and believe in the good news (eujaggevlion, euangelion, “gospel” AV/KJV)’ ” (Mk. 1:14b, 15). The word translated “repent” here, metanoevw (metanoeō ), can mean “change one’s mind” in secular Greek, but its more specific sense for our purposes is to “feel remorse, repent, be converted (in a variety of relationships and in connection with varied responsibilities, moral, political, social or religious.” It is used “as a prerequisite for experiencing the Reign of God in the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus Mt. 3:2; 4:17; Mk. 1:15” (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich [BDAG], A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature, 3^rd ed., 2000, s.v. metanoevw, metanoeō ).

In Matthew and Mark, the next event (after the return to Galilee and the summaries) is the calling of four disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John (Mt. 4:18-22; Mk. 1:16-20). Jesus passes along the Sea of Galilee, sees Simon and Andrew “casting a net into the sea–for they were fishermen” (Mk. 1:16; cf. Mt. 4:18), and calls them: “Follow me and I will make you fish for people” (Mk. 1:17; Mt. 4:19). We might compare this call to Jesus’ statement to Peter, in the account of “the great catch of fish” (Lk. 5:1-11, title by Soards, op. cit.), “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people” (Lk. 5:10b). The response of these men is immediate. “And immediately,” says Mark, “they [Simon and Andrew] left their nets and followed him” (Mk. 1:18; cf. Mt. 4:20). After Jesus goes “a little farther,” the call is issued to the sons of Zebedee. “As he went a little farther, He saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets” (Mk. 1:19). Matthew’s version notes here that Zebedee is “in the boat” as Mark quickly notes also. “Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him” (v. 20; cf. Mt. 4:22; Lk. 5:11; cf. also Mk. 10:28-30).

In Luke’s account this is not Jesus’ first meeting with Simon Peter, for he heals Simon’s mother in 4:38-39). But then, if we take into account John’s report of John the Baptist introducing Andrew and Simon Peter to Jesus (Jn. 1:35-42), prior to an early period of Judean ministry (Jn. 2:13-4:3), then the account in Matthew and Mark of Jesus calling them by the Sea of Galilee is not their first acquaintance. From Mark’s account by itself one might get the impression that these fishermen were total strangers to Jesus and made a sort of 180 degree turn immediately when called. But sometimes such a life-changing decision is made over time. The important thing is the commitment and a corresponding sense of God’s leading. God needs leaders like Moses and Joshua, in their proper time. It’s important to be with God, as Paul was, and not imposters like the exorcists at Ephesus. When the Lord calls, may we respond as Simon, Andrew, James and John did.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net