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Daily
Scripture |
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Friday
(December 31, 2010)* |
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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 |
Daily
Lectionary, Book of Worship Inter-Lutheran Commission on
Worship, c. 1978 (2002 printing) ‡ |
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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 |
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‡
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). |
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Unless
otherwise indicated, the scripture texts quoted are from The New Revised
Standard Version ( |
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Friday AM Psalm 46, 48 Isa. 26:1-9 2 Cor. 5:16-6:2 John 8:12-19 Eve
of Holy Name: PM Psalm 90 Isa. 65:15b-25 Rev. 21:1-6 [Samuel
Ajayi Crowther]: Psalm 119:57-64 Isaiah 60:4-9;
Romans 8:15-23; Matthew 9:35-38 Eucharistic Psalm
96:1-2,11-13; 1 John 2:18-21;
John 1:1-18 |
Friday,
December 31 Morning Pss.: 98; 148 Isaiah 26:1-6 2 Corinthians
5:16-6:2 John 8:12-19 Evening Pss.: 45; 96 |
Friday,
December 31 Morning Pss.: 98; 148 Isaiah 26:1-6 2 Corinthians
5:16-6:2 John 8:12-19 Evening Pss.: 45; 96 |
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New
Year’s Eve or Day Ecclesiastes
3:11-13 Revelation
21:1-6a Matthew
25:31-46 |
Year A, Daily Psalm 20 1 Kings 3:5-14 John 8:12-19 |
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*Friday in the
week of the First Sunday after Christmas, Year One |
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Isaiah 26:1-9 (Episcopal), 26:1-6 (Presbyterian and Lutheran)
26:1 On that day this song will be
sung in the
We have a strong city;
he sets up victory
like walls and bulwarks.
2 Open the gates,
so that the righteous nation that keeps faith
may enter in.
3 Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace–
in peace because they trust in you.
4 Trust in the LORD forever,
for in the LORD GOD
you have an everlasting rock.
5 For he has brought low
the inhabitants of the height;
the lofty city he lays low.
He lays it low to the ground,
casts it to the dust.
6 The foot tramples it,
the feet of the poor,
the steps of the needy.
7 The way of the righteous is level;
O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous.
8 In the path of your judgments,
O LORD, we wait for you;
your name and your renown
are the soul's desire.
9 My soul yearns for you in the night,
my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.
For when your judgments are in the earth,
the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. (Isaiah 26:1-9, NRSV)
The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from December 31, 2008 (Wednesday in the week of the First Sunday after Christmas, Year One), when comments were used with editing and supplement from December 31, 2004 (Friday in the week of the First Sunday after Christmas, references for December 31, Year One):
On Isaiah 26:1-6
Isaiah begins here by announcing, “On that day this song
will be sung in the
Although these chapters are
sometimes called ‘the Isaiah apocalypse,’ the themes of cosmic chaos and
restoration, the resurrection of the dead (26:14, 19), and the view that the
future constitutes the end of time need not indicate that these chapters are an
apocalyptic work; the formula ‘in that day’ may serve as a simple reference to
the future. Similarly, mythological perspectives can be used to identify divine
action in the world. (The New
Sweeney entitles the section “Prophetic announcement of the
LORD’s new world order based in
Rather than pointing to the end of
time, chs 24-27 point to the restoration of
Gold and Holladay refer in the present context to a “song of
victory . . . a processional psalm, sung on entering
“Open the gates,” continues the psalm (v. 2a), echoing “Lift
up your heads, O gates! / and be lifted up, O ancient doors!” (Ps. 24:7a, b,
repeated in v. 9a, b). In the Psalm, the entrance is for “the King of glory”
(Ps. 24:7, 8, 9, 10), that is, “the LORD, strong and mighty, / the LORD, mighty
in battle” (v. 8b, c), “the LORD of hosts” (v. 10b). Robert C. Dentan calls
Psalm 24 “a liturgy on entering the sanctuary, probably used in connection with
a procession of the ark” (NOAB, 2nd ed., on Ps. 24), and
says, “the choir outside the gates, presumably accompanied by the ark, now
requests to be admitted” (ibid., on vv. 7-10). But in Isaiah’s psalm, the
request to “open the gates” is “so that the righteous nation that keeps faith /
may enter in” (Isa. 26:2). He looks forward to
The LORD is addressed, describing those whom he blesses. “Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace–in peace because they trust in you” (v. 3). Because this is so, the people are exhorted: “Trust in the LORD forever, / for in the LORD GOD (hv!hy4 h0y!B;, bey~h YHWH, cf. oJ qeo;V oJ mevgaV oJ aijwvnioV, ho theos ho megas ho aiÇnios, ‘great eternal God,’ LXX; cf. NRSV text note q ‘Heb. in Yah, the LORD) / you have an everlasting rock” (v. 4). D. Winton Thomas suggests omitting h0y!B; (bey~h) with reference to the Septuagint reading (Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia [BHS], 1968, apparatus to Isa. 26:4). Dittography–accidental repetition of similar letters, is certainly a possibility here. The reference is clearly to the God of Israel who “has brought low / the inhabitants of the height; / the lofty city he lays low” (v. 5a, b, c). This “lofty city” the LORD “lays . . . low to the ground, / casts it to the dust. / The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, / the steps of the needy” (vv.5d, e, 6). The “lofty city,” according to Joseph Blenkinsopp, is an “alien city,” as he describes these verses as “a psalm in praise of Zion (cf. Ps. 48; ;76; 84; 87; 122) in contrast to the alien city now destroyed (24:10-13; 25:2), which will be trampled by the poor and needy” (NOAB, 3rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Isa. 26:1-6). According to Sweeney, “The initial song of praise celebrates the victory of the LORD over the oppressive city of chaos mentioned in 24:10)” (op. cit., on vv. 1b-6).
On Isaiah 26:7-9
The chapter continues with what Gold and
2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way. 17 So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
6:1 As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,
"At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you."
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! (2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2, NRSV)
The following comments are based on those of December 31, 2008 (Wednesday in the week of the First Sunday after Christmas, Year One), when relevant comments were repeated with some editing from comments on 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2 of June 4, 2007 (Monday in the week of Trinity Sunday, references for the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year One), when comments were combined with revision and supplement from May 30, 2005 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 1, Year One), and from February 19, 2006 (the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two):
In this passage Paul brings an extensive discussion in reflection on his ministry to a climax. After telling the story of his recent relationship to the Corinthian church in chapters one and two, he breaks off to discuss his ministry beginning in chapter three, a ministry “of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit” (2 Cor. 3:6), “a treasure in clay jars” (4:7), a ministry which tries “to persuade others” (5:11), before resuming the narrative (7:5). The “clay jar” (4:7) becomes Paul's “earthly tent” (5:1), his clothing (5:2-4), all representing his frail humanity, his mortality, but he looks forward “to be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” 5:4). Paul has been reflecting on his ministry in 2 Corinthians, chapters 3, 4 and 5. Some have challenged his credentials, “Surely we do not need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you, do we?” (2 Cor. 3:2), but the discussion of his ministry goes beyond a response to that challenge. A much stronger and more direct response to criticism comes in chapters 10-13. But the focus here has been on a contrast between “a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit” (3:6) and “the ministry of death” under Moses (v. 7, cf. 3:6-18), on his “open statement of the truth” and refusal “to practice cunning or to falsify God’s word” (4:2, cf. vv. 1-6), on his treasure, the gospel, held in human frailty (the “clay jar,” 4:7, cf. vv. 7-12), his hope for resurrection (4:14), the cure for human mortality (the “earthly tent” that is being destroyed, 5:1) and his confidence in Christ (5:6-11).
Paul further describes his ministry, keeping in mind the charges of his opponents that he will address more specifically later. His is a ministry that works by persuasion. “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade others” (v. 11). He is Christ’s ambassador (v. 20). Some “boast in outward appearance and not in the heart” (v. 12), but “the love of Christ urges us on [in ministry]” (v. 14).
The content of Paul’s gospel message is about Christ, who “died for all, so that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who died and was raised for them” (v. 15). Paul’s ministry is a “ministry of reconciliation” based on “new creation” in Christ. “From now on, therefore,” he says, “we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once knew Christ from a human point of view, we know him no longer in that way” (v. 16). The conversion Paul preaches amounts to a reversal of the fall of humankind, a “new creation: “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” (v. 17). It is a message of reconciliation, all of which “is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ” (v. 18a), and, adds Paul, “has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (v. 18b). This incidentally, includes a reconciliation of Paul’s Corinthian converts to himself and to God, after the destructive inroads of the false apostles. But the essence of the gospel is presented in verse 19: “that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.” “So we are ambassadors for Christ,” says Paul, “since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God” (v. 20). The gospel of Christ brings repentant sinners, estranged from God, back into relationship with God. Paul is Christ’s “ambassador” appealing to people. After this appeal, Paul further defines the work of Christ: “For our sake he [i.e., God] made him [i.e., Christ] to be sin (aJmartiva, hamartia) who knew no sin (aJmartiva, hamartia), so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (v. 21).
John Wesley translates aJmartiva (hamartia) in 2 Corinthians 5:21 as “sin offering” (cf. Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich-Danker, A Greek-English Lexicon, 2nd ed., 1979, p. 43, s.v. aJmartiva, hamartia, 3. “[God] has made him to be sin [i.e. subject to death] who knew no sin, for our sakes 2 Cor. 5:21. Or ha[martia] may = sin-offering here, as Lev. 4:24 . . . or Jesus is viewed as representative and bearer of the world’s sin . . .”). Ben Witherington III simplifies this a little: “The sinless one has been made sin, so that believers might become the righteousness of God” (Community & Conflict in Corinth, 1995, p. 397). In a footnote on the word “sin” he adds, “Perhaps this means ‘was made a sin offering’ (cf. Isa. 53:10), or it might mean that Christ was given the position of a sinner and treated as such. Wesley’s comment on verse 21 is as follows:
He made him a sin offering, who knew no sin - A commendation peculiar to Christ. For us - Who knew no righteousness, who were inwardly and outwardly nothing but sin; who must have been consumed by the divine justice, had not this atonement been made for our sins. That we might be made the righteousness of God through him - Might through him be invested with that righteousness, first imputed to us, then implanted in us, which is in every sense the righteousness of God. (John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on the New Testament, on the Internet web site, the Wesley Center Online, at http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/notes/2Corinthians.htm, accessed again December 29, 2010)
The reading concludes with further appeal: “As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, ‘At an acceptable time I have listened to you, / and on a day of salvation I have helped you.’ See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation!” (6:1-2, citing Isa. 49:8).
John 8:12-19
Jesus the Light of the World
12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 13 Then the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 In your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. 18 I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf.” 19 Then they said to him, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (John 8:12-19, NRSV)
The following comments are repeated here from relevant comments on John 8:12-20 of August 28, 2010 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 24, Year Two), when comments were repeated from February 10, 2010 (Wednesday in the week of the Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two), when comments were repeated from January 9, 2010 (Saturday in the week of the Second Sunday after Christmas, Ref. for Jan. 9, Year Two), when comments were repeated from August 23, 2009 (the Sunday closest to August 24, Year One), when they were based on earlier comments as noted there:
In John's Gospel, the occasion of Succoth (the Feast of Tabernacles), which featured the drawing and pouring out of water, provides a setting for Jesus’ claim, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water’ ” (Jn. 7:37-38). As discussion and debate with Pharisees continues, the emphasis upon light, “I am the light of the world” (8:12), leads to the healing of the blind man (chap. 9), with its question about who was really blind, the blind man whom Jesus healed, or the unbelieving Pharisees (9:40-41). And the Feast of Dedication (10:22), which we know as Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, continues the reference to “light.” The Feeding of the 5000 in John, chapter six, followed by Jesus' claim, “I am the bread of life” (6:35) and comparison with the “manna in the wilderness” (v. 49) reminds some of the Christian Eucharist and associations with the Passover. But the reference to Moses (v. 32) suggests an association with Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks, remembered by Christians as Pentecost), at which Jews celebrate the giving of Torah:
Shavuot is the holiday Jews
universally accept as the day when G-d gave the Jewish people the Torah
following Moses’ descent from
John's Gospel seems to progress through the Jewish calendar: Passover and/or Shavuot (chap. 6), Sukkoth (chap. 7), discussion of light and blindness (chaps. 8, 9), Hanukkah (chap. 10), and Passover again, in relation to the Christian Holy Week. Jesus uses these connections to present himself as the one sent by the Father (8:16). “If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (8:19).
According to Rabbinic tradition, a part of the celebration of bet hashshoebah was a ceremony of lights–torches carried in an evening procession to the temple–which would light up the city. Jesus thus claims to be the true light, the fulfilment of that aspect of the Feast of Tabernacles. This is one aspect of the presentation of his divinity in John’s Gospel, and the point of contention in the “testimony” which the Pharisees claim “is not valid” (v. 13). Jesus says that his claims have the testimony of two witnesses (v. 17; cf. Deut. 19:15). Moreover, merely human testimony would be invalid; Jesus comes from above (v. 14; cf. 3:31-33). According to Obery M. Hendricks, Jr., “He alone knows who he is (NOAB, 3rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Jn. 8:13-18). So the testimony that counts is his own and that of “the Father who sent me” (vv. 16, 18).
The Mishnah’s description of celebration at the Festival of
Tabernacles continues with the playing of instruments (harps, lyres, cymbals,
trumpets, and other musical instruments) by Levites standing on the steps which
go down from the Israelites’ court to the women’s court, singing the “fifteen
Songs of Ascents which are in the Book of Psalms,” followed by sustained shofar
blasts. (People of
5:1 A. Flute playing is for five or six days;
B. This refers to the flute playing on bet hashshoebah.
C. which overrides the restrictions of neither the Sabbath nor of a festival day.
D. They said: Anyone who has not seen the rejoicing of bet hashshoebah in his life has never seen rejoicing.
5:2 A. At the end of the first festival day of the Festival [the priests and Levites] went down to the women’s courtyard.
B. And they made a major enactment [by putting men below and women above],
C. And there were golden candleholders there, with four gold bowls on their tops, and four ladders for each candlestick.
D. And four young priests with jars of oil containing a hundred and twenty logs [i.e., about 40 liters], [would climb up the ladders and] pour [the oil] into each bowl.
5:3 A. Out of the worn-out undergarments and girdles of the priests they made wicks,
B. and with them they lit the candlesticks.
C. And there was not a courtyard in
5:4 A. The pious men and wonder workers would dance before them with flaming torches in their hand.
B. and they would sing before them songs and praises. (Mishnah, Sukkah 5:1-4, trans. Jacob Neusner, 1988, pp. 288-289)
The Gospel of John continues in 8:12 within the context of the Festival of Tabernacles (following the story of the Woman taken in Adultery [7:53-8:11]). If the people of Jerusalem celebrated in the manner described in the passage from the Mishnah cited above, lighting up every “courtyard in Jerusalem,” that is, lighting up their “world,” then it was very bold of Jesus to assert, “I am the light of the world” (Jn. 8:12). But it fits with earlier claims made for Jesus, and by Jesus, in the Gospel of John. “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life. As before, Jesus’ claim is disputed by the Pharisees: “You are testifying on your own behalf; your testimony is not valid” (Jn. 8:13), an objection which was anticipated by Jesus already in 5:31-47. Jesus answers, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid because I know where I have come from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going” (8:14). “You judge by human standards,” he tells his opponents; “I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is valid; for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me” (vv. 15-16). According to Hendricks, “Jesus does not need the approval of his self-witness from the religious authorities because (a) in that he comes from the world above, he alone knows who he is” (op. cit., on vv. 13-18). But Jesus appeals to their law (the Mosaic Law). “In your law it is written,” he says, “that the testimony of two witnesses is valid. I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf” (vv. 17-18). Hendricks continues, “(b) [cf. (a) above] the joint witness of the Father and the Son fulfills the requirement of two witnesses (Deut. 19:15)” (ibid.). The Pharisees challenge him with respect to his “Father”: “Then they said to him, ‘Where is your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also’ ” (v. 19). The Pharisees apparently aren’t aware of it, but they were in over their heads in this debate. Jesus “spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come” (v. 20).
The lighting up of
Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.