BCP Daily Office Lectionary for Thursday, Dec. 9, 2004
Source: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/index.htm
Morning Psalm(s): AM Psalm 37:1-18 [PCUSA: 18:1-20]
Evening Psalm(s): PM Psalm 37:19-42 [PCUSA: 126]
Old Testament: Isa. 7:1-9
Epistle: 2 Thess. 2:1-12
Gospel: Luke 22:1-13
Presbyterian Readings with Biblical Text for the Current Day:
http://www.pcusa.org/cgi-bin/lectiond.cgi
King Ahaz of Judah fears that two neighboring kings, Pekah of North Israel and Rezin of Syria, have joined forces to make war against him. Although his advice was not heeded (v. 12), Isaiah tells Ahaz that this threat is not the real threat. The real threat is the larger nation to the east, Assyria (v. 17). But for the immediate threat, Isaiah's word from the Lord is:
Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands . . . (v. 4)
This word of the Lord from Isaiah for Ahaz can be a word of the Lord for us. We may hear and heed it even though Ahaz did not. Are we threatened by smoldering stumps or firebrands? It
may be time to call the fire department to put out some fires: a mountain of chores? financial shortages? worries? Name your own smoldering stumps. But take Isaiah's promise to heart:
Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint.
(These observations on the reading from Isaiah 7:1-9) are repeated from December 12, 2002.)
Paul’s promise that “the Lord himself . . . will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thess. 4:16), apparently left some with an intense focus on an immediate Second Coming. In his Second Letter, Paul reassures them: “We beg you . . . not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here” (2 Thess. 2:2). In other words, he says, it hasn’t happened yet, and will not before “the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction” (v. 3). In the further description of the lawless one (vv. 4-12), some see “an insoluble problem of interpretation” (W. Neil, Peake’s Commentary). “There are three main conjectures, none of which is entirely satisfactory: (a) The Roman Empire and emperor; (b) A supernatural power; ( c) Satan himself” (Warren A. Quanbeck and William A. Beardslee, NOAB). Whatever this evil power is, we should be grateful for “what is now restraining him” (v. 6), and that “the Lord Jesus will destroy [the lawless one]” (v. 8).
The reading from Luke begins with reference to the Passover (Lk. 22:1; cf. Mk. 14:1; Mt. 26:2) and plans of the chief priests and scribes “to put Jesus to death” (Lk. 22:2; Mk. 14:1; cf. Mt. 26:3-4, which names Caiaphas). Luke continues immediately with Judas’ bargain with the chief priests and officers of the temple (Lk. 22:3-6; cf. Mk 14:10-11; Mt. 26:14-16), which follows the Anointing at Bethany in Mark (Mk. 14:5-9) and Matthew (Mt. 26:6-13). Perhaps Judas’ view of the poured out expensive ointment as “waste” (Mt. 26:8; Mk. 14:4) motivated his betrayal; Luke says that “Satan entered into Judas” (Lk. 22:3).
The reading continues with preparations for the Passover meal (Seder) by Jesus, Peter and John. Peter and John are directed to a house with a “guest room” (Lk. 22:11), “a large upper room” (v. 12), where “they prepared the Passover meal” (v. 13). With a little imagination, we might see this as appropriate for Advent, as preparation for the presence/coming (parousia) of the Lord. Later, different Christian traditions would debate the manner of the Lord’s presence in the Eucharist, but a common assumption of the fact of his presence underlay these debates. Even the Quakers have emphasized “The Presence in the Midst,” the title of a picture of Quaker worship which can be found at this web site: http://www.quakerinfo.com/quak_wor.shtml.
Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.