BCP Daily Office Lectionary for Nov. 16, 2004
Source: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/index.htm
Morning Psalm(s): Psalm 97, 99, [100][Presbyterian: 54:1-7]
Evening Psalm(s) Psalm 94, [95] [Presbyterian: 28:1-9]
Old Testament: Habakkuk 3:1-10 (11-15) 16-18
Epistle: James 3:1-12
Gospel Luke 17:1-10
Presbyterian Readings for the current day:
http://www.pcusa.org/cgi-bin/lectiond.cgi
The last chapter of Habakkuk looks like it was borrowed from the book of Psalms. It has a superscription: “A prayer of the prophet Habakkuk according to Shigionoth” (Hab. 3:1; cf. Ps. 7, superscription), a subscription, “to the leader (lamnas@s@ēah), with stringed instruments (cf. the superscriptions of many Psalms), and stanzas separated by “Selah”(Hab. 3:3, 9, 13). After a brief petition, “In our own time revive it [i.e. your work, O LORD]” (v. 2). He seems to recount the history of God’s actions when he delivered Israel from enemies on the journey from Egypt to the Promised Land (vv. 3-15), but scholars suggest that the prophet’s eye is on the future. The reference to “the rivers” and “the sea” (v. 8). Deliverance from Egypt in the past becomes a picture of future deliverance from Babylon, this time crossing the Euphrates (cf. O. Palmer Robertson in The New International Commentary on the Old Testament). “The overarching theme of this chapter [3] may be seen as a poetic elaboration of 2:4" (Robertson), “Look at the proud!/Their spirit is not right in them,/but the righteous live by their faith.”
The lesson from James warns about sins of the tongue, intemperate speech that “boasts of great exploits” (v. 5), “a fire . . . a world of iniquity” (v. 6), untamable, “full of deadly poison” (v. 8). “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so” (v. 10). These warnings are addressed to teachers, or those who would be teachers (v. 1). “Two besetting sins of the teacher are rebuked: intemperate speech (vv. 1-12) and arrogance (vv. 13-18–from tomorrow’s lesson). Teaching is an essential function within society in general as well as in the church. Pray that we may do it in a proper spirit, with dedication both to truth and to the well-being of those with whom we work.
After the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Jesus continues with various admonitions: on not causing another to sin (Lk. 17:1-2; cf. Mk. 9:42; Mt. 18:6-7), on forgiveness (Lk. 17:3-4; cf. Mt. 18:15, 21-22), on “faith the size of a mustard seed” (Lk. 17:5-6; cf. Mt. 17:20) and on “obedience to God [as] a duty to be fulfilled and not an occasion for reward” (Lk. 17:7-10; described by Elwyn E. Tilden & Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB). These sayings teach “the disciples . . . about the nature of their stewardship in the Kingdom,” which is set “in contrast to the Pharisaic failure to exercise stewardship” (G. W. H. Lampe, Peake’s Commentary). Let us pray to be faithful servants; then the rewards will take care of themselves.
Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.