BCP Daily Office Lectionary for Oct. 17, 2004

  Source: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/index.htm

Morning Psalm(s): AM Psalm 148, 149, 150

Evening Psalm(s) PM Psalm 114, 115

Old Testament: Ecclus. 4:1-10

Epistle: 1 Cor. 10:1-13

Gospel Matt. 16:13-20

The lesson from Ecclesiasticus is a series of instructions about almsgiving. "My child, do not cheat the poor of their living" (Ecclus. 4:1). "Do not grieve the hungry,/or anger one in need" (v. 2). One has an attached warning, "Do not avert your eye from the needy,/and give no one reason to curse you;/for if in bitterness of soul some should curse you,/their Creator will hear their prayer" (vv. 5-6). Special attention is given to the plight of orphans and widows (vv. 9-10; cf. Ex. 22:21-23).

The lesson from 1 Corinthians is called "A warning against overconfidence" (John Knox & John Reumann, NOAB). Baptism and partaking the Lord's supper do not guarantee salvation, any more than corresponding acts sufficed for the ancient Hebrews" (Knox & Reumann). Reference is made to "the most of them" who "were struck down in the wilderness" (1 Cor. 10:5) as "examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did" (v. 6). We are warned against idolatry (v. 7), sexual immorality (v. 8), putting Christ to the test (v. 9) and complaining (v. 10). But the paragraph closes with encouraging words. "No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it" (v. 13).

The Gospel lesson is Matthew's account of Peter's Confession and Jesus' response, followed by the first Passion Prediction. Three days ago (Oct. 14) the reading was Luke's version of these events. In response to Jesus' question, "But who do you say that I am?" (Mt. 16:15), Peter responds, "You are the Messiah [footnote, ‘Christ'], the Son of the living God" (v. 16). Jesus' response to Peter has been vigorously debated. Key terms are explained as follows by Elwyn E. Tilden & Bruce M. Metzger in the New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha (a study Bible which has approval from the Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions): "The Greek text involves a play on two words, ‘Petros' (‘Peter') and ‘petra' (‘rock'). Palestinian Aramaic, which Jesus usually spoke, used the same word for both proper name and common noun: ‘You are "Kepha" [Cephas; compare 1 Cor. 15:5; Gal. 2:9], and on this ‘kepha' [rock] I will build . . .' For the view that all the apostles also form the foundation of the church, see Eph 2:20; Rev. 21:14. . . . The keys of the kingdom are a symbol of Peter's power as the leader of the Church. Bind and loose are technical rabbinic terms meaning ‘forbid' and ‘permit' some action about which a question has arisen. Later the authority of binding and loosing was also conferred upon all the apostles (18:18)." Every part of the church needs to do its part in binding, loosing, and opening the kingdom to all who will enter. (Pardon the long quotation!)

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.