BCP Daily Office Lectionary for Oct. 19, 2004

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

Morning Psalm(s): AM Psalm 26, 28

Evening Psalm(s) PM Psalm 36, 39

Old Testament: Ecclus. 6:5-17

Epistle: Rev. 7:9-17

Gospel Luke 10:1-16

Jesus ben Sira talks about friends and friendship, true friends and those who disappointment us. "Peasant speech multiplies friends (Ecclus. 6:5), but they need to be tested (v. 7). One should not accept the advice of every friend. "Let those who are friendly with you be many,/but let your advisers be one in a thousand" (v. 6). Some will be friendly, but "will not stand by you in time of trouble" (vv. 8, 10). The best kind of friends, "faithful friends," are most valuable, "a treasure," "beyond price, " "life-saving medicine" (vv. 14, 15, 16). It is "those who fear the Lord" who will find true and faithful friends (v. 16). "Those who fear the Lord direct their friendship aright,/for as they are, so are their neighbors also" (v. 17). We are reminded of Proverbs 18:24, "Some friends play at friendship/but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin" (NRSV; earlier versions say "closer than a brother"). For that kind of friendship we look to Christ.

After the numbering of the 144,000, John sees "a great multitude that no one could count." They are "robed in white, with palm branches in their hands" (Rev. 7:9, symbolizing "righteousness and victory (Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB). They have "come out of the great ordeal," but "they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (v. 14). Now they sing and praise God:

            Salvation belongs to our God

                        who is seated on the

                        throne, and to the Lamb! (v. 10)

            Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom

            and thanksgiving and honor

            and power and might

            be to our God forever and ever!

                        Amen. (v. 12)

Glorious promises have been fulfilled for them:

            They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

                        the sun will not strike them,

                        nor any scorching heat;

            for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd

                        and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

            and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. (vv. 16-17)

Three Gospels report the Mission of the Twelve (Mt. 10:1, 9-11, 14; Mk. 6:7-13; Lk. 9:1-6), but only Luke reports the Mission of the Seventy (Lk. 10:1-12). Jesus gives similar instructions in both accounts. They go in pairs (Lk. 10:1; cf. Mk. 6:7). Jesus saying about the harvest provides motivation (Lk. 10:2; cf. Mt. 9:37-38). They are sent as lambs/sheep in the midst of wolves (Lk. 10:3; cf. Mt. 10:16). They are not to take money (Lk. 10:4; Mt. 10:9-10; Mk. 6:8). They are to stay where they are welcomed (Lk. 10:5-6; Mt. 10:11-13; cf. Mk. 6:10), but if not welcomed, they are to find another house (Lk. 10:6-7; cf Mt. 10:13). They are to "shake off" or "wipe off" "dust against" those who do not welcome them (Lk. 10:11; Mk. 6:11; Mt. 10:14, cf. v. 10). They are to preach the kingdom of God (Lk. 10:9; Mt. 10:7; Mk. 6:12). They went out and healed and cast out demons (Lk. 10:9, cf. vv. 17, 20; Mk. 6:7, 13; Mt. 10:1, 8). You might say I'm stretching a point to apply this by relating the Twelve to our ordained or recorded clergy and the Seventy to other Christian leaders, but as committed Christian believers we all share a common task. "The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ . . ." (Eph. 4:11-12). Elton Trueblood, for one, concludes from this passage that it is the job of the saints to do the work of ministry, and the job of pastors and teachers to equip the saints for ministry.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.