BCP Daily Office Lectionary for Oct. 27, 2004
Source: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/index.htm
Morning Psalm(s): AM Psalm 119:49-72 [Presbyterian: 96:1-13]
Evening Psalm(s) PM Psalm 49, [53] [Presbyterian: 132:1-18]
Old Testament: Ecclus. 28:14-26
Presbyterian: Nahum 1:1-14
Epistle: Rev. 12:1-6
Gospel Luke 11:37-52
Presbyterian Readings for the current day:
http://www.pcusa.org/cgi-bin/lectiond.cgi
Ben Sira warns against sins of the tongue, which can wreak devastating havoc. "Slander has shaken many,/and scattered them from nation to nation;/it has destroyed strong cities,/ and overturned the houses of the great./Slander has driven virtuous women from their homes,/and deprived them of the fruit of their toil" (Ecclus. 28:141-15). "The blow of a whip raises a welt,/but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones./Many have fallen by the edge of the sword.,/but not as many as have fallen because of the tongue" (vv. 17-18). This view of the dangers from the tongue compares well with that of James: "How great a forest is set ablaze by a small-fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell" (Jas. 3:5-6). Ben Sira's advice has in view the severity of the problem. "As you fence in your property with thorns,/so make a door and a bolt for your mouth./As you lock up your silver and gold,/so make balances and scales for your words" (Ecclus. 28:24a, 25b, 24b, 25a, NRSV order).
John's vision of "a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Rev. 12:1), who "appears to be the heavenly representative of God's people, first as Israel (from whom Jesus the Messiah was born, v. 5), then as the Christian Church (which is persecuted by the dragon, v. 13)" (Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB). The "great red dragon" (v. 3), a serious threat to the woman and her child (v. 4), "is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world" (v. 9). Dreadful battle ensues (in tomorrow's lesson), but in anticipation, we note that the woman is protected.
The reading from Luke is a series of severe criticisms of Pharisees by Jesus (Lk. 11:37-52; cf. Mt. 23:1-36). Matthew's list seems longer, perhaps due to systematic or topical arrangement, but both are strong indictments. Luke uses the word "Woe" to introduce six statements and another, the first in the list is introduced by "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup . . ." (Lk. 11:39-41), where Matthew's parallel begins with "Woe to you . . ." (Mt. 23:25-26). Matthew has seven "Woe" statements plus two that are parallel to "Woes" in Luke (Mt. 23:4; cf. Lk. 11:46, and Mt. 23:6-7; cf. Lk. 11:43). It is important for Christian's to remember that Jesus' indictment was addressed to a few specific persons. It would be a grievous mistake to characterize all Pharisees then, or any Jews now, by these indictments. Let us attend to the log in our own eye, not the speck in another's (cf. Mt. 7:1-5).
Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.