The
First Reading: Acts of the Apostles
2:42-47
Today’s reading begins with a loose
“they.” The verse before says that the result of Peter’s sermon after the Pentecost
event, had the effect of three thousand people joining the believers. It is this “they” whose life together is
described below. It is an ideal
community of generosity and faith, where the good of all is highly valued. Note the dual reference to the Eucharist,
which had clearly already become an important part of the community’s life.
Questions about this passage concerning whether or not this way of life
together made the first believers “communists” or “socialists” ask modern-day
questions of an ancient text. The point is the profoundly different way of life
this represented in the midst of Empire:
a way of life where all took care of one another in a spirit of “glad
and generous hearts.”
2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to
the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe
came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the
apostles. 44 All who believed were
together and had all things in common; 45 they
would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as
any had need. 46 Day by day, as
they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate
their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising
God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to
their number those who were being saved.
Psalm 23
1
The Lord is my shepherd; *
I
shall not be in want.
2
He makes me lie down in green pastures *
and
leads me beside still waters.
3
He revives my soul *
and
guides me along right pathways for his Name’s sake.
4
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I shall fear no evil; *
for
you are with me;
your
rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5
You spread a table before me in the presence of those
who
trouble me; *
you
have anointed my head with oil,
and
my cup is running over.
6
Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days
of
my life, *
and
I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
The
Second Reading: 1 Peter 2:19-25
Our second
reading this morning is a troubling passage given its context. Verse 18 addresses the verses that follow it
to household slaves. The good of the
passage can only be in the fact that slaves are to be examples for the entire household
of God. Yet one cannot excuse the
capitulation to unjust relationship.
Slavery at the time of the early church was considered a part of the
natural order, as it was, shamefully, for centuries of the church’s life. The last line of the reading pairs it with
this morning’s Gospel. The word
“guardian” could also be translated “bishop” (it is the Greek word from which
comes our word “episcopal.”
2:19 It is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while
suffering unjustly. 20 If you
endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you
endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval. 21 For to this you have been called, because
Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow
in his steps. 22 “He committed no
sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When
he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten;
but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the
cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds
you have been healed. 25 For you
were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and
guardian of your souls.
The
Holy Gospel: John 10:1-10
On this Fourth Sunday of Easter we always read from the 10th
chapter of John’s Gospel with its imagery of Jesus as, first, gate for the
sheep into the protection of the sheepfold, and then (immediately following
this passage) the Good Shepherd. The image of Shepherd was long used as a title
for the kings of Israel and Judah, and, also, for God, as in our psalm (see
also, Ezekiel 34:1-10 and Isaiah 40:10-11).
10:1 Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not
enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a
bandit. 2 The one who enters by the
gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The
gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his
own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When
he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him
because they know his voice. 5 They
will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know
the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus
used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was
saying to them. 7 So again Jesus
said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and
bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9
I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come
in and go out and find pasture. 10 The
thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life,
and have it abundantly.”
The
Scripture quotations (except for the psalm) are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ
in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.
All rights reserved. The Collect
of the Day and the Psalm translation are from The Book of Common Prayer. Commentaries
are copyright © 2017, Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843, www.epiphanyesources.com. All
rights reserved. Permission to copy and edit for study groups is given,
provided this attribution remains.
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