Proper 17B (15 Pentecost 2018) Readings & Commentaries

After several weeks of John’s Gospel, we return to Mark for the rest of this church year.  In our reading today, the Pharisees confront Jesus because his disciples are not observing tradition concerning cleansing before eating. 

1^st Reading (Track 1):  Song of Solomon 2:8-13

The Song of Solomon (also known as the Song of Songs) is a collection of love poems.  They are unique in the Bible because of their expression of human sexual desire.  They may have been included in the Hebrew Scriptures to emphasize the importance of the values of mutual love and fidelity.  Christian interpretation has used them as an allegory of the loving relationship between Christ and his people.  If nothing else, more commentaries have been written throughout the ages on this book than on any other.

^2:8 The voice of my beloved! Look, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. ⁹ My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look, there he stands behind our wall, gazing in at the windows, looking through the lattice. ¹⁰ My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; ¹¹ for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. ¹² The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. ¹³ The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Psalm 45:1-2, 7-10 (Track 1)

Psalm 45 is, in essence, a love song, probably written to be sung at a royal wedding.  The writer is a court poet, addressing the king and his court in luxurious and flattering language.

1     My heart is stirring with a noble song;

       let me recite what I have fashioned for the king; *

              my tongue shall be the pen of a skilled writer.

2     You are the fairest of men; *

              grace flows from your lips,

              because God has blessed you for ever.

7     Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever, *

              a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom;

              you love righteousness and hate iniquity.

8     Therefore God, your God, has anointed you *

              with the oil of gladness above your fellows.

9     All your garments are fragrant with myrrh, aloes, and cassia, *

              and the music of strings from ivory palaces makes you glad.

10   King’s daughters stand among the ladies of the court; *

              on your right hand is the queen,

              adorned with the gold of Ophir.

1^st Reading (Track 2):  Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9

Deuteronomy is the account of the last words of Moses and consists in several long speeches given by him to the people.  The first ends in chapter 4. The first speech is an admonition to obey the law as a whole.  He has reminded the people of the past, of God’s saving actions and their constant rebellion.  At the end of the speech here he turns toward the future, promising that their obedience will be rewarded with possession of the land they have been promised.  But they must remember and tell.

^4:1 So now, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. ² You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the Lord your God with which I am charging you. ⁶ You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!” ⁷ For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is whenever we call to him? ⁸ And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today? ⁹ But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children.

Psalm 15 (Track 2)

Psalm 15 was probably used as an entrance liturgy by pilgrims into the Temple.  It is essentially a list of requirements for worshippers.  There are ten requirements listed in verses two through six.

1     Lord, who may dwell in your tabernacle? *

              Who may abide upon your holy hill?

2     Whoever leads a blameless life and does what is right, *

              who speaks the truth from his heart.

3     There is no guile upon his tongue;

       he does no evil to his friend; *

              he does not heap contempt upon his neighbor.

4     In his sight the wicked is rejected, *

              but he honors those who fear the Lord.

5     He has sworn to do no wrong, *

              and does not take back his word.

6     He does not give his money in hope of gain, *

              nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

7     Whoever does these things *

              shall never be overthrown.

2^nd Reading:  James 1:17-27

We will spend the next five weeks reading the Letter of James (traditionally attributed to the brother of Jesus).  The letter is written out of the wisdom tradition of ancient Israel.  Jesus is mentioned only twice in the letter, although it is obvious that it is written to an organized Christian community.  One of the great themes of James is the right relationship between rich and poor, primarily the obligation the former has to the latter.  A related theme is the necessity of faith acted out.  Both themes are present in this passage.

^1:17 Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ¹⁸ In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures. ¹⁹ You must understand this, my beloved:  let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; ²⁰ for your anger does not produce God’s righteousness. ²¹ Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. ²² But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. ²³ For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; ²⁴ for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. ²⁵ But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. ²⁶ If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. ²⁷ Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this:  to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

After several weeks of John’s Gospel, we return to Mark for the rest of this church year.  In our reading today, the Pharisees confront Jesus because his disciples are not observing tradition concerning cleansing before eating.  It’s important to understand that what is going on here has nothing to do with hygiene.  Ritual purity was an essential characteristic of the Judaism practiced by the Pharisees.  Jesus critiques this brand of religion, saying that it too often misses the heart of the matter.  What should be central is the condition of one’s heart and its orientation to the world.  The quote in verses 6-7 is from Isaiah is 29:13, as it was translated into Greek.

^7:1 Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, ² they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them. ³ (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they thoroughly wash their hands, thus observing the tradition of the elders; ⁴ and they do not eat anything from the market unless they wash it; and there are also many other traditions that they observe, the washing of cups, pots, and bronze kettles.) ⁵ So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” ⁶ He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied rightly about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; ⁷ in vain do they worship me, teaching human precepts as doctrines.’ ⁸ You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.” ¹⁴ The he called the crowd again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and understand:  ¹⁵ there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile. ²¹ For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come:  fornication, theft, murder, ²² adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. ²³ All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

The Scripture readings (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 Psalm translation is from The Book of Common Prayer.  Commentaries are copyright © 2018 Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843. www.EpiphanyEsources.com. All rights reserved. Permission is given to copy for group study.  Bulletin inserts are available by subscription.

Proper 16B (14 Pentecost 2018) Readings & Commentaries

The Church hears these words in the context of the Eucharist and they make sense to us.  They would not have made sense to his original hearers.  For the Gospel writer they are crucial:  Jesus is the Word made flesh.  This is what he is convinced we must believe.

1^st Reading (Track 1): 1 Kings 8:(1,6,10-11) 22-30, 41-43

Once he became king, Solomon set about building the Temple in Jerusalem. Chapters 6 and 7 describe the building of the Temple and the details of its furnishings.  Chapter 8 is the Temple’s dedication, led by Solomon.  The first step is to bring the Ark from the tent in which it had been housed to its new dwelling place.  Solomon then prays the dedicatory prayer, which takes up 8:22-66.  He begins by remembering the covenant sworn to his father David, and then acknowledges that a house built by human hands cannot contain God. Nevertheless, he asks God to hear the prayers of his people made from this place, and, then, in an extraordinary gesture, asks the prayer of foreigners to be heard as well.

[^8:1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion. ⁶ Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. ¹⁰ And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, ¹¹ so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.]

²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. ²³ He said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, ²⁴ the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. ²⁵ Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, ‘There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ ²⁶ Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David. ²⁷ But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! ²⁸ Regard your servant’s prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; ²⁹ that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. ³⁰ Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive. ⁴¹ Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name ⁴² —for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm—when a foreigner comes and prays toward this house, ⁴³ then hear in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.”

Psalm 84 (Track 1)

Psalm 84 celebrates the presence of God in the Temple, a presence which guarantees divine protection, including in the person of the king.

1     How dear to me is your dwelling, O Lord of hosts! *

              My soul has a desire and a longing for the courts of the LORD;

              my heart and my flesh rejoice in the living God.

2     The sparrow has found her a house

       and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young; *

              by the side of your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

3     Happy are they who dwell in your house! *

              they will always be praising you.

4     Happy are the people whose strength is in you! *

              whose hearts are set on the pilgrims’ way.

5     Those who go through the desolate valley will find

                                          it a place of springs, *

              for the early rains have covered it with pools of water.

6     They will climb from height to height, *

              and the God of gods will reveal himself in Zion.

7     Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer; *

              hearken, O God of Jacob.

8     Behold our defender, O God; *

              and look upon the face of your Anointed.

9     For one day in your courts is better than

                                          a thousand in my own room, *

              and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God

              than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.

10   For the Lord God is both sun and shield; *

              he will give grace and glory;

11   No good thing will the Lord withhold *

              from those who walk with integrity.

12   O Lord of hosts, *

              happy are they who put their trust in you!

1^st Reading (Track 2):  Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18

Israel is finally in possession of the promised land after forty years in the wilderness.  Moses has been unable to come with them; Joshua has been their leader through the frequently bloody takeover.  His work done, and now near death, Joshua assembles them at Shechem (a major political and religious center for Israel prior to Jerusalem) to lay before them the choice they have to make.  “Choose this day whom you will serve.”  In verse 29 of this chapter, Joshua dies and the bones of Joseph, carried from Egypt are finally buried. Israel has arrived, but the question of their choice clearly still hangs in the air.

^24:1 Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. ^2a And Joshua said to all the people, ¹⁴ “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” ¹⁶ Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; ¹⁷ for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; ¹⁸ and the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”

Psalm 34:15-22 (Track 2)

This psalm of thanksgiving, portions of which we have read for the last two weeks, concludes with a promise that God is favorably disposed to the righteous, and the wicked can expect a life that ends in disaster.  The psalm does not assume that the righteous live trouble-free lives, but their distress will not go unheeded.

15  The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, *

              and his ears are open to his cry.

16  The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, *

              to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.

17  The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them *

              and delivers them from all their troubles.

18  The Lord is near to the brokenhearted *

              and will save those whose spirits are crushed.

19  Many are the troubles of the righteous, *

              but the Lord will deliver him out of them all.

20  He will keep sake all his bones; *

              not one of them shall be broken.

21  Evil shall slay the wicked, *

              and those who hate the righteous will be punished.

22  The Lord ransoms the life of his servants, *

              and none will be punished who trust in him.

2^nd Reading:  Ephesians 6:10-20

The writer of Ephesians exhorts us to a serious following of Christ.  In this passage near the end of his letter, he uses imagery that following Christ is akin to waging war.  This war is not, however, with other human beings. It is with “cosmic powers” and “spiritual forces.”  This is apocalyptic imagery familiar to the writer and his recipients of the struggle between good and evil.  The military imagery may be difficult for some of us, and yet it is important to note what the armor and weapons are turned into:  truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word of God.

^6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. ¹⁵ As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸ Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

Gospel Reading:  John 6:56-69

Jesus has just dropped a bombshell (v. 51): “The bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” He then goes on to speak of eating his flesh and drinking his blood. It is no wonder that “many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him.”  The Church hears these words in the context of the Eucharist and they make sense to us.  They would not have made sense to his original hearers.  For the Gospel writer they are crucial:  Jesus is the Word made flesh.  This is what he is convinced we must believe.

^6:56 Jesus said, “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.” ⁵⁹ He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum. ⁶⁰ When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” ⁶¹ But Jesus, being aware that his disciples were complaining about it, said to them, “Does this offend you? ⁶² Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? ⁶³ It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴ But among you there are some who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him. ⁶⁵ And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted by the Father.” ⁶⁶ Because of this many of his disciples turned back and no longer went about with him. ⁶⁷ So Jesus asked the twelve, “Do you also wish to go away?” ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. ⁶⁹ We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

The Scripture readings (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 Psalm translation is from The Book of Common Prayer.  Commentaries are copyright © 2018 Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843. www.EpiphanyEsources.com. All rights reserved. Permission is given to copy for study use with this attribution.

Proper 15B (13 Pentecost 2018) Readings & Commentaries

The writer to the Ephesians also exhorts his hearers to wisdom, in this case, the ability to recognize good from evil.  The writer knows the context for encouraging this wisdom:  the worshipping community. 

1^st Reading (Track 1):  1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14

King David is dead, and he has chosen Solomon, his son with Bathsheba, to be his successor, although Solomon had to fight several of his elder brothers to keep it (the story is told in the remainder of chapter two).  Solomon, encountering God in a dream, asks for wisdom and receives it, although verse 14 adds a conditional “if,” which foreshadows things to come.

^2:10 David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. ¹¹ The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ¹² So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established. ^3:3 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. ⁴ The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” ⁶ And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. ⁷ And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸ And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. ⁹ Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” ¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹ God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹² I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. ¹³ I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you. ¹⁴ If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.”

Psalm 111 (Track 1)

Psalm 111 praises God for the faithful deeds he has done in bringing Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land and blessing them with a covenant.  The last verse makes this psalm an appropriate response to our first reading.

1     Hallelujah!

       I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, *

              in the assembly of the upright, in the congregation.

2     Great are the deeds of the Lord! *

              they are studied by all who delight in them.

3     His work is full of majesty and splendor, *

              and his righteousness endures for ever.

4     He makes his marvelous works to be remembered; *

              the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.

5     He gives food to those who fear him; *

              he is ever mindful of his covenant.

6     He has shown his people the power of his works *

              in giving them the lands of the nations.

7     The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; *

              all his commandments are sure.

8     They stand fast for ever and ever, *

              because they are done in truth and equity.

9     He sent redemption to his people;

       he commanded his covenant for ever; *

              holy and awesome is his Name.

10  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; *

              those who act accordingly have a good understanding;

              his praise endures for ever.

1^st Reading (Track 2):  Proverbs 9:1-6

The figure of Lady Wisdom is important to the ancient Hebrew literature called “Wisdom.”  She is understanding and righteousness personified.  Here she invites all in need of wisdom (“the simple”) to a festal banquet, a metaphor for learning and following her ways.  In the history of Christian interpretation this text has been thought to foreshadow the Eucharist.  Indeed, it is the Old Testament reading on Maundy Thursday in the Eastern Church.

^9:1 Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn her seven pillars. ² She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. ³ She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls from the highest places in the town, ⁴ “You that are simple, turn in here!” To those without sense she says, ⁵ “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. ⁶ Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

Psalm 34:9-14 (Track 2)

Overall, Psalm 34 is a song of thanksgiving.  The “fear” of God is a much misunderstood concept in the Bible, particularly in the Hebrew Scriptures.  There are three elements to this rich term:  awe and reverence, the turning from evil, and the choice of obedience to the ways of God.  This passage very much echoes the words of Lady Wisdom in Proverbs.

9     Fear the Lord, you that are his saints *

              for those who fear him lack nothing.

10  The young lions lack and suffer hunger, *

              but those who seek the Lord lack nothing that is good.

11  Come, children, and listen to me; *

              I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12  Who among you loves life *

              and desires long life to enjoy prosperity?

13  Keep your tongue from evil-speaking *

              and your lips from lying words.

14  Turn from evil and do good; *

              seek peace and pursue it.

2^nd Reading:  Ephesians 5:15-20

The writer to the Ephesians also exhorts his hearers to wisdom, in this case, the ability to recognize good from evil.  The writer knows the context for encouraging this wisdom:  the worshipping community.  Note the paradox: “the days are evil” but give thanks at all times.  Such realism and hope are a necessary point/counter-point in the Christian life.

^5:15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹ as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, ²⁰ giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Reading:  John 6:51-58

Jesus has caused grumbling with his talk about being bread that comes down from heaven.  Now he takes it a step further. This bread is his flesh. This causes an open dispute to break out.  The crowd thinks he is being ridiculous.  But he presses on, carrying the metaphor to its breaking point.  “The one who eats this bread will live forever.”

^6:51 Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” ⁵² The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³ So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; ⁵⁵ for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them. ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

The Scripture readings (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 Psalm translation is from The Book of Common Prayer.  Commentaries are copyright © 2018 Epiphany ESources, 67 E. Main St., Hornell, NY 14843. www.EpiphanyEsources.com. All rights reserved. Permission is given to copy for congregational and personal study use with this attribution.  For bulletin inserts using the above, go to our website.