Our Gospel reading is the beginning of “The Sermon on the Plain” (as opposed to the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew).
1st Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-10
These words from Jeremiah are somewhat
unique in the tradition of his book as they are more wisdom-like than
prophetic. The parallels to Psalm
1—itself in the wisdom tradition—are clear.
As is normal for wisdom literature, a simple choice is offered between
the way of life with God or death trusting in one’s own strength. Here the metaphors of a shrub in the desert
and a tree flourishing by the water make the choice clear.
17:5 Thus says the Lord: Cursed are those who trust
in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength,
whose hearts turn away from the Lord. 6 They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes.
They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. 7 Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose
trust is the Lord. 8 They shall be like
a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by
the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in
the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does
not cease to bear fruit. 9 The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse—who can understand it? 10 I the Lord
test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.
Psalm 1
1 Happy are they who have
not walked in the counsel of
the
wicked, *
nor lingered in
the way of sinners,
nor sat in the
seats of the scornful.
2 Their delight is in the
law of the Lord, *
and they meditate
on his law day and night.
3 They are like trees
planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due
season, with leaves that do not wither; *
everything they
do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the
wicked; *
they are like
chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked
shall not stand upright when
judgment
comes, *
nor the sinner in
the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *
but
the way of the wicked is doomed.
Paul’s argument for the truth of the resurrection of the dead
continues. His argument is simple (even
if his syntax is not). We cannot
proclaim Christ’s resurrection without also proclaiming the general
resurrection. The “first fruits” is an
ancient biblical notion. We bring always
our first fruits (i.e., not what is left over) to God (see, for example, Exodus
23). Here Paul is saying that the risen
life is Christ’s offering of “first fruits,” on behalf of all humankind.
15:12 Now if Christ
is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no
resurrection of the dead? 13 If
there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our
proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting
God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if
it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For
if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith
is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then
those also who have died in Christ have perished. 19
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all
people most to be pitied. 20 But in
fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have
died.
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:17-26
Our Gospel reading is the beginning of “The Sermon on the Plain”
(as opposed to the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew). Matthew’s sermon is 99 verses long; Luke’s
only 37, with some of the material from Matthew moved to other settings. Both start with beatitudes, but Luke’s are
quite different. They are more direct,
not as spiritualized. And they include
“woes.” Both blessings and woes very much continue the theme of the Great
Reversal from this Gospel.
6:17 Jesus came
down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples
and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of
Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to
hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with
unclean spirits were cured. 19 And
all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and
healed all of them. 20 Then he
looked up at his disciples and said: “Blessed are
you who are poor, for
yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are
you who are hungry now, for
you will be filled. Blessed
are you who weep now, for
you will laugh. 22 Blessed are
you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you
on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in
that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that
is what their ancestors did to the prophets. 24 But woe to
you who are rich, for
you have received your consolation. 25 Woe to you
who are full now, for
you will be hungry. Woe
to you who are laughing now, for
you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you
when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false
prophets.
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 Psalm translation is from The Book of Common Prayer. Commentaries are by Epiphany ESources, E.
Main St., Hornell, NY 14843, www.epiphanyesources.com ,
copyright © 2018. All rights reserved.
Permission is given to copy for group study, with attribution. Bulletin inserts
are available. Got to our website for more details.
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