This passage begins Jesus’ long farewell speech to his disciples (continuing through chapter 17). It follows the scene of the supper at which Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and gives the “new commandment” to love one another as he has loved them.
The Collect of the Day
Almighty
God, whom truly to know is everlasting life:
Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the
truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that
leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and
reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
1st Reading: Acts of the Apostles 7:55-60
In
our first reading, the Deacon Stephen is stoned to death by a crowd which has
been angered by his words spoken immediately before this reading in which he
says that Moses himself foresaw the coming of Jesus the Messiah and that Jesus
was murdered just as the ancestors of his listeners murdered many of the
prophets before him. The witness Saul is
the later Paul, here still a persecutor of the followers of Jesus. The parallels in Stephen’s death to the death
of Jesus are deliberate, particularly his two prayers at the end of the
reading. Stephen becomes the first
martyr among the followers of Jesus.
7:55 Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven
and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he
said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand
of God!” 57 But they covered their
ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58 Then they dragged him out of the city and
began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young
man named Saul. 59 While they were
stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud
voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he
died.
Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
Our psalm works well as a response to the first reading in
that the writer is under profound threat from enemies. He responds with trust and confidence in
God’s loving purposes. In Luke’s Gospel, the first half of verse 5, comes from
the lips of Jesus on the cross.
1 In
you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let
me never be put to shame; *
deliver
me in your righteousness.
2 Incline
your ear to me; *
make
haste to deliver me.
3 Be
my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for
you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for
the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
4 Take
me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for
you are my tower of strength.
5 Into
your hands I commend my spirit, *
for
you have redeemed me,
O
Lord, O God of truth.
15
My times are in your hand; *
rescue
me from the hands of my enemies,
and
from those who persecute me.
16
Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and
in your loving-kindness save me.
2nd Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10
We continue
our reading from the First Letter of Peter during Eastertide. There is much use of images from the Hebrew
Scriptures in this passage. “Taste that
the Lord is good” is from psalm 34 (v. 8).
There is then a quote from Psalm 118:22 (in both v. 4 and v. 7). The
quote in verse 6 is Isaiah 28:16 and verse 8 is Isaiah 8:14-15. The imagery of
“a chosen race, a royal priesthood…” is from the prophet Hosea (2:23) and the
book of Exodus (19:6). It is clear from
the last line that Peter is speaking primarily to Gentiles who were once “not a
people” in the eyes of God. There may be elements of an early Christian hymn in
this passage.
2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it
you may grow into salvation—3 if
indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 Come
to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in
God’s sight, and 5 like living
stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy
priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. 6 For it stands in
scripture: “See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and
precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 7 To you then who believe, he is precious; but
for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become
the very head of the corner,” 8 and
“A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.” They
stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do. 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the
mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are
God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Gospel Reading: John 14:1-14
This passage begins Jesus’ long farewell speech to his
disciples (continuing through chapter 17). It follows the scene of the supper
at which Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and gives the “new commandment” to
love one another as he has loved them.
He now prepares them for his departure:
“Do not let your hearts be troubled.” He promises an eternal place for
them with him. For many Christians this passage is somewhat troubling in its
seemingly exclusive claim: “No one comes
to the Father except through me.” All that one can say with any certainty is
that this claim was clearly important to the community of John (it is contained
only in this Gospel). There are many other indications that John’s community
was under a great deal of stress, feeling threatened by “outsiders.” In that
context, such a claim is not surprising, even if many contemporary Christians
want to bring a significant amount of nuance to it. One must also be careful with Jesus’ promise
to answer prayer. This is not a promise to do whatever we ask. The asking must
be “in Jesus’ name,” that is, in relationship with him.
14:1 Jesus told his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe
in God, believe also in me. 2 In my
Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have
told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and
will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am
going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord,
we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the
truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father
also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” 8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father,
and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus
said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not
know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the
Father’? 10 Do you not believe that
I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do
not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the
Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works
themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell
you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact,
will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so
that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If
in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.
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. All rights reserved. The Collect of the Day and the Psalm
translation are from The Book of Common Prayer. Commentaries are copyright © 2020,
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. Go to our website for more information.
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