Lectionary Notes - Epiphany 6C

Lectionary Notes - 6th Sunday after Epiphany

Readings for 6th Sunday after Epiphany, 2/11/07:

Jeremiah 17:5-10, Psalm 1, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20, Luke 6:17-26

Jeremiah 17:5-10:

"Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals." Indeed, even our US currency tells us where to trust - no, not in the money itself, despite practice! But in God. Ironic that such a phrase appear on the very thing that is probably what we most choose to trust over and above God: consumerism, capitalism, MONEY!
"Blessed are those" - "They shall be like a tree planted by water" - this imagery is repeated in Psalm 1, also in today's reading. Though here in Jeremiah is a better sense of the contrast between the parched/dry imagery and the lush/watered imagery that equals trusting in God.
"I the Lord test the mind and search the heart." Can we stand up to the test? What does God find in our hearts?

Psalm 1:

A typical psalm in its dualistic good/bad, righteous/enemies set up, but psalm is a little different since it doesn't emphasize God's wrath upon the enemies. Instead, those who do not have God in their life perish because of being outside God's law, consequences of their own actions/choices.
"On [God's] law they meditate day and night." I find it difficult, even as, or especially as, a pastor, to be faithful in my study and meditation on the scriptures. In a bible study I once led, Companions in Christ, one of the units dealt with meditating on the scriptures. The participants and myself all found it difficult - to focus in on the text and on God, to tune out all the business of the world around, to really dwell in the text. The visual image this psalmist shares of how our lives might be dwelling in God's law, however, encourage us to keep trying: "They are like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season".
The tree/stream imagery is much like a sponge soaking up water - we absorb, take in God's word. But better than a sponge, which just absorbs and then is simply soaked, a tree soaking water bears fruit - bears results -bears change because of God's word.

1 Corinthians 15:12-20:

Paul write hear to insist on both our resurrection from the dead and Christ's resurrection from the dead, both important, one dependent on the other. Christ is a human, like us, even though also divine. So if no person can be raised, this would include Christ. If Christ was raised bodily, so are we, if he was not, we are not. And if he was not, he died for nothing, since our sin is not taken from us. And if our sin is not taken from us, our hope, work, and life has all been in vain. This is the train of Paul's argument.
Of course, there are many schools of thought today which debate the necessity or not of viewing Christ's resurrection as physical/bodily or otherwise. I don't want to debate that point, but even still, I think Paul is right to emphasize the relationship between resurrection in Christ's life and resurrection in ours. We share in the resurrection. We share in God's ability to bring new life out of what seems like ending and death. Surely we can think of examples of resurrection that don't involve rebirth over physical death? Resurrection in still meaningful for us, even before our last day on earth arrives!

Luke 6:17-26:

It's impossible not to compare and contrast this passage with Matthew's Beatitudes in his chapter 5. Funny fact is that Matthew's account in from the Sermon on the Mount. Luke has the scene taking place on a plain. Interesting. Luke's account has the "woe to you" section that is absent in Matthew. Matthew spiritualizes the statements - "blessed are you who hunger and thirst for righteousness", while Luke focuses on the present - "blessed are you who are hungry now". (Emphasis mine.)
Frankly, I prefer Luke's version - I think people probably want some talk about real problems, for a change. Not to say that spiritual thirsting is not important, but where is the food for the hungry? And where are the consequences for those who have? Matthew lets them off the hook, but Luke's account is not so easy.

Pastor’s Note: (I use the Greek-English Lexicon from Liddell and Scott, the “little Liddell” and the Metzger et. al Greek New Testament in my translation work.)

Return to Notes Year C

Return to Lectionary Notes Page

Return to Home Page