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1st Reading (Track 1):Genesis 45:1-15
In last week’s reading, Joseph was sold by his jealous and
resentful brothers and ended up a slave in Egypt. A great deal has happened
since then! Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams eventually comes to the
attention of the Pharaoh, and Joseph becomes what is essentially Pharaoh’s
second-in-command, having special charge to prepare Egypt for five years of
famine which Joseph has foreseen. Meanwhile back in Canaan, the famine hits
Jacob and his family hard and he sends the brothers to Egypt to buy grain
(holding Benjamin, the youngest, back). The brothers have to deal with Joseph,
but they do not recognize him. Joseph plays games with them for the purpose of
getting Benjamin (his only full brother) to join them. Our passage this morning
is the scene when the brothers return with Benjamin and Joseph can hold back
his identity no more. The brothers are afraid of retribution from Joseph, but
he has developed a sense of God’s providence, and the ability of God to make
good out of evil.
45:1 Joseph could no longer control
himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone
away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his
brothers. 2 And he wept so loudly
that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph.
Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed
were they at his presence. 4 Then
Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He
said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed, or angry with
yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.
6 For the famine has been in the
land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be
neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God
sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive
for you many survivors. 8 So it was
not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord
of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. 9 Hurry and go up to my father and say to him,
‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me,
do not delay. 10 You shall settle
in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your
children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have.
11 I will provide for you
there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your
household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’ 12 And now your eyes and the eyes of my
brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. 13 You must tell my father how greatly I am
honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down
here.” 14 Then he fell upon his
brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15 And he kissed all his brothers and wept
upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.
Psalm
133 (Track 1)
Psalm 133 is one of the “Songs of Ascents” (Psalms
120-134), pilgrim songs sung on the way to celebrate festivals in Jerusalem.
Verse one might very well have been a popular saying extolling the virtues of
family unity. Used here in this pilgrim song, especially near the end of the
collection, it becomes a song of the unity of all God’s people in the heritage
of Aaron (the first high priest), drawn together in one community in Zion, the
center of Jewish life.
1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!
2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard.
3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.
5 For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.
1st Reading (Track 2): Isaiah 56:1, 6-8
The last chapters of the book of the prophet Isaiah must
likely have their source in the restored community in and around Jerusalem. The
exiles are home from captivity in Babylon. The community faces a large
question, driven by their exile experience. Will they forge a separate nation
of only Jews, following a call to be God’s chosen people, or will they be “a light
to the nations,” envisioning other nations coming into relationship with
“their” God? Isaiah foresees the latter, while the former is pursued by the
authorities of the time (see the books of Ezra and Nehemiah). The argument will
go one for centuries, including the days of Jesus. Jesus signals his agreement
with Isaiah in word and deed, although, as we see in today’s Gospel, even he
has to make a choice.
56:1 Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is
right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. 6 And the foreigners who join themselves to
the Lord, to minister to him, to
love the name of the Lord, and to
be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast
my covenant—7 these I will bring to
my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt
offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall
be called a house of prayer for all peoples. 8 Thus
says the Lord God, who gathers the
outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already
gathered.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Psalm
67 (Track 2)
Psalm 67 celebrates God’s relationship with Israel and
invites “all the nations upon earth” into that relationship. The vision of God
here is a large one, larger than much of the Hebrew Scriptures are willing to
contemplate, but very much in line with the vision of the prophet Isaiah.
1 May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
show us the light of his countenance and come to
us.
2 Let your ways be known upon earth, *
your saving health among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide all the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.
6 The earth has brought forth her increase; *
may God, our own God, give us his blessing.
7 May God give us his blessing, *
and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of
him.
2nd Reading: Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32
In Romans chapter 11, Paul deals with a question that
arises given Paul’s emphasis both on the Gentiles being full partners as
disciples of Jesus, and on faith overcoming the law. The chapter begins with
the essential question. The church in its periods of anti-semitism has frequently
forgotten his answer, “By no means.” Israel remains God’s chosen people—this
cannot be revoked, but they share with all of humanity in their need of God’s
mercy. The law imprisons all, God has responded with mercy for all.
11:1 I ask, then, has God rejected
his people? By no means! I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a
member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2a God
has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are
irrevocable. 30 Just as you were
once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their
disobedience, 31 so they have now
been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now
receive mercy. 32 For God has
imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 15:(10-20), 21-28
The first (optional)
portion of this passage deals with an example of how Jesus deepens the law. The
laws of ritual defilement are meaningless if we do not comprehend that
defilement is something we frequently do to ourselves, what comes out of us
rather than what goes into us. This reasoning confounds the Pharisees, for whom
Jesus has harsh words. He then withdraws to the area of Tyre and Sidon, where
Gentiles were in the majority. His encounter with one of them is troubling.
Jesus seems cold, and his reaction to her does not jive well with his preceding
remarks about defilement. The Canaanite woman moves Jesus to a profoundly new
understanding: the barrier between Jew and Gentile has been erased, although
the woman, like Paul above, is comfortable with the priority of the Jewish
people. She just also has faith in this Messiah in whose “name the Gentiles
will hope (Matthew 12:21 quoting Isaiah 42:9).
[15:10 Then Jesus called the crowd to him and said
to them, “Listen and understand: 11 it is not what goes into the mouth that
defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” 12 Then the disciples approached and said to
him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you
said?” 13 He answered, “Every plant
that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone; they are blind guides of
the blind. And if one blind person guides another, both will fall into a pit.” 15 But Peter said to him, “Explain this
parable to us.” 16 Then he said,
“Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do
you not see that whatever goes into the mouth enters the stomach, and goes out
into the sewer? 18 But what comes
out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is what defiles. 19 For out of the heart come evil intentions,
murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. 20 These are what defile a person, but to eat
with unwashed hands does not defile.”]
21 Jesus left that place and went away to the
district of Tyre and Sidon. 22 Just
then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have
mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” 23 But he did not answer her at all. And his
disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting
after us.” 24 He answered, “I was
sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” 25 But she came and knelt before him, saying,
“Lord, help me.” 26 He answered, “It
is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 27 She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat
the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” 28
Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be
done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
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 translations 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 is given to copy for congregational use with this
attribution.
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