Our passage today contains two stories, one of which happens in “unclean” territory, i.e., inhabited by Gentiles. The first story is unique in that Jesus appears to expand his view of his mission, and, by extension, that of the God of Israel.
The 16th Sunday
after Pentecost (Proper 18B)
1st Reading (Track 1): Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23
The Book of Proverbs is
ascribed to King Solomon, but no doubt contains material from many ages up
through the Exile. It is a collection of
wise sayings, witticisms, and poetic instructions on living well and
justly. Our passage today instructs on
the maintenance of a good reputation, exercising the virtue of generosity and
just behavior. Verse 2 should not be
taken to mean that God makes some people rich and others poor. Rather, it extols all people, whatever their
station in life, as children of God.
22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is
better than silver or gold. 2 The
rich and the poor have this in common: the Lord
is the maker of them all. 8 Whoever
sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of anger will fail. 9 Those who are generous are blessed, for they
share their bread with the poor. 22 Do
not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate; 23 for the Lord
pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil them.
Psalm
125 (Track 1)
Psalm 125 is one of the “songs of ascent” (Psalms
120-134) which were most likely the songs of pilgrims to Jerusalem to celebrate
one of the major festivals. Psalm 125 begins
as a song of confidence and trust and ends with a prayer that the wicked will
receive their due. “Peace be upon Israel”
at the psalm’s end may once have been a refrain for these pilgrim songs.
1 Those who trust in the Lord
are like Mount Zion, *
which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever.
2 The hills stand about Jerusalem; *
so does the Lord
stand round about his people,
from this time forth for evermore.
3 The scepter of the wicked shall not hold sway over the
land allotted to the just, *
so that the just
shall not put their hands to evil.
4 Show your goodness, O Lord,
to those who are good *
and to those who are true of heart.
5 As to those who turn aside to crooked ways,
the Lord will
lead them away with the evildoers; *
but peace be upon Israel.
1st Reading (Track 2): Isaiah 35:4-7a
Our first reading is a
vision of a restored Jerusalem/Israel. The opening verses of the chapter (not
included today) describe the transformation of the desert, which continues in
verse 6. The healing of the blind, deaf,
lame, and mute pair this passage with today’s Gospel reading.
35:4 Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here
is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will
come and save you.” 5 Then the eyes
of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then the lame shall leap like a deer, and
the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the
wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7a the
burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water.
Psalm
146 (Track 2)
The last five psalms are often referred to as the
“Hallel” or “Hallelujah” psalms.
“Hallelujah” is a Hebrew word meaning “Praise the Lord.” (“Alleluia” is
the latinized version of the word). They are hymns of praise. Psalm 146 is a hymn of the trustworthiness of
God, even for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, among the most
vulnerable in Israel’s patriarchal society.
1 Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, O
my soul! *
I will praise the Lord
as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
2 Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
for there is no help in them.
3 When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, *
and in that day
their thoughts perish.
4 Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help! *
whose help is in the Lord
their God;
5 Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them; *
who keeps his promise for ever.
6 Who gives justice to those who are oppressed, *
and food to those who hunger.
7 The Lord sets the
prisoners free;
the Lord opens
the eyes of the blind; *
the Lord
lifts up those who are bowed down;
8 The Lord loves the
righteous;
the Lord cares
for the stranger; *
he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.
9 The Lord shall
reign for ever, *
your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!
2nd Reading:
James 2:1-10 (11-13), 14-17
Two major themes of James are present in this passage: The first is not to show favoritism, which
violates the “royal law” of love of neighbor.
The second is that faith without action that flows from it, is worth
nothing.
2:1 My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really
believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? 2 For
if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and
if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, 3
and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and
say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand
there,” or, “Sit at my feet,” 4 have
you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil
thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved
brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in
faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love
him? 6 But you have dishonored the
poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into
court? 7 Is it not they who
blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? 8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal
law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin
and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10
For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become
accountable for all of it.
[11 For the one who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You
shall not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery but if you murder, you
have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So
speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment will be without mercy to
anyone who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.]
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith
but do not have works? Can faith save you? 15 If
a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and
eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good
of that? 17 So faith by itself, if
it has no works, is dead.
Gospel Reading: Mark 7:24-37
Chapter seven of Mark, as a whole, contains several incidents
in which Jesus re-defines right relationship with those labelled “unclean”
under Jewish law. Our passage today
contains two stories, one of which happens in “unclean” territory, i.e.,
inhabited by Gentiles. The first story
is unique in that Jesus appears to expand his view of his mission, and, by
extension, that of the God of Israel.
The exchange is shocking, but the woman becomes an example of persistent
faith. In the second story Jesus heals a
deaf-mute, and the Aramaic word he uses is preserved, which literally means,
“be released.” Jesus’ desire to operate
“under the radar” is becoming increasingly impossible as his acts of healing
become known.
7:24 Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house
and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an
unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his
feet. 26 Now the woman was a
Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her
daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let
the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and
throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she
answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying that, you
may go—the demon has left your daughter.” 30 So
she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre,
and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the
Decapolis. 32 They brought to him a
deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his
hand on him. 33 He took him aside
in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat
and touched his tongue. 34 Then
looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be
opened.” 35 And immediately his
ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but
the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying,
“He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to
speak.”
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 Collect of the Day and the Psalm
translation are 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. For lectionary bulletin inserts using these
readings and commentaries, go to our website.
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