Bible Tuesday for Pentecost 23, 2016

Jeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22

7 Although our iniquities testify against us,
act, O Lord, for your name’s sake;
our apostasies indeed are many,
and we have sinned against you.
8 O hope of Israel,
its saviour in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
like a traveller turning aside for the night?
9 Why should you be like someone confused,
like a mighty warrior who cannot give help?
Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us,
and we are called by your name;
do not forsake us!

10 Thus says the Lord concerning this people:
Truly they have loved to wander,
they have not restrained their feet;
therefore the Lord does not accept them,
now he will remember their iniquity
and punish their sins.

19 Have you completely rejected Judah?
Does your heart loathe Zion?
Why have you struck us down
so that there is no healing for us?
We look for peace, but find no good;
for a time of healing, but there is terror instead.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
the iniquity of our ancestors,
for we have sinned against you.
21 Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake;
do not dishonour your glorious throne;
remember and do not break your covenant with us.
22 Can any idols of the nations bring rain?
Or can the heavens give showers?
Is it not you, O Lord our God?
We set our hope on you,
for it is you who do all this.

The prophecy of Jeremiah is an excellent example of a few themes found in the Hebrew Scriptures.

1. If something bad is happening, it is likely a judgement against you from God.

In this passage of Jeremiah, Israel is experiencing a severe drought. Jeremiah interprets this as God’s judgement against the idol worshiping Israel.

2. When a judgement is made against you, repent and God will grant reprieve.

The second portion of the above pericope is Jeremiah’s lament and admonition to Israel; lament of Israel’s sins, and admonition to Israel to repent so that God will send rain.

3. If you wouldn’t have sinned in the first place, this bad thing would not have happened.

Following this line of thinking, illness is judgement from God for sin, so are accidental injuries and deaths, whereas wealth and health are blessings from God for doing good.

Jesus specifically addresses this fallacy in the Sermon on the Mount, the parable of the sheep and the goats, and many other places. Matthew 5:45 “God sends rains on the just and the unjust.” If, indeed, we were able, by our own behavior, to manipulate God’s interaction with humans, that would imply that God is somewhat subject to humans, or at least vulnerable to humans. It also implies that we get what we earn. But, in fact, Christians firmly believe that we absolutely do not get what we earn, but what Jesus earned for us.

Psalm 84:1-7

To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.
How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise.
Selah

Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

It was the goal of every Jew to travel to Jerusalem and worship God in the Temple. This psalm is one of a few psalms used specifically during one’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem. The psalmist sees a sparrow’s nest built into the altar, not a nuisance, or sacrilege, but a symbol of God’s eagerness to grant refuge to all who seek it.

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

6 As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 16 At my first defense no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! 17But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.18The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Jouette M. Bassler writes in her introduction to Second Timothy, “The second letter to Timothy differs in significant ways from both First Timothy and Titus. According to the latter two, Paul was a free apostle, but 2 Timothy assumes that he is in prison, probably in Rome, abandoned by all but a few of his friends, and facing imminent death. The Letter thus assumes many aspects of a final testament, a thoroughly pseudepigraphical genre in which a dying patriarch exhorts and blesses a faithful child, warning him of problems to come. Concern for church orde3r is thus less important in this Letter than are personal exhortations. In particular, the example of Paul’s endurance in the face of suffering is used to encourage Timothy—and through him all Christians—to similar endurance.”

“The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom.” We read many such statements in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. Frequently these are read to mean that if one believes in God hard enough, then one will be spared from all harm. Therefore, if harm befalls you, it is because you do not believe in God enough. The Apostle Paul did not teach this, nor do I think that is the meaning of this passage. Jesus taught and Paul believed that no matter what evil or harm occurs in life, God is beside you, and will vouchsafe you to eternity with Him.

Luke 18:9-14

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

As per Martin Luther’s instruction, one must use scripture to interpret scripture. In the case of these past months’ readings from Luke, one must read the whole of Luke to interpret a selection of Luke. Last week’s lectionary reading was of the window and the unjust judge. The Judge was bored with the poor widow, but she kept pestering the judge until he finally heard her case and ruled in her favor. Jesus concludes this parable with the moral, “Will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night?” We are to ceaselessly pray to God. AND we are to hear this week’s parable.

In this week’s parable, there are two stereotypical characters, the good guy Pharisee and the bad guy tax collector. But we find out that the good guy’s status in the faith has gone to his head and his haughty prayers are filled with hubris and finger pointing. Meanwhile, the bad guy knows what people think of him and whisper behind his back. He believes it about himself and comes to God in shame and deep humility. Once again in Luke, Jesus turns the world on its head making the bad guy good and the “good guy” a hypocrite. The moral of this parable is to pray humbly, in full knowledge of your sinfulness and complete dependence on God’s grace.

If we combine the morals from these two parables, we learn how Jesus wants his followers to pray: endlessly, and humbly, knowing that we are completely dependent on God for everything.