Bible Tuesday for Pentecost 9, 2016

Genesis 18:1-10

The Lord appeared to Abraham* by the oaks* of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. 2He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. 3He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. 4Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. 5Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ 6And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures* of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ 7Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.8Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

9 They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ 10Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him.

God appeared to Abraham back in Genesis 12 and told him that he would be the father of many nations, yet Abraham and Sarah are without children. Abraham and Lot have already journeyed to Canaan. They have parted company, each settling in different areas. Abraham and Sarah have already had a child by a surrogate slave, Haggar.

This story takes place by the Oaks of Mamre. These become an important landmark throughout early Israelite history. These are not merely trees, but a place of pagan worship. When Sarah dies, Abraham still does not have land of his own but goes to the local Canaanites and buys from them a cave near these oaks. Abraham entombs Sarah in this cave. He is later also entombed there, as is Isaac and Rebekah, and Jacob. When the Israelites escape Egypt, they bring with them Joseph’s body with the intention of laying him also in the cave by the Oaks of Mamre.

This story tells us much about Abraham and Sarah’s daily life and style of hospitality.

Abraham and Sarah are wealthy enough to have servants. We also know this from Abraham’s plea earlier in Genesis, “But Eleazar of Damascus, my servant, is my only heir!” In this story, a servant boy prepares the calf.

Abraham undersells his hospitality. After Abraham runs to greet the passersby, he offers them “a bit of water to wash your feet and a morsel of food” but hours later brings them a roasted calf, fresh baked pita bread, and milk with curds. Then Abraham, himself, master of the house, waits on them.

The strangest aspect of this story are the identities of the three men. The first verse of the story says “The Lord appears” to Abraham. But when Abraham sees the Lord, the story says that he sees three men. This story becomes the story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Two of the three men are the angels who save Lot and his family and then destroy those cities. But did Abraham really see God and two attendants but not know it was them? There is a strong biblical tradition that no one can see God and live. God’s perfection does not allow human imperfection to survive in God’s presence. When Moses and Elijah speak with God, God’s voice comes from a cloud or a burning bush, not a human form.

Psalm 15

O Lord, who may abide in your tent?
Who may dwell on your holy hill?

2 Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,
and speak the truth from their heart;
3 who do not slander with their tongue,
and do no evil to their friends,
nor take up a reproach against their neighbours;
4 in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
but who honour those who fear the Lord;
who stand by their oath even to their hurt;
5 who do not lend money at interest,
and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Jewish scholars believe this psalm to be one used as worshippers entered the Tent of meeting and later the actual Temple in Jerusalem. It was possibly a dialogue between priest and parishioners as they gathered for worship.

Colossians 1:15-28

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16for in* him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17He himself is before all things, and in* him all things hold together. 18He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

21 And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22he has now reconciled* in his fleshly body* through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him—23provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, became a servant of this gospel.

24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church. 25I became its servant according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26the mystery that has been hidden throughout the ages and generations but has now been revealed to his saints. 27To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

This is a hymn about God and Jesus. Paul uses hymns in his letters in Philippians and Corinthians as well. Here Paul Writes the lyrics to the hymn and then applies it throughout this letter.

“He is the image of the invisible God.” What a glorious thought this opening line conveys! God made visible! This thought is proclaimed in the Great Thanksgiving chant during the Easter season, that in loving Christ, “…we may come to love the God whom we cannot see.” This is stated in the reverse in verse 19, where God is please to dwell completely as human in Jesus. This is the meat on which to feast in meditation.

“In him all things…were created…” This is doctrine that is also reflected in the Philippians hymn, and later beautifully stated in the opening chapter of the gospel of John.

The hymn culminates in the doctrine of salvation, God creates peace between God’s perfection and sin stained creation by God’s own blood, Jesus on the cross.

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. 40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ 41But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things;42there is need of only one thing.* Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.’

Here is our introduction to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in the gospel of Luke. Only the gospel of John has the story of the raising of Lazarus. In the gospel of Luke, we meet Mary and Martha here, and as Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with ointment. In order to fully appreciate this story, one must read it coupled with the one immediately preceding it, last week’s gospel reading of the Good Samaritan parable.

Luke emphasizes discipleship in his gospel and defines discipleship as “Those who hear the word and do it.” The parable of the Good Samaritan exemplifies one who does the word. Mary exemplifies one who hears the word.

In the parable and Luke’s recount of Mary and Martha, unusual heroes are found. Obviously the Samaritan obeying God over and against the priest and the Levite makes him an unusual hero. The Samaritan acted like a godly Jewish man. Martha opens her home to Jesus and the disciples, an act of hospitality that includes quite a bit of work! As Jewish women, Mary and Martha would be expected to prepare food and accommodations for all these guests. While Martha lives by societal expectations, Mary is found sitting at the feet of the master, learning all that she can. Societally, Mary is not only burdening her sister, but bringing shame onto the family (and possibly causing discomfort to all their guests) by acting completely outside social and religious norms. Mary is acting like a godly Jewish man.

The Samaritan and Mary, disciples doing and hearing the word. Both of these acts of discipleship come at a price. Mary irritates her sister and brings shame onto her family by acting outside of rigid gender roles. The Samaritan puts out time and money to help the mugging victim.