Percope Study for Lent 4B

I have tried to focus on things that might be of use in sermonizing. As usual, while I try to give credit where credit is due, the opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of any particular congregation, conference, synod, denomination, nation, or multinational coalition.

Collect / POD: God of all mercy, by your power to heal and to forgive, graciously cleanse us from all sin and make us strong; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

[4] From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. [5] The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” [6] Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. [7] The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. [8] And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” [9] So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. Lord

“In the ancient world, there was general respect for, revulsion at, and fear of serpents, most being assumed to be poisonous and therefore dangerous. The serpent thus came to be understood symbolically with both positive and negative connotations. In some ancient cultures, the serpent was associated with deity and was depicted in statues and paintings with various gods and goddesses. Serpents also played various roles in ancient mythological stories (e.g., the Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic. Some even linked the serpent with the process of healing, as in the case of the Greek god Asclepius. In Canaanite religion, which the early Hebrew people encountered upon their arrival in the area, the serpent was associated with the fertility worship of Baal, his consort Astarte (also known as Anath or Asherah) being depicted with a serpent.” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary)

The Hebrew for “Serpent” is not consistent here. In 21.6, 7, & 9 it is nachash (snake, crocodile, dragon; verb: seek / give omen, practice divination), and in 21.8 it is saraph (fiery or winged serpent; verb: burn, cauterize). In particular, note that in 21.6 it is a “poisonous serpent” and in 21.8 the Hebrew lacks “poisonous”. Does this mean there are two kinds of snakes? Or perhaps two functions?

Note the appearance of “sacred pole” and “bronze serpent” in 2Kg 18.1-8 and “seraph” (=fiery serpent) in Isaiah 6.1-7. How might these be related to Num 21?

Mt Hor: “The mountain on which Aaron died and on which the Israelites gathered and camped on the border of Edom (Num 20, 22-29, 33.37-39)”. (Harper’s Bible Dictionary) Note that this is NOT Mt Horeb / Sinai.

2 You were dead through the trespasses and sins [2] in which you once lived, following the course of this world, following the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work among those who are disobedient. [3] All of us once lived among them in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of flesh and senses, and we were by nature children of wrath, like everyone else. [4] But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us [5] even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- [6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the ages to come he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God-- [9] not the result of works, so that no one may boast. [10] For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.

Paul’s authorship of Ephesians is “disputed”. How do you deal with this and other authorship issues in the Bible with your congregation?

What is the significance of the past tense in 2.5-6 – made alive, raised up, seated? Is this realized eschatology? How is it connected to 2.7's mention of future “immeasurable riches . . .”. (nb: Since “Paul” usually talks about salvation in the future, not the past, this is one of the points against authentic Paul authorship of Ephesians.)

Note the repetition of “by grace you have been saved” in 2.5b and 2.8a. Are these bookends? Both times there are dashes shortly before or after this phase in the NRSV. Significance? Others?

What is the significance of “with Christ” (2.5) and “in Christ Jesus” (2.6, 7, 10)?

[14] And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15] that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

[16] “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

[17] “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [18] Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [19] And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. [20] For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. [21] But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

3.20-21 light exposes deeds; good deeds, then want exposed; evil, then want not exposed

The context of this passage is Nicodemus’ nocturnal visit to Jesus. What is the effect of excluding / including 3.1-13?

That does it mean for Jesus to be a serpent (3.15)? How do Moses’ serpent and Jesus heal? How are they the same? Different?

Are Jn 3.15 & 3.16b redundant? I’m not aware of any text critical issues; is this a rhetorical device? Is there content significance here?

John 3.16 has been called “the Gospel in miniature”. Do you agree? What other passages / verses might be miniature gospels? What might be a corresponding “Law in miniature”?

The talk of perishing (3.16), condemnation (3.17, 18), darkness (3.19), and evil (3.19, 20) is in contrast to eternal life (3.15, 16), saved (3.17), and light (3.19, 20, 21). How does this fit together?

What is the significance of “deeds” in 3.19, 20, 21? How did the evil deeds of the people in 3.19 make them love darkness rather than light? Are the “deeds” in this passage related to the “good works” in Eph 2.10?

What is the “light” that exposes deeds for their goodness or evilness? What is our responsibility in shining our light?

Themes in the Lessons	Num	Eph	Jn
Faith		x	x
Good Deeds		x	x
Healing, Grace, Salvation	x	x	x
Raising up	x	x	x
Rebirth / New Life	x	x	x
Seeing / Not Seeing			x

Possible Sermon Titles	Num	Eph	Jn
By Grace You Have Been Saved. Now What?		x	x
Is it a Caduceus or a Viper?	x		x
What Kind of a Snake Is Jesus?	x		x
What Have Your Deeds Made You?			x