Pericope Study
Proper 19B
by Richard M Burgess
Introduction:
Same old same old:
∙ Purpose: To help get the text inside our heads so we can better receive the Spirit’s musing(s).
∙ Translation: NRSV unless otherwise stated.
∙ Format: text, structure, comments & questions.
∙ At end: Sermon titles. (Sorry for so few. My muses are on vacation.)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are not necessarily anyone’s. Some words are for your enlightenment, some for your endarkenment, and some just to confuse you. Now you know. What you do with it is up to you.
Collect / POD: O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity. Grant us the fullness of your grace, that, pursuing what you have promised, we may share your heavenly glory; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Mark 8.27–38: [NRSV]
27Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28And they answered him, “John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 29He asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Messiah.” 30And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.
31Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
34He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. 36For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? 37Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? 38Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Structure of Mk 8.27–28:
8.27–30 Confession of Peter
8.27 Jesus: “Who do people say that I am?”
8.28 Disciples: John the Baptist, Elijah, a prophet (all wrong)
8.29a Jesus: “Who do you say that I am?”
8.29b Peter: “The Messiah”
8.30 Jesus: “sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him”
8.31–33 Passion Prediction #1 of 3
8.31 Jesus predicted “quite openly” his passion, death, & resurrection
8.32 Peter rebukes Jesus (privately) for saying this
8.33 Jesus vehemently scolded Peter (in front of disciples)
8.34–38 Jesus teaches about true discipleship & priorities
8.34 Jesus (to disciples & crowd): must take up cross and follow Jesus
8.35 Want to save life => lose it & vv
8.36–37 What’s the point of gaining the world if lose soul (yuch)
8.38 Ashamed of Jesus => he will be ashamed of you at last day
Comments & Thought Questions:
This passage is pivotal in Mark. It contains the first of three passion predictions (8.31; 9.31; 10.32–34) and the beginning of revealing of the Messianic Secret, which culminates on the cross (“Surely this man was a son of God.” Mk 15.39)
Mk 8.31: “the Son of Man must undergo . . .” ‘Must’ = dei, indicating necessity as part of God’s plan. Why is this necessary?
Jesus is harsh throughout this passage, particularly in his treatment of Peter in the second part. Is this politically incorrect? Pastorally abusive (of Peter)? Why (not)?
Why did Jesus choose to have himself identified as the Messiah at this time? Why ask what the “people” think before asking the disciples? Why tell them to keep it a secret?
What are the meanings and significance in context of the following:
Mk 8.34 “Take up their cross” (aratw ton stauron autou)
Mk 8.35–37 lose / forfeit one’s life / soul (yuch)?
Mk 8.38 be ashamed (epaiscunqh) of Jesus? for him to be ashamed of us?
To what extent are we talking about eternal life & death, salvation & damnation? What does that mean to you? To your parishioners?
What do we learn about Jesus in this passage(s)? How does this Christology fit in the rhythm of the church year?
Isaiah 50.4–9a: [NRSV]
4The Lord God has given me
the tongue of a teacher,
that I may know how to sustain
the weary with a word.
Morning by morning he wakens--
wakens my ear
to listen as those who are taught.
5The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious,
I did not turn backward.
6I gave my back to those who struck me,
and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;
I did not hide my face
from insult and spitting.
7The Lord God helps me;
therefore I have not been disgraced;
therefore I have set my face like flint,
and I know that I shall not be put to shame;
8he who vindicates me is near.
Who will contend with me?
Let us stand up together.
Who are my adversaries?
Let them confront me.
9aIt is the Lord God who helps me;
who will declare me guilty?
Structure of Is 50.4–9a:
50.4–5 The calling & response of the prophet
50.4 The Lord God has made the prophet a teacher / student
50.5 => the prophet can respond because “the Lord God has opened” his ear
50.6–9a The consequences of the prophet’s call & response
50.6 Suffering: insults, taunting (but no real physical damage?)
50.7–9a Confidence
50.7-8a The prophet will stand firm
50.8b–9a Let it go to court—the Lord God will defend & vindicate
Comments & Thought Questions:
The literal Hebrew for 50.4 “the tongue a teacher” is “tongue of instruction” (myrwml nycl), and for “those who are taught” is “as the ones taught” (myrwmlk). What is the meaning and significance of the prophet being both a student and teacher?
How might this passage encourage one to endure suffering? Develop a martyr &/o victim complex?
In his commentary on Deutero Isaiah, Paul D Hanson says, “The empowerment of the Servant, which in 42.1 stemmed from God’s gift of God’s spirit, is here related to the divine word which he is authorized to speak (cf 49.2). That empowerment in turn allows the Servant to accept the hostility his message evokes with the quiet confidence that the final victory lies with those who are faithful to God.” What kind of theology of spirit & / o word do we have here? How might this be encouraging or empowering to your parishioners?
Note the prophet’s solution to suffering:
∙ not to fix blame
∙ not to remember it could be worse
∙ rather to remember that God will triumph & that justice will be served
Nb: there is no salvation, resurrection, or eternal life here. Or is there?
Psalm 116.1–9: [NRSV] (LBW: 116.1–8)
116 I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my supplications.
2Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, save my life!”
5Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6The Lord protects the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7Return, O my soul, to your rest,
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
8For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
9I walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
Structure of Ps 116.1–9:
116.1–4 The psalmist loves & serves the Lord because the Lord has saved him from a life threatening crisis.
116.5–8 The psalmist praises the Lord as gracious, righteous, merciful, protector, savior, bountiful, deliverer
116.7–9 The psalmist looks to “walk before the Lord in the land of the living”.
Comments & Thought Questions:
I find this psalm (and many others) hard to outline. Any suggestions? Missing the point to try?
Ps 116.7 says, “Return, O my soul, to your rest”. “When someone was faint (from hunger or fright) it was thought that the spirit had ‘gone forth’ from him. When that person revived, the soul ‘returned’. The psalmist is reassuring his soul that it is safe to return after his terrifying experience.” (NJBC §34.133v7)
Q: What is one’s existential state while one’s soul is gone (“in hiding”)? Is that like being “out of one’s mind”?
This psalmist praises God because God does good things for him. How does one present this psalm to someone who has had no experiences like the psalmist’s? Of course, there is always much to be thankful for, but get real—some people really have had a rough life and can’t (or shouldn’t?) see things as this psalmist does.
How do you treat this psalm in light of Is 50.4–9 and Mk 8.27–38? Do we need to look deeper for a deeper theology? Is this just a case of an early, naive theology compared to the mature thinking of Isaiah & Jesus / Mark? Any other ideas?
James 3.1–12 [NRSV]
3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. 3If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8but no one can tame the tongue--a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
Structure of James 3.1–12:
3.1–2 Introduction / Theme
3.1 Teachers held to a higher standard => don’t be too eager
3.2 All make mistakes in speaking; not => perfect
3.3–5 Tongue Leverage: like horses & bit, ship & rudder, forest & small fire
3.6–12 Evils of the Tongue
3.6 Destruction to body by the Tongue
3.7–8 Wild animals can be tamed, but not the tongue
3.9–12 Dualism of the Tongue
3.9–10 Both good & evil can come from the tongue
3.11–12 Do springs or plants give two kinds of product? Why then the tongue?
Jas 3.2 in RSV: If make no mistakes, then are “a perfect man” (Gk: teleioV anhr)
∙ teleioV: refers to completed, matured, ie, has reached the end / goal
∙ anhr: “man”, not “person”, ie, the gender is explicit. What do you think of the NRSV’s translation? (That is a question, not a position or a challenge.)
In Jas 3.1–2 James discourages Christians from becoming teachers too quickly. At what point should one consider / be considered for becoming a teacher? How do those of us already chosen communicate this without seeming arrogant, insecure, defensive, etc?
Compare James’ attitude toward the tongue with other biblical attitudes, especially the intensity & significance. Two come to mind, though there may also be others:
∙ Paul/ Pseudo Paul & women
∙ Mk 7.18–23, the Gospel for Sun 9/3/0 (the internal defiles, not the external)
Possible Sermon Titles:
Double Crossed by Jesus
Satan’s Lying Tongue or The Lord’s Teaching Tongue?
All Good Teachers Are Student Teachers
Your Life—Lose It or Lose It!
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Copyright © 2004 by Richard M Burgess latest revision: December 31, 2004