Category: Lectionary Series

Today’s Gospel reading falls within Sections 122 and 123 of the Harmony of the Gospels. The curious worshiper will undoubtedly be wonder, ‘what happened in verse 1’ after hearing today’s Gospel.  It provides a setting and context which should not be overlooked.
[one_half last=”no”]Matthew 19:1-2
1 When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan. 2 Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them there. [/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]Mark 10:1
1 He arose from there and came into the borders of Judea and beyond the Jordan. Multitudes came together to him again. As he usually did, he was again teaching them.[/one_half]

Jesus was on his final journey to Jerusalem ¹. He had already spent about three years with his Apostles and is just days away from his triumphal entry in Bethany (section 128a, and the Holy Week mini-series) near the time of the Jewish Passover. The Pharisees were bent to undermining Jesus and protecting what they “knew and wanted” to be the truth. With such devotion, they were known for placing a higher value on the concessions for divorce given in Deut 24:1-4 than the sacrament of marriage in Gen 2:24. ²

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[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 19:3-15
3 Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?”

 

 

4 He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’ 6 So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.” 7 They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a certificate of divorce, and divorce her?” 8 He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. 9 I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” 10 His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.” 11 But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. 12 For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.” 13 Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”

 

 

15 He laid his hands on them, and departed from there. [/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]Mark 10:2-16
2 Pharisees came to him testing him,³ and asked him, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered, “What did Moses command you?”⁴ 4 They said, “Moses allowed a certificate of divorce to be written, and to divorce her.”⁵ 5 But Jesus said to them, “For your hardness of heart,⁶  he wrote you this commandment. 6 But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.⁷ 7 For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will join to his wife, 8 and the two will become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” 10 In the house, his disciples asked him again about the same matter.

 

 

11 He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery against her. 12 If a woman herself divorces her husband, and marries another, she commits adultery.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

13 They were bringing to him little children, that he should touch them, but the disciples rebuked those who were bringing them.⁸ 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was moved with indignation, and said to them, “Allow the little children to come to me! Don’t forbid them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these. 15 Most certainly I tell you, whoever will not receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”⁹ 16 He took them in his arms, and blessed them, laying his hands on them.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]Luke 18:15-17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15 They were also bringing their babies to him, that he might touch them. But when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16 Jesus summoned them, saying, “Allow the little children to come to me, and don’t hinder them, for God’s Kingdom belongs to such as these. 17 Most certainly, I tell you, whoever doesn’t receive God’s Kingdom like a little child, he will in no way enter into it.”¹⁰[/one_third]

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Group Dialog

1. How do the words in today’s epistle reading from Hebrews resonate with Jesus response to the Pharisees about divorce and welcoming the little children, and all types of people with the sweetest forms of faith, hope, and love?
2. Read Genesis 2:18-24 and consider how the need for a partner, a spouse, a lover, has influenced your decisions, actions and thoughts. How might you work to strengthen your relationship or matrimony today?
3. How has the grace you have received and patience of the Lord, inspire you to love your spouse (and others)?
4. Read and talk about this quote from C.S. Lewis:
   “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”  ― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
5. The pharisees desired to end Jesus’ ministry, and the disciples tried to prevent the children from coming to Jesus; In what ways have you seen people (or yourself) try to prevent (blockade, regulate, hinder, impede, hamper, obstruct, balk, foil, thwart, forestall, counteract, inhibit, curb, restrain, preclude, preempt; disallow, prohibit, forbid, proscribe, exclude, debar, bar) people from coming to Jesus, maturing in the faith so that they may help fulfill the great commission and aid in the ministry of reconciliation?
6. Read and discuss the psalm for today and talk about the meaning, significance, and resultant behavior that this phrase “redeem me, O LORD, and have pity on me” (Ps 26:11b) evokes in your heart, your life, and interaction with others.
7. Talk with one another openly about how you can rid yourselves of all malice, and collaborate with one another to further the kingdom of God. (1Pt 2:1; Eph 4:31; Jms 4:11; 1Pt 3:10; Jms 5:9; Heb 12:1; Tit 3:3-5)

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Study Notes:

September 20, 2015
Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year B 

Our reading this Sunday from Mark 9:30-37 spans three sections in the Harmony of the Gospels (Sections 88-90).¹ When reading from the Harmony of the Gospels we discover that in the midst of today’s reading was another important dialog (section 89).² In between last Sunday’s reading and today the chronology of the Gospels reveals that Jesus had begun explaining plainly to the disciples that as the Son of Man he must go to Jerusalem and suffer even more at the hands of the religious leaders (section 83). He reminded them then to count the cost of being associated with him (section 84). A week or so later he underwent the transfiguration (Section 85) and a dialog with the disciples about Elijah as they descended from the mountain (section 86). What comes just prior to today’s reading is the deliverance of yet another demoniac, and immediately after today’s reading Jesus and his disciples journey to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles after which he commissioned the seventy for ministry.³

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Section 88 | Second Prediction of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection
[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 17:22-23

 

22 While they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered up into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill him, and the third day he will be raised up.” They were exceedingly sorry.[/one_third]

[one_third last=”no”]Mark 9:30-37
30 They went out from there,⁴ and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it. 31 For he was teaching his disciples,⁵ and said to them, “The Son of Man⁶ is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”⁷ 32 But they didn’t understand the saying,⁸ and were afraid to ask him.⁹[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]Luke 9:43b-48
43b But while all were marveling at all the things which Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears, for the Son of Man will be delivered up into the hands of men.”

45 But they didn’t understand this saying. It was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. [/one_third]

Section 89 | Payment of Temple Tax
Matthew 17:24-27
24 When they had come to Capernaum, those who collected the didrachma coins came to Peter, and said, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the didrachma?” 25 He said, “Yes.” When he came into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive toll or tribute? From their children, or from strangers?” 26 Peter said to him, “From strangers.” Jesus said to him, “Therefore the children are exempt. 27 But, lest we cause them to stumble, go to the sea, cast a hook, and take up the first fish that comes up. When you have opened its mouth, you will find a stater coin. Take that, and give it to them for me and you.”

 

Section 90 | Rivalry over who is the Greatest in the Kingdom
[one_third last=”no”]Matthew 18:1-5
1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

 

 

 

2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them, 3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]Mark 9:33-37
33 He came¹⁰ to Capernaum,¹¹ and when he was in the house¹² he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”¹³ 34 But they were silent,¹⁴  for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest. 35 He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them,¹⁵ “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”¹⁶ 36 He took a little child, and set him in the middle of them.¹⁷  Taking him in his arms, he said to them,

 

37 “Whoever receives one such little child in my name,¹⁸ receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]Luke 9:46-48
46 An argument arose among them about which of them was the greatest.

 

 

 

47 Jesus, perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, took a little child, and set him by his side,

 

 

48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in my name receives me. Whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For whoever is least among you all, this one will be great.”[/one_third]

 

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With this passage about the Lord’s identity and purpose and our calling to the ministry of reconciliation we can now better prepare ourselves to hear an head the significant wisdom within today’s Epistle reading (James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a), the Old testament reading (Jeremiah 11:18-20), and Psalm (Ps 54).

Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. – James 3:18, 4:7-8a WEB

Sunday, September 13, 2015
Year B – Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

In Saint Mark’s gospel, Jesus is always concerned that his followers get the whole picture: to accept his divinity and experience his divine power; to embrace the inevitability of his crucifixion; hope in his resurrection and eternal kingdom; and live a life of ministry empowered by the Holy Spirit.

At this point in the Gospels, The apostles had been following Jesus for over two-and-a-half  years. They had witnessed countless miracles, listened to his teachings, and walked with him throughout the land of Israel. Could they consider any other possible response to today’s question?

The Harmony of the Gospels provides us a bit more meat as we can see Matthew’s account of this same passage.

A month or so before Jesus had commissioned twelve of his disciples to be Apostles (section 70b). His ministry to Jew and Gentile alike was expanding daily, as was the scorn from most of the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Herodians. The opposition did not damper Jesus’ resolve, though he felt both the pain of human rejection and divine sorrow for the gift of grace which they could not accept. Leaving Capernaum for a few weeks, Jesus and the Apostles had recently returned from a brief tour of ministry in Tyre, Sidon, Decopolis, and Bethsaida. During that journey Jesus ministered to a Syrophoenician woman, delivered her daughter from a demon, healed many from throughout Tyre and Sidon, fed four thousand in Decopolis, and restored sight to a blind man in Bethsaida.

Faith transforms our identity, and shapes our way of living.
There may be profound consequences,
but could they, or would you choose any other path?

As Jesus returned to the region of Galilee nothing much had changed in the minds of the religious leaders. They asked for more signs to ascertain if he was of God or the Devil –as if the events of the past two years and word of all the recent miracles in the north was not enough.

Yes, the time had come for the people to recon themselves with the facts, his love, and grace and simply answer the question: “Who do you say that I am?”