Bible Study at 11am
Bible Study at 11am
The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Sunday Closest to July 13
Proper 10
Year A
RCL
Track 1
Genesis 25:19-34
Psalm 119:105-112
Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
The Collect
O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Genesis 25:19-34
These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger.”
When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Commentary on Genesis 25:19-34 by Juliana Claassens
Our lectionary text for today starts with the reference that Rebecca was barren, and that after her husband Isaac prayed for her, she conceived (verse 21).
This very brief, one verse account, continues the theme of the promise threatened and promise fulfilled that runs throughout the book of Genesis. Moreover, as in the instance of Sarah and Abraham, the theme of barrenness makes a powerful statement with regard to the power of God to bestow the unexpected gift of life in situations of barrenness and despair.
In contrast to the other barren women stories in the Bible such as Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth, Rebecca’s barrenness gets little more narrative time than the one verse in which she is described to be barren in addition to having her barrenness overcome. However, two side references regarding the age of Isaac offer the careful reader more detail about Rebekah’s life that has been marked by her inability to bear a child. In verse 20 it is said that Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca, and in verse 26 it is said that he was 60 years old when the twins were born. One could very easily miss this textual detail, and yet, these textual details indicate a 20 year span of time. Twenty years of barrenness, of frustration every month when Rebecca’s period indicates once more that pregnancy has not occurred. Twenty years of failure, shame, and frustration.
Within this narrative gap a number of profound perspectives emerge: First, we see an impressive example of the power of prayer. Isaac prays; God grants his prayer and Rebecca conceives. This prayerful disposition in a time of deep anguish for both husband and wife denotes trust, and a keen belief that God is the One who answers prayers and the One who opens up the womb of barren women (Genesis 29:31; 1 Samuel 1:19-20). One should not forget though that Isaac’s highly effectual prayer occurs somewhere within a 20 year timeframe. One could well imagine years of unanswered prayers before Rebecca finally conceived.
Second, after Isaac’s prayer is answered and the miracle of conception against all odds occurred, everything is not smooth sailing. This much is evident in verse 22 when Rebecca seems to be experiencing a difficult pregnancy, causing her to pray to God in anguish. The babies are struggling inside of her — a painful reality that foreshadows the strife that her offspring will know in the rest of the narrative.
God’s answer seems to destine two brothers to live a life of conflict when God reveals to Rebecca that she is carrying twins, and moreover that the older (stronger) brother will be subordinate to the younger (weaker) brother. This divine revelation may explain why Rebecca would later side with Jacob; the one who before his birth already had been chosen by God.
Alternatively, this account may be a type of etiological story explaining why the brothers Jacob and Esau and the nations they represent (Israel and Edom) are at odds with one another. This birth story seems to say: They were born fighting. We are not told whether Rebecca is satisfied with this answer; however, the narrative gap that omits her response could well be filled with all the unspoken emotions of mothers and other relatives standing helpless in the face of violent conflict.
After this incident, the story fast-forwards to the birth of the twins with Esau (“the red one.” Cf. the description of Esau in verse 25 as “reddish”/ ‘Adomi that relates to Edom, the nation represented by Esau) born first with Jacob closely following, grabbing his brother’s heal (cf. the Hebrew word for “heal”/’aqeb that relates to Jacob’s name). This characterization of Jacob “grabbing” will be worked out in more detail in the subsequent narrative when Jacob grabs hold of the first born right belonging to his brother.
Fast-forwarding again, the narrative moves toward the classic episode according to which Esau sells his firstborn right for a bowl of Jacob’s lentil stew. In this encounter, Esau is depicted as a rough man from the fields. Moreover, Esau’s intense hunger suggests that his needs have to be fulfilled immediately without contemplating the long term consequences.
This portrayal of Esau in a less than positive light will be continued in the interpretation history according to which Esau, representing Edom, is depicted in increasingly negative terms in the prophets Obadiah and Malachi (cf. e.g. Malachi 1:2c-3a: “Yet I have loved Jacob but I have hated Esau”).
One should keep in mind that these narratives are told from a pro-Jacob/pro-Israel perspective. The portrayal of a God who sides with the powerless, the weak, the younger brother, the barren woman is moreover a theological perspective that reveals something of Israel’s self-understanding as a tiny, powerless people who lived in the midst of much stronger nations — a reality that became even more evident in the run-up to the exile with superpowers who were quite able to crush a people like Israel without blinking.
Finally, one should not miss the fact that in this narrative, Jacob is also not characterized in the most favorable of ways. Jacob is depicted as “grabbing” his brother’s firstborn right which will be continued in the characterization of Jacob as trickster that in subsequent narratives will mark Jacob’s way in the world. Not only his brother Esau, but also his father Isaac and his uncle Laban will eventually be outwitted by the younger brother. This portrayal makes the election of Jacob by God all the more remarkable. There is nothing is Jacob’s behavior that deserved God’s favor — actually God’s favor comes in spite of Jacob’s actions. This line of interpretation makes a strong case for God’s grace — a God who already is involved with people in their mother’s womb, within the very messiness and conflict of relationships.
The Psalm
Psalm 119:105-112
Lucerna pedibus meis
105 Your word is a lantern to my feet *
and a light upon my path.
106 I have sworn and am determined *
to keep your righteous judgments.
107 I am deeply troubled; *
preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.
108 Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute of my lips, *
and teach me your judgments.
109 My life is always in my hand, *
yet I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a trap for me, *
but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111 Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; *
truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes *
for ever and to the end.
Reflection on Psalm 119: 105-112 by Manchester Methodists of the Northwest England Methodist District
14 July 2020
The Word a Lamp and Light For All Occasions.
This is both the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. It may have been written by Ezra after the Temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14-15) as a repetitive meditation on the beauty of God’s Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in faith. Psalm 119 has 22 carefully constructed sections, each corresponding to a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet and each verse beginning with the letter of its section. Almost every verse mentions God’s Word. Such repetition was common in Hebrew culture. People did not have personal copies of the Scriptures to read as we do, so God’s people memorized his Word and passed it along orally. The structure of this psalm allowed for easy memorization. Remember that God’s Word, the Bible, along with the help and guidance of his Holy Spirit, is the only sure guide for living a God-honouring life.
In verse 105 the psalmist confesses: “Your word is a lamp to my feet / And a light to my path.” I recall years ago the great Christian educator, Henrietta Mears, citing this verse and illustrating it from her experience at Forest Home, the camp that she founded in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California. There in the woods at night it is difficult to see anything. Even if we have a flashlight, we may not see the whole trail, but we see where we are to place our next step. Likewise, God’s Word lights our path as we walk through the darkness of this world one step at a time.
With this light before him the psalmist confesses: “I have sworn and confirmed / That I will keep Your righteous judgments” verse 106. His language is legal and emphatic. He will uphold the law of God as it applies to the situations of this life. His ethics are absolute rather than relative. They are not determined by the particular context within which he finds himself. At the same time, such a stance provokes persecution. Thus he continues, “I am afflicted very much,” and requests “Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word” verse 107. As God renews his spirit, he promises “the freewill offerings of my mouth” in verse 108. These are his praises for relief. They are what the Book of Hebrews calls the “sacrifice of praise,” which is “the fruit of our lips” in Hebrew 13:15. With an open heart to God he asks, “And teach me Your judgments.” Worship makes us receptive to the Word of God. After we have opened our hearts to Him in praise we are ready to receive what He has for us. The psalmist laments that his life is “continually in my hand,” that is, that it is continually at risk but Job 12:10 says, “[The Lord] in whose hand is the life of every living being”. Yet, he adds, “I do not forget Your law” in verse 109. In fact, this law sustains him through the fears and trials of this life. In verse 110 he reveals that the “wicked” seek to trap him like a wild bird, laying “a snare for me.” Nevertheless, he remains faithful to God’s Word as he confesses: “Yet I have not strayed “wandered” from Your precepts.”
Regardless of the suffering and persecution of this life, the psalmist finds confidence in God’s Word. It alone endures. He asserts, “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever; literally, ‘I have inherited Your testimonies’ forever.” The Word of God becomes his Promised Land. In God’s testimonies he finds “the rejoicing of my heart” verse 111. There is no legalism here. He adds, “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes / Forever, to the very end” in verse 112. As God knows his heart, so God knows what is upon his heart, and it is to obey His will forever.
Psalm 119 is an extended meditation upon the revelation (“law,” Torah) of God. In it we find classic verses that stand alone when lifted from their context, such as “How can a young man cleanse his way? / By taking heed according to Your word” verse 9, and “Your word I have hidden in my heart, / That I might not sin against You” verse 11. And again, “Forever, O Lord, / Your word is settled in heaven” verse 89; “Your word is a lamp to my feet / And a light to my path” verse 105. The psalmist makes clear that our knowledge of God and our ability to live in this world is based upon divine revelation. The wonderful truth is that God has spoken, and we have a trustworthy record of His speech in His Word.
While Psalm 119 stresses the objective nature of revelation, it never sees that revealed Word as standing between us and God. Thus the psalmist affirms the instrumental use of Scripture. God’s Word is His instrument to bring us into a living union with Himself. Since this is true, we are not to worship revelation (or the Bible); rather we are to worship the God who reveals Himself in the Bible. While this psalm teaches a high view of revelation, it is never at the expense of living before God. For example, in verse 2 the psalmist says, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, / Who seek Him (rather than them) with the whole heart!” Again the psalmist confesses, “With my whole heart I have sought You”.
As we have asserted, there is an objective, revealed guide to understanding who God is and how we are to live. For this reason, again and again in the psalm we find the phrase “according to Your word.” In verse 9 the question is asked, “How can a young man cleanse his way?” The answer is given, “By taking heed according to Your word.” In the Word of God, the standard is given by which we can know the will of God. We are not left to wallow in our own subjectivity.
Psalm 119 teaches that the living God is the God who speaks. He stands behind His written Word. Since it is God who has revealed Himself there, this Word is true. As we have seen, it is settled in heaven; it comes with eternal and divine authority. Moreover, since the word of God is revelation, God must prepare our hearts to receive it. The psalmist does not rely upon his unaided reason in order to understand God’s word; the God who speaks must illumine our hearts so that we can hear His speech. Thus the psalmist prays, “Open my eyes, that I may see / Wondrous things from Your law” verse 18. Again, “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes” verse 33.
God must not only reveal His will to us; He must direct us in that will. Thus the psalmist asks, “Make me walk in the path of Your commandments”. Because of our weakness and sin he prays, “Revive me in Your righteousness”. Furthermore, we face opposition from the world as we choose a godly walk. For this reason, the psalmist accepts the comfort of God’s word in his affliction and, at the same time, prays for God I have suffered much; preserve my life, LORD, according to your word.
As the psalmist lives according to the Word of God, there is great reward. He is blessed. He is cleansed. He is guarded from sin. His soul is satisfied. He is revived. He is strengthened. His heart is enlarged. Salvation comes to him. He has answers for his enemies. He walks at liberty. His witness is certain. He is comforted and given life. He receives mercy. He is dealt with well. Affliction is turned to good. He has hope. He is not ashamed. He is wise. He knows more than his teachers and the ancients. He is restrained from evil. His path is lit. He fears God’s judgments. His eyes fail from seeking God’s word. He pants for God’s commandments. He weeps for those who disobey God’s law. He is consumed by zeal. He knows the truth. His heart is in awe. He is filled with praise. No wonder those are blessed “who walk in the law of the Lord!”.
To walk safely in the woods at night, we need a light for protection so we don’t trip over tree roots or fall into holes. In this life, we walk through a dark forest of evil. But the Bible can be our light to show us the way ahead so we won’t stumble as we walk. It reveals the entangling roots of false values and philosophies. We need a light to reach our desired destination. Study the Bible so you will be able to see your way clearly enough to stay on the right path.
The Word of God is our light. In it we come to know God. In it we come to know His will for us. Through it we have strength to stand against our enemies and endure persecution in this life. This is our eternal heritage. The book is open. It is before us. We must not miss it.
The lighted path is not whatever we want it to be, but righteous judgments and God’s precepts; on such a path there is no danger or trap but a heritage and joy. Thus the guidance of the Lord’s instruction enabled us to negotiate right and wrong. And walk on the right and lighted path of our life for all Occasions. Amen.
The Epistle
Romans 8:1-11
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Barclay Commentary
The Liberation Of Our Human Nature
8:1-4 There is, therefore, now no condemnation against those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law which comes from the Spirit and leads to life has in Christ Jesus set me free from the law which begets sin and leads to death. As for the impotency of the law, that weakness of the law which resulted from the effects of our sinful human nature--God sent his own Son as a sin offering with that very same human nature which in us had sinned; and thereby, while he existed in the same human nature as we have, he condemned sin, so that as a result the righteous demand of the law might be fulfilled in us, who live our lives not after the principle of sinful human nature, but after the principle of the Spirit.
This is a very difficult passage because it is so highly compressed, and because, all through it, Paul is making allusions to things which he has already said.
Two words keep occurring again and again in this chapter, flesh (sarx, Greek #4561 ) and spirit (pneuma, Greek #4151 ). We will not understand the passage at all unless we understand the way in which Paul is using these words.
(i) Sarx ( Greek #4561 ) literally means flesh. The most cursory reading of Paul's letters will show how often he uses the word, and how he uses it in a sense that is all his own. Broadly speaking, he uses it in three different ways.
(a) He uses it quite literally. He speaks of physical circumcision, literally "in the flesh" ( Romans 2:28 ). (b) Over and over again he uses the phrase kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ), literally according to the flesh, which most often means looking at things from the human point of view. For instance, he says that Abraham is our forefather kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ), from the human point of view. He says that Jesus is the son of David kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ) ( Romans 1:3 ), that is to say, on the human side of his descent. He speaks of the Jews being his kinsmen kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ) ( Romans 9:3 ), that is to say, speaking of human relationships. When Paul uses the phrase kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ), it always implies that he is looking at things from the human point of view.
(c) But he has a use of this word sarx ( Greek #4561 ) which is all his own. When he is talking of the Christians, he talks of the days when we were in the flesh (en ( Greek #1722 ) sarki, Greek #4561 ) ( Romans 7:5 ). He speaks of those who walk according to the flesh in contradistinction to those who live the Christian life ( Romans 8:4-5 ). He says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God ( Romans 8:8 ). He says that the mind of the flesh is death, and that it is hostile to God ( Romans 8:6 ; Romans 8:8 ). He talks about living according to the flesh ( Romans 8:12 ). He says to his Christian friends, "You are not in the flesh" ( Romans 8:9 ).
It is quite clear, especially from the last instance, that Paul is not using flesh simply in the sense of the body, as we say flesh and blood. How, then, is he using it? He really means human nature in all its weakness and he means human in its vulnerability to sin. He means that part of man which gives sin its bridgehead. He means sinful human nature, apart from Christ, everything that attaches a man to the world instead of to God. To live according to the flesh is to live a life dominated by the dictates and desires of sinful human nature instead of a life dominated by the dictates and the love of God. The flesh is the lower side of man's nature.
It is to be carefully noted that when Paul thinks of the kind of life that a man dominated by the sarx ( Greek #4561 ) lives he is not by any means thinking exclusively of sexual and bodily sins. When he gives a list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 , he includes the bodily and the sexual sins; but he also includes idolatry, hatred, wrath, strife, heresies, envy, murder. The flesh to him was not a physical thing but spiritual. It was human nature in all its sin and weakness; it was all that man is without God and without Christ.
(ii) There is the word Spirit; in Romans 8:1-39 it occurs no fewer than twenty times. This word has a very definite Old Testament background. In Hebrew it is ruach ( Hebrew #7307 ), and it has two basic thoughts. (a) It is not only the word for Spirit; it is also the word for wind. It has always the idea of power about it, power as of a mighty rushing wind. (b) In the Old Testament, it always has the idea of something that is more than human. Spirit, to Paul, represented a power which was divine.
So Paul says in this passage that there was a time when the Christian was at the mercy of his own sinful human nature. In that state the law simply became something that moved him to sin and he went from bad to worse, a defeated and frustrated man. But, when he became a Christian, into his life there came the surging power of the Spirit of God, and, as a result, he entered into victorious living.
In the second part of the passage Paul speaks of the effect of the work of Jesus on us. It is complicated and difficult, but what Paul is getting at is this. Let us remember that he began all this by saying that every man sinned in Adam. We saw how the Jewish conception of solidarity made it possible for him to argue that, quite literally, all men were involved in Adam's sin and in its consequence--death. But there is another side to this picture. Into this world came Jesus; with a completely human nature; and he brought to God a life of perfect obedience, of perfect fulfilment of God's law. Now, because Jesus was fully a man, just as we were one with Adam, we are now one with him; and, just as we were involved in Adam's sin, we are now involved in Jesus' perfection. In him mankind brought to God the perfect obedience, just as in Adam mankind brought to God the fatal disobedience. Men are saved because they were once involved in Adam's sin but are now involved in Jesus' goodness. That is Paul's argument, and, to him and to those who heard it, it was completely convincing, however hard it is for us to grasp it. Because of what Jesus did, there opens out to the Christian a life no longer dominated by the flesh but by that Spirit of God, which fills a man with a power not his own. The penalty of the past is removed and strength for his future is assured.
The Two Principles Of Life
8:5-11 Those who live according to the dictates of sinful human nature are absorbed in worldly human things. Those who live according to the dictates of the Spirit are absorbed in the things of the Spirit. To be absorbed in worldly human things is death; but to be absorbed in the things of the Spirit is life and peace, because absorption in the things which fascinate our sinful human nature is hostility to God, for it does not obey the law of God, nor, indeed, can it do so. Those whose life is a purely worldly thing cannot please God; but you are not dominated by the pursuits which fascinate our sinful human nature; you are dominated by the Spirit, if so it be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not possess the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, even if because of sin your body is mortal, your Spirit has life through righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you he will make even your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit indwelling in you.
Paul is drawing a contrast between two kinds of life.
(i) There is the life which is dominated by sinful human nature; whose focus and centre is self; whose only law is its own desires; which takes what it likes where it likes. In different people that life will be differently described. It may be passion-controlled, or lust-controlled, or pride-controlled, or ambition-controlled. Its characteristic is its absorption in the things that human nature without Christ sets its heart upon.
(ii) There is the life that is dominated by the Spirit of God. As a man lives in the air, he lives in Christ, never separated from him. As he breathes in the air and the air fills him, so Christ fills him. He has no mind of his own; Christ is his mind. He has no desires of his own; the will of Christ is his only law. He is Spirit-controlled, Christ-controlled, God-focused.
These two lives are going in diametrically opposite directions. The life that is dominated by the desires and activities of sinful human nature is on the way to death. In the most literal sense, there is no future in it--because it is getting further and further away from God. To allow the things of the world completely to dominate life is self extinction; it is spiritual suicide. By living it, a man is making himself totally unfit ever to stand in the presence of God. He is hostile to him, resentful of his law and his control. God is not his friend but his enemy, and no man ever won the last battle against him.
The Spirit-controlled life, the Christ-centred life, the God-focused life is daily coming nearer heaven even when it is still on earth. It is a life which is such a steady progress to God that the final transition of death is only a natural and inevitable stage on the way. It is like Enoch who walked with God and God took him. As the child said: "Enoch was a man who went on walks with God--and one day he didn't come back."
No sooner has Paul said this than an inevitable objection strikes him. Someone may object: "You say that the Spirit-controlled man is on the way to life; but in point of fact every man must die. Just what do you mean?" Paul's answer is this. All men die because they are involved in the human situation. Sin came into this world and with sin came death, the consequence of sin. Inevitably, therefore, all men die; but the man who is Spirit-controlled and whose heart is Christ-occupied, dies only to rise again. Paul's basic thought is that the Christian is indissolubly one with Christ. Now Christ died and rose again; and the man who is one with Christ is one with death's conqueror and shares in that victory. The Spirit controlled, Christ-possessed man is on the way to life; death is but an inevitable interlude that has to be passed through on the way.
The Gospel
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Barclay Commentary
The Sower Went Out To Sow ( Matthew 13:1-9 ; Matthew 13:18-23 )
13:1-9,18-23 On that day, when he had gone out from the house, Jesus sat on the seashore; and such great crowds gathered to hear him that he went into a boat, and sat there; and the whole crowd took their stand on the seashore; and he spoke many things in parables to them. "Look!" he said, "the sower went out to sow; and, as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside: and the birds came and devoured it. But some seed fell upon stony ground, where it had not much earth; and, because it had no depth of earth, it sprang up immediately; but when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered away because it had no root. Other seed fell upon thorns, and the thorns came up, and choked the life out of it. But others fell on good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who has ears, let him hear."
"Listen then to the meaning of the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which was sown in his heart. This is represented by the picture of the seed which was sown by the wayside. The picture of the seed which was sown on the stony ground represents the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself, and is at the mercy of the moment, and so, when affliction and persecution come, because of the word, he at once stumbles. The picture of the seed which is sown among the thorns represents the man who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the seduction of riches choke the word, and it bears no crop. The picture of the seed which was sown on the good ground represents the man who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold."
Here is a picture which anyone in Palestine would understand. Here we actually see Jesus using the here and now to get to the there and then. There is a point which the Revised Standard Version obscures. The Revised Standard Version has: "A sower went out to sow." The Greek is not a sower, but: "The sower went out to sow."
What in all likelihood happened was that, as Jesus was using the boat by the lakeside as a pulpit, in one of the fields near the shore a sower was actually sowing, and Jesus took the sower, whom they could all see, as a text, and began: "Look at the sower there sowing his seed in that field!" Jesus began from something which at the moment they could actually see to open their minds to truth which as yet they had never seen.
In Palestine there were two ways of sowing seed. It could be sown by the sower scattering it broadcast as he walked up and down the field. Of course, if the wind was blowing, in that case some of the seed would be caught by the wind and blown into all kinds of places, and sometimes out of the field altogether. The second way was a lazy way, but was not uncommonly used. It was to put a sack of seed on the back of an ass, to tear or cut a hole in the corner of the sack, and then to walk the animal up and down the field while the seed ran out. In such a case some of the seed might well dribble out while the animal was crossing the pathway and before it reached the field at all.
In Palestine the fields were in long narrow strips; and the ground between the strips was always a right of way. It was used as a common path; and therefore it was beaten as hard as a pavement by the feet of countless passers-by. That is what Jesus means by the wayside. If seed fell there, and some was bound to fall there in whatever way it was sown, there was no more chance of its penetrating into the earth than if it had fallen on the road.
The stony ground was not ground filled with stones; it was what was common in Palestine, a thin skin of earth on top of an underlying shelf of limestone rock. The earth might be only a very few inches deep before the rock was reached. On such ground the seed would certainly germinate; and it would germinate quickly, because the ground grew speedily warm with the heat of the sun. But there was no depth of earth and when it sent down its roots in search of nourishment and moisture, it would meet only the rock, and would be starved to death, and quite unable to withstand the heat of the sun.
The thorny ground was deceptive. When the sower was sowing, the ground would look clean enough. It is easy to make a garden look clean by simply turning it over; but in the ground still lay the fibrous roots of the couch grass and the bishop W**d and all the perennial pests, ready to spring to life again. Every gardener knows that the weeds grow with a speed and a strength that few good seeds can equal. The result was that the good seed and the dormant weeds grew together; but the weeds were so strong that they throttled the life out of the seed.
The good ground was deep and clean and soft; the seed could gain an entry; it could find nourishment; it could grow unchecked; and in the good ground it brought forth an abundant harvest.
The Word And The Hearer ( Matthew 13:1-9 ; Matthew 13:18-23 Continued)
This parable is really aimed at two sets of people.
(a) It is aimed at the hearers of the word. It is fairly frequently held by scholars that the interpretation of the parable in Matthew 13:18-23 is not the interpretation of Jesus himself, but the interpretation of the preachers of the early Church, and that it is not in fact correct. It is said that it transgresses the law that a parable is not an allegory, and that it is too detailed to be grasped by listeners at first hearing. If Jesus was really pointing at an actual sower sowing seed, that does not seem a valid objection; and, in any event, the interpretation which identifies the different kinds of soil with different kinds of hearers has always held its place in the Church's thought, and must surely have come from some authoritative source. If so, why not from Jesus himself?
If we take the parable as a warning to hearers, it means that there are different ways of accepting the word of God, and the fruit which it produces depends on the heart of him who accepts it. The fate of any spoken word depends on the hearer. As it has been said, "A jest's prosperity lies not in the tongue of him who tells it, but in the ear of him who hears it." A jest will succeed when it is told to a man who has a sense of humour and is prepared to smile. A jest will fad when it is told to a humourless creature or to a man grimly determined not to be amused. Who then are the hearers described and warned in this parable?
(i) There is the hearer with the shut mind. There are people into whose minds the word has no more chance of gaining entry than the seed has of settling into the ground that has been beaten hard by many feet. There are many things which can shut a man's mind. Prejudice can make a man blind to everything he does not wish to see. The unteachable spirit can erect a barrier which cannot easily be broken down. The unteachable spirit can result from one of two things. It can be the result of pride which does not know that it needs to know; and it can be the result of the fear of new truth and the refusal to adventure on the ways of thought. Sometimes an immoral character and a man's way of life can shut his mind. There may be truth which condemns the things he loves and which accuses the things he does; and many a man refuses to listen to or to recognize the truth which condemns him, for there are none so blind as those who deliberately will not see.
(ii) There is the hearer with the mind like the shallow ground. He is the man who fails to think things out and think them through.
Some people are at the mercy of every new craze. They take a thing up quickly and just as quickly drop it. They must always be in the fashion. They begin some new hobby or begin to acquire some new accomplishment with enthusiasm, but the thing becomes difficult and they abandon it, or the enthusiasm wanes and they lay it aside. Some people's lives are littered with things they began and never finished. A man can be like that with the word. When he hears it he may be swept off his feet with an emotional reaction; but no man can live on an emotion. A man has a mind and it is a moral obligation to have an intelligent faith. Christianity has its demands, and these demands must be faced before it can be accepted. The Christian offer is not only a privilege, it is also a responsibility. A sudden enthusiasm can always so quickly become a dying fire.
(iii) There is the hearer who has so many interests in life that often the most important things, get crowded out. It is characteristic of modern life that it becomes increasingly crowded and increasingly fast. A man becomes too busy to pray; he becomes so preoccupied with many things that he forgets to study the word of God: he can become so involved in committees and good works and charitable services that he leaves himself no time for him from whom all love and service come. His business can take such a grip of him that he is too tired to think of anything else. It is not the things which are obviously bad which are dangerous. It is the things which are good, for the "second best is always the worst enemy of the best." It is not even that a man deliberately banishes prayer and the Bible and the Church from his life; it can be that he often thinks of them and intends to make time for them, but somehow in his crowded life never gets round to it. We must be careful to see that Christ is not shouldered out of the topmost niche in life.
(iv) There is the man who is like the good ground. In his reception of the word there are four stages. Like the good ground, his mind is open. He is at all times willing to learn. He is prepared to hear. He is never either too proud or too busy to listen. Many a man would have been saved all kinds of heartbreak, if he had simply stopped to listen to the voice of a wise friend, or to the voice of God. He understands. He has thought the thing out and knows what this means for him, and is prepared to accept it. He translates his hearing into action. He produces the good fruit of the good seed. The real hearer is the man who listens, who understands, and who obeys.
No Despair ( Matthew 13:1-9 ; Matthew 13:18-23 Continued)
(b) We said this parable had a double impact. We have looked at the impact it was designed to have on those who hear the word. But it was equally designed to have an impact on those who preach the word. Not only was it meant to say something to the listening crowds; it was also meant to say something to the inner circle of the disciples.
It is not difficult to see that in the hearts of the disciples there must sometimes have been a certain discouragement. To them Jesus was everything, the wisest and the most wonderful of all. But, humanly speaking, he had very little success. The doors of the synagogue were shutting against him. The leaders of orthodox religion were his bitterest critics and were obviously out to destroy him. True, the crowds came to hear him, but there were so few who were really changed, and so many who came to reap the benefit of his healing power, and, who, when they had received it, went away and forgot. There were so many who came to Jesus only for what they could get. The disciples were faced with a situation in which Jesus seemed to rouse nothing but hostility in the leaders of the Church, and nothing but a very evanescent response in the crowd. It is nothing surprising if in the hearts of the disciples there was sometimes deep disappointment. What then does the parable say to the preacher who is discouraged?
Its lesson is clear--the harvest is sure. For discouraged preachers of the word the lesson is in the climax of the parable, in the picture of the seed which brought forth abundant fruit. Some seed may fall by the wayside and be snatched away by the birds; some seed may fall on the shallow ground and never come to maturity; some seed may fat among the thorns and be choked to death; but in spite of all that the harvest does come. No farmer expects every single seed he sows to germinate and bring forth fruit. He knows quite well that some will be blown away by the wind, and some will fall in places where it cannot grow; but that does not stop him sowing. Nor does it make him give up hope of the harvest. The farmer sows in the confidence that, even if some of the seed is wasted, none the less the harvest will certainly come.
So then this is a parable of encouragement to those who sow the seed of the word.
(i) When a man sows the seed of the word, he does not know what he is doing or what effect the seed is having. H. L. Gee tells this story. In the church where he worshipped there was a lonely old man, old Thomas. He had outlived all his friends and hardly anyone knew him. When Thomas died, Gee had the feeling that there would be no one to go to the funeral so he decided to go, so that there might be someone to follow the old man to his last resting-place.
There was no one else and it was a wild, wet day. The funeral reached the cemetery; and at the gate there was a soldier waiting. He was an officer, but on his raincoat there were no rank badges. The soldier came to the graveside for the ceremony; when it was over he stepped forward and before the open grave swept his hand to a salute that might have been given to a king. H. L. Gee walked away with this soldier, and as they walked, the wind blew the soldier's raincoat open to reveal the shoulder badges of a brigadier.
The brigadier said to Gee: "You will perhaps be wondering what I am doing here. Years ago Thomas was my Sunday School teacher; I was a wild lad and a sore trial to him. He never knew what he did for me, but I owe everything I am or will be to old Thomas, and today I had to come to salute him at the end." Thomas did not know what he was doing. No preacher or teacher ever does. It is our task to sow the seed, and to leave the rest to God.
(ii) When a man sows the seed, he must not look for quick results. There is never any haste in nature's growth. It takes a long, long time before an acorn becomes an oak; and it may take a long, long time before the seed germinates in the heart of a man. But often a word dropped into a man's heart in his boyhood lies dormant until some day it awakens and saves him from some great temptation or even preserves his soul from death. We live in an age which looks for quick results, but in the sowing of the seed we must sow in patience and, in hope, and sometimes must leave the harvest to the years.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
From The Lectionary Page: http://lectionarypage.net
The Lessons Appointed for Use on the
Sunday Closest to July 13
Proper 10
Year A
RCL
Track 1
Genesis 25:19-34
Psalm 119:105-112
Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
The Collect
O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Old Testament
Genesis 25:19-34
These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. The children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is to be this way, why do I live?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. And the LORD said to her,
“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples born of you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the elder shall serve the younger.”
When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. Afterward his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob. Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.
When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.
Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!” (Therefore he was called Edom.) Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
Commentary on Genesis 25:19-34 by Juliana Claassens
Our lectionary text for today starts with the reference that Rebecca was barren, and that after her husband Isaac prayed for her, she conceived (verse 21).
This very brief, one verse account, continues the theme of the promise threatened and promise fulfilled that runs throughout the book of Genesis. Moreover, as in the instance of Sarah and Abraham, the theme of barrenness makes a powerful statement with regard to the power of God to bestow the unexpected gift of life in situations of barrenness and despair.
In contrast to the other barren women stories in the Bible such as Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth, Rebecca’s barrenness gets little more narrative time than the one verse in which she is described to be barren in addition to having her barrenness overcome. However, two side references regarding the age of Isaac offer the careful reader more detail about Rebekah’s life that has been marked by her inability to bear a child. In verse 20 it is said that Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebecca, and in verse 26 it is said that he was 60 years old when the twins were born. One could very easily miss this textual detail, and yet, these textual details indicate a 20 year span of time. Twenty years of barrenness, of frustration every month when Rebecca’s period indicates once more that pregnancy has not occurred. Twenty years of failure, shame, and frustration.
Within this narrative gap a number of profound perspectives emerge: First, we see an impressive example of the power of prayer. Isaac prays; God grants his prayer and Rebecca conceives. This prayerful disposition in a time of deep anguish for both husband and wife denotes trust, and a keen belief that God is the One who answers prayers and the One who opens up the womb of barren women (Genesis 29:31; 1 Samuel 1:19-20). One should not forget though that Isaac’s highly effectual prayer occurs somewhere within a 20 year timeframe. One could well imagine years of unanswered prayers before Rebecca finally conceived.
Second, after Isaac’s prayer is answered and the miracle of conception against all odds occurred, everything is not smooth sailing. This much is evident in verse 22 when Rebecca seems to be experiencing a difficult pregnancy, causing her to pray to God in anguish. The babies are struggling inside of her — a painful reality that foreshadows the strife that her offspring will know in the rest of the narrative.
God’s answer seems to destine two brothers to live a life of conflict when God reveals to Rebecca that she is carrying twins, and moreover that the older (stronger) brother will be subordinate to the younger (weaker) brother. This divine revelation may explain why Rebecca would later side with Jacob; the one who before his birth already had been chosen by God.
Alternatively, this account may be a type of etiological story explaining why the brothers Jacob and Esau and the nations they represent (Israel and Edom) are at odds with one another. This birth story seems to say: They were born fighting. We are not told whether Rebecca is satisfied with this answer; however, the narrative gap that omits her response could well be filled with all the unspoken emotions of mothers and other relatives standing helpless in the face of violent conflict.
After this incident, the story fast-forwards to the birth of the twins with Esau (“the red one.” Cf. the description of Esau in verse 25 as “reddish”/ ‘Adomi that relates to Edom, the nation represented by Esau) born first with Jacob closely following, grabbing his brother’s heal (cf. the Hebrew word for “heal”/’aqeb that relates to Jacob’s name). This characterization of Jacob “grabbing” will be worked out in more detail in the subsequent narrative when Jacob grabs hold of the first born right belonging to his brother.
Fast-forwarding again, the narrative moves toward the classic episode according to which Esau sells his firstborn right for a bowl of Jacob’s lentil stew. In this encounter, Esau is depicted as a rough man from the fields. Moreover, Esau’s intense hunger suggests that his needs have to be fulfilled immediately without contemplating the long term consequences.
This portrayal of Esau in a less than positive light will be continued in the interpretation history according to which Esau, representing Edom, is depicted in increasingly negative terms in the prophets Obadiah and Malachi (cf. e.g. Malachi 1:2c-3a: “Yet I have loved Jacob but I have hated Esau”).
One should keep in mind that these narratives are told from a pro-Jacob/pro-Israel perspective. The portrayal of a God who sides with the powerless, the weak, the younger brother, the barren woman is moreover a theological perspective that reveals something of Israel’s self-understanding as a tiny, powerless people who lived in the midst of much stronger nations — a reality that became even more evident in the run-up to the exile with superpowers who were quite able to crush a people like Israel without blinking.
Finally, one should not miss the fact that in this narrative, Jacob is also not characterized in the most favorable of ways. Jacob is depicted as “grabbing” his brother’s firstborn right which will be continued in the characterization of Jacob as trickster that in subsequent narratives will mark Jacob’s way in the world. Not only his brother Esau, but also his father Isaac and his uncle Laban will eventually be outwitted by the younger brother. This portrayal makes the election of Jacob by God all the more remarkable. There is nothing is Jacob’s behavior that deserved God’s favor — actually God’s favor comes in spite of Jacob’s actions. This line of interpretation makes a strong case for God’s grace — a God who already is involved with people in their mother’s womb, within the very messiness and conflict of relationships.
The Psalm
Psalm 119:105-112
Lucerna pedibus meis
105 Your word is a lantern to my feet *
and a light upon my path.
106 I have sworn and am determined *
to keep your righteous judgments.
107 I am deeply troubled; *
preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.
108 Accept, O LORD, the willing tribute of my lips, *
and teach me your judgments.
109 My life is always in my hand, *
yet I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have set a trap for me, *
but I have not strayed from your commandments.
111 Your decrees are my inheritance for ever; *
truly, they are the joy of my heart.
112 I have applied my heart to fulfill your statutes *
for ever and to the end.
Reflection on Psalm 119: 105-112 by Manchester Methodists of the Northwest England Methodist District
14 July 2020
The Word a Lamp and Light For All Occasions.
This is both the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. It may have been written by Ezra after the Temple was rebuilt (Ezra 6:14-15) as a repetitive meditation on the beauty of God’s Word and how it helps us stay pure and grow in faith. Psalm 119 has 22 carefully constructed sections, each corresponding to a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet and each verse beginning with the letter of its section. Almost every verse mentions God’s Word. Such repetition was common in Hebrew culture. People did not have personal copies of the Scriptures to read as we do, so God’s people memorized his Word and passed it along orally. The structure of this psalm allowed for easy memorization. Remember that God’s Word, the Bible, along with the help and guidance of his Holy Spirit, is the only sure guide for living a God-honouring life.
In verse 105 the psalmist confesses: “Your word is a lamp to my feet / And a light to my path.” I recall years ago the great Christian educator, Henrietta Mears, citing this verse and illustrating it from her experience at Forest Home, the camp that she founded in the San Bernardino Mountains in Southern California. There in the woods at night it is difficult to see anything. Even if we have a flashlight, we may not see the whole trail, but we see where we are to place our next step. Likewise, God’s Word lights our path as we walk through the darkness of this world one step at a time.
With this light before him the psalmist confesses: “I have sworn and confirmed / That I will keep Your righteous judgments” verse 106. His language is legal and emphatic. He will uphold the law of God as it applies to the situations of this life. His ethics are absolute rather than relative. They are not determined by the particular context within which he finds himself. At the same time, such a stance provokes persecution. Thus he continues, “I am afflicted very much,” and requests “Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word” verse 107. As God renews his spirit, he promises “the freewill offerings of my mouth” in verse 108. These are his praises for relief. They are what the Book of Hebrews calls the “sacrifice of praise,” which is “the fruit of our lips” in Hebrew 13:15. With an open heart to God he asks, “And teach me Your judgments.” Worship makes us receptive to the Word of God. After we have opened our hearts to Him in praise we are ready to receive what He has for us. The psalmist laments that his life is “continually in my hand,” that is, that it is continually at risk but Job 12:10 says, “[The Lord] in whose hand is the life of every living being”. Yet, he adds, “I do not forget Your law” in verse 109. In fact, this law sustains him through the fears and trials of this life. In verse 110 he reveals that the “wicked” seek to trap him like a wild bird, laying “a snare for me.” Nevertheless, he remains faithful to God’s Word as he confesses: “Yet I have not strayed “wandered” from Your precepts.”
Regardless of the suffering and persecution of this life, the psalmist finds confidence in God’s Word. It alone endures. He asserts, “Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever; literally, ‘I have inherited Your testimonies’ forever.” The Word of God becomes his Promised Land. In God’s testimonies he finds “the rejoicing of my heart” verse 111. There is no legalism here. He adds, “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes / Forever, to the very end” in verse 112. As God knows his heart, so God knows what is upon his heart, and it is to obey His will forever.
Psalm 119 is an extended meditation upon the revelation (“law,” Torah) of God. In it we find classic verses that stand alone when lifted from their context, such as “How can a young man cleanse his way? / By taking heed according to Your word” verse 9, and “Your word I have hidden in my heart, / That I might not sin against You” verse 11. And again, “Forever, O Lord, / Your word is settled in heaven” verse 89; “Your word is a lamp to my feet / And a light to my path” verse 105. The psalmist makes clear that our knowledge of God and our ability to live in this world is based upon divine revelation. The wonderful truth is that God has spoken, and we have a trustworthy record of His speech in His Word.
While Psalm 119 stresses the objective nature of revelation, it never sees that revealed Word as standing between us and God. Thus the psalmist affirms the instrumental use of Scripture. God’s Word is His instrument to bring us into a living union with Himself. Since this is true, we are not to worship revelation (or the Bible); rather we are to worship the God who reveals Himself in the Bible. While this psalm teaches a high view of revelation, it is never at the expense of living before God. For example, in verse 2 the psalmist says, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, / Who seek Him (rather than them) with the whole heart!” Again the psalmist confesses, “With my whole heart I have sought You”.
As we have asserted, there is an objective, revealed guide to understanding who God is and how we are to live. For this reason, again and again in the psalm we find the phrase “according to Your word.” In verse 9 the question is asked, “How can a young man cleanse his way?” The answer is given, “By taking heed according to Your word.” In the Word of God, the standard is given by which we can know the will of God. We are not left to wallow in our own subjectivity.
Psalm 119 teaches that the living God is the God who speaks. He stands behind His written Word. Since it is God who has revealed Himself there, this Word is true. As we have seen, it is settled in heaven; it comes with eternal and divine authority. Moreover, since the word of God is revelation, God must prepare our hearts to receive it. The psalmist does not rely upon his unaided reason in order to understand God’s word; the God who speaks must illumine our hearts so that we can hear His speech. Thus the psalmist prays, “Open my eyes, that I may see / Wondrous things from Your law” verse 18. Again, “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes” verse 33.
God must not only reveal His will to us; He must direct us in that will. Thus the psalmist asks, “Make me walk in the path of Your commandments”. Because of our weakness and sin he prays, “Revive me in Your righteousness”. Furthermore, we face opposition from the world as we choose a godly walk. For this reason, the psalmist accepts the comfort of God’s word in his affliction and, at the same time, prays for God I have suffered much; preserve my life, LORD, according to your word.
As the psalmist lives according to the Word of God, there is great reward. He is blessed. He is cleansed. He is guarded from sin. His soul is satisfied. He is revived. He is strengthened. His heart is enlarged. Salvation comes to him. He has answers for his enemies. He walks at liberty. His witness is certain. He is comforted and given life. He receives mercy. He is dealt with well. Affliction is turned to good. He has hope. He is not ashamed. He is wise. He knows more than his teachers and the ancients. He is restrained from evil. His path is lit. He fears God’s judgments. His eyes fail from seeking God’s word. He pants for God’s commandments. He weeps for those who disobey God’s law. He is consumed by zeal. He knows the truth. His heart is in awe. He is filled with praise. No wonder those are blessed “who walk in the law of the Lord!”.
To walk safely in the woods at night, we need a light for protection so we don’t trip over tree roots or fall into holes. In this life, we walk through a dark forest of evil. But the Bible can be our light to show us the way ahead so we won’t stumble as we walk. It reveals the entangling roots of false values and philosophies. We need a light to reach our desired destination. Study the Bible so you will be able to see your way clearly enough to stay on the right path.
The Word of God is our light. In it we come to know God. In it we come to know His will for us. Through it we have strength to stand against our enemies and endure persecution in this life. This is our eternal heritage. The book is open. It is before us. We must not miss it.
The lighted path is not whatever we want it to be, but righteous judgments and God’s precepts; on such a path there is no danger or trap but a heritage and joy. Thus the guidance of the Lord’s instruction enabled us to negotiate right and wrong. And walk on the right and lighted path of our life for all Occasions. Amen.
The Epistle
Romans 8:1-11
There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For this reason the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law-- indeed it cannot, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Barclay Commentary
The Liberation Of Our Human Nature
8:1-4 There is, therefore, now no condemnation against those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law which comes from the Spirit and leads to life has in Christ Jesus set me free from the law which begets sin and leads to death. As for the impotency of the law, that weakness of the law which resulted from the effects of our sinful human nature--God sent his own Son as a sin offering with that very same human nature which in us had sinned; and thereby, while he existed in the same human nature as we have, he condemned sin, so that as a result the righteous demand of the law might be fulfilled in us, who live our lives not after the principle of sinful human nature, but after the principle of the Spirit.
This is a very difficult passage because it is so highly compressed, and because, all through it, Paul is making allusions to things which he has already said.
Two words keep occurring again and again in this chapter, flesh (sarx, Greek #4561 ) and spirit (pneuma, Greek #4151 ). We will not understand the passage at all unless we understand the way in which Paul is using these words.
(i) Sarx ( Greek #4561 ) literally means flesh. The most cursory reading of Paul's letters will show how often he uses the word, and how he uses it in a sense that is all his own. Broadly speaking, he uses it in three different ways.
(a) He uses it quite literally. He speaks of physical circumcision, literally "in the flesh" ( Romans 2:28 ). (b) Over and over again he uses the phrase kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ), literally according to the flesh, which most often means looking at things from the human point of view. For instance, he says that Abraham is our forefather kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ), from the human point of view. He says that Jesus is the son of David kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ) ( Romans 1:3 ), that is to say, on the human side of his descent. He speaks of the Jews being his kinsmen kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ) ( Romans 9:3 ), that is to say, speaking of human relationships. When Paul uses the phrase kata ( Greek #2596 ) sarka ( Greek #4561 ), it always implies that he is looking at things from the human point of view.
(c) But he has a use of this word sarx ( Greek #4561 ) which is all his own. When he is talking of the Christians, he talks of the days when we were in the flesh (en ( Greek #1722 ) sarki, Greek #4561 ) ( Romans 7:5 ). He speaks of those who walk according to the flesh in contradistinction to those who live the Christian life ( Romans 8:4-5 ). He says that those who are in the flesh cannot please God ( Romans 8:8 ). He says that the mind of the flesh is death, and that it is hostile to God ( Romans 8:6 ; Romans 8:8 ). He talks about living according to the flesh ( Romans 8:12 ). He says to his Christian friends, "You are not in the flesh" ( Romans 8:9 ).
It is quite clear, especially from the last instance, that Paul is not using flesh simply in the sense of the body, as we say flesh and blood. How, then, is he using it? He really means human nature in all its weakness and he means human in its vulnerability to sin. He means that part of man which gives sin its bridgehead. He means sinful human nature, apart from Christ, everything that attaches a man to the world instead of to God. To live according to the flesh is to live a life dominated by the dictates and desires of sinful human nature instead of a life dominated by the dictates and the love of God. The flesh is the lower side of man's nature.
It is to be carefully noted that when Paul thinks of the kind of life that a man dominated by the sarx ( Greek #4561 ) lives he is not by any means thinking exclusively of sexual and bodily sins. When he gives a list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 , he includes the bodily and the sexual sins; but he also includes idolatry, hatred, wrath, strife, heresies, envy, murder. The flesh to him was not a physical thing but spiritual. It was human nature in all its sin and weakness; it was all that man is without God and without Christ.
(ii) There is the word Spirit; in Romans 8:1-39 it occurs no fewer than twenty times. This word has a very definite Old Testament background. In Hebrew it is ruach ( Hebrew #7307 ), and it has two basic thoughts. (a) It is not only the word for Spirit; it is also the word for wind. It has always the idea of power about it, power as of a mighty rushing wind. (b) In the Old Testament, it always has the idea of something that is more than human. Spirit, to Paul, represented a power which was divine.
So Paul says in this passage that there was a time when the Christian was at the mercy of his own sinful human nature. In that state the law simply became something that moved him to sin and he went from bad to worse, a defeated and frustrated man. But, when he became a Christian, into his life there came the surging power of the Spirit of God, and, as a result, he entered into victorious living.
In the second part of the passage Paul speaks of the effect of the work of Jesus on us. It is complicated and difficult, but what Paul is getting at is this. Let us remember that he began all this by saying that every man sinned in Adam. We saw how the Jewish conception of solidarity made it possible for him to argue that, quite literally, all men were involved in Adam's sin and in its consequence--death. But there is another side to this picture. Into this world came Jesus; with a completely human nature; and he brought to God a life of perfect obedience, of perfect fulfilment of God's law. Now, because Jesus was fully a man, just as we were one with Adam, we are now one with him; and, just as we were involved in Adam's sin, we are now involved in Jesus' perfection. In him mankind brought to God the perfect obedience, just as in Adam mankind brought to God the fatal disobedience. Men are saved because they were once involved in Adam's sin but are now involved in Jesus' goodness. That is Paul's argument, and, to him and to those who heard it, it was completely convincing, however hard it is for us to grasp it. Because of what Jesus did, there opens out to the Christian a life no longer dominated by the flesh but by that Spirit of God, which fills a man with a power not his own. The penalty of the past is removed and strength for his future is assured.
The Two Principles Of Life
8:5-11 Those who live according to the dictates of sinful human nature are absorbed in worldly human things. Those who live according to the dictates of the Spirit are absorbed in the things of the Spirit. To be absorbed in worldly human things is death; but to be absorbed in the things of the Spirit is life and peace, because absorption in the things which fascinate our sinful human nature is hostility to God, for it does not obey the law of God, nor, indeed, can it do so. Those whose life is a purely worldly thing cannot please God; but you are not dominated by the pursuits which fascinate our sinful human nature; you are dominated by the Spirit, if so it be that the Spirit of God dwells in you. If anyone does not possess the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, even if because of sin your body is mortal, your Spirit has life through righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you he will make even your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit indwelling in you.
Paul is drawing a contrast between two kinds of life.
(i) There is the life which is dominated by sinful human nature; whose focus and centre is self; whose only law is its own desires; which takes what it likes where it likes. In different people that life will be differently described. It may be passion-controlled, or lust-controlled, or pride-controlled, or ambition-controlled. Its characteristic is its absorption in the things that human nature without Christ sets its heart upon.
(ii) There is the life that is dominated by the Spirit of God. As a man lives in the air, he lives in Christ, never separated from him. As he breathes in the air and the air fills him, so Christ fills him. He has no mind of his own; Christ is his mind. He has no desires of his own; the will of Christ is his only law. He is Spirit-controlled, Christ-controlled, God-focused.
These two lives are going in diametrically opposite directions. The life that is dominated by the desires and activities of sinful human nature is on the way to death. In the most literal sense, there is no future in it--because it is getting further and further away from God. To allow the things of the world completely to dominate life is self extinction; it is spiritual suicide. By living it, a man is making himself totally unfit ever to stand in the presence of God. He is hostile to him, resentful of his law and his control. God is not his friend but his enemy, and no man ever won the last battle against him.
The Spirit-controlled life, the Christ-centred life, the God-focused life is daily coming nearer heaven even when it is still on earth. It is a life which is such a steady progress to God that the final transition of death is only a natural and inevitable stage on the way. It is like Enoch who walked with God and God took him. As the child said: "Enoch was a man who went on walks with God--and one day he didn't come back."
No sooner has Paul said this than an inevitable objection strikes him. Someone may object: "You say that the Spirit-controlled man is on the way to life; but in point of fact every man must die. Just what do you mean?" Paul's answer is this. All men die because they are involved in the human situation. Sin came into this world and with sin came death, the consequence of sin. Inevitably, therefore, all men die; but the man who is Spirit-controlled and whose heart is Christ-occupied, dies only to rise again. Paul's basic thought is that the Christian is indissolubly one with Christ. Now Christ died and rose again; and the man who is one with Christ is one with death's conqueror and shares in that victory. The Spirit controlled, Christ-possessed man is on the way to life; death is but an inevitable interlude that has to be passed through on the way.
The Gospel
Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
“Hear then the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Barclay Commentary
The Sower Went Out To Sow ( Matthew 13:1-9 ; Matthew 13:18-23 )
13:1-9,18-23 On that day, when he had gone out from the house, Jesus sat on the seashore; and such great crowds gathered to hear him that he went into a boat, and sat there; and the whole crowd took their stand on the seashore; and he spoke many things in parables to them. "Look!" he said, "the sower went out to sow; and, as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside: and the birds came and devoured it. But some seed fell upon stony ground, where it had not much earth; and, because it had no depth of earth, it sprang up immediately; but when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered away because it had no root. Other seed fell upon thorns, and the thorns came up, and choked the life out of it. But others fell on good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who has ears, let him hear."
"Listen then to the meaning of the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which was sown in his heart. This is represented by the picture of the seed which was sown by the wayside. The picture of the seed which was sown on the stony ground represents the man who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy. But he has no root in himself, and is at the mercy of the moment, and so, when affliction and persecution come, because of the word, he at once stumbles. The picture of the seed which is sown among the thorns represents the man who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the seduction of riches choke the word, and it bears no crop. The picture of the seed which was sown on the good ground represents the man who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold."
Here is a picture which anyone in Palestine would understand. Here we actually see Jesus using the here and now to get to the there and then. There is a point which the Revised Standard Version obscures. The Revised Standard Version has: "A sower went out to sow." The Greek is not a sower, but: "The sower went out to sow."
What in all likelihood happened was that, as Jesus was using the boat by the lakeside as a pulpit, in one of the fields near the shore a sower was actually sowing, and Jesus took the sower, whom they could all see, as a text, and began: "Look at the sower there sowing his seed in that field!" Jesus began from something which at the moment they could actually see to open their minds to truth which as yet they had never seen.
In Palestine there were two ways of sowing seed. It could be sown by the sower scattering it broadcast as he walked up and down the field. Of course, if the wind was blowing, in that case some of the seed would be caught by the wind and blown into all kinds of places, and sometimes out of the field altogether. The second way was a lazy way, but was not uncommonly used. It was to put a sack of seed on the back of an ass, to tear or cut a hole in the corner of the sack, and then to walk the animal up and down the field while the seed ran out. In such a case some of the seed might well dribble out while the animal was crossing the pathway and before it reached the field at all.
In Palestine the fields were in long narrow strips; and the ground between the strips was always a right of way. It was used as a common path; and therefore it was beaten as hard as a pavement by the feet of countless passers-by. That is what Jesus means by the wayside. If seed fell there, and some was bound to fall there in whatever way it was sown, there was no more chance of its penetrating into the earth than if it had fallen on the road.
The stony ground was not ground filled with stones; it was what was common in Palestine, a thin skin of earth on top of an underlying shelf of limestone rock. The earth might be only a very few inches deep before the rock was reached. On such ground the seed would certainly germinate; and it would germinate quickly, because the ground grew speedily warm with the heat of the sun. But there was no depth of earth and when it sent down its roots in search of nourishment and moisture, it would meet only the rock, and would be starved to death, and quite unable to withstand the heat of the sun.
The thorny ground was deceptive. When the sower was sowing, the ground would look clean enough. It is easy to make a garden look clean by simply turning it over; but in the ground still lay the fibrous roots of the couch grass and the bishop W**d and all the perennial pests, ready to spring to life again. Every gardener knows that the weeds grow with a speed and a strength that few good seeds can equal. The result was that the good seed and the dormant weeds grew together; but the weeds were so strong that they throttled the life out of the seed.
The good ground was deep and clean and soft; the seed could gain an entry; it could find nourishment; it could grow unchecked; and in the good ground it brought forth an abundant harvest.
The Word And The Hearer ( Matthew 13:1-9 ; Matthew 13:18-23 Continued)
This parable is really aimed at two sets of people.
(a) It is aimed at the hearers of the word. It is fairly frequently held by scholars that the interpretation of the parable in Matthew 13:18-23 is not the interpretation of Jesus himself, but the interpretation of the preachers of the early Church, and that it is not in fact correct. It is said that it transgresses the law that a parable is not an allegory, and that it is too detailed to be grasped by listeners at first hearing. If Jesus was really pointing at an actual sower sowing seed, that does not seem a valid objection; and, in any event, the interpretation which identifies the different kinds of soil with different kinds of hearers has always held its place in the Church's thought, and must surely have come from some authoritative source. If so, why not from Jesus himself?
If we take the parable as a warning to hearers, it means that there are different ways of accepting the word of God, and the fruit which it produces depends on the heart of him who accepts it. The fate of any spoken word depends on the hearer. As it has been said, "A jest's prosperity lies not in the tongue of him who tells it, but in the ear of him who hears it." A jest will succeed when it is told to a man who has a sense of humour and is prepared to smile. A jest will fad when it is told to a humourless creature or to a man grimly determined not to be amused. Who then are the hearers described and warned in this parable?
(i) There is the hearer with the shut mind. There are people into whose minds the word has no more chance of gaining entry than the seed has of settling into the ground that has been beaten hard by many feet. There are many things which can shut a man's mind. Prejudice can make a man blind to everything he does not wish to see. The unteachable spirit can erect a barrier which cannot easily be broken down. The unteachable spirit can result from one of two things. It can be the result of pride which does not know that it needs to know; and it can be the result of the fear of new truth and the refusal to adventure on the ways of thought. Sometimes an immoral character and a man's way of life can shut his mind. There may be truth which condemns the things he loves and which accuses the things he does; and many a man refuses to listen to or to recognize the truth which condemns him, for there are none so blind as those who deliberately will not see.
(ii) There is the hearer with the mind like the shallow ground. He is the man who fails to think things out and think them through.
Some people are at the mercy of every new craze. They take a thing up quickly and just as quickly drop it. They must always be in the fashion. They begin some new hobby or begin to acquire some new accomplishment with enthusiasm, but the thing becomes difficult and they abandon it, or the enthusiasm wanes and they lay it aside. Some people's lives are littered with things they began and never finished. A man can be like that with the word. When he hears it he may be swept off his feet with an emotional reaction; but no man can live on an emotion. A man has a mind and it is a moral obligation to have an intelligent faith. Christianity has its demands, and these demands must be faced before it can be accepted. The Christian offer is not only a privilege, it is also a responsibility. A sudden enthusiasm can always so quickly become a dying fire.
(iii) There is the hearer who has so many interests in life that often the most important things, get crowded out. It is characteristic of modern life that it becomes increasingly crowded and increasingly fast. A man becomes too busy to pray; he becomes so preoccupied with many things that he forgets to study the word of God: he can become so involved in committees and good works and charitable services that he leaves himself no time for him from whom all love and service come. His business can take such a grip of him that he is too tired to think of anything else. It is not the things which are obviously bad which are dangerous. It is the things which are good, for the "second best is always the worst enemy of the best." It is not even that a man deliberately banishes prayer and the Bible and the Church from his life; it can be that he often thinks of them and intends to make time for them, but somehow in his crowded life never gets round to it. We must be careful to see that Christ is not shouldered out of the topmost niche in life.
(iv) There is the man who is like the good ground. In his reception of the word there are four stages. Like the good ground, his mind is open. He is at all times willing to learn. He is prepared to hear. He is never either too proud or too busy to listen. Many a man would have been saved all kinds of heartbreak, if he had simply stopped to listen to the voice of a wise friend, or to the voice of God. He understands. He has thought the thing out and knows what this means for him, and is prepared to accept it. He translates his hearing into action. He produces the good fruit of the good seed. The real hearer is the man who listens, who understands, and who obeys.
No Despair ( Matthew 13:1-9 ; Matthew 13:18-23 Continued)
(b) We said this parable had a double impact. We have looked at the impact it was designed to have on those who hear the word. But it was equally designed to have an impact on those who preach the word. Not only was it meant to say something to the listening crowds; it was also meant to say something to the inner circle of the disciples.
It is not difficult to see that in the hearts of the disciples there must sometimes have been a certain discouragement. To them Jesus was everything, the wisest and the most wonderful of all. But, humanly speaking, he had very little success. The doors of the synagogue were shutting against him. The leaders of orthodox religion were his bitterest critics and were obviously out to destroy him. True, the crowds came to hear him, but there were so few who were really changed, and so many who came to reap the benefit of his healing power, and, who, when they had received it, went away and forgot. There were so many who came to Jesus only for what they could get. The disciples were faced with a situation in which Jesus seemed to rouse nothing but hostility in the leaders of the Church, and nothing but a very evanescent response in the crowd. It is nothing surprising if in the hearts of the disciples there was sometimes deep disappointment. What then does the parable say to the preacher who is discouraged?
Its lesson is clear--the harvest is sure. For discouraged preachers of the word the lesson is in the climax of the parable, in the picture of the seed which brought forth abundant fruit. Some seed may fall by the wayside and be snatched away by the birds; some seed may fall on the shallow ground and never come to maturity; some seed may fat among the thorns and be choked to death; but in spite of all that the harvest does come. No farmer expects every single seed he sows to germinate and bring forth fruit. He knows quite well that some will be blown away by the wind, and some will fall in places where it cannot grow; but that does not stop him sowing. Nor does it make him give up hope of the harvest. The farmer sows in the confidence that, even if some of the seed is wasted, none the less the harvest will certainly come.
So then this is a parable of encouragement to those who sow the seed of the word.
(i) When a man sows the seed of the word, he does not know what he is doing or what effect the seed is having. H. L. Gee tells this story. In the church where he worshipped there was a lonely old man, old Thomas. He had outlived all his friends and hardly anyone knew him. When Thomas died, Gee had the feeling that there would be no one to go to the funeral so he decided to go, so that there might be someone to follow the old man to his last resting-place.
There was no one else and it was a wild, wet day. The funeral reached the cemetery; and at the gate there was a soldier waiting. He was an officer, but on his raincoat there were no rank badges. The soldier came to the graveside for the ceremony; when it was over he stepped forward and before the open grave swept his hand to a salute that might have been given to a king. H. L. Gee walked away with this soldier, and as they walked, the wind blew the soldier's raincoat open to reveal the shoulder badges of a brigadier.
The brigadier said to Gee: "You will perhaps be wondering what I am doing here. Years ago Thomas was my Sunday School teacher; I was a wild lad and a sore trial to him. He never knew what he did for me, but I owe everything I am or will be to old Thomas, and today I had to come to salute him at the end." Thomas did not know what he was doing. No preacher or teacher ever does. It is our task to sow the seed, and to leave the rest to God.
(ii) When a man sows the seed, he must not look for quick results. There is never any haste in nature's growth. It takes a long, long time before an acorn becomes an oak; and it may take a long, long time before the seed germinates in the heart of a man. But often a word dropped into a man's heart in his boyhood lies dormant until some day it awakens and saves him from some great temptation or even preserves his soul from death. We live in an age which looks for quick results, but in the sowing of the seed we must sow in patience and, in hope, and sometimes must leave the harvest to the years.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in square brackets.
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle and Gospel lessons are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA, and used by permission.
The Collects, Psalms and Canticles are from the Book of Common Prayer, 1979.
From The Lectionary Page: http://lectionarypage.net
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