Scripture Readings for June 22, 2008 (Proper 7a)

Here are the readings for Sunday, June 22, 2008 (Proper 7a)

Genesis 21:8-21

⁸The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

⁹But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac. ¹⁰So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.” ¹¹The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. ¹²But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named for you. ¹³As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.”

¹⁴So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba. ¹⁵When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. ¹⁶Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, “Do not let me look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. ¹⁷And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. ¹⁸Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.” ¹⁹Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink. ²⁰God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. ²¹He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Romans 6:1b-11

Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin go on living in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. ⁵For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For whoever has died is freed from sin. ⁸But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. ¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 10:24-39

²⁴“A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; ²⁵it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household! ²⁶“So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. ²⁷What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. ²⁸Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. ³⁰And even the hairs of your head are all counted. ³¹So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ³²“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; ³³but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. ³⁴“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. ³⁷Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

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From Jo Anne - Easter 4 - Good Shepherd Sunday

Dear Alan,

Today's sermon was just awesome! Never before in my personal life have I needed more to hear about the redemption that is offered on so many levels in the breaking of the bread. I was so moved by your words. It made me all the more anxious to get an early start on next week's service!

As I did my preliminary research on the lectionary texts, I was struck by many themes -- the idea of the different voices we hear in this world (thinking of the reference to the sheep recognizing Jesus' voice) and also the image of Jesus being the Gate, the Door. Since my maiden name means "Gatekeeper," I decided to run after that rabbit. I ran across the following writings by Edward Markquart on the website “Sermons from Seattle,” which I quote verbatim below:

To understand the Biblical parable of the sheep and the door, it is helpful to trace our steps back two thousand years into the time of Christ. So we momentarily need to go back to the time of sheep and shepherds and watering holes. During the time of Jesus in the land of Palestine, during the evening, the shepherds would bring the sheep down from the hills to protect them at night when the wolves and mountain lions were hunting their prey. At night, the shepherds would gather their sheep together and lead them into large pens. These large pens were called sheepfolds. These sheepfolds or sheep pens had large walls which were made out of rocks. The walls of the sheep pens were about five feet high. On the top of the four stone walls were briars or prickly branches. These briars or prickly branches would be used for the crown of thorns on Good Friday. The shepherds put the prickly briars along the top of the wall, so it was like our barbed wire today on the top of walls. The result of all of this is that the mountain lions and wolves couldn't get inside the sheep pen.

Now, the door way was about two feet wide. This wide. Not wide at all. It was a small entry. It was like one small gap in the wall. So I ask you: what was the door made out of? This is crucial. Was the door made out of wood that a carpenter had constructed? Was it made out of wool, a wool blanket that a weaver had woven? Was it made out of stones that the shepherd had piled up? Was it made of out sticks, all laced together to form a barrier? Was it made out of leather, a hide from the sheep? Was it made out of linen, like a linen cloth hanging there in the gap in the wall? What was the door made out of? Wood? Wool? Stones? Sticks? Leather? Linen? What was the door made out of? That is the key to the story.

There was no door. The shepherd himself was the door. At night, the shepherd himself would sleep there in the small opening of the rock wall. He would sleep there, by the fire, with his rod and staff. If any mountain lion would come, the shepherd would fight it off with his weapons, his short stocky club or his long pointed staff. Literally and actually, the shepherd himself was the door. (end quote)

The use of the gate/door/Way image appeals to me very much. I have written an introduction to the service which plays with this idea. I attached the "skeleton liturgy" to this e-mail so you can look it over. Let me know if you want to go in this direction with your sermon, or if you will go another way. This will help me pick the right music.

Love,

Jo Anne

P.S. You may post this letter on Hermeneutic if it is helpful. I couldn't get it to post — probably forgot how — lol.

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Internet Archive: Lord of Life and Death (sermon posted)

Internet Archive: Details: Lord of Life and Death: "The Gospel lesson comes from John 11. While we usually think of this chapter as being about the raising of Lazarus, I believe the heart of the chapter is about the exchange between Jesus and Martha. Just as earlier we have seen the exchanges between Jesus and Nicodemus, Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, and Jesus and the Man Born Blind, so here is the exchange between Jesus and Martha."

Download the sermon mp3 file.

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Lord of Life and Death (Complete)

I have merged the two entries on John 11. You can find the completed entry of Lord of Life and Death here.

From the page: “Martha and Mary knew the capabilities of Jesus, yet they never asked him to restore their brother to life. That Jesus did so was for a higher purpose: ‘the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory’ (John 1:14, ESV). He turns water into wine, not simply to save a wedding, but that his disciples might see the glory of God, his glory, and believe in him (John 2:11). In what we call the High Priestly Prayer (chapter 17), Jesus prays, ‘And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed’ (John 17:5, ESV). Witnessing this glory is to provide unity among the faithful: ‘The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one’ (John 17:22, ESV). Indeed, the author of the Gospel tells us these things have been written down so that we to may believe.”

Complete entry: Lord of Life and Death is here.

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Lord of Life and Death: A Second Look at Sunday's Lesson

Jesus Raises Lazarus

Today I want to continue looking at the Gospel lesson (John 11:1-45) for this Sunday, March 9, 2008 (Year A in the lectionary). I wrote about the John 11:1-27 in this entry. Today I begin with John 11:28.

Martha is direct and to the point. Mary is demonstrative and feeling. Both have faith, but they show it differently. When Martha told Mary that Jesus was waiting for her, she went to him, followed by many of the mourners who thought she was going to the tomb. Mary falls at his feet and says that Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been present. Interestingly she falls short of her sister’s affirmation in verse 22; “even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you” (ESV). Nevertheless, Mary’s emotional display moves Jesus: “he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” (ESV).

Robertson on this verse...

He groaned in the spirit (ενεβριμησατο τω πνευματ). First aorist middle indicative of εμβριμαομα, old verb (from εν, and βριμη, strength) to snort with anger like a horse. It occurs in the LXX (Da 11:30) for violent displeasure. The notion of indignation is present in the other examples of the word in the N.T. (Mr 1:43; 14:5; Mt 9:30). So it seems best to see that sense here and in verse 38. The presence of these Jews, the grief of Mary, Christ’s own concern, the problem of the raising of Lazarus—all greatly agitated the spirit of Jesus (locative case τω πνευματ). He struggled for self-control.

Was troubled (εταραξεν εαυτον). First aorist active indicative of ταρασσω, old verb to disturb, to agitate, with the reflexive pronoun, “he agitated himself” (not passive voice, not middle). “His sympathy with the weeping sister and the wailing crowd caused this deep emotion” (Dods). Some indignation at the loud wailing would only add to the agitation of Jesus.

As a believer, Jesus is not only loved by Jesus as God loves us all, but he loves her as a dear friend — as a dear sister. He is disturbed and moved by the depths of her grief. He knows her pain and suffers with her. Asking to be taken to the grave he then experiences the grief of such loss for himself. Some translations simply state “Jesus wept” (vs. 35).

I have always found this to be one of the most moving narratives in the New Testament. Another is the realization Peter has when he has denied knowing Jesus for the third time when the cock crows. We are told that he runs and weeps bitterly.

⁶¹ And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly.
Luke 22:61-63, ESV

But where Peter’s weeping is from his realization of his own failure and part in Jesus’ eventual death, Jesus weeps from his identification with Martha and Mary at their loss. It is his loss as well. Even though he knows that the separation is but for a moment, he experiences the loss as part of his humanity. He is no God who cannot understand our own sense of loss, or disappointment, or even failure.

Nearby observers confuse this compassion and sympathy on the part of Jesus with an inability to act. Here is the man who gave sight to a man born blind (vs. 37). Could he not bring life back to his friend? Even the prophets of old were known to do that!

Moved again, Jesus orders the stone rolled away from the tomb (vs. 39). Ever the practical one, Martha warns that there must surely be a stench. Her concern is interesting. On the one hand she believes that Jesus can do something about her brother’s death — she has verbalized it (vs. 22), but she has yet to truly appropriate the belief by faith. How often do we fail to make the same distinctions in our lives? We believe something even to the point of being able to express it — and yet, we fail to truly appropriate it to the exclusions of all doubts.

Jesus reminds Martha of their conversation (vs. 40) and tells her she is about to witness God’s glory. Jesus commands his dear friend Lazarus to come out of the tomb (vs.43) and he does (vs. 44). Jesus restores Lazarus to life. It is a resuscitation, not a resurrection. Lazarus will again die. The point of the event was not that a grieving man bring his friend to life for his grieving sisters. No, the point was for Martha to see the glory of God. She did, and she believed. Not only that, but many of those present believed as well (vs 45).

The Glory of God

Martha and Mary knew the capabilities of Jesus, yet they never asked him to restore their brother to life. That Jesus did so was for a higher purpose: “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory” (John 1:14, ESV). He turns water into wine, not simply to save a wedding, but that his disciples might see the glory of God, his glory, and believe in him (John 2:11). In what we call the High Priestly Prayer (chapter 17), Jesus prays, “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (John 17:5, ESV). Witnessing this glory is to provide unity among the faithful: “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one” (John 17:22, ESV). Indeed, the author of the Gospel tells us these things have been written down so that we to may believe.

³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
(John 20:30-31, ESV)

The Power to Loose

One more thing before we leave Lazarus. Jesus commands that those nearby unbind Lazarus (vs. 44). Literally, to loose him (λυσατε αυτον). I find this verse to be evocative of those passages in Matthew where Jesus gives the authority to loose and bind. Here is Robertson’s note on Matthew 16:19.

The Keys of the kingdom (τας κλειδας της βασιλειας). Here again we have the figure of a building with keys to open from the outside. The question is raised at once if Jesus does not here mean the same thing by “kingdom” that he did by “church” in verse 18. In Re 1:18; 3:7 Christ the Risen Lord has “the keys of death and of Hades.” He has also “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” which he here hands over to Peter as “gatekeeper” or “steward” (οικονομος) provided we do not understand it as a special and peculiar prerogative belonging to Peter. The same power here given to Peter belongs to every disciple of Jesus in all the ages. Advocates of papal supremacy insist on the primacy of Peter here and the power of Peter to pass on this supposed sovereignty to others. But this is all quite beside the mark. We shall soon see the disciples actually disputing again (Mt 18:1) as to which of them is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven as they will again (20:21) and even on the night before Christ’s death. Clearly neither Peter nor the rest understood Jesus to say here that Peter was to have supreme authority. What is added shows that Peter held the keys precisely as every preacher and teacher does. To “bind” (δησηις) in rabbinical language is to forbid, to “loose” (λυσηις) is to permit. Peter would be like a rabbi who passes on many points. Rabbis of the school of Hillel “loosed” many things that the school of Schammai “bound.” The teaching of Jesus is the standard for Peter and for all preachers of Christ. Note the future perfect indicative (εστα δεδεμενον, εστα λελυμενον), a state of completion. All this assumes, of course, that Peter’s use of the keys will be in accord with the teaching and mind of Christ. The binding and loosing is repeated by Jesus to all the disciples (18:18). Later after the Resurrection Christ will use this same language to all the disciples (Joh 20:23), showing that it was not a special prerogative of Peter. He is simply first among equals, primus inter pares, because on this occasion he was spokesman for the faith of all. It is a violent leap in logic to claim power to forgive sins, to pronounce absolution, by reason of the technical rabbinical language that Jesus employed about binding and loosing. Every preacher uses the keys of the kingdom when he proclaims the terms of salvation in Christ. The proclamation of these terms when accepted by faith in Christ has the sanction and approval of God the Father. The more personal we make these great words the nearer we come to the mind of Christ. The more ecclesiastical we make them the further we drift away from him.

But, does Robertson go far enough? The keys belong to the whole Church of Jesus Christ — laity as well as clergy. We all have the great privilege (and tremendous responsibility) to announce the Gospel and to proclaim the forgiveness of sins. The authority to loose seems clear. It belongs to all of us, collectively as the Body of Christ. We use it, we implement it, not only collectively, but individually in our daily ministrations to our neighbor.

So, what about the authority to bind? Here is the difficulty. It certainly belongs only to the Body of Christ as does the authority to loose. But, what does it entail and how is it implemented? That, I believe, must be another topic for another day, but, your comments are welcome.

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Looking toward Jesus, Lord of Life and Death

This Sunday (March 9, 2008), I will be preaching on Jesus as the Lord of Life and Death. The main focus of the sermon will be on the Gospel lesson. Read the Gospel lesson — John 11:1-45 — in one of these translations: WEB (World English Bible), NET (New English Translation), NLT (New Living Translation), ESV (English Standard Version), or the NRSV (New Revised Standard Version).

The other readings of the lectionary will also be used in my sermon and/or the worship service. (You can read all of the texts for this Sunday here in the NRSV. As always, there are many links to helpful material at the Textweek.com site). For example, I am using Psalm 130 as the Call to Worship in the two traditional services. I adapted the NRSV for this reading...

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;
My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning,
more than those who watch for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.

It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

I have already begun my comments on the text here.

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Friends of Jesus: A First Look at Sunday's Gospel Lesson

Jesus is a Friend of Believers

How did Jesus meet this family? How did he come to be such close friends with them? They were not what we would consider a typical family: a brother and two sisters. They lived in Bethany, nearby Jerusalem. Perhaps, Jesus met them on one of his early trips to Jerusalem and they invited Jesus and his disciples to stay with them. Such a display of generous and radical hospitality must have made an impression on Jesus.

I imagine that as Jesus made his trips to Jerusalem for religious feast days and observances that this home in Bethany became the place of their lodging. All those evenings together allowed Jesus to know and grow close to this family of three: Lazarus, Martha, and Mary.

It was in Bethany that Jesus ate in the home of Simon (Matthew 26:1-13; Mark 14:3-9; Luke 7:36-50). It was here that Jesus ascended to heaven after his resurrection (Luke 24:50-51). Bethany was separated from Jerusalem by the Mount of Olives which was the location of the Garden of Gethsemane.

Lazarus becomes a paradigm for all of us as believers in this chapter of John’s Gospel account of Christ’s ministry. When Jesus tells the Parable of the Rich Man who dies, the poor man is given the name of Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). Perhaps it is in recognition of his great friendship with Lazarus that he does this. After all, I do not believe he has provided a proper name for any other character of his parables. Certainly, that is significant.

Jesus announces that “our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep” (verse 11). I find it significant that Jesus refers to Lazarus as a friend. So are all believers friends of Christ.

The text uses a form of the word Φιλεω (phileo) as well as αγαπαω (agapao) to describe Jesus relationship with Lazarus. It is significant that Jesus not only had that selfless, giving love for Lazarus that he has for all people, but he also loves Lazarus as a friend. Both verbs are used to describe the relationship of God, the Father, to the Son. Yes, God is love. Yes, God has demonstrated his love for us in sending the Son. But, those who are believers are adopted as God's children. We become brothers and sisters of Christ who loves us a brothers and sisters. Just as Jesus love Lazarus, Martha, and Mary as brothers and sisters, so does he love all who trust in him and walk in the light.

Friends of Jesus Walk in the Light

As we have see in the account of Jesus and the Man Born Blind, when Jesus talks about light and darkness he has a deeper spiritual meaning in mind. In these verses, Jesus is building on a discussion of light and darkness that we have seen taking place in the Gospel of John since the opening prologue...

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² The same was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through him. Without him was not anything made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it.

⁹ The true light that enlightens everyone was coming into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world didn’t recognize him. ¹¹ He came to his own, and those who were his own didn’t receive him. ¹² But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name: ¹³ who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:1-5, 9-13 (WEB)

Commenting on this verse from this week’s lesson, Robertson says that we have the capacity for light, but are not the source of light (Robertson, note on John 11:10). Jesus calls himself the Light of the World. He also calls us the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are like moons that reflect the sun‘s light onto the dark side of the earth. We are to place our light on a stand where it will give light to all (Matthew 5:15), so that other‘s may see our good works (Matthew 5:16), prepared beforehand for us (Galatians 2:10) that God may be glorified (Matthew 5:16).

Jesus is the Lord of Life and Death

Jesus refers to Lazarus’ death as sleep. It is not final. It is not spiritually fatal. Again, Jesus relies on a pun with both a physical and a spiritual meaning: asleep.

Death does not break the bond we have in Christ, as the Apostle Paul writes...

”For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:38-39 (WEB)

Or as Paul wrote in this week‘s Epistle Lesson, “But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11, WEB).

Here Jesus demonstrates that he is the Lord of life and death. Lazarus’ death was for a purpose — to demonstrate the glory of God. We saw a similar statement when Jesus was talking about the man who had been born blind. Contrary to prevailing attitudes, the man‘s blindness had nothing to do with his sin or his parent‘s sin — it was to demonstrate the glory of God.

It is Martha who goes out to greet Jesus, and not Mary. I have always liked that about this story. Martha often gets a bad rap when compared to her sister who “chose the better portion” (Luke 10:42). Here it is Martha who demonstrates her faith by going out to Jesus and making the incredible affirmation: “Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you” (John 11:22-23, ESV). Jesus tells her that Lazarus will rise. Martha responds that she believes in the resurrection and that her brother will rise on the day of resurrection. Jesus then tells her: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26, ESV). Martha responds: “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (verse 26, ESV).

Resources

Robertson, A. T., Word Pictures in the New Testament, Electronic Files, The Bible Foundation, Public Domain.

Henry, Matthew. Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible, Electronic Files Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Public Domain.

Masterman, E. W. G. “Olives, Mount of”, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), Public Domain. 1844-1913.

Masterman, E. W. G. “Bethany”, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), Public Domain. 1844-1913.

Trever, G. H. “Lazarus”, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE), Public Domain. 1844-1913.

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Sleeper, Awake! A Call to the Light

Epistle Lesson : Fourth Sunday in Lent (Year A)
Ephesians 5:8-14 (Text from the NRSV)

5:8 For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light-

This is the epistle lesson for Lent 4 (Year A). The theme of light and darkness ties it to the Gospel lesson (John 9:1-41) and gives us a picture of what it means to “live as children of the light.” The early church associated baptism with enlightenment (φωτισμός) and these passages (along with the Gospel text) are often connected to Baptism.

5:9 for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.

Perhaps the fruit of the light is synonymous with the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). One group of manuscripts actually reads “fruit of the Spirit,” but, probably as an attempt to harmonize the verse with Galatians (Barth, p. 567). What fruit is evident in our lives? Jesus and John the Baptist both speak of the necessity of bearing fruit (Matthew 3:8,10; 7:20; 13:23; John 15:2,8,16). The Apostle Paul speaks of bearing fruit for God that leads to sanctification (Romans 6:22; 7:4).

5:10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord.

By living as a child of the light and producing the fruit of the light we will learn what is pleasing to the Lord. And as we discern those things that are pleasing to the Lord we will learn better what it means to walk in the light.

5:11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Here, “the unfruitful works of darkness” is contrasted with the fruit of the light in verse 9. Indeed, we are not to only not take part in them, we are to expose them. Darkness is vanquished by light. By shining our light into those dark places in our lives we can expose them. But, expose them for what? The ASV (American Standard Version, 1901) reads “reprove them.” Perhaps it is by exposing these works in the full light of Christ that we are in a position to correct them. First, we work to correct that darkness that remains in our own lives before we can turn our attention to our neighbor (as Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:3-5).

The way we expose these works of darkness in the lives of others is by the contrast with our own life. Let our own lives demonstrate how dismal the alternatives are (Barth, p. 571).

5:12 For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly;

As children of light we prefer the light to darkness. Formerly (see verse 8) we may have been like cockroaches scurrying for cover when the light shines in our direction.

5:13 but everything exposed by the light becomes visible,

The choice then is to give up the darkness and live in the light, or to return to darkness.

5:14 for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

The commentaries suggest this may be part of a baptismal liturgy, perhaps spoken after the newly baptized emerged from the water. We can't help but to hear the echo from the prologue of John’s Gospel...

⁹The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. (John 1:9-10, NRSV)

Then as the newly baptized Christian comes up out of the water as a child of light, we hear...

Sleeper, awake!

Rise from the dead!

And Christ will shine on you!

Now we see.

Resources

Barth, Markus. Ephesians: Translation and Commentary on Chapters 4-6: Anchor Bible 34a. Doubleday, 1998.

Martin, Ralph P., Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon (Interpretation, a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), Westminster John Knox Press, 1992.

Simpson, E.K. and F.F. Bruce, Epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians (The New International Commentary of the New Testament). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975.

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The Man Born Blind

The Healing (verses 1 to 7)

Jesus and his disciples are in Jerusalem. As they walk they see a man who is blind — indeed, one who has been blind from birth (verse 1). The disciples of Jesus demonstrate a real point for us: Jesus doesn't select the most sensitive or the most intelligent, or the most loved people to be his disciples. The disciples here betray their narrow-mindedness in assuming that someone's sin must have caused this man's blindness (vs. 2). This is in spite of the fact that we have works such as the book of Job to teach us the contrary. Jesus tells the disciple that this man's blindness is there to demonstrate the glory of God (vs. 3).

This raises an interesting point about the way Jesus sees tragedy. Too often people see tragedy as the result of divine displeasure. To the contrary, Jesus says it exists to demonstrate the glory of God. Instead of referring to damages from hurricanes and tornadoes as acts of God, the response of God's faithful people is the real act of God. When God's faithful people surround someone stricken by illness, that is the act of God. It is in this context Jesus reminds us that he is the “light of the world” (vs. 5).

⁴We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. ⁵As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (ESV, English Standard Version)

Jesus makes some mud and rubs it on the eyes of the man (c.f., Matthew 9:28-29) and instructs him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam — which mean sent (vss. 6-7). The significance of this is not only that the man is sent by Jesus to the pool, but that Jesus himself is sent (John 3:16-17) and he sends his disciples to “reap where they have not sown” (John 4:38).

The man is obedient. He does as instructed. He washes in the pool and is able to see. Perhaps this is John addressing the place of Baptism in the Church. Baptism in the early church was often associated with the idea of enlightenment (Brown, pp. 380ff; Barrett, p. 355)

First Transition — The Neighbors (verses 8-12)

What are we to make of this. Was this a man who was born blind and can now see? Or was this a man who has been playing us for years? Imagine the reactions of those who have always known him as a man born blind (vss. 8-9). So they confront him directly (vs. 10).

This man says he is indeed the man who had been born blind, but now he can see. He has been healed by a man named Jesus! He recounts the incident (vss. 11-12) and they want to know where he is. This is precisely the kind of thing Jesus doesn't want. He doesn't want people following after him because of some miracle or some promise of possessions in this life. He has seen what happens when people follow him for food but fail to see the significance of what he is truly offering (c.f., John 6:66).

The Interrogation of the Blind Man by Religious Authorities (verses 13-17)

The neighbors and people who knew the man born blind take him to the religious authorities (vs. 13). Perhaps they are not satisfied by the answers. Maybe they are frightened by what they see as the implications. It is at this point where it is parenthetically mentioned that Jesus performed this act on the Sabbath (vs. 14).

In the exchange that follows (vss. 15-17) the authorities demand a recounting of what happened. The man simply replies “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see” (vs. 15, ESV). The authorities insist that Jesus cannot be from God because he does these things on the Sabbath (vs. 16). This creates a division among them. On the one side there are those who cannot imagine someone from God doing these things on the Sabbath. On the other hand, surely only someone from God could do these things. For example, Nicodemus made this assertion (John 3:2).

The religious authorities are judging the man born blind, but really they are seeking to judge Jesus through him. Of course, the irony is that even behind this they themselves are judged from their failure to see (c.f., NET Bible, see the study note on verse 16).

The Interrogation of the Parents by Religious Authorities (verses 18-23)

Not satisfied with the responses from the man, the authorities seek out his parents to interrogate them (vs. 18-21). Now, here is a tragedy: These parents who have cause to rejoice are afraid to do so because of the possible consequences. They are threatened with the possibility of excommunication because of the miracle that has taken place in their child's life (vs. 22). They report that their son had indeed been born blind, but how he could now see they did not know (vs. 21).

Have you ever considered what it must have been like for that first generation of Christians? To accept Christ meant abandoning the orthodoxy of the faith you grew up believing. These parents were stuck between the love of their child and the faith they believed in. The confrontation with the religious authorities only made it worse.

The parents decide to avoid the issue by turning the authorities back to their son: “Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself” (vs. 21, ESV).

The Second Interrogation of the Blind Man by Religious Authorities (verses 24-34)

Having been turned away from the parents without satisfaction the authorities return to the man who had been born blind and insist he give glory to God for his restored sight (vs. 24). At the same time they insist that Jesus is a sinner. This creates a disconnect for the man. Yes, he does give glory to God for what has taken place in his life, but surely this Jesus must be a man sent from God — how else could have done this wonderful thing: “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see” (vs. 25, ESV). Surely, “God does not listen to sinners” (vs. 31).

The man is clever and witty in the way he responds to the second interrogation:

I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples? (vs. 27)

Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. (vs. 30)

In the end, the man is denounced. “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” (vs. 34). Then he is excommunicated — cast out of the congregation.

Jesus and the Man Who Had Been Blind (verses 35-41)

Now here is this man. He has been rejected by his neighbors. He has been rejected by his family. He is rejected by the very faith he grew up with. All of his traditions have abandoned him. Now Jesus comes to him and asks him about the Messiah. “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (vs. 35). Of course he does. But there have been so many confusing images of this Messiah. Just who is this Messiah? Jesus says, “It is he who is speaking to you — you have seen him!” (vs. 37). The man is immediately ready to proclaim his faith because his eyes have been opened. Not physically, but spiritually. What is significant is not the gift of physical sight, but the enlightenment he now has because of Jesus. He professes his belief and worships Jesus (vs. 38).

It is the religious authorities who are blind. They are the ones who fail to see. They fail to understand. Even with the light right before them, they remain in darkness.

Resources

Barrett, C. K., The Gospel According to St. John, Second Edition, Westminster, Philadelphia, 1978. ISBN 0-664-21364-2

Brown, Raymond E., The Gospel of John I-XII, Second Edition, (The Anchor Bible, Volume 29), Doubleday, 1966. ISBN 0-385-01517-8

Bruce, F. F., The Gospel of John, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1983. ISBN 0-8028-3407-8

NET Bible, First Edition, Biblical Studies Press, 1996-2005. ISBN 0-737-50100-6

Sloyan, Gerard, John (Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), John Knox Press, Atlanta, 1988. ISBN 0-8042-3125-7

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