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Some thoughts on the lectionary texts for this Sunday
Jeremiah 31:31-34
+ historical context – this probably comes from the time of the Exile and the fall of the Temple in Jerusalem, when it was pretty obvious that the covenant was broken, and a devout believer would have to acknowledge that since God would not be unfaithful, it must have been the fault of the people.
+ so the really exciting thought in this word is that rather than be limited by the old orthodoxy, God can and will break it open and make possible a new beginning. God can do it!
+ literary context – Jer 30 and 31 are called the “little book of comfort” where Jeremiah assures the people that what they are now living is not going to be their reality forever. Note that in ch 32, Jeremiah, in prison, buys a field because “people will once again buy and sell houses, farms, and vineyards in this country” ie, in the Promised Land. “As long as they are on this earth, even the people of the new covenant still need a place to live, actual ground for growing food, and a marketplace where things are bought and sold.”
+ “says the Lord” – four times in four verses! What the Lord says is -
1) there will be a new covenant in the coming days. What do you think – have those days come? We are cautioned against jumping too quickly to the idea that this means Jesus. The new covenant does not envision Jews turning Christian, but both Jews and Christians finding a new life.
2) the “old covenant” was characterized by a Master/servant relationship and disobedience on part of the people. How did the people break the covenant – was it one event or more of an inclination, a direction they were moving in?
3) the new covenant will be characterized by the internalization of the law and by a God/People of God relationship. How does this “internalization of the law” work ? Here’s one issue – not that this word is spoken not to individuals but to the “houses” of Israel and Judah. Does that suggest maybe not just an internalization within each person’s heart/character/being but in the center of the community’s self-understanding. Perhaps it does not undo the law, but moves it to the center of a people who are centered around it. (I know – a tautology there, but still meaningful, I think!)
4) All will know God and God will forgive, opening up a new beginning. So if our part in the old covenant was to be obedient, what is our part in this new covenant?
+ God will put the law within our hearts – how does that work?
+ Did you know God, or did you need to be taught? How did you think about God before you were taught?
+ how do you fit into a community that embodies God’s law and teaches and trains you to be one of God’s people?
+ is what is new about this covenant that we have the capability to be faithful and obedient? Could you do that on your own? (I couldn’t!)
Psalm 51:1-12
+ so this is also the psalm from Ash Wednesday. Do we hear it differently on this day when we are thinking perhaps more about community than on that day when we are perhaps thinking more about our individual sinfulness?
+ note the superscription says this is a psalm of David after Nathan confronted him over his behavior with Bathsheba! So that’s sort of more an individualistic vision!
+ the psalmist, whoever he or she was, recognizes that what is needed is not just forgiveness for each and every sin, but rather a new heart/being/spirit/character to become a person who does not sin. That sounds an awful lot like what Jeremiah was pointing to.
+ “Create” in vs 10. In the Old Testament, only God does this, only God is the subject of this word, and it usually refers to the Creation. So it’s not just a matter of forgiving sins, but again of breaking out of the old orthodoxy and creating a new potential, where a person “wants to obey”. Again, does that sound like something you could do yourself? Not to me – I would need to be present and participate in a group/community/congregation to have something like that happen.
Hebrews 5:5-10
+ a line from a song back in seminary –
“Melchizedek, Melchizedek, who the heck’s Melchizedek?”
John 12:20-33
+ up unto now, Jesus or John has always said his hour had not yet come. Remember Mary and the water at Cana of Galilee? Now it has come -
+ two considerations – in ch 11 Jesus raised Lazarus. Death is necessary for new life, and Jesus is no exception. One writer put it that if Lazarus comes up out of the grave, someone else is going to have to go down into it. And Jn 12.19 the Pharisees observe that “the world is following Jesus” and in vs 20, “some Greeks” want to “see Jesus”. So the adulation of the world leads to the opposition of the religious leaders and the time is right, the hour comes.
+ the “Greeks” are obviously a symbol for “the world” because they drop out of the story and we don’t know if they actually met Jesus or not. I suppose in a sense that leaves them available to represent you and me.
+ what does it mean to “see Jesus”? Well, it means recognizing that a grain of wheat has to die and fall into the ground”; it means understanding and accepting that a life of discipleship requires a death of self-interest; it means that the way to honor is through service. Have we “seen Jesus” like that?
+ in a lighter vein, it’s just about time to be putting those seeds in the ground!
+ how do you hear “those who hate their life will keep it?”
+ how can the world see Jesus? Not by his wondering from town to town through Israel/Palestine, but by his being lifted up, which for John means crucifixion/resurrection/exaltation – all one event. Note that in John the passion and crucifixion is a grim story, but one in which Jesus is in control each step of the way. The authorities do not take his life, he gives it.
+ how is this “the judgment of the world”? Is that judgment still going on?
+ the voice came from heaven – how do we know what it said?
+ “I will draw all people to myself” – how do you hear that?
A prayer for the week -
Creating God,
there are no limits to what you can do.
Forgive us our sinfulness, but don’t stop there.
Mold us into a body with Jesus as our heart,
that we might no longer just keep your law
but even be your people.
That’s what I’ve got for now…..
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