Epiphany 3A
Renee Roederer, @Renee_Roederer, Smuggling Grace Blog
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist, Patreon
Willie Deuel, @WillieDeuel
Richard Bruxvoort Colligan, Psalmimmersion.com, @pomopsalmist, Patreon
Musician: John Ford, “Follow Me” John Ford from his album Come to the Light.
Tasty Wafer of the Week:
Pulpit Fiction Academy conversation with Warren Carter- Back in the Gospel of Matthew!
Matthew 4:12-23
Initial Thoughts
Remember the Warren Carter interview we had about the Gospel of Matthew.
Next three weeks we get into the Sermon on the Mount, but don’t finish it before Transfiguration.
In three weeks we only get through Matthew 5:1-37
Starts immediately after temptation in the wilderness, which we will not get to until Lent.
This is the calling of brothers Simon and Andrew, and the Zebedee brothers John and James.
This might be a good time to explain the “Synoptic Problem.” If anyone was here last week, they may have heard John’s version of the calling of Simon and Andrew, and it was very different.
John 1:29-49 details calling of:
Two disciples of John, Andrew and unnamed.
Simon, brother of Andrew (renamed Cephas, or Peter)
Phillip (from same town as Andrew and Peter, Bethsaida)
Nathaniel (friend of Phillip, says, “Can anything good come from Nazareth)
None are called fishermen.
Phrase, “Come and see,” is used often.
This passage leads us right to the Sermon on the Mount, which begins next week with beatitudes
Bible Study
Begins “when Jesus heard that John was arrested.”
Synoptics agree that Jesus did not begin his ministry until John was arrested.
Was it intentional for Jesus? Did he purposely wait until that moment, or did John’s arrest somehow spur him to action?
Tense of the verb that is translated “arrested” is similar to “handed over” or “delivered up.” This is a divine passive tense that implies that it was God who “handed over” John. This implies that John’s arrest was a part of God’s plan - as was Jesus’ arrest later in the gospel story. (Douglas Hare, Interpretation: Matthew, p. 28)
Sometimes it moments of crisis that give us the nudge.
How many are arrested for civil disobedience, often inspiring others to do more, e.g. MLK in Birmingham Jail, Leah Gunning Francis’s book Ferguson and Faith.
“Thus, the pericope's opening verse is not simply a way to mark time, but it signals that John's arrest is a dangerous situation for Jesus, and he must choose how to respond. There will come a time, later, to face such threats head-on (particularly when Jesus goes to Jerusalem prior to the crucifixion), but for now Jesus pulls away in order to carry out his ministry of proclamation in and around Galilee.” (Audrey West, Working Preacher)
V. 13-17 are easy to be throw-away location explanations that has lost meaning to us. Tendency is to skip these and get to the good stuff.
John was baptizing near Jerusalem in the Jordan (Bethany beyond the Jordan).
Returned to Galilee (about four day journey from baptism)
Went to Galilee, left Nazareth (about ten miles from the sea), and settled in Capernaum, in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali, quotes Isaiah 9:1-2
“According to the book of Joshua, after the conquest of the promised land, the lower land of Galilee west of the Lake of Galilee, which includes Nazareth, belonged to the tribes of Zebulun; and the area to the northwest of the Lake of Galilee belonged to the tribes of Naphtali. Matthew lumps them together as the primary location of Jesus’ ministry… Isaiah 9:1-2 - When Tiglath-pilesar, king of Assyria, invaded Israel in 732 BCE, he captured Gilead and Galilee, including all the land of Naphtali (2 Kings 15:29). As a result, this region the Assyrian province of Galilee with Megiddo as its capital. That is probably why this region is called, “Galilee of the nations [or Gentiles]” in Isaiah 9:1-2. Matthew will later develop the significance of this phrase when he reports Jesus’ words that salvation is to include “all nations” or “the Gentiles.” The prophecy in Isaiah referred to the birth of a Davidic heir as promise for the restoration of the occupied Assyrian provinces. For Matthew, this message is fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus.” (notes in the Common English Study Bible, p. 11NT).
This area, according to Jewish history and tradition is a place of political upheaval. Jewish in one sense, Assyrian in another.
Capernaum was a growing city because a Roman highway passed along its northern edge.
“Matthew alone among the Gospels explicitly suggests that Jesus transferred his residency from Nazareth to Capernaum. The reason is not given.” (Hare, p. 28)
“This Isaiah text functions in Matthew 4:12-16 as an analogy for Rome’s empire. “Galilee owned by or under the Gentiles” now belongs to and is ruled by another Gentile empire. Roman control had been freshly asserted over Galilee in destroying Jerusalem and its temple in 70CE. Matthew’s Gospel, written in the 80s, cites Isaiah 9:1-2 to describe Roman rule as “darkness” and “death.” It positions Jesus, at the beginning of his public ministry, as the light or saving presence that shines in the darkness of Rome’s imperial domination. Jesus asserts God’s light or saving rule in Roman Galilee.” (Warren Carter, Working Preacher)
“Although the point is implicit only, we are surely on safe ground in assuming that Matthew’s quotation is intended to remind his readers that the preaching ministry begun by Jesus in Galilee in fulfillment of Scripture would eventually issue in the mission to the Gentiles.” (Hare, p. 28)
Simon and Andrew
Fishing at the side of the sea.
“I’ll show you how to fish for people.”
“Right away” they left their nets and followed him.
James and John, sons of Zebedee
In a boat with Zebedee, fixing their nets
“Immediately” they left their boat - and their Dad
Don’t try and fill in the blanks. The immediacy is an important part of the story. Jesus breaks into their lives like a flashlight breaks into a dark room, or as he has broken into the Roman darkness.
Leaving behind family had much weight
Inheritance
Security
Connection to community
Heritage
“Jesus’ then calls two sets of brothers to be his followers (Matthew 4:18-22). They are fishermen, embedded in the imperial economy. Rome asserted control over the land and sea, their production, and the transportation and marketing of their yields with contracts and taxes. Jesus disrupts these men’s lives, calls them to a different loyalty and way of life, creates a new community, and gives them a new mission (fish for people). His summons exhibits God’s empire at work, this light shining in the darkness of Roman-ruled Galilee.” (Warren Carter, Working Preacher)
The Kingdom of Heaven is near
Same message of John, but different context
John stayed put, people came to him,
Jesus went out searching, and told them to follow alone.
Later, sent them out on their own.
“Heaven” instead of “God,” does not imply that Jesus is preaching about afterlife.
Heaven would have been a more accessible word to Jewish audience that feared pronouncing the name of God.
Kingdom has come near in the activity of Jesus
Teaching in synagogues
Announcing good news
Healing disease and sickness
“With the announcement of the nearness of God’s reign, the demand for repentance, the call of the four disciples, and the description of Jesus’ powerful, redemptive activity the stage is set for the Sermon on the Mount. Readers have a notion of who this Jesus is and who teaches in such a radical way and at least some hint of the power and scope of the divine rule.” (Texts for Preaching, Year A., p. 117)
Thoughts and Questions
Jesus began his ministry after John was arrested. There is a lot that can be made of that statement. Perhaps Jesus was waiting until John’s work was over. Or perhaps there was something about this traumatic event that stirred Jesus to action. Sometimes we all need a wake-up call to realize we need to take action. Perhaps for Jesus it was the arrest of his cousin. What may be our wake-up call? Election, Ferguson, death of loved one, another mass shooting. It may not be a comfortable thought, but sometimes it takes something terrible to happen for people to be awoken.
Jesus’ location is often ignored, but he was in a cross-roads kind of a town. It was highly influenced by Romans. It has long history of being Assyrian. It had deep roots in Jewish history. It was a place where there was new growth and a cultural shift was taking place. It also had a Synagogue - a center for Jewish thought, but there is no evidence that Capernaum was a part of the revolt in the 60s. This area was uniquely positioned in that it was influenced by all of these factors. What about your location? What is unique about your place that can be abundant fishing territory?
How does existence of today’s church contrast with the wandering, searching ministry of Jesus? Two ways of fishing - going out in a boat, or standing on the shore and throwing out nets. When the church goes “fishing,” are we using ripped nets? Are we just standing on the shore, hoping for someone to swim into our net? Following Jesus - just going along with the flow, or a radical transformation?
What is the Kingdom work that we are doing? How is the Kingdom of God near today?
The Kingdom is near is the prelude to the Sermon on the Mount. The Kingdom is near when we “do” the Sermon on the Mount, e.g. love your enemies, turn the other cheek, etc.
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Bible Study
Great reading to introduce Prayer for Christian Unity or the Letter from a Birmingham Jail
Divisions in the church
Immediate concern of Church in Corinth
These division are not historical but are used to make a point
i.e. There is no evidence of an Apollos or Cephas faction
counters the “if only we could be more like the early church” claims
division often leads to hierarchy
to separate as “better than”
Ex: Baseball:
Not enough to be a Yankees fan- you need to hate the Red Sox
It is about loving the game
How does this translate to the push for denominational identity?
“I belong to the UCC”, “I belong to the UMC”, “I belong to the Catholic church”
“In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity”
Evangelicals vs Progressives, Biblical faithfulness vs Social Justice, etc
The focus is Christ and God
Theology of the Cross
“The gospel is given in the cross as self-sacrifice, giving oneself up in response to and care for the other, the cross as bearing the burdens of others—not as self-denial and resignation, but in joy and thanksgiving. To claim anything else empties the cross of Christ of its power.” - Timothy Sedgwick, Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary - Feasting on the Word – Year A, Volume 1: Advent through Transfiguration.
Contrasted with “eloquent wisdom”
Not orthodoxy
Not orthopraxis
Chri stian faith is a way of life
Can we be united in a way of life?
What are the essentials that bind us together?
v. 16 - awesome- way to backtrack Paul
v. 17 - separates Baptism from the Good News
Do our rituals mean anything is devoid of the Good News?
How do we ensure that our worship, our practices, our sacraments are tools to communicate the good news?
thoughts and Questions
When caught up in church conflict and division do we remember that all are still our “brothers and sisters”?
What is the unifying essential which bind your local church or regional or global Christianity together?
How do we live that essential unity out?
How do we overcome pastor-worship, issue-worship, program-worship?
Do our worship, programs, budget, rituals communicate the good news?
What is the good news? Think back to Peter’s sermon in Acts 10
How do we sha re the Good News which seem increasingly foolish to our culture? (evidence being the increasing number of nones)
Isaiah 9:1-4
Initial Thought
Christmas Eve text- what a great bridge leading us from ordinary time (in the RCL at least) into Advent
Look at the immediate context and the judgment of Zebulun and Nephtali
Zebulun and Naphtali were some of the first Northern Tribes to be assimilated and thus destroyed by the Assyrians in 733-730 BCE - a promise that what happened to them will not happen to you
Bible Study
Historical context is unknown:
Pre-Exilic: breaking the Assyrian rod and proclaiming the accession of Hezekiah
Post-Exilic: breaking the Syro-Ephraimite coalition and proclaiming the accession of Josiah
Either Way this message comes to an oppressed and occupied people
Either way: the oppressed or heard, the rod of the oppressor is broken, those who walked in darkness are not left there, but they will be led out of darkness by the birth of a new “king” (v.6)
The new king referred to was probably Hezekiah - obviously this passage is reinterpreted in light of Jesus
Brueggemann - “What we have is a glorious, celebrative affirmation that Yahweh, through a human Davidic king, will create a wondrous new possibility for Judah that is unqualified and unconditional. The theological point is Yahweh's capacity and resolve for a newness that is completely fresh and without extrapolation from anything that has gone before. (Isaiah 1-39, p.82)
Just as this text may have been interpreted first for Hezekiah, then Josiah, so now Jesus as the agent of God unconditional blessing and grace
Pastoral and prophetic - this passage is much more pastoral than prophetic. A message of hope and comfort that how things is not how they will be - hope in God.
Very different from the voice in Isaiah 1-2
What is the good news for:
Oppressive political or corporate system who have walked in great darkness?
People living in a land of darkness shoulding the yoke of racism, sexism, and inequality?
For those anxious about their legal status, rights, healthcare and employment in the coming months?
For those who see a new regime as the light leading them out of the darkness?
“Ultimately, I think reading within the broadest narrative is the only way to interpret it. Matthew sees this passage as prophetic about Jesus; therefore, even if Isaiah didn't have this fully in mind (a debatable point) we don't have to debate whether it ultimately referred to Jesus. Matthew said so. [sic] The historical context reminds us that God, even in the midst of his wrath, still is a God of mercy, whose proper and ultimate aims are life and joy, not death and destruction.” (Rob Myalis Lectionary Greek)
“Walking in the Darkness” = deep death like darkness (Valley of the Shadow of death?)
Wonder: God does wonders, not just special things that are ‘neat.’
Counselor: as opposed to ‘strategist’ “A strategist figures out how we can achieve our aims; a counselor or adviser directs us. Nothing in this section describes this baby as one who is part of our agenda and not the other way around.”
Peace: shalom is far more than absence of conflict. It is God’s intention for all of creation.
Is quoted in Matthew, but not until after the arrest of John (Matthew 4:14-16)
The geography does line up - Nazareth is in what was Zebulun and Capernaum is in what was Naphtali - but there is no evidence that Jesus ever “crossed the Jordan” (Isaiah 9:1)- however the lectionary conveniently omits this verse.
Thoughts and Questions
The light of Yahweh is both for those who dwell in a land of great darkness (perhaps because they had no other option) AND those who (seemingly willingly) “walked in darkness”. The light is both for the oppressed and the oppressor. There is a vision of peaceful celebration and victory- not liberation that leads to domination.
Blue Monday (Jan. 20 in 2020) is supposedly the most depressing day of the year for those living in the Northern Hemisphere. How might your church, your preaching or your presence shine a light into the darkness of depression and mental illness?
For those who are anxious and depressed this text opens an opportunity to point to what in which God’s light has shone in great darkness in scripture, in your community, your nation.
Thank you and get in touch!
Thanks to our Psalms correspondent, Richard Bruxvoort Colligan (psalmimmersion.com,@pomopsalmist). Thank you to Scott Fletcher for our voice bumpers, Dick Dale and the Del Tones for our Theme music (“Misirlou”), Nicolai Heidlas (“Sunday Morning”,"Real Ride"and“Summertime”) and The Steel Wheels for our transition music(“Nola’s First Dance” from their album Lay Down, Lay Low) and Paul and Storm for our closing music (“Oh No”).