Patrick Comerford
Next Sunday, 23 January 2022, is the Third Sunday after the Epiphany.
The readings in the Revised Common Lectionary as adapted for use in the Church of Ireland for Sunday as the Third Sunday after the Epiphany are:
Readings: Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; I Corinthians 12: 12-31a; Luke 4: 14-21 [22-30].
There is a link to the readings HERE.
Introducing the Readings:
The Gospel reading for Sunday next bridges the interlude in the Church Calendar between the Christmas and Epiphany stories and the beginning of Christ’s Galilean ministry.
Traditionally, the Church associates Epiphany-tide with three public, epiphany moments, before beginning to look at Christ’s public ministry:
● The visit by the wise men, who, on behalf of the nations of the world acknowledge him as king, priest, prophet and king with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2: 1-12, 6 January 2022).
● Christ’s baptism by Saint John the Baptist in the River Jordan, when he is acknowledged in a Trinitarian movement by both the Father and the Holy Spirit as the Son of God (Luke 3: 15-17, 21-22, 9 January 2022).
● The Wedding at Cana, which is the first of the seven signs in the Fourth Gospel, and which sees Christ reveal his glory so that his disciples believe in him (yesterday’s Gospel reading, John 2: 1-11, 16 January 2022).
These three Epiphany moments are brought together in Sunday’s Gospel reading, Luke 4: 14-21 (22-30):
● Jesus is seen in this reading as king, prophet and priest: King, in the majestic way in which he proclaims the Jubilee Year on behalf of God who is the Sovereign Lord; Prophet in bringing to their true completion the promises of the prophets of old; and Priest in the way he becomes the mediator between God and his people, in a liturgical context, opening up the way to salvation.
● The Spirit that descends on him at his baptism is manifest that Saturday morning as he declares: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me’ (verse 18). That Epiphany moment at the Jordan was not a once-off experience of the Spirit; the Spirit remained with Christ, and he continues to act throughout his ministry in a Trinitarian movement.
● The miracle at Cana was a foretaste of the heavenly banquet and as a consequence the disciples believed. In this reading, we see that God’s promises are not just verbl, they are to be fulfilled in action. As a consequence of what Jesus said, ‘all spoke well of him and were amazed …’ (verse 22).
Of course, rejection was to follow, and that is the subject of the optional second part of this Gospel reading (Luke 4: 22-30).
This rejection story is an optional ending, because it may be used as the Gospel reading on the following Sunday (30 January 2022), as Luke 4: 21-30, if that is marked as the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany rather using the readings and propers for the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas), as 30 January this year is the Sunday nearest the Presentation.
Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10:
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah form one story, recalling the events after the exiles return from Babylon and rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem. Both books list those who returned and of the Temple officials, the renewal of Temple worship and the establishment of a programme of instruction, so that ritual and legal traditions are handed on.
The Law of Moses was central to handing on these traditions. It probably took its final form in Ezra’s time, and became the definitive reference for godly behaviour.
The Book of Ezra begins with a decree from Cyrus of Persia in 538 BC, allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple. Cyrus orders the return of the sacred vessels taken from the Temple in 587. More than 42,000 people leave Babylon for Judah. The altar is erected on the site of the destroyed Temple, and the priests again offer burnt offerings. Work begins on building the new Temple, although this is a more modest structure than Solomon’s Temple.
Despite a planned rebellion, the building work resumes. Ezra, the scribe and priest, travels to Jerusalem with exiles, studies ‘the law of the Lord,’ prepares the Temple for worship, and appoints magistrates and judges (Ezra 7: 25).
Many scholars believe that Nehemiah 8 follows at this point, although Nehemiah 6: 15 to 7: 4 tells of the building of the city walls, including the Water Gate, which is the location for this reading (see Nehemiah 8: 1, 3).
The ‘book of the law of Moses’ (verse 1) is probably an earlier version of the Book Leviticus. Ezra stands on a ‘wooden platform’ and reads from the book, which is then interpreted for them so that they understand it. It is a holy day, perhaps the sabbath, but all this takes place within the celebration of the Festival of Booths or Tabernacles (Sukkoth, see Nehemiah 8: 14-15).
In reality, this reading appears to be very glum news for these people. At first, they think this is an occasion of sorrow, they bow their heads, mourn and weep. But Ezra tells them not to weep. He tells them that the words of the Law of God are bringing them good news, the promise of participation in the banquet of the Lord. They are not to be grieved. Instead, they are to go off and eat and drink, and share their food and wine with those who had nothing to eat or drink.
Earlier this month, a right-wing evangelical pastor used these passages to defend President Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall on the US border with Mexico. Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas Church in Texas claims God instructed Nehemiah to build a wall around Jerusalem to keep its citizens safe.
However, biblical exegesis on the morality of the border wall is complicated. For example, along with stories about Nehemiah building a wall, the Bible also contains stories about Joshua tearing down walls in Jericho.
Matthew Soerens, US director of church mobilisation for the evangelical humanitarian organisation World Relief, said he does not think either of these stories should necessarily be used to prove the Bible is for or against governments building walls. What is clear to Soerens, however, is that the scriptures that guided Nehemiah also instructed the Israelites to provide a hospitable welcome to people fleeing persecution.
‘I believe in our time, as in Nehemiah’s, it would be immoral for our nation to refuse to help someone fleeing persecution to find safety when it is in our power to do so,’ he said. ‘We can and, at World Relief, believe we should advocate for changes to public policies that both ensure secure borders and provide welcome and mercy to vulnerable immigrants.’
Psalm 19:
Psalm 19 is familiar to many churchgoers because its closing words were often used in the past by preachers as the opening prayer as they began their sermons: ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer’ (Psalm 19: 14).
This Psalm is a hymn of glory to the universe as God’s work. In Psalm 19, the heavens and the firmament are depicted as telling us of God’s glory and work. The firmament was understood as almost like a pudding bowl over the earth, and beyond this was a hierarchy of heavens.
God’s glory is told day and night to all without needing to use words. The sun rises early in the morning, making God’s presence known with its heat.
Verses 7-9 present the wonders of the law as an expression of God’s will for humanity. It revives the soul, gives wisdom to the innocent, rejoices the heart and gives light to the eye. God’s word not only gives life to the natural universe, it instructs the human universe, the world we make by our actions and reactions.
In the Anglican tradition, we often begin sermons with the closing words of this Psalm: ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer’ (Psalm 19: 14).
But are the words we preach, is the Christianity we proclaim, good news for people today?
Is it, perhaps, bad news?
Or – worse than bad news – is it becoming more and more irrelevant?
Or are we willing to restore its relevance?
I Corinthians 12: 12-31a:
Saint Paul has told the Christians at Corinth that spiritual gifts come through the Holy Spirit and are given by the Spirit, as the Spirit chooses, for the benefit of the whole community. Now, in our New Testament reading (I Corinthians 12: 12-31a), he turns to the nature of the Church, illustrating his points with the image of the human body.
Saint Paul talks about how all the members of the Church are one together and share in the one Spirit. Whatever our ethnic or social origins, ‘we were all baptised into one body’ (verse 13), into the risen glorified body of Christ, and empowered by the same Holy Spirit acting in the Church.
The key verse is verse 14: the body needs various members; so too the Church needs various spiritual gifts, each making its own contribution.
This is hardly good news to the literate, more comfortable Corinthian Christians. The Church there was divided by exclusivism and by the refusal of some of the Corinthians to share the meals, to share communion, to share sacred time with fellow Church members from different socio-economic or ethnic backgrounds.
When Saint Paul’s letter arrived, it must have shaken some of the Corinthian Christians out of their comfort zone too. They are to respect one another, no matter what their background was, they were to share and to eat with one another, they were to share each other’s news, rejoicing at their good news and weeping at their bad news (see verse 26).
In verses 27-28, Saint Paul lists three groups with God-given and gifts:
● apostles who continue spreading the good news;
● prophets who have new insights into God’s plan;
● teachers who teach the faith.
He then lists some other gifts: some help the poor and needy; others are leaders, managers, in church affairs. Perhaps we all all need to grow in the use of the gifts, great or small, given to us.
Luke 4: 14-21 [22-30]:
The reading for Sunday next bridges the interlude in the Church Calendar between the Christmas and Epiphany stories and the beginning of Christ’s Galilean Ministry and, in the provision for a longer reading this morning or in the reading for the following Sunday (Luke 4: 21-30), brings us to his rejection in Nazareth.
Saint Mark’s Gospel places the rejection of Christ by the people of Nazareth at the end of his first year of his ministry (see Mark 6: 1-6), Saint John places it when he returns from Jerusalem and after his meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well (see John 4: 43-45), while Saint Luke places it at the beginning of his ministry, although we are told at the beginning of this reading that there was an earlier period of ministry in neighbouring parts of Galilee (verses 14-15), perhaps in Capernaum.
Instead of succumbing to the temptations of a dramatic but false start to his Messianic ministry (Luke 4: 1-14), Christ begins his ministry in a very slow, thoughtful and considerate way. At the beginning of this reading, we are told that it was habitual in the first stage of his ministry for Jesus to attend the synagogue on a Saturday, and we are told too that he taught in the synagogues regularly (verse 15). Regular worship, scripture readings and teaching are the foundations of this ministry and for any action in it.
There was no ordained minister in a synagogue. Even in those places where there was a resident rabbi, he was an arbiter and a teacher, but not an ordained liturgical leader.
The synagogue would have been controlled by a board of elders, the equivalent of a select vestry in our parishes today, and by the chazzan or attendant. On Saturdays, the sabbath service began with the shema (‘Hear O Israel …’, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, Deuteronomy 6: 4-9), and included prayers, fixed readings from the Torah or the Law, a reading from the Prophets, a sermon, and a blessing.
The two readings were in Hebrew, with a running translation into the vernacular, which was normally Aramaic but might have been Greek in some places.
It would have been normal for literate adult male Jews to be called in turn to read the Scriptures in the synagogue: first those who were of priestly descent, the cohanim, then the Levites, and then the other Israelites. So, on this particular Saturday, Jesus may have been the third person called on to read, or he may even have been further down the list.
The scroll of Isaiah was given to him by the chazzan or attendant of the synagogue, who combined the functions that in a parish we might now associate with the sexton, verger, churchwarden and Sunday school teacher. And it is to him that Christ returns the scroll when he is finished reading from it (verse 20).
The portion Christ reads from (verse 18-19) is actually three verses, and we should note that they do not come in sequence: Isaiah 61: 1, part only of verse 2 and a portion of Isaiah 58: 6. And so, even if Christ had been handed a pre-selected portion of Scripture to read – perhaps following in sequence from two or more previous readers – we see a deliberate choice by Christ to roll back the scroll and to insert a portion of that extra verse, Isaiah 58: 6.
So often we complain when the compilers and editors of the Revised Common Lectionary omit or jump over certain verses in readings in order to provide coherence and continuity, but this is what appears to be happening in the synagogue that Saturday morning.
Having read while standing, Christ then sat down, the normal posture at the time for someone who is then teaching. After he sat down, all eyes were on him (verse 20), so it was he who was expected to preach and teach that sabbath day.
Christ tells the congregation in Nazareth that the Scripture has been fulfilled in their hearing. Scripture has not been read that morning just to comply with part of the ritual; it actually has immediate meaning, significance and relevance that day. Christ is not merely reading the words, he is promising to see them put into action, to transform hope into reality.
Reflecting on the Gospel reading
Abraham Lincoln used his second inaugural address to do something no President had ever done before – to speak in critical terms of the nation. He did so in order to name the evil of slavery, the toll it had exacted in human flesh and warfare, and to address the need to stay the course and bring an end to both the war and the cause of that war.
One commentator has said this Gospel reading is like Christ’s inaugural address. Here he sets out his priorities, his hopes, his expectations, even if people of faith are reluctant at times to co-operate and give him their votes.
If we see who Christ is, then we must journey with him towards Calvary and Good Friday and the Garden and Easter Morning. And on that way, we take up the challenge from the previous Sunday at Cana to ‘Do whatever he tells you.’
He tells those who hear him in this reading that at the heart of everything he does and everything he asks us to do:
● to bring good news to the poor
● to proclaim release to the captives
● to proclaim recovery of sight to the blind
● to let the oppressed go free
● to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.
This morning’s Gospel reading is good news, and not just to the poor and oppressed in Nazareth in the past. Who are the poor, the captives, the blind and the oppressed in our midst today? And, are we happy with them knowing that compassion for them is at the heart of Christ’s ministry and mission?
Is it too much for us to recover the message that links Christmas faith and Easter faith – that declares that the Gospel is good news for the poor, the captives, the blind and the oppressed among us today?
It is good news that may challenge us – that may take us outside our comfort zones. But if we step outside our comfort zone and recover this good news, then we can play our part in restoring the relevance of the Gospel and of the Church to a society today that is overwhelmed by bad news.
… and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll … Luke 4: 14-21 [22-30] (NRSVA):
14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
[22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ 23 He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum”.’ 24 And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.]
‘Jesus unrolls the Book in the Synagogue’ (‘Jésus dans la synagogue déroule le livre’), James Tissot (1831-1902), Brooklyn MuseumLiturgical Resources:
Liturgical Colour: White
The Penitential Kyries:
God be merciful to us and bless us,
and make his face to shine on us.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
May your ways be known on earth,
your saving power to all nations.
Christ, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
You, Lord, have made known your salvation,
and reveal your justice in the sight of the nations.
Lord, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
The Collect:
Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
Renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Collect of the Word:
Life-giving God,
who sent your Son Jesus to proclaim your kingdom
and to teach with authority:
anoint us with your Spirit,
that we too may bring good news to the poor,
bind up the broken-hearted,
and proclaim liberty to the captive;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Introduction to the Peace:
Our Saviour Christ is the Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there shall be no end. (cf Isaiah 9: 6, 7)
Preface:
For Jesus Christ our Lord
who in human likeness revealed your glory,
to bring us out of darkness
into the splendour of his light:
The Post-Communion Prayer:
Almighty Father,
your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
May your people,
illumined by your word and sacraments,
shine with the radiance of his glory,
that he may be known, worshipped,
and obeyed to the ends of the earth;
for he is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
The Blessing:
Christ the Son be manifest to you,
that your lives may be a light to the world:
Jesus in the Synagogue, as imagined by the Northern Ireland-born artist Greg OlsenSuggested Hymns:
Nehemiah 8: 1-3, 5-6, 8-10:
381, God has spoken – by his prophets
380, God has spoken to his people, alleluia
382, Help us, O Lord, to learn
383, Lord, be thy word my rule
384, Lord, thy word abideth
386, Spirit of God, unseen as the wind
387, Thanks to God whose Word was spoken
388, Word of the living God
Psalm 19:
606, As the deer pants for the water
153, Come, thou Redeemer of the earth
351, From all that dwell below the skies
631, God be in my head
696, God, we praise you! God, we bless you!
616, In my life, Lord, be glorified
97, Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
384, Lord, thy word abideth
432, Love is his word, love is his way
638, O for a heart to praise my God
34, O worship the King all-glorious above
35, The spacious firmament on high
I Corinthians 12: 12-31a:
517, Brother, sister, let me serve you
86, Christ is the King! O friends, rejoice
519, Come, all who look to Christ today
408, Come, risen Lord, and deign to be our guest
318, Father, Lord of all creation
298, Filled with the Spirit’s power, with one accord
330, God is here! As we his people
520, God is love, and where true love is, God himself is there
523, Help us to help each other, Lord
430, Lord, as the grain which once on upland acres
303, Lord of the Church, we pray for our renewing
436, Now let us from this table rise
438, O thou who at thy eucharist didst pray
440, One bread, one body, one Lord of all
441, Out to the world for Jesus
443, Sent forth by God’s blessing, our true faith confessing
530, Ubi caritas et amor
531, Where love and loving-kindness dwell
Luke 4: 14-21:
218, And can it be that I should gain
494, Beauty for brokenness
501, Christ is the world’s true light
119, Come, thou long-expected Jesus
380, God has spoken to his people, alleluia
533, God of grace and God of glory
125, Hail to the Lord’s anointed
569, Hark, my soul! it is the Lord
124, Hark the glad sound! the Saviour comes 357, I’ll praise my maker while I’ve breath
97, Jesus shall reign where’er the sun
483, Jesus went to worship
99, Jesus, the name, high over all
134, Make way, make way for Christ the King
706, O bless the God of Israel
104, O for a thousand tongues to sing
605, Will you come and follow me
Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org
Material from the Book of Common Prayer is copyright © 2004, Representative Body of the Church of Ireland.
The hymn suggestions are provided in Sing to the Word (2000), edited by Bishop Edward Darling. The hymn numbers refer to the Church of Ireland’s Church Hymnal (5th edition, Oxford: OUP, 2000).
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