Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet. 16 This is what you requested of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: "If I hear the voice of the Lord my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die." 17 Then the Lord replied to me: "They are right in what they have said. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to them everything that I command.
Prophets are a rather complicated gift.
According to Deuteronomy 18:15-20, they were a gift from God to the people who needed to hear what God had to say but were reduced to a state of abject terror at the sound of the divine voice. To enable communication to continue, God will send a prophet "like Moses" who will act as the mouthpiece for God: "I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, who shall speak to [the people] everything that I command" (verse 18b).
1 Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. 3 Full of honor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. 4 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; the Lord is gracious and merciful. 5 He provides food for those who fear him; he is ever mindful of his covenant.
"The ABC's of Theology"
In his commentary in the Westminster Bible Companion series, James Limburg titles Psalms 111 and 112, "The ABC's of Theology" and "The ABC's of Anthropology," respectively.1 The reason for this is that the two neighboring psalms are "twins." Each psalm is 22 lines, divided into 10 verses. Each psalm is an alphabetic acrostic -- with each half-verse beginning with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from alef to tav (from "A to Z," so to speak).
Contributor Profile
Rolf
Jacobson
Associate Professor of Old Testament
Luther Seminary
St. Paul,
MN
1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him.
4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords—
Commentary on
Second Reading
by
Frank L.
Crouch
At first glance, this might seem like a good text to pass over as the basis of a sermon.
How does one bring out the contemporary relevance of an ancient debate over whether to eat food offered to idols? However, the other passages offer their own challenges -- from Mark (casting out an unclean spirit) and Deuteronomy (prophets who speak on behalf of other gods shall die -- an observation or a command?). All three passages call on us to get at the heart of the gospel and at the heart of a community of faith. So, what about this question over meat offered to idols?
Contributor Profile
Frank L.
Crouch
Dean and Vice President
Moravian Theological Seminary
Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania
21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"
Our initial approach to this text is from a first person response to what took place on Sabbot at the synagogue in Capernaum, a city on the northeastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Were you at the synagogue in Capernaum today? I wasn't sure I saw you and so I will tell you as clearly as I can what happened. I can only explain that something occurred that has never, yes, never ever happened before in our hometown synagogue where our people "gather together." What took place is unlike anything our rabbis have instructed us in over the years. This was far beyond their teaching and authority.
Contributor Profile
Paul S.
Berge
Emeritus Professor of New Testament
Luther Seminary
St. Paul,
MN
Un hombre que tenía un espíritu impuro
21 Entraron en Capernaúm, y el sábado entró Jesús en la sinagoga y comenzó a enseñar. 22 Y se admiraban de su doctrina, porque les enseñaba como quien tiene autoridad, y no como los escribas. 23 Pero había en la sinagoga de ellos un hombre con espíritu impuro, que gritó:
24 —¡Ah! ¿Qué tienes con nosotros, Jesús nazareno? ¿Has venido a destruirnos? Sé quién eres: el Santo de Dios.
Luego de haber sido bautizado, tentado y comenzar a formar su grupo de seguidores, Jesús entra en Capernaúm un sábado a aprender e intercambiar conceptos teológicos con el resto de la congregación.
A simple vista la escena que nos presenta Marcos parece sencilla y hasta nos da la impresión de que un evento como este podría ser muy común un sábado en la sinagoga. Una lectura más profunda nos hace formular ciertas preguntas: ¿Cómo una persona poseída, catalogada como impura, había entrado en la sinagoga? ¿Qué tiempo lleva esta persona endemoniada? Si era parte de la comunidad, ¿cómo es que los líderes de la sinagoga no habían hecho nada para liberar a aquel hombre de su opresión? ¿Cómo es posible que Jesús le fuese permitido hacer un acto de exorcismo en pleno servicio? ¿Por qué la gente se admiraba de lo acontecido? ¿Quién era Jesús?