Sheep Without A Shepherd - 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B)

Homily for the 16^thSunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B)

Based on Mk 6:30-34 (Gospel), Jr 23:1-6 (First Reading) and  Eph 2:13-18(Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

“For they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mk 6:34)

The Gospel Reading for this 16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time is taken from Mk 6:30-34. It is under the title:

“First Miracle of the Loaves.” It has parallel texts:

a.       Mt 14:13-21 - First miracle of the loaves - When Jesus received this news he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot^c (v. 13). So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and he healed their sick (v. 14). When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so end the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food’ (v. 15). Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves’ (v. 16). But they answered, ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish’ (v. 17). ‘Bring them here to me’ he said (v. 18). He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves he handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowd.^d (v. 19). They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected scraps remaining, twelve baskets full (v. 20). Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children (v. 21). Footnote ^c says: “On shore the crowd hurried to the place the boat was making for”;  Footnote^d –says “This miraculous bread, though not the Holy Eucharist, clearly prefigures and leads up to it. This is the view of the Fathers and indeed of the evangelists before them; cf. v. 19 with 26:26, and cf. Jn 6:1-15, 51-58”.

b.      Mk 8:1-10 - And now once again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat. So he called his disciples to him and said to them (v.1), ‘I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat (v. 2). If I send them off home hungry they will collapse on the way; some have come a great distance’ (v. 3). His disciples replied, ‘Where could anyone get bread to feed these people in a deserted place like this?’ (v. 4). He asked them, ‘How many loaves have you? “Seven’ they said (v. 5).Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground and he took the seven loaves, and after givingthanks he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute; and they distributed them among the crowd (v. 6). The y had a few small fish as well, and over this he said a blessing and ordered them to be distributed also (v. 7). They ate as much as they wanted, and they collected seven basketfuls of scraps left over (v. 8). Now there had been about four thousand people. He sent them away (v. 9) and immediately, getting into the boat with his disciples, went to the region of Dalmanutha.^aFootnote ^a  says “Either a place-name, unidentified like the ‘Magadan’ of Mt 15:39, or possibly a transliteration of some Aramaic expression.”

c.       Lk 9:10-17 - On their return the apostles gave him an account of all they had done. Then he took them with him and withdrew to a town call Bethsaida where they could be by themselves (v. 10). But the crowds got to know and they went after him. He made them welcome and talked to them about the kingdom of God; and he cured those who were in need of healing (v. 11). It was late afternoon when the Twelve came to him and said, ‘Send the people away, and they can go to the villages and farms round about to find lodging and food; for we are in a lonely place here’ (v. 12).He replied, ‘Give them something to eat yourselves’. But they said, ‘We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we are to go out ourselves and buy food for all these people’ (v. 13). For there were about five thousand men, But he said to his disciples, ‘Get them to sit down in parties of about fifty’ (v. 14). They did so and made them all sit down (v. 15). Then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven, and said the blessing over them; then he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute among the crowd (v. 16). They all ate as much as they wanted, and when the scraps remaining were collected they filled twelve baskets (v. 17).

d.      Jn 6:1-13 - Sometime after this, Jesus went off to the other side of the Sea of Galilee - or of Tiberias - and a large crowd followed him, impressed by the signs he gave by curing the sick. Jesus climbed the hillside, and sat down there with his disciples. It was shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover.^aLooking up, Jesus saw the crowd approaching and said to Philip, “Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?” He only said this to test Philip; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. Philip answered, ‘Two hundred denarii would only buy enough to give them a small piece each’. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said, ‘There is a small boy here with five barley loaves and two fish; but what is that between so many?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Make the people sit down’. There was plenty of grass there, and as many as five thousand men sat down. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and gave them out to all who were sitting ready; he then did the same with the fish, giving out as much as was wanted. When they had eaten enough he said to his disciples, ‘Pick up the pieces left over, so that nothing gets wasted’. So they picked them up, and filled twelve hampers with scraps left over from the meal of barley loaves.Footnote ^a  says “The bread Jesus gives is to be the new Passover.”

Verse by verse it says:

Verses 30 and 31 say:  The apostles rejoined Jesus and told him all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, ‘You must come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while’; for there were so many coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat.

Parallel texts for verse 31 are:

a.       Mk 2:2 - …and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them…

b.      Mk 3:20 - He went home again, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal.

Verses 32, 33, and 34 say: So they went off in a boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But people saw them going, and many could guess where; and from every town they all hurried to the place on foot and reached it before them. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.

Parallel text for verse 34 is  Mt 9:36 that says: And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.^o Footnote ^o says “Familiar biblical metaphor: Nb 27:17; 1 K 22:17; Jdt 11:19; Ezk 34:5”.

The First Reading is taken fromJr 23:1-6. Verse by verse it says:

Verse 1 says: ‘Doom for the shepherds who allow the flock of my pasture to be destroyed and scattered - it is Yahweh who speaks!

Parallel texts are:

a.       Is 56:11 - Greedy dogs that are never satisfied.Shepjherds who know nothing.^e They will go their own way, each after his own interest.^fFootnote^e says “These two lines are probably a gloss”; Footnote ^f says  “‘his own interest’ Greek. Heb adds ‘to the last one.’”

b.      Ezk 34:1 - The shepherds of Israel^aThe word of Yahweh was then addressed to me as follows, ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them, “Shepherds,^b the Lord Yahweh says this. Trouble for the shepherd of Israel who feed themselves! Shepherds ought to feed their flock…”Footnote^a says “The image of the king-shepherd is deeply rooted in Eastern literary tradition. Jeremiah used it of the kings of Israel to rebuke their slackness in office, Jr 2:8; 10:21; 23:1-3, and to proclaim that God will give his people new shepherds who would pasture them with integrity, Jr 3:15; 23:4, and from these shepherds would come a branch, Jr 23:5-6, i.e., the Messiah. Ezekiel takes up the theme from Jeremiah 23:1-6, later to be resumed in Zc 11:4-17. For their wickedness he rebukes the shepherds, the kings and lay leaders of the people, vv. 1-10. Yahweh will take from them the flock they have ill-treated and himself become the shepherd of his people, (cf. Gn 48:15; 49:24; Is 40:11; Ps 80:1; 95:7 and Ps 23); this is effect the proclamation of theocracy, vv. 11-16; and in point of fact the monarchy was not restored after the return from exile. But the time was to come when Yahweh would give his people a shepherd of his own choice, vv. 23-24, a ‘prince’ (cf. 45:7-8; 46:8-10; 16-18), another David. The term in which the prince’s  reign is described, vv. 25-31, and the name ‘David’ by which he is called (see 2 S 7:1+; Is 11:1+; Jr. 23:5 ), suggest a messianic age in which God himself, by means of his Messiah, rules his people in justice and peace. In this text of Ezekiel, we discern the outline of the parable of the Lost Sheep, Mt 18:12-14; Lk 15:4-7, but more especially of the allegory of the Good Shepherd, Jn 10:11-18, which by virtue of its original context here is seen to be a claim to messiahship on the part of Jesus. The Good Shepherd is later to become one of the earliest themes of Christian iconography.”Footnote ^bsays  “Shepherds’ Syr; ‘To the shepherds” Hebr.”

c.       Jn 10:1,12 - I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand (v. 1). The hired man, since he is not the shepherd and the sheep do not belong to him, abandons the sheep and runs away as soon as he sees a wolf coming, and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep (v. 12)

Verses 2 and 3 say: This, therefore, is what Yahweh the God of Israel. says about the shepherds in charge of my people: You have let my flock be scattered and go wandering and have not taken care of them. Right, I will take care of you for your misdeeds - it is Yahweh who speaks! But the remnant of my flock I myself will gather from all the countries where I have dispersed them, and will bring them back to their pastures: they shall be fruitful and increase in numbers.

Parallel texts are:

a.       Is 4:3 - Those who are left of Zion and remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy and those left in Jerusalem, noted down for survival.^dFootnote ^d says  “Faithless Israel will be punished, but because God loves his people a small ‘remnant’ will ecape the invader’s sword. This idea, already familiar to Amos, 3:12; 5:15; 9:8-10, is taken up by Isaiah, 4:2-3; 6:13; 7:3 and 10:19-21; 28:5-6; 37:4; (=2 K 19:4); 37:31-32; cfMi 4:7; 5:2; Zp 2:7,9; 3:12; Jr 3:14; 5:18; Ezk 5:3;. This purified and henceforth faithful remnant left in Jerusalem will once again become a powerful nation. After the disaster of 587 a new conception appears: the remnant will be found among the exiles, Ezk 6:8-10; cf Dt. 30:1-2; and God will then gather them together with a view to the messianic restoration, Jr 23:3; 31:7; 50:20; Ezk 20:37; Is 11:11,16; Mi 2:12-13. Back from exile this remnant, again unfaithful, will be further reduced in number and purified, Zc 1:3; 8:11; Hg 1:12; Ob 17=Jl 3:5; Zc 13:8-9; 14:2. In the event, Christ proves to be the true ‘Branch’ of the new and sanctified Israel, Is 11:1,10; cf 4:2; Jr 23:3-6; Unlike Israel. the pagan nations will have no ‘remnant’, Is 14:22,30; 15:9; 16:14; Am 1:8; Ezk 21:37; Ob 18.”

b.      Jn 10:16 - And there are other sheep I have that are not of this fold, and these I have to lead as well.^h They too will listen to my voice, and there will only be one flock,ⁱand one shepherd.Footnote  ^hsays “Not to take them into the Jewish fold but to gather them into the flock that Jesus ‘leads’ to eternal life”; Footnote ^I says “Var. ‘one fold’.”

Verses 4 and 5 say: I will raise up shepherds to look after them and pasture them; no fear, no terror for them anymore; not one shall be lost- it is Yahweh who speaks. ‘See, the days are coming- it is Yahweh who speaks- when I will raise a virtuous Branch^a for David, who will reign as true king and be wise, practicing honesty and integrity in the land.Footnote ^asays  “‘Branch’ was to become a messianic title, Zc 3:8; 6:12”.

Parallel texts are:

a.       Jr 33:15-16 - In those days and at that time, I will make q virtuous branch grow for David, who will practice honesty and integrity in the land (v. 15). In those days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell in confidence. And this is the name^k he will be called: Yahweh-our-integrity.^l (v. 16).Footnote ^a - ‘Branch’ was to become a messianic title, Zc 3:8; 6:12.

b.      Ps 72:1 - God, give your justice to the king, your own righteousness to the royal son.

c.       Pr 8:16 - …by me rulers govern, and the great impose justice^f to the world.Footnote ^fsays  ‘impose justice on’ Greek. Read v. 17 before v. 15.

d.      Is 4:2 - That day the Branch of Yahweh shall be beauty and glory, and the fruit of the earth^c shall be the pride and adornment of Israel’s survivors.Footnote^c says “The ‘branch’ and the ‘fruit of the earth’ mean either the Messiah or else the remnant of Israel  (see following note) compared to the tree springing again in Palestinian soil.”

e.      Is 11:1 - A shoot  springs from the stock of Jesse, a scion thrusts from his roots:

Verse 6 says: In his days Judah will be saved and Israel dwell in confidence. And this is the name he will be called: Yahweh-our-integrity.^bFootnote^b says “This symbolic name, cf. Is 1:26+, by which the Messiah is to be called, is contrasted with the name of Zechariah which means ‘Yahweh my integrity’.”

Parallel text is Jr 3:18 that says: In those days the House of Judah will unite with the House of Israel;^q together they will come from the land of the North to the land I gave your ancestors for heritage. Footnote  ^q says “For messianic days the prophets foretells a kingdom united as in the time of David and Solomon, Jr 23:5-6; 31:1; Ezk 37:15-27; Ho 2:2; Is 11:13-14; Mi 2:12; Zc 9:10.”

The Second Reading is fromEph 2:13-18.

Verse 13 says: But now in Christ Jesus, you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ.^kFootnote ^ksays “The crucifixion of Christ that brought together Jews and pagans vv 14-15, and reconciled both with the Father vv. 16-18.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Ep 2:17 - Later, he came^p to bring the good news of peace, peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near at hand.

Footnote

b.      Ps 148:14 - …raising the fortunes of his people, to the praises of the devout, of Israel, the people dear to him.

Verse 14 says: For he is the peace between us, and has made the two into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart,^l actually destroying in his own person the hostility.Footnote ^lsays “The wall separating the court of the Jews from the court of the pagans in the Temple, cf. Ac. 21:28f.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Is 9:5 - For there is a child born for us, a son given to us and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they gave him: Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince of Peace.^cFootnote ^csays “A prophetic proper name, cf. 1:26+. The child possesses to a supreme degree all the qualities of all the great figures of his race: the wisdom of Solomon, the valor of David, the virtues of Moses and the patriarchs, Cf. 11:2. Christian tradition and the Christian liturgy apply these titles to Christ, presenting him as the true Immanuel.

b.      Ga 3:28 - …and there are no more distinctions between Jews and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus^pFootnote ^p says “Var. ‘you are all of Christ Jesus’.”

Verse 15 says: Caused by the rules and decrees of the Law. ^mThis was to create one single New Man ⁿ in himself out of the two of them and by restoring peace…Footnote ^m says “The Mosaic Law gave the Jews a privileged status and separated them from pagans. Jesus abolished this Law by fulfilling it once for all on the cross, Col. 2:14+”; Footnote ⁿ says “This new man is the prototype of the new humanity that God recreated (2Co. 5:17+) in the person of Christ, the second Adam (1 Co. 15:45) after killing the sinfully corrupt race of the first Adam in the crucifixion (Rm. 5:12f, 8:3, 1 Co. 15:21). This New Adam has been created in the goodness and holiness of the truth, 4:24, and he is unique because in him the boundaries between any one group and the rest of the human race all disappear, Col. 3:10f, Ga. 3:27f).”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Col 2:14 - He has overridden the Law, and cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; he has done away with it by nailing it to the cross…^l Footnote ^lsays “The Law was able to do nothing about a sinner except condemn him to death, Rm 7:7+; this death sentence is what God carried out on his own Son in order to suppress it for the rest of the world, and it was for this reason that God’s Son was ‘made sin’, 2 Co 5:21, ‘subject to the Law’, Ga. 4:4, and ‘cursed’ by the Law, Ga 3:13. In the person of the Son, whom he allowed to be executed, God nailed up and destroyed our death warrant, as well as the charges it made against us.”

b.      Col 3:14-15 - Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love (v. 14). And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful (v. 15).

Verses 16 and 17 say: Through the cross, to unite them both in single Body^o and reconcile them with God. I his own person he killed the hostility. Later, he came^p to bring the good news of peace, peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near at hand. Footnote ^osays “This ‘single Body’ is both the physical body of Jesus that was executed by crucifixion, Col 1:22+, and the Church or ‘mystical’ body of Christ in which, once they were reconciled, all the parts function in their own place, 1 Co 12:12+”; and Footnote ^p says “Through the apostles who in his name preached the Good News of salvation and peace.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Is 57:19  -‘…bringing praise to their lips. Peace, peace to far and near, I will indeed heal him’ says Yahweh.

b.      Zc 9:10 - He^l will banish chariots from Ephraim and horses from Jerusalem; the bow of war will be banished. Footnote ^l says “‘He will’ Greek; ‘I shall’ Hebr. The northern tribes will be reunited with Judah in the messianic kingdom, cf. Jr 3:18+”.

c.       Ep 4:4 - There is one Body,  one spirit, just as you were called into one and the same hope when you were called.

Verse 18 says: Through him, both of us have  in the one Spirit^q our way to come to the Father. Footnote ^q –says “The one spirit that gives life to the single body (of Christ who is one with his Church) is the Holy Spirit who has changed the form of the body now it has risen, and by doing so has come down on each of the parts of which it is made up. The Trinitarian structure  of this section is repeated in v. 22.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Ep 3:12 - That is why we are bold enough to approach God in complete confidence, through our faith in him…

b.      2 Co 13:13 - The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.^eFootnote ^e says “The Trinitarian formula probably derived from liturgical usage, cf also Mt. 28:19, is echoed in many passages of the epistles where the several functions of the three Persons are referred to as the various contexts suggests: Rm 1:4+; 15:16,30+; 1 Co 2:10-16; 6:11,14, 15, 19; 12:4-6; Tt 3:5f; Heb 9:14; 1 P 1:2; 3:18; 1 Jn 4:2; Rv 1:4f; 22:1; cf Ac 10:38; 20:28; Jn 14:16,18,23. Note in 1 Co 6:11; Ep 4:4-6 the triple formulation emphasizing the Trinitarian thought. Cf also the trio of the theological virtues in 1 Co 133+”.

There are five instances that the phrase “Sheep without a Shepherd” is found in the Bible:

a.       Numbers 27:17-18 - May the Lord the God of the spirits of all flesh provide a man that may be over this multitude: And may go out and in before them, and may lead them out, or bring them in: lest the people of the Lord be as sheep without a shepherd.

(In answer to Moses’ petition, the Lord appointed Joshua the son of Nun to guide the people into the land of the promise. The Hebrew of the name “Joshua” is identical to the name “Jesus” – Jeshua’ (meaning, “the LORD saves”).

b.      1 Kings 22:17 - I saw all Israel scattered upon the hills, like sheep that have no shepherd: and the Lord said: These have no master: let every man of them return to his house in peace.

c.       Judith 11:15 - and thou shalt have all the people of Israel, as sheep that have no shepherd, and there shall not so much as one dog bark against thee.

d.      Mk 6:34 - So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them because  they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he set himself to teach them at some length.

e.      Matthew 9:35-38 - Then Jesus went to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness. When He saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest"

In all the five instances Jesus Christ is being referred to as the fulfillment of this phrase.

There are also many articles about “Sheep without a Shepherd” that can be accessed in the Internet. The following are some instances:

James C. Guy: “Jesus had come to be the shepherd for the sheep.So many people are wondering aimlessly through life as "sheep without a shepherd." If we are truly following the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, we must also be following His example, authority, and compassion and we gather the harvest by leading others to our Shepherd. We cannot lead others as the Great Shepherd can. But, we can lead them to the Great Shepherd. If we are not willing to do that – we ourselves are "sheep without a shepherd." Will you follow Him and lead others to Him as well? Be His follower. Be His sheep.” biblesays.faithsite.com

Dr. MarcellinoD’Ambrosio: “Sheep are vulnerable, slow-footed, and dull-witted creatures. This makes them easy pickins for a variety of predators. They need protection, firm guidance, and, of course, food and drink. That’s where a shepherd comes in. He gathers them together, so that strays aren’t picked off by wolves or poachers. If an enemy should be so brazen as to attack the entire flock, he fights it off. He knows where water and food are abundant, and he carefully leads the flock through arid, barren country to get there. And that’s why shepherd is the Bible’s image of both king and priest. Biblical leadership is not about privilege and perks, but sacrificial service. The sheep don’t care for the shepherd. Rather, the shepherd cares for the sheep.www.crossroadsinitiative.com

Ron Graham, in “Sheep Without Shepherds”:  “Jesus was concerned that people lacked leadership. "Seeing the multitudes, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd" (Mtt 9:36). When Jesus looks at our world today, no doubt he feels the same compassion for the same reason.

This lesson is about the responsibility of shepherding, especially in our homes.

1. The Shepherd of Bible Times

The Bible often likens the leadership of people to the shepherd leading his sheep. In our vernacular, when we say that people are like sheep, we mean that they follow others blindly. However in the Bible, the shepherd is pictured as dedicated to his flock, and his sheep hear his voice, and they follow him, and will not follow a stranger (Jhn 10:1-5).

We are all familiar with the twenty-third Psalm which begins, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul; he guides me in the paths of righteousness" (Psa 23:1-3).

So in speaking of people as sheep, and their leaders as shepherds, the Bible is not being derogatory, but is evoking the respect that rural communities of Bible times had for the shepherds who tended their flocks in a responsible manner. Good shepherds loved their sheep, called them by name, protected them from wolves, led them to pasture, rescued those who strayed. Of course such a lovely relationship with animals is not confined to Bible times. Many people today love and nurture their animals as though they were their own children. So the image of the shepherd and the sheep is a very good metaphor of leadership responsibility.

2 We As Sheep

In this lesson we are going to focus on the role of the shepherd, but the shepherd does not alone have a responsiblity. We, as the sheep, have a responsibility to accept and follow right leadership. This is especially true of our relationship to the greatest Shepherd of all...

Isaiah 53:6 "Like sheep, we have all gone astray. We have turned each to our own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all"

John 10:3-4 "The shepherd calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out... the sheep follow him for they know his voice"

1Peter 2:25 "You were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls"

The principle in these passages can be applied to lesser relationships where people are to subject themselves willingly to good leadership. There are many such relationships in our society and community. The shepherds in those relationships have responsibility, but so do the sheep.”  (From www.simplybible.com.au)

Rev. Stephen H. Wilkins, “Sheep Without a Shepherd”:   “Like sheep without a shepherd. Between what the Lord says in Jeremiah, and the way that Jesus reacts with compassion to people who are like sheep without a shepherd, it is clear that it is not right for sheep to be without a shepherd. It is clear that God is concerned that his people should always have a shepherd to guide them, to protect them, to accompany them, to lead them to green pastures and beside still waters. And it is clear, also, that if God is concerned that his people not be left without a shepherd, then that should be our concern in the church, as well.“  (From www.gtpres.org).

A MISSIONARY REJECTED - 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B)

Homily for the 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B)

Based on  Mk 6:7-13 (Gospel),  Am 7:12-15  (First Reading) and Ep 1:3-14 (Second Reading)

From the Series: “Reflections and Teachings of the Desert”

A MISSIONARY REJECTED

The gospel narrative for this 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Cycle B) is Mk 6:7-13, under the title “The mission of the Twelve.”  

Parallel texts are:

a.       Mt 10:1,9-14 - He summoned his twelve disciples,^a and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to cast them out and to cure all kinds of diseases and sickness (v. 1).  Yourselves with no gold or silver, not even a few coppers for your purses (v. 9), with no haversack for the journey or spare tunic or footwear or a staff, for the workmen deserves his keep (v. 10).  Whatever town or village you go into, ask for someone trustworthy and stay with him until you leave (v. 11). As you enter his house, salute it; ^e (v. 12) and if the house deserves it. Let your peace descend upon it; if it does not, let your peace come back to you (v. 13). And if anyone does not welcome you or listen to what you have to say, as you walk out of the house or town shake the dust from your feet ^f (v. 14). Footnote ^a says: “Matthew supposes that the reader already knows about the choice of the Twelve; Mark and Luke mentions it expressly and distinguish the choice from the mission” Footnotes for Mt 10:11-14 are: ^e that says: “The oriental greeting is a wish of peace In v. 13 this wish is treated in concrete fashion as an entity which, if it fails to secure its effect, nevertheless remains in being and returns to its original owner”; and ^f that says: “The phrase is Jewish in origin. The dust of any country other than the Holy Land is reckoned unclean: in this passage the impurity attaches to any place that refuses the word.”

b.      Lk 9:1-6 - He called the Twelve^a together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases (v. 1), and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal (v. 2). He said to them; ‘Take nothing for the journey; neither staff, nor haversack, nor bread, nor money; and let none of you take a spare tunic (v. 3).  Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave, let it be from there (v. 4). As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as a sign to them’ (v. 5). So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and healing everywhere (v. 6). Footnote ^a says: “Add. ‘apostles’.”

c.       Lk10:4-11 - Carry no purse, no haversack, and no sandals. Salute no one on the road (v. 4). Whatever house you go into, let your first words be, ‘Peace to this house!’ (v. 5) And if a man of peace^d lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you (v. 6). Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they have to offer, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not move from house to house (v. 7). Whenever you go into a town where they make you welcome, eat what is set before you” (v. 8). Cure those in it who are sick and say, “The kingdom of God is very near to you” (v. 9). But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you welcome, go out into the streets and say (v. 10), ‘We wipe off the very dust of your town that cling to our feet, and leave it with you. Yes, be sure of this; the kingdom of God is very near” (v. 11). Footnote ^d says “Lit. ‘son of peace’, a Hebraism  for those who deserve ‘peace’, i.e. all the spiritual and temporal blessings the word implies. CfJn 14:27+.”

Verses 7 up to 12 say: He made a tour round the villages teaching. Then he summoned the Twelve and began to send them out by pairs giving them authority over the unclean spirits. And he instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff ^b- no bread, no haversack, no coppers for their purses.

They were to wear sandals but, he added, ‘do not take a spare tunic’. And he said to them, ‘If you enter a house anywhere, stay there until you leave the district. And if any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, as you walk away shake off the dust under your feet as a sign to them.’ So they set off to preach repentance. Footnote ^b for Mk 6:8 says: “In Mt and Lk the staff is forbidden, but the sense is the same, the missionary must be detached.”

Verse 13 says: and they cast out many devils, and anointed many sick people with oil and cured them.

Parallel text is Jm 5:14 that says: “If one of you is ill, he should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord^d and pray over him (v. 14). The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven (v. 15).”  Footnote ^d says “Om. ‘of the Lord. The tradition that these prayers and this anointing with oil in the name of the Lord, and for the purpose of helping the sick and forgiving their sins, are the origin of the Church’s ‘sacrament of the sick’ (or Holy Unction) was endorsed by the Council of Trent.”

The First Reading is taken from Am 7:12-15. Verse by verse, it says:

Verses 12 and 13  -  To Amos, Amaziah said, ‘Go away, seer;^h get back to the land of Judah; earn your breadⁱ there, we want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary, the national temple.’ Verse 12’s Footnote ^h says “Here the term is possibly contemptuous (visionary’)”; and Footnote ⁱsays “Amaziah speaks as is Amos were one of the professional prophets for whom prophecy was a livelihood, cf. 1 S 9:7+.”

Parallel text is Am 2:12 that says: But you have forced the nazirites to drink wine and gave orders to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy’.

Verses 14 and 15 say: ‘I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the brotherhoods of prophets,’^j Amos replied to Amaziah ‘I was a shepherd,^k and looked after sycamores: but it was Yahweh who took me from herding the flock and Yahweh who said, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel”.   Footnote  ^j says ‘neither did I belong…’ lit. ‘nor the son of a prophet’, cf. 2 K 2:3+”; and Footnote ^k says ‘shepherd’ corr., cf. 1:1; ‘herdsman’ Hebr.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Am 3:3-8 - The prophetic call cannot be resisted^d Do two men take the road together if they have not planned to do so?^e(v. 3) Does the lion roar in the jungle if no prey has been found? Does the young lion growl in his lair if he has captured nothing? (v. 4) Does the bird fall to the ground^f if no trap^g has been set? Does the snare spring up from the ground if nothing has been caught? (v. 5) Does the trumpet sound in the city without the populace becoming alarmed? Does misfortune come to a city if Yahweh has not sent it? (v. 6). No more does the Lord Yahweh do anything without revealing his plans to his servants the prophets^h (v. 7) The lion roars who can help feeling afraid? The Lord Yahweh speaks who can refuse to prophesy? (v. 8). Footnote ^d says “In all this passage the prophet is justifying his intervention. There is neither effect without cause, vv. 3-5b, nor cause without effect, vv. 5c-6, 8a. If the prophet exercises his office, it is because Yahweh has spoken; if God speaks, the prophet cannot but prophesy, v. 7-8b. The images chosen suggest that the message will be one of disaster”; Footnote ^e–says “Or ‘without having met’; Greek ‘without knowing each other’; Footnote ^f–Hebr. Adds ‘in the snare’; omitted by Greek.; Footnote ^g says “Or ‘no bait’, or ‘no sling’.; and Footnote ^h says “This verse may be a gloss.”

b.      2 S 7:8 - This is what you must say to my servant David, “Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be the leader of my people Israel…

c.       Ps 78:70-73 - Choosing David as his servant, he took him from the sheepfolds, called him from tending ewes in lamb to pasture his people Jacob and Israel his heritage: who did this with unselfish care and led them with a sensitive hand.

The Second Reading is from Ep 1:3-14. Verse by verse it says:

Verse 3 says: Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.^b Footnote ^b-  All the way through the letter, 1:20; 2:6; 3:10; 6:12, Paul reverts to this opening reference to heaven. The spiritual blessings listed in the following verses must wait till the end of the world before they can be fully realized in heaven where they had been formulated since all eternity.

Parallel texts are:

a.       Tb. 13:1 - Blessed be God who lives forever, for his reign endures throughout all ages!

b.      Ga. 3:14 - This was done so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might include the pagans, and so that through faith we might receive the promised Spirit.^f Footnote  f says “Lit. ‘the promise of the Spirit’. Var. ‘the blessing of the Spirit’.”

Verse 4 says: Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, and to live through love^c in his presence. Footnote ^c says “First blessing: through their union with the glorified Christ the faithful already enjoy, in a hidden sort of way, the eternal happiness to which the chosen are called. ‘Love’ here is primarily the love God has for us, and that leads him to ‘choose’ us and to call us to be ‘holy’, cf. Col. 3:12, 1 Th. 1:4, 2 Th. 2:13, Rm. 11:28, but does not exclude our love for God that results from and is a response to his own love for us, cf. Rm. 5:5.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Jn. 17:24 - Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see the glory you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

b.      1 P. 1:20 - Who, though known since before the world was made, has been revealed only in our time, the end of the ages, for your sake.

c.       Ep. 5:27 - So that when he took her to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless.^f Footnote ^f says: “It was customary in the middle east at the time this letter was written, for the ‘sons of the wedding’ to escort the bride to her husband after she had been bathed and dressed. As applied mystically to the Church, Christ washes his bride himself in the bath of baptism, and makes her immaculate (note the mention of a baptismal formula) and introduces her to himself.”

Verses 5 and 6 say: Determining that we should become his adopted sons,^d through Jesus Christ for his own kind purposes, to make us praise the glory of his grace,^e Footnote d says: “Second blessing: Jesus Christ, the only Son, is both the source and the model of the way God has chosen for us to become holy, i.e. adopting us as his heirs, cf. Rm. 5:5; and Footnote ^e says “The word grace (charis) as it is used here emphasizes not so much the interior gift that makes a human being holy, as the gratuitousness of God’s favor and the way he manifests his glory, cf. Ex 24:16f. These are the two themes that run through this account of God’s blessings: their source is God’s liberality, and their purpose is to make his glory appreciated by creatures. Everything comes from him, and everything should lead to him.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       1 Co. 1:8 - And he will keep you steady and without blame^d until the last day, the day^e of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Footnote ^d says “Cf. Ph 1:10; 2:15f; Ep 1:4; Col 1:22; 1 Th 3:13; 5:23; Jude 24’;  and  Footnote ^e says “This ‘day of the Lord’, 5:5; 2 Co 1:14, 1 TH 5:2; 2 Th 2:2; cf. 2 P. 3:10, called also the ‘day of Christ’, Ph 1:6,10; 2:16, or simply the ‘day’, 2 Th 1:10; 2 Tm 1:12, 18; 4:8; cf. Mt 7:22; 24:36; Lk 10:12; 21:14, or ‘the day of the Son of Man’, Lk 17:24, cf. v. 26, or ‘the day of God’, 2 P 3:12, or ‘the day of visitation’, 1 P 2:12, or ‘the great day’, Jude 6; Rv 6:17; 16:14, or ‘the last day’, Jn6:39,40,44,54; 11:24; 12:48, is the fulfillment in the eschatological era, ushered in by Christ, of the ‘day of Yahweh’ foretold by the prophets, Am 5:18+. The fulfillment begins with the first coming of Christ, Lk 17:20-24, and the punishment of Jerusalem, Mt 24:1+; and this final stage in thehistory of salvation, cf. Ac 1:7+, will be completed by the glorious second coming, 1 Co. 1:7+; 15:23+; 1 Tm 6:14+, of theSovereign Judge, Rm 2:6+; Jm 5:6-9. A cosmic upheaval and renewal will accompany it (cf. Am 8:9+), Mt 24:29p+; Heb 12:26f; 2 P 3:10-13; Rv 20:11; 21:1; cf. Mt 19:20; Rm 8:20-22. This day of light is coming, Rm 13:12; Heb 10:25; Jm 5:8; 1 P 4:7; cf. 1 Th 5:5,8, but exactly when is uncertain, 1 Th 5:1+, meanwhile we must prepare for it. 2 Co. 5:2+.”

b.      1 Jn. 3:1 - Think of the love that the Father has lavished on us, by letting us be called God’s children; and that is what we are. ^a  Footnote a –says “Om. ‘and that is what we are’; var. (Vulg) ‘and may we become precisely that’.

c.       Jn. 1:12 - But to all who did accept him he gave power to becomeⁱ children of God, to all who believe in the name of him^j.  Footnote ⁱ says “Var. ‘to be called’; and Footnote ^j says “‘to those who believe in his name’ omitted by many of the Fathers.”

d.      Rm. 8:29 - They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true  images of his Son,^q so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. Footnote ^q says “Christ the image of God in the primordial creation, Col. 1:15+, cf. Heb. 1:3, has now come by a new creation, 2 Co 5:17+, to restore to fallen man the splendor of that image which had been darkened by sin, Gn. 1:26+, 3:22-24+, Rm. 5:12+. He does this by forming man in the still more splendid image of a son of God (Rm. 8:29); thus, sound moral judgment is restored to the ‘new man’; Col. 3:10+, and also his claim to glory which he had sacrificed by sin, Rm. 3:23+. This glory which Christ as the image of God possesses by right, 2 Co. 4:4, is progressively communicated to the Christian, 2 Co. 3:18, until his body is itself clothed in the image of the ‘heavenly’ man, 1 Co. 15:49.”

Verses 7 and 8 say: his free gift to us in the Beloved,^f in whom, through his blood, we gain freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.^g Such is the richness of the grace which he^h has bestowed on us in all wisdom and insight. Footnote ^f says “Var. (Vulg) ‘his beloved Son’”; and Footnote ^g says: “Third blessing: our redemption by an event in time, i.e. the death of Jesus.”

Parallel texts are:

a.       Rm 3:24 - And both are justified through the free gift of his graceⁱ by being redeemed^j in Christ Jesus. Footnote  ⁱ says “This word (charis) when used with reference to human relationships can mean as the quality that makes a person attractive (Ac. 2:47), or it can mean thank for a gift (Lk. 6:32-34; 17:9); or it can mean something given free and unearned (Ac. 25:3, 1 Co. 16:3, 2 Co. 8:6-7, 19). This last sense predominates in the NT and especially in Paul. (John uses agape), who uses the word to describe the way God saves through Jesus: it is a work of spontaneous love to which no one has any claim It was an act of ‘grace’ for Jesus to come on earth (2 Co. 8:9, Tt. 2:11, Jh. 1:14,47); to die (Heb. 2:9), for his Father to give up as a gift that includes all divine favors (Rm 8:32; cf. 1 Co 2:12; Ep 1:8f): justification, salvation, and the right to inherit by having faith in him, without having to perform the works of the Law ( Rm 3:24; 4:4f; Ep 2:5,8; Tt. 3:7; cf. Ac 15:11): it will also be an act of ‘grace’ for Christ to come again at the end of the world and for us to receive everlasting glory (1 P1:13; 2 Th 1:12). It was by grace that Abraham received the promise (Rm 4:16; Ga 3:18) and that a few Israelites were chosen to survive  (Rm 11:5f). Since grace is God’s love for us, it is inexhaustible (Ep 1:7; 2:7; cf. 2 Co 4:15; 9:8,14; 1 Tm 1:14) and it conquers sins (Rm 5:15,7,20). The one word ‘grace’ is so useful and full of meaning that it can be used to indicate the entire messianic era that was once proclaimed by the prophets (1 P.1:10) and is now proclaimed as the  Good News (Col 1:6; cf. Ac 14:3; 20:24,32). The word sumps up the gifts of God so well that Paul begins and ends his letters by wishing ‘grace’ to all his readers (1 Th 1:1 and 5:28, etc.; cf 1 P 1:2; 5:10,12; 2 P 1:2; 3:8, 2 Jn 3; Rv 1:4; 22:21). It is by an act of grace that ‘the God of all grace’ (1 P 5:10) calls men to salvation (Ga 1:6; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 P 3:7), leads them with all spiritual gifts (1 Co 1:4-7; cf 2 Th 2:16; Ac 6:8), makes Paul an apostle of the pagans (Rm 1:5; 12:3; 15:15f; 1 Co 3:10; Ga 1:15f; 2:9; Ep 3:2,7,8; Ph 1:2) and assigns to each Christian a part he has to play in the life of the Church (Rm 12:6; 1 Co 12:1+; 2 Co 8:1;  Ep 4:7;  1 P 4:10); similarly, it is a ‘grace’ to suffer for Christ (Ph 1:29; 1 P 2:19-20). Mary ’found grace’ with God (Lk 1:30; cf Ac 7:46; and LXX passim); Jesus himself received the ‘grace’ of the highest name of all (Ph 2:9; cf. Lk 2:40). For human beings to be agreeable to God depends primarily on God’s initiative and secondarily on human response. It is possible to receive grace I vain (2 Co 6:1; cf. 1 Co 5:10), to fall from grace (Ga. 5:4), to forfeit grace (Heb 12:15), and thus to insult the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29). Grace obtained must be carefully guarded (Rm 5:2; Heb 12:28; 1 P 5:12) and used wisely (1 P 4:10); it is not enough to remain in grace (Ac 13:43; cf 14:26;  15:40), it  must increase (2 P 3:18), to strengthen us (2 Tm 2:1), and help us to persist in our good intention (Heb 13:9). This divine help is given to the humble (Jm 4:6; 1 P 5:5) and is obtained by prayer, since this is to approach ‘the throne of grace’ confidently (Heb 4:26). Grace will be granted and will be found sufficient; it is the power of Christ operating in weak man (2 Co 12:9; cf/ 1 Co 15:10) and this grace of Christ triumphs over unspiritual wisdom (2 Co 1:12). The same word charis is also used for thanksgiving (Rm 6:17; 7:25; 1 Co 10:30; 15:57; 2 Co 2:14; 8:16; 9:15; Col 3:6; 1 Tm 1:12; 2 Tm 1:3;and cf. the verb eucharistein), since gratitude to God is the fundamental and necessary disposition for grace. From all these shades of meaning, it is clear that the word charis is always used to emphasize that the gift  is absolutely free: to bring out its power and its inwardness Paul also uses the word pneuma (cf. Rm 5:5+)’”; and Footnote ^j  says: “Yahweh had ‘redeemed’ Israel by delivering her from slavery of Egypt, to provide himself with a nation for his ‘inheritance’ Dt 7:6+. When the prophets spoke of the ‘redemption’ from Babylon, Is 41:14+, they hinted at a deliverance more profound and less restricted, the forgiveness that is deliverance from sin, Is 44:22; cf Ps 130:8; 49:7-8. This messianic redemption is fulfilled in Christ, 1 Co 1:30; cfLk 1:68; 2:38. God the Father through Christ - and indeed Christ himself- has ‘delivered’ the new Israel from slavery of the Law, Ga 3:13, 4:5; and of sin, Col 1:14; Ep 1:7; Heb 9:15, by ‘acquiring’ her, Ac 20:28, making her his own, Tt 2:14; purchasing her, Ga 3:13; 4:5; 1 Co 6:20; 7:23; cf. 2 P 2:1. The price was the blood of Christ, Ac 20:28; Ep 1:7; Heb 9:12; 1 P 1:18f; Rv 1:5; 5:9. This redemption, begun on Calvary and guaranteed by the present gift of the Spirit, Ep 1:14; 4:30, will be complete only at the parousia, Lk 21:28, when deliverance from death is secured by the resurrection of the body, Rm 8:23.”

b.      Col 1:13-14 - Because that is what he has done: he has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves (v. 13), and in him, we gain our freedom,^d the forgiveness of our sins (v. 14). Footnote ^d – “Lit. ‘In whom we have the redemption’. Add. (Vulg.) ‘by blood”, cf. Ep 1:7.”

c.       Heb 1:3 - He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature,^c sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. Footnote ^c says “These two metaphors are borrowed from the Sophia and logos theologies of Alexandria, Ws 7:25-26; they express both the identity of nature between Father and Son, and the distinction of person. The Son is the brightness, the light shining from its source, which is the bright glory, cf. Ex. 24:16+, of the Father (‘Light from Light’). He is also the replica, cf. Col 1:15+, of the Father’s substance, like an exact impression made by a seal on clay or wax, cf. Jn 14:9.”

d.      Ep 2:7 - This was to show for all ages to come, through his goodness towards us in Christ Jesus, how infinitely rich he is in grace.

Verses 8 and 9 say: which he^h has bestowed on us in all wisdom and insight. He has let us know the mystery of his purpose,ⁱ the hidden plan he so kindly made in Christ from the beginning. Footnote ^h says “God the Father”; and Footnote  ⁱ- says “Fourth blessing: the revelation of the ‘mystery’, Rm 16:25f.”

Parallel text of verse 9 is Rm 16:25  that says: Doxology^j Glory to him who is able to give you the strength^k to live according to the Good News I preach, and in which I proclaim Jesus Christ, the revelation of a mystery^l kept secret for endless ages  Footnote  ^j says “Most authorities place this doxology here, but in some it appears at the end of ch. 15 or 14; others omit. A solemn presentation, cf. Ef 3:20; Jude 24-25, of the main points of the letter”; Footnote ^ksays “Firmly grounded in doctrine and strong in Christian practice. Cf. 1:11; 1 Th 3:2,13; 2 Th 2:17; 3:3; 1 Co 1:8; 2 Co 1:21; Col 2:7;  Footnote ^l says “The idea of a ‘mystery’ of wisdom, v. 27; 1 Co 2:7; Ep 3:10; Col 2:2-3, long hidden in God and now revealed, v. 25; 1 Co 2:7,10; Ep 3:5,9f; Col 1:26, is borrowed by Paul from Jewish apocalypse, Dn 2:18-19+, but he enriches the content of the term by applying it to the climax of the history of salvation: the saving cross of Christ, 1 Co 2:8; the call of the pagans, v. 26; Rm 11:25; Col 1:26-27; Ep 3:6, to this salvation preached by Paul, v. 25; Col 1:23; 4:3; Ep 3:3-12; 6:19, and finally the restoration of all things in Christ as their one head, Ep 1:9-10. See also 1 Co 4:1; 13:2; 14:2; 15:51; Ep 5:32; 2 Th 2:7; 1 Tm 3:9,16; 2 Tm 1:9-10; Mt 13:11p+; Rv 1:20; 10:7; 17:5,7.”

Verse 10 says: To act upon when the times had run their course to the end;^j that he would bring everything together under Christ as head, everything in the heaven and everything on earth.^k Footnote ^j says “ Lit. ‘for a dispensation of the times’ fullness’, cf. Ga 4:4f. Footnote ^k - The main theme of this letter is how the whole body of creation, having been cut off from the Creator by sin, is decomposing, and how its rebirth is effected by Christ reuniting its parts into an organism with himself as the head, so as to reattach it to God. The human (Jew and pagan) and the angelic worlds are brought together again through the fact that they were saved by a single act, cf. 4:10f.”

Parallel text

a.       Mk 1:15  - ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’

b.      Ga 4:4 - But when the appointed time^c came, God sent his son, born of a woman, born a subject of the Law. Footnote ^c - Lit. ‘fullness of time’; the phrase indicates how when the messianic age comes it will fill a need felt for centuries, rather like filling up a jug. Cf. Ac 1:7+ and Mk 1:15; 1 Co 10:11; Ep 1:10; Heb 1”2; 9:26; 1 P 1:20.

c.       Col. 1:16,20… - “for him were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers - all things were created through him and for him (v. 16). …and all things to be reconciled through him and for him, ^h everything in heaven and everything on earth,^I when he made peace by his death on the cross ( v. 20).” Footnote ^h - i.e. through and for  Christ, cf. the parallel ‘though him and for him’ of v. 16. Alternatively, it could read “God wanted everything…to be reconciled to himself, though him who made peace…’ cf. Rm 5:10; 2 Co 5:18f; Footnote ⁱ - This reconciliation of the whole universe (including angels as well as human beings) means not that every single individual will be saved, but that all who are saved will be saved by their collective return to the right order and peace of perfect submission to God. Any individual who do not join this new creation through grace will be forced to join it, cf. 2:15; 1 Co 15:24-25 (the heavenly spirits) and 2 Th 1:8-9; 1 Co 6:9-10; Ga. 5:21; Rm 2:8; Ep 5:5 (men).

Verses 11 and 12 say: And it is in him^l  that we were claimed as God’s own,^m chosen from the beginning, under the predetermined plan of the one who guides all things as he decides by his own will; Chosen to be, for his greater glory, the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came. Footnote ^lsays “Christ.” and Footnote ^m says “Fifth blessing: the pagans are called to share the salvation that had, till then, been reserved for the Jews; that they will be saved is proved by the fact that they receive the Spirit as was promised.”

Parallel texts for verse 11 are:

a.       Dt 7:6 - For you are a people consecrated to Yahweh your God, it is you that Yahweh your God has chosen to be his very own people out of all the peoples on earth.^b Footnote ^b - Declaring Israel’s election, as in 14:2. To ‘find himself a nation’ God made use of wonders, 4:34, cf. 4:20; 26:7-8, vv. 7-8 of this chapter explain the reason for God’s choice, namely, loyalty to the promises which, of his own loving will, he had made to the Fathers, cf. 4:37, 8:18; 9:5; 10:15. This choice, ratified by the covenant (v. 9; 5:2-3) makes Israel a dedicated people (v. 6; 26:19). The idea of election, strongly emphasized in Dt., pervades the OT. Israel as a nation set apart, Nb 23:9, God’s people, Jg 5:13, consecrated, Ex 19:6+, a covenanted race, Ex. 19:1+, God’s son, Dt 1:31+, the nation of Immanuel, (God-with-us), Is 8:8,10. The election marks Israel off from the world but the prophets foretell the recognition of Israel’s God by all nations and the universality of salvation Zc 14:16; Is 49:6; 45:14+. The coming of Jesus inaugurates this ‘messianic’ era.

b.      Col 1:12 - …thanking the Father who has made it possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light.^c Footnote ^c - Lit. ‘Thanking the Father (for) having made you (var. ‘us’) fit for the part of the lot of the saints in the light’; var. ‘for having called you (var. ‘us’) to…’ The ‘lot of the saints’ is what all holy people are to inherit, i.e. the ‘salvation’ that had been thought of as a bequest made exclusively to Israel. Now, non-Jews are called to share it, cf. Ep 1:11-13. The word ‘saints’ (lit. ‘holy ones’) here can mean either Christians, i.e. people called to live the ‘life of light’ while still living on earth, Rm 1:7f, cf. Jn 8:12f, or it can mean the angels who live with God in the eschatological ‘light’, cf. Ac 9:13+.

c.       Is 46:10 - From the beginning I foretold the future, and predicted beforehand what is to be. I say: my purpose shall last; I will do whatever I choose.

d.      Rv 4:11 - You are our Lord and our God, you are worthy of glory and honor and power, because you made all the universe and it was only by your will that everything was made and exists.^k  Footnote  ^k - Lit. ‘though your will they were (var. ‘they were not’) and they were created’; text uncertain.

Parallel text for verse 12 is Ps 66:2 that says:   …play music to the glory of his name, glorify him with your praises, say to God, ‘What dread you inspire!’

Verses 13 and 14 say: Now you too, ⁿ in him, have heard the message of the truth and the good news of your salvation, and have believed it; and you too have been stamped with the seal of the Holy Spirit of the Promise.^o The pledge of our inheritance which brings freedom for those whom God has taken for his own, ^p to make his glory praised. Footnotes ⁿ says “Sixth blessing: the Jews are chosen to be the human share allotted to God, and are to be his witness until the coming of the Messiah. Paul, being a Jew, here uses ‘we”; Footnote ^o says “Paul completes his Trinitarian account of God’s plan with the Spirit, since the giving of the Spirit shows the plan has reached its final stage. Nevertheless, though this gift has already begun, it is only given in a hidden way while the unspiritual world lasts, and will only be given fully when the kingdom of God is complete and Christ comes in glory”; and Footnote  ^psays “Lit. ‘the setting free of that (enslaved people) which had been acquired’, i.e., by God, and at the cost of the life of his son. This is one of the occasions when Paul widens an OT concept (like ‘blessing’, ‘saint’, ‘choice’, ‘adoption’, ‘redemption, ‘share’, ‘promise’) by applying it to the Church as the new Israel and the body of the saved.”

Parallel texts for verse 13 are:

a.       Ac 1:4 - When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. ‘It is’ he had said, ‘what you have heard me speak about:

b.      Col 1:5 - …because of the hope which is stored up for you in heaven. It is only recently that you heard of this, when it was announced in the message of truth. The Good News…

c.       Col 2:9  In his body lives the fullness of divinity,^e and in him you too find your own fulfillment… Footnote ^e says “The word pleroma here, cf. 1:19+, is defined as the ‘divinity’ that is actually ‘filling’ Christ now in his body: in other words, the risen Christ, through his incarnation and resurrection, unites the divine and the created. The former is what he is by his pre-existence and his present glory; the latter is, as human, what he has assumed directly, and, as cosmic, what he assumed indirectly through being human. In this way he himself is the pleroma of all possible categories of being.”

d.      Heb 6:12 - …never growing careless, but imitating those who have the faith and the perseverance to inherit the promises.  

e.       Ep 4:30 - Otherwise you will only be grieving the Holy Spirit of God who has marked you with his seal for you to be set free when the day comes. ^q Footnote  ^q says “ The one Holy Spirit that keeps the one body of Christ united, 4:4, 1 Co. 12:13, is ‘grieved’; cf. 4:30, Is. 63:10, by anything that harms the unity of the body.”

f.        2 Co 1:22 - …marking us with his seal and giving us the pledge, the Spirit, that we carry in our hearts.

g.       Ac 2:33 - Now raised to the heights by God’s right hand,^s he has received from the father the Holy Spirit, who was promised,^t and what you see and hear is the outpouring of that Spirit. Footnote ^ssays “Words borrowed from Ps. 118 (v.16 LXX ‘The right hand of the Lord has raised me up’) used in their preaching by the apostles who took it to be messianic: Ac 4:11, 1 P 2:7, Mt 21:9p,42p, 23:39, Lk 13:35, Jn 12:13, Heb 13:6. But it is possible to translate. ‘ Having raised up to the right hand of God’ and to se in this an introduction to the quotation (v.34) of Ps. 110); which is another name of Apostolic preaching: Mt. 22:44p,26:64p, Mk 16:19, Ac 7:55,56, Rm 8:34, 1Co. 15:25, Ep. 1:20 Col. 3:1, Heb. 1:3,13, 8:1, 10:12, 12:2, 1 P.3:22”;  and  Footnote ^t – says “According to the prophets, the gif of the Spirit would characterize  the messianic era, Ex. 36:27+. Peter explains the miracle his bearers have witnessed as the ‘pouring out’ of this spirit, foretold in Jl 3:1-2 by the risen Christ”.

h.      Rm 5:5 - And this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God^e has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which had been given us.^f Footnote ^e says “God’s love for us; of this the Holy Spirit is a pledge and to this, by his active presence within us, he bears witness, cf. 8:15 and Ga. 4:6. Through him we stand before God as sons before their father; the love is mutual. This text therefore, in the light of its parallel passages, asserts that the Christian shares in the life of the Trinity through ‘sanctifying grace’”; Footnote ^f says “The promised Spirit, Ep 1;13, cf. Ga 3:14; Ac 2:33+, distinctive of the new covenant as contrasted with the old, Rm 2:29; 7:6; 2 Co 3:6; cf. Ga 3:3; 4:29; Ezk 36:27+, is not merely exhibition of healing or charismatic power, Ac 1:8+; is also, and especially, an inward principle of new life, a principle that God ‘gives’, 1 Th 4:8, etc., cf. Lk 11:13; Jn 3:34; 14:16f; Ac 1:5; 2:38 etc.; 1 Jn 3:24, ‘sends’, Ga 4:6; cf. Lk 24:49; Jn 14:26; 1 P 1:12, ‘supplies’, Ga 3:5; Ph 1:19, ‘pours out’, Rm 5:5; Tt 3:5f; cf. Ac 2:33. Received into the Christian by faith, Ga 3:2,14;cf. Jn 7:38f; Ac 11:17, and baptism, 1 Co 6:11; Tt 3:5; cf. Jn 3:5; Ac 2:38; 19:2-6, It dwells within him, Rm 8:9; 1 Co 3:16; 2 Tm 1:14; cf. Jm 4:5, in his spirit, Rm 8:16; cf. the Spirit of Christ, Rm 8:9; Ph 1:19; Ga 4:6; cf. 2 Co 3:17; Ac 16:7; Jn 14;26; 15:26; 16:7, 14; makes the Christian a son of God, Rm 8;14-16; Ga 4:6f, and establishes Christ in his heart, Ep 3:16. For the Christian (as for Christ himself, Rm 1:4+) this Spirit is a principle of resurrection, Rm 8:11+, in virtue of as eschatological gift which even in life signs him as with a seal, 2 Co 1:22; Ep 1:13; 4:30, and which is present within him by way of pledge, 2 Co 1:22; 5:5; Ep 1:14, and of first-fruits, Rm 8:23. It takes the place of the evil principle in man that is ‘the flesh’. Rm 7:5+, and becomes a principle of faith, 1 Co 12:3; 2 Co 4:13; cf. 1 Jn 4:2f, of supernatural knowledge, 1 Co 2:10-16; 7:40; 12:8f; 14:2f; Ep 1:17; 3:16, 18; Col 1:9; cf. Jn 14:26+, of love, Rm. 5:5, 15:30, Col. 1:8, of sanctification, Rm 15:16, 1 Co. 6:11, 2 Th .2:13, cf. 1P 1:2, of moral conduct, Rm 8:4-9, 13; Ga. 3:16-25, of apostolic courage, Ph. 1:19; 2 Tim 1:7f; cf. Ac 1:8+, of hope, Rm 15:13, Ga. 5:5, Ep. 4:4, of prayer. Rm. 8:26f,cf. Jm 4:35; Jude 20.  The Spirit must not be quenched, 1 Th. 5:19, or grieved, Ep. 4:30.  It unites man with Christ, 1 Co 6:17, and thus secures the unity of his Body, 1 Co. 12:3, Ep. 2:16,18, 4:4.

Parallel texts for verse 14 are:

a.       2 Co 1:22 - …marking us with his seal and giving us the pledge, the Spirit, that we carry in our hearts.

b.      Rm 3:24 - And both are justified through the free gift of his graceⁱ by being redeemed^j in Christ Jesus.  Footnote ⁱ says  “This word (charis) when used with reference to human relationships can mean as the quality that makes a person attractive (Ac. 2:47), or it can mean thank for a gift (Lk. 6:32-34; 17:9); or it can mean something given free and unearned (Ac. 25:3, 1 Co. 16:3, 2 Co. 8:6-7, 19). This last sense predominates in the NT and especially in Paul. (John uses agape), who uses the word to describe the way God saves through Jesus: it is a work of spontaneous love to which no one has any claim It was an act of ‘grace’ for Jesus to come on earth (2 Co. 8:9, Tt. 2:11, Jh. 1:14,47); to die (Heb. 2:9), for his Father to give up as a gift that includes all divine favors (Rm 8:32; cf. 1 Co 2:12; Ep 1:8f): justification, salvation, and the right to inherit by having faith in him, without having to perform the works of the Law ( Rm 3:24; 4:4f; Ep 2:5,8; Tt. 3:7; cf. Ac 15:11): it will also be an act of ‘grace’ for Christ to come again at the end of the world and for us to receive everlasting glory (1 P1:13; 2 Th 1:12). It was by grace that Abraham received the promise (Rm 4:16; Ga 3:18) and that a few Israelites were chosen to survive  (Rm 11:5f). Since grace is God’s love for us, it is inexhaustible (Ep 1:7; 2:7; cf. 2 Co 4:15; 9:8,14; 1 Tm 1:14) and it conquers sins (Rm 5:15,7,20). The one word ‘grace’ is so useful and full of meaning that it can be used to indicate the entire messianic era that was once proclaimed by the prophets (1 P.1:10) and is now proclaimed as the  Good News (Col 1:6; cf. Ac 14:3; 20:24,32). The word sumps up the gifts of God so well that Paul begins and ends his letters by wishing ‘grace’ to all his readers (1 Th 1:1 and 5:28, etc.; cf 1 P 1:2; 5:10,12; 2 P 1:2; 3:8, 2 Jn 3; Rv 1:4; 22:21). It is by an act of grace that ‘the God of all grace’ (1 P 5:10) calls men to salvation (Ga 1:6; 2 Tim 1:9; 1 P 3:7), leads them with all spiritual gifts (1 Co 1:4-7; cf 2 Th 2:16; Ac 6:8), makes Paul an apostle of the pagans (Rm 1:5; 12:3; 15:15f; 1 Co 3:10; Ga 1:15f; 2:9; Ep 3:2,7,8; Ph 1:2) and assigns to each Christian a part he has to play in the life of the Church (Rm 12:6; 1 Co 12:1+; 2 Co 8:1;  Ep 4:7;  1 P 4:10); similarly, it is a ‘grace’ to suffer for Christ (Ph 1:29; 1 P 2:19-20). Mary ’found grace’ with God (Lk 1:30; cf Ac 7:46; and LXX passim); Jesus himself received the ‘grace’ of the highest name of all (Ph 2:9; cf. Lk 2:40). For human beings to be agreeable to God depends primarily on God’s initiative and secondarily on human response. It is possible to receive grace I vain (2 Co 6:1; cf. 1 Co 5:10), to fall from grace (Ga. 5:4), to forfeit grace (Heb 12:15), and thus to insult the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:29). Grace obtained must be carefully guarded (Rm 5:2; Heb 12:28; 1 P 5:12) and used wisely (1 P 4:10); it is not enough to remain in grace (Ac 13:43; cf 14:26;  15:40), it  must increase (2 P 3:18), to strengthen us (2 Tm 2:1), and help us to persist in our good intention (Heb 13:9). This divine help is given to the humble (Jm 4:6; 1 P 5:5) and is obtained by prayer, since this is to approach ‘the throne of grace’ confidently (Heb 4:26). Grace will be granted and will be found sufficient; it is the power of Christ operating in weak man (2 Co 12:9; cf/ 1 Co 15:10) and this grace of Christ triumphs over unspiritual wisdom (2 Co 1:12). The same word charis is also used for thanksgiving (Rm 6:17; 7:25; 1 Co 10:30; 15:57; 2 Co 2:14; 8:16; 9:15; Col 3:6; 1 Tm 1:12; 2 Tm 1:3;and cf. the verb eucharistein), since gratitude to God is the fundamental and necessary disposition for grace. From all these shades of meaning, it is clear that the word charis is always used to emphasize that the gift  is absolutely free: to bring out its power and its inwardness Paul also uses the word pneuma (cf. Rm 5:5+)’; and  Footnote ^j says “Yahweh had ‘redeemed’ Israel by delivering her from slavery of Egypt, to provide himself with a nation for his ‘inheritance’ Dt 7:6+. When the prophets spoke of the ‘redemption’ from Babylon, Is 41:14+, they hinted at a deliverance more profound and less restricted, the forgiveness that is deliverance from sin, Is 44:22; cf Ps 130:8; 49:7-8. This messianic redemption is fulfilled in Christ, 1 Co 1:30; cfLk 1:68; 2:38. God the Father through Christ - and indeed Christ himself- has ‘delivered’ the new Israel from slavery of the Law, Ga 3:13, 4:5; and of sin, Col 1:14; Ep 1:7; Heb 9:15, by ‘acquiring’ her, Ac 20:28, making her his own, Tt 2:14; purchasing her, Ga 3:13; 4:5; 1 Co 6:20; 7:23; cf. 2 P 2:1. The price was the blood of Christ, Ac 20:28; Ep 1:7; Heb 9:12; 1 P 1:18f; Rv 1:5; 5:9. This redemption, begun on Calvary and guaranteed by the present gift of the Spirit, Ep 1:14; 4:30, will be complete only at the parousia, Lk 21:28, when deliverance from death is secured by the resurrection of the body, Rm 8:23.”

c.       Ps 66:2 - …play music to the glory of his name, glorify him with your praises, say to God, ‘What dread you inspire!’