Proper 34 – Christ the KingOld Testament TextsJeremiah 21:1-6 contains both an oracle of judgment against Judah’s rulers during the close of the monarchy period and an oracle of salvation about a future Davidic monarch. Luke 1:68-79 is the song of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, which he sang at the birth of his son. The Lesson: Jeremiah 23:1-6Taking Responsibility for LeadershipSetting. Jeremiah 23:1-6 occurs in a larger section of oracles that include at least chapters 21:1-24:10. The setting for this section is given in 21:1-2 and in 24: 1. Chapter 21:1-2 places the oracles during the reign of Zedekiah, who reigned from 597-587 B.C.E., at a time when Isræl is under siege by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. This siege most likely took place around 587 B.C.E., and it resulted in the second deportation of people from Judah to Babylon, which is usually considered the fall of the Kingdom of Judah and the beginning of the exilic period. Chapter 24:1 refers to the first deportation that occurred in 597 B.C.E. and it states how Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, together with the princes of Judah were taken away to Babylon. These separate introductions underscore how the literature in 21:1-24: 10 has not been arranged in a strictly chronological sequence, since Zedekiah’s rule (referred to in 2 1: 1) only followed the deportation that is described in 24: 1. More important than chronology is the emphasis on siege warfare and the loss of the land. The reference to kings and rulers and, more specifically, to their deportation provides an important context for interpreting Jeremiah 23:1-6, since the primary focus of this text is to convey judgment against rulers in the way that they have exercised power. Structure. The larger structure of Jeremiah 21:1-24:10 sets the mood for interpreting the lectionary text. It begins in Jeremiah 21 with an account of Zedekiah requesting an oracle from the prophet Jeremiah concerning the Babylonian siege. Jeremiah answers with a negative oracle of judgment. He states that God is against both the king and the city and that no divine aid will be given. Jeremiah 22 extends the message of judgment by recounting how past kings did not execute power justly and that, as a consequence, God is abandoning Jerusalem. Within this chapter the specific Judæan monarchs, Shallum (v. 11 = Jehoahaz, who reigned for one year in 609 B.C.E.), Jehoiakim (v. 18, who reigned from 609-598 B.C.E.), and Coniah (v. 24 = Jehoiachin, who reigned from 598-597 B.C.E. and was departed in the first deportation of 597 B.C.E.). Thus the judgment oracles in Jeremiah 21-22 trace the last four kings of Judah: Jeremiah 23:1-6 provides a conclusion to the divine judgment of the last kings of Judah. It begins with a woe oracle aimed at all the shepherds (kings) who destroy the sheep in the pasture. The larger context provides reason for including vv. 7-8 within the unit. The criticism of the prophet in Jeremiah 21:1-24: 10 includes not only the leadership of kings but also the leadership of prophets. The oracles directed at kings extends from 21:1 through 23:8 , with judgment oracles against prophets commencing in 219-40. The conclusion to the judgment oracles against kings in Jeremiah 211-8 can be outlined in the following manner. Significance. The most notable aspect of Jeremiah 23:1-6 (7-8) for Christians is the promise of a future king in vv. 5-6, which has taken on a long and rich interpretative life as a messianic prophecy about Jesus. In fact this imagery may be reflected in the psalm response of Luke 1:68-79. But such a quick messianic interpretation does not go to the heart of Jeremiah 23:1-6 (7-8). This text is not governed by the messianic promise at the end of the passage (vv. 5-6) but by the woe oracle at the beginning (v. 1). The central features of the lectionary text are a lament and divine judgment on the abuse of power by leaders within the community of faith and the disastrous consequences that such abuse unleashes on the people of God. For ancient Isræl this will mean nothing less than the loss of the promised land. The abuse of power is spelled out clearly in the text; it is not tending to the sheep. The prophet makes this explicit through the imagery of destroying, scattering, driving away, and not attending to the needs of the sheep as accusations against past and present shepherds. Yet the judgment oracles also raise the question of whether there are any guidelines within the text that might bring us beyond judgment and perhaps outline what the proper exercise of power might be among leaders? And, in seeking an answer to this question, it is the vision of a future monarch in vv. 5-6 that provides the guidelines. Here the prophet states that a genuine exercise of power within the community of faith requires that the king (or any leader) embody the qualities of righteousness and justice to the point where his name becomes, “The Lord is our righteousness.” In Hebrew this is very similar to the name Zedekiah, which raises questions about the relationship of this oracle of salvation and the exiled king, Zedekiah. Does the prophet hope for his return or is the vision of a good king meant to be yet another form of judgment on the exiled king? Whatever the relationship may be, it is clear that the qualities of leadership described in vv. 5-6 are not meant to be a utopian messianic vision but practical guidelines on how power is exercised by leaders in the here and now. And it is from this perspective that Jeremiah 23:1-6 (7-8) should be preached. Such a practical text can certainly provide helpful guidelines for leaders who exercise power in any local church. The exercise of righteousness for the good of the community may provide insight into the way in which Jesus embodied divine power. The Response: Luke 1:68-79A Hymn of Praise or a Prophecy of Judgment?Setting. Luke used hymns throughout the opening chapters of his Gospel to provide commentary on the events of Mary’s conception (the Magnificat), the birth of John the Baptist (the Benedictus stated by Zechariah, the father of John), and the presentation of Jesus in the temple (the Nunc Dimittis by Simeon). One reason why the Benedictus is providing a response to the Old Testament lesson is that Jeremiah 215-6 is referred to in Luke L7, where John the Baptist is interpreted as being the messenger, who will prepare the way for the Lord. Structure. Luke 1:68-79 can be separated into two or three parts. Verses 68-75 are a hymn of praise, while vv. 76-79 are more prophetic in tone, for Zechariah is pictured addressing John directly. One could break the structure into three parts by limiting the prophetic discourse to vv. 76-7,7, with the result that vv. 78-79 provide a summary and a conclusion to the song. Significance. The Benedictus is not the language of leaders, which was the focus in Jeremiah 23:1-6 (7-8), but the language of faith from those who are scattered and eagerly anticipating the renewed salvation of God. New Testament TextsThe language of Kingdom in the verses from Colossians and the lofty words of praise for God’s Son suggest the appropriateness of this portion of Colossians for Proper Twenty-nine, also called Christ the King or Reign of Christ Sunday. Similarly the dramatic portion of the story of Christ’s crucifixion from the Gospel according to Luke records the words of the inscription set over Jesus’ head as he hung on the cross, “This is the King of the Jews.” The Epistle: Colossians 1:11-20The Glories of the Kingdom of God’s SonSetting. In geographical terms Colossæ was the least significant city to which one of the thirteen canonical letters attributed to Paul was written. In the mid-first century this former city had declined into a small town, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 63 C.E. and apparently never rebuilt. The letter itself indicates that the Colossians were enamoured or were in danger of being enamoured of a strange syncretistic religion-philosophy based on wisdom speculation. Colossians 2:8 refers to the “philosophy” and 2:23 makes clear the ascetic tendency of the thought and practice. In turn, 2:18 shows that somehow, someone thought and taught that through self-abasement the Colossians could experience “the worship of the angels” – most likely meaning “to join the angels in worship.” Moreover, the practice of achieving ecstasy through self-denial had been mixed with the teachings of Christianity. The letter seeks to correct and to clarify the situation, primarily through robust christological teaching. Structure. Colossians combines large sections of theological and ethical instruction. At times one wonders whether a statement is doctrinal or practical, or both. The reading for this Sunday comes from the letter’s body (1:9-3:17), which is the most doctrinal section of the epistle. Verse 11 is a part of vv. 9-11 which are themselves a coherent unit of thought, despite the versification and paragraphing of the NRSV. In Greek the words translated “while joyfully” at the end of verse 11 are literally “with joy” and should be read with the first words of v. 12 as a new sentence – “With joy giving thanks . . .” In turn, v. 12 begins a call to give thanks to God for what God had done for believers in God’s Son; this call runs through v. 14. Next, vv. 15-20 offer the lines of what scholars widely regard as an early Christian hymn. Thus we have (1) a prayerful wish for the strengthening of the Colossians (v. 11); (2) a call to thanksgiving for redemption (vv. 12-14); and (3) poetic praise of God’s Son. The content of the final section of praise is remarkable. Significance. The initial line of the reading informs us that we may, because of God’s gracious power, give thanks to God for the gift of our redemption, which is forgiveness of sins. Furthermore, we are reminded that our redemption was made real by God’s work in and through his Son, Jesus Christ (who is not named here). In vv. 12-20 the focus shifts to a give a grand christological confession, including the call to thanksgiving and the lofty praise of God’s Son. The language of “inheritance” and the “Kingdom” points beyond the blessing the Colossians have and are experiencing in the past and present to the full form of God’s promised, future glory. The hymn in vv. 15-20 is an early Christian liturgical piece that declares the ultimate quality of Christ and his supremacy over all other powers. With few exceptions, interpreters understand that, here, Christ is confessed as being pre-existent. Yet, even in this lofty praise Christ’s pre-existence is not a passive being alongside God; rather, one finds that Christ is active as the Head of the Cosmos. The hymn focuses on Christ in two distinguishable but related movements: As Christ was active in creation, even so, now he is active as the Head of a new divinely created corporate entity-namely, the body of Christ which is the church. The composition of the church according to these verses is quite striking, for it is made up of “all things, whether on earth or in heaven” that are reconciled in and through Christ himself This cosmic view of reconciliation is a majestic statement of the magnitude of the saving work of Jesus Christ, and the preacher should be encouraged to declare boldly the wonder of Christ’s accomplishment. The poetic, imaginative language is not our normal, more prosaic manner of expressing the meaning of God’s work in Jesus Christ, so that frequently we shy away from proclaiming the marvel of redemption because of our own lack of an adequate, contemporary vocabulary and metaphor for declaring the wonder of God’s work. We may find stimulation for thinking about the meaning of this text for today if we notice that, on the one hand, the hymn proclaims Christ as the Head of Creation and the Head of the Church and, on the other hand, the hymn is informed by many unstated assumptions. Something that is not stated in this hymn happened after Christ acted to create all things in heaven and on earth. Somehow death entered the picture; there came to be a lack of peace; and a need for reconciliation came to be. In this situation the hymn celebrates Christ the head of creation acting as Christ the agent of cosmic redemption. The hymn praises Christ the head of the church who achieved victory over death, brought peace, and accomplished reconciliation. We should see that the hymn does not describe the problem; rather it declares and celebrates the solution. The Gospel: Luke 23:33-43Christ the King Who SavesSetting. The discussion of setting for the Gospel lesson for Proper 32 gives general information concerning the verses of this lesson. As a whole, Luke’s account of the Passion is styled to indicate the eschatological significance of the time. Moreover, we learn that Jesus knows and makes provision for the faithfulness of his followers. And, in addition, we see that Jesus’ Passion was faithful obedience to the will of God which brings the salvation of humanity. Structure. Two scenes from the Passion narrative make up our lesson. First, vv. 32-38 recount the scene at the cross. The material is dramatically arranged with characters coming and going, speaking in telling words as they appear. In the midst of the insults, Jesus’ memorable prayer in v. 34 tells the truth of God’s merciful work in relation to human depravity. Second, vv. 39-43 tell the story of Jesus and the two criminals who were crucified at Jesus’ right and left. Both scenes demonstrate the abundant mercy of Christ the King. Significance. Luke penned this account in blunt prose, showing neither an interest in presenting the gory details of the crucifixion, nor the glory of righteous suffering. The telling of the events of the crucifixion is reserved, so that Jesus’ own mercy contrasts sharply with the insulting acts and hostile words of those around him at the time of his dying. Verse 34a is a problem, because many ancient and reliable manuscripts simply do not contain the words of Jesus’ Thus, in the NRSV the first portion of this verse appears in double-brackets to indicate the uncertainty of the editors of the translation concerning the authenticity of the line. Nevertheless, the recent tendency in scholarship is to accept the words of Jesus’ prayer as a part of Luke’s original text. Interpreters increasingly argue the prayer would have been deleted at a later time in the life of the church when anti-Jewish sentiment was high and when scribes could not accept that Christ had prayed for the forgiveness of the Jews who rejected him. The language, theology, and disposition of the prayer are fully compatible with Jesus as we know him from the rest of Luke’s Gospel. The events Luke recalls are told so as to emphasize that Jesus’ death was the fulfilment of prophecy – his own, as we know it from the Gospel, and that of the Old Testament. First, the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments; thus, “fulfilling” Psalm 22. Second, the religious rulers scoffed the crucified Jesus; again, “fulfilling” Psalm 22 and reflecting an interest in Wisdom 2:17-24. The religious leaders mocked Jesus with appropriate religious language, “the Christ of God, his holy one,” implying ironically (as we the readers see) that Jesus was not the Christ. Third, the soldiers mocked Jesus by offering him vinegar (soured, cheap wine); so that their gestures “fulfilled” Psalm 69. The soldiers, however, employ political language in their insults, calling Jesus “the King of the Jews.” They too speak so that the readers of this story see the deep irony of their taunts, for Christian faith perceives that indeed the crucified Jesus was the King of the Jews. Moreover, in the insults of both the religious leaders and the soldiers we find the implication that Jesus could not save himself. The gospel truth is that by not simply saving himself, Jesus saved humankind. By not merely looking out for himself, Jesus rendered the greatest imaginable service for others. In the ensuing scene still another mocker, one of the criminals, derides Jesus as a false messiah – again, implying that Jesus does not have the power to save. Thus, for a third time Jesus’ power to save is called into question. As the story continues, in the exchange between Jesus and the penitent criminal who defended Jesus against the other criminal’s insults, we see clearly Jesus’ power to save in the promise of salvation to the penitent brigand. Strikingly, the penitent criminal turned to Jesus as the Coming King, and in his words he actually expressed the Christian hope of Christ’s coming in power. In his sheer equanimity, Jesus is the Lord of this scene. As we see him crucified, Luke remembers how he died sure of his fate and with the power to promise salvation to another. Above all, we learn that Christ the King has the power to save. Proper 34: The Celebration“Lord Jesus, Think on Me,” a hymn by Synesius of Cyrene, a late fourth-century Greek poet, is based upon the plea of the penitent thief to Christ in today’s Gospel, and it has made its appearance in several recent hymnals – Hymnal: A Worship Book (Brethren and Mennonite), no. 527; The Hymnal 1982 (Episcopal), no. 641; The Lutheran Book of Worship, no. 309; and The Presbyterian Hymnal, no. 301. It may be used after the prayer of confession and before the declaration of pardon or as the hymn between the Gospel reading and the sermon. The Taizé petition, “Jesus, Remember Me,” may be used as a prayer response or as a preparation for the intercessions and petitions. In the latter case it should be repeated several times as an aid in centring upon the task at hand. Of the books mentioned previously, it can be found in the Brethren (no. 247) and Presbyterian (no. 599) books. It is also in The United Methodist Hymnal (no. 488). The Canticle of Zechariah appears in metrical form in the following hymnals: United Methodist, no. 209; Presbyterian, no. 602; Brethren, no. 174; Southern Baptist, no. 79; and Episcopal, no. 444. It is also in Worship: A Hymnal and Service Book for Roman Catholics (Chicago: GIA, 1986), no. 6. It should be observed for those unaware of it that the Canticle of Zechariah, the Benedictus, is the appointed canticle for Morning Prayer in the monastic tradition of the West. This means that the church daily proclaims what we proclaim today as a kind of summary statement on this last Sunday of the Christian year that “he has come to his people and set them free” (The Book of Common Prayer, p. 92). Here is a magnificent declaration and reminder of what God has done in our lives through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not the expression of a wishful hope that things might get better, but it is an audacious affirmation that things have not been the same since that intervention in history. And it is a daily reminder to us who use it devotionally that we have been enlisted as latter-day John the Baptists to prepare the way for others. It is both celebration and commission, designed to help us see the new day in a new light. On this Sunday of Christ the King, it can help us see the new year in a new light as we offer it to the One who has “rescued us from the power of darkness” (Col. 13a). Worship leaders should be careful when choosing hymns for today to be certain that any use of the term King refers to the Second Person of the Trinity and not the First! A regrettable loss in many recent hymnals is that from the Baptist tradition, “Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned.” Its images are particularly fitted to today’s lessons. Since both text and tune are in public domain, it might be reproduced for church bulletins. Another loss is “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds.” One of its stanzas, altered and sung to St. Peter, would be especially appropriate today at the presentation of the offering: Jesus, our Saviour, shepherd, friend, |