The Collect O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Collect The image of the prayer is that of Faith bringing back those who have gone astray, meaning all humans. In RCL A B and C the OT are all from Genesis and God’s promise to Abraham and Abraham’s belief in God’s promise – even when it was unlikely. In RCL A and B the Epistle is from the Letter to the Romans and it’s interpretation of the Abrahamic promise. The Collect In RCL C the Gospel is Luke 13:31-35 about Jerusalem the city whose people kill prophets. Even so God wants to gather those people, but it is they who are unwilling. It would seem the faith that is the subject of this collect is not our faith in God, but rather God’s faith in us, that will bring us back to the fold e.g. to be “non-astray.” Genesis 12:1-4a The Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abraham Abraham is the earliest biblical character who is delineated clearly enough to be correlated, to a limited extent, within world history. This is the start of the Abraham Saga. The genealogies of Genesis end in the prior chapter with the father and uncles of Abraham. Abraham should be looked to as a source of unity and harmony rather than dissent among Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Covenant One of the fundamental theological motifs of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. In the ancient world, covenants or treaties often governed the relations between peoples. There were parity treaties between two equal sovereign states, and there were overlord treaties between a powerful monarch and a vassal state. Covenant The Abrahamic covenant is primarily a promissory covenant. In it God imposes no conditions (circumcision is a sign, not a legal condition of the relationship) but rather gives promises: the land as an everlasting possession, numerous posterity, and a special relationship between God and the descendants of Abraham and Sarah . Carried to the extreme, this covenant could even be annulled, so that no longer would Yahweh be their God and no longer would Israel be God's people (Hosea 1.9). The renewal of the covenant, in this view, would be based solely on God's forgiving grace Not Exclusive The Judeo / Christian tradition is not the only one that claims this covenant. The covenant is repeated to Abram and later to Abraham several times. Each time it is renewed after Abram is tested in some way. Other Traditions Initially this covenant was thought to be with the Jewish nation. Then it was extended to the Christians But there is also, Islam, which like Judaism and Christianity honors as it patriarch, Abraham. The Koran, Cow, Page 345 When his Lord put Abraham to the proof by enjoining on him certain commandments and Abraham fulfilled them, He said: `I have appointed you a leader of mankind.' `And what of my descendants?' asked Abraham. `My covenant,' said He, `does not apply to the evildoers.‘ We made the House, a resort and a sanctuary for mankind, saying: `Make the place where Abraham stood a house of worship.' We enjoined Abraham and Ishmael to cleanse Our House for those who walk round it, who meditate in it, and who kneel and prostrate themselves. `Lord,' said Abraham, `make this a land of peace and bestow plenty upon its people, those of them that believe in Allah and the Last Day.' Koran, Ranks, Page 171 We gave him news of a gentle son. And when he reached the age when he could work with him his father said to him: `My son, I dreamt that I was sacrificing you. Tell me what you think.' He replied: `Father, do as you are bidden. Allah willing, you shall find me faithful.' And when they had both surrendered themselves to Allah's will, and Abraham had laid down his son prostrate upon his face, We called out to him, saying: `Abraham, you have fulfilled your vision.' Thus did We reward the righteous. That was indeed a bitter test. We ransomed his son with a noble sacrifice and bestowed on him the praise of later generations. `Peace be on Abraham!' Thus are the righteous rewarded. He was one of Our believing servants. Similarities and Contrasts In both God promises Abraham , favor for his faithfulness. In The Koran note that it is Ishmael and not Isaac who is to be sacrificed. Note also that both Abraham and Ishmael submit to God’s will. Anonymous Artist, God the Father Appears to Abraham, 1491
Woodcut Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld (1794-1872),
Abram beholdeth the Promised Land, plate 8 of Schnorr's Bible Pictures, 1860
The Warburg Institute Library, London Psalm 121 Levavi oculos 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; * from where is my help to come? 2 My help comes from the LORD, * the maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot be moved * and he who watches over you will not fall asleep. 4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel * shall neither slumber nor sleep; Psalm 121 Levavi oculos5 The LORD himself watches over you; * the LORD is your shade at your right hand, 6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, * nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; * it is he who shall keep you safe. 8 The LORD shall watch over your going out and your coming in, * from this time forth for evermore. Assurance of God's Protection The Psalm is called a song of Ascents used by pilgrims. The Psalm is part of a liturgy of blessing. The Psalmist asks a rhetorical question in Verse one and a priest then pronounces a blessing. In this context hills may be a veiled reference to the high places where baals were traditionally worshipped. Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations") -- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Back to Romans The reading for today is again part of Paul’s long argument to support his view of the Gospels. The question for a Jewish person of that age was how could one reach salvation without the Law? The problem for Paul was to show that both the ‘old’ covenant with the nation of Israel was valid and also that the new ‘covenant’ through Jesus was also true. If God’s ancient promises to Israel were not good, of what value were current promises to Christians Salvation If one can be saved as a Christian, without first becoming a Jew, were the promises made to Israel through the LAW not true? The argument last week looked at Adam’s introduction of Sin as against Jesus’ atonement for Sin. Today Paul deals squarely with the question of the Law and Faith. Four Sections of Romans The Law The illustration of Abraham, provides Paul with his example. Abraham was faithful, at a time before the LAW had been given. The example given is the covenant referred to in the Genesis reading. Abraham answered God’s call and a great nation was made from his descendants along the promised land. The bottom line For Paul in the match between Faith and the Law, Faith triumphs. “For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.” Faith according to Paul results from God’s Grace. John 3:1-17 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?” John 3:1-17 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? John 3:1-17 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. John 3:1-17 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." Notes The Pharisees were the most devout of Jews. As a leader Nicodemus would have been a member of the Sanhedrin. The kingdom of God is entered, not by moral achievement, but by a transformation caused by God. Birth into the new order is through water referring to baptism and Spirit. The Serpent Reference The reference to the serpent lifted in the wilderness may be obscure. The reference is to an incident from the exodus. As in the following OT reading a serpent is lifted and later looking to it becomes a cure. Numbers 21:4-9 The Bronze Serpent 4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. 5 The people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food." 6 Then the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. 3:16 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Luther called this verse "the Gospel in miniature.“ The Promise God’s call to Abraham was based on Faith not the law. Paul shows that faith saves us and the law ‘brings wrath’ – if not obeyed. John then recalls an OT incident where God saved sinners with the faith to look at a bronze serpent. Explanation? Does God explain to Nicodemus - or tell him that he will not ‘understand.’ Notice Nicodemus came to Jesus in the night. The point is not that Nicodemus was a hypocrite for coming under cover of darkness, but that Nicodemus is in darkness e.g. blind and is seeking the light he cannot see. John Dark = bad, Light=Good and people naturally seek Good? The Collect “all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word, Jesus Christ your Son. . .” Neither Paul or John was condemning the Jews but working to bring them back. The promise All by the way the same promise extended to all of Abraham’s descendants. Unknown Flemish Master,
Nicodemus
15th C.?
Wood, height 81,5 cm
Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent
Probably a figure from a broken up Entombment group.
In art, the best known images of Nicodemus are not based on the passage of today’s gospel, but rather on another reference in John, as one of the figures who helped bury the body of Christ. Unknown Flemish Master,
Nicodemus
15th C.?
Wood, height 81,5 cm
Rogier van der Weyden, Deposition, c. 1435
Oil on oak panel, 220 x 262 cm
Museo del Prado, Madrid
Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus receive the dead body of Christ. Hans Memling, Diptych with the Deposition, 1492-94
Oil on oak panel, 53,8 x 38,3 cm (each panel), Capilla Real, Cathedral, Granada Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus carry the body of Christ. John La Farge (1835-1910),
Visit of Nicodemus to Christ, 1880
Oil on canvas, 42 1/4 x 35 1/8 in. Smithsonian American Art Museum Virgil Solis, Christ Instructing Nicodemus at Night
(Emblemata Sacra 30 )
From Reusner's Emblemata, Woodcut, 60 x 81 mm, 16th Century
Lux fidei, bona opera (Good works are the light of faith)
