Hosanna! "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" The King of Israel

 

 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.  But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. 

The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:

"Hosanna!

'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'

The King of Israel!"

Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

"Fear not, daughter of Zion; 

Behold, your King is coming,

Sitting on a donkey's colt."

His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.  

 

Therefore the people who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.  For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.  The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing.  Look, the world has gone after Him!" 

 

- John 12:9–19 

 

Yesterday we read that the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.  (This marks the third Passover reported in John's Gospel, and gives us our understanding of Christ's three-year period of earthly ministry.)  Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, "What do you think -- that He will not come to the feast?"  Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.  Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.  There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.  Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"  This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.  For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."

 

 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.  But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.   Once again, we note that the term the Jews is most often used in John's Gospel to indicate the religious leadership.   Some comment that it might be better translated as "Judeans," and indicating people from this region, as juxtaposed against Galilee, where Jesus is from.  But it seems quite possible that, given those who had come to grieve with Martha and Mary, and so witnessed the raising of Lazarus, this term here indicates people from Jerusalem and so those connected with the ruling classes of the temple.  All of the people in our reading are Jews, including Jesus and His disciples, which included the author of this Gospel.   Clearly what the Gospel describes here is a falling away to Christ of even those in Jerusalem and perhaps among the families connected to the ruling Council, in a very real sense rejecting the opposition of the religious leaders to Jesus.

 

 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out:  "Hosanna!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  The King of Israel!"  This day is known as Palm Sunday, for the branches of palm trees the people carried as went out to meet Him.  It is the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Christ's earthly life.  The scenes in today's reading mark what is called Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  This cry of the people comes from Psalm 118:25-26, which was associated with messianic expectation.  It was recited daily during the Feast of Tabernacles, my study Bible tells us, and seven times on the seventh day as branches were waved.  The Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot in Hebrew) commemorates the time Israel wandered in the wilderness following Moses toward the promised land, and is also called the Feast of the Coming Kingdom.  Hosanna means "Save, we pray!"

 

Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: "Fear not, daughter of Zion; 

Behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt."  His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.  These verses, recognized later by the disciples as fulfilled in Christ's riding on a young donkey in His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, come from the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9.  

Therefore the people who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.  For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.  The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "You see that you are accomplishing nothing.  Look, the world has gone after Him!"  The raising of Lazarus from the dead, the seventh and final sign performed by Christ in John's Gospel, becomes a sword which separates people.  Let us note the details mentioned here.  John speaks of "the people who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead," and it is to these details they bore witness.   On the one hand there are these faithful witnesses who testify to the truth of this event, and the people go to meet Jesus because of the testimony of these witnesses.  But on the other hand, the Pharisees can only think that Christ is in their opposition; they haven't vanquished Him, but the people follow Him.  Therefore they are "accomplishing nothing."

One thing is clear to see in today's text:  the people are waiting for a Savior, the Messiah.  That is, someone who will deliver them from Roman rule, and establish Israel as a sovereign and prosperous state.  The people's shout, "Hosannah!" sets the tone for this plea.  And so, as the people welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, it is clear that the raising of Lazarus -- spread through the testimony of the witnesses to this final sign of John's Gospel -- has had the effect of convincing people that Jesus has to be the one.  But expectations are tricky and possibly devious things.  While in our faith, we understand that Christ is indeed, the Messiah (this is what the word "Christ" means in Greek, the "Anointed One"), the expectations of just what the Messiah will do are not necessarily fitting to what He is and who He is.  He is a Deliverer, and a Savior, but what does that deliverance look like, and what is salvation?  All of these meanings, essential to Christianity, taught in His ministry, will have to be understood and apprehended by the faith and trust people put in Him, and through the revelation of the Holy Spirit in the evolution of the Church.  In the gospel of St. Matthew, when Jesus cleanses the temple, the children shout "Hosannah to the Son of David!" (Matthew 21:14-16).  This "Hosennah" again suggests the cry for a Savior, a Deliverer, and the title Son of David is a messianic title.  But we understand it as akin to the words of welcome to Jesus in today's reading, "Hosanna!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!"  The King of Israel would have to be the Son of David, as the true King and Messiah, one from the lineage of David, and that is Christ.  But what are the expectations of this king? What do the people want?  In commentary on the passage from Matthew, my study Bible notes that in the eyes of the Church, the children's praise is perfect (and we know Christ's own response to the criticism of the children by the chief priests and scribes: "Have you never read, 'Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise'?").  But by contrast, the expectations of the adults are different and earthly in nature; when these are left unfulfilled, my study Bible says, they would be led to rebel against Jesus just five days later.  In John's chapter 6, we read that, after feeding the multitudes with bread in the wilderness while still in Galilee, the people tried to take Him by force to make Him king (John 6:15).  But Jesus responded, "Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."  And so, Jesus' ministry has been filled with His efforts to teach the people what His messiahship means, what kind of King He really is, and what sort of Kingdom He brings into the world.  He asks for faith, but what does this faith look like?  Is it the same as obedience to Caesar?  Is it different?  How do we worship Him; most importantly, how do we trust in Him?  The people's improper expectations of Him have been a concern expressed through Christ's ministry all along.  What do we expect from Him?  How do we trust Him?    At this time, lots of people seem to be searching for a Deliverer or a Savior, as perhaps people always have.  What does He teach us about that?  How does He teach us to live our faith in Him even when we cry out to Him?  In whom or what do we place our trust?  The chief priests and scribes complain, "Look, the world has gone after Him!"  What does the world go after today? These matters are still with us, and we need to consider them carefully, and ponder how He answers to us all. 

 

 

 

 

 

Hosanna to the Son of David!

 

 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

    "Tell the daughter of Zion,

    'Behold, your King is coming to you,

    Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

    A colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

 

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  

 

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

    "Hosanna to the Son of David!

    'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'

    Hosanna in the highest!"

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

 

- Matthew 21:1-11 

 

On Saturday we read that, as Jesus and the disciples went out of Jericho, on the road toward Jerusalem, a great multitude followed Him.  And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."  So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.  And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.  

 

 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"  Today's reading describes what is known as Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  We celebrate this event in the Church on Palm Sunday.  My study Bible explains that by Christ's time, Jewish nationalism had led to the expectation of a political Messiah to deliver them from Roman control, and to reestablish the kingdom of David.  (Hence, the name used by the blind men in yesterday's reading, above, for Christ as Deliverer, "Son of David.")   But, in humility, Jesus explicitly shows -- and through careful direction to the disciples -- that He has not come to establish an earthly kingdom.  He doesn't ride on a horse or a chariot, signs of a king's power, but rather on a donkey, which is a sign of humility and peace (Zechariah 9:9; see also Isaiah 62:11).  My study Bible also tells us that this entrance into the Holy City declares the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Moreover, it is a promise of Christ's final entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem with all believers and of His accepting the New Jerusalem as His pure Bride (Revelation 21:2).   Matthew's gospel reports also a colt as well as a donkey.  In patristic literature, the two animals are seen as representing the faithful Jews and the Gentiles who are brought together in the Kingdom.  

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  My study Bible comments that the people spread their clothes before Jesus as paying reverence to a King.  Spiritually this is interpreted as our need to lay down our flesh, even our lives, for Christ.  

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:  "Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!"  And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."  The cry of the multitudes comes from Psalm 118:25-26, which was associated with messianic expectation.  At the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), also known as the Feast of the Coming Kingdom, it was recited daily for six days and seven times on the seventh day as branches were waved.  Hosanna means, "Save, we pray!"

The people cry Hosanna, meaning "Save, we pray!" as my study Bible's final note indicates.  Let us consider what this means for us, exactly.  Effectively, the people cry out for a Messiah, and one of their own expectations.  But they will get a very different Messiah in Jesus from the one of popular expectation.  As they cry out, Hosanna, desiring a deliverer from the Romans, they will get a Savior of a different kind, with salvation front and center as the message of this King.  Jesus' entrance into the Holy City is this first step in what we call Holy Week, indicating what it means to truly save, and the beginning of this final week of His life which will culminate in the saving act of His Passion, death, and Resurrection.  It is, essentially, an expression of the need to understand not only earthly realities, but the power of heavenly reality intervening, shaping, and transfiguring what we experience of our world and our understanding of ourselves in our place in Creation.  Christ's entrance into Jerusalem parallels and transfigures, as my study Bible indicates, by affirming His entry into the heavenly Jerusalem with all believers as the culmination of the salvation of the cosmos, the Creation.  We can't really understand this unless we accept that salvation comes not from war on material terms but from the spiritual power of Christ to save and to heal through faith, and to bring us into that communion of His Church, His Bride.  When we think of this communion, also understood as the Body of Christ, we should think about not only our fellow worshipers whom we know and see, but that entire communion of the faithful which includes the saints of past, present, and future, and even the spiritual beings such as angels of every kind, who worship and recognize Christ as Savior.  For this entrance into what is known as the Holy City, the earthly Jerusalem, serves as initiation for the fullness of what it means to save, and even the fullness of what is to be saved -- not just individual human believers, but an entire Creation that awaits the Savior.  St. Paul affirms this for us when he writes, "For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now" (Romans 8:22).  St. Paul sees in our salvation -- even in whatever present difficulties we find ourselves through our faith -- the glory of this complete salvation to be revealed.  And this is the fullness that Christ brings to the world, for all that He does is transfiguring, adding dimension to our understanding.  Perhaps the greatest, most astonishing transfiguration of all is the Cross itself -- the horrible instrument of cruelly punishing death becomes the means for salvation for all, "trampling death by death" in the words of the Orthodox Paschal hymn.  Let us begin this journey into Jerusalem with the humble Christ, the Savior, whose means of changing and challenging and shaking the pillars of this world starts with faith.

 

 

Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey

 

 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

"Tell the daughter of Zion,

'Behold, your King is coming to you,

Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.'"

So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

"Hosanna to the Son of David!

'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'

Hosanna in the highest!"

And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

 

- Matthew 21:1-11 

 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus and the disciples went out of Jericho, on their way to Jerusalem, a great multitude followed Him.  And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, "Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!"  So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?"  They said to Him, "Lord, that our eyes may be opened."  So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.  And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

 

 

 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her.  Loose them and bring them to Me.  And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and immediately he will send them."  All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:  "Tell the daughter of Zion, 'Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.'"  So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.  They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them.  And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.   Today's reading gives us the event which the Church celebrates on Palm Sunday.  This is called the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  By Jesus' time, Jewish nationalism had led to the expectation of a political Messiah to deliver them from Roman control and to reestablish David's kingdom, my study Bible explains.  In humility, Jesus shows that He has not come to establish an earthly kingdom.  He does not ride on a horse nor in a chariot, but rather on a donkey -- a sign of humility and peace (Zechariah 9:9).  This entrance into the Holy City is a declaration of the establishment of the Kingdom of God.  My study Bible adds that it is also a promise of Christ's final entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem with all believers and of His accepting the New Jerusalem as His pure Bride (Revelation 21:2).  My study Bible also notes that, specific to Matthew, there is a colt as well as a donkey.  Some patristic interpretations see the two animals as representing the faithful Jews and the Gentiles who are brought together in the Kingdom.  An Orthodox Vespers hymn for Palm Sunday declares, "Your riding on a foal prefigured how the untamed and uninstructed Gentiles would pass from unbelief to faith."  Those who spread their clothes before Jesus do so as if paying reverence to  King.  Again, there is a spiritual interpretation to this, in which it  is understood as indicating our need to lay down our flesh, and even our very lives, for Christ.

Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:  "Hosanna to the Son of David!  'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!"And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."  The cry of the multitudes comes from Psalm 118:25-26, which was associated with messianic expectation.  It was recited daily for six days during the Feast of Tabernacles, and seven times on the seventh day as branches were waved.  Hosanna means, "Save, we pray!"

Jesus comes into the Holy City of Jerusalem, from east, as prophesied Messiah, in the image foretold by Zechariah (Zechariah 9:9).  We see the powerful meanings of images and symbols, this one given to Zechariah centuries before in a vision of this event.  Zechariah was born during the Babylonian exile, and returned to Judah in 537 BC, encouraging the returning captives to rebuild the temple.  His prophecies, as characterized by my study Bible, are messianic, apocalyptic, and eschatological -- powerful and rich in symbol, and telling us many things about Christ which inform our own understanding of things to come.  Among many other things in the context of apocalyptic and eschatological understanding of Christ, Zechariah foretold His coming in lowliness and humility (Zechariah 6:12, 13:7), His rejection and betrayal for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13), and His crucifixion (Zechariah 13:5-6).  Jesus affirms the prophecy Himself when He quotes from Zechariah 13:7 in Matthew 26:31.  In this kind of vision, Zechariah was given an understanding that works through symbols and images which not only foretell something that is to happen, as in Christ's Triumphal Entry, but also does so outside of time, in compressed images that convey both symbolic meaning in what we might call "heavenly" terms, as well as the worldly reality of Christ's earthly life.  This is the nature of vision.  But Christ shows His own understanding of the prophesies about Himself in today's reading (and in His quotation of Zechariah to the disciples which will come in chapter 26).  So we accept both the affirmation of Christ's understanding and the meanings in these images of the lowly colt of a donkey and the Prince of Peace (from the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6).  That is, He who does not meet the people's expectations and hope for a political Messiah who will free them from the Romans and establish a magnificent earthly kingdom for Israel, but who nevertheless fulfills the prophecies and expectations given by God.  How can one be what God calls one to be, and yet disappoint and anger so many?  This is a question for all the prophets and saints that have come before us, for the disciples and immediate followers of Christ, and -- of course -- for Christ Himself who already understands this all too well.  For "success" in the eyes of the world and the earthly goals of life is often a far different picture (indeed, radically and totally different) than the picture of a life which is successful in God's terms, and which "successfully" fulfills God's will for that holy person.  There is no greater example than Jesus Christ, and He is the One whom we follow above all, and who sets the pattern for all the rest.  Can we follow our Prince of Peace, the Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep who will be scattered?  How well do we understand the things of God as opposed to the things of men (Matthew 16:23)?  How brave are we when it comes to carrying the cross He asks of us?   With what courage could we accept a mission which calls us out of the world (John 15:19)?

 

 

And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him

 

 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.  And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.  

 

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"   Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."   Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."

 

- John 9:1-17 

 

In our present cycle of readings, Jesus is attending the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), which commemorates the time that Israel wandered in the desert of Sinai.  It is an eight-day autumn festival with many different ceremonies; it is the last, great day of the Festival, and it is also the final year of Christ's earthly life.  On Saturday, we read that Jesus said, "He who is of God hears God's words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God."  Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"  Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.  And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.  Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."  Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon!  Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'   Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead?  And the prophets are dead.  Who do You make Yourself out to be?"  Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing.  It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.  Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him.  And if I say, 'I do not know Him,' I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad."  Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"  Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."  Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

 

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  In today's reading occurs the healing which is the sixth sign of seven in John's Gospel.   In order to understand the significance properly within the context of the Scriptures, we should note that of all the miracle stories in the Bible, this is the only one in which the person was blind from birth (see verse 32).  In other words, and particularly in the context of the ancient world, his blindness was not due to illness or accident, something which had a potential for natural healing.  My study Bible says that the blind man is symbolic of all humanity:  all people need illumination by Christ, the Light of the world.  This sign is traditionally seen as an illustration of baptism, which is also called "holy illumination" in the Orthodox tradition.  As Easter (or Pascha) is the traditional day to receive catechumens into the Church, the lessons which follow Pascha reflect a baptismal theology; this passage concerning this sixth sign (John 9:1-38) are read on the sixth Sunday of Pascha, which is also called the Sunday of the Blind Man.

 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  Christ rejects the assumption (which was common in the ancient world) that all troubles and maladies are necessary the consequence of personal sin or even the sins of one's parents (see Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; contrast Ezekiel 18:19-21).  My study Bible comments that although suffering can be the direct result of personal sin, this is most certainly not always the case.  In this particular instance, this man's blindness provides the occasion for the works of God to be revealed -- it was not directly related to the man's personal sins.

"I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."  My study Bible writes that the work that people do consists of faith (John 6:29), good deeds (John 5:29), and repentance (John 12:40).  The night that comes is a reference both to the time after a person's death and to the age to come, when there is no longer an opportunity to express faith.  According to St. John Chrysostom, on that day there will not be faith, but all will submit, whether willingly or unwillingly.  The unprecedented healing of the man born blind is a confirmation of Christ's claim that He is the light of the world (see also John 8:12).

 

When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay."  Here my study Bible cites St. Irenaeus, who sees in this mixture of clay and saliva a type of the creation of humanity from the earth (Genesis 2:7).  Christ reveals His divinity by restoring part of creation using the same material with which He created humanity in the beginning.  

And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent).  So he went and washed, and came back seeing.   My study Bible explains to us that the pool of Siloam was on the outskirts of Jerusalem,  which was a considerable distance from the temple.  From this pool water was taken for the rites which are connected with the Feast of Tabernacles which Jesus is attending.  On this final day of the Feast, water drawn from the pool of Siloam was taken to be mixed with wine and poured at the foot of the altar, both as purification and also in remembrance of the water which flowed from the rock struck by Moses (Exodus 17:1-7).  Siloam, translated, Sent, is a symbol of Christ, my study Bible says, the One who is sent by the Father (John 5:36, 20:21).  The healing of the blind man confirms Christ's claim to be the light of the world, and is a manifestation of that "light" which "illumined" his sight (John 8:12).  So also, making use of the pool of Siloam confirms and manifests that Christ is One sent to offer the true purification of the temple and those who worship in it, as well as "rivers of living water" (John 7:38), the gift of the Holy Spirit and the new life accompanying this gift.

Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, "Is not this he who sat and begged?"   Some said, "This is he."  Others said, "He is like him."  He said, "I am he."   Therefore they said to him, "How were your eyes opened?"  He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.'  So I went and washed, and I received sight."  Then they said to him, "Where is He?"  He said, "I do not know."  They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.  Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.  Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight.  He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."  Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath."  Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?"  And there was a division among them.  They said to the blind man again, "What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?"  He said, "He is a prophet."  My study Bible comments that just as the Pharisees had ignored the healing of the paralytic and focused only on the perceived violation of the Sabbath (John 5:10-16), so here many of them cannot see the glory of God through their own prejudices.  Note that Christ's word and actions create a division among them (see Matthew 10:35, Luke 12:53, Hebrews 4:12).

In tomorrow's reading, the Gospel will delve further into the response of the healed blind man (and his parents) to the questioning of the religious leaders.  But for now, let us observe Jesus' work in the midst of this last, great day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  It is on this day that water was drawn from the pool of Siloam to commemorate the water flowing from the rock struck by Moses, and also as purification for the temple.  Jesus chooses this day to manifest these truths from the Old Testament through His own ministry as Incarnate Jesus.  It is yet one more way in which Christ came not to destroy, but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17); that is, the fullness of the promise of the God of the Old Testament Scriptures, the I AM (Exodus 3:14; John 8:58).  This sixth sign of the presence of the Kingdom (and the presence of the I AM) is a stupendous sign given of illumination, the sight given to a person who was born blind.  It is also a symbol of cleansing from the evil that permeates the world through no fault of our own, the "sins" into which we're born and the effects of which we inherit as children born into this world.  But more than that -- since Christ declared the blindness of this man is not the fault of any sin on the part of his parents or himself -- this healing is the occasion of revelation of the doctrine of Christ, the transformation and transfiguration promised through the Cross.  That is, it is a sign of the power of God not simply to separate good and evil, and to teach us to do good, but of the power of the ministry of this New Covenant in Christ to transform even what is "evil" for the salvation of the world.  If we but think for a moment about the Crucifixion itself, we can see the absolute and starkly startling idea that the horrors of Roman crucifixion, meted out to the most lowly among the criminals, could be transformed and transfigured in Christ to become a symbol of His saving power "for the life of the world" (see John 3:14-17, 6:51).  Christ, as manifestation and fulfillment of the promises of the Old Covenant, now does one better in this healing of the man blind from birth.  He takes the occasion of affliction, of evil, and uses is -- and proclaims it -- as an occasion for which the works of God should be revealed.  In this sense, an affliction or evil is transformed, transfigured through the healing power of Christ, into a manifestation of the glory of God.  Through his affliction, the sadness of his blindness from birth, this man becomes not only healed and saved in Christ, but an occasion for the world to know the glory of God and the ways that Christ has come to work in the world, not simply to battle against evil, but to transfigure its very effects among us.  He will transfigure death to Resurrection in the greatest healing power ever conceived and made manifest; that power of God not only rebukes death, but is capable of using even death to defeat death and to offer us eternal life.  This is a far greater power than the world has conceived or considered, and His power to transform and transfigure the evil in our own lives continue to work for us when we put our faith in Him and in His road for our lives.  In this perspective, even the occasions which cause us sorrow and give us loss can be transfigured into occasions for the glory of God.  They may not seem like occasions for rejoicing, such as the affliction of blindness on this man from birth.  But when we follow our faith, we may find, as countless others have done as well, a kind of rebirth into a life we didn't expect, in which there are precious things of value to be found despite our losses and disappointments and plans and desires for life.  An unfortunate illness may be turned into an occasion for heroism and love, of finding strengths or saving help from others we could not have expected, maybe even from ourselves in learning to care for another.  The poverty of one person may be turned into an occasion for charity and love on the part of another, extending themselves through faith in God's goodness and the light that Christ has brought for us.  One injustice may open our eyes to help others; when coupled and worked through the love of God this becomes a transfiguring love in us, and one that expands our capacity for charity, strength, and giving gifts to others.  Saints are born from such opportunities and such faith applied so that occasions of affliction become opportunities for the glory of God, that the works of God should be revealed in them.  St. Philothei of Athens gave her money and her love to women enslaved and put into harems, establishing monasteries where women could be trained for other work or sell their own goods; she ransomed and hid those who were former slaves, and was martyred by being beaten for doing so.  Maria Skoptsova, known as Mother Maria, or St. Maria of Paris, took in Jewish refugees during the Nazi Occupation as part of her ministry to the poor, for which she was eventually killed on Holy Saturday in Ravensbrook Concentration Camp.  One may be tempted to say that one doesn't need Christ for such works, but I would reply that to do so is to vastly underestimate our need for the power of love and faith, and the strength, resilience, and creativity found in that road of faith in Christ.   Moreover, true discernment is needed for such works in those circumstances, and the humility of our calling.  These are just two examples out of a world and a history of those acting of love for Christ, even among circumstances that are evil.   A world afflicted and permeated by evil needed a Savior who would not merely proclaim the good, but One who could transfigure and transform and work even through what is evil.  We needed a Savior who offers us His light so that we might follow Him in reflecting that light and doing the same works of faith.  We might not be able to effect miraculous healings, but our whole lives can be transformed and transfigured by His love, so that by His light we see where love can shine in a dark world, where tragedy can be occasion for the triumph of love.

 

 

Jesus wept

 

Resurrection of Lazarus, 12th century.  St. Katherine's Monastery, Sinai

 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you."  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.  Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.  Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."  

Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.  And He said, "Where have you laid him?"  They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."  Jesus wept.  Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"  And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"  

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  Jesus said, "Take away the stone."  Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there has been a stench, for he has been dead four days."  Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"  Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.  And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."  Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"  And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

 

- John 11:28–44 

 

In yesterday's reading, we were told that a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.  It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.  Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."  When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.  Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."  The disciples said to Him "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone you, and are You going there again?"  Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?  If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.  But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."  These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."   Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."  However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.  Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.  Nevertheless let us go to him."  Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."  So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.  Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.  And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.  Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.  Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."  Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."  Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?"  She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

 

  And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you."  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.  Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.  Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."   Once again, we note the differences in personalities distinctively set out for us in the Gospel between Mary and her sister Martha.  Martha has gone out to greet Jesus as He approaches their home in Bethany (see the reading above from yesterday); she is the sister more inclined to active service.  But Mary has sat in the proper tradition for mourning, inside the house, and awaits Christ's call, which Martha now relays to her, and to which she arose quickly and came to Him.   Note that the text indicates there are those from the ruling parties in Jerusalem ("the Jews," used as a political term in this Gospel to designate the religious leaders).  They have come to mourn with the sisters, indicating Lazarus and his sisters form a prominent family. 

Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.  And He said, "Where have you laid him?"  They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."  Jesus wept.  Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"  And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"   Mary approaches Jesus with the identical words used by Martha in verse 21, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."   My study bible remarks that while Jesus engaged Martha with words, here He engages Mary with deeds -- the raising of her brother from the dead, which follows in subsequent verses.  But first John's Gospel emphasizes that Jesus wept, and groaned in spirit, to show that He had fully taken on human nature and was subject to grief as any person would be.  My study bible comments that weeping is the natural response to the tragedy of death.  

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  Jesus said, "Take away the stone."  Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there has been a stench, for he has been dead four days."  Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"  Although Martha's faith had increased (see yesterday's reading, above), she still understood neither Christ's will nor His power.  The spices and oils used to anoint a dead body would only hold the stench of decomposition at bay for a short time, my study bible comments, and Lazarus has now been dead for four days.  In many icons of this seventh of seven miracles or signs in John's Gospel, bystanders are shown covering their noses (as we can see in the icon from St. Katherine's Monastery, above).  This illustrates both the reality of Lazarus' corrupted flesh and also the fact that many did not believe Christ could raise the dead.  

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.  And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."   My study bible notes that in order to show His divine will was one with the Father's and that His human will was freely subject in every way to the Father's, Christ prays aloud for the sake of the people.  Let us not forget those who have come from Jerusalem are also present to witness what happens.  

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"   My study bible comments that Christ calls Lazarus forth, not in the name of the Father, but rather by His own authority.  This shows the people that while Christ came from the Father, He fully possesses divine authority in Himself.  

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  Many patristic commenters on this passage view Lazarus bound in his graveclothes as an indication that he will need them again.  In other words, Lazarus' resurrection continues an earthly life which will again end in death.  The Savior's graveclothes, by contrast, would remain in the tomb (John 20:5-7).  Unlike that of Lazarus, the Resurrection of Christ transfigures human nature; He will never die again.  My study bible adds that this sign not only prepared the disciples to believe in Christ's Resurrection, but in the words of the Orthodox hymn for the day, it also "confirmed the universal resurrection," proving that Christ has the power to fulfill the promise given to Ezekiel that all the dead will one day rise (Ezekiel 37:1-13).  

Christ's resurrection of Lazarus is a type of prefiguration of His own Resurrection, but it is a purely human one, so to speak.  While the Resurrection will confer eternal life, as my study bible points out, Lazarus' resurrection will mean he will live out a natural human life and once more die a natural human death.  But nevertheless, this life in the tomb is illustrative of our faith and its effects upon us while we still live an earthly life.  That Lazarus walks out of the tomb "bound hand and foot with graveclothes" symbolizes for us the type of binding by death, which is the last weapon of the evil one, as the Church Fathers might put it.  Death is the "last enemy" in this understanding, which Jesus, as Liberator or Savior (for the titles have the same connotation from the Old Testament Scriptures) will destroy for us with His Resurrection.  Lazarus is bound hand and foot, but it is Christ, our Liberator, who will defeat the enemy who has symbolically bound Lazarus, and who gives the command, "Loose him, and let him go."  In the story of Lazarus, nothing is sanitized.  Death is clearly looked at openly, even to the point of bearing with the stench of decomposition, and Lazarus walks out of the tomb bound in his graveclothes.  There is no flinching away from the reality of this world here, for with the light of Christ we go forward even into the darkness.  But it is that light that shines so that we may see life where we could not expect it with eyes shaded in the darkness of a purely materialistic perception.  In the modern world, we tend to have death and illness put away from us, unlike in the ancient world.  Those who have longterm illness may be housed in places that specialize in dealing with their conditions.  The same is true for conditions which affect the mind, or the conditions of the elderly.  There are, of course, important reasons for this.  But it was not always so, as care was focused in the home.   As a result of this separation, it seems to me, many have difficulty seeing the vital life that is still in a diseased body, or of a person who may be dying.  I experienced this in the care of my own mother, who for the last years of her life had Alzheimer's disease/dementia.  For her it took the form mainly of losing speech; that is, of finding the words to express herself, although she was mentally alert.  But I found, as she lost her highly articulate capacity for self-expression, that more of her persona shone through, and especially aspects of herself as a child.  I do not mean that she was childish, only that the personality of the child she had been shone through to me.  As daughter became mother, I found how much I delighted in and loved that child.  I could always make her laugh; and as we are mother and daughter, I could still understand, and often finish her sentences for her.  Communication is essential with this disease, ironically enough; it is social life that delays deeper onset, and fortunately we could still give her that.  But if I had eyes that could only see her deterioration from the person she had been, I would not have been able to see the beautiful life still inside of her, the person who delighted in beauty until the day she died, who could be moved by a sunset, or the words of Scripture, or by prayer, or a beautiful garden.  She could still delight in a delicious meal, and I marveled how she held herself elegantly.  She needed and fully appreciated care, the steamy healing of a warm shower on her back, the relaxation of a backrub.  She remained loving to her friends, enjoyed going out for a meal or coffee and a sweet, and retained her interest in people, even strangers and small children.  All of these aspects of beauty and life she retained through her illness, and quite fortunately her death was peaceful.   My faith gave me the vision of these good things of life present and vital in her, and, seemingly miraculously, I and others who were her friends and loved her watched her grow in her faith, and deepen her appreciation of Christ.   Those of her loved ones who did not share this faith were seemingly unable to cope with her changed condition, could not accept her as she was and still see what goodness and life was there, had no patience for her physical deterioration, and seemingly could not bear to be present for her last days, even telling me that for them she had passed long before.  The story of Lazarus being released from the tomb puts me in mind of the gift of my faith to see life, to know that Resurrection is present in each moment because of the values and sight that Christ has given to us.  The love of Lazarus and his sisters speaks so loudly in today's reading.  Jesus' tears as He wept testifies to that circle of love among these friends.  That love is inseparable from what we know as life, and it gives us eyes to see with, as Christ illumines our way to know that there is life in the tomb, for He has liberated us all from death.  We must remember that He is the One who shone the light in the darkness, even if the darkness did not comprehend (John 1:4-5), and we are to follow Him.  Jesus did not weep out of mere sadness, but out of love, an affirmation of life.  Let us not forget.

Proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD

 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.  And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up.  And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.  And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.  And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is filled in your hearing."  So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.  And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"  He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself!  Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.'"  Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.  But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."  So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.  Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way. 

- Luke 4:14-30

Yesterday we read that Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit returned from the Jordan [after His Baptism] and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil.  And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.  And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."  But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"  Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.  And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.  Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."  And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan!  For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"  Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here.  For it is written:  'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"  And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'"  Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region.  And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.  We're tempted to see the word glorified as simply meaning hailed or praised.  But in the Scriptural context, it's important to remember that this word implies recognizing His true value, the glory of God at work through Him.

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up.  And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.  And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah.  And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD."  As eternal Son of God, Christ didn't become the world's anointed Savior, says my study bible, but rather has always been our Savior from before the foundation of the world.  It was Christ speaking through Isaiah who said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me" (Isaiah 61:1).  Jesus' doesn't say "The Spirit has come upon Me."  Rather, when the Spirit of the LORD descended on Jesus at His baptism (see 3:22), it was a sign of revelation -- the revelation of an eternal, not temporal, truth to people about the identity of Jesus.  The acceptable year is the time of Christ's Incarnation, when the Kingdom of heaven has come into the world (see 2 Corinthians 6:2). 

Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down.  And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.  And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture is filled in your hearing."  So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.  And they said, "Is this not Joseph's son?"  He said to them, "You will surely say this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself!  Whatever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in Your country.'"  Then He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.  But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.  And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian."  So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff.  Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.  My study bible notes the double response of both marveling and rejection, which it says occurs frequently in those who encounter Christ (see 11:14-16; John 9:16).  Being rejected in His own country fulfills the rejection of the Old Testament prophets such as Elijah and Elisha (named here by Jesus), and foreshadows His rejection by the whole nation at His trial before Pilate (John 19:14-15).  Christ accepts death according to the Father's will, not that of the Jewish leadership.  But here, the hour of His Passion has not yet come (see John 8:20). 

Jesus is rejected in His hometown.  We must understand that without faith, there will be no wonders done, no miracles of the sort which these townspeople have heard Jesus has done elsewhere.  So important is the saying that no prophet is accepted in his own country that it appears in all four Gospels (see also Matthew 13:57, Mark 6:4, John 4:44).  It at once intrigues us with a law of familiarity; that those to whom we've already grown used with a certain image of impression retain for us this identity.  But a prophet's job is precisely to remind people of what they've forgotten, to tell them the truth they'd rather not be reminded of, to bring them back to faith and out of the convenience of their own thinking.  Jesus calls people not only to the identity that is truly His, but to a recognition of truth that outsiders can grasp about Him.  He reminds His own townspeople of the prophets of the Old Testament who were able to perform wonders for outsiders, foreigners (like the widow of Sidon, or Naaman the Syrian).  But He will not perform wonders in order to be "glorified."  Faith comes in a different way, and does not depend upon proofs in order to compel a response of love and acceptance.  Jesus will say, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" again in a reference also found in Isaiah. The lesson we can take from today's reading is about familiarity and complacence.  When we're used to things a certain way, when we have a fixed idea in our minds, it's easy to be deaf and blind to God's surprising work and presence in our lives or in the lives of others around ourselves.  We always need to be called back to the surprising "good news."  Sometimes the good news doesn't seem like good news at all.  It shakes up our world, it calls for us to change, and to change our perceptions, which in turn may wind up changing all kinds of things we're not always prepared for.  That is the nature of a truth we've forgotten, or don't want to acknowledge, something that can be like news from a doctor we'd rather not do anything about.   When Jesus suggests that His townspeople wish to say to Him, "Physician, heal yourself!" it's in reference to one who must cure his own faults before criticizing others -- in this case, a way to respond to the prophetic call for change with an accusation and facile criticism.  Prophets themselves were unusual people, to say the least, often called "out" of the society to serve God.  In such a way, then, we can see Christ in His hometown as the fullness of prophecy, the One come into the world to call us back to God, but even more -- the revelation of God Himself.  He cannot just be "Joseph's son" and whatever that means to the townspeople of Nazareth.  He is representing something much greater, a gift one must have open eyes and ears to grasp and realize and value properly.  Such will always be the nature of God at work in the world.  Let us be attentive!

Lord, save me!

 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.

- Matthew 14:22-36

 Yesterday, we read that when Jesus heard that Herod the tetrarch had heard a report of Him, and suspected that He was John the Baptist returned, He departed from there by boat to a deserted place by Himself.  But when the multitudes heard it, they followed Him on foot from the cities.  And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick.  When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late.  Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food."  But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away.  You give them something to eat."  And they said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."  He said, "Bring them here to Me."  Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass.  And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes.  So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained.  Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out for fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid."   Jesus has already made one attempt to withdraw by Himself into a deserted country.  This we read in yesterday's reading, after He heard the report that Herod had taken notice of Him.  But in yesterday's reading, the crowds followed Him, and moved by compassion, Jesus ministered to them, feeding them with a spectacular miracle of the loaves and fish.  Today again, we read that Jesus seeks to withdraw by Himself to pray, going up on a mountain, alone.  But in the middle of the night, in the very early morning hours, the disciples whom He's sent across the Sea of Galilee are in trouble.  The fourth watch of the night is about three o'clock in the morning.  This miracle of Jesus' walk on the water always has a kind of dreamlike quality to it.  We think of the early hours, and the nightmarish experience here of the disciples, sent off on their own without Him.  The windy stormy sea is yet again enough to frighten these experienced fishermen.  It's another dreamlike image of emotional turmoil and uncertainty, mirroring perhaps their own struggles in discipleship. But wherever they are, He is, no matter what the circumstances.  "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid" can sum up His entire ministry.  My study bible elaborates on the fact that this is the second time Jesus has allowed the disciples to be caught in a storm (see this earlier reading), only this time He's without them.  In the way their faith is strengthened that He will always be with them in the midst of the storms of life.  It is I is literally translated "I am," my study bible reminds us, which is the divine Name of God.   The entire episode illustrates His authority over their lives, and all things.

And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."  So He said, "Come."  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."    Again, there's an illustration here in the boisterous sea, and Peter's tentative steps to Christ as "first among equals" and spokesman for the apostles are accompanied with his own fears.  He cries out, "Lord, save me!" which is a cry for everyone, for all time.  But Peter's faith, my study bible points out, allows him to walk on the water.  It also notes that Peter doesn't ask to walk on water per se, but rather to come to Jesus.  He doesn't want to perform miracles but rather to be with the Lord.  As long as he keeps his focus on Christ, he walks.  When he's distracted, he begins to sink.  But, the Gospels teach us, and it won't be the last time Peter needs such a lesson, we always need Christ's help for our faith.  Here, the term that Jesus uses for doubt is a word that indicates a "double-side" quite literally.  It means to waver, or hesitate.  But really it indicates Peter's mind is in two places at once, conflicted.  Jesus' question, "Why did you doubt?" then, with this understanding, becomes more a call to focus on faith!   My study bible teaches here also that this is the first time the disciples confess that Jesus is the Son of God.  The boat is a symbol of the Church.

When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret.  And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made perfectly well.  Once again, Jesus reaches land, a place where people recognize Him, and so "all who are sick" are brought to Him, begging that they might only touch the edge of His clothing.  My study bible says that Christ permits miracles through touch to show that His very body is life, and that contact with His flesh is life-creating.  This place on the edge of the Sea of Galilee was known as a one of great abundance, both for fishing and for agriculture.  It was known as "the paradise of Galilee." 

Jesus seems to go from one extreme to another:  seeking time to be alone for prayer and withdrawal, but unable to escape the crowds who are so in need of Him.  Peter's cry, "Lord, save me!" is a cry, as we've said above, for all of us, everywhere, for all time.  But it's also the cry of the many who are brought to Jesus for healing, and His response is the true abundance of His ministry and mission.  Like the great fertility of the sea and the plain at Gennesaret, those who come to Him for healing of all kinds are the harvest of the ministry, the abundance that results from His ministry to the world, the Incarnation, so fully symbolized in the healing by touch made possible through His human life.  A Savior has many meanings in the context of Scripture and in the context of the spiritual history of Israel.  The earlier judges were also called "deliverers" as well.  Heroes of Jewish spiritual history are "saviors" -- time and again appearing to uphold the Law, to deliver the people from bondage to foreign gods and customs.  This title of Savior for Christ does not come in a vacuum, but rather comes with a long history.  But no one "wears" or fulfills this title in the way that Christ does.  We once again have to turn to the words He taught about Himself, that God is seeking those who can worship in spirit and in truth.  And it's in this context that we come to understand Savior.  He is the one who can save fully and deeply, from the depths inside of us to the fullness of the life we live as human beings, and as children of God.  When Peter asks Jesus to save him, Jesus responds with a teaching about faith, a kind of rebuke telling Peter that he must focus.  This is where the healing starts.  The fullness of His ministry is in His presence for us, that place where we can focus and gain strength and courage:  "Be of good cheer!  It is I; do not be afraid." 

Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."

 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.  However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the  city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

- Mark 1:29-45

Yesterday, we read that after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel."  And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.  Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit.  And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did You come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!". And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.  Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this?  What new doctrine is this?  For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.  There are several things we notice in these verses.  The first is that Peter is married; these are gatherings of families, and sets of brothers are disciples and friends known to one another.  Christ has come into the world to enter into our daily lives.  The overall theme here is one of healing, and right away we're given an indication about Christ's ministry:  overall, as a whole, it is for healing -- on so many levels and in so many different ways.  Not only is Peter's mother-in-law brought "upright," so to speak, and restored back to her place in the life of the family (and ministering to the disciples), but a "whole city" is gathered at the door.  My study bible notes the diversity of the healing miracles of Jesus:  some are immediate, some are gradual or require the cooperation of the person healed, or perhaps their loved ones.  But, it says, "all of Christ's miracles manifest His redemptive ministry on behalf of an ailing humanity."  Redemptive is a key word here, because the presence of the demons indicate something He has come to liberate us from, to save us from -- an alien, "occupying" power He will conquer as "stronger man."  The final thing we notice is His desire that His full identity not be disclosed; this Messianic intervention is one that is a mystery, in secret.  It's not time to confront all the expectations of "Messiah" that do not apply here. 

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.  My study bible says, "Mark is the only gospel which gives us a full 24-hour day in Jesus' life, a day built around prayer and ministry.  Jesus is the model for both, and He does not separate them.  Jesus' priority is prayer to His Father:  prayer before service.  He goes to a solitary place to be free from distraction, despite the multitudes' need of Him.  His ministry comes out of His relationship with His Father, not foremost out of people's need.  Here He moves along to the next towns.  He knows His task, and performs it although the crowds clamor around Him."

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."   I think it's important to note here that there is great faith in the leper, before Jesus' healing takes place.

Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.  However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the  city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.  My study bible tells us:  "As the dialogue between the leper and Jesus demonstrates, Jesus heals from compassion -- not from duty or a need to prove Himself, or in order to gather a following.  Jesus' authority is comprehensive:  (1) in teaching, (2) over demons, and (3) over sickness -- powerful testimony to His divinity.  But He wishes this and His messiahship to be kept a secret."

In attending a bible study class, one pastor spoke about Christ and His connection to the Old Testament, as fulfillment.  The name "Yeshua" or Joshua is the name that we know for Christ as Jesus.  (This comes from the Greek form for Yeshua as Iesous/Ἰησοῦς, coming to the West via Latin, and making its way into English as "Jesus.")    This name is often translated as "God saves" or, in a familiar form, "Savior."  But the pastor suggested the name -- especially in connection with Old Testament Scripture -- means "Conqueror."  I was rather intrigued by this, as to my ears as an English-speaker, it sounds contradictory to the meanings I'd always understood.  But what he explained to me was that the meaning is the same, but is understood as meaning one who saves or rescues a person (or people) held hostage.  This name, then, in its proper context indicates also Redeemer (as one who "ransoms" a person who is held somewhere against their will).  I think that Conqueror, in this light, gives us a very good idea of how Messiah finds meaning and form through Jesus.  In today's reading, His work takes on a few forms:  the first is the relationship to the Father (and also to the Spirit, if we take into account His first act of 40 day isolation and temptation right after baptism in the Jordan).  He prays.  Before all things, He prays.  He preaches the gospel of the Kingdom:  His kingdom has come into this world.  That is surely the work of someone who could be called "Conqueror."  But it is a spiritual kingdom, one that affects every level of our being, and not just the physical or material.  His conquering takes the form of casting out demons, and of healing, setting right, freeing people from what binds them, in so many ways.  We read today about Peter's mother-in-law.  We read about all those -- "the whole city" -- gathered at the door for healing, and being freed from demons.  Finally, there is the issue of the leper, and we have to understand that leprosy was considered a direct punishment for sin, so lepers were cast out of community -- and dealing with this disease was strictly regulated by the Mosaic Law (as indicated in our text today).  Within this framework, Messiah comes and isn't subject to the Law but over it.  The Conqueror fulfills the Law by bringing a power to heal and to reclaim one put out of the community, for the community.   Again, the secret of His identity must be kept, because one can simply imagine the connotations of Messiah as conqueror, and the popular ideas about what conquerors were, what military might would be necessary, say, to overthrow the Roman rule of Israel.  Our conqueror invites us to understand and to consider what His kingdom is all about, what its power is for and what it does, and just who is included and excluded here.  He rules by compassion -- that is made clear in the text.  But if we are dealing with a spiritual reality at the root of everything connected to what we live, then we must also understand the power of faith that connects us, really, to this conqueror, and thereby we become subjects, the subjects of His Kingdom, in His name.  I invite you to consider what Jesus conquers here, and how this happens.