Category: Sunday Commentary

REFLECTIONS ON THE READINGS FOR THE

11th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR, 17^TH JUNE 2018 CYCLE B

Ezekiel 17:22-24;  Psalm 91:2-3,13-16;  2 Corinthians 5:6-10;  Mark 4:26-34

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Our readings today speak of the growth of God’s kingdom – and our dependence on God for that growth.  The gospel reading from Mark is taken from his central teaching section, concerning the parables of the kingdom of God.  Many of them involve miraculous appearance and inexplicable growth as a metaphor for the kingdom: “the seed is sprouting and growing;  how, he does not know.”  Great trees, typically cedars, were symbols of powerful empires – as we see in our reading from Ezekiel 17 – but mustard plants are invasive shrubs that grow to be a few feet high.  Like many other parables, this one is satirical and humorous:  the kingdom is like a scrubby, invasive bush!  It suggests that “the kingdom of God” starts from a very small beginning, but grows miraculously.

 

The reading from Ezekiel – a prophet of the exile – is the conclusion to chapter 17, which is an extended metaphor about the disastrous results of the people seeking help from Egypt, one of the great political powers of the day, having fallen foul of the other great power, Babylon.  God’s covenant had been broken and now God adds God’s own ending to the story:  God will take a sprig from the top of the cedar and plant it on a high mountain of Israel and it will flourish, demonstrating God’s sovereignty.  It’s an idyllic ending, unexpected in the midst of oracles of punishment, and promises restoration.  Like the gospel story of miraculous, unexpected growth, Israel will indeed thrive under an upright ruler of the house of David:  “Every tree of the field will learn that I, the Lord, am the one who stunts tall trees and makes the low ones grow …”

 

There is a similar message of hope and growth, based on righteous living according to God’s covenant, in Psalm 91:  “The just will flourish like the palm-tree and grow like a Lebanon cedar./Planted in the house of the Lord/they will flourish in the courts of our God”.  Lebanon cedars, proverbially stately trees with deep roots, are an obvious antithesis to the metaphor of ephemeral grass used to represent the wicked.  The contrast is like that of Psalm 1, between the righteous as a tree planted by waters and the wicked as chaff blown by the wind.  The psalm concludes by picking up the call “to tell” from the beginning, so that it begins and ends by affirming what a good and fitting thing it is to tell of God’s greatness, for  “the Lord is just./In God, my rock, there is no wrong”.

 

Mark places the two kingdom parables together as a pair, possibly because he understands them both to be conveying the same message of assurance of the coming of God’s kingdom.  The early Christian communities may have taken comfort from them in the belief that, though response to the gospel was often indiscernible, God was in control and they could be confident that the harvest would eventually appear.  Paul, in the Letter to the Corinthians, also expresses confidence in the future.  His dilemma here is reminiscent of his Letter to the Philippians, where he says, “Life to me … is Christ, but then death would bring me something more;  but then again, if living in this body means doing work which is having good results – I do not know what I should choose” (2:21,22). The enigmatic relationship between bodily existence and eternal life is also suggested in the Jewish tractate of the Mishnah, “Sayings of the Fathers”:  “Better is a single moment spent in penitence and good deeds in this world than the whole of the world-to-come.  And better is a single moment of inner peace in the world-to-come than the whole of a lifetime spent in this world” (Avot 4:17).  But what is certain is our knowledge of God’s “love in the morning” and God’s “truth in the watches of the night.”   For that “It is good to give thanks to the Lord”.

 

This week’s Sunday Gospel Commentary was prepared by

Sr Margaret Shepherd, NDS, London, UK

margaretashepherd@gmail.com

[Copyright © 2018]

 

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

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Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

gill@batkol.info Website: www.batkol.info

Trinity Sunday – May 27, 2018

Deut 4:32-34,39-40 Ps. 33: 4-6,9, 18-22 Romans 8:14-17 Matthew 28:16-20

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In the reading from Deuteronomy, Moses speaks to the people and reminds them of all the wonders that their God has done for them from Creation up to the present time. He reminds them of the times they were saved from their enemies, how they were freed from the bondage of slavery and called to follow the laws that would put them in right relationship with God and with one another. They are reminded that this God is one who will love and protect them for all times.

 

Psalm 33 follows with the promise that God loves justice and right and will show kindness and faithfulness to those who hope for life in God.

 

In the letter to the Romans, Paul continues this theme of a God who leads the people out of slavery and who indeed is their “Abba, God” . The Spirit of Jesus is a witness to our connection to Creator God and his Spirit releases us from fear and promises that we are truly family members who will suffer but also be glorified as Jesus lived and died as one of us.

 

Matthew ends his gospel with the eleven disciples in Galilee awaiting the arrival of Jesus after the resurrection. Despite their joy at seeing him again, it was difficult for some to believe this was truly a reality and not a dream. Jesus comes to them and gives them a sacred commission to do what he had done and to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and take that message to all nations of the world. He promises to remain with them forever.

 

Each of these readings point to the eternal “dance of God” giving life, hope, love and rebirth to all creation. We share in this “dance” of connectedness and delight, of faithfulness and hope, of unity and inclusivity. If we stop and look around us we are surrounded by the beauties of creation. Those who have learned of Jesus, have seen how much God yearned to walk with us as human persons. Jesus does exactly that. He experiences what it means to be truly human; the good and the bad of it. He doesn’t pretend to be human but responds to the fullness that each of us is called to. He continues to walk with us now in our pain, our doubts, our fears, our sufferings, our joys and hopes. His Spirit is felt throughout our world wherever there are those who reach out in loving kindness, in justice, in compassion, working for peace and forgiveness among individuals and among nations. We also participate in this mystery as we sense a loving God whose message comes clearly to us in the scriptures and whose Spirit is obvious in those who spread the good news by their lives.

 

Last weekend I watched the Royal Wedding in England and I felt a real sense of the Trinity present in that liturgy: the powerful message of love, of unity, of inclusivity, of harmony, of newness in creation.

 

I felt it was a message to the world community so in need of hope, and love for our neighbors in great distress and pain from war, famine, illnesses and oppression. It was a real sign for many of hope.

 

For reflection: Is there a way to recognize that we are part of the “dance” of the Trinity? Can we see that we are called to be part of that circle of life, of friendship, of relationship that is never ending?

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

Mary Louise Chesley-Cora, MAT in Religious Studies

Hockessin,  Delaware,  USA

Bat Kol  Alumna 2001

Email:  chezcor@msn.com

[Copyright © 2018]

 

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

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 ~~1983–2018~~

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Website: www.batkol.info   gill@batkol.info

The Feast of Pentecost (20 May 2018)

Acts 2:1-11; Ps 104; Gal 5:16-25; John 15:26-27, 16:12-15

Theme: Lord, send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth (Ps 104:30)

 

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From the beginning the spirit or breath (ruah) of God brought life and harmony to all of creation. Each time God spoke, God breathed life into creation. “When God was about to create the heaven and the earth, the earth was chaos and unformed and on the chaotic waters’ face there was darkness. Then God’s spirit glided over the face of the water and God said: ‘Let there be light’…” (Gn 1:1-3)

 

The reading from Acts describes the descending of the Holy Spirit as a mighty wind and fire which filled those present with courage to speak out about the wonders of God.

 

Because it was the festival of Pentecost – “the 50^th day” after Pesach – the harvest festival or feast of first-fruits of grain harvest (among the three major festivals mentioned in Ex 23:14-17), there were many “Jews, men of every nation under heaven” visiting Jerusalem. They all heard the apostles declaring “the mighty works of God” in their own language. The message was about new life in Christ and there was no division of languages – harmony among those who heard.

 

In the Gospel, Jesus tells his apostles about the “Counsellor” (Sunday Missal) whom he and his Father will send. According to McKenzie (1965:845) spirit is the “Paraclete” in John, who is the spirit of truth who dwells in the apostles and is unknown to the world. The Spirit comes from the Father and bears witness to Jesus. The Spirit is the Helper who will remind the apostles of what Jesus has taught them and will guide them further into the truth. As Jesus has glorified the Father and made him known; so the Spirit will glorify Jesus and make him known.

 

The Psalm is a prayer of praise of the great works God achieved. The earth is full of the creatures God created in the beginning and it is right for us to know that should God take away our breath we would die. But instead of that God sends his Spirit to recreate and renew the earth and its people. Therefore it is right for us to rejoice in the Lord.

 

The Paraclete is in the continuing life of the Church what Jesus is in its foundation (ibid).

 

And so we have Paul encouraging the Galatians and us to “walk by the Spirit, and not to gratify the desires of the flesh”. The Spirit is our helper and our guide in the way of living as Christ did so as to bring forth the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

 

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful; and renew in us the face of the earth.

 

For Reflection and Discussion: 1.What is your relationship with the Holy Spirit? Does it need faith and renewal? 2. Paul ends this passage telling us that if we live by the Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit by having “no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another”. Am I walking by the Spirit?

 

Bibliography: Eskenazi, T. C. Weiss, A.L.  A Women’s Commentary (New York: 2008); McKenzie, J.L. Dictionary of the Bible (New York: 1965); The Daily Missal (Paulines Africa 2012)

 

This week’s Sunday Gospel Commentary was prepared by

Bernadette Chellew, KZN, South Africa, Bat Kol Alum 2008
Email address:btrnchellew@gmail.com

 [Copyright © 2018]

 

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome

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Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Mail to: gill@batkol.info; Website: www.batkol.info

 

 Ascension of the Lord (May 13, 2018)

Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-9; Eph 4:1-13; Mark 16:15-20

Ascension and our mission

 

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The belief in the resurrected Jesus rising into Heaven is at the core of our Christian beliefs. We affirm this when we recite the Apostle’s Creed – we believe in Jesus Christ . . . who on the third day rose again from the dead;  ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from there  he will come to judge the living and the dead.

 

We learn about heaven as a first act of creation in the first verse in the Torah where we are told that in the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep.

 

The usual Hebrew word for “heavens” is shamayin, a plural form meaning “heights,” “elevations” (Gen 1:1; 2:1).  From the other books in the Hebrew scriptures, we get metaphorical meanings as used in the phrases “opened the doors of heaven” (Ps 78:23 ); “heaven is shut up” (1 Kg 8:35); and “the heavens were opened” (Ez 1:1).

 

In the Gospels, we learn  heaven to be a place of God and  the  home of our dear dead. It is likened to a “paradise” (Lk 23:43) and a “kingdom” (Matt 25:1).  For the believers, it is not only a state of everlasting blessedness but also the “Father’s house” prepared for them (Jn 14:2).

 

Avenue she-ba-shamayin (Heb. for Our Father in Heaven) is a form of adoration often found at the beginning of Jewish prayers of petition, based on the rabbinic epithet of God as “Father in Heaven” and as found in the Torah like “O Lord, are our father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand” (Isa 64:8).

 

Likewise, in the prayer Jesus teaches us to pray to our Father (Matt 6:9), we pray to God who is in heaven, whose name is to be hallowed and whose kingdom is to come.

 

From these we learn that the term heaven has many meanings.  But a common meaning is that of a place for us to go in the end of our days, when we are to go home to our Father.

 

We are reminded, often by the death of a loved one, that our deep longing just like that of many  Jews and Christians  who died before us,  is to go home to our  Father.  We long to have our own ascension into heaven like Jesus did.

 

In today’s readings from Acts and Mark, we are told of ways to achieve this: We are to do our mission and this mission is to do the mission of Christ, in the here and now.

 

The words of the men in white robes or angel — “Men of Galilee, why are you staring at the sky?” (Acts 1:11) contain an implicit reproof: We should not just “stare into the sky” and speculate about the beyond.  We are to do something and Mark tells us what this task is.

 

A quick analysis of Mark’s gospel shows an inclusion where the words on the ascension are framed by the words on the mission of the apostles.  In Mk 16: 15 – 18, we have the commissioning of the apostles. Jesus gives the final instructions to the apostles to proclaim the gospel to “every creature” and assures salvation to those who believe in their preaching.  The story on the ascension (v 19) is followed by the story of the apostles doing their mission – they went forth and preached everywhere (v 20).

 

Thus, we learn that we cannot discuss the mystery of the ascension without the mission of the apostles and the church. As Jesus carried on God’s work, the apostles must carry on Jesus’ work.

 

To be a follower (or believer) of Jesus, one must work for the salvation of mankind (by preaching, baptizing, exorcizing, speaking in tongues, being unharmed, by healing) and help build a better world. With the physical absence of Jesus, Christians while waiting for his second coming should make Jesus present in the world.

 

For Reflection and Discussion:  1. If angels are in front of you today, can they reproach you for something that you have failed to do?  If any, what is this? 2). The challenge for Christians today is to proclaim the gospel “to every creature.” This is a tough task.  Do you know of a way to proclaim the gospel to as many people as you can?

 

Bibliography: Harrington and Donahue, Sacra Pagina: The Gospel of Mark (Minnesota, 2002); Almazan, OFM, “Welcome to Our Bible Study: Ascension of Jesus” (unpublished).

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

Minerva Generalao, Philippines, Bat Kol Alumna July 2014 Email: may_neer@gmail.com

 

PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

 

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

gill@batkol.info Website: www.batkol.info

Sunday Gospel Reading

6^th Sunday of Easter May 6, 2018

Readings: Acts. 10 :25–26 ;34–35 ; 4 –48 ; Ps. 98:1–4; 1 John. 4:7–10; John 15, 9–17.

 

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This week’ Gospel reading reminds us of the most important commandment of the whole Law: love [cf. Mt. 22:39–40]. In the Gospel of John this commandment is expressed in universal categories as a way of existence, style of life, credo of a truly disciple of Christ. Its origins have to be found in the Heavenly life of the Holy Trinity. As the same evangelist declares, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16). The heavenly example of a sacrificial love: this is the meaning of the Greek verb agapao used throughout the whole Gospel. Another meaningful marker of this portion is the verb abide, dwell, remain: altogether rendered by the Greek term meno. His Hebrew equivalent, vb. shakhan, provides us with an image mostly reiterated by the Rabbis: Shekina, the Presence of God, Our Beloved. In this sense, God renders Himself present in our lives when we follow His example of love and “lay down our life for our friends” (Jn 15:13). That is the second great feeling of God towards us which we are told to imitate: fili,a (friendship). Cf. Jam. 4:4. So, Jesus Himself can testify that “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn 15:14). In the Hebrew Bible “to be a friend of God” (rea) becomes a brilliant metaphor of a righteous, pious and devoted man or woman who is enabled speak with the Lord “face to face”: cf. Ex. 33:11.

 

This intimacy and closeness to the Lord grant us a privilege to dwell in His love, to stay in front of Him, to be His friends, yet not servants. In fact, the Apostle exemplifies that principle – the “law of love” – in the following sentence: “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family” (Eph. 2:19). Nevertheless in the inter-testamental period the precept of love was a subject of hot discussions between the Rabbis. For example, questioning who must be neighbor to love (cf. Lv. 19:18), R. Hillel who elaborated a general principle: “You shall love peace and research peace, you shall love the creatures and make them approach the Torah” (cf. Abot 1:12; 1:2; b.Sota 14a). On the contrary, the Pharisaic leaders used to consider the word “neighbor” in a restrictive way on the basis of Lv. 19:34=Dt 10:19; i.e., this term referred exclusively to a fellow citizen or a stranger who decided to establish his or her dwelling in Israel. Finally, in the Post-talmudic exegesis a fellow man or woman was simply reduced to an observant Jew [Neudecker, 499–501].

 

This short picture of different opinions shows how challenging is the commandment of love that urges us to go out of limits and false stereotypes of this world. In the First Letter of John (1 Jn. 4:7–10) there is a summary concerning such strategic topics as “to be born from God”, “to know God”, “Jesus as an atoning sacrifice (hilasmos) for our sins”. The knowing of God represents an ontological summit for a human being, a new step of existence as well as a great responsibility to be inserted in the continuum of loving kindness of Merciful God, misericordia Dei. Like in the Garden of Eden, once Adam started to experience the presence of a fellow woman, he became aware of a dialogic nature of love. Thus, the famous sentence “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8) can be adequately understood only in the context of “being in front of” somebody. That is what the Book of Genesis stresses out (Gn. 2:20): “for Adam there was not found a help like to himself [lit. “in front of him”: k^enegdo. This dialogical unity of love – relationship “face to face” – is revealed by God Himself as the Psalm says: “The King is mighty, he loves justice – you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right” (Ps. 98:4). In fact, God’s justice is unthinkable without mercy, from the Rabbinic point of view. Finally, only love can make known to today’s world a Holy Name of the Lord Who truly loves His creation by judging and forgiving it at the same time.

 

For Reflection and Discussion: 1. How do I experience love of God & love to God in my daily life? 2. What is my understanding of a neighborhood regarding the precept of love? Is it possible nowadays to love everyone? 3. Which way or ways of existence, teaching and studying the Torah opens to me spiritually the Gospel motto “God is love”?

 

Bibliography: Artyushin, Colui che fa misericordia. Lc 10,25–37 in chiave comunicativa (Roma, 2009); Grilli, Quale rapporto tra i due Testamenti? Riflessione critica sui modelli ermeneutici classici concernenti l’unità delle Scritture (Bologna, 2007); Neudecker, «“And You Shall Love Your Neighbor as Yourself – I Am the Lord” (Lev 19,18) in Jewish Interpretation» (Biblica 73 (1992) 496-517).

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

Philotheus Artyushin, Moscow Theol. Academy, Doctorate in Biblical Theology.

Bat Kol alumnus 2011  email:  artyushins@yandex.ru

[Copyright © 2018]

 

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

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Bat Kol Institute, Jerusalem

~~1983–2018~~

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

gill@batkol.info Website: www.batkol.info

The Sunday Liturgy Commentary

The 5th Sunday of Easter – 29^th April 2018

Lectionary readings: Acts 9:26-31; Ps. 22:26-28, 30-32; 1 John. 3:18-24; John 15:1-8

Theme:  Abiding in Jesus, abiding in love

 

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The Gospel for this Sunday provides us with an image-metaphor of the vine and the branches, an image used in the Hebrew Scriptures. We can find the image of the vineyard in the Hebrew Scriptures like in Isaiah 5:1-7 and Psalm 80 which appeals to God to save the “vine which Your right hand has planted.” Taken together, this image paints the intimacy between the vine grower, God and his people despite the difficulty. We can notice that with the image of the vine, the text shifts into the word “remain” or “abide” which appears seven times. Jesus might be stating a simple truth: that not to abide in him means to wither and not bear fruit. To abide in Jesus is a matter of life and death, bearing fruit or not at all. What does it mean to abide?

 

Here it is curious that the reading does not proceed with verse nine until 10 which might be the key to understanding what does it mean to abide in Jesus? In verse nine it says, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love” (Jn 15:9). To abide in Jesus, is to love. In love we find life. Love allows us, creatures which should not be and yet are, to exist, to love and bear fruit. This energy from God who out of his gratuitous and relentless love makes those who abide in him bear much fruit.

 

This reminds us of the Shema, when we hear the words “v’ahavta et Adonai Elohecha b’chol l’vav’cha uv’chol nafsh’cha uv’chol m’odecha” (You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.) Rabbi Jonathan Sacks also mentions that Torah reveals to us this abiding love of God when he said, “Something implicit in the Torah from the very beginning becomes explicit in the book of Devarim. God is the God of love. More than we love Him, He loves us. ‘If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then the Lord your God will keep his covenant of love [et ha-brit ve-et ha-chessed] with you, as he swore to your ancestors. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers (Deut 7: 12-13)’.” Torah is about love and this love abides in us if keep the Torah. In the beautiful book of Psalms, we find God’s abiding love when the Psalmist proclaims, “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his chesed steadfast love endures forever” (Ps 136:1). His love forever abides in us. His love abides in us, then we bear fruit. It is not that we first bear fruit for his love to abide in us. His love is a first love, as Henri Nouwen says. His is a love that abides even before the bearing of fruit. It is because of that abiding that we are able to bear fruit.

 

 It is no wonder to see this passage in our celebration of Easter. In our celebration Easter we celebrate the love that abides with us even beyond death. A love that abides that defeats sin. Our world is now radically shifting. We notice a radical disillusionment to stay, to remain, to abide especially in our human relationships, more so when our relationships do not seem to “bear fruit.” We have become too impatient to abide and remain in love with persons who are particularly difficult to love. Jesus gives us a sure sign that to flourish, we must abide in him. Because he abides in us. This Love which abides, is the love that bears fruit. If we abide in Jesus, we are not only abiding in him and he in us, we are now empowered to also love and abide in others, with others, especially our neighbors who are in need, the poor, the needy, the stranger.

 

For Reflection and Discussion: [1] How do we feel God’s constant abiding presence in our lives?  [2] What makes it difficult for us to stay and abide in and with others?

 

Bibliography: Jonathan Sacks, “The Morality of Love” August 6, 2012 http://rabbisacks.org/covenant-conversation-5772-ekev-the-morality-of-love/ (Accessed April 19, 2018).

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

John Paul A. Bolano, MA, Philippines, Bat Kol 2017

Email address: jbolano@ateneo.edu

 [Copyright © 2018]

 

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

…………………………………………………………

 

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Mail to: gill@batkol.info; Website: www.batkol.info

Sunday Gospel and Readings Commentary

4^th Sunday of Easter (22 April 2018)

Lectionary Readings: Acts 4:8-12; Ps 118:1,8-9,21-23,26,29; 1 John 3:1-2; John 10:11-18

 Theme: What is our relationship with Jesus and with the Christian and other communities?

 

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In the New Testament, Jesus identifies himself as the Good Shepherd. In the epistles the notion of good shepherding is extended to those who would lead in the church. The idea of shepherding, especially the idea of God acting as the Shepherd of His people, is a motif found throughout the Bible. Summarizing his life on his deathbed, Jacob declared that God had been his “shepherd all of his life to this day” (Gen. 48.24). In Rev. 7:17, when the saints who come out of the tribulation are brought before God, John brings together two of the most striking images of the scripture by stating, “for the Lamb in the center of the throne shall be their shepherd and shall guide them to springs of the water of life; and God shall wipe every tear from their eyes.”

 

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.  I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (Jn.10.11-18)

 

The sheep in the fold has intimate relationship with the shepherd. But there are too many sheep outside the fold, marginalized and oppressed. The true shepherd loves them, ready even to die for them. They, too, must be brought in, no matter the cost. They, too, must feel secure and loved. He offers them abundant life (Ps. 23).

 

Are we aware of the great privilege that we are children of God (1Jn. 3.1-2)? This is our most radical and satisfying identity – in this world of wealth and vainglory.   

 

Ezekiel 34:15,16 speaks of self-indulgent leaders who took advantage of the sheep. In contrast, Christ is giving up his life totally and willingly, as the Father wants him to, for the sheep. His is a servant leadership, a model for each one of us. We are invited to follow Jesus by our daily loving service of others. What we are to others is what we are to God. Loving God means loving others, and vice versa.

 

Ps. 118 is a psalm of thanksgiving for the love that we have received from God.  In Christ we have found our redemption, as the words in v.22 say, ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone’.  Acts 4:8-12, is an invitation to pray and depend on Christ who is the savior of the world and each one’s personal savior.  Sin is having more attachment to anything other than God.  The sum and substance of the Gospel is that we are loved by God as we are. We have the choice to respond to this awareness during the Easter season as we celebrate the resurrection, that is our own HOPE of continuing life in another form together with Christ.

 

For Reflection and Discussion: [1] Are we aware that we are children of God? Do we respond to situations as beloved children of God with love and dignity?  [2] Are we grateful and secure in our faith by being in Jesus, our shepherd, who has laid down his life for us in order to raise us fully to divine life?  Discuss: [3] How is our relationship with God and with our Christian Community and others? Bibliography: (1) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc  (2)  Sermon by Rev. Adrian Dieleman (3) New Loyola Press; www.loyolapress.com.

 

This week’s Sunday Gospel Commentary was prepared by

Dr. Joan Chunkapura, Ph.D., MMS, TRADA, Kerala, India. Bat Kol alumna, 2006.

Email: joanc.mms@gmail.com

[Copyright © 2018]

 

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PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

……………..……………………………………………………

 

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

1983-2018

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

gill@batkol.info Website: www.batkol.info

Sunday Gospel and Readings Commentary

The 3^rd  Sunday of Easter

15^th April, 2018

Lectionary readings:  Acts 3:13-19, Ps.4:2-9, 1John 2:1-5, Luke 24:35-48

 

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It was the first day of the week and Jesus was raised from the dead! His disciples however, knew only of his death. To them everything had ended.  Jesus, knowing his disciples’ disappointment and uncertainty appeared to them that day in a variety of ways. The women who hurried to the tomb very early that morning to anoint the body of Jesus were amazed that the stone had been rolled away and that the tomb was empty. When they heard the words, “Why do you search for the living among the dead?” they were ecstatic with joy and ran to tell the disciples.

 

So too Peter, on hearing the news ran to the tomb and was astounded at seeing only the linen cloths lying there. It was a similar experience for the two disciples traveling to Emmaus. They were downcast and viewed the whole thing as a failure. The man who had joined them began opening the scriptures for them. Reaching Emmaus, they recognized Jesus only in the breaking of the bread. They were overwhelmed with joy and with their hearts on fire they returned to Jerusalem to tell the others. In each case, the person underwent a change and as a result saw things differently, even felt differently.

 

What happens when we are overcome with surprise, with joy, with what we never dreamed could ever happen, or even thought was possible? I am sure that it is this same awesome, overwhelming feeling as new parents see their newborn child for the first time! One realizes that it is beyond us – it is a pure gift of God!

 

In the final appearance that evening, the two disciples were telling the others of their experience in Emmaus when suddenly Jesus stood among them and greeted them “Peace be to you.”  They were frightened, even thinking it was a ghost but slowly as Jesus spoke they gained understanding. He meets people where they are!  This peace of which he spoke is what restores relationships between God and the people and people among themselves.  

 

“Jesus is filled with God’s life; and he gives God’s life to others so that they can grow strong on it. As bread nourishes the physical level, Jesus nourishes the spiritual level.” (Shea, 118)  This is what Jesus offers to these individuals who after his death were trying to put it all together and make some sense of it. Jesus now opened their minds to the fuller meaning of the words he had spoken in his lifetime. He gave them the assurance they needed.

 

There is great similarity in the narratives of these two last appearances – that of the journey to Emmaus and in the upper room. In both instances they do not recognize Jesus and he questions their failure to recognize him. At Emmaus, Jesus blessed and broke the bread while in Jerusalem he ate in their presence. In both accounts Jesus opened the scriptures to them which led to their understanding. It seems that an encounter with the Risen Christ and an explanation of the scriptures were necessary before there was enlightenment for his followers. Once they understood, they could do nothing but proclaim the good news.  As we read in today’s Psalm (4:7), “You have put gladness in my heart,” the disciples felt compelled to go out and to announce the message. They were commissioned to “preach repentance for the forgiveness of sin to all nations and to be witnesses. (24:47-48) 

 

“Encounters with the Risen One convinced the disciples that God, in fact, decisively made good on his promise of fidelity through the death and resurrection of Jesus. But the Easter Hallelujah did not come easily for the disciples. The Easter story describes in a particularly impressive way the path of faith that the first disciples had to travel.” (Kasper 126)

 

For Reflection and Discussion: [1.] Can you understand and share in the disciples’ joy on hearing of Christ’s resurrection?  [ 2.] Recall a time when you were completely surprised by God’s ways.

 

Bibliography: Walter Kasper, Mercy, The Essence of the Gospel and the Key to Christian Life, (Paulist Press, 2014), John Shea, The Spiritual Wisdom of the Gospels for Christian Preachers and Teachers, (Collegeville, 2005)

 

This week’s teaching commentary was prepared by

Rita Kammermayer, nds, BA, B.Ed, Masters of Pastoral Studies, Jerusalem, Israel

Bat Kol alumni 2001

Email: ritakammermayer@netscape.net

[Copyright © 2018]

……………………………………………………

PLEASE NOTE: The weekly Gospel commentaries represent the research and creative thought of their authors, and are meant to stimulate deeper thinking about the meaning of the Sunday Scriptures. While they draw upon the study methods and sources employed by the Bat Kol Institute, the views and conclusions expressed in these commentaries are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily represent the views of Bat Kol.  Questions, comments and feedback are always welcome.

……………………………………………………

 

~~1983–2018~~

Bat Kol Institute for Jewish Studies, Jerusalem

“Christians Studying the Bible within its Jewish milieu, using Jewish Sources.”

Website: www.batkol.info; Administration: gill@batkol.info