Proper 9 – Year C
Sermon Notes from the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People
RCL Readings[1] – Isaiah 66:10-14; Psalm 66:1-9; Galatians 6:1-16; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
ACNA Readings – Isaiah 66:10-16; Psalm 66; Galatians 6:1-18; Luke 10:1-20
Seasonal Introduction. This season is often called “Ordinary Time,” a term derived from ordinal, meaning “numbered” or “in sequence.” However, there is nothing ordinary about this time. Rather, it is a time when we may reflect on how God (starting on Trinity Sunday and ending with Christ the King Sunday) has been at work in our own lives, the lives of his people, and how he will continue to work in the days to come. Ordinary Time is a season when we are invited to perceive the mystery of God at work in our daily lives, in the ordinary, in the mundane.
Common Theme. The common theme is rejoicing in God’s restoration and power. However, there is also the constant warning not to exalt ourselves or be false in our piety.
Hebraic Context. Jesus speaks of the disciples' names being written in heaven.[2] We often automatically associate this with salvation—but then we would need to define salvation in this context. Exodus 32:32-33 is the first time a book in heaven is mentioned. Moses intercedes on behalf of Israel, making atonement through prayer. He asks that God forgive the people of Israel or “blot me out of Your book that You have written.” No mention of this book had been made prior to this moment, and yet God replied, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book.” The book is rarely mentioned throughout Scripture and yet shows up prominently in judgment as the Book of Life.[3]
The idea of God keeping books leads to more questions than answers.[4] While records have been kept in administrative justice for millennia,[5] we should not presume that the books in heaven are based on human functionality. Some scholars would argue that the books are anthropomorphic—a way to help us understand key truths by using familiar metaphors. For instance, a traditional argument that has developed in Christianity is that the sacrificial system is God conforming to a form of worship and intercession humans could understand. After all, so many cultures offered sacrifices to the gods.
However, Scripture speaks of sacrifice in the first few chapters in Genesis, when society had yet to form. God both commands sacrifices to be offered and is appreciative of them (when offered with clean hands and a pure heart), and Moses makes it clear that atonement is made through repentant prayer as he turns to God in Exodus 32. While God does often speak and act in a way that we can understand, He does not need to conform to human culture and society—in fact, culture often comes from God and divine history (even if it is twisted by Satan and our own desires).
The books written about in scripture were not understood as metaphorical by early scholars but as literal books in which names are taken down. In fact, Scripture like Psalm 69:28 was taken so literally that their poetic parallelism[6] became a cornerstone for the idea of a third book, wherein those who are neither righteous nor damned are condemned to a short time of purgatory in Gehenna before their final judgment.[7] This is largely speculative, but the lack of information about these books and the reason for their existence raises an important question: why would God need books at all?
When Scripture says that God “remembers,” it is not suggesting forgetfulness—it signals that God is about to act.[8] The same appears to be true of the books. When God opens a book or writes down a name, it is not the work of a divine clerk simply tallying who is good and who is bad. It is the action of a living God, dynamically engaged with His people—the one who gives life.
With all of this mystery, Jesus tells His disciples that they should be more excited that their names are written in heaven than that they have authority given to them over demons. Jesus tells His disciples that there will be people who prophesied, cast out demons, and did miracles and yet will be turned away by Him.[9] Revelation 21:27 is clear: only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life will be able to enter into the new Jerusalem. Those whose names are written in the Book of Life are able to dwell with God.
Isaiah 66:10-14.[10] There is a time of mourning and a time of rejoicing. There has been plenty to mourn, as Isaiah spoke of the downfall and desolation of Jerusalem.[11] Unfortunately, too often the people of Jerusalem rejoiced instead, “In that day the Lord GOD of hosts called for weeping and mourning, for baldness and wearing sackcloth; and behold, joy and gladness, killing oxen and slaughtering sheep, eating flesh and drinking wine.”[12] They offered sacrifice rather than repent.
Offering sacrifices to God is a good thing. God both requests and commands us to offer sacrifices. However, Isaiah 29:13 reminds us that “this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men.” If one is full of iniquity and yet meets for solemn assembly, this is something abominable—something God hates.[13] The shepherds of Israel filled themselves with wine, but neglected the flock.[14] Now, it is given to those who mourn over Jerusalem to also rejoice with her in joy.
Those who rejoice falsely—with wine and empty sacrifices—still turn around and say, “tomorrow we die”. But Jerusalem, now restored by God, will provide what the wine cannot—life. Like a nursing infant, those who mourned will be able to drink deeply from her breast and be consoled and satisfied. The image of a mother feeding her child is vastly different from the false shepherds who take all they can from the needy.
Of course, it is God who brings peace. It is God who comforts those who mourn. Nonetheless, Jerusalem is special and will be the place where the people return and see that which was desolate overflow with abundance and a mother’s care. God’s restoration will be known—as will His wrath. For those who were false in piety, those who refused to answer God’s call, those who did evil—the desolation that came upon Jerusalem would now fall on them.
Psalm 66:1-9.[15] [16] The first half of the psalm is an invitation for all the peoples of the earth to praise the Lord. Salvation in the Psalms is almost always universal, meaning it is offered to both Jews and Gentiles. The Psalm makes a declarative claim that “all the earth worships You” and invites all the earth to “come and see the works of God”.
Psalm 66:6-11 suggests that Israel’s history is one of the signs for the nations. The events the Psalmist described—God’s mighty acts for Israel throughout history—act as proof of God’s power to the Gentiles in the future. It would also bring God’s enemies to submit to Him. Psalm 66:6 states, “He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot.” In response, Rahab states in Joshua 2:10, “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt.”
The psalmist reflects on a time of testing, certainly recalling the Exodus, but also speaking from personal experience. The response to this testing is clear: shouts of joy, singing, praising, blessing God, and the offering of sacrifices. These sacrifices—rams, bulls, and goats—are the proper response for the Psalmist as they worship God. However, they do come with a caveat. They are the sacrifices of a man who is standing in obedience to God. There is a clear understanding that, “if I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Offering sacrifices doesn’t pardon us from sin—in fact, if we offer sacrifice while still cursing our brother or harming another, God calls it an abomination.[17]
Galatians 6:1-16.[18] Having just stated that we are not to become conceited, Paul tells the Galatians that even in restoration and service to one another—actions that fulfill the law of Christ—we can be tempted ourselves and boast.[19] Obedience to the law of Christ is good—we are to live and walk with the Spirit—but, just like with the Torah, external obedience without humility is deceptive.
Paul reminds the Galatians that they should “share all good things with the one who teaches”. Just as the disciples of Jesus were sent out without moneybags or goods but were to be given hospitality where they taught and healed, the Galatians were expected to provide for their teachers. But that support is not without discernment—Paul makes it clear elsewhere that “if anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”[20] Here, the issue is less of laziness but of false teaching.
Just prior to Paul’s encouragement to not be idle, but to work in II Thessalonians 3, he also reminded the Thessalonians to “keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.” This tradition was of work, but also the manner in which Paul taught by example. There were teachers among the Galatians who taught that they, as Gentiles believers, should be circumcised. But those who were circumcised did not walk in an example to be followed, instead sowing to the flesh. The reason to get circumcised was not to be obedient to God but to avoid persecution and to boast.
Paul, who is also circumcised and one of the great teachers of the early church, only had one boast—the cross of Jesus. The very reason the teachers taught circumcision, to avoid persecution for the cross of Jesus, should have been their boast. There are still those who are circumcised, just as there are uncircumcised, but we are both a new creation. We both are to walk by the Spirit in obedience to the law of Christ. We live by and with the Spirit, walking after Jesus by His grace, and in the peace and mercy of God.
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20.[21] It is important to remember that Jesus didn’t only have 12 disciples. Many people followed Jesus as His disciples, including: women;[22] many throughout the Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem; Pharisees; and even those on the council that condemned Jesus to death.[23] Luke 10 speaks of 70 of Jesus’ disciples being sent out.[24] Both 70 and 72[25] are important numbers in Jewish thought.
Starting in Genesis 10, there are 70 nations—representing all the people of the world. Jewish tradition relates God’s continuous call to the Gentilic nations. One midrashic tradition states that when God gave the law in fire and thunder on Mount Sinai, He did not give it to the Israelites only but sent it to each of the seventy nations in their own language.[26] As God cares for the nations, so Israel is called to be a light to the nations.
When the Scriptures were translated into Greek, the tradition is that 72 men were chosen to translate it and were divinely inspired to be unified in their translation efforts. This translation became known as the Septuagint and was incredibly important in the Gentile world as many became God-fearers throughout the Roman Empire. It was also commonly used by the Jewish writers of the New Testament. Additionally, Numbers 29:13-34 states that 70 bulls are to be sacrificed during the festival of Sukkot. Tradition states that these are offered for the 70 nations.[27] Zechariah 14 writes about the connection between the nations and Sukkot as it is during the festival of Sukkot that the families of the earth will come up to Jerusalem to worship God.
Of course, 70 isn’t only important for the Gentiles. Moses appointed 70 elders to assist in the judgment of Israel.[28] Judgment isn’t considered a bad thing in Numbers—the job of the elders was to rightly interpret God’s commands and provide justice to the people. Numbers 11:16-30, which Luke 9-10 alludes to, speaks of authority being given to 70 elders on whom the Spirit of God rested (along with two in the camp, or 72 men). However, even with the Spirit of God resting on the judges, at least two witnesses were required to pass down judgment. The disciples were sent out two-by-two. In declaring the kingdom of God is near—that God reigns—two witnesses were sent to each town.
The Kingdom of Heaven that the disciples were told to proclaim is neither the end of the world nor the world to come. The Kingdom of Heaven was a familiar Second Temple Period term used to describe the present rule and reign of God in the universe. God’s rule and reign is not a hoped for, but distant, utopia—it is a present reality. Rabbinical tradition interprets Exodus 15:18 as the basis for this doctrine, “The Lord reigns forever and ever.” This verse is the first kingly image of God in the Scriptures.[29] God became King when He redeemed Israel from Egypt and when they accepted His kingship at Mount Sinai.
Just as God is King today, each generation and individual must submit to His reign. That submission begins with acknowledging that we have not always followed His will—and turning back to Him in repentance. In rabbinic tradition, repentance is also linked to the coming of the messianic kingdom: repentance brings the King Messiah near and stirs anticipation that God will rule even more fully through His anointed one.[30]
And so the disciples travelled the land, reminding the people of Israel that God wants to reign even today and they are to repent and submit to Him. God doesn’t approach His people empty-handed to become king, while the disciples do not bring money or goods, they do bring healing and peace. In turn, God expects the people to turn (or return) to Him. He also expects His ambassadors to be welcomed and cared for.
Jesus’ instructions that they are to take no moneybag or knapsack is grounded in both Torah and tradition. Levites, for example, received tithes—usually of food and drink—when they were in service to God.[31] Teachers and scribes in the Second Temple period were usually not paid, but it was expected that the community would support them with hospitality and honour. On the one hand, Pirkei Avot 4.5 states that anyone who uses the teaching of Torah for their own worldly profit threatens their own place in the world-to-come. On the other hand, Sirach 38:24-39:11, while praising blue collar workers as “they maintain the fabric of the world”, reminds us that study of Torah takes as much time and study to master as a master artisan or farmer—time that cannot be spent providing for oneself.
One of the earliest Christian writings outside the Bible, the Didache, warns of these false prophets and writes from a similar perspective as Luke 10 or Pirkei Avot—a false prophet seeks profit and yet it is perfectly acceptable for a servant of God to travel, teach, and receive hospitality. Both Jesus and Paul remind us that a laborer deserves their wages. But Didache 11:4-6 states that a true prophet will only stay a day or two and will only take what bread they need to reach the next town. If they take anything else, including money, they are a false prophet. Jesus, too, spoke of false prophets—wolves in sheep's clothing.[32]
It is interesting that the disciples return to Jesus with a message of joyful success. How so? In between the sending and the successful mission, Jesus speaks of the woes. Jesus compares Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum to Tyre, Sidon, and Babylon. Tyre and Sidon are both condemned by the prophets for their arrogance and sin.[33] Ezekiel 28:12-19, in particular, speaks of judgment on the king of Tyre—interpreted by many as a prophetic reflection on the creation and rebellion of Satan.
Likewise, Jesus draws on Isaiah’s prophecy against the king of Babylon “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn… You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high… I will make myself like the Most High. But you are brought down to Sheol.”[34] He applies this to Capernaum, “Will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades.” Given this context of judgment, we might expect the disciples to return rejected and discouraged. Yet they return rejoicing. Even so, Jesus continues to draw on Isaiah and Ezekiel as a cautionary backdrop to their report—reminding them that spiritual authority is not a cause for self-exaltation, even when demons submit.
There is little indication that Tyre, Sidon, and Babylon did repent. Nineveh repented in the time of Jonah, but even so, it wasn’t long before they turned away from God and even went on to conquer Israel. Conversely, we see many in both Bethsaida and Capernaum who did repent and became ardent disciples of Jesus. Capernaum may have been the home to one of the earliest churches in the world.[35] It may be telling that Jesus’ response to the disciples' excitement was to caution them to look towards their own souls—to rejoice that their names are written in heaven. It is diabolically easy to exalt oneself, whether as a powerful military or trade nation, a people God calls His beloved, or a servant of God given authority by the King of both this world and the world-to-come.
Hebraic Perspective. Throughout Scripture, sacrifices are commanded by God and are pleasing to Him. After the flood, Noah offered sacrifice to God and it was a pleasing aroma to the LORD.[36] This theme is repeated throughout Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers.[37] Joel 1:13 reminds us that God took the sacrificial system very seriously. He had promised that He would be the portion for the Levites and priests, but when the people stopped sacrificing the Levites and priests were no longer provided for—breaking God’s promises. And so, when the people did not offer sacrifices, they were sent into exile.
God also promises that if the people walk contrary to Him, “I will not smell your pleasing aromas”.[38] There is an idea that has developed in Christianity that God does not enjoy sacrifices, after all, He plainly states “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” But if God does not want sacrifice, why did He create the sacrificial system?
The answer cannot be “to atone for sins” because the sacrifices never atoned for intentional sin.[39] A brief overview of the sacrificial system as prescribed in Leviticus shows that even the sin offering is for unintentional sins only. If someone wronged their neighbour, they were to offer full restitution—only then could they come before God with a sacrifice, only then could the priest make atonement. But what is this atonement? Is it the animal sacrifice? When Moses tells Israel that he will go and make atonement for their sins, he does not offer a single sacrifice—he goes before God and pleads in intercessory prayer.
Sacrifices as the way to receive atonement would not be something the majority of Jewish people in the first centuries would accept as true. They realized that God always desired mercy, charity, love, and uprightness—and when they failed He desired repentance. When God declares that sacrifices are an abomination to Him, such as in Isaiah 66, it is because God called out for justice, righteousness, and truth and there was no man who would intercede.[40] “When I called, no one answered, when I spoke, they did not listen; but they did what was evil in my eyes and chose that in which I did not delight.”[41]
When the psalmist of Psalm 66 comes before God with an offering, he can do so because he fears God. He clearly understands, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” but even with that, it isn’t the sacrifice that he speaks of—it is his prayer. God instituted the practice of sacrifice and our devotion to God is pleasing—all of the thanksgiving sacrifices, the fellowship offerings, the firstfruits offerings, the worship, and even the sin offerings—assuming they came from someone with clean hands and a pure heart.
Today we no longer offer animal sacrifices—there is only one place that God prescribed for that practice and the temple was destroyed almost two-thousand years ago. But we still pray. And the same reasons that God found sacrifices to be abominable are still true of our prayers. If we curse our neighbour, we cannot think that God will find our prayers to be acceptable. If we are not merciful, righteous, or full of justice (not to mention full of humility), God would surely say “I desire mercy, and not prayers”. So let us fear God and pray. He may still find our prayers pleasing and answer us.
Endnotes
[1] Alternative RCL readings: II Kings 5:1-14; Psalm 30
[2] Luke 10:20
[3] Psalm 69:28, Isaiah 4:3, Daniel 12:1; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5, 20:12, 15, 21:27
[4] Revelation 20:12 speaks of multiple books. Is one the Book of Remembrance, found in Malachi 3:16? Is there a book of judgment, or death? Are there other books that God has not revealed to us?
[5] Administrative texts are some of the earliest texts we have, found in both Mesopotamia and Egypt from 3,300-3,000 onward and the Indus Valley shortly thereafter.
[6] Hebrew poetry often will say the same thing twice in slightly different phrasing to emphasize a point or broaden a point.
[7] Rosh HaShanah 16a.12-17a.6
[8] Likewise, when we are told to “remember” it is never to simply be recalling a memory—it is a call for us to act.
[9] Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus goes on to say that it is the one who hears His words and acts that will be saved.
[10] ACNA includes Isaiah 66:15-16
[11] Isaiah 3; Isaiah 22:1-12; Isaiah 24; Isaiah 32:9-14; Isaiah 64:10-11
[12] Isaiah 22:12-13; see Isaiah 66:3-4
[13] Isaiah 1:12-17; see also James 3:9-10
[14] Isaiah 56:11-12
[15] ACNA may include Psalm 66:10-20
[16] Psalm 66 is composed for the overseer (לַמְנַצֵּחַ), often translated as chief musician. Exactly who this person is remains unclear. It could be one of the choir leaders (Asaph, Heman, or Jeduthun) or someone else. Late Jewish commentators take this to mean God Himself from the word נצח (netzaḥ), perpetual along with נצח (natzaḥ), overseer. While this interpretation is quite late, Habakkuk 3:2-19 may be the best argument for this reading.
[17] Isaiah 66:3-4, see also Proverbs 15:8; Proverbs 21:27; Isaiah 1:11-17, Amos 5:21-24; Malachi 1:10-14; Matthew 5:23-24
[18] ACNA includes Galatians 6:17-18
[19] In Luke 10:17-20, Jesus reminds His disciples, it isn’t in their works or authority they should rejoice, but that their names are written in heaven.
[20] II Thessalonians 3:10
[21] ACNA includes Luke 10:12-15
[22] Tabitha is directly stated to be a disciple and many other women acted as disciples of Jesus throughout the Gospels.
[23] Joseph of Arimathea is stated to be a member of the council—often considered a synonym for the Sanhedrin, either as a Pharisee or Sadducee— “who had not consented to their decision and action”.
[24] As does Luke 9:1-6
[25] Some Greek manuscripts state that 70 disciples were sent while others state it was 72.
[26] Shabbat 88b.3
[27] Sukkah 55b.9
[28] These became the prototype on which the Sanhedrin was built.
[29] The Hebrew reads יְהוָה יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד literally translate, “God will reign forever” while the Greek Septuagint translates Exodus 15:18 as κύριος βασιλεύων τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ ἐπ αἰῶνα καὶ ἔτι where the Greek verb βασιλεύω is in the present active tense, indicating the understanding that God is actively and eternally reigning, both now and forever.
[30] Yoma 86b.2
[31] Numbers 18; Deuteronomy 14
[32] Matthew 7:16
[33] Isaiah 23; Ezekiel 28; Amos 1:9-10
[34] Isaiah 14:12-15
[35] The 5th century church built in Capernaum is thought to be built on the site of Peter (or Peter’s mother-in-law) house—used as a meeting place for Jesus' disciples.
[36] Genesis 8:20-21
[37] Exodus 29:18, 25, 41; Leviticus 1:9, 13, 17, 2:2, 9, 12, 3:5 (Leviticus 1-23); Numbers 15, 28-29
[38] Leviticus 26:31
[39] The Yom Kippur sacrifice is the closest to a sacrificial atonement for sin in the Scriptures, and even then the sin was to be placed on the live goat.
[40] Isaiah 59:14-16
[41] Isaiah 66:4