The Daily Lectionary with Commentary
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Seeking, Encountering,
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Seeking, Encountering,
and Experiencing the Divine
Psalm 42; Exodus 19:9b-25; Matthew 9:2-8
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)
Introduction
Psalm 42; Exodus 19:9b-25; Matthew 9:2-8
(Revised Common Lectionary Year A)
(Semi-continuous Reading Plan)
Introduction
The human quest to understand the divine has been an age-old journey, a spiritual pilgrimage through the terrains of faith, awe, and transformation. The passages we explore here—Psalm 42, Exodus 19:9b-25, and Matthew 9:2-8—provide rich insights into this journey. These scriptures, while diverse in their contexts and messages, share a common thread: the intricate relationship between humanity and the divine.
A Psalm and A Prayer
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 42
Hope in God the rock
Responsive Readings from the Psalms and Prayers
for Public Worship and Private Devotions
Psalm 42
Hope in God the rock
Psalm 42 is a poignant, heartfelt cry of spiritual longing and existential thirst. Traditionally attributed to the sons of Korah, this psalm captures the essence of the soul's yearning for God, particularly during times of despair and isolation. The recurring image of a deer panting for water is a powerful metaphor that encapsulates the psalmist's deep spiritual thirst for the living God. This psalm speaks to those who are in the wilderness of life, feeling distant from God and yearning for a sense of His presence. It teaches us that it is okay to pour out our deepest emotions before God, to admit our spiritual drought, and to earnestly seek His face. For all who feel distant from divine love, or are navigating the treacherous waters of doubt and despair, Psalm 42 stands as a testament that you are not alone in your spiritual journey.1 As the deer longs for the water-brooks, *
so longs my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; *
when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, *
while all day long they say to me,
“Where now is your God?”
4 I pour out my soul when I think on these things; *
how I went with the multitude and led them into the
house of God,
5 With the voice of praise and thanksgiving, *
among those who keep holy-day.
6 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
7 Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
8 My soul is heavy within me; *
therefore I will remember you from the land of Jordan,
and from the peak of Mizar among the heights of Hermon.
9 One deep calls to another in the noise of your cataracts; *
all your rapids and floods have gone over me.
10 The LORD grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; *
in the night season his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.
11 I will say to the God of my strength,
“Why have you forgotten me? *
and why do I go so heavily while the enemy
oppresses me?”
12 While my bones are being broken, *
my enemies mock me to my face;
13 All day long they mock me *
and say to me, “Where now is your God?”
14 Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? *
and why are you so disquieted within me?
15 Put your trust in God; *
for I will yet give thanks to him,
who is the help of my countenance, and my God.
O Lord, my God, just as the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul thirsts for You, O living God. In the dry places of my life, in the barren fields of my heart, I yearn for Your presence, O Lord.
When can I go to meet You? When will I stand in Your sanctuary, in the house where love abides and peace rains down? Tears have been my food, O God, day and night, as I hear others say, "Where is your God?"
I remember, O Lord, how I used to go with the multitude leading them in procession to Your house, with shouts of joy and songs of praise. Why am I so downcast? Why so disturbed within me? I will yet hope in You, my Savior and my God.
My soul is downcast within me; therefore, I remember You—From the lands of doubt to the heights of faith, from the valley of despair to the mountain of hope. Your love, O Lord, is a never-ending river; Your faithfulness like a fountain that never runs dry.
At the break of day, Your love comes to me, and by night, Your song is with me—a prayer to You, O God of my life. Yet I say, O God my rock, why have You forgotten me? Why must I walk around in sorrow, oppressed by my enemies? Their taunts cut through me like a sword as they say, "Where is your God?"
Why are you so downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God; For I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
Be with us today and every day in Jesus Christ, Who taught us to pray:
“Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
Exodus 19:9b-25 marks a pivotal moment in the Hebrew Bible where God prepares to establish a covenant with the people of Israel. The setting is Mount Sinai, a sacred place that serves as the backdrop for the Israelites' encounter with the divine. This text illustrates the extraordinary precautions and preparations that are made to ensure the people understand the gravity and sanctity of God's presence and words. This passage serves as a prelude to the giving of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, laying the groundwork for the Israelites' new life as a community bound by God's law.9b …“I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.” Then Moses told the Lord what the people had said.
10 And the Lord said to Moses, “Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes 11 and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 Put limits for the people around the mountain and tell them, ‘Be careful that you do not approach the mountain or touch the foot of it. Whoever touches the mountain is to be put to death. 13 They are to be stoned or shot with arrows; not a hand is to be laid on them. No person or animal shall be permitted to live.’ Only when the ram’s horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain.”
14 After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. 15 Then he said to the people, “Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations.”
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him.
20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up 21 and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. 22 Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.”
23 Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’”
24 The Lord replied, “Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them.”
25 So Moses went down to the people and told them.
Commentary
Verse 9b
God's decision to appear in a dense cloud serves multiple purposes. Not only does it shield the divine presence, but it also serves as an auditory witness to the people of Israel. God wants to ensure that the Israelites trust Moses as their intermediary.
Verses 10-11
These verses emphasize the need for consecration and purification before the Israelites can approach God. It marks the event as supremely holy, requiring physical and ritual preparation.
Verses 12-13
Boundaries are established around Mount Sinai. Anyone who crosses the boundary or touches the mountain is to be put to death or stoned, whether human or animal. This highlights the danger and awe associated with God's direct presence.
Verses 14-15
Moses conveys God's instructions to the people, who commit to their purification. This sets a model for the ritualistic purification needed before entering sacred spaces in many religious traditions.
Verses 16-19
The physical phenomena—thunder, lightning, cloud, and loud trumpet noise—are not just theatrical effects but aim to instill a sense of awe and sanctity. They serve as cosmic signals of a divine event.
Verses 20-25
Moses is allowed to approach God, but even he has limitations placed upon him. The priests, although consecrated, are also warned to keep their distance until called. This again emphasizes the gravity and sanctity of God's presence.
Conclusion
Exodus 19:9b-25 stands as a monument to the awe-inspiring holiness of God, setting the stage for the Israelites' covenantal relationship with their Creator. It lays out in detail the preparations required to approach the Divine, underscoring the theme of God's "otherness" and sanctity. These verses serve as a prologue to the giving of the Ten Commandments, teaching us that receiving the law is not just a legal event but a deeply spiritual one, demanding reverence, preparation, and a sense of holy fear.
The Gospel of Matthew 9:2-8 presents an extraordinary episode in the life of Jesus where He performs a miracle that serves multiple functions: healing a paralytic man and forgiving his sins. This passage, a clear testament to Jesus' divine authority, pushes the boundaries of first-century Jewish understanding of who can forgive sins. It raises the stakes considerably in the dialogue between Jesus and the religious authorities, while at the same time, deepening our insight into Jesus' mission and His claims to divinity.2 Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.”
3 At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”
4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 Then the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.
Commentary
Verse 2
The faith of the men who bring the paralyzed man to Jesus is immediately acknowledged by Jesus Himself. This reflects the communal aspect of faith, where the faith of some can bring blessings to others. More strikingly, Jesus doesn't first address the man's obvious physical condition but speaks of forgiveness, pointing to a deeper reality of human need.
Verse 3
The religious teachers see Jesus' claim to forgive sins as blasphemous. According to Jewish law and belief, only God can forgive sins. By claiming this authority, Jesus is either speaking a profound truth about His identity or committing a grave sin, in their view.
Verse 4-5
Jesus directly confronts the thoughts of the teachers of the law, thus displaying a supernatural understanding. He presents a challenge: What is easier to say? Either statement, if without divine backing, is equally empty. But Jesus is about to prove that His words have power.
Verse 6
Here, Jesus not only claims the authority to forgive sins but also demonstrates it through a miraculous healing. The term "Son of Man" is significant; it carries messianic undertones from the Old Testament, particularly from the book of Daniel. Jesus is establishing His identity as the Messiah and asserting His divine authority.
Verse 7
The man is healed and goes home, serving as living proof of Jesus' divine authority to both heal physical ailments and forgive sins.
Verse 8
The crowds are filled with awe, and they praise God. Whether they fully understood the implications of Jesus' authority to forgive sins is not clear, but they certainly recognize that something divine has occurred.
Conclusion
Matthew 9:2-8 challenges our understanding of Jesus, inviting us to see Him not just as a healer but also as one with the divine authority to forgive sins. This passage presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies, equipped with the divine prerogative to address both the physical and spiritual maladies that afflict humanity. It also serves as a powerful testament to the potency of faith and the limitless possibilities that open up when we bring our needs before Jesus, who is the ultimate authority over both the material and spiritual realms.
Optional parts of the readings are set off in [square brackets.]
The Bible texts of the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel lessons are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Responsive Readings from the Common Book of Prayer (1789). Commentaries are by Rev. Kenny Sallee, ThM.
The Daily Lectionary is a three year cyclical lectionary. We are currently in Year A. Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent in 2023, we will be in Year B. The year which ended at Advent 2022 was Year A. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect and digest on what they heard in worship. Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright © 2005 Consultation on Common Texts. www.commontexts.org
The Daily Lectionary with Commentary for Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Seeking, Encountering, and Experiencing the Divine
Psalm 42; Exodus 19:9b-25; Matthew 9:2-8
The human quest to understand the divine has been an age-old journey, a spiritual pilgrimage through the terrains of faith, awe, and transformation. The passages we explore here—Psalm 42, Exodus 19:9b-25, and Matthew 9:2-8—provide rich insights into this journey. These scriptures, while diverse in their contexts and messages, share a common thread: the intricate relationship between humanity and the divine.
