EASTER 5
Worship
Scripture Notes
For use with Common, Lutheran and Roman Catholic Lectionaries
The Gospel reading for Easter 5 begins the transition from Easter to Ascension and Pentecost activities, or perhaps, in Fourth Gospel terminology, we should say to Jesus' absence and anticipated return. With texts dominated by the Gospel According to John, Acts of Apostles, and 1 Peter, we shall not have a Matthean Gospel account again until Trinity Sunday.
Common:
Psalm 31:1-8
Psalm 31 might be said to be actually two psalms, two individual laments, 31:1-8 and 31:9-24. In each there is the theme of not only the suffering and deliverance of the psalmist, but also of the absence and the return of the Lord. When the Lord is absent, the psalmist is in distress. When the Lord is present, the psalmist is delivered. It is this relationship between the psalmist's condition and the absence and return of the Lord that makes Psalm 31:1-8, and every other individual lament psalm, appropriate for use with Fourth Gospel reflections over the absence and the presence of Jesus as the Lord.
Lutheran: Psalm 33:1-11
Roman Catholic: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
In this beautiful Israelite Community Hymn of Praise, the community is called to worship (1-3), Yahweh's word and works are acclaimed (4-5), and Yahweh's activities are described (6-11, 18-19) in terminology that is reminiscent of Genesis 1:3-31. This Israelite Hymn of Praise of Yahweh as Creator and Counselor of the community of faith as well as of the universe can easily be associated with the Fourth Gospel acclamations of Jesus as pre-existent Creator and Counselor, particularly when we are aware of the many analogies between Yahweh and Jesus as Lord.
Common:
Acts 7:55-60
Through this use of Acts 7:55-60 on Easter 5, separate from the distractions of the vicious, defamatory name-calling of 7:51-54, we have a preview of the Ascension theme of Jesus at the right hand of God and of the Christian Pentecost theme of followers of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit. In this text, the Lukan writer also introduced Saul into the literary drama, presenting him as a young man who watched approvingly while Stephen was being stoned to death.
Lutheran: Acts 17:1-15
This would be an appropriate text for use on Easter 5 if we would limit the reading to 17:1-4. In these first four verses, we have the basic proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus suffered and died and was raised from the dead, and that some people, including some of Jewish background and many of Greek (non-Jewish) background, accepted this message and joined with Paul and Silas. The remaining verses of this selection (17:5-15) add little to this except anti-Jewish polemic. Even if the inspired writer of Luke-Acts accurately portrayed in this story the situation of antagonism between Jews in Macedonia who did not accept the Christian message and those who did, the recital of this story about that antagonism is not needed in Christian congregations during the last decades of the twentieth century, particularly when it distracts from the proclamation of the gospel by drawing our attention elsewhere.
Roman Catholic: Acts 6:1-7
In this text, which begins Act II of the Lukan literary drama, Acts of Apostles (Acts 6:1--12:24), the Lukan playwright introduced the second set characters, seven reputable men for a ministry of service. Only the first two of them in the Lukan writer's list of characters, however, were given significant roles to play in this Act II of the Lukan literary drama.
Common:
1 Peter 2:2-10
Lutheran: 1 Peter 2:4-10
Roman Catholic: 1 Peter 2:4-9
Isaiah tradition and Psalm tradition texts are used in this selection in order to draw attention to Jesus the Christ as the living stone of great value for those who believe in him. As in other uses of 1 Peter texts, it would be helpful if we would announce to the congregation that the people to whom this epistle was addressed apparently were predominantly of Gentile background, even though the writer was probably of Jewish background. 1 Peter 2:9-10 are most appropriate for Christians who are "first generation" Christians, rather than for those who were born into Christian families. This text, therefore, is most applicable in places where the church is growing rapidly and where Christians are being persecuted.
Common:
John 14:1-14
Lutheran, Roman Catholic: John 14:1-12
Even though these verses may have been at one time primarily intended as instructions for followers of Jesus who had gnosticizing tendencies, as - we see in the names of those (Thomas and Philip) who question the Johannine Jesus in this account, the text remains instructive and comforting also for us today, especially verses 1-3. The place to which Jesus will go and from which Jesus will return is depicted in rather tangible ways as spacious and well-prepared, though nevertheless in rather vague terms. We may be grateful that the contention between the Johannine community and gnosticizing Christians generated much of the text. We certainly prefer the situation depicted here to the non-physical expectations of the gnosticizing Christians, even though we deplore the killing of the gnosticizing Christians by orthodox Christians, once the latter could utilize the power of the Roman Empire and its oppressive capability during the fourth century.
In retrospect, we must say that it is unfortunate that the claim is made in John 14:6 that no one can go to the Father except through the Johannine Jesus. Most Christians who use this verse today as biblical justification for their "one wayism" posturing do not realize how narrowly sectarian was the community that provided John 14:6 for us. It is apparent that the members who were the leaders of the Johannine Community did not think that other followers of Jesus such as the much more numerous members of communities who used the Synoptic traditions could "go to the Father." Their exclusivistic claim was not made for the Jesus of history, or for Jesus as Jesus was perceived and proclaimed by followers of Jesus within the Synoptic communities. Their exclusivistic claim was made for the Johannine Jesus. For them, the Johannine Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Gate into the Sheepfold, the Light of the world, etc. As the members of the Johannine Community broke fellowship with those who would not tolerate their narrow exclusiveness, the Community's claims for their view of Jesus were further exaggerated, as even a superficial comparison of how Jesus is portrayed in the Fourth Gospel as compared with the Synoptics indicates. Then, in its isolation, the Johannine Community desired oneness with the followers of Jesus who were in the Synoptic communities, but on the terms of the Johannine Community and its claims of exclusiveness, as we see in the "High Priestly Prayer" of the Johannine Jesus in John 17.
How then shall we proclaim Jesus next Sunday? Perhaps we would do well to go all the way back to the Jesus of history who pointed more effectively to God than anyone else ever has, rather than to go back no farther than to the Johannine Jesus who is said by the Johannine Community to have pointed to himself. Or, at least we should recognize and proclaim that the Johannine Jesus is God, and as God is, of course, the Way and the Truth and the Life for us, and for everyone.
Common:
Psalm 31:1-8
Psalm 31 might be said to be actually two psalms, two individual laments, 31:1-8 and 31:9-24. In each there is the theme of not only the suffering and deliverance of the psalmist, but also of the absence and the return of the Lord. When the Lord is absent, the psalmist is in distress. When the Lord is present, the psalmist is delivered. It is this relationship between the psalmist's condition and the absence and return of the Lord that makes Psalm 31:1-8, and every other individual lament psalm, appropriate for use with Fourth Gospel reflections over the absence and the presence of Jesus as the Lord.
Lutheran: Psalm 33:1-11
Roman Catholic: Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 18-19
In this beautiful Israelite Community Hymn of Praise, the community is called to worship (1-3), Yahweh's word and works are acclaimed (4-5), and Yahweh's activities are described (6-11, 18-19) in terminology that is reminiscent of Genesis 1:3-31. This Israelite Hymn of Praise of Yahweh as Creator and Counselor of the community of faith as well as of the universe can easily be associated with the Fourth Gospel acclamations of Jesus as pre-existent Creator and Counselor, particularly when we are aware of the many analogies between Yahweh and Jesus as Lord.
Common:
Acts 7:55-60
Through this use of Acts 7:55-60 on Easter 5, separate from the distractions of the vicious, defamatory name-calling of 7:51-54, we have a preview of the Ascension theme of Jesus at the right hand of God and of the Christian Pentecost theme of followers of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit. In this text, the Lukan writer also introduced Saul into the literary drama, presenting him as a young man who watched approvingly while Stephen was being stoned to death.
Lutheran: Acts 17:1-15
This would be an appropriate text for use on Easter 5 if we would limit the reading to 17:1-4. In these first four verses, we have the basic proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, that Jesus suffered and died and was raised from the dead, and that some people, including some of Jewish background and many of Greek (non-Jewish) background, accepted this message and joined with Paul and Silas. The remaining verses of this selection (17:5-15) add little to this except anti-Jewish polemic. Even if the inspired writer of Luke-Acts accurately portrayed in this story the situation of antagonism between Jews in Macedonia who did not accept the Christian message and those who did, the recital of this story about that antagonism is not needed in Christian congregations during the last decades of the twentieth century, particularly when it distracts from the proclamation of the gospel by drawing our attention elsewhere.
Roman Catholic: Acts 6:1-7
In this text, which begins Act II of the Lukan literary drama, Acts of Apostles (Acts 6:1--12:24), the Lukan playwright introduced the second set characters, seven reputable men for a ministry of service. Only the first two of them in the Lukan writer's list of characters, however, were given significant roles to play in this Act II of the Lukan literary drama.
Common:
1 Peter 2:2-10
Lutheran: 1 Peter 2:4-10
Roman Catholic: 1 Peter 2:4-9
Isaiah tradition and Psalm tradition texts are used in this selection in order to draw attention to Jesus the Christ as the living stone of great value for those who believe in him. As in other uses of 1 Peter texts, it would be helpful if we would announce to the congregation that the people to whom this epistle was addressed apparently were predominantly of Gentile background, even though the writer was probably of Jewish background. 1 Peter 2:9-10 are most appropriate for Christians who are "first generation" Christians, rather than for those who were born into Christian families. This text, therefore, is most applicable in places where the church is growing rapidly and where Christians are being persecuted.
Common:
John 14:1-14
Lutheran, Roman Catholic: John 14:1-12
Even though these verses may have been at one time primarily intended as instructions for followers of Jesus who had gnosticizing tendencies, as - we see in the names of those (Thomas and Philip) who question the Johannine Jesus in this account, the text remains instructive and comforting also for us today, especially verses 1-3. The place to which Jesus will go and from which Jesus will return is depicted in rather tangible ways as spacious and well-prepared, though nevertheless in rather vague terms. We may be grateful that the contention between the Johannine community and gnosticizing Christians generated much of the text. We certainly prefer the situation depicted here to the non-physical expectations of the gnosticizing Christians, even though we deplore the killing of the gnosticizing Christians by orthodox Christians, once the latter could utilize the power of the Roman Empire and its oppressive capability during the fourth century.
In retrospect, we must say that it is unfortunate that the claim is made in John 14:6 that no one can go to the Father except through the Johannine Jesus. Most Christians who use this verse today as biblical justification for their "one wayism" posturing do not realize how narrowly sectarian was the community that provided John 14:6 for us. It is apparent that the members who were the leaders of the Johannine Community did not think that other followers of Jesus such as the much more numerous members of communities who used the Synoptic traditions could "go to the Father." Their exclusivistic claim was not made for the Jesus of history, or for Jesus as Jesus was perceived and proclaimed by followers of Jesus within the Synoptic communities. Their exclusivistic claim was made for the Johannine Jesus. For them, the Johannine Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the Gate into the Sheepfold, the Light of the world, etc. As the members of the Johannine Community broke fellowship with those who would not tolerate their narrow exclusiveness, the Community's claims for their view of Jesus were further exaggerated, as even a superficial comparison of how Jesus is portrayed in the Fourth Gospel as compared with the Synoptics indicates. Then, in its isolation, the Johannine Community desired oneness with the followers of Jesus who were in the Synoptic communities, but on the terms of the Johannine Community and its claims of exclusiveness, as we see in the "High Priestly Prayer" of the Johannine Jesus in John 17.
How then shall we proclaim Jesus next Sunday? Perhaps we would do well to go all the way back to the Jesus of history who pointed more effectively to God than anyone else ever has, rather than to go back no farther than to the Johannine Jesus who is said by the Johannine Community to have pointed to himself. Or, at least we should recognize and proclaim that the Johannine Jesus is God, and as God is, of course, the Way and the Truth and the Life for us, and for everyone.
