Proper 19
Preaching
Preaching And Reading The Old Testament Lessons
With an Eye to the New
In chapters 1--9 of the Book of Proverbs, the figure of Wisdom is personified as a woman. Scholars have long debated the origin or source of this personification. Some have maintained, especially on the basis of Proverbs 8:22--36, that the figure is intended as a hypostasis or representation of God, in female form, speaking and acting on behalf of the divine and equal to him. Thus there has grown up in some denominations, especially among some radical feminists, small circles of Sophia worshipers, "Sophia" being the Greek word for "Wisdom." Other scholars have attributed the female figure of Wisdom to an imitation of foreign goddesses, such as the Egyptian Maat or the Sumerian Inanni (Ishtar), and some radical feminists have included the rituals of the worship of such pagan goddesses in their liturgies. Most recently and most likely, the female figure of Wisdom is a personification of the ways of wise women mentioned throughout the scriptures, combined with the postexilic view of Wisdom as a mediator between God and the people of Israel. Most certainly in Proverbs, the female figure is intended neither as a divine being nor as a figure equal with God, and the worship of her is blatant idolatry. In Proverbs 8:22 and in the later book of Wisdom, she is the first act of God's creation and can be understood simply as a personification of the "plan" of God whereby he created the universe. As in all of Wisdom theology, personified Wisdom stands for the orders of nature and human life set into his creation by the Lord.
In Proverbs 1--9, Wisdom is portrayed in various roles: in our text as one calling or preaching in the streets; as a guide, guardian, and conversationalist (6:22); as a sister or intimate friend (7:4); as a hostess inviting to her table (9:1--6). In our scripture lesson, Wisdom therefore raises her voice in the markets and from the walls and gates, chastising those who will not listen to or absorb her knowledge. They are fools; they will not learn the ways of God's creation. It reminds one of our folly in building cities and atomic power plants on the site of earthquake faults, or of constructing houses on flood plains or on barrier islands subject to hurricanes. Indeed, it calls into question our whole rape and corruption of the natural world. But it also calls us to answer for our foolishness in human relations, for our adultery and easy promiscuity, our greed in commerce, our absorption with ourselves and neglect of our neighbors; our unwillingness to forgive and our prejudice toward those who are different or outside of our social circle. Our Lord Jesus had a good deal to say about such foolish neglect of the ways of Wisdom, and he often included Wisdom sayings in his teaching (cf. Matthew 11:25--26; 24:45 and parallel; 25:2--13).
In our lesson, Wisdom is portrayed as laughing and scorning those who have ignored her teaching and suffered the evil consequences, verses 26--32, which is a rather vindictive note that we often mirror in our saying, "He got what was coming to him." While verse 28 reminds us of Amos 8:11--12, it does not adequately portray the pathos of God, as we find it in Genesis 6:6 or Micah 6:3. The God of the Old Testament, though he judges our wrong--doing, also agonizes and grieves over it (cf. Hosea 11:8--9), and finally his Son suffers for it and forgives it all from his cross.
Our text also makes it clear that the orders that God has set into human life and the natural world do not work automatically. The book of Job, which is a commentary on Wisdom theology, makes that quite evident. It is not the case that those who follow Wisdom teaching are automatically rewarded, and that those who do not automatically run afoul of the consequences. Rather, the orders that God has set into creation are sustained constantly by God's faithfulness. Therefore, throughout Proverbs it is the "fear of the Lord that is the beginning of Wisdom," a thought set forth in verse 29 of our text. The one who is truly wise observes not the mechanistic ways of the world, but the desire and will of God, as those are set forth in the scriptures. The wise person "fears" God, that is, obeys him, stands in awe of him, searches out his ways and will, in a constant daily companionship. Thus in the New Testament finally, Wisdom is given only through Jesus Christ, who is our wisdom, according to Paul (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30; cf. Colos--sians 2:2). We are, says Colossians, to "seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1--2). In our Lord Jesus, by the teaching and guidance of his Spirit, we find true wisdom.
We should also note that Wisdom teaching in the Bible has about it always a sense of humility. In Job 28:12, for example, it is acknowledged that despite all our technological and scientific skill, we cannot ourselves fully find wisdom. And the Apostle Paul tells us that "Now we see in a mirror dimly" and we know only "in part" (1 Corinthians 13:12). None of us can claim the full knowledge of God's will and ways, no matter how pious we may be, and none of us should ever make such a claim. Always we are dependent creatures, dependent on our daily communion in the Spirit with our Lord, who alone is "our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, 'Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord' " (1 Corinthians 1:30--31).
Lutheran Option: Isaiah 50:4--9a
This passage is the stated Old Testament lesson in the Revised Common Lectionary for Palm or Passion Sunday in all three cycles, A, B, and C. Because it has been expounded there, the preacher may want to refer to its treatment in back issues of Emphasis. Nevertheless, we shall deal with it here once more. Certainly the passage forms a companion piece to what was said above about humility in our treatment of Wisdom.
The text is familiarly known as the third Song of the Servant in the sixth century B.C. prophecies of the Second Isaiah (chs. 40--55). It is usually assigned to Passion Sunday because it seems so well to prefigure the suffering of our Lord during his passion and crucifixion, and his subsequent vindication in the resurrection.
Originally, the passage was intended by Second Isaiah as the role assigned by God to an ideal Israel, who was called to suffer on behalf of the nations (cf. Isaiah 52:13-53:12). However, it seems certain that the verses also reflect something of the suffering borne by the prophet and, indeed, by all true prophets, during their ministries.
For us, perhaps the most important point on this Sunday morning is to note the humility of the prophet and his dependence on God. Second Isaiah does not make up his words out of his own conscience, nor does he form them on the basis of what he sees happening in the world around him. Prophets do not "read the signs of the time" and come to their own conclusions. No. This prophet is a pupil. He is "taught." And God is his instructor. Each morning God wakens him and opens his ear, so that he may hear the words God gives him to proclaim.
Moreover, this prophet is a faithful messenger. When he preaches, he is scorned, as our Lord Jesus was scorned. His opponents pull his beard and spit in his face and take clubs to him. But that does not deter the prophet. He is God's faithful spokesman, and he proclaims the words that God gives him to speak, knowing that finally his words will be shown to be true as God works in the history of his people. That such trust was vindicated is shown by the fact that Second Isaiah's words, now preserved for us, were fulfilled by Christ.
But the prophet listens. Each morning he listens to God, to hear what God will say to him. And then he acts and speaks accordingly. Surely that is a worthy model for our Christian day--by--day lives. Each morning to get out of bed and to listen to God - to listen to his words as he speaks by his Holy Spirit to us through his scriptures; to meditate on the Word of God and to pray; to resolve by the help of God to do the Lord's will for the next 24 hours. That exercise of Christian discipline can set each one of us on the right path for the day and lead us in the way of God's life and will, and not in our own.
In Proverbs 1--9, Wisdom is portrayed in various roles: in our text as one calling or preaching in the streets; as a guide, guardian, and conversationalist (6:22); as a sister or intimate friend (7:4); as a hostess inviting to her table (9:1--6). In our scripture lesson, Wisdom therefore raises her voice in the markets and from the walls and gates, chastising those who will not listen to or absorb her knowledge. They are fools; they will not learn the ways of God's creation. It reminds one of our folly in building cities and atomic power plants on the site of earthquake faults, or of constructing houses on flood plains or on barrier islands subject to hurricanes. Indeed, it calls into question our whole rape and corruption of the natural world. But it also calls us to answer for our foolishness in human relations, for our adultery and easy promiscuity, our greed in commerce, our absorption with ourselves and neglect of our neighbors; our unwillingness to forgive and our prejudice toward those who are different or outside of our social circle. Our Lord Jesus had a good deal to say about such foolish neglect of the ways of Wisdom, and he often included Wisdom sayings in his teaching (cf. Matthew 11:25--26; 24:45 and parallel; 25:2--13).
In our lesson, Wisdom is portrayed as laughing and scorning those who have ignored her teaching and suffered the evil consequences, verses 26--32, which is a rather vindictive note that we often mirror in our saying, "He got what was coming to him." While verse 28 reminds us of Amos 8:11--12, it does not adequately portray the pathos of God, as we find it in Genesis 6:6 or Micah 6:3. The God of the Old Testament, though he judges our wrong--doing, also agonizes and grieves over it (cf. Hosea 11:8--9), and finally his Son suffers for it and forgives it all from his cross.
Our text also makes it clear that the orders that God has set into human life and the natural world do not work automatically. The book of Job, which is a commentary on Wisdom theology, makes that quite evident. It is not the case that those who follow Wisdom teaching are automatically rewarded, and that those who do not automatically run afoul of the consequences. Rather, the orders that God has set into creation are sustained constantly by God's faithfulness. Therefore, throughout Proverbs it is the "fear of the Lord that is the beginning of Wisdom," a thought set forth in verse 29 of our text. The one who is truly wise observes not the mechanistic ways of the world, but the desire and will of God, as those are set forth in the scriptures. The wise person "fears" God, that is, obeys him, stands in awe of him, searches out his ways and will, in a constant daily companionship. Thus in the New Testament finally, Wisdom is given only through Jesus Christ, who is our wisdom, according to Paul (1 Corinthians 1:24, 30; cf. Colos--sians 2:2). We are, says Colossians, to "seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1--2). In our Lord Jesus, by the teaching and guidance of his Spirit, we find true wisdom.
We should also note that Wisdom teaching in the Bible has about it always a sense of humility. In Job 28:12, for example, it is acknowledged that despite all our technological and scientific skill, we cannot ourselves fully find wisdom. And the Apostle Paul tells us that "Now we see in a mirror dimly" and we know only "in part" (1 Corinthians 13:12). None of us can claim the full knowledge of God's will and ways, no matter how pious we may be, and none of us should ever make such a claim. Always we are dependent creatures, dependent on our daily communion in the Spirit with our Lord, who alone is "our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, 'Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord' " (1 Corinthians 1:30--31).
Lutheran Option: Isaiah 50:4--9a
This passage is the stated Old Testament lesson in the Revised Common Lectionary for Palm or Passion Sunday in all three cycles, A, B, and C. Because it has been expounded there, the preacher may want to refer to its treatment in back issues of Emphasis. Nevertheless, we shall deal with it here once more. Certainly the passage forms a companion piece to what was said above about humility in our treatment of Wisdom.
The text is familiarly known as the third Song of the Servant in the sixth century B.C. prophecies of the Second Isaiah (chs. 40--55). It is usually assigned to Passion Sunday because it seems so well to prefigure the suffering of our Lord during his passion and crucifixion, and his subsequent vindication in the resurrection.
Originally, the passage was intended by Second Isaiah as the role assigned by God to an ideal Israel, who was called to suffer on behalf of the nations (cf. Isaiah 52:13-53:12). However, it seems certain that the verses also reflect something of the suffering borne by the prophet and, indeed, by all true prophets, during their ministries.
For us, perhaps the most important point on this Sunday morning is to note the humility of the prophet and his dependence on God. Second Isaiah does not make up his words out of his own conscience, nor does he form them on the basis of what he sees happening in the world around him. Prophets do not "read the signs of the time" and come to their own conclusions. No. This prophet is a pupil. He is "taught." And God is his instructor. Each morning God wakens him and opens his ear, so that he may hear the words God gives him to proclaim.
Moreover, this prophet is a faithful messenger. When he preaches, he is scorned, as our Lord Jesus was scorned. His opponents pull his beard and spit in his face and take clubs to him. But that does not deter the prophet. He is God's faithful spokesman, and he proclaims the words that God gives him to speak, knowing that finally his words will be shown to be true as God works in the history of his people. That such trust was vindicated is shown by the fact that Second Isaiah's words, now preserved for us, were fulfilled by Christ.
But the prophet listens. Each morning he listens to God, to hear what God will say to him. And then he acts and speaks accordingly. Surely that is a worthy model for our Christian day--by--day lives. Each morning to get out of bed and to listen to God - to listen to his words as he speaks by his Holy Spirit to us through his scriptures; to meditate on the Word of God and to pray; to resolve by the help of God to do the Lord's will for the next 24 hours. That exercise of Christian discipline can set each one of us on the right path for the day and lead us in the way of God's life and will, and not in our own.
