Proper 20
Preaching
Preaching And Reading The Old Testament Lessons
With an Eye to the New
We live in a society in which the role of women has become very ambiguous. The modern "women's movement" has influenced every area of our lives in its call for equal opportunities and status for females. In all but the most conservative denominations, women's call for equality has affected the church's language and worship, its doctrine and ethics and polity. In society at large, it has altered the practices of home and business, social circle and school. The women's movement could be called the major revolution of our time.
The progress that such movement has made for women in gaining equal status with males is certainly to be applauded. From the beginning, the scriptures portray male and female as mutual helpers, corresponding to one another (Genesis 2:18), and equal in their possession of the image of God (Genesis 1:26--28). Women's subordination to men is the result only of sinful disobedience of God (Genesis 3:16), a subordination that is then healed and overcome in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:28).
As the women's movement has developed among the more radical feminists, however, many Christian women have become uncomfortable with some of its aspects - with its turn away from biblical foundations, with its struggle for power, with its concentration on women's selves rather than on Christ, and indeed, with its sometimes deep--seated hatred of everything male. This text for the morning from Proverbs 31 may therefore serve both as a support and as a corrective of the female struggle for equality.
If we compare verse 1 to 3:15 and 8:11, we see that we are dealing in our text with a wife who embodies Wisdom in her person. The portrayal forms a sharp contrast to the picture of the beautiful wife "without discretion" (11:22), with the "contentious wife" of 21:9, 19, and with the "loose woman" of 22:14. This woman is wise.
Perhaps most notable about this "good wife" is the fact that her family life is firm and solid. Her husband "trusts" her, she "does him good" (31:11--12), and both her spouse and her children bless and praise her (vv. 28--29). This is not a woman out for herself or interested only in her own well--being. This is a woman who knows how to live wisely in the blessed community of the family.
While this woman is in charge of her household, diligently pursuing the wifely tasks of spinning, weaving, sewing, and providing food, any thought that she is subservient to a patriarchal subordination crumbles before her roles outside of her home. She secures food from a market economy (v. 14), she engages in real estate transactions (v. 16), and she sells some of the produce of her labor (vv. 18, 24). In the society around her, she ministers to the poor and needy (v. 20). She is strong, dignified, unafraid, and kind (vv. 25--26), one with whom we think we would like to be friends and associates.
She is obviously a fairly wealthy woman, supervising maid--servants (v. 15) and clothing her family in fine clothing (v. 21). But it is her character and her actions within home and society that add beneficently to her husband's reputation and well--being in the community (vv. 11, 23). Far from gaining her status and importance from the actions of her husband, as used to be the case in our society, this wise woman's comportment and deeds add to her husband's reputation. Obviously he is the kind of man who can have such a fine wife. Her demeanor and doings vouch for and speak well of him. Would that it were so in all of our homes today!
Summing up the lesson of Wisdom, our text then says that this woman "fears the Lord," which is the basis of all wise living through--out the Book of Proverbs (v. 30). Her actions, her demeanor, her person are rooted in her obedience and trust of her Lord. She therefore has fullness of life.
Lutheran Option: Jeremiah 11:18--20
This is the earliest of the passages known as "the confessions of Jeremiah," which are found scattered through chapters 11 to 20 of his collected oracles. (For the others, see 12:1--6; 15:10--12; 15:15--21; 17:14--18; 18:18--23; 20:7--12; 20:14--18.) Jeremiah's ministry lasted from 626 to 585 B.C., and our stated text probably dates from very early in that ministry, from some time in the period of 622 to 609 B.C.
This passage reflects the fact that the mission to which Jeremiah was called was to stand "against the whole land" in his message of judgment on his sinful people (1:18), and it portrays the opposition which he immediately encountered. Initially Jeremiah carried on his preaching in his hometown of Anathoth, which was located three and a half miles north/northeast of Jerusalem. In that preaching, he attacked the false piety (12:2), the idolatry (e.g. 2:4--13), the unrighteousness (5:1--9), the indifference, and the refusal of his compatriots to repent (2:23--28, 29--32). Not surprisingly, the townspeople of Anathoth, his friends, and even his own family (cf. 12:6) turned against him. In fact, our text reveals that they schemed to kill him in order to silence him (11:19).
At first, Jeremiah was unaware of the plot against his life (v. 19ab), accepting at face value the supposedly friendly words and advice of those around him (12:6). However, the Lord made him aware of the danger (11:18; 12:6) and Jeremiah apparently fled to Jerusalem for safety (cf. 12:6), where most of the rest of his ministry was carried out.
In response to the threat from his townspeople and relatives, Jeremiah uttered the prayer to God that we find in verse 20. He wants vengeance on those who seek his life, but we should note very carefully that he does not take vengeful action into his own hands. Instead, he turns his case over to the Lord, asking God to punish the evildoers and committing his cause totally to the Lord. He knows that God judges righteously (v. 20); he knows that God sees what is in his heart and mind (12:3). And Jeremiah trusts God. He knows that God will do what is necessary.
Though none of us is a prophet, Jeremiah's action in turning over his case to God is a valuable lesson for us when we find ourselves in some dispute or potentially violent confrontation. We all have our hatreds, don't we? They arise when some person injures our pride, or attacks our person or property or loved ones. They sneak in on us when we hold grudges and disapprove of others' actions and disagree with others' positions. And Jeremiah's course forms a wise way of response.
First, there is no cheap forgiveness here. Far too often in our society, someone commits the most egregious wrong and then expects to be immediately forgiven. But Jeremiah knows, as the whole Bible knows, that there really is evil, and Jeremiah knows that God hates evil. Indeed, so real is evil that it cost the life of God's Son. Our prophet knows that God, who is a righteous Judge, will punish evil, and Jeremiah calls for that punishment.
In turning over his case to God, however, Jeremiah takes punishment and vengeance out of his own hands and places them in the hands of that righteous but also loving Husband and Father of Israel (cf. 3:19--20). There, in the wisdom of God, the case will be dealt with. What God will do is up to him, but Jeremiah knows that God will act, and in that Jeremiah rests.
Anyone who follows such a course has a marvelous freedom from the hatred that so tears at our inner selves, the freedom from resentment and judgment that cut us off from our fellow human beings, and above all, the freedom to go ahead and do the tasks that God has called us to do, free from the burdens and ills of the past. It is quite true that in our Lord, we have perfect freedom.
The progress that such movement has made for women in gaining equal status with males is certainly to be applauded. From the beginning, the scriptures portray male and female as mutual helpers, corresponding to one another (Genesis 2:18), and equal in their possession of the image of God (Genesis 1:26--28). Women's subordination to men is the result only of sinful disobedience of God (Genesis 3:16), a subordination that is then healed and overcome in Jesus Christ (Galatians 2:28).
As the women's movement has developed among the more radical feminists, however, many Christian women have become uncomfortable with some of its aspects - with its turn away from biblical foundations, with its struggle for power, with its concentration on women's selves rather than on Christ, and indeed, with its sometimes deep--seated hatred of everything male. This text for the morning from Proverbs 31 may therefore serve both as a support and as a corrective of the female struggle for equality.
If we compare verse 1 to 3:15 and 8:11, we see that we are dealing in our text with a wife who embodies Wisdom in her person. The portrayal forms a sharp contrast to the picture of the beautiful wife "without discretion" (11:22), with the "contentious wife" of 21:9, 19, and with the "loose woman" of 22:14. This woman is wise.
Perhaps most notable about this "good wife" is the fact that her family life is firm and solid. Her husband "trusts" her, she "does him good" (31:11--12), and both her spouse and her children bless and praise her (vv. 28--29). This is not a woman out for herself or interested only in her own well--being. This is a woman who knows how to live wisely in the blessed community of the family.
While this woman is in charge of her household, diligently pursuing the wifely tasks of spinning, weaving, sewing, and providing food, any thought that she is subservient to a patriarchal subordination crumbles before her roles outside of her home. She secures food from a market economy (v. 14), she engages in real estate transactions (v. 16), and she sells some of the produce of her labor (vv. 18, 24). In the society around her, she ministers to the poor and needy (v. 20). She is strong, dignified, unafraid, and kind (vv. 25--26), one with whom we think we would like to be friends and associates.
She is obviously a fairly wealthy woman, supervising maid--servants (v. 15) and clothing her family in fine clothing (v. 21). But it is her character and her actions within home and society that add beneficently to her husband's reputation and well--being in the community (vv. 11, 23). Far from gaining her status and importance from the actions of her husband, as used to be the case in our society, this wise woman's comportment and deeds add to her husband's reputation. Obviously he is the kind of man who can have such a fine wife. Her demeanor and doings vouch for and speak well of him. Would that it were so in all of our homes today!
Summing up the lesson of Wisdom, our text then says that this woman "fears the Lord," which is the basis of all wise living through--out the Book of Proverbs (v. 30). Her actions, her demeanor, her person are rooted in her obedience and trust of her Lord. She therefore has fullness of life.
Lutheran Option: Jeremiah 11:18--20
This is the earliest of the passages known as "the confessions of Jeremiah," which are found scattered through chapters 11 to 20 of his collected oracles. (For the others, see 12:1--6; 15:10--12; 15:15--21; 17:14--18; 18:18--23; 20:7--12; 20:14--18.) Jeremiah's ministry lasted from 626 to 585 B.C., and our stated text probably dates from very early in that ministry, from some time in the period of 622 to 609 B.C.
This passage reflects the fact that the mission to which Jeremiah was called was to stand "against the whole land" in his message of judgment on his sinful people (1:18), and it portrays the opposition which he immediately encountered. Initially Jeremiah carried on his preaching in his hometown of Anathoth, which was located three and a half miles north/northeast of Jerusalem. In that preaching, he attacked the false piety (12:2), the idolatry (e.g. 2:4--13), the unrighteousness (5:1--9), the indifference, and the refusal of his compatriots to repent (2:23--28, 29--32). Not surprisingly, the townspeople of Anathoth, his friends, and even his own family (cf. 12:6) turned against him. In fact, our text reveals that they schemed to kill him in order to silence him (11:19).
At first, Jeremiah was unaware of the plot against his life (v. 19ab), accepting at face value the supposedly friendly words and advice of those around him (12:6). However, the Lord made him aware of the danger (11:18; 12:6) and Jeremiah apparently fled to Jerusalem for safety (cf. 12:6), where most of the rest of his ministry was carried out.
In response to the threat from his townspeople and relatives, Jeremiah uttered the prayer to God that we find in verse 20. He wants vengeance on those who seek his life, but we should note very carefully that he does not take vengeful action into his own hands. Instead, he turns his case over to the Lord, asking God to punish the evildoers and committing his cause totally to the Lord. He knows that God judges righteously (v. 20); he knows that God sees what is in his heart and mind (12:3). And Jeremiah trusts God. He knows that God will do what is necessary.
Though none of us is a prophet, Jeremiah's action in turning over his case to God is a valuable lesson for us when we find ourselves in some dispute or potentially violent confrontation. We all have our hatreds, don't we? They arise when some person injures our pride, or attacks our person or property or loved ones. They sneak in on us when we hold grudges and disapprove of others' actions and disagree with others' positions. And Jeremiah's course forms a wise way of response.
First, there is no cheap forgiveness here. Far too often in our society, someone commits the most egregious wrong and then expects to be immediately forgiven. But Jeremiah knows, as the whole Bible knows, that there really is evil, and Jeremiah knows that God hates evil. Indeed, so real is evil that it cost the life of God's Son. Our prophet knows that God, who is a righteous Judge, will punish evil, and Jeremiah calls for that punishment.
In turning over his case to God, however, Jeremiah takes punishment and vengeance out of his own hands and places them in the hands of that righteous but also loving Husband and Father of Israel (cf. 3:19--20). There, in the wisdom of God, the case will be dealt with. What God will do is up to him, but Jeremiah knows that God will act, and in that Jeremiah rests.
Anyone who follows such a course has a marvelous freedom from the hatred that so tears at our inner selves, the freedom from resentment and judgment that cut us off from our fellow human beings, and above all, the freedom to go ahead and do the tasks that God has called us to do, free from the burdens and ills of the past. It is quite true that in our Lord, we have perfect freedom.
