Thursday • 2/1/2024 •
Thursday of 4 Epiphany, Year Two
This morning’s Scriptures are: Psalm 70; Psalm 71; Genesis 23:1–20; Hebrews 11:32–12:2; John 6:60–71
This morning’s Canticles are: following the OT reading, Canticle 8 (“The Song of Moses,” Exodus 15, BCP, p. 85); following the Epistle reading, Canticle 19 (“The Song of the Redeemed,” Revelation 15:3–4, BCP, p. 94)
Welcome to Daily Office Devotions, where every Monday through Friday we consider some aspect of that day’s Scripture readings, as given in the Book of Common Prayer. I’m Reggie Kidd, and I’m grateful to be with you this Thursday in the Season After Epiphany. Our readings come from the Daily Office Lectionary.
Genesis 23: burying Sarah. Jesus chides resurrection-denying Sadducees for not seeing traces of resurrection-faith in the faith of their forebears. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he notes, is the God of the living, not of the dead (Matthew 22:32; Mark 12:27; Luke 20:38). In yesterday’s reading in Genesis 22, we saw Abraham receiving Isaac back, as from the dead — a mini-resurrection, one might almost say. And, in fact, the writer to the Hebrews does almost say so: “[Abraham] considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead—and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back” Hebrews 11:19). Congruently, in today’s passage in Genesis 23, we read how Abraham makes elaborate arrangements so Sarah’s body may rest in peace and naturally decompose, while her bones await their call from the dead. Jewish burial practices reflected resurrection-hope.
Hebrews 11–12: eyes on Jesus. The writer to the Hebrews catalogues the way hope in the resurrection had sustained, fortified, and propelled hero after hero in the Old Testament. Faith enabled some to achieve great things in God’s kingdom (Hebrews 11:32–34). Faith enabled others not to succumb to withering attacks and discouraging defeats (Hebrews 11:35–38). No victory was final, nor was any defeat. All these Old Testament greats, says the writer to the Hebrews, were awaiting what we have been privileged to see: Christ’s victory over death for us and in us: “…looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2–3).
Earlier in his tract, the writer has noted that while we do not see humans presently enjoying the dominion for which we were made, we do see Jesus (Hebrews 2:5–9). He has reclaimed for humans the dignity we lost at the Fall. By virtue of his sharing our humanity and by virtue of his death for us, Jesus is “now crowned with glory and honor” in advance of our sharing in that glory and honor (Hebrews 2:9). By his death and resurrection, Jesus has “destroyed the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14–15).
The result is that we can embrace a certain fearlessness in the face of external hostility, an unyielding determination to resist an internal drift toward waywardness, and a resolute refusal to heed sloth’s siren call to drop out of the race towards holiness. We can do all this because we see Jesus traveling alongside us, our Pioneer and the Perfecter of our faith, urging us, “Come on, stay with me! I’ll get you home!” And above it all, of course, are those who’ve already run their race, and they’re cheering us on as well.
John 6: staying with Jesus. Jesus asks us to do no more than what he has already done. Every temptation we could ever face—to drop out, lash out, give up, or give in—he faced it too. Today’s passage in John shows us the nadir of his ministry. His refusal of the crown, his claim to be bread from heaven, and his demand that people eat his flesh and drink his blood—it’s all been just too much! To some, it’s befuddling, to others it’s blasphemous. Everybody is bailing, and so he asks the twelve: “Do you also wish to go away?” (John 6:67).
One can only imagine where his heart is—for here he is, like us in all respects (save sin). His best teaching material has turned off (or confused) as many people as it has turned on and enlightened. With every word and “sign,” his portfolio of enemies grows. He is surrounded by doubters. Now his friends (through their spokesman Peter … and praise God for Peter!) say they can only stick with him because they see no better option: “Lord, to whom can we go?” Even while acknowledging their reluctant willingness to stay with him, he says he’s aware that one of them will betray him. Still, he does not give up on them…any of them. He does not yield to the temptation to quit. He does not forsake the mission. He does not stop believing in his Father’s faithfulness or the Spirit’s residing presence. He presses on. And because he does, so can we.
Jesus is Savior to us in the most comprehensive way imaginable: he pays a sin-price we could never afford, he defeats an enemy we wouldn’t stand a chance against, and he walks beside us when we are at our worst and when we experience the worst. Jesus saves to the uttermost. Praise his name!
Be blessed this day,
Reggie Kidd+