Sunday, February 2, 2025

Theme

In this week’s text Jesus continues to be in conflict with the Pharisees, this time over the observance of Sabbath (Shabbat) and the application of human kindness.

Sabbath first appears in Torah in the scroll of Genesis, in the ‘first’ creation narrative. This creation narrative tells the cosmic tale of God (Elohim) who creates the world in six days (three spaces, and three sets of inhabitants) and then rests on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3). God blesses the seventh day and marks it as holy.

Sabbath next appears in the scroll of Exodus, after the Hebrew people have been liberated from enslavement in Egypt.

Each morning the manna would appear, and the people were instructed to gather only enough for that day (their daily bread), and if they saved any overnight it would rot. On the sixth day, however, they would miraculously gather twice as much so that they could rest the next day. A little while later, when Adonai speaks to the people from Mt. Sinai, sabbath observance is one of the commandments that is given (20:8-11). This commandment insists that sabbath observance is not only for Hebrew men, but should be extended to their children, enslaved persons, livestock, and immigrants. The scroll of Deuteronomy continues the same themes of sabbath. In this ‘second telling’ of the Torah, the commandment to keep the sabbath is much the same, but the reason given is as a remembrance of Hebrew enslavement, rather than creation (Deuteronomy 5:12-15). Deuteronomy’s claim for the sabbath year is that debts are to be forgiven every seven years, and that observance of this practice will assure that no one is in need within the community (15:1-18). Arguably, Torah (instruction) about sabbath observance is far more concerned with issues of righteousness and equity than it is on specific rules about how sabbath is to be observed.

The 39 Melakhot provide 39 categories of work that are to be refrained from during sabbath and holy days that continue to be observed by the Orthodox Jewish community. There is a notable exception for these rules however, the saving of a human life. These categories go all the way back to rabbinic conversations of Torah during the Second Temple Period. In the first century C.E. the Jewish sect from which this rabbinic tradition emerged was known as the Pharisees. While the pharisees get a bad wrap in the Christian Scriptures, they were a legitimate ruling party that was interested in reformation.

Jesus’ critique of the Pharisaical school of thought was that they were focusing on the wrong thing, strictly defining ‘work,’ rather than the “weightier things.” In both of this week’s stories, Jesus points out the need for human compassion over strict observance of rules.

Questions

– What is your interaction with Sabbath?

– What might be important about sabbath observance in our 21st Century American Culture?

– How might the ‘weightier things’ of human compassion lead to conflicts with the law, and which is more important?

Reflections:

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Introit: There is only one hymn which claims any reference to our scripture reading. The third verse of  “Dear Lord and Father of Mankind”, which we also used as Introit last week, speaks to verse 12 in the reading where Jesus goes off by himself to pray.

Opening Hymn: ‘Truth’ is the keyword for the choice of this prayer for illumination. “Open My Eyes That I May See”; begins each verse with a plea to open the singer to ‘see’, hear’, and ‘bear’ the truth.

Transition Hymn: For the month of February, “I Depend Upon Your Faithfulness”.

Communion Hymn: For 2025, we are returning to a communion hymn we haven’t done in quite a while: “We Gather Here (Come, Share the Lord”. The 3 verses, in succession, recall Christ’s post-resurrection meal with the disciples, remind of God’s presence where two or more are gathered, and foreshadow the heavenly feast to come.

Sending Hymn: ‘Truth’ was a keyword for this hymn choice as well, but when I looked at the text of this 20th century hymn it struck me with a comparison to our scripture reading as well. The beginning of the first verse especially correlates to the scribes and pharisees of the reading who are focused on the wrong things: “In an age of twisted values, we have lost the truth we need.”

Benediction: Our benediction for the month of February is “May the Love of the Lord”.