The story of King Josiah of Judah (reigned 640-609 B.C.E.) exists in two versions, each with its own chronology. The account in 2 Chronicles 34:1-35:37 is more flattering than the version in 2 Kings 22:1-23:30. Both accounts agree that Josiah was a strong king, a righteous man, and a religious reformer who pleased God, who postponed the fall of the Kingdom of Judah. The decline of the kingdom after Josiah’s death was rapid, taking only about 23 years and four kings.
Josiah’s reforms met with opposition, as did Jesus and nascent Christianity. The thorny question of how to treat Gentiles who desired to convert was one cause of difficulty. The decision to accept Gentiles as they were–not to require them to become Jews first–caused emotional pain for many people attached to their Jewish identity amid a population of Gentiles. There went one more boundary separating God’s chosen people from the others. For Roman officialdom a religion was old, so a new faith could not be a legitimate religion. Furthermore, given the commonplace assumption that Gentiles making offerings to the gods for the health of the empire was a civic, patriotic duty, increasing numbers of Gentiles refusing to make those offerings caused great concern. If too many people refused to honor the gods, would the gods turn their backs on the empire?
Interestingly enough, the point of view of much of the Hebrew Bible is that the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah fell because of pervasive idolatry and related societal sinfulness. The pagan Roman fears for their empire were similar. How ironic!
The pericope from John 1 is interesting. Jesus is gathering his core group of followers. One Apostle recruits another until St. Nathanael (St. Bartholomew) puts up some opposition, expressing doubt that anything good can come out of Nazareth. St. Philip tries to talk St. Nathanael out of that skepticism. “Come and see,” he replies. Jesus convinces that St. Nathanael by informing him that he (Jesus) saw him (St. Nathanael) sitting under a fig tree. Father Raymond E. Brown spends a paragraph in the first of his two volumes on the Gospel of John listing a few suggestions (of many) about why that was so impressive and what it might have meant. He concludes that all such suggestions are speculative. The bottom line is, in the words of Gail R. O’Day and Susan E. Hylen, is the following:
The precise meaning of Jesus’ words about the fig tree is unclear, but their function in the story is to show that Jesus has insight that no one else has…because of Jesus’ relationship with God.
—John (2006), page 33
Jesus was doing a new thing which was, at its heart, a call back to original principles. Often that which seems new is really old–from Josiah to Jesus to liturgical renewal (including the revision of The Book of Common Prayer). Along the way actually new developments arise. Laying aside precious old ideas and embracing greater diversity in the name of God for the purpose of drawing the proverbial circle wider can be positive as well as difficult. Yet it is often what God calls us to do–to welcome those whom God calls insiders while maintaining proper boundaries and definitions. Discerning what God calls good and bad from one or one’s society calls good and bad can be quite difficult. May we succeed by grace.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
OCTOBER 5, 2015 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF DAVID NITSCHMANN, SR., “FATHER NITSCHMANN,” MORAVIAN MISSIONARY; MELCHIOR NITSCHMANN, MORAVIAN MISSIONARY AND MARTYR; JOHANN NITSCHMANN, JR., MORAVIAN MISSIONARY AND BISHOP; ANNA NITSCHMANN, MORAVIAN ELDRESS; AND DAVID NITSCHMANN, MISSIONARY AND FIRST BISHOP OF THE RENEWED MORAVIAN CHURCH
THE FEAST OF BRADFORD TORREY, U.S. ORNITHOLOGIST AND HYMN WRITER
THE FEAST OF HARRY EMERSON FOSDICK, NORTHERN BAPTIST PASTOR AND OPPONENT OF FUNDAMENTALISM
THE FEAST OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE UNITED REFORMED CHURCH, 1972
Compassionate God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence
and continually reveal your Son as our Savior.
Bring wholeness to all that is broken and speak truth to us in our confusion,
that all creation will see and know your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
–Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), page 23
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The Assigned Readings:
Deuteronomy 3:23-29 (Thursday)
Deuteronomy 12:28-32 (Friday)
Deuteronomy 13:1-5 (Saturday)
Psalm 111 (All Days)
Romans 9:6-18 (Thursday)
Revelation 2:12-17 (Friday)
Matthew 8:28-9:1 (Saturday)
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The works of the Lord are great,
sought out by all who delight in them.
His work is full of majesty and honour
and his righteousness endures for ever.
–Psalm 111:2-3, Common Worship (2000)
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We have a batch of overlapping and difficult passages these three days. Some (such as Moses in Deuteronomy and a herd of swine in Matthew) suffer for the offenses of others. People also suffer for their own sins in other passages of Scripture. All of this falls under the heading of the sovereignty of God in Romans 9, in the theological style of God’s speech at the end of the book of Job.
I recognize the mystery of God and am content to leave many questions unanswered. Comfort with uncertainty is consistent with my Anglican theology. Nevertheless, I understand that the sovereignty of God can become something it is not supposed to be–a copout and a seemingly bottomless pit into which to pour one’s ignorance and prooftexting tendencies. We should never use God to excuse slavery, genocide, sexism, homophobia, racism, and a host of other sins. Whenever God seems to agree with us all of the time, we ought to know that we have created God in our own image. We have forged an idol. And God, according to the Hebrew Scriptures, disapproves of idolatry.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 23, 2014 COMMON ERA
PROPER 29–CHRIST THE KING SUNDAY–THE LAST SUNDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY, YEAR A
THE FEAST OF JOHN KENNETH PFOHL, SR., U.S. MORAVIAN BISHOP; HIS WIFE, HARRIET ELIZABETH “BESSIE” WHITTINGTON PFOHL, U.S. MORAVIAN MUSICIAN; AND THEIR SON, JAMES CHRISTIAN PFOHL, SR., U.S. MORAVIAN MUSICIAN
THE FEAST OF SAINT CLEMENT I OF ROME, BISHOP
THE FEAST OF SAINT COLUMBAN, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
THE FEAST OF MIGUEL AUGUSTIN PRO, ROMAN CATHOLIC MARTYR
The Law of Moses and other segments of the Bible speak of the responsibilities we humans have toward each other. Authors thunder condemnations of judicial corruption and economic exploitation from the pages of the Bible. And the Law of Moses provides culturally-specific applications of the universal, timeless standard to care for the less fortunate. The texts for today offer examples of these generalizations.
Furthermore, those in authority are supposed to look out for the best interests of their people. Often, however, many of them do not even try to do this. Too often I read news stories of the vulnerable members of society suffering from cuts in government social programs as either
no private sector agents step up to do the work as well or better,
no private sector agents can do the work as well or better, or
no private sector agents do the work, but not as effectively.
Something is terribly wrong and socially sinful when one or more of these scenarios is part of reality. That which is most effective is the strategy I favor in any given case. This is about ideology, not “please do not confuse me with the facts” ideology.
Perhaps the most difficult advice from the readings for these days is this:
Never repay one wrong with another, or one abusive word with another; instead, repay with a blessing. That is what you are called to do, so that you inherit a blessing.
–1 Peter 3:9-10, The New Jerusalem Bible
We have all violated that rule, have we not? The desire for revenge is natural yet wrong. And the goal of having the last word might satisfy one in the short term yet does not help matters. And, when forgiveness comes slowly, the desire to forgive might precede it. Giving up one’s anger (even gradually) and the target(s) of it to God and moving on with life is a positive thing to do. And praying for–not about–people can change the one who prays. That is also good.
There is also the question of violence, which can prove to be complicated. Sometimes, when the oppressors insist on continuing to oppress, the best way to deliver their victims is devastating to the perpetrators. Yet, on other occasions, violence does not resolve the issue at hand and creates new problems instead. It is often easier to make such distinctions with the benefit of hindsight, which, of course, does not exist in the heat of the moment of decision. So I offer no easy one-size-fits-all formulas here, for none exist. The best I can do is pray that those in authority will decide and behave wisely.
Yes, sometimes life offers a choice between just the bad and the worse. In such cases I favor choosing the bad, for at least it is not worse. The best we can do is all that anyone ought to expect of us. And, if we strive to love one another as actively and effectively as possible, we are at least on the right track.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
SEPTEMBER 7, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF THE SAINTS AND MARTYRS OF THE PACIFIC
THE FEAST OF ELIE NAUD, HUGUENOT WITNESS TO THE FAITH
THE FEAST OF JANE LAURIE BORTHWICK, TRANSLATOR OF HYMNS
Liturgical time matters, for it sacramentalizes days, hours, and minutes, adding up to seasons on the church calendar. Among the frequently overlooked seasons is the Season after Epiphany, the first part of Ordinary Time. The Feast of the Epiphany always falls on January 6 in my tradition. And Ash Wednesday always falls forty days (excluding Sundays) before Easter Sunday. The Season after Epiphany falls between The Feast of the Epiphany and Ash Wednesday. In 2013 the season will span January 7-February 12.
This season ought to be a holy time, one in which to be especially mindful of the imperative to take the good news of Jesus of Nazareth to others by a variety of means, including words when necessary. Words are meaningless when our actions belie them, after all. Among the themes of this season is that the Gospel is for all people, not just those we define as insiders. No, the message is also for our “Gentiles,” those whom we define as outsiders. So, with that thought in mind, I encourage you, O reader, to exclude nobody. Do not define yourself as an insider to the detriment of others. If you follow this advice, you will have a proper Epiphany spirit.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
NOVEMBER 9, 2012 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF MARTIN CHEMNITZ, GERMAN LUTHERAN THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF BARTON STONE, COFOUNDER OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH (DISCIPLES OF CHRIST)
I begin my preparations for each post in this series by reading the assigned lessons. Usually something–a word, phrase, clause, or sentence–stands out in my mind. Such was the case with Zechariah 6:4c. Set in the aftermath of the Babylonian Exile, the rebuilding of the Temple and of Jerusalem seemed unlikely. In fact, certain people attempted to prevent the reconstruction. But they failed–not by human efforts alone, although those proved crucial–but more so by the power of God. There were human instruments of God at work.
Another verse attracted my attention–so much so that I have provided it in four translations. Psalm 66:4/5 (depending on the versification system) speaks of the awe/wonder/terror of God. Consider, O reader, these words from Isaac Watts (1705 and 1719) and altered by John Wesley (also in the 1700s):
Before Jehovah’s awful throne,
Ye nations, bow with sacred joy;
Know that the Lord is God alone,
He can create, and He destroy;
He can create, and He destroy.
—The Hymnal (1933), of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (1869-1958)
Word meanings change over time. “Awful” means “extremely bad” to most English speakers today. Yet its original definition was “awe-inspiring,” a word which the Encarta World English Dictionary defines as
impressive as to make a person feel humble or slightly afraid.
Likewise, “terrible” has a variety of meanings, most of them negative. “Very serious or severe” is one of those. Yet the word can also mean “formidable.” The Old French root for “terrible” derives from the Latin verb meaning “to frighten.”
Paul, Apostle to the Gentiles, had a frightening–terrible, by one definition–encounter with God. And he succeeded in his mission by divine aid, overcoming the forces of might and power arrayed against him. The word “awesome” has become trite in my North American culture. Yet I use that word in its most profound sense here: The works of God are awesome. They are formidable. They are awe-inspiring. They are wonderful.
I have witnesses that power and those works in the lives of others as well as in my life. As I type these words I am watching that power from a distance as it works in the life of one for whom I care very much. I am glad to say honestly that I was an instrument of that power in a particular way at a certain time. And I might be such an instrument in her life again. One lesson I have learned is that hope is always alive in God.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 10, 2012 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF HENRY VAN DYKE, U.S. PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND LITURGIST
THE FEAST OF HOWARD THURMAN, PROTESTANT THEOLOGIAN
THE FEAST OF PIERRE TEILHARD DE CHARDIN, ROMAN CATHOLIC THEOLOGIAN
Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), of The Episcopal Church, contains an adapted two-years weekday lectionary for the Epiphany and Ordinary Time seasons from the Anglican Church of Canada. I invite you to follow it with me.
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2 Samuel 12:1-25 (Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition):
And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him,
There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very man flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there was a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.
Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan,
As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
Nathan said to David,
You are the man. Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul; and I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if this were too little, I would add to you as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.” Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives int he sight of this sun. For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.”
David said to Nathan,
I have sinned against the LORD.
And Nathan said to David,
The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die.
Then Nathan went to his house.
And the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became sick. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in lay all night upon the ground. And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David feared to tel him that the child was dead; for they said,
Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and did not listen to us; how then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants,
Is the child dead?
They said,
He is dead.
Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the LORD, and worshiped; he then went to his own house; and when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him,
What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food.
He said,
While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, “Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?” But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.
Then David comforted his wife, Bathsheba, and went in to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. And the LORD loved him, and sent a message by Nathan the prophet; so he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.
Psalm 51:11-18 (1979 Book of Common Prayer):
11 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
12 Cast me not away from your presence
and take not your holy Spirit from me.
13 Give me the joy of your saving help again
and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit.
14 I shall teach your ways to the wicked,
and sinners shall return to you.
15 Deliver me from death, O God,
and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness,
O God of my salvation.
16 Open my lips, O Lord,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.
17 Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice,
but you take no pleasure in burnt-offerings.
18 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Mark 4:35-41 (Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition):
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them,
Let us go across to the other side.
And leaving the crowd, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat. And the other boats were with him. And a great storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him,
Teacher, do you not care if we perish?
And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,
Peace! Be still!
And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them,
Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?
And they were filled with awe, and said to one another,
Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
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The Collect:
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The prophet Nathan confronted David, and the King, much to his credit, expressed honest contrition. Yet this did not prevent the chickens from coming home to roost. For initial details, begin with the next chapter in 2 Samuel. Read it for yourself; immerse yourself in the narrative.
Now I explore certain aspects of this day’s reading from 2 Samuel 12. First, David is familiar with the religious laws, some of which he has violated. For example, Nathan uses a story about the stealing and killing of a sheep to get David’s attention, and the king says that the thief-killer ought to make fourfold restitution. This is consistent with Exodus 22:1. I choose to send you to a text (if you choose to read it), rather than reproduce it here. Besides, the verses following 22:1 are quite interesting, and sometimes disturbing.
As for the child’s death being the result of his parents’ sins…
This reflects an understanding the origin of suffering which Jesus rejected in more than one passage. The first example which comes to my mind is Luke 13:1-5 (I am so grateful to own an unabridged concordance!). For more details, follow this link. I think also of the story of a man who was born blind. John 9 speaks of him, and of how some people wondered whose sin had caused his blindness. For more details, follow this link. As I heard Donald Armentrout, a Lutheran who helps train Episcopal priests for a living, say about a decade ago, the best way to read the Bible is with “Gospel glasses.” So Jesus overrides some of the theology in 2 Samuel 12.
That said, expressing regret for one’s sins and changing one’s ways does not negate the consequences of one’s sins. In other words, one cannot unscramble an egg. This rule applies beyond sin, applying, for example, to merely bad judgment. I can think of examples of this in my life, and maybe you, O reader, can identify with this statement.
While we condemn the sin of David recorded in 2 Samuel 11, may we applaud the king for accepting Nathan’s justified and harsh words. A lesser man would have had Nathan killed. There was still hope for David.
Some stories haunt me; this is one of them. I find that sometimes, when trying to make good decisions, I do the opposite, and so I pay for my mistake for years. It is maddening. And that speaks of blowback from good intentions, which David did not have in 2 Samuel 11. I have learned, however, that grace does not erase all consequences of sin, but it does enable one to survive the storm one has stirred up, whether out of ignorance or foolishness or perfidy.
A wise person does learn the correct lessons from the mistakes of others, so may we, as often as possible, avoid duplicating the errors others have committed and stirring up needless whirlwinds.
Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (2010), of The Episcopal Church, contains an adapted two-years weekday lectionary for the Epiphany and Ordinary Time seasons from the Anglican Church of Canada. I invite you to follow it with me.
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Hebrews 10:32-39 (Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition):
But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on the the prisoners, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised.
For yet a little while,
and the coming one shall come and shall not tarry;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.
But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and keep their souls.
Psalm 37:1-7, 24-25, 41-42 (1979 Book of Common Prayer):
1 Do not fret yourself because of evildoers;
do not be jealous of those who do no wrong.
2 For they shall soon whither like the grass,
and like the green grass they fade away.
3 Put your trust in the LORD and do good,
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.
4 Take delight in the LORD,
and he shall give you your heart’s desire.
5 Commit your way to the LORD and put your trust in him,
and he will bring it to pass.
6 He will make your righteousness as clear as the light
and your just dealing as the noonday.
7 Be still and wait for the LORD
and wait patiently for him.
24 Our steps are directed by the LORD;
he strengthens those in whose way he delights.
25 If they stumble, they shall not fall headlong,
for the LORD holds them by the hand.
41 But the deliverance of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.
42 The LORD will help them and rescue them;
he will rescue them from the wicked and deliver them,
because they seek refuge in him.
Mark 4:26-34 (Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition):
And he said,
The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.
And he said,
With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
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The Collect:
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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The mustard bush is not an especially handsome plant, although it can be a large one–as tall as ten feet. If Jesus had wanted to speak of the kingdom of God–and by extension the body of followers–we call it the Church–in handsome and impressive terms, he could have used the image of a mighty cedar of Lebanon. But no, he used the analogy of a plant many considered to be huge weed.
This topic requires further investigation.
I write this devotional from northeastern Georgia, U.S.A. Just a few miles away from where I sit one can see kudzu. The plant grows and grows then grows some more. It takes over. The mustard bush is similar in that, once it starts growing, it continues.
And a variety of creatures take shelter within a mustard bush. The heterogeneous nature of the denizens is important within this parable. So, if we accept the mustard plant as an analogy of the Christian Church, we need to leave purity tests behind and remember that we ought not greet just people like ourselves. This can be truly difficult, for even those of us who think ourselves fairly broad-minded like those similar to ourselves.
So God plants seed and the Church takes root. Then the Church spreads, and people cannot prevent this. God is in control, and the Church is home to varied population. Within that diversity, however, is the commonality of faith tested by endurance. The Wisdom of Solomon 3:6 reminds us that gold is tested in the fire. The context for this statement is a section about how the “souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.”
So, my fellow birds, would you rather take shelter in a mighty cedar of Lebanon or in a pesky mustard bush?
ADVENT, CHRISTMAS, AND EPIPHANY DEVOTIONS 
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