Commemoration of Jerome, Translator of Holy Scripture
September 30, 2012
The Lord be with you
Jerome - Guido Reni
Eusebius Hieronymus Sophronius, more commonly called Jerome,
the Anglicized from of Hieronymus, died September
30, 420. Marking the day of his birth into glory, the Church
commemorates this great saint on this day. Jerome was born in the little village
of Stridon, on the Adriatic
Sea, around 345 ad. Jerome
came from a moderately well-off Christian family. He was tutored at home until
about the age of twelve, when he went to study in Rome.
He was an outstanding student, and he acquired a considerable reputation. His
moral life was far from blameless, but he remained close to Christianity, and
at the close of his studies at the age of nineteen, he was baptized. After
extensive travels, he chose the life of a monk and spent five years in the Syrian
Desert. There he learned Hebrew, the language of the Old
Testament. After ordination into the priesthood at Antioch
(against his wishes) visits to Rome
and Constantinople, and attending the Second Ecumenical
Council (381), Jerome settled in Bethlehem.
While in Rome,
Pope Damasus commissioned him to do a fresh translation of the Bible from the
original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, into Latin, the common language of his
time. There were other translations already, but their reliability was uneven,
at best. Jerome’s translation, called the Vulgate from the Latin meaning
“common,” was the authoritative version of the Bible in the Western
Church for more than a thousand
years. While many of his works and letters have survived to this day, the
Vulgate was the great work of his life and for what he is most remembered. He
is considered one of the great scholars of the Early
Church. He was originally interred
at Bethlehem, where he died, but
his remains were eventually taken to Rome.
Collect for the
Commemoration of Jerome, Translator of Holy Scripture: O Lord, God of
truth, Your Word is a lamp to our feet and a light on our path. You gave Your
servant Jerome delight in his study of Holy Scripture. May those who continue
to read, mark, and inwardly digest Your Word find in it the food of salvation
and the fountain of life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns
with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Other things you
might want to include in your prayers:
September 29 is the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels.
The name of the Archangel Michael is Hebrew and means “Who is like God?”
Michael is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (10:13ff; 12:1), as well as in Jude
(v. 9) and Revelation (12:7). Daniel portrays Michael as the angelic helper of Israel
who leads the battle against the forces of evil. In Revelation, Michael and his
angels fight against and defeat Satan and the evil angels, driving them from
heaven. Their victory is made possible by Christ’s own victory over Satan and
His death and resurrection, a victory announced by the voice in heaven: “Now
the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His
Christ have come” (Revelation 12:10).
Michael is often associated with Gabriel and Raphael, the other chief angels or
archangels who surround the throne of God. Tradition names Michael as the
patron and protector of the Church, especially as the protector of Christians
at the hour of death.
Most Feasts, Festivals, and Commemorations for individuals
fall on the anniversary of their death. Quite obviously, that is not possible
for Michael, must less “all” the angels. This date was selected because, on it,
the basilica of St Michael the Archangel on the via
Salaria outside Rome was dedicated
in the fifteenth century.
Angels are very popular these days, but much of the
“information” concerning them is from extra-biblical sources. However, the
Bible is far from silent concerning these, the chief creatures of the invisible
creation. The word “angel” appears 194 times in the English Standard translation of the Bible. The word “angels”
appears 89 times. The majority of these references (77) occur in the book of
Revelation. The word “angel” means “messenger” and so it is not at all
surprising that they are often depicted as being messengers (Genesis 16:7; Luke
1:26-38; 24:23; etc.). We are told that they are keenly involved in the worship
of God (Psalm 103:20; 148:2; Revelation 7:11;
etc.), and this is reflected at the end of the Preface during a Communion
Service, where we pray “Therefore with Angels and Archangels, and with all the
company of heaven, we laud and magnify Your glorious Name; evermore praising
You, and saying …”, thus joining our worship with the worship of the angels. Unlike
humanity, angels have no natural physical body (Hebrews 1:7). They are
spiritual beings only. However, they can appear with physical bodies as their
duties require it (Genesis 19:1-2; Luke 24:4-5; etc.). No human actually knows
how many angels there are, but we know that they are extremely numerous (2
Kings 6:17; Matthew 26:33;
Revelation 5:11). While they know a
lot, they are not all-knowing (Matthew 24:36; 1 Peter 1:12). While they are far more powerful than anything in
the visible creation (2 Chronicles 32:20-21; 2 Peter 2:11), they are not all-powerful (Daniel 10:13). Jesus tells us that they watch over
children (Matthew 18:10) and rejoice
when someone repents and comes to faith in our Lord (Luke 15:10). No one knows exactly when the angels were created
but, based on Genesis 2:1-2, it is safely assumed that their creation was
sometime before the end of day six of the creation week. Angels are also
genderless, being neither male nor female (Matthew 22:30). The Bible often depicts the visible manifestation
of angels as men, but that is probably simply to accent their power. Sometimes
they also appear as fantastic beings. For example, the name seraphim (Isaiah
6:2-6) means “burning ones,” and these angels apparently can appear like living
fire. The cherubim (which means “mighty ones”) in Ezekiel 10 are so strange
looking that I don’t think an artist can fully depict them. (See also
Revelation 4:6-8.) While more could be said about angels, based on the Bible, I
think the most remarkable thing about them is that they serve us! That doesn’t
mean that the angels are at our beck and call, but that God assigns them to
serve us, carrying out God’s will for us (Hebrews 1:14).
Collect for the Festival of St. Michael and All Angels: Everlasting God, You have ordained and
constituted the service of angels and men in a wonderful order. Mercifully
grant that, as Your holy angels always serve and worship You in heaven, so by
Your appointment they may also help and defend us here on earth; through Your
Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
Other things you
might pray about:
For an
enlarged sense of God’s creation
For
awe before the immensity of creation
For
purity to join the songs of the angels
For an
awareness of the unity of the praise of heaven and earth
Two newspaper articles published on
September 18, 2012, one by
Laurie Goodstein in the New York Times and one by Lisa Wangsness in the BostonGlobe,
broke a story that has prompted a lot of buzz in the media. Karen King, the
Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School and a specialist in
Gnosticism, shared evidence with both the general public and scholars about a
small fragment of papyrus, dated to the 4th century A.D. and measuring about
1.5 inches by 3 inches, that has a Coptic text on it which includes a supposed
statement of Jesus to His disciples that reads (when translated): “Jesus said
to them, ‘My wife . . . .’” The fragment, which King provocatively titled the Gospel
of Jesus’ Wife, has set off some speculation that Jesus was indeed married
(e.g., Simcha Jacobovici of The Lost Tomb of Jesus fame) or at least
some “early Christians” taught so. Before jumping to such conclusions, it is
important to evaluate the authenticity of this fragment and what it does or
does not tell us.
To her credit and unlike the shroud
of secrecy surrounding the announcement of the Gospel of Judas just a
few years ago, King has released a high-resolution photograph of the fragment and the pre-publication version of an extensive article detailing her research
that is scheduled to be published in Harvard Theological Review 106:1 (January 2013). It is noteworthy that the third sentence of her article
addresses speculation head-on: “It [this fragment] does not, however,
provide evidence that the historical Jesus was married, given the late date of
the fragment and the probable date of original composition only in the second
half of the second century” (p. 1; emphasis original). The release of this
information to the general public coincided with her announcement of the find
to the Tenth International Congress of Coptic Studies that was meeting in Rome.
Based upon the information that has been released, what can we reliably know?
First, although the dating of this
papyrus fragment to the 4th century A.D. has been confirmed by two
papyrologists, the ink has not been tested to confirm that it is consistent
with ink used in documents of a similar age and hardly anything is known about
the history of this fragment. With some finds like the Dead Sea Scrolls or the
Nag Hammadi Codices, the manuscripts that came to the attention of scholars
could be traced back to where they were actually discovered. What is known
about this fragment’s history prior to an antiquities dealer delivering it to
King for evaluation in December 2011 is that its previous owner apparently had
it examined by a German scholar in the early 1980s. That information is not of
much help in understanding the history of this fragment, except that it does
not appear to be a forgery done in the past three decades. It is noteworthy
that some of the scholars of Coptic at the international congress who examined
the fragment had serious doubts about its authenticity; even a non-specialist
like me is suspicious when the Coptic proclitic pronoun translated “my” in “my
wife” appears darker than the rest of the text. It is surprising that more has
not yet been done to confirm its authenticity. If the ink can be dated to the
age of the papyrus on which it is written, however, the logical conclusion
would be that it was originally from Egypt
where Coptic, which is a language that developed from Greek and Middle
Egyptian, was widely used on papyrus.
Second, it is important to
emphasize that it is very difficult to interpret this small amount of text
without a context. All we have is eight partial lines of Coptic that have been
cut off on both sides, which means that it is even difficult to see how the
eight lines are related. From the few phrases that we have, we can gather that
the text contains a supposed conversation between Jesus and His disciples about
“Mary” (Mary Magdalene or his mother?) and “my wife” being worthy to be among
His disciples. This text does not match the text of any extant biblical or
extra-biblical writing. Because the fragment contains a supposed conversation
of Jesus, it has been theorized that it is from an unknown Gospel, yet King
herself states: “With a fragment this small, it is impossible to claim too firm
a conclusion regarding the question of genre” (p. 20). The limited amount of
text without any context prevents firm conclusions from being drawn on the
meaning of the few lines that we do have, including the meaning of the phrase
“Jesus’ wife.”
Third, even with this limited
amount of text, it is certainly appropriate to theorize about the source of the
ideas set forth in this fragment and to conclude, as King does, that this
fragment may have been part of a Gnostic document. Gnosticism is a broad label
given to the teaching of various sectarian “Christians” who denied central
truths of Christianity such as Jesus’ death for the atonement of sins and in
its place taught, among other things, salvation through esoteric knowledge
(“gnosis”) supposedly given by Jesus but often drawn in part from Platonic
philosophy. The teachings and writings of various Gnostic groups posed a
significant challenge in the 2nd to the 4th century and were regularly
condemned as heretical by Christian leaders familiar with their teachings, such
as Irenaeus who wrote primarily in the last three decades of the 2nd century.
The discussion concerning the worthiness of “Mary” to be a disciple of Jesus in
the Gospel of Jesus’ Wife does seem similar to texts found in some
Gnostic documents also written in Coptic, like the Gospel of Thomas,
the Gospel of Mary, and the Gospel of Philip. King
demonstrates a probable relationship between the ideas expressed in this
fragment with the ideas expressed in these Gnostic Gospels. This fragment,
therefore, may assist us in understanding the teaching of a Gnostic group
concerning Jesus and His marital status, but it does not help us to understand
the teaching of the historical Jesus or His actual marital status.
Then where should we look for
reliable historical evidence about Jesus, including His marital status? There
are four first century Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—whose testimony was
proclaimed and written while eyewitnesses were still alive and whose Greek text
is widely attested by many 2nd-7th century papyri manuscripts as well as some
4th-5th century parchment manuscripts that contain the complete text or most of
the text of these books. These Gospels testify prominently to many aspects of
Jesus’ humanity, including that He was known as Joseph’s son, had a mother, had
brothers, attended weddings, supported life-long marriage and had several women
who were among His wider group of disciples but not one of the 12 apostles (see
especially Richard Bauckham, Gospel Women: Studies of the Named Women in
the Gospels, Eerdmans, 2002). There is no historical evidence in these
Gospels, however, that Jesus was married to a woman. If He would have been, the
result would have been a wife and children who would have attracted significant
attention after His resurrection and ascension. Instead, it appears
historically probable that the only “bride” Jesus has ever had is the church
(Ephesians 5:25-32).
Dr. Charles A. Gieschen is
Academic Dean and Professor of Exegetical Theology at Concordia Theological
Seminary, Fort Wayne, Indiana.
His Ph.D. is from the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University
of Michigan
(1995) where his studies included the Coptic language and Gnostic writings.
This coming Sunday is the 18th Sunday after
Pentecost. It is also the Commemoration of Jerome, Translator of Holy Scripture.
As Commemorations have no specific readings assigned in our lectionary, we will
use the appointed lessons for Pentecost 18, which are: Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16,
24-29; James 5:[1-12] 13-20; Mark 9:38-50.
The reading from James has the first verses in brackets. The idea behind this
is that each church that uses our lectionary series may choose to read the
entire chapter, or may choose to use only verses 13 through 20. We will be
reading the entire chapter. However, because of the length of both the Old
Testament lesson and the Epistle lesson, the print for the Scripture lessons on
the bulletin insert will be quite small. If your eyesight is not what it once
was, you will need to depend on the reader alone.
For our liturgy we will be using Morning Prayer (page 235).
This is one of our services based on the Prayer Hours that developed in the
monasteries and intended for daily use. As such, it does not incorporate the
Lord’s Supper. Also, instead of the Introit for the Day it uses the appointed
Psalm for the day, which is Psalm 104:27-35. The antiphon is verse 24. Our
opening hymn is “One Thing’s Needful” (LSB
536). This is the hymn we are currently learning. The sermon hymn is “Rejoice,
My Heart, Be Glad and Sing” (LSB 737).
Our closing hymn is “Have No Fear, Little Flock” (LSB 735). The sermon text is Numbers 11:10, and the sermon is
titled “Did God Drop the Ball?”
In our public prayers we will continue to lift up other
Christian denominations and their leaders. This Sunday we will remember the
various Methodist churches, the United
Methodist Church,
the Primitive Methodist
Church in the U.S.A.,
and the Free Methodist
Church – USA.
Methodist denominations tend to use the title “bishop” for their leaders. We continue
to pray for our LC-MS missionaries around the world. This month we remember Ginger
Taff-Lagergren, who is in South Africa.
She specifically asks us to petition the Lord to use her to spread His love and
that she would be a help to others with challenges in their day-to-day lives.
We ask the Lord to protect Ginger and keep her in good health, so that she may
serve to her fullest capacity. Finally, we also thank the Lord that Ginger has
answered His call to serve in South Africa.
We will remember the persecuted believers in Tibet
(China). Tibet
is an “Autonomous Region” region in China.
As Tibet is
part of Communist China, the greatest threat to any religion comes from the
government. Tibet
lost its short-lived independence as a theocratic Buddhist state in 1950 when China
re-invaded the land. China’s
central government has systematically sought to destroy the culture, religions
and ethnic identity of the Tibetan people. Resistance to the occupiers has
resulted in frequent revolts and unrest. More than 6,000 monasteries have been
destroyed, over one million people may have lost their lives and a further
100,000 may have been forced into exile, including the Buddhist and political
leader of Tibetans, the Dalai Lama.
Tibetan Buddhism permeates society and has a powerful hold
on the people. It incorporates many elements of the pre-Buddhist Bon religion,
which still exists in its own right. Bon has powerful demonic and occult
influences and spirit appeasement. The high places of the Tibetan plateau are
known to be a spiritual stronghold highly resistant to the gospel. In Tibet
Autonomous Region (TAR), there are still 1,789
monasteries and 46,000 Buddhist monks.
There may be just over 1,000 evangelical and 2,000 Catholic
Christians among the five million ethnic Tibetans in the world. Christian
materials in Tibetan languages and dialects are limited, but growing. Political
sensitivity and tensions in Tibet
make entry and travel in the country difficult for both Chinese and foreign
Christians who desire to share the love of Jesus there. (There are also a few,
maybe 400, Moslems in Tibet.)
Our main prayers for Tibet is for open doors and freedom to
proclaim the gospel and that present sufferings may be God’s means for bringing
spiritual freedom to Tibetans.
We will also remember, in our prayers, our sister SED congregations:
St. Matthew, Bel Air, MD; Pilgrim, Bethesda, MD;
First, Bowie, MD;
Trinity, Bowie, MD;
and Grace, Summerville, SC.
We will continue to remember those who have been misled by our cultures
acceptance of abortion and advocacy of sexual immorality, asking God’s grace
for their lives that they may be healed and restored by the Holy Spirit. We
will also continue to remember those trapped in the modern practice of slavery
and ask God to bless all efforts that are pleasing in his sight to end this
sinful practice. We will also remember the Lutheran Malaria Initiative’s effort
to end malaria in Africa by 2015.
I could not find a video for any of our hymns this Sunday.
Our adult Bible class
meets at 9:00 Sunday morning. We are
currently in Matthew 27. The chapter has the death of Judas, Jesus before
Pilate, soldiers mocking Jesus, our Lord’s crucifixion, death and burial. In
other words, we are almost through the book. Join us for these pivotal events
in world history.
Preview of the
Lessons
Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29: This is one of the stories about when
the Israelites grew dissatisfied with their lot and grumbled against Moses. In
this case they were complaining about the manna, and longed for the “the fish [they]
ate in Egypt
that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the
garlic.” It is remarkable that, in their grumbling, they forgot their lot as
slaves and thought of Egypt
as a time they lounged around eating the fat of the land. Such, though, is the
short-sited nature of sinful man. Moses doesn’t come off much better than the
“rabble.” He grumbles to God, thinking it would be better to die than put up
with the constant complaints of the people. God provides leadership relief for
Moses. Of the seventy men who God designates for this role, two had not
gathered with the others. When God provided them with a one-time-only gift of
prophecy, the two who were not in attendance, prophesied in the camp. Joshua,
alarmed, asked Moses to rebuke them. Moses responds with the memorial words, “Are
you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord ‘s people were prophets, that
the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” This desire of Moses is fulfilled in
the New Testament, for all Christians have the Holy Spirit and all Christians
have the word of Christ to share with others. This gift is strengthened through
regular worship.
James 5:[1-12] 13-20: Verses 1-6 deal with wealthy people. One
should note that James doesn’t condemn wealth, per se, but the misuse of
wealth. The wealthy are always tempted to believe the here and now is the
ultimate good, and use their wealth to oppress others and gain more wealth for
themselves. Those who use their wealth this way will face Judgment on the Last
Day. Verses 7-11 deal with the poor. Again, poverty itself is not condemned.
How the temptation of the poor is to grumble against God, wealthy people, and
even against other poor people. James urges patience, knowing that all will be
settled on the Last Day. Verse 12 deals with being true to your word, something
both groups should attend to. In general, these verses remind us that sin is a
divisive thing. Unity is a gift from God through faith in Christ. As we are
able to get along with each other, our witness to the unbeliever is enhanced.
As we quarrel and grumble against each other, our witness to the love of God in
Christ Jesus to the unconverted is hurt. Verses 12-18 deals with the value of
faith when facing various trials and struggles. A faith in Jesus enables us to
endure all kinds of things, for the glory of our Lord. Verses 19 and 20 deals
with the importance of caring for each other, especially in the area of the
content of our faith. If someone wanders from the correct faith, we are to
restore them in a loving fashion. It is not a matter of winning a battle, but
winning a soul. You can win an argument and lose the person. Through Gospel of
Christ the Spirit converts and restores people, as our confessions say, “when
and where” he chooses.
Mark 9:38-50: The first part of this reading echoes the
concerns of Joshua in our Old Testament reading. Someone was casting out demons
in the name of Jesus but the twelve tried to stop him “because he was not
following us.” The “us” probably also included the “70” Jesus sent out, and
maybe others. The point, though, is that they were viewed, for whatever reason,
as a break-off group. Jesus tells the disciples to not hinder the man, “for no
one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil
of me. For the one who is not against us is for us.” Such an admonition from
our Lord should help us when it comes to dialogue between denominations. The
reason such care should be taken is because of the offense that can be given.
Such offense can be a real stumbling block, specially to weak Christians. Why
would we engage in actions that can hinder entrance into heaven? Heaven is so
wonderful that nothing should keep a person away (the point in the remainder of
this reading). The Church should always be seeking to bring the Gospel of God’s
grace in Christ Jesus to bear. In him we have a loving God.
Tidbits
A
speaker from the Gideon’s will be with us Sunday.
The
LWML will have a meeting following the worship service Sunday.
The
October newsletter will be posted on the blog before next Sunday.
Print
copies of the October newsletter will be available Sunday for those who do
not have internet access.
We are
sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, October 27, at the Fats
restaurant (http://www.superpages.com/bp/Boiling-Springs-SC/FATZ-Cafe-L0006431720.htm)
in Boiling Springs, to support the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI). Members
are asked to sell tickets for $7.00 (of which $4.00 will go to LMI and
$3.00 will go to Fats to cover their costs) for this event. Tickets will
be available Sunday. Additional help will be needed in the form of greeters
who will also sell tickets at the door and/or accept donations. You can
expect more information over the next two months on this blog about our
Pancake Breakfast and LMI.
Today we remember the prophet Jonah. A singular prophet
among the many in the Old Testament, Jonah the son of Amittai was born about
an hour’s walk from the town of Nazareth.
The focus of his prophetic ministry was the call to preach at Nineveh,
the capital of pagan Assyria (Jonah 1:2). His reluctance
to respond and God’s insistence that His call be heeded is the story of the
book that bears Jonah’s name. Although the great fish is the most remembered
detail of his life, it is addressed in only three verses of the book (Jonah 1:17; 2:1, 10). Throughout the book, the
important theme is how God deals compassionately with sinners. Jonah’s
three-day sojourn in the belly of the fish is mentioned by Jesus as a sign of
His own death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 12:39-41.).
Collect for the
Commemoration of Jonah: Lord God, heavenly Father, through the prophet
Jonah, You continued the prophetic pattern of teaching Your people the true
faith and demonstrating through miracles You presence in creation to heal it of
its brokenness. Grant that Your Church may see in Your Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ, the final end-times prophet whose teaching and miracles continue in
Your Church through the healing medicine of the Gospel and the Sacraments;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert
(This post is basically taken straight from Treasury of Daily Prayer, published by CPH.)
September 21 is the feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and
Evangelist. St. Matthew, also known as Levi, identifies himself as a former tax
collector, one who was therefore considered unclean, a public sinner, outcast
from the Jews. In general, tax collectors were despised for two reasons. First,
they were viewed as traitors, for they worked for the Romans. Second, they were
viewed as thieves. This was because of how the Romans “paid” their tax
collectors. Rome set the amount of
money a tax collector needed to raise, not what each individual owed. The tax
collector’s “pay” was what ever he collected above what the area owed Rome.
Many tax collectors collected far more than what was owed to Rome,
becoming wealthy, but earning additional ire from their fellow citizens. A
third typical facet of a tax collector’s life didn’t help their reputation. As
“good” people would not associate with them, their associates often came from the
despised of society. “Birds of a feather,” and all that type of thinking,
further solidified their position as public sinners.
Yet it was such a one as this whom the Lord Jesus called
away from his occupation and wealth to become a disciple (Matthew 9:9-13). Not
only did Matthew become a disciple of Jesus, he was also called and sent as one
of the Lord’s twelve apostles (Matthew 10:2-4). In time, he became the
evangelist whose inspired record of the Gospel was granted first place in the
ordering of the New Testament. Among the four Gospels, Matthew’s portrays
Christ especially as the new and greater Moses, who graciously fulfills the Law
and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17) and
establishes a new covenant of salvation in and with His own blood (Matthew
26:27-28). Matthew’s Gospel is also well known and beloved for its record of
the visit of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12); for the Sermon on the Mount, which includes
the Beatitudes and the Lord’s Prayer (aka as the Our Father) (Matthew 5-7); and
for the institution of Holy Baptism and the most explicit revelation of the
Holy Trinity (Matthew 28:16-20).
Tradition is uncertain where his
final field of labor was and whether Matthew died naturally or a martyr’s
death. It is suggested that Matthew was the oldest of the apostles. Eusebius
(263-339 AD) says that after the ascension Matthew preached for fifteen years in Judea
and then went to foreign nations. Socrates Scholasticus (born around 280) says
he labored in Ethiopia;
Ambrose (330-397) sends him to Persia
and Isidore (560-636) to Macedonians, while others hold that he preached among
the Meds and Persians. Clement of Alexandria
(150-215) said that Matthew was a vegetarian. The Gnostic Heracleon (flourished
about 175) says that Matthew died a natural death, but no one else supports
this. Both Eastern and Western tradition hold that he was martyred, though how
is vague. It seems the most accepted view is that he was martyred by a sword,
or perhaps a spear, though the exact method is not revealed in the ancient
martyrologies, perhaps while preaching in Ethiopia.
In celebrating this festival, we give thanks to God that He
has mightily governed and protected His Holy Church through this man who was
called and sent by Christ to serve the sheep of His pastures with the Holy Gospel.
Collect for the
Festival of St. Matthew: O Son of God, our blessed Savior Jesus Christ, You
called Matthew the tax collector to be an apostle and evangelist. Through his
faithful and inspired witness, grant that we also may follow You, leaving behind
all covetous desires and love of riches; for You live and reign with the Father
and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor John Rickert is
Holy Church through this man who was called and sent by Christ to serve the
sheep of His pastures with the Holy Gospel.
This coming Sunday is the 17th Sunday after
Pentecost. The appointed lessons are: Jeremiah 11:18-20; James 3:13-4:10; Mark 9:30-37. For our liturgy we will be using the
first setting of the Divine service (page 151). This is a communion service.
Our opening hymn is “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (LSB 656). This is the older rhythm, composed by Luther, and has a
more rugged tempo and feeling. The sermon hymn is the one we are learning this
month, “One Thing’s Needful” (LSB 536).
Our closing hymn is “Onward, Christian Soldiers” (LSB 662). Our distribution hymns are: “Rise, My Soul, to Watch and
Pray” (LSB 663 ); “O Lord, We Praise
Thee” (LSB 617); and “Children of the
Heavenly Father” (LSB 725). The
sermon text is James 4:7, and the sermon is titled “Stealth Combat.”
In our public prayers we will continue to lift up other
Christian denominations and their leaders. This Sunday we will remember the
various Presbyterian churches, The Presbyterian Church (USA), the Presbyterian
Church in America,
the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church,
along with their leadership. We continue to pray for our LC-MS missionaries
around the world. This month we remember Ginger Taff-Lagergren, who is in South
Africa. She specifically asks us to petition
the Lord to use her to spread His love and that she would be a help to others
with challenges in their day-to-day lives. We ask the Lord to protect Ginger
and keep her in good health, so that she may serve to her fullest capacity.
Finally, we also thank the Lord that Ginger has answered His call to serve in South
Africa.
We will remember the persecuted believers in Tajikistan.
It is a small, land-locked country in Central Asia, bordered
by China, Afghanistan,
and other countries. Religiously, the country is Sunni Muslim 85%, Shia Muslim
5%, other 10%. In that 10% are roughly 230,000 Christians, mostly Russian
Orthodox, though there is at least one Lutheran congregation, a few scattered
Baptist and Roman Catholics, and other groups. Tajikistan
has a history of treating the minority faiths well, though a recent law putting
greater restrictions on them has caused some concern. While Muslim extremists
are generally not tolerated, concern over the conversion of Muslims to
Christianity has raised tension.
We will also remember, in our prayers, our sister SED congregations:
Redeemer, Baltimore, MD;
Resurrection, Baltimore, MD;
St. James, Baltimore, MD;
St. Thomas, Baltimore,
MD; and Risen Christ, Myrtle
Beach, SC. We will continue to
remember those who have been misled by our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy
of sexual immorality, asking God’s grace for their lives that they may be
healed and restored by the Holy Spirit. We will also continue to remember those
trapped in the modern practice of slavery and ask God to bless all efforts that
are pleasing in his sight to end this sinful practice. We will also remember the
Lutheran Malaria Initiative’s effort to end malaria in Africa
by 2015.
Below is a video of “A Mighty Fortress is our God,” our opening
hymn.
Our adult Bible class
meets at 9:00 Sunday morning. We are
currently in Matthew 27. The chapter has the death of Judas, Jesus before
Pilate, soldiers mocking Jesus, our Lord’s crucifixion, death and burial. In
other words, we are almost through the book. Join us for these pivotal events
in world history.
Preview of the
Lessons
Jeremiah 11:18-20:This is a wonderful passage to discuss different approaches
to the Bible, because it “works” well with several different presuppositions. Before
we get to those approaches, we should first know that Jeremiah lived in a time
of dramatic spiritual decline in Judea. He warned the
people that Babylon would come and
defeat the people as God’s just judgment. He also urged the people to submit to
Babylon, and then Babylon
would treat them with real mercy. Needless to say, Jeremiah was viewed as a
traitor by many, especially those of the ruling class. There were plots against
him, he was arrested, abused, etc. However, he lived to see the Babylonian
invasion and the deportation of those who opposed him. Still refusing to submit
to Babylonian control, a group of Jews murdered the Babylonian governor and his
guard, kidnapped Jeremiah, and fled to Egypt.
(You should now read the text to understand the rest of these notes.)
The first approach assumes no divine intervention. Jeremiah
was a very intuitive individual who could tell which way the wind was blowing.
He took this insight as a gift from God, and warned the people. He, through
some confidant, hears of the plots against him, and takes it as a warning from
God. However, Jeremiah is confident in God’s ultimate vindication. People in
this camp might even think verse 20 was written after the Babylonian conquest
of Judea, and the writer saw that as the vindication.
The interpreter may apply it in a sermon as he sees fit.
The second approach accepts phrases like “The Lord made it known to me” to indicate a
revelation from the Sovereign God to Jeremiah. The accent falls on man’s
inability to thwart the plans of God. In the end, God is judge. Jeremiah is a
righteous man. Application might be to trust in God and his ultimate justice,
or perhaps to be righteous in an evil age.
The third approach also accepts phrases like “The Lord made it known to me” to indicate a
revelation from God to Jeremiah. However the text (and indeed the entire life
of Jeremiah) is viewed as being Christ-centered. As Jeremiah warned the people
of their sins, and the consequences of their sins, so did Jesus. As the leaders
plotted against Jeremiah, so the leaders plotted against Jesus. As Jeremiah was
vindicated when his words proved true, so Jesus was vindicated when his words
proved true on Easter Sunday. The vengeance of God is executed on Jesus as he
hung on the cross. This Christ-centered understanding was God’s intention when
he inspired Jeremiah to write. The application is that Jesus is our redeemer
who has born our sins that we might enter heaven by grace through faith.
As a guiding principle, the third approach take passages
like “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he [Jesus] interpreted to
them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27) and “You
search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and
it is they that bear witness about me [Jesus] (John 5:39). It is the third approach to Scripture that we use
at Lamb of God.
James 3:13-4:10: The book of James has been misunderstood as saying that salvation
is granted through a combination of works and faith. He never says that, but
people have that misunderstanding. What he says is that a living faith in the
living Christ produces results in the lives of the believer. A dead “faith,”
that is, an acknowledgement of certain facts but lacking trust in those facts,
does not produce results. Such a “faith” even the devils have. The know who Jesus
is, but fear him instead of trust in him. I happen to be one of those who
believe that James was one of the very first books written in the New
Testament, and Paul’s accent on grace flowed, in part, from a misunderstanding
by many of James’ epistle. (Others think of it in reverse.)
The fruit of faith is very counter-cultural. Selfish
ambition, boasting, fighting for your rights, and so on, are all lauded by
fallen human nature. Meekness, gentleness, mercy, etc., are all viewed as
weakness, and even with contempt. The world, our sinful nature, and the devils,
all promote the aggressive, negative, me-first, attitudes. The spirit of Christ
leads us in the paths of peace, mercy, understanding, reasonableness, and so
forth. To put it in the words of Christ and Moses, the Christian Faith leads us
to love our neighbor as ourselves. This love is not part of the foundation of
our salvation. It is the result of being built on the foundation of salvation,
on Jesus.
The devil is always seeking to lure us back to the ways of
the world, the ways of enmity, pride, greed, vengeance, anger, and so forth.
James, though, tells us to resist the devil, and he will flee from us. This is
done through the power of a repentant heart, a heart that has been cleanses by
grace through faith, a heart that trusts in Jesus, a heart that has been
baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. It does not depend on
itself, but on Jesus. If we seek to resist the devil by our own might, we fall
into his trap. Instead, we humble ourselves before the Lord only to discover
that he will exalt us.
Mark 9:30-37: This lesson ties in with both the OT
lesson and the Epistle lesson. First, like Jeremiah, Jesus is aware that evil
men are plotting against him, and he knows he will be vindicated through his
resurrection. Many have wondered why the disciples didn’t understand what Jesus
was saying as he was so plain. Well, the text doesn’t tell us, so it is just
speculation. First, being raised from the dead isn’t a normal thing. Second,
Jesus did speak in metaphors and parables all the time, and the disciples had a
hard time with many of them. Third, death of the Messiah just wasn’t on the
first century Jewish radar. Put that together, and they didn’t understand
Jesus.
The reading ties in with the Epistle lesson because the
disciples are arguing about who was the greatest among them. This is the very
sort of thing that James warns about. Jesus uses a child, who is basically
powerless and has to do what they are told, to make his point that we are not
to seek after worldly greatness, but to be servants of all. Notice the word
“all.” He doesn’t call us to only be servants to our own, but all people. Just
as Christ came for all, even those who reject him, so we care for all people,
even those who reject Jesus. When we serve the weak and powerless especially,
we serve Christ.
Tidbits
The
Board of Evangelism will meet after the worship service, Sunday
We are
sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, October 27, at the Fats
restaurant (http://www.superpages.com/bp/Boiling-Springs-SC/FATZ-Cafe-L0006431720.htm)
in Boiling Springs, to support the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI). Members
are asked to sell tickets for $7.00 (of which $4.00 will go to LMI and
$3.00 will go to Fats to cover their costs) for this event. Tickets will
be available Sunday. Additional help will be needed in the form of
greeters who will also sell tickets at the door and/or accept donations.
You can expect more information over the next two months on this blog
about our Pancake Breakfast and LMI.
The public debate centering on issues of church and state
has been growing in recent years. The prominence and the potential impact of
these issues make their appearance a regular item in headlines. The recent
decision of the Health and Human Services Department to require health plans of
religious institutions to pay for contraception is only one example. The
Supreme Court convenes and decides on these controversial issues with growing
regularity. Politicians line up on both sides of the issues, adding to the
rancor.
"The separation of church and state" seems like
the easy solution. Both church and state have their unique and separate
function. The purpose of the state is to "promote the general
welfare" of its citizens on this earth. The purpose of the church is to
deal with spiritual issues and truth as people live out their lives in this
world, with an eye to the next. Yet the intersection of these two entities is
unavoidable; they both seek the improvement of the life of our country"™s citizens.
Instead of being a point of controversy, this intersection can and should be an
empowering relationship.
The Intersection of Church and State explores the history of
this issue, especially in light of the First Amendment, "Congress shall
make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof"¦." It will explore the surprising fact that every
state in colonial times had an established faith. It will examine the origin of
Jefferson's description of the church-state relationship
as a "high and impregnable wall of separation."
The Intersection of Church and State will trace the history of
cooperation between these two groups—in bringing care to the needy, the
settlement of refugees, the adoption of children, the service of military
chaplains, and others ways. It will also consider how these historical church
and state partnerships are jeopardized.
This groundbreaking program will suggest that a far superior
metaphor in describing the church-state relationship is not one using a wall or
barrier but, instead, an intersection, which benefits us all.
Commemoration of Cyprian of Carthage,
Pastor and Martyr
September 16, 2012
The Lord be with you
Cyprian (ac. 200-258 ad)
was born in Carthage, North
Africa, where he became a lawyer and a university lecturer. He did
not become a Christian until he was about 46, and yet, within two years of his
baptism, he was acclaimed bishop of the city of Carthage
(around 248 ad). At the time, the
Church was deeply troubled with schism. Cyprian had a profound knowledge of
Scripture, and used that knowledge to contend for the unity of the Church. In
his book On the Lord’s Prayer he
wrote, “We say ‘Hallowed be thy Name,’ not that we want God to be made holy by
our prayers, but because we seek from the Lord that his Name may be made holy
in us, … so that we who have been made holy in Baptism may persevere in what we
have begun to be.” It is easy to see how Martin Luther, in the sixteen century, echoed Cyprian’s thought in his explanation of this petition. “Hallowed
be Thy name. What does this mean? God’s name is certainly holy in itself, but
we pray in this petition that it may be kept holy among us also. How is God’s
name kept holy? God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its
truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according
to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or
lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from
this, heavenly Father!”
During the persecution of Roman Emperor Decius (250 ad), Cyprian fled Carthage
(for which he was much criticized) because he believed that he was still needed
to guide and encourage his people in their suffering. He returned two years
later and was then forced to deal with the problem of Christians who had lapsed
from their faith under persecution and now wanted to return to the Church. It
was decided that these lapsed Christians could be restored but that their
restoration could take place only after a period of penance that demonstrated
their faithfulness.Also in 252 a plague
broke out in Carthage. Cyprian was
tireless in comforting the sufferers, but the pagans blamed the Christians for
the epidemic. In 258, another round of persecutions broke out under Emperor
Valerian. Cyprian at first went into hiding but later gave himself up to the
authorities. He was beheaded for the faith in Carthage
in 258 ad.
Prayer: Almighty
God, You gave Your servant Cyprian boldness to confess the name of our Savior,
Jesus Christ, before the rulers of this world and courage to die for the faith
he proclaimed. Give us strength always to be ready to give a reason for the
hope that is in us and to suffer gladly for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
Amen.
Other things Cyprian
might inspire us to pray about:
For Africa
and African Christians
For
the unity of the church
For
the sick, specially for those are suffering from a plague like Malaria
For
all who are persecuted or exiled because of their faith in Jesus
This coming Sunday is the 16th Sunday after
Pentecost. It is also the Commemoration of Cyprian of Carthage, Pastor and
Martyr. I will post something about Cyprian Sunday. If you have a Jewish
friend, you might want to wish him a happy Rosh Hashanah, which is also Sunday.
Rosh Hashanah is one of modern Jews high holy days (the other is Yom Kippur),
and is the Jewish New Years. It is a time of repentance. Traditional Rosh Hashanah
Greetings are:
1. L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu
Literal Hebrew to English
Translation: "May you be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good
year." This traditional Rosh HaShanah greeting wishes others a good year
and is often shorted to "Shanah Tovah" (Good Year).
2. Gemar Chatimah Tovah
Literal Hebrew to English
Translation: "May your final sealing (in the Book of Life) be good."
This greeting is traditionally used between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. It
wishes others well in the new year.
3. Yom Tov
Literal Hebrew to English
Translation: "Good Day." This phrase is often used in place of the
English word "holiday" during the High Holy Days of Rosh HaShanah and
Yom Kippur. Somes Jews will also use the Yiddish Phrase "Gut Yuntiff,"
which means "Good Yom Tov" or "Good Holiday."
But back to what we will be doing Sunday. Our assigned
readings are: Isaiah 50:4-10; James 3:1-12; and Mark 9:14-29. The appointed
Psalm is Psalm 116:1-9 (antiphon v 5). For our liturgy we will be using Matins
(page 219). The opening hymn will be “Lord of Our Life” (LSB 659). The sermon hymn will be “‘Away from Us!’ the Demon Cried”
(LSB 541). The closing hymn will be “Almighty
Father, Bless the Word” (LSB 923).
Our sermon will be titled “Sustained by a Word” and the text is Isaiah 50:4.
We will continue to lift up other Christian denominations
and their leaders in our public prayers. This Sunday we will remember The
Episcopal Church of the United States of America
and their Presiding Bishop, The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori. We continue
to pray for our LC-MS missionaries around the world. This month we remember Ginger
Taff-Lagergren, who is in South Africa.
She specifically asks us to petition the Lord to use her to spread His love and
that she would be a help to others with challenges in their day-to-day lives.
We ask the Lord to protect Ginger and keep her in good health, so that she may
serve to her fullest capacity. Finally, we also thank the Lord that Ginger has
answered His call to serve in South Africa.
We will remember the persecuted believers in Syria.
We are all well aware of the civil war being waged in Syria
at this time. You may not be aware that about 10% of the country is Christian
(about 2 million). The civil war is not generally supported by the believers, as
they fear their future will be similar to the Christians in Iraq.
While Assad rule is ruthless, he never declared war on the people of God. The Sunnie
Muslim majority, if in power as the civil war will result in if successful, and
if they follow the patter of such victories, very likely will.
We will also remember, in our prayers, our sister SED congregations:
Matrini, Baltimore, MD;
Nazareth, Baltimore,
MD; Our Saviour, Baltimore,
MD; Pilgrim, Baltimore,
MD; and Holy Lamb, Myrtle
Beach, SC. We will continue to
remember those who have been misled by our cultures acceptance of abortion and advocacy
of sexual immorality, asking God’s grace for their lives that they may be
healed and restored by the Holy Spirit. We will also continue to remember those
trapped in the modern practice of slavery and ask God to bless all efforts that
are pleasing in his sight to end this sinful practice. We will also remember the
Lutheran Malaria Initiative’s effort to end malaria in Africa
by 2015.
Below is a video of “Almighty Father, Bless the Word,” our
closing hymn. It uses the familiar tune commonly associated with the Doxology,
which actually shows up the last verse.
Our adult Bible class
meets at 9:00 Sunday morning. We are
currently in Matthew 27. The chapter has the death of Judas, Jesus before
Pilate, soldiers mocking Jesus, our Lord’s crucifixion, death and burial.
Because we usually read these accounts in light of the other Gospel records, it
is sometimes difficult to hear “Matthew’s voice.” Why did he leave this or that
out? Why did he include this or that? What is Matthew telling us? Such are the
questions we will consider Sunday.
Preview of the
Lessons
Isaiah 50:4-10: This passage is first and foremost
about Jesus and his passion. The final verse is a call to all who are in
darkness to come to him. We notice the strength the word of the Gospel has, and
rejoice that we have that same word.
James 3:1-12: James warns us that not many people should
become teachers (pastors) because the Lord judges them at a higher standard. He
points out how much trouble false doctrine causes. For those who think
Christians become perfect, and therefore do not need to confess their
sinfulness and receive forgiveness daily, I point to the words of James in
verse 2, “For we all stumble in many ways.” James is not even excluding
himself. We must live in the forgiveness of God found in Jesus, or we stray from
the Christian Faith.
Mark 9:14-29:
Jesus casts out an evil spirit. The boy had symptoms that seem like grand mal
seizures. This does not mean that everyone with such symptoms is demon
possessed. It means that demons can mimic real medical conditions. When the
disciples ask Jesus why they were unable to cast the demon out, Jesus responds
that “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” It is interesting
that Mark does not record Jesus as praying. This might reflect the same
theology in Luke 18:1, “And [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they
ought always to pray and not lose heart.” Our life should be a life of prayer
in all we do. As St. Paul puts it in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, in
word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God
the Father through him.”
Tidbits
Church
Council will meet after the worship service, Sunday
Our
Greek Club will meet Monday.
We are
sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast, Saturday, October 27, at the Fats
restaurant (http://www.superpages.com/bp/Boiling-Springs-SC/FATZ-Cafe-L0006431720.htm)
in Boiling Springs, to support the Lutheran Malaria Initiative (LMI). Members
are asked to sell tickets for $7.00 (of which $4.00 will go to LMI and
$3.00 will go to Fats to cover their costs) for this event. Tickets will
be available Sunday. Additional help will be needed in the form of
greeters who will also sell tickets at the door and/or accept donations.
You can expect more information over the next two months on this blog about
our Pancake Breakfast and LMI.
One of the earliest annual celebrations of the Church, Holy
Cross Day traditionally commemorated the discovery of the original cross of
Jesus on September 14, 320,
in Jerusalem. The cross was found by
Helena, mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. In conjunction with the
dedication of a basilica at the site of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection,
the festival day was made official by order of Constantine
in 335 ad. A devout Christian, Helena
had helped locate and authenticate many sites related to the life, ministry,
death, and resurrection of Jesus throughout biblical lands. Holy Cross Day has
remained popular in both Eastern and
Western Christianity. Many Lutheran parishes have chosen to use “Holy Cross” as
the name of their congregation.
On this day we remember the pivotal roll of the cross in our
lives by recalling some of what the Bible teaches:
For the word of the cross is folly to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
(1 Corinthians 1:18)
But far be it from me to boast except
in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to
me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14)
For he himself is our peace, who has
made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of
hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that
he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby
killing the hostility. (Ephesians 2:14-16)
And being found in human form, he
humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a
cross. (Philippians 2:8)
For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things,
whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
(Colossians 1:19-20)
And you, who were dead in your
trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with
him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt
that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to
the cross. (Colossians 2:13-14)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by
so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin
which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set
before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for
the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)
Prayer: Merciful
God, Your Son, Jesus Christ, was lifted high upon the cross that He might bear
the sins of the world and draw all people to Himself. Grant that we who glory
in His death for our redemption may faithfully heed His call to bear the cross
and follow Him, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now
and forever. Amen.
Before there were
cell phones, before there were flat-screen TVs, before there was easy access to
the internet, in fact, before there were home computers, I purchased a copy of The Confessions of Saint Augustine. This
is the classic devotional book, written over 1500 years ago, that had a
profound impact on Western culture, and is still read today.
This book is
profoundly different from devotional literature written today. It is far
deeper. You can’t read it just before you go to bed, and expect to finish it.
You have to chew on what Augustine says. You have to ponder it. You have to
reflect on it. In other words, it is just too weighty to read before you fall
asleep.
One interesting
aspect of the book is that it is written as a direct discourse with God. It is
an extended prayer. It is as if you are overhearing Augustine as he confesses
his sins, and his faith, throughout his life. It takes you from his birth up to
the time he writes his Confessions.
Our book club at
church selected the Confessions to
read for our last meeting. I pulled out my old copy and began to read. I must
admit, it was challenging. One of our assignments was to select some quotes to
share. When I got to sharing my quotes, everyone began to wonder if we had read
the same book. Sure, it had been a demanding read for them, but at least what
they read was English.
It seems that, since
the Dark Ages when I bought my copy, a newer translation has been produced. Who
knows, maybe several. Connie, taking pity on me, has loaned me her copy. Wow!
What a difference! The best way for you to understand the difference is to let
you see it. What follow is the same passage, first from my copy of the Confessions, and then from Connie’s
copy.
GREAT ART
Thou, O Lord, and greatly to be praised; great is Thy power, and Thy wisdom
infinite. And Thee would man praise; man, but a particle of Thy creation; man,
that bears about him his mortality, the witness of his sin, the witness that
Thou resistest the proud: yet would man praise Thee; he, but a particle of Thy
creation. Thou awakest us to delight in Thy praise: for Thou madest us for
Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it repose in Thee. Grant me, Lord, to
know and understand which is first, to call on Thee or to praise Thee? and,
again, to know Thee or to call on Thee? for who can call on Thee, not knowing
Thee? for he that knoweth Thee not, may call on Thee as other than Thou art.
Or, is it rather, that we call on Thee that we may know Thee? but how shall
they call on Him in whom they have not believed? or how shall they believe
without a preacher? and they that seek the Lord shall praise Him: for they that
seek shall find Him, and they that find shall praise Him. I will seek Thee,
Lord, by calling on Thee; and will call on Thee, believing in Thee; for to us
hast Thou been preached. My faith, Lord, shall call on Thee, which Thou hast
given me, wherewith Thou hast inspired me, through the Incarnation of Thy Son,
through the ministry of the Preacher.
And now, the same
passage, just from Connie’s translation.
i (I) ‘You
are great, Lord, and highly to be praised (Ps. 47: 2): great is your power and
your wisdom is immeasurable’ (Ps. 146:5). Man, a little piece of your creation,
desires to praise you, a human being ‘bearing his mortality with him’ (2 Cor. 4: 10), carrying with him the witness of his
sin and the witness that you ‘resist the proud’ (I Pet. 5:5). Nevertheless, to
praise you is the desire of man, a little piece of your creation. You stir man
to take pleasure in praising you, because you have made us for yourself, and
our heart is restless until it rests in you.
‘Grant
me Lord to know and understand’ (Ps. 118: 34, 73, 144) which comes first—to
call upon you or to praise you, and whether knowing you precedes calling upon
you. But who calls upon you when he does not know you? For an ignorant person
might call upon someone else instead of the right one. But surely you may be
called upon in prayer that you may be known. Yet ‘how shall they call upon him
in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe without a preacher?’
(Rom. 10: 14). ‘They will praise the
Lord who seek for him’ (Ps. 21: 27).
In
seeking him they find him, and in finding they will praise him. Lord, I would
seek you, calling upon you—and calling upon you is an act of believing in you.
You have been preached to us. My faith, Lord, calls upon you. It is your gift
to me. You breathed it into me by the humanity of your Son, by the ministry of
your preacher.
I don’t know about
you, but Connie’s copy is far easier to understand in my opinion. If you should
decide to read the Confessions of Saint Augustine, I recommend you purchase a
more recent translation than mine.
By the way, Kitty
still prefers the cover of the old edition.
Blessings in Christ
Pastor John Rickert
P.S. I understand
that a movie will soon be released, titled “Restless Heart,” on the life of
Augustine. The title is, of course, take from the quote from above.
