THE BIBLE-DISCOVERY YEAR 07-WITH LUKE’S GOSPEL
COMMENT FOR PENTECOST 13 – 26.08.07
Jeremiah 1: 4-10
Here a deeply spiritual encounter with his God sets the tone for Jeremiah’s prophetic writing. The power of Babylon is growing as the 7th century BCE ends, and of all the Hebrew people, only the little kingdom of Judah remains. Can this remnant find a wholehearted response to the Spiritual Power that has led them, and can he set that Power before the nations around them?
Psalm 72: 1-6
The writer is an elderly man feeling very vulnerable as his physical powers diminish. He looks back over his life from childhood and sees the wisdom and strength of the Spiritual Power which has enriched his life. The words “strong fortress for the soul” have echoed down through the centuries as other worshippers in other times have prayed the same prayer and felt the same security.
Hebrews 12: 18-29
Two covenants are contrasted here – the Old at Mt Sinai giving the Law inspiring terror with the threat of death. The symbolism of Hebrew sacrifices would be clear to the readers of that late first Christian century. For us, we remember that Jesus said, “God is Spirit”, so we make our worship and encounter with the spiritual life in the God of the New Covenant.
Luke 13: 10-17
In this encounter Jesus acts as a reformer challenging the way people think and offering the caring love of God to a person in need. He objects to the legalism of good law-abiding people which would tolerate injustice for the weak. In today’s Australia a rough equivalent would be the legalism which denies funds from the Commonwealth for the hospital services which are the responsibility of the states.
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