Reading from the Book of Job (1:1, 2:1-10)
There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
> The patience of Job may be an erroneous translation, as he was more enduring.
> Late OT book
> Change in the way of thinking about following all the laws of the Torah.
> Not a historical person — more of a legend — a righteous person.
> The author of Job is unknown.
> The “heavenly beings” were before the belief in a single God.
> Satan was the tempter.
> “Bone and flesh” meant “flesh and blood” by today’s interpretation.
> God give Satan permission to tempt Job.
> Job lost most of his family and almost everything else, but he would not curse God
Psalm 26
1 Give judgment for me, O Lord,
for I have lived with integrity; *
I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.
2 Test me, O Lord, and try me; *
examine my heart and my mind.
3 For your love is before my eyes; *
I have walked faithfully with you.
4 I have not sat with the worthless, *
nor do I consort with the deceitful.
5 I have hated the company of evildoers; *
I will not sit down with the wicked.
6 I will wash my hands in innocence, O Lord, *
that I may go in procession round your altar,
7 Singing aloud a song of thanksgiving *
and recounting all your wonderful deeds.
8 Lord, I love the house in which you dwell *
and the place where your glory abides.
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, *
nor my life with those who thirst for blood,
10 Whose hands are full of evil plots, *
and their right hand full of bribes.
11 As for me, I will live with integrity; *
redeem me, O Lord, and have pity on me.
12 My foot stands on level ground; *
in the full assembly I will bless the Lord.
> Appeal to God of someone who has been falsely accused.
> Four petitions
> Ritual hand washing at the altar
> Ends in a statement of confidence in God
> Fits with the story of Job.
A Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (1:1-4, 2:5-12)
Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels. But someone has testified somewhere, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honor, subjecting all things under their feet.” Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”
> Came after Paul’s letter.
> Written near the end of the first century.
> Form of a sermon.
> High Christology – mentioned in the letter of Clement.
> Written in high, elegant Greek.
> This is the most anti-Jewish book in the New Testament.
> Jesus replaces Judaism.
> Can be difficult to read at inter-religious gatherings.
> Writes to Christians who are tired — exults Jesus.
> Like in John’s Gospel, Jesus is an equal with God.
> The quote mentioned is from Psalm 8.
> Jesus is portrayed at the great champion — he comes to earth to redeem life.
> Hebrews uses much imagery.
The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark (10:2-16)
Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
> Jesus is moving from Galilee to Jerusalem.
> Two major topics: marriage and children.
> The Torah allowed divorce under certain circumstances.
> The reasons for divorce were being debated at this time in history.
> Jesus highlights back to creation, which was the original intent.
> In Roman law a woman could also divorce her husband, but not in Jewish law.
> Early Christians had divorces – began to not take all verses literally – complex topic.
> If one were touched by a Holy Man they received power.
> The story about the children could have been one about baptizing them at an early age.
> Do not hinder children from being baptized could have been the meaning of the verse.
> Expresses both the literal and figurative sense.
