Episcopal Church of the Incarnation

West Point, Mississippi

The Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost [Proper 21B]

Num. 11.4–6, 10–16, 24–29 Ps. 19.7–14 Jam. 5.13-20 Mk. 9.38–50

Numbers 11.4–6, 10–16, 24–29

1) The name “Numbers” comes from the Greek title, which refers to the census figures given in chs. 1 & 26.

a) The title ignores that most of the book is narrative, poetry, and legal material.

b) One of the Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch), which comprises the “Law” (Torah).

i) Numbers reflects “P” (Priestly) redaction, an editing of the Law which took place in the sixth century B.C. (in exile), and which reflects the needs of the community in exile to have a close knowledge of and obedience to the Law.

2) The march through the desert: This incident takes place during the journey through Sinai to the plains of Moab (just before the threshold of the Promised Land).

a) The Eldad and Medad incident appears at a time when control over the people is a problem.

i) The Lord appoints seventy elders to assist Moses in ministry. However, ministry may arise in those who are not appointed, but who are called by the Spirit.

b) The people’s craving reflects a lack of trust, and a desire to revert to Egypt, where they were subject to other “gods”.

i) The craving is thus an offense against the Lord.

3) Numbers reflects the dependence upon God of the priestly office.

a) There is conflict between a priestly focus on the Lord and the people’s focus on daily wants.

i) Ministry isto be shared, and the prophetic office is independent of insitutional controls.

Psalm 19.7–14 Caeli enarrant (Cf. J. Haydn’s “Die Schöpfung”)

1) Psalm 19 is a hymn: vv. 1–6 are focused on creation, with vv. 7–14 are focusd on wisdom.

a) The two parts of the psalm may, originally, have been separate.

b) The psalm as a whole therefore sets side-by-side general (natural) revelation and special (scriptural) revelation.

2) The psalmist prays that he be blameless, as a reflection of the blamelessness (perfection) of the Law: a Wisdom theme.

a) A theology of Creation is expressed. The created order is the source of wisdom’s insights.

i) Compare this to “Reason” in the “Three-legged Stool” of Scripture, Reason, and Tradition as foundational to the faith.

(1) Reason is not cognition in a modern sense. Reason is closer to “natural law” in a classical sense, reflecting what we can learn about God and His will by observing the order of creation.

3) The words of v. 14 are often used as a short prayer prior to the preaching of a sermon. This practice originated with

James 5.13-20

1) James ends his letter (a series of instructions) with instructions about specific circumstances.

a) The focus in these verses is upon a life expressed in prayer (vv. 13-18) and the correction of the wayward (vv.19-20).

2) The topic of prayer was mentioned briefly at 1.5-8 and 4.2-3. The discussion is now developed in a comprehensive fashion.

a) Suffering evokes prayer, and cherfulness praise. Cf. Rom. 12.12; 1 Thess. 5.16-17.

b) The Greek word used to describe the “sick” (v. 14) connotes one confined to bed.

i) The “elders” of the Church (presbyteroi) are those in authority (Acts 15.2, 4, 6, 22-23; 16.4; 1 Tim. 5.17, 19; Titus 1.5).

(1) Elders are thus those appointed to ministry, with the term “presbyter” being equivalent in modern Western usage to “priest”.

ii) The anointing with oil is also found in the Old Testament, and this practice is reflected at Luke 10.34. Anointin is, however, not strictly medical, since it is done “in the Name of the Lord”.

iii) The reference to the sick man being saved uses a Greek verb which is used elsewhere to refer to both physical healing and salvation of the soul.

3) Calling one in sin back to the faith brings spiritual benefit not just to the sinnner but to the one who calls him back. Doing God’s work brings us nearer to God.

Mark 9:38–50

1) This story follows the instruction in v. 37: “whoever receives one such child in my name”:

a) The unknown exorcist is using Jesus’ name.

i) v. 41 follows: an act “because you bear the name of Christ”: we are called to an identity.

2) “[S]tumble” (skandalón, skandalawn) is used in v. 42 to describe sin. This connotes sin as a fall from a state of grace.

a) “if your hand scandalizes you...”: the structure throughout is the same. If one part of the body causes sin, preserve the healthy whole.

b) The body here may refer to the Body (the Church). “You” is used in the singular form of address, but the individual is a member of one Body.

i) The early Church justified excommunication, in part, through these verses.

3) Hell is referred to as “Gehenna”: The description is taken from Isa. 66.24, and also reflect the imagery of the valley outside of Jerusalem where rubbish was burned.

a) unquenched fire: the valley of fire (gē’ hinnôm) as the Valley of Hinnom (the place of child sacrifice described at 2 Kgs. 23.10).

b) The eternal punishment of the wicked: “their worm”: punishment is self-inflicted.