Episcopal Church of the Incarnation
Proper 22 B
Gen. 2:18-24 Ps.
8 Heb. 2:1-18 Mark 10:2-9
Genesis
2:18-24
1. “The man”
is a misnomer (Gen. 2.4):
a. hā’ ădām
refers to that creature “made from the earth [dust]”
§
a rough equivalent
in English would be “earthling”
§
gender
differentiation not apparent at the first creation of “man”
b. Compare
this account to that at Gen. 1.26-27:
§
“male” and
“female” are created in God’s image
c. The two
creation accounts refelect the “Jahwist”
and “Elohist”
traditions.
2. Adam’s
naming of creatures is significant:
a. “Woman” in English as a parallel construction
to the Hebrew
§
woman = eshâ (“from man); man = ēsh’
b. The power to name as an exercise in mastery.
§
But Adam’s naming of the woman as “from man”
indicates a conjugal and not hierarchical relationship
§
The
relationship is complementary, reflected in Adam’s speech (e.g., “bone
of my bone”)
3. “[A]nd they become one flesh:”
a. The
linguistic implication in Hebrew is that the “earthling” be- comes complete
when male and female are joined in marriage.
b. Mariage is between a man and a woman, reflecting the
Created Order.
Psalm 8 Domine,
Dominus noster
1. A hymn of
praise to the Lord as creator.
a. vv. 2-3:
the Lord’s glory
b. vv. 4-9:
humanity as the ruler of creation
c. v. 4 parallels Genesis 1
d. the “Name” is v.
10 as the sacramental bearer of divine reality.
2. Hebrews
2.5-9 relates v. 6 directly to Jesus.
Hebrews
2:1-18
1. Hebrews
is the longest sustained argument in the Bible.
a. The identity of the author is unknown.
b. The argument relates to the preëminence of Christ over the
prophets (chs. 1.-3), the angels
(21.5-2.18), and Moses (3.1-6).
c. In ch. 2, vv. 1-4 as an exhortation to fidelity; vv. relates
Jesus’ exhaltation through abasement.
2. The
author quotes psalm 8:
a. Paul
applies the same psalm to Jesus at 1 Cor. 15.27 and
Eph. 1.22; Peter applies the psalm at 1 Pet. 3.22.
3. All have
one “Father” (v. 11) is a modern translation of “origin.”
a. The “origin” referred to is probably Abraham,
not God.
§
Jesus is
begotten, not created. In the beginning
He was with God, and in God, and was God.
4. Psalm 22
(a reference to Jesus on the Cross) is quoted at v. 12.
a. The eternal Son became human in order to
overcome the devil,
and free humans from eternal death.
5. “He
himself was tested” (v. 18): Jesus was
tempted to escape death, at
Mark 10.2-9
1. This
passage a part of Jesus’ second instruction on Christology and
discipleship (9.30-10.31).
2. Jesus’
teaching on marriage and divorce is stated as a challenge to those who wish to
follow Him.
a. The message is not simply prohibition:
§
Those who are
married are one flesh (harking back to hā’
ădām of Gensis).
b. Jesus is now teaching in Judea, not
3. “What did
Moses command you?”
a. Deut. 24.1-4 takes
divorce for granted, and applies to
procedure.
§
The pharisees quote procedure in response to Jesus’ question.
b. Jesus regards the the
Deuteronomy procedure as a concession to
human weakness
§
Jesus
abrogates the Old Testament procedure, citing God’s plan for marriage.
§
What God has
joined, God may separate, but humans are not to.