This blog provides a meditation on the Episcopal daily readings along with a headline from world news:
Chinese Environmentalist on trial for not being licensed by state
Liu Futang on trial
Acts 24:1-23
Paul before Felix at Caesarea
24Five days later the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, a certain Tertullus, and they reported their case against Paul to the governor.2When Paul* had been summoned, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying:
‘Your Excellency,* because of you we have long enjoyed peace, and reforms have been made for this people because of your foresight.3We welcome this in every way and everywhere with utmost gratitude.4But, to detain you no further, I beg you to hear us briefly with your customary graciousness.5We have, in fact, found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.*6He even tried to profane the temple, and so we seized him.*8By examining him yourself you will be able to learn from him concerning everything of which we accuse him.’
9 The Jews also joined in the charge by asserting that all this was true.<!– 10 –>
Paul’s Defence before Felix
10 When the governor motioned to him to speak, Paul replied:
‘I cheerfully make my defence, knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation.11As you can find out, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem.12They did not find me disputing with anyone in the temple or stirring up a crowd either in the synagogues or throughout the city.13Neither can they prove to you the charge that they now bring against me.14But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our ancestors, believing everything laid down according to the law or written in the prophets.15I have a hope in God—a hope that they themselves also accept—that there will be a resurrection of both* the righteous and the unrighteous.16Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience towards God and all people.17Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation and to offer sacrifices.18While I was doing this, they found me in the temple, completing the rite of purification, without any crowd or disturbance.19But there were some Jews from Asia—they ought to be here before you to make an accusation, if they have anything against me.20Or let these men here tell what crime they had found when I stood before the council,21unless it was this one sentence that I called out while standing before them, “It is about the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial before you today.” ’
22 But Felix, who was rather well informed about the Way, adjourned the hearing with the comment, ‘When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will decide your case.’23Then he ordered the centurion to keep him in custody, but to let him have some liberty and not to prevent any of his friends from taking care of his needs.
St. Luke
Luke continues with his slightly biased history of the great Apostle:
1. The orthodox Jew is a creep, praising Felix in order to condemn Paul
2. Paul is open and frank, declaring his civic peacefulness with some gusto.
3. Felix is cautious and delays a decision, but acts humanely towards his prisoner.
All these contribute to Luke’s aim of encouraging Christians to be law -abiding citizens and Romans to treat them as such. Luke believes that the Kingdom is revolutionary, but it is a peaceful revolution.
Luke 7:36-50
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
36 One of the Pharisees asked Jesus* to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table.37And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment.38She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment.39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, ‘If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him—that she is a sinner.’40Jesus spoke up and said to him, ‘Simon, I have something to say to you.’ ‘Teacher,’ he replied, ‘speak.’41‘A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii,* and the other fifty.42When they could not pay, he cancelled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?’43Simon answered, ‘I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt.’ And Jesus* said to him, ‘You have judged rightly.’44Then turning towards the woman, he said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.45You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet.46You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.47Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.’48Then he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’49But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, ‘Who is this who even forgives sins?’50And he said to the woman, ‘Your faith has saved you; go in peace.’
Poussin: The woman who wiped Jesus’ feet with her hair
In this incomparable story Luke shows the nature of God’s rule as represented by Jesus. He does so through a “house-story”. I have made a preliminary study of such stories and sayings under the title “Oikos” which is Greek for house. Readers can find this study at emmock.com/oikos.
Jesus is the guest of a Pharisee, that is, a member of a Jewsish sect which promoted observance of the laws of holiness by all and developed the suynagogues as village centres of faith and community. His household would observe the ritual laws with care. We are told nothing else by Luke until the interruption of this decorous meal by a woman who breaks half-a dozen laws without really trying and then proceeds to scandalise the gathering by her shameless touching of Jesus. Naturally the Pharisee is appalled. Jesus then turns the tables on him by calmly, point by point, showing how his deficiencies of “house-courtesy” have been made up by the gracious behaviour of the woman. He, the righteous, has been lacking in grace, while she, the sinner, has been wonderfuly gracious. Why is this? Jesus answers that those who know how much they need the generosity of God are grateful when they receive it; whereas those who do not know their need cannot even receive what God offers. Jesus names the gratitude, “love”: the woman has much, the Pharisee little.
Of course,this scene presupposes Jesus’ announcement of God’s forgiveness to the woman and her acceptance of it. But then she becomes the bearer of the good news as she transforms a house of righteousness into a house of God. Jesus proclaims the gospel she has demonstrated.
Many churches that use this scripture have nevertheless by their implacable decorousness made it difficult, if not impossible, to hear the gospel brought to them by women and men who have experienced transforming love. This can be as true of charismatic assemblies as it is of cathedral liturgies. Of course there must be order and customs in any “house of God” but it should be a gracious order and loving customs.
Emmock's Blog 