Today in the Spirit: Proper 12B
We come to Proper 12B, and, following Mark’s Gospel, we come to the narrative immediately following last week’s account of Jesus feeding the five thousand. Mark 6:45-52 contains that Gospel’s briefer (compared with Matthew) but detail-rich account of our Lord’s walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee. My commentary below seeks to demonstrate the kindness of God lying behind what appears to be sternness in the narration.
The OT reading assigned this week from 2 Kings 2:1-15 is the well-known story of Elijah departing the world in a chariot of fire and Elisha taking on the role of lead prophet in Israel. I see a loose connection with the Gospel reading in Elijah building up the faith of Elisha, much like Jesus does his disciples. Assigning Psalm 114 for Proper 12B–and, significantly, for one service on Easter Day in all three lectionary years–causes us to place the events of Jesus’ life, like his walking on water, alongside the events of Israel’s exodus from Egypt, especially those concerning water like the parting of the Red Sea at the beginning and the opening of the Jordan at the end.
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The church moves us forward in a series of NT readings in Ephesians with the assignment of Ephesians 3:[1-7]8-21 (all of Chapter 3, if the optional verses are included). The later required verses focus our attention on Paul’s self-understanding as a minister (or servant, NIV) of the Gospel by revelation and his stunning prayer that the church would know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge (19). The assigned Collect is yet another petition to God to enable us to pray effectively. In contrast to others this season focused on purity of thinking in our prayers, this one touches on our overcoming fears of “conscience,” making us feel unworthy to ask anything of God at all.
The Collect
Almighty and everlasting God, you are always more ready to hear than we to pray, and to give more than we either desire or deserve: Pour down upon us the abundance of your mercy, forgiving us those things of which our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things for which we are not worthy to ask, except through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Ask What I Shall Do for You (2 Kings 2:1-15)
9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let there be a double portion of your spirit on me.” 10 And he said, “You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if you do not see me, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 And Elisha saw it and he cried, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 And he took up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over. 15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho saw him opposite them, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. (9-15)
There is really nothing in the books 1 and 2 Kings to indicate that Elisha was anything more than a faithful attendant to Elijah for many years after his call to service (1 Kgs. 19:19-21). This story in 2 Kings suggests a transition toward Elisha becoming the lead prophet of Israel. The way the story unfolds with the pair moving from one place to another and the exact repetition of dialogue is good Hebrew storytelling to portray a faith challenge fitting for one called by God to do something more. Before Elisha can ask Elijah boldly for a double portion of your spirit on me (9), he must endure testing to confirm the promotion. By the time he takes up the cloak of his master, Elisha demonstrates a faith worthy of him becoming the successor–so, the waters of the Jordan part for Elisha just as they did for Elijah.
Contemplating this passage, the devotional question may arise in us: Do I have the faith to follow the word of God he has placed on my heart? Can I persevere through what looks like aimlessly wandering from place to place and hearing the discouragement of others, even those I trust most? We all come to mile markers in our Christian walk when it becomes necessary to push through to what we know to be the truth. In those moments, especially, it is vital that we trust in the goodness of the Father to provide the strength of his Spirit and (this is important) ask for it. So Elisha must ask the big prayer for a double portion. Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Moun is relevant here: If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Mt. 7:11).
Today, Holy Spirit, as I pass through the testing that comes as I seek to follow your will, let me, like Elisha, put behind me one discouragement after another and, when all is done, ask for the thing you have put on my heart.
Tremble, O Earth (Psalm 114)
1 When Israel went out from Egypt,
the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,2 Judah became his sanctuary,
Israel his dominion.3 The sea looked and fled;
Jordan turned back.4 The mountains skipped like rams,
the hills like lambs.5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee?
O Jordan, that you turn back?6 O mountains, that you skip like rams?
O hills, like lambs?7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob,8 who turns the rock into a pool of water,
the flint into a spring of water.
This is a praise psalm. It exhibits the mindset of a believing person, a member of God’s chosen people, who is secure in his faith because of the One God’s revelation of himself in history. That God has indeed shown himself in the world and distinguished Israel as his sanctuary and dominion is, from this psalmist’s perspective, is undeniably proven by the events associated with the exodus from Egypt–the opening of the Red Sea (3, see Ex. 14:21f), the earthquakes at Sinai (4, see Ex. 19:18), the provision of water from rock (8, see Ex. 17:6-7) and the turning back of the waters of the Jordan (5, see Jo.3:14-17). The song’s tone by the end is one of certainty, with no yearning for more contemporary proof: Tremble, O earth, [like the mountains earlier] at the presence of the Lord.
The church would have us take the message of this psalm as a foundation and find added confidence in the events surrounding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We will hear the account of Jesus walking on water and include this on the list the psalmist provides. (On Easter Sunday, we add the resurrection). Are you wavering in your faith just now with a yearning for the presence of the Lord to intervene in your present circumstances? It is okay, but let this have an arresting influence in your worship as if to say, ‘‘Stop, remember, and get your bearings.’’Other contemporary confirmation will come. But establishing your faith in the Lord in the present begins with recalling the past.
Today, in the Spirit, who leads us to celebrate the past victories of God to steady us in the present, allow yourself to be caught up in renewed confidence before the Lord.
To Make Plain to Everyone (Ephesians 3:[1-7]8-21)
For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 2 assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. 4 When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. 7 Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God’s grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8 To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him. 13 So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory. (1-13)
Considering that he is here relating mystery hinted at in the Hebrew scriptures but made known to him by revelation. Paul is remarkably self-effacing. He calls himself the very least of all the saints (8). He admits his shameful suffering in prison (13, cf. 4:1). But it is perhaps in his own understanding of what he is called to do with his revelation of God’s purposes that we see the most humility–to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery (or, to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, NIV). Paul sees himself as nothing more than a lamp to reflect the light given to him, a servant to accurately discharge a message related to him from God on high. Despite his special revelations, he is ever the ambassador representing the Governor, nothing more.
Devotionally, we do well to take on Paul’s humility as a simple messenger of news from God. Our job is to grasp the Gospel and contextualize it, make it plain among the people we are called to serve. We need to be creative but not with the message itself. The temptation is always there to add to or subtract from the message assigned to us to make it more appealing to our audience and win more favor for ourselves. It is an act of will to stick to the role as messenger of God.
Holy Spirit, keep me humble as your servant of the Gospel in the world, and, like Paul, help me keep it plain for others to hear their own call from Jesus.
And He Saw That They Were Making Headway Painfully (Mark 6:45-52)
45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
Matthew’s version of this story, of course, includes the compelling account of Peter stepping out of the boat onto the lake. But Mark also has some unique parts: In v. 48, he notes:
And he saw that they were making headway painfully; and later, And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. (51-52)
At first, we might treat commentary like this as a rebuke, but I wonder if there might be another gentler way of viewing it. Jesus’ whole concern in this passage is for the disciples, not just that they survive the storm but that they learn to relate better to him as Lord. It could be this whole incident, as Mark tells it, is for the reader to see how our Lord graciously attends to the maturity of the disciples’ faith. There is something they did not grasp about the loaves, so Jesus endeavors to take them to the next step.
Devotionally, we need to check ourselves when we read the Scriptures and beat ourselves up for our lack of faith. There is and always will be so much we do not understand as God takes us from one stage of revealing himself to the next. Beloved, all is well. Look again at this passage of Paul with eyes fixed, not on ourselves, but on the perseverance of God teaching us to depend on him:
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (12-13)
Today, in the Spirit, who is in me revealing to me the real thrust of Scripture’s teaching, permit me to see the love of Jesus for his disciples in this passage and gladly receive the same in his walk with me.
Today in the Spirit
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