Reflections on Next Week's Readings - Easter 4

Bible in Time 2016
Notes & Reflections for Next Week’s Readings
Book of Common Prayer - Daily Office Lectionary

Easter 7: April 17 - 23, 2016

Readings for the Week
Click to see readings from Biblegateway.com

Sunday | 17 April 2016 | Fourth Sunday in Easter
Ps. 63:1–8 (9–11) Ps. 98; Ps. 103; Exod. 28:1–4 30–38; 1 John 2:18–29; Mark 6:30–44

Monday | 18 April 2016 |
Ps. 41 52; Ps. 44; Exod. 32:1–20; Col. 3:18—4:6 (7–18); Matt. 5:1–10

Tuesday | 20 April 2016 |
Ps. 45; Ps. 47 48; Exod. 32:21–34; 1 Thess. 1:1–10; Matt. 5:11–16

Wednesday | 21 April 2016 |
Ps. 119:49–72; Ps. 49 [53]; Exod. 33:1–23; 1 Thess. 2:1–12; Matt. 5:17–20

Thursday | 22 April 2016 |
Ps. 50; Ps. [59 60] or 114 115; Exod. 34:1–17; 1 Thess. 2:13–20; Matt. 5:21–26

Friday | 23 April 2016 |
Ps. 40 54; Ps. 51; Exod. 34:18–35; 1 Thess. 3:1–13; Matt. 5:27–37

Saturday | 24 April 2016 |
Ps. 55; Ps. 138 139:1–17 (18–23); Exod. 40:18–38; 1 Thess. 4:1–12; Matt. 5:38–48

Psalms 63; 41; 45; 119:49-72; 50; 40; 55
Literary Types | Click here | Created by Barbara Klugh

Psalm 63 | Individual Lament
Longing for God to be protected by enemies; David hiding from Saul in the wilderness; my soul clings to you; God is the temple to inhabit; refers also to the time of sleepless night in prayer.

Psalm 41 | Individual Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving for being rescued and healed despite what people think of me.

Psalm 45 | Royal Psalm
A celebration of the king’s wedding to a foreign princess; the bride and groom are beautiful; the palace is beautiful.

Psalm 119 | Misc.
I take comfort in your ordinance, O Lord; I will keep them; You are good, O Lord, teach me. Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the Bible that uses words tied to God - love, truth, law, promises, ordinances, true; the Torah can teach the individual for every moment of their lives.

Psalm 50 | Liturgy
This poem is attributed to one of David’s musicians Asaph; this is a covenant renewal liturgy; I will rebuke the evil ways of people.

Psalm 40 | Mixed Type
Thanksgiving and a plea for future help; looks to be a fusion of two main thoughts: thanksgiving and individual repentance; I am the sacrifice for what God requires; may all who seek the Lord rejoice and be glad.

Psalm 55 | Individual Lament
A prayer to be delivered from violence and false friends; I am distraught by the noise of the enemy; I am in anguish; but I call upon the name of the Lord who will save me; cast your burdens to the Lord; I will put my trust in you, O Lord.

First Readings

Exodus 28; 32; 33; 34; 40

Background on Exodus - Click here

Chapter 28 describes the vestments of the priest; Chapter 32 begin the idolatry of the people as Moses is spending too much time with God; Moses comes down from the mountain with the tablets, sees the partying and inflamed with anger and breaks them; massive executions by the priests; Moses says to the people, You have sinned a great sin!; God will judge them. Chapter 33- the Lord said to Moses for them to go to Canaan; a unique conversation with God and Moses who desires to see the glory of the Lord - you can see my back; the tablets are recreated and Moses pleas to the Lord for a 4th time. Chapter 40 describes the Tabernacle and God showing up; the people would only leave when God left the Tabernacle.

Second Readings

1 John 2, Colossians; 1 Thessalonians

Background on Colossians - click here

Background on 1 Thessalonians - click here

Sunday’s second reading in 1 John talks of Christ as our advocate, love being the base of all things, we have victory over evil, and any false teachings and teachers.

Colossians speaks of household relationships and begins Paul’s greetings to that congregation.

The first letter to Thessalonica is a pastor writing to a good congregation with encouragement and exhortation. Paul remembers their enthusiastic acceptance of the Gospel. He was a founder of the community and has some pride in what they are doing to advance the gospel. Paul hears of Timothy’s favorable reports and Paul is glad. Paul also give instructions on ethical living.

Gospel

Mark 6, Matthew 5

Mark 6 shows how Jesus is rejected in his hometown, commissions his disciples, a side story of the execution of John to explain Herod’s reaction to hearing about Jesus, the disciples come back and tell Jesus what has happened in their ministry with the miracles and wonders performed, and performs the miracle of feed 5,000 plus people in the wilderness as an object lesson for the disciples and the power of faith. Jesus sends the disciples ahead of him across the water and he walks on the water to join them and exhorts them not to be afraid.

In Matthew 5, Jesus begins to lay out a new ethos of life through his sermon on the mount using parables and teaching on the way life now is with God and true worship of the Lord. It is LOVE in all ways and all means that powers FORGIVENESS in all things in this new life in Christ.

Sources

Source | New Oxford Annotated Bible, 4th ed. | Notes in Psalms  by Richard J. Clifford | Oxford Press | © 2010

Source | Introduction to the Hebrew Bible, 2nd Ed. | John J. Collins | Fortress | © 2014

Source | Introducing the New Testament | Mark Allen Powell | Baker Books (Pure Michigan) | © 2009

16  April 2016 a.d. - Cornelius, Oregon, USA