Scripture Study for

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Understanding the Word

By Br. John R. Barker, OFM

Today’s passage from Jeremiah occurs in a section of oracles from  the very last days of Jerusalem. The prophet’s strongest criticisms are  reserved for the Davidic kings, who are charged with maintaining  justice and ensuring covenant fidelity. Yet these “shepherds” have  failed to uphold justice and correct worship of God. Because of their  negligence, Israel is now under judgment, which will include exile  (the scattering of the sheep). Yet God insists that this judgment is  not the end of the story. After a time, God will gather the sheep and  return them to the land, placing over them a righteous Davidic king  who will lead the people as God expects them to be led. 

Paul reminds the Ephesians that before they became Christians,  they were dead in their transgressions, but have now been brought  to life in Christ, a completely unmerited gift (2:1–7). The Gentile  Ephesians have thus been brought into the household of the God  of Israel through the blood of Christ, who has erased the boundary  that separated Jews from Gentiles. What was once two people is  now one people. Not only has the estrangement between Jew and  Gentile been overcome, but the estrangement of both from God has  been healed in the very body of Christ, both the body of Christ on  the cross and now in the body of Christ that is the church (the “one  new person”). 

The apostles Jesus sent out last week have returned. The work  of proclaiming the Kingdom is exhausting, and so they are invited  to rest. But the work is never actually over; the more the kingdom  is proclaimed, the more the people clamor to receive its gifts. Jesus  knows, however, that the apostles must be rested and fed so that they  can continue their ministry. Yet the people keep coming, looking for  Jesus. Not only is this a sign of the faith that Jesus admires and  praises so much, but it is also a sign of the needs of the people. It is  in response to both the faith and the need that Jesus begins to teach  the crowd.

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