Scripture Study for

Scripture makes it clear that serving God almost inevitably brings hardship, rejection, and pain. Moses experienced it, as did Jeremiah and other prophets. People are often resistant to seeing the world from God’s perspective and living accordingly because it involves conversion and sacrifice. In this respect, Israel was no different from anyone else. In this passage from Isaiah, God’s servant experiences that typical rejection, even though he is speaking a word to the weary.  The fact that he is bring good news to the people does not protect him from their violence. Yet the servant remains faithful, firm in his trust in God and sure of the divine goodness of his mission. 

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul addresses a tendency among this community to seek their own interests or form “parties,” forgetting that they are all of to be “of the same mind, with the same love,  united in heart” (2:2). They can do no better than to look to Christ himself as a model of humility and selflessness. It was Christ who,  rather than relying on his “equality with God,” humbled himself,  undergoing a shameful and painful death for the good of others. It was Christ’s humble love and obedience to God’s will for all creation that led to his glorification by God, who established him as Lord of all in heaven and on earth. In the same way, the Philippians should  “shine like lights in the world” (2:15) by imitating the humble Christ who served others rather than himself. 

Two unique aspects of Luke’s Passion account, both at the Last  Supper, are worth briefly mentioning. The first is the placement of the quarrel among the apostles about who is the greatest. In the context of the Last Supper, the argument takes on a particular poignancy as Jesus prepares to perform his greatest act by becoming the least.  There remains among the apostles, even now, a failure to grasp what  Jesus is about. Shortly after this, Jesus warns the disciples that going  forward they will need to carry protection (swords) because they will  be “counted among the wicked [Jesus].” In response, someone points out there are two swords in the room already, after which Jesus abruptly ends the dinner (suggesting that perhaps he was speaking truthfully about the danger but not literally about the swords?). The warning here is that, far from being regarded as among the greatest,  the apostles will be condemned and threatened for even speaking  Jesus’ name. There will be no glory for the followers of Christ, only danger and misunderstanding.