Scripture Study for

Just prior to this week’s reading, Jeremiah has complained to God  that God has “seduced” him—drawn him into a difficult mission  of proclaiming God’s word of judgment to a faithless and violent  people. In the face of rejection, the prophet has tried to walk away  from his calling, but like a fire burning in his heart, the word of  God demands to be heard (20:7–9). Yet despite danger and even the  treachery of friends, Jeremiah ultimately trusts that God will defend  him “like a mighty champion” because he is doing God’s work. In  Jeremiah we see both the depths of suffering in relationship with  God and the heights of trust and hope despite it all. 

Paul explains to the Romans how the death of Christ has saved  humanity from death and sin. Paul understands sin here not as a  human act of the breaking of covenant commands (“law”), but as  a malevolent, intractable power that entered the world through  human disobedience. This power, which spread through all Adam’s  descendants, brought with it death. Thus all people, even those who  were not under the covenant obligations to God, sinned, even if they  were not breaking “the law” (Torah). Thus death “reigned” over all.  The obedience of Christ ends this reign by flooding humanity with  grace, a gift from God to deliver the descendants of Adam from the  bondage of sin and its “wages” of death (6:23). 

As Jesus sends the Twelve out to proclaim the kingdom, he warns  them of opposition. This warning shades into predictions of what  the early church will face after Easter. Out of fear for their lives  and livelihoods, they will be tempted to withdraw from the task of  proclaiming the gospel, or even to deny Christ. Yet this is what they  are being formed to do: to proclaim publicly what they are learning  from and about Jesus. In the face of fear, they must remember not  only that God cares for them, but also that even physical death is to  be preferred to the spiritual death that would follow from apostasy  or abandoning the call to proclaim the gospel.