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Br. John R. Barker, OFM

Feb 11 2025

Visions of the End

The reading from the book of Daniel contains the only clear Old Testament reference to resurrection. The passage is situated in a section that focuses on the persecutions and sufferings of the faithful during the period of Greek rule. In standard apocalyptic language, the oracle foresees the day when God’s armies—led by the angel Michael—will come to the aid of God’s people. Those who have been faithful to God will escape the “unsurpassed distress” that will ensue when God comes to set things right. Those faithful, the “wise,” who have died will awake to live “like the stars forever” (perhaps referring to the heavenly host of angels). The unfaithful, however, will endure the everlasting disgrace merited by their wickedness.

Having established that Christ’s priesthood is perfect and that this priesthood now makes the older system unnecessary, Hebrews goes on to discuss the implications of this for believers. Christ’s sacrifice makes possible not only the forgiveness of sins, but actual salvation. The older sacrifices could atone for sins, but they could not take them away, as Christ’s does. This leaves the believers fundamentally changed, and now they are (potentially, at least) “made perfect forever.” Christ himself is now in the presence of God, not only as intercessor, but as heir and conqueror of all the forces that oppose him, including sin itself.

The Gospel reading is sometimes called the Markan apocalypse, featuring as it does several standard tropes from Jewish apocalyptic literature. Apocalyptic thought looked forward to the day when God or God’s Messiah would defeat the evil forces that currently inhabit and corrupt the world. History and the world as we know them will come to an end, a new age will begin, and God’s sovereignty will be recognized by all. The Son of Man, an image derived from Daniel, represents the messianic figure who will bring judgment on the wicked and vindicate the righteous during the final days. The cosmic catastrophe at the beginning of the reading is the sign that the time has arrived, that the world is coming to an end, and a new era is beginning.

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Jan 29 2025

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The scene from Daniel draws on ancient motifs to depict the final  triumph of God’s power over hostile, chaotic forces. The time of  persecution comes to an end when God (“the Ancient of Days”)  sets up thrones of judgment against those who have brought chaos  to the earth (Daniel 7:1–12). At this time, a figure “like a Son of  man,” that is, with human features, appears on a chariot of clouds.  From God this figure receives dominion over the whole earth. As the  Jewish tradition developed, this image came to be associated with an  expected Messiah who would establish and rule over the kingdom  of God on earth. It was in this sense that “the Son of Man” was  understood by many in the first century. 

The book of Revelation was intended to inspire faith in the final  victory of God and the Anointed One—the Christ—over the forces  of evil that had been persecuting Christians. Thus, the book begins  with a vision of Christ as the victorious and supreme sovereign,  whose power extends through space and time. Key themes of the  book are sounded here. Jesus is the “faithful witness” who was  obedient to God even to death. Resurrected, he is the first of many  who will be raised. The work of Christ is a work of love, which seeks  to free those whom he loves from all bondage, beginning with sin.  As God’s Christ, he is forming a people to give glory to God. The  final section, which draws on the vision in Daniel, connects Christ to  Jewish messianic expectations.

Pontius Pilate and the Romans were concerned about Jesus and his  actions only because they believed them to be connected with political  insurrection against the Empire. Was Jesus claiming to be the king  of the Jews in an attempt to establish a Jewish state? Pilate wants to  know what Jesus’ intentions are. Jesus affirms he has a kingdom, albeit  one not of this world, and so in a sense no threat to the Romans. But  he is strangely reluctant to affirm explicitly that he is a king (perhaps  because it is a title that can be misunderstood), focusing instead on the  question of truth. Those who belong to the truth know who and what  Jesus is. Pilate can call him whatever he wants.

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Jan 29 2025

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At God’s order, the prophet Elijah has called down a drought, and  now is sent to a widow in Zarephath whom God has commanded to  feed the prophet (1 Kings 17:1–9). Clearly the widow is not aware  of this command, and when asked for some bread, she responds that  she has none, and in any case, she expects to die soon for lack of  food. But Elijah’s assurance that she will have enough flour and oil  to feed him, as well has herself and her son, until the drought ends  is a sign of God’s care for those who depend on the Lord in times  of trouble. 

The author of Hebrews has been explaining how Jesus Christ is the  perfect and eternal High Priest. Christ’s priesthood is superior to the  former priesthood on several counts. Whereas that older priesthood  was conducted in tabernacles and temples made by human hands,  Christ’s priesthood is exercised in the original, heavenly sanctuary in  the unmediated presence of God. Whereas previous priests offered  the blood of animals, Christ offered his own blood, and because of  this he only had to do it one time. Whereas the earlier priests could  only offer sacrifice to atone for sin, Christ not only takes away sin  by his sacrifice, but is able “to bring salvation to those who eagerly  await him,” something no previous priest could do. 

The Old Testament is full of admonitions to treat widows fairly  and not take advantage of their economic vulnerability. Jesus’  reference to the scribes “devouring” the houses of widows, while  reminiscent of prophetic denunciations of the rich and powerful,  is difficult to understand. Some have suggested that scribes may  have acted as guardians for widows without male relatives, but the  reference to prayers suggests a religious context, and it may be that  they were implicated in the same accusation Jesus makes earlier in the  Gospel about qorban (animal sacrifice, 7:8–13). In any case, Jesus’  next remarks about the widow’s contribution serve to highlight the  contrast between the rapaciousness of the scribes (and others who  are privileged) with the generosity of the poor widow. 

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Jan 29 2025

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As the Lamb breaks open the seals on the scroll, the world enters  a prelude to the final divine judgment, in which those who have been  faithful to God will receive their reward. In preparation for that  judgment, an angel comes forth to sign and protect the saved from  the impending disaster. The number 144,000 (twelve squared times  one thousand) is symbolic of the saved of Israel, which is joined by  a vast multitude from all the nations. The focus in Revelation is on  those who have suffered for their faith, thus the imagery of white  robes and palms that has become associated with martyrs. Those  who have been saved offer eternal worship to the God and the Lamb  who have saved them. 

The central theme of the First Letter of John is the reciprocal love  of God for humans, love of humans for God, and love of humans  for one another. The love of God, which is primary, has been made  manifest in Christ. Those who accept this love will love in return  through obedience to God and care for neighbor. This love is what  allows us to abide in God and in Christ, which in turn perfects us  and makes us children of God. This is the unimaginable promise of  what is to come. But, in addition to abiding in Christ, believers must  also be wary of the “world,” that social reality that is hostile to God  and which constantly seeks to draw us away from God.  

Near the beginning of his ministry, Jesus presents the fundamental  themes of his teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Portrayed as  the “new Moses” in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus stands as the definitive  interpreter of the Law and of God’s will. The Beatitudes are a  classic wisdom form, in which the ways of the righteous are laid  out for those who would be “blessed” (or “happy”). Jesus’ version  of this wisdom theme signals that his teaching and his ministry will  focus less on perfection of religious observance (which one might  mistakenly consider the equivalent of being “righteous”), and more  on qualities associated with humility, vulnerability, and openness to  God’s will and action in their lives.

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Jan 29 2025

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This passage from Deuteronomy ends with the famous Shema  (“Hear!”), in which Moses exhorts the people to loyalty to God  alone. In the context of the covenant relationship, to “love”  means this fidelity, as expressed in obedience to God’s will in the  commandments. Relationship with God leads to happiness and a  good life. This “love” of God, however, should not be construed in  a legalistic sense, in which the commandments are simply obeyed.  Rather, what God wants is wholehearted, single-minded, and total  commitment—not to the commandments, but to God. Just as God  has been completely committed to Israel, so Israel is called to be  completely committed to God. The focus here is not on laws, but on  relationship. 

The author of Hebrews has been expanding on the identity of  Jesus as the eternal High Priest, who replaces the older system of  Aaronic (or levitical) high priests. These priests “were many” for the  obvious reason that they grew old and died. But because Jesus lives  forever, he is able to fulfill this office perpetually, always there to  intercede for the believer. The quality of his intercession also cannot  be diminished: he is not a sinner who needs to offer sacrifice for  himself. Nevertheless, he has offered one perfect sacrifice of himself  for those who do need it. He is thus the perpetual and perfect High  Priest and intercessor for humanity.

We know from many sources that the question of how to sum  up the Law, the “greatest commandment,” was widely discussed  in Jewish circles in the first century. In response to the scribe’s  question today, Jesus gives what would have been a well-accepted  response, combining two commandments into one, indicating that it  is impossible to observe one without the other. The scribe develops  what Jesus says, adding that love of God is more important that  even animal sacrifices to God. Loving God is the highest priority;  one cannot substitute animal sacrifices or other religious behaviors  (such as fasting or ritual washing). These are less than worthless if  one does not love God and neighbor. 

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