Br. John R. Barker, OFM

Jan 28 2025

Scripture Study for

The first part of the book of Jeremiah focuses on the impending judgment on Judah and Jerusalem for their persistent, serious violations of the covenant relationship with God. Despite opposition from others who claim to speak for God, Jeremiah is proved right when Babylon destroys the city and exiles many of the people to “the land of the north.” Yet the prophet insists that judgment is not the final word. In a classic oracle of salvation, the people are told to exult in their future redemption and return to the Promised Land. The blind and the lame—the weakest of the remnant—will be brought back, too. The final verse emphasizes God’s enduring love for Israel, God’s “first-born” child. Not even years of infidelity can erase this primary relationship between God and Israel.

The author of Hebrews continues to develop the theme of Jesus as the eternal High Priest. In the past, a mere human represented all of Israel before God in cultic worship, offering—among other things—sacrifices for sin. Being sinful himself, the high priest was not separate from the rest of Israel, but a part of them and also in need of forgiveness. According to divine law, high priests had to be from the line of Aaron; no one could arrogate to himself this role. In the same way, Christ did not take upon himself the role of eternal High Priest, but was chosen by God, who acknowledged him as Son and Priest.

Jesus and his disciples are on the way to Jerusalem. Bartimaeus’s cry, addressing Jesus as “son of David,” indicates that he believes Jesus to be the Davidic Messiah whom God would send to reestablish God’s reign. It’s not clear why the others tell him to be silent, but this does to deter him, another sign of his faith. In his affirmation of Jesus’ identity as Messiah, in his persistence in seeking healing, and in his immediate and enthusiastic response to Jesus when he is called, the blind man shows all the hallmarks of a good disciple, and thus is open to the salvation that Jesus offers.

Jan 28 2025

Scripture Study for

This last of the Servant Songs of Isaiah is the most perplexing, not least because it claims that in the mysterious plan of God, the Servant’s suffering will contribute to the salvation of others (53:5). Although our translation reads that God was “pleased to crush him in infirmity,” more recent translations reflect the idea not of divine pleasure but of divine will, which is not the same thing. It was God’s will that the Servant remain faithful despite the suffering, and this same suffering is now offered for the very people who cause it. The Servant will be glorified, however, and will see the fruitfulness of his suffering, which will not have been for nothing.

The author of Hebrews has been developing the point that the Son of God entered into the human experience, including death, to bring his brothers and sisters to glory. Now Jesus is able to fulfill perfectly the function of the High Priest, which was to worship God and to intercede for the faithful. The humanity and suffering of Jesus mean that he is able to commiserate with us, not standing aloof and indifferent to our struggles and need for mercy but finding common cause with us in our human weakness. Thus there is no need to fear when approaching “the throne of grace,” because we find there a sympathetic and infinitely effective advocate.

For the last several chapters in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus has repeatedly told his disciples that they must be like children, that they must give up everything, that the last will be first and the first last, that they must take up their crosses. Yet the sons of Zebedee, two of Jesus’ closest followers, have not absorbed any of this. Indeed, as Jesus’ closest companions, they expect to receive honors when he establishes the kingdom. Jesus once again tries to drive home his points about humility, spiritual poverty, and exercise of authority. The Son of Man is a model for them, and he approaches the world in a very different way, which the disciples still do not understand or accept.

Jan 28 2025

Scripture Study for

Biblical wisdom literature regularly affirms that wisdom, often personified as a woman, is a greater treasure than anything else because wisdom gives insight into the ways of God. Those who prize wisdom and seek to live according to her teachings are assured of living in accordance with God’s will, which naturally leads to happiness. The traditional author of Wisdom, Solomon, is the representative par excellence of the person who prizes wisdom above all earthly wealth. Wisdom is more beautiful, splendid, and enriching than any other of God’s creations because she is “a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty . . . the spotless mirror of the power of God, the image of his goodness” (7:25, 26). Nothing brings humans closer to God than wisdom.

The section of Hebrews between last week’s and this week’s readings (3:1 — 4:11) contains an exhortation to remain faithful, learning from the experience of Israel, whose infidelity in the wilderness led an entire generation to be denied entry into the Promised Land, or their “rest.” Thus those who would follow Christ into their “sabbath rest” must remain faithful. The author has drawn on several passages from scripture (in which we hear “the word of God”) to make this point, and now affirms that this same “word of God,” identified implicitly as Jesus, brings either salvation or judgment, depending on one’s response. This word of God, which cannot be deceived, sees further within us than we are able to see ourselves.

At first glance Jesus’ correction of the man who calls him “good” seems like a needless quibble, but its point soon becomes clear. The man has kept the commandments from his youth, so why ask Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life? What more might there be to do? Perhaps he assumes that he actually lacks nothing, that he himself is “good.” Jesus’ correction then appears to be a lesson in humility. The man reveals that he is not able to truly follow Jesus because he clings not only to his possessions, but perhaps also to a sense of his own “goodness.”

Jan 28 2025

Scripture Study for

The Genesis passage gives an account of the origination of sexual attraction and marriage, as well as the fact that there are many different kinds of animals in the world. God recognizes that humans are not meant to be alone; they are essentially social creatures. None of the animals, both similar to the man yet fundamentally different, is a “suitable partner.” The woman, on the other hand, is an exact counterpart to the man, being made of the same “stuff.” The fact that man and woman are both essentially the same (bone of bones, flesh of flesh) and yet differentiated explains why there is such an irresistible attraction between them and why they regularly seek to “become one flesh.”

The Letter to the Hebrews begins with an affirmation that “in these last days” God has spoken to the world through the Son. This Son is “far superior to the angels,” yet when he became human, he was “for a little while” lower than the angels. Only by becoming incarnate could the Son be made “perfect through suffering.” Only by becoming a human could Jesus be a true brother to those who “taste death,” and thus bring them salvation through that death. As will become clear later in the letter, by offering himself on the cross, Jesus became the eternal High Priest, and as such he is able to consecrate others, giving them access to God and bringing them to glory.

The Pharisees test Jesus to see if he will uphold the Mosaic teaching allowing a man to divorce his wife (Deuteronomy 24:1– 4). Possibly behind the question also lies the execution of John the Baptist, who was put to death precisely because he challenged royal marriage practices. Were the Pharisees hoping to get Jesus in trouble with the authorities? In any case, in his response, based on Genesis, Jesus insists that marriage cannot be abrogated by human—even Mosaically-sanctioned—power. Perhaps because this response seems to deny the authority of Moses, the disciples are perplexed. Yet Jesus insists that anyone who claims to divorce someone is not, in fact, divorced in the eyes of God, who alone can effect such a separation.

Jan 28 2025

Scripture Study for

As Israel wanders in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land, they become increasingly discontented, and complain so much that Moses cries out to God to end his life (Numbers 11:14). God responds by endowing seventy elders with the same spirit enjoyed by Moses, so “that they may share the burden of the people with you.” The elders begin to prophesy around the tent of meeting, that is, in the designated area where God speaks to Moses. Joshua’s concern about Eldad and Medad appears to be related to the fact that they are prophesying in the camp, outside this designated zone. Moses, on the other hand, is not concerned about where prophesying happens; he is just glad that it does.

James continues to develop his teaching regarding the Christian’s relationship to wealth. He has already admonished against privileging the wealthy over the poor (2:1–4) and following the grasping, covetous wisdom of the world (3:13–4:3). Now he turns toward the rich themselves with classical warnings: their wealth is transient and may not last through their lives. When they die, they will discover the true wealth they possess. James assumes here that the wealthy have gained their riches through injustice, either by mistreating workers or by subverting justice to their advantage. In either case, in their wealth they have become complacent, just like satisfied cows, oblivious to the fact that they are fattening themselves up for slaughter.

The Gospel reading addresses the themes of tolerance and intolerance. In the first part, Jesus admonishes his followers to be less concerned about who “follows us” and more concerned about what they are doing. In doing good “in [Jesus’] name,” or for the sake of Christ, those who may not be part of the recognized followers are nevertheless doing something that pleases God. Sin, on the other hand, does not please God and cannot be tolerated. Those who muddle along in life without ever striving to eradicate whatever separates them from God will find themselves unable to enter into the reign of God. God loves the good, no matter who does it, but evil cannot be tolerated, for it opposes the very good that God loves.