Sunday September 22 Pentecost 18
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Psalm 34
I will praise God because God rescued me when I was in trouble. God will always support those who live with integrity and the evil people will not get away with it forever.
The verse about no bones being broken became significant for the early Christians. Breaking legs was the Roman technique when they wanted to hasten the death of a crucified person. John, the gospel writer, says that Jesus’ legs didn’t need to be broken (and uses this verse to prove that) because Jesus was already dead. In John’s understanding Jesus wasn’t a victim, but was in charge of the entire process—his death was pure gift carried out entirely by his own will.
Esther 3.1-4.3 What’s Esther about?
As in many empires, the ruler claims to represent, or even to be, God, and we can see that claim starting to happen in our world just as it did in the ancient world. This was a major problem for Jews living in the Greek empire, because the Greek emperors required everyone to acknowledge they were gods, or becoming gods. But for Jews such a belief was absolutely unacceptable. The story of Esther deals with how to live under those circumstances and remain a faithful Jew.
In the story, Esther’s father, Mordecai, refuses to bow before the king’s representative, Haman, which would have signalled acceptance of the king’s claim to be God. Haman reports this disloyalty to the king, and the king gives him authority to kill all Jews in his empire.
Matthew 6.1-6, 16-18 What’s Matthew about?
Jesus continues his requirement for a level of integrity that does not have self-interest at the centre of religious practices—providing assistance to the poor, prayer, and fasting are never to be done to acquire a good reputation for the worshipper.
People who do that do indeed get the reward they wanted (a good reputation), but that sort of reputation is worthless! Be sure, Jesus says, that you are loving the poor and loving God for their own sake, not as a way of getting status for yourself. You should do these caring acts, Jesus says, in such a way that nobody knows. That will guarantee that your love is genuine and not for your own benefit.
This is one of Matthew’s themes—integrity in our worship and service to others is essential.
This week’s collect:
Almighty God,
you have created the heavens and the earth,
and ourselves in your image.
Teach us to discern your hand in all your works
and to serve you with reverence and thanksgiving;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
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