St Barnabas Anglican Church, Warrington, New Zealand
Pastoral Letter in time of Covid Δ
2021, 3rd October Trinity 18
Readings:
Job 1:1;2:1-10 Ps 26
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
Mark 10:2-16
² Some Pharisees came, and to test him they asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” ³ He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” ⁵ But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. ⁶ But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ⁷ ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, ⁸ and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” ¹⁰
Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. ¹¹ He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; ¹² and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.” ¹³ People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. ¹⁴ But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. ¹⁵ Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” ¹⁶ And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Grace and peace to you from God.
Today Jesus is dealing with two groups. The first lot get right up his nose, and the second he adored. Jesus was easy with children and thought them worth as much time as grown ups. I don’t think Jesus minded being challenged about what he did or said (Every question is a teaching opportunity), but it is hard to exercise power in a way that impressed or even satisfied Jesus. The main thread running through the gospel today is justice for the weak.
Jesus does give us a clear expectation of Christian marriage. God has made us like this. That children will grow up, become independent, and while the bond to our parents changes but never dies, we naturally develop a new bond. When we marry we sanctify that bond as a holy union and make it permanent. This, of course, is rather different from the state’s version of marriage but even that contains, at least, a balance of power and justice.
The point that Jesus makes is that the people of his time also had this high view of marriage but the law did not involve any equity. So it could be that a successful man could trade up, as it were, his wife in much the same way that we would change a car. Maybe he wanted this year’s model, maybe a union with a neighbouring farmer was desirable, maybe he just wanted a change of dinner menu. The man didn’t need much excuse. He just wrote out a note, and if he used the correct form of words from Deuteronomy, he was a player again. I understand there were only two reasons a wife could claim a divorce: if her husband became a leper, or took up a disgusting trade, such as becoming a tanner.
So Jesus isn’t just indignant about breaking a union sanctified by God, but by the powerful victimizing the weak. A divorced wife would have nothing and could do nothing except go back to her family, who may or may not be pleased to see her. She could easily be passed off on an even worse husband, and have no choice in it.
And it was the Pharisees who asked Jesus about divorce. They may have really wanted to know what he thought, but they might also have wanted to see if He would say something they could complain about. They must also be remembering John the Baptist, and remembering that John got into trouble for criticizing Herod’s divorces and marriages.
Jesus is unimpressed by either religious or secular politics. There is right and wrong, fair and unfair. So He comes down on the side of women, seeks to restore marriage to it’s proper place. Genesis comes before Deuteronomy.
We can imagine that the women (regardless of anything he said about divorce) would want their children blessed by Jesus. The men, the locals and the disciples, tend to think He has more important things to do: like teaching and theological debate. But it is not so. To Jesus nothing is more important than these children.
"Let the little children come to me, and don't try to stop them for of such is the Kingdom of God. This is the truth I tell you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will not enter into it."
And this Sunday, as we give thanks for the safety of the Phillips children, what could be more apt?
Jeremy Rev Dr JJ Nicoll, 0274 361 481 Priest-in-Charge St Barnabas, Warrington, NZ
Collect:
Inclusive God,
your love is offered to the vulnerable and the powerful
and knows no limits;
open our eyes to recognize
where our words and actions exclude others,
and by your Spirit turn us to new action,
embracing all with unity and care,
so that your ways of justice and peace may be revealed.
Through Jesus Christ our Liberator,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Job 1:1;2:1-10
1 There was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.
2 One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord. ² The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” ³ The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.” ⁴ Then Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. ⁵ But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” ⁶ The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.” ⁷ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸ Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes. ⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die.” ¹⁰ But he said to her, “You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12
1 Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. ³ He is the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
⁵ Now God did not subject the coming world, about which we are speaking, to angels.
⁶ But someone has testified somewhere, “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them?
⁷ You have made them for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned them with glory and honour,
⁸ subjecting all things under their feet.”
Now in subjecting all things to them, God left nothing outside their control. As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, ⁹ but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. ¹⁰ It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. ¹¹ For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ¹² saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”
Confession
Almighty and most merciful Father,
we have wandered and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.
We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts.
We have offended against your holy laws.
We have left undone those things that we ought to have done;
and we have done those things that we ought not to have done;
and there is no health in us.
But you, O Lord, have mercy upon us sinners.
Spare those who confess their faults.
Restore those who are penitent,
according to your promises declared to mankind
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake,
that we may live a disciplined, righteous and godly life,
to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
A Song of Creation
1 Bless the Lord all you works of the Lord: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
2 Bless the Lord you heavens: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
3 Bless the Lord you angels of the Lord: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
4 Bless the Lord all people on earth: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
5 O people of God bless the Lord: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
6 Bless the Lord you priests of the Lord: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
7 Bless the Lord you servants of the Lord: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
8 Bless the Lord all you of upright spirit: bless the Lord you that are holy and humble in heart.
The Song of the Three 35-37, 60-65
Bless the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit: sing his praise and exalt him for ever.
Amen
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