November 1, Matthew 5:1-12

Jesus said: "Happy are they who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be filled. Happy are the merciful, for mercy will be shown to them."

These teachings attributed to Jesus are known as the "beatitudes," the Latin word for "blessings," which is the traditional English translation for the Greek verb that begins each verse. These teachings are also found in the gospel of Luke in a slightly different form. In the gospel of Matthew the beatitudes are the beginning of what is known as the Sermon on the Mount for which that gospel is famous. In this sermon Jesus ascends a mountain and instructs his disciples. For the author of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus is the new Moses who interprets the law of God. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus comes down from a meeting in the hills with his disciples to deliver this and other teachings on a plain to the people who have come from both Gentile and Jewish cities to hear him and to be healed by him. For the author of the gospel of Luke, Jesus is not the new Moses who is reaffirming and reforming Jewish law, but a teacher and healer whose authority and power is recognized by both Jews and Gentiles.

November 2, 1 Timothy 4:7-16

Paul writes: "Train yourself to live in godliness: it holds out promise both for the present life and the life to come."

Paul is giving instructions to Timothy, his younger co-worker in the mission to the Gentiles. Here we see Paul emphasizing that how a person lives is crucial to the witness of the church and to salvation itself. In his letters Paul argues that faith alone is required for salvation, because he is arguing against other apostles who are asserting that Christians need also to live by the rules of Jewish law. But Paul is not opposed to "good works." He believes, however, that these are a manifestation of faith rather than a requirement for salvation.

November 3, Sirach 27:30-28:7

"Forgive your neighbor any wrongs. For if someone nurses anger against another, how can they then ask for healing from God?"

Sirach, sometimes called "Ecclesiasticus" or "The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach," is in the Roman Catholic Bible but not in Protestant Bibles. It was part of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible that was used by Paul and the Greek-speaking church as "scripture," and it was included in the Old Testament of the Bible that the church of the Roman Empire approved in the fourth century CE. But the rabbis who established the Jewish canon in Hebrew at the end of the first century CE dropped Sirach and other books, known since then in the church as "The Apocrypha," from Jewish scripture. And the Protestant reformers of the sixteenth century translated the Old Testament from the Hebrew canon, rather than from the Greek Bible of the first few centuries. The Latin Bible in the Roman Catholic Church kept the books of the Apocrypha in the Bible, although noting the change in Jewish scripture. Thus, Roman Catholic Bibles today have within them Sirach, and Protestant Bibles omit this book and the other books of the Apocrypha.

November 4, Romans 8:31-39

"Who could condemn us? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God, interceding for us."

Paul writes to the Christians in Rome, "If God is for us, who is against us?" (Rm. 8:31) And he goes on to affirm that nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (8:39) The faith that Paul proclaims is that Jesus Christ has interceded with God on behalf of all humanity so that all those with faith will not be condemned for their sins but will know forgiveness "in Christ." This powerful witness helped to bring Gentiles and Jews together in a new community of faith that over centuries has become the church, as we know it today.

November 5, Matthew 9:36-10:8

Jesus sent out the twelve, saying: "Proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Freely you have received, freely give.

In this passage Jesus names his twelve disciples and then sends them out to "the lost sheep of Israel." (Mt. 10:6) He explicitly tells his disciples not to go to Gentile or to Samaritan towns, but only to Jewish communities. The gospel of Mark contains the same list of disciples and they, too, are sent out to preach and heal, but in this gospel Jesus does not restrict their mission to Jews. (Mk. 3:13-19, 6:7) The gospel of Luke also does not include the restriction that appears in the gospel of Matthew. ("Lk. 9:1), and it names "Judas the son of James" rather than "Thaddaeus" as the eleventh disciple. (Lk. 6:12-16)

November 6, Romans 12:3-13

"Be joyful in your hope, steadfast in hardship, faithful in prayer. Be always ready to offer hospitality."

In this passage Paul argues that there are a variety of gifts of the Spirit, so each person is called to nurture the life of the church in terms of the gifts that he (or she) has received. Paul gives priority to prophecy, service and teaching, which it seems he would count among his own gifts of the Spirit. Then he urges the Christians in Rome to love one another and to hold fast to what is good.

November 7, Matthew 25:1-13

"Keep watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

This passage relates a story about ten maidens, apparently friends of a bride, who light lamps and wait at the home of the bride for the groom to come for the marriage feast. Five take oil to replenish their lamps, but five take only their lamps. The groom is delayed, and when it is announced that he is about to arrive the five maidens who did not bring extra oil find that their lamps are no longer lit. They ask the other maidens for oil, but these "wise maidens" reply that they do not have any oil to spare. The "foolish maidens" leave to buy oil, and when they return the bridegroom has already come and the door to the home is closed. When the maidens who are late say, "Lord, lord, open to us," they are told, apparently by the bridegroom: "Truly, I say to you, I do not know you." Then the narrator of the gospel of Matthew says, "Keep watch, for you know neither the day nor the hour."

November 8, Ephesians 2:14-18

"Christ came to announce the joyful message of peace: peace to those who are far away, peace to those who are near. Through him, in one Spirit, we all have free access to the Father."

It is clear from verse 11 of Ephesians 2 that Paul is writing to a church that has Gentile as well as Jewish Christians. Paul tells the Gentile Christians that they were "without God in the world," (v. 12) but that Christ "has broken down the wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end." (verses 15-16) We see clearly here how the Greek-speaking churches that Paul was organizing were places where Gentile and Jewish Christians could enter into community together, as long as the Jewish Christians did not enforce the Jewish law within the life of the community. This is why in Galatians 2 Paul spoke out so strongly against Peter and James, at the time the leadership of the church in Jerusalem imposed Jewish kosher laws on the Christian community in Antioch. When Peter refused to eat with Gentiles, Paul accused him of undermining the unity of the church.

November 9, Matthew 16:24-26

Jesus said: "If anyone wants to follow me, let them renounce themselves and take up their cross and follow me."

Verse 24 actually reads in most English translations of the New Testament something like this: "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." The passage is translated above in a more inclusive way. Was Jesus only speaking of men following him? Obviously not, as women also followed. To make that clear the masculine language of this verse has been altered to be more inclusive. Is this changing the word of God? No, I don't think so. It is, however, translating an inclusive interpretation of the verse into English from the Greek in order to make the meaning clearer for our time. This kind of interpretation of scripture has always been the responsibility of the church.

November 10, John 14:22-27

Jesus said: "Peace I leave you; my peace I give you. I do not give it to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid."

The fourteenth chapter of the gospel of John is one of the most beautiful and well-known portions of the Christian Bible. It is unique among the four gospels of the New Testament. In this chapter Jesus is questioned by three of his disciples, Thomas, Philip and Judas (not Iscariot), who never speak in the first three gospel accounts. Jesus answers their questions with statements that appear nowhere else in the New Testament. Jesus speaks of "the Father who dwells in" him (v. 10) He tells his disciples that he will pray the Father to give them "another Counselor" to be with them forever, "even the Spirit of truth." (verses 16-17) Jesus comforts his disciples about his coming departure by saying, "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." (v. 20) He names the Counselor as "the Holy Spirit" who will teach the disciples all that they need to know. (v. 26) And, he gives them his peace.

November 11, Ephesians 4:1-6

"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you have all been called to one hope."

This is where we read the famous passage: "one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all." (v. 5) This letter may have been written by Paul, or by his disciples, to be circulated to many churches, because unlike the other letters attributed to Paul in the New Testament this letter is not addressed to a particular church or person. Galatians is addressed to the "churches of Galatia," and Romans is addressed to "all God's beloved in Rome." Paul's two letters to the Corinthians are addressed to "the church of God, which is at Corinth," and the letter to the Philippians begins with the statement, "To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi." Ephesians, on the other hand, is addressed to "the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus." It may be that a copy of this letter was known in the early church to have been found among Christians in Ephesus and so, when the letter was included in the New Testament canon, it was named "Ephesians."

November 12, Matthew 13:31-33

Jesus said: "The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with a large amount of flour until the whole thing rose."

This passage contains the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast (leaven). These two parables also appear in Luke 13:18-19) in a very similar form. They must come from a collection of teachings attributed to Jesus that the authors of these two gospels had, but the authors of the gospels of Mark and John do not seem to know of this collection. The parable of the mustard seed is usually interpreted to mean that something small may grow to something large. The parable of the yeast seems to imply that something that disappears may, nonetheless, make all the difference for the end result. 

These two meanings, of course, are interpretations rather than literal readings of the parables. Literally, the passages say that a mustard seed grows to be a mustard plant, and that yeast makes bread rise. But the parables each contain the phrase, "The kingdom of heaven is like . . .." This phrase denotes a simile and suggests that a literal meaning is not intended. These images are not the kingdom of heaven, but they are intended to suggest some meaning to us about the kingdom of heaven. The parables leave it to the reader to interpret this meaning. At times in the gospels the narrator gives an interpretation of a parable, but that is not the case here.

What might we read into the parable of yeast? It concerns a woman making bread. If she is making "the kingdom of heaven," we might conclude that God is feminine. If the point is that the ingredients for making the kingdom are already "mixed into" the world and our lives, then the parable might mean that the kingdom will come in its own time. Perhaps the yeast represents Jesus, who dies for our sake and thus "disappears" but, at the same time, causes the church to come into being. Or, we might understand the bread as the faith that rises in our hearts. 

November 13, John 14:21-26

Jesus said: "The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you."

There is much in the Old Testament about the Spirit, the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the Lord, and there is frequent mention of the Holy One of Israel, especially in Isaiah. I have found, however, only three places in the Old Testament where the adjective "holy" precedes the noun "spirit," and in each of these the phrase is clearly attributing holiness to God. Psalm 51:11 reads, "Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me." Isaiah 63:10-11 refers twice to "his holy Spirit" where the reference is obviously to God. Thus, the phrase in the New Testament, "the Holy Spirit," which appears in all four of the gospels, in Acts of the Apostles, and in Paul's letters, represents a break with the understanding of ancient Israel.

November 14, Matthew 25:14-30

In a parable, the master said to his faithful servant, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a little, I will entrust you with much more. Come and share your master's happiness!"

This passage is taken from what is generally known as the parable of the talents. It is about a man who gives three of his servants some talents (a talent in first century Palestine was a lot of money) before leaving on a journey. The servant receiving five talents trades them and makes five more. The servant receiving two talents similarly makes two more. But the servant with one talent buries his talent, and thus has only the one talent to show his master when he returns. The master welcomes the first two servants to share his happiness, but he takes the talent from the third servant, gives it to the first servant who already has ten talents, and orders the "worthless servant" cast into "the outer darkness" where "men will weep and gnash their teeth."

The literal meaning of this parable is that if your master gives you money, you had better invest it. But the parable is placed by the author of the gospel of Matthew just after the parable of the ten maidens waiting for the bridegroom to celebrate his marriage feast and just before the announcement of the coming Son of man and the great judgment of all peoples. Thus, from its context we know that this parable concerns the kingdom of heaven (there is an explicit reference in the parable of the ten maidens) and the coming judgment. It does not simply concern money, but is about what is entrusted to us by our master. 

November 15, Matthew 18:1-5

Jesus said: "Whoever makes himself humble like a child is greatest in the kingdom of Heaven. Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me."

The gospel of Matthew reports that when the disciples ask Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" he tells them they must be like children. The same argument among the disciples is also reported in the gospels of Mark and Luke. In Mark 9:33-37 and Luke 9:46-48 Jesus also points to the humility of a child and tells his disciples that they must serve others to be first. Here is a point where the first three gospels are in full agreement. To be a follower of Jesus is to be a servant, not someone who demands that others serve him.

November 16, 1 John 4:16-21

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."

This is a favorite passage from the New Testament. A more familiar translation from the Greek is: "God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." This reading uses the phrase "lives in" for "abides" in order to put the idea in contemporary English, and it replaces the masculine third person pronouns "he" and "him" with "whoever" and "them" in order to be more inclusive. If the translators of the New Testament thought that God has spoken the Greek text word for word, they could not make such a change. But they assume only that the meaning of the text, not the literal word-for-word translation, should be rendered into English. The church does not confess that God spoke Hebrew and Greek, rather than English or Chinese, but testifies that the meaning of the New Testament may be expressed and understood in any language as the inspired word of God.

November 17, Sirach 14:1-6, 14-16

"Happy are they who are not in anguish over their failings and who do not founder in despair. For if they are hard upon themselves, to whom will they be kind?"

Ecclesiasticus, of the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, is not in Protestant versions of the Christian Bible, but it is in Roman Catholic Bibles. The book was included in the Greek version of the Jewish scriptures that was read by Paul and other Greek-speaking Christians of the first few centuries of the church, so it was included in the Christian Bible in the fourth century when the church had the power of Emperor Constantine behind it to decree what was Christian scripture. Because the Jewish rabbis at the end of the first century CE had omitted Sirach from their Hebrew Bible, it was not included by Protestant reformers in their translations of the Old Testament.

Is Sirach scripture or isn't it? The answer depends on what historical community of faith you are in, and when you ask the question. For Greek-speaking Jews Sirach was scripture up into the first few centuries of the Christian era. For Hebrew-speaking Jews it was scripture (at least for some) before 100 CE but not after that date. For Christians who read the Bible in Greek, it was and is scripture. For Christians who later read the Bible in Latin, it was in the Bible and used but its omission from the Jewish canon was noted. For Roman Catholic Christians today, Sirach is in the Bible and is regularly used in lectionary readings.

November 18, John 12:23-26

Jesus said: "Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who is not attached to their life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

In this passage the gospel reports that Jesus says: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit." (v. 24) The literal meaning of this text is that wheat must be planted, if it is to grow and produce a harvest. It seems likely, however, that the gospel is not teaching basic agriculture, but is using language figuratively. When the gospel follows the statement about planting wheat with a statement about losing this life and gaining eternal life, we immediately assume that the two statements are related and should be interpreted together. But the relationship is not obvious. Our life is not like a grain of wheat. The grain is only potential life, whereas we are actually alive. But the form of the grain must be given up, if the wheat is to grow and produce a harvest. Must the form of our life also be given up, if we are to bring in the harvest of the kingdom of God?

November 19, John 21:15-19

A third time, Jesus said to Peter, "Do you love me?" Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" and said, "Lord, you know everything; you know I love you."

This account of a resurrection appearance beside the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee) is found only in the gospel of John. Peter and other disciples are fishing when they see Jesus on the shore. They join him for a breakfast of fish and bread. It is after they have eaten that Jesus asks Peter if he loves him. When Peter says he does, Jesus replies, "Feed my lambs." Jesus asks a second time, receives the same answer, and repeats his request. Then he asks a third time. Is he scolding Peter, or testing him? And what does Jesus mean? The literal meaning cannot be the intended meaning. Peter is not being asked to tend a herd of sheep. In the context of the gospel we quickly interpret "sheep" to mean those who follow Jesus. But why is this request repeated three times? Is this merely for emphasis? Or does repetition suggest that Peter does not understand the implications of his answer and needs, therefore, to hear the question again.

November 20, Psalm 23

"You guide me, Lord, on paths of righteousness. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for you are with me."

This is probably the most well known psalm in the Bible. Many Christians can recite it from memory. It is often included in funeral and memorial services, and I repeated it at the time of my father's death. We all fear walking through the valley of the shadow of death. The language here is poetic and all the more powerful. Death does not cast a shadow over a valley, but we know what the psalmist means. Death is like a dark valley, and we are afraid when we consider that there is no way to avoid it.

November 21, Matthew 25:31-40

Jesus said: "In truth I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

This passage comes from what is known as the Great Judgment. In the gospel of Matthew Jesus describes the coming of the Son of man in all his glory to judge the nations. He uses an image of a shepherd separating sheep and goats to indicate how the Son of man will sort people out, inviting into the kingdom those who had given him food and drink when he was hungry, welcomed him when he was a stranger, clothed him when he was naked, and visited him when he was in prison. When those who are being invited into the kingdom say they do not recall treating him as he has described, he says that when they did these things for "one of the least of my brothers and sisters," they did it for him.

November 22, Psalm 105:1-5

"Seek God and his strength, seek God's face at all times. Remember the wonders God has done.

This psalm recites the wondrous deeds that God has done for his people. It begins: "O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples!" The word "LORD" is used to translate the Hebrew four-letter representation for God, YHWH, which is sometimes written "Yahwah" or more traditionally "Jehovah." In verse 7 the LORD is said to be "the LORD our God." The English word "God" is used to translate the Hebrew word "El" or its plural "Elohim." In the Old Testament these two words are often used as synonyms, and so the free translation of verse 4 above refers to God rather than to LORD, which is a direct translation of the Hebrew.

November 23, Acts 10:1-35

Peter said: "I now really understand that God has no favorites, but that in every nation he loves those who revere him and act justly."

The story of Cornelius is related by the author of Acts to explain how Gentiles came to be included in the church. Cornelius is a God-fearing man, but he is a Roman centurion. In a vision an angel tells Cornelius to send for Peter, who the following day has a vision telling him that all foods are clean. Peter is told by the Spirit to go to see Cornelius, so he travels to Caesarea and there violates Jewish law by entering the house of a Gentile. Peter preaches to the Gentiles gathered there and sees the Holy Spirit come upon them, so he baptizes them in the name of Jesus Christ.

It is hard for us to imagine today that Jesus was a Jew who called twelve other Jews to be his disciples and, according to the gospel of Matthew, sent these disciples only to teach and heal among Jews. (Mt. 10:5-6) In the account of Acts, the church begins with Jews and only becomes Gentile after the Holy Spirit comes upon them and Paul's ministry to the Gentiles proves successful. The church in Jerusalem, which was led by the disciples of Jesus and by James, the brother of Jesus, remained close to its Jewish roots until Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 CE by Roman armies and the Jewish temple leveled. We can see this in Acts, because it reports that the newly baptized were going daily to the Jewish temple, (Acts 2:46) and we know only Jews were permitted to enter the temple.

November 24, Isaiah 45:1-7

God says: "I will go before you and will level the mountains so that you may know that I am the LORD, the one who calls you by name."

In this passage God is speaking through the prophet, Isaiah, to Cyrus, the kind of Persia. The Persians will defeat the Babylonians and release the Israelites in Babylon from captivity, allowing them to return to Judah. Because Cyrus will accomplish this, he is called "anointed" (in Hebrew "messiah" or in Greek "christ"). The passage affirms that the defeat of the Babylonians and the return of the Israelites to Judah is the will of the LORD and is being accomplished by Cyrus, because he is God's messiah (anointed one).

November 25, John 13:31-35

Jesus said: "It is by your love for one another that everyone will recognize you as my disciples."

In this part of the gospel of John, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his death. "As I said to the Jews so now I say to you," he says, "where I am going you cannot come." (v. 33) What a strange statement! Jesus is speaking to his disciples, who are all Jews, so what is the distinction he is making between his disciples and those he calls "the Jews"? In fact, the gospel of John refers to those who oppose Jesus as "the Jews." In the church today we need to clarify that this attack on "the Jews" in the gospel of John does not refer to all Jews and is not a justification for Christian anti-Semitism. The persecution of Jews by Christians throughout history shows that this is not an unimportant concern.

November 26, Matthew 11:25-27

Jesus said: "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for having revealed to little children what you have hidden from the learned and clever."

This statement also appears in Luke 10:21-22. There is no explanation given in either gospel, so we are left to interpret the meaning. In the gospel of Matthew the preceding passage concerns the judgment that will come upon the Jewish cities that have not responded to the ministry of Jesus. In the gospel of Luke, however, the preceding passage depicts the disciples rejoicing because of the success of their ministry. Do little children understand the judgment predicted in the gospel of Matthew and the jubilation of the founders of the church described in the gospel of Luke?

November 27, 2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Paul writes: "Anyone who sows generously will also reap generously. God loves the one who gives joyfully."

Paul is taking up a collection for the poor of the church in Jerusalem. Apparently the church in Corinth is well off, because Paul speaks of their "abundance at the present time." So, he urges the Corinthians to be generous in their giving. We know from Galatians 1-2 that Paul is taking up this collection as part of his agreement with the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. His ministry to the Gentiles has been approved, he says, so long as he remembers the poor. (Gal. 2:10) Preaching generosity, therefore, is self-serving for Paul, because he needs to show the church in Jerusalem that he is keeping his part of the bargain.

November 28, 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

"God is faithful and has called you to love in communion with his Son, Jesus Christ."

Paul writes these magnificent words to the Christians at Corinth, because there are problems there in the church. We see in verse 11 that there is quarreling in the church over whether the baptism by Apollos, Peter or Paul is better. These are false arguments, Paul says. Be grateful for the love of God and allow that love to heal the divisions in the community. Paul tells the Corinthians that the do not lack any of the spiritual gifts and that these will sustain them until the day of the Lord comes. Moreover, God will not abandon them, because in his Son, Jesus Christ, we know that God is faithful.

November 29, Isaiah 45:18-19

The Lord says: "I did not tell my people to search for me in chaos. I am the LORD God, who proclaims justice, who speaks what is true."

In this chapter of Isaiah God says through the prophet that he will use Cyrus of Persia to defeat the Babylonians and begin the restoration of Israel. In verse 14 God says the wealth of the nations will be given to Israel, after God saves his chosen people and enables them to return to Judah. Then God proclaims that he is not to be found in the chaos that existed before creation, but is the LORD of history who will bring justice to Israel and to all the earth.

Jesus saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of people." And at once they left their nets and followed him."

In all four gospels Simon (Peter) and Andrew are the first disciples called by Jesus. The gospels of Mark (1:16-20) and Matthew tell the same story. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus tells Simon Peter where to cast his net, and when the fisherman hauls in a large catch he and his brother, Andrew, become disciples. (Lk. 5:1-11) In the gospel of John, Andrew is a disciple of John the Baptist, and he is directed by John to Jesus and brings alone his brother, Simon Peter. (Jn. 1:35-42) The stories are varied, but the result is the same. The early church knew that Andrew and Simon (Peter) were the first disciples of Jesus.

These two men were called away from their livelihood not merely to follow a teacher but to take up a new work, as "fishers of men." The church proclaims that it has good news to offer to those who have not yet heard it. Being a Christian means witnessing to that good news, not merely enjoying it within the life of the church. The Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches distinguish between witnessing and proselytism, which they define as using coercion or propaganda. Every Christian is called to witness, but to be responsible to the gospel Christians must refrain from and resist proselytizing.