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Sunday
February 29, 2004 Deuteronomy
26: 4-10: The Chosen
Peoples’ Profession of Faith Analysis The
Deuteronomy passage clearly reveals the
two times frequently used by the author: the time of Moses and the time
of the author, whether exilic or post-exilic.
Chapter 26 begins with a phrase frequently used in Deuteronomy:
“When the Lord God has brought you into the land” (6:10,
7:1, 11:29, 17:14, 18:9); reference to the people having lost the
land for failing to claim it, or to state what they must do when they
return, or again to insist particularly on the reconstruction of the
temple, the place the Yahweh has chosen (cf. 12:5, 11, 14).
It is interesting to note that the priest’s role in this
passage is nothing more than to place the basket before the altar (26:4b)
and in 10b we see that the one who brings the offering places it before
the altar himself. In
years past, the phrase “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor”
(v . 5) was cause for intense discussions among biblical scholars.
Today the debate is less intense. G. von Rad claimed
that this was a primitive creed, one that was spoken in the liturgy
of the sanctuary of Gilgal, an expression of the historic heart of Israel. The entire Hexateuch, he claimed, finds
its origin in this text. Today
we have reason to question its antiquity.
There are other “creeds” (see Numbers 20: 14b -16,
for example) that today are believed to be even more ancient. On the other hand, the schema ‘oppression-clamor-liberation’
is characteristic of the deuteronomist (especially in the book of Judges).
Also, the importance of the earth as a place of rest, and the
earth as given by Yahweh are also important themes for the deuteronomist. For these reasons it is not easy to continue
sustaining what von Rad said.
Nevertheless, there remains a characteristic element of the Israelite
creeds that is beyond discussion, and that is their rootedness in history. The God of Israel is a God who is revealed
in the history of God’s people both yesterday and today. In
this sense it is very important to note the use of the first person
singular and of the plural. The one who prays places him/herself personally
before God (“my Father;” “I bring”). However, when recalling his/her sin and
the saving intervention of God, he/she returns to the plural: (“they
treated us harshly,” “they oppressed us,” “they
imposed hard labor on us,” “we cried,” “You
heard our voice,” “You brought us out”).
This change of person may be summarized as “my father was
Israel, therefore we are Israel.” This latency of the past and
the present, singular and plural keeps Israel alive and, all together,
it is presented as a recognition of God’s gifts, the largest of
which is the earth. This offering is transformed into a people
who prostrate themselves before their God and who recognize that it
is from God – and not from the fertility gods or the earth that
the gifts come. To prostrate
oneself before God, possessions in hand, is to recognize that idolatry
is sterile and that it is sensible to give praise and worship only to
Yahweh. In
Romans, the section (chapters 9 –
11) within which our text is found stands as a parenthesis concerning
Israel. It is preceded by the theological section
of chapters 1- 8 and is followed by the parenetic (or instructional)
section of chapters 12 – 15.
This parenthesis however is not disconnected from the whole,
for from the beginning we are told that salvation is for everyone, but
“to the Jew first” (1:16, 2:10). Paul’s
‘brothers by race’ are slow to recognize the Christ, a fact
which is a source of great pain for him. However he sees this as a time in which
God offers the opportunity for conversion to the pagans. Later –
perhaps moved by the heavens – all of Israel will be saved
(11:26). However, this does not free Paul from responsibility for
the Jews. God’s initiative (grace) is one of the central themes
of Pauline theology and it is truly a serious matter to believe that
it depends on us. This
is the reason that Paul makes frequent reference to the Scriptures in
this section. It is evident, and the handling of the texts confirms
that Paul is conscious of the fact that he is being controversial. In
a classic midrashic reading (beginning in Romans 8:5), Paul integrates
Leviticus 18:5 (cited according to the classic formula of pésher, as
is found in Qumran) together with Deuteronomy 9:4 and 30:12 united with
Psalm 107:26. The Christological
reading of these paragraphs points to how the word of faith brings us
to justice. With our hearts
we believe, and with our mouths we proclaim this faith; a faith that
is expressed in this simple and fundamental formula: “Jesus is
Lord.” This is the decisive confession of the believer (I Cor
12:3, II Cor 4:5, Phil. 2:11) and it recognizes that “the Lord
is risen” (I Cor. 6:14, Gal 1:1). One discovers an interesting chiasm here:
confess – mouth – believe – heart / heart –
believe – mouth – confess, which places salvation as a result
of a confessed faith at the center. ”All
who believe in Him” is an Isaiah text that has often been read
christologically (elect stone, precious, cornerstone, foundational).
The reference though is to Yahweh in Jerusalem. To misunderstand
and place one’s trust in Jerusalem was something truly idolatrous,
a seeking after security not grounded exclusively in God. It is in this
way that the stone becomes either what is stumbled over or the source
of salvation. It depends on where our trust is placed:
in God, or in the things of God idolatrously manipulated (“there
is not a single truth of faith that is beyond the reach of being manipulated
in an idolatrous manner” G. von Rad). The people make the Law
into an idol as well. However, it is not the Law that saves
but rather Yahweh, or Jesus Christ, through whom God saves. And for
this reason he is Savior of all, both Jew and gentile.
A new Christological reading is affirmed: “the one who
calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
In Joel the term refers to “the name of Yahweh,”
but here “Lord” is the Risen One, the One who has been proclaimed
“Jesus is Lord.” Salvation does not come by works or by
human actions but rather by God’s initiative. This is what must be believed and proclaimed
for the salvation of everyone, a salvation that begins in baptism and
commits us to an evangelization of proclaiming what we have believed
. . . . In
contrast to Mark, the Gospel
of Luke (and Matthew) present a much more detailed account of the temptation
of Jesus. Since the temptation
takes place while Jesus is alone, one might ask where the narrator gets
his information concerning what took place.
The fact that Jesus’ answers are almost exclusively biblical
quotations, an initial response might be that what we have here is Jesus
as viewed by the Christian community, as one fully committed to the
plan of God. Since
the account in Matthew and Luke is the same, we may conclude that it
comes from the common source Q, although in Luke the account is not
limited only to “sayings” but includes “acts”
as well. A serious question that could be asked is, which of the two
is more faithful to the source?
Or, to put it another way, which of the two modify the source
and what is the theological intention for doing so?
First
we note that Matthew and Luke present the second and third temptations
in inverse order. Does the fact that Matthew’s leaves
reference to the “high mountain” ‘til last reflect
a particular theological interest, or on the other hand does Luke’s
placing Jerusalem last reflect a similar motive?
Matthew gives a particular meaning to the 40 days without food
– something which Mark does not even refer to – presenting
them as a “fase.” Luke, on the other hand, thinking perhaps
of Moses (Exodus 34:28; cf. I Kings 19:1-8) says simply that “he
ate nothing.” Luke
emphasizes the role played by the Spirit and presents Jesus as moving
toward the desert (led by the Spirit).
The tempter is presented as “the devil” and the first
temptation is in the plural, in contrast to the singular in Matthew
(rock, bread). It is not
clear who modified the original source or what the motive may have been.
The comparison with Moses could easily have been in Q, with the typology
of the desert, the number 40, and references to the temptations of the
people of Israel in the desert.
As we know, Matthew’s community values the Jewish fast,
although focused in a new way. In any case, it is seems probable that
he gives a new understanding to the phrase “he ate nothing,”
that is found in the source. In
the account of the temptation in which the devil shows Jesus the kingdoms
of the world also we find some differences beyond that already mentioned,
of the high mountain in Matthew. The inhabited kingdoms of the world (oikoumene)
are all seen “in an instant” in Luke. It is made clear that the power and glory
of the kingdoms has been given (apparently by God) to the devil, who
in turn may give it to whom he chooses. Matthew adds “away with
you, Satan!” the only words attributed to Jesus in this passage
that do not come from Deuteronomy. Luke, on the other hand, presents
a pessimistic, satanic vision of the political world, and it appears
that in this case he is the one who has modified the source. The
next temptation takes place in the “Holy City,” which Luke
identifies as “Jerusalem.” Similar to Jesus’ expanded response
(quoted from Deuteronomy) in the first temptation in Matthew, the Psalm
quoted here by the devil is expanded in Luke. Matthew
concludes in a way similar to Mark, making reference to the angels who
came and waited on Jesus. In contrast, Luke prefers the enigmatic
phrase: “Having finished
every test, the devil departed from him until an opportune time.”
The devil reappears at the end of the Passover in Jerusalem, when he
“entered into Judas” (22:3). Synthesizing,
we can say that the gravity of the temptations in Matthew progressively
increase: bread, spectacle, adoration on the mountain.
By contrast, the final reference to Jerusalem clearly appears
to be modified by Luke. We
can say then, that the third Gospel changed the order of the second
and third temptations due to its geographic preoccupation centered in
Jerusalem. It
appears that the author of Q expressed in three temptations taken from
the temptations of the people of Israel in the desert, the temptations
Jesus faced in his ministry. Where Israel failed to do the will of God,
Jesus emerges as faithful, true “Son,” as already revealed
in his baptism. This confirms
the Christological intention of the account as well as the probable
intentional polemic with the Israel of Jesus’ (or the Gospel writer’s)
time. We
see in Luke’s account that unlike John, Jesus goes from the desert
to the city where he begins his ministry. As all will culminate in the city, he
begins there, always led by the Spirit, the new age of the Church. In
the first temptation the devil does not question that Jesus is the Son
of God. And seeing that Jesus is hungry, he tempts
him to change the stone into a loaf of bread. More than a “new people,”
Jesus is a “son of God,” the “Son of God.” So why does Jesus not perform the miracle? Because
his miracles are always done for others.
The second temptation is the temptation
of political power. In
a time when the entire known world is under imperial Roman rule, one
can “see in an instant”: the empire itself is diabolical
and perverse. It is idolatrous. The
third temptation is characterized not only by the fact that it takes
place in Jerusalem, but also by the fact that the devil quotes scripture. However, even scripture, if badly quoted,
or poorly read may be diabolical or idolatrous. By contrast, Jesus makes it very clear
that his ministry is for others, not for himself. His interest is not to save himself (cf. 23: 35,
37, 39). Like
two rabbis, Jesus and the devil argue, quoting scripture.
It is made clear to us that the one whose ministry is practiced
to his (or her) own benefit is a false servant of God. The faithful
of God do not require miracles since God is able to save without “marvelous”
or “theatrical” works. Jesus shows us with his life, the way
of obedience, led by the Spirit. Commentary
What
a beautiful time Lent is. It’s a time to “stop the machine,”
a time of serenity, of inner reflection . . . and, a time of endless
questioning. So many failures,
so many infidelities, so many injustices in our day! Lent is a time
for discovering how much we must change. The
Gospel of Luke shows us Jesus side by side with the people of Israel.
In the same exact circumstances in which the people were unfaithful,
Jesus comes out ahead; a contrast that is further highlighted by the
account of the desert, bolstered by citations from Deuteronomy. Where
Israel fell, Jesus comes out ahead.
More than simple a happening, it is a platform:
United to Jesus we have nothing to fear.
Only love is what counts.
Lent should be a time to recognize how many missed opportunities,
how many infidelities, how many injustices . . .. Moreover, in reviewing we must make corrections.
Lent is a time of conversion, and conversion means journeying
along the road of return to our God. Lent.
A beautiful time. A time for returning to God, for returning
to our scorned, forgotten, oppressed sisters and brothers; a time for
justice, for truth, for liberation . . .. While the people of Israel
when tempted failed to be faithful, Jesus in the same situation, facing
the same temptation triumphed!
In today’s gospel, Jesus appears as the one who triumphs
over temptation. Many voices both internal and external
seek to separate us from God, from God’s plans, from God’s
ways. However, there is a firmer, more powerful voice that can triumph
over the other voices, if we open our hearts to hear it.
It requires a fine ear, an attentive silence, a gentle and obedient
heart. It
is for this that Lent exists, that we may know how to consider, how
to reflect on life, that we may know how to pay attention to the roads
and the schemes that surround us and to confront them with the ways
and plans of God. It is
for this that Lent exists, that we may silence the sounds that daze
us and leave us deaf, that we may quiet the voices that hide the voice
of God, so that we no longer hear the music of the sirens that speak
to us of false joys of a consumerist society, but are rather able to
hear the voice of love, the voice that cries out in the silence and
in the desert. It is for this that Lent exists, to allow
us to be seduced by God in the desert, to return to the source, to our
first love, “like a child, face to face with God. It is for this that Lent exists. And
our Lent? How
many times have we heard it said that “Lent is a time of confession”? But what good is it if it does not bring
about a change in our lives in the road we follow? Lent is a time of the desert, however
of a desert in the midst of the din of the world, in the midst of sin
and infidelity, in the midst of human life.
It is here that I am invited to meet God and my sisters and brothers;
it is here that I am called to reclaim faithfulness. The memory of the
desert ended up being the memory of faithfulness of the Israelites,
a time of faith, as it is recorded in the “primitive Creed”
of our first reading. Furthermore, we are invited to believe
with our hearts in the Word (the second reading), not with our lips
but with our lives, lives of faithfulness and service. Here is the center, the heart, of Lent!
In reexamining our service, our love, our commitment to liberation,
we reexamine our faith. This is what Lent is about. Whoever
claims not to sin is a liar, says John.
Whoever recognizes that he is a sinner and decides to return
to God begins preparing the way for a life that is in sync with the
plans of God. The problem with those who will not admit that they are
sinners, or those who are not ready to allow God to enter their lives
is that they remain in sin. The
time of Lent, which we are beginning, is a time to look within and to
recognize that we have journeyed a great part of our life without God. On the other hand we can, in a sense,
say that that doesn’t matter to God.
God is not so concerned with the vastness of our separation from
Him. Rather, what concerns
God is that we are decided to overcome sin through following Jesus. Throughout
history there are moments of faithfulness and moments of failures. Lent
is a time to recover strength for the journey. It is a time of the desert,
a time for meeting God. But be on the alert!! “Open our eyes that we may meet
You in each one we meet, that we may commune with You each time we reach
out to shake a hand and each time we smile” (Luis Espinal). For
Instruction in Living What
is the deepest, largest temptation in my life?
What should I do to overcome it? What are the smallest, daily temptations
I face? What should I do
about them? For
Group Discussion -Jesus
was fully human, a real person just like any of us and he felt within
his own person that same difficulties that we feel. Preaching and teaching in times past spoke
of a disincarnate Jesus, merely divine, one who knew no human temptations.
Discuss. -
Today’s gospel lesson presents a theologically elaborated but
nevertheless realistic historic account of Jesus’ temptations.
They are presented as three temptations, or we could say as pointing
to three larger dimensions of human life.
What are these dimensions? Describe them beginning with the exegesis
and commentary above. -
What would the equivalent of these temptations be within the actual
situation of our society and our world today? For
the Prayers of the Faithful Today we will respond: “This is what we express to you, O Lord.” -Our
happiness in remembering in the gospel reading today, that Jesus was
truly human and experienced the same temptations that we do, This is
what we express to you, O Lord. -Our
admiration of Jesus as One who is the model of the New Person, incorruptible,
standing firm against evil, strong against temptations, This is what
we express to you, O Lord. -That
we wish to concern ourselves not only with bread but with the Word that
comes from your mouth, This is what we express to you, O Lord. -That
we wish to have hearts that are incorruptible, that even for all the
wealth of the world we would not sell our consciences, This is what
we express to you, O Lord. -That
we do not desire to “tempt God,” nor to place you at our
service, This is what we express to you, O Lord. -That
we wish to live this Lent as the powerful liturgical time that it is,
in unity with the Christian community all around the world, in a spirit
of reflection, prayer, and commitment, preparing ourselves for the annual
celebration of Easter, This is what we express to you, O Lord. For
the Community Prayer God, our Mother-Father, who in Jesus has given us a model of the complete and fulfilled person, fully human, yet without sin, tempted but victorious. It is our desire to follow this model of firmness and faithfulness, of humanness and strength, of faithfulness to You and to our sisters and brothers. This we ask of You, the One Who lives and makes live through the ages and for all ages. Amen. |
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