Author: Fr. Matthew

Homily on St. John 6:56-69

Posted on by Fr. Matthew

Altar Eucharist

Proper 16b

St. John 6:56-69; 1 Kings 8:(1,6,10-11), 22-30, 41-43; Psalm 84; Ephesians 6:10-20

Mystery of the Eucharist

In today’s Gospel reading, we have what is described as a hard saying, and yet it is a saying that caused great excitement among our Church fathers.  We become one with Christ, him living in us and us in Him by partaking of the Eucharist.  One has compared this union, as melting two pieces of wax together so that it becomes one new piece of wax.  In the same way, as we partake of His body and blood we are made one with Him. The mystery of what takes place has blown believers away across the centuries.  By partaking of the Eucharist, we are somehow made one with the God of the universe and the creator of mankind.  In the words of Cyril of Alexandria:

O sublime condescension! The Creator gives himself to his creatures for their delight.  Life bestows itself on mortals as food and drink.  “Come, eat my body,” he exhorts us, “and drink the wine that I have mingled for you.  I have prepared myself as food.  I have mingled myself for those who desire me. Of my own will I became flesh and have become a partaker of your flesh and blood…. Eat of me as I am life, and live, for this is what I desire…. Eat my bread, for I am the life-giving grain of the wheat, and I am the bread of life.  Drink the wine I have mingled for you, for I am the draught of immortality….I am the true vine; drink my joy, the wine that I have mingled for you.1

Mystery of the Incarnation

He gives Himself for our food and drink, what wonder what mystery!  Secondly, the mystery that He has become our flesh and blood.  This second mystery, Cyril of Jerusalem saw intimated in the prayer of Solomon that we read this morning.  “…Afterwards Solomon, hearing his father David say these things, and having built a wondrous house and foreseeing him who would come to it, says in astonishment, “Is it then to be thought that God should dwell on earth?”  Yes, says David in anticipation in the Psalm inscribed, “For Solomon,” wherein it is said, “He shall be like rain coming down on the fleece”; “rain” because of his heavenly origin but “on the fleece” because of his humanity.  For rain, falling on fleece, falls noiselessly; so that the mystery of his birth being unknown, the wise men said, “Where is he that is born king of the Jews?”  And Herod, being troubled inquired concerning him who had been born and said, “Where is the Christ born?”2

God has become man.  Is it any wonder that Solomon a thousand years before Christ, can only ask in anticipating wonder about what God would do?  This question of Solomon’s “Is it then to be thought that God should dwell on earth?” Is seen to be answered even further according to St. Clement of Alexandria by the Church3.  God did not only dwell among men in his body in the first century but he also dwells among men in the midst of His church today.

The Manna

Returning once again to eating the flesh and blood of Christ, we understand that to eat of Him is to eat of life.  Nor is he killed to be eaten, he is alive and brings life to the dead.  In this we realise another mystery, no matter how much we eat of Him, He never diminishes.  We do not have to worry that if we eat today, that there won’t be any for a future day just like the manna was renewed each day in the wilderness.  St. Augustin exhorts us, “Let Christ be eaten; when eaten he lives because when slain he rose again.”4

The manna, or the bread that came down from heaven, in the Old Testament, was supplied to the Israelites without harvest, nor fruit of the earth, nor any such thing and it preserved the lives of them for forty years.  How much more will the true bread of heaven do for us, since he came for a greater purpose.  The Old Testament could only offer long life, whereas our Saviour offers us life without end.  This bread is a promise to abolish the sentence of death that sin has brought upon us.

Christ Our Daily Bread

In a discourse upon the Lord’s prayer, Cyprian of Carthage sees a twofold purpose of the petition give us this day our daily bread both a literal and spiritual application.  His thoughts on the spiritual side I believe are beneficial to us this morning.

Christ is the bread of life; and this bread does not belong to all men, but is ours.  And according as we say, “Our Father,” because He is the Father of those who understand and believe; so also we call it “our bread,” because Christ is the bread of those who are in union with His body…When therefore, He says, that whoever shall eat of His bread shall live forever; as it is manifest that those who partake of His body and receive the Eucharist by the right of communion are living, so, on the other hand, we must fear and pray lest any one who, being withheld from communion, is separate from Christ’s body should remain at a distance from salvation; As He Himself threatens, and says, “Unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye shall have no life in you.”  And therefore we ask that our bread–that is Christ–may be given to us daily, that we who abide and live in Christ may not depart from His sanctification and body.5

We see then, that we have a great opportunity to partake of the very flesh and blood of Christ in a few moments.  It is through these sacraments that we have life and sanctification.

Harder Teachings

Ascension

Despite the greatness, or maybe because of the greatness of these mysteries many of his disciples complained of the hardness of the teaching and left him.  A hard teaching, St. Chrysostom tell us, is one that is difficult to be received6.  However, Jesus continues and says this isn’t the hardest teaching of all.  A harder teaching that Jesus in the flesh would return to heaven.  For me, Jesus ascending back to heaven is just something that I read and don’t think about, but the fathers spent a lot of time contemplating this and its implications.

Ascension

To start with, the term he uses, “The Son of Man”, rather than the “Son of God”.  For the Son of Man is Christ of the Virgin Mary as we recite and affirm in the Creed.  In the words of St. Augustin, “Therefore the Son of Man began to be here on earth where he took on himself flesh from the earth.”7  Basically, Jesus is Son of God from all eternity, but Son of Man, that happened in a point of history.  The question that burned in the minds of the fathers is why he used the term Son of Man.  We’ll pick up again from St. Augustin, “was the Son of Man in heaven before the time when he began to be on earth?  Here he said, “Where he was before,” as if then he were not there when speaking these words.  But in another place he said, “No man has ascended into heaven except he who has descended from heaven: The Son of Man who is in heaven.”  He was speaking on earth and said he was in heaven.  And he did not say it this way: No one has ascended into heaven except he who has descended from heaven; the Son of God who is in heaven.”8

Trinity

What does this mean and what are we to understand from it?  It is this, Christ as God and man is one person and not two.  Again from St. Augustin, “In this way our faith is only a Trinity and not a quaternity.  Therefore Christ is one, the Word, soul and flesh, one Christ; the Son of God and the Son of Man, one Christ.  The Son of God always, the Son of Man in time, nevertheless one Christ according to the unity of the person.”9  To recap the hard saying was an explanation of how to receive life through the sacraments.  The harder saying and the one that ultimately caused the disciples to leave was the mystery of the Trinity and the mystery of the unity of the person of Christ.

It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail.  The flesh by itself profits nothing.  It is not a statement meaning that the flesh is evil because Christ would not have taken flesh in that case.  Tertullian reminds us to look at the context.  Jesus has just said that eating His flesh and drinking his blood gives life.  Let spirit be added to flesh and it accomplishes much.  In addition to the sacrament of the Eucharist, Tertullian exhorts us to devour him with the ear, and to ruminate on him with the mind i.e. to think over what he has said and digest him by faith.10

Responses to the Hard Teachings

If some will not accept the teachings of Christ, we must allow them to leave.  For it is the part of true godliness not to compel but to persuade.  However, that some will leave should not surprise for St. John himself speaks of this happening and the reason in his epistle.  “They went out from us, but they were not of us.  If they had been of us, they have of no doubt continued with us.”  Some left in this passage this morning, but there leaving did not cause the rest of them to desert.  Just because others leave, does not mean we are to as well.  Jesus, however leaves the door open to the remaining disciples, “Will you also go away?”

Peter, on whom the church would be built, responds for the disciples and in fact for the church throughout history.  His statement shows that although a rebellious and arrogant multitude may depart, yet the church does not depart from Christ.  We see this being lived out by our brothers and sisters in ANiC, ACNA, GAFCON and FIFNA.  It is a challenge for us as well to remain firm to Christ.  In his confession of Jesus having the words of eternal life, he confessed and looked forward to the resurrection and all the benefits that would happen there.

Christ’s Protection

Christ does not leave us to fend for ourselves.  Let us now turn our attention to the epistle reading for the encouragement of those who believe and are convinced that Jesus is the Holy One of God.  The armour of God  is one and the same with Christ.  When we put on the armour, we put on Christ.  The armour is put on in order that we can stand in the evil day.  St. Jerome tells us that the evil day is the future temptations and trials we may face.11  They and now today we are being counselled to be prepared to stand in the faith of the gospel and not to lapse under persecution.

As we examine the armour, we see that the shield of faith is one of the foundational pieces.  It is because of faith that St. Peter made the confession of belief.  Unless we are armed with this shield we will not have the strength to battle courageously and resist all these deadly powers.  Faith lives in righteousness.  Faith remains the fountain of all virtues, as St. Paul has often stated.  Righteousness is not as strong as faith because “righteousness lives by faith.”  But the effect of righteousness is accomplished by faith.

Each time we partake of the Eucharist, we have the opportunity to partake of the flesh and blood of Christ.  Each time we recite the creed, we affirm the Trinity of God and the humanity and deity of Christ.  These hard sayings we accept and believe.  Let us continue and live in the armour of God, being ready in faith and prayer for the trials and persecutions that will come our way.  He has given us himself to keep us in the faith.  Let us go forward in his protection.

~Dn. Fr. Matthew

 

1 Joel C. Elowsky and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture New Testament IVa (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 241

2 Marco Conti and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament V (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 60-61

3 Marco Conti and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament V (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008), 60

4 Joel C. Elowsky and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture New Testament IVa (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 242

5 Alexander Roberts, D.D., and James Donaldson, LL.D Editors, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5, Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian, Appendix, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1886 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 452

6 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 14, Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of John, Hebrews, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1889 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 169

7 Joel C. Elowsky and Thomas C. Oden, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture New Testament IVa (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 245

8 ibid.

9 ibid.

10 Alexander Roberts, D.D., and James Donaldson, LL.D Editors, Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3, Tertullian (I, II, III) originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1885 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 572

11 Mark J. Edwards and Thomas C. Oden, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture New Testament VIII (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), 198-199

Copley, John Singleton, 1738-1815. The Ascension, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=50177 [retrieved September 14, 2018]. Original source: http://www.mfa.org/.

Homily on St. John 6:24-35

Posted on by Fr. Matthew

Proper 13b

St. John 6:24-35; II Samuel 11:26-12:13a; Psalm 51:1-12; Ephesians 4:1-16

In the passages this morning we see a progression of the salvation that is found in Christ.  First in the Old Testament reading we have the record of Nathan’s confrontation of David’s sin and his subsequent confession and repentance.  In this we can all identify, we have all been confronted by someone or by God of our sin and chosen repentance.  In David’s case this was a returning to God, but in a more general sense this is the beginning of following God.  It is interesting how the Prophet Nathan chose to confront David.  He took the thing that we as humans have a propensity towards i.e. judging.  He brought David to a place of harsh judgement on another man for what we would call a lesser sin.  Nathan very beautifully uses the truth that Jesus would later expound in Matthew 7.

Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

In this instance we see Nathan judging King David with the same judgement that he meted out.  He did not allow the harsh judgement time to grow cold, but immediately confronted him for his hypocrisy.  Let us hear what St. Chrysostom says about David’s reaction,

What did the king say?  “I have sinned against the Lord.”  He did not say, “Who are you who censures me?  Who sent you to speak with such boldness?  With what daring did you prevail?”  He did not say anything of the sort; rather, he perceived the sin.  And what did he say, “I have sinned against the Lord.”  Therefore, what did Nathan say to him?  “And the Lord remitted your sin.”  You condemned yourself; I [God] remit your sentence.  You confessed prudently, I annulled the sin.  You appropriated a condemnatory decision against yourself; I repealed the sentence.  Can you see what is written in the Scripture was fulfilled; “Be the first one to tell of your transgression so you may be justified.1” Isaiah 43:26?

Confession brought about restoration.  As I was studying this passage these verses kept coming to mind.

But to the king of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, As touching the words which thou hast heard; Because thine heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Behold therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered into thy grave in peace; and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again. – II Kings 22:18-20

God is Merciful

God is merciful to those who repent.  An exalted King heard a prophet, may we humble people hear the call of Christ.  Turning our attention now to Psalm 51, we see David’s song or prayer of confession for this sin.  In the first line he calls upon God to be merciful.  Mercy is the most characteristic attribute of a Christian.  This is what defines us and it is because we so often find ourselves in need of the Lord’s mercy and we like David before us call out, “Have mercy on us according to the greatness of your mercy.”  We show mercy since the Lord shows us mercy.  As we have his mercy we are able to extend it to others.2

David asks for cleansing with hyssop.  St. Augustin tells us that hyssop is a humble herb but it has healing properties.  It grows in rocks and its roots cling to the rocks.  He then tells us, “Thence in a mystery the similitude of cleansing the heart has been taken.  You also take hold, with the root of thy love on your Rock: be humble in your God, in order that you might be exalted in your glorified God.  You shall be sprinkled with hyssop; the humility of Christ shall cleanse you.”3  When we entreat the Lord for cleansing in all humility he will do it.  To conclude this psalm let us listen to the words of one of the Fathers.

We believe without hesitation that both the priests of the Lord and other believers may return to their place of honour after a proper satisfaction for their error, as the Lord testifies through his prophet: “Shall he who falls not also rise again? And shall he who turns away, not return?”  In another passage the Lord says, “I desire not the death of the sinner, but that he may turn and live.”  The prophet David, on his repentance, said, “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your Spirit.4

Salvation

We have read the plea for restoration and we are confident in Christ that all who ask will receive it.  Let us now turn our attention to the Gospel reading.  We pick up just after Jesus has fed the multitudes and walked across the sea.  The multitudes will ask him a series of questions.  In his responses, with sharpness and gentleness, Jesus will attempt to guide them from looking at the physical benefits of the miracles to the truths that lie beneath.  He is looking for one thing only for them, the same thing that David was looking and pleading for – salvation.  To them, he says, I fed your bodies so that after this you might seek that other food that endures, which nourishes the soul.  Let us not walk in their steps but instead let us partake of the food that will nourish our souls as well.  It is through this partaking that we receive the gifts of the Spirit which are our pledge of our eternal life.  We’ll talk further of this when we turn our attention to the epistle.

“Do not work for food that perishes” St. Chrysostom is concerned that we may miss the point here.  This statement and again in the Sermon on the Mount we have the statement “take no thought for the morrow.”  There was an issue in his time and again in the time of the Desert Fathers which was mentioned when I was studying Psalm 51 of turning to idleness.  “Some monks called Euchites, or ‘men of prayer’, once came to Abba Lucius in the ninth region of Alexandria.  And the old man asked them, ‘What work do you do with your  hands?’ And they said, ‘We do not work with our hands.  We obey St. Paul’s command and pray without ceasing.’  The old man said to them, ‘Do you not eat?’  They said, ‘Yes we eat.’  And the old man said to them, ‘When you are eating who prays for you?’  Again, he asked them, ‘Do you not sleep?’ They said, ‘We sleep.’  And the old man said, ‘Who prays for you while you are asleep?’  They would not answer him.  And he said to them, ‘Forgive me brothers, but you do not practice what you say.  I will show you how I pray without ceasing though I work with my hands.  With God’s help, I sit and collect a few palm leaves, and interweave them and say, “Have mercy on me, O God according to your great mercy: and according to the multitude of your mercies do away with my iniquity.”‘  And he said to them, ‘Is that prayer, or is it not?’  They said, ‘It is prayer'” 5.  You may know of more modern examples.  St. Chrysostom emphatically tells us that this is a slander on Christianity.  Their idleness, causes us to be ridiculed.  He cites what the apostle Paul says about work in Eph 4:28 and I Thess 4:10-12.  The basic gist is that St. Paul is calling us to work so vigorously and laboriously so as to be able to share with others.  To take no thought doesn’t mean to stop working but not to be tied to the things of this life.  Not working for the food that perishes, does not imply that we ought to be idle, rather that we ought to work so that we have something to give to others.  It means not to be concerned about ourselves6.

The work of God is to believe in the one he sent.  St. Augustin saw an objection that we might have here since St. Paul states that a person is justified by faith apart from works7.  However, Scripture also states that the end of the law is Christ, unto justice to everyone who believes.  Therefore, he didn’t wish to separate faith from work, but said that faith itself is a work.  For this is the faith that works by love.  Faith as we learn from the apostle James does not live in a vacuum.  It actually has to do something if it is truly faith.

Now we get to the bread of heaven, the bread of life, the salvation that King David longed for and hoped in.  Jesus through feeding the multitudes hoped to draw them towards understanding that he would give them his very body and blood to partake.  He gave them a superabundance of transitory bread and wine so that they might expect a superabundance of his living body and blood.  He enticed us with things that were pleasing to the palate to attract us towards those things that make the soul alive.

In the final verses of the gospel reading, Jesus reveals that he was the true bread from heaven.  The bread given through Moses was merely a type to point towards him.  Bethlehem from where Jesus was born is by translation house of bread.  He is the bread of life that proceeded out of the house of bread.  He the only begotten of God the Father is the bread of heaven recovering the souls of the believers by his words of life and procured real life for all the world.

How are we to live then?

St. Paul, in this passage, calls us to both walk in worthy manner and yet at the same time with all humility or in another translation with all lowliness.  How is it possible to do both?  Meekness or humility is the foundation of all virtue and as we remember our limits and how we were saved, we will have the motive for every excellent behaviour.  We will remember that all is of grace and so walk humbly both in our words and deeds, and even in the tone of our voice.  We are to walk this way to great and small alike, enemy and friend, in short we are to act humbly to everyone in our lives.  Continuing on in humility we should not be envious of the gifts that another brother or sister has, nor on the other hand should we refuse to use the gift that God has given to us.  We must live and act according to the gift that God has given to each one of us.

Let us then confess to God any way that we have erred from him.  May we plead for his abundant mercy as David did before us.  As we receive his mercy, we must remember to extend it to others.  Let’s purpose to walk in humility remembering that it is only through God’s grace and pleasure that we are saved.  May this be a motivation to walk in a manner worthy of his calling — giving place and honour others,  using our gifts to build each other up, whether we think our gift is small or great.  Finally, let us purpose in our every action to encourage one another.  In this way we will mature until we attain to the unity of the faith.

~Dn. Fr. Matthew

 

1 John R. Frank and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament VIII (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 359

2 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 14, Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of John, Hebrews, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1889 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 513

3 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 8, Augustin: Expositions on the Psalms, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 193-194

4 Quentin F. Wesselschmidt and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament VIII (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007), 10

5 Quentin F. Wesselschmidt and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament VIII (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007), 2

6 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 14, Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of John, Hebrews, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1889 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 157-158

7 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 7, Augustin: Gospel of John, First Epistle of John Soliloquies, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 164

Homily on St. Mark 4:35-41

Posted on by Fr. Matthew

Christ in the storm Faith

Proper 7b

St Mark 4:35-41; I Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49; Psalm 9:9-20; II Corinthians 6:1-13;

The theme in the lectionary for the passages we read today is the God deliverance.  In the Gospel and Old Testament passages the Fathers look at the passage on two different levels.  First there is the historical level i.e. what actually happened and secondly on a spiritual level.  However, they do not have such a crisp and defined distinction between the two.  We’ll begin by primarily looking at the historical level and finish with primarily looking at the spiritual level

Calming of the Sea

Through chapter four of Mark, Jesus had been teaching and explaining both publicly and also privately to his disciples.  The day had come to a close and now they were going to cross over to the other side.  After this day of teaching Jesus falls asleep very likely he was exhausted from the day.

I can see someone falling asleep very easily from the gentle lapping of the water against the boat.  I know last year, I spent an afternoon with a friend on the Rideau canal and on the way back it was a struggle to stay awake.  There is just something about water that makes you sleepy.  We see a glimpse of the mystery of the God-man here, in that he who is the rest of the weary himself grew tired.  So, whether it was exhaustion or not, we do know he fell asleep to the extent that the storm didn’t even wake him up.

The Disciples Response

The disciples, on the other hand, are wide awake and fearing for their lives, they awaken the Lord and question his care for them.  He immediately speaks to the wind and the sea and there is calmness.  He then asks about their faith and they are in amazement of what has occurred and wonder who He is.

As I studied this passage, I discovered that it has caused bafflement for many throughout history.  The disciples clearly called to the Lord, but they were rebuked for having no faith.  Sifting through what many have written the consensus seems to be that they cried out in fear and not in faith, for they are wondering at the end who has the power to calm the sea.

Tertullian points out to us that when he disperses the waves, Habakkuk’s words are fulfilled, where he says “Scattering the waters in his passage.”  When at his rebuke the sea is calmed, Nahum is also verified: He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry”1.

Defeating the Giant

In I Samuel we see another example of one without fear in the midst of a group of terrified men.  His and Israel’s opponent, Goliath, was protected by the power of his weapons and the strength of a full set of armour.  David had none of that, but he was strengthened by his faith.  He would later write, “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” and again in today’s Psalm reading we see that those who have a perfect knowledge of the name of God trust in no other thing.

David, furthermore, had experience of the Lord delivering him from both a lion and a bear and expected it to be no different in this case.  He, therefore, went out in full expectation of victory because he trusted the Lord, of him it could not be said, “How is it that ye have no faith?”.  He went out and as we know the giant was defeated.

Pictures of Christ

In this story, the fathers have seen many pictures of Christ.  As we may have heard, at some point, the New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, the Old Testament is in the New Testament Revealed.  One overarching picture the fathers see in this story is Christ and the mystery of the cross delivering us from the bondage of fear and the evil one, but we will take a look at some smaller ones.

David Faith

A number of the Fathers have focused in on the use of a stone.  Paulinus of Nola, one of the Father’s states, “Having trust in Christ, consigning everything to the God of powers, regarding God alone as all that is highest this has always been [effective] in achieving every good.  This is the faith that has prevailed over all weapons.  This was the strength that made that slight boy great, for he grew stronger by spurning weapons and brought low the armed giant by the power of a stone.2”

The Stone is Christ

Others are even more specific seeing that the stone is figuratively Christ himself.  They cite Psalm 118:22 “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”, and also St. Paul in I Corinthians 10:1-4 – Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.  They conclude from these passages that the stone that David slung was either Christ or was working together with Christ.  “Therefore, let us take in our hands that stone, I mean the cornerstone, the spiritual rock…in David’s case, it was not the visible stone but the spiritual stone which sank into [Goliath’s] head…’Our weapons are not merely carnal but spiritual, demolishing [false arguments] and reasoning and every proud height, that raises itself against the knowledge of God.’” – Chrysostom4

Faith in Christ

Returning to our passage in the Gospel of St. Mark, we can easily come into judgement over the apostles.  If David had faith and worked with Christ in the face of the Giant, why couldn’t they have faith in the midst of the storm?  This we must not do.  It has been well said, “hindsight is 20/20.”  We must remember that it wasn’t until after the resurrection, that Christ opened their eyes to the things in the Scriptures about him.

The Church as the Ship

The Father’s as I mentioned at the beginning do not leave this story as a mere historical event, but they see the life of the church in it.  “For as many are in the little ship of faith are sailing with the Lord; as many as are in the bark of holy church will voyage with the Lord across this wave-tossed life; though the Lord himself may sleep in holy quiet, he is watching your patience and endurance: looking forward to the repentance, and to the conversion of those who have sinned.  Come then to him eagerly, instant in prayer.” – Origen5.

St. Augustin also applies it to us, “When you have to listen to abuse, that means you are being buffeted by the wind.  When your anger is aroused, you are being tossed by the waves.  So when the winds blow and waves mount high, the boat is in danger, your heart is imperilled, your heart is taking a battering.  On hearing yourself insulted, you long to retaliate, but the joy of revenge brings with it another kind of misfortune – shipwreck.  Why is this?  Because Christ is asleep in you.  What do I mean?  I mean you have forgotten his presence.  Rouse him, then; remember him, let him keep watch within you, pay heed to him…A temptation arises: it is the wind.  It disturbs you.  It is the surging of the sea.  This is the moment to awaken Christ and let him remind you of those words: ‘Who can this be, even the winds and sea obey him?’”6

Having Faith in the Storm

For us then, we must determine not to have received the grace of Christ in vain.  As part of the church, there is an intense storm around us.  In our individual lives there may be storms of varying degrees.  It is not the time to focus on Goliath and the waves and be overcome by fear as the Israelites and the apostles.  We must have the faith of David and awaken Christ in faith.  It is by the power of the Holy Spirit living and indwelling in us that we can do this.

Remember St. Paul’s claim we cause no one to stumble in anything.  It is not that we avoid these attacks, but how we respond to them.  If we respond in retaliation and revenge we are refusing the grace of God and the Holy Spirit.  We must determine to bless those who curse us.  Love those who hate us.  Pray for those who persecute us, all by the power of the Holy Spirit.   These are the big things, but we must already be in the practice of turning good for evil.  When someone annoys do we respond irritably or in kindness, when things don’t go our way, do we thank God for what has happened anyway, or when people fail and disappoint us, do we turn to the one who will never disappoint us?  It has been said that the journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step.  We must learn to look to Jesus in the little things so that when the big things arise it will be our natural response to receive them as from Him.

~Dn. Fr. Matthew

 

1 Alexander Roberts, D.D., James Donaldson, LL.D Editor, Ante-Nicene, Volume 3, Tertullian (I, II, III,) originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1885 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 379

2 John R. Franke and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament IV (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 273

3 John R. Franke and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament IV (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 274

4 John R. Franke and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Old Testament IV (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 274

5 Thomas C. Oden and Cindy Crosby Editors, Ancient Christian Devotional A Year of Weekly Readings (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 154

6 Thomas C. Oden and Cindy Crosby Editors, Ancient Christian Devotional A Year of Weekly Readings (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2011), 154-155

Backhuysen, Ludolf, ca. 1630-1708. Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=54955 [retrieved September 17, 2018]. Original source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Backhuysen,_Ludolf_-_Christ_in_the_Storm_on_the_Sea_of_Galilee_-_1695.jpg.

Swanson, John August. David and Goliath, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56540 [retrieved September 17, 2018]. Original source: www.JohnAugustSwanson.com – copyright 2005 by John August Swanson.

Homily on St. John 10:11-18

Posted on by Fr. Matthew

 

Good Shepherd

4th Sunday of Easter

St. John 10:11-18; Acts 4:5-12; Psalm 23; I John 3:16-24

Laying Down Our Lives

In this first verse we have a promise.  A promise that was so fulfilled that in the epistle reading St. John points to its fulfillment as an example for us to follow.  The Good Shepherd has laid down His life for the sheep.  He has laid down His life for us, his sheep, in order to change his body and blood into a sacrament for us and to satisfy the sheep he had redeemed with his own body as food.

Again, in the epistle reading, I’d like to focus on the word ought.  “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”  We ought to follow his example.  He first gave the example and now we are called to follow in it.  To the same effect, St Augustin tells us it is written in a certain place.  I believe it is Proverbs 23.  “If thou sittest down to sup at a ruler’s table, make wise observation of what is set before thee; and put to thy hand, knowing that it will be thy duty to make similar provision in turn.1”  By the rulers table, St. Augustin understands the Lord’s table or the Altar.  You there find the body and blood of Christ.  He admonishes us if we come to the Lord’s table we need to be ready to provide similarly i.e. we need to lay down our lives for others, yes physically but also in edifying others and in the maintenance of their faith.  With this example St. Gregory the Great also encourages us, “The first thing that we are to do is to devote our external goods to His sheep in mercy.  Then, if it should be necessary, we are to offer even our death for these same sheep….If someone does not give his substance to the sheep, how can we lay down his life for them?2”

The Shepherd’s Care

Laying Down His Life

In laying down His life, He did it of His own free will.  He was not under compulsion but He chose to redeem us.  In verse 18 He states, “I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”  In this act, St. Basil tells us, “By His passion He made atonement for our evil passions, by His death He cured our death, by His tomb He robbed the tomb, by the nails that pierced His flesh He destroyed the foundations of hell.”3  His choice brought about such victory.  His laying down of His life righted the world.

In another place St. Basil also says, “Death held sway until Christ died.  The grave was bitter, our prison was indestructible, until the Shepherd went down and brought to his sheep confined there the good news of their release.  His appearance among them gave them a pledge of their resurrection4” Two weeks ago, as per the readings, in the lectionary, we were looking at Jesus appearing to the disciples and later to Thomas, He gave his body to be physically examined by them so that for all generations we can be assured that his physical body resurrected.  “and called them to a new life beyond the grave, ‘A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’ and so seeks to win their love.5”

Provision

In the Psalm reading, we see that under the shepherd’s care there is no lack.  He leads us where there is enough to eat and drink.  In this place of safety, St. Chrysostom encourages us to remain.  “…let us remain pasturing beneath this Shepherd: and we shall remain, if we obey him, if we hear His voice, if we follow not a stranger…If thus we do, we shall remain beneath the Shepherd, and the wolf will not be able to come in: or if he come[s] against us, he will do so to his own hurt.6”

In the protection of the Shepherd there is safety, however under the care of the hired hand or hireling there is not.  Who is the hired hand and how do we recognise him?  The fathers are agreed on this point, the hireling is the one who seeks his own interests.  The Shepherd always seeks the interests of the sheep neglecting his own.

We have many examples of this through history for example: St. Paul in Ephesus desired to go before those who were causing the riot, but the disciples prevented him.  His concern was for those in his care for his travel companions were brought before the magistrate.  We may also remember Pope Leo I who met with the Huns to intercede for the people of Rome putting his life on the line in meeting with Attila. Many more examples could be presented, but we will leave it there for this Homily.

The Hireling

The hireling offers no protection as St. Gregory the Great so nicely elaborates, “Souls are perishing, and [the hireling] enjoys earthly advantages.  The wolf snatches and scatters the sheep when he entices one to drunkenness, inflames another with greed exalts another by pride, destroys another by anger, stirs one up to envy, trips up another by deceit.  When the devil slays believers through temptations, he is like a wolf dispersing the flock.  No zeal rouses the hireling against these temptations, love excites him.  He seeks only the outward advantages and carelessly allows the inward injury to his flock.7”  While he offers no protection, the voice of the Shepherd still speaks through him.

St. Augustin goes so far as to say that the hirelings are needful.  “But give heed to the fact that even the hirelings are needful.  For many indeed in the Church are following after profit, and yet preach Christ, and through them is heard the voice of Christ, and the sheep follow, not the hireling, but the Shepherds voice speaking through the hireling.8”  Why are they needful?  As we know, there is a disparity between the needed amount of shepherds and true shepherds.  The hirelings while they do not offer protection, may offer sound teaching.  It is our responsibility however to pray that God would raise up the needed leaders who will care for his people above their own needs.

The Good Shepherd

Verse 11, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” is set in opposition to two types of spoilers in this passage.  We have the wolf who kills and destroys and the hired man who doesn’t prevent these things or gives his attention when they do happen.  Christ promises and, as we know, laid down his life for the sheep (us) and will never desert us.  He repeats the essence of this statement in verse 15, “I lay down my life”.  St Chrysostom points that this is a proof that He is not a deceiver.  He fulfilled what He said.  Jesus promises and He will deliver.  Chrysostom continues, “So also the Apostle [Paul], when he desired to show that he was a genuine teacher…established his authority by his dangers and deaths, saying, ‘In stripes above measure, in deaths oft’ II Cor 11:23.  For to say, ‘I am light,’ and ‘I am life’ seemed to them a foolish [and] a matter of pride; but to say, ‘I am willing to die,’ admitted not any malice or envy.9”  The proof of our teaching is whether we are ready to die for it.  It is not whether we can win an argument or impress people with our intellect.  It is whether when the chips are down will we stand by our words.

shepherd

In verse 16 Jesus states, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”  However, in another place He says, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and he revealed his bodily presence in the land of Palestine but to the Gentiles—He sent others.  Have we then not heard His voice?

St. Augustin makes reply on this point.  “But perhaps some one thinks that, as He Himself came not to us, but sent, we have not heard His own voice, but only the voice of those whom He sent.  Far from it: let such a thought be banished from your hearts; for He Himself was in those whom He sent.  Listen to Paul himself whom He sent; for Paul was especially sent to the Gentiles; and it is Paul who, terrifying them not with himself but with Him, says, ‘Do ye wish to receive a proof of Him who speaketh in me, that is, of Christ? II Corinthians 13:310’”  According to this testimony, Christ Himself was in Paul speaking.

Other Sheep

Having removed this possible doubt let us take a close look at verse 16.  Another one of the Fathers, Theodore of Mosuestia states, “This sentence alludes to those among the Gentiles who will believe because many among the Gentiles as well as many among the Jews are destined to gather together into a single church and to acknowledge one shepherd and one lord, who is Christ.  This has indeed actually happened.11”  We also know this has happened because of the testimony of St. Paul in Ephesians chapter 2 verses 11-22,

“Therefore, remember that at one time you, Gentiles in the flesh, called the uncircumcision by those called the circumcision, which is done in the flesh by human hands, were at that time without Christ, alienated from the community of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh, abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims, that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile both with God, in one body, through the cross, putting that enmity to death by it. He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Jesus’ Life Belongs to Him

Jesus then says, “No man taketh it from me,”.  Let us hear St. Chrysostom’s explanation of this statement.  “But if this be true, the next point is also certain, that He can ‘take it again’ when He will.  For if the dying was a greater thing than men could do, doubt no more about the other.  Since the fact that He alone was able to let go, His life shows that He able by the same power to take it again.  [Do you see] from the first He proved the second, and from His death showed that His resurrection was indisputable.12”

In conclusion, what is there that we can take from this for us.  First, let us lay down our lives for our brethren and if we can’t do that let us begin by showing mercy and compassion to their physical needs.  Secondly, let us be bold in prayer, having the assurance that He hears us.  Thirdly, when we see a hireling, let us not counter his teaching because it is the Shepherd’s voice, but let us attempt to protect the flock.  When the hireling flees let us see how we can offer consolation to the flock left behind.  Fourthly and finally, there are other sheep that are still outside the fold.  Let us seek how we can most effectively be part of bringing them in.

~ Dn. Fr. Matthew

 

1 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 7, Augustin: Gospel of John, First Epistle of John, Soliloquies, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 260

2 Joel C. Elowsky and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture New Testament IVa (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 345

3 ibid

4 ibid

5 ibid

6 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 14, Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Hebrews, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 215

7 Joel C. Elowsky and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture New Testament IVa (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 346-347

8 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 7, Augustin: Gospel of John, First Epistle of John, Soliloquies, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 258

9 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 14, Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Hebrews, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 217

10 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 7, Augustin: Gospel of John, First Epistle of John, Soliloquies, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 262

11 Joel C. Elowsky and Thomas C. Oden Editors, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture New Testament IVa (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006), 350-351

12 Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D Editor, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series Volume 14, Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Hebrews, originally published in the United States by the Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1888 (Peabody, MA: Hendrickoson Publishing Marketing, LLC), 218

Shepherd Photo by Michael O’Sullivan on Unsplash

Cross Photo by Christoph Schmid on Unsplash

Christ the Good Shepherd, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=51106 [retrieved September 14, 2018]. Original source: Wikimedia Commons.