Just Wisdom
A reflection on the readings for Proper
15B - 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58
Over the course of the last two Sunday’s the story of David
in 2nd Samuel continued – a story of war and more war, of violence
and many family problems. David’s daughter, Tamar is raped by her half-
brother, Ammon, thus preventing her from being marriageable because according to
ancient custom women were property of men. According to this custom Tamar’s
value as a commodity diminished.
There are still some cultures in the world today who view
rape and incest in the same manner as this ancient culture – it is a defilement
of property. As a piece of property that has no value Tamar’s feelings are
never taken into consideration by David. The rape causes problems for David as
he tries to decide how, or IF, to punish his son. Sadly, David does nothing. The story of Tamar is central in religious discussions
about violence against women, with several books written that consider this
from Tamar’s perspective – such as Episcopal priest, Pamela Cooper-White’s book
“The Cry of Tamar: violence against women and the church’s response.”
David’s inability to serve justice to Ammon is a source of
division in his family. But in addition to this there is ongoing betrayal by
family members who try to steal the throne from the aging David. Bathsheba reappears
in the story, informs David of the pending threat. David listens to her and
immediately arranges to have Solomon crowned king. Bathsheba proves herself to
be wise and astute. Even Solomon, her son, bows down to her and honors her. (1Kings
2:19) Thus, before his death David secures the throne for Solomon and the land
upon which King Solomon will build the temple.
Our reading this morning puts us in the second and third
chapters of the first book of Kings and the beginning days of the reign of King
Solomon. Solomon proves to be a wise king, builds a fine temple to house the
ark of the covenant – thus fulfilling his father’s greatest desire.
In the book of Kings
we will hear stories about Solomon, and then a host of corrupt kings who follow
him. Elijah and Elisha appear – prophets who lead the people from the exile in
Babylon back into the restored kingdom of Israel. Some of the stories in the first and second
book of Kings will parallel stories we heard in the books of Samuel. The story told between these two is not chronological,
but interwoven, and sometimes from different perspectives.
Our readings this morning, from Kings to the Psalm, the
letter to the Ephesians, and the Gospel of John - all have something in common – the pursuit of
wisdom, the desire to be wise. In a
dream, God asks Solomon what he would like. Solomon responds: “Give your servant therefore an understanding
mind, a discerning heart (according to some translations) to govern your
people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your
great people?" God is pleased with this request.
The Letter to the Ephesians builds on the theme of wisdom
with more instruction on how to live as the body of Christ, as a people of God –
do this, don’t do that...
At first glance the Gospel reading pushes the “wisdom-
envelope” a bit – the images Jesus promotes are strong and perhaps offensive –
eating his flesh and drinking his blood. How many of us struggle with those
images!
Although it doesn’t really change the way we hear these
images, it helps to understand what this meant to people in the early church. Ancient
people understood that blood was the source of life. They believed that God’s
presence, the living God was present in blood. (from the work of Mary
Douglas, anthropologist and her work with the book of Leviticus).
So, perhaps it helps a little bit to understand that Jesus
is using this strong provocative language to help us grasp, with passion, the
depth of God’s presence with us.
As Christians we are taught that God became incarnate in
human flesh and blood – God became human in the person of Jesus. Likewise the
incarnation, resurrection, and subsequent giving of the Holy Spirit describe a
little about how it is that God resides in us.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit we are formed and informed. Through
the power of the Holy Spirit God guides us, stirs our imaginations to live into
that which God desires of us. It’s food indeed – food that nourishes our hearts
and feeds our souls. The bread of life sustains us through times of despair and
celebrates with us in times of joy. God is in us, through us, and with us.
When we come to the
altar and put our hands to receive the bread and guide the cup, we experience “Eucharist”
– fed on the love of God in the sacred meal, bread and wine become a sacrament –
a sign that what God is doing on the inside of our lives is being made manifest
on the outside – just as God fills our hearts with love, we are to go out into
the world and love. Flesh and blood are bread and wine. Bread and wine are food
for our souls. Food for our souls nourishes us with wisdom.
Wisdom guides us, informs us, propels us to do justice, to give voice to the voiceless, to ensure that the love of God pulses through the vein of life, that all may be fed on this bread of life, reconciled, and made well.
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