Epiphany 3 | Ordinary Time 3, Cycle A
The Epiphany theme of the light of the Lord dispelling fear, darkness, oppression, and illness is apparent in three of these four texts appointed for this coming weekend. The fourth text, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, is linked to Matthew 4:12-23 by the mention of the gospel (good news) in 1 Corinthians 1:17 and Matthew 4:23.
Psalm 27:1, 4-9
As we study these portions of Psalm 27, we are reminded that when we experience the Lord and the presence of the Lord — especially when we are “under attack” as the psalmist appears to have been when writing this psalm — we are not afraid, or at least are less afraid. In our use of this psalm, we would serve the other people in the congregation best, not by intellectualizing, but by testifying that from our own experiences as well as from those of the psalmist, when we feel the presence of the Lord we are not afraid or at least are less afraid even though we may be in a very dangerous situation. There will be persons in the congregation who have not been afraid or have been less afraid during crisis situations, such as in military combat, because they felt the presence of the Lord and would like to tell about their experiences if we give them the opportunity. Of course, there may be times of crisis when we do not feel the presence of the Lord and when we are horrified. This we should also share within the congregation. It will help the other members of the congregation to hear that pastors and other leaders in worship also, like themselves, are sometimes afraid and do not feel the presence of the Lord and sometimes are not afraid because they do feel the presence of the Lord. Psalm 27 could easily be used as the primary text for our message and sharing, with the other texts in a supplementary position.
Isaiah 9:1-4
The regions of Zebulun and Naphtali had been in deep darkness under the oppressive power of the Assyrians. The Israelites who had lived there were scattered widely throughout the Assyrian Empire, so that most of them lost their identity if not their lives. When the power of the Assyrians was finally broken, the people of Judah and Jerusalem hoped that the northern regions would be restored to the Israelite people, and this text is an expression of that hope. Their hopes were soon crushed by the surging Babylonians, but the message of hope remained within the Isaiah traditions for later use. We as Christians consider this text to be particularly significant because Jesus lived and proclaimed the kingdom of God in this region during the first century of the common era. Israelis think about this text as they struggle for security in the northern regions of the nation of Israel. Jews, Christians, and Muslims all long for the light of the Lord in this region and find mostly war, darkness, and fear. Nevertheless, the message of hope remains.
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
Dissensions and jealousies among the followers of Jesus in Corinth caused darkness and dissatisfaction for the Apostle Paul, as can be seen in this text. For Paul the light of the Lord was made manifest in the proclamation of the good news of the cross and resurrection of Jesus as the Christ. The oppressive Roman forces that had crucified Jesus could not prevent his resurrection. Paul proclaimed the good news that the power of God had been revealed in Jesus’ resurrection. That is also our message today.
Matthew 4:12-23
The Matthean redactors at this point added to the Markan account a quotation and usage of Isaiah 9:1b-2 in order to proclaim the gospel as convincingly and as effectively as possible. The Matthean redactors also told about Jesus’ call of Peter, Andrew, James, and John as convincingly and as effectively as possible, with less expansion of the Markan text here than earlier in this pericope. Since the Johannine writers depicted the call of Peter and of Andrew so differently from the way that call is depicted in Mark and in Matthew, it is apparent that the various people and communities who, inspired by God, wrote the Four Gospels were much more interested in proclaiming the gospel effectively and convincingly than they were in telling everything exactly the way that it had happened. If the writers of these texts and if those who later canonized the biblical accounts saw no necessity of harmonizing all accounts about Jesus as completely as possible, why should we? We seem to try to harmonize these accounts as much as we can, perhaps to try to make everything in them more believable for us and for other people. It is more important to see that the message of this pericope, a pericope comprised of elements of four accounts (vv. 12-16, 17, 18-22, and 23-25), is that Jesus indeed is the great light who shows and provides the way to wholeness, health, and life — the way to God. We are called to proclaim this same gospel as convincingly and as effectively as possible within our situations today.
