Second Sunday of Easter, Cycle C

The message that we must proclaim next Sunday in this Series C is expressed succinctly in the words of the Johannine Jesus in John 20:29b. Within the words, “Blessed are the ones who have not seen and have believed nevertheless,” we find our identity in this text. Here again the Easter message is a strong invitation to faith. By focusing on this message we shall have a strong sequel to Easter Day. We shall begin our consideration of these texts for Easter 2, therefore, with John 20:19-31.

John 20:19-31

This is one of the three texts (Luke 24:39-43; John 20:19-31; John 21:1-14) that provide for us the most fully developed “proofs” of the resurrection of Jesus within the Newer Testament. The John 20:19-31 account served its purpose well late in the first century. In it Thomas, who as the most important representative of “gnosticizing” Christianity in the Fourth Gospel does not believe that Jesus would appear in a physical form after his resurrection, is forced to confess that the physical form is his Lord and God. For more about this, please see Raymond E. Brown, “Other Sheep Not of This Fold,” Journal of Biblical Literature 97 (1978, pp. 5-22). This John 20:19-31 text continues to serve us in the Church as a most helpful “proof” text that Jesus was certainly raised in a physical form, similar to his body prior to his crucifixion in recognizable ways, but also different in that he was no longer limited by time and space restraints.

The most important way in which this text continues to serve the Church, however, is that we are in the position, not of Thomas, but of those of whom the Johannine Jesus says, “Blessed are the ones who have not seen and have believed nevertheless.” We believe without seeing the resurrected Jesus, and for this we are blessed. We are in the same position in this respect as the members of the Johannine community were late in the first century. To believe without seeing, without proof, is more blessed than to believe because we have irrefutable proof. In this text we have faith, as faith, at its best. We joyfully believe. If we had irrefutable proof, there would be no reason for us to believe.

Revelation 1:4-8

Before this text is read in the congregations in which we serve, there should be some explanation that as we read this we are passing into the language of biblical apocalyptic imagery in which Jesus is portrayed in a way quite different from the ways in which he is depicted in the Four Gospels. Then Revelation 1:4-8 should be read with emphasis and with feeling.

Acts 5:27-32

This is the first in the series of “First Lesson” texts from Acts of Apostles rather than from the Older Testament designated to be read on the Second through the Seventh Sundays of Easter in Series C. It is, unfortunately, a text in which Jewish religious leaders rather than Roman political leaders are condemned as the ones who killed Jesus by hanging him upon a cross.

We as Christian Ministers of Word and Sacrament are called to proclaim a message that is pro-Christ, not one that is anti-Jewish. Some redactional modifications will be suggested here, therefore, as necessary in adapting Acts 5:27-32 for use in Christian worship during our time. These are redactional modifications that should have been made prior to or during the time in which Acts of Apostles was canonized and approved as Scripture for use in the Church. Since the modifications were not made when they should have been made, we must make them now. The Word of God is of tremendous importance to us, but the People of God are of even greater importance. In instances where the Word of God has hurt and continues to hurt the People of God (both Jewish and Christian), it must be modified redactionally. To paraphrase the Markan Jesus in Mark 2:27, “The Word of God was made for the People, not the People of God for the Word of God.”

Acts 5:27-32 is a thespian’s delight. The inspired Lukan playwright provided for us a historical drama with villains and heroes. The reading and hearing audience is pleased when the villains in the play are made to look ridiculous. The audience, clearly partisan, knows that in spite of great odds and difficulties God is on the side of the heroes and that their success is assured. This text is not unlike a TV drama written for our time.

The following redactional modifications are suggested here as appropriate in adapting this scene for use in our time so that the drama will be effective. Doing this is somewhat analogous to what a director does in adapting a drama script to a specific modern audience for greater effectiveness.

The proclamation of obedience to God and the witness to the belief that God has raised Jesus from the dead come across much more clearly when the vicious anti-Jewish polemic of Acts 5:30b and 31b is relegated to a footnote, or at least is not used. The following is an example of an expression of Acts 5:29b-31 that utilizes this kind of sensitivity.

It begins with what in a drama presentation would be delegated to a chorus, “We must obey God rather than obey people!” From within that chorus Peter would continue alone with the sterling confession, “We believe that the ‘God of Our Fathers’ raised Jesus from the dead and has exalted him as our Leader and Savior to the ‘right hand’ of God in order to provide for our repentance and the forgiveness of our sins.” In this sensitive expression the onus is taken from “Israel” and from the “villains” of this scene. Instead, the confessional nature of Peter’s speech is highlighted. The necessity of “our” repentance and the need for the forgiveness of “our” sins is acknowledged in a manner that theologically is far more attractive than if repentance is demanded of other people while it is assumed that “we” have no need for it.

The apostolic witness that is expressed in Acts 5:32 is enhanced by this biblical expression because it puts the emphasis on our confession of faith. When the emphasis remains only on the alleged guilt of other people (the Jews) and on their need for repentance, the witness is robbed of much of its power. The zeal of the inspired Lukan writer to incorporate anti-Jewish polemic so frequently in this scene and elsewhere in Acts of Apostles detracts from the witness and from the confession of faith of the writer. It was the purpose of the Lukan playwright to deflect persecution by the Romans of early followers of Jesus from these followers of Jesus to the Jews, to scapegoat the Jews. Other followers of Jesus in their usage of this material and by their incorporation of it into their new canon of sacred Scripture obviously gave their approval. The lives of the followers of Jesus were considered to be precious; the lives of Jews who remained Jews apparently were thought to be of little value. Within a mature Christianity, however, we are no longer bound to the purpose of the Lukan writer, especially when the vicious anti-Jewish polemic that is present in Acts of Apostles and in other Newer Testament documents has been shown to have contributed to the loss of human rights and of human life to Jews for nineteen centuries and when it also detracts from an otherwise clear confession of Christian faith.

Psalm 118:14-29

These verses, similar to the other verses from Psalm 118 used on Easter Day in this Series C, emphasize the victory that God provides for the people who are righteous. They are appropriate, therefore, for Christian worship services also on the Second Sunday of Easter.

Psalm 150

This marvelous hymn of praise in which everything that breathes in every possible way is called upon to praise the Lord God, as a brilliant doxology to conclude the Psalter is certainly appropriate for our use next Sunday.