Epiphany week 2

Psalm: Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
Old Testament: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 11-20
Gospel: John 1:43-51
Epistle: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

The year seems to be in full swing; we're already halfway through January.  This week’s Scriptures invite us to explore an important concept: predestination.  Psalm 39 proclaims the love and intimacy with which God created us.  The Psalmist says that God knows us in the present (vs. 1-3) that he knows our future (4, 16) and he knows our past. (13-15) The middle section of the Psalm tells us that there is absolutely nowhere we can go to escape from God.  Even in the depths of Sheol, God is present.

But, the picture of God’s foreknowledge gets more difficult when we turn to some of the Old Testament narratives. 1 Sam. 3 is the calling of Samuel.  If we look back just one chapter, we discover why Samuel was called in the first place.  In chapter 2 Eli, a priest of the line of Aaron, is told that despite God’s promise that his family would be priests, God was removing his line and revoking his promise.  The Lord says, “Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.” (2:30) Eli’s sons sinned against God and are killed by God, so Samuel becomes an adopted son.  To get back to the idea of foreknowledge, it is easy to read these narratives from the Old Testament and see how God has to adapt, change and respond to human choices.  We get a picture of a dynamic and engaged God, not a God who has set the clock in motion and has turned away.

The Gospel of John is always interesting to read because the Messiahship and deity of Jesus is proclaimed as a given even when it doesn’t really make sense. The calling of the Phillip and Nathaniel is just such an example.  Phillip just drops everything to follow Jesus, which we see in other Gospels as well.  But Nathaniel kind of seems like a gullible goof.  The conversation between him and Jesus is a crack up.  Jesus says, “Now here is an honest Israelite.” Nathaniel, who seems to have already decided that Jesus was the Messiah based off Phillip's report is in awe so he asks, “How do you know me already?” To which Jesus glibly responds, “Oh, I saw you under the fig tree as we were coming over.”  And Nathaniel, still looking for the supernatural here says, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”  Now as the reader we know this is true, but we have thousands of years of proof backing us up.  It took even Peter walking on water, going through all sorts of stuff to claim Jesus is the Son of God, but not little ol' Nathaniel.  He just knows.  And all Nathaniel and Jesus' interaction consists of is Jesus watching Nathaniel without Nathaniel knowing it under a fig tree.  I just find this story funny.

I think where the Lectionary is going with this is that Jesus knew Nathaniel.  Jesus seems to have this ability to read people and understand their stories and their needs.  I don’t think this is the same way that God does, but Jesus still is a perceptive person.  And he might also receive knowledge from the Father concerning people.  I don’t know, but I just want to hold the humanity of Jesus here in this story and also remember that Jesus gave up his heavenly abilities when he descended to earth.

1 Cor. 6:12 is one of my favorite verses and an important one to remember.  We must live in our lives in such a way that we don’t cause our brothers and sisters in Christ, or otherwise, to turn away from God.  Some things might be lawful, but that doesn’t mean they should be pursued for the sake of others.  This is a hard concept to get, and one I’m still working on.  It reminds also of Gal 6:2 where we are told to carry each other’s burdens.  What if burden doesn’t only mean cares and concerns, but also people hang-ups, quirks, and habits?  I think Scripture is clear that we are in fact our brother’s keeper.  To bring it around to knowing again, how can I know what other’s burdens and weaknesses are if I don’t truly know them as a person.  How can other people lift me up and encourage me in my faith if I don’t share and let them get to know me?

The message this week is first, God knows us (I encourage you to explore your own understanding of foreknowledge and predestination because it is complicated). Second, we need to get to know our siblings in Christ and be open enough to let others truly get to know us. 

I hope by now the pattern of this blog is becoming clear. My goal is to only point out certain things in the passages.  My hope is that you read them and make your own observations as I am only trying to make broad strokes and pull themes together.

May God bless you this week, Grace and Peace.