Massive Good News!

Revelation 7:9-17 is a visual text.  It is written so that the reader can envision a grand scene.  It is the First Reading appointed for All Saints Sunday in the Year of Matthew, and as such it is a wonderful text to proclaim the good news to all who have come through "the great ordeal."  It will be the preacher's great privilege to do so.

(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but only to provide a way to answer the fundamental concerns of Law and Gospel preaching around the function of the Word.  This is crucial since the way the Word functions should, in large part, inform the function of the sermon.  For more on this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  The Word functions here almost exclusively as Gospel, beginning in the 10th verse, when the multitude declares, "Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!"  There are also multiple other places in this text where God's work overcoming sin, death, and the devil are being proclaimed.

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  The Word is not functioning as Law in this text at all, although there are several allusions to our need of the Gospel. When the elder identifies the great multitude as those who have come out of the great ordeal, those who once hungered, thirsted, were subjected to scorching heat, and wept tears, we are reminded of our need for a Savior.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  By the very nature of the text we are invited to identify with the seer who is given this vision.  We are invited to stand with the elder and marvel at the scene before us, the saints triumphant, singing their praises to God.

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  This text could be understood as an implied call to obedience.  We who have been caught up into God's embrace could do no better than to find ourselves in regular praise of the God of our salvation.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since this passage is functioning almost entirely as Gospel, we will have to use our imagination to create some couplets. A few possibilities:  enduring a great ordeal/rescued by God; unprotected in the storm/sheltered; hungry/fed; thirsty/filled.

6.  Exegetical work:  One cannot but help notice that these verses regarding "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation", come immediately after verses announcing that "those who were sealed" were 144,000 out of the twelve tribes of Israel.  It is the juxtaposition of a great uncounted throng from all tribes and nations next to a very precise number of people, all of the house of Jacob. What do we make of this?  Primasius, 6th century African bishop, had this to say: "By the sign of the sacred number he signifies the multitude of the elect, 'whom God foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son.'  For those who come from the nations are made to be Israel and so by right are called sons of Abraham, not by flesh but by faith in that seed which is Christ, the cornerstone, of whom the apostle said, 'He is our peace, who has made us both one...'". (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture,  NT, vol. XII, p. 110-111).  Kittel's article on the Greek term thlipsis, makes the case that "the ordeal" described here is "not merely factual, but necessary" for Christians.  An example are the words of Paul and Barnabas following their persecution in Lystra:  "It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22).  Kittel goes on to say, "Sufferings are a test whether the Christian will champion the Gospel at the risk of his (sic) life or not, which means finally whether he will understand his own life in terms of its possibilities or in terms of the divine promise and the possibilities opened up by it."  (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. III, p. 147f).  

7.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Robin Morgan, in a 2014 analysis, begins with "the great ordeal" and argues that our bondage to sin ensures that we will do all we can to avoid the great ordeal.  The word of the Gospel is that Christ endured "The Great Ordeal", indeed the Greatest Ordeal, in order to overcome all that would separate us from Christ.  So we have hope even amidst the great ordeal. See Morgan's analysis archived under the reference at crossings.org/text-study.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Law and Gospel in Full View

 Romans 3:19-28, the Second Reading appointed for Reformation Sunday, is a treasured passage for many Christians, but Lutherans might be the only ones who read this passage every year in celebration of the events of the Reformation, over 500 years ago. The key passage is the last verse: "We hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law."  We are still trying to unpack all the wealth that is revealed in that verse.  It will be the preacher's privilege to join in that long line of proclaimers who have lifted up this jewel to others.

(The following questions have been developed to answer fundamental questions regarding the function of the Word, a central concern of Law and Gospel preachers.  These questions are best used alongside other fine sets of questions which also inform the exegete.  For more insight into this method and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com or amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  It is no surprise that the Word functions as both Law and Gospel in this text.  The opening verses are all Law:  "under the law,... held accountable to God,... no human being will be justified in his sight by deeds prescribed by the law."  All of these phrases function as Law since they expose our need for Christ. The Gospel is also proclaimed:  "apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed,...now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,... divine forbearance,... he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus."  All these phrases function as Gospel for they lift up what God has done in Christ.

2.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  If we read the text and substitute personal pronouns whenever human beings are mentioned we can hear how this text is speaking directly to us.  Some examples: (Law) "For we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to [us] who are under the law, so that [we] may be silenced, and [we] may be held accountable to God. For [we will not] be justified in his sight by deeds prescribed by the law..."  (Gospel)  "But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed...for [us] who believe... [we] are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus...For we hold that [we] are justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law."

3.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  Since the Word functions as a call to obedience only when it invites us to live in a certain way in response to God's work, there is no call to obedience here.  That call is certainly present later in the letter to the Romans, but not here.

4.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  The couplets needed are clearly present in this text.  There are many examples, but a few obvious ones:  under law/under grace; condemned by God/justified by God; sinner/saint; falling short/redeemed.

5.  Exegetical work:  Kittel has an excellent article on the Pauline use of dikaiosyne theo (righteousness of God).  Briefly, he says this:  "There can be no doubt that this is a subj. genitive.  The righteousness of God is God's alone; man (sic) is taken up into it and set in it."  (Theological Dictionary of the NT, vol. II, p. 203).  Luther's insight was precisely this, that the righteousness of God was not the righteousness demanded by God, but the righteousness which was characteristic of God, which God in turn imparts to believers. In his lectures on Romans, Luther says, "We are not made righteous by doing righteous works, but rather we do righteous works by being righteous.  Therefore grace alone justifies." (Luther's Works, vol. 25, p. 242).  "What the law of works commands by its threats, this the law of faith accomplishes by believing." (Ibid., p. 243).  In his classic commentary, Anders Nygren speaks of God's work in this way:  "By the grace of God man (sic) is included in God's own righteousness.  Just as wrath is an objective power which exercises its might to the destruction of man (sic), so the righteousness of God is also an objective power which exerts its might for redemption and life." (Commentary on Romans, p. 152).  Nygren also addresses verse 25, the famously difficult verse to translate.  The word translated in the NRSV as "a sacrifice of atonement" is the word ilasteprion, most precisely translated as "mercy seat."  Nygren says that God set Christ forth as a "mercy seat".  "The mercy seat was the place God manifested His presence in Israel... Now God has manifested his righteousness to man (sic), in that He presents Christ as a mercy seat.  In Christ, God reveals himself in His glory...Whoever believes in Him is no longer under the wrath of God....Ever since the death and resurrection of Christ, the righteousness of God is a reality present and manifest in the world." (Ibid., pp. 156-159).  This notion of mercy seat as a place where God's glory is revealed seems much preferred to "sacrifice of atonement".

6.  How does the Crossings Community model work with this text?  Chris Repp, in his fine 2017 analysis, uses a clear and common phrase, "Shut up!" to illustrate the Law and Gospel here.  Through the Law we learn that we need to shut up - we have nothing to say that will justify us. Through the Gospel, we hear Christ say to the Law, "Shut up, I have justified this one."  To see the entire analysis, go to crossings.org/text-study and type in the reference. There are other examples there as well.

Blessings on your proclamation!

Thanksgiving to God

I Thessalonians 1:1-10, the Second Reading appointed for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost in the Year of Matthew, is a marvelous text to preach on in the harvest season.  This text, as scholar Beverly Roberts Gaventa has said, is 'a profusion of thanksgiving.'  But beware; thanksgivings here are not directed to the recipients of this letter, but to God. The preacher should take note, lest this text be seen as a vehicle for congregational self-congratulation.

(The following questions have been developed with an eye towards uncovering one of the fundamental questions for Law and Gospel preachers:  how does the Word function?  This question and related ones are central to Law and Gospel preaching. For more on this method and Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com and amazon.)

1.  How does the Word function in the text?  This text functions, almost completely, as Gospel, as a celebration of all that God is doing in and through the Thessalonians.  Notice the multiple points where God is given praise and thanks for what God is doing:  "We always give thanks to God for all of you..." (vs. 1); "[God] has chosen you" (vs. 4); "... you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit." (vs. 6); "... the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you" (vs. 8); "your faith in God has become known." (vs. 8).

2.  How is the Word not functioning in the text?  Any word of Law in this text is relegated to the very last phrase in the last verse:  "Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming." (vs. 10b).  There is no doubt that Paul is referring here to the judgment promised by God at the end of time, but this brief mention in no way overshadows the promises proclaimed here and earlier.

3.  With whom are you identifying in the text?  Since it is always appropriate to identify with those to whom the Word is addressed, we can comfortably hear these words as being addressed to us.  We are recipients of God's grace; we have been chosen by God; the Holy Spirit has inspired us; the word of the Lord has sounded forth from us.  Thanks be to God!

4.  What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text?  If the call to obedience is the invitation to live in response to God's work in Christ, clearly that call is not here.  What is also clear is that the Thessalonians have already responded to that call.

5.  What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text?  Since the Law is in little evidence here, we will be a bit creative in coming up with couplets.  Using the language of the text, here are some ideas:  abandoned/chosen; despairing/believing; judged/rescued from the wrath to come.

6.  Exegetical work:  It is telling that scholars down through the ages have identified God as the primary focus of this text.  One could get the impression that Paul is praising the Thessalonians here, but upon further inspection it is clear that Paul is praising God.  Ancient and modern scholars alike concur.  St. Chrysostom:  "Paul thanks God for them, as though God himself had accomplished everything...all but saying that all their growth is from the power of God."  (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. IX, p. 60).  John Calvin:  "...instead of congratulations, he makes use of thanksgivings, that he may put them in mind, that everything in them that he declares to be worthy of praise, is a kindness of God."  (Reformation Commentary on Scripture, NT, vol. XII, p. 5).  Scottish Reformer, David Dickson:  "[Faith, love, and hope]... he calls them the virtues of Christ, because they sprang from Christ, and tend to him."  (Ibid., p. 7).   Modern scholar, Beverly Roberts Gaventa:  "God and Jesus Christ are the primary agents in the Thessalonian church."  "Whatever Paul, Silvanus,and Timothy began, whatever the Thessalonians have accomplished, it is God who is to be thanked (1:2), God who directs and strengthens the Church (3:11-13), God who is and will remain faithful (5:24)."  (Interpretation series, First and Second Thessalonians, p. 12).  

7.  Consider the insights of the pioneers of the New Homiletic?  When there is celebrating to be done, one thinks immediately of Henry Mitchell, who advised that no sermon end without some celebration.  In this text, there is ample opportunity to celebrate; Mitchell would advise the preacher to do so with gusto!

Blessings on your proclamation!