Friday, February 22, 2008
From AscensionNYC
Friday in the Second Week of Lent
by Judith Sands
Psalm 105: 16-22
Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-28
Matthew 21: 33-43
It is fitting for Lent that today's readings are almost unremittingly grim. In Genesis we read about how Joseph was sold to slave traders by his own brothers. Indeed, he was almost the victim of fratricide, but his brothers decided to abandon that crime in favor of ready cash. Of course, being sold into slavery was not much of an improvement. Then, when we turn to the New Testament, Jesus tells us the parable of the owner of a fine vineyard, who let it to tenants, but when he sent not only his servants, but also his son, for his share of the fruits of the vineyard, the tenants beat and killed all of them. What is the connection between these two stories? The theme I found was that of jealousy or envy.
In the Genesis reading we learn that Joseph was his father's favorite son. His brothers must have greatly resented the fact that their father gave him the equivalent of a cashmere sweater to wear with his designer jeans. Joseph did not help matters by telling them he had dreamed of being superior to all of them (Genesis 37: 5-11). While the brothers may have been understandably irritated, it did not warrant what they did. Equally, the relationship between landlords and tenants may not be a happy one, but what moved these tenants to kill the landlord's son to deprive him of his inheritance? The pernicious effect of envy, jealousy run amok, manifests itself in these two tales. This is made even more manifest five chapters later in Matthew's gospel when he reports that Pontius Pilate knew that they had delivered Jesus to him out of envy (Matthew 27:18). It is little wonder that envy is one of the seven deadly sins.
In these heavy readings, the verses chosen from Psalm 105 offer a ray of hope. They relate how Joseph, who had been sold as a slave, became the trusted advisor to the king. These verses recall the rest of Joseph's story, one of the most wonderfully extraordinary accounts the Old Testament has to offer. Through God's grace and by his wits, Joseph became not only Pharaoh's right-hand man but a wealthy and powerful member of the community. Thus he was in a position to rescue his father and family from the famine that afflicted their country. After Joseph's father died, his brothers were justifiably afraid that Joseph would take revenge on them for what they had done. Amazingly, he tells them that he is not going to do any such thing, but rather look after them and their families for the rest of his life (Genesis 50:20). In so doing he anticipates Jesus' teaching not to seek "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Matthew 5:38). I think this can also be seen as heralding the great forgiveness manifested by Jesus through his crucifixion and resurrection. Thus in our journey through the austerity of Lent, we can look forward to the joy of Easter.
Psalm 105: 16-22
Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-28
Matthew 21: 33-43
It is fitting for Lent that today's readings are almost unremittingly grim. In Genesis we read about how Joseph was sold to slave traders by his own brothers. Indeed, he was almost the victim of fratricide, but his brothers decided to abandon that crime in favor of ready cash. Of course, being sold into slavery was not much of an improvement. Then, when we turn to the New Testament, Jesus tells us the parable of the owner of a fine vineyard, who let it to tenants, but when he sent not only his servants, but also his son, for his share of the fruits of the vineyard, the tenants beat and killed all of them. What is the connection between these two stories? The theme I found was that of jealousy or envy.
In the Genesis reading we learn that Joseph was his father's favorite son. His brothers must have greatly resented the fact that their father gave him the equivalent of a cashmere sweater to wear with his designer jeans. Joseph did not help matters by telling them he had dreamed of being superior to all of them (Genesis 37: 5-11). While the brothers may have been understandably irritated, it did not warrant what they did. Equally, the relationship between landlords and tenants may not be a happy one, but what moved these tenants to kill the landlord's son to deprive him of his inheritance? The pernicious effect of envy, jealousy run amok, manifests itself in these two tales. This is made even more manifest five chapters later in Matthew's gospel when he reports that Pontius Pilate knew that they had delivered Jesus to him out of envy (Matthew 27:18). It is little wonder that envy is one of the seven deadly sins.
In these heavy readings, the verses chosen from Psalm 105 offer a ray of hope. They relate how Joseph, who had been sold as a slave, became the trusted advisor to the king. These verses recall the rest of Joseph's story, one of the most wonderfully extraordinary accounts the Old Testament has to offer. Through God's grace and by his wits, Joseph became not only Pharaoh's right-hand man but a wealthy and powerful member of the community. Thus he was in a position to rescue his father and family from the famine that afflicted their country. After Joseph's father died, his brothers were justifiably afraid that Joseph would take revenge on them for what they had done. Amazingly, he tells them that he is not going to do any such thing, but rather look after them and their families for the rest of his life (Genesis 50:20). In so doing he anticipates Jesus' teaching not to seek "an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth" (Matthew 5:38). I think this can also be seen as heralding the great forgiveness manifested by Jesus through his crucifixion and resurrection. Thus in our journey through the austerity of Lent, we can look forward to the joy of Easter.
