The Gospel for December 4, 2004 (John of Damascus)
Luke 21:5-19
When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, he said, ‘All these things you are staring at now—the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question, ‘Master,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?’ But he said, ‘Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using my name and saying, “I am the one” and “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but the end will not come at once.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places; there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven. ‘But before all this happens, you will be seized and persecuted; you will be handed over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name—and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Make up your minds not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated universally on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your perseverance will win you your lives. -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
A Study
This is one of those sections in the Gospels that gives scholars a fit. Much of the controversy hinges on when the synoptics were written. If the gospel attributed to Mark was written pre-destruction (and not subsequently redacted to include this incident) then this was an authentic prophesy from Jesus. If it was written after the razing of Jerusalem then it *may* have been prophesied by Jesus, but the question remains.
Luke was almost certainly written after the destruction of the temple, and Luke takes freely, with editing, from Mark as a source, so there is no "independent attribution" available.
A Reflection
Luke's writers carefully edit the Markan source so that the event described by Jesus is the destruction of the temple -- not the parousia, the end times.
Even so, there is apparently an oxymoron, "... and some of you will be put to death.... but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your perseverance will win you your lives." That would be a pretty good trick, to be put to death while winning one's life!
When we consider that God has taken the effort to count every sparrow and every hair on our heads, we need to be reassured that He is not going to lose any one of them. Similarly, preaching the gospel by giving witness, and persevering in our love of God and neighbor will be an element in winning our eternal lives, if Jesus is correctly quoted here. This seems to open the can of worms labeled "Faith vs. Works," and I don't have the space or the knowledge or the time to debate that one here. When I get to the letter of James, perhaps I'll be better grounded?
The Collect
Confirm our minds, O Lord, in the mysteries of the true faith, set forth with power by your servant John of Damscus; that we, with him, confessing Jesus to be true God and true Man, and singing the praises of the risen Lord, may, by the power of the resurrection, attain to eternal joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for evermore.
7:55:01 PM 
|
|
