The Gospel for FRIDAY, June 24, 2005
Luke 22:31-38
‘Simon, Simon! Look, Satan has got his wish to sift you all like wheat; but I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail, and once you have recovered, you in your turn must strengthen your brothers.’ ‘Lord,’ he answered, ‘I would be ready to go to prison with you, and to death.’ Jesus replied, ‘I tell you, Peter, by the time the cock crows today you will have denied three times that you know me.’ He said to them, ‘When I sent you out without purse or haversack or sandals, were you short of anything?’ ‘No, nothing,’ they said. He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and the same with a haversack; if you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one, because I tell you these words of scripture are destined to be fulfilled in me: He was counted as one of the rebellious. Yes, what it says about me is even now reaching its fulfilment.’ They said, ‘Lord, here are two swords.’ He said to them, ‘That is enough!’ -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
The Suffering Servant
When Isaiah in 53:12 wrote the fourth of the Servant Songs, he was probably seeing the release of King Jehoiachin from captivity and the rise of Cyrus as a real threat to Babylon; in short, there was light at the end of the tunnel. The full verse to which this gospel text refers is
Hence I shall give him a portion with the many, and he will share the booty with the mighty, for having exposed himself to death and for being counted as one of the rebellious, whereas he was bearing the sin of many and interceding for the rebellious. -- The New Jerusalem Bible. 1995, c1985. Includes indexes. (Is 53:12). Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday.
A Reflection
As the synoptics reach their pseudo-parallel climaxes, the writers and the early church fathers interject more and more of their own situations and responses into the "words of Jesus." Scholars argue among themselves as to what is probably original, and what is probably added for effect long after the events occurred.
Jesus likely knew the Isaiah song, and it probably resonated in His spirit as He came closer and closer to Pilate and Golgotha. When He wanted to encourage His followers, the Isaiah text reminded them that being revolutionaries had a greater prize than living in relative safety.
But His response to the two swords shows that He was speaking in metaphor; it wasn't violence He advocated, but readiness. The writers here knew full well what happened in the revolt of 66-70 and all that preceded it, and what was going to happen. Two swords or two thousand could not have stopped the legions; what was needed was courage and forbearance both before and after the legions had done their work.
The early fathers certainly would have "helped" this story by building up Peter and others of the apostles, to reinforce their later claims to have "the right stuff," by apostolic succession.
Jesus the man showed courage and resolve on His way to becoming the Christ.
We should do no less in becoming His followers today.
The Collect
Almighty God, by whose providence your servant John the Baptist was wonderfully born, and sent to prepare the way of your Son our Savior by preaching repentance: Make us so to follow his teaching and holy life, that we may truly repent according to his preaching; and, following his example, constantly speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice, and patiently suffer for the truth's sake; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
4:25:06 PM 
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