Social justice and the proper use of wealth is a common theme throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The author of Proverbs begins this section by putting a commonly held truism of the time in the context of riches: the only thing that survives after your death is your good name, not your wealth. (Recall that this text precedes the belief in an afterlife.) Additionally, no matter whom we think we are, no matter what status we perceive that we have achieved, we share a common bond with all \u2013 we are creatures of God.<\/p>\n\n
Verses 8 and 9 illustrate much of the theology of the book of Proverbs \u2013 there is a deeds\/consequence matrix to life (i.e., good is generally rewarded, and evil punished). While we know that this is not always the case, we can see that the authors of Proverbs are trying to impart skill in living. Their goal is the \u201cgood life,\u201d and their lessons here are exercises in character formation. For these sages, social justice was constitutive of a life well lived.<\/p>\n\n
Finally, verses 22 and 23 underscore Israel\u2019s preferential option for the poor. If one is to be wise and live a life suffused with wisdom, one will be attentive in one\u2019s dealings with the marginalized. God is watching such transactions, and we should beware that God\u2019s wrath is stirred when the poor are defrauded.<\/p>\n\n
Like the reading from Proverbs, this psalm also links the themes of wisdom and justice. While the psalm is initiated and concluded with praise (the last words of verse 10 transliterally read \u201challelu yah<\/em>\u201d), the listener is invited to ponder the one power that is true and eternal \u2013 the Lord. The psalmist apparently has timeless perceptivity. How often do people of our own age \u201clive for\u201d ephemeral things: their jobs, entertainment idols or what other people think of them?<\/p>\n\n Once again, the theme of justice for the poor is underscored. It is striking to note how often this topic reappears \u2013 in the Torah, prophets, writings, the teachings of Jesus and the other biblical texts. Verses 6 and 7 literally refer to God as the \u201cmaker\u201d of heaven and earth, and the \u201cmaker\u201d of justice. A recent trip to the Galapagos Islands and the jungles of Costa Rica brought these realities into stark relief for me. I was awestruck by the sheer power and creative genius of God, the one who \u201cmade heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them,\u201d as seen in the vast oceans and diverse animal life of those wonderful places. Such a power is unfathomable and frighteningly mysterious. And according to this psalm, that awesome power has a long memory (God \u201ckeeps faith forever\u201d) and chooses to act on behalf of those who are oppressed. An awareness of this reality is what the wisdom tradition refers to as \u201cfear of the Lord\u201d (i.e., recognizing that there is a God, and it\u2019s not us!). Simply calling to mind and living one\u2019s life according to the wisdom and ethics of this psalm is itself a form of praise in the eyes of the psalmist.<\/p>\n\n The epistle of James is primarily concerned with faith being implemented in action. This text contains the oft-quoted line \u201cSo faith, by itself, if it has no works, is dead.\u201d Many commentators have referred to this epistle as \u201cwisdom literature,\u201d so it is fitting in light of the themes of our previous two readings. Once again, the theme of social justice and proper treatment of the poor are paramount. James presents a scenario in verses 1-6 to illustrate his point. He suggests that we are inclined to treat a stranger with great honor who appears to be wealthy. But a stranger who appears to be poor, we dishonor. In light of the way we often initially react to those we encounter in our everyday life, it\u2019s hard to believe that James was writing for a first-century Near Eastern Israelite-Christian community, not 21st century America!<\/p>\n\n Following an exhortation about the importance of free dedication to the law, meaning that one follows the law out of love for God and respect for God\u2019s will, not fear of punishment, James states that compassion is a constitutive element of true wisdom. It is not zealous legalism that the Lord desires, but mercy for the weak. This echoes the teaching of Jesus, as well as that of the Hebrew Scriptures.<\/p>\n\n Finally, James addresses the necessity of faith manifesting itself through action. Luther found this passage troubling, especially in light of Paul\u2019s teaching on justification by faith alone, but in sagely fashion James is saying that truth faith is transformative. Orthopraxis (right action) is just as important as orthodoxy (right thinking). If the transformative power of Christian discipleship does not lead to a radical change in one\u2019s living \u2013 to a way of mercy, compassion and an ardent desire to live God\u2019s will for love of neighbor \u2013 then one\u2019s claim to be a faithful follower of Jesus is diminished in authenticity.<\/p>\n\n Jesus\u2019 interaction with the Syrophoenician woman is the only instance where we see him lose an argument! But it is also an episode where Jesus appears to change his mind. At first, Jesus responds to this woman with disdain. Dogs were not domestic pets in his culture, but rather we seen as unclean scavengers. The woman\u2019s persistence, despite the insult, indicates her trust in Jesus as a holy man. Jesus is often recognized as a master of language, in that he always has a response for his interlocutors. (Recall that in this culture no one every publicly asked a question of another to gain information. Rather, the hope was to inflict shame by catching one\u2019s opponent unable to answer.) In this instance, we can almost sense a pregnant pause as Jesus is stumped by this woman, considers her plea, which involves expanding his healing ministry to non-Israelites, then affecting the cure of her daughter.<\/p>\n\n It has been suggested that prior to this, Jesus saw his mission as exclusively to the house of Israel, but he matured into the sense that this good news was for all nations. If this is the case, Jesus\u2019 actions here are a clear challenge to the closed religious mind that is unable to evolve.<\/p>\n\n After the healing of the woman\u2019s daughter, Jesus takes a circuitous route through \u201cgentile\u201d territory. Perhaps this is Mark\u2019s way of presaging the church\u2019s mission to the wider world, as well as Jesus\u2019 apparent shift in perspective. The story of the healing of the deaf man highlights a number of notable elements. Let\u2019s briefly consider two.<\/p>\n\n First, Jesus utilizes a ritual in his healing of this man. The use of spittle, the touching of the ears, looking to heaven, and the ritual words, all speak to the importance of ritual actions. Such gestures impact us on a very soulful level, and have the ability to open our hearts in singular ways to the grace of God.<\/p>\n\n Second, note the reaction of the crowd in verse 37. Their words allude to Isaiah 35:5-6. In that text, Israel was looking forward to a glorious future under God\u2019s reign. The implication is that in Jesus\u2019 ministry that glory has been inaugurated. It is especially important to realize that physical wholeness was to be one of the blessings of the coming kingdom of God. Unfortunately, throughout much of Christian history the body has been subjugated to the soul. But for Jesus and the Israelites, the body was an essential part of what it means to be a human person, and God is deeply concerned about physical well being.<\/p>\n\n Proverbs 22:1-2,8-9,22-23 Social justice and the proper use of wealth is a common theme throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The author of Proverbs begins this section by putting a commonly held truism of the time in the context of riches: the only thing that survives after your death is your good name, not your wealth. 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James 2:1-17<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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Mark 7:24-37<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
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