BLUE IN A RED STATE: Lectionary Commentaries: Proper 21, Year A, September 25

Lectionary and Tradition is a resource for sermon preparation, Bible study and lectio divina. This Sunday, John Calvin on "being of one mind" in Christ (Phil. 2:1). Also, Dietrich Bonhoeffer on community through Christ and the Evangelical Catechism on the communion of saints.

Reading from Hebrew Scripture with Responsorial Psalm
Exodus 17:1-7 with Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 or
Ezekiel 18:1-4, 25-32 with Psalm 25:1-9 and

Epistle
Philippians 2:1-13 and

Gospel
Matthew 21:23-32

Weekly Theme*
Faith Under Construction

Focus Statement*
“Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”

John Calvin on unity through Christ

[The communion of the church] is held together by two bonds: agreement in sound doctrine and brotherly love.... But it must also be noted that this conjunction of love so depends upon unity of faith that it ought to be its beginning, end, and, in fine, its sole rule. Let us therefore remember that whenever church unity is commended to us, this is required: that while our minds agree in Christ, our wills should also be joined with mutual benevolence in Christ. Paul, therefore, while urging us to it, takes it as his foundation that "there is ... one God, one faith, and one baptism" [Eph. 4:5]. Indeed, wherever Paul teaches us to feel the same and will the same, he immediately adds, "in Christ" [Phil. 2:1,5] or "according to Christ" [Rom. 15:5]. He means that apart from the Lord's Word there is not an agreement of believers but a faction of wicked men.

Cyprian, also following Paul, derives the source of concord of the entire church from Christ's headship alone. Afterward he adds: "The church is one, which is spread abroad far and wide into a multitude by an increase of fruitfulness. As there are many rays of the sun but one light, and many branches of a tree but one strong trunk grounded in its tenacious root, and since from one spring flow many streams, although a goodly number seem outpoured from their bounty and superabundance, still, at the source unity abides. Take a ray from the body of the sun; its unity undergoes no division. Break a branch from a tree; the severed branch cannot sprout. Cut off a stream from its source; cut off, it dries up. So also the church, bathed in the light of the Lord, extends over the whole earth: yet there is one light diffused everywhere." Nothing more fitting could be said to express this indivisible connection which all members of Christ have with one another. We see how he continually calls us back to the Head himself. Accordingly, Cyprian declares that heresies and schisms arise because men return not to the Source of truth, seek not the Head, keep not the teaching of the Heavenly Master.

Source: John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, vol. II, "Means of Grace: Holy Catholic Church," p. 1047. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960.

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer on community through Christ

Jesus Christ stands between the lover and the others he loves. I do not know in advance what love of others means on the basis of the general idea of love that grows out of my human desires—all this may rather be hatred and an insidious kind of selfishness in the eyes of Christ. What love is, only Christ tells in his Word. Contrary to all my own opinions and convictions, Jesus Christ will tell me what love toward the brethren really is. Therefore, spiritual love is bound solely to the Word of Jesus Christ. Where Christ bids me to maintain fellowship for the sake of love, I will maintain it. Where his truth enjoins me to dissolve a fellowship for love's sake, there I will dissolve it, despite all the protests of my human love. Because spiritual love does not desire but rather serves, it loves an enemy as a brother. It originates neither in the brother nor in the enemy but in Christ and his Word. Human love can never understand spiritual love, for spiritual love is from above; it is something completely strange, new, and incomprehensible to all earthly love.

Because Christ stands between me and others, I dare not desire direct fellowship with them. As only Christ can speak to me in such a way that I may be saved, so others, too, can be saved only by Christ himself. This means that I must release the other person from every attempt of mine to regulate, coerce, and dominate him with my love. The other person needs to retain his independence of me; to be loved for what he is, as one for whom Christ became human, died, and rose again, for whom Christ bought forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Because Christ has long since acted decisively for my brother, before I could begin to act, I must leave him his freedom to be Christ's; I must meet him only as the person that he already is in Christ's eyes. This is the meaning of the proposition that we can meet others only through the mediation of Christ. Human love constructs its own image of the other person, of what he is and what he should become. It takes the life of the other person into its own hands. Spiritual love recognizes the true image of the other person which he has received from Jesus Christ; the image that Jesus Christ himself embodied and would stamp upon all men.

Therefore, spiritual love proves itself in that everything it says and does commends Christ. It will not seek to move others by all too personal, direct influence, by impure interference in the life of another. It will not take pleasure in pious, human fervor and excitement. It will rather meet the other person with the clear Word of God and be ready to leave him alone with this Word for a long time, willing to release him again in order that Christ may deal with him. It will respect the line that has been drawn between him and us by Christ, and it will find full fellowship with him in the Christ who alone binds us together. Thus this spiritual love will speak to Christ about a brother more than to a brother about Christ. It knows that the most direct way to others is always through prayer to Christ and that love of others is wholly dependent upon the truth in Christ. It is out of love that John the disciple speaks: "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (III Jn. 4).

Source: Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, pp. 37-38. New York and Evanston: Harper & Row, 1954.

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The Evangelical Catechism on Christian community

96. What do we understand by the communion of saints?

By the communion of saints we understand that all Christians, as members of one body, should love and help one another in all things. (1 Cor. 12:12-13, Phil. 2:2-4, 1 Cor. 12:26)

Source: "Evangelical Catechism," The Living Theological Heritage of the United Church of Christ, vol. 4, "Consolidation and Expansion," p. 330. Cleveland: The Pilgrim Press, 1999.

*The Weekly Theme and Focus Statement are from the ecumenical "Seasons of the Spirit" lectionary-based curriculum and preaching resource.

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