I.Theme – Obey God’s commandments for a time of rest
The lectionary readings are here
Creation Week 4. These scriptures focus on both the commandment and the need for Christians to observe a sabbath for the Lord. This requirement is also part of our “dominion” over the earth. In Leviticus, God has Moses tell the Israelites that every seventh year should be a sabbath of complete rest for the land. In the letter to the Hebrews, the writer encourages the listeners to rest in God, another way of talking about salvation. Fred Craddock points out that “rest” transcends place and history but it is also experienced here and now. Rest is grounded in the ultimate purpose of God, and is a reality that has existed since the foundation of the world. The Sabbath reminds us of a central truth: God rested and invites others into that rest with all the blessings attendant to the presence of God.” In the gospel reading, five thousand people rest on the grass and Jesus feeds and blesses them all, another sign that Jesus is truly the Son of God.
II. Summary
Old Testament – Leviticus 25:1-7
Every seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of solemn rest… from sowing and reaping. The land is to be left untilled and that which grows of itself, called in v. 6 the sabbath of the land (i.e. what the sabbath of the land produces of itself), is to be food for all alike, for the owner and the servant, for the sojourner and the cattle. It is not the product of human industry and it is to be free to all. God warned His people not to neglect to obey His law regarding the land Sabbath. Ancient Israel and Judah refused to carry out God’s command to let the land rest every seventh year. God prophesied that Israel and Judah would go into captivity, if they were not to obey His laws.
Furthermore, the promise is given that the yield of the sixth year, being ordered and blessed by God, will be sufficient (vv. 18-22) for this period of rest. It is the law of the manna on a larger scale (Ex. 16:22). This at least suggests that the sabbath increase (vv. 6,7) unlike the gleanings of the ordinary year which were assigned to the widow and orphan, will suffice for the actual needs of everyone (cf. Ex. 16:17f). According to Dt. 31:10 this year is not to be spent in idleness, but to be used for the teaching and training of Israel in the law of God.”
“Reaping and gathering for storage and selling were not permitted in the Sabbath year. However, harvesting for daily needs was permitted. Since the purpose of these laws was to promote social equality in Israel, anyone, regardless of social standing, was permitted to use anything that grew, wherever it grew. Even
It also served for a link between the sabbath and the jubilee by means of the sacred number seven—the sabbatical year being the seventh year, and the jubilee being the year following the seven-times-seventh year
The sabbatical year began with the commencement of the civil year, the 1st of Tisri, just before the autumn sewings, which were intermitted for one year. The ground was not tilled during this year (Leviticus 24:4). There was a release of debts (Deuteronomy 15:1-11), and there was to be public reading of God’s Law (Deuteronomy 31:10-13). During the previous six years the husbandmen had been well aware of the coming sabbatical year, and would have laid by in store accordingly, so as to support themselves and their families during that year.
The release of debts inculcated mercy. The command that the Law should be publicly read showed that the intention of the institution was not that the year should be spent in idleness, but that the time saved from ordinary labour was to be given to devotional pursuits. The law of the sabbatical year was so hard of observance by an agricultural people, that it was seldom or never acted upon until the Captivity (see 2 Chronicles 36:21). But after that time it seems to have been religiously kept (see Josephus, ‘Ant.,’ 11.8, 6; 14.10, 6; 14.16, 2; 15.1, 2; 1 Macc. 6:49; Galatians 4:10; Tacit; ‘Hist.,’ 5.2, 4).
Levitcus 25:1-7 teaches us important lessons, including reliance on God and sharing our goods with others. Food growing by itself during the seventh year could be eaten by everyone.
Psalm – Psalm 95
Psalm 95 appears in a grouping of psalms that focus on the reign of God (Psalms 93, 95-99).
These psalms are sometimes categorized as "enthronement psalms" because of their focus on God’s eternal kingship.
This psalm and the larger group of enthronement psalms appear in a section of the book of Psalms (Book IV, Psalms 90-106) that seems to be organized to deal with the theological crisis of the Babylonian exile in 587 B.C.E. The theological crisis is expressed in many of the psalms that precede this section (Book III, Psalms 73-89). Such psalms painfully related doubts about Israel’s core beliefs (the central role of Jerusalem and the Davidic king in God’s plan, for example). But Psalm 95 along with the other enthronement psalms reminded those who doubted that God was still in control, that God was still "a great King above all gods" (verse 3).
Psalm 95 contains two calls to praise and worship God that provide structure to the work (verses 1, 6).
Psalm 95 teaches us that worship is not incidental; it is fundamental. It is not peripheral, but primary. We should worship God because He is worthy of it. We should worship God because He desires it (John 4:23-24). We should worship because God commands it (Ps. 95:1-7). We should worship God because to fail to worship hardens our hearts, leads to dissatisfaction and disobedience and ultimately to discipline.
Verse 1 begins specifically with the imperative "Come!" Then a string of invitations for praise and worship: "let us sing;" "let us make a joyful noise;" "let us come into his presence;" "let us make a joyful noise."
Worship is encourage in the collective. While worship may be done privately, it is not viewed as such here
Second, the worship promoted here is vocal. Too often we think of worship not only as private, but as silent. We are told to sing a song “worshipfully” and we know that this means we are to sing slowly and quietly
Third, the terms used in the first two verses speak of vocal praise that is vibrant and vigorous. It is a joyful, grateful praise. It is not a subdued, somber praise, but an exuberant expression of worship. It conveys intense feeling, most often joyful, but occasionally that of sorrow. This was done in anticipation of a battle or a triumph. It was done at the coronation of Saul
Finally, the joyful, exuberant praise of verses 1 and 2 is God-centered. Thanksgiving can mean a type of song or a type of offering for God
Verses 3-5 give reasons for the praise called for in verses 1-2.
The most basic reason for praising God is that God is "a great King above all gods" (verse 3). He is master and ruler of the universe, for he is creator. God is greater than the false “gods” which the heathen worship. (“Great King” was a title of emperors in the ancient Near East)
The elements under God’s control are listed so as to make a comprehensive statement: the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains, the sea, and the dry land all are in God’s hands. In fact, verse 4 begins and verse 5 ends with reference to "his hands" to make this statement emphatic. This emphasizes the totality of his creation and control of the earth, not just in the past, but now.
The second major portion of the psalm begins also with an imperative "O come" (though with a different word than in verse 1). Change of tone, from exuberant, enthusiastic praise to awe-inspired prostration
The key word that characterizes the first five verses is praise, while the theme of verses 6 and 7 is summarized by prostration. Worship, then, involves both animated praise and speechless prostration
God is “our Maker.” Not only is God the Creator of the heavens and the earth (vv. 4-5), He is also man’s Creator
Just as God controls the earth which He created (vv. 4-5), so He also Shepherds His people, which He brought into existence as her Maker
The idea that God is a shepherd complements the earlier declaration that God is king. Ancient Near Eastern people often described their monarchs as their shepherds. Pharaoh was sometimes depicted with a shepherd staff in his hand. . The goal of the psalm seemed to be 95:7a: listen to the Word proclaimed.
Epistle – Hebrews 4:1-11
Chapter 3 ended with the warning that it was unbelief that kept the people of Israel from entering into the promised land and the rest God had promised there. Unbelieve will keep you from entering God’s rest—God’s haven of salvation and God’s heaven. Fear unbelief. Fear not trusting God.
So he continues to compare Israel’s situation in the wilderness to the situation of believers in his day. They had good news preached to them and we have had good news preached to us. What was the good news preached to them? Well, among many other things it was God’s word to Israel from Mount Sinai in Exodus 34:6–7, "Then the LORD . . . proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin.’" It was good news of love and mercy and forgiveness of every kind of iniquity and transgression and sin. And it was the good news of God’s promise that God would bring them into the land of milk and honey and be with them if they would trust him and not rebel (Numbers 14:8–9).
This writer says that the Israelites had heard the gospel just like his readers had and the promise that God is merciful and forgives sins and promises rest and joy for those who trust him. So there is a very similar situation between Israel and the readers of this letter, and the point is: this good news was not believed by Israel and so they did not enter God’s rest, God’s promised joy. Verse 2: "The word they heard [= the good news of forgiveness and promised joy] did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard." In other words, they didn’t believe it. They doubted God. They distrusted him. They did not have faith in his promise to give them a better future than they had in Egypt and so they gave up on God and wanted the old life.
And what was the result of that unbelief? Verse 2 says: the promise "did not profit them." It was of no value to them. It did not save them. As 3:19 said, they did not enter God’s rest. They fell in the wilderness. God swore in his wrath that they would never enter his rest—a picture of missing heaven.
The main point is: fear this happening to you. Fear hearing the promises of God and not trusting them. Because the same thing will happen to us as to them: we will not enter into God’s rest—God’s heaven—if we do not trust his promises.
The way verses 3–10 support this main point is by showing from the Old Testament that there is a rest to enter into—that is, that God has a plan for his people to join him in the wonderful restfulness of heaven where all weariness and burdensomeness will be lifted. The writer focuses on five points in history to show how God keeps opening his rest for believing people.
First, he starts at creation (Genesis 2:2) and says in verse 4: "He has thus said somewhere concerning the seventh day, ‘God rested on the seventh day from all his works.’" So he sees in this a restful, peaceful, sovereign God who has a rest and a peace and a place of joy where his people can enjoy fellowship with him. He will call it a "Sabbath rest" because on the seventh day God rested. But in reality it lasts forever.
Second, he focuses on the period when Israel was wandering in the wilderness and rebelling against God. Verse 5 (quoting Psalm 95), "And again in this passage, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’" The promised land is a picture of God’s ultimate rest, and their unbelieving rebellion excludes them from it. Which raises the question whether there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God.
The third focus is on the time of Joshua, who took the people into the promised land. Is that the final, ultimate rest God in mind for his people? Verse 8 answers no: "For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that." In other words, even though Joshua gave some relief to the people of God in the promised land, that was not the final rest God has planned for them. How do we know that? God spoke of another day—another rest centuries later.
The fourth period of time the writer focuses on, the time of David writing in Psalm 95. Verse 7: "He again fixes a certain day, ‘Today,’ saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, ‘Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’" In other words, long after the people enjoyed the rest of the promised land, David says that God is still holding out to his people an offer of salvation rest: Don’t harden your hearts, and you will enjoy God’s rest (referred to at the end of the psalm, 95:11 = Hebrews 3:11 = 4:3).
From this the writer draws the all-important conclusion about God’s Sabbath rest of salvation—and this is his fifth period of history, namely, today—verse 9: "There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God." In other words, Today, the rest is still open. The door is not shut. The time is not past.
Gospel – John 6:1-15
How do we provide out of our abundance ? In this week’s lectionary, multiplication of food given to Elisha demonstrates God’s power to provide abundantly in the Old Testament. Paul exhorts the Ephesians to use their spiritual gifts to build up the Body of Christ. Jesus multiplies five loaves and two fish to feed the hungry crowd. The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle of Jesus’ ministry recorded in all four gospels. As so often emphasized in John, Jesus takes the initiative, even before the people arri
The lectionary switches to the account of this event in the Gospel of John, chapter 6, with its amplified teaching about the bread of life.
The feeding of the 5,000 is the only miracle of Jesus’ ministry recorded in all four gospels. John’s account seems to come from a tradition independent of, but parallel to, the other accounts. As so often emphasized in John, Jesus takes the initiative, even before the people arrive (1:38, 4:7, 5:6, 6:5).
In setting the stage for his version of the Miracle of the Loaves John provides a highly symbolic setting to enable us to see the theology of the story he has chosen to relate. We are in a semi-arid area, on a mountainside. Moses should come to mind.
John looks at the miracle from a three-dimensional perspective. He recalls the past by alluding to Moses and the feeding of the Israelites with manna in the wilderness (6:5, 12, 31; Exodus 16:4, 16) and, secondarily, to Elijah (1 Kings 17:8-16) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:42-44). He recalls the present by the mention of the celebration of the Passover (6:4).
The future is implied both by references to the Christian eucharistic meal, where the actions “took…given thanks…distributed” are the same as those described by Paul (1 Corinthians 11:23-24), and by pointing to the great messianic banquet (Revelation 19:9).
Jesus’ instructions to the disciples to “gather up…that nothing may be lost” (v. 12) anticipate later statements about his ministry (11:52, 17:12, 18:9). The people’s response to the sign is the desire to acclaim Jesus as “the prophet” (v. 14, the prophet-like-Moses, 1:21, 4:19; Deuteronomy 18:15). But this popular pressure causes Jesus to withdraw, for he does not seek this kind of political leadership.
The passage continues to contain the story of Jesus appearing to walk on the water that evening on the sea. The disciples are afraid at first until Jesus tells them, “Do not be afraid.” But in between these two stories, we are told that Jesus was concerned that the people were going to take him by force to make him king. Jesus clearly did not come to establish an earthly political realm, but rather Jesus came to declare the kingdom or reign of God was at hand, and that all were called to be participants in the reign of God by following the ways of Jesus, to love one’s neighbor