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Bible Study: 7th Sunday of Easter – Cycle C. Introduction It doesn’t seem like it, but the season of Easter in the liturgical calendar is longer than the season of Lent. There are five Sundays in the …More
Bible Study: 7th Sunday of Easter – Cycle C.
Introduction It doesn’t seem like it, but the season of Easter in the liturgical calendar is longer than the season of Lent. There are five Sundays in the Season of Lent, plus Passion Sunday and here we are at the 7th Sunday of Easter. Time flies when you’re having fun. 1st Reading - Acts 7:55-60 On the 4th and 5th Sundays of Easter we heard of Saint Paul’s first missionary journey and how he and Barnabas were rejected by the Jews and persecuted, but the Gentiles were attracted to them. Last week, we heard of the Council of Jerusalem where it was declared by Peter, and subsequently the whole Church, which Gentile converts did not have to become Jews prior to being baptized and becoming Christians. Today we hear of the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of the first seven deacons; having been ordained to provide for the needs of the community in Acts 6:1-6. In the events leading up to today’s reading we find that Stephen, in addition to his duties in the daily distribution of food, did great wonders and miracles among the people. When he was brought before the Sanhedrin, he also proved to be quite an orator; his address to them is recorded in Acts 7:2-53. Some of our fundamentalist Protestant brothers and sisters criticize Catholics because they call their priests “father” citing Matthew 23:9 “Call no man your father on earth.” When you read Saint Stephen’s address to the Sanhedrin, you will find that he calls other men “father” 27 times; but it is not for this that he is condemned and stoned. He is stoned because he points out how the Jews have always persecuted the prophets and have even betrayed and murdered the One sent to fulfill all those prophesies. 55 But he [Stephen], filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God Stephen’s address to the Sanhedrin included the statement to the effect that Solomon built a house for God (the Temple) but God doesn’t live in houses made by men. Then he quoted Isaiah 66:1 “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” His looking to the sky above (to heaven) affirms that the location of God’s glory is in heaven. and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, The right hand is the place of honor for the most trusted; the person at the right was closest 2 to the sword hand and could prevent its being drawn in the case of a betrayal. 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Luke 22:69 says that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. The standing may be because the Lord is welcoming His martyr. 57 But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, So they could not hear what Saint Stephen was saying. and rushed upon him together. 58 They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. Stoning outside the city was prescribed for blasphemers in Leviticus 24:14 and Numbers 15:35-36. Luke presents prophet-murder imagery in Luke 4:29; 13:34; and 20:15. Not only have they killed the messiah, they now kill the messenger who tells them of it. The witnesses laid down their cloaks Two witnesses were required to pass the death sentence. Recall also from the story of the woman caught in adultery that the witnesses had to take an active part in the execution; this explains why they removed their cloaks. at the feet of a young man named Saul. This is Saul’s first appearance. The man who is to become the Apostle to the Gentiles appears at the precise point where the mission’s outward movement from Jerusalem begins. 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. Like Jesus on the cross “Father forgive them they do not know that they are doing.” Stephen lives the life of Christ right to the end. 2nd Reading - Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 Every week since the 2nd Sunday of Easter we have heard our second reading from the book of Revelation. We have heard of Saint John’s vision of the heavenly liturgy and of the coming of the Heavenly Jerusalem in the end times. By “end times” I don’t mean the end 3 of the world as such, but the end of the world as the Jew perceived it – an event which took place in A.D. 70 when the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed; marking the end of the Old Covenant and the continuation in glory of the New. In our reading on the 2nd Sunday of Easter we heard the words declared “I am the first and the last.” As we hear our reading today, which comes from the closing verses of the book of Revelation, we hear this familiar theme again. [I, John, heard a voice saying to me:] 12 “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each At the end of the world sinners and saints are to receive their particular judgment (see Isaiah 40:10 also). according to his deeds. Notice it doesn’t say faith, but conduct – the way the faith is lived out. (see also Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 2:6). 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” The first associated with the last signifies totality; the creator and the end of everything. 14 Blessed are they who wash their robes Their sinfulness has been removed, they are a new creation. Those who have persevered in their lives and who have made their baptismal robes white in the blood of the Lamb by availing themselves of forgiveness of sins which Jesus made available (see John 20:21-23). so as to have the right to the tree of life Located in the Garden of Eden. Those who are there have the tranquility of Adam and Eve before the fall. and enter the city through its gates. The heavenly Jerusalem where God dwells. They have free access to God. 16 “I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. It is Jesus Himself who guarantees the oracles contained in the book of Revelation. He now recalls two messianic prophesies that He Himself fulfilled: I am the root and offspring of David, 4 See Isaiah 11:1ff. the bright morning star.” Among the ancients, a symbol of domination. Probably an allusion
Introduction It doesn’t seem like it, but the season of Easter in the liturgical calendar is longer than the season of Lent. There are five Sundays in the Season of Lent, plus Passion Sunday and here we are at the 7th Sunday of Easter. Time flies when you’re having fun. 1st Reading - Acts 7:55-60 On the 4th and 5th Sundays of Easter we heard of Saint Paul’s first missionary journey and how he and Barnabas were rejected by the Jews and persecuted, but the Gentiles were attracted to them. Last week, we heard of the Council of Jerusalem where it was declared by Peter, and subsequently the whole Church, which Gentile converts did not have to become Jews prior to being baptized and becoming Christians. Today we hear of the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen was one of the first seven deacons; having been ordained to provide for the needs of the community in Acts 6:1-6. In the events leading up to today’s reading we find that Stephen, in addition to his duties in the daily distribution of food, did great wonders and miracles among the people. When he was brought before the Sanhedrin, he also proved to be quite an orator; his address to them is recorded in Acts 7:2-53. Some of our fundamentalist Protestant brothers and sisters criticize Catholics because they call their priests “father” citing Matthew 23:9 “Call no man your father on earth.” When you read Saint Stephen’s address to the Sanhedrin, you will find that he calls other men “father” 27 times; but it is not for this that he is condemned and stoned. He is stoned because he points out how the Jews have always persecuted the prophets and have even betrayed and murdered the One sent to fulfill all those prophesies. 55 But he [Stephen], filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God Stephen’s address to the Sanhedrin included the statement to the effect that Solomon built a house for God (the Temple) but God doesn’t live in houses made by men. Then he quoted Isaiah 66:1 “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” His looking to the sky above (to heaven) affirms that the location of God’s glory is in heaven. and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, The right hand is the place of honor for the most trusted; the person at the right was closest 2 to the sword hand and could prevent its being drawn in the case of a betrayal. 56 and he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Luke 22:69 says that Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. The standing may be because the Lord is welcoming His martyr. 57 But they cried out in a loud voice, covered their ears, So they could not hear what Saint Stephen was saying. and rushed upon him together. 58 They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him. Stoning outside the city was prescribed for blasphemers in Leviticus 24:14 and Numbers 15:35-36. Luke presents prophet-murder imagery in Luke 4:29; 13:34; and 20:15. Not only have they killed the messiah, they now kill the messenger who tells them of it. The witnesses laid down their cloaks Two witnesses were required to pass the death sentence. Recall also from the story of the woman caught in adultery that the witnesses had to take an active part in the execution; this explains why they removed their cloaks. at the feet of a young man named Saul. This is Saul’s first appearance. The man who is to become the Apostle to the Gentiles appears at the precise point where the mission’s outward movement from Jerusalem begins. 59 As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. Like Jesus on the cross “Father forgive them they do not know that they are doing.” Stephen lives the life of Christ right to the end. 2nd Reading - Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 Every week since the 2nd Sunday of Easter we have heard our second reading from the book of Revelation. We have heard of Saint John’s vision of the heavenly liturgy and of the coming of the Heavenly Jerusalem in the end times. By “end times” I don’t mean the end 3 of the world as such, but the end of the world as the Jew perceived it – an event which took place in A.D. 70 when the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed; marking the end of the Old Covenant and the continuation in glory of the New. In our reading on the 2nd Sunday of Easter we heard the words declared “I am the first and the last.” As we hear our reading today, which comes from the closing verses of the book of Revelation, we hear this familiar theme again. [I, John, heard a voice saying to me:] 12 “Behold, I am coming soon. I bring with me the recompense I will give to each At the end of the world sinners and saints are to receive their particular judgment (see Isaiah 40:10 also). according to his deeds. Notice it doesn’t say faith, but conduct – the way the faith is lived out. (see also Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 2:6). 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” The first associated with the last signifies totality; the creator and the end of everything. 14 Blessed are they who wash their robes Their sinfulness has been removed, they are a new creation. Those who have persevered in their lives and who have made their baptismal robes white in the blood of the Lamb by availing themselves of forgiveness of sins which Jesus made available (see John 20:21-23). so as to have the right to the tree of life Located in the Garden of Eden. Those who are there have the tranquility of Adam and Eve before the fall. and enter the city through its gates. The heavenly Jerusalem where God dwells. They have free access to God. 16 “I, Jesus, sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. It is Jesus Himself who guarantees the oracles contained in the book of Revelation. He now recalls two messianic prophesies that He Himself fulfilled: I am the root and offspring of David, 4 See Isaiah 11:1ff. the bright morning star.” Among the ancients, a symbol of domination. Probably an allusion