Lectionary Tuesday 3-7-23

Jeremiah 2:1-13 (CJB)

Yet my people have exchanged their Glory

for something without value.

¹² Be aghast at this, you heavens!

Shudder in absolute horror!” says ADONAI.

¹³ “For my people have committed two evils:

they have abandoned me,

the fountain of living water,

and dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns,

that can hold no water!

 

Romans 1:16-25 (CJB)

^21b On the contrary, they have become futile in their thinking; and their undiscerning hearts have become darkened. ²² Claiming to be wise, they have become fools! ²³ In fact, they have exchanged the glory of the immortal God for mere images, like a mortal human being, or like birds, animals or reptiles!

 

John 4:43-54 (CJB)

⁴⁸ Yeshua answered, “Unless you people see signs and miracles, you simply will not trust!” ⁴⁹ The officer said to him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

 

“Two evils”— 1) Abandoning the living water, and 2) digging useless broken wells that can’t hold water.

(Here, I got distracted into researching common idioms that originate from the bible: “it won’t hold water..” “eat your words..” “fell flat on his face..” “bit the dust..” “stiff-necked..” “wheels within wheels..” “dust and ashes”. I did eventually unwind myself from this distraction and got back down to business.)

Then I started to try to figure out how the gospel passage related to the other two. Obviously the first two are about exchanging something worthwhile for something worthless; about futility; about mistaking foolishness for wisdom; but the gospel reading doesn’t seem to follow that pattern at all. Here, the officer just ignores Jesus’s complaint and simply sticks to the point: “Just come down, already!”

Maybe there’s some nuance to be explored here. Wanting signs and miracles is futile, but wanting your child to get well is not futile in the least. Jesus sends the officer away with nothing to hold on to but trust. No other options allowed.

Okay, now I’m on track! Jesus made it impossible for there to be any choice except whether or not to trust.

No signs or miracles were going to be on display to be gawked at. Jesus didn’t give the officer any chance to exchange something worthwhile for something worthless.

Or was it the other way around? Did the officer stop Jesus from exchanging something worthwhile (healing his child) for something worthless (being annoyed at “You people” who only want to be entertained by signs and miracles)?

I can just see the ironic wince on Jesus’s face when the officer doesn’t rise to the bait.

I like that. Nuances. Layers. Jesus always did like to flip things on their heads.

 

Walk away from all the broken wells;

Kick the bucket down the shuddering pit:

 

Don’t gawk down that murky hole

Don’t expect to hear the dry crack as it hits bottom.

 

Drop the useless shovels where they fall;

Turn away from everything we never had.

 

Abandon the effigies of our own wishes;

Retreat without making any excuses:

 

Go without looking back—

There’s water out there somewhere.