2nd
Reading: 2 Tim 3:14-4:2
Context. Second
Timothy is one of what are called the “Pastoral Epistles” (the term, as far as
I know, was coined by Aquinas). They are
presented as letters from Paul to individual church leaders, in this case,
Timothy. Many scholars think they are
the product of a Pauline school, writing in the name of their founder as a mark
of respect (much as church documents are ghost-written today). Regardless of the circumstances of their
composition, they are concerned with the continuation of the Church beyond
initial proclamation to more settled institution. Timothy is the only person mentioned in the
Bible whose grandmother was a Christian.
The pastorals share a common basic message: hold fast to sound teaching,
and you will live a worthy life, though with hardship; good order, structure
and hierarchy are needed in the Church; keep on converting people, and look
attractive to outsiders in order to do this.
Interpretation. This is Paul’s solemn charge
to Timothy. In the verses just before
our reading picks up, Paul reminds Timothy of the suffering for the gospel he
has known and the Timothy will experience (3:10-13). Part of this suffering is the emergence of
false teachers within the Church. This
makes it imperative that Timothy be persistent in teaching true doctrine, the
teaching he has been nourished with since his youth. He is to remember his teachers, because
Christianity is not just a religion of ideas but revolves around real
relationship and personal witness. It is
noteworthy that Timothy is to do everything with patience. He must be patient even when correcting false
teaching.
Gospel: Luke 18:1-8
Context. We come to the final
stretch of Jesus’ long journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:48; Wks 13-31), with a
section (17:11-19:27, Wks 28-31) summarizing what Jesus has taught previously
on the journey and inviting response.
Appropriate response will not be found from the disciples, who are as
lacking in understanding as they were at the start of the journey. Instead, the appropriate response is found in
a leper (last week), a widow (this week), some children (skipped), and a tax
collector (next week). In a skipped
section leading into this week’s Gospel, Jesus is asked when the kingdom
is coming. He replies that it exists “within
you,” and that the Son of Man, having suffered, will return to bring its
fullness.
Interpretation. Jesus’ words follow from a
description of the end-times, so it’s important to read this passage in that
light: pray always so as to be ready for the coming of the Son of Man. They will have to wait and endure similar
suffering to their Master. There is an
opposition here: prayer and faith on one hand; becoming weary on the other. This doesn’t mean physical tiredness, but a
spiritual dejection. One could translate
‘losing heart.’ The judge is an
impartial stoic (a judicial ideal amongst many Greeks and Romans), not even
fearing God. God, on the other hand,
shows preferential love to the poor and outcast, such as widows. The disciples should respond to the injustice
they will face with the same persistence as the widow. Prayer is faith in action.
Questions
1.
How has Scripture “trained [you] in
righteousness”? Thinking about this
group, or other times you’ve studied the Bible, how does the image of ‘training’
resonate with Bible study?
2.
How does the need for personal witness in form
how we hand on the faith to the next generation?
3.
How does prayer express faith? Build up faith?
4.
What are temptations to spiritual
weariness? What is someone who is
spiritually weary like? What are some
remedies?
5.
Both our readings talk about persevering as we
wait. How do the images they give of
what this looks like complement each other?
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