August 1, Matthew 14:13-21

"Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, who gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied."

This is the only miracle performed by Jesus that is included in all four of the New Testament gospels. Clearly, it is an episode in the Jesus story that was considered indispensable by the church communities that are represented in the Christian Bible. Given the diversity among the gospel accounts, this story in each of the four gospels is remarkably similar. There are five thousand men to be fed, although the gospel of Matthew adds that there were women and children as well, and only five loaves and two fish, yet twelve baskets of scraps were collected after all were fed. The gospel of John adds that when the people saw this sign, they exclaimed: "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!" (Jn. 6:14)

The LORD says: "I will give an undivided heart to my people. I will put a new spirit in them."

Ezekiel was a priest whose ministry extended from 593 to 563 BCE. The capture and destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 587 BCE greatly influenced his writings. In the eleventh chapter of this book, the prophet takes up the themes of judgment and promise. In verses 17-20 Ezekiel relates the words of the LORD that proclaim a return to Jerusalem from exile and a new heart for the people of Israel. Prophetic writings and their fulfillment were understood by the people of Israel and their descendants as evidence of the reigning power and the steadfast love of God. These prophetic writings in the Bible are the foundation for the gospel proclamation that the kingdom (reign) of God has come in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. 

We read these words with 20th century eyes, and in a world understood scientifically we ask questions about the reign of God that could not have been conceived more than two millennia ago. Once all events, in both nature and history, were seen to reflect the will of God, but now we look for natural and human causes to explain most of our experience. We no longer see all suffering as punishment, and we do not believe that all healing is a reward for faithfulness. Our "new spirit" is questioning and critical, yet we may remain open to the forgiving love of God, if we realize how we have often hardened our hearts to the suffering of others. 

Daniel prayed saying: "Listen to the prayer of your servant. For we rely not on our good deeds but on your great mercy."

The original portions of this book were written in Aramaic by a pious Jew living during the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes (167-164 BCE). The text recounts stories of Daniel, who is presented as a leader among the exiled people of Israel in Babylon. Although set in the past, the story is primarily concerned with the future, and this is a characteristic of the writings of this period in Jewish history that are known as "apocalyptic."

August 4, Acts 2:42-47

"All the believers held everything in common. They sold their goods and possessions and shared the proceeds according to the needs of each person."

The Acts of the Apostles was written by the author of the gospel of Luke as the second volume of his history of the church. The gospel of Luke ends with the disciples in Jerusalem, where they experience the Holy Spirit in a miraculous new way and begin their life together as the church. Verses 42-47 in chapter 2 follow a sermon by Peter that sums up the proclamation of the new community of faith. Then we read that those who were baptized "devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers." (v. 42) We should keep in mind, as we read these words, that they were written after the imprisonment of Paul in Rome about 60 CE and probably well after the temple was destroyed in Jerusalem in 70 CE. So, these words do not represent observations of the first days of the church in Jerusalem, but are a summary that the author of Luke and Acts believes makes sense of what has happened between the time of the death of Jesus and the time of his writing at least two generations later.

August 5, Romans 8:28-30

"In all things God works for the good of those who love him and who have been called according to his purpose."

Paul is writing to encourage the Christians in Rome. He acknowledges the sufferings of the present time, but he affirms that God is bringing about a new creation through this suffering. Paul boldly proclaims that God works for good in all things, and in this Paul is echoing the words of the prophets who wrote centuries before him. Paul also asserts a belief in predestination that came to have a long history in the church.

August 6, Matthew 17:1-8

On the mountain where Jesus was transfigured, a bright cloud covered the disciples and a voice said: "This is my beloved Son, on whom my favor rests; listen to him."

The gospels of Mark (Mk. 9:2-8), Matthew (Mt. 17:1-8) and Luke (Lk. 9:28-36) tell this story, which is known in the church as the "transfiguration." Jesus takes Peter, John and James with him and goes up a mountain to pray. As he is praying, the appearance of his face is changed. Then a cloud comes over them, and a voice from the cloud is heard saying: "This is my Son, the Chosen One; listen to him." All three gospels report the fear of the disciples when they hear a voice. But only the gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus touched and comforted the disciples. In all three accounts Elijah and Moses appear and the clothes of Jesus become intensely white, but the gospel of Matthew alone reports a light from the cloud.

The imagery of this story reminds the reader of Moses going up the mountain to receive the commandments of the law from God. Moses went alone, but came down from the mountain with a radiant face. (Exodus 34:29) Here, Jesus has three witnesses with him, and Moses and Elijah appear to them all. Moses represents the law of the covenant and Elijah the prophets, and the story of the transfiguration presents Jesus as the fulfillment of both. The cloud and the voice are also manifestations of God related to the story of Moses and the covenant with ancient Israel, for the Israelites were led through the wilderness by a pillar of cloud during the day and by a pillar of fire at the night. Moreover, the Exodus account reports that God spoke to Moses in order to give him the law. Now, however, God names a Son to represent him on earth.

August 7, John 10:11-15

Jesus said: "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep."

Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel all include in their prophecies an image of God caring for his people as a shepherd cares for his sheep. (Is. 40:11, Jer. 23:1-6, and Ezek. 34) Ezekiel 34 even has God saying, "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep." (v. 15) So, when the gospel of John presents Jesus as the good shepherd, the Jews for whom the gospel was written would immediately be reminded of these prophetic images. The gospel of John presents Jesus as the incarnation of the God of Israel and the Creator of the universe, so Jesus (as God, or more specifically as the Son of the Father) is the shepherd who will care for God's sheep.

August 8, Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus came towards his disciples, walking on the water, and they were terrified; but at once he said to them: "Courage! It is I. Do not be afraid."

The story of Jesus walking on the water is also in the gospels of Mark and John, but neither of these accounts includes verses 28-33 in the gospel of Matthew. If the gospel of Mark first told this story, apparently it was available also to the author of the gospel of John, which overall is very different than the gospel of Mark. The author of the gospel of Matthew added a story about Peter trying to walk on the water, perhaps as part of the more extensive character development of Peter throughout the gospel, for in the gospel of Matthew Peter is singled out by Jesus to be the leader of the apostles. Even more interesting, however, is the decision by the author of the gospel of Luke to omit the story of Jesus walking on the water from the two volume history of the church, which in the New Testament appears as the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. As the gospel of Luke follows the story of the gospel of Mark and includes many of its passages with little if any editing, perhaps the author of the gospel of Luke deleted the story of Jesus walking on the water because it seems too far-fetched.

August 9, Luke 17:20-21

Jesus said: "The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, for the kingdom of God is among you."

It is intriguing that this statement does not appear in any of the other gospels. The author of the gospel of Luke has inserted this statement into his story between materials that are in the gospel of Mark, but the author of the gospel of Matthew has not added this statement to his gospel. It may be that the author of the gospel of Luke has found a memory of Jesus that is not known by the other gospel writers, but it seems more likely that the author of the gospel of Luke wrote these verses in order to answer a question being asked of the Christians in his community.

August 10, Psalm 62

"Rest in God alone, my soul! God is the source of my hope."

The psalmist urges those who may read his words to trust only in God. He uses images that are very familiar in the psalms and in the hymns of the church. God is a "mighty rock," a "fortress," our "refuge." The psalmist says, "power belongs to God" and also "steadfast love." Therefore, he affirms: "On God rests my deliverance and my honor."

August 11, Luke 21:25-36

Jesus said: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Be on the watch and pray at all times."

The church in the first century was expecting the end of the world to come very soon. In his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul writes: "the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God." (1 Th. 4:16) Paul says the dead will rise and then the living will join them in the air, to be with the Lord forever. Paul also says, "the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night," and the gospels of Matthew and Luke later present Jesus saying much the same thing. (Mt. 24:43-44, Lk. 12:39-40) Paul does not attribute his statement to Jesus, so it is most likely that the gospel writers found this image in Paul's writings and then incorporated it into their gospel account. They were, after all, not simply writing biographies of the life of Jesus, but gospels for the church that witness to the good news proclaimed by Paul as well as by Jesus.

August 12, Psalm 94:14-22

When I say, "I am slipping," your faithful love, LORD, supports me."

The psalmist affirms that "the LORD will not forsake his people" and that "justice will return to the righteous." (v. 14) But he also asserts that God will "wipe out" the wicked rulers who "band against the life of the righteous, and condemn the innocent to death." (v. 23) We are less fond of these harsh texts proclaiming the judgment of the LORD, than we are of the passages that lift up the "steadfast love" of God. (v. 18) But both affirmations are there and often together.

August 13, Jeremiah 1:4-8

The LORD said to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and consecrated you."

Jeremiah says that his prophetic ministry began in 627 BCE with a call, which he describes in verses 4-10. He experiences the presence of the LORD and understands that God has called him to be a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah protests that he is too young for such a responsibility, but then the LORD touches Jeremiah's lips and promises to give him the words that need to be proclaimed in his time.

August 14, 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

"May God make your love increase so that it overflows for each other and for everyone. May God confirm your hearts."

We learn from Acts that in Thessalonica Paul was successful primarily in persuading God-fearing Gentiles, who were attending the synagogue, that Jesus was the awaited Christ promised by the scriptures of Israel. (Acts 17:1-7) Here Paul is writing his first letter to the congregation that has formed in Thessalonica in order to encourage them in their new faith.

August 15, Luke 1:39-56

Mary said: "The Lord's merciful love stretches from age to age upon those who revere him."

The author of the gospel of Luke begins his two-volume story of the church (the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles) with a story of two women, Mary and Elizabeth. Both women have become pregnant in miraculous ways that suggest a plan by God of immense importance. When Mary visits Elizabeth, Elizabeth feels her baby move in her womb, and she is filled with the Holy Spirit. Then Mary replies with words of praise that have been known through the ages in the church as the Magnificat, because in the Latin version of the text this is how Mary begins to "magnify the Lord." Her song promises the fulfillment of God's salvation for the poor and for those who fear and trust in God.

It is remarkable that this gospel, or any religious writing of the first century, should begin with a story of two women being blessed and exalting God. Clearly, in the early church there were women among the leadership, at least in communities of faith in Roman cities, as is verified in the Acts of the Apostles. It seems, therefore, that the author of the gospel of Luke was writing an account of the church for one or more of these congregations. The gospel of Matthew, in contrast, begins with a story about Joseph, the Jewish father of Jesus, and because this gospel tells us that Jesus is the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy we see that it was written for a largely Jewish church. The gospel of Luke, on the other hand, begins in a way that gives less emphasis to Jewish prophecy in order to proclaim the gospel message effectively to the urban and largely Gentile churches that are growing in the Roman Empire.

The birth of the church is orickauned in stories about the birth of Jesus. Faith in Christ, however, does not require that we believe in these stories as literal, historical truth. Only two of the gospels in the New Testament even have birth stories, so it is clear that not all Christian congregations in the first century thought a birth story was a necessary part of the gospel. Moreover, the birth stories in the gospels of Matthew and Luke are different, which makes it hard to avoid concluding that they were created within different communities of faith to express the belief that the origin of Jesus Christ was a miracle. 

August 16, Jeremiah 3:12

The LORD says to his people: "Return to me, for I am merciful."

The prophets criticize the people of Israel for turning away from the commandments of God. But the prophets offer a message of hope, if Israel will repent. They find this hope in the teachings of ancient Israel, in the law of Moses, and the wisdom writings including the Psalms. They find in these witnesses to the one God, who has called Israel into covenant, a testimony to the compassion and mercy of God.

The apostles of the early church, who read these same scriptures and also the Prophets, came to see that Jesus was the fulfillment of hope in the mercy and forgiving love of God. We see, therefore, that the Christian hope is a new form of the Jewish hope, and the hope of each rests in the loving God that we know through the scriptures. Paul recognized this explicitly in Romans 9-11 where he asserts that the God who called Israel cannot have abandoned her, even though most of her people have not recognized Jesus as the awaited Messiah. Paul realizes that the God of mercy cannot reject the Jews simply because they have rejected Jesus in order to remain faithful to the covenant, as they understand it. Furthermore, Paul sees that this rejection by the Jewish leadership led to the expansion of the church among the Gentiles.

August 17, Psalm 138

"LORD, you look upon the humble. Though I live surrounded by trouble, you give me life."

The psalms express human fears. All of us are surrounded by trouble, in some form or another. The psalmist urges us, therefore, to turn in faith to God, to trust in God's mercy, and to remember that God gives us life. 

We did not create ourselves, and we cannot live forever. But we do create our lives in part, as we make decisions and become more or less faithful. In addition, we can take care of our bodies and in this way may forestall our death. And  we can give purpose and meaning to our lives by how we live and by our faith and love for others.

August 18, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15

"Be generous, for you know the generosity of our Lord Jesus Christ who became poor for your sake."

Paul is concerned about the gap between the rich and the poor in the church at Corinth. He counsels the Christians in Corinth to be generous and to share their wealth with those who have less, so the community of faith will be strengthened. Paul says that the gift of Jesus Christ should be their model. Jesus gave his life for others, so the more affluent Corinthians should be willing to give some of their money to the church for the sake of those who have less.

Almost everyone reading these words is among the "wealthy" of the world, because access to the web requires education and equipment that is too costly for many persons. You may not think of yourselves as wealthy, and certainly there are many others with far greater wealth. Yet, we all are wealthy in comparison with the 3 billion people on this earth who lack adequate sanitation facilities.

Sharing our wealth is a wonderful way to witness to the love of God. 

August 19, Wisdom 1:11-15

"God did not make death and takes no pleasure in the destruction of the living. God created all things for life."

The great question of life is death. No one, no matter how great or rich or wise, can escape this question. Death REVEALS that life is not just about existing, because death brings our living existence to an end. What is the meaning and purpose of our lives? ThIS is the question raised by the inevitability of our death.

The Bible affirms that the purpose of God is not thwarted by death. In the story of Adam and Eve in the second chapter of Genesis, Adam and Eve do not know they are mortal until they disobey God and eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Then they are banished from the garden of Eden, so they will be unable to eat of the fruit from the tree of eternal life. The story suggests that our awareness of good and evil is closely linked to our fear of death. But the story marks the beginning of the tale of God and humanity, not the end. The God who expels humanity from the Garden of Eden goes on to enter into a covenant with Israel and then, in Jesus the Christ, to launch a new community of faith that includes Jews as well as Gentiles.

In the death and resurrection of Christ, the church offers a hope that overcomes the fear of death. Even as Christ has been raised to be with God, the church affirms that all those who are faithful will be raised to be with God. Death, therefore, is not the end. The Pharisees among the first century Jews, and Paul, who was both a Pharisee and a Christian apostle, shared this hope. Paul affirms that the resurrection of Jesus marks the beginning of the end in which all those with faith will be raised from the dead to be with God. This vision is also expressed in the Revelation of John in the vivid image of a new Jerusalem in which God and those with faith are joined in a new life together.

So, do not be afraid of death. The God who gives life has the final word in creation. Live your lives to the full, in faith, and you will find meaning and purpose. 

August 20, Mark 9:17-29

Someone said to Jesus: "I believe! Help my lack of faith."

A father brings his son to Jesus for healing, because the boy has convulsions that threaten his life. When the disciples of Jesus are unable to heal the child, Jesus criticizes them for their lack of faith. Then he says to the father that all things are possible for those with faith. The father responds, "I believe! Help my lack of faith." Some times this is translated from the Greek as, "I believe! Help my unbelief." But it is best to use the word "faith," for this reminds us that Jesus is not asking for a mental commitment but for complete trust in God. 

Faith does not require believing that disease is cured by casting out evil spirits. Faith is trusting in the power of God's love, even when there is no evidence that it may lead to healing. In this story Jesus asks the father and his disciples to have faith, before giving them the evidence on which to base their faith. That, too, is our challenge. We are called to be faithful even though we may not see the benefits of faith. We are called to trust in God, whether or not we are sure that God can or will help us. The good news is that by living with faith, we may come to know the love of God.

August 21, Luke 3:10-18

John the Baptist said to the people: "Anyone who has two tunics must share with whoever has none. And anyone with something to eat must do the same."

All four gospels in the New Testament record that the ministry of Jesus began with a blessing by John the Baptist. Only the gospel of Luke, however, relates this teaching from John. As the author of the gospel is writing decades after the encounter between John the Baptist and Jesus took place, it seems unlikely that he alone is aware of a statement by John that the other gospel authors had not heard. It is far more probable that the author created this statement by John, because it is central to the theme of the gospel of Luke. 

In the gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist condemns the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees. This is evidence that the gospel of Matthew was written for a largely Jewish church, which is presenting itself to Jews as the fulfillment of the hope that has been tainted in the hands of corrupt Jewish leaders. In the gospel of Luke, however, John the Baptist does not condemn Pharisees and Sadducees, but encourages "the multitudes" to share what they have with the poor. The gospel of Luke also tells of John urging tax collectors and soldiers to prepare for the coming of the day of the Lord by acting with justice and compassion. As this gospel is written for a largely Gentile church, it begins by relating how John the Baptist reached out to Gentiles.

The gospel invites rich and poor to share in a community of faith that affirms their equality and unity in Christ. This is something for Christians to pray about and for. May the spirit of love open our hearts to those among us who are poor.

August 22, Matthew 16:13-20

Peter said to Jesus, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by any human, but by my Father in heaven."

In the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke we find the account in which Peter names Jesus as the Christ, but only in the gospel of Matthew does Jesus call Peter "son of Jonah" and say that the true identity of Jesus was revealed to Peter by God. The tradition that Peter was the disciple who first identified Jesus as the Christ must have been deeply embedded in the memory of the early churches, but the gospels reveal some controversy about his role among the first generation leadership. In the gospel of Mark, Peter and the other disciples are always depicted as shallow in their faith and without understanding. In the gospel of Matthew, however, Peter and the other disciples are criticized but also praised for their understanding. In addition, the gospel of Matthew ends with the commissioning of the eleven in Galilee to lead the church into the world. The gospel of Mark does not even report an appearance of the risen Jesus to the disciples.

Why these differences? The gospel of Matthew was written for a largely Jewish congregation, and so it was important for these Jews to trace their lineage back to the disciples of Jesus who continued in the Jerusalem church to keep the law. The gospel of Mark was written for a largely Gentile church. It expresses the teachings of Paul to the Gentiles in the way that it presents Jesus as a teacher and miracle worker. Moreover, the oldest versions of the gospel of Mark end without any appearance of the risen Christ to the disciples. In this way the gospel of Mark undermines the authority of the disciples and, at least implicitly, points to the apostolic leadership of Paul. The gospel of Matthew presents teachings by Jesus about keeping Jewish law (Mt. 5:17-20) that are contrary to the teachings of Paul, but in the gospel of Mark we find Jesus setting aside the requirements of the law (Mk. 7:19) in a way that supports the teachings of Paul.

What are we to make of these differences today? The gospels and the letters of Paul reflect the beliefs of the communities of faith for which they were written, and these beliefs are not exactly the same. This fact demonstrates that those who have faith in Jesus as the Christ may nonetheless have different beliefs about him. Faith is not the same as belief, and the test of faith is not holding certain beliefs but trusting in God. The good news of the gospel is that we are saved by the love of God, not by our beliefs about God. If we trust in the loving God who redeems humanity, we will find our salvation no matter what our beliefs.

August 23, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22

"Be always joyful, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances."

The gift of God's love is cause for rejoicing everywhere and always. Therefore, Paul tells the Thessalonians to pray continually. This doesn't mean thinking of things to pray about all the time, but simply means trusting continually in God. 

Paul also tells the Christians at Thessalonica to "give thanks in all circumstances." In Galatians 2, however, we find Paul criticizing the conduct of Peter rather than being grateful for his apostolic leadership. But we should be humble in promoting this teaching within the church, because we know that, like Paul, we often fail to live up to this high calling. Yet, we can be more joyful, we can embrace the spirit of prayer more fully, and we can be more thankful for the gifts of God.

August 24, Isaiah 50:10

"Who among you reveres the LORD? Who among you walks in darkness and sees no light? Trust in the name of the LORD and rely upon your God."

The prophet calls the people of Israel to faith in God. It should not be surprising, therefore, that Jesus is understood as the fulfillment of the prophetic witness. Jesus is not another prophet, because he does not speak in the way that prophets did. He does not say, "Thus says the Lord," and he does not claim to transmit words received directly from God. Jesus represents God to the people as a teacher, rather than as a prophet.

Faith is central to the New Testament witness, and faith means trust. The concept of faith is rooted in the prophetic witness of the scriptures of Israel, but there is a new emphasis in the writings of Paul and in the gospels. Paul may have been the first to place faith at the center of the life of the church, because he distinguishes faith from obeying Jewish law and claims that faith alone is saving. In the New Testament gospels, which were written after the letters of Paul, faith shares center stage with other teachings. In the first three gospels, it is faith and the kingdom of God that dominate. In the fourth gospel, there is almost nothing about the kingdom of God, but much about Jesus as the Son of the Father as well as about faith. 

August 25, Psalm 86

"Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart that I may revere you."

The psalmist praises God for being "good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee." (v. 5) This verse disproves the oversimplified notion that the God of the Old Testament is a God of wrath and the God of the New Testament is a God of love. The God of both testaments is the same God, but in the New Testament the church of the first century witnesses to a new revelation from this one God. The Christian Bible proclaims that the love of God has been manifested decisively in history in the person of Jesus. Jews may well find God's love manifested in the teachings of Jesus, but they do not affirm that Jesus is God's act of redemption for the world. Yet, Jews and Christians worship the same God. How could they worship any God other than the one God?

August 26, Matthew 6:25-34

Jesus said: "Seek first God's kingdom and his justice, and all the other things will be given you in addition."

The gospel of Matthew reports this wondrous teaching by Jesus. First, he tells the people not to be anxious about their lives. That seems impossible, even when we have money in the bank and insurance and a job. How hard these words must have been for poor people in the first century, who lived short lives constantly threatened by poverty, disease and warfare. Jesus tells the people that God cares for the birds of the air, so certainly God will care for them. "Yes, but . . ." we hear the people saying, and who can blame them? Then Jesus says all they need to do is seek the kingdom of God. Everything else, he says, will follow. 

Jesus told parables to explain the kingdom, but these stories are enigmatic. The kingdom of God is not just a matter of keeping the law, although in the gospel of Matthew Jesus says it does mean keeping the law. The kingdom of God means always being ready to do what is right, even if that requires going out of your way to help another person. It means trusting in God even when that seems foolish. It means taking time to praise God and thanking God for the gifts of life, even when you are struggling to survive. 

Seeking the kingdom of God is not just a matter of saying a few words about Jesus or of believing that Jesus is our Savior. Seeking the kingdom means living as though the witness of the Christian Bible were true and not simply a good idea.

August 27, Matthew 19:16-22

Jesus said to a rich young man: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."

In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus calls on his followers to be perfect. This means going beyond the letter of the law to keep the spirit of the law as well. In the account of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus does not reject the law of Moses, as Paul does in his writings. But the Jesus of the gospel of Matthew holds out a higher standard by calling his followers to be perfect. The story of the rich young man illustrates the theme of this gospel. The young man says he has kept the law, and Jesus doesn't question him about this claim. But Jesus does call on him to give up his wealth in order to please God.

August 28, 1 Peter 3:8-12

"Do not repay one wrong with another. Seek peace and pursue it."

This letter is attributed to Peter, but it is written in excellent Greek and thus can hardly be the work of a Galilean fisherman. The author most likely attributed the letter to Peter in order to give it greater authority. The letter is full of advice for the Christians living far from Jerusalem, including the admonition not to repay wrong with wrong. The teaching seems very straight-forward, yet we should be aware that it is a radical challenge to the customs that require one to defend family or tribe.

The law of Moses put limits on retribution, by limiting it to "an eye for an eye," and that was a step toward peace in its time. But the gospel expects even more, because it counsels those who are wronged to forgive the one who wronged them. If we are honest with ourselves, we know we are very reluctant to do that. When we are wronged we may not seek vengeance, but we do harbor resentment for the wrong we have suffered. However, the New Testament teaches that we can overcome our suffering, because of the wrong done to us and because of our resentment for it, by forgiving the one who wronged us. 

August 29, Matthew 16:21-27

Jesus said: "Whoever tries to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for my sake will find it."

The gospel of Matthew relates that the disciples of Jesus resisted the idea that Jesus had to die. It must have been very hard for Christians in the first century to explain why the Son of God had to die on a cross. But the followers of Jesus after his death surely were encouraged by that death and resurrection, as Paul was, especially when they faced persecution and even death. And that message was written back into the gospels, as we see in this passage.

August 30, Ephesians 1:15-23

"May God enlighten the eyes of your hearts so that you may see the hope to which God calls you."

This letter attributed to Paul is not written to a particular congregation, but is addressed as a general message of encouragement and instruction. Paul praises the faith of those to whom he is writing, and then he prays that they may be enlightened by the spirit of wisdom. Apparently, strong faith is not necessarily a sign of clear understanding or of insight into the will of God. Paul uses the interesting phrase "the eyes of your hearts" to suggest that warm feelings in the heart are not enough. There is also a need for Christians to see clearly what God wants them to do.

August 31, James 1:22-25

James writes: "Do not only listen to the word, but also put it into practice."

It may not be so easy to hear the word of God, but it is even more difficult to put that word into practice. The author of this letter reminds the Christians reading his words at the end of the first century that they must not simply give voice to the words of faith, but must live the life of faith.

This letter is not easily reconciled with the letters of Paul, for clearly the author did not agree that faith had replaced the law of Moses and made it obsolete. It is significant, therefore, that this letter was included in the New Testament with the letters of Paul. It reminds Christians that confessing faith in Christ is not enough. We must live our faith by loving our neighbors.