Wisdom and Power

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 -- Week of Proper 19, Year One
Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr of Carthage, 258

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 984)
Psalms 61, 62 (morning) 68:1-20(21-23)24-36 (evening)
1 Kings 21:17-29
1 Corinthians 1:20-31
Matthew 4:12-17

"For God alone my soul in silence waits; from God comes my salvation... Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath; even those of low estate cannot be trusted. Put no trust in extortion; in robbery take no empty pride; though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it. God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God." (from Psalm 62)

Paul opens his first letter to the Corinthians by bringing up the problem of division within the congregation. His appeal for unity focuses on the cross. The cross subverts the usual causes of division. People usually anchor conflict in struggles over power or disagreements of understanding. Paul says the cross is weakness and foolishness which becomes God's means of ultimate power and wisdom. The cross is an image of shame and defeat. But God uses the cross to overturn our usual ways of thinking about power and wisdom. "For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength."

We see a display of arrogant power in our story from 1 Kings. Ahab's princess Jezebel abused royal power by victimizing Naboth with false testimony. After Naboth is stoned, Ahab took control of his ancestral vineyard that Ahab coveted. Elijah speaks the Word of the Lord to him, prophesying the fall of the Omri/Ahab dynasty.

Although part of Elijah's word against Jezebel eventually was fulfilled in her death during Jehu's rebellion, Ahab had a long, significant reign and two of his sons followed on the throne. A later editor, more sympathetic toward Ahab than the writer of 1 Kings, probably added verses 27-29 crediting Ahab with a repentance that postponed Elijah's curse.

In American Colonial days, Roger Williams who founded Rhode Island and helped start the Baptist Church, used the story of Naboth as an example of bad civil government abusing its religious power through force. His book "The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution for the Cause of Conscience" powerfully argued for a "wall of separation" between church and state and for state toleration of religion. Williams urged civil authority to give up customary powers to establish state religion, a stand that many thought weak and foolish in the mid-seventeenth century.

In the Gospel story we see another example of civil abuse. Jesus learns that John the Baptist has been arrested by Herod. Jesus withdraws. He goes to Galilee, a borderland, heavily influenced by Gentile and Greek presence. "Galilee of the Gentiles," as Isaiah called it. The people there "sat in darkness" said the prophet. There, in Capernaum, Jesus sets up the headquarters for his ministry.

Archeologist Charles Page has argued that Jesus' move from Nazareth to Capernaum was a dramatic shift. He says that Nazareth was a strict Jewish sect, not unlike today's Hasidic movement -- rather rigid and separatist. Capernaum was a town whose synagogue was aligned with the more liberal reform movement of Hillel. It was also a more cosmopolitan town, near a major highway, open to non-Jewish relationships. (Charles has led some of the digging in Capernaum.)

We also remember St. Cyprian today, whose feast is moved from September 13 to the 15th in the new proposed calendar. Cyprian is known for his compassion, exercised in his moderate position regarding the reconciliation of Christians who had lapsed during persecution. The rigorist faction of Novation led a group into schism, demanding a purer church than Cyprian allowed. (Not unlike the factions now leaving the Episcopal Church, creating schism in the name of purity.)

Where is wisdom? Where is power? Our stories today have several flavors of misuse of power and certainty. Those stories are contrasted with Paul's call to cross-like humility -- the open vulnerability of trust in God rather than in our own power or certainties. "For God alone my soul in silence waits; from God comes my salvation." "For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength."

Lowell

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About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas