Sunday, April 18, 2021

Readings for April 18, 2021 annotated, lectionary 47


This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks  will take you to additional translations. The entire chapter is included to provide context. 

Other bolded hyperlinks  will take to collections of or meditations on other scriptures related to the principles underlying today’s readings.

Information about the meaning the original Hebrew or Greek of what seem to be key words is provided in blue.  They are provided beneath the reading they relate to. 

Excerpts collected in yellow  at the end of this post tell us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. 

Excerpts collected in green  at the end of this post tell us about something God wants us to do. 

 

Reading I

Acts 3:13-15, 17-19

Peter said to the people:

“The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.

Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer. Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.”

repent = μετανοω = metanoeō

Blue Letter Bible

to change one's mind;to change one's mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one's past sins; to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider (morally, feel compunction)

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon  

perceive afterwards, concur subsequently; change one's mind or purpose

 

wiped away =ξαλεφω= exaleiphō

Blue Letter Bible

Blot out, "to wash ... completely," obliterate; to anoint or wash in every part; erase; denoting completeness 

katabiblon.com

eliminate, delete, remove, expunge, make-extinct

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

wipe out, obliterate; wipe out of one's mind, cancel; blot it out, destroy


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 4:2, 4, 7-8, 9

R.  (7a) Lord, let your face shine on us.
When I call, answer me, O my just God, you who relieve me when I am in distress; have pity on me, and hear my prayer!
R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.

Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one; the LORD will hear me when I call upon him.
R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.
O LORD, let the light of your countenance shine upon us!
You put gladness into my heart.
R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.
As soon as I lie down, I fall peacefully asleep, for you alone, O LORD,
bring security to my dwelling.
R.  Lord, let your face shine on us.

prayer =תְּפִלָּה= tp̄illâ

Blue Letter Bible

intercession, supplication; entreaty

call= קָרָא= qārā'

Blue Letter Bible

Call out, cry out;to summon, invite, call for; to call anyone to himself 

faithful =חָסִיד= ḥāsîḏ

Blue Letter Bible

kind, godly, holy one, saint, pious; merciful, gracious 

 

Reading II

1 John 2:1-5

My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.

The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Those who say, “I know him,” but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.

advocate = παρκλητος = paraklētos

Blue Letter Bible

lit., "called to one's side," i.e., to one's aid; one who pleads another's cause, an intercessor, advocate; in the widest sense, it signifies a "succorer, comforter”; summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid; one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate; one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

called to one's aid; summoned, intercessor  

keep, keeps = τηρω =tēreō

Blue Letter Bible

to guard; to watch over, keep, give heed to, observe; hold fast;to attend to carefully, take care of 

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

watch over, take care of, guard; maintain; take care that; give heed to, watch narrowly, observe; notice; test by observation or trial;preserve, retain


Alleluia

C.f. Luke 24:32

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Lord Jesus, open the Scriptures to us; make our hearts burn while you speak to us.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel

Luke 24:35-48

The two disciples recounted what had taken place on the way, and how Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread. While they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

But they were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost. Then he said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do questions arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you can see I have.” And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While they were still incredulous for joy and were amazed, he asked them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish; he took it and ate it in front of them.

He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

Peace = ερνη = eirēnē

Blue Letter Bible

harmonious relationships between men; friendliness; the sense of rest and contentment; The corresponding Heb. word shalom primarily signifies "wholeness";quietness; harmony, concord; security, safety, prosperity, felicity; quietness, rest;way leading to peace, a course of life promoting harmony; a formula of wishing well, blessing, addressed by the Hebrews to departing friends

 

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

profound peace 

 

repentance = μετνοια = metanoia

Blue letter Bible

afterthought, change of mind; not simply a change of [] mind, but such a change as would reverse the effects of his [] previous state of mind;a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done; compunction (for guilt, including reformation); by implication, reversal (of (another's) decision); the change of mind of those who have begun to abhor their errors and misdeeds, and have determined to enter upon a better course of life, so that it embraces both a recognition of sin and sorrow for it and hearty amendment; that change of mind by which we turn from, desist from, etc.;the improved spiritual state resulting from deep sorrow for sin.

 

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

change of mind or heart, repentance, regret, correction 

 

forgiveness = φεσις = aphesis

Blue Letter Bible

"a release, from bondage, imprisonment, etc."; liberation from captivity; dismissal, release; remission; pardon of sins (letting them go as if they had never been committed), remission of the penalty; forgiveness, pardon, of sins (properly, the letting them go, as if they had not been committed)

 

Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon 

letting go, release; quittance from; discharge from

 What these readings tell us about God/His ways:

his servant Jesus

the Holy and Righteous One

The author of life

God raised him from the dead

God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand

Repent, therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away

my just God

you who relieve me when I am in distress

the LORD does wonders for his faithful one

the LORD will hear me when I call upon him
the light of your countenance
You put gladness into my heart.
you alone, O LORD, bring security to my dwelling

if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one

He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world

The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments

Jesus was made known to them in the breaking of bread

he stood in their midst and said to them,
“Peace be with you.”

he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations

 

What these readings tell us to do:

Repent, therefore, and be converted

prayer!
Know that the LORD does wonders for his faithful one

call upon him

keep his commandments

keeps his word

 

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