Readings for September 20,2020 annotated, lectionary 133

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.

Information about the meaning of the original Hebrew of Greek and other versions’ translations of italicized words is provided in blue beneath each reading.

Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him.  

Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. 

Text in red  describes what God tells us not to do. 

Reading 1 

Isaiah 55:6-9

Seek  the LORD while he may be found, call  him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.

As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.

Seek= דָּרַשׁ= darash

Blue Letter Bible

to resort to, seek, seek with care, enquire, require;  to consult, enquire of, seek;to seek deity in prayer and worship; to ask for, require, demand; to practice, study, follow, seek with application; to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by implication, to seek or ask; specifically to worship; to read or beat a path; to go to a place, to frequent it; to apply oneself, to study, to practice, to follow

Call= קָרָא= qara'

Blue Letter Bible

to call unto, cry (for help); 

Turn= שׁוּב= shuwb

Blue Letter Bible

to return unto, go back, come back; to restore, refresh, repair (fig); to turn one’s self; to cease from, leave off; renew

King James Version. English Standard Version, Christian Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New English Translation, Revised Standard Version, American Standard Version, Youngs Literal Translation, Darby, Webster’s, Hebrew Names Version

“return”

 

Responsorial Psalm 

Psalm 145:2-3, 8-9, 17-18

R. (18a) The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Every day will I bless you, and I will praisey our name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

Call= קָרָא= qara'

See above

Bless= בָּרַךְ= barak

Blue Letter Bible

to bless, kneel; salute; praise; to invoke God, ask for a blessing; celebrate; 

"adore"

New Living Translation, New International Version, Hebrew Names Version:

“praise"

Praise, praised= הָלַל= halal

Blue Letter Bible

Shine; flash forth light, boast, be boastful; commend; to celebrate; to make brilliant; to make a show; to glory

 New International Version, Hebrew Names Version:

“extol”

Reading 2 

Philippians 1:20-24

Brothers and sisters:
Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.  If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose.  I am caught between the two.  I long to depart this life and be with Christ,
for that is far better.  Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. Only, conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

 

Alleluia 

Acts 16:14B

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel 

Matthew 20:1-16

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard.  After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. 

Going out about nine o’clock, the landowner saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.’ So they went off.  And he went out again around noon, and around three o’clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o’clock, the landowner found others standing around, and said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They answered, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into my vineyard.’

When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.’ When those who had started about five o’clock came,
each received the usual daily wage.  

 

So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage.  And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day’s burden and the heat.’

He said to one of them in reply, ‘My friend, I am not cheating you.  Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage?  Take what is yours and go.  

What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?  Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money?  Are you envious because I am generous?’
Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

Generous = ἀγαθός = agathos

Blue Letter Bible

Good, kind; of good constitution or nature;good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy; excelling in any respect, distinguished; benevolent, kind, generous; beneficent

King James Version, American Standard Version, Young’s literal translation, Darby, Hebrew Name version:

“good”

 New Living Translation:

“kind”

 

Liddell & Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

well-born, gentle; good, capable

 

What these readings tell us about God:

our God, who is generous in forgiving.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways

As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.

The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised

his greatness is unsearchable.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is gracious and merciful

slow to anger

of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all

compassionate

The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is just in all his ways

holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him

am I not free to do as I wish

I am generous
the last will be first, and the first will be last

What these readings tell us to do:

Seek the LORD 

call him 

Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked his thoughts

turn to the LORD for mercy

call upon him.
I bless you

praise your name 

call upon him.
call upon him.
call upon him

call upon him in truth.

call upon him.

fruitful labor 

conduct yourselves in a way worthy of the gospel of Christ.

listen to the words of your Son

What these readings tell us not to do:

they grumbled

envious

 

 

WWJD in this election? Pray for the other side.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Matthew 5:43-48. 

 

So how do we do that? Every time you see a yard sign/post/commercial supporting the candidate you are voting against, or attacking your candidate, say a quick prayer for the person who put it up, their candidate, and your attitude towards them. Something as simple as “give us wisdom” will work. See James 1:5. 

 

We’ll all be better off if we do that, regardless of who ends up winning.

 

See also:

Wisdom Principles--Dealing with Anger 

 

Wisdom Principles--How to Deal With those Who Do You Wrong

 

What we can learn from the book of Proverbs about how to vote

American disagree on many specific issues, but all can agree that we are better served by leaders with the character trait of “wisdom.” That helps leaders (and all of us) honestly, diligently, and righteously weigh options and effectively implement the choices they make. 

So how does one define wisdom without political bias?  By standards that have served civilizations well for millennia, yet speak to our current reality.

Those standards are collected in the book of Proverbs. It is a collection of maxims and more extended discussions of what wisdom does and does not look like. 

So how do we discern and apply those standards between now and when we vote? By asking the Holy Spirit to guide us, by reading a chapter a day, by paying attention to the principlesthat run across those chapters, and by considering how the candidates measure up to those standards.  

There are 31 chapters in Proverbs, each is relatively short, so this is very doable between now and when you vote. 

And to make that easier, here are links to each of those chapters, with three translations to choose from:

Proverbs 1

Proverbs 2

Proverbs 3

Proverbs 4

Proverbs 5

Proverbs 6

Proverbs 7

Proverbs 8

Proverbs 9

Proverbs 10

Proverbs 11

Proverbs 12

Proverbs 13

Proverbs 14

Proverbs 15

Proverbs 16

Proverbs 17

Proverbs 18

Proverbs 19

Proverbs 20

Proverbs 21

Proverbs 22

Proverbs 23

Proverbs 24

Proverbs 25

Proverbs 26

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 28

Proverbs 29

Proverbs 30

Proverbs 31

Readings for September 6,2020 annotated, lectionary 127

This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations. Italicized hyperlinks will take you to resources about the meaning of the original Hebrew or Greek words.  Excerpts from those resources are in blue. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red  describe what God tells us not to do. 

Reading 1

Ezekiel 33:7-9

Thus says the LORD: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman

for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me.  If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak out  to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

watchman= צָפָה= tsaphah

to look out or about, spy, keep watch, observe, watch; watch closely; to lean forward, i.e. to peer into the distance;to observe, await; to view; to observe accurately;

warn them, dissuade= זָהַר= zahar

admonish, warn, teach, shine, send out light, be light, be shining;to gleam;to enlighten (by caution):—admonish, shine, teach, (give) warn(-ing); to make shine; dissuade; to be brilliant, give fort light

speak out= דָּבַר= dabar

to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing; to speak with one another, talk;answer; pronounce; teach; use (entreaties), utter; to lead, to guide; to direct a people; admonish; to speak kindly, console; to speak friendly, peaceably with anyone; to announce welfare

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden  not your hearts.

Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him.

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us.

For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”

R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

harden= קָשָׁה= qashah

to be hard, be severe, be fierce, be harsh; to make difficult, make difficulty;to make severe, make burdensome; make stiff, make stubborn; obstinacy; to show stubbornness; to be dense, i.e. tough or severe; be cruel, be fiercer, make grievous; be sore.

acclaim= רוּעַ= ruwa`

to shout, raise a sound, cry out, give a blast; make a joyful noise, smart, shout (for joy), sound an alarm, triumph.

Reading 2

Romans 13:8-10

Owe nothing to anyone, except to love  one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  Love*  does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love*  is the fulfillment of the law.

love, loves = ἀγαπάω = agapaō

Verb; is not an impulse from the feelings, it does not always run with the natural inclinations, nor does it spend itself only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered; this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects; Love seeks the welfare of all; love seeks opportunity to do good to all men

to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly; to have a preference for, wish well to, regard the welfare of; to take pleasure in the thing, prize it above other things, be unwilling to abandon it or do without it; to welcome with desire, long for

Love* = ἀγάπη = agape

Noun;affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love 

Alleluia

2 Corinthians 5:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell

 him his fault between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell* the church.  If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

tell= ἐλέγχω = elegchō

by conviction to bring to the light, to expose; correct; to call to account, show one his fault; admonish; tell a fault, rebuke, reprove

tell*= εἶπον = eipon

to speak, say

***

If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die,” and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death

if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides

the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 

Love does no evil to the neighbor

love is the fulfillment of the law

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ

entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven

whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven

if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father

where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them

you shall warn them for me

speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way

sing joyfully to the LORD

acclaim the rock of our salvation.

come into his presence with thanksgiving

joyfully sing psalms to him

bow down in worship

kneel before the LORD

hear his voice

Owe nothing to anyone

love one another

love your neighbor as yourself

Love does no evil to the neighbor

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone

If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you

If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church

If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

harden not your hearts

harden not your hearts

harden not your hearts

Harden not your hearts 

harden not your hearts

You shall not commit adultery

you shall not kill

you shall not steal

you shall not covet