Daily Word, Pentecost 8A

Daily Word, Pentecost 8A

Daily Bible Readings for the Week of the Eighth Sunday of Pentecost, Year A

Join us for Morning Prayer in the chapel, Monday through Friday* at 8:30am, where we read and discuss these Scriptures and pray together. We do the same during Vespers in the parsonage Sunday evenings at 6pm. Join us! The parsonage is across the street from the church. 

Our readings for the week of the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost are listed below. Each verse is linked and will open to Biblia so you may read online. Click the link to read online or read in your Bible. The additional reading each day speaks to the common conversation between the three readings.

Divine Succession

Moses asks God to appoint a someone to lead Israel. God commands him to commission Joshua, investing him with authority so the congregation will obey (Numbers 27:12–23). Moses lays his hands on Joshua and the new leader is filled with the spirit of wisdom. Israel obeys Joshua as they had obeyed Moses (Deuteronomy 34). This week’s Deuteronomy readings reinforce a pattern of transitional leadership. Moses tells Joshua he will lead Israel into the promised land, assuring him that the LORD goes before him and will not abandon him (Deuteronomy 31:1–8). Moses finishes writing the law and warns the people they will turn aside from his commands after his death (Deuteronomy 31:24–32:4). These Old Testament passages establish a successive narrative of transition of leadership, beginning with Moses, to a new generation through Joshua, and finally climaxing in the new Joshua, Jesus Christ, the ultimate successor to Moses’ leadership role—now not through law only but also through God’s grace.

The New Testament readings theologically reframe this succession. Jesus proclaims the kingdom of God and calls fishermen to follow him, promising to make them fishers of men (Mark 1:14–20). This echoes the calling of disciples, just as Joshua was commissioned. Paul performs extraordinary miracles, the name of Jesus is exalted, and God’s word increases and prevails (Acts 19:11–20) which shows a continuation of divine power through his called leaders. Jesus critiques the scribes and Pharisees who now sit in Moses’ place but teach without practicing what they teach (Matthew 23:1–12). On the other hand, Jesus and eventually his disciples practice what they teach with authentic authority. The Romans passages on election and salvation, paired with Matthew’s discourse on the end times, demonstrate that Jesus fulfills and even transcends the old Mosaic covenant, establishing God’s new order in which his followers inherit the promises given through Moses.

Sunday: Numbers 27:12–23; Acts 19:11–20; Mark 1:14–20

...in the passage in which Luther speaks of the three means of grace and of the keys as the fourth, he proceeds to say, that the Church may be known, in the fifth place, by the fact that it ordains, or calls, ministers (Kirchendiener) and has offices to fill. He even, in one passage, defines the Church as the “the whole multitude (Haufen) of the baptized and believing who belong to a pastor or bishop.” He insists particularly, also, that the pastors or bishops already in office shall participate in the induction of every new candidate into the ministry. As publicly and regularly appointed witnesses of the divine Word they are thus especially to approve the doctrine of the candidate so ordained, to receive him into their fellowship, and to confirm his appointment by the laying on of hands.

Julius Köstlin, The Theology of Luther in Its Historical Development and Inner Harmony, trans. Charles E. Hay, vol. 2 (Philadelphia: Lutheran Publication Society, 1897), 547.

Monday: Numbers 32:1–6, 16–27; Romans 8:26–30; Matthew 23:1–12

Luther discoursed much concerning the ambition of certain ministers, and said, “God oftentimes layeth upon the necks of such haughty divines all manner of crosses and plagues, thereby to humble them; and such are well and rightly served, for they will have honour, which belongeth to our Lord God alone. When we are found true in our vocation, then we have reaped honour enough, though not in this life, yet in that to come: there we shall be crowned with the unchangeable crown of honour, which, as St. Paul saith, ‘is laid up for us.’ But here on earth we must seek for no honour, for it is written, ‘Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you.’ We belong not to this life,” said Luther, “but are called to another far better.” 

Martin Luther, Luther’s Table Talk: Or, Some Choice Fragments from the Familiar Discourse of the Godly, Learned Man, and Famous Champion of God’s Truth (London; Dublin; Edinburgh; Newcastle upon Tyne: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green; Hatchard; Seeley; Rivingtons; W. Whyte and Co.; Finlay and Charlton, 1832), 223.

Tuesday: Numbers 35:1–3, 9–15, 30–34; Romans 8:31–39; Matthew 23:13–26

There are certain respects in which the analogy between the cities of refuge and the salvation offered to man in the Gospel does not hold good. E.g.: The cities of refuge afforded no lasting protection to the guilty. By their means a fair trial was secured for the manslayer; but if he was found guilty of murder, he was given up to the Goël to be put to death. They were an abiding refuge for those only who had accidentally slain a fellow creature. But Christianity is a refuge for the guilty. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom,” saith St. Paul, “I am chief.” “This man receiveth sinners.” “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” The guiltiest soul that flies to Jesus Christ is inviolably secure.

William Jones, Numbers, The Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary (New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1892), 611.

Wednesday: Deuteronomy 1:1–18; Romans 9:1–18; Matthew 23:27–39

Whatever view we may take of these hard passages, we should remember that Romans 9 is only a part of Paul’s philosophy of history, unfolded in chapters 9–11. While Romans 9 sets forth the divine sovereignty, Romans 10 asserts the human responsibility, and Romans 11 looks forward to the future solution of the dark problem, namely, the conversion of the fulness of the Gentiles and the salvation of all Israel (Romans 11:25). And he winds up the whole discussion with the glorious sentence: “God hath shut up all unto disobedience, that he might have mercy — upon all” (Romans 11:32). This is the key for the understanding, not only of this section, but of the whole Epistle to the Romans.

Philip Schaff and David Schley Schaff, History of the Christian Church, vol. 8 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1910), 577.

Thursday: Deuteronomy 3:18–28; Romans 9:19–33; Matthew 24:1–14

He that reposes in the divine will, is like a man placed above the clouds: he sees the lightning, and hears the claps of thunder, and the raging of the tempest below, but he is not injured or disturbed by them. And how can he be ever disturbed, when whatever he desires always happens? He that desires only what pleases God, always obtains whatsoever he wishes, because all that happens to him, happens through the will of God.

Alphonsus M. Liguori, Sermons for All the Sundays in the Year, trans. Nicholas Callan, Eighth Edition (Dublin; London: James Duffy & Sons, 1882), 209.

Friday: Deuteronomy 31:7–13, 24–32:4; Romans 10:1–13; Matthew 24:15–31

“I will, God willing,” said Luther, “provide and use diligence, that, after my departure, an upright church and schools be left to our posterity, to the end they may know how they ought, uprightly and Christian-like, to teach and govern: although the great unthankfulness of men, their wilfulness and contempt of God’s word, maketh me to fear that this light will not stand nor shine long; for God’s word hath always had its course.

“No greater mischief can ever happen to Christian people, than when God’s word is taken from them and falsified; that they have it not pure and clear."

Martin Luther, Luther’s Table Talk: Or, Some Choice Fragments from the Familiar Discourse of the Godly, Learned Man, and Famous Champion of God’s Truth (London; Dublin; Edinburgh; Newcastle upon Tyne: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green; Hatchard; Seeley; Rivingtons; W. Whyte and Co.; Finlay and Charlton, 1832), 115.

Saturday: Deuteronomy 34:1–12; Romans 10:14–21; Matthew 24:32–5

This blessed Word of God, quick, powerful, able to save the soul, because of the life-giving Spirit connected with it, is not only to be read, but to be preached and heard. This is God’s own arrangement. From the days of Enoch, Noah, the patriarchs and prophets, down to Jesus and the apostles, and from them to the end of the Gospel dispensation, He has had and will have His preachers of righteousness.

G. H. Gerberding, The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church (Philadelphia, PA: Lutheran Publication Society, 1887), 127–128.

*We do not meet in the chapel on Saturdays. On Sundays, we meet in the parsonage at 6pm to discuss the readings.

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