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This Sunday we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time. In the first reading we hear Moses tell Israel that God will raise up from among them a prophet like him who will mediate the word of God to them. They are told to listen to him. How well am I listening to the word of God as it comes to me? In the second reading Paul continues to remind the Corinthians and us that all of the world which we take to be so real will pass away very soon. How permanent are the things upon which my eyes are focused? The gospel presents Jesus in the midst of His teaching ministry. The Kingdom of God, present in Jesus and in His teaching, causes panic in a demon who is then cast out. How detectable, by others, is the Kingdom of God in me and in my life?

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First Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-20

15 "A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen. 16 This is exactly what you requested of the LORD, your God, at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let us not again hear the voice of the LORD, our God, nor see this great fire any more, lest we die.' 17 And the LORD said to me, 'This was well said. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. 19 If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. 20 But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.'

NOTES on First Reading:

* 18:15-22 This section deals with the prophetic office. Prophecy was Israel's form of mediation. Here the prophet is described as being a native or true Israelite who is called by God and continues the prophetic office of Moses (Exod 33:11; Num 12:1-8; Hos 12:13).

* 18:15 Because of the context which is opposition to the pagan soothsayers, it seems that Moses is referring generally to all the true prophets who would succeed him. This passage was understood in a special Messianic sense both by the Jews (Mal 4:5-6; John 1:21; 6:14; 7:40) and by the Apostles (Acts 3:22; 7:37). Since Christ is the Great Prophet in whom the prophetic office finds its fulfillment and completion, the Church has always applied it to Christ.

* 18:16 The reference is to the meeting with God on Horeb which is found is found in 9:7-14. In Exodus the story is told as occurring ion Mt Sinai (Exod beginning with Chapter 19). Prophecy has its origin in the people's request for mediation between God and themselves.

* 18:18 This is reminiscent of the call of Moses (Exod 4:12, 15-16) and Jeremiah (Jer 1:9). In Israel's history there is a close connection between prophecy and the law (2 Kings 17:13:15). See also Isa 50:4; 51:16; John 17:18; John 4:25; 8:28; 12:49, 50; and 15:15.

* 18:20 The death penalty was threatened against the non-Yahwistic prophet and the one not commissioned by Yahweh who presumes to speak for Him (Jer 23:9-32; 28:16-17). For use of " in the name" see 13:1,2; 1Ki 18:19, 27, 40; Jer 2:8; 28:15-17; Zec 13:3; Re 19:20.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

32 I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. 33 But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife, 34 and he is divided. An unmarried woman or a virgin is anxious about the things of the Lord, so that she may be holy in both body and spirit. A married woman, on the other hand, is anxious about the things of the world, how she may please her husband. 35 I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction.

NOTES on Second Reading:

* 7:32-35 The basic premise here is that the coming of Christ will occur very soon. It would be silly to place more commitments on one's self when everything will shortly come to an end.

* 7:32 Anxious concern is a characteristic of unredeemed existence. Paul sees the redeemed believer as living in supreme calm and peace.

Gospel Reading: Mark 1:21-28

21 Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" 25 Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" 26 The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27 All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." 28 His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

NOTES on Gospel:

* 1:21-28 The healing-exorcism story follows the following pattern: Jesus encounters the possessed man exorcism departure of the demon impression made on the bystanders.

* 1:21 Capernaum was a city on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. It was the center of Jesus activities in Galilee. Synagogue services featured prayers, scripture readings (usually from the Torah or Law and from the prophets), and teaching. Anyone of sufficient learning could be asked to teach. There was no need for formal rabbinic ordination in Jesus' time. These services were largely the invention of the pharisees who, at first, were probably hoping that Jesus would join their movement since he seemed to support their services.

* 1:22 Scribes usually quoted from the great Rabbis and generally presented the opinions of others. Jesus taught with the force of personal conviction and the authority of God. The authority of Jesus is one of the dominant themes of Mark's Gospel.

* 1:23-27 Sickness represents not the Rule of God but of Satan, the enemy of God. Jesus sets out to make the Rule of God present by healing, and casting out devils who keep people bound in sickness and insanity. He overcomes Satan and makes the future Kingdom of God begin to be present on earth. Jesus also made the Kingdom of God present by His teaching. He taught by His actions as well as by His words. His actions gave power to His words. A simple touch could bring healing.

* 1:23 A parallel is found in Luke 4:33-37. The man is described as possessed by an evil force. This was not simply a matter of ritual impurity. The idea presented is that the man's behavior was due to an outside force under the direction of Satan. Jesus' exorcisms were seen as moments of victory in the struggle with Satan.

* 1:24 Literally what the unclean spirit says is: " What to us and to you, Jesus Nazarene? " This is not so much a question as it is a protest against the disturbing, threatening presence and teaching of Jesus, the Holy One of God. Jesus' mere presence is an announcement of the end of Satan's power and therefore causes fear on the part of the demon.

* 1:25 What Jesus says is not nearly as polite as the NAB's "Quiet," or the KJV's "Hold thy peace." The word He uses is "phimoo" from the word for muzzle and is in the second person passive imperative or "Be muzzled." Jesus refuses to accept testimony from demons and unclean spirits even when they are telling the truth because even the truth in their mouths is a means of deceit.

* 1:27 The authority of Jesus is an important theme of Mark's Gospel.

 

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Scripture Study for:

01/29/12

02/05/12

02/12/12

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Scripture text: New American Bible with revised New Testament copyright © 1986,1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine.
Commentary Sources:
  Vince Del Greco
  The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (1990) (Eds. Brown, Fitzmyer & Murphy)