1st Sunday of Lent Year B - Hearts Burning Within

The Lectionary and Scripture Interpretation during Lent

Genesis 9:8-15

Genesis 6-9 tells the story of Noah and the flood, a story that pre-dates the Jewish people. This is the first covenant in the Bible, and it’s important to note that God makes it with all of humanity and every living creature.

All the ancient cultures around Israel had a form of a story about the earth being destroyed by a massive flood. The accounts from their closest neighbors are very similar to the Noah story but are much older. Most likely Israel appropriated the story and then told it through a different lens: a view of the One God who is in control of everything.

In that culture, water was the symbol of chaos. So the Noah story deals with a world in chaos and a few chosen ones being saved from the chaos. And by promising not to flood the earth again, God looked forward to the time when chaos would be defeated once and for all.

The rainbow symbolizes more than the colorful display we usually think of. The Hebrew word can also mean a warrior’s bow, and hanging a warrior’s bow in the sky symbolizes God’s defeat of chaos and evil. Peter will tell us the same in the New Testament reading: that Christ is in heaven with authority over all, having defeated chaos and evil.

I have always been fascinated by the little detail in v15: that God will see the bow and remember or be reminded of his covenant. Is it God who really needs this reminder? Or is it us humans?

Verses 16-17 are not included in the lectionary but they basically repeat verses 14-15. One important detail in v16 is that God says this is an everlasting covenant.

Perhaps God does appreciate reminders of how much God loves us. What reminds you of God’s love for you and your love for God?

If God’s covenant extended to the creatures in the ark, what does that say about our approach to and care for the world?

The Council of Jerusalem (referenced in Acts 15) declared that Christians are not bound by the Mosaic covenant which included circumcision and dietary laws. Do you think God is still bound by the Noahic covenant?

1 Peter 3:18-22

Background of the book

As mentioned in the book background, there is debate over the author and dating of this letter. If this book was written early by Peter, then today’s passage shows very early development in the theology of baptism.

Martin Luther’s commentary on this passage: “This is a strange text and certainly more obscure passage than any other passage in the New Testament. I still do not know what for sure the apostle means.” So if this passage is confusing, you can stand in good company there, as Luther was an astute biblical scholar.

What may help us understand this passage is to see the construct of it:

V19-21 was probably from a catechism on baptism. It’s instruction about what baptism means.
V 18 and v 22 surround this catechetical section and probably come from an early hymn or creed

If we go with an early dating for this letter, it’s remarkable that so early in our history we had a creed. We also know that Paul quotes texts that appear to be formalized Creeds, and Paul’s letters are even earlier. The idea of summarizing the key tenets of the faith into something easy to memorize and recite started very early.

Verse 18 opens the section and is probably from an early creed, the main focus of which is – why did Christ suffer and die? What was the crucifixion all about? The answer: “That he might lead you to God.”

Verse 19 begins the teaching on baptism by saying “In it”… which can feel ambiguous. As you read further, it becomes clear that what’s being referenced is Christ’s death. In his death, he also went to preach to the spirits in prison who had, verse 20 continues, been disobedient either before or in the days of Noah. Here we see part of the “hinge” connecting us to the Old Testament reading.

What the heck are we talking about here in vv19-20? This has historically been a troublesome passage. The three most common views:

Many early church fathers taught that between Jesus’ death and resurrection, he preached to the dead in Hades, the realm of the dead.
St. Augustine in the 4th century taught that Christ preached through Noah to the people in Noah’s day.
The view of most scholars today is that after Jesus’ resurrection, Jesus proclaimed triumph over the fallen angels.

In v20 the author says that these spirits had once been disobedient. This word is used elsewhere to indicate a rejection of the gospel. The verse also references “a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water.” Eight is a multiple of four which is a number indicating wholeness (think of the cardinal direction, cardinal elements, etc). You can also look at 8 as Noah plus seven others, 7 being the number indicating perfection.

Verse 21 is the heart of the passage and the clearest reference to what baptism does for us. Jewish rabbis often used baptism or ritual washing to symbolize internal commitment, as do many other religions. Peter says that Christian baptism goes beyond this symbolizing – it actually does something to us. As Catholics, we say that it is not simply symbolic but, rather, sacramental, effecting what it signifies.

Verse 21 also says it is “an appeal to God for a clear conscience.” This phrase has lots of translation oddities at play and is difficult to translate. It’s better to understand it as “baptism is an answer to God, given with a good conscience.” The original audience and recipients of baptism were adults. An adult discerns God’s leading and, in answer, responds with a yes to baptism. And that is or should be done out of a clear conscience.

Verse 22 closes the passage with another piece of an early creed or hymn.

In what concrete ways has Christ led you to himself?

Recall your own baptism or that of someone you know. Was there anything significant about it?

Mark 1:12-15

Background of the book

You can tell the account of Jesus’ testing took on more importance very quickly in the early Christian community. Mark (written around 70AD) seems to gloss over it with a mere two verses while Matthew’s version (around 85AD) spans 17 verses and Luke’s (also around 85AD) spans 13 verses – both with a wealth of details.

This whole chapter is going to be a demonstration of Jesus’ power over the realm of evil. Here at the very beginning of his ministry, we see him take on and overcome the main evil power – Satan.

The devil always tries to promise us the good life without suffering. Jesus resists this lie over and over again, both in the temptation story and throughout his ministry.

We come into the passage on the heels of Jesus’ baptism, immediately after the declaration “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Jesus is immediately driven out into the desert by the Spirit.

The word driven or drove conveys the idea of violence. Mark uses this word almost exclusively in connection with the demons. We often assume that people being driven by things is bad and it can be – if you’re driven by the wrong things. But Jesus is driven by the Holy Spirit and that’s always a good thing!

He’s driven out to the desert in the sense that it’s a solitary place; there are not many people around. He’s alone for 40 days. This evokes the 40 days of desert wandering or we might think of the Old Testament reading where Noah is in the ark for 40 days. Exodus 34 tells us about Moses’ 40 days of fasting to prepare him for receiving the Law. 40 days was also the length of Elijah’s fast as he walked to Mt. Horeb in 1 Kings 19. Incidentally, both Moses and Elijah will show up next week in the transfiguration story.

The New American Bible uses the word tempted but that can potentially hold the wrong connotations for us in English. The idea is more along the lines of a testing or time of trial.

It says that angels ministered to Jesus – the Greek word diakonia. And the verb form suggests the ministering was done over a lengthy period of time.

Jesus was among wild beasts, which evokes a frightening, hostile environment but angels served him. This might call to mind Psalm 91:10-13, which the devil will actually quote to Jesus in Matthew’s and Luke’s accounts.

Can you really believe that Jesus was actually tempted? Or do you functionally believe his divine side drove the show, in this case effectively preventing him from sinning?

What are your own personal temptations and who are your usual adversaries? What are your most effective methods for dealing with temptations?

Connections of the readings

3 kinds of conflicts are presented in these readings:

Conflict caused by upheaval and chaos of the physical, natural world in a flood.
Conflict caused by the clash of the spiritual forces of good and evil. Peter tells us that Jesus sits in ruling authority over these evil forces, having already conquered them.
Conflict caused by forces that tempt us to act in ways we ought not to act. And we see the model that Jesus provides in withstanding this testing.

Questions to ponder

The purpose of Lent is to prepare the people of God for the Paschal feast. How does each reading prepare me for the Paschal feast?