2017, February 19 ~
Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18
Leviticus is the third book of the Torah and is mostly concerned with laws and the worship of God at his sanctuary. The book gets its name from the priests who were of the Tribe of Levi. It is part of the Priestly writings and is dated to the time of the Exile (587-539 BCE) and after the Exile.
Today’s reading is part of the “Holiness Code” written after the Exile that comprises Chapters 17 to 26. The opening verses call for the people of Israel (and us) to be “holy” – which is understood as being “separate” (that is, not OF this world and its values, even though we are IN this world).
The next part of the reading sounds very much like the Ten Commandments, but sets up higher standards: not leaving food and drink for the poor is tantamount to stealing; one needs to care for the handicapped; taking vengeance and bearing a grudge are wrong. The reading concludes with the verse quoted by Jesus of Nazareth as the Second Great Commandment.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16-23
Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was Hellenistic and emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers also taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it means to be a Jesus Follower. This led to contentions among the Corinthians.
Today’s reading continues Paul’s argument to the Corinthians that they should be unified. He asserts that he laid the foundation for their faith and this foundation is Jesus the Christ (v. 11). He tells the Corinthians that they are “God’s temple” – even though the Temple in Jerusalem was in full operation during all of Paul’s life. (The Jerusalem Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE). Today’s reading concludes with Paul’s continuing attack on the “wisdom/values of the world” and his affirmation that these values are “foolishness to God.” The final verse describes the “Cosmic Christ” that draws all to itself and to God.