PROPER 11
July 22, 2012
FIRST READING
Second Samuel 7:1-14a
In his battles and politics David has been guided by God, who speaks to him directly. But now there appears a prophet named Nathan, who sometimes brings God’s messages to David. Through Nathan’s intersession, God makes a covenant with David, another of those lop-sided covenants in which God promises all and asks nothing in return. God will bring David peace, and he will establish a son on the throne after David dies. This son will build the Jerusalem Temple. The son who survived the family quarrels and became king and built the Temple was Solomon.
SECOND READING
Ephesians 2:11-22
I find it hard to imagine why our bishops give us so many passages about Paul’s converting gentiles (non-Jews) and trying to convince them that Jesus, who was a Jew, is really their savior. What lesson are we supposed to draw? I understand that it was the major religious issue for Paul and his contemporaries, but today few gentile Christian are worried that they were not born Jewish.
Arthur H. Cash is a historian and distinguished professor emeritus, State University of New York at New Paltz.