10 September 2010
Psalm 40, 54; Job 29:1, 31:24-40; Acts 15:12-21; John 11:30-44

Job completes his defense of himself by defending not only his conduct with others but also his loyalty and faithfulness to God. He has not been enticed to worship anything or any other god. He has not failed to give thanks to God in all things and he has never rejoiced over the misfortunes of others. He is, as we learned at the outset, a blameless man in all things. He has kept close watch over his lips, his conduct and his heart and he can proclaim without shame his innocence.

Mary repeats Martha’s affirmation of belief, if Jesus had been here He could have prevented this death. The mourners see Jesus’ grief over death, not part of the original plan, and they express belief that this one who had healed the man born blind could indeed have healed Lazarus. They affirm His love on account of His grief but why hadn’t He come when He heard Lazarus was sick? Their faith fails, however, when Jesus tells them to take away the stone. In the King James version we see the words, “Lord, he stinketh”, a quaint but accurate translation. No one believes Lazarus will live, the situation is beyond hope and yet when Jesus calls him, there he comes. The elements are all here that we will see at the resurrection of Jesus, the tomb, stone, bandages and the head piece, but then they are all signs that another has done the work, here the mourners participate.

James wisely decides to side with the Gentiles. Upon hearing the testimony of Peter, Paul and Barnabas he determines that God is up to something new and the Gentiles are included without the law or circumcision. The church only requires certain teaching, those that will set them apart from the rest of the Gentile world. They need to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols which will limit their social interaction with some. In addition they must abstain from blood, a prohibition that antedates the Mosaic law, it was given to Noah as the life of the animal was “in the blood.” Strangled animals also are prohibited for the same reason, there might be some blood of life still in the flesh. Sexual immorality was also to be taught and practiced by the Christians, as something unique to Yahweh’s law as opposed to other cultures. We have very few rules given to us, just like Adam and Eve, and yet we still try and negotiate even those.

Blessed is the man who makes
the LORD his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told.