St. Mark’s Lutheran

Readings
Job 14:1-22
Acts 12:18-25
John 8:47-59

Meditation
I’m sure today’s reading in Acts has some deep theological meaning. It probably has to do with the juxtaposition of Herod not giving glory and dying and Barnabus and Saul completing the mission of mercy to the Jersusalem church (the Antioch greek church had taken a collection) and the Word increasing. Those against the Word perish while those with it have life. As I said, I’m sure there is something to make of it, but there is something more interesting. Herod dies, and this text says why. He didn’t give glory to God. It is very specific, an angel of the Lord struck him. How and why is this story in Acts? The scene plays out between a delegation of Tyre and Sidon and Herod - no apostles, maybe no christians. Why does Luke tell us this? Josephus, a Jewish writer who was also a Roman, tells the story. Herod wears a silver cloth into the meeting. The sun glints off it so bright that he is hailed as a god. Immediately he fell ill and died. Josephus, from a completely secular viewpoint, confirms the story the Luke writes, except that Luke gives the explanation. The Bible does this on several occasions. It inserts stories or place names or rulers like time and reality markers. The entire trek of the exodus is recorded. We can’t identify most of the places, but they were ment to be found. The Assyrians and the Persians play roles in the OT. Secular history doesn’t really know why they rose and fell, but the OT says they did so to fulfill God’s purposes. Here we have Luke inserting one of those rulers and stories. Josephus records it becuase of the odd nature. Luke says it was for the glory or protection of God’s name. There are just enough of these reality markers, that say - look, this is real, not just myths or pious stories, what this book records is the real history of God’s plan of salvation. In that way, I think today’s lesson was written more for us later believers than the early one’s. Our natural worldview is more precise or critical than theirs. We need these confirmed remiders of what to them were just events they lived or that were passed down.

May the Lord make plain to you his salvation and the markers he has placed in your life.

Tags: Meditation //