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This Sunday’s lectionary passages offer a variety of themes and topics including sheer praise for God’s greatness (Psalm 145), a story that challenges attrition and lethargy (Haggai 1), an apocalyptic confusion (2 Thessalonians 2), and a battle for the Bible (Luke 20). As is the case often in the season of Pentecost, these texts probably do best standing on their own merit.

PSALM 145:1-5, 17-21—HYMN OF GOD’S GREATNESS

This is a hymn of praise that extols God’s greatness and non-ending reign of goodness through all generations. The psalm opens in the first person, "I" that expresses the writer’s intentions of praising God "forever and ever" (v. 2), whose greatness baffles human understanding (v. 3). By offering such daily praise for God’s greatness, each generation is thus incorporated in this pattern of praise (vv. 4-5). The final strophe shifts in perspective to describe specifically God’s greatness through acts of righteousness, mercy, provision, protection, and justice.

HAGGAI 1:15b-2:9—MOVING FORWARD

This reading in Haggai follows the prophetic call of the prophet to leave off their own interests and commerce in order to commence the building of God’s abode, the temple. Further—which includes our lesson—the prophet speaks to the leadership in post-exilic Jerusalem: I am with you. Thus assured that God works beside them, the task ahead of them promises to include the vision of God’s splendor in the remaking of the Temple—a needed and great incentive to move forward with this long-neglected project.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-5, 13-17—STAND FIRM

In this part of the letter, the writer offers an apocalyptic polemic (warnings about false variations) on what, to the early church, was a critical issue—the soon return of the Lord to mete out justice and judgment. Thus the writer debunks the apparently current notion that was making the rounds that the "Day of the Lord" had already occurred. In the second part of the lesson, the focus shifts to those who have remained true to the faith and who are "the first fruits for salvation" (v. 13). The chapter closes with an exhortation to "stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught" (v. 15) and a beautiful doxology.

LUKE 20:27-38—MOSES VIS-À-VIS MOSES

In this lesson we overhear a battle between Jesus and the Sadducees over the Scriptures and especially the battle for right interpretation of Moses’ teaching. The Sadducees—known for their primacy of the Torah—are protégés of Moses and thus, argue from his teaching (Moses taught that if a man’s . . . ) Jesus responds by appealing to Moses’ also, but in a way that must have surprised these erudite scholars of the Law. In the end, at least some of the scribes marvel at Jesus’ response: Teacher, you have spoken well" (v. 39).