Psalm 22:27-31; antiphon, Psalm 22:22—In the
Introit for Sunday, we pray, I will tell of Your name to my brothers, in the
midst of the congregation I will praise You. Psalm 22 stands alone by
itself. No other psalm pointed beyond itself so fully to the circumstances of
Jesus at his crucifixion. John and Matthew will quote from this psalm as they
give their accounts of Christ’s passion (see Matthew 27:46; 35, 39, 43 and John
19:23-24, 28). They proclaim the passion of Jesus as the fulfillment of this
cry of the righteous sufferer. The author of the book of Hebrews placed the
words of verse 22 on Jesus’ lips on Hebrews 2:12. No other psalm is quoted more
frequently in the New Testament.
Psalm 22 – The Servant of the LORD, forsaken,
rescued, triumphant
This is
another psalm with a title: To the Chief Musician. Set to “The Deer of the
Dawn.” A Psalm of David. We can say that this is a Psalm sung to the
Greatest Musician, to an unknown tune, by the Sweet Psalmist of Israel (2
Samuel 23:1). Here, David sings as more than an, but also as one of the
greatest prophets ever to speak, pointing more to his Greater Son, Jesus the
Messiah, than even to himself.
This is a
kind of gem among the Psalms and is peculiarly excellent and remarkable. It
contains those deep, sublime, and heavy sufferings of Christ, when agonizing in
the midst of the terrors and pangs of divine wrath and death which surpass all
human thought and comprehension. (Martin Luther) [2]
The Ministry of Light
The Epiphany theme of light is evident in both the Gospel and the Old Testament lesson — “have seen a great light.” Jesus is the fulfillment of the promise of that light. In Christ is the Epiphany (manifestation) of light. Epiphany deals with the revelation of the glory of God in Jesus. God’s glory is seen in the ministry of Jesus — he brings the kingdom to people through his three-fold ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing; a ministry to the whole person: soul, mind, and body. Paul sees the glory of God revealed in the cross — the means of deliverance from the oppression of sin, Satan, and death.
Since
the Epistle lesson (1 Corinthians 1:10-18)
is given in-course and deals with the problem of internal church division, it
does not harmonize with the theme of the other Lessons. The Gospel (Matthew
4:12-25) fulfills the promise of a light coming to the people of
Galilee. This fulfillment is in the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. It
is cause for celebration. By His ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing,
Jesus brings the light of truth and grace to the world. Psalm 27 harmonizes
with the theme of light — “The Lord is my
light....” The Prayer asks for us to have a similar ministry of light.
Collect for Monday of the week of Epiphany 2: Almighty and ever-present Father, your watchful care reaches from end to end and orders all things in such power that even the tensions and the tragedies of sin cannot frustrate your loving plans. Help us to embrace your will, give us the strength to follow your call, so that your truth may live in our hearts and reflect peace to those who believe in your love. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.[3]
[1]
Lift High the Cross, © Ed Riojas, Higher Things
[3]
Collect for Monday of the week of Epiphany 2, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book
For and By the Church, Vol. III © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau,
Delhi, NY
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