There is a sombre tone to the three readings today, as they all reflect in different ways on the meaning of Christ’s death as a healing sacrifice, ‘insofar as it can be understood at all by us,’ as CEB Cranfield says.
The readings are available online here.
Isaiah 53:10-11
These are the concluding verses from the end of a longer poem that has been called ‘The Song of the Suffering Servant.’ (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) It describes in detail the pain and eventual death of one who was devoted to bringing God’s word but has been rejected and mistreated instead of heeded. The early Christians found in it a prediction to help them understand the meaning of Christ’s crucifixion. The last words we hear today stress what the suffering has done for others: it became a healing sacrifice for ‘many’. This will be echoed in Jesus’ words in the gospel selection.
Psalm 32/33:4-5, 18-20, 22
This psalm of thanksgiving celebrates the works of the Lord, especially in his rescue of those faithful to God’s word. Although more joyous in tone, it fits into the theme of redemption we hear in the other readings today.
Hebrews 4:14-16
More from this Letter which draws on Old Testament theology to explain who Jesus is and what he has done for our redemption. The imagery is taken from the Jewish temple liturgy and the role of the High Priest. As prescribed in the Torah, he went once a year on the Day of Atonement into the most sacred and secret part of the temple – the ‘Holy of Holies’. It was his duty to carry out the animal sacrifice that had been made for sins. Jesus in contrast has gone to the highest heaven with his own sacrifice. (Explained in more detail in 9:11-14) While Jesus is in this heavenly realm, the author stresses his humanity which he shares with us. We can go to Jesus with full trust for although he was without any sin himself, he suffered the weakness of being human and can therefore thoroughly understand all of our own temptations.
Mark 10:35-45
Between last week’s reading from Mark and this week’s, the gospel has the third prediction Jesus made to his disciples about his coming suffering, death and rising. The liturgy has skipped this third prediction, that theme is carried in the reading from Isaiah. After this last prediction, the Twelve make no recorded response but we can guess their confusion for when Jesus set out on his journey, they had ‘been amazed’ and ‘fearful’ of going up to Jerusalem, while Jesus strides ahead of them. Perhaps half knowing what he told them, half still holding on to their earlier ideas of what the Messiah’s kingdom would be.
That they do not yet fully understand what Jesus had tried to teach them is shown by what we hear today. James and John, two of the first four disciples called, are thinking of what the ‘Kingdom of God’ could mean for them. Having followed Jesus so far, they ask for important roles and honours. Seats on the ‘right’ and ‘left’ of a ruler were the positions of greatest prestige. Jesus immediately lets them know they have not understood the nature of his Kingdom and his glory. It will be reached through suffering, first his own, and then in varying degrees for those following him. Ironically considering their request, when Jesus is on the cross, to the left and right of him will be two crucified thieves.
‘Cup’ was a metaphor in the Psalms for what lies ahead for someone, either good – a ‘cup of blessing’ – or ill. The root meaning behind ‘baptism’ is being ‘immersed’, and Jesus uses it several time for being totally given over to suffering and finally death.
Mary Healy, in her commentary on Mark, points out that there are strong sacramental aspects to Jesus’ choice of words, relating to the Eucharist and Baptism. We drink ‘the cup of the new and eternal sacrifice’ at mass, and we go symbolically down to the depths in baptism and rise in Jesus. Through the sacraments, Christians of all times receive the saving life and death of Jesus into their own hearts.
James and John immediately say they are ready to share the cup. Is this a conversion to a new depth or is it a continuation of their lack of full understanding? There is a hint that they are making rash promises while still hoping for the honoured places. Jesus takes up their offer but makes no promise of the reward they want. His reply is mysterious and he gives no indication of what he means by those ‘to whom they have been allotted’.
It is not surprising that the other disciples are upset that the two brothers have tried to get in ahead of them. From the context it does not seem that they understood better what following Jesus means, and they may have wanted any honours for themselves. Jesus words apply to all of them – and to us. He condemns all ambition to have a place higher than other disciples. Once again, he stresses that true following of Jesus is serving. There is irony in the image that to be best, one must strive to be least. Like many of the ways Jesus taught, there is some humour in it. If your aim is to be the at the ‘top’, to have more importance or prestige than the rest, then the way to get there is to strive to be at the bottom, the least noticed, the one who waits on everyone else. (In society today there are the necessary jobs few want to, cleaners, sewage workers, carers, and they are paid little, while ‘VIPs’ sit in the front row or on the stage at events and are richly paid.) The basic idea seems to be that one would no longer think of personal ambition at all but about the needs of others and what can be done for them.
In a one-sentence summary of the meaning of his own life, he uses the metaphor of ‘ransom’ – paying a high price to rescue others. In the history of the Hebrews, it recalls the word ‘ransom’ used for the rescue of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt (the ‘Exodus’). The phrase ‘for many’ does not mean leaving some out as we might use the word in English (where it may mean ‘a lot, but not all’). In the Semitic languages which Jesus used, the word for ‘many’ is used in the sense of ‘all’. The same meaning of ‘many’ occurs in the consecration of the wine at mass. We used to hear offered ‘for all’ but changing the translation to follow the gospels, means we need to know the Semitic meaning is also ‘for all’.
Jesus did not restrict his offer or the meaning of his sacrifice, and this may be applied to what we do. Praying for all, ready to serve all in need.
Joan Griffith
Suggestions for prayer or reflection:
Consciously or not – do you feel you have to be ‘worthy’ in order to approach Jesus or God in prayer? Do you deeply feel that you are coming to someone who has been ‘tempted in every way that you have’, as the Letter to the Hebrews says? Who will welcome you, no matter what?
Gwen Griffith-Dixon