Dwelling Place

The lectionary readings for July 19 all hinge on two images. The dominant image is of the house of God. But sheep/shepherd imagery also abounds, especially in the alternate texts for the day. Let's see how it all comes together.

In 2 Samuel 7, David realizes that he has a beautiful "house of cedar," but the ark of God dwells in a tent. He tells the prophet Nathan, "Look, this is backward. I'm going to build God a house."

And God tells Nathan to tell David, "I've never asked for a house--and I don't want one from you. Rather, I will establish your house, just as I took you from the pasture and made you shepherd of my people."

The alternative Old Testament reading is from Jeremiah 23, in which God denounces the shepherds (leaders) who have led God's sheep astray and scattered them. God promises to gather the remnant of His flock and to raise up shepherds who will attend to them and deal wisely with them, so they will no longer be afraid or dismayed.

The excerpt from Psalm 89 reiterates the Davidic covenant with God promising--twice!--never to remove His steadfast love from the house of David, even if they forsake God's law, violate God's statutes, and break God's commandments. Even then, God says, "I will not remove from [David's house] my steadfast love, or be false to my faithfulness."

The alternate psalm, 23, focuses on the other image for the day: God as a shepherd, watching, protecting, and providing for His sheep.

In Ephesians 2, Paul focuses on the house image, using it to show how Christ reconciled the Jews and Gentiles by breaking down the "dividing wall" between them and allowing Himself to be the cornerstone of a new building, in which Jew and Gentile "are built together in the Spirit into a dwelling place for God."

The Gospel reading from Mark 6 shows Jesus drawing His disciples away from the crowds to a deserted place so they can rest--like the shepherd in Psalm 23 leading His sheep beside quiet waters, making them lie down in green pastures, restoring their souls. But the crowds anticipate Jesus' relocation and get to the deserted place first. When Jesus sees them, He has "compassion for them, because they [are] like sheep without a shepherd." So he tarries with them, teaching them and healing their infirmities.

God's promise to David to establish his house forever is fulfilled in Jesus, who, like David, shepherds God's people, drawing us--Jew and Gentile alike--to Himself to build a new house, of which He is the architect, the cornerstone, and the chief inhabitant.

The lectionary readings for July 19 (Proper 11):
2 Samuel 7:1-14a or Jeremiah 23:1-6
Psalm 89:20-37 or Psalm 23
Ephesians 2:11-22
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56