Genesis 15,1-6 4523
15. Trinitatis 62
Hildegard, Abbess of St. Rupert near Bingen, Germany ✠ 1179
17. September 2023
1. ℣ Bow down Thine ear, O Yahweh, hear me:
℟ O Thou, my God, save Thy servant that trusteth in Thee (Psalm 86,1a.2b).
O Yahweh, our Defense; exhort us to take refuge in Thee, so that instead of trusting in man or prices we find protection and providence in Thy hands. Amen. (Psalm 118,8-9 Gradual)
2. »After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision: „Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.“ But Abram said: „O Lord Yahweh, what will You give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? Behold, You have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.“ And behold, the word of Yahweh came to him: „This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.“ And He brought him outside and said: „Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them. So shall your offspring be.“ And he believed Yahweh and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.«
3. The Apostle Paul quotes Genesis 15,6 in his Epistle to the Romans as the Scriptural text that is the foundation of the gospel: we are saved by faith, not by works. Paul’s argument is that this is both Judaic and Christian doctrine. At some point in the long theological history of Israel, this particular Judaic doctrine had become corrupted into salvation by keeping the law and was the popular signature pharisaic interpretation in Jesus’ and Paul’s day that righteousness is merited by those who keep the commandments of Yahweh. This pharisaic misinterpretation wasn’t the only interpretation at that time but it was quite popular. Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and tax collector showcases that there were still voices in Judaism that understood righteousness as something God imparts without meticulous keeping of the Sinai covenant.
4. Sinful nature is prone to take God’s gift of imputed righteousness and derive a system of meritorious law-keeping. Even the great patriarch Abraham did this on at least two occasions: Abraham was 75 when Yahweh promised him a son in chapter 12; this would not have been astounding to him as his own father, Terah, had been 70 when Abraham was born. Abraham was 86 in chapter 16, so he was between 75-85 in chapter 15. He still had no son, and Abraham resolves himself to look to the law to ensure an offspring. He decided to make his servant Eliezer his heir. Even after the promise received by faith in chapter 15, Abraham, now 86 in chapter 16, and still without an heir, again looks to the law to ensure an offspring: he has a son with Sarah’s servant Hagar. Again Yahweh tells Abraham this son, Ishmael, born under the dictates of surrogacy, is not the heir. Only Abraham and Sarah’s son, born under the promise of God, will be the heir.
5. The law cannot fulfill nor supplant what God has promised to give as the gospel. Righteousness cannot be earned under the law, for righteousness has been promised to be credited by faith. Abraham begat Isaac solely by trusting in Yahweh’s promise. This faith was credited to him as/for righteousness.
6. The Pharisee in Jesus’ parable credited his righteousness by his works: I have kept the commandments, fasted and tithed. I have fulfilled all that the law demands; yea, I have done more than the law requires. I have earned my righteousness.
7. The tax collector, however, cannot boast of any work he had done to merit his righteousness. Under the law, he, as a tax collector, was guilty of stealing and coveting. His stolen wages were not accepted in the temple, so he wasn’t able to tithe. He could fast, but tax collectors were renowned more for their lavish feasts given amongst their associates. The only works he could rely on emphasized him as a sinner, and the greatest of sinners at that. His only recourse is to rely on God.
8. Christus constans. Christ is steadfast and constant. Paul proclaims: »for the Son of God, Jesus Christ, was not Yes, and No, but in Him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God, find their Yes in Him« (2. Corinthians 1,19-20a). Abraham believed God’s promise: 1. that he would have a son, and 2. a descendent of this son would be the Christ, who would bless all the nations with His righteousness. Abraham put his confidence in this Christ.
9. In his Epistle to the Philippians, Paul says: »if anyone else thinks he has a reason for confidence in the flesh, then I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the Church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless« (Philippians, 3,4-6). One could easily imagine Paul praying that prayer of the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable. But Paul does not boast in that self-righteousness. He continues: »but whatever gain I had, I counted as a loss for the sake of Christ.… And being found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but a righteousness which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith – that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection« (Philippians 3,7.9).
10. With Abraham, Paul and the tax collector, we pray: „Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, be merciful to me, a sinner.“ God in Christ is merciful and His merciful steadfast love is revealed in Christ crucified. ICXC NIKA. Jesus Christ conquers and is our righteousness.
11. When I am troubled by my sin,
I will not despair within;
On Christ will I build alone
And in Him trust alone,
To Him will I surrender all
Whatever in this life befalls. (Auf meinen lieben Gott selk 540,2 2021 Lübeck 1590, Wittenberg und Nürnberg 1607)
This is most certainly true.
12. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4,7). Amen.
13. Let us pray.O God, in whom all fullness dwelleth, who givest without measure to them that ask, give us faith to ask and faith to receive all that Thy bounty giveth, that being filled with all Thy fulness, we may as Thy faithful stewards impart Thy gifts to all Thy children. Amen. (15. Trinity, Vespers Collect 2. The Daily Office. Copyright © 1965 Concordia Publishing House.)
To God alone be the Glory
Gode ealdore sy se cyneþrymm
✠
All Scriptural quotations are translations done by The Rev. Peter A. Bauernfeind using the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia, 4. Edition © 1990 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart, Septuaginta, Vol. I and II 2. Revised Edition © 2006 Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart and the Novum Testamentum Graece, Nestle-Aland 28. Revised Edition © 2012 Deutsch Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart.
Evangelisch-Lutherisches Kirchengesangbuch. Copyright © 2021 Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche, Hannover.
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