Personal Notes The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Reading #638, September 14, Raymond J. Jirran, Ph.D.

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1 Within the last fifty years, Catholic-Protestant relations have changed from focusing on dogmatic differences to ecumenical commonalities. Susannah Monta words it this way, away from the study of doctrinal differences and confessional lines and toward devotion, piety, and spirituality. While Monta was writing about the Imitation of Christ, that is the spirit Personal Notes takes to Reformation Commentary on Scripture. The Protestant revolt is the great scandal of Christianity. Protestants did not reform the Roman Catholic Church, they revolted from it. The Protestant Reformation, therefore, is a misnomer. The problem today is no longer finding blame. The problem is finding commonalities that will make, as the hymn puts it, This Little Light of Mine Shine. 1 The Responsorial Antiphon, Do not forget the works of the Lord (Psalm 78: cf. 7b) is as relevant now as when the 78 th Psalm was written. This means that as bleak as things now appear, as much as the Protestant revolt looks like night, the bright morning will come. God can pull the Faithful out of the mess in which we now find ourselves. Readings First Reading Numbers 21:4b-9 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 78:1-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11 Alleluia: Gospel: John 3:13-17 Annotated Bibliography Musings above the solid line draw from material below. Those uninterested in scholarly and tangential details should stop reading here. If they do, however, they may miss some interesting details. Numbers 21:4b-9 Psalm 78:1-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 1 See Susannah Monta, review of Maximillian von Habsburg, Catholic and Protestant Translations of the Imitation Christi, : From Late Medieval Classic to Early Modern Bestseller, in The American Historical Review, Vol. 119, No. 3, pages Page 1 of 8

2 Philippians 2:6-11 Philippians 2:4-11 Kaspar Olevianus ( ), Sermons on Galatians 2 Olevianus includes the Lectionary passage to exhort us to serve our neighbors by following the example of Christ. If things looked bad in the Sixteenth Century, they do not look any better now, in the Twenty-first Century. Phil 2:5-11 F. Scott Spencer, review of Richard A. Burridge, Imitating Jesus: An Inclusive Approach to New Testament Ethics 3 Spencer remarks, As for Paul s stances that seem inimical to loving fellowship, B. places these in the framework of `following the creative complementarity of Jesus rigorous and demanding ethics together with this acceptance of sinners (p. 154; emphasis added). Phil 2:5-11 Joseph H. Hellerman, review of G. Walter Hansen, The Letter to the Philippians 4 Hellerman writes, that Hansen finds the Christ narrative (vv [used here]) to be a pre-pauline hymn, likely composed by one of the `early Hellenistic-Jewish- Christian missionaries (p. 133). Phil 2:6-11 Teresa Okure, S.H.C.J., Jesus and the Samaritan Woman (Jn 4:1-42) in Africa 5 In a case of the pot calling the kettle black, Okure notes, Nathanael, a Galilean from Bethsaida, articulates the prevailing view when he asks ironically, `Can anything good come from Nazareth (Jn 1:46)? 2 in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament X: Galatians, Ephesians, (ed.) Gerald L. Bray (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2011) the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 1 (January 2009) the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol. 73, No. 2 (April 2011) Theological Studies, Vol. 70, No. 2 (June 2009) 404, 406, 413. Page 2 of 8

3 Phil 2:6-11 Paul Rhodes Eddy, review of Alan G. Padgett, As Christ Submits to the Church: A Biblical Understanding of Leadership and Mutual Submission 6 Padgett argues there are two types of submission, involuntary and voluntary. Involuntary submission refers to external authority. Voluntary submission refers to internal acceptance of authority, such as what Jesus had toward his church community. This leaves room for running the Church in a modern democratic rather than a medieval monarchic manner. Phil 2:6-8 William J. Shaules, review of Michael J. Gorman, Inhabiting the Cruciform God: Kenosis, Justification, and Theosis in Paul s Narrative Soteriology 7 Gorman argues that Jesus emptied himself both although and because he is divine. Philippians 2:6-8 Jacobus Arminius ( ), Disputation on the Person of the Father and the Son 8 Arminius offers a slightly different translation from the Lectionary. Arminius has When he was in the form of God, he thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took on him the form of a servant, and became obedient to the Father, even unto the death of the cross. The Lectionary has though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave... becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. The biggest difference is that Arminius uses servant where the Lectionary uses slave. 6 Theological Studies, Vol. 73, No. 3 (September 2012) the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol. 73, No. 2 (April 2011) in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: Philippians, Illinois: IVP Academic: An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013) 46. Page 3 of 8

4 Philippians 2:6-7 Martin Luther ( ), Comment on Psalm 8:6 9 Luther sees the God giving the devil full reign over Jesus, abandoned like a sinner on his cross. That is what emptied himself means For context, The Council of Trent lasted from 1545, a year before Luther died, to Philippians 2:7-8 Robert Rollock, Analysis of Galatians 10 Rollock refers to Jesus Christ to write, He emptied himself of his own free will and became obedient, even to death on a cross. Philippians 2:7 John Calvin ( ), Commentary on Philippians 2:7 11 Calvin writes about Jesus, For he bore the form of a servant and had agreed to put on our nature in order to be a servant to the Father, in fact, even to people. It seems, then, that democracy is another way to run the Church. For context, Calvin died a year before the Council of Trent ended. 9 in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: Philippians, Illinois: IVP Academic: An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013) in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament X: Galatians, Ephesians, (ed.) Gerald L. Bray (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2011) in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: Philippians, Illinois: IVP Academic: An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013) 50. Page 4 of 8

5 Philippians 2:7 Martin Bucer ( ), Lectures on Ephesians 12 Bucer takes he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance to argue, Although he [Jesus Christ] was God, he took the form of a servant, and so the Lord of all lived among sinners. Philippians 2:8 13 Henry Airay (c ), Lectures on Philippians 2:8 Airay asserts that even death on a cross means the Jesus Christ chose to hide his divinity until the Resurrection. Calvin, Commentary on Philippians 2:8 Calvin writes, Certainly such an example of humility [as death on a cross] should entirely overwhelm every human mind it is completely beyond our ability to explain it with words according to its grandeur. Philippians 2:9-11 Luther, Commentary on Psalm 8:2 14 Drawing on his card playing, Luther remarks, The Roman emperor and king, the pope and even the Turkish emperor are like the king of spaces in comparison with this Lord and Ruler [Jesus Christ]. 12 in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament X: Galatians, Ephesians, (ed.) Gerald L. Bray (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2011) in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: Philippians, Illinois: IVP Academic: An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013) in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: Philippians, Illinois: IVP Academic: An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013) 53. Page 5 of 8

6 Philippians 2:9 Calvin, Commentary on Philippians 2:9 15 Calvin observes, Whenever Scripture mentions Christ s death, its fruit and reward are assigned to us, since through it we are redeemed, reconciled to God, restored to righteousness, cleansed from our filth and given life, and the door to life is opened. Philippians 2:10 Calvin, Commentary on Philippians 2:10 16 Calvin draws on every knee should bend, to write this, like many other things, is proclaimed in reference to Christ s entire person, since God was manifested in the flesh. Humans can add nothing to divinity and humanity is not worthy of adoration. Phil 2:11 Jerome H. Neyrey, S.J., Lost in Translation: Did It Matter If Christians `Thanked God or `Gave God Glory? 17 Neyrey looks for nuance in to the glory of God the Father. Here glory means to acknowledge something in public; acknowledge, profess, praise. Ultimately Neyrey ties this into Eucharistic thanksgiving. John 3: in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: Philippians, Illinois: IVP Academic: An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013) in Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament XI: Philippians, Illinois: IVP Academic: An imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2013) the Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Vol. 71, No. 1 (January 2009) 9. Page 6 of 8

7 John 3:13, 15 Philip W. Comfort, New Testament Text and Translation Commentary: Commentary on the variant readings of the ancient New Testament manuscripts and how they relate to the major English translations 18 Manuscript support for the Lectionary No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man is uneven. This, the shorter version, leaves the problem of the Son of Man being in two places at the same time. A longer version adds the one being in heaven, to assert that Jesus divine existence was not limited to just earth. Manuscript support for the Lectionary everyone who believes in him also supports everyone who believes, without a direct object. Since John characteristically uses believes with a direct object, using believes without a direct object makes scholars suspect an editor added the direct object in the variant that the Lectionary and almost all English translations use. For more on sources see the Appendix file. A complete set of Personal Notes, dating from the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, July 14, 2002 to the present, is on the web site at The Responsorial Antiphon for this Sunday is Do not forget the works of the Lord! (Psalm 78: cf. 7b). 19 In the gobbledygook prayer at Sunday Mass immediately following the Gloria, the Faithful hearing the 2011 Roman Missal can listen for undergo the Cross to save the human race. 20 With inconsistent, if not sloppy scholarship, the Missal Titles this feast 18 Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008, 19 National Conference of Catholic Bishops, The Roman Missal Restored by Decree of the Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican and Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI: Lectionary for Mass: For Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America: Second Typical Edition: Volume I: Sundays, Solemnities, Feasts of the Lord and the Saints (Collegeville, Minnesota: The Liturgical Press, 1988) Personal Notes refers to this book as the Lectionary. 20 n.a., The Roman Missal: Renewed by Decree of the Most Holy Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, Promulgated by Authority of Pope Paul VI and Revised at the Direction of Pope John Paul II: English Translation According to the Third Typical Edition: For Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America: Approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Confirmed by the Apostolic See Page 7 of 8

8 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross on page 946 and The victory of the glorioius Cross (September 14) on page This is a call for grace that some Black Baptists bring to mind with Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah (Jeremiah 31:31). 21 (Washington, DC, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011) 946. Personal Notes refers to this book as the Missal. 21 UMI Annual Sunday School Lesson Commentary: Precepts for Living : : International Sunday School Lessons: Volume 17: UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.), A. Okechuku Ogbonnaya, Ph.D., (ed.) (Chicago, IL 60643: UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.), 2014) Page 8 of 8