Third Sunday Of Lent
The first reading for this Sunday consists of the first edition of the Decalogue, also called the Ten Commandments or the Ten Words. The second edition is found in Deuteronomy 5:6-21. There are differences, no doubt due to the different sources of the two editions, and the passage of time between the first edition and the second. As this first reading is being proclaimed during Mass, the people will notice how much longer the ten commandments are than the version they learned in religion class. The many interesting sidebars that are included in the longer version given in the Lectionary will be missed entirely if liturgical leaders decide to use the shorter form also given in the Lectionary for this Sunday. The longer form is worth the time it takes to read it, hear it, and comment on it in a homily.
A notable difference between the version taken from Exodus (today’s first reading) and the version given in Deuteronomy is in the treatment of “your neighbor’s wife.” In the Exodus version a neighbor’s wife not to be coveted is listed with a husband’s other property. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male or female slave, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything else that belongs to him.” In the Deuteronomic version, the neighbor’s wife gets her own commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.” After that, there is the additional commandment not to covet a neighbor’s house, field, male or female slave, ox, ass, or anything belonging to a neighbor.” A cynic might say that religious authority’s sensitivity toward women moves very slowly if one considers the Deuteronomic version later that the Exodus version. But the answer to the differences is not that easy. It is difficult to determine which of the two versions is older.
It is the usual practice for the first reading to find an echoing theme in the gospel of the day. In this case, there seems to be no connection with the gospel of Jesus’ attack on the temple. We may conclude that the selection of the Ten Words as the first reading was not intended to echo the gospel of this Sunday. Instead, the Ten Commandments, a foundation of even natural morality, are considered so important that their public reading is essential. Remember the fights over whether or not the Big Ten can be displayed in a courthouse or other public place? To those who fight that fight one might ask, “Or they displayed in your church, and if not, why not?” The Responsorial Psalm (19) emphasizes the importance of the Ten in such phrases as “The Law of the Lord is perfect,” and “The precepts of the Law are right…more precious than gold.” The People’s Response drills this thought into our consciousness, “Lord, you have the words of everlasting life.”
The second reading, an excerpt from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, also seems unconnected to the gospel. It is simply a catechesis about how the power and wisdom of God are displayed in a crucified Christ. That seems to be a contradiction since the death of Jesus on the cross at first glance or consideration seems to be the ultimate weakness. But Paul affirms that “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” One is reminded of the symbol of the Lamb of God in Revelation 5:5-10. There is a quest for someone of importance to open the great scroll sealed with seven seals. The answer suggested is given in two grandiose royal titles, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” and “the Root of David.” The curtain opens. What do we see? “A Lamb standing as though it had been slain.”
The gospel of this Sunday is John’s version of Jesus’ cleansing attack on the temple. The attack on the temple is found in all four gospels, but in Mark, Matthew, and Luke it takes place at the end of Jesus’ ministry. In John’s version, it is placed at the beginning. It belongs at the end as is indicated even in John’s version. He had theological reasons for pulling it out of its natural place as the final provocation that led the priestly hierarchy to determine to liquidate “this upstart.” Then why place it at the beginning? John is not writing a biography of Jesus but a catechetical instruction about Jesus. He is writing in the nineties of the first century. For pious Jews, there were two pillars sustaining their faith – Torah (the Scriptures) and Temple. In the first chapter of his gospel John already demonstrated that Jesus is the ultimate Torah (teaching) of God.
When John wrote his gospel, the temple no longer stood. It was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Roman army. A debate was going on (even as it is today) about rebuilding the temple. In the story of Jesus’ attack on the temple, John proclaims that the new temple is already present. Referring to his body, he depicts Jesus saying, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” John adds, “He spoke of the temple which is his body.” Having established that Torah and Temple, incarnate in Jesus Christ, are still the pillars of “true Judaism,” that is Christianity, John moves on to the rest of the story.
In real history, why did Jesus attack the temple and violently expel from the temple those selling the animals needed for the celebration of Passover? Seems to be a legitimate business. A probable answer comes from first-century Jewish sources. The high priestly families held a monopoly on anything connected with the temple. They decided who could sell what, the price, and what the sellers had to kick back to them. There was price-gouging in providing these necessary items for worshippers. Jesus’ attack was an attack on the crooked chief priesthood, and they knew it! Even though John took the cleansing out of its natural place at the end of the ministry, he lets us know that the attack led to Jesus’ death by quoting from Psalm 69:9, “Zeal for your house has consumed me.”
