Lectionary Calendar

Monday, November 18th, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33

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John's Questions

¹ ^(C1)When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there ^(C2)to teach and to preach in their Galilean cities.

² ^(C1)Now when ^(F1)^(C2)John the Baptist in prison heard about the activities of Christ, he sent word by his disciples ^(VR1)³ and asked Him, "Are You ^(C1)the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else who will be the promised One?" ^(VR1)⁴ Jesus answered, "Go and report to John what you hear and see:⁵ ^(C1)the BLIND RECEIVE their SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed by healing and the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the ^(C2)POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. ^(VR1)⁶ "And blessed joyful, favored by God is he who ^(C1)does not take offense at Me accepting Me as the Messiah and trusting confidently in My message of salvation." ^(VR1)

Jesus' Tribute to John

⁷ As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: "What did you go out in ^(C1)the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind which is commonplace?⁸ "What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing entirely unsuited for the harsh desert? Those who wear soft clothing are in the palaces of kings!⁹ "But what did you really go out to see? ^(C1)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one more eminent, more remarkable, and ^(F1)far more than a prophet who foretells the future.¹⁰ "This is the one of whom it is written by the prophet Malachi,

'^(C1)BEHOLD, I SEND MY MESSENGER AHEAD OF YOU,
WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY BEFORE YOU.' ^(VR1)

¹¹ "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater in privilege than he.¹² "From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violent assault, and violent men seize it by force as a precious prize.¹³ "For all the prophets and the Law prophesied up until John.¹⁴ "And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is the fulfillment of Elijah as the messenger who was to come before the kingdom. ¹⁵ "He who has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.

¹⁶ "But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like little children sitting in the market places, who call to the others,¹⁷ and say 'We piped the flute for you playing wedding, and you did not dance; we wailed sad dirges playing funeral, and you did not mourn and cry aloud.'¹⁸ "For John came neither ^(C1)eating nor ^(C2)drinking with others, and they say, '^(C3)He has a demon!'¹⁹ "The Son of Man came eating and drinking with others, and they say, 'Look! A glutton and a drunkard, ^(C1)a friend of tax collectors and sinners including non-observant Jews!' Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by her deeds in the lives of those who respond to Me."

The Unrepenting Cities

²⁰ Then He began to denounce the people in the cities in which most of His ^(C1)miracles were done, because they did not repent and change their hearts and lives.²¹ "^(C1)Woe (judgment is coming) to you, ^(F1)Chorazin! Woe to you, ^(C2)Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in ^(C3)Tyre and ^(C3)Sidon cities of the Gentiles, they would have repented long ago in ^(C4)sackcloth and ashes their hearts would have been changed and they would have expressed sorrow for their sin and rebellion against God.²² "Nevertheless I say to you, ^(C1)it will be more tolerable for the pagan cities of Tyre and Sidon on ^(C2)the day of judgment than for you.²³ "And you, ^(C1)Capernaum, are you to be exalted to heaven for your apathy and unresponsiveness? You will ^(C2)descend to ^(C3)Hades (the realm of the dead); for if the miracles done in you had been done in ^(C4)Sodom, it would have remained until this day.²⁴ "But I say to you, ^(C1)it will be more tolerable for the land of ^(C2)Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you."

Come to Me

²⁵ ^(C1)At that time Jesus said, "I praise You, ^(C2)Father, Lord of heaven and earth I openly and joyfully acknowledge Your great wisdom, that ^(C3)You have hidden these things these spiritual truths from the wise and intelligent and revealed them to infants to new believers, to those seeking God's will and purpose.²⁶ "Yes, ^(C1)Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight.²⁷ "^(C1)All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Son except the Father; and no one fully knows and accurately understands the Father ^(C2)except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son deliberately wills to reveal Him.

²⁸ "^(C1)Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened by religious rituals that provide no peace, and I will give you rest refreshing your souls with salvation.²⁹ "Take My yoke upon you and ^(C1)learn from Me following Me as My disciple, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and ^(C2)YOU WILL FIND REST (renewal, blessed quiet) FOR YOUR SOULS. ^(VR1)³⁰ "For ^(C1)My yoke is easy to bear and My burden is light."