Question on Luke 4:17-21

[jesusmademe]

I read Luke 4:17-21 but I get confused.In the OF we have the laity reading the non-gospel readings.
But I have never even seen one person suddenly just start giving a message of what the person thought about the readings. Why did they allow this in the time of Jesus but not today?
I get confused.

 

[HOMM]

I read Luke 4:17-21 but I get confused.In the OF we have the laity reading the non-gospel readings.
But I have never even seen one person suddenly just start giving a message of what the person thought about the readings. Why did they allow this in the time of Jesus but not today?

Well, in 1st Century Judaism, there was no gospel to read. Today there is, and why in a liturgical setting the laity does not read the Gospel, when the priest does he clearly gives a message of what he though about the reading–namely the Homily.

And sense the three fold office of Jesus as not only Prophet and King makes his giving a homily of sorts - despite the absence of a scriptural Gospel – understandable.

One significant detail is contained in verse 20, when after reading, Jesus “sat down”…notice today’s parish priest or deacon proclaiming the Gospel at Mass does not sit when giving the homily…but when making a statement of undeniable authority, the Vicar of Christ, speaks ex cathedra, or literally, “from the chair”.

Hope this helps.

 

[Mintaka]

First of all, Jesus was not just you or me.

Now, also remember that anything happening in a synagogue then was just prayer, not regarded as real liturgy. Liturgy was what happened in the Temple, with sacrifices and offerings. Only after the Temple was destroyed, were the Jews forced to formalize congregational.worship in synagogues.

There were two ways to do readings. One was to ask an adult male of the congregation to sing a “portion”. You had to be able to read in Hebrew and sing the chant melody. It was an honor often extended to distinguished visitors or pious young men, and of course today, it is how a young Jewish man shows that he has become an adult, on his Bar Mitzvah day.

But if the person asked to sing the portion was a learned man or a rabbi, he was expected to give a little discourse on the reading afterward, whereas Joe Schmo would have just let the local learned guy give the sermon.

Jesus was apparently known to be a Schmott Guy, so he was asked to do more.

So if you are Fr. Distinguished or Deacon Distinguished, and you visit a parish, you might find yourself in Jesus’ position of doing the reading and giving the sermon. If not, then not.

 

[Gorgias]

One significant detail is contained in verse 20, when after reading, Jesus “sat down”…notice today’s parish priest or deacon proclaiming the Gospel at Mass does not sit when giving the homily

Actually, in the context of the time and place, sitting was the posture for preaching, so Jesus was just acting conventionally. For us, today, the common posture is standing.

 

[HOMM]

Actually, in the context of the time, it was teaching and not just preaching, going back even to the “seat of Moses”.

 

[Gorgias]

Actually, in the context of the time, it was teaching and not just preaching, going back even to the “seat of Moses”.

Sure, but in the context of the question, it was ‘preaching in the synagogue.’

(And yes, we see Jesus sitting to teach in the Gospels.)

 

[HOMM]

Sure, but in the context of the question, it was ‘preaching in the synagogue.’

I guess I missed “the question”…what was it?

 

[Gorgias]

I guess I missed “the question”…what was it?

Whether the significance of Jesus’ posture in this Sunday’s Gospel can be found in the postures of priests who preach at Mass or popes who declare doctrine.