Lectionary reading
First reading: Jeremiah 23:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 22(23)
Second reading: Ephesians 2:13-18
Gospel: Mark 6:30-34
Link to readings.
The readings today focus upon Jesus as the compassionate shepherd-king, who gathers and instructs a scattered people.
The First Reading, from Jer 23:1-16, is one of the classic texts that came to be read in a “messianic” sense: that is, as pointing not merely to a coming ruler of David’s line who would be an improvement upon those recently in power, but to a ruler who would be God’s instrument in bringing about a far more radical renewal. Whether Jeremiah had such a hope in mind when he spoke of God’s raising “a righteous Branch for David” is not certain.
The prophet was a severe castigator of the last kings of Judah before most of the people were taken into exile in Babylon. The name he gives to the coming virtuous ruler, “The Lord is our righteousness”, is a play upon the name of Zedekiah, the grandson of the last king, upon whom hopes for a restoration of the dynasty were pinned during the exile. The prophet is writing a “script” for a new ruler, should the dynasty be revived.
SHEPHERDS OF THEIR PEOPLE
According to the pattern set by David, a shepherd boy whom the Lord chose to be king, Israelite kings were meant to be shepherds of their people. Recent rulers had grievously failed in this role and allowed “the flock” to be destroyed and scattered (in the exile). The task of the coming righteous “Branch of David” will be that of gathering the exiles and healing a severely wounded people. The Christian reading of Old Testament passages such as these obviously understood them with respect to Jesus in a fully messianic sense. Hence the presentation of him as compassionate Shepherd King that we find in the gospels.
The Gospel, Mark 6:30-34, describes a kind of interlude between the sending out of the disciples on mission (6:7-11) and the first occasion upon which Jesus multiplies the loaves (6:35-44). The disciples have returned full of enthusiasm for the success of their healing and teaching activity. These are the early days in the ministry of Jesus when he is widely popular, with people flocking to him on all sides for healing and instruction. It is a popularity that will soon fall away—and turn, in the end, to hostility. Perhaps it is precisely because of his awareness that the disciples could be carried away by all the enthusiasm that Jesus attempts to take them away to be alone with himself for a while. Earlier (1:35), we were told of his going away after a full day of ministry to a lonely place to pray. He seems to want to school the disciples into the same rhythm of ministry alternating with times of recreation and communion with God. They cannot be bearers of healing and liberation without themselves constantly tapping the life-giving source of the capacity to do so.
But, as in that earlier instance (1:36-39), the attempt to find some rest and peace is not successful. While Jesus and the disciples seek to escape in a boat – always a symbol of the Church in Mark – the enthusiastic crowds follow on foot and are there waiting for Jesus as soon as he disembarks. So we are presented with the image of the Shepherd-Messiah who is overcome with compassion. (The Jerusalem Bible translation, “he took pity on them” is too weak; the underlying Greek expression splangchnistheis has the sense of being moved with emotion to the depth of one’s being – literally, to one’s entrails.) We are invited to look out upon the people through the eyes of Jesus: to see them as sheep without a shepherd – scattered, therefore, and leaderless.
FORCE OF COMPASSION
We are to sense his desire for rest and recreation being overwhelmed by the stronger force of compassion and a desire to instill new purpose and understanding into the people through teaching. The Church’s pastoral and teaching ministry is simply an extension of this pastoral compassion of Jesus. Like the disciples with Jesus in the boat, those who minister in his name learn here to look out through his eyes upon those to whom they are sent.
The extract from Ephesians, 2:13-18, making up the Second Reading continues Paul’s meditation upon the “mystery” of the incorporation of the nations of the world (“Gentiles”) into the People of God. A striking symbol of the rigid separation between Jews and Gentiles existed in the shape of a stone barrier separating the outer court of the Temple from the inner court, from which all non-Jews, under pain of death, were barred. (A slab bearing an inscription to this effect was actually discovered by an archaeological excavation in the late 19th century.) Like the breach of the Berlin Wall in 1989, Paul thinks of Christ effecting a costly breaking down of this barrier to form in the Church the nucleus of a new humanity.
Brendan Byrne, SJ, FAHA, taught New Testament at Jesuit Theological College, Parkville, Vic., for almost forty years. He is now Emeritus Professor at the University of Divinity (Melbourne). His commentaries on the Gospels can be found at Pauline Books and Media