Wednesday 06 September 2023

Psalm 118:1-18

Background

Earlier Peter's letter called Christians to love one another, and the list of behaviours to be avoided in verse 1 sits alongside that. To help with this change of lifestyle they are to seek ‘pure, spiritual milk’ like newborn infants (v. 2). Babies have an instinct to seek their mother’s breast as soon as they are born, so the image here is that Christians need help from God from the earliest moment. This idea is then connected with the concept that people ‘grow into salvation’ – Christians are not mature and complete in the first instant of faith in Christ, but they develop as their relationship with Christ deepens over time.

The imagery shifts to a second theme about architecture, which offers a more communal sense of Christians being built up together. The foundation of the ‘spiritual house’ is Jesus as the ‘cornerstone’. Old Testament imagery is interpreted in vs 6-8 on the stone being rejected by others (Psalm 118:22) and then chosen by God (Isaiah 28:16).

The third key theme woven into the passage is priesthood. The Greek word here (verses 5 and 9), hierateuma, is used only here in the New Testament. It is the root of the English word hierarchy and conveys the notion of particular people set apart for a special role. The implication of its use here is that all followers of Jesus are part of this priesthood. They are all set apart to offer worship to God (v. 5).

Verse 9 says more about the special role for Jesus’ followers, all of whom are to be ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation’ – a key description for understanding the Christian Church as the people of God. They are a ‘chosen race’ as they are adopted into God’s family as children of God. They are a ‘royal priesthood’ by bringing worship to God, praying for the world, and representing the loving character of God’s kingdom to the world. Finally they are a ‘holy nation’ by forming a Christian community which includes many nationalities and backgrounds and which is united over space and time and, through loving relationships, reflects God's holy character.

To Ponder:

• Which of the three images is most helpful for you in this passage? Why do you prefer the baby seeking milk, the spiritual house built on the firm foundation, or the priestly calling for all Christians to worship God and love others?
• "…a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation". How can the Christian Church in the 21st century live out this calling?

Prayer

Lord God, we thank you for calling us
into the company of those who trust in Christ
and seek to obey his will.
May your Spirit guide and strengthen us
in mission to your world;
for we are strangers no longer
but pilgrims together on the way to your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 The Methodist Worship Book, p.561, Collect for Christian Unity