ISAIAH 50:5-10
The Lord God has opened my ear,
and I have not rebelled or turned away.
I offered my back to those who beat me,
my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard.
I did not hide my face from insults and spitting.
My Lord helped me, therefore I was not disgraced.
The so-called “Second Isaiah” is a collection of prophetic writings from the 6th century BC, probably written in Babylon during the rise of Cyrus of Persia, who is conquering the Babylonian Empire, between 553 and 539 BC, will conquer Babylon (539) and allow the Israelites to return to Palestine (538).
The author of this book is a great theologian and a magnificent writer. His work, in general terms, is conceived as a second exodus, and is intended to lift the morale of the people in exile and ignite the hope of returning to their homeland. Within this work are included four songs called the “Songs of the Servant of Yahweh” (42:1-13, 49:1-13, 50:4-9, 52:13-53:12). This is a mysterious figure. His vocation is prophetic, but also dramatic, because he is destined to suffer, to be rejected, and to bear the sins of the people. The Church has always seen in this figure a prefiguration of Jesus, and the Gospels interpret it as such. Some authors think that the interpretation of this figure is part of Jesus’ teaching about himself.
The figure of the Servant implies an unusual messianic interpretation. The figure of the Messiah generally corresponded to the Davidic model: the great king blessed by God who would restore the glory of Israel and bring all kinds of blessings to the people because he would restore the Covenant. But the suffering and rejected Messiah has nothing to do with the Davidic Messiah. This figure therefore represents very well the messianic crisis of Jesus himself, who embodies the figure of the Servant and contradicts the hope of Davidic messianism.
JAMES 2:14-18
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.
We continue with the continuous reading of this document, without thematic connection with the other two readings (although, by chance, today we can relate to it in some way). The text completes the Pauline doctrine on faith/works. Paul insisted that “the works of the Law,” that is, fidelity to the Mosaic law, were not the source of justification. The abusive interpretation of this idea is corrected here, affirming that faith without works is simply a lie: faith in Jesus, the source of all holiness, is manifested in works; works show that faith is true or, on the contrary, is just words.
José Enrique Galarreta