Lectionary blog for June 29, 2025
Third Sunday after Pentecost
1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21; Psalm 16;
Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62
There have been a lot of superhero movies in the last couple decades. Many have a recruiting scene where a leader puts together a team that will help save the day. These scenes often happen early in the middle part of the film or in a post-credit scene to prepare for the next movie in a long series (Marvel Cinematic Universe, I’m looking at you!). The recruiting scenes don’t normally happen right before the intense climax of the movie. And the possible recruits in these movies usually have some special power or ability that will save the day, not make things worse. This week’s lectionary readings have two examples of strange recruiting scenes.
The first scene is in 1 Kings. A burnt-out Elijah had given up on the Israelites. He tried to die, but God preserved his life. Elijah’s complaint against God and the people he was sent to serve remained the same before and after God appeared to him (19:10, 14). Elijah was unaffected by God’s words! Tellingly, he wrapped his garment around his head in a pathetic attempt to isolate his eyes and ears from the God of the universe (13). So, God announced a retirement plan: If you are so against the Israelites, Elijah, anoint these three people to kill them: Hazael over Aram, Jehu over Israel and Elisha as prophet.
This isn’t what Elijah really wanted—he didn’t seek national consequences. He just had hoped that his life and ministry would be easier. So, in the worst recruiting scene ever, Elijah walked by Elisha and merely threw his cloak over the man (not anointing him, as commanded). Elisha, understandably, wanted to let his folks know that he was going to be a traveling prophet now. But Elijah had no time for this and dismissed his recruit.
Elisha’s response wasn’t a quick goodbye either. Instead, he took the time to slaughter 12 of his family’s oxen and burn the yokes, harnesses, halters and all the other implements used to help plow. Elisha then gave the meat of the cooked oxen to all the people. While we don’t know their financial condition, it’s likely that Elisha reduced his well-to-do family into poverty. They still owned the land but now had no way to plow it. Elisha seized, destroyed and distributed the means of production.
This was who Elisha was—a passionately destructive man (she bears!). He announced Hazael’s genocidal reign to him (2 Kings 8:7-15) and finally ordered his servant to anoint Jehu at the beginning of his fratricidal reign (2 Kings 9:1-10:31). Elisha was a strange recruit indeed.
Even when walking to his death, Jesus still recruited people who were unsure about their ability to be totally committed.
Jesus also recruited strange folks at strange times. He sent runners to prepare a place for him in Samaria, but they were rebuffed. Why would Samaritans help someone who was going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem? That would be like asking crusaders in the bad old days to host Muslim pilgrims on their way to the Hajj. They would be disinclined to help, to say the least.
James and John were furious at the understandable Samaritan reluctance to support a Jerusalem pilgrimage. The disciples wanted to call down fire from heaven to incinerate anyone who would deny hospitality to their Lord. However, Jesus rebuked them and simply went to another village. These were the kind of recruits that the Prince of Peace chose?
But Jesus wasn’t finished recruiting. Even as he was on his way to Jerusalem to be murdered by the Romans, he still asked people to join him. This doesn’t make much sense. Yes, he was going to do plenty of teaching during Holy Week. But would people really have time to get to know Jesus as he prepared for his arrest, trial and execution? Jesus thought it was worth the effort. He recruited folks who were concerned about living accommodations and were more attached to their families than to Jesus. These aren’t people with burning hearts. Rather they are like me, just trying to do right by those who depend on them, while also following Jesus as well as they can.
I take great solace in the strange recruitment strategies in the lectionary readings. Elijah was meant to anoint three successors but only interacted with one—and that started with a fight! Elisha went way over the top in performing repudiation of his family. Jesus demonstrated patience with his recruited followers’ inclination to violence. And even when walking to his death, Jesus still recruited people who were unsure about their ability to be totally committed. God’s mission requires and invites all kinds of people, often those who make the least sense when considered from human perspectives. Thank God that we are all invited as strange recruits!
