Daily Devotion for Lent 2018 - Day 4, Saturday

Scripture Reading: Genesis 4 (NRSV)

My first thought on this re-read of Cain and Abel was how the Pharisees conspired against Jesus.  They were the older brother in a spiritual sense in that they had an older authority than Jesus (if you suspend the view of Jesus as the eternal Son of God).  This is reflected in people seemingly surprised at Jesus teaching with authority.

The Pharisees were deemed lacking just as Cain.

And, like Cain killed his innocent brother, the Pharisees conspired to have Jesus killed.

How do we learn to ease our anger and 

open our fists to one another?

Cain's response to God's inquiry of the whereabouts of Abel that he isn't his brother's keeper has overtones of the accusations of Jesus against the Pharisees that "They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them." (Matthew 23:4, NRSV).  The Pharisees bear no responsibilities to their brothers and sisters in the faith just as Cain bore no responsibility to Abel.

The story of Cain's descendent Lamech may have also had an impact upon Jesus.  Lamech brags of vengeance against those who would oppose him.  He repays his debts of violence seventy-seven fold rather than the seven fold precedent of Cain.

When Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive, he wonders if seven times is the proper number.  Jesus replies that the forgiveness should be seventy-seven times.  These numbers would have been known by Jewish readers and would not be coincidental.

We see in our world today that violence begets violence.  Forgiveness is the harder path but ultimately, it is life-giving, both to the person receiving mercy and the person practicing the forgiveness.


Lord, remember not only the men and women of good will,
but also those of ill will.
But, do not remember all of the suffering they have inflicted upon us:
instead remember the fruits we have borne because of this suffering -
our fellowship, our loyalty to one another, our humility, our courage,
our generosity, the greatness of heart that has grown from this trouble.
When our persecutors come to be judged by you, let all of these fruits
that we have borne be their forgiveness.  Amen.


Source of prayer unknown.  Found in the clothing of a dead child at Ravensbruck concentration camp, Germany.

Photo by Jon Seidman via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.