Last Sunday after Epiphany B

RCL: 2 Kings 2:1-12; Psalm 50:1-6; 2 Corinthians 4:3-6; Mark 9:2-9 2 Kings 2:1-12 Elisha and the company of prophets knew the great prophet Elijah would leave them, that God would take him away soon. Elijah himself could sense he would soon leave this earth, and he asks Elisha what he can do for Elisha….

2 Kings 2:1-12 “I will not leave you.” Elisha repeats these words to his teacher three times before the Lord takes Elijah away in a whirlwind ascension to heaven. The scene is dramatic and majestic; Elijah parts a sea like Moses and becomes part of a tableau of fiery angelic figures, somewhat like Jesus in…

2 Kings 2:1-12 There are two stories in this beautiful passage from Second Kings. One is the dramatic story of Elijah’s ascent to heaven, rich with imagery of God in the whirlwind, of chariots of fire and waters parting. It is a tale of prophets that connects Elijah with Moses and precipitates speculation about the…

2 Kings 2:1-12 In 1 Kings 19, Elisha leaves his home and his fields to become the servant of Elijah. This story in 2 Kings describes Elijah being taken up to heaven and Elisha’s reaction to his master’s departure. The emotional tone of this passage is heightened through repetition: three times Elijah tries to keep…