Hey Class!
Here are some resources that I use and that I recommend for your study of the New Testament and Matthew:
General New Testament Introductions:
Introducing the New Testament
by Joel Green, Marianne Meye Thompson, Paul Achtemeier
An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods and Ministry Formation
by David DeSilva
The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
by Craig Keener
The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social and Historical Context
by Joel Green
Matthew Commentaries
Matthew for Everyone (Basic)
by NT Wright
Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible: Matthew (Intermediate)
by Stanley Hauerwas
New Interpreter's Bible: Matthew (Intermediate)
New International Commentary on the New Testament: Matthew (Advanced)
by RT France
General New Testament Commentaries
New Testament for Everyone
by NT Wright
New Interpreter's Bible
New International Commentary on the New Testament
Monday, August 15, 2016
Monday, August 8, 2016
Matthew 28: the Great Commission
The last scene is Matthew's Gospel (28:16-20) is known as the "Great Commission", when Jesus sends His disciples to begin the global movement of disciples which became the church. It's interesting to note before anything else regarding this passage, that everything that has previously transpired between Jesus and the disciples was leading up to this moment. This is the end goal of the disciples: to be equipped to make more disciples! This is something the church cannot lose sight of: all our services, programs and the like should have a focus on growing disciples who are capable of discipling others.
This scene itself might remind us of several Old Testament commissioning passages, with the most similar one being the commissioning of Joshua by God to take Moses' place (Deut. 31:14-23). Jesus has done the work of redeeming God's people making a way for them out of "Egypt", and now the disciples are now in Joshua's shoes guiding them until they arrive in the "Promise Land" (the "end of the age").
28:17
One of the interesting details in this scene is that Matthew says some of Jesus' disciples "doubted" as they came to Him on the mountain. Many people assume that this must refer to a disbelief in Jesus' resurrection. However, this is the same word that is used in Matthew 14:31 when Peter walks on water and then begins to sink and Jesus asks him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" This sort of doubt isn't a general disbelief, but is more like the uncertainty or fear that is generated by being in a situation in which you are at a loss to know what to do. Some disciples therefore "get it" and realize that the correct response to the resurrected Jesus is worship, while others are simply at a loss and just trying to wrap their minds around what is happening.
28:18
Jesus makes a big claim that all authority "in heaven and on earth" has been given to Him. This affirms that He is the one like a "Son of Man" from Daniel 7 and will be the one to usher in the final Kingdom. Also note that in Matthew 4 Satan offers Jesus "all the kingdoms of the earth", which Jesus denies and now receives a far greater authority.
28:19-20
Jesus puts the onus on the disciples to "go" to the people and nations. They are not to just set up shop and have their own private worship services or to sit back and see if they can get the people to come to them. Not only are they to go to the nations, but they are to make disciples. A critical question faces us here: what does it mean to "make disciples"? What's the difference between a disciple and a "believer" or convert? In the context of Matthew it is clear that disciples are obedient (see v. 20) and that disciples are those who are active participants in Jesus' mission . . . they are the ones who preach, teach, heal, share, sacrifice and keep the movement going. This command raises hard questions for the church in the West, which has generally put its focus on creating "believers" and filling churches instead of making disciples.
How are these disciples made? First, by repentance and joining the community (baptism), and then by teaching (understanding and participatory learning as the Twelve received). Again, the key here is that they will do what Jesus had said- this is what faith hinges on in Matthew!
Finally, Jesus empowers His disciples by reassuring them of His presence, which takes us all the way back to the beginning of the story (1:23) when the angel tells Joseph that the baby will be called Emmanuel, "God with us". This presence will empower the movement Jesus began until its destination is reached and the Kingdom is established in power, which is the "end of the age". That Jesus ends His preaching on the hope of the Kingdom is not to be missed: the disciples are commissioned to live as a sign of the Kingdom (and bring along the nations) until the Kingdom itself is upon them.
This scene itself might remind us of several Old Testament commissioning passages, with the most similar one being the commissioning of Joshua by God to take Moses' place (Deut. 31:14-23). Jesus has done the work of redeeming God's people making a way for them out of "Egypt", and now the disciples are now in Joshua's shoes guiding them until they arrive in the "Promise Land" (the "end of the age").
28:17
One of the interesting details in this scene is that Matthew says some of Jesus' disciples "doubted" as they came to Him on the mountain. Many people assume that this must refer to a disbelief in Jesus' resurrection. However, this is the same word that is used in Matthew 14:31 when Peter walks on water and then begins to sink and Jesus asks him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" This sort of doubt isn't a general disbelief, but is more like the uncertainty or fear that is generated by being in a situation in which you are at a loss to know what to do. Some disciples therefore "get it" and realize that the correct response to the resurrected Jesus is worship, while others are simply at a loss and just trying to wrap their minds around what is happening.
28:18
Jesus makes a big claim that all authority "in heaven and on earth" has been given to Him. This affirms that He is the one like a "Son of Man" from Daniel 7 and will be the one to usher in the final Kingdom. Also note that in Matthew 4 Satan offers Jesus "all the kingdoms of the earth", which Jesus denies and now receives a far greater authority.
28:19-20
Jesus puts the onus on the disciples to "go" to the people and nations. They are not to just set up shop and have their own private worship services or to sit back and see if they can get the people to come to them. Not only are they to go to the nations, but they are to make disciples. A critical question faces us here: what does it mean to "make disciples"? What's the difference between a disciple and a "believer" or convert? In the context of Matthew it is clear that disciples are obedient (see v. 20) and that disciples are those who are active participants in Jesus' mission . . . they are the ones who preach, teach, heal, share, sacrifice and keep the movement going. This command raises hard questions for the church in the West, which has generally put its focus on creating "believers" and filling churches instead of making disciples.
How are these disciples made? First, by repentance and joining the community (baptism), and then by teaching (understanding and participatory learning as the Twelve received). Again, the key here is that they will do what Jesus had said- this is what faith hinges on in Matthew!
Finally, Jesus empowers His disciples by reassuring them of His presence, which takes us all the way back to the beginning of the story (1:23) when the angel tells Joseph that the baby will be called Emmanuel, "God with us". This presence will empower the movement Jesus began until its destination is reached and the Kingdom is established in power, which is the "end of the age". That Jesus ends His preaching on the hope of the Kingdom is not to be missed: the disciples are commissioned to live as a sign of the Kingdom (and bring along the nations) until the Kingdom itself is upon them.
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Matthew 27: Thoughts on the death of Judas, and Trial and Execution of Jesus
27:3-7:
Matthew provides a great illustration of the chief priests as bad shepherds in their interaction with Judas. Here is a man who is despondent and crushed by guilt, and how do they respond? They say it's none of their business! And these are the guys who are supposed to be mediators between the people and God. If their was ever a time for some counsel and mediation, it was right then. But the truth is, they just didn't care; they had no love for Judas. This is an illustration of "tying up heavy burdens" on people but "refusing to raise a finger" (Mt. 23:4). Perhaps if they had done their job he wouldn't have committed suicide.
27:15-24
For the record: Pilate is not a good guy! Sometimes you hear stories of the trial of Jesus and people feel sorry for Pilate because he wants to let Jesus go, but Pilate is a coward. He, who has all the power in this situation, just doesn't want to do the unpopular thing for whatever reason. He takes the easy road and caves in to the crowd's wishes. But his washing of his hands is a sham; he shares in the blame for Jesus' death.
27:25
This verse has been used innumerable times by anti-Semites. But this trial is taking place in Pilate's headquarters (the praetorium), so this would not be a huge crowd who takes the "blood-guilt" for Jesus' death on themselves. It would be high ranking leaders in Jerusalem. Furthermore, their "blood-guilt" has already been named by Jesus in 23:35-36, "Upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth . . . all this will come upon this generation." The point is that it is the leaders of Israel, in Jerusalem (and indeed the city itself will be judged), who are implicated here, not the Jewish people at large.
27:37-38
The title nailed on Jesus' cross points to the fact that Jesus was executed for being a political threat. He wasn't killed because he was a religious teacher with new ideas; he was killed because his message was a threat to those in power. This is a reminder that faith is not just about interior things or "spiritual" things, but about dealing with the concrete realities of life. In verse 38, we see more political issues, as Jesus was crucified between "bandits": these aren't petty thieves, they are insurrectionists; they are political prisoners.
27:40
When the crowd taunts Jesus they say to him "If you are the Son of God . . .". When have we heard that before? That's right- that's exactly what the Devil says to Jesus in 4:1-6! This is of course not a surprise or a coincidence, but a statement that Matthew intends to make about who the crowd is serving at this point. Satan claimed to have the power to hand over the kingdoms of the earth, and it appears he is in control of the kingdom of Judah at this point.
27:50-54
As Jesus dies we see all sorts of crazy things happen! Let's look at them one by one . .
1. The Temple curtain is torn. When I was growing up people made a big deal of this saying that it meant that the way was open to God's presence. While that may be true, the Temple had two curtains: one separated the courtyard from the "Holy Place", and the other from the "Holy of Holies". Only the priests would have seen the curtain in front of the Holy of Holies (which more likely would be the curtain that indicated the way to God's presence was open), but the torn curtain was probably the exterior one, which people would have seen. Probably the best interpretation of this is a sign of judgment- a sign that Jesus' words, "your house is left to you desolate" has come true.
2. Other people are resurrected! This one is strange in that Matthew has them waking up in their tombs on Friday but not appearing until Sunday. Probably the underlying point is that the created order is being overturned by Jesus' death . . . death itself is being undone.
3. Rocks split . . . this must be another sign of the overturning of the created order (the earthquake). The issue of darkness in 27:45 can also be chalked up to a sign of the same thing. The prophet Amos spoke of (symbolically) darkness and earthquakes the day of Israel's destruction at the hands of the Assyrians (Amos 8:8-9) as a physical image of what was happening spiritually.
4. Finally, the centurion, the BAD GUY, the Roman/Gentile oppressor declares Jesus to be God's Son! This is the ultimate inversion of how things ought to be: the torturer and executioner recognizes the Messiah (in the end) but the leaders and people of Jerusalem don't.
Matthew provides a great illustration of the chief priests as bad shepherds in their interaction with Judas. Here is a man who is despondent and crushed by guilt, and how do they respond? They say it's none of their business! And these are the guys who are supposed to be mediators between the people and God. If their was ever a time for some counsel and mediation, it was right then. But the truth is, they just didn't care; they had no love for Judas. This is an illustration of "tying up heavy burdens" on people but "refusing to raise a finger" (Mt. 23:4). Perhaps if they had done their job he wouldn't have committed suicide.
27:15-24
For the record: Pilate is not a good guy! Sometimes you hear stories of the trial of Jesus and people feel sorry for Pilate because he wants to let Jesus go, but Pilate is a coward. He, who has all the power in this situation, just doesn't want to do the unpopular thing for whatever reason. He takes the easy road and caves in to the crowd's wishes. But his washing of his hands is a sham; he shares in the blame for Jesus' death.
27:25
This verse has been used innumerable times by anti-Semites. But this trial is taking place in Pilate's headquarters (the praetorium), so this would not be a huge crowd who takes the "blood-guilt" for Jesus' death on themselves. It would be high ranking leaders in Jerusalem. Furthermore, their "blood-guilt" has already been named by Jesus in 23:35-36, "Upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth . . . all this will come upon this generation." The point is that it is the leaders of Israel, in Jerusalem (and indeed the city itself will be judged), who are implicated here, not the Jewish people at large.
27:37-38
The title nailed on Jesus' cross points to the fact that Jesus was executed for being a political threat. He wasn't killed because he was a religious teacher with new ideas; he was killed because his message was a threat to those in power. This is a reminder that faith is not just about interior things or "spiritual" things, but about dealing with the concrete realities of life. In verse 38, we see more political issues, as Jesus was crucified between "bandits": these aren't petty thieves, they are insurrectionists; they are political prisoners.
27:40
When the crowd taunts Jesus they say to him "If you are the Son of God . . .". When have we heard that before? That's right- that's exactly what the Devil says to Jesus in 4:1-6! This is of course not a surprise or a coincidence, but a statement that Matthew intends to make about who the crowd is serving at this point. Satan claimed to have the power to hand over the kingdoms of the earth, and it appears he is in control of the kingdom of Judah at this point.
27:50-54
As Jesus dies we see all sorts of crazy things happen! Let's look at them one by one . .
1. The Temple curtain is torn. When I was growing up people made a big deal of this saying that it meant that the way was open to God's presence. While that may be true, the Temple had two curtains: one separated the courtyard from the "Holy Place", and the other from the "Holy of Holies". Only the priests would have seen the curtain in front of the Holy of Holies (which more likely would be the curtain that indicated the way to God's presence was open), but the torn curtain was probably the exterior one, which people would have seen. Probably the best interpretation of this is a sign of judgment- a sign that Jesus' words, "your house is left to you desolate" has come true.
2. Other people are resurrected! This one is strange in that Matthew has them waking up in their tombs on Friday but not appearing until Sunday. Probably the underlying point is that the created order is being overturned by Jesus' death . . . death itself is being undone.
3. Rocks split . . . this must be another sign of the overturning of the created order (the earthquake). The issue of darkness in 27:45 can also be chalked up to a sign of the same thing. The prophet Amos spoke of (symbolically) darkness and earthquakes the day of Israel's destruction at the hands of the Assyrians (Amos 8:8-9) as a physical image of what was happening spiritually.
4. Finally, the centurion, the BAD GUY, the Roman/Gentile oppressor declares Jesus to be God's Son! This is the ultimate inversion of how things ought to be: the torturer and executioner recognizes the Messiah (in the end) but the leaders and people of Jerusalem don't.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Matthew 26: Judas' Betrayal and Jesus before the High Priest
Judas’ Betrayal
One question that often arises concerning Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is: why does Judas need to lead the crowd all the way to Jesus and kiss him so they know who He is (26:47-50)? Couldn’t Judas simply tell those who are arresting Jesus that he’s going to the Mount of Olives, and even specifically that he’d be in the Garden of Gethsemane? Why does he have to betray Jesus face to face?
This problem is compounded by Christian art and movies which portrays the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane as empty and quiet while Jesus is there with his disciples. In reality, the Mount of Olives and Garden would have been packed with other pilgrims, who were essentially camping out for the duration of the Passover festival. This is what made arresting Jesus so difficult; the crowds were so large he could simply melt away in them unless one knew exactly what his followers looked like and where they’d likely be. Because of the overcrowding Judas must perform a face to face betrayal.
Trial before the High Priest
Matthew 26:57-68 details Jesus’ trial before the High Priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. In the trial Jesus is accused of much, but only makes one reply when Caiaphas puts him under oath concerning his identity in 26:62-65:
The high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” 63 But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you,
From now on you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of Power
and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy.
The question for us then is: what makes Jesus’ statement blasphemous?
Jesus is combining and paraphrasing two Old Testament messianic scriptures: Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14, which is a vision describing God’s servant (one like a son of man) being taken up to God to receive the Kingdom of God:
Psalm 110:1
The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
Daniel 7:13-14
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Jesus’ words then mean that he is going to be received at God’s right hand (as King of Israel), and that he will be the one whom the Kingdom of God is handed over to as the everlasting King and the one who will ultimately judge the High Priest and Sanhedrin themselves. That Jesus (a poor Galilean preacher) would equate himself so directly with God’s power and rule is essentially cultural blasphemy and gives the court the evidence they desired to hand him over to Pilate.
One question that often arises concerning Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is: why does Judas need to lead the crowd all the way to Jesus and kiss him so they know who He is (26:47-50)? Couldn’t Judas simply tell those who are arresting Jesus that he’s going to the Mount of Olives, and even specifically that he’d be in the Garden of Gethsemane? Why does he have to betray Jesus face to face?
This problem is compounded by Christian art and movies which portrays the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane as empty and quiet while Jesus is there with his disciples. In reality, the Mount of Olives and Garden would have been packed with other pilgrims, who were essentially camping out for the duration of the Passover festival. This is what made arresting Jesus so difficult; the crowds were so large he could simply melt away in them unless one knew exactly what his followers looked like and where they’d likely be. Because of the overcrowding Judas must perform a face to face betrayal.
Trial before the High Priest
Matthew 26:57-68 details Jesus’ trial before the High Priest Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin. In the trial Jesus is accused of much, but only makes one reply when Caiaphas puts him under oath concerning his identity in 26:62-65:
The high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you?” 63 But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you,
From now on you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of Power
and coming on the clouds of heaven.”
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy.
The question for us then is: what makes Jesus’ statement blasphemous?
Jesus is combining and paraphrasing two Old Testament messianic scriptures: Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13-14, which is a vision describing God’s servant (one like a son of man) being taken up to God to receive the Kingdom of God:
Psalm 110:1
The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand
until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
Daniel 7:13-14
“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Jesus’ words then mean that he is going to be received at God’s right hand (as King of Israel), and that he will be the one whom the Kingdom of God is handed over to as the everlasting King and the one who will ultimately judge the High Priest and Sanhedrin themselves. That Jesus (a poor Galilean preacher) would equate himself so directly with God’s power and rule is essentially cultural blasphemy and gives the court the evidence they desired to hand him over to Pilate.
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Matthew 24-25: Fall of Jerusalem and the "End of the Age"
Matthew 24-25 is one of the most difficult sections of Matthew to interpret, as Jesus uses a great deal of imagery and apocalyptic language to describe the destruction of Jerusalem and “the end of the age”. What I’m going to do is lay out a few simple boundaries for interpretation that will help us make sense of this section.
Boundary 1:
The whole discussion begins with Jesus’ prophecy that Jerusalem will be destroyed. It is critical to recognize that this is not “the end of the world”, but a historical event that Jesus is saying will happen in the lifetime of his disciples. The MOST important piece of this discussion for the disciples is Jerusalem’s fate.
Boundary 2:
The disciples ask Jesus two questions in 24:3: “when will this be?” (when will Jerusalem fall?), and “what will be the sign of the end of the age?” (when is this final judgment?).
Based on those two boundaries, the key to interpreting the passage is in deciding when Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem and when he is talking about the “end of the age”.
Boundary 3:
In 24:34 Jesus claims that “this generation will not pass away until all these things (everything preceding in the scripture) have taken place”. Therefore, he cannot have been talking about the final judgment up through this point, unless we think Jesus was wrong (which is certainly possible, but might make us uncomfortable). All of this section then must be dealing with the disciples first question regarding the fall of Jerusalem.
Boundary 4:
Based on that assessment, it is only in 24:36 when Jesus changes his focus and deals with the question about the end of the age. This is signaled by his words, “But about that day and hour”. This interpretation is further strengthened by Jesus saying that he has no clue when it will happen, as opposed to his relative certainty about the fall of Jerusalem.
Boundary 5:
All of the following parables and stories from 24:36-25:46 then deal with the final judgment at the end of the age.
Boundary 1:
The whole discussion begins with Jesus’ prophecy that Jerusalem will be destroyed. It is critical to recognize that this is not “the end of the world”, but a historical event that Jesus is saying will happen in the lifetime of his disciples. The MOST important piece of this discussion for the disciples is Jerusalem’s fate.
Boundary 2:
The disciples ask Jesus two questions in 24:3: “when will this be?” (when will Jerusalem fall?), and “what will be the sign of the end of the age?” (when is this final judgment?).
Based on those two boundaries, the key to interpreting the passage is in deciding when Jesus is talking about the destruction of Jerusalem and when he is talking about the “end of the age”.
Boundary 3:
In 24:34 Jesus claims that “this generation will not pass away until all these things (everything preceding in the scripture) have taken place”. Therefore, he cannot have been talking about the final judgment up through this point, unless we think Jesus was wrong (which is certainly possible, but might make us uncomfortable). All of this section then must be dealing with the disciples first question regarding the fall of Jerusalem.
Boundary 4:
Based on that assessment, it is only in 24:36 when Jesus changes his focus and deals with the question about the end of the age. This is signaled by his words, “But about that day and hour”. This interpretation is further strengthened by Jesus saying that he has no clue when it will happen, as opposed to his relative certainty about the fall of Jerusalem.
Boundary 5:
All of the following parables and stories from 24:36-25:46 then deal with the final judgment at the end of the age.
Monday, August 1, 2016
Matthew 23: Authority and Responsibility
Jesus’ words in Matthew 23:8-12 have been conveniently lost in church history, much to our detriment. They would provide an excellent adjustment to two of our big issues: abuse of authority and lack of empowerment. Check it out:
But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 9 And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Authority:
Clearly, no disciple of Jesus is to be set aside as deserving veneration or to demand recognition for bearing an institutional title. While Jesus does make the Twelve leaders of His movement, their authority is primarily a moral authority. They are not to receive special acclamation by other disciples. Rather, the disciples are now brothers and sisters who strive to serve each other and do not seek power over each other. While functional hierarchies must exist in all organized communities, including the church, the problem is often that those with the titles are viewed (and view themselves) as more valuable (and thus deserving of service) than the others and are often viewed as the centerpieces of the community instead of God.
Empowerment:
The flip side of this same principle is that all disciples of Christ share a common standing in the Kingdom. We are ALL therefore capable of serving Christ in a way that is fruitful and meaningful, including: sharing the gospel, making disciples, serving those in need, etc. Jesus intended for all of His disciples to be empowered for service and not to simply look to special “Teachers” to do the work of the Kingdom.
But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. 9 And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Authority:
Clearly, no disciple of Jesus is to be set aside as deserving veneration or to demand recognition for bearing an institutional title. While Jesus does make the Twelve leaders of His movement, their authority is primarily a moral authority. They are not to receive special acclamation by other disciples. Rather, the disciples are now brothers and sisters who strive to serve each other and do not seek power over each other. While functional hierarchies must exist in all organized communities, including the church, the problem is often that those with the titles are viewed (and view themselves) as more valuable (and thus deserving of service) than the others and are often viewed as the centerpieces of the community instead of God.
Empowerment:
The flip side of this same principle is that all disciples of Christ share a common standing in the Kingdom. We are ALL therefore capable of serving Christ in a way that is fruitful and meaningful, including: sharing the gospel, making disciples, serving those in need, etc. Jesus intended for all of His disciples to be empowered for service and not to simply look to special “Teachers” to do the work of the Kingdom.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Matthew 22: Give to Caesar . . .
One of the more misused sayings from the Gospels is Matthew 22:21’s, “Give to the Emperor the things that are the Emperors”. This verse has largely been used by modern Christians to separate their faith from ‘secular’ politics and justify many unchristian policies. Those who use this verse in that manner have lifted it from its context and have lost its meaning. Here are a few thoughts on how we might understand Matthew 22:15-22 better:
Jesus is not setting an all-time theological precedent. Rather, He needs to respond to a trap that the Pharisees have set. They have asked Him a question that will make Him a targeted rebel or a collaborator to the Roman occupation, both of which would effectively kill His ministry. This is an answer given under duress!
No Israelite was to have an engraved image of a person who claimed to be God (Exodus 20:4). The coin that the Pharisees have had the likeness of Caesar and the words “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus” and “High Priest”. This would be offensive to any loyal Israelite, and the Pharisees possess it on Temple property! Jesus is shaming them here and setting up His retort and escape.
Jesus can now say that they should return the coin to the Emperor, which can be interpreted in a variety of ways: 1. If you lower yourself to use the idolatrous coins of the Empire you should pay the tax. 2. You should go ahead and give up all your imperial coins (which sounds like a rebel) 3. You should be compliant (collaborator).
Finally, Jesus muddies the water further by saying “Give to God the things that are God’s”. If we take Psalm 24 as a starting place (“the Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof”), then clearly God has a claim on everything. Essentially, Jesus puts the question then back to the Pharisees, and calls upon them to determine how their loyalty to God affects their political stance. In effect He says, “What does it mean to be loyal Israelites given your status as an occupied state?”, and now they are in the bind they tried to put Him in!
Jesus is not setting an all-time theological precedent. Rather, He needs to respond to a trap that the Pharisees have set. They have asked Him a question that will make Him a targeted rebel or a collaborator to the Roman occupation, both of which would effectively kill His ministry. This is an answer given under duress!
No Israelite was to have an engraved image of a person who claimed to be God (Exodus 20:4). The coin that the Pharisees have had the likeness of Caesar and the words “Tiberius Caesar, Son of the Divine Augustus” and “High Priest”. This would be offensive to any loyal Israelite, and the Pharisees possess it on Temple property! Jesus is shaming them here and setting up His retort and escape.
Jesus can now say that they should return the coin to the Emperor, which can be interpreted in a variety of ways: 1. If you lower yourself to use the idolatrous coins of the Empire you should pay the tax. 2. You should go ahead and give up all your imperial coins (which sounds like a rebel) 3. You should be compliant (collaborator).
Finally, Jesus muddies the water further by saying “Give to God the things that are God’s”. If we take Psalm 24 as a starting place (“the Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof”), then clearly God has a claim on everything. Essentially, Jesus puts the question then back to the Pharisees, and calls upon them to determine how their loyalty to God affects their political stance. In effect He says, “What does it mean to be loyal Israelites given your status as an occupied state?”, and now they are in the bind they tried to put Him in!
Thursday, July 28, 2016
Matthew 21: Cleansing the Temple?
Matthew 21 features the well known and frequently misunderstood story of Jesus “cleansing” the Temple. Considering that Jesus’ actions at the Temple are most likely responsible for His crucifixion, I believe that the story demands a full explanation (or at least as much as we can). I’m going to go through some questions about the event and see if it we can’t uncover some of its meaning and significance
How large was Jesus’ action in the Temple?
This is a key question, because a small event probably indicates Jesus was doing something of symbolic significance, whereas a large event probably indicates Jesus was actually trying to create a lasting change. All the evidence we have points to a small incident. A large incident would have drawn the Temple soldiers and would have led to Jesus’ immediate arrest. Furthermore, Jesus is not barred from entering the Temple in the coming days, so the authorities must not have perceived a physical threat from Him that a large-scale action would have created.
Did Jesus intend to “cleanse” the Temple?
No, at least not in the way that “cleansing” would have been understood by the crowds. “Cleansing” would have involved ritual purifications, including sacrifices, and a change of Temple leadership. An example of “cleansing” is found in 1 Maccabees 4:36-46:
Then Judas and his brothers said, ‘See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.’ 37So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 38There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. 39Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes 40and fell face down on the ground. And when the signal was given with the trumpets, they cried out to Heaven. 41 Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary. 42He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, 43and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. 44They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt-offering, which had been profaned. 45And they thought it best to tear it down, so that it would not be a lasting shame to them that the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar, 46and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them.
Obviously, this was a far larger action than Jesus’. And furthermore, the issue with saying Jesus “cleansed” the Temple is that He didn’t remove that which was “defiling” the Temple, which was the Temple’s leadership. Jesus partially restores the Temple to its proper function by allowing God’s activities (through Jesus’ ministry) to be recognized and celebrated, but the Temple function is only disrupted, and not “cleansed”.
3. Were there Old Testament precedents to what Jesus did?
Absolutely. There are several, and the biggest precedent was set by the Prophet Jeremiah, who disrupted the Temple to deliver a sermon and demonstration of judgment against the Temple and against Judea in general. Check out Jeremiah 7:1-4, 8-15:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the Lord. 3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. 4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” . . . 8 Here you are, trusting in deceptive words to no avail. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, “We are safe!”—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight? You know, I too am watching, says the Lord. 12 Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these things, says the Lord, and when I spoke to you persistently, you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your ancestors, just what I did to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, just as I cast out all your kinsfolk, all the offspring of Ephraim.
Here Jeremiah was telling the people that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed and that they would go into exile- Jesus will give a very similar message to the crowd and to His disciples in Matthew 21,22 and 24 (just as John the Baptist did in Matthew 3). So here’s a key: Jesus’ action is connected to God’s judgment upon the Temple and its leadership.
4. What does Jesus mean by a ‘den of robbers’?
A better translation for this would be a ‘den of brigands’. There were, throughout Israel’s history, gangs of outlaws who hid in the caves in and around the mountains of Judah (even into the Roman era). This same word (lestai in Greek) was used to described these outlaws/rebels . . . it was a a word used for petty thievery, but for dangerous and violent brigands whose lives were the epitome of unholiness. And Jesus, like Jeremiah before him, is saying this is what the Temple leadership are like. The Temple was meant to be a “house of prayer”- that is a place where people come into God’s presence- and had become instead a place where Israel’s false shepherds consolidated their power and denied God’s Messiah His rightful place of leadership.
5. How might we interpret Jesus’ actions?
Many of the prophets of Israel performed prophetic “signs” (Jeremiah breaks a pot, Ezekiel lays on his side for almost a year, Isaiah walks around naked, etc.) to demonstrate a point. I believe Jesus’ overturning the table functioned in a similar way- it was a demonstration of God’s judgment on the Temple, and brought sacrifice to a halt, which was what Jesus claimed God would do in the near future.
Furthermore, Jesus’ actions were a symbol of His authority as the Messiah, the one who has a legitimate claim over Temple leadership. The King of Israel had the ability to command sacrifice or to halt it and Jesus’ is enacting that right on a symbolic scale. Jesus also demonstrates what true worship should look like in the Temple at this point by allowing the blind, lame and children to come to Him and receive healing. This event then, in a sense, is a brief moment of restoration of the Temple to its proper role of connecting people with God’s saving work. However, its brevity underlines its purpose of being a symbol of what God really desires from the Temple.
How large was Jesus’ action in the Temple?
This is a key question, because a small event probably indicates Jesus was doing something of symbolic significance, whereas a large event probably indicates Jesus was actually trying to create a lasting change. All the evidence we have points to a small incident. A large incident would have drawn the Temple soldiers and would have led to Jesus’ immediate arrest. Furthermore, Jesus is not barred from entering the Temple in the coming days, so the authorities must not have perceived a physical threat from Him that a large-scale action would have created.
Did Jesus intend to “cleanse” the Temple?
No, at least not in the way that “cleansing” would have been understood by the crowds. “Cleansing” would have involved ritual purifications, including sacrifices, and a change of Temple leadership. An example of “cleansing” is found in 1 Maccabees 4:36-46:
Then Judas and his brothers said, ‘See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.’ 37So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 38There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. 39Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes 40and fell face down on the ground. And when the signal was given with the trumpets, they cried out to Heaven. 41 Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary. 42He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, 43and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. 44They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt-offering, which had been profaned. 45And they thought it best to tear it down, so that it would not be a lasting shame to them that the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar, 46and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them.
Obviously, this was a far larger action than Jesus’. And furthermore, the issue with saying Jesus “cleansed” the Temple is that He didn’t remove that which was “defiling” the Temple, which was the Temple’s leadership. Jesus partially restores the Temple to its proper function by allowing God’s activities (through Jesus’ ministry) to be recognized and celebrated, but the Temple function is only disrupted, and not “cleansed”.
3. Were there Old Testament precedents to what Jesus did?
Absolutely. There are several, and the biggest precedent was set by the Prophet Jeremiah, who disrupted the Temple to deliver a sermon and demonstration of judgment against the Temple and against Judea in general. Check out Jeremiah 7:1-4, 8-15:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the Lord. 3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. 4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.” . . . 8 Here you are, trusting in deceptive words to no avail. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, 10 and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, “We are safe!”—only to go on doing all these abominations? 11 Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight? You know, I too am watching, says the Lord. 12 Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 And now, because you have done all these things, says the Lord, and when I spoke to you persistently, you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, 14 therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your ancestors, just what I did to Shiloh. 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, just as I cast out all your kinsfolk, all the offspring of Ephraim.
Here Jeremiah was telling the people that Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed and that they would go into exile- Jesus will give a very similar message to the crowd and to His disciples in Matthew 21,22 and 24 (just as John the Baptist did in Matthew 3). So here’s a key: Jesus’ action is connected to God’s judgment upon the Temple and its leadership.
4. What does Jesus mean by a ‘den of robbers’?
A better translation for this would be a ‘den of brigands’. There were, throughout Israel’s history, gangs of outlaws who hid in the caves in and around the mountains of Judah (even into the Roman era). This same word (lestai in Greek) was used to described these outlaws/rebels . . . it was a a word used for petty thievery, but for dangerous and violent brigands whose lives were the epitome of unholiness. And Jesus, like Jeremiah before him, is saying this is what the Temple leadership are like. The Temple was meant to be a “house of prayer”- that is a place where people come into God’s presence- and had become instead a place where Israel’s false shepherds consolidated their power and denied God’s Messiah His rightful place of leadership.
5. How might we interpret Jesus’ actions?
Many of the prophets of Israel performed prophetic “signs” (Jeremiah breaks a pot, Ezekiel lays on his side for almost a year, Isaiah walks around naked, etc.) to demonstrate a point. I believe Jesus’ overturning the table functioned in a similar way- it was a demonstration of God’s judgment on the Temple, and brought sacrifice to a halt, which was what Jesus claimed God would do in the near future.
Furthermore, Jesus’ actions were a symbol of His authority as the Messiah, the one who has a legitimate claim over Temple leadership. The King of Israel had the ability to command sacrifice or to halt it and Jesus’ is enacting that right on a symbolic scale. Jesus also demonstrates what true worship should look like in the Temple at this point by allowing the blind, lame and children to come to Him and receive healing. This event then, in a sense, is a brief moment of restoration of the Temple to its proper role of connecting people with God’s saving work. However, its brevity underlines its purpose of being a symbol of what God really desires from the Temple.
Monday, July 25, 2016
Matthew 18-20: Kingdom Leadership
Scattered across Matthew 18-20 are a variety of Jesus’ teachings about leadership in the Kingdom of God. In short, Kingdom leadership is in many ways the inverse of secular leadership, as the greatest in the Kingdom are those who sacrifice themselves and dedicate themselves to serving others. Furthermore, Kingdom leaders recognize that God desires the most vulnerable of His people to be protected and cared for, and not just the people who society values. Here are the salient points of Kingdom leadership according to Jesus:
Matthew 18:1-5
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Matthew 18:10-14
“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
Matthew 19:13-15
Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
Matthew 20:24-28
When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 26 It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
All of these verses point to what the King of Israel was always supposed to be, and the leadership of Israel in general. Note that these issues of leadership were near the heart of Jesus’ battle with the Pharisees, Scribes, and ultimately with the Chief Priests and Sadducees. All of Jesus’ criticism of these groups, and Jesus’ philosophy of leadership are echoes of Ezekiel 34, where Ezekiel describes illegitimate leadership and prophecies about a future shepherd who will lead in righteousness . . .
Ezekiel 34:1-6: The Bad Shepherds (Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, Chief Priests)
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them—to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4 You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.
Ezekiel 34:11-19: The True Shepherd (Jesus)
For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 12 As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
17 As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats: 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have fouled with your feet?
Matthew 18:1-5
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Matthew 18:10-14
“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.
Matthew 19:13-15
Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; 14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” 15 And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.
Matthew 20:24-28
When the ten heard it, they were angry with the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. 26 It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
All of these verses point to what the King of Israel was always supposed to be, and the leadership of Israel in general. Note that these issues of leadership were near the heart of Jesus’ battle with the Pharisees, Scribes, and ultimately with the Chief Priests and Sadducees. All of Jesus’ criticism of these groups, and Jesus’ philosophy of leadership are echoes of Ezekiel 34, where Ezekiel describes illegitimate leadership and prophecies about a future shepherd who will lead in righteousness . . .
Ezekiel 34:1-6: The Bad Shepherds (Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, Chief Priests)
The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them—to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord God: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. 4 You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. 5 So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. 6 My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.
Ezekiel 34:11-19: The True Shepherd (Jesus)
For thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. 12 As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. 14 I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. 16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
17 As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord God: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats: 18 Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet? 19 And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have fouled with your feet?
Saturday, July 23, 2016
Matthew 18: Gentiles and Tax Collectors
In Matthew 18 we find Jesus discussing norms and practices in the body of the disciples (i.e. the church). In 18:15-17 Jesus teaches the disciples how they should deal sin within the church. He says:
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
The end of verse 17 has been one of the most misused in church history (which is saying something). Many people have interpreted Jesus' words as meaning that those who sin in the church and do not repent should be thrown out and then shunned or pushed away. The problem with this interpretation is that Jesus did not shun tax collectors or Gentiles, or refuse their company. Rather, Jesus treated them as people who were outside the bounds of God's covenant and needed to be won over. So what Jesus is saying is that if folks inside the church refuse to repent we need to consider them as people who are still outside the Kingdom and in need of conversion. While this means their participation in the community will be limited, it does not mean that they should be considered "contaminants" to be avoided or the like.
“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
The end of verse 17 has been one of the most misused in church history (which is saying something). Many people have interpreted Jesus' words as meaning that those who sin in the church and do not repent should be thrown out and then shunned or pushed away. The problem with this interpretation is that Jesus did not shun tax collectors or Gentiles, or refuse their company. Rather, Jesus treated them as people who were outside the bounds of God's covenant and needed to be won over. So what Jesus is saying is that if folks inside the church refuse to repent we need to consider them as people who are still outside the Kingdom and in need of conversion. While this means their participation in the community will be limited, it does not mean that they should be considered "contaminants" to be avoided or the like.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Matthew 17: Transfiguration
The Transfiguration is perhaps the most “other-worldly” event in the Gospel of Matthew, and also one of the most difficult to understand. When we explore the allusions and connections with the Old Testament however, and previous events in the Gospel of Matthew, we can gain a better perspective on what is happening here. Let’s break down some of the events to consider the overall significance:
Jesus becomes “dazzling” like the sun (17:2).
Matthew’s words here echo Daniel 12:1-3: At that time . . . your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
This passage in Daniel was talking about the resurrection and the advent of the Kingdom of God. Clearly then, Jesus is shown here to possess the power of the Kingdom in Himself. The Kingdom of God has already arrived in Jesus then, even if not in its full power. That is the starting point for the revelation of the Transfiguration.
2. Moses and Elijah are seen with Jesus (17:3)
First off, Moses and Elijah are the two prophets who escape an ordinary death. Moses dies “at the Lord’s command” (Deut. 34:5 . . . almost like God calling him directly to heaven), and Elijah is taken up into heaven directly in 2 Kings 2:11. Jesus, we know, will be the one who defeats death. Furthermore, Deuteronomy 18:15 records Moses saying that God would raise up “a prophet like me” to lead Israel, and Jesus is clearly the recipient of that. Many Israelites at this time believed that “the prophet” would be one who would restore Israel. Finally, both Moses and Elijah encountered God and were commissioned on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15-18, 33:18-23, and 1 Kings 19:8-13). Moses also indirectly shines with the glory of God and enters the cloud which accompanies God’s presence. The point of then here is that Jesus is set apart like Moses and Elijah, and already stands among them as a great prophet. He will be elevated even higher though by God . . .
3. God speaks to the disciples in the midst of the cloud of glory (17:5)
The “bright cloud” is the symbol of God’s presence. God lead the Israelites through the wilderness during the Exodus via cloud, Moses entered the cloud on Sinai, and the presence of God in the Tabernacle and Temple was in a cloud. Jesus then has lead the disciples into God’s presence. (And it should be noted that the cloud being outside of the Temple would be an issue . . . God was supposed to operate on Temple grounds.) God reaffirms exactly what He said to Jesus at his baptism to the disciples: Jesus is the Messiah (Son of God) and therefore the ultimate authority on earth for the disciples . . . they must listen to Him! Note that this comes directly after the story of Peter wanting Jesus to avoid violent death- what the disciples have to do is listen and trust that Jesus is what God has revealed Him to be even in the midst of an inglorious death on the cross. This vision must be what they remember even as He sacrifices Himself.
So then, we can say the Transfiguration shows us . . .
The power of the Kingdom has arrived with Jesus.
Jesus stands as the great prophet, leading an Exodus like Moses and in the prophetic tradition of Elijah.
Jesus is the Messiah- and must be listened to (i.e. obeyed)- even as He will give His life in sacrifice. . . the disciples must begin to trust His way and follow along.
Jesus becomes “dazzling” like the sun (17:2).
Matthew’s words here echo Daniel 12:1-3: At that time . . . your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. 2 Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
This passage in Daniel was talking about the resurrection and the advent of the Kingdom of God. Clearly then, Jesus is shown here to possess the power of the Kingdom in Himself. The Kingdom of God has already arrived in Jesus then, even if not in its full power. That is the starting point for the revelation of the Transfiguration.
2. Moses and Elijah are seen with Jesus (17:3)
First off, Moses and Elijah are the two prophets who escape an ordinary death. Moses dies “at the Lord’s command” (Deut. 34:5 . . . almost like God calling him directly to heaven), and Elijah is taken up into heaven directly in 2 Kings 2:11. Jesus, we know, will be the one who defeats death. Furthermore, Deuteronomy 18:15 records Moses saying that God would raise up “a prophet like me” to lead Israel, and Jesus is clearly the recipient of that. Many Israelites at this time believed that “the prophet” would be one who would restore Israel. Finally, both Moses and Elijah encountered God and were commissioned on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:15-18, 33:18-23, and 1 Kings 19:8-13). Moses also indirectly shines with the glory of God and enters the cloud which accompanies God’s presence. The point of then here is that Jesus is set apart like Moses and Elijah, and already stands among them as a great prophet. He will be elevated even higher though by God . . .
3. God speaks to the disciples in the midst of the cloud of glory (17:5)
The “bright cloud” is the symbol of God’s presence. God lead the Israelites through the wilderness during the Exodus via cloud, Moses entered the cloud on Sinai, and the presence of God in the Tabernacle and Temple was in a cloud. Jesus then has lead the disciples into God’s presence. (And it should be noted that the cloud being outside of the Temple would be an issue . . . God was supposed to operate on Temple grounds.) God reaffirms exactly what He said to Jesus at his baptism to the disciples: Jesus is the Messiah (Son of God) and therefore the ultimate authority on earth for the disciples . . . they must listen to Him! Note that this comes directly after the story of Peter wanting Jesus to avoid violent death- what the disciples have to do is listen and trust that Jesus is what God has revealed Him to be even in the midst of an inglorious death on the cross. This vision must be what they remember even as He sacrifices Himself.
So then, we can say the Transfiguration shows us . . .
The power of the Kingdom has arrived with Jesus.
Jesus stands as the great prophet, leading an Exodus like Moses and in the prophetic tradition of Elijah.
Jesus is the Messiah- and must be listened to (i.e. obeyed)- even as He will give His life in sacrifice. . . the disciples must begin to trust His way and follow along.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Matthew 15: the "Canaanite" Woman
One of the more troubling stories in the Gospel of Matthew is Jesus’ encounter with the “Canaanite” woman in 15:21-28. While most Christians don’t have a problem with Jesus’ focus on reaching “the lost sheep of Israel” it seems like Jesus is pretty prejudiced when this woman asks Him to help her daughter, as He refers to her as one of “the dogs”. So the question is: why does Matthew tell us this story? What is he trying to show us about Jesus through this potentially offensive (to a modern audience) story?
Issue #1: Redefining Purity
This story is a great example of why it’s important to read scripture in large chunks. Jesus has just finished having a showdown with the Pharisees about purity (15:1-20), in which He essentially claims that purity is not about exterior rituals (which the Pharisees use to determine who’s “in” and who’s “out”) but about the heart. All “loyal” Israelites would consider a Gentile woman unclean, and particularly one who is walking around with a demonized child. As such, they would have strictly avoided her. However, her belief in Jesus as the Messiah (“Son of David” she calls Him in 15:22) gets her an audience with Him. Her humility and persistence then result in Jesus “cleansing” her daughter of demons. Ultimately the woman shows herself to be one who is pure because of the state of her heart, and not because of proper observance of rituals. Jesus, in a sense, allows her to prove this level of faith (this purity of heart) by his very hard words towards her, and thereby shows exactly what the Pharisees are missing.
Issue #2: Reconciliation
Interestingly, when Mark tells this story (Mark 7:24-30) he refers to the woman as the “Syro-Phoenician” woman and not the “Canaanite” woman. Mark is correct in doing so, for there were no “Canaanites” left by the time this story took place . . . that tribe (or conglomeration of tribes) had vanished hundred and hundreds of years before. The Canaanites, however, were some of Israel’s bitterest enemies in the early years of the Judges, and “Canaanite” therefore is synonymous with “enemy” in the Old Testament. The point then that Matthew is making is that Jesus, through His ministry, is breaking down this rivalry and allowing for Gentiles to have reconciliation with Israel. When the “Canaanite” woman bows to him (15:25), the King of Israel, we see God’s plan to end the struggle between the Gentiles and Israel through the Messiah.
Issue #1: Redefining Purity
This story is a great example of why it’s important to read scripture in large chunks. Jesus has just finished having a showdown with the Pharisees about purity (15:1-20), in which He essentially claims that purity is not about exterior rituals (which the Pharisees use to determine who’s “in” and who’s “out”) but about the heart. All “loyal” Israelites would consider a Gentile woman unclean, and particularly one who is walking around with a demonized child. As such, they would have strictly avoided her. However, her belief in Jesus as the Messiah (“Son of David” she calls Him in 15:22) gets her an audience with Him. Her humility and persistence then result in Jesus “cleansing” her daughter of demons. Ultimately the woman shows herself to be one who is pure because of the state of her heart, and not because of proper observance of rituals. Jesus, in a sense, allows her to prove this level of faith (this purity of heart) by his very hard words towards her, and thereby shows exactly what the Pharisees are missing.
Issue #2: Reconciliation
Interestingly, when Mark tells this story (Mark 7:24-30) he refers to the woman as the “Syro-Phoenician” woman and not the “Canaanite” woman. Mark is correct in doing so, for there were no “Canaanites” left by the time this story took place . . . that tribe (or conglomeration of tribes) had vanished hundred and hundreds of years before. The Canaanites, however, were some of Israel’s bitterest enemies in the early years of the Judges, and “Canaanite” therefore is synonymous with “enemy” in the Old Testament. The point then that Matthew is making is that Jesus, through His ministry, is breaking down this rivalry and allowing for Gentiles to have reconciliation with Israel. When the “Canaanite” woman bows to him (15:25), the King of Israel, we see God’s plan to end the struggle between the Gentiles and Israel through the Messiah.
Monday, July 11, 2016
Matthew 14: Death of the Baptist
The execution of John the Baptist at the hands of Herod marks a turning point in Matthew’s Gospel. We will not see Jesus again teaching large crowds in Galilee, and in fact it is a safe assumption that Jesus’ trip up to the districts near Tyre and Sidon in Matthew 15-16 is a reaction to the threat of Herod arresting Jesus prematurely. Matthew has placed the story of John’s death right in the middle of his gospel, which is surely intentional. The death of John brings home the reality that Jesus’ movement will not be accepted by the established powers in Israel, and marks the point when the readers of the gospel are aware that there will be a significant conflict down the road for Jesus.
Herod is presented by Matthew as the example of the wicked, illegitimate king- the false shepherd- who stand in the way of Jesus’ work. In the brief story of his having John killed consider all that he does that contrasts with Jesus’ life and teaching:
He persecutes God’s servant (compare 5:11-12)
He puts more stock in pleasing humans than God (compare 10:28)
He indulges lust (compare 5:27-30)
He makes careless oaths (compare 5:33-37)
He cares more about his image than his people (compare 20:24-28)
Herod in this story looks like a typical, Gentile king in the Bible. In fact, he looks very much like Pharaoh in the story of the Exodus. It should perhaps not come as a surprise then that Matthew immediately goes into the story of the feeding of 5000, which obviously points us again towards Jesus as a new Moses, and leading a new Exodus to rebirth Israel.
While we in the United States don’t give much thought to the gospel facing this kind of political enemy, this story can serve as a great reminder to what many of our brothers and sisters face in parts of Africa and Asia. And it raises some questions for us: knowing that rulers like Herod exist and work against the gospel, what can we do about it? Do we use our political rights and abilities to advocate for our suffering family in Christ? Do we know about their struggle? If not, how can we change that? And how can we support gospel work in closed and dangerous parts of the world?
Herod is presented by Matthew as the example of the wicked, illegitimate king- the false shepherd- who stand in the way of Jesus’ work. In the brief story of his having John killed consider all that he does that contrasts with Jesus’ life and teaching:
He persecutes God’s servant (compare 5:11-12)
He puts more stock in pleasing humans than God (compare 10:28)
He indulges lust (compare 5:27-30)
He makes careless oaths (compare 5:33-37)
He cares more about his image than his people (compare 20:24-28)
Herod in this story looks like a typical, Gentile king in the Bible. In fact, he looks very much like Pharaoh in the story of the Exodus. It should perhaps not come as a surprise then that Matthew immediately goes into the story of the feeding of 5000, which obviously points us again towards Jesus as a new Moses, and leading a new Exodus to rebirth Israel.
While we in the United States don’t give much thought to the gospel facing this kind of political enemy, this story can serve as a great reminder to what many of our brothers and sisters face in parts of Africa and Asia. And it raises some questions for us: knowing that rulers like Herod exist and work against the gospel, what can we do about it? Do we use our political rights and abilities to advocate for our suffering family in Christ? Do we know about their struggle? If not, how can we change that? And how can we support gospel work in closed and dangerous parts of the world?
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Matthew 13: Wheat, Weeds and Pharisees
Jesus tells one of His most fascinating parables in Matthew 13:24-30 about wheat and weeds:
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
The point of the parable is to instruct the disciples on why it is not their job to carry out God’s judgment and eliminate evil from the world (or even from their own nation of Israel). Jesus claims that the disciples cannot eliminate evil or evil people without significant collateral damage because it is completely enmeshed with the good around it. Instead, the disciples are just to do their job (preaching the gospel, making disciples, healing, etc.) and entrust judgment and the “cleansing” of the field to God.
This is a great example of a place where Jesus sharply disagreed with the Pharisees. Both Jesus and the Pharisees wanted Israel, and the whole world, to be cleansed and renewed by God. However, the Pharisees believe they have the authority and the tools (by judging who keeps the Law) to do this. In fact, the Pharisees believed that until this sort of "weeding" (like what we say in 1 Maccabees in the post about the Pharisees) was done Israel would not be renewed by God.
It’s easy to sit back from our relaxed perspective today and say that it’s outrageous for the Pharisees to claim this power. However, it’s worth asking: how do we react when we then go on to read the story of Herod and John the Baptist? Many of us, just reading that story, would like to see Herod and his entourage “weeded” out of the field! And we didn’t even have to live under Herod! If we’re honest, we are often far more sympathetic to the Pharisees’ perspective (the world would be a better place if we could get rid of the weeds!) than we’d like to believe.
A few questions:
How have we seen these dynamics at play in our contemporary world? Do we see success in the modern efforts to “weed” out the evil in the world?
Who do we struggle to trust God’s judgment with? Who are we tempted to “weed out” ourselves (or have others do the weeding)?
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
The point of the parable is to instruct the disciples on why it is not their job to carry out God’s judgment and eliminate evil from the world (or even from their own nation of Israel). Jesus claims that the disciples cannot eliminate evil or evil people without significant collateral damage because it is completely enmeshed with the good around it. Instead, the disciples are just to do their job (preaching the gospel, making disciples, healing, etc.) and entrust judgment and the “cleansing” of the field to God.
This is a great example of a place where Jesus sharply disagreed with the Pharisees. Both Jesus and the Pharisees wanted Israel, and the whole world, to be cleansed and renewed by God. However, the Pharisees believe they have the authority and the tools (by judging who keeps the Law) to do this. In fact, the Pharisees believed that until this sort of "weeding" (like what we say in 1 Maccabees in the post about the Pharisees) was done Israel would not be renewed by God.
It’s easy to sit back from our relaxed perspective today and say that it’s outrageous for the Pharisees to claim this power. However, it’s worth asking: how do we react when we then go on to read the story of Herod and John the Baptist? Many of us, just reading that story, would like to see Herod and his entourage “weeded” out of the field! And we didn’t even have to live under Herod! If we’re honest, we are often far more sympathetic to the Pharisees’ perspective (the world would be a better place if we could get rid of the weeds!) than we’d like to believe.
A few questions:
How have we seen these dynamics at play in our contemporary world? Do we see success in the modern efforts to “weed” out the evil in the world?
Who do we struggle to trust God’s judgment with? Who are we tempted to “weed out” ourselves (or have others do the weeding)?
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Jesus and the Sabbath
Some of the sharpest exchanges between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes in the beginning stages of Jesus' ministry related to proper observance of the Sabbath. The Pharisees followed traditional customs which mandated against physical activities, even including healing. Jesus, we can suppose, usually lived by similar customs (as He goes to the synagogues on the Sabbath) yet also argued for a wider interpretation of what the Sabbath was about. The Pharisees observed the Sabbath as a way to honor God, and also as a means of expressing their loyalty to God over against those who didn't observe it as strictly as they did. Absolute rest (as physical non-exertion) proved their loyalty.
Jesus however had a different view of what "rest" was really about, and there is plenty of scripture that Jesus could have drawn upon to back up His viewpoint. In the Old Testament, all the way back to Genesis 1, "rest" is often used as indicating things being in their proper order: God is on the heavenly throne, Israel is properly ruled, and the land and people are cared for. We see this in the following scriptures:
Deuteronomy 12:10-11
10 When you cross over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is allotting to you, and when he gives you rest from your enemies all around so that you live in safety, 11 then you shall bring everything that I command you to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and your donations, and all your choice votive gifts that you vow to the Lord.
Judges 3:10-11
The spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel; he went out to war, and the Lord gave King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
1 Kings 8:54-56
Now when Solomon finished offering all this prayer and this plea to the Lord, he arose from facing the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven; 55 he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice: 56 “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke through his servant Moses.
Rest in all of these instances did not mean that all activity ceased, but rather that things were set right. The Sabbath then could be interpreted as a sign of the world set right, as it was right in the very beginning (Genesis 1). Jesus' entire ministry could be viewed as giving the world rest then, as He said in Matthew 11:29, "Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest." Viewed like this, Jesus' healing on the Sabbath was exactly what the Sabbath was meant to point to: God's order established in the world (and the Kingdom of God as an unending Sabbath). So Jesus does not disregard the Sabbath, rather, He fulfills it.
Jesus however had a different view of what "rest" was really about, and there is plenty of scripture that Jesus could have drawn upon to back up His viewpoint. In the Old Testament, all the way back to Genesis 1, "rest" is often used as indicating things being in their proper order: God is on the heavenly throne, Israel is properly ruled, and the land and people are cared for. We see this in the following scriptures:
Deuteronomy 12:10-11
10 When you cross over the Jordan and live in the land that the Lord your God is allotting to you, and when he gives you rest from your enemies all around so that you live in safety, 11 then you shall bring everything that I command you to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and your donations, and all your choice votive gifts that you vow to the Lord.
Judges 3:10-11
The spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel; he went out to war, and the Lord gave King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.
1 Kings 8:54-56
Now when Solomon finished offering all this prayer and this plea to the Lord, he arose from facing the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven; 55 he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice: 56 “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke through his servant Moses.
Rest in all of these instances did not mean that all activity ceased, but rather that things were set right. The Sabbath then could be interpreted as a sign of the world set right, as it was right in the very beginning (Genesis 1). Jesus' entire ministry could be viewed as giving the world rest then, as He said in Matthew 11:29, "Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest." Viewed like this, Jesus' healing on the Sabbath was exactly what the Sabbath was meant to point to: God's order established in the world (and the Kingdom of God as an unending Sabbath). So Jesus does not disregard the Sabbath, rather, He fulfills it.
Understanding the Pharisees
In the Gospels (and especially in Matthew) a particular group of Israelites, the Pharisees, appear to be Jesus' archenemies. Once we get into chapter twelve it seems like Jesus fights with the Pharisees chapter after chapter until His death. Over the centuries, the Pharisees have become caricatures of hopelessly self-righteous religious people, and examples of all that was wrong with Israel at the time of Jesus. This assessment of the Pharisees is in many ways unfair and lacks historical perspective. In their time, the Pharisees were the loyalists of Israel who stood against Gentile oppressors and cultural accommodation. Rather, they fervently believed (as Jesus did) that God would restore Israel and resurrect His faithful servants. Where they disagreed with Jesus, and it is a significant disagreement, was how the restoration would happen. Jesus believed it would come through God's grace and mercy, and through Him as the Messiah, whereas the Pharisees believed Israel could only be restored by purging the country of 'sinners' and Gentiles.
In order to understand the history behind the Pharisees I am going to post some passages from the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees, which covers the history of Israel's rebellion against the Seleucid Greek Empire (including Hanukkah) and the restoration of the Israelite monarchy in 167BC. Pay attention to how the hero, Matthias, behaves and speaks; he is a forerunner to the Pharisees. In many ways he is a picture of an idealized and militarized Pharisee.
1 Maccabees 1:1-24
After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.) 2 He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth. 3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. 4 He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they became tributary to him.
5 After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. 6 So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. 7 And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.
8 Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. 9 They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years; and they caused many evils on the earth.
10 From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11 In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.” 12 This proposal pleased them, 13 and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. 14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom, 15 and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.
16 When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. 17 So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. 18 He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. 19 They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.
20 After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred forty-third year. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. 21 He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. 22 He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. 23 He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. 24 Taking them all, he went into his own land.
1:41-62
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, 42 and that all should give up their particular customs. 43 All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. 44 And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45 to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46 to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47 to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48 and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49 so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50 He added, “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”
51 In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town. 52 Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; 53 they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
54 Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, 55 and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. 56 The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. 57 Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king. 58 They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. 59 On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. 60 According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, 61 and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.
62 But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. 63 They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. 64 Very great wrath came upon Israel.
2:14-28
Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.
15 The king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. 16 Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. 17 Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: “You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers. 18 Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.”
19 But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, every one of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, 20 I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. 21 Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. 22 We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.”
23 When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king’s command. 24 When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him on the altar. 25 At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. 26 Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.
27 Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: “Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!” 28 Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town.
2:42-70
Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law. 43 And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them. 44 They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety. 45 And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; 46 they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel. 47 They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands. 48 They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.
49 Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. 50 Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.
51 “Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name. 52 Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? 53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt. 54 Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood. 55 Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel. 56 Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land. 57 David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever. 58 Elijah, because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. 59 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame. 60 Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.
61 “And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength. 62 Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms. 63 Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. 64 My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.
65 “Here is your brother Simeon who, I know, is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father. 66 Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples. 67 You shall rally around you all who observe the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. 68 Pay back the Gentiles in full, and obey the commands of the law.”
69 Then he blessed them, and was gathered to his ancestors. 70 He died in the one hundred forty-sixth year and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors at Modein. And all Israel mourned for him with great lamentation.
In order to understand the history behind the Pharisees I am going to post some passages from the apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees, which covers the history of Israel's rebellion against the Seleucid Greek Empire (including Hanukkah) and the restoration of the Israelite monarchy in 167BC. Pay attention to how the hero, Matthias, behaves and speaks; he is a forerunner to the Pharisees. In many ways he is a picture of an idealized and militarized Pharisee.
1 Maccabees 1:1-24
After Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeated King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.) 2 He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth. 3 He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. 4 He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they became tributary to him.
5 After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. 6 So he summoned his most honored officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. 7 And after Alexander had reigned twelve years, he died.
8 Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. 9 They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years; and they caused many evils on the earth.
10 From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.
11 In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, “Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.” 12 This proposal pleased them, 13 and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. 14 So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom, 15 and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.
16 When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. 17 So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. 18 He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. 19 They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.
20 After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred forty-third year. He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. 21 He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. 22 He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. 23 He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. 24 Taking them all, he went into his own land.
1:41-62
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, 42 and that all should give up their particular customs. 43 All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. 44 And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, 45 to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, 46 to defile the sanctuary and the priests, 47 to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, 48 and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, 49 so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. 50 He added, “And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.”
51 In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town. 52 Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; 53 they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.
54 Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, 55 and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. 56 The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. 57 Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king. 58 They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. 59 On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt offering. 60 According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, 61 and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.
62 But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. 63 They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. 64 Very great wrath came upon Israel.
2:14-28
Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.
15 The king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. 16 Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. 17 Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: “You are a leader, honored and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers. 18 Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts.”
19 But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: “Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, every one of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, 20 I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. 21 Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. 22 We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.”
23 When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king’s command. 24 When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him on the altar. 25 At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. 26 Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.
27 Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: “Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!” 28 Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town.
2:42-70
Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law. 43 And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them. 44 They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety. 45 And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; 46 they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel. 47 They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands. 48 They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.
49 Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: “Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. 50 Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.
51 “Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honor and an everlasting name. 52 Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? 53 Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt. 54 Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood. 55 Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel. 56 Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land. 57 David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom forever. 58 Elijah, because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. 59 Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame. 60 Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.
61 “And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength. 62 Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms. 63 Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. 64 My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honor.
65 “Here is your brother Simeon who, I know, is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father. 66 Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples. 67 You shall rally around you all who observe the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. 68 Pay back the Gentiles in full, and obey the commands of the law.”
69 Then he blessed them, and was gathered to his ancestors. 70 He died in the one hundred forty-sixth year and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors at Modein. And all Israel mourned for him with great lamentation.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Mattew 10: Taking up our Cross
One of the lines that I frequently heard in church growing up was that so-and-so had a "cross to bear". Often this "cross-bearing" referred to going through generally difficult life circumstances: illness, family problems, financial problems and the like. The assumption was that "bearing a cross" meant facing these hard realities with faithfulness; it meant facing them as disciples of Christ. While I think the intentions behind these words were good the saying raises a question: is that what Jesus really meant when He calls His disciples to "take up the cross and follow me" in Matthew 10:38?
The context of Matthew 10 is Jesus sending His disciples out to participate in His mission. They will be healing, teaching, and exhorting the people of Galilee to align themselves with Jesus' mission (i.e. the Kingdom of God). As Jesus is sending His disciples He gives them a lengthy warning, and explains that the road ahead will not be easy. He says they will face rejection (10:14), arrest (10:17), flogging and "courtroom" trials (10:18), betrayal (10:22), general persecution (10:23) and ultimately death (10:28). Quite a list!
All of these things point to a different meaning behind "bearing a cross" than the usage I grew up with. When Jesus said "bearing a cross" He meant suffering for the sake of His mission or because of participation in His mission. "Taking up a cross" is not facing the difficulties of normal human life, but rather laying down ones life for the cause of Jesus. When we "bear our crosses" we deny ourselves, our rights, privileges and desires, in order to be a part of something greater.
This interpretation is further strengthened by Jesus' words in the immediately following verse (10:39), "Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." We are called upon to surrender to God (repent!), and then join into Jesus' mission and sacrifice (cross to bear). While this will cost us being our own king and directing life to meet our needs, it will be the means by which we will find true and lasting life in God's Kingdom.
The context of Matthew 10 is Jesus sending His disciples out to participate in His mission. They will be healing, teaching, and exhorting the people of Galilee to align themselves with Jesus' mission (i.e. the Kingdom of God). As Jesus is sending His disciples He gives them a lengthy warning, and explains that the road ahead will not be easy. He says they will face rejection (10:14), arrest (10:17), flogging and "courtroom" trials (10:18), betrayal (10:22), general persecution (10:23) and ultimately death (10:28). Quite a list!
All of these things point to a different meaning behind "bearing a cross" than the usage I grew up with. When Jesus said "bearing a cross" He meant suffering for the sake of His mission or because of participation in His mission. "Taking up a cross" is not facing the difficulties of normal human life, but rather laying down ones life for the cause of Jesus. When we "bear our crosses" we deny ourselves, our rights, privileges and desires, in order to be a part of something greater.
This interpretation is further strengthened by Jesus' words in the immediately following verse (10:39), "Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." We are called upon to surrender to God (repent!), and then join into Jesus' mission and sacrifice (cross to bear). While this will cost us being our own king and directing life to meet our needs, it will be the means by which we will find true and lasting life in God's Kingdom.
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Matthew 8-9: Jesus and Purity
One of the huge cultural issues that modern Western readers miss in the Gospels is the way that Jesus (seemingly) breaks purity laws. In Matthew 8-9 we see Jesus encounter a variety of people who would be considered “unclean” in ancient Israel: a leper, Gentiles, two demonized men in tombs, a woman with vaginal bleeding, and a dead girl. To be unclean was to be in a state of “ritual impurity”, it meant that these people were not supposed to be in the presence of the holy because their impurity would desecrate whatever holy item or person the touched or came near. These purity codes provided Israelites with a means to express their devotion to God: by recognizing God’s holiness was not an ordinary thing and ordering their lives in a particular way (according to the Law) they showed their desire to worship God and live in His presence. While impurity (being unclean) was not a sin, the Israelites were commanded to deal with it and cleanse themselves to maintain the holiness of their community.
In the books of Leviticus and Numbers we see examples of this pertaining to the above groups:
Lepers: Leviticus 13:9-17, 45-56
When a person contracts a leprous disease, he shall be brought to the priest. 10 The priest shall make an examination, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is quick raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic leprous disease in the skin of his body. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not confine him, for he is unclean. 12 But if the disease breaks out in the skin, so that it covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, so far as the priest can see, 13 then the priest shall make an examination, and if the disease has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; since it has all turned white, he is clean. 14 But if raw flesh ever appears on him, he shall be unclean; 15 the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean, for it is a leprous disease. 16 But if the raw flesh again turns white, he shall come to the priest; 17 the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has turned white, the priest shall pronounce the diseased person clean. He is clean.
Women with irregular vaginal “bleeding”: Leviticus 15:25-30
If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed on which she lies during all the days of her discharge shall be treated as the bed of her impurity; and everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity. 27 Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 28 If she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 30 The priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the Lord for her unclean discharge.
The Dead: Numbers 19:11-20
Those who touch the dead body of any human being shall be unclean seven days. 12 They shall purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean; but if they do not purify themselves on the third day and on the seventh day, they will not become clean. 13 All who touch a corpse, the body of a human being who has died, and do not purify themselves, defile the tabernacle of the Lord; such persons shall be cut off from Israel. Since water for cleansing was not dashed on them, they remain unclean; their uncleanness is still on them.
14 This is the law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15 And every open vessel with no cover fastened on it is unclean. 16 Whoever in the open field touches one who has been killed by a sword, or who has died naturally, or a human bone, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt purification offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel; 18 then a clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the furnishings, on the persons who were there, and on whoever touched the bone, the slain, the corpse, or the grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean ones on the third day and on the seventh day, thus purifying them on the seventh day. Then they shall wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water, and at evening they shall be clean. 20 Any who are unclean but do not purify themselves, those persons shall be cut off from the assembly, for they have defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. Since the water for cleansing has not been dashed on them, they are unclean.
Strikingly, in our stories from Matthew, Jesus is not concerned that He will be made unclean by His interactions with these groups of people. Given that Jesus was an obedient Israelite, this would be very surprising to both His disciples and on-lookers. And what’s even more surprising is that Jesus did command some of the people He healed to follow through with purity regulations themselves (Matthew 8:4).So why did Jesus disregard purity laws for Himself?
There are two concepts in the Old Testament that provide us with an answer to this question. First, God always has the power to cleanse the impure by obliterating impurity with His presence and power. God makes Moses holy (he glows!) by meeting with him on Mount Sinai. God makes Isaiah holy by having an angel touch his lips with a coal in a vision (Isaiah 6:8). Second, the priests who serve in God’s presence (the Temple) cannot be made impure by any of their priestly duties, even though they handle corpses and blood, the two most impure items in the Old Testament. As long as they are serving faithfully in God’s presence they have nothing to worry about. Both of these reasons could have provided Jesus the rationale to claim that issues of purity were non-issues for Him. He was full of God’s presence and power via the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4 when He’s baptized) and so He had the pure power to override impurity. Furthermore, Jesus was always serving God in God’s presence; He was the true High Priest endowed with the power to give holiness and purity to those He chose.
In the books of Leviticus and Numbers we see examples of this pertaining to the above groups:
Lepers: Leviticus 13:9-17, 45-56
When a person contracts a leprous disease, he shall be brought to the priest. 10 The priest shall make an examination, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is quick raw flesh in the swelling, 11 it is a chronic leprous disease in the skin of his body. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not confine him, for he is unclean. 12 But if the disease breaks out in the skin, so that it covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, so far as the priest can see, 13 then the priest shall make an examination, and if the disease has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; since it has all turned white, he is clean. 14 But if raw flesh ever appears on him, he shall be unclean; 15 the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean, for it is a leprous disease. 16 But if the raw flesh again turns white, he shall come to the priest; 17 the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has turned white, the priest shall pronounce the diseased person clean. He is clean.
Women with irregular vaginal “bleeding”: Leviticus 15:25-30
If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. 26 Every bed on which she lies during all the days of her discharge shall be treated as the bed of her impurity; and everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity. 27 Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. 28 If she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29 On the eighth day she shall take two turtledoves or two pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 30 The priest shall offer one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the Lord for her unclean discharge.
The Dead: Numbers 19:11-20
Those who touch the dead body of any human being shall be unclean seven days. 12 They shall purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean; but if they do not purify themselves on the third day and on the seventh day, they will not become clean. 13 All who touch a corpse, the body of a human being who has died, and do not purify themselves, defile the tabernacle of the Lord; such persons shall be cut off from Israel. Since water for cleansing was not dashed on them, they remain unclean; their uncleanness is still on them.
14 This is the law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days. 15 And every open vessel with no cover fastened on it is unclean. 16 Whoever in the open field touches one who has been killed by a sword, or who has died naturally, or a human bone, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days. 17 For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt purification offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel; 18 then a clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the furnishings, on the persons who were there, and on whoever touched the bone, the slain, the corpse, or the grave. 19 The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean ones on the third day and on the seventh day, thus purifying them on the seventh day. Then they shall wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water, and at evening they shall be clean. 20 Any who are unclean but do not purify themselves, those persons shall be cut off from the assembly, for they have defiled the sanctuary of the Lord. Since the water for cleansing has not been dashed on them, they are unclean.
Strikingly, in our stories from Matthew, Jesus is not concerned that He will be made unclean by His interactions with these groups of people. Given that Jesus was an obedient Israelite, this would be very surprising to both His disciples and on-lookers. And what’s even more surprising is that Jesus did command some of the people He healed to follow through with purity regulations themselves (Matthew 8:4).So why did Jesus disregard purity laws for Himself?
There are two concepts in the Old Testament that provide us with an answer to this question. First, God always has the power to cleanse the impure by obliterating impurity with His presence and power. God makes Moses holy (he glows!) by meeting with him on Mount Sinai. God makes Isaiah holy by having an angel touch his lips with a coal in a vision (Isaiah 6:8). Second, the priests who serve in God’s presence (the Temple) cannot be made impure by any of their priestly duties, even though they handle corpses and blood, the two most impure items in the Old Testament. As long as they are serving faithfully in God’s presence they have nothing to worry about. Both of these reasons could have provided Jesus the rationale to claim that issues of purity were non-issues for Him. He was full of God’s presence and power via the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4 when He’s baptized) and so He had the pure power to override impurity. Furthermore, Jesus was always serving God in God’s presence; He was the true High Priest endowed with the power to give holiness and purity to those He chose.
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Matthew 6: Wealth, Security and Worries
Matthew 6:19-34 is a passage that contains some of Jesus’ most remembered words about wealth and the worries that it creates. However, in a world that is far more wealthy than Jesus’, we sometimes miss the thrust of the passage. In the modern United States (and the “West” in general), we associate wealth with “stuff”; more money means more toys and entertainment. When we think about people serving wealth (Mammon, 6:24) we picture modern consumerism. And indeed, modern consumerism and materialism are powerful idols that pull people away from following Jesus. I have no doubt in my mind that Jesus would absolutely reject our culture of consumerism. But He goes further than that in this passage. In Jesus’ time wealth first and foremost meant security. Frankly, there just weren’t as many goods to be consumed and for all but a select few consumer goods did not motivate the acquisition of wealth. Wealth was found in cattle, and fields and homes and the like, and not tv’s or fancy trips. But if you had wealth you were set apart from the other 90% of the world which lived at the subsistence level, always hoping and praying that the next crop would come in, or the next ship with goods to sell would make it and that famine or destitution would be averted.
The ultimate point then that Jesus is making is about security and trust. People wanted wealth because it meant security. In fact Jesus says the Gentile world sought material security over everything else (6:32). The questions Jesus puts on the lips of the Gentiles point to fears about survival: “Where will we find food, water and clothes?” (6:31). Jesus however claims that to seek security first is to live a life of worries, because the world is out of our control (6:27). And it is impossible to seek God and security at the same time, because they demand vastly different things (6:24). Rather, God’s children should trust in Him to provide what they need. He is, after all, our Heavenly Father (the Lord’s Prayer, 6:9), and as a good father He knows how to care for His people. Interestingly, the three items Jesus brings up (food, water and clothes) are exactly what God provided to Israel while they wandered in the wilderness after the Exodus. In the Exodus story, the Israelites main task was to be obedient, and allow God to make a way forward for them. Jesus is suggesting here that it will be no different for His disciples. They must place their focus on the goal: God’s Kingdom and righteousness (compare to the Promise Land of the Exodus) and trust God to provide them the resources they need to sustain them along the way.
It should be noted that Jesus is not saying that all thought for future planning or wise provision should be rejected. Jesus expected (as we’ll see later) His disciples to be good stewards of all that God gave them and to use their wealth for good. The point is that His disciples do not make future provision and security their goal, nor will they put their trust in material security. Their trust is to be in God alone, and their goal to obey Him without fail, and to allow Him to provide the means to sustain them.
This passage should raise a few questions for us:
What sorts of worries do we carry? Do any of our worries display a lack of trust in God’s provision or character as a good Father and provider?
In what places has God given us the opportunity to step outside of our security or comfort zone? Are we taking Him up on those opportunities?
How have we seen God provide in our lives? Do we allow His provision for us to take away our fears for the future?
The ultimate point then that Jesus is making is about security and trust. People wanted wealth because it meant security. In fact Jesus says the Gentile world sought material security over everything else (6:32). The questions Jesus puts on the lips of the Gentiles point to fears about survival: “Where will we find food, water and clothes?” (6:31). Jesus however claims that to seek security first is to live a life of worries, because the world is out of our control (6:27). And it is impossible to seek God and security at the same time, because they demand vastly different things (6:24). Rather, God’s children should trust in Him to provide what they need. He is, after all, our Heavenly Father (the Lord’s Prayer, 6:9), and as a good father He knows how to care for His people. Interestingly, the three items Jesus brings up (food, water and clothes) are exactly what God provided to Israel while they wandered in the wilderness after the Exodus. In the Exodus story, the Israelites main task was to be obedient, and allow God to make a way forward for them. Jesus is suggesting here that it will be no different for His disciples. They must place their focus on the goal: God’s Kingdom and righteousness (compare to the Promise Land of the Exodus) and trust God to provide them the resources they need to sustain them along the way.
It should be noted that Jesus is not saying that all thought for future planning or wise provision should be rejected. Jesus expected (as we’ll see later) His disciples to be good stewards of all that God gave them and to use their wealth for good. The point is that His disciples do not make future provision and security their goal, nor will they put their trust in material security. Their trust is to be in God alone, and their goal to obey Him without fail, and to allow Him to provide the means to sustain them.
This passage should raise a few questions for us:
What sorts of worries do we carry? Do any of our worries display a lack of trust in God’s provision or character as a good Father and provider?
In what places has God given us the opportunity to step outside of our security or comfort zone? Are we taking Him up on those opportunities?
How have we seen God provide in our lives? Do we allow His provision for us to take away our fears for the future?
Monday, June 20, 2016
Matthew 5: Sermon on the Mount, Part One
Matthew 5 Blog: Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is all about how to live in light of the coming Kingdom (Note the audience for the Sermon- is it the crowd or the disciples?). Chapter five roughly breaks down into three parts:
The Beatitudes (5:3-11): The values of a Kingdom-centered life (“the good life”)
Here we see the values of the world are turned upside-down by Jesus in light of the reversal that will take place when God’s reign is established. The disciples are called to live now in such as way that will align with God’s future work, although it will make life difficult in the present. Note that there is a tone of irony here. The word “blessed” is perhaps not the best translation for the beatitudes . . . many bible teachers favor a translation that says “Happy the one who . . .”. The point is that wisdom, and what constitutes a well lived life, can only be determined in light of the Kingdom.
The Mission (5:12-20): The goal of the disciples
By adopting the values of the Kingdom the disciples can now fulfill what Israel was called to be so many years before (Exodus 19:1-6): to be a holy people and kingdom of priests that reveals God to the world. That’s what it means to be salt, light, and a city on a hill. Furthermore, as the disciples fulfill this mission they will fulfill the Law, and in so doing they will live in a manner worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Examples of Kingdom Living (5:21-48): What it looks like in practice
The best way to understand this section is to start at the end first. Jesus ends this part of the discourse by telling His disciples to “be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (5:48). Obviously, this is impossible. But that’s not the point. The point is, that God’s children are supposed to be like Him. They are supposed to be images of God who reveal to the world God’s character. This is exactly what God commanded Israel in Leviticus 19:2 (“You shall by holy, for I, the LORD your God am holy.”). Jesus does not accept “minimum” requirements like the Pharisees and scribes. The goal is NOT to just live up to a certain standard to be counted righteous. The point is for the disciples to live with their eyes fixed upon God and to imitate Him. There is obviously no end point to this journey, nor any place where one can rest easily in their righteousness. Each Law that Jesus names in this section is not bad in itself, but Jesus’ point is that the goal was never to meet these minimum requirements. The goal was never “don’t murder”, but to love your brother and sister. The goal was never “don’t commit adultery”, but to dedicate oneself wholly to one’s spouse. Each of these teaching points is about the abolishing minimum standards and pursuing the God’s full intentions.
The Sermon on the Mount is all about how to live in light of the coming Kingdom (Note the audience for the Sermon- is it the crowd or the disciples?). Chapter five roughly breaks down into three parts:
The Beatitudes (5:3-11): The values of a Kingdom-centered life (“the good life”)
Here we see the values of the world are turned upside-down by Jesus in light of the reversal that will take place when God’s reign is established. The disciples are called to live now in such as way that will align with God’s future work, although it will make life difficult in the present. Note that there is a tone of irony here. The word “blessed” is perhaps not the best translation for the beatitudes . . . many bible teachers favor a translation that says “Happy the one who . . .”. The point is that wisdom, and what constitutes a well lived life, can only be determined in light of the Kingdom.
The Mission (5:12-20): The goal of the disciples
By adopting the values of the Kingdom the disciples can now fulfill what Israel was called to be so many years before (Exodus 19:1-6): to be a holy people and kingdom of priests that reveals God to the world. That’s what it means to be salt, light, and a city on a hill. Furthermore, as the disciples fulfill this mission they will fulfill the Law, and in so doing they will live in a manner worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Examples of Kingdom Living (5:21-48): What it looks like in practice
The best way to understand this section is to start at the end first. Jesus ends this part of the discourse by telling His disciples to “be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (5:48). Obviously, this is impossible. But that’s not the point. The point is, that God’s children are supposed to be like Him. They are supposed to be images of God who reveal to the world God’s character. This is exactly what God commanded Israel in Leviticus 19:2 (“You shall by holy, for I, the LORD your God am holy.”). Jesus does not accept “minimum” requirements like the Pharisees and scribes. The goal is NOT to just live up to a certain standard to be counted righteous. The point is for the disciples to live with their eyes fixed upon God and to imitate Him. There is obviously no end point to this journey, nor any place where one can rest easily in their righteousness. Each Law that Jesus names in this section is not bad in itself, but Jesus’ point is that the goal was never to meet these minimum requirements. The goal was never “don’t murder”, but to love your brother and sister. The goal was never “don’t commit adultery”, but to dedicate oneself wholly to one’s spouse. Each of these teaching points is about the abolishing minimum standards and pursuing the God’s full intentions.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Matthew 4: Temptation
The first thing that stands out to us is that immediately in these stories is how they point back to Israel. We saw how Jesus’ story paralleled Moses’ story, and now we have Jesus going into and out of the water and then into the wilderness in the same way Israel went through the Red Sea and into the wilderness. As the King of Israel (Messiah) Jesus is a living embodiment of Israel and His actions point to how Israel should have been in the first place. Jesus is declared to be God’s Son by God in the baptism (as God made Israel His own in the Exodus when He led them out of Egypt through the Red Sea) and then faces temptations and struggle in the wilderness as Israel did.
Temptations: Ministry Strategy
In the temptations we see Satan attack Jesus on two fronts, His identity as God’s Son, and His ministry strategy. Obviously, the two are closely connected. The key is, Jesus’ identity informs His ministry strategy. If he trusts God to care for His Son, then He will not rely upon His own power and will not compromise on the means to achieve His ministry goals. If He doesn’t trust God, then He will be forced to rely on Himself and compromise to achieve His goals, and thus fail to fulfill His calling.
Temptation #1: Stones into bread
The first thing Satan goes after here is Jesus’ identity: “If you are God’s Son . . .”. This then is a trust thing- can Jesus simply trust what God has said (where have we seen this before)? Satan’s way of getting at the trust is in provision:
Will Jesus allow God to provide what He needs for Himself and His mission?
Will God validate Jesus’ ministry? Under Moses’ leadership Israel had manna . . .
Or will Jesus take it upon Himself to create a ministry by His own power ? (Give the people bread- keep them happy- and they will follow.)
Temptation #2: Jump from the Temple
Again, Satan questions God’s care for Jesus. After all, Satan says, God would never let His Son come to any harm, right? It’s all about trust!
Will Jesus trust God to rescue Him from the danger He knows He will face?
Will Jesus trust God without any proofs that God really will save Him?
Will Jesus trust God to provide the miraculous rescue and prove His identity to the people (ultimately the resurrection), or will Jesus prove it Himself?
Temptation #3: Conquer the World
Satan here goes after the identity and trust issues in a more subtle way. He shows Jesus something Jesus truly deserves: to be King of the world. But Jesus will have to compromise to get there- He can’t worship God alone and get this as easy as Satan offers. Satan is offering it without the sacrifice that Jesus knows is demanded if God’s will is to be done.
Will Jesus Jesus trust God to do it the harder and longer way, or take the quick and easy road?
Will Jesus trust God enough to recognize that the means and the ends cannot be separated- that Jesus cannot really be established as the King unless it’s done in God’s way?
Temptations: Ministry Strategy
In the temptations we see Satan attack Jesus on two fronts, His identity as God’s Son, and His ministry strategy. Obviously, the two are closely connected. The key is, Jesus’ identity informs His ministry strategy. If he trusts God to care for His Son, then He will not rely upon His own power and will not compromise on the means to achieve His ministry goals. If He doesn’t trust God, then He will be forced to rely on Himself and compromise to achieve His goals, and thus fail to fulfill His calling.
Temptation #1: Stones into bread
The first thing Satan goes after here is Jesus’ identity: “If you are God’s Son . . .”. This then is a trust thing- can Jesus simply trust what God has said (where have we seen this before)? Satan’s way of getting at the trust is in provision:
Will Jesus allow God to provide what He needs for Himself and His mission?
Will God validate Jesus’ ministry? Under Moses’ leadership Israel had manna . . .
Or will Jesus take it upon Himself to create a ministry by His own power ? (Give the people bread- keep them happy- and they will follow.)
Temptation #2: Jump from the Temple
Again, Satan questions God’s care for Jesus. After all, Satan says, God would never let His Son come to any harm, right? It’s all about trust!
Will Jesus trust God to rescue Him from the danger He knows He will face?
Will Jesus trust God without any proofs that God really will save Him?
Will Jesus trust God to provide the miraculous rescue and prove His identity to the people (ultimately the resurrection), or will Jesus prove it Himself?
Temptation #3: Conquer the World
Satan here goes after the identity and trust issues in a more subtle way. He shows Jesus something Jesus truly deserves: to be King of the world. But Jesus will have to compromise to get there- He can’t worship God alone and get this as easy as Satan offers. Satan is offering it without the sacrifice that Jesus knows is demanded if God’s will is to be done.
Will Jesus Jesus trust God to do it the harder and longer way, or take the quick and easy road?
Will Jesus trust God enough to recognize that the means and the ends cannot be separated- that Jesus cannot really be established as the King unless it’s done in God’s way?
Monday, June 13, 2016
Matthew 3: John the Baptist
John the Baptist is a character who is similar to the Magi in that he only briefly appears in the Gospels yet is frequently remembered through Sunday school lessons and bible story books. However, unlike the Magi, John is a critical character who provides the launching pad for Jesus' ministry. In spite of his importance John remains an enigma to modern readers who struggle to come to grips with his bizarre ministry and appearance in the wilderness. Let's try and shed some light on John by briefly looking at a few details of his ministry.
Wilderness: The first thing we are told about John is that he is in the wilderness (3:1). That should immediately ring some bells! The wilderness points us to the Exodus story: after Israel left Egypt they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering Canaan. In fact, we could say that Israel really became Israel in the wilderness. . . that's where they received the Torah and entered into a covenant with God. That's a critical piece right there: the wilderness is where it all began. John then is calling Israel back to their original calling, to be a priestly nation and holy people (Exodus 19:1-6). We can add to this the quote that Matthew gives us from Isaiah 40:1-11, which is a prophecy of a second and greater exodus of Israel from Babylon (from Gentile domination) and assigns it to John. In other words, John is kicking off a new Exodus for Israel . . .
Clothing: John's clothing should immediately remind us of the Prophet Elijah. Elijah was remembered as a "hairy man with a leather belt" (2 Kings 1:1-7) who opposed King Ahab and the other wicked rulers of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Guess where Elijah lived when he first appears on the scene? That's right, the wilderness of Judea! So we can guess that John's ministry parallels Elijah's in that he is going to oppose the wicked ruler of Judah, Herod. And calling for a new Exodus clearly condemns those who were currently leading Israel.
Message: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near". . . this is a cornerstone message for the Gospel of Matthew. In other words, turn back to God and live in alignment with the coming Kingdom. In other words, the time has come for the prophecies to be fulfilled and the Israelites need to rediscover their faithfulness in order to participate in what God is up to. If they don't, they can expect God's judgment (3:10).
Baptism: In light of the above, we can say that John's Baptism was something that people did in order to declare themselves loyal to the the renewed Israel which was aligned with the coming Kingdom. Their going out to the Jordan and returning from it pointed back to Israel's crossing the Jordan to conquer the Promise Land. Again, this would have been viewed as a political act- a repudiation of Israel's leadership and current direction.
Wilderness: The first thing we are told about John is that he is in the wilderness (3:1). That should immediately ring some bells! The wilderness points us to the Exodus story: after Israel left Egypt they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering Canaan. In fact, we could say that Israel really became Israel in the wilderness. . . that's where they received the Torah and entered into a covenant with God. That's a critical piece right there: the wilderness is where it all began. John then is calling Israel back to their original calling, to be a priestly nation and holy people (Exodus 19:1-6). We can add to this the quote that Matthew gives us from Isaiah 40:1-11, which is a prophecy of a second and greater exodus of Israel from Babylon (from Gentile domination) and assigns it to John. In other words, John is kicking off a new Exodus for Israel . . .
Clothing: John's clothing should immediately remind us of the Prophet Elijah. Elijah was remembered as a "hairy man with a leather belt" (2 Kings 1:1-7) who opposed King Ahab and the other wicked rulers of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Guess where Elijah lived when he first appears on the scene? That's right, the wilderness of Judea! So we can guess that John's ministry parallels Elijah's in that he is going to oppose the wicked ruler of Judah, Herod. And calling for a new Exodus clearly condemns those who were currently leading Israel.
Message: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near". . . this is a cornerstone message for the Gospel of Matthew. In other words, turn back to God and live in alignment with the coming Kingdom. In other words, the time has come for the prophecies to be fulfilled and the Israelites need to rediscover their faithfulness in order to participate in what God is up to. If they don't, they can expect God's judgment (3:10).
Baptism: In light of the above, we can say that John's Baptism was something that people did in order to declare themselves loyal to the the renewed Israel which was aligned with the coming Kingdom. Their going out to the Jordan and returning from it pointed back to Israel's crossing the Jordan to conquer the Promise Land. Again, this would have been viewed as a political act- a repudiation of Israel's leadership and current direction.
Friday, June 10, 2016
Matthew 2: Who are the Magi?
Matthew 2 introduces us to a group of people who are a staple of nativity scenes and Christmas decor: the Magi (also known as the "Wise men" or "Kings"). Matthew is the only gospel writer to include these memorable characters, and the his account gives little background information on them. So what should we make of them?
Old Testament Background:
1. Numbers 22-24: The story of Balak and Balaam
The book of Numbers tells an interesting story about a time that Israel was journeying in the wilderness, and a local king (Balak) paid a Gentile prophet (Balaam) to curse Israel through the power of God. When Balaam the prophet went out to prophesy he wound up blessing Israel and saying one thing in particular in Numbers 24:17 that became a key prophecy in Israel:
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near—
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the borderlands of Moab,
and the territory of all the Shethites.
This was taken to be a prophecy of how King David would be anointed by God to lead Israel and to defeat their Gentile enemies. Note the similarities between the stories: a hostile king (Balak and Herod), Gentile's with spiritual insight (Balaam and the Magi), a star as symbol, and a coming king (David and Jesus). Matthew's original audience would not have missed these allusions and their central point: Jesus now stands in David's place as Israel's rightful king.
2. Daniel
In the Book of Daniel Daniel frequently himself at odds with a group of the King of Babylon's servants who are referred to as: magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and Chaldeans. All of these labels relate to the Magi. The Magi in Babylon were essentially astrologers, medicine men and men who practiced magic. The key here is to recognize that they were bad guys, whose livelihood depended on breaking the Torah and who opposed the faithful Israelites like Daniel. By understanding this we then see that Matthew is raising some hard questions:
1. Why can Gentile magicians recognize the star and read the signs and the King of Israel and the leaders of Israel can't?
2. What does it mean that God will use Gentile enemies to point to the Messiah? What does that tell us about God and His plans? What does that mean for Israel?
Here are a few other things to consider:
1. Does Matthew say how many Magi there were? Why do we always show three?
2. Note that the Magi would not have arrived on Jesus' birth night. If Herod is going to kill all the children under two, we would guess that Herod believed Jesus had been born some time before.
3. The gifts of the Magi are gifts fit for a king (the Queen of Sheba brings gold and spices to Solomon in 1 Kings 10) . . . not gifts fit for a poor child without power and status. This story is an early indication that Jesus is turning things upside-down.
I will close this blog with a great poem about the Magi by TS Eliot entitled "Journey of the Magi". The poem is told from the Magi's point of view and is about the "side-effects" of faith, namely, finding oneself an outside in the world because we've seen something greater and not being able to return to the comfortable life we had before God broke in . . . enjoy!
A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.'
And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.
All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.
Old Testament Background:
1. Numbers 22-24: The story of Balak and Balaam
The book of Numbers tells an interesting story about a time that Israel was journeying in the wilderness, and a local king (Balak) paid a Gentile prophet (Balaam) to curse Israel through the power of God. When Balaam the prophet went out to prophesy he wound up blessing Israel and saying one thing in particular in Numbers 24:17 that became a key prophecy in Israel:
I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near—
a star shall come out of Jacob,
and a scepter shall rise out of Israel;
it shall crush the borderlands of Moab,
and the territory of all the Shethites.
This was taken to be a prophecy of how King David would be anointed by God to lead Israel and to defeat their Gentile enemies. Note the similarities between the stories: a hostile king (Balak and Herod), Gentile's with spiritual insight (Balaam and the Magi), a star as symbol, and a coming king (David and Jesus). Matthew's original audience would not have missed these allusions and their central point: Jesus now stands in David's place as Israel's rightful king.
2. Daniel
In the Book of Daniel Daniel frequently himself at odds with a group of the King of Babylon's servants who are referred to as: magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and Chaldeans. All of these labels relate to the Magi. The Magi in Babylon were essentially astrologers, medicine men and men who practiced magic. The key here is to recognize that they were bad guys, whose livelihood depended on breaking the Torah and who opposed the faithful Israelites like Daniel. By understanding this we then see that Matthew is raising some hard questions:
1. Why can Gentile magicians recognize the star and read the signs and the King of Israel and the leaders of Israel can't?
2. What does it mean that God will use Gentile enemies to point to the Messiah? What does that tell us about God and His plans? What does that mean for Israel?
Here are a few other things to consider:
1. Does Matthew say how many Magi there were? Why do we always show three?
2. Note that the Magi would not have arrived on Jesus' birth night. If Herod is going to kill all the children under two, we would guess that Herod believed Jesus had been born some time before.
3. The gifts of the Magi are gifts fit for a king (the Queen of Sheba brings gold and spices to Solomon in 1 Kings 10) . . . not gifts fit for a poor child without power and status. This story is an early indication that Jesus is turning things upside-down.
I will close this blog with a great poem about the Magi by TS Eliot entitled "Journey of the Magi". The poem is told from the Magi's point of view and is about the "side-effects" of faith, namely, finding oneself an outside in the world because we've seen something greater and not being able to return to the comfortable life we had before God broke in . . . enjoy!
A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.'
And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.
All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Women in Matthew's Genealogy
One of the interesting issues in Matthew 1 is the women named in the genealogy. Matthew chooses four women (out of the potential 42 generations) to share with his readers. They are:
1. Tamar (Genesis 38), who tricks her is father-in-law, Judah, into impregnating her after her husband dies and his brother refuses his familial duty. She does this by dressing as a prostitute and veiling herself along the road Judah is traveling upon. When he discovers she pregnant he puts her "on trial" and will have her executed until she proves that he is in fact the father.
2. Ruth (Ruth 1-4), who is a Moabite servant-woman who follows her Israelite mistress to Israel and gains a husband by being far more forward than would be generally acceptable. Note that the Israelites are forbidden in parts of the Old Testament from marrying foreign women, yet Ruth became King David's great grandmother.
3. Uriah's wife (2 Samuel 11), Bathsheba, who is taken as a lover by King David, who then subsequently has her husband transferred to the front lines and abandoned by his commander to ensure his death. Bathsheba goes on to become Solomon's mother.
Matthew's including of these women raises several questions for us:
1. What do they have in common with Mary, the fourth woman listed in the genealogy?
2. What questions would naturally arise regarding Mary and Joseph in light of Jesus' claims?
3. How does including these women rebut criticisms that may have been directed at Mary?
4. How does Matthew's inclusion of these women inform the way we think about our families and God's work in and through our family? (Hint: it should give us hope!)
1. Tamar (Genesis 38), who tricks her is father-in-law, Judah, into impregnating her after her husband dies and his brother refuses his familial duty. She does this by dressing as a prostitute and veiling herself along the road Judah is traveling upon. When he discovers she pregnant he puts her "on trial" and will have her executed until she proves that he is in fact the father.
2. Ruth (Ruth 1-4), who is a Moabite servant-woman who follows her Israelite mistress to Israel and gains a husband by being far more forward than would be generally acceptable. Note that the Israelites are forbidden in parts of the Old Testament from marrying foreign women, yet Ruth became King David's great grandmother.
3. Uriah's wife (2 Samuel 11), Bathsheba, who is taken as a lover by King David, who then subsequently has her husband transferred to the front lines and abandoned by his commander to ensure his death. Bathsheba goes on to become Solomon's mother.
Matthew's including of these women raises several questions for us:
1. What do they have in common with Mary, the fourth woman listed in the genealogy?
2. What questions would naturally arise regarding Mary and Joseph in light of Jesus' claims?
3. How does including these women rebut criticisms that may have been directed at Mary?
4. How does Matthew's inclusion of these women inform the way we think about our families and God's work in and through our family? (Hint: it should give us hope!)
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