2017, December 24 ~ 2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16; Romans 16:25-27

2 Samuel 7:1-11,16

The Book of Samuel is part of the “Deuteronomic History” that includes the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. These books are a “didactic history” that covers the period from the time just before the entry into the Promised Land (c. 1220 BCE, if the account is historical) to the beginning of Babylonian Captivity (586 BCE). The books were written in the period from 650 BCE to 550 BCE and continued to be revised even after that.

The Deuteronomists emphasized that YHWH controls history, and when the people (and their kings) worshiped YHWH properly, good things would happen to them. When they worshiped false gods, however, bad events would overtake them.

Today’s reading is set in the early part of the Reign of King David (1005 to 965 BCE).

These verses and the omitted verses (vv.12-15) were central to the Deuteronomists’ belief that even if the kings and people strayed, over the long term, YHWH’s steadfast love would be unwavering (v.15) and the line/house of David would be “established forever” (v.16). YHWH’s unconditional promises “explained” (in retrospect) the Judeans’ independent survival after the Assyrians conquered the Northern 10 tribes in 722 BCE.

The Babylonian Captivity (587 to 539 BCE), however, presented a major theological disconnect for the Judeans. How were they to explain the loss of the land promised by YHWH to Abraham and the end of the Davidic line in 587 BCE? During and after the Exile, the prophets (especially Second Isaiah and Ezekiel) began to resolve this disconnect by affirming that YHWH’s promises were still in force but had been temporarily suspended because of the failure of the Judeans to uphold their part of the covenant with YHWH – to worship YHWH faithfully and to live justly.

Continuing to the First Century (and even for some Jews today), one of the characteristics of the awaited Messiah would be that the Messiah would come from the Davidic line.

Romans 16:25-27

Paul’s letter to the Romans is his longest, last and most complex letter. It was written in the late 50s or early 60s (CE) to a Jesus Follower community that Paul did not establish. Among other messages in the letter, Paul sought to encourage respectful and supportive relationships between the Gentile Jesus Followers and the Jewish Jesus Followers in Rome.

Nero’s predecessor (Claudius) expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. During Nero’s reign (54-68 CE), he allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return. Their return created tensions within the Jesus Follower Community. (Jesus Followers were not called “Christians” until the 80’s.)

Today’s verses are the concluding blessing in the letter. Some ancient manuscripts of Paul’s letter do not contain these verses.