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2019, February 3 ~ Jeremiah 1:4-10 and 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

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Jeremiah 1:4-10

After the righteous and reforming King Josiah was killed in battle at Megiddo (from which we get the Greek word Armageddon) in 609 BCE, the fortunes of Judea took a sharp downward turn. Babylon threatened Judea’s existence, and Judea had a series of hapless kings from 609 until Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Babylonians deported a number of Judean leaders to Babylon in 597 and a larger number in 586 (the beginning of the Babylonian Exile). Jeremiah’s prophesy (i.e. speaking for YHWH) began around 609 and continued until 586 BCE when he died in Egypt.

Most Bible scholars agree that the Book of Jeremiah underwent substantial revisions between the time of Jeremiah (627 to 586 BCE) and the First Century. Sections in the book that are in “poetry style” are generally attributed to the prophet, and parts in “prose style” were added later by writers whose theological outlook was closely aligned with the Deuteronomists. (In fact, Chapter 52 in Jeremiah is virtually word for word with 2 Kings 24:18 to 25:30 written by the Deuteronomists after the Exile.)

Today’s reading is in “poetry style” and describes Jeremiah’s call in terms that are reminiscent of the calls of Moses in Exodus 3, Gideon in Judges 6 and Isaiah in Isaiah 6. In this sense, Jeremiah is presented as a “prophet like Moses” who would be raised up as anticipated in Deut. 18:15. Just as with Moses, Gideon and Isaiah, Jeremiah claims (v.6) he is not fit to speak for YHWH (translated as “LORD” in all capital letters), but YHWH touches Jeremiah’s mouth (v.9) and puts words in it so that he can speak for YHWH.

The phrase “to destroy and overthrow and to build up and plant” (v.10) expresses a key theme expressed in Jeremiah – Jerusalem will be destroyed by the Babylonians but will be rebuilt after the Exile ends.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic. Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this Jesus Follower Community.

Today’s reading is a continuation of the readings for the last two weeks in which Paul described the variety of spiritual gifts as all coming from the same Spirit for the good of the community, and analogized the members of the community (and their gifts) as being parts of the same body of the Christ.

In today’s reading, Paul praised love as the most important spiritual gift and emphasized its superiority to the Hellenistic values of reason and wisdom, as well as its superiority to prophesy and knowledge. Unlike other gifts, love never ends (v.8). Paul stated that love is not boastful, arrogant or rude, and rhapsodically concluded that love is the greatest of faith, hope and love (v.13).

2019, January 27 ~Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

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Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

The Babylonian Exile ended in 539 BCE when the Persians defeated the Babylonians. Cyrus the Great then directed the Judeans to return to Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE, and the reconstruction of Jerusalem took more than 90 years.

Ezra (mentioned in today’s reading) was sent to Jerusalem by the Persian King in 458 BCE. According to the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, he was a priest with direct lineage to Aaron (the brother of Moses), and a scribe (a highly educated person). Many Biblical scholars conclude that Ezra was the final “redactor” (editor and combiner) of the four literary sources (called J, E, D and P) from which the first five books of the Bible (the Torah) were derived.

Nehemiah was a Jew who was cupbearer to the King of Persia. In 445 BCE, the King sent Nehemiah to rebuild Jerusalem and its walls. Nehemiah was a capable administrator, and accomplished his tasks in a little more than a year.

Today’s reading recounts the first reading of the “book of the law of Moses” (the Torah). It was read aloud by Ezra in 443 BCE to all the people to celebrate the restoration of Jerusalem, and was done “with interpretation” (v.8) so the people would understand it.

During the period of Persian rule over Judea (539 to 333 BCE), Judea generally prospered, and the Judeans reconstituted themselves as “People of the Book.” During this time, many books of the Hebrew Bible were codified in what was close to their final form.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic. Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this Jesus Follower Community.

Today’s reading is a continuation of last week’s reading in which Paul emphasized that all spiritual gifts come from God and are manifestations of the Spirit for the common good. In the continuation, Paul emphasized unity through the Spirit between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers (“Jews or Greeks”). He analogized the Jesus Follower Community to the human body (vv.14-24) and rejected a separatist or individualistic attitude by any part of the body to other parts. He noted that all members have different gifts and roles to play in the Jesus Follower Community, just as each of our body parts functions as part of one human body.

2019, January 20 ~ Isaiah 62:1-5 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

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Isaiah 62:1-5

The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were compiled from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE.

Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 20 years before Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66. For the most part, a prophet gave encouragement to Judeans who returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile.

Today’s reading is from Third Isaiah. The prophet asserted in a poetic manner that he would continue to speak for God until Jerusalem was restored (v.1) and had a new name (a new beginning), namely, “My Delight is in Her” (v.2).

As is often characteristic of poetic verses in the Hebrew Bible (and also true of ancient Canaanite poetry), the verses are repetitive – the idea in one phrase is repeated in slightly different words in the next. For example, “Nations shall see your victory” is followed by “And every king your majesty.” “You shall wear a glorious crown” is followed by “a royal diadem.” The same pattern is followed in verses 4 and 5.

The “nations” (v.2) means non-Jews (Gentiles) and is sometimes (depending on the context) translated in the Hebrew Bible as “the peoples.” The derivation is goyim (Heb) = ethne (Gk) = gentes (Lat) = peoples, nations, Gentiles.

The reading concluded with marriage symbolism in which YHWH (translated as “LORD” in all capital letters) rejoiced over his bride, Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic. Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. In addition to Paul, other Jesus Followers taught in Corinth, sometimes in ways inconsistent with Paul’s understandings of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this Jesus Follower Community.

Today’s reading began “Now concerning.” This indicates that Paul was responding to something written to him by the Jesus Follower Community in Corinth. Here, Paul emphasized that all spiritual gifts come from God (v.6) and are manifestations of the Spirit for the common good (v.7). He listed (v.8) gifts that Greeks would value most (wisdom and knowledge) and affirmed that they come from the Spirit. He then enumerated other gifts (faith, healing, miracles, prophesy, tongues) as being equally important and also as coming from the Spirit.

The verses which follow today’s reading make clear that the diversity of gifts exists within unity. “We were all baptized into one body – Jews [Jewish Jesus Followers] or Greeks [Gentile Jesus Followers], slaves or free” (v.13).

2019, January 13 ~ Isaiah 43:1-7 and Acts 8:14-17

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Isaiah 43:1-7

The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were compiled from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE.

Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 20 years before Jerusalem came under siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55. In these chapters, a prophet brought hope to the Judeans during the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they had suffered enough and would return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66. For the most part, a prophet gave encouragement to Judeans who returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile.

Today’s reading is from Second Isaiah and is a poetic oracle of salvation in which the prophet spoke for YHWH (translated as LORD in all capital letters) who emphasized a close relationship with Jacob/Israel.

The prophet (speaking for YHWH) told the Exiles in Babylon that all Israel would be redeemed and its sons and daughters would be brought back to Israel. Verses 3 and 4 “anticipated” (with 20-20 hindsight) that Cyrus the Great of Persia would conquer Babylon, Egypt, Ethiopia and Saba (Arabia). The “people” and “nations” (i.e. Gentiles) would, according to the prophet, be given as ransom for the Judeans (v.4).

Acts 8:14-17

The book called “The Acts of the Apostles” was written around 85 to 90 CE by the anonymous author of the Gospel According to Luke. The first 15 chapters of Acts are a didactic “history” of the early Jesus Follower Movement starting with the Ascension of Jesus and ending at the so-called Council of Jerusalem where it was agreed that Gentiles did not have to be circumcised and keep all the Kosher dietary laws in order to become Jesus Followers.

Chapters 16 to 28 of Acts are an account of Paul’s Missionary Journeys, his arrest and his transfer to Rome – and the stories are not always consistent with Paul’s letters.

Today’s reading described the spread of the Jesus Follower Movement from Jerusalem to Samaria. Ever since Samaria was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and Samaritans intermarried with non-Jews, Samaritans were looked down upon by Jews from both Judea and Galilee. Samaritans worshiped at Mount Gerizim (not Jerusalem) and had their own version of the Torah.

In the verses just before today’s reading, the author stated that persecutions against Jesus Followers occurred in Jerusalem, and Philip (one of the seven deacons appointed by the apostles in Acts 6) went to Samaria and proclaimed “the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (v.12). Men and women were baptized.

The apostles (who remained in Jerusalem and were coordinating the spread of the good news) sent Peter and John to convey the Holy Spirit by laying hands (a ritual of consecration) on the Samaritans who had been baptized (v.17).

This passage reflects a continuing theological evolution in the Jesus Follower Movement in the First Century. According to the author, Baptism “in the name of Lord Jesus” (v.16) was not seen as infusing the baptized with the Holy Spirit. In other parts of Acts, however, the Holy Spirit came upon Gentiles listening to Peter even before they were baptized (10:44).

One of the major themes of both the Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles is the impact of the Holy Spirit – often portrayed as the driving force for all that happens. Today’s reading is an example of the importance the author of Luke/Acts gave to the Holy Spirit.