2023, October 22 ~ Exodus 33:12-23; Isaiah 45:1-7; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22
TODAY’S READINGS IN CONTEXT
OCTOBER 22, 2023
During Pentecost Season 2023, the Revised Common Lectionary offers two “tracks” of readings from the Hebrew Bible. Congregations may choose either track.
The first track of readings follows major stories and themes, read mostly continuously from week to week. The second track of readings thematically pairs the reading from the Hebrew Bible with the Gospel reading.
The readings from the Epistles are the same in both tracks.
Exodus 33:12-23
Reading
12 Moses said to the LORD, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ 13 Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” 14 He [YHWH] said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he [Moses] said to him [YHWH], “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. 16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I, and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”
17 The LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” 18 Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The LORD’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he [YHWH] said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” 21 And the LORD continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; 23 then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
Commentary
The Book of Exodus is the second book of the Bible and covers the period from the slavery in Egypt under Pharaoh (around 1250 BCE, if the account is historical), the Exodus itself, and the early months in the Wilderness.
The Book of Exodus (like the Torah as a whole) is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which were written down about 950 BCE and some of which were developed as late as 450 BCE. Since the late 19th Century, Biblical scholars have recognized four major “strands” or sources in the Torah, called “J” (Yahwistic), “E” (Elohistic), “D” (Deuteronomic) and “P” (Priestly). These sources are identified (among other ways) by their different theological emphases, names for God, names for the holy mountain, and portrayals of God’s characteristics.
Today’s reading follows the story of the Golden Calf. After Moses broke the tablets of the 10 Words, he berated Aaron, who in turn lamely blamed the people for the making of the Golden Calf – which he claimed formed itself. (32:21-24). Moses then directed the Levites to kill 3,000 Israelites for making the idol and using it as a means to have YHWH’s presence (32:27-28). For killing the 3,000, Moses declared that the Levites were “ordained” persons (v.29). YHWH then sent a plague upon the people (v.35) and told Moses to lead the people to the Promised Land (33:1). YHWH also told Moses that YHWH’s angel would go before them, but not YHWH lest YHWH “consume” these “stiff necked people” (33:2-3). The account says that YHWH spoke to Moses “face to face as one speaks to a friend” (v.11a).
In today’s reading, Moses again sought reassurance that YHWH would accompany the Israelites (v.12) to the Promised Land. Although YHWH had declined to do so because of the misguided attempt (through the Golden Calf) to secure YHWH’s presence, YHWH relented because of the special relationship to Moses – he knew Moses “by name” (vv.12 and 17). The Jewish Study Bible opines that the phrase “let me know your ways” (v.13) means “the principles by which you [YHWH] deal with human sin.” In the same verse, Moses pushed back that the Israelites were YHWH’s people. The JSB notes that “The proof of divine favor is being led by God Himself, not an intermediary.” YHWH then agreed to accompany them (v.17)
YHWH also reconfirmed his name in terms that were just as elliptical as the name given in the Burning Bush story – “I will be what I will be.” (3:14). Here, the name was revealed as “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (v.19). All these names emphasize that God is a mystery that can never be fully understood or contained.
Although YHWH was assumed by the authors to have a human form – with a hand, back and face in v. 23 – God’s face can never be seen. The JSB points out that this contradicts verse 11 and shows that the two statements came from different sources.
Isaiah 45:1-7
Reading
1 Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him — and the gates shall not be closed:
2 I will go before you and level the mountains, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and riches hidden in secret places, so that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides me there is no god. I arm you, though you do not know me,
6 so that they may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is no one besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness. I make weal and create woe; I the LORD do all these things.
Commentary
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Ancient Israel’s history. The writings were made from about 700 BCE to about 300 BCE, and then assembled into a single book.
Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and are the words of a prophet (one who speaks for YHWH – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Israel and Judea to repent in the years before Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and 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 in which a prophet gave encouragement to the Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile ended.
The Persian King, Cyrus II (558-530 BCE), defeated the Babylonians in 539 BCE and decreed the return of the Judeans to Jerusalem in the next year (Ezra 1:1-4).
In today’s reading, Isaiah spoke for YHWH to Cyrus and described him as “YHWH’s anointed” (v.1) to free the Judeans from the Babylonian Exile (587-539 BCE) and to spread YHWH’s fame (vv.4, 6). Cyrus was described as a “Messiah” commissioned by YHWH to conquer Babylon, and therefore to play a significant role in the restoration of Jerusalem. The New Oxford Annotated Bible points out that this is “the only biblical passage in which ‘messiah’, i.e., anointed ruler, refers to a non-Israelite.” Others who were anointed in the Hebrew Bible were kings, priests, and some prophets.
The New Jerome Biblical Commentary points out that the phrase “whose right hand I have grasped” (v.1) refers to the practice of the Babylonian kings grasping the hand of their patron god, Bel-Marduk, at their coronation.
The verses state that YHWH controls everything (vv.5-7) and dictates the course of history. The JSB observes: “God did not give Cyrus these great victories for Cyrus’s sake. Rather, the purpose of Cyrus’s rise to power is twofold: to liberate Israel, and thus to spread the fame of the one true God of Israel throughout the world.”
The NOAB states that on a cylinder inscribed in 538 BCE, Cyrus attributed his victory to Marduk, the god of Babylon.
The Persians ruled over Israel and Judea until 333 BCE when Alexander the Great defeated them. The Persian Period (539-333) was generally one of peace and prosperity in Judea and saw a substantial number of texts composed that are part of the Hebrew Bible.
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Reading
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.
2 We always give thanks to God for all of you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters beloved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak about it. 9 For the people of those regions report about us what kind of welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead — Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Commentary
Thessalonica is a seaport city and was the capital of Macedonia. It was an important city in Paul’s day for economic, commercial and political reasons. Even today, Thessaloniki (as it is now called) is a charming city of one million persons, and the cultural center of Greece. The saying there is that “Thessaloniki is to Athens as San Francisco is to Los Angeles.” Macedonia and Achaia (Greece) (v.7) were Roman provinces.
Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was Paul’s first letter and was written around 50 CE. Accordingly, it is the oldest writing in the Christian Scriptures, and The NJBC considers it noteworthy that in this early writing, Paul referred to God as “Father” and to Jesus of Nazareth both as “Lord” and as “Christ.”
The NOAB says: “After being mistreated at Philippi (2.2; Acts 16.19-40), Paul went to Thessalonica where he established this congregation. After a painful separation (2.17) and the failure of repeated efforts to return (2.18), Paul dispatched Timothy to Thessalonica from Athens (3.1) while he later moved on to Corinth (Acts 18.1-17). From there, perhaps around 50 CE, he wrote this letter.” The letter is addressed to Gentile Jesus Followers (“how you turned to God from idols”)(v.9).
The Jewish Annotated New Testament notes that Acts 17.1-10 also recounts Paul’s activity in Thessalonica, but there are discrepancies between the epistle and Acts that raise questions about Acts’ historicity. For example, Acts speaks of Paul’s synagogue evangelism and outreach to the Jewish community, but “none of Paul’s letters mentions this practice.”
The NOAB notes that in speaking of a “church” (v.1), Paul used the term for a citizen assembly. Paul’s reference to faith, love, and hope (v.3) is a familiar combination that he used in many other letters. By using the phrases “beloved by God” and “chosen,” Paul used phrases from Deuteronomy that described the special call of Israel.
In today’s reading, Paul spoke of “persecutions” the Philippians received (v.6), but it is not clear what those persecutions were. Looking at 2.16-18, The NOAB observes that “the polemics [in these verses] are directed to Jewish persecutors of the Judean churches, not all Jews” and that the polemics “resonate with other ‘intra-Jewish’ debates of Paul’s day.” Looking at 3:3 and the verses that follow it, The NOAB speaks of “persecution” as “a term Paul uses for the apocalyptic horrors preceding Christ’s end-time appearance, the ‘parousia.’”
Although Paul referred to Jesus of Nazareth as “the Christ” (v.3), he recognized that not all of the events expected from the coming of the Messiah had been accomplished. Paul therefore expected a parousia – a Second Coming – when Jesus would come and rule (v.10). Much of the letter to the Thessalonians encourages them to remain steadfast until these end times occur.
The JANT notes: “The resurrection of Jesus [v.10] is the model for the eventual resurrection of all believers. Resurrection of the dead, a Pharisaic notion [citing Josephus], is found in Second Temple and rabbinic descriptions of the messianic age [citing a Talmudic source] which claims that resurrection is a teaching derived from the Torah.”
Matthew 22:15-22
Reading
15 The Pharisees went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said. 16 So they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality. 17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why are you putting me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show me the coin used for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. 20 Then he said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The emperor’s.” 21 Then he said to them, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
22 When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away.
Commentary
The Gospel of Matthew highlights Jesus’ origins and identity. Written around 85 CE by an anonymous author, the Gospel began Jesus’ genealogy with Abraham and depicted Jesus as a teacher of the Law like Moses. More than any other Gospel, Matthew quoted from the Hebrew Scriptures (using the Greek Septuagint translation) to illustrate that Jesus was the Messiah.
Because it was written after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the Gospel reflected the controversies between the Jesus Followers and the Pharisees for control of Judaism going forward. Accordingly, the Gospel contains many harsh sayings about the Pharisees. The Gospel is aimed primarily at the late First Century Jewish Jesus Follower community.
The Gospel relied heavily on the Gospel of Mark and included all but 60 verses from Mark. Like Luke, Matthew also used a “Sayings Source” (called “Q” by scholars) which are stories and sayings found in Matthew and Luke but not in Mark and John. There are also a substantial number of stories that are unique to Matthew: the Annunciation of Jesus’ conception was revealed to Joseph in a dream (rather than by an angel to Mary as in Luke); the Visit of the Magi; the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod; the Flight to Egypt; the Laborers in the Vineyard; and the earthquake on Easter Morning, among others.
Today’s reading is found in all the Synoptic Gospels, and is a continuation of Jesus’ controversial exchanges at the Temple in his last week before his Crucifixion. In Mark, the chief priests, scribes and elders sent some Pharisees and some Herodians to question Jesus. In Matthew, the Pharisees sent their disciples along with some Herodians in a plot to entrap Jesus. In Luke, the scribes and chief priests sent “spies” to trap him.
The Pharisees were known as “separatists” because, as The JANT notes, they “separated” from ritually impure food and from those who were not scrupulous about Levitical purity and tithes. Josephus estimated that there were only about 6,000 of them (out of about 500,000 persons in Israel) in the first half of the First Century. The JANT continues that the Pharisees had three major characteristics: (1) they represented artisans and small farmers; (2) their beliefs were not influenced by Greek thought; and (3) they accepted the “traditions of the fathers” which became what the rabbis later called the Oral Torah. Much of the antipathy towards the Pharisees in the Gospels is likely the result of the struggle between the Jesus Follower Movement and the Pharisees for control of Judaism in the period after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.
The Herodians were a political group that supported Rome’s client rulers (the Herods, including Herod Antipas in the Galilee). They would therefore have treated non-payment of the annual poll tax as treasonous. On the other hand, based on strict observance of the law of Moses (advocated by the Pharisees) payment of the tax was not lawful because the only sovereign is God.
The JANT notes: “The background for this passage may be events of 6-7 CE when a prophetic leader named Judas the Galilean (mentioned in Acts 5.37) organized a movement to worship God alone and to refuse to pay the tax to Caesar [citing Josephus].” According to Josephus, Judas saw this taxation as “no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty.” This Galilean Revolt was the reason the Romans adopted direct rule of Israel.
The denarius was a day’s wage, and The NOAB says the silver denarius came from the imperial mint and had images and inscriptions honoring the emperor as divine.
Jesus’ ambiguous answer did not literally advocate nonpayment of the tax and could be understood as saying that all things belong to God, and therefore nothing belongs to the emperor.
Citing Josephus, The NOAB says that the poll tax was one of the reasons for the Jewish Revolt in 66 CE that led to the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.