2019, February 17 ~ Jeremiah 17:5-10 and 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Jeremiah 17:5-10

After the righteous and reforming King Josiah was killed in battle at Megiddo (from which we get the Greek/English 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 reflects an over-arching theme found in the Deuteronomic History (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) — that the downfalls of Northern Israel in 722 BCE and Judea in 587 BCE were the result of the failure of the people and their kings to trust in YHWH and worship YHWH faithfully. The prophet said, “Those who trust in mere mortals” are “cursed” and will live in “an uninhabited salt land.” (vv.5-6).

The prophet continued that those who trust in YHWH (translated LORD in all capital letters) will bear fruit (v.8). YHWH would give to all according to their ways – the fruit of their doings (v.10).

This Deuteronomic belief can be summarized as “Do good, get good. Do bad, get bad.” It can be contrasted to the views in the Book of Job (bad things can happen to good people) and the Book of Ecclesiastes (bad things happen at random).

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

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 continues Paul’s extended discussion of “resurrection of the dead.” The Corinthians were Hellenists who generally accepted the Platonic division between the body and the “immortal soul.” Paul emphasizes that not only the body is resurrected, but the entire person, and Paul used the words “resurrection of the dead” to encompass the entirety of resurrection.

In today’s verses, Paul argued that the Corinthians’ belief that Christ was raised from the dead can only be true if the resurrection of the dead is a reality. “For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised” (v.16). Describing the Resurrection of the Christ as “the first fruits of those who have died” (v.20), Paul went on (in next week’s reading) to affirm the powerful and hopeful belief that “all will be made alive in Christ” (v.22).