1 Kings 19:1-15a
The authors of the Book of Kings were also the authors of the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Samuel. These books were given their final form around 550 BCE – long after the events they described. The authors used the stories in these books to demonstrate that it was the failures of the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judea to worship YHWH and obey God’s commands that led to the conquest of Northern Israel in 722 BCE by the Assyrians and the conquest of Judea by the Babylonians in 597 BCE. (The conquests were not seen as the result of the Assyrians’ and Babylonians’ greater wealth and more powerful armies.)
After Solomon’s death in 928 BCE, the nation divided in two. The Northern Kingdom consisted of 10 tribes and was called “Israel.” The Southern Kingdom had two tribes, Judah and Benjamin and was called “Judea.” For the most part, the Deuteronomists portrayed the Kings of the North as unfaithful to YHWH, and Ahab (873-852 BCE) was one of the worst. His wife was the Baal-worshiping foreigner, Jezebel.
The prophet Elijah is the subject of today’s reading. Just prior to these verses, Elijah invoked the power of YHWH to overcome the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel in the Northern part of Israel. He brought fire upon a huge sacrifice, rain to end a drought, and then killed all the prophets of Baal. (1 Kings 18)
Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done (v.1). Jezebel swore to kill Elijah, so he ran away as far south in Israel as he could – first to Beer-sheba and then to the Wilderness where he hoped to die (v.4). YHWH’s angels provided food to Elijah so he could journey to Horeb and continue his ministry. (For the Deuteronomists, the holy mountain is called “Horeb” rather than Sinai. “Sinai” is the name used by the authors of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.)
When Elijah was at Horeb, the voice of YHWH came to him in the silence (v.12-13) and told him to anoint Hazael as king of Aram (modern Syria). In the verse after today’s reading, Elijah was told to commit treason by anointing Jehu as King of Israel even when Ahab was still alive (v.16).
This is not the first instance of this treasonous activity in the Deuteronomists’ accounts. Samuel was told by YHWH to anoint David as King even when Saul was still alive. (1 Sam.16:13).
Galatians 3:23-29
Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was likely written by Paul in the late Galat40’s or early 50’s (CE), and deals in part with controversies between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers regarding the continuing importance of Torah (Law) to Jesus Followers. In particular, did Gentiles have to be circumcised and follow the Kosher dietary law to become Jesus Followers? If not, what was the role of Torah for both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers?
These issues are also described in Chapter 15 of Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letter to the Romans (written in the early 60’s).
Galatians is a “transitional” letter in that – when compared to Paul’s last letter (Romans) — it shows an evolution in his views on the relationship between the Torah and the Gentile Jesus Followers.
In today’s reading, Paul spoke of the Jewish Law as “guarding and imprisoning” us until Christ came and so that “we might be justified by faith” (vv. 23-24). This is a key phrase for Paul and is also used in other epistles.
Understanding these terms in Paul’s context is often challenging for modern readers. As a devout Jew, Paul recognized the value of the Law, but his conversion enabled him to see that justification was no longer a matter of obeying specific laws, but of living a life of faithfulness. “Justified” is to be understood as “being in right relationships with God, others, the world and oneself.” (A page of type in which the right and left margins are straight is described as “justified.”)
The term “faith” also needs to be understood in context. “Faith” is a translation of the Greek word “pistis” – a word that conveys an active quality. The word is perhaps better understood as “faith-ing” or “active faithfulness.” For Paul, “faith” was not a matter of intellectually assenting to a series of doctrines (as many Christians today think of “Faith”). Instead, “faith” is living a life of loving faithfulness as Jesus of Nazareth lived his life, and trusting – as he did — that death will not have the final victory. For Paul, the Resurrection allowed him (and allows us) to encounter the Risen Christ.
Faithfulness to the Christ and a life of loving others also enables us to recognize our essential unity in which there is no Jew or Greek (Gentile), slave or free, male or female (v.28), for we are all one in the Christ.
2019, August 25 ~ Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Hebrews 12:18-29
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienJeremiah 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.
Hebrews 12:18-29
The Letter to the Hebrews was an anonymous sermon to both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers, urging them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. The letter developed a number of important images such as Jesus the Christ as the High Priest. The author emphasized the continuing importance of the Bible and Jewish tradition.
Today’s reading is the conclusion of the author’s discussion of “faith” (better understood as “faithfulness”) that began in Chapter 10. In recognizing the intangibility of “faith,” the author contrasted Mount Zion and the city of the Living God (to which the Jesus Followers have come through faithfulness) with Mount Sinai (“something that can be touched” – v.18).
The author of Hebrews knew the Hebrew Bible well, and used the Greek translation, the Septuagint, as his source. In urging his hearers to listen to the letter with care, he paraphrased Haggai 2.6 in stating the God will remove created things (v.27) to give Jesus Followers a “kingdom that cannot be shaken” (v.28). In describing God as “a consuming fire” (v.29), the author relied on phrases in Deut. 4 and 9.
2019, August 18 ~ Isaiah 5:1-7 and Hebrews 11:29-12:2
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienIsaiah 5:1-7
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 – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 30 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 in which a prophet gave encouragement to Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
Today’s reading is part of First Isaiah and characterizes itself as a “love song” (v.1) for the prophet’s “beloved” – identified in verse 7 as YHWH. In ancient poetry, a vineyard was often a symbol of someone who is beloved, and YHWH’s beloved is identified as “the house of Israel and the people of Judah” (v.7).
Because the vineyard yielded wild grapes (v.4), the prophet stated the vineyard would be trampled down and made a waste (vv.5-6). This occurred when the Assyrians conquered Northern Israel in 722 BCE and Babylonians conquered Judea in 597 BCE.
Like many other prophets, Isaiah criticized injustice in Israel and Judah. Using clever word plays in Hebrew, the author noted that where YHWH expected justice (“mispat”), there was bloodshed (“mishpah”). YHWH expected righteousness (“tsedaqah”) but heard a cry (“tse’aqah”) (v.7).
Hebrews 11:29 – 12:2
The Letter to the Hebrews was an anonymous sermon to both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers, urging them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. The letter developed a number of important images such as Jesus the Christ as the High Priest.
In today’s reading, the author asserted that it was “faith” that enabled (or caused) a large number of notable events that are recounted in the Hebrew Bible (vv. 29-38).
All the Christian Scriptures were written in Greek, and the Greek word for “faith” in the Letter is “pistis” – a word that has an active connotation, and can fairly be understood as “faithfulness.” Faith is not presented in the Letter as an intellectual assent to a series of propositions (as “Faith” is sometimes understood today). Instead, as stated in the beginning of Chapter 11, Faith is action based on “the conviction of things not seen” (11:1).
The reading concluded with the view that although the faithful persons in the Hebrew Bible were “commended” (v.39), they could not be made “perfect” (or complete) without Jesus as the “pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (12:2).
2019, August 11 ~ Isaiah 1:1,10-20 and Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienIsaiah 1:1,10-20
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 – translated as “LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) who called for Jerusalem to repent in the 30 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 in which a prophet gave encouragement to Judeans who had returned to Jerusalem (which was largely destroyed by the Babylonians in 587 BCE) after the Exile had ended.
Today’s reading is from First Isaiah and is an indictment of Israel (and particularly Judea) for religious infidelity. The first verse sets the time period as being from 735 BCE (the ending years of the reign of Uzziah – also known as Azariah) to the 14th year of the reign of Hezekiah (701 BCE – when the Assyrians besieged Jerusalem). This was a time of the ascendancy of the Assyrian Empire which conquered Northern Israel in 722 BCE and threatened Judea during all this time.
The balance of the reading is a strong prophetic statement condemning worship divorced from social justice (vv. 10-17), a theme also found in Amos, Micah and Jeremiah. Sodom and Gomorrah (v.10) were commonly used symbols for divine judgement on immorality. In Genesis, the evil done by those cities was not showing hospitality (a high value) by threatening to commit sexual violence upon visitors to Lot’s home (Gen.19:5).
The verses then shifted from condemnation to a legal argument (v.18) in which YHWH offered forgiveness if Judea repented, but said Judea would be “devoured by the sword” (v.20) if it did not repent. Except for a short period under King Josiah (640 to 609 BCE) Jerusalem did not repent, and it was conquered by the Babylonians – the successors to the Assyrians – in 597 BCE. The Exile began in 587 BCE.
Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16
The Letter to the Hebrews was an anonymous sermon to both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers, urging them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. The letter developed a number of important images such as Jesus the Christ as the High Priest.
Today’s reading presented faith as insight into a sacred world of reality, and spoke of faith as a concrete reality by using words such as “assurance” and “conviction.” An example of faith was Abraham’s obedience to leave his homeland and travel to Canaan (Genesis 12). His faith was rewarded by his being the father of numerous descendants. In some manuscripts of Hebrews, Sarah’s faith is paralleled to Abraham’s and she is also presented as a heroic person of faith.
2019, August 4 ~ Hosea 11:1-11 and Colossians 3:1-11
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienHosea 11:1-11
After Solomon died in 928 BCE, the Kingdom of Israel split into two parts, the North (called Israel with 10 tribes) and the South (called Judea with two tribes). Each Kingdom had its own king.
The reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel (788-747 BCE) was very prosperous, but a time of great inequality between rich and poor in which large landowners gained control of the lands of small farmers and mistreated the poor.
Hosea is one of the 12 “minor” prophets whose works are shorter than the three “major” prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel). He was a contemporary of Amos. His prophesying (speaking for YHWH) began towards the end of the reign of King Jeroboam II and continued until Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE. He severely criticized the political, social and religious life in the Northern Kingdom. He was the first of the prophets whose speeches were collected and edited as literary documents.
In today’s reading, Hosea shifted his description of Israel from being an unfaithful wife to Israel as a special (but wayward) child of YHWH who rejected God’s call and made sacrifices to Baal (v.2). Also in today’s reading, a number of different names were used for Israel, particularly “Ephraim.” Ephraim (v.3) was one of Joseph’s sons, and was the name of the largest of the 10 tribes that comprised Northern Israel.
Hosea noted (perhaps as a later addition to the text) that Assyria would be the “king” of Northern Israel (v.5), an event that occurred in 722 BCE when Assyria conquered Israel.
In the last half of today’s reading, Hosea (still speaking for the LORD – all capital letters in the NRSV) said that YHWH’s compassion overcame divine anger. He said that YHWH would not treat Israel as Admah and Zeboiim (v.8) were treated. According to Deuteronomy 29:23, these two cities destroyed when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed.
Colossians 3:1-11
Colossae was a town in what is now western Turkey. A Jesus Follower community was founded there by Paul’s associate, Epaphras (1:7). The letter is short (four chapters) and expressed concern about apocalyptic and mystical practices that were inconsistent with Paul’s disciples’ understanding of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower.
Scholars debate whether this letter was written by Paul or by his disciples in the decades after Paul’s death in 63 CE. It lacks many terms used in Paul’s authentic letters and its style is more liturgical than Paul’s other letters.
In today’s reading, the author gave a series of ethical exhortations to the Colossians, and then concluded with one of Paul’s most important theological insights – that the Christ (the Messiah) is the ultimate unifying principle and force for all reality. “The Christ is all and is in all” (v.11) so that there is no longer a dichotomy between the “sacred” and the “profane” just as there is no essential difference between a Gentile (a “Greek”) and Jew, slave and free and the like (v.11).
2019, July 28 ~Hosea 1:2-10 and Colossians 2:6-19
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienHosea 1:2-10
After Solomon died in 928 BCE, the Kingdom of Israel split into two parts, the North (called Israel with 10 tribes) and the South (called Judea with two tribes). Each Kingdom had its own king.
The reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel (788-747 BCE) was very prosperous, but a time of great inequality between rich and poor in which large landowners gained control of the lands of small farmers.
Hosea is one of the 12 “minor” prophets whose works are shorter than the three “major” prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel). He was a contemporary of Amos. His prophesying (speaking for YHWH) began towards the end of the reign of King Jeroboam II and continued until Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE. He severely criticized the political, social and religious life in the Northern Kingdom. He was the first of the prophets whose speeches were collected and edited as literary documents.
Hosea used powerful images of his own family to describe the covenant relationship between YHWH and Israel. He described Israel as an unfaithful wife (v.2) and his wife’s children were given symbolic names – “God sows” (v.4), “Not pitied” (v.6) and “Not my people” (v.9).
The name “Jezreel” (God sows) is the name of an actual place in Israel. The Jezreel Valley is one of the most fertile parts of Israel (even today). It was the place where Jeroboam’s predecessors (the House of Jehu) staged a bloody coup against Ahab in 842 BCE. (Ironically, according to 2 Kings 9-10, the coup by Jehu was directed by YHWH through the prophet Elisha.)
Hosea said that YHWH (“LORD” in all capital letters in the NRSV) had pity on Judea (v.7). This pity would not last, however, and Judea would be conquered by the Babylonians in 597 BCE.
Colossians 2:6-19
Colossae was a town in what is now western Turkey. A Jesus Follower community was founded there by Paul’s associate, Epaphras (1:7). The letter is short (three chapters) and expressed concern about apocalyptic and mystical practices that were inconsistent with Paul’s disciples’ understanding of what it meant to be a Jesus Follower.
Scholars debate whether this letter was written by Paul or by his disciples in the decade after Paul’s death in 63 CE. It lacks many terms used in Paul’s authentic letters and its style is more liturgical than Paul’s other letters.
Today’s reading is the core of the Letter to the Colossians – that Jesus the Christ was the living embodiment of God (v.9) and that the fullness of one’s humanity comes by “living one’s life in [Jesus the Christ]” (v.6).
The author warned against “philosophy” (v. 8) – which in the 1st Century meant secular ethics. He denied the importance of physical circumcision (which remained a point of controversy between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers during much of the 1st Century). He spoke of Baptism as “spiritual circumcision” (v.11).
He also diminished the religious importance of “food and drink” (v.16) – a reference to the fact that Gentile Jesus Followers did not obey Kosher dietary laws – and “festivals, moons and sabbaths” (v.16), an admonition made necessary by the fact that many Jewish Festivals continued to be observed by Jesus Followers, at least until the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.
2019, July 21 ~ Amos 8:1-12 and Colossians 1:15-28
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienAmos 8:1-12
After Solomon died in 930 BCE, the Kingdom of Israel split into two parts, the North (called Israel with 10 tribes) and the South (called Judea with two tribes). Each of the Kingdoms had its own king.
The reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel (788-747 BCE) was very prosperous, but a time of great inequality between rich and poor in which large landowners gained control of the lands of small farmers.
Amos was a cattle herder and cared for fig trees in Judea, but he was called by YHWH to go north to prophesy (speak for the LORD) against Israel from about 760 to 750 BCE. Amos is one of the 12 “minor” prophets whose works are shorter than the three “major” prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel). He was the first (chronologically) of the prophets whose words left an indelible stamp on later thought in Israel about God.
In today’s reading, Amos criticized the unfair and fraudulent business practices of the wealthy and their impatience for the Holy Days to pass (v.5) so they could resume bilking the poor, enslaving them (v.6) and taking their lands.
The reading has some clever aspects. In verse 2, the Hebrew words for “fruit” and for “end” sound alike, Amos sees “fruit” but YHWH sees the “end.”
The reading also describes the “Day of the Lord” – a time of terror and mourning and darkness at noon (v. 9), a motif picked up by the authors of the Gospels in describing the Crucifixion (see Mark 15:33).
Amos said that YHWH would remember these misdeeds and punish the evildoers. In 722 BCE, Assyria conquered Israel and scattered its wealthy class.
Colossians 1:15-28
Colossae was a town in what is now western Turkey. A Jesus Follower community was founded there by Paul’s associate, Epaphras (1:7). The letter is short (three chapters) and expressed concern about apocalyptic and mystical practices that were inconsistent with Paul’s understanding of being a Jesus Follower.
Scholars debate whether this letter was written by Paul or by his disciples in the decade after Paul’s death in 63 CE. It lacks many terms used in Paul’s authentic letters and its style is more liturgical than Paul’s other letters..
Today’s reading is highly theological and focuses on the Christ as the “image of God,” the “firstborn of all creation” (v.15), as existing before all things and that in which all things hold together (v.17).
2019, July 14 ~ Amos 7:7-14 and Colossians 1:1-14
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienAmos 7:7-17
After Solomon died in 930 BCE, the Kingdom of Israel split into two parts, the North (called Israel with 10 tribes) and the South (called Judea with two tribes). Each of the Kingdoms had its own king.
The reign of King Jeroboam II of Israel (788-747 BCE) was very prosperous, but a time of great inequality between rich and poor in which large landowners gained control of the lands of small farmers.
Amos was a cattle herder and cared for fig trees in Judea, but he was called by YHWH to go north to prophesy (speak for the LORD) against Israel from about 760 to 750 BCE. Amos is one of the 12 “minor” prophets whose works are shorter than the three “major” prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel). He was the first (chronologically) of the prophets whose words left an indelible stamp on later thought in Israel about God.
Today’s reading is part of a series of visions in which Amos told Israel that its political and religious institutions had not measured up (the “plumb line” in v.8) to YHWH’s commands and would be destroyed.
Like many prophets of YHWH, court prophets (such as Amaziah) told the kings what the kings wanted to hear. Amaziah denied that Amos’ words came from YHWH (v.11), but Amos countered that he was not a “professional prophet” (v.14) and invoked strong curses upon Israel (v.17) on behalf of YHWH.
Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BCE and much of its population was dispersed. It remained a subjugated land until 1947.
Colossians 1:1-14
Colossae was a town in what is now western Turkey. A Jesus Follower community was founded there by Paul’s associate, Epaphras (1:7). The letter is short (three chapters) and expressed concern about apocalyptic and mystical practices that were inconsistent with Paul’s understanding of being a Jesus Follower.
Scholars debate whether this letter was written by Paul or by his disciples in the decade after Paul’s death in 63 CE. It lacks many terms used in Paul’s letters and its style is liturgical.
Today’s reading is the introduction to the letter and follows the typical format for Paul’s letters – a salutation (vv. 1-2), introductory thanksgiving (vv. 3-8) and a prayer (vv. 9-14). The substance of the Letter to the Colossians will be explored in the next three weeks.
2019, July 7 ~ 2 Kings 5:1-14 and Galatians 6:1-16
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'Brien2 Kings 5:1-14
The authors of the Book of Kings were also the authors of the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Samuel. These books were given their final form around 550 BCE – long after the events they described. The authors used the stories in these books to demonstrate that it was the failures of the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judea to worship YHWH and obey God’s commands that led to the conquest of Northern Israel in 722 BCE by the Assyrians and the conquest of Judea by the Babylonians in 597 BCE. (The conquests were not seen as the result of the Assyrians’ and Babylonians’ greater wealth and more powerful armies.)
After Solomon’s death in 928 BCE, the nation divided in two. The Northern Kingdom consisted of 10 tribes and was called “Israel.” The Southern Kingdom had two tribes, Judah and Benjamin and was called “Judea.”
Consistent with the theological view that YHWH controlled all that occurs, the authors of Kings asserted, somewhat surprisingly, that YHWH gave victory to Naaman, a general of Aram (modern Syria) over Israel around 850 BCE (v. 1). This occurred presumably because King Ahab and his successors did not worship YHWH faithfully.
Elisha, the successor to Elijah, was in Samaria, the capital of Northern Israel at this time. The King of Aram heard that Elisha was a prophet who could cure Naaman of his leprosy (which could have been any skin ailment). He sent Naaman to Elisha and the King of Israel with staggering offerings (750 lbs. of silver and 150 lbs. of gold). Naaman also had a letter from the King of Aram to the King of Israel asking that Naaman be cured of his leprosy (v.5).
The story emphasized the foolishness of the Kings of Israel, in that the King refused the gift and was about to tell Naaman to return to Aram. Elisha prevailed on the King of Israel to allow Naaman to come to see that he (Elisha) was a true prophet (speaker for God).
Elisha directed Naaman to wash in the River Jordan seven times. After initially refusing to do so, Naaman’s servants convinced him, and he went to the River Jordan and was healed (v.14).
In the verse that follows today’s reading, Naaman stated that YHWH’s power is not territorially limited to the lands of Israel and Judea – it extends to the whole world (v.15), an important theological message the Deuteronomists sought to convey.
Galatians 6:1-16
Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was likely written by Paul in the late 40’s or early 50’s (CE), and deals in part with controversies between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers regarding the continuing importance of Torah (Law) to Jesus Followers. In particular, did Gentiles have to be circumcised and follow the Kosher dietary law to become Jesus Followers? If not, what was the role of Torah for both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers?
These issues are also described in Chapter 15 of Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letter to the Romans (written in the early 60’s).
Today’s reading is the conclusion of the letter. Paul continued to emphasize that the Spirit enables believers to live out the principle of love (the “law of Christ” in v.2), thus fulfilling the law without slavishly observing the law’s requirements.
He affirmed the opposition of “the flesh” to the Spirit and emphasized that whether or not a person is circumcised is not important (vv. 12-15).
In the final words of today’s reading, Paul asks for peace and mercy upon the “Israel of God” – words that are unique to this verse. Scholars understand these words as meaning the “true Israel,” that is, those who follow Paul’s understanding of the Gospel rather than those who follow the teachings of Paul’s opponents.
2019, June 30 ~ 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14 and Galatians 5:1, 13-25
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'Brien2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14
The authors of the Book of Kings were also the authors of the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Samuel. These books were given their final form around 550 BCE – long after the events they described. The authors used the stories in these books to demonstrate that it was the failures of the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judea to worship YHWH and obey God’s commands that led to the conquest of Northern Israel in 722 BCE by the Assyrians and the conquest of Judea by the Babylonians in 597 BCE. (The conquests were not seen as the result of the Assyrians’ and Babylonians’ greater wealth and more powerful armies.)
Today’s story recounts the succession of the prophet Elijah by his faithful disciple, Elisha, who asks for a “double share” (the share of an oldest son) of Elijah’s spirit (v.9). According to Biblical chronology, the events took place about 840 BCE, after the reigns of Ahab and the two kings who followed him.
The account has a number of parallels to the stories of Moses and his successor, Joshua. Elijah and Elisha crossed from the west bank of the Jordan River to the east bank (v.8), just as Moses and Joshua crossed the Sea of Reeds. After Elijah was taken up to heaven in a fiery chariot (v.11), Elisha parted the Jordan and crossed to the west side just as Joshua did (v.14).
Because Elijah was raised to heaven, his return to earth is seen as a harbinger of the coming of the Messiah. A place/chair for Elijah is left open at the table (and often the doors of homes are left open) at Passover Seders in the event Elijah might return that night. In many ways, John the Baptist is portrayed as an Elijah-like figure in the Gospels.
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was likely written by Paul in the late 40’s or early 50’s (CE), and deals in part with controversies between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers regarding the continuing importance of Torah (Law) to Jesus Followers. In particular, did Gentiles have to be circumcised and follow the Kosher dietary law to become Jesus Followers? If not, what was the role of Torah for both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers?
These issues are also described in Chapter 15 of the Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letter to the Romans (written in the early 60’s).
Today’s reading emphasizes that the Christ gives us freedom to love one another through the Spirit, and Paul contrasts this freedom with being compelled to follow rules under the Law.
When Paul enumerates the “works of the flesh,” he includes many sins of the mind – idolatry, jealousy, anger, and envy to name just a few. For Paul, “the flesh” is not the human body, but rather that part of our humanity that opposes the Spirit of Love within us.
2019, June 23 ~ 1 Kings 19:1-15a and Galatians 3:23-29
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'Brien1 Kings 19:1-15a
The authors of the Book of Kings were also the authors of the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges and Samuel. These books were given their final form around 550 BCE – long after the events they described. The authors used the stories in these books to demonstrate that it was the failures of the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Judea to worship YHWH and obey God’s commands that led to the conquest of Northern Israel in 722 BCE by the Assyrians and the conquest of Judea by the Babylonians in 597 BCE. (The conquests were not seen as the result of the Assyrians’ and Babylonians’ greater wealth and more powerful armies.)
After Solomon’s death in 928 BCE, the nation divided in two. The Northern Kingdom consisted of 10 tribes and was called “Israel.” The Southern Kingdom had two tribes, Judah and Benjamin and was called “Judea.” For the most part, the Deuteronomists portrayed the Kings of the North as unfaithful to YHWH, and Ahab (873-852 BCE) was one of the worst. His wife was the Baal-worshiping foreigner, Jezebel.
The prophet Elijah is the subject of today’s reading. Just prior to these verses, Elijah invoked the power of YHWH to overcome the prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel in the Northern part of Israel. He brought fire upon a huge sacrifice, rain to end a drought, and then killed all the prophets of Baal. (1 Kings 18)
Ahab told Jezebel what Elijah had done (v.1). Jezebel swore to kill Elijah, so he ran away as far south in Israel as he could – first to Beer-sheba and then to the Wilderness where he hoped to die (v.4). YHWH’s angels provided food to Elijah so he could journey to Horeb and continue his ministry. (For the Deuteronomists, the holy mountain is called “Horeb” rather than Sinai. “Sinai” is the name used by the authors of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers.)
When Elijah was at Horeb, the voice of YHWH came to him in the silence (v.12-13) and told him to anoint Hazael as king of Aram (modern Syria). In the verse after today’s reading, Elijah was told to commit treason by anointing Jehu as King of Israel even when Ahab was still alive (v.16).
This is not the first instance of this treasonous activity in the Deuteronomists’ accounts. Samuel was told by YHWH to anoint David as King even when Saul was still alive. (1 Sam.16:13).
Galatians 3:23-29
Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was likely written by Paul in the late Galat40’s or early 50’s (CE), and deals in part with controversies between Jewish Jesus Followers and Gentile Jesus Followers regarding the continuing importance of Torah (Law) to Jesus Followers. In particular, did Gentiles have to be circumcised and follow the Kosher dietary law to become Jesus Followers? If not, what was the role of Torah for both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers?
These issues are also described in Chapter 15 of Acts of the Apostles and in Paul’s letter to the Romans (written in the early 60’s).
Galatians is a “transitional” letter in that – when compared to Paul’s last letter (Romans) — it shows an evolution in his views on the relationship between the Torah and the Gentile Jesus Followers.
In today’s reading, Paul spoke of the Jewish Law as “guarding and imprisoning” us until Christ came and so that “we might be justified by faith” (vv. 23-24). This is a key phrase for Paul and is also used in other epistles.
Understanding these terms in Paul’s context is often challenging for modern readers. As a devout Jew, Paul recognized the value of the Law, but his conversion enabled him to see that justification was no longer a matter of obeying specific laws, but of living a life of faithfulness. “Justified” is to be understood as “being in right relationships with God, others, the world and oneself.” (A page of type in which the right and left margins are straight is described as “justified.”)
The term “faith” also needs to be understood in context. “Faith” is a translation of the Greek word “pistis” – a word that conveys an active quality. The word is perhaps better understood as “faith-ing” or “active faithfulness.” For Paul, “faith” was not a matter of intellectually assenting to a series of doctrines (as many Christians today think of “Faith”). Instead, “faith” is living a life of loving faithfulness as Jesus of Nazareth lived his life, and trusting – as he did — that death will not have the final victory. For Paul, the Resurrection allowed him (and allows us) to encounter the Risen Christ.
Faithfulness to the Christ and a life of loving others also enables us to recognize our essential unity in which there is no Jew or Greek (Gentile), slave or free, male or female (v.28), for we are all one in the Christ.