The Lectionary Readings for Pentecost are from Genesis or Acts, and from Romans.
Genesis 11:1-9
Genesis is the first book of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). The Torah also called the Pentateuch (“five books”) in Greek. Genesis covers the period from Creation to the deaths of Jacob and his 11th son, Joseph, in about 1,650 BCE, if the accounts are historical.
The Book of Genesis (like the Torah as a whole) is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated by scholars to 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, and 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.
The Book of Genesis comes mostly from two of these sources, one called “J” (for Yahwistic) and the other called “P” (for Priestly). The two sources present God very differently. In “J” materials, God is presented anthropomorphically (God speaks directly with Adam and Eve, walks in the Garden, smells burnt offerings, and has human-like feelings, as in today’s reading). The name used for God in the “J” materials is YHWH, and this is translated in the NRSV as “LORD” in all capital letters.
The first eleven chapters of Genesis are called the “Primeval History” and present ancient sacred myth-stories that “explain” the origin of realities such as the presence of suffering in the world and the multiplicity of languages described in today’s Tower of Babel Story.
Acts 2:1-21
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 an account of 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. The second half of Acts is an account of Paul’s Missionary Journeys.
Today’s reading was set in the early days of the Jesus Follower Movement in Jerusalem. The Jesus Follower Movement remained a sect within Judaism until after the Destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE.
Today’s reading is an account of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles on Pentecost. Pentecost (or the Feast of Weeks) was a well-established Jewish Festival occurring 50 days after Passover to celebrate the spring barley harvest and to remember the giving of the Law at Sinai. Accordingly, the Apostles (as devout Jews) came together for this Feast, along with Jews from many nations.
The account uses two of the customary images for the Holy Spirit – wind and fire. The ability of listeners to hear the Apostles in their native languages directly reverses of the impact of the Tower of Babel Story in which people could not understand one another.
Peter was presented as the spokesperson for the Apostles (v.14) and stated that the coming of the Spirit was the fulfillment of the prophet Joel’s description of the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:28-32).
Romans 8:14-17
Paul’s letter to the Romans was 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, and this created tensions within the Jesus Follower Community. (They were not called “Christians” until the 80’s.)
Paul died in 62 or 63 CE. Accordingly, the Temple in Jerusalem (which was destroyed in 70) was in full operation all during Paul’s life. As a Jew who was also a Jesus Follower, Paul continued to have expectations about the fullness of the Coming of the Messiah.
All of Chapter 8 of this letter concerns the Spirit and life in the Spirit. Paul contrasted “life in the Spirit” with a life in fear (v.14). He emphasized that we are children of God and joint heirs of life in God with the Christ (v.17).
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.
2019, June 16 ~ Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 and Romans 5:1-5
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienProverbs 8:1-4, 22-31
In Christian Bibles, the Book of Proverbs is included in the “Wisdom Literature,” but in the Jewish Bible (the “TaNaK”), it is part of the “Writings.” The other two parts of the Jewish Bible are The Torah and The Prophets. The name “TaNaK” is an acronym for the first letters of the Hebrew words for each of these sections: the Torah, the Nevi’im, and the Ketubim.
Although Proverbs claims to be written by Solomon (965-930 BCE) (1:1), most scholars agree that these sayings were compiled over a long period and put in their final form around 450 BCE. In fact, two Chapters of Proverbs (22:17 to 24:34) are copied almost word-for-word from Egyptian literature dating to about 1100 BCE.
Most of the sayings in Proverbs are presented as teachings from the elders and are aimed at young men. They generally advise that moral living (diligence, sobriety, self-restraint, selecting a good wife, honesty) will lead to a good life.
The usual translation of a recurring theme in Proverbs is that “fear” of YHWH (translated as LORD – all capital letters in the NRSV) is the beginning of wisdom. Many scholars suggest, however, that “awe of YHWH” or “reverence for YHWH” better captures the sense of the authors of the Proverbs.
Today’s reading is about Wisdom, which is presented as the feminine aspect of the Sacred. Wisdom is described as being present at Creation and as the first of God’s creations.
Romans 5:1-5
Paul’s letter to the Romans was 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) had expelled the Jews from Rome in 49 CE. During Nero’s reign (54-68 CE), he allowed Jews (including Jewish Jesus Followers) to return, and this created tensions within the Jesus Follower Community. (They were not called “Christians” until the 80’s.)
Paul died in 62 or 63 CE. Accordingly, the Temple in Jerusalem (which was destroyed in 70) was in full operation all during Paul’s life. As a Jew who was also a Jesus Follower, Paul continued to have expectations about the fullness of the Coming of the Messiah, one of the important themes in Romans.
Today’s reading speaks of being “justified by faith” (v.1). Understanding these terms in Paul’s context is often challenging for modern readers. For example, “justified” (v.1) is more properly 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” 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 (the way many Christians today think of “Faith”). Instead, “faith” is living a life of loving faithfulness as Jesus of Nazareth lived his life.
2019, June 9 ~ Genesis 11:1-9, Acts 2:1-21, and Romans 8:14-17
/in Uncategorized /by Thomas O'BrienThe Lectionary Readings for Pentecost are from Genesis or Acts, and from Romans.
Genesis 11:1-9
Genesis is the first book of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). The Torah also called the Pentateuch (“five books”) in Greek. Genesis covers the period from Creation to the deaths of Jacob and his 11th son, Joseph, in about 1,650 BCE, if the accounts are historical.
The Book of Genesis (like the Torah as a whole) is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated by scholars to 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, and 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.
The Book of Genesis comes mostly from two of these sources, one called “J” (for Yahwistic) and the other called “P” (for Priestly). The two sources present God very differently. In “J” materials, God is presented anthropomorphically (God speaks directly with Adam and Eve, walks in the Garden, smells burnt offerings, and has human-like feelings, as in today’s reading). The name used for God in the “J” materials is YHWH, and this is translated in the NRSV as “LORD” in all capital letters.
The first eleven chapters of Genesis are called the “Primeval History” and present ancient sacred myth-stories that “explain” the origin of realities such as the presence of suffering in the world and the multiplicity of languages described in today’s Tower of Babel Story.
Acts 2:1-21
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 an account of 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. The second half of Acts is an account of Paul’s Missionary Journeys.
Today’s reading was set in the early days of the Jesus Follower Movement in Jerusalem. The Jesus Follower Movement remained a sect within Judaism until after the Destruction of the Temple by the Romans in 70 CE.
Today’s reading is an account of the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles on Pentecost. Pentecost (or the Feast of Weeks) was a well-established Jewish Festival occurring 50 days after Passover to celebrate the spring barley harvest and to remember the giving of the Law at Sinai. Accordingly, the Apostles (as devout Jews) came together for this Feast, along with Jews from many nations.
The account uses two of the customary images for the Holy Spirit – wind and fire. The ability of listeners to hear the Apostles in their native languages directly reverses of the impact of the Tower of Babel Story in which people could not understand one another.
Peter was presented as the spokesperson for the Apostles (v.14) and stated that the coming of the Spirit was the fulfillment of the prophet Joel’s description of the Day of the Lord (Joel 2:28-32).
Romans 8:14-17
Paul’s letter to the Romans was 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, and this created tensions within the Jesus Follower Community. (They were not called “Christians” until the 80’s.)
Paul died in 62 or 63 CE. Accordingly, the Temple in Jerusalem (which was destroyed in 70) was in full operation all during Paul’s life. As a Jew who was also a Jesus Follower, Paul continued to have expectations about the fullness of the Coming of the Messiah.
All of Chapter 8 of this letter concerns the Spirit and life in the Spirit. Paul contrasted “life in the Spirit” with a life in fear (v.14). He emphasized that we are children of God and joint heirs of life in God with the Christ (v.17).