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2016, August 28 ~ Sirach 10:12-18 & Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

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Sirach 10:12-18

The Book of Sirach is not included in the Jewish version of the Hebrew Bible, but is included in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox versions of the Hebrew Bible. Protestants place Sirach in a separate section of the Bible called the “Apocrypha” (which means “hidden books”). The book is known by the name of its author, and its full title is “The Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach.” In the Roman Catholic tradition, the book is known as “Ecclesiasticus” (“the Church’s book”). It was written around 180 BCE, during a time when the Seleucids (from Syria) were ruling Judea and trying to impose Greek gods upon the Judeans. Ben Sira describes himself as a “scribe” (which means a person of learning). The Prologue to Sirach contains the first reference in Jewish Literature to “the Law, the Prophesies, and the rest of the books” – the division of the Hebrew Bible into three parts. The book primarily consists of “traditional” advice to young men in the Jewish community, consistent with the advice to young men contained in the Book of Proverbs. In today’s reading, Sirach states that human pride and sin lead to retribution by the Lord – a view consistent with Deuteronomy’s over-all theme that if you do good, good things will happen, but if you do bad things (such as worship false gods), bad things will happen.

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

The Letter to the Hebrews is an anonymous sermon addressed to Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers which urges them to maintain their Faith in the face of persecution. Most scholars agree it was written after Paul’s death in 62 CE. Today’s reading is from the last chapter of the Letter and exhorts his listeners to show mutual love and hospitality (referring to Abraham’s entertaining angels/God at Mamre). As the reading concludes, the author tells his listeners to praise God and do good deeds.

2016, August 21~ Isaiah 58:9b-14 & Hebrews 12:18-29

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Isaiah 58:9b-14

The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Israel’s history. Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and were written in the 20 years before Jerusalem was under direct siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55 and brings hope to the Judeans during the time of the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they have suffered enough and will return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 and reflects the difficult issues facing the Judeans in the period after the Exile. In today’s reading, the author prophesies (that is, speaks for YHWH) by offering conditional encouragement to the Judeans that their fortunes will be restored if they care for the hungry and observe the Sabbath.

Hebrews 12:18-29

The Letter to the Hebrews is an anonymous sermon addressed to Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers urging them to maintain their Faith in the face of persecution. Most scholars agree it was written after Paul’s death in 62 CE. Today’s reading reflects the growing separation – after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 C.E. – between the Jesus Follower Movement (which morphed into Christianity in the last part of the First Century) and Pharisaical Judaism (which morphed into Rabbinic Judaism). The author contrasts Mount Sinai as a place of terror with Mount Zion where the spirits of the righteous are made perfect by Jesus. He says the blood of Abel cried for vengeance (Gen. 4:10) but the blood of Jesus “speaks a better word” (v. 24). He paraphrases the prophet Haggai 2:6 for the expression “Yet once more” as a basis for the removal of created things in favor of “that which cannot be shaken” (v. 27). The actual context in Haggai is that the Lord would cause the return of riches from foreigners so the Temple could be rebuilt in splendor after the Exile ended in 539 BCE.

2016, August 14 ~ Jeremiah 23:23-29 & Hebrews 11:29-12:2

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Jeremiah 23:23-29

After the righteous King Josiah was killed in battle 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 586 BCE when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and exiled the Judean leaders to Babylon. Jeremiah’s prophesy (i.e. speaking for Yahweh) began around 609 and continued until 586 BCE when he died in Egypt.

The Book of Jeremiah underwent substantial revisions between the time of Jeremiah and the First Century. Many of the sections that are in “poetry style” are attributed to the prophet, and parts in “prose style” were added later. Indeed, parts of Jeremiah are word-for-word the same as 2 Kings, a book written by the Deuteronomists (authors of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings).

Today’s reading is in “prose style” and attacks prophets who tell lies by interpreting dreams. Although dreams are sometimes favorably regarded in the Hebrew Bible (Joseph, son of Jacob; Jacob’s ladder dream; Daniel’s interpretations), this passage echoes Deuteronomy Chapter 13 which states that those divining by dreams should be put to death for treason against YHWH.

Hebrews 11:29-12:2

The Letter to the Hebrews is an anonymous sermon addressed to both Jewish and Gentile Jesus Followers who were suffering persecution. It urges them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. Although the Letter is sometimes attributed to Paul, most scholars agree that it was written some time after Paul’s death in 62 CE. In today’s reading, the author refers to the faith of many persons in the Hebrew Bible, including the mothers of children who were brought back to life by Elijah and Elisha (v. 35). But, the author continues, even all these witnesses to faith were not “made perfect” because Jesus is the “perfecter of our faith.” (12:2)

2016, August 7th ~ Genesis 15:1-6 & Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

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Genesis 15:1-6

Genesis, like much of the Torah, is an amalgam of written religious traditions, some of which are dated to about 950 BCE and some of which were developed as late as 450 BCE. Today’s reading is part of an early tradition. In it, Yahweh speaks with Abraham in a vision and makes a covenant with him to protect him, reward him with material wealth, and to give him an heir. The last verse states that Abram believed YHWH, and the translation continues that “the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.” In Hebrew, however, the word is “he” not “YHWH.” This ambiguity could mean that Abram sees YHWH as righteous (being in right relation and being true to one’s commitments) or that YHWH sees Abram as righteous, or that they both see each other as righteous. After this passage, there is a “sealing” of the covenant by cutting animals in two. In the Hebrew, the word for “making” a covenant is “cutting” a covenant. We use a similar expression in English when we say we “cut a deal.”

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

The Letter to the Hebrews is characterized as an anonymous sermon to the early Jesus Follower Community urging them to maintain their Faith and Hope in the face of hardship. It develops a number of important images such as Jesus the Christ as the High Priest. Today’s reading presents faith as insight into a heavenly world of reality, and speaks of faith concretely as “assurance” and “conviction.” It cites as examples of faith Abraham’s obedience to leave his homeland and travel to Canaan (Genesis 12), and his reward as the father of numerous descendants.

2016, July 31st ~ Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23 & Colossians 3:1-11

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Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-23

Ecclesiastes was written by a person known in Hebrew as Qohelet (which means the “Gatherer” or “Teacher” or “Preacher”). Because the book contains Persian and Aramaic “loan-words,” the book is dated to the time of Persian rule of Judea (539 to 333 BCE). (Loan-words are words borrowed from one language to another; for example, “rendezvous” is a loan-word in English from French.) In verse 12, Qohelet assumes the persona of Solomon, the traditionally wise king who reigned from 968 to 928 BCE, but the book was written much later.

The Persian Period was one of great prosperity, but one in which the individual was an insignificant part of a large Empire. The over-arching themes in Ecclesiastes are that everything is “vanity” (the Hebrew word, hebel, is also translated as “vapor” or “breath”) and our lives are transient and insignificant. “Vanity” is used to describe all that is ephemeral, insubstantial, enigmatic, or absurd. Qohelet asserts that the fruit of one’s toil and one’s wisdom and knowledge cannot be taken with us when we die.

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 and expresses concern about practices that are inconsistent with Paul’s understanding of being a Jesus Follower. Scholars debate whether it was written by Paul or his disciples in the decade after Paul’s death in 62 CE. In today’s reading, the author expresses his eschatological vision – not an end of the world, but an end of the world as the Colossians knew it. He urges the Colossians to put on a “new self” so that earthly distinctions such as Jew and Greek (i.e. Gentile) will no longer exist.

2016, July 24th ~ Genesis 18:20-32 & Colossians 2:6-19

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Genesis 18:20-32
Genesis, like much of the Torah, is an amalgam of oral and written religious traditions, some of which are dated to about 950 BCE and some of which were developed as late as 450 BCE. Today’s reading is part of an early tradition. Two clues to the date of today’s reading are (1) that God’s name is printed in the NRSV as “LORD” in all capital letters (LORD is the translation of YHWH) and (2) God is presented anthropomorphically – a God who walked in Eden and spoke directly with humans. In the verses just before today’s reading, YHWH is described as having an internal debate about whether to disclose God’s own plans to Abraham. In today’s story, Abraham conducts a back-and-forth negotiation with a very human-like YHWH regarding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. By appealing to YHWH’s sense of fairness and justice, Abraham gets YHWH to reduce dramatically the number of “righteous” people needed to save the cities. Nevertheless, the two cities are destroyed by YHWH in the next chapter.

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 (four chapters) and expresses concern about practices that are inconsistent with the author’s understanding of being a Jesus Follower. Scholars debate whether it was written by Paul or his disciples in the decade after Paul’s death in 62 CE. Today’s reading is the theological core of the letter. The author notes that the Colossians have orally received Christ, and warns against “philosophy” (other ethical teachings) and practices associated with some forms of 1st Century Judaism: “elemental spirits” (v.8), physical circumcision (v.13), matters of food and drink (v. 16), and observing festivals, new moons and Sabbaths (v. 16).

2016, July 17th ~ Genesis 18: 1-10a & Colossians 1:15-28

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Genesis 18: 1-10a
In the passages just before today’s reading, the account noted that Abraham was 99 years old and Sarah was more than 90 years old. Today’s reading speaks of Yahweh appearing to Abraham (whenever the translation is “LORD” in all capital letters, the word in the Hebrew Bible is YHWH) at Mamre, an ancient Southern sacred place near Hebron. Yahweh appears as three men, and Abraham offers them a “little bread.” In hyperbole that is often characteristic of the Hebrew Bible, Abraham directs Sarah to make bread from 27 pounds of flour and to prepare an entire calf for three people! Somewhat confusingly, the three men sometimes speak as one person (v.5 and v.9) and at other times, only one of them speaks (v.10) to say that Sarah will have a son in a year. In the verses after today’s reading, Sarah laughs at this prediction. The Hebrew Bible loves puns, and the name of Abraham and Sarah’s son, “Isaac,” means “he laughs.” Christian interpreters sometimes see the three men as prefiguring the Trinity.

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 (four chapters) and expresses concern about practices that are inconsistent with Paul’s understanding of being a Jesus Follower. Scholars debate whether it was written by Paul or his disciples in the decade after Paul’s death in 62 CE. In today’s reading, the author emphasizes the supremacy of Christ over the cosmos and over the church and says that the Christ is the image of the invisible God. Unlike some of Paul’s writings, this letter asserts that continued steadfastness to the faith is needed for reconciliation in Christ’s earthly body and to attain salvation at the end of times. The author recounts Paul’s sufferings as a way of illustrating his belief that believers must suffer before the culmination of history.

2016, July 10th ~ Deuteronomy 30:9-14 & Colossians 1:1-14

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Deuteronomy 30:9-14
Deuteronomy is the fifth (and last) book of the Torah and is presented as if it were Moses’ final speech to the Israelites just before they enter the Promised Land. “Deuteronomy” comes from Greek words that mean “Second Law” and the book is a “restatement’ of the laws in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. There were later revisions to the book of Deuteronomy after the Exile ended in 539 BCE, but the bulk of the book is generally dated to the reign of Josiah from 640 to 609 BCE. The first part of today’s reading expresses a theme found in all the Deuteronomic books (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings): “if you do good, you will get good, but if you do bad, you will get bad.” Reference to the “book of the law” in verse 10 may be a later addition because most scholars agree that the Torah was finalized and codified in the 5th Century BCE. Verses 11 to 14 challenge assumptions that divine wisdom is not knowable, and the reference to the “word” being “in your mouth” (v. 14) reflects the reality that oral transmission was prevalent in non-literate societies.

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 (four chapters) and expresses concern about practices that are inconsistent with Paul’s understanding of being a Jesus Follower. Scholars debate whether it was written by Paul or his disciples in the decade after Paul’s death in 62 CE. In today’s reading, the author emphasizes faith, love and hope as key Christian virtues (vv. 4-5) and adopts an apocalyptic theme in contrasting light and darkness (vv. 12-13). He expresses the theme that believers are redeemed and receive forgiveness of sin in Christ (v. 14). “Redemption” conveys the sense of being bought back, the way something already owned is redeemed from a pawn shop.

2016, July 3rd ~ Isaiah 66:10-14 & Galatians 6:1-16

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Isaiah 66:10-14
The Book of Isaiah is a composite of writings from three distinct periods in Israel’s history. Chapters 1-39 are called “First Isaiah” and were written in the 20 years before Jerusalem was under direct siege by the Assyrians in 701 BCE. “Second Isaiah” is Chapters 40 to 55 and brings hope to the Judeans during the time of the Exile in Babylon (587 to 539 BCE) by telling them they have suffered enough and will return to Jerusalem. “Third Isaiah” is Chapters 56 to 66 and contains encouragement to the Judeans who returned to Jerusalem after the Exile. Today’s reading is from the last chapter in the Book of Isaiah and is set in the time after the Return. In these verses, Isaiah speaks for Yahweh and affirms that Jerusalem will be a mother to all who mourn and that prosperity will return to Jerusalem.

Galatians 6:1-16
Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was written 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) and whether Gentile Jesus Followers had to be circumcised and follow the Kosher dietary laws. Today’s reading is the conclusion of the letter. Paul continues to emphasize that the Spirit enables believers to live out the principle of love, thus fulfilling the law without slavishly observing the law’s requirements. He affirms the opposition of “the flesh” to the Spirit and emphasizes that whether or not a person is circumcised is not important. The final words of today’s reading ask for peace 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.

2016, June 26th ~ 1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21 & Galatians 5:1, 13-25

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1 Kings 19:15-16, 19-21
The Book of Kings is part of the “Deuteronomic History” that includes the books of Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. These books emphasize that God controls history, and when the people (and their kings) worship Yahweh properly, good things happen to them. When they worship false gods, however, bad events overtake them. Today’s reading follows the story in which Elijah invoked Yahweh to overcome the priests of Baal to bring rain and to burn an offering. Jezebel, the Baal-worshiping wife of Ahab (873-852 BCE), vowed revenge, and Elijah escaped to the south and hid in a cave where he heard the voice of Yahweh in the stillness. In today’s reading, Yahweh told Elijah to anoint a new king of Aram (Syria), and (in an act of treason) to anoint a new king over Israel, even though Ahab was still king. Elijah was also directed to select Elisha as his successor. In hyperbole that often used in the Hebrew Bible to emphasize a point, Elisha destroyed his means of sustenance and slaughtered 12 yoke of oxen (24 oxen), which would have had an enormous value.

Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Galatia was a large Roman province in what is now western Turkey. This letter was written 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). Today’s reading emphasizes that Christ gives us freedom to love one another through the Spirit, and Paul contrasts this with being compelled to follow rules under the law. It is also noteworthy that 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” was that part of our humanity that opposes the Spirit within us.