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2016, September 4 ~ Deuteronomy 30:15-20 & Philemon 1:1-21

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Deuteronomy 30: 15-20

Deuteronomy is the fifth (and last) book of the Torah. It is structured as Moses’ final speech to the Israelites just before they enter the Promised Land (which, if the events are historical, would have been around 1225 BCE).

“Deuteronomy” comes from Greek words meaning “Second Law.” The book is presented as a “restatement’ of the laws in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Although much of the book was written in the reign of Josiah (640 to 609 BCE), there were later revisions during and after the Exile (587-539 BCE).

All the Deuteronomic books (Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) contain an over-arching theme that “explains” Ancient Israel’s Exile and Judea’s subjugation to other nations. Rather than seeing the Exile and the other conquests of Judea as the result of the greater economic and military might of foreign nations, they are portrayed as the result of failing to obey the commandments of the LORD (v. 16) and being “led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them” (v.17). Verses 16 and 17 start with “if” and reflect the Deuteronomists’ understanding that the Covenant with the LORD was conditional. Judea failed to live up to its part of the covenant, and this is why it suffered.

Philemon 1: 1-21

The Letter to Philemon is the shortest of the letters attributed to Paul, and is presented as his last letter in the Bible. (When Jerome translated the letters for the Vulgate, he arranged them from the longest to the shortest on the theory that the longer letters were more important.) Today’s reading contains all but three of the verses of the entire letter.

The letter is written from prison, but the site is not specified. Paul is sending the slave Onesimus (whose name means “helpful”) back to Philemon with a request to free him as a “brother in the Lord” (v. 16). Paul notes that he converted Philemon (“owing me in your own self” v.19).

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 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.