Adult Christian Education Archives
Spring, 2006
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Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes Joel We do not know anything about Joel, except that he was the “son of Pethuel.” He seems to have lived in or near Jerusalem during the Persian period (538-336), probably between 400 and 350 (the mention of Sidon in 3:4 is a clue, since it was destroyed in 343). His name means “the Lord is God”; it is a common name in the Old Testament, appearing more than a dozen times. Like Haggai and Zechariah he was a “cultic prophet,” participating in the liturgy and using its forms, plus some apocalyptic imagery, in his teaching. He sometimes quotes other prophets: 1:15 cites Isaiah 13:6; 3:16 quotes Amos 1:2; 2:1-2 uses material from Zephaniah 1:14-15. 1:2-4 Here is a memorable story, to be passed on from generation to generation. Nothing like this destruction has happened as far back as any of his hearers remember, nor has there ever been such a deliverance as the one that was now coming. A terrible and devastating locust plague has destroyed the land. Part one: 1:5 – 2:17 The locust plague as a symbol for the coming Day of the Lord This section is in chiastic form: Gather the people for fasting and prayer (1:5-14) >>> because the Day of the Lord is near. (1:15-20). The Day of the Lord is near (2:1-11) >>> so gather the people for fasting and prayer (2:12-17). 1:5-14 the totality of the destruction & a call to repentance 1:15-20 The Day of the Lord is coming as a day of destruction for the whole earth. 2:1-11 the Day of the Lord as a day of deep darkness; 3 pictures the stark contrast between “before” and “after”; 2:4-11 pictures the locusts as a fierce army 2:12-17 The plague is seen as a punishment from God, so there is hope in repentance (a passage used sometimes on Ash Wednesday). Part two: 2:18-32 God’s response to the prayers of the people 2:18-20, 24-27 God has heard his people and has pitied them. He will rescue and restore them. 2:21-23 praises of God: “Do not fear, O soil…”; “Do not fear, you animals of the field:; “O children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the LORD your God…” 2:28-32 “Afterward” seems to indicate a far-distant future, beyond the Day-of-the-Lord events that have been described so far. God will pour out his spirit on all people. This passage is quoted by Peter in Acts 2:17-21 during his Pentecost sermon. Part three: 3:1-21 The ultimate Day of the Lord will result in punishment of the nations 3:1-3 God will judge the nations. “Jehoshaphat” means “the LORD judges”; it is probably a symbolic name rather than an actual location. Joel charges them with four offenses against Israel: scattering Israel among the nations, dividing Israel’s land, selling the people into slavery, and selling even the young children into slavery. 3:4-8 The punishment of Tyre, Sidon and Philistia will fit the crime. 3:9-12 a call to judgment 3:13-17 God shall judge the nations, but protect Israel. 3:18-21 “On that day” again looks to the far-distant future, when all of Israel’s enemies shall be destroyed, and when Israel shall prosper, with the LORD dwelling in Zion. Uses of Joel in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary none (2:1-2,12-17 is an optional reading for Ash Wednesday of all three years) Jonah Jonah is different from all the other prophetic books. It is actually a didactic narrative. Jonah was not a typical prophet, faithfully announcing God’s word, but tried to avoid it and struggle against it. The historical “Jonah the son of Amittai” was an obscure prophet at the time of Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:25 – “[Jeroboam II of Israel] restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher.”). The present book was written after the Exile, possibly in the 5th or 4th century. It shows the influence of Jeremiah and Second Isaiah. Nahum, especially chapter 3, can serve as a background, providing an understanding of the attitude toward Nineveh The story is not about Jonah; it is about the LORD and Jonah. God is mentioned 39 times in its 38 verses. Jonah consists of five scenes (acc. to Limburg): Each section has a “where” and a “who”, with the Lord and Jonah speaking alone in parts 1, 3 & 5. 1:1-3 in the land of Israel: the Lord and Jonah 1:4-16 at sea Jonah and the sailors 1:17 – 2:10 in the fish the Lord and Jonah 3:1-10 in Nineveh the Lord, Jonah, the Ninevites 4:1-11 outside Nineveh the Lord and Jonah 1:1-3 The Lord calls Jonah, and Jonah tries to flee. 1:4-16 The sailors, who are not Jewish, are portrayed as honest, religious, sensible men. According to a Jewish tradition, they included members of all 27 of the peoples of the earth. 1:17 – 2:10 includes a psalm from inside the fish. 3:1-10 begins with God calling Jonah “a second time.” Nineveh hears, repents and is saved. 4:1-11 portrays a Jonah who is angry at the universality of God’s mercy. The story ends just as it began (1:2) with a reference to “Nineveh, that great city” (4:11). Matthew 12:40 -- “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth.” (see also Matthew 12: 39 & 41, Matthew 16:4 & 17, and Luke 11:29-32) Uses of Jonah in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary 3:1-5,10 Year B, 4th Sunday after the Epiphany 3:10 – 4:11 Year A, Proper 20 --------------------------------- St.
Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes II Zechariah Chapters 9-14 make no claim to be from Zechariah and probably come from the Greek period (cf. 9:13). (Alexander the Great’s conquests took place between 336 and 323.) These chapters appear to have been written by unknown authors living sometime during the fourth and third centuries, but it is impossible to pinpoint their historical setting exactly. Scholars attribute chapters 9-11 to II Zechariah, and chapters 12-14 to a III Zechariah, although both sections seem to be a compilation of material from multiple authors. Some of the material may be from the time of I Zechariah. (Elizabeth Achtemeier, p. 107, suggests that chapters 9-14, along with the book of Malachi, were added to an earlier collection of the prophets in order to bring the number to 12.) As for the authors, the same commentator says (page 146): “These are not supporters of the Zadokite priestly party, nor have they been in exile, as was the author of I Zechariah. These are members of the prophetic reform group who remained in the land during the time of exile and who fought the battle of purifying Israelite religious life and leadership after the return of the exiles to Jerusalem and Judah.” In place of I Zechariah’s call to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple, II and III Zechariah warn of the coming of universal warfare and the siege of Jerusalem. They may be from dispirited disciples of I Zechariah. The images of a “Prince of Peace and of a “Good Shepherd” smitten for the flock are used by New Testament authors in reference to Jesus. I Zechariah spoke about the coming of the Kingdom of God as comforting and effortless. II and III Zechariah arise from a realization that it is not that easy. The Kingdom of God --- which is to be on this earth, not separated from the world in which we live ---will come only through the struggles and suffering of the faithful. 9:1-17 This section begins with a description, not of historical battles, but of the final victory of God for Israel. Verses 1-4 picture God’s victory over the cities to the north, thereby extending Israel’s territory even farther than it had been under David. Verses 5-6 portray a victory over Israel’s historical enemies in Philistia. 1-8 and 11-17 picture a warrior God, such as the one pictured in Exodus and other places. In some of the prophets (e.g. Jer. 4 and Ez. 13), God is a warrior against Israel; the “war” ceases in Is. 40:2. This image is picked-up in the New Testament by Mark 13:24-27 and in the Armageddon scene in Rev. 16-19. It provides the image of a God who is in control of history and who actively works to defeat evil. Verses 9-10 picture the coming of a messianic king. He is “triumphant” and “victorious” (lit. “saved” by the warrior God who has won the victory); the image intended here may be of one who has been declared righteous by God. Since this will be God’s doing, not the messiah’s, he will be “humble”. He comes “riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” This is a case of poetic parallelism: only one animal is intended. (Mt. 21:7 misunderstands this and has Jesus somehow riding on two animals at the same time!) Genesis 49:7 pictures a future ruler from the tribe of Judah who rides on a donkey, and this verse in II Zechariah is patterned on the verse from Genesis. His rule shall be greater than any in Israel’s history, from sea (Mediterranean) to sea (Persian Gulf), from the river (Wadi el Arish) to the ends of the earth. 10:1 – 11:17 The oracles of II and II Zechariah are not in any chronological (or logical) order. Following the image of the final victory and the messianic king in chapter 9, we return now to the current state of affairs, where the leadership is corrupt and God stands in judgment. The people lack an effective shepherd, and their corrupt practices negatively affect nature itself (10:1-2). In verse 3, God’s responds in anger to the “shepherds” and sets out himself to care for Israel. They will be like God’s warhorse. He will bring out from them and for them a cornerstone, a tent peg, a battle bow, every commander: all images of God’s decisive power working in them. Verses 6-7 describe how God will care for them and enable them to defend themselves once again. Verses 8-12 pictures God gathering the people from all the nations where they have been scattered, and then defeating their enemies. 11:1-3 picture God’s coming destruction of the whole earth, beginning on the mount of the Canaanite gods (in Lebanon) and moving right through Israel. 4-6 Those who are supposed to care for the “sheep” lead them to be slaughtered in order to enrich themselves. Therefore, in verse 7-14, God sends a new shepherd to care for the sheep. They, however, reject him. He takes one of his two staffs, Favor, and breaks it, declaring by his action that the covenant between them has been broken. They try to pay him off by giving him thirty shekels of silver, which is the price of a slave who has been killed by a ox (Ex. 21:32); that’s all they think of him. He throws the money into the treasury and breaks the second staff, Unity. (Mt. 26:15 gives this as the amount of money paid Judas to betray Jesus. Mt. 27:5 pictures him throwing the money into the sanctuary before hanging himself.) 15-17 The people, who really did not want the righteous shepherd to come because he would reveal their wickedness and call them back to God, reject him. God, therefore, will give them a worthless shepherd who will take advantage of them and destroy them. That worthless shepherd will then be destroyed as well. III Zechariah Chapters 12-14 add promises to II Zechariah’s words of judgment. Its first section (12:1 – 13:6) begins (1) with poetic praise of the God of all creation. It then includes three promises: (1) God will deliver Jerusalem and Judah from all their enemies (12:1-9). The nations will attack Jerusalem, but God will destroy them. God will then strengthen Judah and Jerusalem (8). (2) God will pour out on Jerusalem a spirit of repentance (12:10-14). The people will recognize that they have rejected and killed their messiah. They will mourn, not only because they have offended God, but because they have destroyed their own hope in the process. Quoted in Jn. 19:37. (3) God will cleanse the land of its idolatry and false prophets (13:1-6). God will destroy the false prophets. Those who remain will try to hide the fact that they are prophets. The second section (13:7-9) speaks of the messianic shepherd, and of God’s works of judgment and mercy. The people have struck down God’s shepherd; therefore, they have been scattered and most of them will be destroyed. The remnant shall be purified and then returned to God. Its third section, Chapter 14 explains how the renewed relationship between God and God’s people will come about, what that covenant relationship will be, and what implications it will have for the nations of the earth. 1-2 First, the nations will conquer Jerusalem and divide up the spoil in their streets. 3-5 Then God himself will come to fight on their behalf. He will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and split the Mount of Olives in two. These sections will move to the north and the south, opening up a great plain from the desert to Jerusalem. (5a appears to be a gloss.) That plain will be the grand entryway for the coming of God and all those who are with him. 6-8 A virtual new creation will herald the coming of God. 9 God will come and will be acknowledged as King of all the earth. 10-11 Jerusalem will be exulted. It will be inhabited and will live in security. 12-15 The covenant curses are no longer directed against Judah and Jerusalem, but against their enemies. 14a means that Judah will fight, not against Jerusalem itself, but against the enemies who have come to attack Jerusalem. The wealth of the nations shall flow in, and the enemies of Judah will be destroyed. 16-21 The remnant of the peoples will come to Jerusalem to worship the LORD and to share in the Feast of Tabernacles, in which the covenant stipulations were read, the people renewed their vows to keep the covenant, and the covenant sacrifice was offered. Even Egypt will worship the LORD and bind itself to him by covenant. On that day, all of Jerusalem shall be made holy and acceptable for the worship of the LORD. Uses of II and III Zechariah in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary 9:9-12 Year A, Proper 9 Nehemiah. --------------------------------- St.
Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes Malachi The book probably comes from the period from 500-450, shortly before the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah. The name means “my messenger” (3:1), and so it might not be a name at all, but simply a title. We know nothing about him. (Elizabeth Achtemeier, p. 172, suggests that the title “my messenger” actually refers to the role of the priest in 2:7 and that the author takes the place of the priest in a series of legal decisions.) Since the book begins the same way as Zechariah 9:1 and 12:1 (“An oracle. The word of the LORD…”), some scholars have suggested that it once circulated along with II and II Zechariah. He may be considered to be a cultic prophet (like Haggai, Zechariah and Joel) and shows a great respect for the temple and for priestly teaching (torah). Yet he may reflect more accurately the Deuteronomic law rather than the Priestly code that was brought back to Palestine by Ezra. The book emphasizes the fulfillment of Israel’s covenant obligations. Instead of oracles, he uses a question-and-answer style. His emphasis on sin, judgment, repentance, and the coming of the Day of the Lord place him within the prophetic tradition. The concluding verses, chapter 4:4-6 may be a later addition. 1:1-5 God affirms his love for Israel, but Israel challenges that assertion. Contrary to the glorious visions of Haggai and Zechariah, life in Judah hasn’t really improved very much, even though the temple had been rebuilt 50 years ago. What had happened to God’s promises? Judah was tired of waiting for them to be fulfilled. Nothing great was happening, just plain, ordinary, boring, everyday life. God was thought to have favored Edom (Esau), who cooperated with the Babylonians and lived, while Judah had been destroyed. The prophet, however, points out that their fortunes had now been reversed: the Jews were back home, while Edom was under attack and suffering. God had taken care of his chosen people. 1:6 – 2:9 The court case in which God has been put on trial is now reversed: God is putting the priests on trial. They had come to “despise”, i.e. “treat as unimportant”, the offerings that they and the people were making. They gave God whatever was left over after they had taken the best for themselves or allowed the people to keep the best for themselves. Therefore, God was calling them to judgment. 2:10-16 The prophet, speaking on behalf of God, makes two charges against the people of Judah. First (10-12), they have married women who worship other gods and have participated with them in that worship. Second (13-16), they have divorced their wives of many years, possibly in order to marry these foreign women. God refuses to accept the people’s offerings because this violation of the marriage covenant is not just something between the husband and wife; it involves God directly because God is part of the marriage covenant. 2:17 – 3:6 3:1-4 are the most-used verses of Malachi in Christian worship. In addition to the 2nd
Sunday of Advent in Year C, they are used on the Feast of the Presentation. This is the only place in the OT where God is called “the messenger of the covenant.” (3:1) Verse 6: The people have been alleging that the God who was faithful in the past has changed and is no longer faithful to them. God declares that he is still the same and that it is only because of his faithfulness to them that he has not destroyed them despite the fact that they have been unfaithful. 3:7-12 God calls Israel to return to him, promising that he will return to them. They seems completely oblivious to the fact that they have not been faithful to him. God charges them with robbing him. The people deny the charge, so God must continue the court case, being more specific. They have not brought the full tithe that they were required to bring. (Nehemiah 13:10-13 indicates that this was still a problem in his time.) In verse 10, God challenges the people: “You say that I won’t take care of you. Just try me! Bring the full tithe and put me to the test. If you do, this is what I will do for you…” 3:13-15 In the final part of the court proceedings, the people, who have been professing their faithfulness, convict themselves. They say that they have tried obeying the Lord but that those who have defied God have fared better. They have now made their decision: “we count the arrogant happy”; so, they imply, we are following their example. God rests his case. 3:16 – 4:3 The Day of the Lord is coming, and on that day people will see a clear distinction between the faithful and the faithless. (cf. Third Isaiah, Is. 65:13-16) Among the faithless people of Judah, God has a righteous remnant whom he will protect and shelter. They will be rewarded and glorified on that day. 4:4-6 The priest-prophet brings the book to a close with a call to Israel to obey all the Law given to them by Moses at Horeb. It carries a note of salvific intent: “to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents.” To accomplish this, God will send to them Elijah, who once turned Israel from idolatry (cf. Lk 1:17 – “With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children…”). (cf. also Mt 11:14 – “If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.” Neither the Septuagint (LXX) nor the Masoretes (MT) wanted to end the Book of the Twelve, and the entire Hebrew Bible, with a curse. LXX puts verse 4 after verse 6. MT repeats verse 5 after verse 6. Uses of Malachi in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary 3:1-4 Year C, 2nd Sunday of Advent --------------------------------- St.
Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes Zechariah Chapters 1-8 are from “First Zechariah,” the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the priest (cf. Nehemiah 12:16); he is mentioned along with Haggai in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14. Chapters 9-14 (“Second” and “Third Zechariah”) come from the Greek period. I Zechariah Zechariah was probably among the Zadokite priests who had been in exile. Zechariah’s words come from the same time as Haggai’s: beginning in the second year of Darius (520). They probably overlap as well the authors of III Isaiah (Is. 56-66). Zechariah’s literary style is completely different from that of Haggai. He uses night visions and dialogues between God, himself and an interpreting angel to deliver his message. In doing so, he utilizes the form and style of Jewish apocalyptic literature. He message dates between 520 and 518. 2:13 sounds the theme: “Be silent, all people, before the LORD; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.” The ruler of the universe has set out on a new course of action. 1:1-6 an introduction 1:7 – 2:13 Section 1 good news of the coming of a new age and the reelection of Jerusalem 3:1 – 6:15 Section 2 authority in the new age 7:1 – 8:19 Section 3 the nature of life in the new age 8:20-23 a concluding oracle 1:1-6 an introduction; The people lived in the midst of all the destruction that had taken place nearly 70 years earlier. The nation had lost its independence. The people now lived in poverty and fear and uncertainty; and they wondered where God was. Was God really in control of history? Zechariah points to their surroundings and tells them that all that has happened was not because God was absent, but because God was present and because God did exactly what he said he was going to do. 1:4 quotes Jeremiah (18:11, 25:5, 35:15); In accordance with Deuteronomy (28:15-68), God destroyed the nation that abandoned him. On February 15, 519, about 3 ½ months after his initial preaching (1:1) and two months after Haggai’s final oracle (Hag. 2:20-23), Zechariah received a series of eight visions. 1:7 - 2:13 Section 1 Vision One 1:7-17 1:11 The earth is supposedly “at peace” but it is not God’s peace. The nations are in control, and God’s people are suffering and oppressed. (They are saying, “’Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” – Jer. 614 and 8:11) 1:12 The angel intercedes for Judah. God has said that he will punish them for 70 years. Counting from the first exile (597), 70 years have come and gone. The plea is based on God’s own promise to restore them after that time. 1:13 The Lord replies “with gracious and comforting words.” (cf. Is. 40:1 ff.) 1:17 God’s plan for his people from the beginning: “again…, again…, again…) Vision Two 1:18-21 1:18 “horns” = symbols of strength; not four nations, but perhaps the nations from the four corners of the earth who have attacked and destroyed Judah Vision Three 2:1-5 A man is measuring where Jerusalem’s walls were in the past in order to begin rebuilding. But “another angel” comes to Zechariah’s interpreting angel and tells him that the glory of the coming Jerusalem will be far greater than the old one could hold. So many people will live there that walls cannot contain them. The old, physical walls had not protected the city, but its new “wall,” who is God himself, will be their true protection. Oracle One 2:6-9 God calls on those in exile, wherever they may be (“the land of the north”), to return to Jerusalem before God destroys Judah’s enemies. Oracle Two 2:10-12 God will return to a restored Jerusalem and its temple. A new twist in this oracle is that, contrary e.g. to Vision 2 and Oracle 1, many people of other nations will join themselves to God’s covenant people. 2:13, the conclusion to section 1 The people’s response is silence, waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises. 3:1 – 6:15 Section 2 Vision Four 3:1-7 In a vision of the heavenly court, Joshua the high priest is on trial, representative of all the Zadokite priests. Satan accuses him of unfaithfulness to the torah. God, who has delivered him from exile, forgives him. He calls him to live in accordance with the law and gives him the right to decide who may enter the presence of God. Oracle Three 3:8-10 Joshua and the priests who are with him are signs of what is to come. God makes three promises: in the fullness of the new age, God’s “Branch” will come to rule over the people; an enigmatic seven-faced stone will be set before Joshua; and God will engrave the stone as a sign of Joshua’s sacred role among the people. Vision Five 4:1-14 In a very confusing vision, God promises to make the restored Israel and its leader, Zerubabbel, prosperous. The image of the “lampstand” seems to be based on columns that have been found. It is topped with a large bowl, surrounded by seven lamps. Each lamp has seven lips for wicks; therefore, there are 49 lights. It is fed oil by the olive trees. It is a symbol of God’s presence and of God’s blessing and light poured out on Israel. The key to the vision is verse 6: “not by might, not by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts.” Vision Six 5:1-4 A giant scroll (c. 10 yards by 5 yards) carries curses on the corrupt practices in Judah. Third Isaiah blames the Zadokite priests for this corruption. Vision Seven 5:5-11 Wickedness personified is picked up in a large basket and taken to the land of Shinar: Babylon, between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, where it can work its evil ways. The people of Israel are delivered from it. Vision Eight 6:1-8 This final vision is parallel to Vision One (1:7-17) where a false peace exists on the earth. Here, in contrast, God’s true rule over all the earth is established, culminating in the “north”: the symbolic source of all evil. A Prophetic, Symbolic Action 6:9-15 Zechariah approaches three recently returned exiles and goes with them to a fourth (apparently a metal worker) to make a crown for Joshua, who temporarily wears it as a sign of God’s coming Messiah. There he pronounces a five-part oracle: the Messiah (“Branch”) will come; he shall come from Israel; he shall build the lasting temple of the Lord; he shall sit and rule on the throne; he shall serve both as ruler and high priest. 7:1 – 8:23 Section 3 7:1-14 A delegation from Bethel asks for a ruling on the torah. Since Jerusalem was destroyed (587), the people had practiced fasting four times each year: (1) on the 9th day of the 4th month, commemorating the breaching of the city walls; (2) on the 7th day of the fifth month, commemorating the destruction of the temple; (3) in the 7th month, remembering the murder of the governor, Gedaliah; and (4) 10th day of the 9th month, commemorating the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem. The delegation asks, since the temple was now being rebuilt, should they continue the second fast. Zechariah does not directly answer their question, but points instead to a much more important issue: faithfulness in living out the entire law in the people’s lives. (The oracle in 8:18-19 will directly answer the question about all four fasts.) 8:1-8 a series of oracles Here is a collection of brief oracles, each introduced by “Thus says the LORD of hosts…” They picture the kingdom of God in terms of very old people sitting around talking while children play in the streets with no one to bother them. 8:9-19 three oracles: 9-13 speaks of the reversal of God from curses to blessings; 14-17 assures the people that God keeps his word; and 18-19 replaces the four annual fasts with feasting. 8:20-23 a concluding oracle God’s kingdom is not for Israel alone, but for all the earth. Because God’s kingdom has come and the people of Israel have apparently been living in accordance with God’s law, the people of the other nations will all come to Jerusalem “for we have heard that God is with you.” Uses of I Zechariah in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary none --------------------------------- St.
Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes Haggai In 538 B.C.E. the Edict of Cyrus not only allowed the Jewish exiles to return home from Babylon, but encouraged them to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem (cf. Ezra 1:1-4). Darius I (521-485) ordered the governor of the Persian province of Transjordan to stop opposition to the project and to support and pay for the rebuilding of the temple and also to pay for its sacrificial offerings. By 520, however, no significant work had been done. It was in that context that Haggai (during five months of 520) spoke the five oracles that comprise this book, calling for the work to be done. Specifically, Haggai exhorted Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest, to exercise leadership in this project; and he called on the priests to purify the cultic worship. Zechariah echoes this message. (Zerubbabel was the grandson of the exiled king, Jehoiachin; and Joshua was the grandson of the exiled chief priest, Seraiah.) The entire situation of the people of Israel had changed since the days of the previous prophets. “Judah no longer existed as a national entity. Her territory was now a tiny sub-province of the vast Persian Empire. Her Israelite populace no longer made up a nation but a religious congregation of Jews. And her daily existence was a matter of staying alive in the face of hunger and devastation, of inflation and hostility from neighbors.” (E. Achtemeier, page 89) They faced opposition from their neighbors: cf. Ezra 4:3-5. The only other mentions of Haggai and of (First) Zechariah are in Ezra 5:1 and 6:14. His name means “festival.” The five oracles and their dates (given in the book according to the Babylonian calendar) are: 1:1-11
from August 29 The background of the book is 2 Kings 25:8-9: “In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month — which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon — Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down.” The principal message of the book is contained in 1:8, “Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored, says the LORD.” His is a strange message when seen beside other prophets who preceded him. Nathan (2 Sam. 7:4-7) opposed David’s plan to build a temple. “ 4But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: 5Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? 6I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. 7Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leaders of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, “Why have you not built me a house of cedar?” 3 Isaiah (Is 66:1): “Thus says the LORD: Heaven
is my throne But this was a different time and a different situation. This work was necessary for the unification and renewal of the nation and, in Haggai’s eyes, would prepare the way for the messianic age in which God would overthrow the Gentiles and establish Zerbbabel as king on the throne of David. The temple would be a sign of the presence and work of God among the people. 1:1-11 the first oracle: God’s request is not a “quid pro quo”: “you rebuild the temple, and I’ll take care of you.” The Jews have fared badly because they have not returned to the Lord. That should be their first priority, instead of trying to take care of themselves first and giving God whatever is left.. Rebuilding the temple would be a sign of that return. 1:12-15a the second oracle: Haggai reassures the people (13), “I am with you, says the Lord.” The people and their leaders listened to Haggai and got to work. 1:15b – 2:9 the third oracle: Four weeks after the foundation of the new temple has been laid, the old people who remember Solomon’s temple, destroyed 67 years earlier, see it and weep (Ezra 3:11b-13) It was not nearly as glorious as the old temple. It had no Ark of the Covenant, no tablets of stone, no Aaron’s rod, no pot of manna. But Ezra reminds that that the presence of God was its true glory and that the presence of God will be the glory of this new temple as well. 2:10-19 the fourth oracle: The mere fact that the people are touching “holy” things (in rebuilding the temple) does not make them holy. Rather, their lack of holiness / righteousness in their lives contaminates the “holy” things that they touch. Will the winter rains, which have begun, produce a crop to nourish them? They don’t know at this point. Yet, despite their sins, God promises to bless them. 2:20-23: the fifth oracle: Over 550 years earlier, God had promised to David that a descendant of his would always sit upon the throne (2 Sam. 7:16). Through Zerubbabel, as a symbol of the Davidic line, God promises to be faithful to that promise. Jeremiah (22:24) pictured Jehioachin’s son as a signet ring that God would tear off his hand and throw into another country. Here, in the final verse, God promises to make Zerubabbel like his own signet ring. Uses of Haggai in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary 1:15b – 2:9 Year C, Proper 27 --------------------------------- St.
Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes Habakkuk Other than a passing reference in the story of Bel and the Dragon (1:33-39), nothing is known of Habakkuk, not even his father’s name. He probably lived and taught at the height of Babylon’s power (c. 608-598). The book may well be a combination of material from three sources. E. Achtemeier (p. 32): “In short, Habakkuk is a book about the providence of God: that is, it is primarily concerned with how God is keeping his promises to his chosen people Israel, and through them, to humankind.” three sections: 1:1 – 2:5 introduction and dialogue between the prophet and God 2:6-20 uses older material regarding five “woes” 3 a liturgical hymn 1:1 – 2:5 introduction and dialogue between the prophet and God 1:1 brief introduction 1:2-4 the prophet’s cry to God; because the people have abandoned the way of life that God spelled- out in the covenant (righteousness; justice), all of society has broken down into chaos; there are good, faithful people in his world but “the wicked surround the righteous”; he prays for a just world, but his prayer goes unanswered 1:5-11 God responds; God is at work in the world, but not in the way that prophet necessarily wants; God is sending the Babylonians (Chaldeans) to dominate the earth; Israel has rejected God’s “justice” (vs. 4; mishpat), so they will have to contend with Babylon’s “justice” (vs. 7, mishpat) 1:12-17 the prophet call’s out to God for deliverance; he acknowledges that God’s “judgment” (12) has come upon them, viz. the Babylonians; Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Second Isaiah see the situation the same way 2:1 the prophet waits for God’s response; the prophet’s wisdom is not his own: he must wait for it from God 2:2-5 God responds: The time of deliverance may seem to be delayed, but it is actually coming quickly. (“The Lord is not slow about his promises as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Pt 3:9) 4: how to live in the meantime, while we are waiting for God’s deliverance; 2:6-20 uses older material regarding five “woes” (NRSV: “Alas”); there are also series like this in Isaiah and Amos; (E. Achtemeier, p. 52: “In the rise and fall of rulers and nations, these woes in Habakkuk are telling us, the Lord of all history is actively at work, sustaining the faithful and returning the evil of the wicked on their own heads.” 3 a liturgical hymn 3:2 and 16: Habakkuk tells what he himself has heard about God’s works and prays for God’s mercy 3:13a: why God is destroying the nations: to save God’s people 3:17-19 the certainty of God’s deliverance Uses of Haggai in the Sunday readings of
The Revised Common Lectionary Click HERE to see an historical outline of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. Obadiah The shortest book in the OT: just 21 verses Nothing is known of Obadiah himself, although he considers himself one with the people of Judah whom he is addressing.. The book seems to have been written shortly after Judah’s fall in 587. There is a close tie-in between verses 1-9 and Jeremiah 49:7-22. Obadiah seems to be drawing on older prophetic texts and applying them to his situation. Verses 1-14 and 15b are directed to, and against, Edom, who saw itself as an innocent bystander at the time of Judah’s fall. Verses 15a and 16-21 address Israel, and speak of a “day of the Lord” which will bring condemnation for the nations, but deliverance for the Jews. Uses of Obadiah in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary none --------------------------------- St.
Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes Zephaniah Along with Nahum and Habakkuk, Zephaniah was a prophet of Judah’s last days. He prophesied during the reign of Josiah, i.e. between 640 and 609, following the syncretistic rules of Manasseh (687-642) and Amon (642-640). His was the first prophetic voice in Judah since the time of Isaiah and Micah, c. 701 traces his heritage to “Hezekiah” (an unusual name at that time; possibly King Hezekiah, 715-687); possibly of royal descent: does not criticize the king directly; intimate knowledge of Jerusalem and the court circles; absence of any apparent concern for the poor of the land Josiah had begun the most thoroughgoing reform in Judah’s history. In 622, while renovating the Temple, workers found “The Book of the Law”: probably some form of Deuteronomy. It had a profound influence on Josiah, and apparently on prophets like Zephaniah as well. Three parts have been discerned: 1:2 – 2:3 condemns Judah for its religious syncretism and warns of the nearness of the Day of the Lord 2:4 – 3:8 extends the condemnation to other nations, especially to Israel’s historic enemies 3:8-20 promises comfort and consolation to those who wait patiently for God and serve one another Elizabeth Achtemeier, Nahum – Malachi, asserts the unity of the book. Themes, images and terminology continue throughout the whole of it. She insists that it cannot be divided without missing the central message of the prophet – at least in its final form. Yet, at the same time, she suggests that the first two chapters reflect a time early in Josiah’s reign, before the Deuteronomic reform began, that 3:1-17 may come from the time between 612 and 609 (after the fall of Nineveh and after the reform was failing), and that 3:18-20 were a later addition. 1: 1-3 total destruction (cf. Is. 4:23-25) 4-6 condemnation for idolatry, syncretism and indifference toward God; pagan practices may have included both ritual prostitution and even child sacrifice 7 “the day of the Lord”: a prominent theme in Joel, but one which ties together several parts of the Book of the Twelve; (Achtemeier, pp. 66-67) its characteristics include: a) It is near 1: 10-11 destruction will begin at the northern gate and parts of Jerusalem, the commercial center 1: 12 image from winemaking; God is not going to do anything to us, either way 1: 13 curses drawn from the covenant curse in Dt 28:30,39 1: 14-18 basis for the “Dies irae” 2: 1-4 Judah is a “shameless nation”: cf. Jer 8:6-7 2 :5-15 judgment on the whole world: Philistia on the west (5-7), Moab and Ammon on the east (8-11), Ethiopia to the south (12), and Assyria to the north (13-15); Assyria was the most threatening, and considered to be the most evil, in the time of Zephaniah and many other of the prophets their pride and arrogance shall destroy them; cf. Is. 2:12, 17): “the Lord of hosts has a day 7 & 9: the remnant of Judah shall possess their lands 3:1-20 Many of the phrases are found also in Jeremiah, suggesting the 612-609 timeframe. There is also a similar focus on the Deuteronomic Law. 3:1-8 Jerusalem “has listened to no voice, has not trusted in the Lord.” The officials, judges, prophets and priests are corrupt. God has repeatedly worked to call the people to himself, but they have paid no attention to him. 3:9-13 a new beginning; vs. 9 might picture a reversal of Gn 11:1-9; 11-13, future peace of Jerusalem 3:14-20 a message of hope: the people will be forgiven and restored. God dwells in their midst as their King (15). Uses of Zephaniah in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary 1:7,12-18 Year A, Proper 28 3:14-20 Years A, B & C, optional use in the Great Vigil of Easter Nahum name means “comforter”; unknown outside of this book; unsure where “Elkosh” was the only prophetic book to have two “titles”: “oracle” and “book” (1:1) and the only one to be called a “book” celebrates the ongoing downfall of Assyria and anticipates the fall of Nineveh (in 612); probably written shortly before 612 Nahum, while rarely if ever used in worship, is valued for its literary style. Elizabeth Achtemeier (Nahum – Malachi, p. 5) quotes G. A. Smith: “Nahum’s language is strong and brilliant: his rhythm rumbles and rolls, leaps and flashes, like the horse and chariot he describes.” Yet she goes on to assert that Nahum is not a book about human beings, but a book about God. God is in charge, not the way that we think God should act. 1:11 and 3:18-19 frame the book. Both are direct addresses to Assyria. They speak of evil introduced and evil destroyed. The same Hebrew word (ra’ah) is used in 1:11 and in 3:19: evil (NSRV 1:11, “From you one has gone out who plots evil against the Lord”; 3:19, “For who has ever escaped your endless cruelty?”); frames the book; in between are four judgment oracles against Nineveh (1:12-15, 2:1-13, 3:1-7 and 3:8-13), each of which ends with a word of the Lord introduced by “Behold” (NRSV 1:15, “Look!”; 2:13, “See”’; 3:7, not translated; 3:13, “Look.”) 1:2-11 key to understanding (acc. to E. Achtemeier, p. 6) is the opening hymn, 1:2-11, which is from an earlier source and is the beginning of an acrostic Uses of Nahum in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary none Click HERE to see an historical outline of Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. --------------------------------- St.
Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary The Book of the Twelve --- Adult Forum Notes Micah Micah: same name as Micayahu or Micaiah; a common name at the time “in the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah of Judah” (1:1): 742-687; a younger contemporary of Isaiah; Unlike Isaiah, he was not of noble birth nor was he from Jerusalem (from Moresheth or Moresheth-Gath, a town in the lowlands, not far from Amos’ hometown of Tekoa). The difference may account for his prophecy of the fall of Jerusalem (3:9-12), one for which he was later remembered (Jer. 26:18). Like Amos, Micah was a prophet of social justice The book deals with the themes of justice, peace and Messiah. There are three sections (1-2, 3-5, 6-7) each alternates between doom and hope, just like Hosea. Each section begins with the command “Hear” or “Listen.” ----------------------------------- Section 1, chapters 1 & 2 1:1 title 2:1-5 to announce “alas” or “woe” on someone was equivalent to announcing that person’s funeral (cf. Amos 6:1-7); these pronouncements were against those who controlled the land and had the power and the money and the intent to control more of it (1: “because it is in their power”); 2:6-11 Micah’s controversy with the people 2:12-13 a message of hope; a later addition ----------------------------------- Section 2, chapters 3-5 Chapter 3 consists of three sayings, 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12, with a shared theme: justice. What is “good” and “justice”? Micah’s contemporary, Isaiah (1:16-17), describes it: “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” 3:1-4 Those responsible for justice have perverted justice; they have not cared for the powerless. 3:5-8 5-7, false prophets, telling their contributors what they want to hear 8, Micah 3:9-12 a direct attack on the leaders of the people, “because of you” all these things will happen; the leaders claim reliance on the Lord, but the Lord is silent: his name is not mentioned by the prophet Chapter 4 4:1-3 is almost exactly the same as Is 2:2-4 4:1-4 presents the vision of universal disarmament. 4:5 issues an invitation to walk toward the fulfillment of that vision. 4:6-8 a vision of restoration 4:9 – 5:1 three poetic visions Chapter 5 5:2-6 Messiah verse 2 is cited in Mt 2:6 (see also John 7:40-43) verse 3 is probably a later addition, inserted to explain the delay between 2 & 4 verse 4: “shepherd” is a biblical image both for God and for the king (especially David) verses 5-6: a later addition with the theme, “If they come into our land, the people will drive them out”, resulting in the peace spoken of in 5b, “the one of peace” The hope for another David became an important image for Israel (cf. Psalm 72). “It was a magnificent purple robe which the psalms laid on the shoulders of each young successor to the Davidic throne“ (Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology, Vol. 1, pp. 323-4). As the people were repeatedly disillusioned, that image became the “seedbed from which sprang Israel’s expectation of a messiah” (John Bright, History of Israel, p. 227). 5:7-9 a renewed Israel 5:10-15 God’s purification of Israel and punishment of the nations ----------------------------------- Section 3, chapters 6-7 Chapter 6 begins with a succession of oracles that are similar to those in chapters 1 & 2. They may or may not be from Micah, but they express the same line of thought. 6:1-2 God’s controversy (lawsuit) against Israel 6:3-5 historical reminders of God’s actions and faithfulness 6:6-7 response of repentance; the individual, asking what God wants; similar to entrance liturgies (e.g. Ps 15:1 “O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent, who shall dwell on your holy hill?”;
Ps 24:3 “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? Who shall stand in his hold
place?”) 6:8 words that set out what God desires: not a “what” but a “who”: what kind of person “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; (“to do justice”: reminiscent of Amos; “to love kindness” reminiscent of Hosea; 6:9-16 Judah has become as corrupt as Israel and shall suffer the same fate. Chapter 7 7:1-6 The corruption extends to all levels of the population. 6: cf. Mt 10:35-36: “For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household” 7: looking to God for healing 7:8-20 may be a liturgy, probably from the time of the Exile or shortly thereafter; parts alternating between the priest and the people 7:8-10 God’s judgment will come and must be accepted, but Israel will be restored, and her enemies will be destroyed. 7:11-13 a vision of a restored Jerusalem 7:14-17 a prayer to God for restoration, and a hope for the destruction of Israel’s enemies 7:18-20 praise of the God of compassion; draws upon Ex 34:6-7: the section is introduced with a pun on the name “Micah”, “Who is a God like you?” Uses of Micah in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary: 3:5-12 Year A, Proper 26 Uses of Amos in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary 5:6-7, 10-15 Year B, Proper 23 Uses of Hosea in the Sunday readings of The Revised Common Lectionary 1:2-10 Year C, Proper 12 --------------------------------- |
