The Bible Inside Out: The Message and Meaning of the Bible 1908010118, 9781908010117

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The Bible

INSIDE

Out The Message and eaning of the Bible

FOREWORD BY CHRIS MOFFETT

Patrick Whitworth

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT THE MESSAGE AND MEANING OF THE BIBLE

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT THE MESSAGE AND MEANING OF THE BIBLE

Patrick Whitworth

Published by Sovereign World Trust www.sovereignworldtrust.org.uk Published December 2016

Copyright © 2016 Patrick Whitworth The right of Patrick Whitworth to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN: 978-1-908010-11-7

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Dedicated to the Congregation of All Saints Weston among whom I had the privilege of teaching the Bible

for Twenty-One Years

CONTENTS Foreword Preface Introduction

PART I: Chapter i Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Chapters

The Building Blocks of Life Choosing a Family The Forming of a Nation Occupying the Land T he Rise and Fall of Monarchy

Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9

The Furnace of Exile Restoration The Way of Wisdom In Between Times

PART II: THE NEW TESTAMENT Chapter 10 Jesus of Nazareth: One Life, Four Accounts Chapter 11 The King and the Coming Kingdom Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter Chapter

ix xi xiii

12 Events that Changed the World 13 The Church in the Power of the Spirit 14 The Writings of the Apostle Paul 15 Epistles to a Church under Increasing Pressure 16 The Final Outcome: Revelation

PART III: THE MAKING OF DISCIPLES Chapter 17 The Call to Faith Chapter 18 The Call to Follow

3 15 29 47 59

85 105 117 133

143 161 171 189 201 233 245

Chapter 19 Food for the Journey Chapter 20 The Call to Ministry Chapter 21 Call to Mission

261 271 279 291 303

Study Guide Maps and Illustrations Chronologies Bibliography Index

313 339 355 365 369

FOREWORD

his book, The Bible Inside Out: the message and meaning ofthe Bible,

T

is a most welcome resource for Bible readers. For two particu­

lar reasons, I am so pleased that Patrick Whitworth has written it.

The first is that for a long time both devotional readers and schol­ ars have tended to read the Bible in small units. Although this brings

undeniable benefits, there are also some drawbacks, particularly that

of losing a sense of the “bigger picture”. So there is also great value in reading larger units, whole books at a time, enabling the reader to grasp

the flow of the narrative and the development of themes. Beyond that the reading of the whole scripture from Genesis to Revelation gives us the complete picture, or metanarrative—God’s unfolding purpose in history. Of course to read the Bible in this way is a daunting task,

especially in today’s multimedia world where we are used to sound­

bites, headlines and graphical summaries. It cannot be denied that some parts are very heavy going, as Patrick himself mentions when

he reaches Leviticus! But the serious reader will want to persevere and understand not only the story-line, but also its meaning both then and now. That is why this book is so helpful. Its purpose is not

simply to provide an introduction to the individual books of the Bible,

but rather to condense the entire Biblical story-line, connecting the various books and tracing themes to show both the message and the

meaning of the whole. It is this blend of message and meaning that is so valuable, especially in our post-modern world, which, of course, denies that there is a whole meaning at all.

My second reason for greeting this book so enthusiastically is that it makes a very helpful contribution to correcting an imbalance in

today’s consumer orientated society. Unfortunately, it is all too easy to present the Gospel and use Scripture in a very anthropocentric way,

putting the focus on humankind. Of course the Gospel does bring enormous blessing. It is good news! But it ought not to be reduced

to a matter of our personal fulfilment. God has a purpose and a plan

centred on the cross of Christ. The Bible is fundamentally a book

X

FOREWORD

that shows what God has done, is doing and will do. Through it

God gives us an invitation and an opportunity to participate in His purposes. “Personal readings” of the text are valuable because they speak into our individual situations, but they can only be God’s word

to us if they fit with His big picture.

★ Patrick Whitworth is supremely qualified to write this book. He draws on his many years’ experience as a pastor and church leader.

He engages with the world of theological studies and academic scholarship. He is also very well acquainted with the broader world

of mission in the developing nations. From all three domains he draws insights and shows great sensitivity to those who approach

the Bible with honest and respectful questions. I believe that many people will find this book useful, not least

those who have come to faith yet have little familiarity with the scriptures. For them it will provide a companion reference for their

own Bible reading, something to return to again and again with the study questions to stimulate further reflection. It will also provide helpful preliminary reading for those intending to take up a course

in Biblical or theological studies. Of particular interest to me is its potential to help leaders of churches in the developing world where

many are being offered a skewed or diluted gospel. In many of the

poorest nations, where the church is growing rapidly, there are men and women taking on the challenges ofleadership without having an opportunity for an extended period of personal training and study.

★ The disciples on the road to Emmaus needed some help with their Bible understanding and Jesus walked with them for a while and

opened the scriptures to them (Luke 24:13—35). Another traveller, the Ethiopian eunuch, was similarly struggling to understand the book

of Isaiah until Philip came alongside to help him (Acts 8:26—40). I pray that through this book Patrick Whitworth will come alongside many and in a similar manner help them to understand both the

message and meaning of the Bible. Chris Moffett

Sovereign World Trust December 2016

PREFACE

I

t has been a privilege to write this book, which is an introduction

to the message and meaning of the Bible: the most popular and

influential book in the world. I was asked to do this by Chis Moffett

of Sovereign World Trust. I am indebted to him for the opportunity and challenge of writing a book, which seeks to encompass the nar­ rative of the Biblical story together with identifying its main themes and the response that its message is looking for from humankind. I often think that people know the Bible in the same way as many

know a capital city. They may know particular areas or landmarks such as, in London, the Palace of Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral,

Buckingham Palace or the Tower of London — but they have little idea of how they fit together, either geographically or historically.

And this is probably more accentuated by smartphone apps that can locate you, tell you how to go from one area to another, but do not encourage overall understanding. Then there are guide­

books that can tell you about individual monuments briefly, but do not tell you about the evolution of the city or the relationship of different functions of the capital. We live in an age, due to the

so called post-modern outlook in the West, where there is a real danger of losing the metanarrative of the biblical story, collapsing

it into some well-known landmarks and losing track of the great

scheme of salvation prepared and purposed by God. Also, alongside that we are in danger of making our response, subliminally at least, our own private one according to our own feelings and from where

we stand. We no longer see that we are called to ‘the obedience of faith’ (Romans 1:5) in response to God’s revelation of His will and

purpose in Christ, revealed over time first in the Old Testament

story of Israel and then when personally announced by Christ in Galilee. We cannot pick and choose, but rather repent and believe

in the Gospel and join the Kingdom and live accordingly. So, telling

the story of the Bible is to hand to the reader a brief account of the meta-narrative of God’s plan and remind us that we cannot pick and

PREFACE

xii

mix our response but give the obedience that comes from faith and

is inspired by the Spirit in our discipleship. My hope is that through a relatively brief narrative, the story of God’s dealing with humankind can be succinctly told and so give

that overview of understanding which integrates the 66 diverse books of the Bible into a unified message and that it also reveals, to some extent, its inner meaning, hence the title The Bible Inside Out. I would like to thank all those who helped with this endeavour.

Chris Moffett for suggesting the idea in the first place. Rev. Dr Clive Garrett for reading and critiquing the original draft. Benedict Books

for editing. Mavis Harwood for casting a critical eye over the text. Naomi Cox for help with the bibliography. Chris Moffett for some

of the illustrations. Paul Stanier of Zaccmedia for typesetting and

seeing the book through to publication. My family for their support and interest. All Saints Weston, North Stoke and Langridge for their

encouragement to write. All the shortcomings are mine. But my hope and prayer is that, “through endurance and the encouragement

of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Patrick Whitworth

12th June 2016

INTRODUCTION

T

he Lutheran pastor, Martin Niemoller, wrote of the importance of the Bible during his imprisonment by the Nazis between

1937 and 1945 in these terms: “The Bible: what did this book mean

to me during the long and weary years of solitary confinement and

for the last four years in the cell-building in Dachau. The word of God was simply everything to me, comfort and strength, guidance

and hope, master of my days and companion of my nights. The bread that kept me from starvation and the water of life, which

refreshed my soul. And even more, solitary confinement ceased to be solitary.” With these words, a pastor who had been imprisoned for his resistance to Nazi Germany, described the comfort and hope given to him by the Bible in his long years of imprisonment. It was literally his lifeline, giving hope and reassurance. Centuries earlier, the Apostle Paul wrote of the scriptures (the

Old Testament), “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement

of the scriptures we might have hope.’’1 So what is so unique and special about the Bible; and what responses do its message and authors look for? That is our quest in this book: to follow the Bible’s message

overall; and then to discern the response it is seeking.

Inspiration The Bible is the account of God’s dealings with humankind. It is still the most read book in the world. It is a single story of God’s redeeming love for his creation and especially for the human family,

but within it there are very many other stories. The Bible is a collec­ tion of books, 66 in all: 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New

Testament, written over a period of a thousand years. Some church traditions include the books of the Apocrypha—-Jewish writings

mainly from the period between the Old and New Testaments (the Inter-Testamental period) which are not included in the Hebrew

Bible—but most Protestant churches do not include them.

’Rom 15:4

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT

xiv

What makes the books of the Bible unique, however, is that they were inspired by the Spirit of God, and over time their authenticity was recognised by the church, because they had a way of making

themselves both valid and life-giving among the people of God. They were the chief means of knowing God and his purpose for

his creation.

The Apostle Paul, looking back on the Old Testament Scriptures, and writing to a young pastor of the church in Ephesus called Timothy, said, “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teach­ ing, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the b2 Tim 3:16-17

man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.’* Or again, the other leading Apostle, Peter, said, “Men spoke from

c2Peti:2i

God as they were carried along (or moved) by the Holy Spirit.’*

Whereas these two leading Apostles, Paul and Peter, recognised that the Old Testament authors were moved by the Spirit to write the

scriptures, Jesus himself made provision for the Apostles writing the New Testament. So in some of his final teaching to the disciples in

the Upper Room, Jesus said, “I have much more to say to you, more

than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he djn 16:12-132

will guide you into all truth.’'1 And finally, when Paul wrote to the

Corinthian church, he said that what he taught and wrote was “not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the ' i Cor 2:13

Spirit, expressing spiritual truth in spiritual words.’*

In other words when the scriptures were written, it was God speaking through humans by his Spirit. Likewise, for the scriptures

to be properly understood in the way they were intended to be, the same Spirit must guide the reader and make real the meaning of the

text. The Spirit inspired the writing of the scriptures; and the Spirit

quickens the understanding of the reader. It is a Spirit-led process at both ends, the writing and the understanding.

Does that mean there are no discrepancies between the biblical books about history, for example? No. And if there are, does that

invalidate their authority or inspiration? No. This is because the

Scriptures are clear on all matters of faith and conduct. Does this mean that all the biblical authors fully understood the mind of God?

No. There is a progress in the revelation of God’s mind through the Bible. Does this mean that there are no faults in transmission? No.

INTRODUCTION

xv

Does it mean that there is one translation that is more inspired than any other? No. Does it mean that there is no need for interpretation

and application in our age? No. In fact, it is because the Bible is both

a human and a divine document, marvellously interwoven, that we

require the Spirit of God continually to help our understanding and

encourage our obedience.

The Bible is inspired then, not in the sense of some authors who reached such a state of ecstasy that they were overtaken by a superior power and compelled to write,1*but in the sense that the Spirit of

God entered into the minds and hearts of the biblical authors and led them. The Spirit led the writers to record events that revealed the purpose of God (the historical narrative), to receive the commands

of God for his people (the Law), to hear words ofjudgement and hope for his people (prophecy), to perceive his will and purpose in the events of life (wisdom) and to record the life of the Messiah and the formation of the church (the gospels and letters). And, because the authors’ perception of God grew and God was revealed over

time, the message became clearer and clearer until it reached full

day in Jesus. He is the final word of all that God wants to say to the world, and his life and teaching supersede all that went before/ ‘ Heb 1:1-4; Jn 1:1-2

Christ the Fulfilment of Scripture It was Martin Luther who said that the scriptures were the cradle in which Christ was laid. Just as in some optical puzzles, where, if you look hard enough you can see the face of a woman, or a series of

human faces in the leaves of a tree, so too with a discerning eye, you can see the image of Christ in the events of Old Testament narrative,

in the precepts of the Law, or in the message of the prophets. Thus

Jesus, on the walk with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, “beginning with Moses and all the prophets [explained] what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself.’^ Indeed, in each of the main divisions of the Old Testament

scriptures—the Law, the Prophets and the Writings—Jesus may

be found. Jesus was promised in the Law, that is, the Torah, or the

1 In the case of St John the Divine on the Island of Patmos it was almost like this,

however. See Rev 1:10.

8 Lk 24:27

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT

xvi

Pentateuch, which is made up of the first five books of the Bible. He was the perfect prophet of the future predicted by Moses. Of him

Moses wrote, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet

like me from among your own brothers”, and “I will put my words hDeut 18:15,18b

in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.”1’ Furthermore, in his atoning sacrifice at Golgotha, Jesus would fulfil

the whole sacrificial system, providing in himself one perfect aton­ ing sacrifice for sin, and in this single sacrifice for sin make all need

for sacrifices redundant. The writer to the Hebrews in the New Testament makes this clear: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblem­

ished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, 'Heb9:i4 so that we might serve the living God!’’ The sacrifices under the

Law were but shadows of what was to come in Christ. He provided

the one perfect, eternal sacrifice. He was pre-eminently the High Priest who offered his own blood for forgiveness, and he did so in

a Tabernacle not made with hands. So he was the sacrifice. He was the High Priest and his was the tabernacle at Calvary. He fulfilled the sacrificial system, but he also perfectly fulfilled the Law itself.

As Paul wrote, “Christ is the end of the Law”, he is the fulfilment of it. He has borne, on our behalf, its penalty, freeing us from its ’Gal 3:13-14

demand.’ Instead we are called to faith in him.

Likewise, Jesus is the fulfilment of the prophets’ message. The Jewish scriptures divide the prophetic books into former and latter

prophets. The former prophets include the history books ofjoshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings, and the latter prophets include what we

call the major and minor prophets. The former prophetic books, which we would call history, focus on the monarchy of Israel and

Judah. Jesus fulfils their hopes and aspirations by being the perfect King, and inaugurating a Kingdom, which is eternal. The latter prophets, on the one hand prophesy judgement on a unrepentant

Israel and Judah, a judgement that reaches its climax in the exile to

Babylon. On the other hand they also promise a New Covenant k isa 9:6-^; 53; Jer 33:14-16; Ezek 36:24-28.

through the Messiah to be sent to Israel? Jesus, through his suffering

service, and perfect fulfilment of the Law, fulfils the hope of the latter

prophets. He is the perfect King inaugurating a perfect Kingdom to come, and he brings in a New Covenant far better than the old.

INTRODUCTION

xvii

Lastly, Jesus fulfils the message of the Writings in the Old Testament, which include, especially, the Wisdom literature. The Wisdom literature is made up of the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. Jesus is the fulfilment of many of the Psalms,

notably Psalm 22, from which he takes his cry of dereliction, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me”.1 He is also the fulfilment

*Ps 22:1

of the Psalms about Kingship found towards the end of the Psalter."1

m Pss 93-99

The wisdom found in these writings is finally and fully expressed

in Jesus himself, who Paul calls the “the wisdom from God’'1 and

n 1 Cor 1:30

which appears to accompany God the Father in his creation of the Universe.2 “Christians have no difficulty in recognising that

this wisdom is uniquely incorporated in Jesus Christ, the personal ‘Word’ who was in the beginning with God, and through whom

all things were made.”3 Christ is the person to whom the Old Testament scriptures point,

as Jesus himself told the religious leaders. “You diligently study the scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life.

These are the scriptures which testify about me yet you refuse to

come to me to have life.”“ Jesus is therefore to be discerned wher­

ever possible in the Old Testament scriptures as the one to whom the Law, Prophecy and Writings ultimately point, and in the New

Testament he is the central figure of all that is written. The Gospels are biographies written from differing standpoints; the Acts of the

Apostles tells how the new community gathered around him in the

Spirit; the Letters teach how to follow him in the community of the church; and the book of Revelation is a final vision of Christ

in glory, supreme and reigning over all his enemies. Scripture is the

place where Christ is found and proclaimed, and it is also the place where God speaks.

The God Who Speaks What is quite clear is that God speaks and that he loves to speak and communicate. This is the testimony of scripture, but it is also the experience of those who follow him: “My sheep listen to my voice”,

2 See Wisdom in Creation in Proverbs 8:27—31. 3 J.R..W. Stott: Understanding the Bible (Scripture Union, London 1972), p. 24.

°Jn 5:39-40

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT

xviii

pjn 10:27

says Jesus, “I know them, and they follow me”.p But God’s speak­ ing is more than ours: it accomplishes things, it creates, it changes

and transforms. In other words his words are power in action; his

thoughts clothed in words accomplish what he purposes and this is ’Isa 55:13

what Isaiah told us.q When the Old Testament talks about the word of God it uses the

word dabar.4 The word means both word and deed. We use words to convey knowledge, or information, opinions or feelings. Words

themselves change in meaning in human culture as the philosopher Wittgenstein suggested. Indeed the word “wicked” in the youth

vocabulary of Britain means riveting, interesting and good even, while previously it meant bad, evil, and sinister. Culture has changed

the meaning of the word according to its context. As Humpty

Dumpty famously said in Alice in Wonderland, we can choose the meaning of words: “When I use a word it just means what I choose it to mean neither more than less.”5 But God does the much harder 'Gen 1:3

thing of turning words into actions. When he speaks, he creates;'

'Matt20:34

when he says “be healed”, or touches the blind, healing follows;5

'Lk 23:43 when he promises paradise to a dying thief it is so;' and when he “Jn 11:43-44

commands the dead to rise, they respond.“ What God says he does, and what God does, he declares with words; thus his words are

charged with power and energy so that there is no gap between their

utterance and their fulfilment, except the gap of time. When we turn to scripture and apply this principle, we find

that Scripture is a living word as the writer to the Hebrews says: “The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any two edged

sword, it penetrates even to dividing the soul and spirit, joints and vHeb4:i2 marrows; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”5' It is

living in the sense that it emerges from the page and lodges in our being, challenging us morally, spiritually, experientially and in our expectations. It becomes a living word for us.

How true this is! Occasionally I take a service of Communion for an old lady of great intelligence who has had a stroke. She is familiar with the liturgy of Communion, which she has heard many times

4 Alison Morgan, The Word on the Wind, (Monarch, 2011), p. 165.

5 Lewis Carroll, The Annotated Alice (Penguin, 1981), p. 269.

INTRODUCTION

xix

before. Because of the stroke the number of words she can utter is

extremely limited, but during the liturgy, as she hears again the love

of God in Christ in coming and to die for us, as well as hearing the Gospel reading, she says repeatedly with light in her eyes: “Oh yes! Oh yes!” It is profoundly moving. The Word communicates with

her spirit, and resonates there, finding and creating faith that results

in this exclamation of hope and praise. Only the Word living and active can do that. So the Word faithfully read and preached results

in comfort, change, hope, assurance, rebuke, liberation, healing and

promise. The Spirit joins with the Word to make it sharp and active.w

“Eph 6:17

In this way the Word authenticates itself in the heart of the believer and its power and authority is discovered.

The Authority of the Word Since the scriptures are inspired, breathed out by the Spirit, and are the place where Jesus himself may be truly found, they have a unique

authority. Jesus himself had a deep reverence for the Old Testament scriptures. It was through them that he discovered the meaning of his own role as Messiah. He was deeply acquainted with them as a

boy and understood the Law in a way that surprised the leaders of his day.x He used scripture to refute the temptations of the Devil,y

and he announced his manifesto as the Messiah in Nazareth with words from Isaiah 6i.z Scripture was his teacher, his armourer and

xLk 2:47 y Lk 4:4,8,12

zLk 4:16-21

his guide. It was from scripture that he understood that he must

combine the figure of the Suffering Servant“ with the majesty and

“Isa 53

humanity of the figure of the Son of Man.ab From the Psalms he

abDan 7:13-14

knew himself to be the great David’s greater son.“ Not only did Jesus

acPs no: I

know his calling from scripture, but he also taught from scripture.

He fulfilled the Law, giving it greater impact rather than less,ad and

adMatt 5:i7ff

his teaching elucidated the basic principles of God’s law in terms of which God sought mercy not sacrifice, justice and not legalism. In

this regard, few sayings can be more important than Jesus’ rebuke to

the Pharisees who had “swallowed camels but strained out gnats”. Of their zeal without knowledge he said: “You have neglected the

more important matters of the law: justice, mercy and faithfulness”.“

And, when answering difficult questions about divorce, Jesus referred

to the words of Genesis 2:24 as being the words of God himself. In

aeMatt 23:23

XX

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT

this instance, the writer of Genesis says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh”. When referring to these words, Jesus attributes "Matt 19:4-5

them to God himself.af

If Jesus’ attitude to scripture is that Gods very authority lies behind it, his disciples are to be no less submissive. In scripture we

find our calling, our moral teaching and, above all, the promise and narrative of our salvation. Just as Jesus looked with submission to

the will of the Father, as revealed both inside and outside scripture,

so too the Christian now looks to the whole Bible with equal rev­

erence and submission. Jesus made provision for the writing of the New Testament by moving the Apostles or those close to them, as,

for instance, Mark was to Peter, to record the events of his life and

then to explain how discipleship might be undertaken in the letters that they wrote.

If scripture has authority in matters of faith and in conduct,

how is that authority to be understood? In the past, Christians have resorted to two faculties for the proper interpretation of scripture

and its application to their lives. These two aids to understanding or interpretation have been tradition and reason. Tradition and reason are handmaids to the interpretation and application of scripture to our lives. Scripture is sufficient in itself for salvation. Tradition is

understanding, which is handed down from generation to generation. For us it means the body of teaching which has accumulated over

the ages and which helps our interpretation of scripture. This trad­ ition is generally held to be the Creeds of the church; the teaching

of the early Fathers such as Irenaeus, Tertullian or Augustine; and the teaching of the Reformers such as Luther, Calvin and Cranmer.

This body of tradition, whilst not essential, is nonetheless helpful for a deeper appreciation of scripture. And alongside these giants of faith

of the past, there are many who write illuminating commentaries on the text of the Bible today and enable deeper understanding and

careful application. In parts of the world such aids may be hard to come by, but where available they are to be used.

Finally, reason, or that faculty of thinking and reflection helps us to understand the Bible. Knowledge of languages, especially Greek

and Hebrew (which might be a possibility for some) bring us closer

INTRODUCTION

to the text and the mind of the original author. Knowledge of history and culture helps us to see the Bible in its own setting. An

appreciation of the different types of literature in the Bible, such

as historical narrative, prophecy, and wisdom teaching, helps our understanding ofthe relative strengths of these writings. The import­

ance of different passages in scripture varies, so the chapters on the

boundaries of Israel or their stopping points on theirjourney through the desert from Egypt in Numbers 33 and 34 are not going to be

as important to our faith as Jesus’ teaching about abiding in him,

as found in John 15. Reason tells us this, but there are times when reason has its limits and faith in the power of God must take over.6

The Bible is therefore the unique, inspired, word of God with consequent authority. It points to Christ who is its fulfilment. It tells us about the Kingdom of God and how to enter and live in it. It

alone has the story of our salvation, but more than that, it offers that

salvation to us. It is time to hear that story and enter that Kingdom.

See the story of Abraham told in Romans 4: i8ff.

xxi

PART I

THE OLD TESTAMENT

Chapter í

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE Genesis 1—11

he first eleven chapters of Genesis form an entity in themselves

T

and give us the building blocks of life on earth. They form a

theological description—not scientific—of the origins of life. They also reveal the nature of God, both in himself and in relation to his

creation. The themes that these opening chapters of Genesis cover are

extensive and include revelations about Gods being and character. They describe the creation of the universe and humankind—its

destiny, fall and subsequent sinfulness. They describe God’s judge­ ment and latent grace and mercy. Lastly, there are glimpses of

the salvation prepared for both the world and for humanity, and glimpses too of the Triune nature of God, who reveals himself in creation, mission and salvation. There is much to understand and savour in these chapters, without which the subsequent narrative of

the Bible would seem anchorless. These themes form the building blocks to the way life is now. They are also the essential backdrop to Gods great missionary endeavour in sending his Son to rescue

his creation from the free-fall into which it was cast by human

disobedience. We must put these building blocks in place before

we can move on with the story of redemption, which is the great

narrative of the Bible.

God The opening words of the Bible are significant: “In the beginning God..The origin of everything is God. He was before everything

and it is he who is the subject of the Bibles story, not humans. It is

he who creates the world and the universe; and humans are made in his image. He is the Creator, as this first sentence declares. Our

creeds affirm this as fundamental, whichever way that creation was

a Gen

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

4

achieved.1 He is the only God, the sovereign of all. He is also a liv­ ing, active God who is unmistakably personal and relational. Soon bGen 3:8b

we see God conversing with Adam,b and then later in the book of Genesis, choosing the family of Abraham. The sovereignty of God,

which is declared from the very first, is affirmed throughout scripture, not least in the prophecies of Isaiah and in the opening prologue c Isa 4O:i2ff; Jn 1:1-5

ofJohn’s Gospel.0 He is before and above all; for him everything is created that was created. Hints of the plurality of God are glimpsed

dGen 1:2

(for “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”)0 and also that he is three in one. From later passages in the Bible we know that

eJn n-14; Col 1:16-17

each member of the Trinity is fully involved in creation.'

The rest of the opening sentence of Genesis is as follows: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” What God cre­ ated is perfect. God is perfect or holy and what he creates is perfect,

orderly and dynamic, reflecting his own being. This is echoed in his commendation of everything that is made: each stage of creation

is declared “good”.

The Creation We do not know the origins of this stately description of Creation, nor are we ever likely to. Its origin is lost in the mists of time, but

the narrative probably came as an oral tradition passed down through the patriarchs before Moses, who then, under the leading of the

Spirit, placed it at the beginning of the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch was further fixed and revised in the tradition-ing process during the time of the Exile (C.589-520BC). As a piece of literature it is deeply

theological and symbolic: a mixture of historical theology expressed in powerful and memorable symbols and metaphors. On the one

hand it is assuredly not a scientific description of the origins of the

universe, but on the other, neither is it a misleading account of God s role in the process of creation.

In a popular scientific description of the origins of the universe, the writer Bill Bryson wrote:

1 For example, the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds.

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE

5

In a single blinding pulse, a moment of glory much too swift and expansive for any form of words, the singularity assumes heavenly dimensions, space beyond conception. The first

lively second (a second many cosmologists will devote careers to shaving into ever-finer wafers) produces gravity and other forces that govern physics. In less than a minute the universe

is a million billion miles across and growing fast. There is a lot of heat now, io billion degrees of it, enough to begin the

nuclear reactions that create the lighter elements—princi­

pally hydrogen and helium, with a dash (about one atom in a hundred million) of lithium. In three minutes, 98 per cent

of all the matter there is or will ever be has been produced. We have a universe. It is a place of the most wondrous and

gratifying possibility, and beautiful too. And it was all done in about the time it takes to make a sandwich!2 Recent scientific research, which has detected from extensive data

the presence of inflationary gravitational waves in the universe, seems

to underpin the Big Bang theory of creation. If scientists have now formed a consensus that the universe was created through a Big

Bang, this working scientific hypothesis is found within the opening statement that God created the heavens and the earth.

Some scientists, using the inflation theory of expansion, hold that in the opening tiny fraction of a nano second (i.e. io’34 second),

matter expanded at the rate of io25, or from something you could hold in your hand, to an observable mass of 90 million light years

across. In the scriptures, the force behind such expansion and crea­ tion is God. The word for “created” in Hebrew is bara. In language

terms, the Hebrew word bara in this context3 always has God as its

subject, while in other contexts, the word can also mean to make

or to form/The word “created” here can mean “either the initial

fGen 1:26-7; 2:7

moment of bringing into existence (as in suddenly)8 or the patient

gIsa 48:3,7

work of bringing something to perfection”.4 This opening sentence

of Genesis suggests the beginning of the process of creation. As a 2 Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything (Black Swan, 2003), p. 28. 3 In Genesis 1:1 the word means created. 4 Isaiah 65:18, See Derek Kidner, Genesis (IVP, 2008) p. 44.

6

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

word, bara, which is used twice more in Genesis 1:21 and 27 (the

creation of creatures and the creation of man), heralds the making of

something entirely new, without in any way defining any particular way of creating.5 Thus, after this initial theological and historical

description of God creating the heavens and the earth, the narrative moves on to the more specific description of the creation of earth.

The earths near-original state, following this initial creative act, was formless (to/iu) and empty (feo/iw), a rhyming couplet of words

expressing the chaos and emptiness of earth s existence before a

succession of creative acts.

What follows is a beautifully constructed, almost poetic, descrip­ tion of the order of creation. As we have seen, there are two further

moments of sudden creation: one in relation to the creatures and one in relation to man,6 and around those moments a wider crea­

tive process takes place. The six days of creation are often divided into two parts of three each: three to do with the creation of form

or the overall physical environment, and three to do with fullness. The days are best understood as stages or epochs of creation, with no specific time-line attached. Day one provides light and darkness,

hGen 1:3-5 the relationship of the sun to the earth;11 day two the formation of 'Gen 1:6-8

sea and sky, atmosphere and climate;1 and day three the formation of a fertile earth, geological forms and life-supporting nutrients for

vegetation. Furthermore, the expression used for the land bringing forth vegetation is patient of evolution, or as Derek Kidner says,

“this language seems well suited to the hypothesis of creation by j Gen 1:9-10

evolution”.j After the creation of form, the creation offullness follows. Firstly,

k Gen 1:14-19

on dayfour, night and day are created, establishing the cycle of time?

Then, on the fifth day, a further unique act of creation occurs: first creatures are created in the deep and then birds in the sky. Sea and sky are filled first and then on the final day, creatures on land, cul­ minating in the creation of man. Once again there is a suggestion

in the language of the possibility of some evolution, if not from species to species, certainly within a genus.7 All is good, and on the 5 Kidner, Genesis, p. 44. 6 See use of the word bara in v. 21 and v. 27. 7 See Gen. 1:24: “Let the land produce living creatures”.

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE

7

seventh day God ceases from his activity in creation and rests. The Hebrew word sabat, the root of “Sabbath”, literally means ceases.

Now God nurtures what he has made. All of this creation is the cosmic backdrop to the pinnacle of his creation and the object of the narrative of the Bible, which is humankind or man. It is both

an epic and a tragedy, which we must now uncover.

The Creation of Humankind The final act of creation, which involved something completely new and distinct, and which in language terms entailed the critical use

of the Hebrew word, bara, was the creation of humankind.1 Having created the animals, or to put it another way, having let the earth

'Also Gen 1:1, 21, 27 and 2:3—4.

bring forth animals (which allows for the process of evolution), God pauses before his most daring and costly creation. Seemingly, from

the text, humankind is both similar to the animal kingdom—being

made of dust, or we might say carbon, needing to feed and also

being given the mandate to reproduce”1—but nevertheless distinct

from it. The distinction comes through the divine reflection before this act of creation. We are told that God spoke within himself and said, “Let us make man (Adam) in our own image”. We must pause at this loaded statement. “God” translates as the Hebrew word elohim. This is a plural word

for God; a plural of fullness,8 but a plural more fully revealed in the New Testament as triune—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It seems

as though a divine consultation took place before this infinitely

costly creation occurred, with all the consequences foreknown to the divine. Together, the Trinity of Father, Son and Spirit, determined to create a creature made in their own image. What does it mean to be made in the image or likeness of God?

And how does this set humankind apart from the rest of the created order, or indeed, as we shall argue, from all previous hominid crea­ tions? The essential qualities which comprise Gods image in us (in no

particular order) are: the ability to reason, discover, create and make; an awareness linked to conscience of moral significance and purpose; a desire for love in relationships; the ability to express thought or See Kidner, Genesis, p. 52.

m Gen 1:22, 28

8

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

feeling in art; and a consciousness of transcendence with the need to worship or invoke meaning beyond ourselves. These qualities

are demonstrated in common human searches for transcendence,

community, intimacy and significance. As such they all reflect what we discover in God: his moral holiness, his passionate love and desire

for relationship; his existence in perfect community; his unbounded power to create and sustain; his love of order and freedom; and his desire for beauty and harmony. Humans, with their capacity to love,

feel, reflect, reason and communicate, are simply showing God’s

qualities granted to them, his image in themselves. And the full range

of these qualities is found in men and women together. Created in the image of God, men and women are commissioned " Gen 1:28 both to reproduce (“be fruitful and increase in number”)" and to rule

or govern the planet and its creatures as the Creators vice-regents, with the responsibility of care and stewardship. These are the two

great commissions given to humankind at the beginning.

But given our knowledge of anthropology and of the early development of humanoids, how are we to fit Adam and Eve into

the pattern or sequence of human development which anthropol­ ogists have literally unearthed around the world? It is a study for

anthropologists really, but some explanation needs to be given as to how the account of human creation in Genesis fits with the

evidence of early forms of humans or hominids. In the 1960s the palaeo-anthropologists, Louis and Mary Leakey, made discoveries about the early existence of hominids in the Olduvai Gorge in East

Africa.

Finding footprints of upright hominids in the volcanic sediment

of this gorge in northern Tanzania, and also evidence of hunting and herding of animals, the Leakeys were able to date this species

of hominids to about two million years ago. They were descendants of the australopithecines, themselves divided into two lines of sub­

sequent development. Whether or not these hominids were of the same line as the much later Neanderthals (c.i5O-28,oooBC), ancestors

of Homo Sapiens and found in Western Europe and the middle East, is an on-going argument amongst palaeo-anthropologists. What is

clear is that on the one hand there is a very long evolutionary record

of hominid development, which may or may not be continuous,

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE

9

while on the other there is the distinct creation of a human being made in the image of God. It is plausible to suggest that at some

point in the past, the hominid prototype of the human species was vested with the unique qualities of the image of God, creating in

the first instance, Adam and Eve. However we cannot speak with

the confidence of Archbishop Ussher of Dublin, who in his chron­

ology of the age of the earth and of Adam, published in 1654, wrote that Adam was born on the 23 October 4004BC. John Lightfoot,

a seventeenth century scholar from Cambridge, went further, and

using Ussher’s work, confirmed that Adam was born at 9 am that day! E. T. Brewster wrote ironically of Lightfoot in a contemporary scientific review: “The Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University

closer than this would not commit himself!”9 What we must reconcile is the narrative of hominid evolution

and the historic creative fiat or act of God in creating humans in his

own image.0 Whether God created a single original couple, Adam and Eve, or whether Adam and Eve were the confederate head of

the human race whose distinctive characteristic was that they bore the image of God, I would not want to be too dogmatic about. Either way, original and historic human ancestors existed, of whom

Adam and Eve were the representative head. The pair exhibited all the qualities of humanity previously described and their actions were

to affect and infect the whole human race. What is plausible is that

a stage was reached in hominid development when this species was vested with the full panoply of qualities that come from being made

in God’s image, and so became what we would call fully human.

That humanity is expressed fundamentally in bearing the image of God and in being male and female.

Male and Female He Created Them There are two accounts of the creation of humankind. In Genesis 1, the first account—which we have already touched on—is the culmi­

nation of the sixth day of creation. God creates humans after a pause

in creation and commissions them to both steward his creation and to populate the earth. They are created male and female and in the

Patrick Whitworth Becoming Fully Human (Terra Nova 2003), p. 25 .

° Gen 1:26-27

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

10

pGen 1:27

image of God.p While it is not wrong to say that the image of God

is found in both individually, this image is nevertheless spread across man and woman to make a whole. Yet if chapter one of Genesis

provides an overview of the narrative of creation and the sovereignty

of God, Genesis 2 zooms in on the relationship and responsibilities of men and women, giving a further account of their creation and

their relationship to one another, as well as to the created order and to God himself.

Into the watery and misty waste of creation, God formed Adam q Gen 2:7

and breathed life into him.q Adam was formed from the dust, from common materials, but God breathed life into him. It can be argued

that this intimate word breathed—almost denoting the kiss of life—

imparted God s life to this creature. Formed from earthly dust and divine breath, Adam became a liv­

ing soul. He was placed by God in a beautiful garden or paradise with rGen 2:15

a commission to care for it.r This paradise had lovely, fruit-bearing trees and was served by great rivers, but one tree and its fruit were

forbidden: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We cannot be sure exacdy what the fruit of this tree conferred, i.e. whether it afforded the actual experience of good and evil, omniscience,

sexual awakening, or a rival form of immortality, but what we can be sure of is that it was prohibited, and therefore afforded a test of love and obedience. It was a symbolic test standing at the heart of

the Garden of Eden.

Yet even in this perfect paradise and with all he could want, the

man was lonely! He needed a companion. Eve was created. The account of the creation of Eve, together with the institution of mar­ sGen 2:18-25

riage, is the crowning part of chapter two.s Despite the perfection of paradise, Adam was lonely. Eden was beautiful; there was a plentiful

1 Gen 2: 9, 19 u Gen 2: 20, 10-14

supply offood.' There were animals and rivers in abundance,“ but no

companion for Adam. Made in the image of God with a desire for

social life, there was no one like him; his existence was incomplete. God therefore created Eve, a distinct but complementary creation to vGen. 3:20

Adam. She was named by Adam;v her name meaning lively, in part

due to her ability to give birth to human life. She was formed from the side or rib ofAdam, symbolic of her essential role as a companion.

As the Puritan commentator, Matthew Henry, said, Eve was not

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE

II

taken from Adam’s head to rule over him, nor from his feet to be downtrodden by him, but from his side to be his companion. She was a helper who corresponded to him, and was suitable for him.w

wGen. 2:18, 20b

Eve was complementary: socially, physically, sexually, and psy­ chologically. Each found the other to be a completion of their desire

and yearning. No wonder therefore that Adam cried out on being given Eve, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man”.x And they

xGen 2:23

were given unreservedly to each other in marriage.

The institution of marriage is here given its fundamental mean­ ing: “For this reason [that is, for the reason of ending his loneliness

and giving him a suitable helper] a man shall leave his father and

mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh”.y

y Gen 2:24

Marriage is an exclusive relationship, involving the leaving of parents

and the cleaving to each other. It creates a new union on every level:

sexually, socially and spiritually. It is between a man and a woman, and since it is an ordinance founded in creation itself and the origins of humankind, it is not something that can be redefined. When

asked about divorce, Jesus would refer to this passage, quoting its unambiguous authority for marriage for all time? In the context of

marriage Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed,'1'1 but tragically

their free innocence was not to last.

zMk 10:1-12; 12:18-24; Matt 19: i—12. “ Gen 2:25

The Fall of Humanity It is not possible to understand the story of salvation, and the necessity

of Jesus’ coming, without grasping the truth of this third chapter of Genesis. If the first two chapters of Genesis are about the sover­

eignty of God as creator, in this chapter we learn why humankind

is in need of rescue. Once again the narrative is a mixture of realism

and symbolic truth. The storytelling includes a snake speaking, a tree and an apple, but the point is that it represents the reality of

evil and the Devil—consistently described as a serpent or dragon in the Bible.ab Here the apple from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents both temptation and the opportunity for

obedience. The causes of the fall, that is, the fall from a perfect and harmonious relationship with God, each other and the environ­

ment, are clear to see.

■*b Rev 20:2

12

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

Genesis does not concern itself with the origin of evil or the Devil so much as to simply state their reality. Elsewhere the Bible hints at the origin of evil in the world as coming from the rebel­ lion of a powerful angel who, following his revolt, sought to ruin “isa 14:12 God’s creation.ac In the Genesis account, the Devil takes the guise

of a serpent and insinuates doubt, rebellion and disobedience into

the mind of Eve by saying firstly: “Did God really say, ‘You must

not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Eve is tempted to doubt the

generosity or the goodness of God in withholding something which might improve her and Adam’s existence.

She correctly iterates God’s prohibition against eating the fruit of the Tree in the centre of the garden. Yet her free will, itself a

chance to prove her and Adam’s obedience to, and love of God, provide also a real opportunity for disobedience. The snake then adds denial to the temptation to doubt God’s goodness: “You will not surely die,” he says, “if you eat”. God, he implies, is denying them an opportunity to become all that they might be by prohibiting

this fruit, that is, a real and experiential knowledge of evil as well as good. Furthermore, the serpent insinuates God is fearful lest they become like him.

In other words, this command of God, the serpent intimates, is for their impoverishment rather than for their improvement. Finally, the serpent flatly contradicts God’s warning, by saying that if they eat the fruit they will not die. The woman, attracted by the fruit’s

succulence (good for food), excited by its shape (pleasing to the

eye) and convinced of its benefits (desirable for gaining wisdom), eats it, and gives it to her husband to eat. Out of his passion for Eve

he willingly complies, suspending all spiritual or moral resistance.

The consequences of this disobedience are immediate: “The spiritual eyes of them both were opened” to know and experience evil, sinfulness and shame. They realise their nakedness. They sew fig leaves together. They become fearful. They blame each other “*Gen 3:10,11-12.

for their failure and disobedience?0 Each participant in this act of

" Gen 3:15

woman and the serpent.ae The woman will have pain in child-bearing

rebellion is judged: enmity will exist between the progeny of the and her relationship with men will be subject to a cycle of desire *fGen 3:16

and exploitation,af while Adam’s work would be subject to toil and

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LIFE

13

mortality/8 Finally they will be driven from the Garden, which is

agGen 3:17

now guarded and beyond reach.311 Paradise is over; seeds of guilt,

ahGen3:24

fear, domination and conflict have been sown. The environment

itself is affected31 and in the next few chapters the full consequences

" Gen 3:17b

of these events will be seen.

The Reality of Sin and Judgement Too soon the full effect of the disobedience of Adam and Eve is felt in their family. Their first son Cain (meaning strike) is born, followed by their second son, Abel. The sons’ two ways of life are different.

Abel is the pastoralist, keeping flocks, whilst Cain works the soil growing crops.Although both present offerings to God, Abel’s is

aj Gen 4:2b

acceptable because of his faith,111 whilst Cain’s offering is not offered

akHeb n.4

with sincerity,11 and consequently rejected by God. A jealousy results

** 1 Jn 3:12

between the older brother (Cain) and the younger (Abel), which is not uncommon in scripture (see Esau and Jacob and Joseph and his older brothers). Often God is inclined to choose the younger for his purposes (see also Jacob, King David and, in parable form, the Prodigal Son) and his choice illustrates both his sovereignty and

freedom,1”1 which none can question. Cain, already prejudiced against

ani Rom 9:i4ff

his brother because of the sin lurking in his heart,10 compounds it

by deliberately, and with malice aforethought, murdering him.1”

an Gen 4:8

The murder not only marks Cain, but disfigures and pollutes the land: innocent bloodshed on the land cries out for cleansing and redemption.10

“Num 35:33

An inextricable link is thereby made between the violence of

humanity and the pollution of the land which itself then “cries out”

for redemption, for cleansing.11 As a punishment, Cain is driven from his land, is marked by God so as to protect him,lp but nonetheless

ap Gen 4:15

becomes an exile. In exile Cain reproduces and his family grows.

Likewise Adam’s family, after the loss of Abel, also grows through the birth of Seth and his descendants.111

10 Compare James 1:13—15 with Genesis 4:6,7. 11 See Russ Parker, Healing Wounded History (Darton Longman and Todd 2001) and

Genesis 4:10.

aq Gen.4:25 and ch 5

Chapter 2

CHOOSING A FAMILY Genesis 12—50

he early chapters of Genesis give the essential background to

T

the creation of the universe, planet earth and humankind. They

cover also humanity’s fall from innocence and paradise into ways of

violence and alienation from God and each other, such that God’s

judgement resulted. The remaining chapters see the beginning of

the rescue plan for humanity. This plan for human and environ­ mental salvation, emanating from the love of God, revolved around the choosing of a family. The principal members of this family are generally referred to as the patriarchs; of these Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

and Joseph were the leading personalities, although Ishmael and Esau were important members of the supporting cast. At root, these sto­

ries about the patriarchs show God committing himself in covenant

love to human beings so that through them the whole earth and all

humanity might be blessed and rescued from the consequences of

their disobedience and sin. To do this and to set in train this plan of salvation God chose one man, Abram.

Abraham Abram was the original version of his name until it was extended to

Abraham.1*He was a descendent of Shem, in turn a son of Noah.3

Abram’s father was called Terah, and Abram had two brothers, Nahor and Haran. Haran was the father of Lot, and thus Abrams nephew.

Some members of the family, Terah, Abram, Abram’s wife Sarai and Lot, setded at Haran, having intended at first to go to Canaan. Whilst at Haran, God speaks to Abram in an unmistakeable way, calling him

1 See Genesis 17:5. The new name Abraham suggests the fusion of the two original

elements of the name Ab (father) with ram (high) with a third element, hatnon (multi­ tude). Thus Abraham was to be the Father of many nations.

’Gen 11:10-32

i6

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

to leave his country and “go to a land I will show you.” There is an accompanying promise of incalculable significance, which was this:

I will make you a great nation and I will bless you;

I will make your name great, And you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you, And whoever curses you I will curse;

And all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. (Genesis 12: 2—3)

This is an irrevocable call and promise given to Abram and his 'Rom 11:29

c Rom 9:4-5

familyb and theirs are irreversible privileges culminating in the birth of the Messiah/ And the first step in this journey, leading eventu­

ally to Christ’s birth, is taken by Abram in faith. He sets out from Haran in Mesopotamia for an unknown destination. “So Abram

left.” With those ordinary words the journey of human salvation

begins. They take everything with them: their flocks, servants, some relations—notably the risky adventurer and family liability, Lot, and dGen 12:14

they move out. Abram is 77 years old, his wife Sarai is still beautiful,0 but has no child. For the promise to be fulfilled that Abram will be

a blessing to the world and become the father of a great nation, he must have a son through Sarai. But Sarai herself is barren. Despite

years of marriage, no child has been born. Abram travels west until he reaches the land of Canaan where

' Geni2:7 God tells him to settle: “To your offspring I will give this land.”1’ And there Abram worships the Lord, building an altar to God and he

does the same near Bethel. In a strange premonition of the famine in the time of his grandson Jacob, as well as of the flight ofJoseph fMatt 2:i3ff

and Mary with the infant Jesus to Egypt in C.4BCJ Abram and his

flocks move south to the well irrigated Nile delta where there is food in abundance. Whilst there, Abram passes off his wife as his sister, fearing he will be killed by the Egyptians for her, such is her

beauty. She is indeed taken by Pharaoh into his palace and harem, and Pharaoh rewards Abram for this. But after severe diseases in the

palace, Abrams ruse is discovered and he and Sarai are sent away

CHOOSING A FAMILY

17

with safe passage and a rebuke. Although praised for his faith, on this occasion, as indeed on a later identical one, he is by no means perfect.2 Abram resorts to subterfuge to preserve his own skin and

places Sarai in danger. For Abraham there are two great running issues or sores in his

life: his yearning for an heir and his relations with his nephew Lot. We will take the second first. Lot had been part of the family entourage for some time.g With

gGen 11:31

his grandfather Terah, Lot had set out as boy from Ur ofthe Chaldeans

to go to Canaan, but, with the rest of the family, had only got as far as Haran.h But when Abram was told to leave Haran by God, Lot

hGen 11:31b

had gone along with his uncle. Upon arriving in Canaan, and with

great generosity of spirit, Abram had let his nephew choose the best land for his flocks. Lot chose the land along the Jordan valley and

the territory close to cities of the plain,' amongst which was Sodom.

'Gen 13:12

Lot was never far from trouble and became caught up in a conflict

between the city kings of the region.-1 He was captured whilst living

J Gen 14:iff

in Sodom, and Abraham, as his nearest kinsman-redeemer, pursued Lot’s captors all the way to Damascus? After vanquishing Lot’s captors

kGen 14:15

Abraham was blessed by the mysterious High Priest Melchizedek, to whom he gave a tithe of all his possessions, with these words: Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.1

1 Gen 14:19-20

But Lot, none the wiser for these events, returns with his family to live in Sodom, and only the intercession of Abraham (as he has now become)1" and the intervention of angels allows Lot and his daughters

mGen i8:i6ff

to escape.” Lot’s wife looks back and is turned to a pillar of salt.0

nGen 19:2 0 Gen 19:26

His daughters, whose fiancés had tarried in Sodom and had been destroyed with the city, now make their father drunk, sleep with

him and gave birth to sons, who in turn become the fathers of the

Moabites and the Ammonites who are to be a thorn in the side of In Genesis 20: 2Íf this ruse was repeated.

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

i8

pGen 19:36

Israel in the future? The origins of these families and the resulting

nations affect, for all time, their spiritual outlook and destiny.

But if Lot is a painful sideshow in the family life of Abraham, his

greatest anguish and his most testing challenge is the provision of an heir, an heir of his and Sarai s blood, and thus an heir to the promise

made to Abram by the Most High God. This promise is renewed

after Abram s defeat of the coastal kings. In a most moving moment

of dialogue with the Most High, Abram is taken outside his tent one night and shown the stars of the sky and told his descendants qGen 15:5

will be as numerous as the stars.9 And “Abram believed God, and he

'Gen 15:6

credited it to him as righteousness.”1 Here is the example of faith for

all time. Abram believed and was justified or made righteous; and it was to this example that the Apostle Paul would return in his great

explanation of the Gospel in Romans and Galatians. Faith, that is

trust in what God has said and done in Christ, or in his earlier word

of promise, justifies or makes righteous.3 This is the benchmark of all true discipleship, and the basis of all salvation. Abraham had faith, but that is not to say he never wavered, despite the good press that Paul gives him in Romans 4:i8ff. In the

very next chapter Abraham clearly succumbs to Sarai s suggestion that he produce a child through her Egyptian maid, Hagar. Abraham

sleeps with Hagar and in due course she bears him a child, Ishmael, commonly thought to be the father of the Arabs, in which case Arab

andjew are descendants ofAbraham. The birth brings tension to the household. Sarai believes herself despised by Hagar, so she secures Hagar’s expulsion. But Hagar is found and comforted by an angel ‘Gen 16:10

who promises her that she too will be the mother of a great nation?

Later, after the birth of Isaac, Hagar and Ishmael are finally expelled 'Gen 21:9-12

from the household much to the consternation of Abraham.' God keeps faith with Ishmael, renewing the promise of his lineage and

“Gen 21:18

he does become the father of a great nation?

After the birth of Ishmael, God once more renews the covenant vGen 17

and promise he made with Abram.v By now Abram is 99 years old and Sarah 90. His name is changed to Abraham; a solemn everlast­ ing covenant is made between God and the family of Abraham. 3 See Romans 4:iff, especially v. 13 and Galatians 3:6-9, 18.

CHOOSING A FAMILY

19

Nations and kings, it is promised, would come from him. The

Land of Canaan is given to them, “as an everlasting possession.”"'

wGen 17:8b

A sign is given to Abraham of this Covenant— circumcision—a mark for life in the most intimate place of each male and at the literal point of future generation/ The promise of children is

xGen I7:ioff

renewed, at which Abraham laughs, saying, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”5. At different times both Abraham and Sarah laugh in

yGen 17:17

disbelief/ so extraordinary is it to conceive and bear a child in such

zGen 17:17, 18:12

extreme old age. The visit of three angels at Mamre, representing

the Trinity,“ and so movingly depicted in Rublev’s famous icon

•“Gen 18:12

titled Hospitality, follow the renewal of the covenant and promise in Genesis 17, and a year later Sarah gives birth to Isaac in her old

age.ab The Lord has indeed been gracious to Sarah and does for

ab Gen 21:1

her what he had promised. Isaac, which interestingly means “he laughs”, is named, and the first step in the great plan is achieved. A nation is birthed, a nation from whom the Messiah will come for the blessing of the whole earth.

One last test remains for Abraham, which seems and sounds strange to our eyes and ears: Abraham is required to give up the

human whom he most loves, his son Isaac, at the command of God.ac

ac Gen 22:2

To be called to sacrifice your son seems grotesque to our or any

culture, yet in Abraham’s it was not uncommon, though we know

by the end of the test God did not intend this sacrifice to take place. It was a test. But at the time it is all too real. Abraham obeys. Isaac is

the willing sacrificial victim. Then, in answer to the boy’s question,

“Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’'10 Abraham prophetically

ad Gen 22:6c

replies: “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’"e God provides the sacrifice in the ram caught in the thicket,

ae Gen 22:8

but far more importantly he provides much later an eternal sacrifice

when Jesus hangs on a Roman cross outside Jerusalem. God does not ask of Abraham what he would not do himself. God’s beloved son is made an atoning sacrifice for all, and in a piece of spiritual

territorial symmetry, at the exact place where Abraham took Isaac, Mt Moriah or Calvary was situated.af After this test, the covenant is

renewed again, for God swears by himself, “I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and

af2 Chron 3:1

20

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

aRGen 22:17a

as the sand on the seashore”/8 Nothing can prevent the fulfilment

of this promise, neither human sin nor devilish opposition.

Jacob The next principal character in the story of the patriarchs, the ah Gen 32:28

ancestors, is Jacob, who is later to become “Israel”/11 We shall return later to the account of Isaac finding his wife Rebekah after the

" Gen 24:67

death of his mother Sarahal and the importance of the women in the patriarchal narratives, for they were far from insignificant. But here we shall focus on the twists and turns ofJacob’s life. In many

ways he was God’s twister.

Isaac marries Rebekah, who comes from the family of Abraham, and is deliberately not chosen from the surrounding families of the ajGen 24:37; 23:37

Canaanites or the Hittites/J The stories surrounding the finding of

wives for the patriarchs, in particular for Isaac and Jacob, are given

special prominence in the patriarchal narratives (see especially Genesis 24). But Rebekah, being barren, does not conceive (a recurring

problem with the patriarchs it seems). Then Isaac prays for her and

she conceives twins. They struggle in her womb like two vying ak Gen 25:23 al Gen 25:25

nations.ak The older twin comes out all red and hairy/1 and is called

Esau, meaning red. The younger twin is called Jacob since he grasps ""Gen 25:26

the heel of his brother as he is being born, meaning he deceives.™1

The twins struggle in the womb; they struggle at birth and are to do so throughout their lives. Esau is a huntsman, loving the open spaces and is loved by his father, Isaac, while Jacob stays at home, a an Gen 25:27

quiet man loved by his mother.™ More fundamentally, God chooses the younger over the elder. Scripture says quite baldly: “Jacob I have

aoMal 1:2-3; Rom 9:10-13

loved, but Esau I have hated.’*0

Although God has chosen Jacob over his older brother Esau, there is little doubt that Jacob and his mother Rebekah conspire to steal

Esau’s inheritance out of their own ambition. As a personality, Esau apGen 28:8-9

appears insensitive in choosing a wife from amongst the Canaanites,ap

thoughtless and rude. He is a hunter—hardly reflective—a man concerned with the immediate, rather than the future, a person who aq Gen 25:33; Heb 12:16-17

wants to grasp present comfort, but at the cost of future glory/4 For

these reasons he is prepared to give up his birthright to his schem­

ing brother Jacob in exchange for a plate of stew, when famished.

21

CHOOSING A FAMILY

But Rebekah and Jacob are a formidable team and determined to

see Jacob’s cause succeed. Using cunning, conspiracy, deception and favouritism, they manage to usurp Esau’s blessing so that Jacob

stands ready to inherit what was by birth Esau’s.ar But the deceit

"Gen 27

costs Jacob greatly. Jacob has to flee home because of the anger of Esau and so he returns to Haran, to Paddam Aram, from whence Abraham had

come. There he lives in virtual exile from his family. And in Laban, his uncle, Rebekah’s brother, Jacob finds a schemer every bit as

devious as himself. Falling in love with Laban s daughter Rachel, he is made to serve seven years for her as the bride-price. Then, on their wedding night, Laban makes Jacob drunk and supplants Rachel

with her older sister, Leah.as Jacob s household becomes increasingly

35 Gen 29-30

complex, with the little-loved Leah nevertheless giving birth to sons,

and likewise Rachel’s maid Bilhah (in place of Rachel) ,at and then

atGen 30:3

Leah’s maid Zilphah, until finally Rachel bears Jacob a son, Joseph.

The currents ofjealousy, favouritism and resentment run like eddies through the household and do not abate, even flowing into the next generation, as we shall see.

Despite Laban’s wiles, Jacob thrives. His flocks increase through cunning husbandry,au and in the end the irritation and frustration

au Gen 30:25-43

caused by Laban’s continual interference and growing hostility are greater than Jacob’s fear of Esau. With God’s command to return to

Canaan,av Jacob, together with his wives, children, servants and flocks

"Gen 31:3

take flight for Canaan. Pursued by Laban, intent on retrieving his

household gods stolen by Rachel, Jacob survives a stand-off with his

father-in-law. Rachel hides the gods in her camel saddlebag whilst seated on it and begs her father not to ask her to move, as it is the time of her monthly period. Her father quickly backs off.aw And,

as if one family drama is not enough, another swiftly follows: the meeting with Esau. It is twenty years or more since they last met

and it is a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life.

Both on the way to Paddam Aram, where Laban lived, and on his return to Canaan, God renews his covenant relationship with Jacob.

Jacob is the one whom God has chosen to carry the promise given to his grandfather Abraham. South of Beersheba and on the road to Paddam Aram, God meets with Jacob by night. The Covenant is

'"Gen 31:35

22

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

" Gen 28:14c renewed especially at this moment of flight and great vulnerability.”1

Jacob is told, “All peoples on earth will be blessed by you.” He is promised that his descendants will be like the dust of the earth and that he will inherit the land around where he sleeps. In a dream,

Jacob sees a ladder leading up to heaven, with angels ascending and descending upon it. When he awakes he says, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of

“ Gen 28:16-17 heaven.”ay And he calls the place Bethel which means house of God. Twenty years later, on his return from Paddam Aram, facing the momentous meeting with Esau the following day, Jacob sends away

his family, flocks and servants and prays alone all night to God. He

wrestles all night in prayer with what he thinks is a man or an angel but is in fact a form of God himself. He tells this unseen opponent, “Gen 32:26

“I will not let you go unless you bless me.’® His reward is a change

of name, a renewed destiny for Jacob and his family. He will now be called Israel, which means, he struggles with God. This describes what happened that night, but in a more profound way it describes

the destiny of the nation itself. Israel will struggle with God, and

like Jacob will bear the marks in its national body. Jacob walks away with a limp as a result of the struggle, which has put his hip out of joint. Jacob or Israel calls the place Peniel, meaning that he sees the

face of God but his life is spared. The following day he meets Esau.

Jacob has made careful preparations for this encounter with his

brother who he thinks will still be nursing vengeance against him, since Jacob stole not only Esau’s birthright but also his Fathers b‘Gen 32:1-21; 33:1-20

blessing, and the inheritance which went with it.ba To pacify Esau,

Jacob makes a show of the gifts he is giving him, and the wealth he has accumulated by stringing out his caravan of family, flocks and servants along the route, so as to make the maximum impression.

Jacob remains polite, cautious and insistent that his brother take his proffered presents. Jacobs language is flattering: “For to see your face” he says, “is like seeing the face of God now you have received ** Gen 33:10b

me favourably.’*’1’ But you can tell from the tone of the narrative that

Jacob is not looking for deep reconciliation with his brother; he is

wary of him and wants only safety for his family and space for his ** Gen 33:12

household to dwell. If anything Esau is more desirous of friendship?0

So the brothers separate. Jacob goes to Succoth and then to Shechem,

CHOOSING A FAMILY

while Esau’s descendants occupy Edom across the Jordan,bd outside

23

“ Gen 36:8

the land allocated later by Joshua to the twelve tribes, a land which

God faithfully protects for them.be

beDeut 2:22

Jacob settles nearby Shechem at a place he calls Mighty is the God

of Israel.4 ,b( But they live uneasily with their neighbours since Jacob s

bfGen 33:20

sons have wreaked vengeance on the people of Shechem as a result

of its (Shechems) king’s son molesting their sister Dinah?8 Jacob

bg Gen 34

then leaves and returns south to Bethel (Luz), having cleansed his people of any foreign gods.bh The covenant is renewed?' Rachel

bhGen 35:1-5 b* Gen 35:9-13

gives birth to Benjamin and dies in childbirth, greatly mourned by Jacob. She is buried in Bethlehem. After the death of Rachel her

elder son, Joseph, becomes his father’s favourite and is given a coat

of many colours or with long sleeves which was a sign of honour; his name is Joseph.

Joseph Joseph is the link between the patriarchs settling in Canaan, after the journey of Abraham from Haran, and the sojourn of the Israelites

in Egypt. Joseph’s story and his leadership not only form part of

the Wisdom literature of the Bible (a description of which is given

in chapter eight), but also his conduct is a prefiguring of Christ’s own leadership.

At the outset, whatever his qualities, Joseph takes on the role of the obnoxious younger brother. He is his father’s favourite, the elder

boy of the love ofJacob’s life, Rachel. b| He is the yearned for son

bjGen 37:3-4

born to his parents in middle age. And to show his pleasure in his

son, Jacob gives him a coat of many colours, or a richly ornamented robe. To cap it all, Joseph is a dreamer and blithely tells his brothers

of a dream he had, in which they, and his parents, bowed down to him.bk Their resentment grows to boiling point and they resolve

bk Gen 37:5-11

to kill him, but when it comes to it, at the suggestion of Reuben and then Judah, Joseph is saved from death and sold into slavery to

some passing Midianites who are going down to Egypt. Sold into the household ofPotiphar, Captain of Pharaoh’s guard, Joseph comes within the circle of power in Egypt?1 Thoroughly trustworthy as

4 El Elohe Israel

bl Gen 39:1

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

24

a steward of Potiphar s house, he is also handsome. Potiphar s wife

becomes infatuated with him. Having her advances refused, in a fit

of wounded pride and rage, she makes up lies about his behaviour and he is thrown into prison.

In prison Joseph meets other members of Pharaohs household:

the cupbearer and the baker. Once again Joseph gains favour in the bn’ Gen 39:21-23

eyes of his overseer, the chief prison warder.bm He interprets cor­ rectly the dreams of both the cupbearer and the baker. Three days later these interpretations are fulfilled correctly. The cupbearer is

restored to his post, and the baker is executed, as he had said. Two years later Pharaoh has his own troubling dream; the cup-bearers memory is jogged when Pharaoh describes his dream to his court

magicians and wise men. Joseph is summoned from the gaol and he interprets the dream for Pharaoh: there will be seven bumper harvests

followed by seven years of unmitigated famine. The interpretation, b" Gen 41:16

which Joseph faithfully attributes to God,bn is acted upon and Joseph

*” Gen 41:41

is made second in the Kingdom,b° charged with storing the huge

bpGen 41:49

surplus in the seven good yearsbp and administering its distribution

in the years of famine. Joseph combines in his leadership personal

integrity, trust and confidence in God, and visionary gifting, centring on the interpretation of dreams and great administrative ability. He

also personally experiences and understands the providence of God.

The providence of God undergirds the entire Joseph story from beginning to end: God’s ordering and control is seen throughout.

The famine affects the whole region and the brothers go down to h" Gen 42:1

Egypt to buy grain at the insistence of their father, Jacob.bq Ten of

the brothers go down to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph, who mys­

teriously recognises them without them recognising him. Although b'Gen 52:25

he sells them grain (returning their money secretly) ,br he insists that next time they come they bring their youngest brother, Rachel’s other son, Benjamin. Cracks begin to appear in the mind-set of

the brothers and Israel their father. The returning of the money unnerves them; the demand that Benjamin return with them brings

the earlier disappearance ofjoseph to the surface, increasing anxiety

in Israel and guilt in the brothers, and things only get worse. On their return to Egypt the mystery increases; they try to return the

money put in their sacks, but it is refused. Joseph enquires tenderly

CHOOSING A FAMILY

25

of their father and on seeing Benjamin, removes himself to weep;bs

uGcn 43:30

while the brothers are sat in the order of their ages.bt Still the brothers

b'Gen 43:33

do not recognise Joseph. Joseph’s silver cup is planted in Benjamins sack, then found, and he is arrested. The level of emotion reaches

breaking point: Judah, who stands surety for Benjamin, pleads for

Benjamin’s return otherwise it will be the death of their father. Joseph can bear it no longer. Amidst deep emotion,joy and relief he reveals himself to his brothers who are stunned and appalled. They wonder whether he will now have vengeance on them for selling him into

slavery, and for their fabrication of his death to their father. But for Joseph, the golden thread that runs through their betrayal, his being sold into slavery, his imprisonment, his exaltation to be Pharaoh’s

deputy and his family’s relief from famine, is the providence of God: “God sent me ahead of you to preserve you a remnant on earth and

to save your lives by a great deliverance’'*’11 and “it was not you who

bu Gen 45:7

sent me here but God.,,bv His brothers meant it for bad, but God

hvGen 45:8

turns their actions to good. It is a story of redemption, and as such prefigures the passion of Christ.

Jacob and all his family are invited by Pharaoh to live in Egypt. Not for the last time is Israel’s future bound up with that of Egypt.bw

bw Gen 46:5-7; Matt 2:13-15

They go down about 80 people, 400 years later they get out ofEgypt

nearly two million. They arrive a free people; they go out slaves, but to a new freedom. The sojourn in Egypt, and their leaving of it,

mark Israel for all time. But before we take up their story again, we must make three observations about the patriarchal times in Canaan:

the importance of the matriarchs, the relationship of the Hebrews with the surrounding clans or tribes, and their experience of God.

The Wives of the Patriarchs A reading of the patriarchal narratives demonstrates that monogamy was not yet practised. Far from it, the patriarchs had many partners,

partly in pursuit of heirs, but also to satisfy the customs of the time.

But it was clear from the covenants made by God with each of the patriarchs that only the marriages with wives taken from the same chosen stock would receive and pass on the blessing of the covenant.

Thus only the issue of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah and Jacob and his two wives and their maids would inherit the promises.1”1

b,t Gen 25:1-6

26

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

Because of this, for those wives who were for long periods barren,

bearing a child was very much the result of Gods intervention. Sarah by Gen 21:1-7 bz Gen 25:21 ca Gen 30:22

waited many years.by Rebekah waited,bzand likewise Rachel.ca And

cbGen 16:3-4

within the covenant, Ishmael, Hagar the Egyptian’s son,cb and Esau’s

ccGen 36:

although Jacob’s children by Leah and their respective maids fell

wives, taken from the surrounding nations, did not.cc Not only were the wives to be taken from within the chosen

community, but their influence was great in the shaping of that

developing community. The stories of Abraham’s servant finding

Rebekah for his masters son Isaac is a most beautiful account of a cd Gen 24

wife being found through the guidance of God.cd Likewise, Jacob

ce Gen 29:20

seeing Rachel and falling completely in love with her“ is further

testament to God’s provision of a wife and Jacobs devotion to that woman. Not only were these women chosen to be the wives of the patriarchs, but each in her own way was influential in directing the affairs of the family. Negatively, Sarah got Abraham to banish cfGen 21:10,20; 25:i2ff

Hagar and Ishmael as unwelcome in her household.cf And Rebekah was spoken to by God when she was still pregnant and told that the

cgGen 25:23

older twin would serve the younger.cg Later she sought, by devious

means, to bring that about. And Rachel encouraged Jacob to bear ch Gen 30:3-8

children by her maid Bilhah.ch In different ways they all influenced

the shape of this patriarchal community. The promise of blessing being given only through the genuine marriages of the patriarchs

served to enhance the role of these wives and matriarchs in the

destiny of Israel and God’s salvation plan.

Occupying the Land Along with the promise of heirs by which the world would be even­ clGen 12:3b cj Gen 15:8; 17:8

tually be blessed“ there was also the gift ofland.tJ But during the time of the patriarchs it was a land they only partially inhabited, not least

because of their small numbers. (At the end of Genesis they were ck Gen 46:26

a family of 66) .ck The promise of occupying the land was held out

clGen 15:13-16

to Abraham, but it was not to be yet.cl Since their occupation was

only partial, they had to rub along with their neighbours over such

matters as burial places, wells, and marital relations between their respective sons and daughters. They also had to resist their neighbours’ cmGen 35:4

gods.cm Thus Abraham bought a burial site for his family (to this day

CHOOSING A FAMILY

27

at Hebron) from the Hittites™ for a princely sum of money—400

“Gen 23:1-20

shekels of silver.“’ Again Abraham came to an arrangement with

co Gen 23:15-16

another tribal leader, Abimelech, over the use of wells at Beersheba

(meaning well of the oath) for watering his flocks.cp Later, during a

cp Gen 2i:22ff

time of famine, Isaac re-opened the wells of his father Abraham in Gerar and came to a further agreement with Abimelech about the

wells and territory/9 Lastly, intermarriage between the local tribes and the family of

cqGen 2ó:i2ff, esp 30-31.

Abraham was an issue. Whilst it was clear that God required heirs

of the promise to be born within the family of Abraham, several members of his family married outside it. Equally, others went to

almost any lengths to gain issue from within the family. Esau took

wives from the Hittites“ who “were a source of grief to Isaac and

crGen 26:34

Rebekah”“ and their descendants eventually became the Edomites“ and settled in Seir.cu Lot’s descendants, who came from his daugh­

cs Gen 26:35 ct Gen 36 cu Deut 2:2ff

ters who slept with him,cv became respectively the Moabites and

cvGen I9:3off

Ammonites. And such was the pressure to gain heirs from within

the family line that Tamar, the daughter-in-law ofJudah, posed as a prostitute and slept with her father-in-law that she might have issue.cw Although such behaviour was to be proscribed by the Law,

°* Gen 38

such was the grace of God that this wrongdoing did not prevent him from working through it, and the Messiah was eventually born

of this line of descent.“ As the patriarchs learnt, the God who had called them was at the same time both demanding and gracious.

The God of the Patriarchs The God who revealed himself to the patriarchs, especially to

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, was indeed gracious and deeply demand­ ing. He made an astonishing promise that a single family would bless the whole earth, but the means of doing it, through procreation, was often tortuous and painfully difficult. The promise and the fulfilment of the promise were entirely in his sovereign hand and power. He promised land and a future, but at the same time the patriarchs, and especially Abraham, had to leave the land of his birth and go to another one which God would show him. When he had been given an heir, God asked Abraham to sacrifice him. When

given land in Canaan, the families of the patriarchs nevertheless had

cxMatt 1:3

28

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

to leave because of famine. They were to resist all association with surrounding gods, and they were to cling only to the God of their cy Gen 35:2ff

fathers.cy From time to time God revealed himself to the patriarchs,

renewing his covenant. Sometimes this revelation was accompanied "Gen 15:12; 28:16-17 03 Gen 17:11 dbGen 17:6-8

by deep mystery,cz intimate ownership01 and hope.db But always the

requirement was the same: trust, obedience and undivided loyalty. He chose whom he wanted to choose. He used those whom he

chose, despite their failures and sinfulness. But his forming of this community was to be further fired and burnished by the events of

the next 440 years. The community was formed by 400 years in

Egypt and then 40 in the wilderness. From choosing a family, God was now forming a nation, to be a witness to all nations and from whom eventually a Messiah and liberator would come.

Chapter 3

THE FORMING OF A NATION Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

he family of Jacob went down to Egypt during the years of

T

Josephs leadership in the Egyptian empire. They numbered

some 66 to 70 persons? When they left Egypt some 430 years later

aGen 46:26; Exod 1:4

they were a nation of nearly two million people or 600,000 men? A

bNum 2:32; Deut.26:5

birth rate of two or three surviving children to each couple would have resulted in this kind of increase of population in about 16 gen­ erations. As the opening passage of the book of Exodus tells us, the

fertility of the race, their rate of infant survival and the faithfulness

of the midwives all contributed to the great increase of the Hebrew

or Jewish population?

cExod 1:1-22

Such was the numerical growth ofthe Jews that the Pharaoh (who had no knowledge ofjoseph),d commanded their ethnic cleansing, or,

dExod 1:8

at the very least, a radical reduction of their population at the time

of Moses’birth. He said, “The Israelites have become too numerous for us”.e He consequently ordered that all male babies be killed at

eExod 1:9

birth, by having them thrown into the Nile? Israel had arrived in

fExod 1:22

Egypt around 1720BC as an extended family, but the events of the

exodus ofc.i28oBC were to turn Israel unequivocally into a nation.

The next four books of the Law (or Torah), Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, tell the story of this nation s formation.

Similar passages of narrative or law-giving are found in each. In

Exodus we principally have the account of the deliverance of Israel under Moses, and the giving of the Law and a new Covenant at

Sinai. There is also the description of God s presence in the provi­

sion of food and guidance, the construction of the Tabernacle, and

the mediation of Moses. In Leviticus we have a description of the worship and laws of Israel, the various types of sacrifices, feast days

and the establishment and duties of the priesthood. In Numbers we have a further description of the wanderings of Israel in the desert,

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

30

her sojourn in the wilderness, and the numbering of her clans and

priesthood. Lastly, in Deuteronomy, we have the speeches of Moses

to the people, recalling the experience of Israel in the desert as well

as the character of God and the purpose of God for the Israelites and their responsibilities prior to their entrance into the Promised

Land. These four books are foundational to the Jewish understand­

ing of God, his actions on their behalf in history, their calling, and

their worship.

Exodus The book of Exodus itself falls neatly into three parts: the deliver­ ance of Israel; the giving of the Law and Covenant at Sinai; and the

description of God’s presence (and absence) amongst them. The

result is a blend of narrative in which Gods power and character is

displayed, and of law in which his character, and the role of Israel, is also made clear. His gracious provision for them, often in the face of their grumbling and rebellion, is also told.

The Deliverance of Israel The first part of Exodus is devoted to the story of the deliverance of 8Exod i—18

Israel.8 “This narrative constitutes the powerful, compelling centre

of Israel’s defining memory of faith”.1 It is retold in several other places in the books ofLaw or Torah, and notably during the Passover hExod 12:26-27; 13:8-10, 15-15; Deut 6:20-24; 26:5-9.

meal.h The plight of the Jews in Egypt has now become terrible.

They are part of the forced labour system or corvée and in effect remain slaves for about four hundred years. They are set to work on great building projects in the Kingdom, such as the store cities

'Exod 1:11

of Pithom and Rameses,1 by the very powerful Pharaoh Ramses II

jExod 1:14 kExod 3:7

brick and mortar’^ and their cries come up to God.k He decides

(1290-1224BC). Their lives are “made bitter with hard labour in that the time for their deliverance has come and to do this he seeks

a man to lead them out of Egypt. The man’s name is Moses.

The birth, childhood, upbringing and call of Moses are central to this plan of deliverance. Moses, like all male babies, is in danger of

1 W. Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination, (Westminster John Knox Press, 2003) p. 53.

THE FORMING OF A NATION

31

death at birth (see also Matthew 2:13-18 and the ironic fact thatjesus, the new deliverer, escapes a similar edict by going down to Egypt).

Moses is hidden in the Nile, found by Pharoah’s daughter, raised in

the Pharoah’s household, but nursed in infancy by his mother.1 He

'Exod 2:8-10

learns all the wisdom of the Egyptians, having the best education the

ancient world could provide, which is very useful preparation for the leadership that was to come. Despite his privileged upbringing, he knows of his origins—presumably from his mother—and identifies

with his own oppressed people, the Hebrews.

One day, witnessing the abuse of a kinsman, he murders the Egyptian responsible, is discovered and flees. An exile from his home in Egypt,"1 he is to lead his people out of their own more permanent

n'Exod 2:22

exile to the land that will become their home.

Like his ancestors the patriarchs, he meets his future wife and her

sisters at a well where they are watering their flocks. Moses drives

off some unruly shepherds who are molesting them and after such gallant behaviour marries one of the sisters, Zipporah, whose father

Jethro is a Priest of Midian.” (The Midianites were descendants of

"Exod2:i6ff

Abraham through his concubine, Keturah, and were living in present day southern Jordan.°)It is while tendingjethro s flocks that the event

“Gen 25:1-6

which changes Moses’ life forever occurs. It happens near Horeb

or Sinai. A bush is on fire, but is not burnt. He goes over to look more closely and at that point the God of his ancestors speaks. He

is addressed by name and told not to come any closer.p It is Moses’

pExod 3:4

first encounter with God. Moses we are told “hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God”.q

’Exod 3:6c

What follows is the next great revelation of God’s character and

purpose/ At first God declares his purpose: he is concerned at Israel’s

'Exod 6:3

suffering; he has come to rescue them; he will bring them to their own land of Canaan promised to the patriarchs; and Moses will be equipped to lead the people? But Moses wants to know the name

'Exod 3:7ff

of God and so a new name is revealed to him and his people. God’s name is “I am who I am” or “I will be who I will be”. It is a name written with the Hebrew consonants YHWH (‘ehyeh ‘aser ‘ehyeh),

in which the whole phrase is written as a single word. The unique,'

ever-present God is so holy that his name is not to be taken upon

a Jew’s lips. Instead they use the word adonay, meaning “my lord”.

‘ Isa 40:18

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

32

In the coming days YHWH is to show that he is a God of salva­ tion, a God ofjudgement—power and miracle—a God who speaks and a God who dwells with his people. Despite Moses’ reluctance and excuses, his fear that the Israelites will not follow him, his fear “ Exod 3:3-9

that the Israelites will not be convinced by the miracles he performs“

and his inability to speak, God calls him. Moses still refuses. God v Exod

4:14 becomes angry when Moses dissembles and refuses to go.v Eventually,

with his brother Aaron as his assistant and spokesman, Moses goes to Pharaoh.

Moses confronts Pharaoh with Gods word, “Let my people go, " Exod 5:1

so that they may hold a festival for me in the desert” .w But Pharaoh,

a sovereign of immense earthly power, will not permit the Israelites ’Exod 5:6

departure. Instead he makes their lives much harsher/ The cycle of

plagues is about to begin. The plagues, ten in all, are designed to

display the sovereign power of YHWH, but are also judgment on the empire of Egypt. Although the Egyptian magicians and gods

can reproduce the initial plagues inflicted by YHWH, their power is soon overwhelmed and surpassed. But as each plague recedes, to use yExod 8:32

the biblical language, Pharoah hardens his hearty against the plea of

Moses to let his people go. In fact, it is God who hardens Pharaoh’s !Exod 9:1

heart/ What seems like a free action of Pharaoh, which prevents the

Israelites from leaving, is also the action of God hardening his heart. As so often in scripture, there is a conjunction between the will of

God and the choice of humans. The truth lies at both ends: Pharaoh

chooses to harden his heart against the desire of the Hebrews to leave, whilst at the same time God hardens Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will

not let them leave until after the awful judgement of Passover night. The night of the Passover, the final plague, sees the angel of

death pass through the land killing the first born in every Egyptian

household, as well as every firstborn head of cattle. The Israelites are spared by daubing the blood of the sacrificial lamb on the sides "Exod 12:7

and the tops of their doorframes.’3

In memory of this event the Israelites are to keep an annual fes­ tival. For seven days, from the 14th Nisan to the 21st, they are to eat

unleavened bread—with no yeast. A lamb for each family or group

of families is to be sacrificed at twilight. It is to be eaten with bitter herbs and cups of wine, and on its first occasion in haste. Likewise,

THE FORMING OF A NATION

33

in memory of this deliverance every first born is to be given over

to the Lord or redeemed.111 Such is the terror and mourning over all

abExod 13:12

Egypt on the night of this final “plague” that Pharaoh commands

the Israelites to leave.16 They leave with all they can take and what

acExod 12:32

they have been given by the Egyptians.10 But soon Pharaoh changes

ad Exod 3:21

his mind and his army pursue the Israelites to the Red Sea. The crossing of the Red Sea and the swallowing up of the

Egyptian army will stand as the great and final act of deliverance in this narrative of liberation.16 Pharaoh’s chariots and horseman are

icExod 15

drowned in the waters of the Red Sea. Water becomes a symbol of

deliverance. Noah is delivered from the waters of the flood. The

Israelites are dehvered from the waters of the Red Sea, and in the New Testament the water of Baptism symbolises the passing of an

individual from death to life, this time through faith in Christ, the

Passover Lamb.lf The events of the Passover and the crossing of the

afJn 1:36; Rev 5:6

Red Sea form a narrative which will find its fulfilment in events at Golgotha twelve hundred years later. The Lamb of God will be slain and his blood will deliver and liberate any who put their trust in him.

The Giving of the Law The journey from the Red Sea to Sinai, with all its incidents, is typical of the Israelites’ future wanderings in the desert, which will

take 40 years and see almost all those who left Egypt on the Passover night die in the process. Grumbling soon begins.18 We are told it

agExod 16:2

infects the whole community. Manna (literally meaning: “what is it?”)lh is given daily to the people, except on the Sabbath, and is to

ahExod 16:15

be collected daily, also except on the Sabbath. If it is stored it goes mouldy, except on the eve of Sabbath when two days’ rations are to be collected,11 thus establishing the keeping of the Sabbath in the

“Exod 16:21-22

community. And to meet the people’s yearning for meat, quails are given as well.

The Amalekites are defeated through Joshua’s leadership and the intercession of Moses/1 A bitter dispute takes place between Moses

ajExod I7:ioff

and the people over the provision of water at Massah (testing) and Meribah (quarrelling),111 in which Moses is drawn into such anger

akExod 17: iff

with the people that it prevents his eventual entry into the Promised

Land.11 A visit from his father-in-law, Jethro, together with Moses’

dDeut 3:2iff

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PAKT I

34

wife and two sons, proves welcome relief and a useful lesson in

delegation when dealing with the disputes of nearly two million amExod i8:i3ff

people/“ Through these events, some of which clearly display the

presence of God (to which we shall return), the people come after

three months to Sinai. There the Covenant is renewed and the Law

is given. Three months after the exodus from Egypt the people come to Mt anExod 19:1

Sinai.“ There they are prepared for the meeting of Moses and God on the mountain and the giving of the Law. This cycle of Law-giving,

beginning with the Ten Commandments, will be recorded in Exodus

19—24. Whereas the covenant with Abraham had given little away about the expectations God had of his family and their responsibil­

ities, except for faith in God’s promise, here at Sinai, the Covenant

is elaborated and defined. Faith is to be expressed in obedience.2

And God’s character and expectations are shown in the theophany aoExod I9:9ff

on the mountain and the giving of the Law.ao The moral holiness

of God is explained in the Decalogue (or Ten Commandments) as well as what he requires of the people. The first four commands

govern the relationship of the people with God; the remaining six their relationship with each other. The God who liberated is now

the God who requires obedience. He delivered from slavery; but true and enduring freedom are to be found in faithful obedience. apExod 21-24

The next four chaptersap are an elaboration in greater detail on the Decalogue (the Instruction inherent in the Ten Commandments) and their application to many aspects of life: slavery; personal injuries;

the protection of property; social responsibility; sexual behaviour;

and the observation of the Sabbath and the institution of annual Festivals. In these is a combination of concerns for widows, orphans, aqExod 23:9 arExod 21:20-21 “Exod 21:23

resident aliensaq and the poor, but a perplexing approval of slavery.ar Retribution is often merciless and corresponds to an injury given

(eye for eye, tooth for tooth.)“ All these laws constitute a way of life to which the Israelites are

called. The people renew their commitment to the Covenant, prom­ at Exod 24

ising their obedience.at They say to Moses, “We will do everything

au Exod 24:7b

the Lord has said: we will obey”,au but during Moses’ sojourn on the

See also Romans 1:5b: “the obedience that comes through faith”.

THE FORMING OF A NATION

35

mountain for forty days and nights they rebel, and make a golden calf with Aaron’s help.av Their obedience is superficial, and judgement

avExod 32:7ff

follows. Nevertheless, God does not withdraw his presence.

The Presence of God The defining characteristic of the Israelites is the presence ofYHWH with them. In their exodus from Egypt, this is demonstrated in judgement by the plagues, and during the crossing of the Red Sea:

actions of supreme power and salvation, which rescue the Israelites from an earthly despot and liberate them for their future destiny. It

is further shown in the provision of food, the guidance of the cloud and the fire and the shoes that do not wear out, but it is especially

shown in the establishment of the tabernacle and the meeting of

God with Moses.

The later chapters of Exodus consist of seven speeches (Exodus 25—31) in which the Lord speaks to Moses and which culminate in the establishment of the Sabbath,aw perhaps mirroring the six days

awExod 31:12-18

of creation, culminating in the seventh day of rest.3 But for the most part, the final chapters of Exodus concentrate on commands

for the setting up of the Tabernacle, the movable shrine at the heart

of Israelite worship and life. The Tabernacle is a rectangular tent measuring about 45' X 15', made of dyed linen curtains stretched over a frame and covered with goats hair and waterproof skins.“1

“Exod 35-36

The coverings are made by skilled, Spirit-filled workmen, Bezalel

and Oholiab.ay Inside are two rooms, the holy place and the most

ayExod 31:1-11

holy place or “the holy of holies”. The innermost holy room is about half the size of the outer room and divided from it by a cur­

tain or veil. (See fig 14, p. 353.) Outside the veil stands the golden

lampstand,az an incense altarba and a table on which baked cakes are displayed,bb but in the inner room, signifying especially the presence

“Exod 37:17-24 ba Exod 37:25 bbExod 37:10

of God, is the Ark,bc The ark is a wooden chest in which the Ten

^Exod 37:1

Commandments, engraved on two tablets of stone, are placed. Its golden lid is called the mercy seat, and is flanked by cherubim (figures

of celestial majesty) displaying Gods shining presence, his “shekinah glory”.bd This glory is like a cloud; it settles over the Tabernacle and 3 Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 63.

bdExod 25:8; 40:34

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

36

btExod 40:36

when it moves, the Israelites move.be Outside these rooms and in an outer tented court (about 150’ or 46 metres by 75’ or ijmetres), in the Eastern part, stands an altar for burnt sacrifices and nearby a

bfExod 38 b8Exod 28, 29 bbExod 28, 29

laver for washing the sacrifices.bf Aaron and his family are to be ordainedbg with special clothes,bh and some, like the Ephod and Breastpiece, are to have powers of

b'Exod 39:2-21 bj Exod 3o:22ff

guidance.1" Aaron is to be anointed with oil of consecration*’! and is to minister in the Tabernacle as the High Priest, and his sons are to succeed him. But two of his sons die because they use unholy

bkLev 10:1

fire.bk From the remaining two, Eleazar and Ithamar, rival priestly

bl 1 Chron 24:3

families descend.bl Assisting them in their duties and in particular

in the erecting and transporting of the tabernacle are the tribe of Levi and its three main clans—the Kohathites, the Gershonites and bn’ Num 3-4

the Merasrites.bm Later, some of the Levites rebel, seeking the more

b" Num 16:40

prestigious duty of burning incense,bn but are given exemplary pun-

b°Exod i6:3iff

ishment.b° The priests operate the Tabernacle and its worship, its

sacrifices and its maintenance. Only they can do such work in Israel. Lastly the presence of God is especially manifested through Moses

himself; his leadership and service are integral to the people knowing

the presence of God amongst them. Moses’ intercession not only bpExod 32:9

saves his grumbling followers from worse punishment at times,bp but it is his prayer which gains the assurance that God’s presence will

go with them. In famous words following the scandal of the golden calf, the Lord says, “My presence will go with you and I will give 1x1 Exod 33:14-17

you rest” for “I am pleased with you and I know you by name”.bq

The Lord shows Moses his glory.br He speaks with him face to face. brExod 33:19-23

Moses’ face shines with the radiance of God’s glory, and he puts a h’Exod 3434-35

veil over to hide its fading over time.bs Moses’ faithful service is a further guarantee of the presence of God.

The Tabernacle is erected on the first anniversary of the Israelites’ b‘Exod 40:17 b"Num 9:1-3

escape from Egypt.bt A fortnight later the Passover is celebrated,bu

and a fortnight after that a census is taken of all the men 20 years h* Num 1:1; 2:32

and over.bv What was a rabble of slaves is now a nation in covenant

with YHWH, with a distinctive Law, with the presence of God amongst them and with a history of deliverance to give them hope

for the future. But their aspirations are to be shortlived, for they fall '"Num 11:1-6

into grumbling about the food,bw there are several rebellions against

THE FORMING OF A NATION

Moses and his leadership,bx and they are fearful about the inhabitants

37

bx Num 12

of Canaan. Forty years will pass before they enter the Land.

Leviticus For those who set out to read the whole of the Bible, from beginning

to end, having not done so before, it is usually in Leviticus—and

only a little way in—that the enthusiastic reader may come to a

grinding halt! Rather like a person resolved to explore the whole of the Nile from its delta, the explorer becomes disheartened in the swamps of Sudan after the open river of Egypt. But there is still a strong current in Leviticus, which may be dispersed by its endless

laws, and that is the Holiness of God. The whole book is a further

call “to be holy because I am holy”.by

bYLev 19:2

Leviticus may best be regarded as a manual for the Priests in Israel.

Priests are charged with two tasks: to instruct Israel not to cause defilement and to purge the sanctuary of any defilement.4 They have

an important role in not only making the Law clear and teaching it, but also enforcing the sacrificial system whereby the individual,

the community and the nation might be purged from the effect of

sin in the sight of God,.

Broadly speaking, in Leviticus there are two strands running through the book: the sacrificial system that provides for the cleans­

ing of the people, and the laws which govern personal and social

purity. They are two distinct blocks of teaching, but they are mingled

throughout the book.

The chapters about the sacrificial system come early in the book (chapters 1—16). Chapters 11—15 fall into the categories of Law, referring to personal and social holiness to which we will return, but Leviticus 1—10 and 16 fall into the category of Sacrifices and

Priestly duties. Later the cycle of Festivals includes particular atten­ tion to some sacrifices (see Leviticus 23 and especially the Day of

Atonement). The sacrifices described in Leviticus 1-8 are varied, with the principal sacrifice being the burnt offering, which any

worshipper can make in any form, whether animal, or bird.bz But bzLev i:iff what all propitiatory sacrifices (i.e. sacrifices that make atonement

4 Brueggemann , Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 68.

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

38

by cleansing the sinner and turning away God’s anger) have in com­

mon, is the identification of the sinner with the sacrifice and the “Lev 4:29-30; 5:18

shedding of blood, which is cast on the altar of sacrifice.oa As such,

the sacrificial system is a gracious and provisional system of recon­

ciliation acceptable to God, which shows both the gravity of sin and the need for a sacrifice to atone for it. The final great sacrifice for the whole nation is provided on the Day of Atonement, when the High Priest represents the nation, and lays his hands on two goats,

sending one into the wilderness, taking the sins of the people with

it, and slaughtering the other, taking its blood through the veil to the cbLev 16:15-17

Holy of Holies as an atonement for the Holy Place or Sanctuary.ob

It is undoubtedly the most solemn sacrificial act of the year, and is

called Yom Kippur. But the whole system is provisional. It looks forward to the one

true sacrifice by Christ of himself at Golgotha, which takes away the sins of the world, as the Epistle to the Hebrews explains. In the

Epistle to the Hebrews, Jesus is shown as both the Priest and the victim; the one who offers himself as an eternal sacrifice and the one ccHeb 9:12-15, 26-28

whose sacrifice is eternally effective.00 You could argue that what Leviticus is in the Old Covenant—a manual for Priests and a book in

part about sacrifices—the book of Hebrews is in the New Covenant:

a book about the final, true sacrifice of Christ that really takes away

the sin of the world and emphasises our need of perseverance.

If Leviticus is partly about the sacrificial system in the Old Covenant, even if it is carried out in reality in a more ad hoc fashion than it is laid out in Leviticus itself,5 the book is also about purity or

holiness in the community. This holiness, which is derived from Gods own holiness, is a mixture of righteousness (justice) and separateness cd Deut 4:7-8

or distinctiveness. Israel is called to be distinctive,00 by virtue of her covenant and relationship with God and the way oflife this gives her.

What Leviticus and other parts of the Law, scattered through the rest of the books of the Pentateuch, show, is the extent of this calling

to be yielding and submissive to God. This submission extends to “Lev n, 17

every area of life: the food you are able to eat;ce those you are allowed

cfLev 18, 20

to marry or have sexual relations with;cf what to do after childbirth Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 68.

THE FORMING OF A NATION

39

or after any emission from the body;0g or what to do if you have

cgLev 12:1-8; 15

mildew in your house or an infectious disease.011 Every area of life

chLev 13-14

is covered, however personal, and especially those areas related to

sexual ethics and reproduction, which seem particularly guarded by the Lord. The sense that is conveyed is that God is to be honoured in everything. And tucked away in what is the greatest chapter on social

or neighbourly relations in the book—Leviticus 19—is one half of the Great Commandment: “to love our neighbours as ourselves”.“

"Lev 19:18

Leviticus gives us then a unique blend of the ceremonial and

ethical; the provisional and the permanent; the social and the personal. The interpreter has the difficult task of deciding what of

all its pervasive teaching about holiness carries through to today:

should you wait for a fruit-tree to grow five years before eating any of its fruit?0-* Should you ban the disabled from the assembly?** Should you introduce the year of Jubilee into the economy to

restore alienated assets?01 Should you condemn two men if they

'* Lev 19:23-25 ckLev 21:16-23 dLev25:8ff

lie together?0"1 On what grounds do we obey or discard in the church the commands of the Old Covenant? It is a question to

which we must return.

Numbers Numbers is the fourth book of the Pentateuch—or the five books of the Law (the Torah). It takes its name from the Greek word arithmoi, first given to the book by the Greek translators of the Hebrew text in

Alexandria in the third century BC, which was called the Septuagint.

This name is in turn derived from the theme of census-taking or numbering, with which the book begins. But it could more aptly

be called “in the wilderness”, which is the Hebrew name for the

book and the fifth word in the text of the Hebrew Bible. As such Numbers charts the wanderings of the Israelites in the desert of Sinai before they enter the Promised Land of Canaan and

recounts some of the incidents that occur during those 40 years.

The book is divided into a number of journeys interspersed with more laws as well as the numbering of the people.

The first journey begins in Numbers 10:11, an important moment in the Israelite narrative. Until then the people have been settled around Mt Sinai, but following the first Passover meal in the desert,

°” Lev 18:22; 20:23

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

40

‘"Num io:11

and a year after they left Egypt, they are ready to set out.cn They have

coNum i:i7ff cp Num 3:14

taken a census of the nation“ and a further census of the Levitescp;

cq Num 2: iff; io:nff

ment around the Tabernacle.cq The leaders of the clans have made

cr Num 7

their offerings for the sanctuary,” and now the people set out for

they have been given their marching orders and order of encamp­

Canaan. But what should take only a matter of days, takes 40 years,

and the death of almost the entire generation that came out ofEgypt. What has gone wrong?

Numbers tells us that the wanderings of the Israelites for forty

years in the desert occurs because of their complaining, their rebellions, and above all, because of their fear of the inhabitants

of Canaan. The people complain about their food, craving the "Num 11:4ff

delicacies of Egypt.“ Aaron and Miriam, out ofjealousy, question

"Num 12:12

Moses’ leadership and his instructions.” But God rallies to Moses’

defence, describing him as very humble and one with whom he cuNum 12:3,8

speaks face to face,™ and, in retribution, Miriam becomes leprous for seven days.

But it is the reaction of the spies to the inhabitants of Canaan, "Num 13:33

whom they fear because of their size,cv which really condemns the Israelites in the sight of God. Although Caleb speaks encouragingly

cw Num 13:30

about the Israelites’ ability to take the Land,cw the rest of the spies

sow fear in the people saying, “The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; all the people that we “Num 13:32-33

saw are of great size”.“ God’s response is to swear that none of the Israelite generation who have left Egypt will enter Canaan, except

^Num I4:2off

Joshua and Caleb. All the others will die in the desert.cy Condemned to wandering in the desert, the Israelites become

further prone to complaint and disaffection (see the story of their "Num 2i:iff

deliverance through the bronze serpent on a pole).” Out of remorse

for their initial unwillingness to enter the Promised Land, some of the Israelites attempt an invasion of Canaan in their own strength, da Num 14:39

but, as warned, it fails.da

The revolt ofKorah, Dathan and Abiram and some of the Levites dbNum ió:23ff

meets with exemplary punishment.db Moses himself, exasperated with the people, strikes the rock twice to produce water for them,

rather than calling on the name of God alone to bring water from dc Num 20:2ff

it.dc For intemperance and disobedience he too is prevented from

THE FORMING OF A NATION

41

entering the Promised Landdd They try to enter the land through

dd Num 20:12

Edom,de but are refused permission to pass through, so eventually

de Num 20:14

they settle in Moab or Transjordan where Balak is king. Out of fear

of the Israelites, Balak summons Balaam, a local seer. He cannot curse Israel, because of God’s resistance, so instead he blesses them,df

dfNum 22-24

much to the chagrin and annoyance of Balak. But what Balaam

cannot do by way of destroying Israel, the Israelites instead bring on

themselves. By worshipping at the Baal of Peor and entering into sexual relationships with the Moabite women with their fertility rituals, they bring punishment on themselves.dg By the end of the

dg Num 25

book the Israelites are in Transjordan, their circuitous journey from

Kadesh described in chapter 33, they are now on the brink of the

Promised Land. (See map 2, p. 341.)

As well as being a record of the wanderings in the desert and the counting of the Israelites in the censuses/11 Numbers is also a book

dh Num 10-14, 26

with laws, interspersed amidst the narratives about Israel’s wander­ ings, but seemingly in no systematic fashion. This is a reminder to us that Numbers, like Leviticus, is a Priestly book giving cycles of

Law for the Priests to observe and to teach in the community, such as those laws governing the main festivals and the cycle of offerings

or sacrifices/1

dl Num 15,28,29

The laws include those laying down the criteria for becoming Nazirites (chapter 6 and chapter 30 in the case of women). Nazirites were the lay monks, men or women, of ancient Israel (nazir—mean­

ing set apart). The laws also include an almost medieval-sounding trial by prayer of women suspected of unfaithfulness by their hus­ bands, involving a combination of powders and prayer/1 Further laws

dj Num 5:1 iff

reiterate the cycles of offerings at the Tabernacle,dk the wearing of

dk Num 15, 28-29

tassles by Jewish men on their garments, as a reminder to keep the

Law,111 and the right of women to inherit land in Israel so that it is

dl Num 15:37; Lk 8:44

not alienated from the clan or family. This law was established by the

test case of Zelophehad’s daughters/"1 Indeed, wider inheritance laws

Num 27:1 if, esp 5^7

were established as well.dn But amongst all these various laws, some

Num 27:8-11

new, some a reiteration of what had already been given in Exodus

or Leviticus—as with those in relation to the cycle of Festivals and sacrifices or offerings in Israel—one lovely and enduring ordinance stands out, and that is the Aaronic Blessing:

42

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you '"Num 6:22-27

The Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace”.d° Set to music or spoken simply as a present day blessing, we too may enjoy this limitless and timeless favour of God, conveyed first to his

dp Num 6:22-23

servants in Israel, then to the descendants of Aaron,dp and finally to

all who put their hope in God.

Deuteronomy The last book of the Torah is Deuteronomy. It is the final book in the formation of the nation brought about through the events of the

Exodus, the giving of the Covenant and Law at Sinai, the subsequent wanderings in the desert for 40 years and the preparation to enter the Promised Land. Once again the name Deuteronomy comes from

the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, in which ‘•’Deut 17:18

the translators rendered the phrase “a copy of the Law,,dq as “this

second law” (to deuteronomion touto). It was a mistaken translation, drDeut i7:i4ff

since any future Kingdr was not giving a second law to his people, but rather a copy of the law already given to the Priesthood. The

word deutero, meaning second, could also refer to the reiteration of the Law, first given at Sinai but now given to Israel for a second

time, by Moses, in the plains of Moab or Transjordan to the East

of the Dead Sea, before their imminent crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land.

There is no mistaking that Deuteronomy is one of the most important books in the Bible. Quoted over 80 times in the New Testament, both in the Gospels and Epistles, used by Jesus in his

defence at the time of the Temptations,6 it is of great significance. It

is a profound theological reflection by Moses in three speeches given to the Israelites, now mustered on the plains of Moab, about their calling and destiny. The speeches are given at the end of Moses’ life

6 See Matthew 4:1—11, but especially vs. 4, 7 and to, where he quotes directly from

Deuteronomy.

THE FORMING OF A NATION

43

and just before the Israelites cross thejordan, so they carry an evident

sense of urgency and passion, which can be felt by the reader today.

The construction of the book, which probably found its final form in the years of the exile, is formed around these three speeches.7

At the end there are two poems or hymns of praise and blessing, and

an account of Moses’ death.*

* Deut 33-34

The profound theological reflection comes in the First Speech and the early part of the Second Speech before the book moves on to a reiteration of the Law from chapters 12—28. Before this reiter­

ation of the Law, Moses makes a series of “homiletical appeals” to the nation.8

The early chapters of Deuteronomy are a reflection on Israel’s failure to go in and take the land following the spies’ bleak and unnerving report about the inhabitants of Canaan—their strong defences and their great physical size.* But now, having wandered

dtDeut 1:28

the desert for 38 years, Moses says they are ready to enter.du The

du Deut 3:21-22

generation of fighting men have perished during the 38 years of

wanderings in the desert,dv and a new generation can enter the Land.

dvDeut 1:19; 2:14

In preparing to enter, they are told to follow the Law, which makes them distinctive and demonstrates to other nations both their wisdom and understanding.dw They should remember the majesty of

dwDeut 4:6

God on the Mountain*1: his awesome presence and his voice, “the

dxDeut 4:iiff

back clouds and deep darkness,,dy and especially his command to

dyDeut 4:11

foreswear all idols.dz They are to ask themselves whether any other

dzDeut 4:15ÍT

nation has heard the voice of God as they have done and also lived.ca

” Deut 4:32

They should remember that the Lord is “ near” to the Israelites.

They hear again the Ten Commandments'* and learned from the

ebDeut 5:1-21

encounter at Sinai that, “we have seen that a man can live, even if God speaks with him”.ec They are given both the great proclamation

Deut 5:24

of God’s Oneness (“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One”, 6:4, which, together with w.4-9, is called the Jewish Shema)

as well as the call to love him with heart, soul and strength,ed and to teach this to their children. Furthermore, they are not to forget their experience of what God has done for them when they arrive

7 Speech i: 1:6-4:49; Speech II 5:1-28:68; Speech III 29:1—31:29.

8 Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 87.

edDeut 6:5

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

44

in the Promised Land; but are to remember that he chose them out ce Deut 7:7-8

of love/e In remembering this they will make present the blessings of the past, and prepare themselves for the future. In response to

keeping the Covenant by obeying the Laws, they will experience cfDeut 7:13-14

blessing in their crops, in their families (none will be childless),ef and

eBDeut 7:15

in their health.eg Recalling the lessons from their wanderings and

eh Deut 9:7ft

failures along the way (e.g. the Golden Calf)eh they should remember to serve God faithfully when they come into the blessings of the

"Deut 8:1-20

land.'1 Failure to remember these things or the worship of idols, or

CJ Deut 4:2jff; Ch 13

forgetting God will have dire consequences.CJ They will be scattered

ek Deut 4:25ff

and exiled from the landek and no longer able to worship God at an

appointed place where Gods name graciously dwells, and where he clDeut 12:1-14

can be found and worshipped/1 All these things Moses tells them in the first twelve chapters of the book.

What follows, mosdy from his second speech, is Moses’ reiteration of the Law. There are some additions to the cycles of Law found ""Deut 5:1-21

in the previous books. Alongside the Decalogue/'" laws governing

cn Deut 16:1-17 coDeut 26:1-15 cpDeut 22:i3ff

festivals/” first-fruits and tithes/“ and social laws governing mar­ riage and virginity.ep There are laws which show a combination of economic restitution, concessions to the vulnerable and weak, and compassion to those at particular stages of life. So the cancellation of

debts prevents the concentration of power in the hands of a few, and

the restitution of land, alienated by debt, makes for a more balanced eqDeut 15:1-11 "Deut 15:8

"Deut 24:17^ 23:24-25

asset-owning society/9 The vulnerable, whether Hebrew slaves/1 the poor, or aliens, are to be treated compassionately in the harvesting of crops, leaving something for those who have nothing/5 Cities of

refuge are provided for those who have committed unwitting homi­ "Deut 19: iff

cide or manslaughter." Those who have just got married, or who

have recently finished building a house which is still undedicated, or euDeut 24:5; 20:5,8

who are plain frightened, are not forced to fighteu and are relieved

of service in the army. And the small verse on charging interest to the outsider, but not to a fellow Israelite, will have great influence ""Deut 23:19-20

on Jewish life in the years to come/ In general, these are the laws

which do or should shape the life of the Israelites in the Promised

Land. They speak of mercy, compassion and fairness, alongside laws which commit the Israelite to uncompromising worship of God

throughout their lifestyle.

THE FORMING OF A NATION

45

Armed with these laws and injunctions, the Israelites are ready

to occupy the Land. If all these laws are given at a solemn assembly

shortly before they cross the Jordan, then the final act by the people in response to them, and to Moses’ encouragement to stay faithful, is to make their own collective commitment to the covenant. The

people firstly hear the blessings for obedience and then the prescient curses for disobedience. Sadly, too many of the curses and too few

of the blessings are to unfold in the history of Israel.ew Indeed some

Deut 28-29

of the terrible curses listed in chapter 28 are to materialise in the siege ofJerusalem before the exile.“ It is therefore a book, which anticipates, from the reality of the exile, the fulfilment of these

ex Deut 28:30-35, 49-57

woes on the nation. Although the people would readily choose life over death at this moment of departure,God knows they will

Deut 30:1 iff

rebel: their occupation of the land will never be complete and they

will turn to worship other gods with awful consequences/2 Moses

dies near Mount Nebofl without reaching the Promised Land/’ as

"Deut 31:15-29 faDeut 32:48; 1:37-38; 2:23-28

foretold. Joshua his assistant succeeds himfc to take Israel forward on

'’’Deut 32:50-52

the next stage of their journey, the occupation of Canaan, which

fc Deut 34:9

we will come to next.

Summary Before moving away from the Pentateuch we must summarise its

significance, for it is the foundation stone of God’s relationship with the salvation community: the family of Abraham and the nation of

Israel from which all else develops. It is clear that the Old Testament in general, and the Pentateuch in particular, give us the categories

and symbols of faith without which it is not possible to understand properly the events of the New Testament. Here we understand that God chose those to whom he will reveal himself, but they must

respond in faith. Here God discloses his name and character as being

ever present and eternal: YHWH. Here we see God release from slavery, deliver by mighty acts and be present amongst his people through the Tabernacle and its system of sacrifices and festivals.

Here we see the response of obedience required and here we see

the promise of a land where their life may be fulfilled. But also there

are glimpses of the future: a hope for a king and a prophet who will arise from amongst them to teach and deliver/0 Here we see a

fdDeut. I7:i4ff; 18:14ff

46

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

provisional system of priest and sacrifice that brings relief from sin, but still looks for an eternal priest and a final effective sacrifice. Law,

covenant, revelation, calling, a future land, prophet, priest and king, sacrifice and obedience are all ingrained into the warp and woof of this narrative and relationship between God and his people, and

through them his creation. The building blocks are in place now

for the next stage of the journey.

Chapter 4

OCCUPYING THE LAND Joshua, Judges and Ruth

T

he story of Israel now enters a new era: the years of slavery in Egypt are two generations past. The age of Covenant making

at Sinai is in the more recent past, witnessed by a generation that has all but died out. The next stage of the fulfilment of the Covenant,

made first with Abraham and then renewed with Moses, has been

reached with the possession of the land God promised.3 Just as a new era of the Israelite story is to begin with the occupation of the

Land, so now, in the Bible, a new literature of the history of Israel also begins. We move from the law-giving and the nation-forming books of the Pentateuch to what the Jews call the Former Prophets,

or what we might call the early history of Israel. For the Jew, these books of the Four Scrolls of the Former Prophets include Joshua,

Judges, Samuel and Kings. They are books which “articulate Israel’s faith and practice in the rough and tumble of historical reality”.1

These books are prophetic to the Jew, indicating God’s activity in

and for his people, as well as what pleases and displeases him. They

may not centre on the great prophets to come, men summoned to call Israel to account for their failure to keep the Torah announced at Sinai, but they describe God’s interaction with his people in fulfilling his promise and punishing their failures. In a word, this chapter and

the one to follow, concerning the rise and fall of monarchy, provide

glimpses of what might have been and what is still to come. Above

all, they introduce a new reality and symbol of Kingdom, which will come to dominate the Old Testament until it finds full expression and fulfilment in the Kingdom of God, announced by the Messiah

in the New Testament. The initial books of this new period, Joshua and Judges, show the failure of Israel to occupy all the land; the Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 102.

* Gen 17:8; Exod 3:17

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

48

compromises they make with the inhabitants of Canaan; and their failure to live in the land in the way they are called to do, so as to

be a light to the nations. The consequence of that failure is, in the end, a bitter and refining exile, and the re-making of hope for the future. But we must start back at the moment of entrance into the Promised Land.

Entering the Land The book of Joshua is all about entering the land, occupying the land (mostly by force) and finally dividing the land among the twelve tribes of Israel. The book itself divides into two parts: the narrative of occupation (Joshua i—12) and the description of the division (the

remaining part of the book).

At the outset of the book, God commissions Joshua afresh for b Exodus i7:ioff

the task of occupation. Joshua is the long-term assistant to Mosesb who died on Mt Nebo, overlooking the Promised Land. Now the

Israelites are to get ready to cross the Jordan and enter the land that cJosh i:2ff dJosh 1:1-5

has been promised/ Once again the promise of the land is made.d

The crossing of the Jordan mirrors the crossing of the Red Sea at the time of the Exodus. Whereas that crossing was a deliverance

by God from the pursuing Egyptians, the crossing of the Jordan is in part a celebration of the fulfilment of the gift of the land to the 'Exodus 34:11

people/ But the dynamic of the narrative of the book is the need to occupy and take that which has already been given. This is a motif, both for the corporate life of Israel as well as, later, for the personal

life of a Christian, in which strongholds are destroyed and “taken”, and all of life is redeemed by God. On the brink of the river Jordan the people are told to be

courageous and to take what has been promised: “Be strong and

courageous. Do not be terrified: do not be discouraged, for the (josh 1:9

Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”.f Armed with

this encouragement, and taking seriously the Book of the Law (the

commands of Moses in what is now the Pentateuch) they are to

go ahead confidendy in the hope and expectation of success and prosperity. The fighting men of the tribes from Transjordan—the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh—are to go with them before they can settle and rest in their own land on the

OCCUPYING THE LAND

east bank of the Jordan,8 whilst their families wait there for their

49

BJosh 1:12-13

return from fighting for Israel’s inheritance.

The Crossing of the Jordan For Joshua and the Israelites, the crossing of the Jordan is the symbolic

moment which mirrors and recalls the crossing of the Red Sea. On

this occasion there is no pursuing army, although there are battles ahead. God’s Angel is to go ahead of them11 and likewise the priests,

hJosh 23:19!?

carrying the Ark of the Covenant, are to stand in the waters of the Jordan, thereby creating dry land for the soldiers and people to cross

on, while the waters of the Jordan pile up.' Safely over, they set up

‘Josh 3:14-16

a monument or cairn of twelve stones, one stone for each tribe, to recall this miraculous crossing and this highly significant eventJ

jJosh 4:2-3,20-24

The Renewal of the Covenant Having crossed over the Jordan and entered the Promised Land near Jericho, Joshua renews the Covenant by means of circumcision. He is ordered to circumcise all those who have not been circumcised

during the desert wanderings, which is in effect the entire nation.

They are circumcised with flint knives at Gibeath Haaraloth (Hill of Foreskins). They are now marked out as God’s people in God’s land. They celebrate the Passover following their circumcision and

soon afterwards the manna stops, while at the same time the Israelites began to eat the fruits and crops of Canaan?

kJosh 5: 1-12

One age has ended: the years of nation-making in the desert

and God’s miraculous provision. But a new age has begun: one in which the vocation of Israel will be tested in the land which they

are about to occupy. Following the destruction ofJericho and Ai,

the Commandments are rewritten by Joshua and placed again in the Ark,1 the Law is read and the ceremony of blessings and curses

’josh 8:32

are enacted from the Mountains of Ebal and Gerizim as directed by Moses.™ Circumcision has been restored to all males; the Law

n’Josh 8:33

has been read and affirmed in its entirety to the whole community,

including women, children and aliens;" the choice of blessing or

nJosh 8:35

curses are once again proclaimed; and sacrifices have been made on

behalf of the people." The covenant has been re-enacted in Israel or the Promised Land.

°Josh 8:3iff

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

50

Success and Failure The occupation of Canaan is neither incident-free nor entirely smooth. After the crossing of the Jordan and their healing from

circumcision, the soldiers of Israel are ready to confront their first big test, the taking of Jericho. Jericho has been an important city

in the region since earliest times (i.e. 7000 BC). Situated not far

from the river Jordan, Jericho has fertile land around it capable of supporting a significant population and is well-defended by high walls. In preparation for this important military action, Joshua is

confronted by an angelic figure, titled Commander of the Army pjosh 5:14

of the Lord,p who, with drawn sword in hand, gives instructions for the taking of this strategic city which guards the entrance to

Canaan. The people are to march around the city with the Ark of the Covenant, preceded by seven trumpet-blowing priests, for six

days. On the seventh day they are to march around the city seven qjosh 6:15

times,9 and on the instruction ofJoshua, after the last circuit, are to give a mighty shout, whereupon the walls of the city will fall down.

The city and its inhabitants are to be destroyed and the gold, silver, 'josh 6:19-20

bronze and iron are to be dedicated to God.r

But the instruction to dedicate all valuables to God is not uni­ versally followed. The Israelites become over-confident when facing

their next test, the taking of Ai. A smaller force goes to take this town, but they are repulsed. Many are killed and the Israelites’ previ‘Josh 7:7-9

ous bravado turns to putty. The humiliation turns to heart searching5 until the cause of their failure is revealed. It is that one family in the

'josh 7:21

tribe of Judah has taken and hidden some of the devoted things.' They are discovered and punished, with exemplary and terrifying

“josh 7:19-2°. 25-26

J

punishment." Following this punishment, the city of Ai is taken.v An inexorable link has been made between the obedience of Israel

and their success in taking and occupying the land. If they obey, they succeed, but if they disobey, they fail. In other words, blessing

depends on obedience, but cursing follows disobedience. Yet despite wjosh 7:26

the clarity of the lesson and the violence of the punishment,w this is not a lesson that Israel ever truly learns.

Joshua takes the land: the cities ofjericho and Ai. He destroys the five kings of the Amorites and takes the Northern kingdoms, but it is

at a terrible human cost. The inhabitants ofjericho and Ai are totally

OCCUPYING THE LAND

destroyed, including women and children/ This total destruction

51

xSeejosh 6:21; 8:26; io:2sff; 11:8-9.

appears to be the policy and entails the removal of the Amorites, the Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites from the land, in what can only

be described as a complete cleansing. To provide a homeland for Israel and to wipe out the sinful practices of the nations of the land,

violent and total punishment is meted out. But what is wreaked on

these peoples is also wreaked on the Israelites for their disobedience

some five hundred years later. Yet despite the total destruction in some places, it is not uniform; treaties or accommodations are made,

some of which have profound implications for centuries to come.

Rahab and the Gibeonites Joshua tells us of two associations between Israel and others outside

the Jewish nation, both of which will have important consequences

for their national life: one is with a prostitute, the other with a small clan. The story of Rahab is unique in the Old Testament, but is

reminiscent of stories in the Gospels, that is, of a prostitute being saved and given new purpose and significance. Although not an

Israelite, Rahab appears to have been a believer. She recognises that spies sent into Jericho by Joshua to spy out their defences have

the Lord on their side,y and thus resistance to the Israelite forces

yJosh 2:8ff

will be hopeless. Knowing that the Israelites will be successful in

taking Jericho, she pleads for kindness to be shown to her and her

family? She protects the lives of these spies when pursued by the

‘Josh2:i2ff

royal guard. She lets them down the walls of the city with a rope that they might escape and they agree that she will be saved from

the forthcoming Israelite attack if she displays a scarlet cord in her

window in the city wall.“ True to their word, Joshua and the spies

“Josh 2:18

rescue Rahab and her family from their destruction of the city: “They brought her entire family and put them in a place outside

the camp of Israel”.ab Rahab is an example of faith in YHWH by

“bJosh 6:23b

a non-Israelite, and more extraordinarily, and with huge conse­

quences, she is the mother of Boaz, the husband of Ruth, and the ancestor of both King David and Jesus.ac Thus the lineage ofjesus is

"Matt 1:5

mixed with other nations and with a prostitute who is nonetheless

an exemplar of faith, which fact redeems her.ad

,dHeb 11:31

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

52

The other outsiders who gain a foothold in the Israelite com­ munity are the Gibeonites. Before entering the Promised Land,

the Israelites have been given strict instructions not to intermarry ae Deut 7:1-0

or make any treaty with any of the tribes of the land.“ They are to remain separate from them, clearing the main seven tribes from

afDeut 6:14-15; 7:5

the land and above all not taking part in any of their worship.af In fact there is to be an uncompromising attitude towards them. The

aBJosh 9:7

Gibeonites, who appear to be a clan of the Hivites from Gibeon,38 west ofJericho, are in turn descended from Canaan, the grandson

ahGen 10:17

of Noah.ah These Gibeonites decide that rather than taking on the

Israelites in battle, following the destruction of Jericho, they will deceive them into making a treaty with them. So they make as if they have arrived in the territory from a great distance. Their clothes and shoes are worn down, their wineskins cracked and their bread a,Josh 9:3ff

mouldy.” Falling for their ruse and not enquiring of the Lord, Joshua

makes a treaty with them. When he discovers that the Gibeonites live nearby and have deceived him, Joshua and the Israelites feel

bound by the treaty sworn in the name of the Lord. Joshua spares their lives, but makes them woodcutters and water carriers for the sanctuary. Israel then becomes vulnerable to their ways of worship and intermarriage.

The book ofjoshua ends after the defeat of her enemies and the division of the land amongst the tribes. (See map 3, p. 342.) Some ajJosh 13:1-7

land remains in the hands of the Philistines and the Canaanites.aj

akJosh 14:2

Nine and a half tribes receive land west of the Jordan by lot.ak The

Levites receive no land, for they rely on the offerings at the sanctu­ alJosh 14:4

ary which they serve/ Caleb—as vigorous then as when he went

“‘Josh i4:nff

out to spy 45 years earlier—receives Hebron.3” Judah receives land in the South West3" and the allotment of Ephraim, while the half

“Josh 15: iff

tribe ofManasseh, the sons ofJoseph, Gad and Reuben receive land

“Josh 18:7

in Transjordan.30 A survey and record of the whole land is made

apJosh 18:8

on occupation, much like the Doomsday book in England,ap and

aqJosh 18:10

at Shiloh the final disposition of land is made.aq Towns are assigned

arJosh 21; 20

to the Levites and as Cities of Refuge.“ Joshua gives a final speech warning the people to observe the law and not to intermarry with

“Josh 23:12-13

the surviving tribes or worship at their shrines.as He proclaims that

atJosh 23:i4ff

none of God’s promises have failed31 and calls for the people to renew

OCCUPYING THE LAND

53

the Covenant at Shechem. All looks promising, but by the opening

of the next book, Judges, it is not so. There are enemies to defeat and compromises to be overcome.

The Book of Judges The period of the Judges reflects years of increasing spiritual and religious anarchy in the nation of Israel after the death ofjoshua and

before the arrival of a King.au The editor s final comment is symp­

“Judg 21:25

tomatic of the period and is a summary or epithet for the age: “In

those days Israel had no king: everyone did as he saw fit”.av

“Judg 21:25

The book divides into three parts: an Introduction, Judgesi: 1—2:5; a section on the Judges or leaders of Israel, 2:6—16:31; and a final section that shows the deterioration of the national and religious life of Israel, illustrated by a number of barbarous narratives. Quickly

the nations life descends into every kind of chaos and violence, compared with the discipline at the time of the occupation under

Joshua. The seeds of that degeneration are sown early on in the record of this book.

In the opening section there is a record of both the continuing occupation of the land, and its seizure from the Canaanite popu­

lation, as well as an acknowledgement that the seeds of corruption

of Israelite faith are, even then, being sown. At the outset Judah is

permitted by the Lord to continue the occupation/" The Canaanites

'"Judg 1:2

and Perizzites are defeated and their leader Adoni-Bezek, who spe­ cialises in cutting off the thumbs and big toes of his opponents, is

captured and has the same done to him!“1 Jerusalem is taken by Judah

“Judg 1:7

and Caleb continues the fighting tradition in his family by giving his daughter Acsah to the man who took Kiriath Seper, who turns out to be his nephew Othniel, one of the early Judges.ay Nor is Acsah

‘■'Judg 3:7ff

slow in coming forward asking for land and springs from her father, a chip off the old block!“

“Judg 1:14-15

But despite these small successes, the Israelites do not drive out many of the nations in the land. With their iron chariots, the people of the coastal strip, most probably Philistines, prove too powerful for

the tribe ofjudah.ba The Benjamites cannot dislodge the Jebusites.bb

Neither do Manasseh, Ephraim, Zebulon, Asher, Naphtali, or the Danites drive out the Canaanites or Amorites.bc Failure to drive

‘“Judg 1:19 bbJudg 1:21

b' Judg i:27ff

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

54

these peoples out means that they must, from now on, live amongst them and this is the divine punishment announced by an angel to “Judg 2:1-5

the nation at Bokim (where the people wept).bd

Despite the warnings given to Israel by Moses to pass on the

commands of the Lord and the narrative of their deliverance to the ^Deutóesp.

next generation,be this does not happen. The people forsake the

Lord, serve Baals and Ashtoreths and are consequently given over to “judg 2:10-22

raiders who cause them great distress.bf The nations, which remain at the time of occupation, are allowed to remain by God, who uses

b8judg 2:22-23

them as a test of the Israelites’ faithfulness?8 It is a test that Israel is,

in the end, to fail significantly. In the meantime, a series of leaders,

or Judges, are raised up by God to lead Israel and prevent her com­ plete decline into apostasy and corruption.

The Judges Themselves The Judges or leaders of Israel cover a period of history from the death of Joshua (C.1180BC) to the time of Samuel (c.1063), the last of the Judges, and the accession of Saul, the first King of Israel (c. 1020BC). (See OT chronology, p. 357.) The book of Judges,

probably written in the early years of the monarchy, records these

years of turmoil after the death of Joshua to the arrival of Samuel bhJudg 17:6; i8:i;2i:25

and the anointing of Saul. Marked by lack of a central authority?11

it is a long period of Israelite history, some 150 years, in which the

promise of Deuteronomy, of Moses and Joshua, is overtaken by

Israelite participation in Canaanite worship and fertility practices which had not been effectively ended in the occupation of the

land. This in turn led to military failures against the Philistines and b'Judg 10:6-10

others?1 To prevent the complete submersion of the Israelites into the surrounding practices, a series ofjudges or leaders are given who

rally the Israelites for a time. These are charismatic leaders, most of

whom are hardly great examples of holiness, but are nevertheless identified by their powerful anointing by the Spirit and by their allegiance to YWHW and his people. We are told in the book of twelve Judges during this period and a final one, Samuel, the bridge

to the monarchy. bJjudg 3:7-11; 3:31; bkjug i2°8-i5

Of the twelve Judges some, like Othniel (Caleb’s nephew) Shamgar, Tola and Jair?J Ibzan, Elon and Abdon?k occupy just a

OCCUPYING THE LAND

55

few lines of the narrative. But they are still typical of the Judges. It is

said of Othniel that, “the Spirit of the Lord came upon him so that

he became Israel’s judge and he went to war”. bl Being possessed by

wJudg 3:10

the Spirit of the Lord and fighting Israel’s enemies is fundamental

to their leadership. We are told they saved Israel.1””

bmJudg 3:31b

Other Judges are known for some single memorable act. Ehud is known for running through Eglon King of Moab, a very fat man, with a sword (see the vivid description in Judges 3:16—22). Eglon has

retaken Jericho, the city of Palms,bn from Israel and is now taking

b"Judg 3:13

tribute from Israel. Ehud assassinates him in his palace with great bravado, and then rallies the Israelites, overthrows the Moabites,

and judges Israel for 80 years.bo Jepthah, the son of Gilead and a

boJudg 3:29

prostitute, rises despite his illegitimacy to defeat the Ammonites,

the descendants of Lot, who harass Israel east of the Jordan. Jepthah

wages a successful campaign against the Ammonites,bp but ends his

hp See Judges 10

campaign with a rash oath that if successful at war he will sacrifice

“whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I

return home”.bq His daughter comes out dancing to tambourines;

bqJudg 11: 30-31

he feels obliged to sacrifice her and she resigns herself to his oath,

asking only that she be given two months to roam the hills and

weep for her friends, “because I will never marry”.br These Judges

brJudg 11:36-37

are thus rough characters, not paragons of virtue, but nevertheless used by God to save Israel, and stories about them must have been

told and retold around the campfires of Israel for generations; and

none more so than of the remaining three. Deborah, Gideon and Samson have the most space devoted to

them in the Book of Judges. Deborah, a prophetess and the only woman judge, is undoubtedly a commanding figure.bs She has judged

b’Judg 4:4-5

Israel for some years when she decides to take on King Jabin of the Canaanites, based in Hazor, present day Syria, and his army of

900 chariots commanded by Sisera. Barak, Deborah’s general, will only go against Sisera if Deborah accompanies him.bt The tribes of

b'Judg 4:8

Zebulon and Naphtali, with Issachar from around Galilee, provide

the fighting force bu and they route Sisera.bv A refugee from the battle, Sisera seeks sanctuary with Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite.

Pretending friendship, Jael covers him with blankets and offers him

milk instead of water, but kills him while he sleeps with a tent peg

b"Judg 5:15-18 bvJudg4:i5

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

5 2 Kgs 22:14ff “*i Sam 10:9-11

7ó

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

some adherence to YHWH, and for unethical treatment of the poor and needy. Once again “sacrifices” are no substitute for obedience; nor hollow religious practice for the care of the poor and margin­

alised. Surrounding nations, like Syria, Gaza, Edom and Ammon "Amos 1-2

are judged, but so is Israel.er Israel has transgressed: “They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. They trample

“Amos 2:6b-7;5:n.

on the heads of the poor”.es More interested in mixing drinks and

" Amos 4:1

enjoying comfort, rich women neglect true worship/' The house

euAmos 5:4, 14

of Israel should have sought God and lived,eu but instead they “turn

"Amos 5:7

justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground”.8' God

"" Amos 7:8; 8:2

tells Amos he will spare them no longer.ew They are judged by the

” Amos 7:8

plumb line of his righteousness.“ There will be a famine of God’s

""'Amos 8:11 “Amos $:2iff 6 Amos 5:21

word.ey False worship will not save them,“ their religious assemblies

,b Amos 5:24

a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream”.tb God will restore,

f‘ Amos 9:13

and his grace will overtake his retribution,6 but in the immediate

“ Amos 9:8 fe Amos 3:8a

future disaster is coming.61 The Lion has roared!6

are despised.6 Consequendy the prophet says, “Let justice roll on like

The other prophet prophesying for the most part in the Northern Kingdom is Hosea. He prophesies during the years between c.758— 722BC to the point of the Assyrian destruction of Samaria and

Israel. It is prophecy marked by a powerful prophetic action, clear

judgement on Israel to the point of its destruction; but jealous, passionate and poignant love for Israel too.

Hosea, who prophesies during the years of Uzziah, Jotham, ffHos 1:1 *Hos 1:3

Ahaz and Hezekiah in Judah and Jeroboam II of Israel,ff is told to marry a prostitute, Gomer,fg to demonstrate in his marriage the pattern and sequence of Israel’s relationship with God: marriage,

unfaithfulness, divorce and restoration. The children born to this marriage are indicative of the coming judgement on Israel: Jezreel,

because Israel will be punished for the slaughter by Jehu of Ahab’s 812 Kgs 10:1-17 6 Hos 1:6 6Hos 1:9

family;6“ Lo-Ruhamah, because Israel will no longer be loved6 and Lo-Ammi, because “you are no longer my people”.S Hosea’s mar­

riage and children are therefore redolent with prophetic meaning.

The remaining part of the prophecy is a judgement on Israel’s idolatry, a condemnation of its leadershipjudgement on their behav­

iour, and a yearning for Israel’s return on the basis of YHWH’s unfailing love. The idolatry of calf worship is central to Hosea’s

THE RISE AND FALL OF MONARCHY

77

charge against Israel: “A spirit of prostitution has led them astray ’*

lkHos 5:4; 4:10c

so they go up to “the calf-idol in Samaria”" and the calf-idol of

“Hos 8:5

Beth-Aven (Bethel).*"’ Their behaviour has betrayed YHWH: “There

""Hos

io:

is only cursing, lying, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds and bloodshed follows bloodshed”.*” Their leaders have failed: “Hear

f" Hos 4:2

this, you Priests! Pay attention, you Israelites! Listen, O royal house!

This judgement is against you”.fo Nevertheless God’s love is unfading:

foHos 5:1

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel. My heart is changed within me, all my compassion is aroused”.*’’

'■’Hos 11:8

But as they do not change, Israel is to be given over to the Assyrian of army of Sargon II: “The people of Samaria must bear their guilt,

because they have rebelled against God”.*q

’’Hos 13:16

The Southern Kingdom of Judah When the Kingdom is divided after the death of Solomon following

the accession of Solomon s unwise son, Rehoboam, the Southern Kingdom comprises two tribes, Judah, with the support ofBenjamin. It is a small and vulnerable Kingdom, which in future years will be at

the mercy of other neighbouring nations—its larger neighbours Israel and Syria; as well as the regional super powers of Egypt, Assyria and

finally Babylon. Judah is to survive as an entity for about 136 years

after Israel, but it too is eventually doomed. At the start of the new nation ofJudah, Egypt, under Pharaoh Shishak, occupies the country*1 with twelve hundred chariots at his

fr 2 Chron I2:2ff

command. But the substantial forces of King Asa ofjudah, together

with a renewed dependence of YHWH, bring peace and a measure of stability and spiritual renewal to the Kingdom.6 He repulses the

62 Chron 14:8; I5:8ff

Ethiopians and Libyans through his policy of relying on YHWH, but later wrongly makes an alliance with Syria.*'

s 2 Chron 16

The history of Judah during this period is marked also by the baleful influence of house of Omri and Ahab on Judah, by a few reforming kings, and by the continual pressure of facing larger more

powerful neighbours. A notable example of the destructive influence

of the house of Omri is that of Athaliah, the wife ofJehoram, who systematically liquidates the royal family ofjudah,*” except for her

612 Chron 22:ioff

grandchild Joash, who is hidden in the Temple for six years by his aunt.6, Joash does succeed and renews Temple worship through the

fr2 Chron 22:12

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

78

2 Chron 22:11 &2 Chron 24:15#

godly influence of his uncle Jehoiada,fw but towards the end of his life he apostatises61 after the death ofjehoiada, the Priest.

2 Kings & Isaiah The notable reformers in Judah are Jehoshaphat, Ahab’s contem­ porary, Hezekiah and Josiah. Jehoshaphat brings the people back fy2 Chron. 19:4

to the God of their ancestors^ and defeats Judahs enemies through

fe2 Chron. 20:13

the guidance of the prophets and power of praise.6 King Hezekiah (716-686BC) ruled some 130 years after Jehoshaphat. He removed

the Assyrian idols of Damascus that his father Ahaz had brought to & 2 Chron 29

Jerusalem. He reinstates true worship in the Temple,ga celebrates

gb 2 Chron 30

the Passover in Jerusalem,gb destroys pagan shrines and organises the

worship of YHWH on a proper footing. For such an independent and reforming course of action as well as for Hezekiah s overthrow of the Assyrian suzerainty, the new Assyrian King, Sennacherib, 8C 2 Kgs 18:13#

invades Judah in yojBC.8' Having taken its fortified cities, the Assyrians march on Jerusalem. But strengthened by the ministry of the prophets Isaiah and Micah, together with Hezekiah s defi­

ance of the Rabshakeh (the commander of the Assyrian forces), who mocks him saying, “On what do you base this confidence of

yours? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against ^2 Kgs 18:19 ge 2 Kgs 19:14#

*2 Kgs 19:35

me?’^ Jerusalem resists. Their confidence and Hezekiahs prayer8'

are rewarded: sudden disease or calamity overtake the Assyrian army and 185,000 perish.86 This time Jerusalem is saved.

The spiritual, military, and political gains are soon squandered by Hezekiah s successor Manasseh, but not before another embassy from

an emerging power in the East, Babylon, comes to Jerusalem. They are shown the treasures of the Temple, which Isaiah then prophesies 88 2 Kgs 20:16

will one day be taken.88 After the reforms of Hezekiah, Manasseh

gh 2 Kgs 21:2#

returns Judah to idolatry,gh even placing idols in the Temple itself.

*2 Kgs 21:12

Judgement is prophesied on Jerusalem,gl but Josiah attempts one final reform ofJudah.

Josiah s reforms are based on the discovery in the Temple of the a 2 Kgs 22:8

book of the Law, a discovery made by Hilkiah the High Priest.8’ It is extraordinary that the book of the Mosaic Law went missing for

so long. The whole of the Law is then read in the Temple, a new covenant is made, the idols are taken from the Temple, the shrine at

THE RISE AND FALL OF MONARCHY

79

Bethel in neighbouring Israel is destroyed, and occult practices are

abolished.8*1 No one has a better commendation than good Josiah.8* But such reform does not compensate for previous evil, nor is the

■*2 Kgs 23 ^2 Kgs 23:25

reform thoroughgoing enough, so it is only a matter of time before the armies of Babylon are at the gates ofJerusalem.

The Prophets of the Kingdom of Judah During the later period ofJudah, the nation is well provided with prophets. As we have already seen, there is a body of prophets in the Southern Kingdom as in the North. But alongside these prophets

are two of great significance, notably Isaiah and Jeremiah. Isaiah is called to be a prophet in the year that King Uzziah died (c742BC).gm He is thought to have prophesied in Jerusalem from

’"'Isa 6:1,8

742—689 BC,5 in which case he is prophesying during the reigns

of Ahaz, Hezekiah and possibly during the early stages of the cat­ astrophic years of the reign of Manasseh. He is probably an upper

class Jerusalemite6 with easy access to the court and in particular

King Ahaz.80 If this is the period when Isaiah prophesies, it is also

8,1 Isa 7:ioff

during his watch that the Assyrian Empire threatens Judah, after the fall of Samaria and during the reign of Hezekiah.g° And it is also the

^2 Kgs 18

time that Isaiah predicts that Jerusalem will be taken to Babylon.®

& 2 Kgs 20:16-18

Isaiah In the Hebrew Bible, the book of Isaiah immediately follows Kings. In the Hebrew Canon, Kings is the final book of the early proph­

ets, with Isaiah being the first book of the later prophets. Both Kings and Isaiah have at the centre of their perspectives the future

of Jerusalem, a future dependent both on the repentance of the Southern Kingdom and the future promise and purpose of God

for the city and her inhabitants. Since, as a prophetic book, Isaiah covers events from 742BC until 538BC, including the emergence

of Cyrus and restoration of Israel, it is generally thought by scholars that these prophecies were the work of two or more prophets from

different periods, edited under the single name of Isaiah. Whatever

5 (see Brueggemann OT Intro p 159). 6 (Walter Brueggemann Introduction to the OT p 160).

8o

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

the exact authorship, the prophecies contain some ofthe most exalted

parts of the Old Testament. Broadly speaking, the book divides into

three: In the first 39 chapters Isaiah for the most part deals with the

issues in Judah and the forthcoming Assyrian assault on the nation. Chapters 40-55 deal with the future hope of Israel during and after

the exile and chapters 56-66 deal with hope and ethics during the time of the restoration. We shall now concentrate on the themes in the first 39 chapters. The kings of Judah, during whose reigns Isaiah prophesies, ‘“•Isa 1:1

are Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.gq Chapters 1—12 harshly

anticipate YHWH s judgement on Jerusalem and the nation. Judah 8' isa 2:6,8,17

is full of superstition, idols and arrogance,gr the women are haughty

pIsa 3:16-26

and self-indulgent.85 The effect of their lifestyle is that they bore

” isa 5:4

only wild grapes.81 Nevertheless, despite the threat of Assyria, who

isa 8; 10:11

also will be judged,8“ these chapters are shot through with promises

of a Messianic nature: a virgin will conceive a child who will be evisa7:i4

called Emmanuel,a child will come to rule with equity and “of

isa 9:6-7

the increase of his government and peace there will be no end.”gw

A branch will come from the stump of Jesse upon whom “the 88isa 11:1-2

Spirit of the Lord will rest”.8,1 So judgment is generously mixed

with infinite promise (see also the promise of Isaiah 35),of which the prophet can know little. Seven hundred years will pass before

their fulfilment.

Jeremiah Jeremiah prophesies in Jerusalem and Judah from 626BC until the destruction ofJerusalem in 586BC, although by then he is an exile 8yjer43:8

himself in Egypt at Taphenes.sy He prophesies in the reigns of the

final five kings or rulers of Judah, from Josiah to Zedekiah. He is 8*jer 1:1

originally called from Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin82 where

i Kgs 2:26

Solomon has banished Abiathar the High Priest who served David.ha He feels inadequate for the task laid upon him, but God says to him,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were hbjer 1:5

born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations”.hb

Jeremiah begins his prophecy in the twelfth year ofjosiah’s reign, five years before the discovery of the Law in the Temple, which initiates a period of significant spiritual reform. But such is the outrage caused

THE RISE AND FALL OF MONARCHY

by Manasseh’s earlier reign that the impending judgement of God

cannot be averted. In the early chapters of Jeremiahs prophesy he brings charges

against Judah: “My people have committed two sins: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug cisterns that

cannot hold water”.hc In addition the people are deeply involved

■“Jer 2:13

with idolatry:hd “They say to a piece of wood, ‘You are my father,’

“Jer 2:27; I0:2ff

and to stone ‘you gave me birth’. They have turned their backs to me and not their faces: yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come

and save us!’”.he In his Temple-prophecy, given while standing in

“Jer 2:27

the gate of the Lord’s house, Jeremiah says that the leaders rely on the existence of the Temple, saying “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord” hf as if it were a

"Jer 7:4

charm against misfortune, even though idols are to be found in ithg

“jer 7:30

and the law of compassion towards the alien, the fatherless and the

widow is neglected.hh For such breaches of the Law, for such cor­

“■Jer 7:6

ruption amongst the leaders111 and for such continual stubbornness,

“Jer 5:30-31

judgement is coming: a boiling pot tilting away from the north,hj

’’Jer 1:13-14

disaster was on its way.hk

ht Jer 6:1-2

Isaiah, Jeremiah and Micah Jeremiah is not a popular figure, but he is far from insensitive to the

personal cost of his ministry. He faces many plots, conspiracies and privations, and he feels deeply the effects of his unpopularity.111 He

is at once gentle and tenacious, affectionate and inflexible. Daunted

hlJer n:i8ff; 15:15ft; 20:1-18; 26:10-11; 36:22-23-24; 37:i6ff; 38:6

by his calling, he is nevertheless constrained to fulfil his task. The Word is like a fire in his bones, like a hammer that breaks the rock

in pieces. The words he is given to utter are also in places redolent

with wisdom.1“1 He is sent to the Potter’s house to see the sover­

h'"Esp Jer 17:5ft"

eignty of YHWH over his people.1111 God will tear down and build

“■Jer 18:1-10

up, will discard and renew. He sees Judah as a ruined linen belt,ho

hoJer 13:1-11

but one that will not be ultimately discarded. Although Jeremiah

faces Judah and Jerusalem with the consequence of their sin, he is far from being only a prophet ofjudgement. Jeremiah predicts the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians and their seventy years of captivity, but from chapter 23 onwards he

gives many prophecies of hope during the time of exile. After the

82

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

dreadful reckoning, there is to be hope. God’s word ofjudgement

will be his penultimate word; the final word will be the promise of restoration (and to this word of hope we will return in the chapter on exile).

Isaiah and Jeremiah were not the only prophets speaking of impendingjudgement upon the nation. There were others, notably

Micah, Zephaniah, Habakkuk and Obadiah. Micah is prophesy­ ing between the reigns of Jotham (740BC), Ahaz and Hezekiah

(686BC). He too stresses the approach of coming judgement, saying hpMic 1:9

that the wound inflicted on Samaria is coming to Judah.hp Once

hqMic 2:6ff; ch 3

again false prophets and bad leaders were upbraided.hq It is Micah who gave us the classic description of true spirituality, which is

not plentiful offerings, but rather, the Lord requires us to “act h'Mic 6:8b

justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God”.hr He speaks too of a restoration to come when “the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it

i”míc4:i

will be raised above the hills, and peoples will stream to it”.hs He too predicts that a ruler will come from Bethlehem and shepherd

h,Mic 5:2ft' h“Mic 7:18-19

his people Israel.ht God will be pleased to show mercy, complete forgiveness and compassion again.1’“

Zephaniah, Habakkuk and Obadiah Likewise Zephaniah comes with a message ofjudgement and hope during the days of reform in the reign ofKingJosiah (640—609BC).

A contemporary of Jeremiah, he prophesies a similar message. hvZeph 1:4

God’s hand will be stretched out against Judahhv for their idola­ try. Jerusalem will be in torment from the Fish Gate to the New

hwZeph 1:10

Quarter.hw Wailing will be heard because the day of God’s judge-

’“Zeph 1:14

ment is near.1“ The surrounding nations in Gaza, Moab and Ammon

hyZeph 2:4

will be affected.hy But despite all that, God will not abandon his

people. He will save them for “the Lord, the King of Israel, is with h’Zeph 3:15b

you; never again will you fear any harm”.1“ “He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over

iaZeph 3:17

with you with singing”.“

Obadiah also prophesies, just after the fall ofJerusalem, mostly against Edom, the territory of Esau, for conspiring with Babylon ,bZeph 3:21

against Judah. This territory will be overrun and given to Zion.lb

THE RISE AND FALL OF MONARCHY

83

Habakkuk is also contemporary with Jeremiah. Prophesying

between the years of c.612—599BC, he is active during the final

years ofJudah before Jerusalem falls under Babylon’s sway in c.596 in the reign ofjehoiakim. The prophecy of Habakkuk is poignant, pleading and yet persistent in faith. It is written in the form of a lament in which the Prophet asks how long God will put up with

the injustice in Judahs life. “Why do you make me look at injus­

tice? Why do you tolerate wrong?” Habakkuk asks. But with the

answer that the Babylonians are being raised up in all their terrible power, the prophet then asks how God, who is “of purer eyes than

to look at evil”,lc can use the wicked to punish his own people.

“Hab 1:13

God’s reply to this is that Habakkuk must wait for further revela­ by faith”*f But lastly Habakkuk shows great faith believing in God’s

,d Hab 2:3 “Hab 2:4fF “Hab 2:4a

great creative and redemptive power,lg depicting him as a warrior

,gHab 3:1-16

who brings vengeance and vindication as in the Exodus.lh With this

lhHab 3:14-15

tion,“1 that Babylon is doomed,le and that “the righteous must live

in mind, Habakkuk proclaims that “though the fig-tree does not

bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food though there are no sheep in the

pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will

be joyful in God my saviour”.11 It is a faith which is to be forged and burnished in the most extreme of tests during the fall ofJerusalem

and the years of exile to follow.

The monarchy born with such hope is submerged in this national catastrophe never to return in its previous form. But an ideology

of kingship in Israel has been born. Exile will give rise to a new expectation of another King who will one day, still far in the future, bring exile to an end for his people.

“Ha 3: 17-18

Chapter 6

THE FURNACE OF EXILE Jeremiah 24—52; Ezekiel; Lamentations; Isaiah 40—55; Daniel;

Esther; Jonah and Nahum

he Northern Kingdom had already experienced defeat, exile

T

and re-population by different peoples under the Assyrians in

722BC/ following a three-year siege of Samaria by Shalmaneser V,

12 Kgs 17

as recorded in the Syrian annals. After the city of Samaria fell, a

mass deportation occurred: some 27,290 captives were taken into exile by Shalmanesers successor, Sargon II. This marked the end

of the ten Northern tribes, which were effectively lost, although Judah lasted a further 140 years. In 597BC, the new super-power

in the region, Babylon, under the young and charismatic leader,

Nebuchadnezzar, beat a path to the gates of Jerusalem; and the prophecies ofjeremiah that a boiling pot from the North was tilted

towards Jerusalem proved true? Having defeated Assyria and Egypt at Carchemish in 605BC,

bJer 1:13-14; chs 6,

16

Nebuchadnezzar himself suffered a defeat at the hands of Pharaoh Necco II in 601BC. At this point, and against the advice ofjeremiah,c cJer 27:1-22 Jehoiachin transferred his allegiance to Egypt. But Nebuchadnezzar

returned with a refreshed and renewed army in the seventh year of his reign and on 16 March (the second day of the month ofAdar) 597BC,

he took the city after a short siege. The new King Jehoiachin was

taken into exiled and his uncle, Zedekiah, a vassal king of Babylon,

d2 Kgs 24:8-16

was placed on the throne. At this point the first exile began, when

Ezekiel was taken to Babylon.

A Two Stage Exile The book of Kings tell us that Kingjehoiachin, his mother, his wives, his officials and the leading men of the land are taken into exile.

Seven thousand fighting men are marched the 600 miles across the

desert, presumably to serve in the Babylonian army.e We cannot be

e2 Kgs 24:15-1 2 Chron 36:10

86

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

sure of the exact numbers that go during this first stage of exile, but f2 Kgs 24:14; Jer 52:28-30

it is probably between 8—io,ooo.f Depending on how the different categories of captives are counted, it could well be 7000 troops and

a further 3023 citizens. At any rate, in April 597BC, the cream of

Jerusalem society is marched the 600 miles to Babylon, where some see the city with all its heady paganism for the first time. Others are

settled around the watercourses near the city, amongst them a young

priest called Ezekiel, just a few years younger than Jeremiah. For the next ten years and more he is to be a familiar voice in their commu­

nity. The experience of exile for a nation that believes YHWH is their God, but who now find themselves subject to a pagan empire

in which they are just a microscopic community of little consequence to their rulers, is painful in the extreme: this results in soul search­ ing and is humiliating. Holy objects from the Temple are taken by Nebuchadnezzar, the people are now far from all that is familiar, not

least Solomon s Temple, the magnificent building on which they have

come to rely. No wonder the Psalmist poignantly records:

“By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion.

There on the poplars we hung up our harps, for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs ofjoy: they said, “sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

How can we sing the songs of the Lord, while in a foreign gPs 137:1-4

land?,,B

The exiles are chastened, humiliated, impoverished, most probably fearful, and extremely vulnerable. More than ever they need to hear

the word of God to help them understand the past, to steady and

re-orientate them for the future, and to reassure them that despite everything, YHWH is still with them. Indeed God has not deserted

them, and two prophets continue to speak to this exilic community at this point. They are Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jeremiah sends a letter by Imperial courier to the exiles in

Babylon. It goes in the official diplomatic bag carried by Elasah

hjer 29:3 and Gemarah11 to King Nebuchadnezzar. Most probably written in

Hebrew and read to the King, it is then passed on to elders of the

THE FURNACE OF EXILE

87

exilic community. Seeing that Jeremiah’s prophecy—that disaster will fall on the nation—has already been fulfilled, these words must

have come with added and proven authority, and bring a mixture of resignation and hope.

“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those

I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what the produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do

not decrease. Also seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too

will prosper.’ Yes this is what the Lord Almighty the God of Israel, says,

‘Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you

in my name. I have not sent them’ declares the Lord”'. “This is what the Lord says: ‘when seventy years are completed for

Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my gracious promise to bring you back to this place [Jerusalem]. For I know the plans I havefor you ’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you

hope and future. Then you call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with

all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring

you backfrom captivity. I will gather you from the nations and places where

I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into in exile’”.'

'Jer 29:4-14

It could not be a more important letter. It tells the Israelites

in Babylon that it is God who has carried them into exile, just

as he said he would do if they deserted his ways.J However awful and traumatic the experience (and it will get worse before it gets

better), it is nevertheless in God’s purpose and under his control. As this exile will be protracted, 70 years long, the Israelites should

settle down: build houses, grow food, marry off their children, and increase in number. They should learn deeply from the past. They

should learn to seek God in a foreign land: find him, be found by him, and prepare themselves for their eventual return. Informed by the prophets—especially Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel—their theology

should develop profoundly; their perspective on the past and future

J Deut 4:25-31

88

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

should change. They should become a missional community in an overwhelmingly pagan empire. The two prophets who call for this radical re-thinking and

re-orientation are Ezekiel, who is with the exiles in Babylon, and Jeremiah, who remains in Jerusalem until the destruction of the city, before the second stage of exile begins and Jeremiah himself

goes with the exiles to Taphenes in Egypt. In Jerusalem, Jeremiah continues to warn those left behind of the forthcoming destruction

of the city, but not without offering hope. By the waters of Babylon a new and extraordinary prophet emerges who confronts the Israelites with what has gone wrong

and what has brought them to Babylon. His name is Ezekiel. He is a little younger than Jeremiah and also of priestly family. In all like­

lihood, Ezekiel will have seen and heard Jeremiah in the precincts of

the Temple before the fall of the city to the Babylonians in 598BC. Like the exiles themselves, we too shall move in our reflections on

this narrative from the final years of life in Jerusalem to the waters

of Babylon.

When Nebuchadnezzar takes the first contingent of exiles to Babylon, Jeremiah remains in Jerusalem. King Jehoiachin is taken to Babylon. Zedekiah, Jehoiachin s uncle and third son of Josiah

(the reforming king) is made a vassal, dependent on the King of Babylon and appointed in Jehoiachin s stead. For most of Zedekiah’s

reign there is an uneasy relationship with the Babylonians. Zedekiah himself goes to Babylon in 593BC to reassure the Babylonians that kjer 51:59

there is no attempt at rebellion against Babylonian power? But

with the proffered support of Egypt against Babylon in the person 'Jer 44:30

of Pharaoh Hophra,1 the idea of rebellion against their captors gains ground. Zedekiah breaks a covenant with Babylon, precipitating an invasion by Babylonian forces against them in 588BC. The siege of

Jerusalem reaches its height with a dreadful famine in the city, and the eventual destruction of its walls and the Temple in July 586BC, after two years of famine-inducing siege.

Jeremiah remains in the city for all the years of Zedekiah’s rule and throughout the siege. Throughout this time he utters prophecies that are a mixture of warning and hope. Despite the false proph-

Jer 28 esying of many prophets like Hananiah,"1 who cry “peace, peace

THE FURNACE OF EXILE

89

when there was no peace”, Jeremiah predicts that Judah will serve

Nebuchadnezzar, and that Nebuchadnezzar is a chosen instrument of God’s justice on Judah and the surrounding nations. To empha­

sise this, Jeremiah himself wears a yoke of subservience around his neck.” This is a message not only for Judah, but also for the sur­

"Jer 27:2

rounding countries of Edom, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon—the latter

being rich trading nations ruled by the Phoenicians.0 But alongside

“Jer 27:3

that bleak realism, Jeremiah preaches hope as well. In a powerful

prophetic action Jeremiah buys a field? at the height of the siege of

pJer 32

Jerusalem—just when real estate values are plummeting and con­

fidence in the future of Judah is at an all time low. Not only this,

but in chapters often called the little gospel of hope,q Jeremiah gives

’Jer 30-33

reassuring promise of the future of Israel/ (These are prophecies of

'Jer 33:6

such significance that we shall return to them later). Despite these prophecies of ultimate restoration, and because Jeremiah prophesies the imminent defeat ofjudah5 and the sack ofjerusalem as being part

‘Jer 37=8; 38:2-3

of Gods will, he is treated as a dangerous enemy of Zedekiah. He is arrested,' imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard," thrown down

a well or cistern/ then rescued" and finally kept in the courtyard

of the guard until the fall of the city.

'Jer 37:14 "Jer 37:21 vJer 38:6 wJer 38:10

When the city falls, Jeremiah is about to be taken with the exiles in chains to Babylon, but is found by the Babylonian commander Nebuzaradan, and is sent to be with Gedaliah/’ the newly appointed

"Jer 39:11-14

Babylonian governor, who has set up his administration at Mizpah.

Jeremiah, it seems, is known personally to Nebuchadnezzar/ pre­

yJer 39:11-13

sumably both for his prophecies against Judah, but also because of his

prophecies against Babylon/Jeremiah goes to Mizpah, from where

zJer 50-51 esp. 51:60—64

the administration ofJudah is being conducted, but the Governor

Gedaliah is assassinated by Ishmael, one of the former king’s officers/3

“Jer 41:1-2

Despite prophecies not to do so,3b and knowing that reprisals will

abJer 42:7ff

soon come, many of the Jews flee to Egypt,30 to Taphenes in the Nile

iCJer 43:7

delta. Jeremiah is forced to go with them, but even there Jeremiah prophesies that Nebuchadnezzar will come after them, bringing vengeance3“1 and that none will escape. Maybe it is whilst there, in this foreign land, an exile in Egypt, that Jeremiah laments over the destruction ofjerusalem in the greatest of all threnodies or laments

in the Bible: Lamentations.

adJer 43:8ff; 44:12, 27

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

90

Lamentations From among those left behind in Jerusalem following the fall of the

city in 587BC, or from the exiles in Egypt where Jeremiah went unwillingly, comes a profound lament for the destruction of the city,

which is Lamentations. In the Jewish Canon it is part of the Five Scrolls (which also includes Song of Songs, Ruth, Ecclesiastes and Esther). The Jews recall this Lament on the ninth day ofAv as a dirge

for the destruction of the first and second Temples. It is a fast day with no eating, drinking, bathing, use of oils on the body, wearing of shoes or marital relations. Lamenting and fasting are thus a way

of remembering the past with sorrow and penitence. Lamentations is a carefully constructed lament, which falls into five separate poems. Poems 1,2, and 4 are based on an acrostic of the

Hebrew alphabet, with successive lines beginning with the next letter in the alphabet. The third poem, which is longer than the others,

has three lines devoted to each letter of the alphabet, while the fifth poem abandons this scheme. It is a liturgical rendering of lament for

the catastrophe of the loss of the Temple, the city and most of its

inhabitants. As such, it is a device for facing the desolation of the past, the culpability of the people for bringing it on themselves, and is a means of speaking out the awfulness of what occurred and yet still

placing trust in God. The lament is written in the first person by a destitute woman personifyingjerusalem: “See, O lord how distressed

I am! I am in torment within and in my heart I am disturbed, for I have been most rebellious. Outside, the sword bereaves; inside there aeLam 1:20

is only death”.ae Jerusalem has been covered with the cloud of Gods

afLam 2:1

anger.af The Lord has become the enemy of his own city and “her

agLam 2:13

wound has become as deep as the sea”.ag Yet despite the most appall­

ing suffering and extremes as “with their own hands compassionate women have cooked their children who became their food when ah Lam 4:10

my people were destroyed”,311 Jerusalem does not completely lose faith. Indeed their own recognition that their woes are brought upon

ai Lam 2:17

them by a just God who is only fulfilling what he said he would doai

is the first step in the healing which is so much needed. It is also the

beginning of renewed faith in him. So the lament continues, “For

men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not

THE FURNACE OF EXILE

willingly bring affliction or grief on the sons of men”.’ It is a work

91

* Lam 3:31-33

of grace that Jerusalem or the exiles can say, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning” ?k The lament brings a form of healing in

‘kLam 3:22-23

its very conception, as well as hope amidst the painful recollection

of deep darkness and trauma by placing those experiences in the

context of the unchanging character of God.

The Exiles in Babylon and the Prophecy of Ezekiel In 586/7BC, the remaining cream of the population ofjerusalem is

deported to Babylon, some 3000 of them, apart from the fighting men who are drafted into the Babylonian army. There they sit down

by the waters of Babylon and weep.al They are the remnant of the “'Ps 137:1

nation, and the seed corn of the future. It is worth reflecting that

of the one million who came out of Egypt and the approximately 2.5 million population of Israel and Judah in the days of David,1 all that is left for the future of the nation is this remnant of 3000?"’ Few

“"Jer 52:28

are left behind in Judah.2 The ten tribes of the Northern Kingdom have mostly been scattered and many others leave for Egypt, never to return. This remnant symbolises, by the cutting down of the

tree of Israel to a stump, a virtual new beginning. It is the severest

pruning and the most drastic of disciplines. But the exiles are to be fashioned and prepared for the future by a number of prophets who speak to them. The most prolific of these is Ezekiel.

Ezekiel is a young man ofpriestly descent, probably only 25 years

old when he leaves Jerusalem as an exile, for he is 30 in the fifth

year of exile?” He has experienced the long march east to Babylon

“Exek 1:1-2

and has camped with the exiles by the waterways of Babylon. Five

years later he receives the most extraordinary vision. He sees a vision of God’s majesty. His attention is first drawn by storm, cloud and

lightning to the moving figures of cherubim?” These cherubim are

"Ezek 1:4-21

familiar figures to him. They are carved above the mercy seat of the

Ark of the Covenant. They are depicted on the curtain in the Temple and the walls of the sanctuary.ap They are symbols of God’s presence

1 See the census figure of 1.1 million fighting men in 2 Chronicles 21:5b.

2 see Albright, The Archaeology of Palestine (Penguin i960), pp. 140-42.

"p Exod 26:31; 2 Chron 3:7

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

92

in the Temple. But here, in Babylon, the cherubim surrounded by moving wheels seem to indicate that God s presence can be found here too, and not only in the Temple or Jerusalem. God is a God “•Ezek 1:15-21

of omnipresence and dynamic movement.1“1 Beyond the creatures is

“Ezek 1:25

the voice of Godar and above the creatures is a throne, and upon the

“Ezek 1:26-27

throne a figure of one like a man.“ The vision is not unlike Daniels

“Dan 7:13-14; Rev i:i2ff

or John’s on Patmos.at In each case, arresting and majestic symbols give way to the divine voice, which in turn reveals both the Son of Man and a throne. For Ezekiel, this vision shows that God can address

his people as much in Babylon as he has done in Jerusalem. Ezekiel is commanded to stand on his feet and to hear his commission: to “ Ezek 2:3-5

go to a rebellious house and declare to them their sin.au

The long prophecy ofEzekiel may be divided into two parts: part I (Ezekiel 1—24) concerns the impendingjudgement ofjerusalem—it would be another five years before her devastation by the army of Nebuchadnezzar—and part II (Ezekiel 25—48) concerns the antic­ ipated restoration ofjerusalem. The destruction and restoration of

the Temple is central to this prophecy.

The language ofjudgement in Ezekiel is the most severe, vehe­ ment and even lewd of all the prophets. Ezekiel’s prophecies and

prophetic actions, are the most intense of all the prophets; to such an extent that some chapters were hardly read out in churches because of “Ezek chsió, 23

their impropriety.av The first 24 chapters of Ezekiel have the prophet

depicting the forthcoming siege ofjerusalem in 588BC, and doing

so by lying on his side for 390 days in front of a model ofjerusalem,

to represent the sin of Israel, and a further 40 days for Judah. Thus lying down, Ezekiel prophesies against the city, denounces her sin and “ Ezek 4

fasts.aw He declares the desecration of the Temple and the departure of

“Ezek 10

the glory of God.“ He pronounces judgement on Jerusalem s leaders

“Ezek 11:1-15; ch 13

and false prophets.ay Ezekiel’s most common metaphor forJudah is the

adulteress, and he takes this metaphor ofjudah and Israel to new levels “ Ezek chsi6, 23

"‘Ezek 18

of explicitness.“ He promulgates a new principle that every person should bear the consequences of their own sin.ba And in the very year of the siege ofjerusalem, some 600 miles away, Ezekiel’s young

wife dies and he is called not to lament or show signs of mourning

for her, just as, in the same way, the exiles are not to mourn the ** Ezek 24:15—27

destruction ofjerusalem when news of its fall comes to Babylon.1*

THE FURNACE OF EXILE

93

Nevertheless, despite the responsibility of Judah and Jerusalem

for her own sin, despite the intensity of the prophecies and the inescapable consequences of that sin and rebellion, there is more than a flicker of hope for the future.

With the prophets, judgement is never God’s final word. Ezekiel

brings hope to the exiles after the initial prophecies ofjudgement. Already tucked into these vehement words of judgement are clear words of hope. “I will gather you from the nations and bring you

back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again”.bc And God promises, “I

lxEzek 11:17

will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart

of flesh”.bd After a series of further judgement-prophecies on the sur­

bdEzek 11:19

rounding nations,be showing the international range of the prophets

b'Ezek 25- 32

interest, Ezekiel returns to a series of prophecies of hope. They are brilliant in concept, eschatological in nature, looking to the resto­ ration of Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple as well as beyond, to the

distant future and to a new people of God. At the heart of these

prophecies is the promise that God will be his people’s shepherd;bf

b,Ezek 34: n fF

he will breathe life through his servant into the dry bones of Israel; and he will restore the Temple from which a stream will flow out

to the nations?8 But among these prophecies of great hope is one that surpasses all the others, and to which both Jeremiah and Ezekiel

refer: the prophecy of a New Covenant.

The New Covenant in Jeremiah and Ezekiel While still in Jerusalem, and even while the Babylonian armies are

encircling the city, Jeremiah receives a message ofhope for the future

of Israel and for the salvation of the world. He prophesies: ‘“The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with

the house of Israel and with the house ofJudah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the

hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them’ declares the Lord. ‘I will put my law

in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbour,

or a man his brother, saying, “know the Lord”, because they will all

68 Ezek 37-47

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

94

know me from the least to the greatest’, declares the Lord. ‘For I will “jer 31:31-34

forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more”’.bh

“jer 33:12-13

the fall ofjerusalem and the exile of her people1” there is hope, for “the

And even in the abandoned and deserted land ofJudah, following

days are coming” declares the Lord, “when I will fulfil the gracious

promise I made to the house of Israel and to the house ofJudah. In

those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those

days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem shall live in safety. This is the bjJer 33:15-16

name by which it will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness”. bj

Some years later among the exiles in Babylon, Ezekiel gives a

similar prophecy. For the sake of his name, God will take the exiles

“out of the nations; I will gather you from all countries and bring you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new

Spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you bk Ezek 36:24-27

to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws”.bk

According to these two great prophets, the New Covenant will

have at its heart forgiveness, sensitivity and responsiveness to God’s

desires, with the Law of God imprinted on his people’s hearts, and the Spirit of God dwelling within. These will be marks of the New Covenant, inaugurated by a Righteous Branch of the House

of David. But before this can come about, further refinement and

testing must take place during the exile, and then expectation will

build during the long intervening years of waiting.

Daniel and Esther During the years of exile in Babylon, Daniel is for many years the most prominent Jew in the imperial administration of the region, firstly under the Babylonians and then under the Medes and Persians.

He serves Nebuchadnezzar until his death in C.562BC and then serves "Dan 6:1

in the administration of Darius the Medebl and appears to have even prospered under Cyrus, the great Persian Emperor (559—530) who

liberated the Jews from their captivity and permitted their return bmDan 6:28

to Jerusalem?” It seems therefore that he is in the administration

THE FURNACE OF EXILE

95

of successive rulers for well over 30 years. He is a brilliant Jew, combining the same gifts Joseph demonstrated in the service of

Pharaoh around a thousand years previously. He gives single-minded

devotion to YWHW and his people, and has, like Joseph, prophetic

and dream-interpretation gifts. He uses them throughout the years he serves as an unashamed Jew, trusting in his God to deliver him

from pagan rulers and jealous officials. The Book of Daniel, finally compiled many years after the exile, divides into two sections: six chapters on the history of Daniel’s life and struggles and a further six chapters of prophecies he receives about the future of Israel and

the region.

The first six chapters are marked by Daniels courageous com­ mitment to YHWH in the context of serving a pagan empire. Daniel appears to have been taken from Jerusalem in one of the

earliest batches of exiles soon after, or close to, the first capitula­

tion of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar. He is a young man or boy at the time, pressed into imperial service by Aspenaz, “chief of his (Nebuchadnezzar’s) court officials”.1”1 Serving several royal masters,

bnDan 1:3

he is to remain in imperial service for the rest of his life. From the outset Daniel is determined to live a life of loyalty to YHWH, as well as one of disciplined observation of Jewish cus­

toms and law. He refuses the rich food of the Emperor, eating only

vegetables and waterbo and by the end of ten days, both he and his

1H> Dan 1:12

companions look “healthier and better nourished than all the young men who ate royal food”.bp It is a form of passive resistance to the

bp Dan 1:15

pagan ways of the court, a marker in the sand, but also a harbinger

of greater courageous acts and defiance to come. In the second chapter Daniel shows concern for all the sorcerers and astrologers of the Babylonian court who cannot tell the Emperor his dream, let alone interpret it, and are consequently about to be

executed.1”1 The kings vision and its interpretation is given to Daniel

Dan 2:14

in the night, for which Daniel praises God who “gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning” ,br With faithfulness

bf Dan 2:21b

and courage, Daniel tells the king that, “No wise man, enchanter

or magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” .bs Daniel explains the dream of an enormous statue of various metals,

b‘Dan 2:28

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

symbolising different empires, but in the end the statue is hit by a rock b'Dan 2:34

“not cut out with human hands”?' The rock becomes a mountain filling the whole earth and so demonstrates that “ the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left

to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them b"Dan 2:44

to an end, but it will itself endure for ever”.bu This dream or vision and its interpretation is close to the heart of the whole message of

the book of Daniel, i.e. that successive human empires will wax and wane, but a Kingdom is coming with its own king, “one like the Son of Man”, who will rule over his ever-expanding kingdom forever.

Despite his known allegiance to the God ofIsrael, Nebuchadnezzar sets up a new deity in the plain of Dura, a colossal statue, for all to

worship at the sound of music. Daniel and his companions refuse to worship and are thrown into a super heated furnace. They survive; and a fourth mysterious figure joins them, and when released, not bvDan 3:27b

even a hair on their head is singed!bv Their courage and faithfulness

have been rewarded. Daniel’s fortunes in the Kingdom rise. Of unimpeachable integ­ rity, known for his wisdom and administrative ability, as well as his extraordinary gift in dream interpretation, he becomes the inval­ uable and indispensable adviser at court. He warns the King of his forthcoming madness (not unlike the madness of George III, King bwDan 4:1-37

of England) and of his later restoration;bw and even the King extols

b”Dan 4:34-37

this coming kingdom and its Most High King.bx Later, Daniel dis­

cerns the finger ofjudgement at a feast of one of Nebuchadnezzar’s successors and tells King Belshazzar that his days are numbered

(mene) and the kingdom will be given to the Medes and Persians ’’'Dan 5:25-29

(peres) .by When Darius the Mede takes over the Empire, Daniel is further promoted, being made one of the three overlord satraps or

administrators in the realm, and then finally chief minister. Such

favour provokes jealousy from other governors and they plot to be rid of him, knowing that the only way to ensnare him, such is his

honesty, is if they can challenge his worship of YHWH, making it

seem treasonable. Persuading King Darius to set up a new cult ofthe emperor whom

all should worship (and no other) on pain of death, they believe they Dan 6:12-13

have ensured Daniel’s end. Unable to rescind this decree,bz Daniel

THE FURNACE OF EXILE

97

continues to pray to YHWH three times a day. He is arrested,

thrown into the lions’ den, but comes out unscathed. Once again the Emperor, this time Darius, praises the God of Daniel saying;

“He rescues and saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth”.“ As with Nebuchadnezzar, Darius gives praise to

ca Dan 6:27

God on account of Daniel’s life and faith, a further example of praise

being given to God by a pagan ruler. Daniel achieves what Israel

has failed to achieve: he is a light to the nations and to their rulers.

The remaining chapters of Daniel are devoted to a number of prophecies and visions which Daniel receives. In chapter 7, Daniel sees four successive kingdoms/empires rise and fall. Traditionally

these successive empires are thought to be the Babylonian, the

Persian, the Greek and finally the Roman Empires; the last ofwhich,

with its many rulers'* is the most oppressive towards God’s people.

cbDan 7:24

But alongside these kingdoms another grows, a Kingdom“ which

ccDan 7:14, 27

had as its founder a “son of man” proceeding from the Ancient of

Days.cd His kingdom will surpass all others.

cdDan 7:9, 13

A further vision focuses on the Greek Empire, its founder Alexander the Great (symbolised as a He Goat) who destroys the

Persian Empire (symbolised as Ram). From the embers of this Greek Empire“ a horn is to arise, symbolising Antiochus Epiphanes IV,

Dan 8:8

who will especially persecute the Jews, sackjerusalem, forbid Jewish

worship in the Temple and raise there a statue to Zeus. These actions will in turn provoke the Maccabeean revolt, which will re-establish

Jewish worship and rule (160BC). These historical visions in Daniel

culminate in further prophecies in Chapters 11 and 12 following the death of Alexander the Great. Chapter 11 concentrates on the strug­

gles between the Ptolemies and Seleucids (the southern Kingdom

and the Northern Kingdom respectively). The last chapter appears to speak of the very end times when after severe tribulation“* an end

cf Dan 12:1

will come: there will be both separation and salvation. It is a story

of apocalyptic events, which are sealed up, so that Daniel himself cannot understand them.cg And it is a story that is finally taken up in the book of Revelation. The point of all these prophecies of future

history must be that God is sovereign in all the political upheavals, struggles and bloodshed that make it up and that the will of the

Ancient of Days and the Son of Man will be accomplished.

cgDan 12:8

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98

Alongside these visions Daniel prays. He prays for the restoration

of Jerusalem.1* He feels the shame of the past,cl he pleads for for­

chDan 9:18 Cl Dan 9:7 cj Dan 9:19 ck Dan 9:23 cl Dan 9:25

giveness, CJ he yearns for restoration. Gabriel responds1-* that a time

cmDan 9:26

be cut offm and the sanctuary once again will be destroyed (70AD).

of restoration is coming. With mysterious timing,cl Daniel is told an

Anointed One (the Christ) is coming, but that the Anointed One will

With these words, Daniel is given a glimpse into the future. The cnDan 10:2, 9, 15-17

whole process leaves him exhausted/" overwhelmed and speech­

less. Confronted on more than one occasion by a “man dressed in coDan 10:5; 12:6

linen with a belt of finest gold around his waist”,“ he is told of the

future. His prayer has been heard, action has taken place; there has cpDan 10:13

been warfare in heaven,11’ but the Book of Truth is to be revealed

cq Dan 10:21

to him first.cq

Esther A further tale ofjewish courage during the Persian Empire is that of Esther. Her story takes places some years after Daniel’s. If Daniel still

lives into the early years of Cyrus’s rule (559-530BC), Esther is Queen to Xerxes (486—465BC), the Persian ruler who invaded Greece.

Following the divorce of Xerxes from his former wife Vashti, Esther crEst 2:17

is chosen Queen for her beauty, grace and naturalness.cr Put forward

by her adopted parent, Mordecai, who has come from Jerusalem °Est 2:5-7

as an exile in the days of Nebuchadnezzar," Esther remains a secret Jewess at court and so in a position to be a powerful advocate for the

Jews at the heart of the realm. Esther is told by Mordecai of a plot

to kill Xerxes, which is unearthed, dealt with, and then forgotten. A vendetta arises between Mordecai and Haman, a senior member of c'Est3:3

the courtct who seeks Mordecai’s death as well as that of the whole Jewish population in the Empire. A decree authorising the annihi­

lation of the whole Jewish population is obtained by Haman from

the King, placing Esther and all the Jews in grave danger. Esther is urged by Mordecai to take action on behalf of her people. He famously tells her, “for who knows but that you have come to royal cu Est 4:14b

position for such a time as this”.cu In the meantime Haman plans his

attack on the Jews and prepares a scaffold for Mordecai to hang on. One night, providentially, the King cannot sleep and is reminded

of his failure to reward the person who uncovered the earher plot.

THE FURNACE OF EXILE

99

Mordecai is then rewarded and given an elevated position in the Empire. At the same time, Esther summons Haman to a banquet

where, in front of the King, she accuses him of the conspiracy to

kill the Jews. He is hung on the very scaffold he has prepared for Mordecaicv and the Jews are given the right of defending themselves

"Est 7:10

against their enemies as the decree cannot be revoked in Persian law.

They massacre their enemies, an action which, though recorded in the Biblical account, is not approved.™ The Jews, who are by

™Est uff; 9:5, 15-16

now quite extensively scattered through the Empire, are safe and the Festival of Purim is established to remember their deliverance.

In different ways, Esther, and Daniel even more so, use their high positions to encourage or defend their people in exile.

New Horizons for the Prophets: Isaiah 40-56, Jonah and Nahum. The prophetic ministry among the exiles forms their attitudes both to the past and to the future. Jeremiah warns those in Jerusalem of the

coming disaster and the fall of the city. It is also Jeremiah who tells the exiles that they are to settle down in captivity.“ Even Daniel refers to

“Jer 29

Jeremiah’s prophecy that the exile is to last 70 years.cy Jeremiah gives

cy Dan 9:2

the exiles a mixture of reality and hope. Likewise Ezekiel gives the

first exiles from Jerusalem a blistering lesson in Judah s responsibility

for their own fate. Their apostasy brings exemplary judgement upon the people, the city ofJerusalem and the Temple. All are more or

less destroyed, except those taken into captivity. Nevertheless, both Jeremiah and Ezekiel give prophecies of hope

and restoration, and of a new covenant to a people in exile. Their words offer a glimpse of the future in which the people will have

security and peace in a rebuilt Jerusalem. Once again Israel will be

called to be a blessing to the nations and to fulfil the Abrahamic

promise. Besides Jeremiah and Ezekiel there are other prophetic voices which indicate the universal purpose of God, and that Israel’s role is by no means over. These are Jonah and Nahum, but princi­

pally and especially Isaiah. Even before the exile, towards the end ofthe Assyrian Empire and before the rise of Babylon, God sends a reluctant prophet to declare his will to a nation and city far beyond Israel and her neighbouring

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

kingdoms, many of which are linked ethnically with Israel from her past. This prophet is Jonah, who is sent by God to Nineveh,

the capital of Assyria (found in present day Northern Iraq). Jonah

does not like the idea of going to Nineveh, to a people who for years have oppressed his own, to a foreign Gentile city and on a mission he scarcely approves of. He runs in the opposite direction, taking a ship to Spain, but is thrown overboard in order to save the "Jonah 2

ship and is swallowed by a whale. He repents in the whale s belly,“

obeys God, and delivers his message of judgement to the city of Nineveh only to find that these pagans take his words more ser­ iously than Israel took their prophets’ words at home. The people dJ Jonah 3:1-5

repentda and to Jonahs consternation are forgiven. Jonah is angry at

dbjonah 4:1-4

the mercy of God.db God speaks to him through the life cycle of a

plant which Jonah cares for because it gives him shade, although he has not planted or sustained it. How much more does God care for ‘“'Jonah 4:5-11

the inhabitants of this great city!dc Jonah would have been far more comfortable with the message that Nahum has to deliver to Assyria and Nineveh some years later

(probably between 660—612BC). Nahum brings a message ofjudgement on Nineveh with no chance of repentance and deliverance. Just

as Babylon is used against the southern Kingdom to bring judgement upon Jerusalem and Judah—but is later judged by God because of their own wickedness and idolatry—50 the Assyrians have been used

by God against Israel. They too will face God’s judgement and their

own downfall. In 612BC Nineveh the capital of the Assyrian empire

falls to the Babylonians. Nahum prophesies this event: “Nothing

can heal your wound; your injury is fatal. Everyone who hears the news about you claps his hands at your fall, for who has not felt your ‘“Nah 3:19

endless cruelty”.dd Like Thebes in Egypt, Nineveh will be destroyed.

But probably the greatest prophecies, amongst this host ofproph­

ecies and visions given successively by Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, are to be found in Isaiah. These form Isaiah 40-56, sometimes called

Second Isaiah by the scholars. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah chart the failure and the threat to Judah in the eighth century. This ends with

the deliverance ofjerusalem from the Assyrians. That crisis passes, averted by the prayer and reformation put in place by King Hezekiah, but Isaiah warns of another crisis which cannot be averted, coming

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THE FURNACE OF EXILE

from Babylon.de The very next chapter™ speaks of God’s comfort

for, and restoration of, his people now in exile about 150 years later.

dc Isa 39:5-7 dfIsa 40

Few parts of scripture are more comforting, hopeful, poignant and moving than these chapters of Isaiah. They come with immense relief and hope. Judah and Jerusalem, her people and her land, are

then to be comforted.dg Her hard service had been completed” and

dg Isa 40:1

her “sin paid for”.dh “Tenderness” rather than terror is the order of

dh Isa 40:2

the day. God will again come to them and a voice cries in the wil­ derness, “Prepare the way of the Lord”. God comes as a shepherd.01

dl Isa 40:11

His majesty is beyond understanding and idols are futile. dj A fresh

djIsa4O:i8ff

vision of Gods universal power is given, “The Lord is the everlasting

God, the Creator of the ends of the earth”.dk And a new figure to

dk Isa 40:28b

do God’s will emerges, the servant of God.3

The Servant is thus introduced by Isaiah: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight: I will put my

Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed

he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.” Although many scholars have chosen to refer these words to Israel herself,45there is no such uncertainty in the New Testament. The

Gospel writers and the Apostles see Jesus as the suffering servant who brings justice and redemption to Israel and the world? Jesus is

the suffering servant: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was

crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed”.01 He will bring faith-ful Israel out from their more profound exile into the Kingdom of God by his redemptive suffering. The Servant is, therefore, to

open up the Kingdom of God—of which the book of Daniel speaks so vividly—to those who acknowledge and trust his saving power.

And in so doing will lead his people out of exile. But for the immediate future, Second Isaiah tells of a ruler raised

up by God who will end the present captivity of Israel in Babylon. His

3 See the four Servant Songs of Isaiah: 42:1-9; 49:1-6; 50:4—9; 52:13—53:12.

4 For example, Brueggemann, Old Testament Introduction, p. 16. 5 See Matthew 12:15—21; and Luke 24:27. Although we don’t know for certain, surely Jesus would have used these passages to convince the disciples of the necessity of the

Messiah to suffer. See also 1 Peter 2:21—22.

‘"Isa 53:5

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d"’isa 45:4

name is Cyrus,dm and “for the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel

my chosen, I summon you (Cyrus) by name and bestow on you a isa 45:4

title of honour, though you do not acknowledge me”.41 Once again

God uses a ruler and Emperor for his own purposes, although Cyrus

does not recognise him. Unlike the idols of Babylon, God himself 30 Isa 46:4; 48:17 dp Isa 49:16 Isa 51:11

will sustain his people.d° Israel is engraved on his palms.dp Israel will

* Isa 52:7 * Isa 54:7-8

declared.dr A new beginning will be made.* Compassion will replace

d,lsa 55

now be freely found by those who come to him.dt It is a time to

d" Isa 54:2

“enlarge the place of your tent”.du God is doing a new thing; the

dv Isa 49:6

be restored. New hope and joy will be given.dq Gods rule will be anger; restoration will overtake exile and displacement. God will

next stage of his salvation plan for all peoples is taking shape.dv With such prophetic encouragement the exiles face the future.

After seventy years, the exiles will return home. It is a new gener­

ation who return to Jerusalem; only a very few remember Jerusalem as it had been before its fall and the devastation of its population. Just as a generation perished in the desert wanderings in the Exodus, so

a generation has all but passed-away in exile in Babylon. But they have been shaped for the future. Their prophets have unflinchingly recalled the cause of their woes and the reason for their predicament;

they are confronted by past failure. Individuals such as Daniel and his companions demonstrate how

service in a pagan empire is possible, sometimes requiring both great courage and sacrifice. Visions and dreams show that God has not

abandoned his people. Far from it: a new future is being unveiled.

God will make possible a more intimate relationship; the Temple and city will be rebuilt; a new covenant offered. Figures such as the son of man and the suffering servant emerge in the context of a new coming

Kingdom which will outlast all earthly kingdoms borne on military power. The Israelites are once again to become a people of the book.

The scriptures are written down and followed; a corpus of the Law, Prophets and Writings is emerging. Small communities gather to study and follow them: what had been largely lost in Jerusalem is re-found in exile. And beyond all this, God has revealed himself to

be universal, sovereign, all-powerful, holy and faithful in fulfilling what he promised originally to Abraham: to bless all nations through

him. For this to happen, the people must now return to Jerusalem.

Chapter 7

RESTORATION Isaiah 56-66; Ezra; Nehemiah; Haggai; Zechariah;

Joel & Malachi

s both Jeremiah and Isaiah prophesy, Cyrus releases the exiles

A

to return home to Jerusalem. On 16 October 539BC, Cyrus

takes Babylon, having diverted the river and then enters the city

through the dried up riverbed.1 Seventeen days later Cyrus enters the city amidst scenes ofjubilation. He is to establish an Empire from

the Hindu Kush to the Mediterranean, defeating Croesus of Lydia, and will die in battle aged 70 in 529BC.2 He might now be called an enlightened ruler: returning exiles to their homes and permitting the restoration of their deities.3 His reign is remembered with almost

unqualified admiration, for his exceptional nobility of character, and as the architect of universal peace. The Greek historian Xenophon said of him, “He eclipsed all other monarchs, either before him or since.”4 It is Cyrus who decreed the return of the exiles to Jerusalem.’

“Ezra 1-4

It seems that in 536BC, three years after his seizure of Babylon, the

first exiles return to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the Temple, authorised by Cyrus, begins in a desultory kind of way.b

bEzra 3:10

The Return of the Exiles and Rebuilding of the Temple Ezra tells us that soon after the decree given by Cyrus in 539BC

the exiles return. About 42,000 people/ listed in Ezra 2:1-63 from the tribes ofjudah and Benjamin and the Levites return under the

leadership of Zerubbabel, Jeshua and Nehemiah. (It is probable that Nehemiah does not in fact arrive in Jerusalem until 445BC). These

1 ANET p. 316; ed. Pritchard; Albright, History of Israel p. 69. 2 Holland, Persian Fire (Abacusiooj) p. 20. 3 Cyrus Cylinder: ANET, p. 316; ed. Pritchard, p. 69. 4 Xenophon: Cyropaedia 1:4-5.

'Ezra 2:64

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104

first exiles return to Jerusalem, and to their hometowns, but the work of rebuilding the Temple is largely neglected. Some kind of start may dEzra 3:10

have been made in $36BC,d but work is very intermittent. Money

e Ezra 2:68-9 fEzra 3:1-6

has been given for the work/ an altar is built/ a foundation stone

of the new Second Temple is laid amidst celebration and weeping, especially from those old enough to remember Solomon s original gEzra 3:10-13

Temple.8 But inhabitants who have moved into Jerusalem during the

h Ezra 5-6

years of exile oppose the rebuilding. The regional Governor Tattenaih

appeals to the Emperor Darius asking whether the rebuilding has been authorised by the Emperor. Darius makes a search for a decree

authorising the rebuilding and a “scroll is found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media.” The work can go ahead unim­ 1 Ezra 6:6ff

peded.1 Furthermore, resources are made available from the treasury

of Trans-Euphrates and anyone impeding the work is to have their

house pulled down and be impaled on one of its beams. With the encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, work on ■"Ezra 6:125

the temple reaches completion in 516BCJ But it seems opposition does not entirely go away, even then, as in the reigns of Xerxes

(486—465BC) and Artaxerxes (465—424BC), further appeals against kEzra 4:6; 4:8ff

the rebuilding are made to both Emperorsk by jealous locals, and it

may have been in response to these that Ezra, senior official in the Persian Empire and a Jew, is sent to aid the work of rebuilding the

community, if not the Temple itself.

So it is in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes I (458BC), that Ezra, a leading Jew in the Empire, a kind of minister for Jewish affairs, is sent to Jerusalem to support the work of rebuilding (464-424BC).

Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem takes place after the completion of the

Temple s restoration and the celebration of the first Passover Festival ‘Ezra 6:13-22

there1 and marks a change of focus in the book. His role is to ensure

the purity of the community, and so the future of the nation, as well as to ensure the people s commitment to Torah, the Law. Some mNeh 2:1

13 years later in 445BC,m Nehemiah comes to Jerusalem as its new governor to rebuild the city walls.

Ezra, as we learn from the book of the Bible that bears his name, is a very single minded man. He leads a further contingent of exiles back from Babylon to Jerusalem. He assembles them in Babylon

near the canal that flows to Ahava and there prepares them for their

RESTORATION

journey.n Finding that there are no Levites or Priests among them,

105

11 Ezra 8:15

he sends to Iddo (a leader of the Jewish community in the district of Casiphia, and the ancestor/father of Zechariah)0 and is sent some

°Ezra 6:14

20 Levites from several families. He then fasts with his companions

for three days for the upcoming journey, and with good reason. They have a large quantity of silver and gold with them to be used

in the Temple, and are travelling 600 miles over unfriendly terrain, but Ezra notes, “The hand of our God was on us, and he protected

us from our enemies and bandits along the way.”11 When they arrive

p Ezra 8:31b

in Jerusalem “they rest for three days”.q

qEzra 8:32

Ezra’s ministry in Jerusalem and Judah, apart from helping to rebuild or maintain the worship at the Temple/ is twofold: it is to

rEzra 8:35-6

call Israel to greater racial and ceremonial purity by preventing mixed

marriages and by the teaching of the Law or Torah. From the long years of exile and the opportunity they have provided to reflect on what went wrong in both Israel and Judah, Ezra knows that much of

the problem lay in the intermarriage of Israelites with women from other proscribed nations, whose practices and worship corrupted

Israel. In contravention of Moses’teaching in Deuteronomy 7:1-6, Israel had consistently intermarried, and Ezra will not allow this to

happen again. In passages of great intensity — and almost vehemence,

Ezra pleads with Israel to forego such marriages, and to put away

their foreign wives’ and not to repeat their previous mistakes.' At great personal cost to all concerned, the community now resolves

’Ezra 9:3-4 ‘Ezra 9:ioff

to “make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my Lord and

those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law”.11 Following further prayer, confession and an oath to put

“Ezra 10:3

into practice Ezra’s appeal, the people set up a commission whereby

every case of a foreign marriage is investigated and dealt with? The

vEzra 10:16-17

guilty are named and shamed."' And thus the nation is purified.

wEzra 10:18—44

Finally, Ezra teaches the Law to the people, beginning thereby the tradition, which will develop into the Scribes and the Pharisees.

Ezra, together with his assistants, reads the book of the Law and gives its meaning: “They read from the Book of the Law of God, making

it clear and giving its meaning so that the people could understand what was meant.” This is the beginning of expository preaching,

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

which is to last both in the synagogue and later in the church. At

its heart is making clear the meaning of Gods word. The people

initially respond with grief at the weight of the instruction, but with Nehemiah s encouragement who declares, “the joy of the Lord is xNeh 8:10

your strength,”'' they are stilled. Their weeping is soon turned to joy

and they find great happiness and fulfilment obeying the Law and vNeh 8:i3ff

celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles.y Alongside the teaching of the Law, the prophetic word also encourages and strengthens the people.

Haggai and Zechariah The two prophets who encourage the rebuilding ofJerusalem, and particularly the Temple, during this period are Haggai and Zechariah.

The first exiles have returned from Babylon to Jerusalem in 538BC, but the serious rebuilding of the Temple does not get underway until 1 Hag 1:1

520BC in the second year ofKing Darius.2 Haggai s message is directed at the Governor ofjerusalem, Zerubbabel, a descendent of the Kings

of Judah, the grandson of Jehoiachin. Cyrus appoints Zerubbabel governor ofjerusalem and he is responsible for the rebuilding of the Ezra 2:2; 3:2

Temple together with Shealtiel the High Priest.33 Although a start

“bEzra 3:8

is made two years after their return,3b work comes to a halt. It is at

this point that Haggai s prophecy acts as a spur to reengage with the “ Ezra 6:13

project of re-building as Ezra himself indicates.30 This is a further demonstration that both the High Priest and Davidic kingship are

insufficient in themselves to complete the task, without the inspira­ tion and urgency of prophecy. Rebuilding recommences in 520BC.

Haggai s prophecy divides into two cycles of accusation,30 respon­

1,1 Hag 1:1—11; 2:10-17 "Hag 1:12-15; 2:18-19 ‘‘ Hag 2:1-9; 2:20-23

se30 and assurance.3f The accusation is, “Is it a time for you yourselves

* Hag 1:3

ruin?’’*8 The people are to give careful thought to their ways, the

to be living in your panelled houses, while this house remains a failures of their crops and harvests. They respond under the lead­ ership of Zerubbabel and Joshua, the High Priest and they start to

,hHag 1:13

rebuild. They start in 520BC and God promises to be with them.311

Not only that, but God promises, “the glory of this present house "Hag 2:9

will be greater than the glory of the former house”.31 Even if the

building is not as grand as Solomon’s Temple, the worship will be purer and more sincere. God will also “shake the heavens and the iJ Hag 2:6-7

earth, the sea and the dry land ... and fill this house with glory”.3!

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RESTORATION

If Haggai s prophecy was and is relatively straightforward in pur­

pose and intent, Zechariah’s prophecies are wider in scope, more

apocalyptic in nature and eschatological in perspective. The restora­

tion of the Temple is itself a symbol for the establishment of a new kingship in Jerusalem, which has global and universal reach and by which the ingathering of the Gentiles is envisaged. Zechariah’s is

a “vision of the world destabilized and re-stabilized and governed by YHWH”.5 It is not therefore a prophecy only for the moment, but for the Messianic age and beyond; indeed some of the symbols

of hope and judgement are to be found in the book of Revelation.

The book of Zechariah divides into two parts: chapters 1—8 and 9—14. The unity of these two sections is often questioned. The first part, chapters 1—8, cover the same time period as Ezra chapters 5—6

and the rebuilding of the Temple, which itself follows the edict of Darius in 52oBC.“k These chapters comprise a series of vivid and

ak Ezra 6:14

symbolic visions, which show God’s desire to rebuild Jerusalem.“1

alZech 1:14-16

Jerusalem will not be contained by its present walls so populous will it become.“111 The High Priest Joshua will be vindicated and defended

amZech 2:1-13

from attacks by Satan.“" Zerubbabel and Joshua will be like two

anZech 3:1-10

olive trees or branches of the golden lampstand. Zerubbabel will be successful if he remembers the word of God to him, “Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit”““ and he should not “despise the day

ao Zech 4:6

of small things”.“p God’s commands will be like a giant flying scroll

ap Zech 4:10

destroying the thief and the liar.“q Sin represented by a woman in a

aqZech 5:1-4

basket carried by two other women is carried to Babylon. Horses,

prefiguring the horses of the apocalypse, go throughout the earth doing God’s bidding.“rJoshua was crowned as a Branch-Messiah and

ar Zech 6:1-8

was to rebuild the Temple.“

“Zech 6:12-13

Zechariah prophesies that feasting will replace fasting as God blesses Jerusalem and invites others to come. Whatever their reason

for fasting in Babylon, the true fast that God looks for is to “admin­

ister true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In

your hearts do not think evil of each other”.“'Jerusalem will once more be a place of security where men and women of ripe old age Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 255.

a'Zech 8:8-10

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

io8

“Zech 8:4-12

can sit in the streets and abundance and prosperity will be known.“

Fasts will become joyful occasions; truth and peace will be cherished. “In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm

hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you "Zech 8:23

because we have heard that God is with you”’.av Such an outcome will see Israel fulfilling its vocation of being a light to the Gentiles.

The second part of Zechariah (chapters 9—13) has a wider scope, and is more eschatological in tone as it looks forward to the last events. On that day or the day of the Lord become frequently used

phrases. This part of the book is also much more Messianic, with many references to the Messiah, which Jesus alone will fulfil. A “Zech 9:9

Prince will come riding meekly on a donkeyaw and will take away

“Zech 9:10b

oppression and bring peace“ to the nations. God will save his people

“’'Zech 9:16

“on that day”.ay The Lord will care for Judah and evil shepherds will be replaced by God s leader. But the Good Shepherd who comes

“Zech n:8b-9 “Zech 11:13 ** Zech 11:7

will be rejected“ and will be cast off for thirty pieces of silver1” so that he will no longer look after the flock marked for slaughter.bb A

deceitful shepherd will be raised up instead who will not “care for

the lost, or seek the young, or heal the injured, or feed the healthy, but will eat the meat of choice sheep” (i.e. feed on the very flock “ Zech 11:16

he should be caring for).bc

“Zech I2:3ff

tection ofjerusalem,bd the city will be in distress looking on the one

Final prophecies about Jerusalem follow. Despite the Lords pro­

whom they have pierced and will weep bitterly as though weeping ** Zech I2:iobff

for a first-born son.be The shepherd will be struck and the sheep will

“Zech 13:7

be scattered?1 A fountain of cleansing will be opened to the house

h* Zech 13:1

of David.bg People will not prophesy then. And finally there will be

bhZech 14:12-15

both judgementbh and great hope: the Lord will be king over the

b,Zech 14:9 bjZech 14:11b “Zech 14:21

whole earthbl and Jerusalem will be secure^ and will honour God.bk

But those far off days of Jerusalems ultimate glory, prophesied by Zechariah, have to be given reality in the present by the rebuilding of the city by Nehemiah.

Nehemiah Nehemiah, together with Ezra, Zerubbabel and Joshua the High Priest, are the principal characters in the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

While the others concentrate on the rebuilding of the Temple

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RESTORATION

for which Cyrus and then Darius has given an imperial mandate, Nehemiah’s vocation is the rebuilding of the walls of the city. He

is the cupbearer to the Persian ruler Artaxerxes I (465-424BC), the ruler to follow Xerxes, who has campaigned, unsuccessfully, against

the Greeks. Both Ezra and Nehemiah return to Jerusalem during

Artaxerxes’ rule. Nehemiah is appointed governor in 445BC.bl He

“Neh 5:14

returns to Persia in 433 and then back again to Jerusalem. Hearing of the parlous state ofJerusalem’s walls and buildings,

years after the return of the exiles from Babylon,bm Nehemiah prays

““Neh 1:3

and fasts with considerable emotion and passion, and asks for success

in requesting the Emperor for permission to return.bn In what seems

bnNeh 1:4ft; 2:4

almost a domestic scene, with both the King and Queen present, Nehemiah asks for permission to return to help the rebuilding. They

asked how long he will be gone,b° a sign perhaps of the respect and

l” Neh 2:6

affection in which he is held, and give him permission to go to Jerusalem. Not only that, but the King grants his request for letters

of authority to the Governors of Trans-Euphrates as well, for timber from the royal forests.bp From the outset, Nehemiah shows himself

* Neh 2:7ff

to be a resourceful, prayerful and skilful leader and administrator; one of several Jews who were gifted in this way. Nehemiah’s leadership in the task of rebuilding the city walls

is exemplary and serves as a model of leadership in any large or small-scale project or endeavour. Soon after arriving he inspects the broken down city walls himself,bq surveying the scale of the project.

N Neh 2: tiff

He does this secretly by night and does not announce his plan of action until he is ready to do so. He gathers the people and their

leaders, outlines the challenge, calls for motivation to surmount the disgrace of the broken-down walls and encourages the people by

telling them of all the ways that God has helped so far.

He devises a scheme for building involving giving families and differing communities responsibility for different parts of the walls,br

“Neh 3:1ft"

thereby encouraging a little healthy competition. He faces and deals with opposition from the mischief-making trio, Sanballat, Tobiah

and Gershem the Arab. Nehemiah refuses to be distracted by their remonstrations, knowing his own authority and mandate from the

King; he redoubles his efforts, refuses to be intimidated, warns his workforce of attack, prays and posts guards.bs The work is complete

“Neh 4:13ft; 6:8ff

no

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

b'Neh 6:15

in 52 days.bt What had been left untouched and shameful for years

is completed in a few weeks, the result of prayerful and strong leadb“Neh i2:27ff

ership. It is dedicated with worship and great celebration.bu

Nehemiah s governorship is marked by simplicity of lifestyle, justice and devotion to carrying out the Law, about which he is

very conscientious. In chapter 5 Nehemiah rails against those who abuse their brethren in time of famine by getting them to mortgage ‘"'Neh 5:11 bwNeh 5:10b bxNeh 5:7

their property,bv taking family members into slavery, or charging interest.bw He accuses them of “exacting usury from your own

countrymen!’*1* and of exchanging slavery to the Gentiles for another

byNeh 5:8

form of slavery to their own people.by Summoning all the leaders

b’Neh 5:128-13

of Israel to an assembly, he calls for all these practices to end.bz

Personally he lives very simply, foregoing the luxuries accorded

a governor, in particular the copious amounts of food and wine “ Neh 5:14-16

normally provided by the people/3 Furthermore, he conscientiously and rigorously enforces the Torah, putting right any failure to apply it in daily living, whether in worship or in business practices. (For

example, he calls for attention to the following: the exclusion of cbNeh 13:1-3

Ammonites and Moabites from worship in the Templecb; the failure

“Neh i3:ioff

to provide for the Levites“; and contravention of the Sabbath by

cdNeh i3:isff

trading in the city on that day.cd) In these ways, Nehemiah shows that he is not only a very able leader of a great project, but also a

judicious and wise leader of the whole community. The community

is built up, with the citizenship ofJerusalem carefully orchestrated, so that it does not deprive the countryside or outlying towns of

skilled people. Likewise, the worship in the Temple is put on a firm “Neh 10-12

organisational footing.ce

The Remaining Post-exilic Prophets We have already seen how Haggai and Zechariah s prophecies helped

to spur the people on in their rebuilding of the Temple after an initial period of inertia; and how, in the later chapters of Zechariah, there was a strongly messianic theme with a focus on judgement and hope

connected with the coming day of the Lord. But there are three remaining prophets who appear to have been active in this postexilic

period, also with strongly Messianic themes looking to a new age

to come. They are Third Isaiah, Joel and Malachi.

in

RESTORATION

In Third Isaiah, or the final chapters of Isaiah 56—66, we see prophecies which combine the assertion of ethical standards in the community, (i.e. proper fasting); a plea for justice; a renewal of the calling of Israel to display God’s righteousness to the nations; as well

as Messianic and cosmic hope for the future. In the early chapters

we have a plea for the foreigner and the eunuch to be included. (Many who returned from Persia may have been eunuchs, possibly

including Nehemiah himself/1) What is important is that people are

cfIsa 56:4-8

just and upright in their dealings/8 The people should foreswear

cgIsa 56-1-2; 57:2

idols,ch lead well,“ and they should remove obstacles to progress.CJ

ch Isa 57:6-10 C1 Isa 56:10 CJ Isa 57:14-21

The people should take part in a true fast, loosing the chains of

injustice and setting the oppressed free.ck This overriding concern

for justice*31 is then overtaken by a renewal of Israel’s calling, “the

ck Isa 58, esp v.6; ch 59 d Isa 59:4

Lord arises upon you” and “nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn”“” so a new age will dawn.cn

But the one who has to bring this about is yet to come, he will

c,nIsa 60:1-3 cn Isa 6o:i5ff

bring the year of the Lord’s favour and on him will be the Spirit of

the sovereign Lord.“ He will “preach good news to the poor” and

co Isa 61:1a

“proclaim freedom to the captives”.cp Having trampled the winepress

cpIsa 61:1-2

of his wrath, God will never again abandon his people/9 But, in fact,

cq Isa 63:3ff; 62:8-9

he never left them entirely: “The angel of his presence saved them”,“

crIsa 63:9 ff

but now he will be their Father.“ There will be judgement“ but also

csIsa 63:16; 64:8 ctIsa 65:uff cu Isa 65:17

a new hope of cosmic significance: a new heaven and a new earth/“

And all the while God looks for one “who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word”.cv Third Isaiah is a tremendous message of justice and hope for this new postexilic community, which Nehemiah is in the process of building.

Joel and Malachi A further prophet who may belong to this postexilic community is Joel. In the Jewish scriptures Joel is the second book of the fourth scroll of the Prophets, which contains the Twelve Minor Prophets.

(The first scroll contains the former prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. The second and third scrolls contain the major prophets

of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel). “Joel is profoundly enigmatic.”6 Brueggemann, Old Testament Theology, p. 219.

" Isa 66:2b

112

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

Nothing is known of the historical context of the book; whether it is pre or post exilic, but it is usually thought to be part of the

Persian period.

The book ofjoel falls into two parts: chapters 1 and 2 recall the cwJoel 1:4ft"

invasion of the land by a swarm of locusts0* that have stripped the land and crops bare. The rhetoric of invasion by locusts may well

have its basis in fact, but may also be a metaphor for the invading armies of nations sent in judgement on Israel. The invasion is also “Joel x:i3ff; 2:12ft"

a call to repentance.cx The Lord will then respond with blessing,

new wine and oil, showers and good harvests, but lastly with the cyJoel 2:28ft"

outpouring of his Spirit07 who will come to all people and bring

“Acts 2:i4ff ‘‘'Joel 2:32 *Joel 3:3ft"

his gifts and salvation02 to all who call upon him.da Finally, there will be a time of gathering of the nations,db of conflict—“of beating

d‘Joel 3:10

ploughshares into swords”,do where “multitudes will be in the valley

"Joel 3:14

of decision”.dd Then the Lord will come, he will roar from Zion,

"Joel 3:16; 18b

water will flow from the Templede and he will bring both judgement and everlasting hope.

The final prophet of this period in the Bible, and the last book before the New Testament, is Malachi. Malachi means “my mes­ senger” and the prophecy most probably comes around the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, c. 460BC. The tradition out of which the

prophecy is written appears to be a Priestly one and the prophet himself may have been a Levite.

The substance of the book revolves around several areas of dis­ putation between YHWH and the priesthood in relation to their

failure to properly fulfil their tasks. At the outset God declares his love for the descendants ofJacob whom he chose in preference to dfMal 1:2-5

Esau.df God then points out through the prophet areas in which

08 Mai 2:7-9 dhMal 1:7-9 dl Mai 2:7-9

the priests are failingdg: the offering of blemished sacrifices,1111 inad­

dj Mai 2:11-14 dkMal 2:1 ““Mai 3:6-12

community,1^ wearying him with injustice and perverse speech,dk

dl"Mal 3:13

equate teaching and instruction,111 intermarriage and divorce in the withholding the tithes that should have been paid,dl and lastly, by

speaking cynically about God.11"1 Unless there is change, judgement will overtake Israel. YHWH

d" Mai 3:2

will be like “the refiners fire or the launderers soap”.11" The people

must follow the Law of Moses and if they do so and revere God’s name then “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in his

113

RESTORATION

wings” upon them and they “will go out like calves released from the

stall”.do But the prophet concludes that God will send “the prophet doMal 4:2 Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes”. A

period of about 450 years later Elijah is to come calling out in the desert, “prepare the way of the Lord”.dp

This period of restoration has a thread of principles common to any period of renewal: the rebuilding of what has been lost and broken; the re-invigorating of true worship; concentration on the

ethics of business, care for the poor and vulnerable; dependence on the Spirit and lastly the need for inspired and holy leadership. Where these things are present, restoration may be accomplished.

*Mal3:3b

Chapter 8

THE WAY OF WISDOM Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & The Song of Songs

I

n the Jewish or Hebrew Canon of scripture there are three main divisions: the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. The Writings

include many of the books we have already surveyed and placed in the narrative ofJewish history. For the Jew the Writings comprise i and 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah (thought by some scholars

to be arranged by the same editor); the Five Scrolls, which include the Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and Esther; the book of Daniel; and then Psalms, Proverbs and Job.

However, the arrangement of the Christian Canon (i.e. the

sequence of books in the Christian Bible) is different: Daniel is placed in the prophetic section, while Ruth, I and 2 Chronicles,

Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah are in the historical section, thus leav­ ing the five Wisdom books to bridge the history and the prophetic

sections of our Bibles. What is clear is that in the construction of the

Canon of our Bibles there is what we now call a Wisdom section comprised of five separate books. They are Job, Psalms, Proverbs,

Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. These form a definite corpus

of biblical writings, which chart the human response to the creative and redemptive power of God, as well as address some of the great questions of life.

The five Wisdom books, in sequence, are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. They form a considerable chunk

of the Old Testament and between them they deal with questions to do with suffering, prayer, practical righteousness, the reality of death and the fulfilment of love. Wisdom is heralded throughout

the scriptures as an attribute of God himself,3 who alone is wise. It

* Prov 8:22-23

is also the outcome of a humble and trusting relationship with God, which can make people wise (for the fear of the Lord is the beginning

of wisdom)b should they choose to gain wisdom. (See Solomon’s bProv 1:7

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

Il6

' i Kgs 3:5tí famous request for wisdom at the outset of his kingshipc).These five books provide stepping-stones of wisdom across the foaming waters

of life. They are sturdy enough to stand on and enduring enough to be continuing footholds; to help the pilgrim face both the big

questions of life, as well as the overwhelming experiences of living.

The first of the five Wisdom books is Job.

Job The origin of the book ofJob is uncertain; it may have come from

the period of the exile. In the Jewish Canon it follows the Book of Psalms, appropriately it seems, for “it takes up the primary genres

of the book of psalms, especially hymn (poetic praise) and lament and weaves them into a coherent dialogue, and pushes both lament and hymn to an emotional, artistic and theological extremity”.1 As

Denis Lennon writes, “It is a storming, laughing, raging, mocking,

sarcastic, weeping, praying, near-blasphemous, worshipping book.

The language is beautiful and violent, haunting and a slap in the face, ecstatic and deranged”.2 The language fits the experience of

a godly man wrestling with the spiritual crisis of extreme suffering that is dogging his blameless life. The story ofJob begins surprisingly with the devil pacing the

pavements of heaven and being allowed to test Job, who is the epitome of goodness. For God himself says ofJob “he is blameless djob i:8b

and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil”.d So careful is Job about his family’s conduct that he sacrifices a burnt offering for

each of his children at the end of the festive season in case any of 'job 1:5b

them have unwittingly sinned during their exuberant feasts.e But

Satan is allowed to test Job; first by bringing disaster on his family

and estate and then terrible disease upon Job himself. Although he is told by his wife to curse God and die, he persists in his trust in

God: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of (Job 1:21b

the Lord be praised”/What follows are a series of cycles of laments, disputations and pleadings between the three comforters (although

a fourth friend, Elihu appears in Job 32) and Job. To a greater or

1 Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 293.

2 D. Lennon, Job (SU, 1995), p. 9.

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THE WAY OF WISDOM

lesser extent each of the friends believe the only explanation for

Job’s suffering must be that he is guilty, and that only confession of his guilt and repentance will alleviate his suffering. After a week’s

silence8 this cycle of charges by the friends and rebuttals by Job gets

"Job 2:13

underway, and lasts for 37 chapters.

The alternation between Job and the friends goes as follows in the early chapters: Job chapter 3; Eliphaz chapters 4—5; Job chapters

6—7; Bildad chapter 8; Job chapters 9—10; Zophar chapter 11, and

then another cycle begins. The three friends (and the fourth, Elihu) all offer, with varying degrees of vehemence, variations on a theme.

The theme is that the guilty suffer and the innocent do not. Eliphaz the Temanite might be the oldest of the three friends. He is probably the most sympathetic, but nonetheless he still holds

to the line that “you reap what you sow”, for he says, “Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Were the upright ever destroyed?”.h He

Job 4:7

is a realist too, offering the famous one-liner, “Yet man is born to

trouble as surely as the sparks fly upward”1 and nothing escapes the

Job 5:71?

attention of God for, “He catches the wise in their craftiness”.J Job

job 5:13

responds, “I will not keep silent; I will speak out in the anguish of

my spirit, I will complain in the bitterness of my soul”.k Because of

Job 7:11

Job’s preoccupation, “his days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle”.1

Job 7:6

Bildad the Shuhite is the traditionalist par excellence. He rebukes Job from the outset: “Your words are a blistering wind. Does God

pervert justice?”"1 For “surely God does not reject a blameless man?”

"Job 8:1

Job responds by asking a profound question: “How can a mortal be righteous before God?”" Job reflects on the majesty and holiness of 'Job 9:2

God and knows that he cannot answer him." But nevertheless Job

“Job 9:14,32

wants to “give free rein to his complaint’11 for it is the only relief

Job 10:1

he gets. Job reaches rock bottom, “I wish I had died before any eye saw me”.q

Job 10:18b

Zophar the Naamathite is frankly annoyed by Job and impatient with him. Forgetting his suffering, he seeks only to correct him: “Oh, how I wish that God would speak that he would open his

lips against you”.r His speech is short; he advocates confession as

Job 11:5

being job’s only hope.5 Job realises the power of the Almighty,' but

he longs to present his case? He too knows “that man that is born

Job 11:13-15 'Job 12:13 “Job 13:3

of woman is of a few days and full of trouble”?

Job 14:1

n8

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

The first cycle is then complete and will be repeated twice more. Job’s desperation only increases as he receives more of the same advice “Job I9:i3ff

and counsel.w He seems an offence both to himself and to others.

But amidst his depression, he cries out, “I know that my Redeemer

lives and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my "Job 19:25-26

skin has been destroyed yet in my flesh I will see God”.x But after

’Job 2i:?ff

prospery and appear to get away with great cruelty and injustice.2 Job

this shaft of light, Job reverts to the question of why the wicked ’Job 24:2-12 “Job 24:12b

complains bitterly, “God charges no-one with wrongdoing”.“ And

then follows Job’s great speech of defiance and remonstration to his ’bJob 26-32

heavy-handed friends:ab “I will never admit you are in the right; till I die, I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my righteousness

“Job 27:5-6

and never let go of it”.ac He reflects on where wisdom can be found.

Human wisdom, that is his wisdom and that of his friends, cannot properly penetrate the mystery of God’s plan. Job is left with this idea,“God understands the way to it (wisdom) and he alone knows “*Job 28:23

where it dwells”.ad Job rightly concludes that in the meantime before

all is revealed, “truly, the fear of the Lord that is wisdom; and to “Job 28:28

depart from evil is understanding”.ae Job reflects on how far he has fallen in the eyes of his contemporaries; how respected he was,

‘Job 29:7-25: 30:1

but how now he is mocked.af Once again Job protests at length his

‘"Job 30:25-31:34 ‘"Job 31:35

integrity/8 If only he could present his case!’11

Elihu the Buzite, the fourth friend, speaks. Once again he protests

God’s complete justice and care of creation, concluding that Job must "Job 34:10-15

a,Job 35:16

therefore be at fault.’1 Job, he says, is full of empty words/! EJihu

then dwells on the power of God as displayed in creation, which is almost a kind of foretaste of what God himself will shortly say. But

Elihu’s words do not bring hope. And then in the 37th chapter, God himself speaks. He comes with no intellectual answers to the problem of suffering. There is nothing

speculative or cerebral here, but an encounter of such a kind that Job is overwhelmed, silenced and answered all in one moment. God

parades before Job his creation in all its power, variety and absurd

merriment including some of his most bizarre and powerful creatures and creations: the snow, the rain, the stars above, the mountain goats, the wild donkey, the ostrich, the horse, the hippopotamus and the

crocodile. After all “look at all the oddball characters in the animal

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THE WAY OF WISDOM

domain and we can surely hear the Maker’s chuckle”.3 As Karl Rahner said: “a good laugh is a sign of love”. And as God displays

this showcase of creation,ak Job simply says, “ My ears had heard of

"kJob 38-41

you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and

repent in dust and ashes”.31 What the friends have not achieved in

"'job 42:5-15

ten speeches, God has done in one. The friends are rebuked and Job

is restored. There has been a settlement, but no argument.

The Psalms The Psalms form the second of our stepping-stones in the way ofwis­ dom. The book ofjob deals with the difficult issue of suffering, and especially the suffering of the righteous or blameless. The Psalms now extend the scope of wisdom to include almost all human responses to God’s intervention in the world as Creator and Redeemer.4 “The

book of Psalms constitutes an ancient mapping of Israel’s life with YHWH in affirmation and distress, and in testimony to the world concerning the wonders of YHWH”.5 Above all, the psalms show

the response of the psalmists to the events that faced them, whether good or ill, and as such they are a rich resource of prayers. The psalms

tell us that the wise person is a praying person, no matter what the circumstance that confronts them: whether the response is lament

or praise it is all prayer, as it is a response directed at God.

The book of Psalms is divided into five books, almost certainly a liturgical response to the five books of the Law: Psalms 1—41; 42—72; 73-89; 90-106; and 107-150. For the Jew, the five books of

the Psalms are a response to the five books of the Torah and it is not

surprising therefore that the book should begin with the aspirations of Psalm 1. The blessed person there is the one whose “delight is

in the Law of the Lord, and on his Law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit

in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does he

prospers”.am Each book of Psalms culminates with a doxology, so for

instance Book I ends with Psalm 41, which states “In my integrity

you uphold me and set me in your presence for ever. Praise be to 3 Lennon, Job, p. 121.

4 Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology (SCM.igóa), pp. 355#F5 Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 277.

™ Ps 1:2-3

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen, “ Ps 41:12-13

Amen”.“ Likewise Psalms 72, 89, 106 and then the last five psalms

of Book V, Psalms 146—150, all end with doxologies, words of glory

and praise to YHWH.

Within these five books are further subsets of psalms, which owe their existence either to particular themes or particular writers. ao Pss 73-83 ap Pss 84,85,88

So we have psalms ascribed to Asaph30 and others3p to the sons of Korah. But the bulk of the psalms come from David and are there­

fore authenticated both by his authorship and their internal content. There are also psalms such as the Psalms of Ascent which are used aq Pss 120-134

in annual festivals, the going up to Jerusalem, for example.39 What

binds the psalms together as a whole is a process of “traditioning”, that is, a process of incorporation into the worship of Israel through

the validity of their faith and their harmony with the Law or Torah. It is not that they are a bland affirmation of living by Torah; far from it. Rather they represent the authentic struggle of serving God in a

world which is frequently at variance with his purpose.

By this time Israel has come to use poetry and songs as a way of expressing faith in the melting pot, as well as of extolling the maj­ esty and power of God. Just as a hymn book often comes together

through a combination of intricate processes in which liturgical use, advocacy of specific songs, and self-authentication in worship and known authorship are mixed, so too the book of Psalms came

together through ways at once “intentional, haphazard and acciden­

tal”.6 But amidst this process, guided too by the Spirit, there are particular themes to discern. They are the themes of Kingship and

Messianic vocation, as well as themes of lament and re-orientation. A strong theme in many of the psalms is Kingship. With Jerusalem

made the capital of Israel by David and the promise made by God to "2 Sam 7:13

establish David’s house there forever,3r the expectation of YWHW, the Creator Redeemer, ruling from Jerusalem forever is fundamental to Jewish hope and expectation. Many of the psalms therefore pro­

claim the Kingship of God over all the earth, a rule that emanates from Jerusalem. We have only to look at Psalms 2, 18, 20—21, 45, 72, 93—101, no and 144 to see the flavour of the Davidic king reigning

Brueggemann, Introduction to the Old Testament, p. 278.

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over all in Zion. What David glimpses, his “greater son” would

fulfil. The son of David will rule from Zion, but in a way that is

unexpected. For alongside the Kingship psalms are the Messianic psalms, which indicate that the Messiah will suffer and die to inaug­

urate the everlasting Kingdom.

The psalms most closely associated with the Messiah are Psalms 2 and 22, along with Psalms no and 118, the Royal Psalms. Psalm 2 declares “You are my son, today I have become your Father”. Psalm

no is frequently used by Jesus“ to show that he is greater than David,

“ Matt 22:44

indeed David’s Lord, hence before him. Psalm n8 tells us that the

“stone the builders rejected has become the capstone”. And most prophetically, Psalm 22, although recording the sufferings of David himself in the first instance, nonetheless predicts the manner of

Jesus’ death and the sufferings of his body" and soulau at the time of

the crucifixion. The psalms are well known to Jesus and so spring

“ Ps 22:14 “Ps 22:1

to mind naturally when his life matches the reality of which they

speak. They are in that sense oracles waiting for further fulfilment. Lastly, the psalms show the responses of people of faith in situ­

ations where that faith is tested to breaking point. Many situations faced by the psalmists are overwhelming. They are intensely per­

sonal (“O Lord you have searched me and known me”)lv and are

"Ps 139

therefore reflections on a faith which is being stretched to breaking

point. Like Negro spirituals, these psalms are written in the vor­ tex of suffering, sometimes anonymously, but always universal in

application. These psalms have been categorised as going/hwi plea to praise or from dis-orientation to new orientation. Only very few psalms

emerge from the pit in which they are written without hope. Psalm

13 follows such a pattern of disorientation at first (“How long, O lord? Will you forget me forever?”),aw but then the psalmist finds

‘"Ps 13:1

new orientation at the end (“I will trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has done good to me”)." And famously, in Psalm 73, the Psalmist,

"Ps 13:5-6

seeing the wicked prosper, writes “my feet had almost slipped; I

nearly lost my foothold” until he enters “the sanctuary of God, then I understood their final destiny”.ay Then he remembers that “ I am

"Ps 73:17

always with you, you hold me by the right hand”.’2 The psalmist is

“Ps 73:23

re-orientated through remembrance, through expressing his honest

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

doubts, through anger at times, through being both vulnerable and honest. Only on the rarest occasion does the psalmist seem not to

emerge, as in Psalm 88, which ends saying “the darkness is my closest l“Ps 88:r8b

friend”.ba Truly, this is the dark night of the soul, but there may have

been comfort in being shrouded in darkness until he could bear the light—like a miner who has been in deep darkness for days and can

only orientate very slowly to the light. There are times when the darkness can be a friend.

The psalms take us to heights of praise and confidence and to deep despair. They proclaim a Kingdom and a King that yield to

none. They reflect on God’s great action in creation and redempw’Ps 23

tion. They nurse and restore the soul (Psalm 23).bb They call us to a

u Ps 15 righteous way oflifebc and also promise blessing to those who follow MPss 62,67

his ways.bd And what the psalms show us in outline with regard to righteous living, the book of Proverbs tells us in greater detail.

Proverbs The book of Proverbs is the third of the Wisdom books and a further step in the progress of wisdom. Having begun with the question of unjust suffering in Job, continued with a treasury of prayer for

every situation through the psalms, wisdom now calls for personal

righteousness and godliness in all spheres of living. The Book of Proverbs was probably put together in the post-exilic phase of Israels

life by scribes with access to the tradition of wisdom in Israel and further afield in the Middle East. The greater part of the book is a

collection of proverbs brought together by Solomon, maybe with

the intention of training young men for royal service. Following a ‘“Prov 1:1-22:16

substantial collection of proverbs attributed to Solomon,be further

collections of proverbs from different teachers are added to the original Solomonic collection.7 The purpose of Proverbs is to teach godly living in all areas of life, after an initial introduction that takes

the form of a father instructing his son. This father’s praise of wisbfProv 1:1-7

dom, after a preface from Solomon,bf extends from 1:8 — 9:18. It is a testimony to his son of wisdom s blessing. The starting point is 7 For example, Hezekiahs collection of Solomons proverbs, 25:1—29:27; Agur’s col­ lection, 30:1-33; King Lemuel’s collection, 31:1-9 and then the epilogue on a wife of

noble character, 31:10-31.

THE WAY OF WISDOM

123

that, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools

despise wisdom and discipline.bg

bK Prov 1:7

This section of the book, that of a father instructing a son, is a eulogy to wisdom and lays the basis for the whole book as well as our understanding of wisdom. The son is to resist the call to sin: “If

sinners entice you do not give in to them”.bh Instead he should pay

bbProv 1:10

heed to the call of wisdom crying in the street,1” for “she alone has

b'Prov. 1:20

garlands to give you”,bj and in choosing to fear the Lord, the son

bl Prov 1:9b

is rejecting the fool and the scoffer.bk Wisdom has much to confer,

bkProv 1:29-33

wisdom and understanding themselves, safety, victory and protec­ tion.1’1 It will save a person from the adulteress1”” and the wicked.bn

But wisdom is not only about prudent action, it is about radical

“Prov 2:1-8

bmProv2:i6ff h" Prov 2:12

trust in God: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding”.bo Trust and faithfulness are the attitudes

h”Prov 3:5

she nurtures.bp Wisdom encourages a wholehearted following of

bpProv 3:3

God: accepting discipline,1”1 being generous with one’s substance

h’Prov 3:11—12

or wealth,br and acting with integrity towards ones neighbour.1”

brProv 3:9

Wisdom confers long life and the life of the wise burns ever bright­ er.1” In particular adultery must be avoidedbu and faithful marriage is to be embraced: “Drink water from your own cistern, may your

fountain be blessed and may you rejoice in the wife ofyour youth” .bv

‘"Prov 3:29-30 b'Prov 4:18 b" Prov 5:1-23 ‘"Prov 5:15, 18-19

There are further warnings against indolence: “Go to the ant you sluggard, consider her ways and be wise”.bw Warnings against the

h” Prov 6:6

adulteress are expressed in vivid words.bx And once again we are back

bx Prov 7:6ft-

to wisdom’s call: will it be heeded?by Surely it will be, for wisdom

^Prov 8:iff

was the playmate of God in creation: “The Lord brought me forth as

the first of his works, before his deeds of old; I was appointed from eternity, from the beginning, before the world began” .bz Choose

bI Prov 8:22-23

wisdom and not folly; wisdom has a secure house to offer,ca while

“Prov 9:1

folly only calls out in pretence; it only guards the dead.cb The initial

ibProv 9:17-18

appeal of wisdom over, the first collection of proverbs is presented. The call of wisdom is to a righteous life; that is, a life in which

a person faithfully discharges their obligations in all areas. The remaining chapters of Proverbs take us through the way these

obligations are rightly to be discharged. The areas of relationship

that the ensuing proverbs cover are those with friends and neigh­ bours, husbands and wives, brothers and relations, employers and

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

animals. In relation to neighbours, the wise man is to be peaceful ec Prov 3:29; 25:8-9

and unwilling to start a dispute.cc He is to be “disarmingly kind”,8

cd Prov 11:12

cautious and silent, rather than critical,cd keeping his distance from

ce Prov 22:24-25

the awkward and intemperate,ce and not putting himself in the

cf Prov 6:1-5

power of his neighbour if he can help it. Likewise, the wise man is

called to be a good friend: constant and not just a fair weather friend cg Prov 9:4, 6-7 ch Prov 27:6

as many are;08 candid, as “faithful are the wounds of a friend’*11

° Prov 27:17

another”.01 Above all, it is wise to remember that “there is a friend

cjProv 18:24

and invigorating, since “iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens which sticks closer than a brother”.0J The wise man or woman will

be a faithful husband and wife and a fair and diligent parent. The ck Prov 5:19

man should be an attentive husband ravished by his wife’s love.ck The woman should forego nagging or bickering for devotion to

cl Prov 31:10

her family and resourcefulness.01 The family will chiefly depend

cm Prov 14:1

on the woman’s skill0111 and her husband will value and appreciate

cnProv 18:22 co Prov 22:6

her.on Parents should be willing to train their children,00 realise that

cpProv 22:15 cq Prov 17:6

always be enough,cp but mutual respect and affection is the aim.oq

folly may be bound up in the heart of a child, so words may not

In all these relationships with neighbour, friend, spouse and child, wise men or women will conduct themselves thus: discharging

their obligations universally with faithfulness and love. crProv 16:23, 21,24

05 Prov 16:10

A kind of photo-fit of the wise person emerges from these prov­ erbs. He controls his words, and is guided by a good heart01 especially if he has responsibility for others.05 He is the opposite of the bad man,

ctProv 16:28

cu Prov 22:4

who provokes strife and quarrelling.01 He is humble ofheart,0U prefers

15:16 17:22 19:20 19:11 11:25 17:10

simplicity to wealth,cv has a cheerful disposition,°* takes counsel

dbProv 16:4, 9; 19:21; 21:2

so much, but it is the Lord’s will that is established.db This too is

01 Prov cwProv cxProv ^Prov czProv 14:31; Prov

easily,cx is patient,oy cares for the poor and is generous02 and listens

to a rebuke.1111 All these qualities make him wise, but in the end he

also knows that God himself disposes and designs. Humans may do a sign of a truly wise man. But even so, there are times when the wise question everything; and such is the questioning in the next

dc Prov 20:5

Wisdom book: Ecclesiastes.00

Kidner Proverbs I VP 1974 p. 44

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THE WAY OF WISDOM

Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes is the fourth of the Wisdom books, and is attributed to

Solomon, the Teacher or literally, Qoheleth, the one who addresses

an assembly. At one level Ecclesiastes appears like a severe case of mid or late-life crisis on the part of Solomon as he looks back,

maybe with regret. At another level it is a piece of what we might

call pre-evangelism or a prolegomena to faith, in which the Teacher systematically shows that meaning cannot be found “under the sun”.

The most recurrent phrases in the book, which act as clues to its interpretation, are “Vanity, Vanity” or “Meaningless, Meaningless”.9

The two other common phrases are “under the sun’*10 and “chasing ‘“Ecc 1:14 after winď'ic. These phrases occur repeatedly, along with some of the life cycles described in the book. As such, we can look at the book as revealing a man looking for

meaning and seeking wisdom, but being frustrated. There are four searches which are common to humankind in all ages, admirably and poignantly articulated in Ecclesiastes, none of which appear to

get an answer in the closed system which is “under the sun”.

The first human search, which is understandably thwarted “under the sun”, is for transcendence. This search is not surprising, for, if

we are not satisfied with a purely materialist explanation of life, it is because we were made for a purpose which is not plainly material. Or to put it as C.S. Lewis did, if I find within myself a desire which

nothing in this world (under the sun) satisfies, then the reasonable explanation must be that this desire or longing can only be satisfied by a relationship outside of this terrestrial planet.10 The Teacher

implies that there is a kind of closed system on earth in which “what

goes around, comes around”, or as the French have it, plus fa change, plus c’est la meme chose (everything changes but everything remains

the same). This feeling of monotony or of a ceaseless wearisome

cycle is indicated by a phrase such as “generations come and gener­ ations go, but the earth remains the same for ever.. .the wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever

9 Hebei hebel in the Hebrew: see Ecclesiastes 1:2, the opening exclamation of the

Teachers preaching.

10 C S Lewis, quoted in Alistair McGrath, C.S. Lewis: A Life (Hodders and Stoughton, 2013), p. 224

d'Ecc 1:14

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

dfEcc i:jtF

returning to its course”.di And the famous passage on this cycle of life

is found in chapter 3: “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heaven : a time to be born and a time dBEcc 3:1-8

to die.. .,,lg Although there is a season in life for all things, something

more is needed to provide satisfaction and meaning. This, the Teacher goes on to say, is because, “He has made everything beautiful in its

dhEcc3:n

time. He also set eternity in the hearts of men”.* Here then is a clue: the here and now will not satisfy and give meaning to a heart

programmed for eternity. This quest for transcendence cannot be di Ecc 2:26c

satisfied under the sun, to attempt to do so is a “chasing after wind”.*

Another human search or quest is for intimacy or close friend­ ship. This search is fully answered in the next book of the Wisdom literature, The Song of Songs. But it is an interesting thought that

the yearning for intimacy in Ecclesiastes is only fully answered in the Song of Songs. The teacher can see that partnership, friendship and intimacy are needed to make sense of human life. To be loved is the most that we can hope for, and the best we can expect. At dJGen 2:18

the outset the Bible says that it is not good for man to be alone.dj

The teacher says the same in poignant fashion: “Here was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his dkEcc 4:8ft'

toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth”.dk Death would

then intervene and his wealth, for which he had given so much solitary labour, would be scattered to the winds. He concludes,

dlEcc 4:8c “This too is meaningless, a miserable business”.111 The answer lies in partnership, friendship and intimacy: “Two are better are one,

because they have a good return for their work: if one falls down

his friend can help him up! Also, if two lie together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be

overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands d'"Ecc4:9-12

is not quickly broken”.dm Partnership provides better business prospects, help, comfort, and security: all needed in life. The Teacher recognises the blessing such things bestow, “Enjoy life

with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless

‘‘"Ecc9:9 days”.dn The trouble is death cuts short them all,do “the same *Ecc99^3b destiny overtakes all”.dp It is better to be a live dog than a dead ’Ecc 9.4 Ecc 9:12

jjon dq

anj “no man knows when his hour will come”.* “Time

127

THE WAY OF WISDOM

and chance happen to them all” and “ who can tell him what will

happen under the sun after he is gone”.11' In other words, there is

d'Ecc 6:12b

a longing for close and enduring relationships, but under the sun, death brings them all to an end and what will happen then? “All

come from dust and to dust return. Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into earth?”*

*Ecc 3:19b’

Without an answer to this question, all is meaningless under the sun.

The third search, which can be detected in Ecclesiastes, is for a just community; but this too appears illusory. Solomon himself is responsible for forced labour and harsh conditions in many of his

great building projects/“ nevertheless he observes the pain too often

1 Kgs 9:15

present in human society. He writes, “I saw all the oppression that was taking place under the sun: I saw the tears of the oppressed—and

they have no comforter; power was on the side of the oppressors—

and they have no comforter. And I declared that the dead who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive”.dv He

dvEcc 4:1-2

acknowledges the need for good government0" and the co-operation

■'“ Ecc 8:5

or obedience of citizens,ďx the need for justice in the criminal sys­

dxEcc 8:2

tem^ with the wicked punished and the good upheld/2 but the best

dyEcc 8:11

we can hope for under the sun “is to eat and drink and be glad”.ea

d*Ecc 8:14 “Ecc 8:15b

A just society with wisdom in ruler and ruled alike is hard to find.

The final search, and the most oft repeated and poignant one in the book, is the search for significance. Again and again the Teacher says the things in life which would count as achievements do not yield the fruit of satisfaction or lasting meaning; they too are meaningless. Into this category of false dawns fall the pursuit of knowledge,eb the

ebEcc 1:12

pursuit of hedonism or pleasure/0 the administration and completion

ecEcc 2:2

ofgreat building projects/0 the accumulation ofwealthee—a sustained

CiiEcc 2:4 ceEcc 2:7; s:8ff

piece of teaching on the emptiness of wealth—power over others’ lives,ef and the satisfaction of hard work.eg All of these things, which

yield satisfaction for a time, do not give lasting contentment. The

efEcc 2:7a egEcc 2:17

Teacher does isolate some things which do give contentment, such

as eating and drinking well and working/11 enjoying the wife of one’s

ehEcc 2:24; 5:18

youth/1 and enjoying being young*?: “Be happy young man, while

“ Ecc 9:9 CJEcc 11:9

you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your

youth”, but with the proviso that there will be judgement1* and a

ekEcc 11:9b

time when all desire will cease.el Enjoy these pleasures as consolations,

elEcc 12:5

128

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

""Ecc 12:8

as the Teacher says, for all is else is “Meaningless! Meaningless!”/"1

“Ecc 12:13b

keep his commandments,en but we know that a time is coming with

The upshot of the Teachers reflections, for now, is to fear God and the arrival of the Messiah that the possibility of significance, a just society, deep intimacy of relationship of an eternal kind with the

Creator, and the knowledge of one greater and transcendent will

be possible. The questions asked by the Teacher are answered in the New Testament, and the intimacy hinted at here is deepened and

celebrated in the final Wisdom book, the Song of Songs.

The Song of Songs The Song of Songs is the final Wisdom book. It is the culmination or climax of all that has gone before. It celebrates the intoxicating love of two people, a Bridegroom and a Bride, the Lover and the Beloved. As such it celebrates the erotic love between two lovers, a

pure preoccupation between the Lover and the Beloved. It is born

of the contemplation of the Beloved and the Lover, which results in exultation in their respective physical beauty. There are four passages in the Song in which predominate the description of the beloved: her eyes, face, teeth, hair, neck, breasts and mountain of myrrh: “All '°Song 4:7

beautiful you are my darling there is no flaw in you”/° These are

4:1—15; 5:10-16; 6:4—10; 6:i3b-y:9. Likewise the Lover too is praised 2:8—13 and especially 5:10—16. His qualities of strength, agility and 'p Song 5:10-16

speed are linked to the description of his strong and handsome body.ep

“His mouth is very sweetness itself; he is altogether lovely. This is my '’Song 5:16

lover; this is my friend, O daughters ofJerusalem”/4 They search

"Song 3:1-5 ”Song 5:2ff "Song 2:6

for each other/1 seek each other/5 arouse each other/1 yearn for

each other and wound each other,“ I am faint with love”/“ At one °ng 5 8 jevei -s tjie ce[ebratjon of a jove between a man anj a woman;

the mutual excitement, satisfaction and yearning that make up love. But on another level it is interpreted as an extended metaphor for

the love of the God of Israel for his people and vice versa; and in the Christian tradition it is a metaphor of God in Christ s love for his church and each individual Christian. What humans enjoy face

to face in making love, the divine-human love relationship experi­

ences in prayer.

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THE WAY OF WISDOM

In Judaism, the Song of Songs is read at Passover, making real in

intimate language the profound liberating love of YHWH for his people, as evidenced historically in the deliverance of Israel from

Egypt. Every year it is read by Jewish families as the Passover meal is enacted. Christians have found the Song of Songs to be a celebration

of God’s love for them and the church: the Bride of Christ.ev It is

evRev 21:30

not surprising that the mystical traditions of prayer focussing on the

relationship of love between the divine and the human have found

their sweetest and most intense descriptions in this song of love. The early Church Fathers wrote lengthy commentaries on the meaning of the Song (Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose and Augustine,

to name a few.) Bernard of Clairvaux preached 85 sermons on the

first two chapters alone. For all of these individuals the Song is a powerful allegory of the love relationship between the Bridegroom/

Saviour and the individual Christian or church. It is a love that creates

longing, yearning, and seeking.™ It is love that can lead to feelings

Song 3:iff

of ecstasy or “sober inebriation”, which are both intoxicating and overwhelming. Many of the mystics record this, e.g. Teresa of Avila, Julian ofNorwich, in her Revelations ofDivine Love, John of the Cross and Gregory of Nyssa. They speak of being “wounded by Love”"1

Song 2:5b

and of being “faint with love”. Gregory of Nyssa put it thus: “For scarcely does the soul itself rise, struck by the arrow of love (i.e.

Christ), when already her wound is transformed into nuptial joy”.11

And in Christian worship, the Eucharist combines most clearly the institutional, the personal and the mystical; all wrapped together in

an occasion for experiencing and knowing the extent of Gods love

shown in his sacrifice for us.

The Wisdom books, for the Christian, conclude looking forward to a greater wisdom yet to come, one in whom all the wisdom of God may now be found.ey

11 Gregory of Nysssa, PG In Cant 4:852-853.

1 Cor 2:7

Chapter 9

IN BETWEEN TIMES

rom the end of the Old Testament and the prophecy of Malachi

F

(C.450BC) and the events of the restoration under Nehemiah

and Ezra (458-430BC), until the first recorded events of the New

Testament (4BC), there pass many years. For an English person, the

equivalent period of time would be from the present day back to the translation of the King James Bible, the death of Shakespeare, or the final years of the reign of Elizabeth I. By any estimation it is a

long period of time, with great changes to the landscape, politically,

religiously and socially.

During this period Persia gives way to Greece under Alexander the Great, the political master of the region; and then the Greeks give way to the Romans. Culture alters profoundly with these changes

in political overlords. Greece and then Rome bring their own intel­ lectual outlooks. Judaism grows in confidence with the emergence

of national leaders in the form of the Maccabees and with religious groupings we are familiar with from the New Testament, such as the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Synagogue worship emerges with

a new commitment to the Law and the Prophets.

But with the passing of the years, Israel still feels herself in exile and waits in increasing expectation for the realisation of her own

destiny and calling with the coming of a Messiah who will liberate the nation. It is these movements, with their national, spiritual and

political overtones, that we must briefly chart before the events recorded in the New Testament take shape, events which change not only the Roman Empire, but the world.

Greece overtakes Persia Since the destruction ofjerusalem in 586BC and the start of the exile, Judah became a vassal state of Persia. Her rebuilding under Cyrus and successive Persian Kings takes place with royal permission from

Persia. Judah is to remain under Persian rule until the emergence

132

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

of Macedonian Greece under Alexander the Great. The successor to his father, Philip of Macedon, who had built up the wealth and military capability of Macedon and had been tutored by Aristotle as a young man, Alexander believes in the destiny of Greece, and

Macedon in particular, and the need to take revenge on Persia for its earlier incursions into Greece.

The Persian King, Xerxes (486-465BC), follows his father Darius Is policy of invading mainland Greece, on account of their support

of Ionian resistance to Persian rule. Under Darius the Great, Athens

defeated and held off Persian forces at Marathon in 490BC, thus

saving Athens. In the Second Persian invasion under Xerxes, his vastly superior army of about 150,000 is held up by 7,000 Spartans under King Leonidas at the defile at Thermopylae. A subsequent

naval victory at Salamis ends the Persian encroachments in Greece, but the insult of the invasion festers with the Macedonians, the

Hellenic League and chiefly with Alexander of Macedon himself, who thus resolves to punish Persia.

Alexander s father Philip has strengthened the fighting capacity of

Macedonia, in particular its Hoplite infantry, which is melded into a formidable fighting force. Having succeeded his father and established his position, Alexander believes his calling is to defeat Persia. After

passing through Palestine on his way to Siwah in Egypt, in order to consult an oracle about his forthcoming campaign, Alexander turns

east to attack Persia and Darius III. Darius is defeated at Issus in

332BC, though Darius himselfescapes. Two years later, at Gaugamela, Alexanders forces crushingly defeat Darius. After invading India and

present-day Pakistan and following terrible privations on the march back west to Persia, Alexander dies in Babylon in 323BC, either of

disease or poison. The political landscape of the Near East has now

forever changed and with it Palestine too.

Little preparation, ifany, has been made for the rule ofAlexander’s Empire following his death; and its regions are divided amongst his generals. Ptolemy, one of these generals, takes control ofJudea,

together with Egypt, but later the Seleucid King Antiochus III

(The Great) takes control of the region from the Ptolomies. It is his successor, Antiochus Epiphanes, (175—164BC) who provokes the Jewish rebellion under the Maccabees.

IN BETWEEN TIMES

•33

Antiochus Epiphanes and the Maccabees Antiochus Epiphanes or Antiochus IV, is the ruler foretold in

Daniel1 who is to desecrate the Temple. Antiochus has an aggres­ sively Hellenistic policy against the Jews, their worship and their

culture. In 167BC he captures Jerusalem, forbids sacrifices in the

Temple, establishes a new altar in the Temple to sacrifice to himself, the god-King, and Zeus. He punishes any who keep the Sabbath,

who circumcise their children or who refuse pork.1 Such policies and insults provoke resistance and the family of Mattathias, includ­ ing his five sons, flee to the Judean hills to join other Hasidim, or

Righteous Ones. Mattathias raises a rebellion and by the winter of 164BC, Judah the Hammer, one of the five sons of Mattathias, has conquered all of Judea and Jerusalem, liberating the city from the

power of the newly-built Seleucid Aera Fortress.2 The Hammer,

or Maccabeus in Latin, then fights the Seleucids for the next four years until he is killed in 161BC. Another brother ofjudah, Simon the Great, takes up the cause and

effectively founds the Hasmonean dynasty. But Simon Maccabeus is murdered by his son-in-law in 134BC and John Hyrcanus, the third son of Simon, who has escaped assassination, takes the throne. He

successfully extends his power for a while, but war with the Seleucids

continues until Antiochus VII is killed fighting the Parthians. John Hyrcanus now has breathing space to strengthen his pos­

ition; he conquers areas of Transjordan, forces the conversion of the Edomites (now called Idumeans), destroys Samaria and takes Galilee.3 His son Aristobulos declares himself King in Jerusalem,

the first time a King has been declared there since 586BC. But the

monarchy is almost as Greek as their enemies, and it is neither stable nor long-lived. Aristobulos murders his mother and brother and dies

overwhelmed by guilt.4 His brother, Alexander Jannaeus, is sadistic and heartless. He attacks his own people, takes on the role of High

Priest and murders or kills over 50,000 of his own countrymen.5

1 See Simon Sebag Montefiore, Jerusalem: The Biography (Phoenix, 2011), p. 62.

2 Ibid, p 65. 3 Ibid, p. 69.

4 Ibid. 5 Ibid, 70.

aDan 11:21-35

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

134

His daughter Salome succeeds him, whereupon her two sons, John Hyrcanus II and Aristobulos II, fight with each other. Weakened

by civil war and with the vestiges of Seleucid power ebbing away in the region, the area is ripe for plucking by the Romans. And in 65BC Pompey arrives in Damascus with Roman legions, being one

of three rampaging Roman generals in the Empire at the time, the others being Julius Caesar and Crassus. Pompey has been given the

mandate to take the East.

The Power of Rome In 67BC, Pompey first takes on the Eastern Mediterranean and North African pirates and defeats them,6 and then he pursues Mithridates,

King of Pontus, defeating him in 65BC. Pompey, according to the historian Sallust, is “honest in face but shameless in heart”.7 He has

accumulated vast wealth from his military campaigns in North Africa and already holds two Triumphs in Rome. In 63 BC Pompey takes

Judea, having ended Seleucid rule in Syria. He entersjerusalem after a three-month siege during which some 12,000 Jews are killed. Then

he goes into the Temple and the Holy of Holies, but takes nothing. “The Jews’ territories were reduced, taxed and brought decisively

under Roman control”.8 Once again, Judea is under Gentile Imperial

control and at the mercy of the vagaries of Roman politics. For the next 15 years Rome is divided between Crassus, Caesar

and Pompey. But in 48BC, after a defeat by Julius Caesar at Pharsalus,

Pompey is murdered by the Ptolomies while going ashore at

Alexandria; and his severed head is later given to Caesar when he arrives in Egypt. Then Crassus, the conqueror of Spartacus and the

slave revolt of 73 BC, comes to Judea en route to attack the Parthians in Persia. He raids the Temple Treasury in Jerusalem, taking 2,000

talents for the campaign.

After his liaison with Cleopatra, Julius Caesar is pinned down by those who oppose her in Egypt. A certain Antipater, the father

of Herod the Great, goes from Jerusalem to Caesars aid with 3,000 men. Caesar triumphs and restores Cleopatra, rewarding Hyrcanus 6 Robin Lane Fox, The Classical World (Allen Lane 2005), p. 355.

7 Montefiore, Jerusalem, p. 71. 8 Robin Lane Fox, The Classical World Allen Lane 2005 p. 355.

IN BETWEEN TIMES

135

with The High Priesthood in Jerusalem and Antipater with the Procurator-ship of Judea. Antipater’s son Herod marries the sur­ viving member of the Maccabees dynasty, Mariamme, (and has a further nine wives).9 Herod, cultured, insecure, good looking, pro­

miscuous and ambitious, has a circuitous route to power. Opposed

by another member of the Maccabees family, Antigonos, who is himself supported by the Parthians, Herod flees from Jerusalem in

40BC to Egypt where he meets Cleopatra. From there he goes to

Rome and is offered the Kingdom ofJudea supported by Octavian and Antony. With Antony’s help, he retakes Jerusalem and takes up residence there with Mariamme, his Maccabean wife. But the

Empire remains in turmoil. Earlier Rome was plunges into civil war again following the

assassination ofJulius Caesar by Brutus and Cassius during the Ides

of March in 44BC. Once more armies rampages through the Empire. Octavian and Mark Antony defeats Cassius and Brutus, at Philippi, in

November 42BC. Antony takes over the Eastern Empire, including

Syria and Judea, while Octavian returns to Italy. Octavian was then

just 21 years old. In 41BC Mark Antony meets Cleopatra in Syria. Antony contin­ ues fighting against the Parthians for some years in the East; but now Octavian, the heir of Julius Caesar, unwilling to share the empire with Mark Antony, comes after both Antony and Cleopatra. Mark

Antony is defeated in the battle of Actium by Octavian and then seeks refuge in Alexandria. Defeated again on land near Alexandria,

Antony and Cleopatra die in her mausoleum from wounds and poison respectively, which is by then besieged by Octavian’s troops, making

perhaps two of the most dramatic deaths in history. Octavian becomes Emperor or Augustus in January 27BC. His authority initiates the Pax Romana. It is during his reign that the

story recounted in the New Testament begins in Luke’s Gospel with

these words: “In those days [possibly 4BC] Caesar Augustus issued

a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was gov­ ernor of Syria. And everyone went to his own town to register”.b

See Montefiore, Jerusalem, p. 524 (Appendix: The Herodians).

bLuke 2:1-3

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

136

A young couple—Joseph, and Mary, who is heavily pregnant, make their way by donkey to Joseph’s ancestral home at Bethlehem. Their

son is to enter a world of great religious fervour mingled with

intense Messianic expectation; a world that he is to confront and

change forever.

The Religious World of First Century Judea Events and religious movements in the previous two hundred

years have especially shaped the religious life ofJudea. Out of the

post-exilic community, which returns from Persia, a new concen­ tration on the Scriptures emerges. The Canon ofjewish Scripture is

being formed, an increasing dispersion ofjews in Greek city states and Persian cities makes for a greater standardisation of scriptural texts. Synagogue worship evolves and Greek culture provides a conduit for

the spread ofjewish ideas. The Temple has been or is being rebuilt

by Herod; and the High Priests, the Priesthood and the Levites have grown in strength and influence in the community. But more than

all of that, the religious movements which provide the context for

Jesus’ ministry are being shaped during the previous 150 years. The

Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Essenes (particularly at the Qumran

community) develop a life of their own. Rabbinic schools exist in Jerusalem, drawing eager students from the dispersion all around

the Greek and then Roman Empire (e.g. the Apostle Paul from Tarsus). Jerusalem is a city of 30,000 ordinary civilians but with a further 25,000 belonging to these varied religious groups.10 When

major festivals like the Passover or Feast of Tabernacles occur, the

population can swell to 200,000 or more. It is undoubtedly an extra­ ordinary community.

The Pharisees have been formed as a movement in the second century BC and are known as the Hasidim: the Separate Ones. Believing that the priests have compromised observation of the

Torah, they withdraw from public life. During the reign of John Hyrcanus (134—104BC), they have growing influence among the people and form a kind of opposition to his rule.11 They strictly

10 See J. Jeremiáš, Jerusalem in the Time ofJesus (SCM 1969), p. 148, 204. 11 Josephus Antiquities 13: 288-300 .

IN BETWEEN TIMES

137

observe the Law, especially the laws of Tithing and the Food Laws. Many of them are Priests. Some, like Nicodemus, are members of the Sanhedrin, others are scribes, and many are drawn from people with more limited training, but who nonetheless are zealous for

the Law.12 Their attitude to Rome is ambivalent: on the one hand

emphasising their separateness and distinctiveness, but on the other appealing to Caesar for direct rule from Rome in preference to that of

the Herodians (Herod the Great and his successors). When it comes to it, they do not support the Jewish rebellion against Rome from

AD66, which is so disastrous for the nation. They are closer to the people than their rivals the Sadducees, less aristocratic or influenced by Greek culture. They are more of a movement for the people by

the people, but very demanding and harsh nonetheless on those who

fail to keep the Law, as Jesus himself points out.c

c Matt 23 and Lk 18:9-14.

In the Gospels, the Pharisees are often linked with the Scribes, highly trained experts in the study of the Law. They have to complete

a period of study of several years, are then ordained, and are called Rabbi. They are the guardians of the traditions of the Law.13 Some Scribes, like Nicodemus, are also Pharisees and members of the

Sanhedrin, the ruling Council in Jerusalem. In later years the Scribes are much given to esoteric teaching as contained in the Apocrypha

or the pseudepigraphal writings, such as Enoch, Esdras and Wisdom. Schools of scribal instruction are founded in Jerusalem, such as those led by Hillel, Shammai and Gamaliel, all with differing interpret­

ations of the Law. These schools have as many as 80 students.14 The

Apostle Paul belongs to the house or school of Gamaliel.4 They are

honoured by the people, often taking the best seats at feasts, and are high up in the religious pecking order. They form the intellectual aristocracy in Jerusalem.15 But like the Pharisees, they are often

criticised by Jesus, though not always. If the Scribes form a religious intellectual elite, the Sadducees

form a social/religious elite that has been close to power for many of the 150 years before the birth of Christ. The origin of the Sadducees

12 See J. Jeremiáš, Jerusalem in the time ofJesus, p. 246ff.

13 Ibid, p. 237. 14 Ibid, p. 243. 15 Ibid, p. 245.

d Acts 22:3

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

>38

is hard to discern. They are most probably a Priestly party with origins in the Zadokite Priesthood, the High Priest in the court

of King David responsible for the anointing of Solomon. They are deeply conservative, keeping the Laws of the Pentateuch without necessarily following the traditions of the Elders.16 Considered to

be the aristocrats of the priestly class with close association to the ruling dynasty of the Hasmoneans, in particular with John Hyrcanus, they lose influence around 76BC under Salome Alexandra when the Pharisees are preferred.17 They believe in free will, do not believe

in resurrection, are against any addition to the Law and never really develop a following amongst the ordinary people. They form part

of the religious landscape ofJerusalem, centred on the Temple and share power with the Scribes and Pharisees in the Sanhedrin (the ruling council of 70 in the city).

In other words, the religious context in Jerusalem is complex. At

the centre ofjerusalem is the worship at the Temple now rebuilt by 'Zech; Lk 1:5

Herod, with around 20,000 priests and Levites divided into sections' devoted to its life and worship. Among these Priests are Scribes,

Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees, according to Josephus,

number 6,000. But there is one more group influential in Israel and these are the Essenes.

The Essenes number around 4,000,18 originating possibly in the second century BC, and are a sect within Israel with decided views

and who are set apart from the general religious life of the nation. They are critical of its religious expressions in many ways, and are

split into further sub-strata, one of which lives as a community at

Qumran by the Dead Sea. The Essenes in general do not recog­ nise the worship at the Temple as authentic, think that the High

Priesthood is corrupt and that association with pagan power fatally

compromises Israel. They regard themselves as being in exile, living in the wilderness, waiting for the redemption of Israel through the

coming of a true King and Priest, a Teacher of Righteousness who will lead the Sons of Light against the Sons of Darkness in war. Then

true worship will be restored, and the right people will rule Israel. In 16 N.T. Wright, The New Testament and the People of God (SPCK, 1992), pp. 209-213.

17 Sebag Montefiore, Jerusalem, p. 70. 18 See N.T. Wright, The New Testament and the People of God SPCK, p. 203.

IN BETWEEN TIMES

the meantime they will be an “advanced guard”, staying at their post

of prayer and piety and writing the Scrolls ofJewish Scripture and an account of their life.19 The Essenes and communities like those at Qumran believe that God has already begun to restore Israel through

their own faithful witness, but more is to come. (Young Palestinian boys discover these Scrolls, the Dead Sea Scrolls, in 1947 in what is a sensational find, confirming the accuracy of the OT scriptures and revealing the beliefs and expectations of this radical sect in Israel.)

By the second century BC, Israel has a diversity of religious expressions and expectations. During the 450 years since the last of the OT prophets, Malachi, the nation has struggled to survive under various Gentile rulers, firstly Persian, then Greek and finally Roman.

Following the rebellion ofjudas Maccabeus, a Jewish monarchy and

theocracy is briefly established, but by 63AD the nation is firmly

under the heel of the Romans. The literature of this period is a mixture of Wisdom, Apocalyptic writings and history, and it is put

together in the Apocrypha or the Pseudepigrapha, but underlying all these events and their record in the Apocrypha is the hope that the righteous in Israel will once again shine like the sun in the Kingdom

of God. Only one figure can inaugurate and fulfil the hopes of Israel and he is the Messiah. There are many who are waiting in Israel

to see his day.

Just as in the two centuries before the birth of Christ there is a diversity of religious groups in Israel, so also there are diverse expect­ ations of the Messiah: that is, what kind of a figure he will be and what he will come to do. But the longer Israel lives in a kind of exile

under foreign powers, the more the expectation grows that a liberator will come who will take Israel out of her exile into a God-given

future. Modern scholarship has made it abundantly clear that there

is no single “man in the street” messianic expectation among first

century Jews.20 Sometimes these expectations are linked to a populist leader like Judas the Galilean (6AD) or, as we have seen, there is the

expectation amongst the Essenes, and in particular in the Qumran

community, that the Messiah will be a “Teacher of Righteousness”21 19 Ibid, pp. 206-7. 20 Ibid, p. 307.

21 Ibid, p. 310.

139

140

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART I

The expectation is that he will be a royal figure fulfilling the biblical prophesies: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse: from

his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest fIsa 11:1-5 gPs 61:2a; Mic 4:13

upon him”;f “From the ends of the earth I call to you”.g He will be greater than Solomon and David, and will rebuild the Temple. He is related to the picture of the Son of Man in Daniel 8 and 9 and to another apocalyptic figure taken from 4 Ezra in the Apocrypha.

These then are some of the building blocks for Messianic expect­

ation, but they are not formed into a detailed picture; rather they are a loose association of ideas like currents shifted by the political circumstances of the nation. What no one seems to discern is that

the Messiah might combine the figure of the glorious Son of Man figure in Daniel with the poignant picture of the Suffering Servant in Second Isaiah. The idea of the Son of Man suffering degradation and execution at the hands of the power he had purportedly come

to overthrow is a scandal none will entertain.

But by 4BC in Jerusalem, in the Temple and in the Judean countryside, a number of Spirit-inspired events and prophecies come about which are to give the beginnings of a new God-given stamp

to the identity and calling of the Messiah: a new age is dawning.

PART II

THE NEW TESTAMENT

Chapter 10

JESUS OF NAZARETH: ONE LIFE, FOUR ACCOUNTS

esus is born in Bethlehem in either 4 or 5BC, the eldest son of

J

a carpenter of the line of David called Joseph. His mother was

called Mary. The conception of the child was unique, as we shall hear. Herod the Great, the King in whose reign Jesus was born,3

“Matt 2:1

has succeeded his Father, Antipater, who had himself been made

Procurator ofjudea in 47BC by Julius Caesar. Herod the Great ruled from 40—4BC. He was at the end of his reign when Jesus is born, and, in a desperate bid to eliminate all pretenders to the Jewish throne,

he ordered the slaughter of all babies in Bethlehem under the age of twob, for he suspected there was a pretender to the Jewish throne.

b Matt 2:16-18

The reason was that Herod had heard from some Magi (astronomers from the East), who have followed a star, believing that a king was

to be born in Bethlehem. They say to Herod, “We saw his star in the East and have come to worship him”.c

'Matt 2:2

One king was dying but another king was rising. Herod was

determined to kill off such a possibility by having all infants under the age of two killed. But Joseph, warned by an angel in a dream,d

dMatt 2:13

took Mary and the infant Jesus from the danger zone of Bethlehem to Egypt, until the storm had passed?’ Then they returned to Nazareth

in Galilee/The life ofJesus of Nazareth can now develop; but only his parents could have guessed, from their various angelic visitations

'Matt 2:19-20

2 23

and from one or two Messiah-watchers in the Temple like Simeon and Anna,g of the world-changing significance of his life.

Although JesusTife was recalled by the Jewish historian Josephus in his Antiquities,1 and the existence of his followers or Christians was recorded in the works of Roman authors like Tacitus and Pliny, the substance of the Jesus-story is found in the Gospels. The study

1 Josephus, Antiquities, trans. L Feldman, Loeb Classical Library Vol. IX 1965 18:3:3

I.63.

BLk 2:25; 36

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

144

of the Gospels is the only method of discovering the reality ofJesus’

life and its significance for humanity. It is no surprise that they have been, therefore, subject to intense scrutiny through the generations to see exactly what can be gleaned from their accounts about the

Jesus whom they both recall and proclaim. Over time this quest took on its own name, or Biblical discipline, and was called The quest for

the historical Jesus. Before looking at each of the Gospel accounts

and what in particular they tell us about Jesus, we must first briefly chronicle the nature of this quest and where it has got to.2

The Gospels themselves are written in Greek, the language in which the early Christians read them from the end of the first century AD onwards. But by the fifth century AD the Western World mostly

read them, if it read the Gospels at all, in Latin, in what came to be

called the Vulgate, a translation begun by the linguist Jerome from

382AD under commission from the Pope. Increasingly, the institution

of the church controlled the spread of the text to the ordinary man so that very few had access to the scriptures, and in England, for instance, only copies of the Bible licensed by the church could be

read. This continued until the Reformation, when in the 1520s, first Luther and then Tyndale, among others, translated the scriptures into

German and English. So pressing was the need for understanding the benefits of scripture, understanding the way in which the Gospels came to be written was not investigated. The underlying question of how

we may get to the real Jesus in the text of the Gospels only became an urgent issue during the European Enlightenment. Reason and research set to work on the text of the Bible to try and unearth the

original Jesus. Like picture restorers, scholars sought to uncover the original Jesus under what some considered to be either the beau­ tifying or the distorting varnish of the church. But the result was

not what those early biblical scholars supposed; the result was both more exciting and more enriching. The rise of the critical movement began with Reimarus

(1694—1768) who sought to discredit Christianity by showing that the Gospels presented a Jesus based on fantasy.3 Later attempts to 2 For a full description of this quest of reasonable length and lucidity see N.T. Wright,

Jesus and the Victory of God, pp. i—144. 3 Ibid, p. 16.

JESUS OF NAZARETH: ONE LIFE, FOUR ACCOUNTS

MS

demythologise Christianity by the German D.F Strauss, in his Life

ofJesus (1835), sought to present Jesus as a moralising rationalist, devoid of true supernatural power, something Strauss argued had been dreamt up by the church. Later Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965)

showed Jesus to be an apocalyptic preacher and in his own personal

life he followed the principle of “respect for life” , but he did not take this up in his scholarly work in the quest for the historical Jesus?

Here was a clear break with the rationalising of past Enlightenment

scholars, with their attempt to make Jesus just a “timeless teacher of eternal verities”,4 as well as a real attempt to understand Jesus on his

own terms: as the Jewish Messiah. But the quest for the historical Jesus was not so swiftly resolved.

In 1926 Rudolf Bultmann took the view that the historical Jesus could not be rediscovered from the Gospels. All we could hope to

discover was the way in which the church saw Jesus, and a parallel

quest was needed to discover what events were the main drivers

(the kerygma) of the early church . In effect, we now had a double

quest: one to discover the historical Jesus and the other to discover the content of the faith of the early church, and how the two were connected. Bultmann used the tools ofform-criticism, whereby he

sought to show that many of the pericopes or incidents in the Gospels were faith-statements of the church and not actual records of what

truly happened. These “forms” he said were pre-existing stories formed by the church and carried into the stream of its faith life

firstly by an oral and then a written tradition. However , Martin Dibelius ,writing at the same time as Bultmann, did not conclude that a study of the “forms” involved us in passing judgement on the

historical veracity of the pericope.

Since Bultmann worked from a worldview that discounted the supernatural, and so for him all miracles were myths (i.e. faith sto­

ries with no historical reality), he dismissed as unhistorical such stories from the narrative of the Gospel. But contemporaries like

Pannenberg insisted that there was an objectivity in the story which had passed into the self-understanding of the author for which an

explanation must be sought. The high water mark of such scepticism

4 Ibid, p 20.

hJn 21:25

146

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

had now been reached and Bultmann’s pupil, Ernst Kasemann, began in 1953 a less traducing or denigrating quest in which it was believed that the real Jesus might be re-sought.

This precipitated the “New Quest”, focussed on the so-called Jesus Seminar of 1985, which sought the original sayings of Jesus and also looked more widely at the Gnostic Gospels,5 and later what might be called the Third Quest. The Third Quest went back to

Schweitzer and the attempt to understand Jesus in the context of

Jewish expectations and the way he both fulfilled and embodied these expectations as well as altered them, thus beginning a new

world order. What Jesus aimed to do was to fulfil the worship of the Temple; describe the nature of the Kingdom; throw open the

Kingdom through the Cross and Resurrection; and empower a community for the task of making known this offer to the world.6 But we have yet to identify the tools of understanding or biblical

criticism by which the secrets of the Gospels can be opened up.

The Gospels are particular types of literature, drawn from a num­ ber of sources in which material is redacted (assembled or edited)

by each Gospel writer in order to meet the overall purpose of that particular Gospel, through the shaping of already existing material or forms. The nearest form of literature to the Gospel is a biography,

similar to a Greco-Roman popular biography. At the same time,

the Gospels are markedly different from modern biographies as they are not narratives of the whole ofJesus’ life, but rather focus on the

three years of his ministry and the final week of his earthly life. The

material they draw on existed within the faith community of the

early church, but was edited or redacted by a writer with a particu­ lar audience in mind, and with a particular way of presenting his material. Each Gospel is therefore a selective account of the life and

work ofJesus, and John himself makes this abundantly clear when

he writes, “Jesus did many other things as well, if everyone of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not ■Jn 21:25

have room for the books that would be written”.1 Form Critics saw

5 Ibid, p. 29ff. 6 Ibid, p. 105.

JESUS OF NAZARETH: ONE LIFE, FOUR ACCOUNTS

the gospels as collections of traditions about Jesus’ life and teaching that emerged from the life of the earliest Christian communities,

rather than being the work of individual creative writers.7 They

also saw the Gospels as the primary way in which the kerygma or salvation events ofJesus’ life would be presented and proclaimed to the world. The Gospels were also liturgical resource books, training

manuals and church discipline manuals. In other words, the Gospels were multi-functional.

In the early part of the twentieth century, biblical scholars began to isolate different sources or building blocks of the Gospels. In particular, the synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke had much common material, as well as some differing material. Since

most of Mark’s gospel was found in both Matthew and Luke, it was natural to suppose that Mark was written before the other two and was incorporated into the schemes of these two writers. Indeed Papias, an early church leader in Hierapolis near Laodicea, tells us that

Mark’s account was largely based on the recollections of the Apostle Peter.8 Since there is more shared material outside of Mark, in both Matthew and Luke, this led to the conclusion that there was another

common source called Q (short for Quelle in German), meaning

“source”. This source may have been a written or oral tradition. Within the Q source there seems to have been a combination of the

Baptism narrative, the teaching of Jesus and some healing stories.

Finally, both Matthew and Luke had access to other independent sources, giving both their Gospels unique material. In other words, each of the Synoptic Gospels have at least three sources, Mark, Q

and their own independent source. Finally, John was able to draw on quite distinct traditions from his own experience and research. John is the clearest example of a Gospel writer wanting to fashion

material to a particular end, and, while knowing of the existence

of the Synoptic Gospels, wrote “a spiritual Gospel” (see Clement of Alexandria) for the Hellenised Jews in the dispersion, who were

facing the first winds of Gnosticism at the end of the first century

7 See John Drane, New Testament Introduction (Lion Hudson, 1986), p. 169. 8 Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, tr. Williamson III.39.15 (Penguin 1989).

>47

148

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

AD. It is time to look at the varied nature of the Gospels beginning

with Mark.

Mark’s Gospel: The Gospel of the Messianic King As stated by both Bishop Clement of Rome and Irenaeus, Mark or John Mark wrote his Gospel in Rome. He had been a companion

of the Apostle Paul and was a friend and relation of Barnabas from

Cyprus. But he fell out with Paul for a time when he deserted

Paul during the first missionary journey. Later they overcame their differences and John Mark was re-instated as one of Paul’s close JA«s 13:13; Col 4:10; Phil 24:2; 2 Tim 4:11

companions.! However, Mark may well have appeared in scripture in his own Gospel, recorded as the young man who fled naked at

kMk 14:51

the arrest of Jesus in Gethsemane? In which case, though not an

Apostle himself, he is closely related to the early disciples and has himself a firsthand knowledge ofJesus’ life and ministry, especially

in its final weeks in Jerusalem. 'i Pet 5:13

Later in his life, John Mark was a companion of the Apostle Peter1 in Rome, from whom he gleans many of the stories and recollections recorded in the Gospel, and it may have been that it was during this

stay in Rome that the Gospel was written c. 65AD. Later tradition suggests that Mark preached the Gospel in Alexandria in Egypt and started the church there, and died while living there. Much later leg­

end has it that the Venetians stole his body from Alexandria and built St Marks, Venice, around it, to enhance the importance of that city.

(There was precedent for that: Ptolemy, one of the Generals under Alexander the Great, requisitioned Alexander’s body and re-interred

it in Alexandria to give the city greater significance. It appears that stealing prestigious bodies was not uncommon in the ancient world.) Written in Rome, the capital of the Empire, in common Koine

Greek, the lingua franca of the Empire, and in a racy and engaging style, the Gospel sets out to demonstrate that there is only one Lord and King, not Caesar, but Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Christ and

Son of God. This is the argument of the Gospel, proceeding from

faith but seeking also to demonstrate the evidence for this belief in a Gospel built on firsthand accounts. Christians in Rome, were made the culprits for the great fire in the City in 64AD and were subject

to persecution by Nero.

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The Gospel was a chance to explain to the population of Rome, and to the inhabitants of the empire, who this Christ really was and what Christians really believed.9 It does so in a clear, lucid and compelling way. Mark’s Gospel is urgent from the outset: “The beginning of

the gospel [good news preached] about Jesus Christ, the Son of

God”.m There is no holding back here; it is a proclamation from

mMk 1:1

the beginning. Jesus is baptised by the John the Baptist who bears

witness to him. At Jesus’baptism the assurance of the Father (“You are my Son whom I love, with you I am well pleased”)," combines

nMk 1:11

with the power of the Spirit which descends on him like a dove, and his own willing obedience, in order to equip him for the testing and mission ahead. The Gospel then proceeds to demonstrate two things: who Jesus is and what he has come to do. The first eight chapters concentrate on posing the question,

“Who is Jesus of Nazareth?"“ The basis for answering this question

°Mk 8:29; 4:44

is what Jesus does: his teaching with authority, so that transfor­ mation occurs (“a new authority”1’); his healing of the sick;q his

his commanding of nature or the created order;' and his teaching

pMk 1:27 qMk 1:33-4; 2:iff rMk 3:2off; 5:iff 'Mk s:2iff ' Mk 4:5ff; 6:3off

of the crowd and answering his opponents’ hostile questions." It is

uMk 2:i8f; 4:1-33

overcoming of the Devil and all his agents;r his raising of the dead;s

on the basis of all these things that Jesus asks the question, “Who do

people say that I am?”* The watershed is when Peter replies; “You

v Mk 8:27ff

are the Christ”." Here is the Jewish answer to the identity ofJesus

wMk 8:29

of Nazareth; later in the Gospel,from the lips of a Roman Gentile Centurion, another confession will come.' To the Jew, he is Messiah;

xMk 15:38

to the Gentile, he is the Son of God; to the world, he is the King of

a coming Kingdom. This was what Mark proclaims from the centre

of the Empire in Rome. If the first part of Mark’s Gospel is about who Jesus is, the second

part is what has he come to do? As soon as Peter correctly identifies

Jesus as the Messiah, “You are the Christ”,7 Jesus goes on to explain

yMk 8:29b

his forthcoming death, “The Son of Man must suffer many things

and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and...he must be killed and after three days rise again”.z Although

9 Robin Griffith -Jones, The Four Witnesses (HarperOne 2001), p.jSff.

2Mk 8:31

15°

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

“Mk 8:32

Peter will have none of this, Jesus rebukes him.” Peter does not

have in mind “the things of God”; he is looking at the advent of the Messiah from a purely worldly perspective of triumph without

suffering. But Jesus comes as a suffering Messiah, and his followers,

Mark reminds the church under pressure in Rome and elsewhere, ,bMk 8:34-35

will suffer too.ab

This revelatory starting point thatjesus of Nazareth is the Messiah and the Son of Man who will his give his life for the ransom of “ Mk 10:45

manyac is further developed in the remaining chapters of the Gospel. Jesus’ majesty and status is revealed to the inner three of the disci­

ad Mk 9:2-12

ples in the Transfiguration.’0 His mission of dying and rising from the

aeMk 9:9-13

dead is likewise explained to Peter, James and John.ae And after only

afMk 9:14-32

a brief amount of teaching about discipleship (prayer and fasting;af

agMk 9:33-37 ah Mk 9: 42-50 "Mk 10:1-10 aJMk 10:17-31

becoming as trusting as little children;’8 responsibility;’1’ divorce;’’

‘‘Mk 10:35-45 Mk 10:32-34 amMk 11:1-11

riches and rewards;’! and supremely, the call to serve) ,’k Jesus once

again re-iterates his forthcoming sacrificial death and resurrection.’1 Then, in Mark 11, we begin the final days of Jesus’ ministry with

the triumphant procession into Jerusalem.”” He clears the Temple,

implicitly demonstrating that he is the fulfilment of all the Temple stood for and at the same time judging its failure to be what it

should be: a house of prayer for all nations.10 Then, after answering anMk I2:i3ff aoMk 12:18-27 apMk 12:28-34 aqMk 13:1-36

a number of test questions about taxes,’” the resurrection,’“ and the greatest commandment,ap Jesus teaches jointly about the end times

and the destruction ofJerusalem in AD 70.aq

The time for his arrest and passion has come. After being anointed in Bethany by a woman in Simon the Leper’s house (it is Mary the arMk 12:1-8

sister of Martha who does this in John’s Gospel),’r Jesus re-enters

a'Mk 14:12-26

Jerusalem, celebrates the Last Supper,’5 is arrested, tried and crucified. As in the other Gospels, the emphasis is on Jesus being tried

and crucified for being the King of the Jews. Pilate asks, “Do you

want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” and when they cry “Crucify him”, Pilate asks: “What shall I do then, with the one you atMk 15:9; 15:12

call the King of the Jews?’”' Christ the King is to be crucified and

above his head, on the cross, is attached the notice “THE KING

10 Mark 11:17 & Isaiah 56:7. Interestingly this is taken from III Isaiah and the renewed call to be a nation for all peoples.

JESUS OF NAZARETH: ONE LIFE, FOUR ACCOUNTS

I5I

OF THE JEWS’’.311 While hanging on the cross, Jesus is mocked as

auMk 15:25

a powerless King,3V but he did not come to rescue himself, rather

avMk 15:32

others through his death. Mark recalls Jesus’cry of dereliction, “Eloi Eloi, lama sabacthani” which means “My God, My God, why have you

forsaken me?’’'' Jesus soon breathes his last and during a final loud

awMk 15:34; Ps 22:1

cry, the curtain in the Temple—shielding the Holy of Holies from

the rest of the sanctuary—is torn from top to bottom. The presence

of God is thrown open to all by this dying King. The Temple (now Christ himself), is a meeting place for all nations. Finally, the Gentile

centurion himself cries out, “Truly this man was the Son of God”.

The Gospel, as we have it, apart from the later addition of the longer ending,331 ends abruptly. The empty tomb is recorded.3y An

angel tells the disciples that Jesus has risen.32 “He has risen! He is

axMk 16:9-19 ayMk 16:4 a2Mk 16:6

not here!” The sudden ending could be because a further ending has

been lost. Or it could be because it continues the note of secrecy so loved by Mark in the Gospel (e.g. the disciples do not fully compre­

hend Jesus’ meaning),11 or it could be that it is a dramatic ending, in keeping with the Greek idea of drama in which a denouement or resolution follows a tragedy confronted by the hero. However brief

the ending, Mark makes it clear that the King is alive, death cannot hold him. The witness of the church must now take forward the

message of the Gospel.

Matthew’s Gospel: The Gospel of Fulfilment The Gospel of Matthew is traditionally thought to have been writ­ ten by the tax collector and Apostle Matthew, who was called by

Jesus from his tax collectors booth?3 This was first stated by Papias,

Bishop of Hieraplois, who wrote, “Matthew compiled the oracles in the Hebrew dialect, everyone translated them as best he could”.12

But it is a statement replete with complications and ambiguities.13

“Papias’ evidence, then, proves a shaky foundation for belief of the church Fathers that the First Gospel was written by Matthew”.14 Among modern scholars there is some doubt about Matthew the tax

11 Drane, New Testament Introduction, p. 200.

12 Eusebius H.E.iii.39.16. 13 R.T. France, Matthew, TNTC IVP 2008, p. 33. 14 Ibid, p. 34.

ba Matt 9:9-13

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collector’s authorship, since why would an Apostle such as Matthew,

with so many of his own memories and insights, be so reliant on Mark, most of whose Gospel he includes in his own? Roughly 45 percent of Matthew’s Gospel is found in similar form in Mark, and

in a similar order, a further 20 percent or so is shared with Luke,

suggesting a further common source (commonly called “Q”). This means that about 35 percent of the Gospel is unique to Matthew, although the editing of the other material, and how it is integrated

into his overall scheme, proceeds from his own purpose and theology.

The Gospel is thought to have been written around 80AD, some ten years after the destruction ofJerusalem, in the city of Antioch,

one of the great cities of the Roman world, where followers ofjesus

were first called Christians. It was written, it seems, for a Jewish Christian community (hence the phrase Kingdom of Heaven rather than Kingdom of God, as Jews never used the holy name of God)

and, as such, almost exhaustively demonstrates the life ofjesus to

be the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets. First and foremost, it is a Gospel in this sense of fulfilment—hence its placement by the

early church first in the New Testament—but it also has universal bbMatt 28: 16-20

overtones, for it is a Gospel for all nations.bb It is a gospel for all nations and it is to be preached to all nations. It is also written both

for the disciple and for the church community, with large sections of

teaching on how to follow Jesus, as well as teaching about conduct

and discipline in the church. In that sense it is both evangelistic lit­ erature and a handbook for the life of the disciple and the ordering

of the church community.

The Gospel has been very usefully divided into five parts by the scholar B.W. Bacon. These five parts parallel the five books

of the Pentateuch and each part ends, “When Jesus had finished Matt 1:1-2:23 1x1 Matt 3:1-7:29

these things”. After the Introduction1* we have Book Ibd, entitled

Discipleship, with a focus in chapters 3 and 4 on the narrative, and in chapters 5—7, a discourse on discipleship (the Sermon on the Mount).

^Matt 8:1-11:1

Book IIbe concentrates on discipleship and leadership, likewise with

a focus on narrative (Matthew 8-9) and then teaching or discourse (Matthew 10), which records the instruction given to the twelve bfMatt 11.-13:53

for their mission. Book IIIbf concentrates on the revelation of the

bgMatt 11:1

Kingdom through Jesus’ teaching in the towns and villages ofGalileebg

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and their responses. The following teaching section is in parables and explains growth in the Kingdom of God.bh Book IVbl concentrates on the administration of the church. The narrative sectionbj records

bhMatt 13 bl Matt 13:54-19:13 bjMatt 13:53-17:27

further responses to Jesus’ ministry and then teaching1* on order,

bkMatt 18:1-19:1

discipline and worship. Book Vbl includes a narrative of controversies

blMatt i9:ib-26:2

in Jerusalem beginning with one on divorcebm and proceeds with

bmMatt 19: iff

others until the culmination of Jesus’ seven woes on the Pharisees and their teachingbn and his own substantial apocalyptic teaching.bo

The epilogue or climax to the story is the account of the passion, crucifixion and resurrection ofJesusbp and the commission to take

bn Matt 23 1,0 Matt 24:1-26:2 bp Matt 26:2; 18:20

this message to the entire world. There is no doubt that in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is the fulfilment

of all that is promised in the Old Testament. Ten times in Matthew we have the formula “this was to fulfil (or “then was fulfilled”) what was spoken by the prophet....” after which comes a quotation from the prophet.1’ Throughout the Gospel, Jesus is the Christ, the Son of

David, an anointed and national leader who in the eyes of the Jews

will restore Israel.15 16 He is portrayed as the Son of Man, Jesus’ most common name for himself, which, in the way he unusually uses it,

depicts his glory and triumph, his humiliation and suffering.bq He

1x1 Dan 7:14; Matt 8:20; 9:6

is portrayed as the King. Undoubtedly, for Matthew he is the true

King.17 From the outset, when the Wise Men come looking for a

King heralded by his star in the East,br until his crucifixion, when

br Matt 2:2

the charge “THIS IS JESUS KING OF THEJEWS is placed above

his head,bs Jesus is depicted as a King.

bs Matt 27:37

Lastly, and mostly on the lips of others, he is called Son of God. Whereas Jesus will call himself the Son of Man, others may

refer to him as the Son of God, whether it be his Father,bt Satan,bu

demons,bv or the Jewish leaders.bw But eventually his disciples, in

their growing conviction of who he is,bx along with others, such as the centurion,by confess him also as the Son of God. But whatever

b‘Matt 3:17; 17:5 bu Matt 4:3, 6 bvMatt 8:29 bwMatt 26:63; 27:40, 4x3Matt 14:33; 16:16-17 by Matt 27:54

conviction of Jesus’ status and majesty is conveyed by these titles,

Matthew delights to recall the he is with us: he is Immanuelbz and

15 The references are Matthew 1:22-23; 2:I5J 2:17-18; 2:23; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21;

21:4-5; 27:9-10 (see R.T. France, Matthew IVP 2008, p.42. 16 Luke 24: 21 provides a good description ofJewish expectation. 17 See R.T. France, Matthew IVP 2008 p. 48.

bzMatt 1:23b

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“Matt 28:20

will be “with us” until the end of the ageca—almost the very final

words of the Gospel—surely that is a summary of the good news.

Luke: Gospel for the Outsider Luke wrote the third Gospel. Although the Gospel is written anon­ ymously, as with the other three, it is possible to work out who the

author is from the internal evidence of the New Testament itself. cbLk 1:3; Acts 1:1

Clearly from the ascription of Luke and Acts (i.e. to Theophilus,cb) and from the common style, they are written by the same person.

In Acts the author identifies himself as a companion of Paul’s with ccActs 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16

the famous “we” passages.“ This companion is identified as a doctor by Paul who refers to Luke in Colossians 4:14, Philemon 24 and 2

Timothy 4:11. Luke’s Gospel appears to be more aware of medical issues and less harsh on doctors.18 For all these reasons and the corroboration of the early Fathers, such as Irenaeus, Clement of

Alexandria, Origen, Tertullian and the historian Eusebius, Luke is held to be the author of the third Gospel and Acts. Like Matthew,

he may well have come from or been based at Antioch. He accom­

panied Paul on the second part of his second missionary journey

when he went to Europe, and then on Pauls final journey to Rome cd Col 4:14

where he stayed with him during his imprisonment.cd

There is no certainty about when the Gospel was written, but it was probably between 65AD and 80AD. There is no mention of, and little reference to, the destruction ofJerusalem (70AD), but it was probably written after the execution or death of Paul (around 65AD). It has also been suggested that during Paul’s lengthy custody

at Caesarea and before his transfer by ship to Rome, Luke assembled much of the material for his Gospel. Like Matthew, he too used

Mark as a source, shared a common source with Matthew, commonly

called Q, but did not know of the existence of Matthew. For surely as a conscientious historian he would have included some of his material. Instead, he appears to have had another source close to Mary (see the infancy narratives) as well as a collection of parables,

miracles and sayings ofjesus not used or known by the other Gospel writers. In particular, of the 23 parables used by Luke, all but five 18 Compare Mark 5:26 with Luke 8:43.

JESUS OF NAZARETH: ONE LIFE, FOUR ACCOUNTS

■55

are peculiar to him, notably the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and the Pharisee and the Publican. Without Luke we would not

have had any of these very significant parables. Lukes Gospel, like the others, is distinctive. If Mark’s is written in Rome to proclaim a new King and Kingdom, and Matthews

is to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messianic King inaugurating the

Kingdom of Heaven and to show how Jesus fulfilled all that the

Law and the Prophets promised, Luke’s Gospel has a focus on world mission and is, par excellence, the Gospel for the outsider. It is written

by a Gentile for the world. It is always important to remember when thinking of the Gospel

of Luke that it is part of a two-volume work intended for a Roman official called Theophilus,ce who was either a God-fearer (see Acts

“Lk 1:3; Acts 1:1

10: 2 — meaning he was a seeker after God and lived a devout life))

or a Christian himself. As Luke writes in his prologue to the Gospel, he has made a careful investigation of the eyewitness accounts of Jesus and has put them together in an “orderly account”.cf Luke gives

rfLk 1:3

us a well-researched, historically sophisticated and stylishly written account. Luke’s second volume, which we know as Acts, is an account of what Jesus will now do through his church. The Gospel is about

what Jesus “began to do”,cg but now in Acts, the inference is that

C8Acts 1:1

Jesus continues to teach and act through his church by the Spirit.

The unifying power between the works and teaching of Jesus recorded in the Gospel and the works and teaching ofjesus through

the church in Acts is the Holy Spirit. He was very active during the

conception, birth and inauguration ofjesus’ ministry at his Baptisin'* and likewise at the birth of the church.0 What was promised at Jesus’

baptism by John the Baptist,^ i.e. that Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire, is fulfilled at Pentecost, and so the church is

equipped for mission, to carry forward the words and works ofjesus.

If the Gospel of Luke is a description of the mission ofjesus empowered by the Spirit (like Matthew’s in this respect, but with

less of a Jewish focus), it is especially directed at the outsider: the poor, the marginalised, the foreigner or Gentile, the sinner and

the woman.19 The shape of the ministry ofjesus in the Gospel 19 See Patrick Whitworth, The Gospel of the Outsider (Sacristy Press, 2014).

chLk 1:15, 35, 41; 3:16b, 22; 4:1 0 Lk 24:49; Acts 1:4-5 cj Lk 3:16b

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is described in the Nazareth manifesto and by the all important

quotations of Isaiah 61:1-2, which Jesus reads in his hometown syn­ agogue: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed

me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim

freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to ck Lk 4:17—19

release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” .ck To this end, even from his birth, it is the dirty and despised shep­

dLk2:8ff

herds who visit the infant Christ.cl It is by a sinful woman that Jesus

cm Lk 7:36-50

is anointed in Simon’s house/"' The Good Samaritan, a despised

non-Jew, is the one who rescues the traveller who is robbed and ™Lk 10:25-37

left for dead by the side of the road.cn Jesus is upbraided by the

“Lk 15:1-2

Pharisees for mixing with tax collectors and sinners.“ The Prodigal

Son is welcomed home by a generous and compassionate Father ťpLk 15: 11-31

cqLk 18:1-8 "Lk 18:9-14

who runs to greet him/p The persistent widow is rewarded/9 The

tax collector who begs God for mercy and not the Pharisee who

fasts and tithes religiously, goes home justified.cr The rapacious tax collector Zacchaeaus is sought out by Jesus up his tree and forgiven

"Lk 19:1-10

with radical results.“ Jesus is on the side of Lazarus, the beggar at

“Lk 16:19-31

the gate of Dives, the rich man“ The widow, Jesus points out, puts more into the Temple treasury than all the donors that day put

“Lk 21:1-4

together/“ And in culmination, a crucified robber, who says almost

with his dying breath, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom” is told by the dying saviour beside him “I tell you the " Lk 23:42-43

truth, today you will be with me in paradise”.cv The final irony

of the Gospel is that Jesus appears as an outsider to two disciples walking to Emmaus until they recognize him in the breaking of bread and realise the outsider is really the King, the Lord, and "Lk 24:13-35

the victor over death and sin.cw For Luke is the universal Gospel (good news) for the outsider. And the one who is regarded as an outsider by Clopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus turns

out to be the King of all!

John: the Gospel of the Word Made Flesh Once again there is no direct attribution of the fourth Gospel to

John, the brother of James and son of Zebedee, called by Jesus to "Matt 3:21—22

follow him as an Apostle/* The attribution was made by one of the

early church Fathers. Irenaeus of Lyons, who writes that the Beloved

JESUS OF NAZARETH: ONE LIFE, FOUR ACCOUNTS

Disciple mentioned in the Gospelcy was the author20 most probably

157

cyJn 13:23; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20

received this from Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna (69—155AD), who

had himself met John in old age when he was living at Ephesus.

Irenaeus says that “John, the disciple of the Lord, the one who

leaned back on the Lord s breast, himself published a Gospel while he resided at Ephesus”.21 Clement of Alexandria tells us, “Last of

all, John perceiving that the external facts had been made plain in the Gospels, being urged by friends and inspired by the Spirit,

composed a spiritual Gospel”.22 This “spiritual Gospel”, although covering the life of the same Jesus of Nazareth, does so in a very different way from the three synoptic Gospels. It is more reflective

in nature, more selective in its presentation and much more symbolic in its use of language. John is clear about the purpose of the Gospel, which is stated

as being “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son

of God, and that by believing you might have life in his name”.“

czJn 20:31

Belief leading to the gift of eternal life is very much at the heart and purpose of the Gospel. If it was written in Ephesus amongst

the Jewish dispersion and in a largely Gentile Greek-cultured city,

then it is directed at Jews and Gentiles who were both becoming influenced by the growing incipient Gnostic heresy and movement. Gnostics maintained that God was known by mystic knowledge and

understanding, given by secret illumination (gnosis). The Gnostics also believed that God could not become human without being corrupted by human flesh and that therefore Jesus did not really come in the

flesh—he only seemed to do so.da If this is the context in which John

1 Jn 4:2

was writing towards the end of the first century, maybe even after

his exile on Patmos, where he received the vision called Revelation, then it would amply explain the opening prologue.

The Gospel may be divided as follows: the Prologue;db the book

dbJn 1:1—18

of the signs or the Revelation of the Word to the world;dc the

dcJn 1:19-12:50

revelation of the Word to the disciples;dd the glorification of the

'“Jn 13-17

Word for the worldde and the Epilogue.df Each is a very carefully

d'Jn 18-21 dfJn 22

constructed piece, designed to show the authority and power of the 20 See Irenaeus, Against Heresies (AH), 2.22.5.

21 Irenaeus, Against Heresies AH , 3.1.1.

22 See Patrick Whitworth, Word from the Throne, Shanghai 2011, p 17.

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Word-made-flesh through belief in whom eternal life may be received. To the Hellenised Jews in the Diaspora, John announces that the controlling principle oflife, the logos, through whom everything was

made, took on flesh to reveal the very nature of God. John, who

lived closely with Jesus for three years, said, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of *Jn 1:14

grace and truth”.dg He goes on to say that “the Law came through

'"’Jn 1:17

Moses: grace and truth came through Jesus Christ”.dh

If the Prologue is designed to proclaim the incarnation of the

Word made flesh {logos was a familiar term to the Greeks, but with John it is now imbued with the Hebrew concept of a living and

active word that brings about what is spoken), the next twelve chapters demonstrate what this means. John carefully constructs this section of the Gospel around six signs, with a seventh that d,Jn 21:1-14

concludes it, the great catch of fish after the resurrection/1 The signs begin with the miracle or sign of turning water into wine

at the wedding at Cana (symbolising the New Covenant flowing djJn 2:1-11

into a spent and exhausted Old Covenant).dj Others swiftly fol­

dk In 443-54 aJn 5:1-14 “"■Jn 6:1-15

low: the healing of the official’s son,dk the healing at the pool,41

d,,Jn 9:1-41

blind/" and finally the raising of Lazarus.do Interspersed between

d°Jn 11:1-44

the feeding of the five thousand/"1 the healing of the man born these signs are long discourses with individuals like Nicodemus

and the woman at the well, as well as fierce arguments about Jesus’ *Jn 5:16-47; 7:25-44

identity with the Jews around the Feasts in Jerusalem/11 These

discourses show Jesus as the fulfilment of what was promised by d,Jn 5:46 *Jn 8:39-42, 58 *Jn 5:39-40

Mosesdq and Abrahamdr: the one who gives life/s who speaks the words and does the works given him by the Father. But, from

early on in the Gospel, Jesus indicates that he must die to bring d,jn 3:14, 16

the salvation he is destined to bring/1 After these signs, the great I am sayings and the discourses, the Gospel turns to the fulfilment of Jesus’ redemptive destiny—to be the Lamb of God that takes

duJn 1:29

away the sin of the world/“

In chapters 13—17, Jesus further reveals his purpose and identity to the disciples in the Upper Room: the Word is revealed to the

disciples. He demonstrates his servant ministry, although Lord and “’Jn 13:14

Teacher, by washing the disciples’ feet.dv He comforts the disciples

dwJn 14:16

before leaving them, promising the Holy Spirit.dw He describes the

JESUS OF NAZARETH: ONE LIFE, FOUR ACCOUNTS

159

intimacy of Father, Son and Spirit and their desire to come and make

their home in the believer.dx Jesus is the Vine, the symbol of Israel

“’Jn 14:23

painted on the Temple walls to which his disciples are joined by

fruitful abiding/7 Jesus promises that the disciples’ grief at his being

“jn 15:4

taken from them will be turned to joy and then he prays for unity and consecration to the truth for them and all future believers.02 After

Un 17:1—26

his deep and profound conversation with the disciples, starting in the Upper Room and concluding in the Temple area, Jesus goes to

Gethsemane where he is arrested. The final sequence of this Gospel,

the Glorification of the Word is about to unfold through his passion,

crucifixion and resurrection.

The glorification of the Word is a theme from the start of the Gospel, and is indicated from the first sign at Cana of Galilee,ea but

'jn 2:11b

also especially in the chapter which precedes the Upper Room discourse. Notice of this glorification is given. Jesus says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified”.eb In a voice from

'bJn 12:23

heaven the Father promises to glorify his name in his Son.ec This

"Jn 12:27-28

glorification means the glory of the Trinity being laid bare in the

crucifixion of Jesus, where supremely the love and justice of God

mingle in atoning sacrifice for the sin of the world. Nothing less than this is meant by the word glory about which John writes. The final

chapters of the Gospeled move to demonstrate this in the narrative

Un 18-21

of the passion, crucifixion and resurrection ofJesus.

In Johns telling of these events particular themes are prominent. Jesus’ arrest shows his authority when he uses the divine name, “I

am,” and when the guard who has come to arrest him falls to the

ground.ee It seems that John is a relative of the High Priestef and thus, with Peter, gains admission to the courtyard of the house.

"Jn 18:5-6 'jn 18:15

Consequently John gives a very vivid first-hand account of Peter’s denial of Jesus.eg But John gives especial prominence to the trial

'BJn 18:15-27

of Jesus before Pilate,eh showing clearly that the themes of Jesus’

'hJn 18:28-19:16

Kingship, his innocence, truth and the nature of the Kingdom are

central to his trial. Although Pilate finds him innocent,C1 he gives

"Jn 19:12

way to the Jewish leaders. Ironically, and with typical Johannine symbolism, Pilate parades Jesus as “the man “ and “your King”/

'jn 19:5b, 14

The narrative of the crucifixion in the Gospel centres on the declaration ofjesus’ Kingship,ek the faithful community surrounding

'kJn 19:19-22

i6o

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

djn 19:25-27 '"‘Jn 19:28

“Jn 19:34-35

him, mostly made of women,' the humanity ofJesus,em the completion of his sacrificial work on the cross with the cry that “it is

finished” and the reality of his death.™ For John, the Son has been glorified and the Fathers glory has been shown.

The resurrection is not only the victorious sequel to the crucifix­ ion and a profound vindication of the glory and redemptive sufferings

of Christ, but it is the essential basis for the mission of the church. “Jn 20:24-29

The doubting Thomas is challenged and empowered as a witness,eo the disciples in the Upper Room are equipped with the Spirit to

epjn 20:22 cqjn 20:23

be poured out at Pentecostep and are given the mission of taking the message of forgiveness of sins to the world.eq Peter is reinstated and affirms his love for Jesus as the basis of his pastoral and evangelistic

ministry (see the “Do you love me” sequence of questions and the "Jn 21:15-17

command “feed my sheep”).'"' And the miracle of the great catch of fish that precedes this conversation is an epilogue to the Gospel,

an enacted parable and the final sign of the Gospel heralding the '■jn 21:5-6

mission of the church, directed by the power and presence ofjesus.es At the heart of this mission will be the declaration in word and deed

of the Kingdom of God, and the Lordship or Kingship ofJesus.

Chapter 11

THE KING AND THE COMING KINGDOM

t the heart of what Jesus proclaimed, enacted in his miracles,

A

and taught in his teaching, to both the crowds and the disciples,

is the Kingdom of God. It is the central theme of the good news or

gospel. It is the gospel within the Gospels. Essentially it means that the rule of God has come in the person of Christ. He announced it,a and he brought that rule to bear wherever he went. The rule of

■*Mk 1:15

God, in the person of the Messiah, was what Israel ostensibly looked

forward to and was promised in the Old Testament, but Jesus came as the King with a Kingdom made in his own image, and Israel missed it. We have seen that the world would be blessed through

the descendants of Abraham;b that the throne of David would be

bGen 12:3

established for ever;0 and that a Kingdom was coming which would

c 2 Sam 7:13

outshine and outlast all others and would be fulfilled by the Son of Man.d Although there was an expectation of a revival of a Jewish

dDan 7:13-14

Kingdom; the form it would take, how it would be inaugurated; what would be the evidence of its coming; and how it would exist with other earthly powers was unknown, even in Israel. (Or if some

thought they knew the answers to these questions, they were wrong.)

Each in turn, the crowds/ the disciples/ and even Pilate, had an

eJn 6:15 fMatt 16:21-23

idea of what this Kingship should look like, but Jesus alone would bring a unique understanding of the kind of King he would be

(see Jesus’ remark to Pilate/) He is the servant King, based on the

gJn 18:36

servant songs of Isaiah; he is the lowly King, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey as prophesied; he is the suffering King, mocked by the crowd and addressed as such by criminals/ and in the end he is the

victorious King and Christ, risen from the grave. The Kingdom

of God with Jesus as the only eternal King of this Kingdom is at the centre of all God’s plan for the earth, and for all we know the

Universe. It is the worldview ofjesus; it should be the worldview

of every Christian too.

11 Matt 21:5; Jn 19:14; Lk 23:42

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But strangely, until recently, the theology and reality of the Kingdom of God and the Kingship of Jesus has been somewhat

neglected. Historic Christianity, with its debates about the status of Jesus, tended to concentrate mostly on the beginning and end of his life without paying much attention to the Kingdom of God: what it is and Jesus’relationship to it.1 And Protestant Christianity, born out of a re-understanding of the doctrine of justification by faith

in the sixteenth century, located many of its tenets in the Pauline Epistles, and consequently somewhat overlooked the emphases of

the Gospels, particularly those of the Kingdom. The great con­

centration of teaching about the Kingdom of God in the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—was not fully explored, and

the relationship of the church to the Kingdom not understood. It

is time to look at what Jesus teaches us about the Kingdom; how Jesus in his deeds manifests the reality of the Kingdom; and what it means for us to belong to the Kingdom.

The Nature of the Kingdom Jesus explains the nature of the Kingdom in parables. In the Synoptic Gospels, alongside other teaching to the crowds (e.g. the Sermon ' Matt 5-7

on the Mount1 and the Sermon on the Plain,!) as well as in private

J Lk 6:17-49

teaching given to the disciples, the parables are Jesus’ chief way of teaching about the Kingdom. Mark tells us that Jesus only speaks in

k Mk 4:34

parables to the crowds, but that he explains them to his disciples?

The parables, or indeed the short sayings, fall into four categories: parables that explain the principle of grace in the Kingdom; parables

that describe growth in the Kingdom; parables that explain the nature

of discipleship; and parables that warn of a coming crisis which revolves around the return of the Son of Man and the judgement.

We shall look at each category in turn. The parables which describe the principle of grace in the

Kingdom are memorable and are often provoked by criticism from the Pharisees and the Scribes that Jesus is fraternising with tax col­

lectors, prostitutes and sinners. So when Jesus attends a feast given

by the converted tax collector, Matthew, he is criticised by the 1 N.T. Wright, How God became King (SPCK 2012).

THE KING AND THE COMING KINGDOM

163

Pharisees. The criticism elicits this response from Jesus: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners”,1 although no parable follows

'Matt 9:13

here. On another occasion, when Jesus attends a dinner at Simon the Pharisee’s house, where a “sinful” woman wipes his feet with

her hair and anoints him with perfume,m he does answer his critic,

” Lk 7:36-38

Simon the Pharisee, with a parable. Upbraided by Simon for accepting such treatment from a woman

of dubious reputation, Jesus responds with a parable about relief of debt that demonstrates that “who has been forgiven little loves little”

but the one who is forgiven much loves much.” In effect Jesus says

n Lk 7:40-50

he has come to forgive not to condemn. But the most famous sequence ofparables that demonstrate grace

in the Kingdom are the “Lost and Found” parables of Luke 15, the

parables of the Pharisee and the Publican and of the Labourers in the Vineyard.0 Once again Jesus is criticised by the Pharisees for eating

with and welcoming “sinners”.p In quick-fire succession, Jesus tells

°Lk 18:9-14; Matt 20:1-16 pLk 15:2

three parables of lost and found sheep, a lost coin and lastly a lost

or prodigal son. These parables show the Fathers love and care in seeking what is lost until it is found. Above all, in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which shows the Fathers yearning love for his lost

son, an extravagant welcome is given, to the point of the Father running to greet his son, slaughtering the fatted calf, giving him a new robe, new sandals on his feet and a ring on his finger. Not only

that, but the Fathers love and grace extends to a surly elder brother who will not rejoice. To him he says,“My son, you are always with

me and everything I have is yours”.q

"Lk 15:31

Likewise, Gods grace is specially shown in justifying the publican who can only say, “God be merciful to me a sinner” rather than the

self-righteous Pharisee who prays by recalling his tithing, his giving, and his superior status.r But grace is there for the Pharisee also, as

rLk 18:9-14

the story of Nicodemus shows? These parables all demonstrate that

’Jn 3:1-21

the grace of God is in charge in the Kingdom.

Other parables point to growth in the Kingdom of God. There are various aspects to this growth, that is, the growth of the rule of

God in the hearts and affairs of people, and the overall increase of his Kingdom. One characteristic is that the Kingdom grows from small, even insignificant beginnings. This is demonstrated by the parable

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'Mt I3:3f; Mk 4:3032; Lk 13:18

of the mustard seed? Another aspect of this growth is that despite much opposition and wastage there will be an assured harvest and

an increase. The parable that demonstrates both the assured harvest "Mt 13:3-23; Mk 4:1-20; Lk 8:5-15

and the wastage is the Parable of the Sower.“ The variant here is the

soil. The seed which is the word of God is sown, but its effectiveness depends on the soil: some soil prevents roots developing—it is hard and compacted like a path— and then the evil one snatches the seed

from the surface. Other soil is full of stones and the seed develops no

root. Yet other soil is full of weeds which choke the seed. But the good ground produces a harvest. The harvest is assured, but there

is much wastage. The Kingdom of God will increase, but there is

wastage on the way.

What is needed in this process is patience on several fronts. Patience is needed to give growth a chance. It must be understood that the seed has a power of its own, and must be allowed to get vMk 4:26—29

on with the job.v Time must be given, and even more time, so that

wLk 13:6-9

fruitfulness or judgement may take place." And finally, growth will not be uniformly good: tares will grow with wheat, or to change

xMt 13:24-30; 1347-52

the metaphor, fish collected in the fisherman’s net must be sorted/

The two will grow or swim side by side. It is not human business to decide who is legitimately part of the Kingdom of God. God himself will rule on that.

If the main operating principle of the Kingdom is grace, and the main dynamic of the kingdom is growth, even though there will

be wastage along the way, being in the Kingdom, or being under God’s rule, will not be without cost. Jesus uses other parables of the

Kingdom to describe the way of discipleship, and particularly the cost of following the King in a world given over to other priorities. Often this teaching is in the form of pithy sayings with a metaphor

at their heart rather than in extended parables. So if a person will

not carry their cross, they cannot be Jesus’ disciple. Or if they put

their hand to the plough and look back, they are not worthy of ¥Lk 14:25-26; 9:62 'Lk 14:7-14

“ Lk 11:1- 12a ,bLk 18:1-8

the Kingdom/ Other characteristics of discipleship are humility,2

persistence, especially in prayer (see the parables of the Friend at Midnight“ and the Unjust Judgeab) and above all compassion. The

parable of the Good Samaritan encapsulates the response of a good neighbour to a person in need, but in choosing the Samaritan as the

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hero of the story, Jesus demonstrates that in showing compassion

we must be prepared to cross boundaries of creed, colour, class and ethnicity. The Kingdom is worth all we can give it, and like the man who stumbles on treasure in a field or a pearl merchant who

finds a pearl of great price, we should venture all on gaining it and

living by its principles and call.3C The kingdom also faces a time of

4CMt 13:44-46

crisis in the future.

The Kingdom is coming: but it will only finally come after the return of the King and the judgement of the human race. There

is a significant group of parables to do with the last days, or escha­ tology, as the theologians call it. The first step in this process is for

the Kingdom to stretch beyond Israel to include others, or for the

vineyard to be given to others after its rejection by Israel. The par­ ables of the Wicked Tenants indicate this.ad The rejection by Israel

adMatt 21:33-44; Mk 12:1-11; Lk 20:9-18

of the Messiah is like “the stone the builders rejected becoming the capstone”.ae Equally, the idea is present in the parable of the Great Banquet.af Guests have been invited to a great feast (the Kingdom

aePs 118:22-23; Matt 21:42 afMatt 22:1-14

of Heaven) but when all is ready the guests make excuses and do not come. Others who are poor or on the street corners are invited,

because the master’s “house must be full”.38 The offer of the Kingdom

agLk 14:15-23, esp v. 23

is flung wide in the final days.

The people must be ready for the coming of the Kingdom because it will usher in judgement. A motif that Jesus uses in these parables

is the return of the master or the bridegroom at an unexpected hour. Such a motif is found in the parables of the Wise and Foolish

Bridesmaids and the Doorkeeper.311 It suggests the need for spiritual

preparedness for an unexpected return of the master or lord. Again

ah Matt 25:1-13; Mk I333-37; Lk 12:35-38

the unexpectedness of the King’s return is heightened by the motif

of the Thief in the Night.31 Since we don’t know when the burglar

41 Matt 24:42; Lk 12:39

might come, we must be ready.

Finally, the King’s return will usher in judgement before the Kingdom comes in full measure. The parable of the Rich Fool

demonstrates again that we don’t know when it might be.‘1J But

ajLk 12:13-21

judgement will bring reversal (see Dives and Lazarus).ak It will mean

akLk 16:19-31

an assessment of what we have done with our gifts and talents.31 It

al Lk 19:11-26; Matt 25:14-30

will also be a judgement of how we have served others when we

found them hungry, thirsty, a stranger, without clothes, sick and in

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amMatt 25:31-46

prison.am In all these ways, Jesus describes the operating principle of the Kingdom, the dynamic of growth in the Kingdom, the expect­

ations of the King upon the citizens or disciples of the Kingdom and

how the Kingdom will finally come to those who are ready, who are faithful and who love mercy. But Jesus does not only describe

the Kingdom and its reality in words, he demonstrates the Kingdom

in deeds also.

The Proclamation of the Kingdom When John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod the Tetrarch at the instigation of Herod’s wife, Herodias, he sends some of his disciples

to Jesus asking, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” It may have been a moment of doubt for

John, brought on by his harsh treatment, or it may have been that he expected the Messiah to do different things from those he has heard Jesus is actually doing, but he feels the need to be reassured that Jesus really is the Christ, the Messiah. At any rate, Jesus replies

“Go back and report to John what you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the

deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the “Matt 11:2-5

poor”.an In other words, Jesus has more than fulfilled the manifesto

he announced at the synagogue in Nazareth when he said, quoting

Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed aoLk 4:18; Isa 61:1-2

me to preach good news to the poor”.a° As Jesus says, his ministry consists in a powerful combination of words and deeds. We have

traced some of his words in relation to their explanation of the reality

of the Kingdom, especially in the parables, but Jesus’ actions make real what his words speak of. John puts it another way. He says that

“the words I [Jesus] say to you are not my own. Rather, it is the apJn 14:10b

Father, living in me, who is doing his work”.ap Likewise, the works

aqJn 14:11-12

are also given him by his Father.aq It is through this combination of words and works that the Kingdom is both exhibited and proclaimed.

arMk 1:15

Jesus proclaims the Kingdom both in wordsar and deeds, and manifests the Kingdom through his miracles of healing and deliver­

ance. Matthew summarises this as follows: “Jesus went throughout

Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the

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people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe

pain, the demon possessed, those having seizures, and the paralysed,

and he healed them”.“ Likewise, Luke writes ofJesus’ response to

asMatt 4:23-25

the crowds that followed him: “He welcomed them and spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed

healing”?' In these signs or miracles of healing, deliverances, and

“ Lk 9:11b

raisings to life, Jesus is bringing forward the reign of God into the

present and giving us a glimpse of what it is like. It is therefore the

presence of the future: a glimpse of what is to come, a time when

there will be no more pain, crying or grief.au The theologians call

au Rev 21:1-4

this making-real-in-the-present what is generally reserved for the future, or realised eschatology. That is, it is realising in the present

the reality ofwhat God has stored for the future. Those things which

afflict humankind will be removed: disease, sickness, oppression by evil, and death itself, with all its consequences. This will be the

future reality of the Kingdom, which Jesus brings into view in the

present through his ministry. When he releases people from darkness,

oppression and Satan’s grip he says, “(But) if I drive out demons by

the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you”.av

avMatt 12:28; Lk 11:24-26

Jesus’ deliverance of people from evil spirits is a sign of his victory and the coming Kingdom.2 IfJesus in his ministry demonstrates the reality of the Kingdom

through his actions, he does so also through the mission of his dis­

ciples. The sending out of the twelve and the seventy-two is the foretaste of the church in mission, which we see more fully in the Acts of the Apostles after Pentecost. Jesus sends out the twelve and

gives them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every dis­ ease and sickness.™ He sends them out to preach and make known

iWMatt Mark 6:7Íf; Luke 9: iff

the Kingdom of God. The seventy-two are also equipped to “heal the sick who were there (in the homes where they stay)” and tell

them, ‘The kingdom of God is near’”.”1 What the twelve and the

axLuke 10:9

seventy-two do through the commission and presence ofjesus with

them (and to whom they report back gleefully),ay the church empow­ ered by the Spirit after Pentecost should also do. As the Kingdom is

2 See N.T Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, p. 195.

iyLuke 10:17

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at the centre ofJesus’ words and actions, it is to be at the centre of “Acts 28:31

the churches also (see the final verse of the Acts of the Apostles)?2

The Way of the Kingdom The Kingdom is then the central concern of Jesus, but it is a rule or government quite unlike any other form of earthly rule or gov­ ernment his followers, or, for that matter, his adversaries, have ever blJn 18:36

come across (see Jesus’conversation with Pilate) .ba Entrance is through

surrender or forgiveness, its drumbeat is a combination of love and justice. It is not founded on any display of military power. It does

not seek territory, but the allegiance of the hearts of men to its King. Jesus has a number of one-liners, which pithily express its salty reality: what lies at its heart and what its citizens are called to.

In the Kingdom, the way in is the way down. It is necessary to l>bMk 10:13—16; Matt 19:13-15; Lk 18:15-17

be childlike,bb “for to such (children) belongs the Kingdom of God”. Indeed “anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a

bcLk 18:17

child will never enter it”.bc The door or entrance to the Kingdom requires all to bend down. Nicodemus, the aristocratic ruler and

MJn 3:3,5.10

Pharisee, has to humble himself to enter.1x1 Furthermore, when it comes to entering the Kingdom, “the last shall be first and the first

beMk9:35

last”.be Indeed, the prostitutes and the tax collectors find themselves

bfLk 19:9; 18:14

going in before the Scribes and the Pharisees.bf Since entrance is

by grace and Judaism is classified by merit, it is not surprising that many miss the entrance to the Kingdom.

Furthermore, in the Kingdom the inside is more important than the outside. The spirituality of the Jewish leaders and the Pharisees

is mostly concerned with the exterior. Nowhere is this more blister­ ingly exposed than in the “woes” ofjesus against them in Matthew 23.

“Woe to you teachers of the Law and Pharisees, you hypocrites,” he says, “You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are bgMatt 23:25

full of greed and self indulgence.’*18 Likewise, Jesus teaches “nothing outside can make a man unclean by going into him.” Rather it is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean. In the Kingdom,

bbMatt 5:1-12

bl Hos 6:6; Matt 9:13

Jesus is concerned about attitudes, hence the be-attitudes.bh He was more concerned with mercy than sacrifice.1”

Leadership in the Kingdom is servant shaped. On at least two occasions, Jesus spells this out to his disciples and demonstrates it

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in striking fashion. James and John ask for the best seats in heaven, provoking jealousy and resentment amongst their companions. Jesus

gathers them together and explains, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave. For even the Son of Man did not come to serve, but to give his life as a ransom for many’bj. Later, even during the

bJMk 10:44-45

Last Supper, when a dispute arises among the disciples as to who is the greatest, Jesus reiterates that they are not to be like the rulers of the Gentiles who lord it over their subjects. Instead “the greatest

among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like

the one who serves”.bk John records that only shortly before this bkLk 22:24-30 exchange Jesus has wrapped a towel around his waist and washed the disciples’ feet.bl The King is among them as one who serves: blJn i3:2ff

leadership and the exercise of power in the Kingdom are to be in this mould.

At the heart of Jesus’ ministry is the Kingdom of God. He is the King and this is only finally and fully announced as such on the placard affixed to the Cross. It reads “Jesus of Nazareth, the King

of the Jews” in Latin, Greek and Aramaic for all to see. It must be one of the great ironies of the crucifixion (one among many) that the King, so rightfully proclaimed, hung beneath this sign bleeding and in agony. His Kingship was like no other. His Kingdom was

coming: opened to all by this act of redemptive love but not yet come in fullest measure, glimpsed, but not yet in full view. It was a

coming Kingdom, a now and not yet Kingdom, a Kingdom to pray for “your Kingdom come(s)”, a Kingdom that many like the founder would die for, and a Kingdom which one day would swallow up all the pain and dying of the world in its own resurrection power.

Chapter 12

EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

I

f the Kingdom of God is at the centre of God’s plan for the world and is the future for humanity, this could not be realised without

a cost. It required nothing less than God himself to redeem human

beings from the effects of their own rebellion and selfishness. It needed God to enter into his own creation as redeemer and to blast a way through human sin to inaugurate this Kingdom for all people,

and to bring new life and a new way of being human. The only way for this to happen was if God himself became human, bore the

consequences of human guilt, opened the Kingdom to all people, and created the possibility of a whole new way of life. Christianity is therefore about God in Christ becoming a human

being: the incarnation. It is about God in Christ suffering on our behalf and taking the consequences of our guilt: the atonement. It is

about God in Christ raising both us, and his creation, to a new way

of life through his resurrection. And it is about God in Christ com­ pleting this work by raising his Son to the name that is above every name in heaven. No piece of scripture more succinctly expresses

these themes than the so-called Hymn to Christ in Philippiansd

In this chapter we shall consider the four great events ofjesus’ life that enable the Kingdom to be opened to all believers and for him

once more to be King of his whole creation; four great events which are both gospel and mystery—that is, they are realities in history,

but their significance or meaning lie beyond our understanding. These events, which occurred in history, are the incarnation, the

crucifixion, the resurrection and the ascension of the Son of God.

The Incarnation Two of the Gospel writers, Matthew and Luke, tell the story of the incarnation, another, John, gives us its theological significance. The

writers of the Epistles, notably Paul, and the writer of the letter to

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172

the Hebrews, give us more insight into the sheer wonder of what

happened. On one level it is a simple, ordinary human event—a

birth—on another level it defies comprehension and is a mystery. Matthew and Luke tell us the wonder-full story of Christ’s

birth—Matthew, from the point of view ofJoseph, the descendent

of David, and Luke from the point of view of Mary, a young woman of extraordinary faith and trust. In Matthew’s Gospel there is no preliminary background to the announcement that Mary was with child by the Holy Spirit. Joseph simply discovers this and because

he is a good man seeks to divorce her quietly, making the obvious

assumption that Mary has been unfaithful to him. But an angel appears to him with the message, “Joseph, Son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived

in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus (the Greek form ofJoshua- the Lord bMatt i:2ob-2i

saves), because he will save his people from their sins”.b Most of the rest of Matthew’s narrative is taken up with the visit of the Magi,

c Matt 2:1,4.

their offering of gifts to the infant king or Messiahs the deception of Herod, the flight into Egypt and the slaughter of the innocents. Luke, relying on a source close to Mary, gives us more of the preliminaries before Mary s virginal conception. He tells us of the

Angel Gabriel going to a virgin girl, betrothed to be married to dLk 1:26-27

Joseph, whose name is Mary.d Much painted by the great Italian

artists, the Annunciation is the dramatic breaking-in of God into humanity to bring about the reversal of the consequences of the Fall. Gabriel says, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord 'Lk 1:28

is with you”.e When told that she will bear a child without human

sexual intercourse, Mary understandably asks, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” She is told, “The Holy Spirit will come upon

you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the fLk 1:35

holy one to be born to you will be called the Son of God”.f She becomes pregnant, showing exemplary faith: “Be it to me as you

gLk 1:38

have said”.8 Joseph stands by her, strengthened and guided, as he is, by the message of the angel. Mary’s cousin Elizabeth also becomes

pregnant after divine intervention, conceiving John (later the Baptist),

although Zechariah, her husband, is not as full of faith as Mary when

he hears of his wife’s pregnancy and, as a consequence, is punished

EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

with loss of speech for a time.11 Mary, by contrast, rejoices at the

173

hLk i:nff

news that she has been chosen for such a task, and, when visiting her

cousin Elizabeth while both are pregnant, breaks out in prophetic song, “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant”.1

‘Lk 1:46-47

She goes on to extol the mercy and grace of God: raising up the poor and needy, but bringing down conceited, godless rulers as well

as fulfilling his promise to Abraham and Israeli

jLk 1:46-55

Likewise, at the naming and circumcision of his son, Zechariah

regains his speech, and exalts the God of Israel who has called his son John to be the prophet of the Most High ... “to give his people

knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins”?

k Lk 1:67ff, esp 76-77.

Mary and Joseph make their way to Bethlehem where they must register in a census that has been called across the Roman world by

the Emperor Augustus, and which is administered in their province

by Quirinius, the Governor of Syria.1 Jesus is born in a stable in

*Lk 2:1-3

Bethlehem,wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger, as there is no

room in the inn.'11 The extraordinary action of God in choosing this

mLk 2:6

young and vulnerable couple, soon to become refugees in Egypt,

as parents of the Saviour born in a stable, worshipped by Magi, welcomed by shepherds and heralded by angels on the hillside, is a

never-ending source of wonder at the grace, imagination and joyful

ambush of humanity by Gods love.

If Matthew and Luke give us the narrative of the nativity and Mark tells us nothing at all about this event, John spells out the profound significance of the incarnation in his majestic opening

prologue to his Gospel. Deliberately echoing the opening verses of the Torah or Bible, “In the beginning, God.John announces,

nGen 1:1

“In the beginning was the Word”.0 As a title for the pre-incarnate

°Jn 1:1

second person of the Godhead, the Word is unique. To the Greek it means the organising principle oflife, known as such to the Platonist;

and to the Hebrew it is the dynamic, active, doing word of God.p

p Isa 55:11; Gen 1:3

To the Hellenised Jew, for whom John was initially writing, it was

a powerful and significant title. Through the Word everything was created.q But the miracle is that the all-creating Word becomes flesh.1

qJn 1:1

He takes on our vulnerable human skin (as Gregory of Nyssa said)

rJn 1:14

both sanctifying it, but also later redeeming it. He is both life and

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174

light and literally “tabernacles” or dwells among his people. He is

the successor therefore to both the tabernacle and the Temple in ‘Jn 1:6—8

'Jn

the Old Covenant. He is witnessed to by John the Baptisť and is

i:n rejected and not recognised by his own people;' but to all who

“received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right “jn 1:12

to become children of God”.“ His glory is a combination of grace

“Jn 1:17

and truth, distinct from Moses who brought the Law;v a grace and

truth demonstrated by his signs, his discourse, his sayings and conver­ sations; but supremely shown in his death on the cross in which his wjn 12:27-28

glory is most wonderfully manifest". For John there is no question

that the Word took on flesh and blood; for John himself and others

xijn 1:1 see, handle, and listen to this Word made flesh? There can be no support for a Gnostic interpretation of the incarnation, such as was gaining ground at the end of the first century, i.e. that God did not

yjn 1.14a take on human flesh. He did so at the beginning of his lifey and he ’Jn 19:34—35

suffered in the flesh at the end? For the most part, the Gospel writers, except for Mark, tell us the

narrative of the birth ofjesus. John tells us of the significance of the incarnation. But the Epistles, especially those written by the writer

of Hebrews and Paul, give us further insights into the meaning of the incarnation., Three passages in particular explore its meaning. The writer to the Hebrews opens his letter in a remarkable way: “In the

past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times

and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son whom he appointed heir to all things, and through whom he "Heb 1:1-2

made the universe”?3 He goes on to say: “The Son is the radiance

of Gods glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining abHeb 1:3

all things by his powerful word”?b As with John, the writer affirms that the Son is God the Fathers final word to his creation and the

human family. He has spoken definitively and fully through him,

in effect nothing more need be said than what has been said in and

through him. In status he is “the heir to all things”, “the radiance

of the Father’s glory”; in being, he is the exact representation of the “jn 14:8-11

Father;3C and in power he sustains the world “by his powerful word”?d

” Heb 1:5,13

The writer declares that Jesus is superior to any angelae and to Moses

afHeb 3:3

the giver of the Law?f The Covenant he brings and fulfils is far better than what has preceded it.

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Paul gives us two passages in particular which develop our under­

standing of the theology of the incarnation. They are from his episdes to the Colossians and Philippians. As with the Hebrews, so also the

church in Colossae is in danger of thinking that faith in Christ alone

is not sufficient. They are each in danger of adding a belief in angels,

a secret knowledge, a greater fullness, or other ritual or religious observances to a straightforward trust in Christ as the only Saviour and the only Lord. In correcting the Colossians, Pauls argument is the all sufficiency of Christ. Faith in him is all that is needed. After

all, he argues, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and

on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before

all things, and in him all things hold together... For God was pleased

to have all his fullness dwell in him”?g Furthermore, Paul says, “In

agCol 1:1-20

Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have

been given the fullness in Christ, who is the Head over every power and authority”?11 There is no doubt in Pauls mind Jesus is the second

person of the Godhead. This is a gigantic step of belief for a mono­

theistic Jew and one-time-Pharisee to take, one for whom the name of God was so holy that it could be neither written nor said. For Paul,

the divine now expands to include Jesus as co-regent with the Father.

The other passage, which we have already briefly acknowledged as important to our understanding of the incarnation, is Philippians 2:5—11. In this early Christian hymn, included by Paul in this epis­

tle, the descent of Christ by emptying himself from “being in very nature God” to taking, by contrast, “the very nature of a servant”,

is an extraordinary telling of his incarnation. Jesus left what could

not be grasped, made himself nothing, left behind divine status to accept human limitation to his divine being and then humbled himself yet further to embrace the Cross: “He became obedient

to the cross”. If the incarnation is the essential first step in coming to rescue humankind, in opening the Kingdom to all believers, in reversing the consequences of the Fall and in re-establishing God’s

Kingship in Christ, the next essential step is the crucifixion. That the King must die for redemption and reconciliation could only come about through this eternal sacrifice.

ah Col 2:9-10

176

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The Crucifixion The Gospels devote almost a quarter of the narrative ofJesus’ life to his death and passion, far more than to the incarnation, which, as we

have seen, is only treated by three of the Evangelists. Of course, as the early Church Father Athanasius argued against the Arians (who did not believe that Jesus was fully God), it is only because Jesus is

fully God and fully man that he may eternally reconcile humankind to the Father. In the Synoptic Gospels, the early part of each Gospel

sets out the authority ofjesus as being quite distinct from any other

prophet or teacher before him, begging the question: “Who is this?”

The answer given is that, “He is the Christ, the Son of the Living a‘e.g. Matt 16:13-28

God”31, at which point Jesus begins to speak openly about his death. In John’s Gospel, after the carefully crafted opening section contain­ ing the six signs, the Gospel turns to the passion ofjesus with its

preliminary Upper Room teaching in John 12. It is from this point that, in typicaljohannine theology, the glory ofjesus is made known ajJn i2:2off

to the world through his crucifixion and rising again.aj The death of

Jesus is central to the life ofjesus, for his death will make available what his life made visible. We will look briefly at the narrative of

Jesus’ passion in each of the Gospel writers.

Matthew is essentially the Gospel of fulfilment, in which Jesus’ authority is made powerfully clear and the way of life of the disci­

ple is most comprehensively described. The final days ofJesus’ life

begin in Matthew 21 with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Seven chapters of the Gospel remain. Although much ofit comprises teach­ ing in the form of parables (with a special focus on Christ’s return ak Matt 21:33-45; 22:1-14; 25:1-46

and Judgement;311 answers to questions from lawyers, Pharisees and Sadducees; and a final assault on the spirituality of the Pharisees— the Woes of Matthew 23—it is nonetheless the essential build-up

to Jesus’ arrest and passion. The particular emphases in Matthew’s narrative of the passion are the betrayal by Judas; his role in the al Matt 26:14-16; 21-25; 27:1-10

Last Supper and his later remorse31; the intimate prayer ofjesus to his Father in Gethsemane; the Jewish trial; the denial by Peter; the

release of Barabbas; and the Roman trial by Pilate.1

1 Matthew cleverly contrasts Judas’ greed with the generosity of the woman’s (Mary’s?) act of anointing Jesus with expensive perfume.

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Matthew and Mark follow a similar sequence when it comes to the crucifixion itself. They recall the flogging by the Roman soldiers; the carrying of the cross-beam by Simon of Cyrene; the

refusal ofJesus to drink a drugged wine; the placard of the charge against him being fixed to the cross; the mocking of Jesus’ words that he would destroy and re-build the Temple in three days; the taunt that if he were the Son of God he should come done from the

cross; the awful cry of dereliction; the waiting for Elijah to come;

the giving up of his spirit; the splitting of the Temple curtain that shielded the Holies of Holies from top to bottom; the earthquake;

and the spontaneous exclamation by the centurion that, “surely he was the Son of God”?m

""Matt 27:54; Mk 15:39

Luke’s record of the passion and crucifixion is only a little dif­ ferent. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem occurs in Luke 19:20, with a further five chapters of the Gospel to follow. A similar mix

of parables and trick questions, designed to catch Jesus out, precede

the beginning of the passion narrative itself. In the story of the Last Supper there is a dispute among the disciples as to who is the

greatest?" The way to the cross is punctuated by warnings to the

“ Lk 22:24-30

women who mourn and wail en route, “For if men do these things

when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry”?° Luke

“ Lk 23:31

gives us Jesus’ gracious words to the soldiers: “Father, forgive them,

for they do not know what they are doing: ”'lp He alone tells us of the

ap Lk 23:34

conversation between Jesus and the two thieves, crucified either side

of him, ending with the exchange which so much summarises the focus of the Gospel as being one for the outsider: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus answered him, “I tell

you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”. Finally it is Luke who tells us what Jesus says at the end of his great ordeal, “

Father, into your hands I commit my Spirit”?9

aq Lk 23:46

John’s account, as is to be expected, since his Gospel was writ­

ten last and with knowledge of the other two, is different from the Synoptic Gospels both in general perspective and in some details.

The passion narrative begins in John 12 with the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the concentration ofJesus’mind on his forthcoming

death?1 shown by his refusal of an interview with some Greeks and

arJn 12:20

the declaration of the Father’s confidence in him.“ But in John’s

asJn 12:28

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Gospel there is then the long section of teaching in the Upper

Room and the Temple Courts, beginning with the washing of the “13:1-16

disciples’ feeť“ and ending with Jesus’ intercession for the disciples

“jn 17:1-26

and the church.au The teaching in the Upper Room and Temple

"jn i4:3iff

Courtsav focuses on what will follow next: the Gift of the Spirit and the relationship of a disciple to Christ, the Father and the Spirit,

beautifully expressed in the allegory of the vine and branches, itself a symbol for Israel.

The distinctive feature ofjohn’s rendering of the passion narrative and crucifixion is his personal proximity to these events: he gained "jn 18:15

admittance to the High Priest’s courtyard,aw he was close by the

“jn 19:26 Cross and Mary the mother ofJesus,a* and he witnessed the separ"jn 19:35

ation of blood and serum after the death ofjesus.ay He also gives the longest account ofjesus’ trial before Pilate and a description of their conversation, which touches on such matters as the nature ofjesus’

Kingship, and the meaning of truth and power. John’s account of the crucifixion is distinguished by mention of the soldiers gambling for “jn 19:23

his clothes, keeping his seamless tunic as undivided;“2 the refusal by

'“jn 19:22

Pilate to change the inscription above the cross;ba Jesus’ words to his

bbjn 19:26

mother and Johnbb to care for each other; Jesus’ thirst on the cross,

'“jn 19:28; 4:6-7

recorded once again in the Gospel to show Jesus’ humanity1’1; his

triumphant declaration at the end that, “It is finished” or paid; and “Jn 19:34

the piercing of his side by a soldier to show his death.bd As with so much else in John’s Gospel, there is a mixture of fact and symbolism

here: the facts indicate more than mere record to suggest deeper meaning and fathomless truth. But if the evangelists, on the whole,

tell the story, it is the Epistles which spell out the theology of what

happened on the cross.

The Meaning of the Cross The evangelists tell us what happened at the crucifixion: the Epistles tell us why the crucifixion happened. This distinction between

Gospel and Epistles in relation to the Cross may not be quite so

water-tight, since the Gospels also tell us that Christ came as a ranb'Mk 10:45

som for many;be that when he was lifted up on the Cross he would

bfjn 12:32

draw all people to himself;bf that Christ was the Lamb of God who

^jn 1:39

would take away the sin of the world,bg or as the angel said to Joseph,

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“You are to give him the name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sin”.bh But broadly speaking, the contrast is right: the Gospels

bbMatt 1:21

explain what happened at the crucifixion, the Epistles (and Acts) tell us why it happened. The Epistles explain why Christ died. Was his crucifixion simply the sum of the different human parts involved in Christ’s passion, their collective sin, or was there a deeper underlying

reason for Jesus’ crucifixion?

The Gospels show us the human sin in Jesus’ contemporaries that led to his crucifixion: the greed ofJudas; the desertion of the disci­

ples; the envy of the High Priests who resented Jesus’ authority and popularity; the weakness of Pilate; the ignorant duty of the soldiers; and the fickleness of the crowds. All conspired to bring about his

death. But Jesus knew that his death was more than simply the result

of bad human decisions. It was his destiny, as he said many times.bl

b' Matt 16:21; Mk 8:31; Lk 9:21

It lay at the heart of a new Exodus or Covenant about which he

had spoken at his Transfiguration with Moses and Elijah,bj as well as

bjLk 9:30

at the Last Supper.bk There, in the bread and wine, representing his

bkLk 9:30; Matt 26:26-29; Mk 14:2225; Lk 22:17-20

body broken and blood shed for human freedom and forgiveness,

Christ’s sacrifice was symbolised. It was this vicarious suffering of the Cross that Jesus anticipated and shrank from in the Garden of Gethsemane, portrayed in his prayer as a cup to be drunk. And it

was whilst experiencing dereliction and spiritual abandonment by

his Father on the Cross that Jesus cried out, using the words of Psalm 22, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”. The

“Matt 27:47

narratives of the Gospels surely point to a deeper significance to these events, but they do not spell this out unmistakeably. It is the

Epistles that tell us why Christ suffered on our behalf—so that we might be forgiven, justified, and reconciled.

The four writers who look beneath the surface of the Cross most clearly are Peter, Paul, John and the writer to the Hebrews.

Throughout their writings they demonstrate that at the heart of the crucifixion is an eternal sacrifice envisaged in the mind of God from the beginning of time, or even before,bm which secures forgiveness of

b"‘i Pet 1:18-20

sins from God. As early as Pentecost, Peter himself has grasped this, telling the crowd who saw and heard the Apostles speaking in their languages, “This man (Jesus) was handed over to you by God’s set

purpose and foreknowledge”.bn He is destined as the Lamb provided

bn Acts 2:23

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by God who will take away the sin of the world. Peter says later in his

first epistle that, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, *” i Pet 2:24

so that we might die to sins and live to righteousness”?0 Bearing sins means that Jesus became a substitute for us, taking on himself both

the guilt of our wrongdoing and the death that we deserve—death

in the sense of a spiritual separation from God. Paul puts this idea most powerfully in these words, “God made him who had no sin to

be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of bp 2 Cor 5:21

God”.bp This notion of a divine exchange fulfils the prophecy about the Suffering Servant of Isaiah who will bear our sins by becoming

sin for us. He prophesied, “We all like sheep have gone astray, each

of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the bqisa 53:6

iniquity of us all”.bq Jesus takes on the penalty for our sin in his

death on the Cross, but equally he is thereby able to confer on us

his righteousness. The Epistle of Diognetus, written around 130AD

exclaims, “O unexpected benefit that the transgression of many should be hidden in one righteous person and that the righteousness

of one should justify many transgressors”. This sacrifice by Christ was planned in love, executed through grace and fulfilled through obedient

faithfulness, in a voluntary offering for humankind.

Paul demonstrates supremely that this self-offering ofJesus pro­ claims both the justice and righteousness of God and his undying

love. Having shown Gods judgement on human failings in the opening chapters of Romans, Paul sets forth the solution in a classic description; “God presented him [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did it at the present time, so as to be btRom 3:25-26

just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus”.br Or, in the words of the old chorus about the Cross: “At the Cross of

Jesus pardon is complete, love and justice mingle, truth and mercy meet. Though my sins condemn me, Jesus died instead, there is full forgiveness in the blood he shed”. Although for us forgiveness is

the plainest of duties (hard though it can surely be), for God it is the profoundest of problems: his holiness must be upheld, his just­ ice must be met and his love demonstrated. He therefore takes the guilt and the consequent death upon himself. He becomes Judge,

innocent victim, redeemer and eternal sacrifice all together: this is the mystery of the Cross. Peter says, “For Christ died for sins once

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for all [i.e. once in history], the righteous for the unrighteous, to

bring us to God”. John tells us, “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice

for our sins”.bs Paul agrees when he writes, “God demonstrates his

*" i John 4:10

own love for us in this: while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”.bt The Cross demonstrates and reveals God’s love and justice

“Rom6:8

since the Godhead, Father, Son and Spirit, are together involved in

this sacrifice: the Father in giving his Son; the Son in giving his life and the Spirit in making effective the eternal results of this sacrifice. So the writer to the Hebrews speaks of Christ gaining an eternal

redemption in the Spiritbu for all people who believe in every age.

b"Heb 9:12-14

If at the heart of the Cross there is a sacrifice with eternal sig­ nificance which provides forgiveness by being a satisfaction for sin,

the effects of the Cross are explained in different ways by the same authors. The New Testament writers tell us that the Cross turns

away or propitiates God’s wrath or anger. That God should be angry at injustice, exploitation, sin and evil should be no surprise; we become angry at much less. And our anger is often not pure. But in the Cross, God deals with (if we can put it reverently) his own

anger towards us: “God took his own loving initiative to appease his

own righteous anger by bearing it in his own self in his own Son when he took our place and died for us”.2 It is anger management

of a different order. There is no crude idea here of an angry Father inflicting wrath on a passive, innocent Son. Such ideas reveal no understanding of the Trinity. They all suffer together. For what

each one offers, each one bears. After all “God was reconciling the

world to himself in Christ”.bv The Cross turns away God’s wrath.

07 2 Cor 5:19

It brings peace and righteousness to the reconciled sinner.bw The

bwRom 5:1; 5:17-18; Heb 9:14; 10:10

effects of the Cross are redemption, reconciliation, adoption, jus­ tification and the defeat of the Satan: metaphors to demonstrate

these things are drawn from the slave-market, family life, the law courts and the army. This means individuals are rescued from their past (redemption), are given a fresh relationship with God himself

(reconciliation), are brought into God’s very own family as sons

or daughters (adoption),1”1 are given a righteousness not their own

J.R.W. Stott, The Cross of Christ (IVP, 1986), p. 175.

‘‘Rom 8:15-16

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182

‘’Rom 1:17; 3:21; b'Col2:i5

through faith (the market place),by and are freed from the power of

the enemy (the metaphor of the battlefield victory).bz

Lastly, the Cross, apart from this central action of providing

for us a way of forgiveness by God, gives to the whole Christian community a way of life to follow. In other words, the Christian community is called to live a Cross-centred way of life. What does this

mean? It means that the death of Christ shapes our behaviour and

service. It makes the Christian community equal: for all have been forgiven and accepted by the same act of redemption. It makes the

Christian community grateful, for it is all of grace. It makes the Christian community humble, for as Archbishop William Temple

said, “There is nothing we can contribute to our own Salvation except the sin from which we need to be redeemed”. It makes the Christian community willing to suffer, if needs be unjustly, and

to serve as Peter said, “when he suffered, he made no threats; he “ 1 Pet 2:23b

entrusted himself to him who judges justly”.“ It makes the Christian

community celebrate, in the liturgy of the Communion or the cb i Cor

Eucharist especially, Christ s victory over sin and death.cb It helps

us to love our enemies since Christ died for us when we were still “Rom 5:8

his enemies.“ In all these ways the Cross shapes our style of life: not only is it the means of forgiveness, it is the key to life or living.

The Resurrection All four Gospels record the resurrection in varying lengths and ways. Of the four accounts of the resurrection, Mark s is the shortest. As

we have said, the ending to his Gospel may well have been lost. The shorter (and more likely) ending contains the briefest account of the

women going to the tomb at first light to embalm the body ofJesus with spices, while wondering as they go, how they will remove the

edMk 16:3 stone from the entrance of the tomb.cd But when they reach the tomb they find the stone already rolled away, and the tomb empty

apart from an angel dressed in a white robe who directs them to tell

Peter and the other disciples that Jesus is alive, and that he is going

ahead of them to Galilee. Matthew s account is only a little longer. He too tells of an early

morning visit to the tomb by the women, on the day after the

Sabbath. An earthquake has dislodged the stone from covering the

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183

entrance and an angel sits on the stone while the Jewish guards have

collapsed at the sound of the earthquake and the sight of the angel.ce

ce Matt 28:2-4

The angel gives the same message to the women, but in Matthew’s account the women meet the Risen Lord on the way back from the

garden to the disciples. Matthew also relates the actions of the guards at the tomb. They tell the Jewish leaders what has happened, but are bribed by the Chief Priests to say that the disciples have stolen the

body and are preaching that Jesus is alive. But such a puny subversion

of the truth cannot withstand the accumulating evidence of Jesus’ resurrection based on Jesus’ multiple appearances to the disciples, nor the power that raised Jesus from the grave.

Luke and John have more to say about the resurrection. Luke

also records the women going to the tomb at first light, finding

the stone rolled away, and meeting angels who ask, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen”.cf

cfLk 24:5b,6a

They return with news to the eleven, at which point Peter runs to

the tomb. Much of the rest of Luke’s account revolves around the

Road to Emmaus and the appearance ofjesus to the two disciples in the breaking of bread in Emmaus. In this wonderful account the unrecognised Jesus instructs the two disciples from the scriptures

about why it was necessary for the Messiah to suffer before entering his glory,cg and, when pressed to stay with them in Emmaus, he is

cgLk 24:26

recognised in the breaking of the bread. The disciples hurry back to Jerusalem to tell the others, discovering that Jesus has already appeared

to Simon Peter, and, even as they are discussing these things, Jesus appears to them, most probably in an upper room, which is locked because of fear of the Jews. Jesus once again explains from the Law

and the Prophets that the Messiah was to suffer and rise again.ch

ch Lk 24:44-46

John’s account meshes well with Luke’s. Mary Magdalene, the

focus ofJohn’s account, tells the disciples of the empty tomb. Peter and John run to the tomb, with John reaching it first (the younger

man), but with Peter (the more forthright man) entering first. John, looking at the way the grave clothes are folded, “believes”/1 The

c,Jn 20:8

two disciples return to the city, but Mary Magdalene, lingering in the garden, meets Jesus whom she thinks is the gardener, “Sir”, she

says to him, “If you have carried him away, tell me where you have

put him, and I will get him”.c-> Jesus uses her name, “Mary” and

CJJn 20:15b

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ckjn 20:16

she instantly recognises him/11 Later that day Jesus appears to the disciples, commissioning them with the authority to forgive sins and

be equipped by the Spirit. Thomas is not there and later proclaims his disbelief in vivid terms: “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his djn 20:25

side, I will not believe it”.cl A week later he has time to do both these things, but sensibly opts for simply saying, “My Lord and My

“'jn 20:28

God”.cm The final appearance in John’s Gospel of the Risen Jesus occurs in Galilee after some of the disciples have spent a fruitless night fishing. They see a stranger on the shore who tells them to cast their net on the other side of the boat. They do so, and immediately

catch 153 fish, all large. Only once before has this happened in their “ Lk 5:6 fishing career/" John recognises it is Jesus, and having dragged the

fish on shore and cooked some of them, Jesus takes Peter to one “Jn 21:15-25

side and has a long awaited conversation with him.co

The resurrection ofJesus is told through a number of stories that can be threaded together into an overall narrative. Once again it is left to the Epistles to draw out the implications of the resurrection, and what it means for humanity and the world. But before we look at that, let’s ask the question, “What would we have seen if, very early on that first Easter day, we had been alone in the tomb with the body

of Christ still on the ledge within it?” We would have surely seen the sudden, inexplicable disappearance of the body, with the grave

clothes folded as if they had been suddenly deflated. An earthquake would have followed, sufficient to roll away the stone and dislodge the guards, not to let Jesus out, but to allow humans in. And in the

following weeks, Jesus graciously appears to his disciples to convince them that he was alive and had moved from one form of human

existence to a brand new form of heavenly and earthly existence.

The Epistles and the Resurrection Of the writers of the epistles, it is Paul, the writer to the Hebrews,

and Peter, who have most to say about the meaning of the res­ urrection, although none overlook this fundamental part of our

faith. The resurrection ofjesus appears to have, broadly speaking, a

fourfold significance (although significance is too puny a word for its meaning and impact) for the future.

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Firstly, Jesus is declared by his resurrection to be the Son of God. This is what Paul says in the opening sentence of his rnagnus

opus, which is the Epistle to the Romans: “Who [Jesus] through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to he the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead”.cp In other words, the resurrection

cpRom 1:4

ofjesus from the dead is the final endorsement by the Father of everything Jesus was and is; everything Jesus said and did; every­ thing he accomplished, especially through his redeeming death. The

resurrection declares Jesus unassailably the Son of God.

Secondly, Jesus is the prototype of a new humanity in a new world order. Paul writes again, “He is the head of the body the church;

he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have supremacy”/“1 The resurrection of

cqCol i:i8; 1 Cor 15:20-28

Jesus is not a single miracle, isolated and on its own, but rather the demonstration of the path-of-life for all of humanity, who are linked

to Christ by faith. In other words, what he became we may become,

in terms of resurrection and the new life it affords: new bodies, new horizons, new humanity and all in a renewed world-order, made new at the final coming of Christ.

Thirdly, it is the basis of our hope. Paul in particular makes much

of hope: “We are saved in hope”, he writes,cr with the down payment

"Rom 8:24

in our lives of the Spirit to guarantee what lies ahead.“ But we are

“ 1 Pet 1:3-5; Eph 1:13-14

to live in hope and the basis our hope is the resurrection. As N. T.

Wright says: “The resurrection ofjesus remained, for Paul, the sure anchor of the entire future hope; the Spirit was the arrabon, the down payment, the guarantee of the full inheritance”.3 Hope, for the New

Testament authors, is the certain expectation that that which God

has done in Christ, he will do for all his people in him: he will raise them to a brand new way of life in a renewed heaven and earth.

The resurrection is the cornerstone of this hope and expectation. Fourthly, the resurrection is the touchstone in the New Testament of the power of God; it is the example of what Gods power can

achieve and Paul frequently refers to this. So Paul writes, “That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his 3 N.T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God, SPCK 2014 p. 1259.

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

i86

ctEph 2:19-21

right hand in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority... Or again in Philippians, in a more personal way, Paul says he wants to know not only the sufferings of Christ, being made like him in

cu Phil 3:10

his death, but also “the power of his resurrection”/“

Alongside these four main impacts of the resurrection we must

also put Paul’s long answer to the Corinthians’ question about res­ urrection. Paul tells the Corinthians that the Gospel is anchored in 1 Cor 15:1-11

the resurrection of Christ.cv If the resurrection did not happen, then

cw 1 Cor 15:12-19

all the promised benefits of the Gospel would be null and void.cw Jesus’ resurrection, as we have already seen, is the exemplary proto­ type for the future of humanity, as well as the foundation-event for

cx 1 Cor 15:20-28

the raising of all God’s people.cx Paul then mentions what would

1 Cor 15:29-34

happen if the Resurrection was not true.cy He goes on to describe

the nature of the resurrection body. Our earthly body is like a seed cz 1 Cor 15:44

which, having died in the earth, will raise a new spiritual body.cz

031 Cor 15:42-44

This body will be imperishable, glorious, powerful and spiritual03 and will supersede all that went before: “The first Adam became a

db 1 Cor 15:45

living being; the last Adam, a life-giving being”.db And conclusively,

dc 1 Cor 15:49

so we shall bear the likeness of the man from heaven”.dc There is

Paul says, “Just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, to be a change in our humanity through faith in Christ, after our

own death and resurrection. Instead, we shall be clothed with an

imperishable spiritual body in the likeness of the man of heaven. Paul ends the chapter triumphantly with the telling words: “The perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal " 1 Cor 15:53-55

with immortality...death will be swallowed up in victory’'10.4

This is the hope of the Gospel founded on Christ’s own resur­ rection, in which he overcame sin and death “bringing light and 2 Tim 1:10b

immortality to light”.de He has become the prototype for our future,

the first fruits of a new created order at the heart of which is a new

humanity clothed in new imperishable, spiritual bodies in the like­

ness of the man of heaven, created for a new restored and remade dfRom 8:21

heaven and earth.df What could be more glorious and exciting? But before such events take place, the Gospel must be preached in

4 See also N.T Wright, The Resurrection of the Son of God, (Fortress, 2003), p. 317.

EVENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD

187

the entire world, and in every age, during which time the mission

of the church must continue in the power of the Spirit under the watchful eye of the ascended and returning Christ.

The Ascension and Return of Christ Only Luke tells us of the event of the ascension, the final moment

of Christ’s return to heaven and to his Father’s side.dg He simply tells

dg Lk 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11

us that Jesus is taken up into heaven. Angels present at the event

tell the disciples that one day he will return in like manner. It is the concluding act ofJesus’ ministry and is foreshadowed by statements

in John’s Gospeldh that Jesus has come from heaven and is returning

^Jn 3:i3

there. In the epistles, Paul sees the ascension as the victory procession

of Jesus, in which he gave gifts and ministries to the churchdi and

^Eph 4:9-11

the ministry of the church, equipped with these gifts and ministries, will collectively exceed Jesus’ earthly ministry dj The ascension also

djJn 14:12

marks the completion ofJesus’ work, and his exaltation to a place of

untrammelled authority and power.dk While seated in heaven, where Paul tells us we are seated spiritually with him,01 Christ prayerfully

dk Phil 2:9-11; Heb 1:3b 01 Eph 1:20; 2:6

waits for his return, interceding for the church on earth. It is a day

of which not even the Son knows, only the Father.dm

dn'Matt 24:36

Before Jesus leaves his disciples, and principally in the final days

of his earthly ministry, he speaks of his return or parousia. The day

of his return is unknown;dn it will be unambiguous for all to see and

dnMk 13:32

grasp;do and it will be preceded by many labour pangs in the earth

doMk 13:26

such as wars, earthquakes and famine.dp It must not be confused

dpMk 13:8

with the days preceding the destruction ofjerusalem by the Roman

legions under Vespasian and Titus in 7oAD,dq which also will be

dq Mk 13:9-18

full of hardship. The Apostles and early church hold strongly to this

promise of Christ’s return, possibly in their own lifetime. For some churches, it becomes a cardinal article of faith. The Thessalonian

church even has some members stop work because they believe it is so imminent/1 Paul reminds them to continue their normal lives,

* 1 Thess 4:13-5:11; 2 Thess 3:6ff

that the dead in Christ and those alive at his return will be caught up

to meet the Lord in the air,ds but in the meantime they should live

051 Thess 4:17b

the Christian life with self-discipline and expectation.* But above all

dt 1 Thess 5:8

they should make known the sovereignty of God to a world caught

up with the illusion of its own “peace and safety”.*1

du 1 Thess 5:3

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

Between the Ascension of Christ and his return, is the age of

the Church, making known the Gospel in the power of the Spirit, proclaiming the coming Kingdom in deed and word, and the events of Christ s life which bring salvation. This is the age in which we now

live and it began on the day of Pentecost: the new age of the Spirit.

Chapter 13

THE CHURCH IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT The Acts of the Apostles

ollowing the ascension ofjesus, the disciples return to Jerusalem

F

as commanded by him, in order to “wait in the city until you

have been clothed with power from on high”.’ For 40 days Jesus

*Lk 24:49; Acts 1:4

appears to the disciples after his resurrection, to both small groups and also larger ones of up to 500? He explains to them the nature

bi Cor 15:5-8

of the Kingdom0 and his own fulfilment of all that the scriptures

'Acts 1:3b

predicted about him, the long awaited Messiah/ The disciples wait

dLk 24:26,46,47

in Jerusalem for what is to be the beginning of a new age: a momen­ tous one, both for the world and for the coming Kingdom of God.

Pentecost Curiously, and without planning on my part, I am writing this section

the day before the Feast of Pentecost. It is always a special day for our church, a day of re-equipping for the mission of the church in our local area. Without the Holy Spirit, both the task of Christian

living and the effectiveness of our mission would be impossible, quite beyond our capability. With the Holy Spirit, the Christian life and

engaging in effective mission become possible. The Apostles and

other disciples in the Upper Room did not know what they were waiting for, but when the Spirit came to them they found that they

could not live and fulfil their mission to the world without him.

They did not know what kind of power would come upon them or what it meant to be Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.e Peter could not have envisaged that

'Acts 1:8

he would be appearing before the Sanhedrin charged with doing extraordinary miracles/ or be taking a leading role in the church

f Acts 4:7

in Antioch,g or finding himself in the centurion Cornelius’ house

gGal 2:11

speaking to Gentiles,11 or finally living in Rome.1 All this came about

hActs io:24ff ' 1 Pet 5:13

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because of the igniting of his own three-year experience of following Jesus by this new power of the Spirit.

The Feast of Pentecost had been firmly set in the Jewish Calendar

of Festivals since the giving of the Law. It is one of the three prin­ cipal festivals of Judaism along with the Passover and the Feast of

Tabernacles. Three times a year every male in Israel is to appear in

Jerusalem to celebrate these festivals with a gift in proportion to J Deut 16 esp w. 9-12

God’s blessing j It coincides with the first in-gathering of the barley harvest, and is 50 days after Passover and hence called Pentecost in Greek, but known as Shavot in Hebrew. Jerusalem will therefore be crowded with people from all over Israel and from the Dispersion.1

Fifty days previously at the last great Festival, Jesus had celebrated the Last Supper in anticipation of his own arrest and crucifixion the k Acts 2:1,2

following day. Now, in another room or rooms in the same city,k

the disciples hear the power of a mighty wind blowing through the house where they are sitting and tongues of fire appear above

their heads. Filled with the Spirit they begin to speak in languages ‘Acts 2:1-8

recognised as their own by the pilgrims standing nearby.1 Wind or

m Ezek 37:9 n Matt 3:11b °Jn 737-38 pJn 14:16-18,25-26; 16:5-15

breath,"1 fire11 and water0 are all common metaphors for the work of the Spirit. Jesus had spoken about the Spirit coming to his disciples.p

The third person of the Godhead, the comforter, the advocate or counsellor, the bond of love between Father and Son, comes to the disciples to indwell them. “He [the Spirit] is simple in substance, but manifold in powers. He is present as a whole to each and wholly

present everywhere”.2*

A new age has begun which fulfils the prophecy ofJoel that all

God’s people will receive the Spirit: “In the last days”, God says.

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will q Acts 2:17

dream dreams”.9 Whereas in the Old Covenant the Spirit was given to certain people for certain tasks, now the Spirit will be given to all

God’s people. Although the Spirit will have many other functions, rRom 8:15

such as assuring the believer of their adoption as children,' helping

s2 Cor 3:18

the believer in the process ofbeing made like Christ/ gifting the body 1 See the list of pilgrims in Acts 2:9-11.

2 Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit, tr. Stephen Hildebrand (Vladimir Press, 2011), P 53

191

THE CHURCH IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

of Christ for ministry,' and being a down payment of much more to

' 1 Cor 12:7-11

come,“ here in Acts, the principal work of the Spirit is to equip the church

“Eph 1:13-14

for mission. As Jesus told the disciples at the time of his Ascension, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and

you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”.v The Spirit gives power, authority,

' Acts 1:8

courage, gifting and capability for people to become compelling

advocates of the Gospel, but also the Spirit makes the Gospel live in the languages of the pilgrims. Three times, Luke tells us, they heard the message of God or praises in their own languages." The Gospel,

w Acts 2:6,8,11

if you like, was being en-cultured in the culture or language of each

language group. As a Muslim must read the Koran in Arabic to grasp it properly, the Spirit makes real the gospel in the language of every culture and people group. It is a further sign that the message, like Christ himself, is to be God with us: in our culture, language and

community. This message is to be taken with boldness to every race

and tongue around the world.

The first example of this is Peter himself, who is transformed from being a fearful disciple who has denied Jesus three times in the

High Priests courtyard,x into a formidable preacher on the day of

*Matt26:69ff

Pentecost, explaining to the onlookers what has happened to the

disciples. He begins, “Let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk with wine. It’s only nine

o’clock in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel”.y He explains the gift of the Spirit, but then with considerable

yActs 2:14-15

authority, he says, “Exalted to the right hand of God, he received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what

you now see and hear....Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, both Lord and Christ”/ Such is the power

'Acts 2:14b; 15:33.36

of the address that 3,000 people are baptised in response to his

message.“ Evidently, the Spirit comes in what we might now call

revival power, and the church ofjerusalem is formed in a single day.

The Church in Jerusalem The church in Jerusalem quickly forms around the Apostles. Three thousand people join the church in a single event of massive church growth. The disciplines of the church are set out early on. They

“Acts2:41

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

192

are devoted “to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the “bActs 2:42

breaking of bread and to prayer”.ab Many miraculous signs are per­ formed by the apostles. “All the believers were together and had

“Acts 2:44

everything in common”.ac They sell their goods to meet the needs

among them and they have fellowship both in their homes and in ld Acts 2:46-47

the public space of the Temple.ad Their numbers grow daily. It is clear that the early church is a close-knit community, so

attractive in both its actions and life that others want to join. In

fact, the chief quality of the early church for the next three centu­ ries is the caring nature of its community. It is bold in sharing and

preaching, but compassionate towards the poor and vulnerable, as well as devoted to worship and prayer with fasting. This type of

community is further demonstrated in Acts in 4:32-35. The upshot

of their sharing is that there is no needy person among them, an “Acts 4:34

extraordinary witness.ae Like all communities, it needs careful fos­ tering, so when a dispute arises about provision for two groups of widows, the Greek-speaking or Hebrew-speaking, a group of seven

"fActs 6:5 'gActs6:iff

remarkable deacons, “full of faith and the Spirit”'f are appointed to take care of these widows’ needs.ag But while some, like Barnabas, can sell his assets and freely give all the accrued money away, others like Ananias and Sapphira find

it hard to follow suit, so they pretend to give all the money from

a field-sale, but in fact withhold some of it. Their punishment is ‘h Acts 5:1-10

exemplary.’11 As such, deception strikes at the root of the principles

of the community—principles of trustworthiness and truthfulness— they pay with their lives. This is a very heavy price for them, but an exemplary punishment to maintain the integrity of the early church.

The church is fundamentally a Jesus-centred, compassionate and attractive community of power and love. It is also empowered to make known the Kingdom, whatever the cost, in and beyond the

confines of Jerusalem. Persecution and mission are at the heart of its life, but persecution is the catalyst for further mission.

The appearance of a new worshipping community at the heart ofJerusalem that regards Jesus as the Messiah, he whom the author­ ities had sought to destroy, is a movement that the Jewish authorities

cannot ignore. When a cripple is healed through the Apostles in the Temple area and Peter preaches an uncompromising address to the

THE CHURCH IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

193

crowd saying, “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and

asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead”,11 events are set in motion

ai Acts 3:14-15

which lead to the persecution of the early church. Peter and John are

arrested and summoned before the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council, and are told to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,,1J but Peter and

aj Acts 4:18

John refuse to be silent.ak Peter andjohn go back to the church where

ak Acts 4:19-20

the Spirit shakes the room in which they meet and they pray that

God will “stretch out his hand to heal and perform miraculous signs

and wonders through the name ofyour holy servant Jesus”.’1 But the

al Acts 4:30

persecution does not stop. Filled with jealousy at the success of the

early church and its leaders, the High Priests arrest the Apostles again

prior to another appearance before the Sanhedrin.am But overnight

amActs 5:i7ff

an angel releases them. After a further arrest they appear before the

Council. Once again Peter says they cannot stop preaching Christ and that “God exalted Christ to his own right hand as Prince and

Saviour that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel”?" Although the Sanhedrin is on the brink of putting the

an Acts 5:31

Apostles to death, Gamaliel (the great teacher responsible for the instruction of Paul)a° interjects. He argues that if this movement is

ao Acts 22:3

of human origin it will implode and die its own death but “if it is of God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting God”?p

ap Acts 5:39

Despite Gamaliel’s wise “wait and see” advice, persecution does

not abate. It is now not the authorities using their powers to suppress this new movement, but rather the spontaneous antipathy of other Jews towards what they see as a new non—orthodox form ofjudaism.

The members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen, which include Jews from the dispersion, e.g. Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia,

bring an action against Stephen, one of the seven deacons.aq In the end, the Sanhedrin hears his case and he is charged with speaking against the Temple, in saying it will be destroyed. In a speech which

traces the narrative of Israel from the Patriarchs onwards, the estab­ lishment of the Tabernacle and then the Temple, Stephen concludes

by saying that “the Most High does not live in houses made by men” and that the Council is resisting the Holy Spirit. They call for him

to be stoned. While Stephen beholds the glory of God and an open

aq Acts 6:11-14

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

194

"Acts 7:56

heaven with the Son of Man standing on the right hand of Godar

and is stoned, the clothes of those stoning him are laid at the feet of a young zealous Pharisee called Saul. A great persecution comes on the church with the effect that they are scattered. It is the beginning

of a new stage of mission for the church.

Judea, Samaria and the Gentiles After the death and burial of Stephen, “the church at Jerusalem and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judea and “Acts 8:1

Samaria”.“ Persecution precipitates proclamation of the Gospel, in the first instance in Judea, and then Samaria—in other words, in rural

and provincial greater Israel. The Apostles feel they should remain

in Jerusalem because of its iconic and symbolic significance in the

history of Israel. But in time the centre will shift from Jerusalem to Antioch and then to Rome by 60AD. Later, with the declin­ ing influence of Rome, by 400AD it would once again shift to

cities of the East, such as Constantinople. This is a reminder that

Christianity is not fixed to any one culture, as we now see the gravity

of Christianity shift to the global South and East in the contemporary Christian world.3 Philip, one of the seven deacons appointed to care for the wid“ Acts 6:5

ows’ distribution,“ goes down to Samaria with great effect. He conducts a mission of significant power in the city of Samaria,

with many healings and deliverances during his ministry there. As "“Acts 8:8

a result there is great joy in the city.au Peter and John are sent down from Jerusalem to see what is going on and through their ministry

confirm the inclusion of the Samaritans in the church by praying "“Acts 8:17

that they receive the Holy Spirit, which they do with joy.av Since

‘"jn 4:9

Jews have no dealings with Samaritans,aw this is a hugely significant step of inclusion of a community previously ostracised, ethnically

and religiously. This two-stage reception of Christ, namely being baptised in the name of Jesus by Philip, and later receiving the Spirit at the hands of the Apostles, is not a pattern of initiation into the faith for all time. Rather, it marks the historic inclusion of the

3 See Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom (OUP, 2003).

THE CHURCH IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

195

Samaritans into the church, now containing Jews and Samaritans, and soon Gentiles.

Two other events connected to Philip’s unusual ministry are

recorded in Acts 8: the judgement of Simon Magus and the con­

version of the Ethiopian eunuch. Simon, who gave his name to the

sin of simony, attempts to purchase power from the church with

money.ax Previous to Philips visit to Samaria, he has had a leading

"Acts 8:18-19

position as a sorcerer in the city of Samaria, but is displaced by the

superior power and effectiveness of Philip’s ministry. In his spiritual blindness, Simon seeks to purchase the Holy Spirit, or the power

and authority the Spirit confers on the church, and is consequently

judged by Peter as having “no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God”.ay Following this city mission to

ly Acts 8:21

Samaria and the inclusion of the Samaritans in the church, Philip is sent by the Spirit to meet an Ethiopian eunuch, a senior official

in the court of Queen Candace of the Ethiopians. Philip explains the scriptures to him while seated in his chariot, in particular the

sufferings of the Cross, as described in the Suffering Servant passage

of Isaiah 53. The Ethiopian believes, is baptised, and returns to his

country to found the church there and in the surrounding area of present day Sudan. With the onset of persecution in Jerusalem, the

gospel has gone to Judea, Samaria and Ethiopia, but now it is to cross its largest threshold or barrier into the entire Gentile world.

Obviously Gentiles had believed before: the centurions of the

Gospels;az the Ethiopian Eunuch who was presumably a Gentile; the

" Lk 7:9; Mk 15:39

Syro-Phoenician woman;1” the sojourners or aliens in Old Testament

‘"Matt 15:21

Israel (although they would not have been included in the worship of

Israel, but kept in the court of the Gentiles in the Temple.) But now the Gentiles are to be brought into the church, the New Covenant

community, the new Israel or the Kingdom of God. The moment

of their inclusion is well orchestrated. It requires the presence of Peter—the leading Apostle—the sovereign inclusion of Gentiles by the Spirit and their reception into the church. Acts 10—11:18 tells the story. It is a sequence of events synchronised by the Spirit and overseen by him in meticulous detail and timing. An angel appears

to Cornelius, another God-fearing centurion,bb and he is given

instruction to send for Simon Peter who is staying in Joppa at Simon

“Acts 10:2

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

the tanner’s house. In the meantime Peter, hungry for food, has a

dream, perhaps brought on by the smell offood cooking in the house,

in which he sees a sheet let down from heaven with every kind of animal upon it, kosher and non-kosher. He hears a voice telling him to get up and eat any of it. But Peter objects that he has never eaten “ Deut 14

food not permitted by the Law.bc Still the voice urges him to eat, at which point the messenger from Cornelius arrives, inviting him to

come and speak at his house. Two days later Peter is in Cornelius’

house, addressing the assembled group of Gentiles. As he speaks “Acts io:34ff

about Christ,bd the Spirit falls on the assembled company. They

believe, and to demonstrate the presence of the Spirit begin to speak “Acts 10:47

in other tongues and prophesy.be However reluctant or astonished the believingjews are—and Peter and others are astonished that the

“ Acts 10:45,47

Gentiles have been includedbf—Peter correctly argues, “If God gave

them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus “Acts 11:17

Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?”.bg Despite the Apostles’ caution, an effect of the persecution which intensifies in

Jerusalem under Herod with the execution ofjames and the further “Acts 12: iff

imprisonment of Peter,bb the Gospel moves out from Jerusalem to

Judea, Samaria and the Gentiles in the sovereignty of the Spirit.

The torch ofmissionary endeavour therefore passes from Jerusalem “Acts 11:26b

to Antioch, where believers are first called Christians.bl Missionaries

come there from Cyprus and North Africa (Cyrene— present day “Acts 11:20-21

Libya)1’1 and a huge Gentile and Jewish church grows in this very important provincial Roman city. And it is to Antioch that a new

“Acts 11:25-26

church leader comes, summoned by Barnabas,bk with a fearsome reputation for persecuting the church, but by this time already one

of the greatest advocates of the Christian faith. He is Saul, soon to become Paul.

The Conversion and Apostolic Mission of Paul The second half of Acts concentrates on Paul: his conversion, mis­ sionary journeys, arrest in Jerusalem, captivity in Israel, voyage to

Rome and the final years in Rome. It is an epic story. His conversion is extraordinarily dramatic. Raised as a conserv­ ative Jew in Tarsus, he completes his religious training to become “Acts 22:3-5

a Pharisee in Jerusalem under Gamaliel.bl He soon joins in the

THE CHURCH IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

197

repression of the Christians, consenting to Stephen s stoning and

then using letters of authority from the High Priest to arrest, and throw into prison Jewish Christians in the Roman Provinces. (This

was part of a concession made by Rome to the Jews to police their

own religious affairs as long before as 140BC.) It is such a mission

of persecution that takes Paul to Damascus, “breathing murderous threats against the Lord’s people”.bm What happens on the Road to

b"'Acts 9:1

Damascus has become proverbial: Paul sees an overwhelming light; he has the Damascus Road experience and is forever changed. He falls to the ground, loses his sight, and hears the voice ofjesus speak­ ing in Aramaic, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He says,

“Who are you Lord?” and hears the reply: “I am Jesus of Nazareth

whom you are persecuting” .bn Paul gets up, finds he is blind and is

bnActs 22:8

led by the hand to Damascus where for three days he eats and drinks

nothing?0 After three days, Ananias, a faithful Christian living in

b" Acts 9:9

Damascus, bravely comes to him: baptises him and prays for him to

be filled with Spirit.bp And then, strengthened with food, Saul begins

bp Acts 9:17b

to preach that Jesus is the Christ.bq The fundamental difference for

Acts 9:22

Saul is that he now knows that Jesus is the Christ, both from his

own experience and from a complete reinterpretation of the Jewish scriptures he undertook during those three days of fasting.

As Paul is now preaching that Jesus is the Christ, he attracts

the bewildered hatred of the Jews in Damascus. He escapes from Damascus by being lowered in a basket from a window in the city walls.br He spends some time in Arabia?8 returns to Damascus, and

then goes to Jerusalem after three years. There he meets Peter and

br Acts 9:25 *”Gal 1:17

James, the Lords brother, for the first time, over a 15-day period?'

btGal i:x8

He leaves for a further 14 years?“ It is thought that he may have

b”Gal 2:1

undertaken evangelistic work among the Gentiles in the regions

of Cilicia, near to his hometown of Tarsus. He then returns again

to Jerusalem with Barnabas and Titus because of a revelationbv and

bv Gal 2:2

explains the Gospel that he preaches to the Gentiles.bw His teaching

bw Gal 2:2

of the Gospel, and his inclusion of Titus as a non-circumcised Greek is accepted1“ and likewise his commission to preach to the Gentiles.by

Paul is now taken from Jerusalem to Antioch to teach and encourage the church there?2 After a year, the Church in Antioch send Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. (See map 10, p. 349.)

bx Gal 2:3 byGal 2:7ff

b!Acts 11:25-26

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It may be helpful to give some idea of the chronology of Paul’s

missionary journeys, not that we can be certain about dates, as

the scholars themselves are uncertain. But if Paul’s conversion was around 32/33 AD, then the first missionary journey occurred around 47AD, allowing time for his long spell in Tarsus and the earlier three years in Damascus and Arabia. Following the first missionary

journey, the Council of Jerusalem is in 48 AD, and takes account of the success of the mission to Cyprus, Pisidia and Pamphylia and the towns of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe. The Council agrees to place the minimum requirement on the

Gentiles as to the Law: they are to refrain from “food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals "Acts 15:20

and from blood”.“

The second missionary journey soon follows. (See map 11, p. 350.) This is to be more ground breaking: taking the Gospel into Europe. Having revisited the churches founded on the first journey, Paul finds himself being called to Europe and in particular cbActs 16:9

to Macedonian Greece.cb Churches are founded in Philippi, then Thessalonica and Berea, before Paul comes to the significant cities of

Athens and Corinth. Paul has now visited the ancient pagan centre

of classical learning, religion and politics as well as the important commercial port, Corinth.

In 53AD, after spending some time in Antioch, Paul embarks on his third and last missionary journey. (See map 12, p. 351.) During ccActs 19:10

this journey he spends over two years in Ephesus,cc as well as revis­ iting churches in Galatia, Phyrgia and Greece, which he planted in

his first two journeys. At the end of this journey he sails back past cd Acts 20:16

Ephesuscd and summons the leaders of the church to meet him on

"Acts 20:17

the beach at Miletus,ce where he gives them a moving farewell mes­ sage, knowing that when he reaches Jerusalem he will be arrested.

In Jerusalem, Paul is arrested by the Roman garrison who are protecting him from the violence of the Jews from Asia, and con­ cfActs 2i:27ff

gregated in the Temple area.cf He announces that he is a Roman citizen and is taken into Roman custody, but is then given the opportunity to explain himself both to the crowd in the Temple

cgActs 21:37; 22:3off

area, and the Sanhedrin.cg He evades a plot to kill him thanks to

information provided to the Roman garrison Commander by his

THE CHURCH IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

199

nephewch. Instead Paul is marched under heavy escort through the

ch Acts 23:i6ff

night to the port town of Caesarea/1 There, in between trials before

“Acts 23:23

Felix and Festus two years apart,tJ he languishes in gaol.

q Acts 24:27

At his second trial under Festus, at which Agrippa and his wife Bernice are present, Paul once again recounts the story of his con­

version, but because he has appealed to Caesar as a Roman citizen

he cannot be released and is sent to Rome. Luke graphically tells of his voyage to Rome with its shipwreck in Malta, fascinating

details of a ship in the first century AD, and Pauls command of the situation through prayer, even in the unfamiliar experience of a

prolonged, 14-day storm at sea.ck (See map 13, p. 352.) Eventually,

ck Acts 27:14

Paul arrives in Rome, is placed under house arrest, released, but later imprisoned again, tried and executed—most probably during the persecution of the church that raged under Nero. It is thought that he was executed around 64AD.

In the space of 15 years the known world is transformed. Paul

or his associates plant churches in almost all the major cities of the Roman Empire: in Antioch, Thessalonica, Athens (though no letter survives), Corinth, Ephesus and Rome. The churches in these cities

affect the surrounding provincial and rural areas. There is no turning

back. Paul’s strategy is to go to the synagogues first and preach there to the Jews and often, having been thrown out, then speak to the

Gentiles. Sometimes he has an easier hearing with Jew or Gentile, but often he is attacked. He stays varying lengths of time in these

places: from three weeks (Thessalonica) to two years (Ephesus). His ministry consists in preaching, debate (Athens), power encounters/1

clActs 16:18; I9:i3ff

miracles and conflicts, either with demonic powers or the authorities. He is frequently in danger“1 and within a hairsbreadth of losing his

“2 Coor n:22ff

life. People come to faith in all manner of ways: at a place of prayer

in Philippi (Lydia),“ in a gaol in the same city“ and amongst the Areopagus in Athens.cp There are no standard procedures for evan­

Acts 16:14 "Acts 16:30 cpActs 17:34

gelism, but it is summed up by Paul as follows: “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and

done—by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have

fully proclaimed the Gospel of Christ”.cq

“'Rom 15:17-19

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

As Paul says, he has “fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ” and

he has done so with great skill and theological sensitivity to Jew and Gentile alike. An example of his preaching to the Jews may be

found in his address at Pisidian Antioch. His purpose is to show

that, “what God promised our fathers he has fulfilled for us, their

children, by raising up Jesus”. Consequently Paul says, “I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is justified through every"Act 13:32,3-39

thing you could not be justified from the Law of Moses”.cr Here is the heart of what Paul preached to the Jews especially: what the

Law of Moses cannot do, Christ has done on our behalf, so that “Rom 83

by faith in him we might live.“ But Paul also attunes his preaching

carefully to the Gentiles and we see this especially in Athens. Paul

is provoked by the paganism of Athens, the endless shrines and

plethora of gods present in the city and he engages with the local philosophical debating society/city council called the Areopagus. As

the Athenians have little or no knowledge of the Jewish scriptures

or any narrative of Jewish history, he begins where they are: with an inscription from a temple he finds and words from one of their poets. So he says, “I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something “Acts 17:23

unknown I am going to proclaim to you”.ct From this common ground, Paul forges a springboard for his address so as to take in the

‘“Acts 17:24-31

Christian doctrine of creation, the resurrection and judgement.™

Thus Paul shows the versatility of his preaching, starting out from either scripture or the culture in which he finds himself. He is an

Apostle and evangelist, leading the church in mission, but he is also a pastor/teacher, laying down patterns of church life for all time. If the preaching and church planting can be mostly found in Acts, the

teaching and pastoral care can be found in the epistles.

Chapter 14

THE WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL Romans; I & 2 Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; 1&2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Timothy;

Titus; Philemon

aul writes about a third of the New Testament and is its single

P

largest contributor. All of his writings are letters, and therefore

they arise out of a relationship with a community, or, in the case of

Philemon, an individual. Paul does not write a systematic theology, and the nearest we come to a full expression of his theology is the

Epistle to the Romans, which can be described as the plumb-line

of his teaching.1 His letters are written over a period of 12-15 years at the most, perhaps less. They are easily divided in one way: those written before his imprisonment in Rome, to which he refers in

those prison letters; and those written during it. Imprisonment was a catalyst for letter writing, although arguably his longest and most

formative letters came earlier. Just as Paul himself did not write a systematic theology, so I shall

not attempt to write one on his behalf. (For this we already have

N.T Wrights book, The Faithfulness of God). Instead, I shall run the journey of his epistles and conclude with a brief summary. We have already traced the course of his life after his conversion on the road to Damascus. His letter writing, as far as we know, did not begin

until after the first missionary journey. The first epistle, probably Galatians, was arguably written around 48 or 49AD.

Galatians The Epistle to the Galatians is written in the white heat of Paul’s concern for the churches, which he, under God’s grace, has founded

1 See Dunn J., The Theology of Paul the Apostle, Eerdmans 2006, p.16.

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

during his first missionary journey, but which are now in grave

danger of forsaking the Gospel. The Galatian churches are based in ‘Acts 13-14

Iconium, Pisidian Antioch, Lystra and Derbe.’ They are the fruit of

Paul and Barnabas’mission and comprise both Jew and Gentile. Paul

revisits these new church communities before returning to Antioch, appointing elders in each church and warning them “We must go b Acts 14:22b

through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God”.b But their

faith has been severely unsettled by the Judaisers, those who taught

the necessity of observing the Jewish Law in order to gain salvation and to prove that salvation by keeping the Law . This is clearly con­

trary to all that Paul has taught them. He is understandably astonished that they “are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the

grace of Christ and turning to a different gospel—which is really no 'Gal i:6-7a

gospel at all”.c Later he returns to his theme of astonishment with

'‘Gal 3:5

the words, “You foolish Galatians who has bewitched you?,,d He

reminds them forcibly of what he has taught them: the God-given nature of the Gospel he preaches; the promise of the Gospel that rests entirely on the grace of God in Christ; and the new life that believing the Gospel brings, a brand new joyful life in the Spirit.

We shall take each of these in turn. Paul is at pains to show that the Gospel he preaches is God’s

Gospel. To this end he gives an account of his own personal encoun­ ter with this Gospel, or more especially, his dramatic encounter with ' Gal i: 13

Christ. He tells of his earlier persecution of the church,e the fulfilment

fGal 1:15

of God’s plan for his life in his conversion/the revelation he received

8 Gal 1:17

as to the meaning of this Gospel while in the desert of Arabia;g and

h Gal 2:2

which the Apostles in Jerusalem recognize as true,*1 and which they

the fact that he consulted with no man about this. It is a Gospel

acknowledged he has been sent to preach to the Gentiles. It is also a Gospel which he has to defend, as he has done by confronting

Peter, who, although he lived like a Gentile, had withdrawn from ‘Gal 2:12c

fellowship with them for fear of “the circumcision group”.1 Even as he speaks about this Gospel which the Galatians are in danger

of forsaking, Paul re-iterates its truth: “We know that a man is not jGai2:i6

justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ”,J and it

leads to change since, “the life I live in the body, I live by faith in kGal 2:20

the Son of God who loved me and gave himself or me”?

203

THE WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

In answer to the criticism that faith in Christ or justification is

just a ticket to continue to sin, he says, “I have been crucified with Christ”,1 meaning his old ego or self life has been broken and now

1 Gal 2:20

he is a new man (more of this later when we reach Romans 6). “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me”. Paul would agree with John Newton, the converted slave trader, who wrote: “I am not

what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be; but I am not what I used to be, and by the grace of

God I am what I am”.

The second main theme of the epistle is that the Gospel is founded on a promise: first given to Abraham, enacted and fulfilled by Jesus

in his death and resurrection, offered by grace and received by faith.

This is most clearly argued in Galatians 3. Paul is here arguing that the Law be set in its proper context. It came 430 years after the

promise to Abraham, a promise which offered him descendants and land, as we have seen, but believing the promise was “credited to him

as righteousness”."1 In other words, salvation came from the dynamic

mGal 3:6

of believing God’s promise and not through observing the Law. Paul once again gives his fundamental argument: “Clearly no one is justified before God by the Law, because, “The righteous will live by faith”." He then describes the role of the Law for churches

n Gal 3:11

tempted to revert to observance of the Law for their salvation. The Law does not invalidate the earlier promise;" it was given to demon­

°Gal 3:17-18

strate transgression;11 and it was like a life tutor or guardian, meant

p Gal 3:19

to bring us to Christ.9 It does not oppose the promise, but leads us

qGal 3:24

to depend on the promise. Until the coming of Christ, we were, says Paul, a slave or minor unable to inherit all that was promised but “when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a

woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights of sons”/

r Gal 4:4-5

Only faith in the promise of forgiveness and justification offered

in Christ can bring new life in the Spirit. Right through the epis­ tle part of Paul’s argument is that the new life in the Spirit comes

through faith. So Paul asks “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the Law, or believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After

beginning with the Spirit, are you trying to attain your goal by human effort?’* Or again Paul says, “by faith we may (might) receive the

sGal 3:2-3

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

204

'Gal 3:14 "Gal 5:1

promise of the Spirit”.' Believing the promise brings freedom,“ but

also leads us into a new way of life. This way of life is most vividly v Gal 5:1

described as being a way of freedom directed by the Spirit.v With

great succinctness, Paul writes: “By faith we eagerly await through ’ Gal 5:5

the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope”.* In these words

so much of Paul’s theology is compressed: faith is at its heart, hope is the outcome, the hope is buoyed up by the Spirit, and the gift of

faith is righteousness. It is a world of expectation in a single sentence. ’Gal 5:6b

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself in love”? And the way to live this life of faith is by the Spirit.

In a wonderful phrase, the Christian is “to keep in step with the Spirit”, so that he or she will no longer gratify the desires of the yGal 5:16 ’ Gal 5:22 “Gal 5:19

flesh? If the Spirit is given free reign he will produce his fruiť and will eschew the acts of the sinful nature.“

Paul is confident that this teaching, which will put them back jbGal 5:7-12

on track, will be heeded,ab and that the person or persons who have been troubling the Galatians will be dealt with. Paul is once again in

the pains of childbirth for them, in hope that Christ will be formed “Gal 4:19

in them.ac Such burdens are part of his ministry, but he looks for

“Gal 6:15

new beginnings, for new creation in them by the Spirit?0 It is time to turn to a less turbulent church, which Paul also founded in the Greek port of Thessalonica.

1 and 2 Thessalonians Paul visited Thessalonica in 49 or 50AD during his second missionary journey which went from Asia to Europe. (See map 11, p. 350.)

Founded by Cassander, one of Alexander the Great s generals, in the fourth century BC, Thessalonica grew rapidly in significance. It is at

the head ofthe Thermaic Gulf in Eastern Greece, with a good natural

harbour and situated on the East West trade routes, which became the Via Egnatia. In modern Greece it is the second city after Athens and was a polyglot trading centre for many nations until the Turks

were ejected in the ethnic changes following the First World War. Later the Sephardic Jews, who had been expelled from Spain in the

sixteenth century, were killed by the Nazis there from 1941 onwards.

In Acts 17, Paul tells of his brief visit to Thessalonica when a church was founded in the face of bitter opposition from the Jews.

205

THE WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

Luke tells of “a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women’,e making up the church, a church of which, it

“Acts 17:4b

seems, Paul was especially fond. Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is essentially encouraging,

with some specific ethical and pastoral instruction in the final two chapters. At the outset, and in order to strengthen his relationship

with them, he recalls their coming to faithaf, their exemplary life,lg and their reputation in the area.ah Furthermore, Paul reminds them

afi Thess 1:5 ag 1 Thess 1:6—7 ah 1 Thess: 8-10

of their close relationship with him, and he with them, with verses which extol the close pastoral relationship which exists between

them.11 For instance, Paul describes himself as acting like a parent

“ 1 Thess 2: 6-9

towards them, like a mother1! and father,ak caring for them and sharing

aj 1 Thess 2:7 ak 1 Thess 2:11

himself with them. It is a relationship which Paul wants to foster

by coming to them, but he is unable to do so, so he sends Timothy

instead. He is further encouraged by Timothy’s report, and this in turn leads to heartfelt prayer for them. “May the Lord make your

love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just

as ours does for you”.11

aI 1 Thess 3:12

The final chapters of 1 Thessalonians add instruction to these warm comments. Firstly, Paul deals with their sexual desires. He calls

for avoidance of sexual immorality;1"' the self-discipline to take a

am 1 Thess 4:3b

wife in an honourable way; and asks that partners in marriage should

not take advantage of each other. “There is a world of difference between lust and love, between dishonourable sexual practices which

use the partner and true love-making which honours the partner,

between the selfish desire to possess and the unselfish desire to love, cherish and respect.”2

Paul then encourages the community to increase in love, for

which he has already prayed, and to lead quiet but active working lives, gaining both respect and well-earned income.an Finally, Paul turns to a subject which has been upsetting some of them, and

which he will return to again in his second letter. The Second Coming of Christ is a subject that particularly fascinates and con­

cerns the Thessalonians. They want to know what will happen to those who have already died at the parousia (the second coming of

J.R.W Stott, The Message of Thessalonians (IVP 1991), p. 84.

an 1 Thess 4:9-12

THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

206

Christ). What will happen if Christ comes while they are alive? The Thessalonians have become vulnerable in this area of their faith, prey to false teaching, with some giving up their jobs because they

believe Christ’s return is so imminent. To these questions or issues,

Paul gives measured replies, but in his second letter, having heard

they are becoming more unsettled by false teachers, his warnings and teaching become more insistent.

In his first letter, Paul assures the bereaved that the dead in Christ ao i Thess 4:16

will rise first,ao followed by those who are still alive when Christ returns. They “will be caught up together with them [those who

ap 1 Thess 4:17

are dead in Christ] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air”.3p As

for when this will happen, all that Paul can say is that it “will be like aq 1 Thess 5:2

a thief in the night”, sudden and unexpected?9 As they belong to

the day, the Thessalonian Christians must live like those in the light ar 1 Thess 5:4-11

and not those in darkness.lr But by the time of his second letter false teaching has disturbed the Thessalonians much more. He now says

“ 2 Thess 1:9—10

that such teachers will be punished“ and the Thessalonians should

at 2 Thess 2:2-3

not be unsettled.1' Finally, Paul says the parousia or Second Coming

will not occur until the Man of Lawlessness has come. This is an

Anti-Christ figure, hard to interpret, but whose appearance, law­ lessness, and rebellion against God will be unmistakeable and will be the precursor to the coming of Christ. Since this person has not yet come, Jesus’ own return is not imminent. In the meantime they au 2 Thess 3:6ft"

av 2 Thess 2:16-17; 3:4-5 aw 2 Thess 3:1-2

should return to work,1“ be encouraged,3V and pray for Paul himself and for his work.lw

1 and 2 Corinthians Paul’s letters to the Corinthians form his lengthiest correspondence with any of the New Testament churches, reflecting the complexity

of Paul’s relationship with the church in Corinth, and the difficulties

that arose in it. Paul goes to Corinth during his second missionary journey after his much shorter stay in Athens. The record of his

stay in Corinth is found in Acts 18:1—18. He arrives in the city " 1 Cor 2:3

with much fear and trembling31' to preach the Gospel in this most worldly and commercial of seaports. It is a city notorious for its

licentious lifestyle. Its temple, built for the worship of Aphrodite, is located on the hill above the city and has over a thousand cult

207

THE WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

prostitutes. The Temple of Apollo, with its cult of masculinity and

arts, is frequented by boy prostitutes. Paganism linked to sex is rife on every hill and corner.

Paul’s stay in Corinth is marked by his meeting with Aquila and

Priscilla, fellow tentmakers and Christians, exiles from Rome whom

the Emperor Claudius ejected from the city together with all Jews, including Christian Jews, and who later would return there.ay Paul

iyRom 16:3-4

as usual goes to preach in the synagogue. He is thrown out, but not before Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believes.12 Paul then

azActs 18:18

settles in the next-door house belonging to Titius Justus, and many more believe and are baptised.1” Although opposition continues

baActs 18:18

(much later a case is brought by the Jews against Paul in the Provincial Governor Gallios, court, but is rejected), Paul is encouraged in a vision to remain in Corinth.bb He stays for 18 months, from around

bbActs 18:9-10

March 50AD to September 51AD.

Two years or so later, in late 53AD or early 54AD, and while in Ephesus on his third missionary journey, Paul writes to the Corinthians. Although in the New Testament it looks as though there are just two letters, the correspondence is in fact more complex.

Paul pays a further, second, visit of which we know nothing. It is referred to in 2 Corinthians,bc where Paul speaks of paying a third

1x7 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1-20

visit, thus implying the second, and there is further correspondence which we do not have.bd

1x12 Cor 7-8

First Corinthians is possibly a conflation of two letters (1 Corinthians 1—4 being the first letter and 1 Corinthians 5—6 and

7—16 a two-part second letter). Likewise, 2 Corinthians contains the “Severe Letter’*1' which follows Paul’s second painful visit and

**2 Cor 10-13

a letter of reconciliationbt which follows Paul’s meeting with Titus

bf2 Cor 1-9

in Macedonia to get news of the Corinthians?8 3 Although this

bg2 Cor 7:5-16

may seem to be confusing, it reveals the complexity of Paul’s rela­ tionship with the church in Corinth, and the issues he had to deal with. Some scholars believe there were five Letters by Paul to the

Corinthian church. To simplify matters, we shall take the two Corinthian letters as they are and isolate the main issues Paul deals with. In the first letter,

3 D. Prior, The Message of I Corinthians , IVP 1992, p. 18.

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THE BIBLE INSIDE OUT - PART II

Paul deals, broadly speaking, with five main issues: true wisdom; the

wrong and right use of our bodies in relation to sex and food; the right way to worship and settle differences; the proper attitude to

spiritual gifts; and a right understanding of the resurrection. Several of these issues are interconnected, in that having a right understanding

of God’s call on our lives requires wisdom, which in turn means eschewing the prevalent attitudes found in Corinth. In Corinth wisdom is showy; sexual immorality is very common; pagan feasts

at Temples are frequent; spiritual gifts can easily be seen as trophies; and the resurrection is misunderstood. It is quite a challenge to deal with all these and as usual Paul is not one to duck the task. The issue which Paul firstly confronts, on the evidence given

to him by members of the church in Chloe’s household, is div­ bhiCori:n

ision in the church itself.bh For Paul, such division and quarrelling

proceeds from a lack of true wisdom; indeed it comes from an

attitude of boasting and rivalry. Some say, “I follow Paul”, others bi i Cor 12

“I follow Apollos”, and still others say “I follow Cephas”.1” Such partisanship is quite wrong and offends the wisdom which God

has given his people. Paul goes on to describe this wisdom: it is exemplified in the Cross in which God may appear foolish, but I Cor 1:25

even God’s seeming foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom.bj Paul

feels foolish when he preaches the message of the Cross “in fear

and trembling”, but the message proves to be powerful and “a ** 1 Cor 2:4-5

demonstration of the Spirit’s power”.bk Paul speaks God’s secret wisdom, “a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined

w I Cor 2:7

for our glory before time began”. bl The Spirit who searches the deep things of God has given us God’s mind in words inspired by

bm 1 Cor 6-16

the Spirit.bm Since we have such wisdom, we should not fall back into human rivalry. For all God’s servants, whether Paul, Apollos

b" 1 Cor 3:1-9

or Cephas, are dependent entirely on God’s gracebn and each one’s

work will be tested in the judgement.b° Finally, in this section 1 Cor 3:ioff; 4:1-7

bp 1 Cor 4:9-13 h’ I Cor 4:15

Paul urges them to heed his teaching, for although he has borne hardship and suffering,bp he is their father in Christ.bq

The second main area of teaching in this epistle, and one which was and is capable of wreaking havoc in the fellowship, concerns

their attitudes to sex and the meat which is used as a sacrifice to idols. Casual sex is very common in Corinth, especially because of

209

THE WRITINGS OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

the large number of cult prostitutes and the prevalent philosophical teaching, which conveniently ignores the impact of what is done in the body. Paul is responsible for bringing in a whole new sexual

ethic. Firstly, he has to deal with a notorious incident of sexual immorality in which a member of the church is sleeping with his

stepmother, and which the church either doesn’t care about or is proud of.br This yeast of immorality and moral nonchalance has to

i Cor 5:1-8

be thrown out.bs But the root of the matter is that being called to

1 Cor 5:6-8

live under grace and having freedom in Christ do not mean the use of our bodies is inconsequential.4 The body is not just a neutral

physical arena where we can simply put its parts to any use with­ out moral or spiritual consequences. We cannot say, as the Greeks

did, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food’*1' with the

1 Cor 6:13

unspoken inference, “Human genitals for sex and sex for human

genitals”. No, Paul’s argument is that what we eat and who we sleep

with have profound consequences on our moral and spiritual lives. Thus he argues, “The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but

for the Lord, and the Lord for the body”.bu Therefore our bodies

11 Cor 6:13b

are members of Christ himself. “Shall I take then the members of Christ and unite them to a prostitute?” No, says Paul, since to be united with a person sexually is to become one flesh with them:

a psycho-spiritual-somatic unitybv As we are united with the Lord

bv 1 Cor 6:16-17

and one spirit with him, we cannot take our bodies, so united with

Christ, and unite them with a prostitute or any other than a wife

or husband. Paul goes on to explain that husband and wife are to give each other their conjugal sexual rights and not to refuse each

other, except by agreement for a short while and for purposes of prayer.bw Nor should a wife or husband divorce an unbelieving

bw 1 Cor 7:1-7

partner, for they are one flesh and the believing partner sanctifies the unbelieving partner.bx Finally, Paul advises those not yet married,

bx 1 Cor 7:14

and whose sexual passions are under control, not to marry because

of the difficulty of the times and the undivided service the unmar­ ried can give to the Lord,by although he does not claim dominical

67 1 Cor 7:25p_=-i.Doris Jerusalem astAT I

Joseph,

Salome

Pheronis

* 2. Mariamtne___ = 3. Malthace

4. Cleopatra.* six more wives

37-4 bc Aristobulos Antipaterli Alexander d.4BC oL6bc d. 6bc - Berenice, = Glaphyra, daughter^ king daughter# Archelaus of Salome Cappadocia

ARCHELAUS HEROD ANT1PAS Ethnarch ofJudea Tfetrarchof Galilee and Perea 4bc-Ad6 =■ Glaphyra 4BC-4D40 widow = 1. aaogter erf half-brother king Aret® IV Alexander of Nabataea - 2, Herodias

PHILIP Tetrachqf Bataneae and Trachonitis 4bc-Ao34

issue

Berenice - Aristobulos, son of HEROD THE GREAT

Salome (the dancer)

Alexander

Alexander King of West Cilicia

HEROD AGRIPPA I King of Judaea ad 41-44 - King of Batanaea 37-44 = Cypros

Herodias -HEROD ANTIPAS tetrarch afGalilee and Perea

ARISTOBULOS Herod Agrippa II Berenice Drusilla King