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And the world is a big place - 17 November 2011
Some thoughts found in and provoked by Douglas Jones on the Gospel of Luke:
- “Jesus, like a priest, ‘laid his hands on every one of them’ and healed them” (p. 78).
- “Jesus’ royal priesthood is grounded in creation, and His goal is to bring about a restoration of creation, a new Eden. … It’s a bit of Eden breaking through. Jesus restores creation person by person” (p. 78).
- “All this kingdom work, all this liberation and restoration, creates a community attaching itself to Jesus” (p. 78). Note v. 42, “the people sought him and came to him and would have kept him from leaving them” – multiple verbal clauses intensifying and emphasising their attachment to their Messiah.
- This is potentially rather significant. The point of Jesus’ redefinition of Israel is that he’s now saying, “If you want to be an Israelite, you need to be attached to me.” The reaction of the people of Capernaum reflects exactly this (correct) instinct. Yet to be attached to Jesus they didn’t need to have him in the body. They needed only to be living within the sphere of his Kingdom. Since they are now living there, Jesus can safely go on to the other towns and preach the good news of the Kingdom there too.
- Jesus’ calling of the first disciples (Simon Peter, James and John, 5:10) at the start of Lk 5 is occasioned by the size of the task that obviously confronts him at the end of Lk 4. “He is only one Son of Man, and the world is a big place. For the kingdom to grow, he needs other royal priests to join him” (p. 79).
A chiasm in Luke 4:31-37 - 9 November 2011
Jesus takes his message to the outlying regions
31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath,
Teaching with authority
32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.
The man is possessed by the demon
33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon,
The demon cried out
and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are – the Holy One of God.”
The demon is silenced
35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!”
The man is freed from the demon
And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.
Teaching with authority
36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
Reports about Jesus are taken to the outlying regions
37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
His service is perfect freedom - 4 November 2011
The word “servant” (‘ebed) appears frequently in 2 Samuel 9, and following the use of this term highlights some intriguing threads in the narrative.
- God’s Messiah, King David, is looking for someone to show kindness (hesed, v. 1), and he learns about Ziba, a servant of the house of Saul (v. 2). Ziba immediately identifies himself as David’s servant. The neely-annoined Messiah has now been given everything that previously belonged to the usurper Saul, and Ziba has the good sense to know that the best job in the world is a servant of the King.
- Ziba identifies Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson, who appears before David and describes himself as David’s servant (v. 6, cf. v. 8). The Messiah immediately welcomes him to his table.
- When Ziba reappears, he is described (significantly) not as Saul’s “servant,” but as Saul’s “lad” (‘na’ar, v. 9, though English translations often obscure this difference). The fallen pretender Saul has finally lost authority even over his own household.
- Ziba himself will work for Mephibosheth, and at this point we learn that he has many servants (v. 10) who will join him. The one who served the King is himself given the right to rule.
- Finally, Ziba declares that as the King’s servant (v. 11) he will do all his master asks, and he and all who serve him will thereafter serve Mephibosheth, the one to whom the Messiah decided to show hesed. For the Messiah will always ensure that his own are served.
Paul never said that - 2 November 2011
Most scholars today doubt that the apostle Paul wrote the letter to the Hebrews. There are, however, a few – past and present – who believe he did. John Owen, for one.
Personally, I think it’s unlikely, for several reasons. Here’s the argument that intrigues me the most (I think it was David Field who first mentioned it to me):
Is it really possible that Paul would have spoken of the message that “was attested to us by those who heard” (Heb 2:3), having placed such great emphasis in Gal 1:16-17 the fact that he did not consult with the other apostles before (or even immediately after) his personal encounter with the risen Christ? Hebrews 2:3 could surely only have been written by someone who heard the Gospel second-hand, not from Jesus personally.
The fast track to unpopularity - 2 November 2011
“People love their hometown heroes, but not their local prophets. Prophets have a way of confronting sin and unbelief, as Jesus did, and this is hardly the way to become popular.” (Ryken, Luke, p. 183)
Arrows in the hand - 28 October 2011
2 Samuel 3 begins with the note that “there was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker” (v. 1). Then, as if to explain David’s strength over Saul, there follows a list of David’s children, before the war-theme returns explicitly in v. 6.
So, here’s a question: why the digression? What is the connection between a list of children and a record of warfare? The answer is found in Psalm 127:4-5:
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
are the children of one’s youth.
Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!
He shall not be put to shame
when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.
Not just random shots - 25 October 2011
Some thoughts found in, and provoked by, Douglas Jones on Luke 4:1-13, the temptations of Jesus:
- “In the Old Testament, the Spirit is often connected with the new and the future (e.g. Ezek 36). To see so much of the Spirit here shows that the new age is upon us.” (p. 64)
- Jesus “is going to reverse Adam’s failure.” (Note the connection with the end of the genealogy in Lk 3.) His kingdom will not just raise the poor and humble the rich; it will restore the entire created order. (p 64)
- Note the OT prophetic connection between justice and restoration of creation (Isa 31:15-16; Ps 72).
- Satan’s three temptations of Jesus are not just “random shots”; they’re interconnected, and Ezekiel’s oracles against the King of Tyre (Ezek 26-28) highlight the connection. All the features of the King of Tyre – “self-interest, independence, unsacrificial wealth, violent domination, and self-exaltation” – also characterise Satan. “It is no surprise, then when Satan uses these very things to tempt Jesus.” (pp. 66-68).
- Temptation 1: think of yourself; forget the needs of others.
- Temptation 2: the seductions of wealth and power.
- Temptation 3: self-interest, the right to boast in how God has served you.
No ordinary temptations - 25 October 2011
The temptations of Jesus (Lk 4) are a recapitulation of both Israel’s temptation in the wilderness and Adam’s temptation in the garden. This serves as a reminder that these two earlier events are connected, and that therefore in the covenant-historical framework of Scripture the Adamic background must be kept in view when considering the history of Israel.
Sent by the Spirit - 20 October 2011
Some thoughts from Robert Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts (vol 1), on Jesus’ baptism in Luke 3:21-22.
- “This brief scene [3:21-22] does not focus on Jesus’ baptism, which is mentioned only in a participle, but on the descent of the Spirit upon Jesus and the voice from heaven to him.” (Tannehill, p. 56).
- Unlike Mt and Mk, Lk notes that the voice and the Spirit came while Jesus was praying. Prayer is often a moment of divine encounter in Lk/Ac (cf. Zechariah, Anna, Cornelius, Peter, Paul). (Tannehill, p. 56)
- The descent of the Spirit upon Jesus prepares for the Spirit’s key role in the following sections: full of the Spirit and led by the Spirit into the wilderness (4:1); returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee (4:14); Spirit of the Lord upon J (4:18). Just as in Acts: the Spirit descends on Jesus (Lk) / the church (Ac) in preparation for the respective parties’ participation in the mission of God. (Tannehill, p. 57).
Bit by bit - 19 October 2011
Matthew 13:24-43 teaches that the kingdom of heaven will grow gradually, reaching a great extent until it finally influences the whole world, before the harvest is gathered in and the remaining weeds are uprooted.
Just Luke - 17 October 2011
A few thoughts found in, and prompted by, from Arthur Just’s commentary on Luke (vol 1), on Jesus’ baptism, Luke 3:21-22:
- The focus is on neither Jesus nor John, but “on the testimony of the Spirit and the Father that Jesus is the Messiah for whom the infancy narratives and John’s preaching and baptism prepared” (Just, Luke, p. 158).
- Luther (Works, 22:77): Jesus “was ordained into ministry by his heavenly Father, and was anointed as the Teacher and King of all Christendom. He received a genuine doctor’s cap and royal crown, namely, the Holy Spirit, and was installed as a real King and Priest with these words from heaven” (Just, Luke, p. 158, n. 1).
- Jesus pours out what he first receives. As God, he always and eternally possesses the Spirit. But as a man the Spirit of poured out on him in time and space in his baptism. This Spirit them overflows from Jesus to all who are one with him.
- The story of John’s ministry ends with Herod locking him up in prison. By the time we get to Lk 9:9, John has already been executed by Herod. But the Spirit of God is not bound, chained, locked up. He’s released into the world through the Messiah at the death of the messenger. All the prophet needs to do is to die, and the Spirit will be unleashed.
- Jesus “begins his substitutionary atonement by condescending to take his place among sinners submitting to a baptism of repentance … Jesus now takes humanity’s place to receive the wrath of God against sin … From this moment, Jesus stands in solidarity with sinful humanity” (Just, Luke, p. 161).
Not very missional - 13 October 2011
Some thoughts found in, or provoked by, Douglas Jones on Luke 3:1-20
- “John’s baptism water is not where is should be. Why is water coming out of the desert” rather than the temple, as in Ezekiel 47 (p. 53).
- “He’s providing life outside the temple system (p. 54), in keeping with his end-of-Old-Israel message. Also, the LORD has now left his people and gone into the wilderness.
- Recall the “glory of the LORD departing from Israel” (Ezek) theme in 2:9? The glory had departed (Ezekiel); and had now returned (2:9), but to the shepherds in the fields, not in the temple. John should be heard as “a threat to the first-century temple” (p. 54).
- Valleys lifted up and mountains brought down (3:5) echoes “rising and falling of many in Israel” (2:34). The mountains are the haunts of the old rulers (Jerusalem? Zion? Temple?); the valleys are the places of the downtrodden. The mountains are the homes of those mentioned in 3:1-2a. But John preaches a gospel of lifting up the weak.
- “John isn’t very missional or seeker-friendly in his preaching” (p. 55).
- John fights power-politics with repentance and faith.
- Don’t quit your job, you soldiers and tax collectors, but “seek the peace of the city” (Jer 29:7). At least for the time being, maybe?
- Imitation of Amos, who also castigated the rich, and also said, “Woe to you who desire the Day of the Lord!” (p. 57).
- According to Ezekiel 18:5, a righteous man who does what is just and right is one who habitually and normally does what John tells his hearers to do (pp. 57-58).
A chaiasm in Luke 3:1-20 - 11 October 2011
Oppression from the powers
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
Baptism and gospel-proclamation
3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
Call to repentance
7 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Call to repentance
10 And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
Baptism and gospel-proclamation
15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.
Oppression from the powers
19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.
A Chiasm in Luke 2:40-52 - 11 October 2011
40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favour of God was upon him.
41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom.
43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it,
44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.”
49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them.
51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.
What did Simeon see? - 28 September 2011
“It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not SEE death before he had SEEN the Lord’s Christ.” (Luke 2:26)
He saw the source of life before he saw death.
Priest-King-Prophet revisited - 27 September 2011
A while ago I tentatively floated this priest-king-prophet structure for 2 Chronicles 13-20:
Abijah (2 Ch 13) – complacency concerning the Priesthood
Asa (2 Ch 14-16) – loyalty to the wrong King
Jehoshaphat (2 Ch 17-20) – disrespect for the LORD’s Prophet
It turns out the 2 Ch 23 matches this rather nicely, lending further support to the prophet-priest-king outline. Here’s how it works.
After three disastrous monarchs (Jehoram, Azariah and Athaliah), Joash is rescued from Ahaziah’s murderous rampage. There are obvious echoes here of Abimelech (Judges 9) in Athaliah’s killing spree. Joash is depicted as a new Moses – being saved as a child from death at the hands of an idolatrous Monarch by (guess who…?) his sister. So you’ve got high hopes for Joash as the next chapter begins.
Chapter 23 then systematically unravels the priest-king-prophet mess from the previous chapters.
The faithful Priest Jehoiada re-constitutes the Levitical service in the house of God (23:1-7).
The Levites lead the people in crowning the right King and executing the upstart Athaliah (23:8-15).
Jehoida takes the role of faithful Prophet, speaking to the people in order to make a covenant with them to bind them to faithfulness in the future (23:16-21)
Priest – king – prophet - 23 September 2011
Abijah (2 Ch 13) – complacency concerning the Priesthood
Asa (2 Ch 14-16) – loyalty to the wrong King
Jehoshaphat (2 Ch 17-20) – disrespect for the LORD’s Prophet
It’s at least possible, isn’t it? And it wouldn’t be the first time. Or the last.
Four horns - 30 August 2011
Given that Zechariah mentions only one “horn of salvation” in Luke 1:69, perhaps the title of this sermon needs a little explanation.
The horns of an animal are the dangerous bits. The business end of the beast, so to speak. They thus represent the strength of an animal.
Besides this, however, horns had other uses in ancient Israel. They were hollowed out and used as containters for oil, and thus became associated with the anointing of Priests, Prophets and Kings. They were also used as trumpets, and thus came to be connected with the praises of the people of God or the call to battle of the LORD’s army.
Finally, horns were used as a blueprint in the tabernnacle and temple architecture. In particular, the altar had horn-shaped projections (called “horns”) on its corners, where sacrificial blood was sprinkled during sacrificial rituals.
So, putting it all together, we have something like this:
Horns of an animal – the strength of the LORD
Horns of the altar – the sacrificial blood of the Son
A horn full of oil – the anointing of the Spirit
A horn as a trumpet – the praises of God’s people
If that sounds vaguely trinitarian (Father-Son-Spirit => people), that’s because it is.
Super eight - 11 August 2011
If you’re reading the Bible carefully, you already know there’s something peculiarly special about the number eight. Eight people in the ark; you give your ox to the LORD on the eighth day; David was Jesse’s eighth son; Jesus was raised on the eighth day; and so on.
As Henri Blocher once said, the number eight is a kind of numerical symbol for the new creation. No surprise, really, since four symbolises the whole world (four corners, right?) and twice four is eight, and therefore a second world.
All OK so far? Good.
So then you’re reading through 1 Chronicles 26, diligently poring over the divisions of labour for the gatekeepers, the sons of Meshelemiah and Obed-Edom. (As my kids like to sing, “1 Chronicles, 1 Chronicles, the book with lots of funny names.”)
And lo and behold, as the Chronicler carefully enumerates O-E’s sons, he gets to “Peullethai, the eighth, for God blessed him” (v. 5).
More on Levi’s three sons - 29 July 2011
In a previous post I said a few things about the surprising order and proportions of the genealogies of Levi’s descendants Gershon, Kohath and Merari in 1 Chronicles 6. A quick glance through the later part of that chapter reveals similar emphases in the allotment of land. Lots of space is devoted to the allotment of land for the sons of Kohath, “for theirs was the first lot” (v. 54). The Gershonites get slightly less space (vv. 71ff). Finally, Merari is squeezed into the middle (v. 63ff.). And though I’ve not looked hard at the geography, my impression is that Merari’s crowd get quite a lot less space to live in too: only twelve cities (v. 63) compared with considerably more for Gershon and Kohath.
It’s possible that these differences also reflect the number of their descendants. If Kohath and Gershon had more kids, obviously their list would take more space, and they would also probably end up needing more land. But the fact that this should itself be correlated with their tabernacle privileges (see previous post) is itself interesting, suggesting that the fulfillment of the Abrahamic blessing of descendants in the land (cf. Gen 12) goes hand-in-hand with other privileges in the sanctuary.
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