Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 12 and Matthew 27:1-26

Deuteronomy 12 – The editor of the Schocken Bible  (1997) notes that Deuteronomy as a whole is similar to other Near Eastern “covenant” or “treaty” models, Assyrian and earlier Hittite texts. It presents an historical overview and exhortation (chapters 1 through 11) followed by the “terms of the covenant” (chapters 12 through 28) and a concluding exhortation (chapters 29 through 34).

Chapters 12 to 28 is the heart of Deuteronomy – it represents the terms of the covenant they are entering into. There must be only ONE place of worship; they must tear down “all the places where the people worship their gods on high mountains, on hills and under green trees” (12:2). There must be NO IDOLS to Asherah. While these chapters of the book of Deuteronomy recount the entry of the Jews into the Promised Land after forty years of “wandering” in the desert, it was composed much later, at a time when the monarchy was struggling to reform and reestablish the community on the covenant under the leadership of King Josiah (7^th c BC) or possibly even later, during the restoration made possible by the Persians (6^th c. BC). The centralization it speaks of here was not a factor in 13^th c. BC when the historic narrative of the exodus was thought to have happened.

Other post-exilic (6^th c BC) values reflected in Deuteronomy are concern for the proper slaughter of food, concern for care of the Levites, and avoidance of false worship – especially things like child sacrifice. Interesting is the passage that reads, “You shall not do as we are now doing; here, everyone does what seems right to himself, since you have not yet reached your resting place, the heritage which the Lord, you God, will give you” (12:8). This sounds like an attempt to squelch a certain troubling individualism, but I think it pertains only to the place in which sacrifice is offered.  For the time being, any place will do, but when the Lord reveals the “place,” then it should be there alone.

They are also admonished not to consume the blood but to pour it out on the ground (12:16 and 24).  When “the place” is established, however, the blood should be poured out against the altar (12:27).

There is an emphasis here too on “making merry before the Lord” (12:12 and18), which Nehemiah seems to refer to in his exhortation when the people of Israel rebuild the Temple and stand to hear the Law proclaimed again and are overcome with tears.

Matthew 27:1-26 – Jesus is handed over to Pilate in the morning.  Judas experiences despair, a despair that seems like remorse for he says, “I have sinned in betraying an innocent man to death” (27:4), but he then goes off and kills himself rather than turning to God for forgiveness. Priests use the silver Judas returned to buy a potter’s field.  

Pilate questions Jesus and Jesus does not answer him directly, nor does he answer the chief priests and leaders who also question him. Pilate asks the people if they want Jesus released—it was customary to release one imprisoned on this feast—but the people, incited by their leaders (27:20) demand his death. Pilate seems disturbed by the baselessness of the crowd’s hostility (27:23) and washes his hands according to a practice described in Deuteronomy 21: 7-8. Early Christians saw Jesus treatment here as foreshadowed by Isaiah 53: 7

                  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did

                           not open his mouth:

                  Like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

                           and like a sheep that before it shearers is silent,

                  He did not open his mouth.