Deuteronomy 31 – The next four chapters bring the
Torah to a close. The Schocken version
points out that they end not with
achievement of the goal—entry into the Promised Land but with a people filled
with hope and commitment and readiness; and he says, furthermore that the
very end of the Hebrew Bible—II Chronicles 36 parallels this with Cyrus vowing
to build a house for YHWH in Jerusalem and inviting the people to “go up.”
Moses is
120; he will not cross over the Jordan.
Yahweh himself will lead them in.
Moses committed the Law to writing and gave it to the Levites. It is to be proclaimed every seven
years on the pilgrimage of Sukkot when all Israel gathers to hear this
instruction proclaimed. Joshua and
Moses meet at the “Tent of Appointment” and YHWH appears there too in the
“column of cloud.” He predicts the unfaithfulness of the people and his
abandonment of them. He is also given a Song to teach the people.
1 Corinthians 4 - We are Christ’s servants, stewards
of the mysteries of God (4:1). Having just
finished some of the earliest Christian writings – the Didache, Ignatius of Antioch and Clement – I can say how wonderful
it is that Paul sees himself as “steward” of these deepest mysteries. The
others dwell so steadily on the “dos” and “don’ts” of the Christian community. Paul
will not be judged by them or even by himself. He will be judged by God He urges them again not “to go beyond what is written,” (4:6)
[said in both JB and NAB to be obscure—maybe a reference to the OT promises and
their fulfillment in the cross, maybe a gloss]. Somehow they must be making
claims and boasting of having come into some advanced state or mystery—maybe
the very kingdom of God itself—but Paul brings them up by reminding them while
they are reveling in this claim, he is still weak and deprived, serving the
gospel, being ridiculed and persecuted for the sake of the gospel. They need to stop their boasting.
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