Daily Bible Reading: Ezekiel 24-25 and John 19

Ezekiel 24  – Ezekiel, who is in Babylon, prophesies that the city of Jerusalem is now under siege and shall suffer complete destruction and death of the population by the sword – all because of its unfaithfulness.

Ezekiel’s telling of the history of Israel, from its beginnings, is one that focuses only on the failures of faith and continual passions for unwholesome customs and idolatry. Here the message is more that God has continually had to punish Israel for the sake of his name and reputation – to show that He is Lord, and to show this to all the world, not just to Israel. Like Jeremiah, he sees Babylonian power as a tool of God in dealing with his unfaithful partners in the Covenant.

In the coming 8 chapters, Ezekiel prophesies against the nations that surround his beloved – Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Sidon and Egypt. Lawrence Boadt says Ezekiel is here referring to the “seven peoples” referred to in Deuteronomy (7:12). God’s defeat of these “foreign nations” will be the beginning of God’s “new covenant” when he returns his people to their lands.

Only when all is lost does Ezekiel turn to the future and God’s plan to return the exiles and purify their faith. There will be a new David to lead the flock and new hearts in the people

Ezekiel 25 – Oracles against Ammon, Moab, Edom and Philistine:

Ammon - The Ammonites together with the Israelites and the Moabites were considered the Aramaean branch of the Semitic race. They were descended from Abraham’s nephew Lot. If you want to learn more about each of the “nations” Ezekiel writes about here, you can check out articles at the Catholic Encyclopedia site at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01431b.htm. When I last checked there was an election day message you may not like, but the articles are good.

While the Israelites did not take their land, they and the Moabites were banned forever from serving in the Temple even when they converted to the worship of Yahweh. They worshipped the god Milcom or Moloch.

Ezekiel prophesies that because they were happy at the desecration of Israel’s Temple, they shall be handed over to the Arab nomads who will invade. “I will reduce you to nothing, and so you will learn that I am Yahweh” (25:7).

Moab – Moabites were also incestuously descended from Lot.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10409b.htm)

For seeing the House of Judah as in no way special, she too will be handed over to these “sons of the East” (25:10) and will be forgotten.

Edom – Idumaea – the name comes from the red color of its sandstone cliffs. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07638a.htm.

For taking revenge on the House of Judah, she shall be reduced to a desert.

Philistine - For taking revenge on God’s people and trying to destroy them, Philistine will suffer terrible acts of vengeance so that they learn that the Lord is Lord.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12021c.htm

John 19 – Pilate has Jesus flogged. The soldiers mock him by putting a crown of thorns on his head and dressing him in a purple robe. They strike him on the face and say, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Pilate gives him back to the people, telling them again he finds “no case against him” (19:4).

The crowd demands his crucifixion. Pilate tells them to take him. They tell him by their law he has incurred death for claiming to be the Son of God. This frightens Pilate. He questions Jesus again, asking him “Where are you from?” Jerusalem Bible note points out that the whole point of the gospel is to show how everyone is confronted with this mystery of Jesus’ origins—the people of Cana, the Samaritans, the apostles, the multitudes, the Jewish leaders and now Pilate. But now Jesus says nothing. Pilate can’t believe he is not going to answer him, seeing the power he (Pilate) has over his fate. Jesus says to him, “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin” (19:11).

Pilate wants to release him, but the Jews threaten to impute disloyalty to the emperor to him if he does. He takes Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at Gabbatha (The Stone Pavement). It is about noon of the day of Preparation for Passover. The crowd again demands he be crucified. Three times Pilate has let the crowd know he finds no case against Jesus, but three times the crowd demands that Jesus be put to death, ultimately making it look that if Pilate releases him, they will make it plain to the emperor that Pilate’s loyalty to Caesar must be in question. Pilate finally hands him over to the crowd, or maybe to the chief priests (19:15) to be crucified.

They take him to the Place of the Skull where they crucify him along with two others. Pilate had an inscription placed over him that said, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” It is written in Hebrew (Aramaic), Latin and Greek. The chief priests don’t want it written that way. They prefer, “This man said, I am King of the Jews.” But Pilate keeps it as it is. When the soldiers finish placing him on the cross, they took his clothes and divided them among them (into four).  His seamless tunic, they cast lots for—all of this according to Scripture [Ps 22:18]. The high priest’s robe was supposed to be seamless.

Near the cross stand his mother, his mother’s sister and Mary Magdalene (three Marys). When Jesus saw his mother next to the discipline whom he loved, he said “Woman, here is your son..  . .Here is your mother.” Use of the term “woman” might allude to the greater identity John sees in Mary as the new Eve according to Jerusalem Bible notes. The disciple takes Mary into his home.

Jesus knows it is finished. He says, “I am thirsty”. His words are from Psalm 22:15. Both Matthew & Mark say Jesus cried out the first line of this psalm: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me” (see Matt.27:46 and Mark 15:34). Luke has Jesus quoting Psalm 31:5 which is very different, more at peace. They give him wine on a branch of hyssop. He says, “It is finished” (19:30) or in the New Jerusalem “It is accomplished.” The translation of this phrase is important in making the link I think is so important to understanding John’s grasp of this moment Christologically.

Because it is the Day of Preparation, they don’t want to leave the bodies on the crosses past sundown. With Pilate’s permission, they break the legs of the crucified men and removed their bodies. Jesus’ legs are not broken because he is already dead (19:33). Instead one of the soldiers pierces his side with a sword and “blood and water came out” (34). All of these things were seen as fulfilling scripture [see Zc 12:10, Nb 21:9 and Rv 1:7].

The Jerusalem Bible says the blood is the blood of the lamb poured out for the salvation of all (6:51) and the water is a symbol of the Spirit. Church Fathers saw the water and blood as symbols of baptism and Eucharist or together “the Church” which was born like a second Eve from the side of the second and perfect Adam.

Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple of Jesus’ gets Pilate’s permission to take Jesus’ body. Nicodemus helps by bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes. They place him in a new tomb in the garden nearby.

As I have mentioned earlier in my posts on John’s gospel, I have recently gotten very excited about more recent insights I have had on the connections I think exist between the gospel and several Genesis references. If you want to check out that article, it can be accessed at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1absTac7RqOsG9XxVWT1VqVexCPvmB4szFdD1hCTERAE/edit

 

Daily Bible Reading: Tobit 11-12 and Luke 23

Tobit 11 – Raphael and Tobias decide to go ahead of Sarah and the rest so as to greet Tobit and put the “gall” from the fish on his eyes so he will be cured. They do and of course both Tobit and his wife are overjoyed to see their son. Tobias applies the gall and Tobit’s sight is restored. They praise God and go off to the gates of Nineveh to greet Sarah.

Tobit 12 – Tobit tells Tobias they need to reward Azariah [Raphael] for all his help. Tobias thinks half of all they have is not too much. After all, not only did he help recover the money placed in trust, he also cured Sarah and Tobit. When they give their friend this reward he reveals to them that he is, in fact, Raphael, one of the seven angels who serve God. Apparently, the idea of angels came into Judaism from the Persians’ Zoroastrianism. Only three of the seven major angels are mentioned in the Bible – Gabriel, Michael and Raphael.  Raphael tells them to bless and praise God for all the blessings he bestows, to praise him publicly. Praising God and giving alms are what they should do, not hoard gold.

Luke 23 - They bring Jesus to Pilate and accuse him “of perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king” (23:2). Pilate asks him if he is King of the Jews.  Jesus answers, “So you say” (23:3). Pilate finds nothing to charge him with. But they insist that he is nothing but trouble. Pilate asks if Jesus is a Galilean, and when he learns he is, he decides to ship the problem off to Herod, who happens to be in Jerusalem.  Herod is glad to see Jesus.  He had heard about him and been curious about him “for a long time” (23:7). He wants to see Jesus perform some sign.  Jesus does not speak with him. Herod’s soldiers mock him. Luke notes that that day Herod and Pilate, two men who had been enemies previously became friends. Herod sends him back to Pilate.

                 

Pilate wants to have Jesus flogged and released, but the people cry for his crucifixion.  Pilate argues a second time for Jesus’ release, but the crowds keep shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” (23:21) And yet a third time he asks, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death. . .” (23:22). “But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed” (23:23). Pilate give them the man they called for, “one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder” (23:25).

                 

Simon of Cyrene is made to carry Jesus’ cross. Jesus tells the mourning women who follow him to weep for themselves and for their children, for “the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (23:29-31)

                 

There are two other criminals crucified at the place called Golgotha [the skull]. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (34). An NRSV note says that other ancient authorities lack this sentence. They cast lots to divide his clothes.  People mock him, saying he saved others, let him save himself.  There was an inscription—“this is the King of the Jews”—over him (23:38). One of the criminals next to him derides him, but the other confesses Jesus innocence.  Jesus tells him “today you will be with me in Paradise” (23:43).

About noon, the land becomes dark for three hours.  The curtain of the temple is torn in two and Jesus cries “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (23:46). The centurion here says, “Certainly this man was innocent.” He does not say he was the Son of God. All of Jesus’ acquaintances, women included, “stood at a distance, watching these things” (23:49).

Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, goes to Pilate and asks for the body of Jesus.  The women see where he is buried but it was the beginning of the Sabbath, so they rest.  

Daily Bible Reading: Deuteronomy 13-14 and Matthew 27:27-54

Deuteronomy 13 – Moses warns the people not to add to or take from the command he gives them. If “a prophet or dreamer” performs signs, don’t let that lead you to worship strange gods.  Yahweh tests us to see if we love him. “. . .his voice you shall obey, him shall you serve, to him shall you cling. . .”  (13:5). And if someone tries to turn you to away from the Lord, that person should be “put to death” (13:5). We tend to forget that God’s chosen in our long tradition once held to this very harsh standard.

Even if someone closest to you – mother, father, son, wife, etc. tries to turn you aside, you must “be the first” to raise you hand to stone that person (13:9).  God will be served singly and without exception.  No other loyalty can be put first.  Jesus says this too –he does say he comes to separate father from son, wife from husband, etc. Even the closest human bonds should not separate us from the Lord our God. But Jesus turns his back on the violence.

The penalties here are very severe, very violent The dangers are people from within who pretend to be prophets and dreamers, people close to you by blood whose influence may be strong, and the danger that comes from internal corruption, which, when brought to light, induce whole groups (towns) of people to break unity, then vengeance is to be brought onto the whole place, not only the instigators (13:2, 7 and 14).

One interesting thing to note about the prophets and dreamers part is that here even if the fruits of their prophecy (the signs they are able to perform) are powerful, it is the message itself that condemns them.  They are preaching disloyalty to God.

Deuteronomy 14 – Warnings against pagan rites, the eating of unclean things—animals with only cloven hooves (but who do not chew the cud) or who chew the cud (and do not have cloven hooves—both must be present); water animals that have only one (fins/scales—both must be present); birds of prey are unclean; and winged insects; animals that are found dead.  Milk and meat (life and death) are not to be eaten together.  Foreigners and aliens among you may eat these things (14:21).

When the Lord finally chooses his “place” you shall bring tithes.  Every third years’ tithes shall go to the Levites and widows, aliens and orphans.

Matthew 27:27-54 - Jesus is taken to the Praetorium, residence of the Roman governor, clad in a scarlet cloak and crowned with thorns to mock his claim of kingship.  Simon, the Cyrenian [Northern Africa], carries Jesus’ cross.  The guards cast lots for his clothes.  “If you are God’s Son, come down from the cross” (27:40) – these words echo the temptation Christ had early on in the desert.  Also here both of the men Jesus is crucified with, real revolutionaries or “bandits”, “abuse him” along with the Roman soldiers.

Around noon, the sky goes dark—see Amos 8:9--and remains dark for 3 hours.  Around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, Jesus cries out his last words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”(27:46 from Psalm 22). Jesus dies and immediately “the veil of the sanctuary is torn in two from top to bottom (27:51). The earth shakes. The bodies of saints are raised and appear to “many” (27:53).  The three women said to be in attendance are Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the Zebedee brothers.