Daily Old Testament and Early Christian Writings: Joshua 22-24 and Origen's De Principiis: Books IV and V-1

Joshua 22 – Joshua releases the Gadites, Reubenites and half-tribe of Manasseh to go to their lands east of the Jordan, instructing them “to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” (22:5).

When they get there, though, there is a serious misunderstanding.  They construct an altar by the Jordan, “an altar of great size” (22:10). When the other Israelite tribes learn of it, they “gathered at Shiloh, to make war against them” (22:12).

The Ephraimites were in possession of the ark and the sanctuary and opposed proliferation of altars, but each tribe had a sanctuary according to The Jerusalem Bible. They send out Phineas, Eleazar’s son, to talk to them along with ten chiefs.  When they get there they confront them by saying, “What is this treachery that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away today from following the Lord, by building yourselves an altar today in rebellion against the Lord” (22:16). They compare the offense with the trouble they had at Peor [see Numbers 25] when a plague was attributed to Israelites having sexual relations with the women of Moab.  They tell them rather to come across the Jordan and take lands there if they are tempted to apostasy. 

But the eastern tribes had no intention of rebelling. They do not intend to “offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or offerings of well-being on it” (22:23). What they want is a physical reminder that will establish their connection to the tribes west of the Jordan. “We did it from fear that in time to come our children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? For the Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you Reubenites and Gadites; you have no portion in the Lord,’ So your children might make our children cease to worship the Lord.  Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, no for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you, and between the generations after us, that we do perform the service of the Lord in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and offerings of well-being; so that your children may never say to our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in the Lord”’  (22:24-28.) This is satisfactory to Phineas and the Israelites.

Joshua 23 – A long time later, when Joshua is old, he summons everyone to him and admonishes them to be steadfast as Moses did before his death.  He tells them to love the Lord and avoid intermarriage with the women of the region lest they “be a snare and a trap for you,” (23:13).  The blessing has been experienced, but the curse is always there for them to consider.  If they transgress the covenant “then the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land that he has given to you” (23:16).

Joshua 24 – Joshua gathers the tribes at Shechem and goes over with them the whole narrative from Terah and his sons, Abraham (who built an altar at Shechem) and Nahor to the present.  And again he asks them to renew the covenant by choosing “this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (24:15).  The people choose likewise, not once but three times (24:16-18; 24:21 and 24:24). 

Joshua wrote their promise “in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the Lord. [And he said] ‘See, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, if you deal falsely with your God’” (24:27). 

Joshua was 110 when he died and he was buried in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mt Gaash. Joseph’s bones were buried at Shechem in the plot Jacob had bought from the children of Hamor [see Genesis 33:18].  And Eleazar dies too and is buried at Gibeah (his son Phineas’ town).

Origen (185-254 AD)

De Principiis (First Principles)

Chapter IV – On Defection or Falling Away

1 – Origen compares how some “fall away” from the faith with people like doctors or mathematicians who spend so much of their lives learning their crafts, their “art.” A person like this is not going to lose everything all at once. He still may “repair the losses” his negligence will bring and recover the knowledge.

2 – If we wish to examine the “divine benefits bestowed upon us by Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” we must start with considering three different natures we are dealing with.

Chapter V – On Rational Natures

1 – There are in Origen’s intellectual landscape different “species and orders” of “rational natures.” We find, he says, in the Holy Scriptures different “orders and offices, not only of holy beings, but also of those of an opposite description” and he intends to examine references to such “beings” in this section as best he can.

“There are certain holy angels of God whom Paul terms ‘ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.’ In the writings also of St. Paul himself we find him designating them, from some unknown source, as thrones, and dominions, and principalities, and powers; and after this enumeration, as if knowing that there were still other rational offices and orders besides those which he had named, he says of the Savior: ‘Who is above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.’

Daily Old Testament and Early Christian Writings: Numbers 25-26 and Origen's De Principiis: Preface 9-10

Numbers 25 – Israel is encamped at Shittim (at the foot of the mountains in northeaster part of Moab). And the people go immediately astray—giving themselves to debauchery with the women of Moab and worshiping their gods.  So God gets furious with them.  He tells Moses that the leaders must be “impale[d]” (Jerusalem Bible 25:4). Moses turns this task over to the judges he has appointed. 

Phineas (name of Egyptian origin, grandson of Aaron) executes judgment on an Israelite who consorts with a Midianite woman and on the women too. I wonder why Midian is a bad nation here since Moses’ married a Midianite woman. The zeal of Phineas turns away the Lord’s anger (25:10). This also reinforces the “calling” of the Levites who first won God’s favor by a similar vendetta against the idolaters in the golden calf episode, but under the leadership of a Levite from the new generation, the generation permitted to enter the Holy Land.

Numbers 26 – A second census closes out the book and also starts the section of Numbers that speaks of the transition from Moses’ leadership to Joshua’s. Moving from the rebellion narratives, a sense of order must also be reestablished in the community. The final exhortation of Moses must wait until Deuteronomy. This may be out of place, but in the New Testament, it is in John where we are given the final exhortation of Jesus, our Moses.

The purpose of this census is perhaps to assure that no one from the first census will enter the Promised Land.  The counts are: Reubenites – 43,730; Simeonites – 22,200; Gadites – 40,500; Judahites – 76,500; Issacharites – 64,300; Zebulunites – 60,500; Manassahites – 52,700; Ephraimites – 32,500; Benjaminites – 45,600; Danites – 64,400; Asherites – 53,400; Naphtalites – 45,400 (601,730 total).

Division of the land is determined partly by number and partly by lot [considered a way of determining God’s will].  The total number of male Levites over the age of one month was 23,000. In the census there “was not a man . . .who had been registered by Moses and the priest Aaron in the census of the Israelites taken in the desert of Sinai.  For the Lord had told them that they would surely die in the desert, and not one of them was left except Caleb. . . and Joshua. . .” (26:64-65).

Origen (185-254 AD)

De Principiis (First Principles)

Preface

9 – He says he will inquire into whether the term “incorporeal” is found in the Scriptures under another name; and he says, “it is also to be a subject of investigation how God himself is to be understood—whether as corporeal, and formed according to some shape, or of a different nature from bodies—a point which is not clearly indicated in our teaching. And the same inquiries have to be made regarding Christ and the Holy Spirit, as well as respecting every soul, and everything possessed of a rational nature.”

I don’t know how others feel about this attempt to approach the Scriptures and the seminal “doctrines” or principles of the Christian faith with the tools we have of reasoning and imagination. But for me, it is so similar to the way I have tried to deal with the mysteries of being human that I am in awe of what I read. He makes leaps I have trouble making but I feel him searching and trying with everything in him to comprehend “truth.” And he lived 2000 years ago.

10 – The Church does teach that there are angels with God, “good influences, which are His servants in accomplishing the salvation of men.” But what they are and how they were created is not “clearly stated” by the teachers of the Church. “Everyone, . . . must make use of elements and foundations of this sort, according to the precept, ‘Enlighten yourselves with the light of knowledge,’ if [you] desire to form a connected series and body of truths agreeably to the reason of all these things, that by clear and necessary statements he may ascertain the truth regarding each individual topic, and form, as we have said, one body of doctrine, by means of illustrations and arguments—either those which he has discovered in Holy Scripture, or which he has deduced by closely tracing out the consequences and following a correct method.”

Daily Old Testament and Early Christian Writings: Numbers 22 and Origen's De Principiis: Preface 5-6

Numbers 22 - The Israelites camp on the plains of Moab, across the Dead Sea from Jericho.  Balak, son of Zippor (a name very like Moses’ wife, Zipporah), is the king of Moab. He is afraid of the Israelites and sends elders from Moab and Midian to Balaam of Pethor on the Euphrates. 

Balaam is a pagan prophet known for his occult powers. He is asked by Balak to come and curse the intruders.  Now God Himself comes to Balaam (at night so perhaps in a dream) and warns him not to interfere with these people for they are blessed. The next day Balaam tells the messengers from Balak that he cannot return with them.  King Balak does not give up, however.  He sends more important messengers to offer a great reward to Balaam if he comes.  This time God tells him he may go but only if he does just as God directs.  In the next paragraph we are told that God becomes angry with Balaam but it is not clear why.  The traditional interpretation is that Balaam did not follow the Lord’s direction but succumbed to the temptation to take the riches in return for his powers. [In the letters of Jude and 2 Pet, this is the reason they give for God’s displeasure at Balaam]

On the road, Balaam’s ass sees the angel of the Lord with a sword drawn, and leaves the path--Balaam beats her.  This happens three times each time the path becomes narrower and the movement off less noticeable.  Then the Lord allows the ass to speak to her master and she asks him why he is beating her.  Then his “eyes are opened” and he too sees the angel in the middle of the road armed with a sword.  So he finally gets on course again and arrives in Moab where Balak is annoyed he took so long.  Balaam tells him he can only say what the Lord puts in his mouth. 

This story is interesting for a number of reasons, the main one being that here again we see example of a non-Jewish king with a powerful connection to the Lord.  He is generally obedient and responsive to the correction of the Lord when he is tempted by riches to leave the path.  So he represents the capacity of those who are outside the promise to understand at least that God favors these gathered people and they should be allowed to follow the Lord.  Presumably for the entire stretch of history before Christ there were people of all nations who could in some measure see and respect the presence of God and the working of God around them even though the work did not directly relate to them.  As God gathered the Jews he is patiently building a redemptive possibility through historical events that will ultimately be opened to all men.

Origen (185-254 AD)

De Principiis (First Principles)

Preface

5 – On the soul, the apostolic teaching is “that the soul, having a substance and life of its own, shall, after its departure from the world be rewarded according to its deserts being destined to obtain either an inheritance of eternal life and blessedness if its actions shall have procured this for it or to be delivered up to eternal fire and punishments if the guilt of its crimes shall have brought it down to this: and also that there is to be a time of resurrection from the dead, when this body which now ‘is sown in corruption shall rise in incorruption,’ . . . “

“This also is clearly defined in the teaching of the Church, that every rational soul is possessed of free-will and volition; that it has a struggle to maintain with the devil and his angels and opposing influences because they strive to burden it with sins; but if we live rightly and wisely we should endeavor to shake ourselves free of a burden of that kind.” We do not believe that we are “subject to necessity so as to be compelled . . . even against our will, to do either good or evil.” There may indeed be things that “influence” us to do one or the other, but our will is not bound by those influences.

He goes on to deny that the “stars” are any “cause of human actions.” And there are details about the nature of the soul that are NOT subjects, which the Church claims clarity on.

6 – Regarding the devil and the angels with him, the Church does say that “these beings exist. . . but what they are, or how they exist, it has not explained with sufficient clearness.” The opinion most Christians have, however, is that the devil, having become “apostate” (rebellious), did “induce” other angels to fall away with him, and these beings are still called angels.

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.