NOTE: The following notes on 1 Maccabees, Revelation and Matthew are repeated here from an email sent on November 18, 2003, for November 19, 2003. (For the notes on Ezra, see below.)

1 Maccabees 3:42-60

42 Now Judas and his brothers saw that misfortunes had increased and that the forces were encamped in their territory. They also learned what the king had commanded to do to the people to cause their final destruction. 43 But they said to one another, "Let us restore the ruins of our people, and fight for our people and the sanctuary." 44 So the congregation assembled to be ready for battle, and to pray and ask for mercy and compassion.

45 Jerusalem was uninhabited like a wilderness;

not one of her children went in or out.

The sanctuary was trampled down,

and aliens held the citadel;

it was a lodging place for the Gentiles.

Joy was taken from Jacob;

the flute and the harp ceased to play.

46 Then they gathered together and went to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, because Israel formerly had a place of prayer in Mizpah. 47 They fasted that day, put on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore their clothes. 48 And they opened the book of the law to inquire into those matters about which the Gentiles consulted the likenesses of their gods. 49 They also brought the vestments of the priesthood and the first fruits and the tithes, and they stirred up the nazirites who had completed their days; 50 and they cried aloud to Heaven, saying,

"What shall we do with these?

Where shall we take them?

51 Your sanctuary is trampled down and profaned,

and your priests mourn in humiliation.

52 Here the Gentiles are assembled against us to destroy us;

you know what they plot against us.

53 How will we be able to withstand them,

if you do not help us?"

54 Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout. 55 After this Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens. 56 Those who were building houses, or were about to be married, or were planting a vineyard, or were fainthearted, he told to go home again, according to the law. 57 Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus.

58 And Judas said, "Arm yourselves and be courageous. Be ready early in the morning to fight with these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. 59 It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. 60 But as his will in heaven may be, so shall he do." (1 Maccabees 3:42-60, NRSV)

"Which hills are worth fighting and dying for?" I'm probably misquoting a friend, who asked something like that in another context. For an answer to the question as such, I would defer to those who know something about military strategy. But in Wednesday's reading, it's clear that Judas and his followers have decided that their religion and culture are "a hill worth fighting and dying for. Judas Maccabeus learns of Seleucid plans to make slaves of the Israelites and he urges the people to "restore the ruins of our people and fight for our people and the sanctuary" (1 Macc. 3:43). After fasting, putting on sackcloth and ashes, studying the law of Moses, they cry out to Heaven: "Your sanctuary is trampled down and profaned,/and your priests mourn in humiliation./Here the Gentiles are assembled against us to destroy us;/you know what they plot against us./How will we be able to withstand them,/if you do not help us?" (vv. 51-53). So "they sounded the trumpets" and mustered an army, preparing for battle with the Seleucids.

The following text and comments on Ezra 10:1-17 is repeated here from Sunday, November 6, 2005.

Ezra 10:1-17

The People's Response

10:1 While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel; the people also wept bitterly. 2 Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra, saying, "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 4 Take action, for it is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it." 5 Then Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said. So they swore. (Ezra 10:1-5, NRSV)

The people join in with Ezra’s prayer of confession (Ezra 9:5-15). They “also wept bitterly” (10:1). “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women,” they said (v. 2), but they offer to “make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children” (v. 3). They ask Ezra to “take action” to deal with the situation (v. 4), so he agrees, and starts by administering an oath: he “made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said” (v. 5).

Mass Divorce of Foreign Wives

6 Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night. He did not eat bread or drink water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. 7 They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem, 8 and that if any did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all their property should be forfeited, and they themselves banned from the congregation of the exiles.

9 Then all the people of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, "You have trespassed and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. 11 Now make confession to the LORD the God of your ancestors, and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives." 12 Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, "It is so; we must do as you have said. 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for many of us have transgressed in this matter. 14 Let our officials represent the whole assembly, and let all in our towns who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every town, until the fierce wrath of our God on this account is averted from us." 15 Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites supported them.

16 Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of families, according to their families, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter. 17 By the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women. (Ezra 10:6-17, NRSV)

At the invitation of the leaders (Ezra 10:4), Ezra acts to resolve the problem of mixed marriages. But first he fasts and mourns “over the faithlessness of the exiles” (v. 6). “All the returned exiles” are called to assemble at Jerusalem (v. 7) under penalty of forfeiting their property and banishment from the congregation if they fail to come (v. 7), which indicates the severity of the problem in the mind of Ezra and the officials. To the assembled “people of Judah and Benjamin” (v. 9), Ezra repeats the charge (v. 10), and directs the people to confess their sin and “separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives” (v. 11). The people generally agree (v. 12), but request time for the process to be carried out (v. 13), and suggest a procedure, “Let our officials represent the whole assembly, and let all in our towns who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times” (v. 14). The dissenting voices were few (v. 15), so the suggested procedure was carried out (vv. 16-17).

Revelation 21:9-21

9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb." 10 And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It has a great, high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates are inscribed the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites; 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 The angel who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width; and he measured the city with his rod, fifteen hundred miles; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits by human measurement, which the angel was using. 18 The wall is built of jasper, while the city is pure gold, clear as glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city are adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, each of the gates is a single pearl, and the street of the city is pure gold, transparent as glass. (Revelation 21:9-21, NRSV)

John's vision of the New Jerusalem continues: "It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal" (Rev. 21:11). "Since the city is symbolical, so are its measurements (all of which are multiples of 12).... The city is represented as being a cube, symbol of perfection; its beauty and magnificence are suggested by the precious stones" (B.M. Metzger, NOAB, citing Exodus 28:17-21, which describes priestly vestments). "The foundations of the wall... are adorned with... jasper... sapphire... agate... emerald... onyx... carnellian... chrysolite... beryl... topaz... chrysoprase... jacinth... amethyst" (vv. 19-20). To this description is

added twelve gates, "each...a single pearl," and the street of "pure gold, transparent as glass" (v. 21).

Matthew 17:22-27

22 As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands, 23 and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised." And they were greatly distressed.

24 When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?" 25 He said, "Yes, he does." And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?" 26 When Peter said, "From others," Jesus said to him, "Then the children are free. 27 However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me." (Matthew 17:22-27, NRSV)

The Gospel reading for Wednesday includes Jesus' second Passion Prediction (Mt. 17:22-23) and his payment of the "temple tax" (v. 24) with a coin taken from the mouth of a fish (v. 27). "The half-shekel tax was paid by Jewish males annually in March for the upkeep of the temple.... The coin (Greek stater) was exactly enough (two didrachmas) to pay for both [Jesus and Peter]" (E.E. Tilden, B.M. Metzger, NOAB). Jesus' dialogue with Peter about

this suggests that he paid the tax not due to obligation, but rather "so that we do not give offense to them" (v. 26). The story makes the points that "Jesus does certain things which, strictly speaking, he did not have to do as the Son of God," and that "Jesus' action could not be made a basis for making Christians continue to pay the Temple tax" (K. Stendahl, Peake's Commentary). On the other hand, it may remind us of Paul's claim: "I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some" (1 Cor. 9:22).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com