Micah 5:1-4, 10-15

5:1 Now you are walled around with a wall;

siege is laid against us;

with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel

upon the cheek.

The Ruler from Bethlehem

2 But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

3 Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labor has brought forth;

then the rest of his kindred shall return

to the people of Israel.

4 And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD,

in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth; (Micah 5:1-4, NRSV)

10 In that day, says the LORD,

I will cut off your horses from among you

and will destroy your chariots;

11 and I will cut off the cities of your land

and throw down all your strongholds;

12 and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,

and you shall have no more soothsayers;

13 and I will cut off your images

and your pillars from among you,

and you shall bow down no more

to the work of your hands;

14 and I will uproot your sacred poles from among you

and destroy your towns.

15 And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance

on the nations that did not obey. (Micah 5:10-15, NRSV)

Gregory Mobley identifies Hosea, chapters four and five, as “speeches promising divine restoration and exaltation of the people of Israel and the city Jerusalem.” “A series of poems depicts an ideal age (‘that day’) when God reigns, Israel triumphs, and the nations are judged” (NOAB, 3^rd ed. on Micah 4:1-5:15). The first of these (4:1-8) was included in part (vv. 1-5) in yesterday’s reading. The theme continues (with Mobley’s labels for the respective sections): “The LORD will rescue the exiles” (4:9-10); “Israel will crush its enemies” (4:11-12); “A messianic poem [about a ruler from Bethlehem]” (5:2-5a); “Assyria will be defeated” (5:5b); and “Israel gains the upper hand” (5:7-9).

But in the course of this series of hopeful poems, we come to a problematic situation in Hosea 5:1: “Now you are walled around with a wall; / siege is laid against us; / with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel / upon the cheek.” Philip J. King, with particular reference to the striking of “the ruler of Israel / upon the cheek,” says it is “an act of humiliation expressing contempt for the king,” and that it “may refer to King Hezekiah who, in 701 B.C.E., was cowed by Sennacherib” (HarperCollins Study Bible, on Hos. 5:1). So we may say that Micah draws a sharp contrast here between present humiliation, (cf. the “now’ situations of 4:9, 11), and the glorious future, when another king, like David, will come from Bethlehem to rule (v. 2), return his people (v. 3), and “feed his flock” in peace (vv. 4-5). The “messianic poem” is familiar, of course, from it’s use by Christians at Christmas, and specifically, the quotation of it in Matthew’s narrative of the visit of the Magi (Mt. 2:6, citing Mic. 5:2, combined, says Dennis C. Duling, with 2 Sam. 5:2, “It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel”). This, as Duling reminds us, is Matthew’s “second formula quotation,” introduced (Mt. 2:5) by a variation of the formula, “All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet” (Mt. 1:22, my emphasis). (The “by the Lord” part of this formula is usually omitted–but clearly understood–in the subsequent formula quotations, 2:5-6, 15, 17-18, 23; 3:3, etc.), and the “through the prophet” part of the formula varies to suit the context, as, for example, in the reference to John the Baptist as “the voice of one crying out in the wilderness” (Mt. 3:3, citing Isa. 40:3). Ehud Ben Zvi, who, of course, does not share Matthew’s understanding of this passage as a reference to Christ, nevertheless cites “traditional Jewish interpretations” as messianic. They “tend to focus on comparisons between the birth pangs of a woman and the hardship of Israel prior to the coming of the Messiah” (The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1213 on Hos. 5:2). He refers to “the following text”:

Rab said: The son of David will not come until the [Roman] power enfolds Israel for nine months, as it is written, Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. ‘Ulla said: Let him [The Messiah] come, but let me not see him. Rabbah said likewise. Let him come, but let me not see him . . . Abaye enquired of Rabbah: ‘What is your reason [for not wishing to see him]? Shall we say, because of the birth pangs [preceding the advent] of the Messiah?’ But it has been taught, R. Eleazar’s disciples asked him: ‘What must a man do to be spared the pangs of the Messiah?’ [He answered,] ‘Let him engage in study and benevolence and you Master do both.’ (b. Sanh. 98b [Soncino ET])

So this messianic poem ends by promising peace. “And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great / to the ends of the earth; / and he shall be the one of peace” (Mic. 5:4c, d, 5a).

And Micah continues by predicting the defeat of Assyria (vv. 5b, c, d, e, 6a, b), the rescue of “us from the Assyrians / if they come into our land / or tread within our border” (v. 6c, d, e), and the ascendency of Israel (vv. 7-9). For “the remnant of Jacob,” though surrounded by many peoples,” will have the power of the “dew”–that is, coming upon an enemy by surprise (v. 7a, b, c; cf. 2 Sam. 17:12 and Mobley’s comment on Mic. 5:7). For “the remnant of Jacob,” though “surrounded by many peoples,” will be like a lion (v. 8a, b, c, d), which “treads down / and tears in pieces, with no one to deliver” (v. 8e, f). Israel will be “lifted up over your adversaries, / and all your enemies shall be cut off” (v. 9).

 But the last part of this hopeful section (chaps. 4-5) backs off a little. The LORD says he will “cut off your horses from among you / and . . . destroy your chariots” (5:10:10), for “Israel must rely on the LORD, not military force (Ps. 20:17; 33:13-17; Zech. 9:10)” (Mobley on v. 10). The LORD “will cut off the cities of your land / and throw down all your strongholds” (v. 11). He will “cut off sorceries” and eliminate soothsayers (v. 12), forms of divination prohibited by Deut. 18:10-11 (cf. Mobley on v. 12). Images, pillars, and sacred poles, “the equipment of Canaanite religion, banned for Israel, will be destroyed. “According to 2 Kings 18:4,” adds Mobley, “King Hezekiah accomplished this” (Ex. 34:13) (Mobley on vv. 13-14). The anger, wrath and vengeance “on the nations that did not obey” (v. 15) refers to Israel and Judah. So this section (Hos. 5:10-15) is appropriately labeled “But before reconstruction, demolition” by Mobley (on vv.10-15).

Hosea 10:1-15 (Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions–see the comments for Friday, October 6, 2006, eight days ago.)

Acts 25:13-27

Festus Consults King Agrippa

13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to welcome Festus. 14 Since they were staying there several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a man here who was left in prison by Felix. 15 When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me about him and asked for a sentence against him. 16 I told them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had met the accusers face to face and had been given an opportunity to make a defense against the charge. 17 So when they met here, I lost no time, but on the next day took my seat on the tribunal and ordered the man to be brought. 18 When the accusers stood up, they did not charge him with any of the crimes that I was expecting. 19 Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive. 20 Since I was at a loss how to investigate these questions, I asked whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges. 21 But when Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of his Imperial Majesty, I ordered him to be held until I could send him to the emperor.” 22 Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.”

Paul Brought before Agrippa

23 So on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city. Then Festus gave the order and Paul was brought in. 24 And Festus said, “King Agrippa and all here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish community petitioned me, both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer. 25 But I found that he had done nothing deserving death; and when he appealed to his Imperial Majesty, I decided to send him. 26 But I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that, after we have examined him, I may have something to write- 27 for it seems to me unreasonable to send a prisoner without indicating the charges against him.” (Acts 25:13-27, NRSV)

The following comments are combined and revised from October 9, 2004 (two years ago on Saturday of the week of the Sunday closest to October 5, Year Two), and from August 20, 2005 (Saturday of the week of the Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Year One):

King Agrippa II, who appears in this reading, and his sister Bernice were children of King Agrippa I, whose death is reported in Acts 12:20-23. Only seventeen at the death of his father, and being educated in Rome, he was gradually given rule over territories north and east of Judea. He tried to promote Judaism and prevent the revolt against Rome, but when it came, he sided with the Romans. He survived for most of the century and died in Rome after A.D. 93 (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, s.v. Agrippa II). When he and Bernice visit Caesarea “to welcome [the new governor,] Festus” (Acts 25:13), they are informed about Paul and the charges against him (vv. 14-15, 18-19). Festus’ account puts the Roman judicial process “in a good light” (Christopher R. Matthews, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on v. 16), and Luke takes the opportunity to report another instance in which the Roman fails to find Paul guilty, but Jewish pressure keeps Paul in custody. “When the accusers stood up,” says Festus, “they did not charge him with any of the crimes that I was expecting” (v. 18, cf. v. 25). “Instead they had certain points of disagreement with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, but whom Paul asserted to be alive” (v. 19). Festus confesses to being “at a loss” about “how to investigate” these Jewish questions (v. 20a), and reports his question to Paul about “whether he wished to go to Jerusalem and be tried there” (v. 20b, cf. v. 9). He restates Paul’s answer (v. 21, cf. v. 10). “Paul had appealed to be kept in custody for the decision of his Imperial Magesty” (v. 21a, cf. “I am appealing to the emperor’s tribunal (epi tou bēmatos Kaisaros)” (v. 10). Since Festus has essentially said, “he’s your responsibility; can you help me?” Agrippa expresses a desire to “hear the man myself” (v. 22).

So arrangements are made for a hearing before Agrippa under auspicious circumstances, for, “on the next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and they entered the audience hall with the military tribunes and the prominent men of the city” (v. 23a). Festus orders that Paul be brought in (v. 23b) and summarizes the situation as a Jewish issue (v. 24), but he says, like Pilate of Jesus, “I found that he had done nothing deserving death (v. 25a, cf. Lk. 23:4). He has decided to send Paul to the Emperor (Acts 25:25b) But he has a dilemma. Apparently, Festus, having agreed to send Paul to Rome, wants help in drafting the indictment (v. 27) from someone more knowledgeable about Jewish matters. A scene is being set for Paul’s defense before Agrippa, Bernice and Festus (chap. 26, in readings for Monday and Tuesday of next week) which will fulfill Jesus’ prediction, “You will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify” (Lk. 21:12-13). Most of us bear witness to Christ in less grandiose circumstances!

Luke 8:16-25

Lamp under a Jar (Mt 4.21-25)

16 “No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. 18 Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.”

The True Kindred of Jesus (Mt 12.46-50; Mk 3.31-35)

19 Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. 20 And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21 But he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Jesus Calms a Storm (Mt 8.23-27; Mk 4.35-41)

22 One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out, 23 and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. 24 They went to him and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?” (Luke 8:16-25, NRSV)

Matthew has a cluster of seven parables with comments on the use of parables as the third of five major speeches (Mt. 13:1-53; cf. chaps. 5-7 and 10:1-11:1). Mark has four of these with comments (Mk. 4:1-33), and the best explanation of the relationship is that Matthew follows Mark’s narrative but supplements it from other sources, and in the process does some topical arranging. Here he adds a few parables to Mark’s set of four. Luke, on the other hand, includes the Parable of the Sower (Lk. 8:4-8), the statement on the purpose of parables (8:9-10), and the explanation of the Parable of the Sower (8:11-15), which were discussed yesterday. But he includes only one other parable, the Parable of the Lamp under a Jar (8:16-18; cf. the Lamp under a Bushel, Mk. 4:21-25). Later he will present several parables found only in Luke, for example, the Good Samaritan (10:29-37), the Rich Fool (12:16-21), the Prodigal Son (15:11-32) and others. Matthew’s Parable of the Yeast (Mt. 13:33), one that he added to Mark’s group here, has a parallel in Luke 13:20-21; both likely derived from another source (the hypothetical common source known as “Q”). For a table of parables in Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8 and parallels, see the separate file Parables. With a wealth of information at his disposal (cf. Lk. 1:1-4), and a scroll of limited length, Luke apparently felt that one agricultural parable was sufficient at this point. Whereas Matthew and Mark continue with further agricultural parables (Matthew with several), Luke, like Paul a man of the cities, moves on quickly to other matters. The saying about the lamp (Lk. 8:16-17; cf. Mk. 4:21-22; Mt. 5:15) leads to the admonition, “Then pay attention to how you listen” (Lk. 8:18), but Luke moves on to the scene in which Jesus defines his family: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (v. 21), and then to Jesus’ Stilling the Storm (vv. 22-25. The disciples are afraid, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” (v. 24), but when Jesus rebukes the wind and waves, asking “Where is your faith?” (v. 25a), they marveled and said, “Who then is this, that he commands even wind and water, and they obey him?” (v. 25b). If I were in Paul’s shoes, before Festus and Agrippa, I’m sure I would feel that as one of the storms of life. With faith--and grace for that hour–I believe, Jesus would still that storm as well.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

rworden@houston.rr.com