Some of the following comments are from October 26, 2005 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One):

Victory in spite of Opposition and Difficulties

The Jews are privileged to celebrate the completion of their temple about twenty-two years after first returning from Babylon (538 to 516 B.C.). We know that there were many difficulties ahead, but the investigation ordered by King Darius had proven their right to rebuild the temple. Their temple was undoubtedly not nearly so grand as it was in Solomon’s time, nor as it would become in the time of Herod the Great, but still there was reason for celebration. In a time of persecution (under Emperor Domitian) John sees victory over evil. Jesus quotes Isaiah to explain rejection of his message but he points to blessing and promise within his small group of followers.

Ezra 6:1-22

Darius’ Decree

6:1 Then King Darius made a decree, and they searched the archives where the documents were stored in Babylon. 2 But it was in Ecbatana, the capital in the province of Media, that a scroll was found on which this was written: "A record. 3 In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices are offered and burnt offerings are brought; its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, 4 with three courses of hewn stones and one course of timber; let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 5 Moreover, let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple in Jerusalem, each to its place; you shall put them in the house of God."

6 "Now you, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and you, their associates, the envoys in the province Beyond the River, keep away; 7 let the work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God: the cost is to be paid to these people, in full and without delay, from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province Beyond the River. 9 Whatever is needed-young bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests in Jerusalem require-let that be given to them day by day without fail, 10 so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his children. 11 Furthermore I decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of the house of the perpetrator, who then shall be impaled on it. The house shall be made a dunghill. 12 May the God who has established his name there overthrow any king or people that shall put forth a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, make a decree; let it be done with all diligence."

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

13 Then, according to the word sent by King Darius, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates did with all diligence what King Darius had ordered. 14 So the elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of the prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished their building by command of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus, Darius, and King Artaxerxes of Persia; 15 and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

16 The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 Then they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

Passover (Cp Deut 16.1-8)

19 On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles kept the passover. 20 For both the priests and the Levites had purified themselves; all of them were clean. So they killed the passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by all who had joined them and separated themselves from the pollutions of the nations of the land to worship the LORD, the God of Israel. 22 With joy they celebrated the festival of unleavened bread seven days; for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel. (Ezra 6:1-22, NRSV)

Yesterday, we read that Tattenai, the governor of the province named Beyond the River, that included Judah, questioned the right of the Jews recently returned from Babylonian exile to rebuild the Jerusalem temple. He and his associates wrote a letter to King Darius raising this question (Ezra 5:7-17). The Jews have claimed the right according to the decree of Cyrus the Great, and Tattenai’s letter refers to that claim (vv. 13-16). But Tattenai’s letter closes with a request that an investigation be made to see whether this claim of the Jews is legitimate. “And now, if it seems good to the king, have a search made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by King Cyrus for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. Let the king send us his pleasure in this matter” (v. 17).

Today’s reading begins by reporting the decree of Darius to have the search of the archives done as requested in the letter from Tattenai and his associates (Ezra 6:1). Although the archives were in Babylon (v. 1), the document in question was found “in Ecbatana, the capital in the province of Media,” that is, “a scroll . . . on which” the decree in question was written (v. 2):

A record. In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices are offered and burnt offerings are brought; its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, with three courses of hewn stones and one course of timber; let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. Moreover, let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple in Jerusalem, each to its place; you shall put them in the house of God. (Ezra 6:3-5, NRSV)

According to Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, “This archival version of Cyrus’s decree emphasizes building size and funding and is more generous than the public version (Ezra 1:1-4), explicitly offering royal financial support (v. 4)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Ezra 6:3-5). As a consequence of the search, Darius sends a letter to Tattenai and his associates (vv. 6-12). They are to “keep away” (v. 6), and “let the work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site” (v. 7). Darius not only permits the building and forbids interference; he also directs Tattenai and his associates to actively support the work of the Jews. “Moreover I make a decree,” says the letter, “regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God: the cost is to be paid to these people, in full and without delay, from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province Beyond the River” (v. 8). “Whatever is needed,” says Darius–young bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests in Jerusalem require–let that be given to them day by day without fail” (v. 9). According to Eskenazi, “Darius designates provincial revenue for the Temple, though this may antagonize other local, taxpaying districts” (on v. 8).

The king relates the purpose of this assistance to his own and his family’s well-being, stating that it is to be done “so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his children” (v. 10). Furthermore, he decrees severe sanctions against “anyone [who] alters this edict”: “a beam shall be pulled out of the house of the perpetrator, who then shall be impaled on it. The house shall be made a dunghill” (v. 11). Darius closes the letter by invoking divine retribution against anyone who dares to alter his decree or dares again to destroy “the house of God in Jerusalem” (v. 12).

Given this imperial directive, Tattenai, Shethar-bozenai and their associates do “with all diligence what King Darius had ordered” (v. 13). But success comes not only through this “external” help, but through the work of “the elders of the Jews,” and “through the prophesying of the prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo” (v. 14a). According to the Book of Ezra, “They finished their building by command of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus, Darius, and King Artaxerxes of Persia” (v. 14b). Although the date for completion is given as “the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius” (v. 15) that is, “March 12, 516/5 BCE” (Eskenazi, on v. 15), reference is made to King Artaxerxes (Artaxerxes I, 465-424 B.C.), “the fuller restoration of the house of God,” says Eskenazi, “which will include both people and city, will culminate in Neh. 7 under Artaxerxes. Ezra 6:14 thus suggest the unity of Ezra-Nehemiah” (on v. 14). She adds that “The joint authorization, first by God and then by kings, is crucial to Ezra-Nehemiah’s historical understanding” (Ibid.).

So the people of Israel celebrate “the dedication of this house of God with joy” (v. 16). There were massive offerings at this dedication, “one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel” (v. 17). They set up the work of the priests and Levites for temple service “as it is written in the book of Moses” (v. 18). According to Eskenazi, “Ex. 29, Lev. 8, Numb. 3, 4, and 8 designate priestly and Levitical tasks” (on v. 18). The completion of the Temple in the month of Adar, and the celebrations which follow, prepare the way for Passover, kept “on the fourteenth day of the first month,” that is, Nissan (v. 19). The priests and Levites “had purified themselves . . . [and] killed the passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves” (v. 20). The Passover was eaten “by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by all who had joined them and separated themselves from the pollutions of the nations of the land to worship the LORD, the God of Israel” (v. 21). Eskenazi points out that, “according to Ex. 12:48, circumcised non-Israelites may participate in the Passover offering” (on v. 21). We are told that, “With joy the celebrated the festival of unleavened bread seven days” (v. 22a). The reference to “the king of Assyria” here, “for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel” (v. 23), should be understood as a reference to the king of Persia. It is “an anachronistic reference to the Persian king, alluding to the earliest exile by Assyria, which is now reversed” (Eskenazi, on v. 23).

or Lamentations 2:8-15

See the text and comments for one week ago, October 24, 2007.

Revelation 5:1-10

The Scroll and the Lamb

5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals; 2 and I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?" 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. 4 And I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals."

6 Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne. 8 When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 They sing a new song:

"You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God

saints from every tribe and language and people and nation;

10 you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God,

and they will reign on earth." (Revelation 5:1-10, NRSV)

On September 3, 2006 (the Sunday closest to August 31, Year Two), comments for Revelation 5:1-14 were combined from comments on Revelation 5:1-10 from October 26, 2005 (Wednesday of the week of the Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost, Year One), and comments on Revelation 5:6-14 from December 16, 2005 (Friday in the week of the Third Sunday of Advent, Year Two). The combined comments are repeated here with some editing.

The worship in heaven’s throne room continues, directed to God the Father, who is “worthy . . . to receive glory and honor and power” (Rev. 4:11a) because “you created all things, / and by your will they existed and were created” (v. 11b). But attention soon turns to the “Lamb” (Christ) who alone is found worthy to “open the scroll and break its seals” (5:2, 5, below). Momentarily John weeps because “no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth . . . was found worthy to open the scroll” with the seven seals (Rev. 5:3-4, cf. v. 1). But he soon learns that someone worthy is available. “The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has conquered” (v. 5). The “Lamb standing as if it has been slaughtered, having seven horns and seven eyes . . .” (v. 6). Those in God’s throne room sing: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, / for you were slaughtered and by your blood you ransomed for God / saints from every tribe . . . / you have made them to be a kingdom of priests serving our God, / and they will reign on earth” (vv. 9-10)

Throughout much of the Book of Revelation, the plagues and judgments are brought about by the Lamb’s opening of the seals and the blowing of the trumpets and pouring out of bowls by angels. While the Dragon and the two Beasts have their day (chaps. 12-13), there is never really any doubt that they will be “thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur” (Rev. 20:10).” God is in control from the start to the finish. While the Book of Revelation certainly portrays cosmic conflict between the powers of light and the powers of darkness, there is never really any doubt as to the eventual outcome.

Matthew 13:10-17

The Purpose of the Parables (Mk 4.10-12; Lk 8.9-10)

10 Then the disciples came and asked him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 11 He answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that 'seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.' 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:

'You will indeed listen, but never understand,

and you will indeed look, but never perceive.

15 For this people's heart has grown dull,

and their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

so that they might not look with their eyes,

and listen with their ears,

and understand with their heart and turn-

and I would heal them.'

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it. (Matthew 13:10-17, NRSV)

Some of the following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from October 26, 2005 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One):

Yesterday’s reading was the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:1-9; cf. Mk. 4:1-9; Lk. 8:4-8). Tomorrow’s is the Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:18-23; cf. Mk. 4:13:20; Lk. 8:11-15). Separating the parable from its interpretation is a section on the Purpose of Parables, of which, Matthew’s version is today’s reading. For parallel versions of this reading, see the separate file, The Purpose of Parables. After Jesus presents the Parable of the Sower, the disciples ask, “Why do you speak in parables?” (Mt. 13:10; cf., indirectly, Mk. 4:10; Lk. 8:9). In answer, according to Matthew Jesus explains, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given” (Mt. 13:11). Luke’s version of Jesus answer is like Matthew’s until he replaces, “kingdom of heaven” (a Jewish phrase) with “kingdom of God” (clearer to Gentiles) and adds, “but to others I speak in parables” (Lk. 8:10). In Mark, the term “secret” is singular, but the continuation is emphatic, “for those outside, everything comes in parables (Mk. 4:11), and leads to an apparent statement of purpose using Isaiah 6:9-10: “in order that ‘they my indeed look, / but not perceive, / and may indeed listen, / but not understand; / so that they may not turn again / and be forgiven’ ” (Mk. 4:12). The apparent implication here that Jesus told parables in order to prevent people from believing in him and turning from sin to be forgiven is discussed at some length in the comments on Mark’s version of this passage in the Archive for July 23, 2007 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 20, Year One). See also comments cited from Krister Stendahl, below. Note that the words “in order that” (hina) are not a part of the quotation from Isaiah, but rather, introduce it.

In Matthew’s version, before Jesus states his “reason” for “speaking to them in parables” (Mt. 13:13a), a statement is presented that comes later in Mark and Luke: “For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those; who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away” (Mt. 13:12; cf. Mk. 4:25; Lk. 8:18b, both following the sayings about the lamp, Mk. 4:21-23; Lk. 8:16-17). Matthew then briefly summarizes the quotation to follow from Isaiah 6:6-9, in which he closely follows the Septuagint (LXX) version. “The reason I speak to them in parables,” says Jesus, according to Matthew, “is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, / and hearing they do not listen, / nor do they understand’ ” (Mt. 13:13). But the formal quotation is introduced, “With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:

'You will indeed listen, but never understand,

and you will indeed look, but never perceive.

For this people's heart has grown dull,

and their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

so that they might not look with their eyes,

and listen with their ears,

and understand with their heart and turn–

and I would heal them.' (Mt. 13:14b, 15 NRSV, citing Isa. 6:6-9 LXX)

In contrast to those who fail to understand, Jesus blesses the disciples for understanding, though we know that, as yet they did not fully understand. “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it” (Mt. 13:16-17).

According to Krister Stendahl, “The discussion about whether Jesus used parables (a) as a conscious method of a veiled witness . . . or (b) in order to make his point plain and simple, is usually based on [v.] 13 or rather Mk. 4:10-12 . . . On the basis of the underlying Aram. saying, both possibilities were open to those who had to render this saying into Gr. Mk with hina (‘in order that’) in 4:13 seems to follow (a) while Mt.’s hoti (‘because’), [v.] 13, would rather fit (b)” (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, sec. 685c, p. 785, on Mt. 13:10-17). Stendahl adds that “Mt’s total understanding of Jesus’ use of parables comes nevertheless closer to the first alternative,” but that “This stern attitude has to be understood not about parables in general (as for example those in Lk. 15), but specifically about the parables which deal with the Kingdom, and which in its veiled form announce its coming” (Ibid.).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net