Nehemiah 7:73b-8:3, 5-18

The People Gathered to Hear the Law of Moses Read

When the seventh month came--the people of Israel being settled in their towns--8 1 all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. 2 Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.

[4 The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand.]

Ezra Reads with Interpretation

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, "Amen, Amen," lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. 8 So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, "This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep." For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, "Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, "Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved." 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

The Festival of Booths Celebrated (Cp Lev 23.33-43)

13 On the second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to the scribe Ezra in order to study the words of the law. 14 And they found it written in the law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the people of Israel should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, 15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in Jerusalem as follows, "Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, as it is written." 16 So the people went out and brought them, and made booths for themselves, each on the roofs of their houses, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them; for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing. 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival seven days; and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance. (Nehemiah 7:73b-8:3, 5-18, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from November 9, 2005 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One):

On Monday of this week (Nov. 12, 2007), when the reading was Nehemiah 9:1-15 (16-25), I noted that the context makes it appear to follow Ezra’s public reading of the law (Neh. 8:1-8, cf. vv. 9-12), and the celebration of the Festival of Booths (vv. 13-18). The reading of the law took place on the first day of the seventh month, Tishrei, or September-October (Neh. 7:73b). In the seventh month, “all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate” (Neh. 8:1a), to hear the scribe Ezra read from “the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel” (v. 1b). Some listened attentively “who could hear with understanding,” presumably to the Hebrew text (v. 2), but others required interpretation (v. 8), which was provided by thirteen named persons and “the Levites” (v. 7). The translation would have been into Aramaic, which suggests a beginning for the Jewish practice of reading the scripture in Hebrew and providing a translation (targum, cf. Ezra 4:7, where certain people “write to King Artaxerxes of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and translated (m^eturgām) into Aramaic” (NRSV, with text note a),

Ezra and Nehemiah tell the people not to weep. “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep” (Neh. 8:9). Instead they are to eat and share their food, “for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (v. 10). Perhaps they had wept because of failure to keep the law, but “Ezra and Nehemiah emphasize that the Torah is ultimately a source of joy” (Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Neh. 8:9). On the second day of the month, “the heads of ancestral houses, priests and Levites studied “the words of the law” (8:13) and read about the Festival of Booths, “the festival of the seventh month” (v. 14). This study of the Torah leads the priests and Levites to realize “that the people of Israel should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month” (Neh. 8:14; cf. Lev. 23:42-43), and plans are made to observe the festival of booths. Eskenazi notes that “the fast of the Day of Atonement (set for the tenth of the month in Lev. 23:26-32) is not mentioned” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Neh. 9:14).

After suitable preparation, “all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them/ for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing” (v. 17). According to David J. A. Clines, “The festival of Booths had always been celebrated, as far as we know (Judg. 21:19; 1 Sam. 1:3; Ezra 3:4); the novelty now was apparently that all Israel could celebrate it together in one place, last possible when they were camped by Gilgal with Joshua (though Josh. 5:10 speaks of Passover and not specifically of Booths)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Neh. 8:17). We are told that Ezra “read from the book of the law of God” day by day throughout the festival, which “they kept . . . seven days,” and also that, “on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance” (v. 18; cf. Lev. 23:36). According to Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, “Deut. 31:10-13 demands public readings of the Torah on Sukkot only every seventh year. As a result of chs. 8-9, public reading became a weekly feature of Jewish worship” (on Neh. 8:18).

or Nehemiah 5:1-19 (alternative reading, Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions)

For the text and comments of this reading see the text and comments of Sunday, November 4, 2007, ten days ago.

Revelation 18:21-24

21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

"With such violence Babylon the great city

will be thrown down,

and will be found no more;

22 and the sound of harpists and minstrels and of flutists and trumpeters

will be heard in you no more;

and an artisan of any trade

will be found in you no more;

and the sound of the millstone

will be heard in you no more;

23 and the light of a lamp

will shine in you no more;

and the voice of bridegroom and bride

will be heard in you no more;

for your merchants were the magnates of the earth,

and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.

24 And in you was found the blood of prophets and of saints,

and of all who have been slaughtered on earth." (Revelation 18:21-24, NRSV)

On November 13, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year Two), comments were repeated with some editing from November 9, 2005 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One). They are repeated again here with further editing and supplement:

In Monday’s reading an angel called out “a dirge over the fallen city (Rome)” (Jean-Pierre Ruiz, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on rev. 18:1-24, with particular ref. to vv. 1-8). As the lamentation continued in Tuesday’s reading, another voice from heaven (v. 4) speaks for the kings of the earth whose luxurious living depended on Rome (vv. 9-10), the merchants whose riches were due to their commerce with Rome (vv. 11-16), and so the mariners (vv. 17-19; cf. Ruiz, on vv. 9-10). While these mourned Rome’s demise, the angelic voice calls upon heaven, saints, apostles and prophets to “Rejoice over her . . . For God has given judgment for you against her” (v. 20).

Today’s reading continues by describing “symbolic action representing the total destruction of the city” (Ruiz, on vv. 21-14). A mighty angel takes up a stone like a great millstone, which is “thrown into the sea [which] symbolizes Rome’s downfall (adapted from Jer. 51:63-64)” (D. E. Aune, HarperCollins Study Bible, on Rev. 18:21; cf. Ruiz). Poetic lines follow, taking up the theme. “With such violence,” says the mighty angel, “Babylon [i.e., Rome] the great city / will be thrown down, / and will be found no more” (v. 21b, c, d). The music of “harpists and minstrels and of flutists and trumpeters / will be heard in you [Babylon = Rome] no more” (v. 22a, b). Furthermore, “an artisan of any trade / will be found in you no more; / and the sound of he millstone / will be heard in you no more; / and the light of a lamp / will shine in you no more; ‘ and the voice of the bridegroom and bride / will be heard in you no more” (vv. 22c, d, e, f, 23a, b, c, d). The city is accused of having merchants who dominated the world’s commerce; they “were the magnates of the earth,” and they deceived the nations “by your sorcery” (v. 23e, f). John's final indictment comes in verse 24: "And in you [NRSV note: Gk her] was found the blood of the prophets and of saints, / and of all who have been slaughtered on earth.” “The martyrs' prayer is answered (see 6:10)” (Aune, on v. 20).

Matthew 15:29-39

Jesus Cures Many People (Mk 7.31-37)

29 After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, 31 so that the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

Feeding the Four Thousand (Mk 8.1-10)

32 Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat; and I do not want to send them away hungry, for they might faint on the way." 33 The disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" 34 Jesus asked them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven, and a few small fish." 35 Then ordering the crowd to sit down on the ground, 36 he took the seven loaves and the fish; and after giving thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 37 And all of them ate and were filled; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. 38 Those who had eaten were four thousand men, besides women and children. 39 After sending away the crowds, he got into the boat and went to the region of Magadan. (Matthew 15:29-39, NRSV)

On June 13, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of Trinity Sunday, Year Two), comments were combined with revision from June 8, 2004 (Tuesday of the week of Trinity Sunday, Year Two) in an email sent June 7, 2004 for June 7-13, and from November 9, 2005 (Wednesday of the week of the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost, Year One). The comments were used again on June 10, 2007 (the Sunday closest to June 8, Year One), with further revision and supplement, and those comments are repeated again here. For recent comments on Mark’s version, see the Archive for August 4, 2007 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year One).

The two stories in the reading from Matthew have parallel accounts in Mark, as presented in the separate file, Healings and the Feeding of the Four Thousand. These are preceded by the account of Jesus’ encounter with the Syrophoenician, or Canaanite, Woman (Mk. 7:24-30; Mt. 15:20-21). Mark gives details of Jesus’ return. “Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis” (Mk. 7:31), but Matthew simply reports that “After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down” (Mt. 15:29). For Mark the setting is clearly in Gentile territory, “the Decapolis,” but this is not clear in Matthew’s version, though he briefly notes that the crowd “praised the God of Israel” (v. 31). Matthew presents a brief summary of many healings by Jesus. “Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them” (Mt. 15:30; cf. the summary in Mt. 4:23-25, which sets the scene, so to speak, for the Sermon on the Mount). In the present instance, Matthew notes the crowd’s amazement, for, as he says, “the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel” (v. 31). Due to

At this point Mark tells the story of a single healing. Whether this represents focus on one of the many healings reported by Matthew, or a separate incident, there are some common elements. The setting is near the Sea of Galilee, though, as noted above, Mark puts it in the Decapolis, east and southeast of the Sea. The man whom Jesus heals in Mark’s account is deaf with “an impediment in his speech” (Mk. 7:32; cf. “the mute,” Mt. 15:30). By including several details of the healing, Mark gives an account that is nearly twice as long as Matthew’s. It is unusual in the Gospels to record such details as when Jesus “put his fingers into his ears, and  . . .  spat and touched his tongue” (Mk. 7:33), or Jesus’ use of the Aramaic word Ephphatha, “Be opened” (v. 34).

After Matthew’s brief summary account of Jesus’ healings, he comes to the Feeding of the Four Thousand. Matthew and Mark give similar accounts of the Feeding of the Four Thousand (Mt. 15:32-39; Mk. 8:1-10). This and the earlier Feeding of the Five Thousand (Mt. 14:13-21; Mk. 6:32-44; Lk. 9:10b-17; Jn. 6:1-15) remind us of God’s feeding of the Israelites in the wilderness, as John’s version of the earlier feeding reminds us (in the Bread of Life discussion, Jn. 6:26-59). Dale C. Allison, Jr., points out that Matthew’s second feeding account adds to the narrative:

The gathering of the crowds, the healing of the sick (cf. 11:5), the allusion to Isa. 35:5-6 (vv. 30-1), the compassionate feeding of many, and the mountain setting together recall OT prophecies about Mount Zion (see Donaldson [Jesus on the Mountain, a Study in Matthean Theology], 1985). So the second feeding shows us that the eschatological expectations associated with Zion have come to fulfillment in Jesus. (The Oxford Bible Commentary, p. 864, on Mt. 15:29-39).

Some wonder why there are two stories so similar in the Gospels, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, found in all four Gospels, and the Feeding of the Four Thousand found only in Matthew and Mark. Krister Stendahl (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, sec. 686m, p. 787 on Mt. 15:32-39) favors a suggestion that the Feeding of the Four Thousand refers to the Gentiles. He says that E. Lohmeyer “strengthens this view by reference to the seven baskets = the seven deacons (Ac. 6:1ff.) over against the twelve baskets in 14:20 = the twelve disciples (as representatives of the twelve tribes of Israel).” In any case, the feeding represents Jesus’ response to human need, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat” (Mt. 15:32).

Some wonder why there are two stories so similar in the Gospels, the Feeding of the Five Thousand, found in all four Gospels, and the Feeding of the Four Thousand found only in Matthew and Mark. Krister Stendahl (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, sec. 686m, p. 787 on Mt. 15:32-39) favors a suggestion that the Feeding of the Four Thousand refers to the Gentiles. He says that E. Lohmeyer “strengthens this view by reference to the seven baskets = the seven deacons (Ac. 6:1ff.) over against the twelve baskets in 14:20 = the twelve disciples (as representatives of the twelve tribes of Israel).” In any case, the feeding represents Jesus’ response to human need, “I have compassion for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat” (Mt. 15:32). For an extensive discussion of the relationship between the Feeding of the 5000 and the Feeding of the 4000, see the comments on Mark 8:1-10 in the archive file for January 30, 2007.

After studying what indications of dates and a time sequence there are in this part of the Gospels, William Barclay concludes that there was a six-month interval between the Feeding of the Five Thousand (Mt. 14:15-21) and the Feeding of the Four Thousand (Mt. 15:32-39) (The Gospel of Matthew, Daily Study Bible, 2^nd ed., vol. 2, pp. 125-126, on Mt. 15:29-39). He describes the scene of the latter as follows:

Many scholars think that the feeding of the five thousand and the feeding of the four thousand are different versions of the same incident; but that is not so. As we have seen, the date is different; the first took place in the spring, the second in the summer. The people and the place are different. The feeding of the four thousand took place in Decapolis [“ten cities’] . . . On this occasion there would be many Gentiles present, perhaps more Gentiles than Jews. It is that fact that explains the curious phrase in verse 31, “They glorified the God of Israel.” To the Gentile crowds this was a demonstration of the power of the God of Israel. There is another curious little hint of difference. In the feeding of the five thousand the baskets which were used to take up the fragments are called kophinoi; in the feeding of the four thousand they are called sphurides. The kophinos was a narrow-necked, flask-shaped basket which Jews often carried with them, for a Jew often carried his own food, lest he should be compelled to eat food which had been touched by Gentile hands and was therefore unclean. The sphuris was much more like a hamper; it could be big enough to carry a man, and it was a kind of basket that a Gentile would use. (Barclay, p. 126, on Mt. 15:29-39)

It almost seems that, in spite of himself, Matthew, who indicates that Jesus’ ministry was only to Jews (cf. Mt. 10:5-6; 15:21-28), inevitably pictures Jesus as ministering to Gentiles, including the Canaanite woman and the crowds in the Decapolis (cf. Mk.15:31)

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net