NOTE: Comments on 1 Maccabees, Revelation, and Matthew below are adapted from an email message sent November 20, 2003, for November 21, 2003.

1 Maccabees 4:36-59

Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple (2 Macc 10.1—9)

36 Then Judas and his brothers said, “See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.” 37 So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 38 There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. 39 Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes 40 and fell face down on the ground. And when the signal was given with the trumpets, they cried out to Heaven.

41 Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary. 42 He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, 43 and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. 44 They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned. 45 And they thought it best to tear it down, so that it would not be a lasting shame to them that the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar, 46 and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them. 47 Then they took unhewn stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one. 48 They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts. 49 They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. 50 Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple. 51 They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.

52 Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-eighth year, 53 they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built. 54 At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. 55 All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. 56 So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and joyfully offered burnt offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering. 57 They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and fitted them with doors. 58 There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the Gentiles was removed.

59 Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev. (1 Maccabees 4:36-59, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with extensive editing and supplement from November 18, 2005 (Friday in the week of the week of the Sunday closest to November 16, Year One), when there was some adaptation from an email message sent November 20, 2003, for November 21, 2003

In yesterday’s reading we learned that Judas and his forces won the battle of Emmaus against Syrian forces that Lysias had deployed against them under the leadership of Gorgias (1 Macc. 4:1-25; cf. 3:38, 4:1). That battle is dated “in the one hundred and forty-seventh year” (3:37), that is, 163 B.C. (NRSV text note b). In the interval–passed over by the daily reading references–we read that Lysias himself learned of this defeat (4:26), and, “perplexed” by it (v. 27), made plans to attack Judea again, “the next year” (= 164 B.C., v. 28a, cf. v. 52). Lysias “mustered sixty thousand picked infantry and five thousand cavalry to subdue them [i.e., to subdue the Jews]” (v. 28). They came into Idumea and encamped at Beth-Zur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men” (v. 29). According to Daniel J. Harrington, “Though exaggerated, the numbers suggest that, although still vastly outnumbered, Judas’s army was growing larger (see v. 6)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on 1 Macc. 4:28-29). Before going into battle, Judas prays again (vv. 30-33), and the clash, as “both sides attacked,” had a similar resort, for “there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men; they fell in action” (v. 34). Lysias, seeing “the rout of his troops and . . . the boldness that inspired those of Judas,” withdraws and rethinks his strategy (v. 35a, c). In particular, he noted that Judas’s troops “were ready . . .either to live or to die nobly” (v. 35b); so “he withdrew to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries in order to invade Judea again with an even larger army” (v. 35c). According to Mary Chilton Callaway, “The account in 2 Macc. 11:6-15 agrees that Judas won the battle, but states that there was a negotiated peace” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on 1 Macc. 4:34-35).

In today’s reading the attention of Judas turns to the temple. Although he says, “See, our enemies are crushed” (v. 36a), further battles lie ahead, for example, against “those in the citadel” (v. 41), and “the Gentiles all around” (5:1-8). But Judas says, “let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it” (v. 36b). So the army comes “to Mount Zion” (v. 37), where there is horror at the desolation of the temple: “There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned” (v. 38a). As if that weren’t enough, “In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins” (v. 38b, c). “Chambers of the priests,” says Callaway, “perhaps surrounded the sanctuary on three sides” (on v. 38).

Their first step is lamenting and prayer. “Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes and fell face down on the ground. And when the signal was given with the trumpets, they cried out to Heaven” (vv. 39-40). Judas, we are told, “detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary” (v. 41). Earlier, after the Syrians had “plundered the city” (1:31), “they fortified the city of David with a great strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel” (v. 33). But now, it seems, with Judas in control of Jerusalem, his forces are able to reclaim the citadel. The narrative continues by reporting the cleansing of the sanctuary. Judas “chose blameless priests devoted to the law, and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place” (4:42-43).

A special problem was “what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned” (v. 44). After deliberation (v. 44), “they thought it best to tear it down, so that it would not be a lasting shame to them that the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar, and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them” (vv. 45-46). Callaway says, “The expectation of an authoritative prophet who would herald God’s intervention was based on Deut. 18:18 and Mal. 4:5; this was an important belief among some Jewish groups during the Second Temple period” (on v. 46). The stones that were stored were replaced by “unhewn stones, as the law directs” (Ex. 20:25; Deut. 27:5-6, acc. to Callaway), and they “built a new altar like the former one” (v. 47). We are told that “they rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts” (v. 48). They refurnished the temple with “new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple” (v. 49). Harrington notes that “the temple furnishings, plundered by Antiochus IV (1:21-24), are restored in accord with Ex. 25-27” (on vv. 47-51; cf. Callaway on v. 49). And so preparations for worship resume at this point. “Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple” (v. 50). But preparations are completed as “they placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken” (v. 51)

But the moment of the formal resumption of temple worship is marked. “Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-eighth year [164 B.C., NRSV text note a], they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built” (vv. 52-53). The narrator notes the significance of the timing of this rededication. “At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals” (v. 54). According to Callaway, “Judas set the rededication of the Temple exactly three years after its pollution (1:54) and three and a half years after Antiochus’s capture of Jerusalem (Dan. 7:25; but see 2 Macc. 10:3)” ( on vv. 52-59). It was a time of celebration, as “the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven [= God], who had prospered them” (v. 55). The celebration of “the dedication of the altar” lasted “for eight days,” as they “joyfully offered burnt offerings [as well as] a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering” (v. 56). Restoration continues with decoration as “they decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields [and] they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and fitted them with doors” (v. 57). There was a joyous sense of closure for the people as “the disgrace brought by the Gentiles was removed” (v. 58).

Today’s reading closes with the report that the celebration of this rededication of the temple is made a permanent Jewish holiday. “Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev” (v. 59). Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and nights, starting on the 25th of Kislev on the Hebrew calendar (which is November-December on the Gregorian calendar). In Hebrew, the word “Hanukkah” means “dedication.” According to the History Channel, “The holiday commemorates the rededication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Jews' 165 B.C.E. victory over the Hellenist Syrians. Antiochus, the Greek King of Syria, outlawed Jewish rituals and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods” (http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/holidays/hanukkah/history.html, accessed again November 22, 2007). There was a Jewish victory in 165 B.C. (1 Macc. 3:27-4:35, cf. 3:38), but rededication, as described in today’s reading, is put in the year 164 B.C. (4:53 and NRSV text note a).

In the current Jewish year 5768 (2007-2008), Hanukkah begins at sundown on the evening of December 4, since Kislev 25, December 5 this year, begins at sundown the day before. According to the Jewish Outreach Institute, “Hanukkah begins every year on the 25th of the Hebrew month of "Kislev." This year, the 25th of Kislev corresponds to the evening of December 4th, 2007 (http://www.joi.org/celebrate/hanuk/, accessed again November 22, 2007).

Nehemiah 9:26-38 (alternative reading, Presbyterian [?] and Lutheran traditions)

For the text and comments of this reading see the text and comments of Tuesday, November 13, 2007, ten days ago.

Revelation 22:6-13

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

7 “See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me; 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

12 “See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:6-13, NRSV)

The following comments are based on comments from November 18, 2005 (Friday in the week of the week of the Sunday closest to November 16, Year One) and comparison with comments of December 24, 2006 ((the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year One);

With the completion of John's picture of the New Jerusalem (cf. yesterday’s reading), the readings for Friday and Saturday turn to confirmation and encouragement: The angel says to John, “These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place” (Rev. 22:6). In “a parenthesis, reporting the words of Christ (cf. 16:15)” (Jean-Pierre Ruiz, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Rev. 22:7), Christ says, “See, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book” (v. 7). With the beatitude of 1:3, and two in this chapter (22:7, 14, an inclusio is formed–“bookends,” you might say–that encloses the content of the book. Ruiz lists seven beatitudes in the book, including 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14 (cf. his comments on 1:3 and 22:7, 14).

As the Epilogue begins (cf. the label, “Epilogue and Benediction” for 22:8-21, some NRSV printings), the voice of John resumes with reference to the whole book. “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things” (v. 8a). “And when I heard and saw them,” he says, “I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me” (v. 8b). but he is reminded that our worship is only for God. “You must not do that!” says the angel. “I am a fellow servant with you and your comrades the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God!” (v. 9). But the angel adds, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near” (v. 10). According to D.E. Aune, “Most Jewish Apocalypses contain the command to seal the book until the end (see Dan. 12:4, 9)” (Harper-Collins Study Bible, on Rev. 22:10) “Let the evildoer still do evil,” says the angel, “and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy” (v. 11). Bruce M. Metzger says, “The end of the age is too near to allow time for change” (NOAB, 2^nd ed., on v. 11). Christ says that he is coming soon, and “my reward is with me to repay according to everyone’s work” (v. 12). He calls himself “the “Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (v. 13), applying “God’s title to himself” (Metzger, on v. 13; cf. Rev. 1:8).

Matthew 18:10-20

The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Lk 15.1—7)

10 “Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Dealing with an Offending Church Member (cf. Lk. 17:3)

15 “If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. 16 But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them. (Matthew 18:10-20)

The following comments are based on comments from June 22, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 15, Year Two), with some reference to the earlier comments on November 18, 2005 (Friday in the week of the week of the Sunday closest to November 16, Year One). Recent comments on Luke’s version of the Parable of the Lost Sheep may be found in the Archive for May 29, 2007 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to May 25, Year One).

The parable of the Lost Sheep is found in Matthew (Mt. 18:10-14) and in Luke (Lk. 15:1-7). While the parable itself is similar in both Gospels (see the separate file Lost Sheep), more succinct in Matthew, the contexts are different. In Matthew the shepherd leaves “the ninety-nine on the mountains” to search for the lost sheep (Mt. 18:12), but in Luke he leaves them “in the wilderness” (Lk. 15:4), which, given the topography of Israel, might not be very different. In Luke’s version, the shepherd calls his friends and neighbors together to share in the rejoicing (v. 6), and “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (v. 7), but in Matthew’s version, it is only the shepherd whose rejoicing is singled out (Mt. 18:13). The parable begins with the admonition not to "despise one of these little ones" (v. 10), which alludes to the children of verse 3, but includes all Christian believers, as in verse 6.

In Matthew, the Parable of the Lost Sheep is a part of the fourth major discourse (Mt. 18:1-19:1), which has been labeled “Sayings on Humility and Forgiveness” (Elwyn E. Tilden and Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB, 2^nd ed., on Mt. 18:1-19:1), but which includes instructions that apply to discipline within the Christian community (18:15-18, 21-22). The parable emphasizes care for “one of these little ones” (v. 10), perhaps “socially inferior or more vulnerable members of the church” (J. Andrew Overman, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Mt. 18:10). In Luke, the parable is one of a series of parables and related teachings on discipleship: “Parable on Humility” (Lk. 14:7-14), “Parable of the great dinner” (vv. 15-24; cf. Mt. 22:1-14), “the costs of discipleship” (vv. 25-33; cf. Mt. 10:37-38), “sayings about salt” (14:34-35; cf. Mt. 5:13; Mk. 9:49-50); the “Parable of the Lost Sheep” (15:1-9; cf. Mt. 18:12-14), the “Parable of the Lost Coin” (15:8-10), the “Parable of the Lost Prodigal Son” (15:11-32), and the “Parable of the Dishonest Manager” (16:1-9; titles from Marion Lloyd Soards, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on these respective units [mostly traditional titles, in any case]). These arrangements reflect the editing and topical arrangement of both evangelists, each in his own way. Parables continue in Luke’s “Travel Narrative,” for example, the “Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus” (16:9-31) and the “Parable of the Unjust Judge and the Persistent Widow” (18:1-8, also both titles from Soards). But the set of three parables on lost people or things in Luke 15 stands out, emphasizing the Father’s (God’s) concern to redeem the lost. “Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Lk. 15:7). The reference to needing no repentance is ironic for, in Luke, the parable is a response to the grumbling of the Pharisees and the scribes who were criticizing Jesus for welcoming sinners and eating with them” (15:2). In Matthew as well, the parable underscores God’s concern for every individual person. “It is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost” (v. 14). A Gospel song, “The Ninety and Nine,” may be found on the Internet at http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/n/i/90_and_9.htm (accessed again June 9, 2006). The words are by Elizabeth C. Clephane, in 1868; the hymn tune (his first) by Ira Sankey (who worked with Dwight L. Moody), in 1874.

Perhaps you've heard the joke about the teacher in a rural elementary school who asked the class, "If you had twenty sheep in a field, and one found a hole in the fence and got out, how many would you have left?" Johnny answered, "None." The teacher said, "Johnny, you don't know arithmetic very well, do you?" and he replied, "You don't know sheep very well! If one found a hole and got out, they would all follow him." Or the one about the boy who said, "Mom, I wish you would not call me your 'little lamb'!" "Why?" "It makes me feel so sheepish." We all probably think we are smarter than sheep. But sometimes we all go astray and need the help of the Good Shepherd.

Today’s reading continues with advice on dealing with members of the church who need discipline (Mt... 18:15-20). The detailed advice is found only in Matthew (see the separate file Lost Sheep), but in Luke we are told, “If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive (Lk. 17:3; cf Jn. 20:23). In Matthew, the private rebuke, pointing “out the fault when the two of you are alone” (Mt. 18:15), is to be followed up if necessary with “two or three witnesses” (v. 16), and then, if necessary, before “the church” (v. 17a). If there is no response (repentance), the offender is to be excluded from the community: “let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (v. 17b), an interesting comment if this tradition comes through Matthew! But, one hopes, the process will have the happier result of restoring the offender, not excluding him. If the shepherd (Jesus) rejoices in finding straying sheep and restoring them to the fold, the church ought to do the same. "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (v. 18). Note that this pronoun "you" is plural in Greek ("ye" KJV, "Y'all" in Texas). Two chapters earlier, Jesus says the same thing to Peter, ". . .  whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" (Mt. 16:19). Jesus addresses Peter with a singular "you" ("thou" KJV). But, as the repetition in chapter 18 shows, this power of binding and loosing, or better, this mission of binding and loosing, is not limited to Peter. There are times when we represent Christ to those who otherwise would not know him. We do what we can to help rescue his lost sheep.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net