Ezra 7:27-28; 8:21-36

Ezra’s Thanksgiving to God for the Letter of Authorization from Artaxerxes

27 Blessed be the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king to glorify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, 28 and who extended to me steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king's mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me. (Ezra 7:27-28, NRSV)

Fasting and Prayer for Protection

21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might deny ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and cavalry to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him. 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Gifts for the Temple

24 Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kin with them. 25 And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king, his counselors, his lords, and all Israel there present had offered; 26 I weighed out into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and one hundred silver vessels worth . . . talents, and one hundred talents of gold, 27 twenty gold bowls worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine polished bronze as precious as gold. 28 And I said to them, "You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your ancestors. 29 Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of families in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the LORD." 30 So the priests and the Levites took over the silver, the gold, and the vessels as they were weighed out, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.

The Return to Jerusalem

31 Then we left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem; the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes along the way. 32 We came to Jerusalem and remained there three days. 33 On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed into the hands of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. 34 The total was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded.

35 At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats; all this was a burnt offering to the LORD. 36 They also delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River; and they supported the people and the house of God. (Ezra 8:21-36, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from November 4, 2005 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One):

Ezra gives thanks to God (Ezra 7:27-28, in yesterday’s reading) for the letter of authorization from King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:12-26), and the vote of confidence it represents(Ezra 7:12-26. The letter was recorded in the Aramaic language, the working language of the Persian Empire, or at least the western part of it. But in 7:27 the narrative resumes in the Hebrew language. The letter, addressed to Ezra (7:12), permitted Jews to accompany him to Jerusalem (v. 13), authorized him to “make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God” (v. 14) and made provision for monetary and material needs of the temple (vv. 15-20). Specific authority is given to Ezra to arrange for “a generous year’s supply of provisions for the Temple” (Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on vv. 21-24). Ezra is to “appoint magistrates and judges” to administer “the laws of your God” (v. 25) and “the law of the king” (i.e. the Persian Emperor, v. 26). “The crucial phrase, the law of your God and the law of the king, sets the Torah as legally authoritative for the Jewish community in Yehud. Something akin to religious autonomy and self-rule in matters of religion is implied” (Eskenazi, on v. 26).

In the interval (Ezra 8:1-20) persons and groups are listed who will accompany Ezra on the journey from Babylon to Judah. Preparations for the journey include a fast “that we might deny ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions” (v. 21, cf. v. 23). Ezra would not ask the king for military protection “since we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him” (v. 22). Ezra says that he “set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kin with them” (v. 24), whom he put in charge of money and vessels, “the offering for the house of our God” (v. 25). He “weighed out into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and one hundred silver vessels worth . . . talents, and one hundred talents of gold, twenty gold bowls worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine polished bronze as precious as gold” (vv. 26-27). In the text of verse 26, “the number of talents is lacking” (NRSV text note c). David J. A. Clines comments, “The numeral is missing; or perhaps the word for talents could be read as ‘two talents ’ ” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Ezra 8:26). Eskenazi notes that “Talents weigh about 34 kg (75 lbs) each” (on v. 26). Putting this large treasure in the care of others was prudent on Ezra’s part. He charges them: “You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the LORD, the God of your ancestors. Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of families in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the LORD” (vv. 28-29).

After “the silver, the gold, and the vessels . . . were weighed out” in preparation for the journey (v. 30), Ezra and his fellow returnees “left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem” (v. 31a); and he reports that “the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes along the way” (v. 31b). After their arrival in Jerusalem (v. 32), on the fourth day (v. 33a), “within the house of our God,” says Ezra, “the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed into the hands of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui” (v. 33b). “The total was counted and weighed,” he adds, “and the weight of everything was recorded” (v. 34). It would appear that the Jews have learned something from their Persian overlords about the processes of accounting.

“At that time,” says the narrative, “those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin offering twelve male goats; all this was a burnt offering to the LORD” (v. 35). Eskenazi explains the “Returned exiles” as “the restored community” (on v. 35). We are also told that they “delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River; and they supported the people and the house of God” (v. 36). “Satraps,” says Eskenazi, are “high officials in the Persian government” (on v. 36). Clines says, “These summary verses [vv.35-36], which probably were originally followed by the account of the law-reading ceremony of Neh. 7:73b-8:18, are in third-person narrative and so apparently not from the Ezra memoir” (on vv. 35-36).

or Ezra 5:1-17 (alternative reading, Presbyterian and Lutheran traditions)

For the text and comments of this reading see the text and comments of Tuesday, October 30, 2007, ten days ago.

Revelation 15:1-8

Seven Angels with the Seven Last Plagues

15:1 Then I saw another portent in heaven, great and amazing: seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is ended.

2 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. 3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

"Great and amazing are your deeds,

Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways,

King of the nations!

4 Lord, who will not fear

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship before you,

for your judgments have been revealed."

5 After this I looked, and the temple of the tent of witness in heaven was opened, 6 and out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues, robed in pure bright linen, with golden sashes across their chests. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever; 8 and the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were ended. (Revelation 15:1-8)

On June 17, 2007 (the Sunday closest to June 15, Year One), comments were based on comments from June 12, 2005, two years earlier (the Sunday closest to June 15, Year One), and from November 4, 2005 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One), with editing and supplement. Those comments are repeated here:

The reading from Revelation 15 introduces the “seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last” (Rev. 15:1). This is the third series of seven judgments (chaps. 15, 16; cf. the “seals,” 6:1-8:1, and the “trumpets,” 8:1-9:21; 11:14-29). But before they emerge from “the temple of the tent of witness in heaven” (v. 5) to “pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God” (16:1), we get a “preparatory vision of the victorious martyrs in heaven (8:3-5)” (Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB, 2^rd ed., on 15:2-4). But today’s reading is confined to the introduction of this series, a hymn by “the victorious martyrs in heaven” (Jean-Pierre Ruiz, NOAB, 3^rd ed.). Though it is called “the song of Moses” (cf. Ex. 15:1-8; Deut. 32), celebrating God’s deliverance as Moses did, its wording reflects wording of many passages from Exodus, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Amos and elsewhere (cf. notes in The Greek New Testament, edited by Kurt Aland and others, UBS, 3^rd ed.). The “Song of Moses” as presented in Exodus 15:1-18 and / or Deuteronomy 31:30-32:47 is not quoted directly, but its theme of judgment on the LORD’s enemies is clearly echoed here in the martyrs’ singing of “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Rev. 15:3), with the text as presented above (vv. 3, 4). “Just and true are your ways, / King of the nations!” (v. 3d, e). In the transition to the actual judgments of these plagues, the seven angels emerge, and are given the “seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God” by “one of the four living creatures” (v. 7; cf. 4:6).

The judgment of the seven bowls is introduced in a most solemn manner. Seven angels emerge from “the temple of the tent of witness in heaven” (Rev. 15:5-6), “robed in pure bright linen, with golden sashes” (v. 6). It is “one of the four living creatures” who gives the bowls full of the wrath of God to the seven angels (v. 7). “The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and his power” (v. 8). Richard Bauckham comments:

That no one can enter the temple until these plagues are ended [v. 8] stresses their finality and also contrasts with 7:9-17. Unlike the series of seals and the series of trumpet-blasts, which both had interludes between the fifth and sixth judgements, expressing and interpreting the delay of final judgement, this series has no such interlude. (The Oxford Bible Commentary, p. 1299, on Rev. 15:5-16:1)

The “smoke from the glory of God” which fills the temple reminds us of Isaiah’s vision of God in the temple (Isa. 6:1-4; cf. Metzger, op. cit., on Rev. 15:8). One could read the Book of Revelation as picturing a perpetual battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. There are the churches that are faithful to some extent, but less than perfect. There are struggles on earth with suffering for the martyrs, the woman and the child–not to mention those who refuse the mark of the beast! But there is devastating judgement for God’s enemies, and, from start to finish, the final outcome is never in doubt. “Lord, who will not fear / and glorify your name? / For you alone are holy. / All nations will come / and worship before you, / for your judgments have been revealed” (Rev. 15:4). Paul J. Achtemeier, Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson characterize the Book of Revelation as follows:

Put differently, the visions and heavenly journeys described in Revelation have as their main content not so much the heavenly world or the future. Rather, the main content of those visions consists of the world of the Roman Empire and the Christians who inhabited it as seen from a vantage point that understands all things in light of God’s sovereignty, especially as manifested through the work of Jesus, the Lamb. The book of Revelation makes quite clear that its readers need a heavenly perspective from which to understand fully their circumstances and the threat of the world around them. Similarly, its readers need an understanding of the future in order to be reminded of God’s sovereign superintendence of the matters of the world. By showing his readers their present world as it looks from the vantage point of ‘God’s throne and God’s future, the prophet John hopes to transform their understanding of it. (Introducing the New Testament; Its Literature and Theology, 2001, pp. 562-563)

Matthew 14:13-21

Feeding the Five Thousand (Mk 6.30-44; Lk 9.10-17; Jn 6.1-14)

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves." 16 Jesus said to them, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." 17 They replied, "We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish." 18 And he said, "Bring them here to me." 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21, NRSV)

The following comments are based on comments from November 4, 2005 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year One), with some use of comments from other days, since the Feeding of the Five Thousand is the one miracle–apart from the resurrection of Jesus himself–that is reported in all four of the Canonical Gospels. For recent comments on Mark’s version of this miracle, see the Archive for July 31, 2007 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year One); for Luke’s version, see the Archive for May 12, 2007 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year One); and for John’s version, see the Archive for March 19, 2007 (Monday in the week of the Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year One). For parallel texts of this event from the Gospels, see the separate file, Five Thousand Fed.

As noted yesterday, the account of John’s death and Herod Antipas’ “banquet” is followed in Matthew and Mark by the Feeding of the Five Thousand.. We noted the sharp contrast, more than the difference between midnight blackness and the brightest day. Minor variations in the way each Gospel tells the story are trivial when compared to the significance of the miracle itself. Luke says they “withdrew privately to a city called Bethsaida,” whereas the others mention “a boat” and “a deserted place” (Mt. 14:13, 15; Mk. 6:32, 35; cf. Lk. 9:12) or “the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias” (Jn. 6:1), a “mountain” (v. 15), and “the sea” (v. 16). Bethsaida is located at the north end of the Sea of Tiberias, so the place references, while apparently not precise, are understandable. Richard A. Horsley refers to this as the “first of two wilderness feedings reminiscent of God’s feeding early Israel in the wilderness through Moses (Ex. 16; Num 11)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Mk. 6:30-44, with reference to Mk. 8:1-10, the Feeding of the Four Thousand).

When they arrived at the location, crowds followed Jesus (Mt. 14:13b, 14; Mk. 6:34a; Lk. 9:11a; Jn. 6:2a). According to Matthew, “he had compassion for them and cured their sick” (Mt. 14:14; cf. Lk. 9;11c; Jn. 6:2b). According to Mark, “he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things” (Mk. 6:34b; cf. Lk. 9:11b). Jesus is approached by the disciples “When it was evening” (Mt. 14:15a; cf. “When it grew late,” Mk. 6:35; and “The day was drawing to a close,” Lk. 9:12a). Their concern is that Jesus send the crowd away to get food (Mt. 14:15b; Mk. 6:36; Lk. 9:12b). In John, Jesus takes the initiative. “When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?” (Jn. 6:5). Although the other Gospels have Jesus direct the disciples to give the crowd food to eat (Mt. 14:16; Mk. 6:37; Lk. 9:13), only John says that Jesus tested Philip with his question, and adds that he [Jesus] knew what he was going to do” (Jn. 6:6). According to Mark, when Jesus said to the disciples, “You give them something to eat,” they responded, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them (Mk. 6:37). And when Jesus asked, “How many loaves have you? Go and see” (v. 38a), the answer was “five and two fish” (v. 38b). In Matthew this conversation is shortened; after the direction to give the people to eat, the disciples say, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish (Mt. 14:16-17). Luke’s exchange is similar, but the disciples reply, “We have no more than five loaves and two fish–unless we are to go and buy food for all these people (Lk. 9:13). John tells us that Andrew brought a boy forward “who has five barley loaves and two fish,” and Andrew asks, “but what are they among so many people?” (Jn. 6:9). The numbers are the same in all four Gospels, but only John’s report calls the loaves “barley loaves.”

At this point, Luke gives the size of the crowd, “about five thousand men” (Lk. 9:14a; cf. Jn. 6:10b). And the crowd is seated in the grass: Matthew reports that Jesus said, “Bring them [i.e., the loaves and fish] here to me” (Mt. 14:18). Then Jesus orders the crowds “to sit down on the grass” (Mt. 14:19a; cf. Jn. 6:10a). In Luke, Jesus says, “Make them sit down in groups of about fifty each” (Lk. 9:14b). Mark elaborates, saying that Jesus “ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties” (Mk 6:39-40).

In Matthew, Mark and Luke the accounts of Jesus blessing, braking and distributing the loaves and fish are practically identical: “And (Lk. only) taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves (‘blessed them,’ Lk), and gave them to his disciples to set before the people (Mk.), before the crowd (Lk.), and the disciples gave them to the crowds (Mt.)” (Mk. 6:41a; Mt. 14:19b; Lk. 9:16). According to Krister Stendahl, “the terminology in [Mt. 13:]19 may show some influence from the account of the Last Supper (26:26) and consequently from the meal practice of the church” (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, sec. 686e, p. 786, on Mt. 14:13-21). John describes Jesus’ blessing and distribution a little differently: “Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted” (Jn. 6:11). The others too say that “all ate and were filled” (Mk. 6:42; Mt. 14:20a; Lk. 9:17a), and all the Gospels number the leftovers as “twelve baskets full” (Mt. 14:20b; Mk. 6:43; Lk. 9:17; Jn. 6:13). According to Stendahl, “the twelve baskets seem to be related to the twelve disciples, see 15:32-9; in the feeding as well as in this whole Fourth Section [i.e., chaps. 14-18], the disciples play a strikingly significant role” (Ibid.; cf. sec. 673i, p. 770). At the end of the account Mark and Matthew give the number of the people who had eaten, “five thousand men” (Mk 6:44; cf. earlier Lk. 9:14a; Jn. 6:10b, five thousand in all) or “five thousand men, besides women and children” (Mt. 14:21)

If the Synoptic Gospel references to “a deserted place” (Mt. 14:13, 15; Mk. 6:32, 35; Lk. 9:12) allude to the manna in the wilderness, John makes the reference explicit, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (Jn. 6:32-33). In that context, Jesus goes on to assert, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (v. 35). This miracle, says Stendahl, “has both OT and messianic connotations (Elisha in 2 Kg. 4:42; Elijah in 1 Kg. 17:9-16; cf. on Moses, Jn. 6:32)” (loc. cit.).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net