Amos 3:1-11

3:1 Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

2 You only have I known

of all the families of the earth;

therefore I will punish you

for all your iniquities.

3 Do two walk together

unless they have made an appointment?

4 Does a lion roar in the forest,

when it has no prey?

Does a young lion cry out from its den,

if it has caught nothing?

5 Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth,

when there is no trap for it?

Does a snare spring up from the ground,

when it has taken nothing?

6 Is a trumpet blown in a city,

and the people are not afraid?

Does disaster befall a city,

unless the LORD has done it?

7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,

without revealing his secret

to his servants the prophets.

8 The lion has roared;

who will not fear?

The Lord GOD has spoken;

who can but prophesy?

9 Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod,

and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt,

and say, "Assemble yourselves on Mount Samaria,

and see what great tumults are within it,

and what oppressions are in its midst."

10 They do not know how to do right, says the LORD,

those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.

11 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

An adversary shall surround the land,

and strip you of your defense;

and your strongholds shall be plundered. (Amos 3:1-11, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement–essentially rewritten–from November 29, 2005 (Tuesday in the week of the First Sunday of Advent, Year Two):

Readings for today focus on the role of the prophet as the voice, the "trumpet blast" or "lion's roar" of God. In a certain sense, Jesus' cleansing of the temple continues the voice of prophecy which calls the people to account. Peter anticipate his death–or perhaps his followers look back on it–with a concern that the apostolic voice not be forgotten. But Amos, the pioneer among the writing prophets of the Hebrew Bible (cf. comments yesterday), gives voice to the trumpet blast of God (Amos 3:6), the roar of God the lion (v. 8).

“Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you,” says Amos, addressing “O people of Israel,” whom he further describes as “the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt” (3:1; cf. 2:9-11). “You only have I known,” he says, “of all the families of the earth; / therefore I will punish you / for all your iniquities” (3:2). Ehud Ben Zvi says that the expression, “the whole family,” is an “inclusive reference to Israel [that] allows and encourages the identification of the readership [including, for Ben Zvi, later Judean readers] with Israel, though, as expected, vv. 9, 12 point to Israel as the Northern Kingdom” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, on Amos 3:1). “The LORD,” he adds, “states that this unique relationship carries obligations and punishment will result if the obligations are not fulfilled” (on v. 2). Gregory Mobley says, “A chosen people are held to a higher standard” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Amos 3:1-2).

Speaking for the LORD, the prophet resumes the motif ot God the lion’s roar (3:8, cf. 1:2); but he begins with what Ben Zvi “a series of rhetorical questions, invoking cause-and-effects situations [that] serves didactic purposes” (on vv. 3-8). “Do two walk together / unless they have made an appointment?” (v. 3). “Does a lion roar in the forest, / when it has no prey? / Does a young lion cry out from its den, / if it has caught nothing?” (v. 4). The reference to the lion’s “roar” and the young lion’s “cry” invokes the lion’s roar motif directly, but the rhetorical questions continue. “Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth, / when there is no trap for it? / Does a snare spring up from the ground, / when it has taken nothing?” (v. 5). The question about the trumpet reminds us that Amos is still speaking for the LORD. “Is a trumpet blown in a city, / and the people are not afraid?” (v. 6a, b). And he is announcing disaster. “Does disaster befall a city, / unless the LORD has done it?” (v. 6c, d). Amos claims that the Lord GOD has revealed his plans to the prophets, that is, to Amos himself. “Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, / without revealing his secret / to his servants the prophets” (v. 7). And, because “the lion has roared,” Amos asks, “who will not fear?” Since “the Lord GOD has spoken,” he asks, “who can but prophesy?” (v. 8). “The questions,” says Ben Zvi, “lead up to the implicit question, ‘How is it that the prophet warns of the impending doom to be caused by God, but the people do not pay any attention?” (Ibid.).

Earlier, Amos denounced the neighboring nations as he led up to denouncing Israel. Now he calls upon neighboring nations–Ashdod, that is, Philistia, and Egypt--as witnesses against Israel (v. 9, cf. Gregory Mobley, NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Amos 3:9-15) and his charge that “They do not know how to do right, says the LORD, / those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds. / Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: / An adversary shall surround the land, / and strip you of your defense; / and your strongholds shall be plundered" (vv. 10-11).

2 Peter 1:12-21

12 Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. 13 I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, 14 since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Eyewitnesses of Christ's Glory (Mt 17.5; Mk 9.7; Lk 9.35)

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased." 18 We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 First of all you must understand this, that no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by human will, but men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:12-21, NRSV)

On December 19, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of the Third Sunday of Advent, Year One), comments were combined with revision and adaptation from December 14, 2004, two years earlier (Tuesday in the week of the Third Sunday of Advent, Year One), and from November 29, 2005 (Tuesday in the week of the First Sunday of Advent, Year Two). Some use was also made of material from an Email message sent December 1, 2003, for ‘December 2, 2003. The combined comments are repeated here.

Peter, speaking directly, or perhaps through a close follower, reminds his readers of his teaching, “the truth that has come to you” (2 Pet. 1:12), referring to the promises and admonitions of the previous paragraphed (discussed in yesterday’s comments). Anticipating his death (v. 14), he says, “And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things” (v. 15). “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths,” he says, “when we made known to you the power and coming (parousia) of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty” (v. 16). He refers briefly, as an eyewitness, to the Transfiguration and the voice from heaven, “This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt. 17:1-8; Mk. 9:2-8; Lk. 9:28-36), “For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased’” (2 Pet. 1:17). “We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven,” he says, “while we were with him on the holy mountain” (v. 18). Through this apostolic witness to the majesty of Christ, prophecy is confirmed (v. 19).

Patrick A. Tiller sums this passage up as “Three Solemn Appeals. The writer makes a solemn appeal to Peter’s final words before his death, the Transfiguration of Jesus, and prophetic scripture to reinforce the reliability of the message” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on 2 Pet. 1:12-21). He adds that “The reference to Peter’s death transforms the letter into a kind of testament in which the speaker gives ethical exhortations and warnings about the future based on his own past experience” (Tiller, on vv. 12-15). The message is not “cleverly devised myths” but the report of “eyewitnesses” (v. 16). The emphasis upon prophecy (v. 19) is characterized as public, not private (v. 20), because of its origin as “men and women moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (v. 21). Prophecy is not merely the human voice of the prophet (v. 20), but the voice of God speaking through the prophet who is "moved by the Holy Spirit" (v. 21). So Peter reminds them/us that, “Since prophecy is inspired by the Spirit, its interpretation must be in accord with God’s intention” (Warren A. Quanbeck and Pheme Perkins, NOAB, 2^nd ed., on 2 Pet. 1:20-21). Peter speaks here of the Hebrew Bible and its prophetic message about Christ. But later he includes the writings of Paul (2 Pet. 3:15-16) as writings “which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures” (v. 16, my emphasis). Even though “There are some things in them hard to understand” (v. 16), the writer views Paul’s writings as scripture.

Matthew 21:12-22

Jesus Cleanses the Temple (Mk 11.15-19; Lk 19.45-48; Jn 2.13-25)

12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 He said to them, “It is written,

'My house shall be called a house of prayer';

but you are making it a den of robbers.”

14 The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he cured them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the amazing things that he did, and heard the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they became angry 16 and said to him, "Do you hear what these are saying?" Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read,

'Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies

you have prepared praise for yourself'?”

17 He left them, went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

Jesus Curses the Fig Tree (Mk 11.12-14, 20-25)

18 In the morning, when he returned to the city, he was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once. 20 When the disciples saw it, they were amazed, saying, "How did the fig tree wither at once?" 21 Jesus answered them, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' it will be done. 22 Whatever you ask for in prayer with faith, you will receive." (Matthew 21:12-22, NRSV)

On July 3, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 29, Year Two), comments were combined with revision and supplement from June 28, 2004 in an email sent June 28, 2004, for June 28-July 4, and from November 29, 2005 (Tuesday in the week of the First Sunday of Advent, Year Two). The combined comments are repeated here.

Parallel versions of Jesus’ Cleansing of the Temple are presented in a table in a separate file, Jesus Cleanses the Temple. For recent comments on Mark’s version of this reading, see the Archive for August 20, 2007 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 17, Year One). For recent comments on Luke’s version, see the Archive for June 15, 2007 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 8, Year One). For recent comments on John’s version, see the Archive for February 27, 2007 (Tuesday in the week of the First Sunday of Lent, Year One):

The following table presents a diagram of today’s reading from Matthew and the parallel passages in other Gospels. Note that John’s account of the Cleansing of the Temple comes very early in his narrative (Jn. 2:13-25). It is discussed at some length in the comments in the Archive for August 20, 2007.

In the above table, the references in bold, larger type represent passages in a common sequence, so to speak. The other references are for passages with common material but in different contexts.

When we compare Gospel accounts,, it sometimes seems that Mark has an eye for a variety of details, whereas Matthew tends to focus on what he regards as the main points. After the triumphal entry, both have Jesus enter the temple, then leave to spend the night at Bethany (Mt. 21:17; Mk. 11:11). But at that point Matthew has already told us about Jesus' cleansing of the temple, overturning the money-changers' tables, and so forth (Mt. 21:12-13 [14-16]), whereas these events come later in Mark (11:15-17 [18]), sandwiched between two parts of the Cursing of the Fig Tree (Mk. 11:12-14; Mt. 21:18-19) and its Withering (Mk. 11:20-25; Mt. 21:20-22). In Matthew’s account, the fig tree withers “at once” (Mt. 21:19), whereas in Mark, the cursing of the fig tree is separated from the tree’s withering by the account of the cleansing of the temple (Mk. 11:15-17) and the conspiracy against Jesus (Mk. 11:18-19). It was the morning of the following day as Jesus and the disciples returned to the city when they found “the fig tree withered away to its roots” (Mk. 11:20). This “sandwich pattern,” characteristic of Mark (cf. the healing of the hemorrhaging woman, Mk. 5:25-34, which is sandwiched between the healing of Jairus’s daughter, Mk. 5:21-24, 35-43), emphasizes the point. Those who were conspiring against Jesus are the withered “fig tree” (note that Luke presents a similar thought in another context in the form of the Parable of the Unfruitful Fig Tree (Lk. 13:6-9).

Dennis C. Duling notes that the Cursing of the Fig Tree is “the only cursing miracle in the Gospels emphasizes the power of faith and foreshadows the coming destruction of Israel” (D.C. Duling, HarperCollins Study Bible). As such it seems to relate to the point of the Cleansing of the Temple. “You are making it a den of robbers” (v. 12). We might remember that some Jews were also critical of those who controlled the temple. Herodian rulers appointed high priests without regard to succession from Aaron (Josephus). Earlier the successors of Judas Maccabeus had assumed royal titles, though not from the line of David, and also made themselves priests while, though from the tribe of Levi and the family of Matthias the Priest, they were not in the succession of Zadokite priests. The reaction of more pious Jews to this irregularity of succession, and probably also to various abuses and oppressions by the Hasmonean rulers, led to criticism of the established priesthood. The Habakkuk Commentary from Qumran, for example, calls the High Priest a “wicked priest” (1QpHab col. 8, lines 8, 16; col. 9:9, cf. “The translation of

The Pesher to Habakkuk,” at http://www.ao.net/~fmoeller/peshtran.htm, accessed again December 3, 2007). We should “keep our own house in order,” so to speak. Let our churches be “houses of prayer,” and not “dens of robbers.”

In the account of the cleansing, Mark notes that Jesus "would not allow anyone to carry anything through the temple" (Mk. 11:26), but Matthew contrasts the activity of these merchants with Jesus' healing of "the blind and the lame" [who] "came to him in the temple" (Mt. 21:14), and the praise of those still with him from the entry. The chief priests "heard the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David'," and "they became angry" (Mt. 21:15). Among other things, these stories should teach us to form churches that may "be called houses of prayer," and that bear good fruit, lest they wither like the fig tree.

Matthew reports the anger of the chief priests and scribes at Jesus’ cleansing of the temple (Mt. 21:15), which emphasizes this event as a decisive factor in the decision of the Jewish leaders do eliminate Jesus (cf. Mk. 11:18; Lk. 19:47-48). John, who apparently places the Cleansing of the Temple at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry (Jn. 2:13-17), arranges his narrative to highlight the raising of Lazarus (Jn. 11:1-44) as the “last straw,” so to speak, which precipitated the Pharisees’ and Chief Priests’ decisive action against him (Jn. 11:46-48). The sequence varies, but the Cursing of the Fig Tree (Mt. 21:18-22; Mk. 11:12-14, 20-25), the Question about Authority (Mt. 21:23-27; Mk. 11:27-33; Lk. 20:1-8), the Parable of the Two Sons (Mt. 21:28-32), and the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (Mt. 21:33-46; Mk. 12:1-12; Lk. 20:9-19) all occur in close proximity to the Cleansing of the Temple. We must continually remind ourselves that this opposition came from a small handful of Jewish leaders at the time, and not Jews in general then or now.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net