Job 38:1, 18-41

38 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind: (Job 38:1, NRSV)

18 Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?

Declare, if you know all this.

19 “Where is the way to the dwelling of light,

and where is the place of darkness,

20 that you may take it to its territory

and that you may discern the paths to its home?

21 Surely you know, for you were born then,

and the number of your days is great!

22 “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

23 which I have reserved for the time of trouble,

for the day of battle and war?

24 What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,

or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

25 “Who has cut a channel for the torrents of rain,

and a way for the thunderbolt,

26 to bring rain on a land where no one lives,

on the desert, which is empty of human life,

27 to satisfy the waste and desolate land,

and to make the ground put forth grass?

28 “Has the rain a father,

or who has begotten the drops of dew?

29 From whose womb did the ice come forth,

and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?

30 The waters become hard like stone,

and the face of the deep is frozen.

31 “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,

or loose the cords of Orion?

32 Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

or can you guide the Bear with its children?

33 Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you establish their rule on the earth?

34 “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

so that a flood of waters may cover you?

35 Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go

and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

36 Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,

or given understanding to the mind?

37 Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?

Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,

38 when the dust runs into a mass

and the clods cling together?

39 “Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

40 when they crouch in their dens,

or lie in wait in their covert?

41 Who provides for the raven its prey,

when its young ones cry to God,

and wander about for lack of food? (Job 38:18-41, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from September 17, 2008 (the Sunday closest to September 14, Year Two):

The LORD’s first speech in response to Job continues to put Job in his place with rhetorical questions about God’s creation and control of various powers of the created world. “Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?” he asks (Job 38:18a), and adds, “Declare, if you know all this” (v. 18b). Both know, of course, that Job cannot. But further questions follow about “the way to the dwelling of light” (v. 19a, cf. v. 24a) and the location of “the place of darkness” (v. 19b). The ironic implication is that Job cannot trace the paths of the sun and other heavenly lights, let alone exercise any control over their movements (v. 20). Verse 21 borders on sarcasm. “Surely you [Job] know [the answers to these questions], for you were born then [before the creation?], / and the number of your days is great!” (v. 21).

Three following stanzas focus on “meteorological phenomena,” which, according the Leong Seow, “are carefully, if extravagantly, dispensed by God” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Job 38:22-30, but with reference to “vv. 34-38; 28:26; 37:6-13; Ps. 135:7"). Verses 22-29 are punctuated as a series of questions: 22-23, 24, 25-27, 28 and 29 (NRSV, and so NJPS). The point continues to be Job’s limitation as a mere human being, when compared to the majesty and power of God.. The LORD asks about “the storehouses of snow, / or . . . hail” (v. 22), and suggests that the hail, at least, is “reserved for the time of trouble, / for the day of battle and war” (v. 23; cf. Josh. 10:11). The LORD asks about “the east wind,” that is, the searing wind off of the desert (v. 24b), “torrents of rain,” and “a way for the thunderbolt” (v. 25). He asks not only about destructive forces, but also about beneficial rain “in the desert, which is empty of human life” (vv. 26-27). He asks about rain and dew (v. 28), ice and hoarfrost (v. 29), and frozen waters (v. 30).

The next stanza refers to constellations of stars. “Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades” (hm!yK9, kîmāh, cf. 9:9; Amos 5:8), “or loose the cords of Orion” (lys9K4, k^esîl, cf. 9:9; Amos 5:8; Isa. 13:10) (Job 38:31). “Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season, / or can you guide the Bear with its children?” (v. 32). The term “Mazzaroth” (tOrz0!m1, mazzārôth), which occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible, is explained as “constellations; sugg.: Venus as evening & morning star; Hyades (in Taurus); boat of Arcturus; southern constellations of zodiac” (William L. Holladay, A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, s.v. tOrz0!m1, mazzārôth). The term “Bear” (NRSV, NJPS) translates wy9f1, ‘ayish, which Holladay explains as “lioness (constellation, evid. = modern Leo plus some stars of Cancer; the Arabs see 4 stars of Virgo as dogs barking at the lion)” (Lexicon, s.v. wy9f1, ‘ayish). This term also occurs only here in the Hebrew Bible, as indicate by the dagger (†) in Holladay’s Lexicon. Commentaries admit to uncertainty as to the identification of some of these constellations (cf. Marvin H. Pope, Job, Anchor Bible, vol. 15, 1979, pp. 254-255 on Job 38:31-32; John C. L. Gibson, Job, The Daily Study Bible, vol. 12, pp. 229-230 on Job 38:31-33), but Gibson observes:

It would be nice to know more about these constellations and the forgotten myths that grew up around them in antiquity. But fortunately we do not need to, since verse 33 makes it clear that the point of this paragraph is Job’s inability to shift the stars about the skies, and have them in their right positions at the right times to inaugurate and end the changing seasons. It is highly unlikely that the poet is thinking of astrological influences. Genesis 1:14ff. supplies the only comment required. (p. 230 on vv. 31-33)

In the next stanza, the LORD’s questions return to meteorological phenomena on earth, “the clouds,” a “flood of waters” (v. 34), “lightnings” (v. 35), and ask the source of their “wisdom” (vv. 36-38). With the final stanza of chapter 38, the subject turns to care for various wild animals, a theme that continues through much of chapter 39. “Can you hunt the prey for the lion” (xyb0l!, lābî’, ‘lioness’ Holladay), “or satisfy the appetite of the young lions” (Myr9yp4, k^ef îrîm) (38:39). “Who provides for the raven (br2fo, ‘ōrēb) its prey, / when its young ones cry to God, / and wander about for lack of food?” (v. 41). “God, not Job, knows the design of the animal world: the lions and ravens with their appetites, mountain goats and deer with their reproductive activities, the wild ass and the wild ox with their freedom, the ostrich, both foolish and swift, the fearless battle-stallion, and the hawk and the vulture with the ability to soar up high” (Seow, op. cit., on Job 38:39-39:30).

Revelation 18:1-8

The Fall of Babylon

18:1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. 2 He called out with a mighty voice,

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

It has become a dwelling place of demons,

a haunt of every foul spirit,

a haunt of every foul bird,

a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.

3 For all the nations have drunk

of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,

and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,

and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxury.”

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

“Come out of her, my people,

so that you do not take part in her sins,

and so that you do not share in her plagues;

5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven,

and God has remembered her iniquities.

6 Render to her as she herself has rendered,

and repay her double for her deeds;

mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed.

7 As she glorified herself and lived luxuriously,

so give her a like measure of torment and grief.

Since in her heart she says,

‘I rule as a queen;

I am no widow,

and I will never see grief,’

8 therefore her plagues will come in a single day-

pestilence and mourning and famine-

and she will be burned with fire;

for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.” (Revelation 18:1-8, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with revision and supplement from November 12, 2007 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One), when relevant parts of comments were repeated with editing and supplement from November 11, 2006 (Saturday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year Two), when the reading was Revelation 18:1-14, and comments were combined with revision and supplement from November 6, 2004 (Saturday of the week of the Sunday closest to November 2, Year Two), from November 7, 2005 (Monday of the week of the Sunday closest to November 9, Year One), and from September 17, 2006 (the Sunday closest to September 14, Year Two).

Today’s reading is the last of four Sunday readings selected from the Book of Revelation. The previous reading, last Sunday (Sept. 7, 2008) presented encouragement for the faithful in the visions of chapter fourteen that Jean-Pierre Ruiz calls “a series of three visions intended to reassure the faithful of ultimate victory and vindication” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Rev. 14:1-20; cf. Bruce M. Metzger, NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Rev. 14:1-20). For today’s reading, the three series of judgments are past, the seven seals (Rev. 6:1-17; 8:1-5), the seven trumpets (8:6-9:21; 11:4-19), and the “seven bowls of the wrath of God” (16:1, cf. vv. 1-21). One of the angels invites John to see “the judgment of the great whore “ (Rev. 17:1), “which is Rome, the city on seven hills (17:9, 18) and the archpersecutor of the saints (17:6)” (Metzger, op. cit., 1994, on 17:1-18:24). Final judgments remain, over “the kings of the earth, who committed fornication with her [i.e. with Babylon = Rome]” (18:9), the merchants (vv. 11, 15, 17, etc.), and the final victories of chapters eighteen and nineteen.

But, according to Metzger, the present reading presents a “dirge over the fallen city (Rome) with echoes from the taunt songs in Isa. chs. 23-24; ch. 47; Jer. chs 50-51; Ezek. chs 26-27)” (op. cit., on Rev. 18:1-24). The song is introduced by “another angel [who comes] down from heaven, having great authority,” and by his coming “the earth was made bright with his splendor” (18:1). “Fallen, fallen is Babylon [i.e. Rome] the great! / It has become a dwelling place of demons,” says the angel, “a haunt of every foul spirit, / a haunt of every fowl bird, / a haunt of every foul and hateful beast” (v. 2). “For all the nations have drunk / of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, / and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, / and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxury” (v. 3). According to David E. Aune, “Fornication” here is a “metaphor for political and religious subservience to Rome,” and “Merchants . . . have grown rich [means that] Wealthy Romans bought expensive products from everywhere (see vv. 11-13).” Aune adds, “Though Rome is implicitly condemned for economic exploitation, the criticism is softer than one might expect” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Rev. 18:3). Then John hears “another voice from heaven” that calls upon God’s people to “Come out of her . . . so that you do not take part in her sins, / and so that you do not share in her plagues” (v. 4). There is retribution for “her sins” which “are heaped high as heaven.” for “God has remembered her iniquities” (av. 5). Instruction is given (to the judgmental process?): “Render to her [Babylon = Rome] as she herself has rendered, / and repay her double for her deeds; / mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed” (v. 6). Reference is made here to Jeremiah 51:9 by Aune (op. cit., on v. 6) and by Jean-Pierre Ruiz (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Rev. 18:6). The angel’s voice continues: “As she [Babylon = Rome] glorified herself and lived luxuriously, / so give her a like measure of torment and grief” (v. 7a, b). Words are put in her mouth, as Aune says, “The fatal pride of Rome is personalized in this brief hubristic soliloquy” (on v. 7): “Since in her heart she says, / ‘I rule as a queen; / I am no widow, / and I will never see grief’ ” (v. 7c, d, e, f). God’s people are well warned to leave her (v. 4, above), for, because of these sins “her plagues will come in a single day–pestilence and mourning and famine–and she will be burned with fire; / for mighty is the Lord God who judges her” (v. 8).

“Ch[apter] 18,” says Richard Bauckham,

draws on all the OT prophetic oracles against Babylon (Isa. 13:1-14:23; 21:1-10; 47; Jer. 25:12-38; 50:1) and against Tyre (Isa. 23; Ezek. 26-8). John’s oracle gathers up all that his prophetic predecessors had said against these two cities, in order to portray Rome as the culmination of all the evil empires of history and therefore subject like them to judgment. (Compare the way the beast (13:1-2) combines the features of all four beasts in Daniel’s vision (Dan7:3-8.). OT Babylon prefigures Rome’s political supremacy and oppression, but OT Tyre prefigures Rome’s economic power and oppression. Hence the importance of Ezek. 26-8 as a model for John’s oracle against Babylon (vv. 9-20. At the same time, prophetic precedents are selected and adapted to fit the realities of contemporary Rome. (The Oxford Bible Commentary, 2001, p. 1301, on Rev. 18:1-3, cf. the chap.)

N. Turner finds a certain irony in this chapter, which he calls “a recital of Rome’s expected doom . . . [but] the event proved it to be no more than wishful thinking as far as the immediate future was concerned, and in the long run as a matter of fact the very reverse happened; the Christian Church actually won over ‘the great harlot’ to the side of Christ!” (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, reprint 1972, p. 1055, on Rev. chap. 18). Turner cites E. F. Scott, who “claims that the feeling of this chapter is not simply one of vengeance but rather the joy of knowing that God is just, that he will defend the weak and punish the wicked. But that is best left in his hands, not made the subject of our prayers. Moreover E. F. Scott discovers in the writer’s words a tribute to the grandeur of Rome. That is the best that can be said of it. It is extravagant to claim that ‘no one has ever written a more generous epitaph on a fallen foe’. If so, the cynic may well claim that Paul urged in vain: ‘Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them’ [Rom. 12:14]. (ibid.)

Matthew 5:21-26

Concerning Anger (Lk 12.57-59)

21 “You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ 22 But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. 23 So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:21-26, NRSV)

On April 17, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year One), comments were repeated with editing from September 24, 2007 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from September 17, 2006 (the Sunday closest to September 14, Year Two), and from May 11, 2006 (Thursday of the week of the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), when they were repeated from earlier, May 6, 2004 (Thursday of the week of the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), in an email sent on May 5, 2004, for May 6-9, 2004). The edited comments are repeated here:.

In the reading from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:21-26), Jesus presents the first of six "antitheses," in which he cites an application of law from the Old Testament or current Jewish practice, and calls on the Christians to live by a stricter interpretation, thus demonstrating that they heed his warning, "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 5:20). In this first antithesis (vv. 21-26), he interprets the Sixth Commandment (the Fifth, as some count the Commandments), "You shall not murder" (Ex. 20:13, cited in Mt. 5:21) to forbid, not merely the act, but the forms of anger and insult that might lead to murder (v. 22), and directs us to seek reconciliation instead (vv. 23-25). “But I say to you,” says Jesus, “that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire” (v. 22). Jesus’ emphasis on the inner feelings and intentions that will lead to murder, and not merely on the act itself, may be compared with Jeffrey H. Tigay’s comment on the commandment not to covet (Exod. 20:17 NRSV, Heb. = v. 14 NJPS 1985, 1999):

Some view this [‘You shall not covet’] as an ethical exhortation to master the kinds of impulses that would lead to violation of the preceding commandments, but the Heb. verb [dm1H!, chāmad] sometimes refers to having designs on a desired object, perhaps even to scheming or maneuvering to acquire it (see especially 34:24). Hence, the sense could be ‘do not scheme to acquire . . .’ Your neighbor’s house: that is, ‘household,’ which the second clause explicates as consisting of wife, servants, and livestock. In Deut. 5:18, which places the wife in the first clause and the house, field, servants, and cattle in the second, ‘house’ means dwelling. The wording in Exodus reflects conditions when the Israelites lived as nomadic herders without real estate (Gen. 12:5, 16; 26:14; Num. 16:30, 32; Deut. 11:6); Deut. refers to the kinds of property people will own after settlement in Canaan. (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, pp. 150-151 on Exod. 20:14 [NRSV v. 17]).

According to Matthew, Jesus’ advice on reconciliation here goes beyond similar advice about forgiving in Mark, where Jesus says, “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses” (Mk. 11:25; cf. Mt. 6:14). Here in Matthew, Jesus emphasizes the case when one has wronged another, not when he or she has been wronged by another; and he says, “So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift” (Mt. 5:23-24). The importance of this reconciliation is stressed. “Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison” (v. 15). This advice seems to come from a source that was also available to Luke (“Q”), according to whom, Jesus says essentially the same thing, “Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case, or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison” (Lk. 12:57). Luke’s context, a series of Jesus’ teachings, is rather different, but the conclusion of this advice is practically identical in Matthew and Luke. “ Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny” (Mt. 5:26); “I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny” (Lk. 12:59).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net