Zechariah 14:1-11

Future Warfare and Final Victory (Cp Ezek 38-39; Mk 13; Rev 20-22)

14:1 See, a day is coming for the LORD, when the plunder taken from you will be divided in your midst. 2 For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses looted and the women raped; half the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. 4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that one half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and the other half southward. 5 And you shall flee by the valley of the LORD's mountain, for the valley between the mountains shall reach to Azal; and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

6 On that day there shall not be either cold or frost. 7 And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the LORD), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light.

8 On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it shall continue in summer as in winter.

9 And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one.

10 The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king's wine presses. 11 And it shall be inhabited, for never again shall it be doomed to destruction; Jerusalem shall abide in security. (Zechariah 14:1-11, NRSV)

On December 1, 2006 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year Two), comments were repeated with revision and supplement from November 26, 2004, (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year Two). The comments are repeated here with editing and supplement:

Today’s reading is the first of two parts of what Gregory Mobley calls “the final battle, an eschatological description in which Jerusalem is attacked by all the nations (v. 2) before the LORD intervenes” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Zech. 14:1-21). Ehud Ben Zvi offers a similar view: “In this chapter, earth-shaking events lead to the establishment of Jerusalem as the center of the world and the place from which the LORD reigns over all” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, on Zech. 14:1-21). W. Sibley’s description is, if anything, even more graphic. “Because this chapter achieves the most radical, even cosmic, vision of change on the ‘day of the LORD,’ it is thought to be the latest in the ongoing series of oracles and visions in Second Zechariah. It may be as late as 420 BCE” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Zech. 14:1-21). Given these descriptions, one is surprised to learn that there are apparently no direct quotations of this chapter in the New Testament (cf. the “Index of Quotations” in “Old Testament Order” presented by K. Aland and others, The Greek New Testament, 3^rd ed., 1975, p. 900), in particular, in the cosmic battle scenes in the latter part of Revelation. There are, however some allusions or echoes of its language in Revelation that may be noted below.

After the poem about the shepherd who is struck (13:7-9), discussed yesterday, we return to prose description of Zechariah’s message. “See,” he says, “a day is coming for the LORD, when the plunder taken from you will be divided in your midst” (14:1).

“This is not the motif of the despoiling of the oppressor nations by Israel,” says W. Sibley Towner (with ref. to 2:9; Ex. 12:36; Ezek. 38-39; Nah. 2:9; Hag. 2:;7-8), “but rather one of the details of the terror to be experienced by those Judeans who will have to endure the purge that precedes God’s victory (13:7-9)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Zech. 14:1; cf slightly different wording in the 3^rd ed., 1993). “For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle,” says Zechariah, “and the city shall be taken and the houses looted and the women raped; half the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city” (14:2). “Jerusalem is attacked by all the nations (v. 2) before the LORD intervenes,” says Mobley (op. cit., on Zech. 14:2). “Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle” (v. 3). According to Towner, “The motif of the great battle against the nations gathered before Jerusalem is a favorite one in late prophetic eschatology (Isa. 63:1-6; Ezek. 38:14-23) and is taken up again in apocalyptic texts (see Joel 3:11-14; Rev. 14:14-20)” (on 12:8-9, cross-referenced from 14:3). “On that day,” says the prophet, “his feet [i.e., the LORD’s feet] shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that one half of the Mount shall withdraw northward, and the other half southward” (v. 4). Ben Zvi points out that the “Mount of Olives [is] a mount east of, and in the vicinity of, Jerusalem” (op. cit., on vv. 4-5). Towner suggests radical changes in the topography here. “The cosmic dimension of this last vision of Zechariah implies changes in the very structure of the earth itself. Perhaps by their hugeness and weight, the divine feet are sufficient to alter the landscape around Jerusalem (cf. Mic. 1:2-4)” (op. cit., on v. 4). “And you shall flee by the valley of the LORD’s mountain, for the valley between the mountains shall reach to Azal” (v. 5a). According to Ben Zvi, “Azal [is] an unknown location in the area”; and he adds that “Some scholars assume that the original text read ‘ ’etzel,’ i.e., ‘side’ and, accordingly, that the text read: ‘The valley between the hills reached to each side (of the now split Mount of Olives)’ ” (ibid., on v. 5).

The description the people of Jerusalem’s flight continues, “and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah” (v. 5b). For the “earthquake,” Mobley refers to Amos 1:1, where his note says, “the earthquake, mentioned again in Zech. 14:5, cannot be precisely dated” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Amos 1:1, cross-referenced from his note on Zech. 14:5). After their flight, says Zechariah, “Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him” (v. 5c). Towner says of the words, “all the holy ones with him” [that] “the Lord engages in divine warfare with a full complement of angelic forces (cf. Dan. 7:22)” (op. cit., on v. 5).

This coming of the LORD, “and all the holy ones with him” (v. 5), brings a decisive turning point. Zechariah seems to anticipate something much like John’s picture in Revelation of a new Jerusalem which “has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev. 21:23; cf. 22:5). “On that day,” says Zechariah, “there shall not be either cold or frost. And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the LORD), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light” (Zech. 14:6-7). Towner says, “The displacement of the sun by the glory of God is a motif used by the nearly contemporary ‘Isaiah Apocalypse’ (Isa. 24-27; see also Isa. 24:23; 60:19-20; Rev. 22:5)” (on Zech. 14:6-7). Zechariah envisions a river of “living waters” flowing “out from Jerusalem to the east and the west, which “shall continue in summer as in winter” (v. 8; cf. Ezek. 47:1-12; Rev. 22:1-2). The LORD, who defends Jerusalem “will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one” (v. 9). Ehud Ben Zvi says, “The verse [v. 9] evokes the language of Deut. 6:4, the beginning of what became the Shema prayer in later Judaism, and, given its context, it most likely means that in that day all humanity will acknowledge and worship the LORD alone and invoke the LORD’s name alone” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2001, on Zech. 14:9). To anticipate a point from tomorrow’s reading, the LORD will be “worshiped in Jerusalem where the nations will come in pilgrimage (v. 16)” ( R. Lansing Hicks and Walter Brueggemann, NOAB, 2^nd. ed., on Zech. 14:1-21). This has been considered an end-time prophecy, and it shares some themes with the book of Revelation, as noted above. The land of Israel will be transformed, “the whole land . . . turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem” (v. 10a). Jerusalem itself, on the other hand, “shall remain aloft on its site” (v. 10b). “And it shall be inhabited, for never again shall it be doomed to destruction; Jerusalem shall abide in security” (v. 11). According to Towner, “The lifting of the curse pronounced in Zech. 11:6 leads to the blessing of progeny promised to a covenant-obedient people in Deut. 28:11” (on v. 11).

Romans 15:7-13

The Gospel for Jews and Gentiles Alike

7 Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

"Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,

and sing praises to your name";

10 and again he says,

"Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people";

11 and again,

"Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples praise him";

12 and again Isaiah says,

"The root of Jesse shall come,

the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

in him the Gentiles shall hope."

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:7-13, NRSV)

On July 24, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 20, Year Two), when the reading was Romans 15:1-13, comments were repeated with editing and supplement from August 12, 2007 (the Sunday closest to August 10, Year One), when comments were repeated with minor editing and supplement from July 27, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 20, Year Two). Although the reading for today is shorter, Romans 15:7-13, comments will be included for verses 1-6 to set the context as well as the remaining comments from July 24, 2008, with some editing and supplement:

The context for Paul’s advice for the strong to respect the weak (Rom. 15:1-13) includes the advice about not offending the weak who “eat only vegetables” (Rom. 14:2; perhaps Jewish Christians who avoided all meat, since they could not be sure it was kosher). But the principle of not judging others in such matters transcends the issues Paul may have had in mind. Again the strong are told “to put up with the failings of the weak, and not please ourselves” (Rom. 15:1). On the contrary, “Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor” (v. 2). In this way, we are to follow the example of Christ, who “did not please himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me’ ” (v. 3, citing Ps. 69:9b). John S. Kselman calls the Psalm cited here “a prayer for deliverance from enemies” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Ps. 69). According to Neil Elliott, the line from the Psalm cited here “is read in terms of Christ’s humbling himself (Phil. 2:5-8; 2 Cor. 8:9)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed. on Rom. 15:3). Paul explains his use of the Hebrew Bible in Christian teaching. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (v. 4). Elliott compares two other Pauline texts to show how Paul applies the Hebrew Bible to his own situation (and ours) (ibid., on Rom. 15:4):

Now the words, ‘it was reckoned to him [citing Gen. 15:6]’ were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death four our trespasses and was raised for our justification. (Rom. 4:23-25, NRSV)

and

Or does he [Moses] not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. (1 Cor. 9:10, NRSV, following the citation of Deut. 25:4 in 1 Cor. 9:9).

Paul’s prayer for harmony, “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus” (Rom. 15:5), has in mind not merely peaceful coexistence, but two groups coming together, “so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 6). This clearly refers to harmony of Jews and Gentiles coming together in Christian worship. Paul has instructed these groups not to judge one another, and now exhorts them to “welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (v. 7). In support of this instruction, Paul reminds the Roman Christians of the salvation that is available to all. “For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (vv. 8, 9a). This point is repeated, cf. 11:30, and is supported again with a series of quotations from the Hebrew Bible: “and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. as it is written”:

“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,

And sing praises to your name” (cited from Ps. 18:49; cf. 2 Sam. 22:50);

and again he says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (cited from Deut. 32:43);

and again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

And let all the peoples praise him” (cited from Ps. 117:1);

and again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse shall come,

the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;

in him the Gentiles shall hope” (cited from Isa. 11:10). (Rom. 15:9-12 NRSV)

The last of these quotations follows the Septuagint, “And there shall be . . . the root of Jesse, / And he that ariseth to rule over the Gentiles; / On him shall the Gentiles hope” (Isa. 11:10, trans., Robert G. Bratcher, Old Testament Quotations in the New Testament, rev. ed., 1961, p. 44, “in the language and style of the ERV,” p. viii). The Hebrew text is translated as “And it shall come to pass . . . that the root of Jesse, which standeth for an ensign of the peoples, unto him shall the nations seek; and his resting place shall be glorious” (ERV as used by Bratcher, loc. cit., with underlining to show the difference between the OT text and the NT translation). So Paul reminds the readers again that “the promised salvation is also for the Gentiles, as Paul emphasizes with [these] quotations” (John Knox and John Reumann, NOAB, 2^nd ed., 1994, on Rom. 15:8-12). The word “Gentiles” ( e[qnh, ethnē) which occurs repeatedly in these quotations (Rom. 15:9 twice, 10, 11, 12 twice) can also mean “nations,” as for example, in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations (pavnta ta; e[qnh, panta ta ethnē).

In a certain sense, Paul’s general exhortation of the Romans ends here with the words, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (v. 13), for what follows reflects on what he has written (v. 15), his personal plans (vv. 22-33) and final greetings (ch. 16).

Luke 19:28-40

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21.1-11; Mk 11.1-11; Jn 12.12-19)

28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it.' " 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" 34 They said, "The Lord needs it." 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying,

"Blessed is the king

who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven,

and glory in the highest heaven!"

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." 40 He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out." (Luke 19:28-40, NRSV)

On June 14, 2007 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to June 8, Year One), comments were based on earlier comments from December 1, 2006 (Friday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year Two), when comments were combined from November 26, 2004 (Friday of the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year Two), and from June 9, 2005 (Thursday of the week of the Sunday closest to June 8, Year One). The following comments are based on the earlier combined comments with revision and supplement.

A chart including the accounts of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem from each of the four Gospels is included in the separate file, Triumphal Entry Gospel Parallels. For recent comments on Matthew’s version of this event, see the comments in the Archive for June 28, 2008; for recent comments on Mark’s version, see August 18, 2007; and for comments on John’s version, see September 16, 2008.

Luke’s version of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Lk. 19:28-40) is rather closely parallel to Mark’s (Mk. 11:1-10; cf. Mt. 21:1-9). After his report of the healing of the blind man (Lk. 18:35-43), parallel to Mark’s report of the healing of Bartimaeus (Mk. 10:46-52), Luke includes two events not found in Mark. The story of Zacchaeus (Lk. 19:1-10, only in Luke) presents something of a climax in Luke’s narrative. The Parable of the Pounds (Lk. 19:11-27), similar in some ways to Matthew’s Parable of the Talents (Mt. 15:14-30), does call to mind a brief reference in Mark to “a man going on a journey” who “puts his slaves in charge . . . and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch” (Mk. 13:34). So, in introducing the report of the triumphal entry, Luke refers to the parable: “After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem” (Lk. 19:28; cf. Mk. 11:1). Luke follows Mark in referring to Bethpage and the Mount of Olives (Lk. 19:29; cf. Mk. 11:1; Mt. 21:1), and to the use of one animal (Lk. 19:30; Mk. 11:2; cf. “a donkey tied, and a colt with her,” Mt. 21:2). In Jesus’ anticipation of the conversation with those who question what the disciples are doing (Lk. 19:31; Mk. 11:3), and in the report of their following these instructions (Lk. 19:32-34; Mk. 11:4-6), Luke follows Mark rather closely, except that the question comes from the colt’s “owners” (Lk. 19:33) rather than “some of the bystanders” (Mk. 11:5). When they threw their cloaks on the animal, Mark says that Jesus “sat on it” (Mk. 11:7), but Luke says “they set him on it” (Lk. 19:35). Luke has no mention of the “leafy branches . . . cut in the fields” (Mk. 11:8; cf. Mt. 21:8, and “branches of palm trees,” Jn. 12:13, the ref. which gives Palm Sunday its name). Whereas Mark and Matthew simply report the praise of the crowd (Mk. 11:9-10; Mt. 21:9), Luke adds motivation for the praise, as “for all the deeds of power that they had seen” (Lk. 19:37; cf. John’s crediting of the praise to the raising of Lazarus, Jn. 12:17-18).

Luke has the people say, “Blessed is the king, / who comes in the name of the Lord” (Lk. 19:38) where Mark has them say “Hosanna! / Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mk. 11:9), which Matthew follows, but adds an honorific title, “Hosanna to the Son of David! / Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mt. 21:9). Mark refers to David, but in a separate line, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David!” (Mk. 11:10a). For the words “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Mk. 11:20b; Mt. 21:9 at the end), Luke has “Peace in heaven, / and glory in the highest heaven” (Lk. 19:38b). Though Luke is the only one who uses the word “king” in the people’s acclamation (Lk. 19:38; cf Mt. 21:9; Mk. 10:11), the word “king” appears in Matthew’s quotation from Zechariah 9:9, and Mark includes reference to “the coming kingdom of our ancestor David.” For Jesus, this royal acclamation was a mixed blessing. His choice to ride a donkey indicates a purpose other than that of a conquering king. He never calls himself a “king.” In John’s account of Jesus before Pilate, Pilate asks Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (Jn. 18:33). Before his direct answer, Jesus seeks to clarify Pilate’s attitude and intentions. “Did you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” (v. 34). But Jesus explains, “My kingdom is not from this world, If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here” (v. 36).

We usually associate Palm Sunday with Easter in the spring, but the praise of the crowd, “Blessed is the king / who comes in the name of the Lord! / Peace in heaven, / and glory in the highest heaven! (v. 38), reminds us of the angels’ song on the night of the Savior’s birth: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, / And on earth peace among those whom he favors!” (2:14). After his report of the Cleansing of the Temple, Matthew reports the anger of the chief priests and scribes, who, hearing “the children crying out in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’. . . became angry and said to him, ‘Do you hear what these are saying?’” (Mt. 21:15-16), but in the accounts of the Triumphal Entry, only Luke reports that some of the Pharisees said, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop” (Lk. 19:39). To this, Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out” (v. 40; cf. the Pharisees’ comment reported by John, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!” (Jn. 12:19).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net