Deuteronomy 7:17-26

17 If you say to yourself, "These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?" 18 do not be afraid of them. Just remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, 19 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. 20 Moreover, the LORD your God will send the pestilence against them, until even the survivors and the fugitives are destroyed. 21 Have no dread of them, for the LORD your God, who is present with you, is a great and awesome God. 22 The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to make a quick end of them, otherwise the wild animals would become too numerous for you. 23 But the LORD your God will give them over to you, and throw them into great panic, until they are destroyed. 24 He will hand their kings over to you and you shall blot out their name from under heaven; no one will be able to stand against you, until you have destroyed them. 25 The images of their gods you shall burn with fire. Do not covet the silver or the gold that is on them and take it for yourself, because you could be ensnared by it; for it is abhorrent to the LORD your God. 26 Do not bring an abhorrent thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You must utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction. (Deuteronomy 7:17-26, NRSV)

On 24, 2007 (Saturday in the week of the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), comments were repeated with some revision and supplement from February 12, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One); the comments are repeated here with some editing and supplement:

Yesterday’s lesson took note of the promise of God’s blessings if (or because) Israel will “heed these ordinances, by diligently observing them” (Deut. 7:12). The benefits include the fertility of the land, producing grain, wine and oil, but also Israel’s posterity, “the fruit of your womb” (v. 13) and other blessings. These blessings come from the LORD, not the gods of Canaan or of Israel’s enemies. Verse sixteen provides a transition to today’s lesson, with a call to “holy war”: “You shall devour all the peoples that the LORD your God is giving over to you, showing them no pity; you shall not serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you” (Deut. 7:16). Israel is not to fear these enemy nations, for Moses instructs them, “If you say to yourself, ‘These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?’ do not be afraid of them” (vv. 17, 18a). Moses explains: “Just remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out” (vv. 18b, 19a). This protection by the LORD involves the destruction of their enemies. “Moreover,” says Moses, “the LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. Moreover, the LORD your God will send the pestilence against them, until even the survivors and the fugitives are destroyed” (vv. 19b, 20).

 The conditions mentioned earlier still apply of course, “if you heed these ordinances, by diligently observing them, the LORD you God will maintain with you the covenant loyalty that he swore to your ancestors” (v. 12). But, assuming that those conditions are met, Israel should “have no dread of them [i.e., the enemy nations], for the LORD your God, who is present with you, is a great and awesome God” (v. 21). “The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little,” says Moses; “you will not be able to make a quick end of them , otherwise the wild animals would become too numerous for you” (v. 22). This verse, says, Bernard M. Levinson, abbreviates “Ex. 23:29-30; contrast [Deut.] 9:3” NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Deut. 7:22; so also in The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, on Deut. 7:22). The phrase “beasts of the field,” says Rabbi J. H. Hertz (of the JPS 1917 Jewish translation for “wild animals,” NRSV, “wild beasts,” NJPS 1985, 1999), means

Wild beasts, as ‘field’ is here used in the sense of uncultivated territory. The country was at no time in the Biblical age so settled that the jungle lay wholly beyond the range of ordinary experience. ‘How constant the war of man against wild animals was in ancient Palestine, may be felt from the promise of their being tamed as one of the elements of the Messianic Age; Isa. xi, 6-8' (G. A. Smith). (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, p. 781, on Deut. 7:22).

But total destruction of Israel’s enemies is described. “But the LORD your God will give them over to you, and throw them into great panic, until they are destroyed. He will hand their kings over to you and you shall blot out their name from under heaven; no one will be able to stand against you, until you have destroyed them” (vv. 23-24).

Because it reminds us of modern genocide and jihad, we may have serious reservations about this (and many other) instructions to the Israelites to “destroy” and “clear away these nations,” for even though it is said that God will do it, it happens because “God is present with you” in battle (v. 21). The biblical justification for such “holy war” focuses on the idolatry of these enemies: “The images of their gods you shall burn with fire. Do not covet the silver or the gold that is on them and take it for yourself, because you could be ensnared by it; for it is abhorrent to the LORD your God” (v. 25; cf. Ex. 23:23-24). According to Rabbi Hertz, “The wooden image was usually overlaid with one of the precious metals; see Isa. XL, 19, p. 778 [in the Haftorah for the previous reading in the Rabbi’s commentary]” (op. cit., p. 781, on Deut. 7:25). In fact, says Moses, “ Do not bring an abhorrent thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You must utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction” (v. 26). God’s judgment on the Canaanites could very well turn against Israel herself if she gets involved in their idolatry.

According to John Bowker [and contributors],

The divine king of the Hebrew Bible [is] a judge . . . having ultimate jurisdiction over the whole world . . . When the Hebrew Bible speaks of war, therefore, talk of justice is never far away. . . . There is no “might is right” view of God in the Hebrew Bible: war is a judicial business . . . God could fight against Israel as well as on its side (e.g. 1 Sam. 4; Isa. 10:5-6; Jer. 25:9-11). Indeed, God never fought on Israel’s side at all. The question was always whether Israel was about to fight on God’s side, the side of justice. If not, God could as easily use other nations to bring divine judgment against the wicked–who might include Israel. (The Complete Bible Handbook, DK Publishing, Inc., 1998, p. 88).

The question becomes, in war–current wars, or any wars–not, Is God on our side? but rather, Are we on God’s side? More than once, apparently, careless presumption in such matters has led to tragic results.

Titus 3:1-15

Maintain Good Deeds

3:1 Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone. 3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6 This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8 The saying is sure.

I desire that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone. 9 But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 After a first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with anyone who causes divisions, 11 since you know that such a person is perverted and sinful, being self-condemned.

Final Messages and Benediction

12 When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. 13 Make every effort to send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, and see that they lack nothing. 14 And let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so that they may not be unproductive.

15 All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith.

Grace be with all of you. (Titus 3:1-15, NRSV)

On February 24, 2007 (Saturday in the week of the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), comments were combined with revision and supplement from February 12, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), and from comments on 3:1-8, selected from comments on 2:11-3:8 from December 21, 2005 (Wednesday in the week of the fourth Sunday in Advent, Year Two). The combined comments are repeated here:

Paul has exhorted Titus to preach and teach with authority (Tit. 2:15), with emphasis on “the grace of God [that] has appeared bringing salvation” (v. 11). This emphasis on doctrine, our waiting “for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (v. 13), who “gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds” (v. 14), is the basis for various instructions about Christian living given in chapter two.

These instructions continue in chapter three. “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone” (3:1-2). William Barclay finds here “six qualifications for the good citizen” in Titus 3:1-2: The good citizen is (1) law-abiding, (2) active in service, (3) careful in speech, (4) tolerant, (5) kind, (6) gentle (The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon, The Daily Study Bible, 2^nd ed., 1960, pp. 296-297, on Tit. 3:2). “Qualities like these are only possible for the Christian,” says Barclay, “for they are only possible for the man in whose heart Christ reigns supreme. The welfare of any community depends on the acceptance by the Christians within it of the duty of demonstrating to all the world the nobility of Christian citizenship” (ibid., pp. 297-298).

Paul directs Titus to remind the people of Crete that they were once like their non-Christian neighbors. “For we ourselves,” he says, “were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, despicable, hating one another” (v. 3). But God has provided a remedy for such conditions, described here in what has been called “a tight creedal formulation, perhaps from an early hymn” (Margaret M. Mitchell, NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Tit. 3:4-7):

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7, NRSV)

This passage is one of the “sure sayings” (v. 8a; cf. 1 Tim. 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim. 2:8). We note here the paired expressions, “God our Savior” (v. 4) and “Jesus Christ our Savior” (v. 6; cf. comments on 2:13, yesterday). Barclay lists seven “outstanding facts about the work of Christ for men [and women]” in this passage (vv. 3-7):

(1) What Jesus did for us is that he put us in a new relationship with God.

(2) This love and grace of God are gifts which no man could ever have earned or achieved; they can only be accepted in perfect trust and awakened love.

(3) This love and grace of God are mediated . . . through the church.

(4) . . . but the essential power behind it all is the power of the Holy Spirit.

(5) The effect of all this is threefold. It brings forgiveness for past sins.

(6) But the effect . . . is also present life.

(7) And lastly, there enters into life the hope of greater things. . . . The Christian is the man [or woman] who knows the wonder of past sin forgiven, the thrill of present life lived with Christ, and the hope of the greater life which is yet to be. (op. cit., pp. 299-302)

Paul gives some final admonitions to Titus. “I desire,” he says, “that you insist on these things, so that those who have come to believe in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works; these things are excellent and profitable to everyone” (v. 8b). Paul also gives a further warning against the teachings of the opponents. “But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. After a first and second admonition, have nothing more to do with anyone who causes divisions, since you know that such a person is perverted and sinful, being self-condemned” (vv. 9-11). Mitchell calls this a “condemnatory attitude toward the opponents,” and compares 1 Timothy 6:3-5 (op. cit., on vv. 9-11).

As Paul approaches the conclusion of the letter, he gives instructions regarding his plans for winter and the travels of his associates. “When I send Artemas to you,” he says, “or Tychicus, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there” (v. 12). According to Mitchell, Artemas is “otherwise unknown” (op. cit., on v. 12; cf. Harper’s Bible Dictionary, rev. ed., 1996, s.v. Artemas). Tychicus was

an Asian Christian who, with Trophimus, joined Paul and others on the apostle’s final visit to Jerusalem (Acts 20:4-5). Tychicus (the same man?) is apparently the bearer of Colossians and Ephesians (Col. 4:7-9; Eph. 6:21-22) and possibly of 2 Timothy (4:12). According to Titus 3:12, Paul planned to send either Tychicus or Artemas to Crete, thus freeing Titus to join Paul at Nicopolis. Possibly Paul sent Artemas to Crete and Tychicus to Ephesus (2 Tim. 4:12). The actual movements of these co-workers of Paul are uncertain. (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, rev. ed., 1996, s.v. Tychicus).

If Paul in fact spent the winter in Nicopolis, that would apparently be the place furthest west on the Greek Peninsula that he visited. According to James L. Price, Jr., the name means “city of victory,” but though “several towns were named Nicopolis . . . This reference is almost certainly to the town founded in Epirus (west-=by-northwest of Corinth) by Octavian in 31 B.C. commemorating his victory Antony at Nearby Actium. (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, rev. ed., 1996, s.v. Nicopolis). “Make every effort,” says Paul, “to send Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way, and see that they lack nothing” (v. 13). According to Mitchell, Zenas the lawyer is mentioned only here (op. cit., on v. 13). Apollos, of course is well known from earlier New Testament accounts. Some at Corinth apparently divided into parties attached to the preaching and teaching of either Paul or Apollos (1 Cor. 1:12; 3:4-6). From Acts we learn something of his work in Corinth and Ephesus (Acts 18:24-28; 19:1). If there were differences between Paul and Apollos at Corinth, they were probably in the perceptions of them by some believers. In any case, they appear at this point to be working well together. In a final admonition, Paul says to Titus, “And let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so that they may not be unproductive” (v. 14). Greetings and a brief benediction close the letter. “All who are with me send greetings to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with all of you” (v. 15).

John 1:43-51

Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." (John 1:43-51, NRSV)

On August 7, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 3, Year Two), comments were repeated with some editing from January 17, 2008 (Thursday in the week of the First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two), when comments were repeated from August 5, 2007 (the Sunday closest to August 3, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from February 24, 2007 (Saturday in the week of the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), when comments were repeated from February 12, 2005 (Saturday in the week of the Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One), on January 12, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year Two) and on August 10, 2006 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 3, Year Two). The revised comments are repeated again here with some editing::

Earlier in John chapter 1, three persons, perhaps four, become disciples of Jesus, or meet him (if the formal inclusion among the disciples came later; cf. Mk. 1:16-20; but note the verb “follow” (ajkolouqevw, akoloutheō, Jn. 1:37, 38, 40; Mk. 1:17 [Deu:te ojpivsw mou, Deute opisō mou], 18 [ajkolouqevw, akoloutheō] ). In the reading selected for yesterday, Philip and Nathanael are added to the group. Andrew and the unnamed disciple were introduced to Jesus by John the Baptist (vv. 35-36) , and Andrew brought Simon to Jesus (vv. 41-42). But Jesus himself “found Philip and said to him ‘Follow me’ (  jAkolouvqei moi, akolouthei moi)” (v. 43). Philip, we are told, “was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter” (v. 44). Philip, in turn, “found Nathanael” (v. 45, who proves to be a bit skeptical. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” he asks, but Philip’s reply is, “Come and see” (v. 46). And when Jesus sees Nathanael coming, he says, “Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” (v. 47).

According to Philip L. Shuler, Nathanael is “one of the chosen disciples of Jesus mentioned only in John’s Gospel; brought to Jesus by Philip (Jn. 1:43-51; cf. 21:2). . . .  Because his name is absent from the apostolic lists in the other Gospels and Acts, many scholars have identified him with one or another of those listed, most commonly Bartholomew” (Harper’s Bible Commentary, 1985, s.v. Nathanael). Perhaps for this reason, Hendricks suggests, “Nathanael (Heb. ‘God has given’) may be a collective character (see note a [NRSV] in v. 51) representing those in Israel who have no deceit, i.e., none of the qualities of Jacob before he became Israel (Gen. 27:35; 32:28)” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., on Jn. 1:47-51). The note to which Hendricks refers says, “Both instances of the Greek word for you in this verse are plural” (Jn. 1:51 text note a). But we may suggest that verse 50 is addressed to “you,” singular: “Jesus answered, ‘Do you believe (pisteuveiV, pisteueis, sing. verb ending) because I told you (soi, soi, sing.) that I saw you (se, se) under the fig tree? You will see (o[yh/, opsē + iota subscript) greater things than these” (v. 50). And John the evangelist takes what Jesus said to Nathaniel and applies it to his readers: “Very truly, I tell you (uJmi:n, hymin, plural), you will see (o[yesqe, opsesthe, plural verb ending) heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (v. 51).

Since there were clearly others than the Twelve who were Jesus close disciples, even apostles, we may assume the same for Nathanael. Rebecca Merrill Groothuis, for example, says, “The New Testament does not list the names of all the apostles outside the Twelve, but they include Paul, Barnabas, James the brother of Jesus, Andronicus, and Junia” (Good News for Women, 1996, p. 196). Junia, of course, was a woman Apostle–despite many and various attempts to discredit her by “correcting” the text of Romans 16:7 to “Junias,” which they interpret as a man’s name. But the fact is that “Junias” as a man’s name is attested nowhere in ancient literature. According to Helmut Koester,

And this letter [i.e. Romans] has one other very interesting information about women, namely it contains greetings to Junia and Andronicus, who both have been "well-respected apostles before me." Now Junia is a woman. I showed you the inscription for Junia for the woman. And there's an old debate that this should read, "Junias," which is a male name, with an "s" at the end, and that's because it was unthinkable that a woman was an apostle.

Now early in this century a very famous German scholar, Hans Lietzmann, who was a superb philologian, made an investigation into all surviving names of antiquity and came to the conclusion that the name Junias did not exist -- that the name Junianus existed and that the name Junias is possible as a short form for the name Junianus, but there was no evidence that it was ever used. So he says philologically you cannot bring evidence that this was a man Junias rather than a woman Junia, but he says that since it's not thinkable that a woman was an apostle, we have to read the male name Junias. And later commentaries say we have to read the male name Junias, because Hans Lietzmann has brought the philological evidence. Well, . . . he has done the evidence. He has done the opposite! So, no question – scholars agree today that indeed Romans 16 contains reference to a female apostle named Junia, whom Paul recognized as an apostle before him. (“The role of women in the Christian churches of Paul's day,” transcribed by Robert Nguyen Cramer from an audio recording and used by permission of Dr. Koester and by permission of The Foundation for Biblical Research, by whom all rights and copyrights are reserved, on their Internet web site at http://www.bibletexts.com/terms/women01.htm, accessed again February 27, 2009).

In any case, there seems little reason to dissolve Nathanael into “a collective character representing those in Israel who have no deceit” (with Hendricks as cited above). He responds to Jesus with a question, “Where did you get to know me?” to which Jesus responds, “I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you” (v. 48). Nathanael is duly impressed, and replies, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel” (v. 49). Harold W. Attridge understands Nathanael’s response as recognition of Jesus’ messiahship. “In ancient Israel, the king might be thought of metaphorically as God’s son (2 Sam. 7:14; Pss. 2:7; 89:26), but in John Jesus’ sonship means his divinity. John also associates Jesus’ messianic kingship with prophetic powers [cf. 6:14-15], here seen in Jesus’ supernatural knowledge about Nathanael” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Jn. 1:49).

Jesus accepts Nathanael’s affirmation, answering with a promise of further revelation. “Do you (singular, cf. above) believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these” (v. 50). Jesus’ promise to Nathanael, and others, is, “You (plural, cf. above) will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” (v. 51), which alludes to Jacob’s dream of a ladder to heaven with “angels of God . . . ascending and descending on it” (Gen. 28:12). Nathanael is meeting the Son of Man who “descended from heaven” (3:13) and can “tell you about heavenly things” (3:12), to quote from Jesus’ later conversation with Nicodemus.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net