Isaiah 43:8-13

8 Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes,

who are deaf, yet have ears!

9 Let all the nations gather together,

and let the peoples assemble.

Who among them declared this,

and foretold to us the former things?

Let them bring their witnesses to justify them,

and let them hear and say, “It is true.”

10 You are my witnesses, says the LORD,

and my servant whom I have chosen,

so that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me.

11 I, I am the LORD,

and besides me there is no savior.

12 I declared and saved and proclaimed,

when there was no strange god among you;

and you are my witnesses, says the LORD.

13 I am God, and also henceforth I am He;

there is no one who can deliver from my hand;

I work and who can hinder it? (Isaiah 43:8-13, NRSV)

The following comments are based on those of April 15, 2007 (the Second Sunday of Easter, Year One). For additional comments on this passage and its larger context see archived comments for Isaiah (42:18-25); 43:1-13 from January 17, 2009 (Saturday in the week of the First Sunday after the Epiphany, Year One).

Today’s reading is preceded by a section that Joseph Blenkinsopp calls “Israel’s redemption is at hand,” and describes as “an oracle of salvation (‘do not fear’) assuring the hearers that judgment is in the past.” He adds, “The dangers that they foresee will be survived and the deportees or their descendants will return to the homeland” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Isa. 43:1-7).

Today’s reading begins a section that Blenkinsopp calls “The LORD restores and redeems Israel” (on vv. 8-21). The LORD, speaking through the prophet, calls for Israel, “the people who are blind, yet have eyes” (Isa. 43:8a; cf. 42:19, 20a), “who are deaf, yet have ears” (43:8b; cf. 42:20b), to be brought forth. “Let all the nations gather together,” says the LORD, “and let the people assemble” (Isa. 43:9a, b). According to Blenkinsopp, the LORD sets up “a judicial process (as in 41:1-5, 21-29), in which deities of other lands, and in the first place Babylon, are challenged by the LORD to demonstrate divine status by their ability to predict the future and bring it about” (ibid., on Isa. 43:8-15): “Who among them declared this, / and foretold to us the former things?” (v. 9c, d). “Let them bring their witnesses to justify them, / and let them hear and say, ‘it is true’ ” (v. 9e, f). Opposing the “witnesses” for the foreign deities, the people of Israel, though blind and deaf (v. 8), are the LORD’s witnesses. “You (plural, (MT@xa, ’attem) are my witnesses, says the LORD, / and my servant whom I have chosen, / so that you may know and believe me / and understand that I am he” (v. 10a, b, c, d). “Even though blind and deaf,” says Blenkinsopp, “the people of Israel can witness to the LORD’s claim. All other gods fail the test; they are impotent and, in effect, nonexistent” (ibid.). In the concluding lines of today’s reading, the LORD proclaims his victory in the contest, that is, the trial. “Before me no god was formed, / nor shall there be any after me. / I, I am the LORD, / and besides me there is no savior” (vv. 10e, f, 11). The LORD reminds the people of his past deliverance. “I declared and saved and proclaimed, / when there was no strange god among you; / and you are my witnesses, says the LORD” (v. 12). And there is no other but God who can deliver again. “I am God, and also henceforth I am He; / there is no one who can deliver from my hand; / I work and who can hinder it?” (v. 13). In the continuation, the LORD promises deliverance of Israel from Babylonian captivity (v. 14). Blenkinsopp says, “The contest ends with an announcement of release from Babylonian captivity by the LORD, Israel’s Redeemer (54:5; 59:20) and Holy One (41:14; 48:17; 49:7)” (Ibid.).

1 Peter 2:2-10

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation- 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

4 Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and 5 like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

7 To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the very head of the corner,”

8 and

“A stone that makes them stumble,

and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

10 Once you were not a people,

but now you are God’s people;

once you had not received mercy,

but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:2-10, NRSV)

The following comments are based on–mainly repeated from--April 15, 2007 (the Second Sunday of Easter, Year One), from November 28, 2007 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to November 23, Year One), from April 2, 2008 (Wednesday in the week of the Second Sunday of Easter, Year Two), and from earlier dates as noted there:

Chapter 2 of 1 Peter introduces a series of exhortations–advice about Christian living–that continue in much of the remainder of the Epistle. Peter urges Christians to “Rid yourselves . . . of all malice, and all guile, insincerity, envy, and all slander” (1 Pet. 2:1), but to “long for the pure spiritual milk, so that, by it you may grow into salvation” (v. 2). Peter H. Davids finds a “surprise” in verse 2,

for instead of a catalogue of virtues to replace the vices (as in Gal. 5), we discover a call to dependence on God. Since they have been reborn (cf. 1:2 for this image, which is a baptismal image), they are babies. Both the terms “newborn” and “babies,” which indicate a nursing infant, show this. Thus they should desire appropriate food, namely milk. (The First Epistle of Peter, NICNT, 1990, p. 81 on 1 Pet. 2:2)

Then the imagery shifts to stones, or, as Davids puts it, “from that of nourishment to that of security and honor” (ibid., on v. 4). Christ is “a living stone” who has been “rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight” (v. 4) and the readers, “like living stones,” are to “let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (v. 5). Quotations from the Old Testament about stones follow, illustrating the statement that Christian believers are “built into a spiritual house” (cf. Isa. 28:16; Ps. 118:22; Isa. 8:14). Davids comments:

The Christians are not naturally ‘living stones,’ but become such as they are joined to Christ in conversion and baptism (cf. 2 Cor. 3:18, for it is only as they come to him that this building is possible. Nor are they pictured as individually stones, lying apart in a field or building site, but collectively as part of God’s great temple. It is God, of course, who is building them together into this edifice of the end times, thus the verb (‘are being built’) is descriptive, not imperative (‘be built’ or ‘let yourselves be built,’ neither of which fits smoothly into the context). (ibid., pp. 86-87 on v. 5).

Peter is encouraging new Christians, “newborn infants” (1 Pet. 2:2), to “long for the pure, spiritual milk” and become mature Christians, “living stones” for “a spiritual house” (v. 5a), that is, a “temple.” According to M. Eugene Boring, “the imagery modulates from birth and growth to the construction of a spiritual house (temple) and then to a holy Priesthood” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on vv. 5-8). Then the metaphor changes again. They are to be “a holy priesthood” (v. 5b). This imagery, says Boring, which “modulates from birth and growth to the construction of a spiritual house (temple) and then to a holy priesthood,” pictures the “communal” aspect of the Christian life” (ibid.). According to David L. Balch, elaboration of the thought uses “A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people” (v. 9), “four honorific titles taken from Ex. 19:6; Isa. 43:20-21" (HarperCollins Study Bible, on 1 Pet. 2:9), and quotations from Hosea 1:9; 2:23. Davids says these titles, “which are used elsewhere in the NT as well, particularly in Revelation (Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6; cf. 1 Pet. 2:5), are woven together with a phrase taken first from Exodus (‘But you’), then from Isaiah (‘chosen people’), then Exodus again (‘royal priesthood’ and ‘holy nation’), and finally Isaiah (‘God’s own people . . . deeds,’ the grammar changed to suit the new context in 1 Peter), indicating a long period of meditation on and use of these texts in the church. The emphasis throughout is collective: the church as a corporate unity is the people, priesthood, nation, etc., rather than each Christian being such” (p. 91 on v. 9).

Davids comments on the “stone” (v. 8) which “divides believers from unbelievers (including the persecutors of these Christian readers)” (op. cit., on 1 Pet. 2:9). Peter then

returns to the topic of their privileged position in God’s temple, using the emphatic “but you” to make the transition and contrast clear. This position is described by transferring to the church the titles of Israel in the OT (for the church is the true remnant of Israel, as the use of Israel’s titles from 1:1 on indicates), in particular the titles found in the Septuagint of Exod. 19:5-6 (cf. 23:22) and Isa. 43:20-21 (cf. Deut. 4:20; 7:6; 10:15; 14:2). (ibid.)

Today’s reading concludes with what Davids calls “a poem based on Hos. 1:6, 9-10; 2:23” (ibid., p. 93 on 1 Pet. 2:10). Hosea’s unfaithful wife had children with symbolic names. “She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the LORD said to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them” (Hos. 1:;6). “When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not my people and I am not your God” (Hos. 1:8-9). This judgment on Israel is reversed in Hosea 2:23: “And I will have pity on Lo-ruhamah,/and I will say to Lo-ammi, ‘You are my people’; / and he shall say, ‘You are my God’.”

Unlike Israel these Christians never experienced themselves as unfaithful to a covenant, but they did realize that they were once outside God’s favor, that is, rejected. Once they were “not a people,” for “the people of God” was a term reserved for Israel. . . . But now these Christians know they are elect–not just a people of God, but the people of God. They are the recipients of God’s mercy, that is, his care and concern. (Davids, p. 93 on 1 Pet. 2:10)

The closing quotation from Hosea emphasizes God’s mercy.

But now these Christians know they are elect–not just a people of God, but the people of God. They are the recipients of God’s mercy, that is, his care and concern. This poem sums up the election theme of this section and gives comfort to a suffering and rejected people who are to see that their earthly rejection is only earthly. In truth they are the accepted ones of God. (ibid., on v. 10)

John 14:1-7

Jesus the Way to the Father

14:1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1-7, NRSV)

Six days ago (April 13, 2009, Monday of Easter Week, Year One), the Gospel reading was John 14:1-14. The comments were based on earlier comments as noted there. The relevant comments for today’s reading are repeated here; for comments on the longer passage, see the comments of April 13.

At the Last Supper, Jesus has washed the disciples’ feet as an example of humble service (Jn. 13:1-20), predicted the betrayal by Judas (13:21-30), commented on the glorification of the Son of Man (13:31-32), and told them of his impending departure. “Where I am going, you cannot come” (13:33). He gives them a “new commandment,” “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (13:34-35). But Peter responds to the earlier statement, “Where I am going, you cannot come” (v. 33). Not yet realizing that Jesus’ departure is to resurrected life and heaven, and thinking of activity on earth, he promises, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you” (13:37). Sadly, this calls forth Jesus’ prediction of his denials to come (13:38).

“The situation,” says John Marsh, “as the chapter opens is enough to make the bravest heart quail. The disciples have heard that Jesus is about to go to his death (13:31-33), that he will be delivered up by one of the Twelve (13:21) and that even the outstandingly brave and loyal Peter (cf. 6:68) will deny his master three times before the morning cockcrow (13:18)” (Saint John, Westminster Pelican Commentaries, 1968, p.. 499). Against this background we can understand their need for reassurance, as Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (Jn. 14:1a). The verb (taravssw, tarassō), when in the passive voice, is defined as “be troubled, frightened, terrified” with examples from Psalms, Isaiah, Josephus and others (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, BDAG, 3^rd ed., 2000, s.v. taravssw, tarassō). We might well think that they–and Jesus as well, considering what he would face–had good reasons to be terrified. But Jesus says that they should not be frightened.

He continues with two brief imperatives, “Believe in God, believe also in me” (14:1b). The verb “believe” here, repeated twice, translates pisteuvete (pisteuete), a second-person plural form which means either “you believe” as a statement of fact, or “believe” as an imperative addressed to the listeners. Early translations read the former as a statement and the second as a command (imperative): “ye believe in God, believe also in me” (Jn. 14:1b AV/KJV; cf. the earlier Wycliffe translation; the recent translation in The Message, “You trust God, don't you? Trust me”; the New Living Translation; and the New KJV). But at least eleven recent translations (RSV, NRSV, English Standard Version Good News Translation, New Century Version, ASV, NAS, International Standard Version, NIV, TNIV, NT an Expanded Translation) translate both occurrences of the verb as commands (imperative). The fact that the verse begins with an imperative, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (v. 1a), was apparently a factor. Three imperatives in a row make sense in this context. We should not suppose that the disciples did not believe in God–they certainly did. But in the face of troubling events, Jesus tells them to rely on such trust, act on it. He would say the same to us when we face troubling times and events.

Jesus continues with reference to his departure, but again with reference to what that means for the disciples. “In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (vv. 2-3). He assures them that they know the way to this place (v. 4), which causes Thomas to question: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” (v. 5). Jesus’ response is one of several “I am” statements in John, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him” (vv. 6-7). Jesus is the “way” to the Father. He is the “truth,” a message that eluded Pilate (18:38). And he is the life, a theme that recurs throughout the Book of John (e.g. 1:5; 3:16; 6:35-40; 11:25).

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net