2 Kings 18:9-25

9 In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against Samaria, besieged it, 10 and at the end of three years, took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel, Samaria was taken. 11 The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria, settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12 because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God but transgressed his covenant–all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; they neither listened nor obeyed.

Sennacherib Invades Judah (Isa 36.1-22; 2 Chr 32.1-19)

13 In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. 14 King Hezekiah of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, "I have done wrong; withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear." The king of Assyria demanded of King Hezekiah of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15 Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house. 16 At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts that King Hezekiah of Judah had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria. 17 The king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Fuller's Field. 18 When they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder.

19 The Rabshakeh said to them, "Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? 20 Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? 21 See, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. 22 But if you say to me, 'We rely on the LORD our God,' is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, 'You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem'? 23 Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.

24 How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master's servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? 25 Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it." (2 Kings 18:9-25, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from October 3, 2007 (Wednesday in the week of the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, references for the week of the Sunday closest to September 28, Year One):

This reading begins with a reminder of the context of Hezekiah’s reign, the continuing threat of the Assyrian superpower to the northeast, underscored by the conquest of northern Israel. “In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against Samaria, besieged it, and at the end of three years, took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel, Samaria was taken” (2 Kgs. 18:9-10). The narrator describes the actions of the Assyrian king in what Iain W. Provan calls “reiteration of 17:1-6” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007), “The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria, settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God but transgressed his covenant–all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; they neither listened nor obeyed” (18:11-12; cf. 17:1-6).

After passing over about a decade, the narrator continues with the story of Sennacherib’s attack on Jerusalem, of which we have three accounts. For the parallel text of today’s portion of that story in Isaiah, see the separate file, Assyrian Invasion of Judah. “In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them” (2 Kgs. 18:13; Isa. 36:1; cf. 2 Chron. 32:1). The narrator of 2 Kings reports that Hezekiah took measures to appease Sennacherib. He “sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong; withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear” (2 Kgs. 18:14a). The Assyrian king’s demand turns out to be onerous. He demands “three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of Gold” (v. 14b), and Hezekiah seeks to comply by giving him “all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king's house” (v. 15). In addition, in desperation, according to Provan, Hezekiah decides “to raid the house of the LORD (cf. 1 Kings 14:25; 15:18; 2 Kings 12:18; 16:8)” (ibid., on 2 Kgs. 18:13-16), for he “stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts that King Hezekiah of Judah had overlaid and gave it to the king of Assyria” (v. 16). Provan calls this move an “apparently regrettable lapse in trust [that] is a disappointing prologue to what will turn out to be Hezekiah’s finest hour” ibid.). But, for the time being, it seems, no amount of money would satisfy the Assyrian demands. “The king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem” (v. 17a). In their parallel accounts, neither Isaiah nor 2 Chronicles reports this heavy payment of tribute and the stripping of the temple, but Isaiah rejoins the story with the king of Assyria’s sending of the rabshakeh from Lachish to Jerusalem (Isa. 36:2a). When the Rabshakeh and his party arrive at Jerusalem they stand “by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Fuller’s Field (2 Kgs. 18:17; cf. Isa. 36:2b). This group calls for the king (Hezekiah) (2 Kgs. 18:18a), but must deal at first with “Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder” (2 Kgs. 18:18; Isa. 36:3).

The Rabshakeh is mocking and belligerent as he addresses the delegation from Hezekiah. He begins by saying, “Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me?” (2 Kgs. 18:19-20; cf. Isa. 36:4-5). He casts ridicule on an attempted alliance of Judah with Egypt. “See, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him” (2 Kgs. 18:21; Isa. 36:6). Attempted alliances with Egypt are condemned in Isaiah (cf. Isa. 30:1-7; 31:1-3). The Rabshakeh’s “offer” of horses, “if you are able on your part to set riders on them” (2 Kgs. 18:23-24; Isa. 36:8-9), also mocks the trust in the horses of Egypt (Isa. 31:1). The Rabshakeh ridicules Judah’s trust in the LORD. “But if you say to me, ‘We rely on the LORD our God,’ is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?” (2 Kgs. 18:22; Isa. 36:7). The Rabshakeh apparently knows about Hezekiah’s reforms, but misinterprets them. He may be familiar with warnings of Israel’s prophets that the Assyrian conquest is God’s judgment; he claims to be doing the LORD, the God of Israel’s business in coming to destroy Jerusalem. “Moreover,” he asks, “is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it?” And he asserts, “The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it” (2 Kgs. 18:25; Isa. 36:10).

Before the week is out, the readings will report the LORD’s deliverance of Judah from the Assyrians at this time, demonstrating, among other things, the presumption of the Rabshakeh’s presumptive speech, but for now, that lies ahead.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

8:1 Now concerning food sacrificed to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2 Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; 3 but anyone who loves God is known by him.

4 Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth-as in fact there are many gods and many lords- 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

7 It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8 "Food will not bring us close to God." We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9 But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols? 11 So by your knowledge those weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. 12 But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall. (1 Corinthians 8:1-13, NRSV)

On February 27, 2008 (Wednesday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year Two), comments were repeated from October 3, 2007 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 28, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from March 22, 2006 (Wednesday in the week of the Third Sunday of Lent, Year Two), when comments were repeated from the Wednesday portion of an email sent March 13, 2004 for the week of March 14, 2004. The revised comments are repeated here with some editing:

Earlier, Paul refers to a question put to him by Corinthian believers and gives his answer. “Now concerning the matters about which you wrote,” he says, as he introduces several instructions about marriage and related matters presented in 1 Corinthians, chapter 7. That phrase, “Now concerning” (peri; dev, peri de) is used to introduce several further topics in 1 Corinthians, for example, “Now concerning virgins” (7:25), the present passage, “Now concerning food sacrificed to idols” (8:1), “Now concerning spiritual gifts” (12:1), and “Now concerning the collection for the saints” (16:1). In the last instance, the phrase introduces a topic presented by Paul himself, but some or all of the others may refer to issues raised in their letter to him (7:1).

Paul discusses here (8:1-13) an issue to which he will return in chapter 10, whether the Christian is permitted to eat meat first used in temple sacrifices and later sold in the public markets. As noted last Thursday (Sept. 24, 2009), modern translations such as the New Revised Standard Version set off parts of verses (e.g. 1 Cor. 6:12, 13) with quotation marks (cf. RSV, TNIV). These are understood to indicate slogans of some in the Corinthian church, perhaps included in the letter they sent to Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 7:1). Paul quotes slogans others were using only to refute them: “All things are lawful for me,” he says, quoting them, and responds, saying, “but not all things are beneficial” (6:12a). “All things are lawful for me,” he says, repeating the slogan, but responds, saying, “but I will not be dominated by anything” (v. 12b). In the present passage, he responds to the claim, “all of us possess knowledge” (8:1a), by contrasting knowledge with love. “Knowledge puffs up,” he says, “but love builds up” (v. 1b; cf. the juxtaposition of chapters 12 and 13, later. The claim to have knowledge, says Paul (8:2) is superceded by loving God and being known by him (v. 3). Victor Paul Furnish comments here: “Knowledge puffs up, not knowledge in general, but the kind of religious knowledge arrogantly flaunted by certain Corinthians; see 4:6, 18-19; 5:2; 13:4. Love builds up Christian community by uniting its members in the care of and service to one another; see 114:1-5, 12, 17, 26; also 10:23-24” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on 1 Cor. 8:1).

As he begins to address the specific issue of whether to eat meat offered to idols, he quotes another slogan, “no idol in the world really exists,” and follows it with a significant point in both Jewish and Christian teaching: “there is no God but one” (v. 4). Apparently, some in Corinth were advancing the argument that since idols did not represent real gods, eating the meat that had been sacrificed to them could have no real effect, whether positive or negative. It is suggested that some are strong, recognizing that “no idol in the world really exists” (v. 4), that is, recognizing the unreality of the pagan gods and hence the lack of a real pollution of the meat. But in light of the stricter return to this subject in chapter 10 (“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons,” 1 Cor. 10:21), one should perhaps take another look at chapter 8. As Paul continues, he says, “Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth–as in fact there are many gods and many lords–yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist” (8:5-6). Richard A. Horsley calls this “a long, awkward sentence [in which] Paul first appears to agree with the Corinthian principle, setting up the statement of faith in v. 6, but then [he] bluntly asserts the reality of many gods and many lords” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on 1 Cor. 8:5-6).

But knowledge of the unreality of the idols is not the only issue. “It is not everyone, however,” says Paul, “who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak is defiled” (v. 7). Paul quotes another Corinthian slogan. “Food will not bring us close to God” (v. 8a). He interprets what it apparently means to the so-called “strong” in Corinth. “We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do” (v. 8b). “The whole verse,” says Horsley, “is another quotation of Corinthian knowledge, and the second half would fit better with the first half if it were translated, ‘We are no better off if we do not eat and we are no worse off if we eat” (on v. 8). Paul apparently agrees to some extent with the “strong,” who feel they may eat or not eat the food offered to idols with no harmful effects–but he reminds them of something, the effect their actions may have on those with “weaker” consciences. The strong ought to be careful “that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block (provskomma, proskomma) to the weak” (v. 9). Paul continues to address the “strong”: “For if others see you, who possess knowledge, eating in the temple of an idol, might they not, since their conscience is weak, be encouraged to the point of eating food sacrificed to idols?” (v. 10). So we learn that the problem is not merely buying meat in the public market that has been first sacrificed in the pagan temples, and then brought out to be sold to the public. Rather, Paul is talking about eating the meat within the temple precincts. Ben Witherington III says, “The sense of proskomma [provskomma] is not of something that merely offends, but of something that causes someone to stumble morally. In v. 10 we finally learn the location of the offense; en eidōleiō [ejn eijdwleivw/], that is, in the temple precincts dining room. Here is the heart of the problem. Paul uses ‘build up’ ironically in v. 10. ‘A fine building up of the weak you’re doing!’ says Paul to his interlocutors. The weak are, in fact, being destroyed (v. 11)” (Conflict and Community in Corinth, 1994, pp. 199-200, on 1 Cor. 1:8-13). This becomes a family matter. “But when you thus sin against members of your family (oiJ ajdelfoiv, hoi adelphoi, lit., ‘the brothers,’ cf. NRSV text note c), and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ,” says Paul. The “family” is likely the church family. Paul forms “a general ethical principle focused on eating,” says Horsley, “that the criterion of personal behavior is its effect on others in the assembly” (on v. 13).

Matthew 7:13-21

The Narrow Gate (Lk 13.24)

13 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. 14 For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

A Tree and Its Fruit (Mt 12.33; Lk 6.43-45)

15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

Concerning Self-Deception (Lk 6.46; 13.26-27)

21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 7:13-21, NRSV)

On April 26, 2008 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), comments were based on those of October 3, 2007 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 28, Year One); when comments were repeated from May 20, 2006 (Saturday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two). Some comments were also based one earlier dates, April 29, 2007 (the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year One), and earlier. The following comments are based on the comments of April 26, 2008, with some editing and supplement.

On the Saying about the Narrow Gate

"Enter through the narrow gate,” says Jesus; “for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Mt. 7:13-14). Luke’s version of this saying is somewhat condensed and somewhat explanatory, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able” (Lk. 13:24). We talk much about free grace, and so it is, but it is also true that Christian faithfulness and endurance requires a commitment of ourselves to Lord and to his way of life. The opening lines of the Didache or Teaching of the Twelve Apostles reflect Matthew’s version of this saying. “There are two Ways, one of Life and one of Death, and there is a great difference between the two Ways” (Didache i, 1). In the Didache, the phrase “the two Ways” becomes a topic elaborated by further sayings, for example, “The Way of Life is this: ‘First, thou shalt love the God who made thee, secondly, thy neighbour as thyself; and whatsoever thou wouldst not have done to thyself, do not thou to another’ ” (Didache i, 2; cf Mt. 22:37-39; Mk. 12:30-31; Lev. 19:18). The Didache text is quoted here from the translation of Kirsopp Lake (The Apostolic Fathers, Loeb Classical Library, vol. I).

William Barclay speaks in this connection of “life at the crossroads” “In every action of life,” he says, “man is confronted with a choice, and he can never evade the choice because he can never stand still” (The Gospel of Matthew, rev. ed., 1975, The Daily Study Bible, vol. 1, p. 277). He quotes John Oxenham (p. 278):

To every man there openeth/A way and ways and a way;

And the high soul treads the high way,/And the low soul gropes the low;

And in between on the misty flats/The rest drift to and fro;

But to every man there openeth/A high way and a low;

And every man decideth/The way his soul shall go.

On the Saying about A Tree and Its Fruit

In Matthew Jesus continues with sayings about the “fruits” people produce (Mt. 7:15-20; cf. Mt. 12:33-35; Lk. 6:43-45). Parallel texts are presented in the table below. The Bible has several passages on good and bad fruit. Well known is Isaiah’s song of the vineyard (Isa. 5:1-7), in which God laments the fact that he expected “grapes” from his vineyard Israel, but instead received “wild grapes” (literally ‘stinking things,’ Isa. 5:2, 4); he expected “justice, but saw bloodshed/righteousness,/but heard a cry” (v. 7). A happier picture emerges later, when Israel becomes “a pleasant vineyard” (Isa 27:2, cf. vv. 2-6). Paul’s passage on the “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22-23) is well known. Here, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warns us to “beware of false prophets” (Mt. 7:15), understood by Matthew, apparently, as a reference to false teachers arising within the Christian community. “You will know them by their fruits,” says Jesus (v. 16a). The “bad plants” are just weeds, “thorns” and “thistles” (v. 16b). In the parallel passage in Luke, the saying is more directly addressed to Christian believers. One could make the case that figs and grapes are better than the somewhat sour fruit of a thorn tree, or the blackberries from a bramble bush (Lk. 44). Wholehearted faithful Christian living produces the best fruit.

The thistles (a[kanqai, akanthai) and thorns (trivboloi, triboloi) mentioned by Matthew are simply useless weeds. But Luke’s terms, the thorns (a[kanqai, akanthai) and the bramble bush (bavtoV, batos), are different. The latter is a kind of blackberry bush, according to botanists Harold and Alma Moldenke (The Plants of the Bible, 1952). Luke’s thorn is the “Christ Thorn,” which produces a useful fruit, dry, but somewhat comparable to figs, and with a little imagination, one may see a resemblance between a blackberry and a bunch of grapes. Clearly, Jesus was talking about good trees and bad trees, but in reference to the false prophets, the bad plants were worthless weeds. In the other context, when Jesus was talking to disciples, there was something of a call for improvement. Figs are better than the fruit of the thorn bush (like apricots? sand hill plums? [found in Kansas]) and grapes are better than blackberries. Could we make a similar point with oranges and lemons? The warning about false prophets is to recognize and avoid them. But the admonition to the disciples is to bear good (better?) fruit. A key to that is the statement, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Mt. 12:34; Lk. 6:45). “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23).

The warning in Matthew about false prophets called “wolves” is echoed by Ignatius of Antioch. “Therefore as children of the light of truth flee from division and wrong doctrine. And follow as sheep where the shepherd is. For there are many specious wolves who lead captive with evil pleasures the runners in God’s race, but they will find no place if you are in unity” (Ignatius to the Philadelphians, ii, 1-2, trans., Kirsopp Lake, op. cit.; cf. Didache 16:3). Justin Martyr has a similar warning. “Then shall there be wailing and gnashing of teeth, when the righteous shall shine as the sun, and the wicked are sent into everlasting fire. For many shall come in My name, clothed outwardly in sheep's clothing, but inwardly being ravening wolves. By their works ye shall know them. And every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down and cast into the fire” (Apology, I, 16, 12-13, trans. Roberts-Donaldson, on the Internet at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html, accessed Sept. 29, 2009).

On the Saying about Self-deception

Jesus continues, “Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt. 7:21). Luke’s version buts this in the form of a rather direct question. “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I tell you?” (Lk. 6:46). In Matthew, tomorrow’s reading continues from here with an explanation. “On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name? Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers’ ” (Mt. 7:22-23). Compare Luke’s very strict version of this in another context: “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught us in our streets.’ But he [the “owner of the house” in the parable] will say, ‘I do not know where you come from; go away from me, all you evildoers!’” (Lk. 13:26-27). Both Matthew and Luke continue, in tomorrow’s reading, with the story of the House Built upon the Rock (Mt. 5:21-27; Lk. 6:46-49), which illustrates the fate of those who hear Jesus’ words and obey them, versus the fate of those who do not do so.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net