Leviticus 26:1-20

Transition

26:1 You shall make for yourselves no idols and erect no carved images or pillars, and you shall not place figured stones in your land, to worship at them; for I am the LORD your God. 2 You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 26:1-2, NRSV)

Rewards for Obedience (Deut 7.12-24; 28.1-14)

3 If you follow my statutes and keep my commandments and observe them faithfully, 4 I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. 5 Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and the vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and live securely in your land. 6 And I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one shall make you afraid; I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword shall go through your land. 7 You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. 8 Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. 9 I will look with favor upon you and make you fruitful and multiply you; and I will maintain my covenant with you. 10 You shall eat old grain long stored, and you shall have to clear out the old to make way for the new. 11 I will place my dwelling in your midst, and I shall not abhor you. 12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people. 13 I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be their slaves no more; I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect. (Leviticus 26:3-13, NRSV)

Penalties for Disobedience (Deut 28.15-68)

14 But if you will not obey me, and do not observe all these commandments, 15 if you spurn my statutes, and abhor my ordinances, so that you will not observe all my commandments, and you break my covenant, 16 I in turn will do this to you: I will bring terror on you; consumption and fever that waste the eyes and cause life to pine away. You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down by your enemies; your foes shall rule over you, and you shall flee though no one pursues you. 18 And if in spite of this you will not obey me, I will continue to punish you sevenfold for your sins. 19 I will break your proud glory, and I will make your sky like iron and your earth like copper. 20 Your strength shall be spent to no purpose: your land shall not yield its produce, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit. (Leviticus 26:14-20, NRSV)

The following comments are based on those of April 29, 2008 (Tuesday in the Sixth Week of Easter, Year Two), when comments were repeated from May 23, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year Two).

            On the Transition

The chapter begins by repeating the commandment against idols. “You shall make for yourselves no idols and erect no carved images or pillars, and you shall not place figured stones in your land, to worship at them; for I am the LORD your God” (Lev. 26:1; cf. Exod. 20:4, 23). This is followed by an admonition about the sabbaths. “You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD” (v. 2). According to David P. Wright, “These verses are thematically independent of the economic laws before and the blessing and punishments that follow. Nonetheless the command to observe the sabbaths has resonances with the sabbatical year law in 25:2-7 (and see 26:43), and the command to avoid idols, with the destruction of illicit worship in 26:30” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Lev. 26:1-2).

On Rewards for Obedience

The content of what follows bears a remarkable resemblance to the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy, chapter 28. Wright says, “The general format and tenor of the blessings and curses is similar to what is found in Near Eastern treaties” (ibid., on 26:3-46). John E. Hartley explains:

In the ancient Middle East blessings and curses were an integral part of a covenant and frequently of a law code. Since the contracting parties knew that it was impossible to monitor adherence to the multiple stipulations of a law code or a covenant, they called on the gods to bless the obedient and punish the disobedient. It was believed that the gods would richly bless each party that was obedient to the covenant. Conversely, should one party persist in failing to fulfill the stated obligations, the curses would be activated, either by the gods or by the offended leaders who acted on behalf of the gods. (Leviticus, Word Biblical Commentary, 4, 1992, p. 471 on Lev.. 26:3-46)

The LORD promises rewards for following his statutes and commandments. “If you follow (Ukl27Te, tēlēkû, lit. ‘walk’) my statutes and keep my commandments and observe them faithfully, I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit” (vv. 3-4). Rabbi J. H. Hertz comments on “if ye walk in My statutes” (JPS 1917, for NRSV “if you follow my statutes”), “Heb. vkllt ytqHb Mx [’im b ^echuqqōtay tēlēkû]; Sifra [an ancient Jewish commentary] translates: ‘Would that you walked in my statutes!’ ” (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, on Lev. 26:3). Of the promised “rains,” the Rabbi says, “The rainfall is of supreme importance in the Holy Land. If it fails, the result is famine. Consequently, it comes first among the blessings” (ibid., on v. 4). If the conditions are met, the LORD promises bountiful harvest. “Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and the vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and live securely in your land” (v. 5). Of “threshing,” Rabbi Hertz says, “Cf. Amos ix, 13. There will be so much corn to thresh, that the work will continue throughout the season until it is time to cut the vines” (ibid., on v. 5). The promised peace reminds us of later promises by the prophets. “And I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one shall make you afraid; I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword shall go through your land” (v. 6; cf. Isa. 11:6-9; 9:5). “Prosperity,” says the Rabbi, “is valueless unless it can be enjoyed in tranquility, without the dread of assault, robbery or devastation of war” (ibid., on v. 6). It is promised that Israel will defeat her enemies. “You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword” (vv. 7-8). Rabbi Hertz explains “ye shall chase” (JPS, for NRSV “you shall give chase”): “Should they attempt to attack you” (ibid., on v.7). “These are round numbers,” he says of verse 8, not to be taken literally. They express the idea that the Israelites, with God as their helper, will be able to overcome vastly superior forces; e.g. the victories of the Maccabees over armies of great numerical superiority” (ibid., on v. 8).

Further among these blessings that result from faithful obedience is the promise of progeny (cf. earlier promises to the Patriarchs). “I will look with favor upon you and make you fruitful and multiply you; and I will maintain my covenant (yt9yr9B4, b ^erîthî ) with you” (v. 9). Of “maintain my covenant,” Baruch J. Schwartz says, “In P [a hypothetical source according to some] this means ‘uphold My promise.’ In Priestly tradition the covenant is the commitment made by God to Abraham (Gen. 17:4-8) and repeated to Moses (Exod. 6:2-8): to make Israel numerous and to give them the land of Canaan as a hereditary holding” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, on Lev. 26:9). The left-over grain that must be cleared out indicates a problem of superabundance. “You shall eat old grain long stored, and you shall have to clear out the old to make way for the new” (v. 10). The LORD promises that his Presence will be with his people. “I will place my dwelling (yn9KAw4m9, miškānî ) in your midst, and I shall not abhor you” (v. 11). According to William L. Holladay, the word NKAw4m9 (miškān), “dwelling-place, home,” refers to the “(central) sanctuary” 74 times out of 130 times (A Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, 1971, 10^th corrected impression 1988, s.v. NKAw4m9, miškān). Of “my tabernacle” (JPS, for NRSV “my dwelling place”), Rabbi Hertz says, “Better, My abiding presence (cf. Exod. xxv, 8); God will be manifestly with His people, as evidenced by their extraordinary happiness” (op. cit.., on v. 11). God’s presence with his people is emphasized. “And I will walk among you, and will be your God and you shall be my people” (v. 12). And the LORD emphasizes what he has done already for the Israelites. “I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be their slaves no more; I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect” (v. 13). “That God is able to fulfil His promises,” says the Rabbi, “is proved by His mighty acts in overthrowing the power of Egypt and setting Israel free” (ibid., on v. 13). “The point,” says Schwartz, “is to remind them what He is capable of doing for them if they comply with His wishes” (op. cit., on v. 13).

On Penalties for Disobedience

On the other hand, the results of disobedience will be severe. “But if you will not obey me, and do not observe all these commandments, if you spurn my statutes, and abhor my ordinances, so that you will not observe all my commandments, and you break my covenant, I in turn will do this to you: I will bring terror on you; consumption and fever that waste the eyes and cause life to pine away. You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it” (vv. 14-16). “In dealing with the consequences of faithfulness, the Torah speaks in general terms,” says Rabbi Hertz; “but in regard to the wages of disobedience, this Prophetical warning describes in much detail the penalties and horrors that would befall the sinful people. These are arranged in a series of five groups of increasing severity–sickness and defeat, famine, wild beasts, siege and exile” (op. cit., on vv. 14-39). This section will continue in tomorrow’s reading. Schwartz describes this section in detail:

As in Deut. ch. 28, considerably more space is given to the threats than the promises; but in direct contrast to Deut. 11:13-17 (recited daily as part of the Shema) and 28:15-68, the disasters threatened here are not punishments. rather they are warnings arranged as a series of successive attempts to discipline the Israelites, that is, to force them into obedience. Each stage demonstrates an example of the sort of deadly disaster God may let loose upon them if they persist in their refusal to obey. . Even the final stage, though it includes the element of vengeance and seems at first to be aimed at bringing Israel’s national existence to an end (as in Deuteronomy), is finally revealed to be yet another attempt at making Israel walk the straight and narrow. (op. cit., on vv. 14-45)

Following upon the phase of illness and defeat, the LORD says, “I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down by your enemies; your foes shall rule over you, and you shall flee though no one pursues you” (v. 17). According to the Rabbi, “They will be so demoralized that panic will seize them without cause; cf. v. 36 below” (op. cit., on v. 17). And, as suggested, the intensity will increase. “And if in spite of this you will not obey me, I will continue to punish you sevenfold for your sins” (v. 18). “Seven times” (JPS, for NRSV “sevenfold”), says the Rabbi, is “a round number, meaning ‘very much more’ ” (ibid., on v.18). “I will break your proud glory,” says the LORD, “and I will make your sky like iron and your earth like copper.” (v. 19). In other words, the LORD will withhold the rain and prevent tilling the ground; one cannot plow copper! “Your strength shall be spent to no purpose,” he adds: “your land shall not yield its produce, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit” (v. 20). The consequences of disobedience contrast directly with the blessings promised if they obey. The Rabbi summarizes, commenting on the reasons for the severe tone of the threats. Among other things, he says:

In startling and indeed in terrifying form he [Moses] contrasts the blessings, in the event of faithfulness to God, with the dire calamities, if the people prove disloyal to Him. This fundamental thought, viz. that God rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked, is an essential doctrine of Judaism as of every higher religion. They may differ as to the nature and form of Divine retribution, but the belief that right is rewarded and wrong punished is part of an ethical faith, a belief vindicated and confirmed by the experience of humanity. (ibid., on Lev., chap. 16).

1 Timothy 2:1-6

Instructions concerning Prayer

2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For

there is one God;

there is also one mediator between God and humankind,

Christ Jesus, himself human,

6 who gave himself a ransom for all

--this was attested at the right time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from April 29, 2008 (Tuesday in the Sixth Week of Easter, Year Two), when they were repeated from May 23, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year Two). Compare the relevant portion of comments on 1 Timothy 1:18-2-8 (9-15) of May 27, 2008 (Tuesday in the week of the Sunday closest to May 25, Year Two), and earlier comments indicated there.

Paul’s instructions to Timothy in 1 Timothy, chapter 1, have focused on heretical doctrines which Timothy is to oppose. In chapter 2, he continues with instructions on prayer. “Supplications, prayers and intercessions” are to be “made for everyone” (1 Tim. 2:1). This is to include kings and others who are in positions of authority, “all who are in high positions,” and the purpose ( i{na [hina] . . .) is “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity” (v. 2). But the implied purpose goes further, for God, called “our Savior” here (v. 3, cf. 4:10), “desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (v. 4). Margaret M. Mitchell explains the request for prayers for rulers as “accommodation with worldly authorities” which is “urged for the sake of peace for the church (see Rom. 13:1-7). The irenic tone,” she says, “circumvents the difficult question of the limits of Christian acquiescence to an emperor who was honored as a god by daily worship and oaths of allegiance” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on 1 Tim. 2:1-3). Mitchell says that Paul “presents a “reformulation of the Shema (see Deut 6:4-9n.; cf. 1 Cor. 8:6; Eph. 4:5-6)” (on v. 5).

Clare Drury sees “a summary of the true teaching that is the focus of the Christian message” that is, “a succinct telling of the drama of salvation in rhythmical and poetic form–a kind of creedal statement (cf. 1 Tim. 3:16; 6:13-16; 2 Tim. 1:9-10; 2:11-13; Titus 3:4-7)” (The Oxford Bible Commentary, 2001, p. 1223 on 1 Tim. 2:5-6). Drury adds:

God is one and the Saviour of all people. Christ’s role is as mediator; he alone links God and humankind. His humanity is stressed to show solidarity with those he saves–the same word is used in Greek for ‘human’ [ajnqrwvpwn, anthrōpōn, genitive plural] and ‘humankind’ [a[nqrwpon, anthrōpon, accusative singular]. The word ‘mediator’ [mesivthV, mesitēs] is applied to Christ in the NT only here and in Hebrews (8:6; 9:15; 12:24, where he is mediator of the covenant as Moses was in Gal. 3:19). The emphasis upon a single God and a single mediator may be an attack on the kind of Gnostic “myths and speculations”referred to in 1:4, and the stress on Christ’s humanity may have been included to refute Docetism. (Ibid.)

“Docetism” is the teaching that Jesus only “seemed” (dokei:n, dokein) to be human. It’s an ancient heresy that emphasized Jesus’ divinity while downplaying his humanity, the reverse of some modern views. Traditional orthodox Christianity emphasizes both. The Chalcedonian Creed, adopted in A.D. 451 at the Fourth Ecumenical Council, refers to “our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man.”

Matthew 13:18-23

The Parable of the Sower Explained

18 "Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away. 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23 But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. (Matthew 13:18-23, NRSV)

The following comments are essentially repeated here from October 29, 2009 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One), when they were repeated with editing and supplement from April 29, 2008 (Tuesday in the week of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), when comments were repeated from November 1, 2007 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to October 26, Year One), when comments were repeated from May 23, 2006 (Tuesday in the week of the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), when they were essentially rewritten from earlier dates).

Yesterday’s reading was Matthew’s version of the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:1-9; Mk. 4:1-9; Lk. 8:4-8; cf. also Gospel of Thomas 9) and the section on the Purpose of Parables (Mt. 13:10-17; cf. Mk. 4:10-12; Lk. 8:9-10). Today the reading is the Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:18-23; cf. Mk. 4:13-20; Lk. 8:11-15). Parallel texts for the current reading are presented in the separate file, Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower. The Gospel of Thomas does not include the section on the Purpose of Parables nor Jesus’ Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower.

As in the parable itself, Matthew follows Mark’s version rather closely, with some tendency to emphasize the religious or spiritual significance. For example, where Mark has Jesus say, “The sower sows the word (to;n lovgon, ton logon)” (Mk. 4:14), Matthew has, “When anyone hears the word (to;n lovgon, ton logon) of the kingdom and does not understand it” (Mt. 13:19a), combining an interpretation of what is sown with Jesus’ question, according to Mark, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?” (Mk. 4:13). Matthew adds an interesting dimension to what is sown on the path. Mark has Jesus say, “Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them” (Mk. 4:15b). In Matthew, Jesus says, “the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart ( ejn th:/ kardiva/, en tē(i) kardia); this is what was sown on the path” (Mt. 13:19b). The added reference to the heart is also found in Luke: “then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts (ajpo; th:V kardivaV aujtw:n, apo tēs kardias autōn), so that they may not believe and be saved ( i{na mh; pisteuvsanteV swqw:sin, hina mē pisteusantes sōthōsin)” (Lk. 8:12b); Luke alone describes the effect as not believing and so not being saved.

As in the parable itself, the actual word “seed” (oJ spovroV, ho sporos) occurs only once in the three versions, and again, it is in Luke: “Now the parable is this: The seed (oJ spovroV, ho sporos) is the word (oJ lovgoV, ho logos) of God” (Lk. 8:11). For the most part, the interpretation, as in the parable itself, uses pronouns, verbal expressions and interpretations to refer to “what is sown” or “what was sown” (Mt. 13:19, cf. vv. 20, 22, 23), or to “the word is sown” or “the word that is sown” (Mk. 4:15), compare “the ones sown” (v. 16), “those sown” (v. 18), “the ones sown” (v. 20). Luke, after stating plainly that “the seed is the word (oJ lovgoV, ho logos, singular) of God” (Lk. 8:11), appears to refer in each instance to the people rather than the seed. “The ones (oiJ dev, hoi de, masculine plural) on the path are those who have heard (oiJ ajkouvsanteV, hoi akousantes)” (v. 12a); “The ones (oiJ dev, hoi de, masculine plural) on the rock” (v. 13a), “As for what (to; dev, to de, neuter singular) fell among the thorns, these are the ones who (ou|toiv eijsin oiJ, houtoi eisin hoi, masculine plural) hear” (v. 14a); and “But as for that (to; dev, to de, neuter singular) in the good soil, these are the ones who (ou|toiv eijsin oiJ, houtoi eisin hoi, masculine plural) . . .” (v. 15a). Clearly, the physical matter of the seeds or “what is sown” in the parable itself represents human beings and their response to Jesus’ proclamation of the word (oJ lovgoV, ho logos). What prevents spiritual blessing and entrance into the kingdom is said to be, in the first instance, “the evil one” (Mt. 13:19), or “Satan” (Mk. 4:15), or “the devil” (Lk. 8:12), in each case represented by “the birds” of the parable (Mt. 13:4; Mk. 4:4; Lk. 8:5). The persons represented by what fell on the rocky ground (Mt., Mk.) or the rock (Lk.) do not endure because “they have no root” (Mk. 8:17; cf. Mt. 13:21; Lk. 8:13). Those represented by what fell among thorns are choked by “the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things” (Mk. 4:19; cf. Mt. 13:22, omitting “the desire for other things”) or, as Luke has it, “the cares and riches and pleasures of life” (Lk. 8:14).

There are some, however, who according to Jesus’ interpretation, “hear the word (to;n lovgon, ton logon) and accept it and bear fruit” (Mk. 4:20; cf. Mt. 13:23), or, as Luke puts it, “who, when they hear the word (to;n lovgon, ton logon), hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance” (Lk. 8:15). Luke clearly emphasizes their spiritual experience.

As noted earlier, there are those who would see some Gospel of Thomas sayings as earlier within the oral transmission of Jesus’ sayings than sayings in the canonical Gospels, but, as indicated earlier it is more likely that the sections on the Purpose and the Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower were not included by the Gospel of Thomas because they did not fit its Gnostic theology. (Gnosticism is the name of a widespread movement in the second century, including some Christian gnostics, that is vigorously opposed by such Church Fathers as Hippolytus and Irenaeus.)

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net