Leviticus 16:1-19

The Day of Atonement

16:1 The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD and died. 2 The LORD said to Moses:

Tell your brother Aaron not to come just at any time into the sanctuary inside the curtain before the mercy seat that is upon the ark, or he will die; for I appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 3 Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and shall have the linen undergarments next to his body, fasten the linen sash, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy vestments. He shall bathe his body in water, and then put them on. 5 He shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering.

6 Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. 7 He shall take the two goats and set them before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting; 8 and Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel. 9 Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD, and offer it as a sin offering; 10 but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.

11 Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house; he shall slaughter the bull as a sin offering for himself. 12 He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of crushed sweet incense, and he shall bring it inside the curtain 13 and put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the covenant, or he will die. 14 He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times.

15 He shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat. 16 Thus he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. 17 No one shall be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the sanctuary until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. 18 Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement on its behalf, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on each of the horns of the altar. 19 He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel. (Leviticus 16:1-19, NRSV)

The following comments are based on those of April 21, 2008 (Monday in the Fifth Week of Easter, Year Two), when comments were repeated from May 15, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two).

The present series of Daily Office Lectionary readings continues in Leviticus but, after yesterday’s reading on the consecration of Aaron and his sons (chap. 8), they pass over the beginning of Aaron’s priesthood (chap. 9), the transgression and death of Aaron’s two older sons, Nadab and Abihu (chap. 10) and various laws concerning impurity (chaps. 11-15). As today’s reading continues reference is made to the death of Nadab and Abihu. “The LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD and died” (Exod. 16:1). Referring to “after the death,” Rabbi J. H. Hertz says,

The unfortunate incident narrated in x, 1-3 gave occasion for instructions as to the time and manner in which the High Priest might enter the Holy Place. The death of Aaron’s sons was a solemn warning addressed to the High Priest, that any desecration, whether it be on the part of the High Priest, or an ordinary priest, or the laity (see xv, 31), would be severely punished. . . . The story of Nadab and Abihu is a parable for Young Israel in every generation. ‘He who is affected to tears while reading this portion of the Torah, taking its teaching to heart, will win forgiveness for his own sins and the blessing of old age for his children’ (Zohar)” (Pentateuch & Haftorahs, 2^nd ed., 24^th printing, 1981, on Exod., 16:1)

After detailed analysis of the text of Leviticus, chapter 16, John E. Hartley calls attention to the special importance of this chapter within Judaism. “The Day of Atonement is the highest day in the Jewish calendar. On this day Jews afflict themselves by abstaining from all earthly pleasures. They deny their bodies as they spur themselves to seek God solemnly for forgiveness of their sins” (Leviticus, Word Biblical Commentary, 4, 1992, p. 243). Hartley suggests that the placement of this chapter underscores its importance:

The regulation for the Day of Atonement is a division unto itself, for it begins with a historical reference in the introductory formula (v. 1) and concludes with a compliance report (v. 34b). It stands at the center of the Book of Leviticus, and, of course, the Book of Leviticus is the center of the Pentateuch. Its literary position highlights the importance of this solemn day for the Israelite community, especially in the era when the Pentateuch received its final shape. (ibid., p. 217)

Baruch J. Schwartz says, “Even since the destruction of the Temple, when fasting, prayer, and penitence are all that survive of the day’s ritual, it [i.e., the Day of Atonement] has remained a central feature of the liturgical year in Jewish tradition” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, on Exod. 16:1-34). The readings for today and tomorrow prescribe the preparations and procedures for the Day of Atonement (Myr98PuK9ha MOy, yôm hakkippurîm), Lev. 23:7, which, according to Rabbi Hertz, is “called in the Talmud xmvy (Yômā’ ), the day” (op. cit., on Exod. 16:30). The Rabbi calls this “the most solemn day in the Jewish year” (ibid.):

As the instructions begin, Moses is to tell Aaron “not to come just at any time (tfe-lk!b4, b ^ekol-‘ēth) into the sanctuary (wd,q0oha, haqqōdeš) inside the curtain (tk,ro7PAla, lappārōketh) before the mercy seat (tr,PoKa%ha, hakkappōreth; LXX iJlasthvrion, hilastērion, cf. Rom. 3:25; Heb. 9:5) that is upon the ark (NroxAhA, hā’ārōn), or he will die; for I appear in the cloud (Nn!fAB,6, be‘ānān) upon the mercy seat (tr,PoKa%ha, hakkappōreth)” (Lev. 16:2), a strict warning made all the more so by the recent death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons (10:1-7). On “that he come not at all times” (JPS 1917, for NRSV “to come just at any time”), the Rabbi says, “Only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, and with a due observance of prescribed rites” (ibid., on v. 2). The “veil” (JPS, for NRSV “curtain”), he adds, is “Heb. parocheth, which separates the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies” (ibid.). On “the Shrine behind the curtain, in front of the cover that is upon the ark” (NJPS 1985, 1999, for NRSV “the sanctuary inside the curtain before the mercy seat that is upon the ark”), Schwartz says it is “the inner sanctum, known as the ‘holy of holies’ and here called ‘haqodesh,’ ‘the holy place’ (op. cit., on v. 2). For “ark-cover” (JPS, for NRSV “mercy seat”), the Rabbi refers to “the solid gold plate which formed the cover for the Ark, on which the cherubim were fixed; see on Exod. xxv, 17,” and for the “cloud,” he explains, “in which God manifests His presence; Exod. XL, 35; Isa. VI, 4” (loc. cit.).

Aaron is not to enter the Holy of Holies without having made the appropriate sacrifices. “Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place (wd,q0oha, haqqōdeš),” says the LORD, “with a young bull for a sin offering (txF0AHa, chattā’th) and a ram for a burnt offering (hl!&fo, ‘ōlāh)” (v. 3). Rabbi Hertz reminds us that Aaron (as high priest) is not “to take the animals into the Holy Place [i.e., the Holy of Holies], but their sacrifice is part of the prerequisite ceremony for entering there” (ibid., on v.3). These offerings,” says the Rabbi, “are personal to the High Priest, and must be his own property. The atonement for his own sins was his first act on the Great ‘day. Only when purged of his own sin, was he fitted to secure forgiveness for the sins of others” (ibid.). Aaron is not to wear his normal colorful priestly garb, but rather, says the LORD, “he shall put on the holy linen tunic, and shall have the linen undergarments next to his body, fasten the linen sash, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy vestments. He shall bathe his body in water, and then put them on” (v. 4). Schwartz sees here a simple utilitarian purpose. “Since the tasks to be performed on Purification Day [i.e., the Day of Atonement] are for purgation, not for worship, the priest is to remove the vestments worn for the daily service and to don simple linen garments, which, when soiled by the sprinkling of blood, are easily laundered” (op. cit., on v. 4). But Jacob Milgrom says, “The High priest donned linen garments perhaps because entering the adytum [his word for the Holy of Holies] was equivalent to being admitted to the heavenly council, whose members, the angels, were also dressed in linen (Ezek. 9:2-3, 11; 10:2; Dan. 10:5)” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Exod. 16:4). According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1969), an “adytum” is “the sanctum in an ancient temple.” The word is “Latin, from Greek aduton, neuter of adutos, not to be entered.” The Rabbi’s explanation, like that of Schwartz (above), does not range so far afield. Of “holy garments” (JPS, for NRSV “holy vestments”), he says,

In the Holy of Holies, he [i.e., Aaron] was not to be attired in his golden vestments, which on all other occasions he was to wear for ‘splendour and distinction,’ but in simple garments of white linen–emblems of the lowliness and purity of thought demanded by the Sacred Day. For the same reason, white linen garments were for many centuries worn, and in some communities are still worn, by worshippers on the Day of Atonement. The Rabbis gave an additional reason for this custom. ‘When men are summoned before an earthly ruler to defend themselves against some charge, they appear downcast and dressed in black like mourners. Israel appears before God arrayed in white, as if going to a feast, confident that all who return penitently to their Maker will receive not condemnation but pardon at His hands.’ (op. cit., on v. 4)

By the LORD’s instructions, “He shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin offering (txF0AHa, chattā’th), and one ram for a burnt offering (hl!&fo, ‘ōlāh)” (v. 5). For “of the congregation” (JPS, for NRSV “from the congregation”), Rabbi Hertz says, “Rites of purification were to be performed for the community as a body, and each individual was to regard himself as essentially a unit in the Brotherhood of Israel. The Confession on the Atonement Day is in the plural: ‘We have transgressed, wwe have dealt treacherously, etc.” (ibid., on v. 5). As noted above, the sacrifices of verse 3 were for the high priest and his family; those of verse 5 were for the congregation of Israel.

The LORD’s instructions continue. “Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house” (v. 6, cf. v. 3). Rabbi Hertz says the words, “his house,” refer to “the order of priests, who were sons of Aaron,” but he adds, “The Rabbis, however, understood ‘his house’ to mean his wife; and the High Priest was not allowed to officiate on the Day of Atonement unless his wife was living at the time” (ibid., on v. 6). He adds:

In the traditional account of the rites of the Day of Atonement, preserved in the Mishnah, the High Priest made this confession: ‘O God, I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have transgressed against Thee, I and my household. I beseech Thee by Thy Name, grant Thou atonement for the sins, and for the iniquities, and for the transgressions wherein I have sinned, and committed iniquity and transgressed against Thee, I and my household.’ In his confession the High Priest used the ineffable Name of God, the Tetragrammaton, in its true pronunciation; whereupon the assembled priests and people in the Court prostrated themselves to the ground and exclaimed, ‘Blessed be His Name, Whose glorious kingdom is for ever and ever.’ (ibid.).

For the people, Aaron “shall take the two goats and set them before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel (lz2&xzAf3la, la‘ ^azā’zēl )” (vv. 7-8, cf. v. 5). According to Milgrom, “Azazel [was] probably the name of a demon who has been stripped of his alleged powers by the priestly legists [i.e., specialists in law]. No longer a personality but just a name, he designates the place to which Israel’s impurities and sins are banished” (op. cit. on v. 8). But the Rabbi does not accept Milgrom’s interpretation.

At an early period . . . the word lzxzf [‘ ^azā’zēl ] became personified . . . In certain Jewish traditions, for example, Azazel, or Azalzel, is foremost among the Fallen Angels who taught unrighteousness to the children of men (Book of Enoch). this view that the word Azazel is the name of a demon in the wilderness was shared by Ibn Ezra and Nachmanides, and is to-day adopted by most Bible critics. But it is quite untenable. The offering of sacrifices to ‘satyrs’ is spoken of as a heinous crime in the very next chapter, xvii, 7; homage to a demon of the wilderness cannot, therefore, be associated with the holiest of the Temple-rites in the chapter immediately preceding. (op. cit., on v. 8)

Rather, the Rabbi defines “Azazel,” as

better, dismissal. In the Septuagint this mysterious Hebrew word is rendered, ‘the one to be sent away’; which agrees with the term used in the Mishnah. The Authorized [i.e., King James] Version, following the Vulgate, has ‘scapegoat’; i.e. the goat driven, or escaping, into the wilderness. The Heb. Azazel, however, is not a proper name, but a rare Hebrew noun (lzlzf contracted to lzxzf [‘ ^azā’zēl ] ) meaning ‘dismissal’ or ‘entire removal’ (RV Margin, Gesenius, Hoffmann, and the Oxford Hebrew Dictionary). It is the ancient technical term for the entire removal of the sin and guilt of the community, that was symbolized by the sending away of the goat into the wilderness. (ibid.)

Hartley discusses the “disputed” meaning of the name lzxzf, “Azazel” which “occurs only four times in the OT, all in this chapter”:

The first [explanation] takes it as a descriptive term for the goat itself. LXX and Vg understand it to be a composite of two words, zf, ‘goat,’ and lzx, ‘go away,’ i.e. ‘The goat which departs.’. . . “A major difficulty . . . is that the goat is ‘for Azazel’ and is to be sent ‘to ‘Azazel’ (vv. 8, 10, 26). . . . A second possibility . . . takes Azazel to be an abstract term meaning ‘entire removal’; the phrase lzxzfl then means ‘for removal.’. . .  A third view, which comes from the rabbinic tradition, takes this word as the place to which the goat departs. . . . A fourth position holds that lzxzf is the name of a demon or even the devil himself (Keil and Delitzsch, 398). (op. cit., pp. 237-238, on Lev. 16:7-10)

Hartley seems to favor some combination of the third and fourth views. “The difference between the third and the fourth options is not that great, for a society frequently names a place after an identity and vice versa.” But he finds “the fact that such a rite of riddance was a part of the Day of Atonement [to be] very significant” (ibid., p. 238). As noted above, Rabbi Hertz focuses on the second option listed by Hartley. Thus, while Rabbi Hertz differs from Hartley in some details, they agree about the significance of this riddance of sin and guilt.

As the instructions continue, we are told, “Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD, and offer it as a sin offering; but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel” (vv. 9-10). It appears that the instructions return to the bull offering to describe the process in more detail. “Aaron shall present the bull as a sin offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house; he shall slaughter the bull as a sin offering for himself” (v. 11). Once that is done, “He shall take a censer (hTAH4m0aha, hammachtāh) full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of crushed sweet incense, and he shall bring it inside the curtain and put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the covenant, or he will die” (vv. 12-13). Of “a censer, Rabbi Hertz says, “Heb. ‘the censer’; a censer made of gold was, according to the Mishnah, used on this day” (op. cit., on v. 12). Of “within the veil” (JPS, for NRSV “inside the curtain”), he adds, “This is the first entrance of the High Priest into the innermost part of the Holy of Holies” (ibid.). Of “cloud of the incense,” he says, “The purpose of the incense-smoke was to create a screen which would prevent the High Priest from gazing upon the Holy Presence [and so from dying]” (ibid., on v. 13). While within the Holy of Holies, the High Priest “shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times” (v. 14). Of “on the front of,” says Milgrom, “lit. ‘on the surface of . . . the east side.’ Since the high priest could not see the ark cover, he merely threw the drop of blood toward it but made sure it landed on its east side, namely, before it. Thus symbolically the ark was purged, as was the entire adytum [Holy of Holies], by the sevenfold blood sprinkling on the adytum floor” (op. cit., on v. 14).

Turning to the sacrifice of the goat, instructions continue. The high priest “shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it upon the mercy seat and before the mercy seat” (v. 15). This, says Rabbi Hertz, would be “the goat which had been designated by lot ‘for the LORD’ (v. 9). “Thus,” we are told, “he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleannesses” (v. 16). According to Milgrom, “In the Priestly theology it is the transgressions, the willful, brazen impurities committed by the people, that have penetrated into the adytum, requiring its purgation by the high priest on the annual Day of Atonement.” Of “so he . . . meeting,” he adds, “The purgation rite of 4:6-7, 17-18 is presumed. The tent of meeting here refers to the outer room, the shrine” (op. cit., on v. 16). Of “uncleannesses,” the Rabbi says, Besides the annual rite of atonement for the Community, there was also once a year a ceremonial cleansing of the Sanctuary from defilement through the presence of Israelites who were ritually unclean.” And of “transgressions,” he adds, “This is defined by the Rabbis as alluding to the wilful entering of the holy precincts by a person who knew himself to be defiled. By ‘sins’ is meant those who entered without the knowledge that they were unclean” (op. cit., on v. 16).

“No one,” says the LORD, “shall be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the sanctuary until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel” (v. 17). “Not even the priests were to remain in the Tent while the ceremony of atonement was being performed,” says Rabbi Hertz. “the awe of the occasion would be increased by the High Priest being quite alone in the Sanctuary” (ibid., on v. 17). “Then,” we are told, “he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement on its behalf, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on each of the horns of the altar” (v. 18). For “shall go out,” the Rabbi says, “he shall go in the direction of the exit, towards the golden Altar of Incense” (ibid., on v. 18). But Schwartz differs. Of “the altar that is before the LORD,” he says,

Rabbinic interpretation took this to mean the incense altar located in the inner sanctum. The words he shall go out would thus refer to Aaron’s exiting the inner sacnctum. But the v. would then be out of place, and the summary vv. 20 and 33 distinguish between the inner sanctum, the outer sanctum, and the alter. It is preferable to explain he shall go out as meaning ‘he shall exit the Tent of Meeting.’ The altar is the sacrificial altar that stood in the courtyard, the purgation of the incense altar having been accomplished already (see v. 16b). (op. cit., on vv. 18-19a).

Aaron “shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel” (v. 19). And so the altar is purified. Of “cleanse it,” the Rabbi says, “from the defilement of the past year,” and of “hallow it,” he says, “reconsecrate it for sacred use in the coming year” (op. cit., on v. 19). The description of the ritual for the Day of Atonement continues in tomorrow’s reading.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

The Coming of the Lord

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died. 15 For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel's call and with the sound of God's trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from December 6, 2008 (Saturday in the week of the First Sunday of Advent, Year One), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from April 21, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), comments were repeated from December 9, 2006 (Saturday in the week of the First Sunday of Advent, Year One), when comments were combined with revision and supplement from December 4, 2004 (Saturday of the week of the First Sunday of Advent, Year One), and from May 15, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two).

Paul’s earlier exhortations to the Thessalonian believers relate to how they are to live (1 Thess. 4:1-12; see yesterday’s comments). Now he turns to one of their concerns. Perhaps Timothy has told Paul of some misunderstanding of his teaching about the coming (parousiva, parousia) of the Lord (cf. 3:6; 4:15). Paul had taught them that “the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven” (v. 16). They must have wondered about those who had died recently, or perhaps would die soon. Some believe that Paul’s early, unplanned departure from Thessalonica (Acts 17:10, cf. vv. 5-9), perhaps left some confusion on the matter.

In any case, there seems to have been some concern among the Thessalonian believers about the delay of the Lord’s coming. They wonder what will happen in the end-time to Christian believers who have died. Paul responds to this concern, saying, “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died (oiJ koimwvmenoi, hoi koimōmenoi, present participle, lit. ‘the ones [who are] sleeping’), so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13). He states this hope: “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died” (v. 14). His reassurance is credited to a saying of Jesus, “For this we declare to you by the word (lovgoV, logos) of the Lord” (v. 15a), by which he refers to the early oral tradition of Jesus’ sayings (cf. 1 Cor. 7:10, 12, 25; Mk. 13:26-27). And he describes the Lord’s coming (parousiva, parousia) in a way that shows that those believers who have died will not be left out; indeed they will precede those still living: “For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming (parousiva, parousia) of the Lord, will by no means precede those who have died (oiJ koimhqevnteV, hoi koimēthentes, aorist participle, lit. ‘the ones who have fallen asleep’)” (1 Thess. 4:15).

Paul portrays this forthcoming event in some detail, emphasizing the fact that “the dead in Christ will rise first. “For the Lord himself, with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call and with the sound of God’s trumpet, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (v. 16). According to Edgar M. Krentz, “A cry of command, a herald’s call, and a trumpet (see Isa. 27:13; Joel 2:1; Zech. 9:14) announce the ruler’s arrival. OT texts and ruler cults both use such language” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on 1 Thess. 4:16). “Then,” adds Paul, “we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up in the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the air; and so we will be with the Lord forever” (v.17). “To meet the Lord,” says Abraham Smith, “is to form a delegation to greet a ruler” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on 1 Thess. 4:17). According to Krentz, “Paul describes Jesus’ return in language that has points of contact both with the Roman imperial cult and Jewish apocalyptic expectations” (op. cit., on 1 Thess. 4:13-18).

Paul adds, “Therefore encourage one another with these words” (v. 18). This is a promise for all of the believers. For us the delay has proved to be very long indeed, in human terms, but not in God’s terms. For “with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like one day” (1 Pet. 3:8). So we may still “encourage one another with these [Paul’s] words” (1 Thess. 4:18).

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

On Christian Piety

6:1 "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Concerning Almsgiving

2 "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Concerning Prayer (Lk 11.2-4)

5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Concerning Fasting

16 "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from September 24, 2009 ( Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year One), when they were repeated from April 21, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two), when comments were repeated from September 27, 2007 (Thursday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year One), when comments were repeated from September 24, 2006 (the Sunday closest to September 21, 2006, Year Two), when they were repeated with slight revision from May 15, 2005 (Monday of the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two); compare the similar comments of May 15, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year Two).

The Sermon on the Mount draws our attention to Jesus’ teachings on aspects of piety, including almsgiving (Mt. 6:1-4), prayer in secret (vv. 5-6), how to pray, including the Lord’s Prayer (vv. 7-15), fasting (vv. 16-18), treasure in heaven and related matters (vv. 19-24), and the remedy for anxiety (vv. 25-34). For the selections in today’s reading, vv. 1-18, excluding the Lord’s Prayer–which is the reading for tomorrow–there are no parallel passages in Mark or Luke (though there are echoes of these teachings from Matthew in early Christian writings such as Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 654, the Gospel of Thomas, the Didache, and Justin Martyr; cf. K. Aland, Sunopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum, 3^rd ed., 1975, secs. 60-66, pp. 85-90).

The reading today begins with advice about not flaunting one’s piety. “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them,” says Jesus, “for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Mt. 6:1). He thus introduces a collection of sayings about different aspects of personal piety. “So whenever you give alms,” says Jesus, “do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others” (v. 2a). “Truly I tell you,” adds Jesus, “they have received their reward” (v. 2b). In other words, the praise and respect given for the moment is all their reward, with no eternal value. On the contrary, says Jesus, don’t give alms hoping for the praise of people. “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (vv. 3-4). J. Andrew Overman says, “Acts of justice, like prayer (vv. 5-6), are between the doer and God, not for public approval, in contrast to Roman philanthropy, which included the public display of good works” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., augmented, 2007, on Mt. 6:3-4). A similar use of the saying about hands occurs in the Gospel of Thomas. “Jesus said: I tell my mysteries (musthvrion [mystērion]) [to him who is worthy of my] mysteries (musthvrion [mystērion]). That which your right (hand) wil do, let not your left (hand) know what it does” (GT 62, trans., B. M. Metzger, in Aland, op. cit., p. 525). But more to the point, with reference to Jesus’ teaching about almsgiving, C. G. Montefiore (a Jewish author) says, “There is no novelty for Jewish readers in the excellent remarks about almsgiving. They are characteristically Rabbinic” (The Synoptic Gospels, vol. II, 1968, p. 95 on Mt. 6:1-4). He admits that “Doubtless there were ‘hypocrites’ in the age of Jesus, as in every subsequent age and among all creeds,” but he decries a tendency for some to use Jesus’ words, go further, and “attack the Rabbinic religion as such” (ibid.). We should agree, and assume that while Jesus’ criticisms apparently had certain individuals or groups in mind, they should not be generalized and applied to all Jews everywhere. He himself was a Jew, as were all of the first Christians. Montefiore cites the belief of Dr Büchler (Journal of Theological Studies, 1909),

that the allusion to trumpets and to praying and almsgiving in the streets ([vv.] 2 and 5) points to the particular and only occasion when such practices prevailed. This was on public fast-days for rain, held usually in seasons of drought during October and November. Perhaps Matt. vi. 1-4, 16 may have been spoken at this very season. Jesus would seem to deprecate the public giving of alms and the public fasting which then prevailed. At all events there is no other allusion to praying in the streets in the Rabbinical literature. (op. cit., pp. 95-96)

We must be aware of Jewish sensitivity to criticism in these areas. However, it is probably true that Matthew, by including in his Gospel these criticisms made earlier by Jesus, was really focusing on the shortcomings of Christian believers within his community, which doubtless included a few “hypocrites.” We also note that the instructions for Christian piety are put in contrast with what “the Gentiles do” (v. 7), but that is part of tomorrow’s reading.

However, the subject of prayer is introduced in today’s reading. “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt. 6:5-6). A similar saying in the Didache (or the Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) introduces its version of the Lord’s Prayer, contrasting Christian prayer with that of “the hypocrites”: “You must not pray like the hypocrites, pray as follows as the Lord bid us in his gospel” (Didache 8:2, trans. Cyril C. Richardson, Early Christian Fathers, on the Internet, at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/richardson/fathers.viii.i.iii.html, accessed September 23, 2009).

For today, the reading passes over the Lord’s Prayer (tomorrow’s reading), to advice about fasting. “And when you fast,” says Jesus, “do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward” (Mt. 5:16). Jesus advises, “But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (vv. 17-18). Again, the Didache has advice distinguishing the fasting of Christians from that of “the hypocrites”: “Your fasts must not be identical with those of the hypocrites. They fast on Mondays and Thursdays; but you should fast on Wednesdays and Fridays” (Didache 8:1, at ibid., accessed September 23, 2009). This work, from the early second century (cf. Kirsopp Lake, ed., The Apostolic Fathers, Loeb Classical Library, vol. I, p. 307), apparently reflects the need for groups to have different identifiers or “boundary markers,” as some sociologists might put it, in the reference to different days as appropriate for fasting. Overman comments, “Fasting, often associated with festivals and holy days of the Second Temple period, was adopted as a mark of individual piety (Mk. 2:18-20; Lk. 18:12)” (op. cit., on Mt. 6:16-18). What was said earlier about the charge of being “hypocrites” applies here as well. They are found in all faiths and circumstances, and one should not categorize all members of any particular group.

Many Christians have found value in the pious activities described in today’s reading. Prayer should come naturally to us, and the giving of alms–help where needed–is certainly important. Fasting has certain value as well, but one should exercise Christian stewardship as well, including care for one’s health and well-being.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net