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For the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the
Episcopal Readings in the file for July 12, 2010, two weeks ago. These
traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.
Episcopal
and Presbyterian Readings:
Joshua 24:16-33
16 Then the people answered, "Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; 17 for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; 18 and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God."
19 But Joshua said to the people, "You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. 20 If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good." 21 And the people said to Joshua, "No, we will serve the LORD!" 22 Then Joshua said to the people, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him." And they said, "We are witnesses." 23 He said, "Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." 24 The people said to Joshua, "The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey." 25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. 26 Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the LORD. 27 Joshua said to all the people, "See, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, if you deal falsely with your God." 28 So Joshua sent the people away to their inheritances.
Death of Joshua and Eleazar
29 After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred ten years old. 30 They buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.
31 Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel.
32 The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the portion of ground that Jacob had bought from the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of money; it became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.
33 Eleazar son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of his son Phinehas, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim. (Joshua 24:16-33, NRSV)
The following comments are repeated here from July 28, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year Two), when comments were repeated with some editing and supplement from July 31, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year Two):
Yesterday’s reading from Joshua followed the historical review with a challenge from Joshua to “revere the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness,” and to “put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt” (Josh. 24:14). The challenge was presented, “Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve,” said Joshua, “but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (v. 15). Today’s reading begins with the people’s firm commitment. “Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods,” they say (v. 16), and they in turn present their own summary of the LORD’s deliverance and protection:
for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God. (Josh. 24:17-18, NRSV)
Carol Meyers says, “Because the LORD has performed wonders for them, the people will swear allegiance, knowing full well what that entails” (The Jewish Study Bible, 2004, p. 506 on Josh. 24:16-18). But Joshua remains to be convinced. “You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins” (v. 19). He reminds them of the consequences of unfaithfulness. “If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good” (v. 20). When the people respond emphatically, “No, we will serve the LORD!” (v. 21), Joshua formalizes the commitment: “You are witnesses (Myd9fe, ‘‘dîm) against yourselves,” he says, “that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him”; and their response is “We are witnesses” (v. 22). According to Meyers, “witnesses suggests a binding ceremonial act” (ibid., on v. 22). Joshua challenges them once more, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel” (v. 23). Again the people’s response is affirmative. “The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey” (v. 24). Together we count four challenges from Joshua (vv. 14, 19, 22, 23), and four affirmative responses from the people (vv. 16-18, 21, 22, 24), a very strong commitment on the part of the people, it would appear.
So Joshua makes “a covenant (tyr9B4, berîth) with the people” that includes “statutes and ordinances” (v. 25), which he wrote “in the book of the law of God (Myh9lox$ tr1OT rp,s,B4. bes‘fer tôrath ’ elÇhîm) of God” (v. 26a). The NJPS TANAK translation (1985, 1999) calls this book “a book of divine instruction” (v. 26a), and Meyers comments, “or ‘Book of the Teachings of God,’ [which] expands the language of 1:8 and 8:34 (cf. 8:32, 23:6)” (ibid., on v. 26). A large stone is set up there, at Shechem, “under the oak in the sanctuary of the LORD” (v. 26b). The stone is called “a witness (hdAfe, ‘‘d~h, cf. the plural, Myd9fe, ‘‘dîm, in v. 22) . . . for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us” (v. 27). Meyers calls this “one last example of stones memorializing events” (ibid.).
According to Meyers, the Book of Joshua concludes with an Epilogue, in “three burial accounts” (ibid., on Josh. 24:29-33). Joshua’s death and burial “at Timnath-serah” is recorded briefly (vv. 29-30), and it is noted that “Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had know all the work that the LORD did for Israel” (v. 31) It is also reported that they followed Joseph’s instructions and buried his bones at Shechem with a suitable memorial (v. 32; cf. Gen. 50:25; Ex. 13:19). The Book of Joshua concludes with the note that Eleazar died and was buried at Gibeah, “the town of his son Phinehas” (v. 33).
Romans 16:1-16
Recommendation of Phoebe and Concluding Greetings
16:1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, 2 so that you may welcome her in the Lord as is fitting for the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a benefactor of many and of myself as well.
3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, who work with me in Christ Jesus, 4 and who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert in Asia for Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard among you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. 11 Greet my relative Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. 12 Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; and greet his mother-a mother to me also. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. (Romans 16:1-16, NRSV)
The following comments are repeated here from July 28, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year Two), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from July 31, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year Two).
This chapter (Rom. 16) begins with a recommendation of Phoebe, who is probably the pastor of one of Paul’s satellite churches in the “greater Corinth” area, that is, at Cenchreae, “a harbor seven miles east of Corinth on the Saronic Gulf, used for trade with Asia” (Harper’s Bible Dictionary, 1985, s.v. Cenchreae). Phoebe is called a “deacon (Rom. 16:1, diavkonoV, diakonos) of the church at Cenchreae” (NRSV, New Living Translation ‘in the church in Cenchreae’). Some, apparently to avoid using “deaconess,” translate diavkonoV (diakonos, which is the same, whether masculine or feminine in Greek) as “servant” (KJV, NKJV, NIV, NASV), or “key representative” (The Message, perhaps condensing the two terms into one?), but The New Testament: An Expanded Translation uses “deaconess.” She is also called a “benefactor” (v. 2, prostavtiV, prostatis, the feminine form of prostavthV, prostat‘s) (NRSV), or “benefactress” (The New Testament: An Expanded Translation), “succourer” (KJV), or “helper” (NKJV, NASV). Some use a verbal expression, for example, “for she has been a great help to many people” (NIV) or “she has helped me and many other people also” (New Century Version). The nouns, whether masculine (prostavthV, prostat‘s) or feminine (prostavtiV, prostatis), are related to the verb proiv&sthmi (proist‘mi). The verb, literally “stand before” or “come forward,” is defined as “(1) to exercises a position of leadership, rule, direct, be at the head (of) with genitive of person or thing,” or (2) to have an interest in, show concern for, care for, give aid” (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich [BDAG], 3rd ed., 2000, s.v. proiv&sthmi, proist‘mi). The masculine noun is defined as follows: “Primarily: of one who ‘stands out in front’ [proiv&sthmi] one who looks out for the interest of others, defender, guardian, benefactor, of deities; an important term in a society that attached a great deal of importance to benefaction and patronage . . . of Christ, in each case with ajrciereuvV [archiereus, ‘high priest’], 1 Clement 64 . . .” (BDAG, s.v. prostavthV, prostat‘s). The feminine noun is defined as “a woman in a supportive role, patron, benefactor” and a suggested translation for Romans 16:2, credited to Lietzmann, Handbuch, is “she has proved to be of great assistance to many, including myself” (BDAG, s.v. prostavtiV, prostatis). But given the verb form that implies leadership, presiding, Helmut Köster (Harvard Divinity School) suggests that the term means that Phoebe was the “pastor” of the church at Cenchreae, near Corinth, the place from which Romans was written (various lectures). Ben Witherington III suggests that she was “something like Paul’s ‘financial agent’ in his negotiations with the Roman church (Paul’s Letter to the Romans, 2004, p. 384, cf. p. 383 on Rom. 16:2). Witherington suggests that she was the letter courier (p.382), “coming to Rome to work among the Roman Christians. She is the vanguard, preparing the way for Paul’s visit. Among other things she would likely be the one who delivers Paul’s letter and who begins to make arrangements for Paul’s accommodations, and perhaps also collects resources for his further missionary work” (p. 383).
Paul greets by name some twenty-four persons (vv. 3-16), not counting Aristobulous (v. 10) and Narcissus (v. 11), since Paul greets those who belong to their families, but not them themselves. Those greeted include Prisca and Aquila (Aquila and Priscilla, Acts 18:2), who were apparently among those Jews, or Jewish Christians, expelled from Rome by Claudius in A.D. 49. This edict was rescinded by Nero, who succeeded Claudius in A.D. 54, allowing Prisca and Aquila to return to Rome. Another notable reference here is to “Andronicus and Junia, my relatives who were in prison with me; they are prominent among the apostles,” about whom Paul adds, “and they were in Christ before I was” (v. 7). This verse clearly identifies a woman, Junia as an “apostle” (cf. “Or Junias [i.e., the masculine form of the same name], other ancient authorities read Julia,” NRSV text note e). The accusative case form used here could be interpreted by accent as feminine, jIounivan, Junían or masculine, jIounia:n, Juniân. Ben Witherington III comments on the early manuscript tradition:
The feminine name Junia is attested more than 250 times in Greek and Latin inscriptions, whereas the masculine counterpart Junias is nowhere attested. When the Greek manuscripts began to be accented, the word in question was indeed accented as a feminine noun [references to J. A. Fitzmyer and others]. . . . It is thus highly unlikely that Paul is referring to two men here, rather than, as is more likely, a man and a woman, probably husband wife, who are “notable among the apostles.” (Paul’s Letter to the Romans, 2004, p. 378, n. 13)
Witherington says, “The first commentator to suggest that these might be two men seems to be the medieval exegete Giles of Rome (1247-1316. . . . Thereafter this view became prominent, if not the dominant opinion, right through the nineteenth century” (ibid., p. 387, n. 49). Witherington also comments on early Christian “husband and wife ministry teams”:
It appears that we have various husband and wife ministry teams mentioned in this chapter, including Prisca and Aquila and Andronicus and Junia. Since this practice seems to have arisen out of Jewish Christian circles, to judge from these two couples, it is then germane to compare not only 1 Cor. 9:5, which speaks to the matter, but also to think of the practical consideration that there were places and settings where only men or women could go in the Greco-Roman world, and so by having a couple who minister the outreach for the gospel would be broadened. Käsemann, following J. Jeremias, thinks there may be something to the notion that the Jewish idea of the testimony of two witnesses may be behind not only Jesus sending disciples out to witness in pairs, but also the early Jewish Christian community doing the same. (ibid., p. 381)
Andronicus and Junia are Jewish, since Paul calls them “my relatives” (as noted above, v. 7). They were probably apostles, that is, those who had seen the Lord, before Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 15:7-8).
Matthew 27:24-31
Pilate Hands Jesus over to Be Crucified (Mk 15.15; Lk 23.25; Jn 19.16)
24 So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." 25 Then the people as a whole answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" 26 So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
The Soldiers Mock Jesus (Mk 15.16-20)
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. (Matthew 27:24-31, NRSV)
The following comments are repeated here from July 28, 2008 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year Two), when comments were repeated with editing and supplement from July 31, 2006 (Monday in the week of the Sunday closest to July 27, Year Two).
Today’s reading is the first of four readings devoted to the crucifixion of Jesus, a part of what we call the Passion Narrative, the record in the Gospels of events from Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane to his burial after the crucifixion. Raymond E. Brown says that this account “constitutes in each Gospel the longest consecutive account recounted of Jesus” (The Death of the Messiah, vol 1, 1994, p. vii, in the Preface). He speaks of its aesthetic, literary, historical, theological and spiritual importance. “In sum, from every point of view the passion is the central narrative in the Christian story” (ibid.). One cannot hope to match Brown’s comprehensive treatment in these brief comments, but an accompanying table may help to demonstrate some of this continuity. It is found in the file, Crucifixion Outline, with titles and references for eleven sections (Mt. 27:24-66 and parallel passages), which is less than the complete Passion Narrative, but perhaps helpful for us at this point. Full texts relevant to today’s reading and those of the next few days may be found in a file called Crucifixion. These files are relevant for the readings for today through Thursday (July 26-29, 2008; cf a similar series of readings from Mark in the Archives for Sept. 3-5, 7, 2009, Thurs., Fri., Sat. in the week of the Sunday closest to August 31, Year One, and the following Mon.; cf. also the readings from Luke for July 3-4, 6, 2009, Fri. and Sat. in the week of the Sunday closest to June 29, Year One, and the following Mon.).
The section called “Pilate Hands Jesus Over to Be Crucified” serves as a transition from the trial interrogations to the crucifixion itself. According to Mark, “Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified” (Mk. 15:15). Luke does not mention the flogging (and omits the following section on the soldier mockery of Jesus, Mt. 27;27-31a; Mk. 15:16-20a), but his transition is similar to Mark’s. “So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for [i.e. Barabbas] . . . and he handed Jesus over as they wished” (Lk. 23:24-25; cf. Jn. 19:16a). Matthew adds to Mark’s account by reporting Pilate’s act of washing his hands and telling the crowd, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves” (Mt. 27:24b). He also adds the people’s response, “His blood be on us and on our children!” (v. 25). Krister Stendahl says,
Pilate, led by the guidance received by his wife’s dream, demonstrates how he has no guilt in Jesus’ execution, and the Jews accept willingly the responsibility. This is as hard to accept as an actual procedure on the part of the procurator, as it is illuminating for our understanding of the tendency in all the Gospels: it was the Jews who crucified their own Messiah, cf. Ac. 3:13-15. (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, reprinted 1972, sec. 694 e, p. 796 on Mt. 27:24)
Brown devotes several paragraphs to this and related issues, for example,
Previously, the chief priests and elders had also shown themselves anxious to dispose of Jesus without a disturbance (Matt. 26:5); now paradoxically they seem to have shifted tactics, for by stirring up the crowd they have created a disturbance that works against Jesus. This developing situation has convinced Pilate that he will have to accede to shouts for crucifixion, but before he does, he will attempt to free himself from the guilt of putting an innocent man to death. In what follows Pilate acts and speaks as if he has read the OT and is following Jewish legal customs. For some that proves the account is not historical; others who support historicity argue that Pilate had learned Jewish practices and was using them, even if contemptuously, to demonstrate his innocence. Such reflections about what Pilate would have known are distractions that scarcely occurred to Matt., who on the level of the storyline was presenting a scene intelligible to both Jewish and Gentile readers. (op. cit., vol. 1, pp. 833-834)
Brown also seeks to soften the import of the people’s cry, “his blood be upon us and upon our children” (v. 25). He provides some Old Testament background for the expression and says,
He [Pilate] says to the crowd(s) persuaded by the chief priests to destroy Jesus ‘You must see to it,’ i.e. take the responsibility. By the expression ‘His blood on us and on our children,’ the crowds speaking (in Matt’s view) for all the people accept the responsibility. They are not being bloodthirsty or callous, for they are persuaded that Jesus is a blasphemer as the Sanhedrin judged him. But in Matt’s outlook ironically they are the ones who finally have accepted responsibility whereas all others have attempted to avoid it. Jesus is innocent; for Matt that means that God has visited or will visit his blood on all involved, and that most surely includes ‘all the people’ who accepted the responsibility. (Brown, vol. 1, pp. 838-839)
Brown adds, “Yet for Matt as for the rest of the Bible, where punishment is attributed to God, there must always be God’s sovereignty to forgive and to break the chain of responsibility seen as guilt” (ibid., p. 839, with reference to Reventlow, “Sein Blot” 327).
The accounts of the
soldiers mocking Jesus in Matthew and Mark are very similar, but with a few
minor differences in wording. Matthew follows Marks explanation of “the
courtyard of the palace” as “the governor’s headquarters,” omitting the former
phrase (Mk 15:16; Mt. 27:27). Mark’s purple cloak (Mk. 15:17) is a “scarlet
robe” in Matthew (27:28, cf. “purple robe,” Jn. 19:2). In Matthew, before the
soldiers “struck his head with a reed” (Mk. 15:19; Mt. 27:30), they put it in
his hand (Mt. 27:29), only to take it back later (v. 30). The signs of royalty,
the robe or cloak, the crown of thorns (Mk. 15:17; Mt. 29:29; Jn. 19:2) are
mockery, of course, and the robe is stripped off, replaced by “his own clothes”
(Mk. 15:20; Mt. 27:31) before they proceed to the crucifixion.
As noted
above, for the Lutheran Readings for today, and comments on them, see the
Episcopal Readings in the file for July 12, 2010, two weeks ago. These
traditions differ in relating readings to the weeks following Pentecost.
Ronald D.
Worden, Ph.D.
rdworden@hgst.edu
deanworden@comcast.net