Provoke one another to love and good deeds

Hebrews 10:11-25

Context
The author has been arguing throughout Hebrews that Christ is superior to angels, to Moses, to the Jewish sacrificial system. The Temple and sacrifices are seen as inferior images of the real Temple in the skies*, with Christ offering the ideal sacrifice in the ideal temple (alá Plato, for the philosophers reading along). Today's reading in some ways serves as the summation of this argument, moving into a section on our response of faith.

Listening to the writer
Note that the author freely quotes passages from the Psalms as referring to Christ (vv 12 and 13 refer to Psalm 110:1, which has been used throughout Hebrews), and equates the words of the prophets with those of the Holy Spirit (vv 16 & 17 are from Jeremiah 31). His summation: Jesus' sacrifice on the cross was sufficient and final, unlike the Temple sacrifices which were insufficient and repeated.

The curtain on the temple is often interpreted as something that separated us from God; when Christ died, it was torn in two (Mark 15:38), signifying the end of this separation. Hebrews instead sees it as the entryway to God (v 20), now replaced by Christ's body (communion?) - in this case its tearing could be seen as the tearing of the body of Christ at his death.

What, then, are we to do as a people who live after Christ's sacrifice?

• Approach God as a clean (forgiven & baptized) people
• Hold fast to this new understanding of God
• "Provoke one another to love and good deeds" as we meet together

Note that Hebrews assumes that Christ's return is imminent (v 25).

Listening to God
It is very easy to place conditions on forgiveness. "They haven't really repented." "I did such a terrible thing." "How could God ever forgive that?" Jesus had a habit of simply forgiving people - before they even asked, sometimes before they even acknowledged that they were aware of their sin. Have you allowed God to forgive you? to forgive others?

What tempts you to let go of "the confession of our hope" (v 23) and return to views of a god who requires constant sacrifice, of whatever type, in order to forgive?

How might you "provoke" someone to love and good deeds today?

Christianity is not meant to be exercised in private. Are you meeting regularly with other Christians? Is God calling you to find new ways (or additional ways) to meet with the Church?

Miscellaneous Meanderings
*In the Bible, the Greek word translated "Heavens" (and the Hebrew word translated "Heavens") means "Skies". Although "Heaven" was a separate category from "Sky" for a few thinkers, there's little doubt that the two ideas were identical in the popular culture. I sometimes find it helpful to "demodernize" the Bible to try and better understand what the authors were hearing from God.

Dig deeper at TextWeek.

Turning the World Topsy Turvy

1 Samuel 2:1-10

Context
The story of Hannah opens the books of Samuel, which describe the beginning of the Israelite monarchy. Hannah, an Israelite living in the time of the Judges, has been barren most of her life. On a visit to the main YWHW worship site at Shiloh, she is told that her prayer for a son will be answered. She gives birth to a son, Samuel.

Listening to the writer
Look carefully at the prayer and you'll see that it doesn't relate specifically to Hannah's situation. She was barren (v. 5), but did not give birth to septuplets! And she was not hungry, but in fact was given extra by Elkanah in an attempt to make up for her barrenness. Rather than reading the prayer as Hannah's appreciation for a child, try reading it as an introduction to the broader story of Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon - the birth of the monarchy.

Note the characteristics of this YHWH.

The prayer is a psalm - note that Hebrew poetry does not rhyme sounds (not even in the original Hebrew), but ideas. Most Psalms consist of pairs of lines that convey the same idea using different words: for example, in verse 3, "talk no more so very proudly" and "let not arrogance come from your mouth" are two ways of saying the same thing. (I've occasionally seen interpretations that try to distinguish the difference between two lines of a Psalm - beware of such readings, as they misunderstand the poetry...)

Listening to God
Are there any characteristics attributed to God that disturb you? God is quite popular for "bringing to life" - do you also think of God as the one who kills, who makes barren, who makes poor?

To what extent do you see God influencing your day to day life? Does God: plan & execute everything? work in conjunction with you? sit back and watch? ignore it?

Verses 3 and 9 set all this "topsy turvy" behavior in the context of judgment - presumably God is killing the wicked and bringing to life the faithful. Job argues that this isn't always the case. Spend some time with God thinking about when and where God is involved.

Miscellaneous Meanderings
Hannah's song kicks off the Davidic monarchy, and is echoed by Mary when she is pregnant with David's most famous descendant (Luke 1:46ff). For me, it claims the hope that God does see the injustice in the world and is acting to overcome it. I also hope that I - and all of us - remember that sometimes we are on the unjust side of the equation.

Dig deeper at TextWeek.

Could it be? Yes it could. Something's coming, something good.

1 Samuel 1:1-20

Context
The descendants of Jacob (also named Israel) left Egypt as slaves and invaded Canaan as warriors. For several hundred years they lived as a loose federation of tribes, in conflict with the prior inhabitants. They worshiped various gods, including one named YHWH, whose primary worship site was at Shiloh.

Listening to the writer
In modern parlance, a "sacrifice" typically means something we give up, and many people believe that this happened to ancient sacrifices - but this was not always the case. The animal would be killed in a ritual fashion, and some portion might be reserved for the priest and the god, but often the majority of the meat was returned to the original owner. This is the case here (vv 4,5 - note that Eli's sons are criticized for taking too much meat in chapter 2).

A Nazirite was someone who took a special vow (Numbers 6) that proclaimed them as set apart solely to YHWH for a time, overriding even family funeral obligations.

Note that silent prayer is so odd that Eli assumes Hannah is drunk, rather than praying. The idea that religion was somehow "private" would have been seen as incredible to an ancient Israelite.

Listening to God
The annual trip to Shiloh was an important journey for Hannah's family. It provided a high-point in their connection with God: Hannah believes that the miraculous is possible at Shiloh. It also provided an opportunity to regularly rehearse their dysfunction, with the strife between Penninah and Hannah, and Elkanah's seemingly clueless attempts to help.

As we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas, how do these annual rites help you connect more deeply with God? Are there mystical qualities present at any of your traditions that might help you escape particular constraints and break into an extraordinary realm - one where giving birth to something new might suddenly seem possible? Are there any "broken records" in your family gatherings - regularly practiced fights or strife - that need to be repaired or thrown out?

Who knows about your deepest desires and prayers? Clearly God knows - but is there another human who knows, whom God might use as a priest to communicate with you, to encourage you, to simply be with you in your need?

Miscellaneous Meanderings
We live in a very private world. Many activities that used to require a physically-present community - worship, reading, music, even shopping - can now be done while physically alone. Emotionally, I'm quite a fan of this! For introverts, being with others can be very tiring. It's great to be able to "read" or "go to a concert" while driving in the car. I like shopping by computer - it takes less time than going to a store, and I can comparison shop and study products with the world at my fingertips.
But intellectually and spiritually, I know that it has a price. Last week we heard Jesus claim that loving God and loving neighbor are the two greatest commands, and love requires community. One of the key teachings of the doctrine of the Trinity is that community is eternal - community existed even before creation, for God is inherently communal.

Dig deeper at TextWeek.

Marriage is an Economic Contract

Ruth 3 & 4

Context
If you're just jumping in to this blog, start with Ruth 1 in the entry Devotion.

Women in Ruth's day are considered property. In Israel, great concern was given to the male name being passed down through male children; if a man married but did not have children, it was the responsibility of a kinsman to take his wife and have children in his name.

At some times in Israel's history, the term "feet" is used as a euphemism for genitals. That's my guess for what's going on in Chapter 3, but there may be some other social custom going on involving literal feet.

There are many other ancient customs in these chapters, but their purpose can be inferred by careful reading.

Listening to the writer
Whatever is going on in Chapter 3, it's a bit shady - Ruth has to sneak in and out. But it is told by the writer in a matter-of-fact way, without moral commentary.

Note the concern with economic details in Chapter 4.

Listening to God
Ask God for guidance in selecting and thinking about one or more of the following questions:
How do societies change with regard to acceptable courting behavior? What recent changes are appropriate/inappropriate? How might you advise friends, children or grandchildren on courting?

What rituals do we associate with business deals (e.g., check-writing, exchanging funny green pieces of paper, etc.). What makes these rituals work?

What does it say about God and Israel that King David’s great-grandmother was an immigrant? (This was of import to the early church - Matthew explicitly notes Ruth in Jesus' genealogy.)

Miscellaneous Meanderings
The book of Ruth is sometimes called a "love story". If so, whatever we typically associate with a modern love story is imported into the tale - there is no talk of romance or of Ruth's interest in Boaz. There are such tales in Scripture (the Song of Solomon, for example), but this is not one of them. Chapter 1 does highlight Ruth's devotion to Naomi - but is mostly about the difficulties of women who don't have men. Chapter 2 is about Boaz's interest in Ruth - but rather than seeking her affection, he asks "who does she belong to?" and makes sure she goes home with a gift. In Chapter 3, Naomi seizes her opportunity and has Ruth sleep with a replete Boaz, who sends her home with a down-payment to Naomi. Chapter 4 goes into the details of what territory and legal obligations will go along with this foreign property.

As a romantic, I've never found this story very enjoyable. But it does remind us that "biblical marriage" is primarily a civil contract, not theological one. Marriages are not performed at the temple - they are handled at the city gate. The Biblical Law books, when they discuss marriage, primarily deal with issues that protect ownership (of the father or husband) or provide rights (however minimal) to the woman. The marriage rite is not the purview of the priest, but of the civil authorities.

This carried over into the early church. Weddings were not performed in churches, or by churches, until the church merged with the state under Emperor Constantine.

There are also theological implications in a Christian marriage. Marriage is used in both testaments as a metaphor for the love between God and God's people. But there is clear evidence that the social contract of marriage changes as the culture changes. I hope my readers would agree that women are not property, and that adult men and women have the right to marry whom they choose without asking their parents' permission - unlike the situation described in most of Scripture.

The United Methodist Book of Discipline, while claiming that sex with a partner of the same gender is against the teachings of the Church, also insists that the civil rights of homosexuals must be protected. This is not a two-faced position; the Church consistently claims that the civil rights of all people must be protected, and that all people are sinners. If, then, marriage is a civil transaction... then shouldn't we be defending the rights of adult men to marry other men if they choose? This would not be stating that it was necessarily a moral choice - just as defending the right of free speech does not mean that we think all speech is moral. I'm convinced that if a man and woman have sex before marriage that it's immoral - but I also believe they have the right to do so, and I certainly don't want the police knocking on bedroom doors to see what's going on inside.

This is an emotionally-laden subject, and I doubt I'm going to change anyone's mind. But then again, I'm just meandering. :-)

Dig deeper at TextWeek.

Good Things in Dangerous Places

Ruth 2

Context
If you're just jumping in to this blog, start with Ruth 1 in the entry Devotion.

Gleaning means gathering the crop left over after the harvesters have finished their work. Jews were not allowed to fully harvest their fields, but were to leave some crops for the poor (see Leviticus 23:22). Since it’s barley harvest time, Naomi and Ruth - just arrived from Moab with no wealth or income - have a chance to survive by gathering the leftovers.

Listening to the writer
“As it happens,” Ruth comes to the field of a relative of Elimelech (verse 3). As in Esther, we see “coincidences” in the story that might turn out for good.

Note that Ruth risks being molested in order to simply gather her daily food (verse 9, 12; some translations are clearer than others.)

Also note that Boaz seems mighty interested in Ruth. If you missed that, re-read the chapter!

Listening to God
We can already see the coincidence of Ruth meeting Boaz working out well. Think of some “coincidences” in your life that turned out wonderfully. Do you see God either working to bring about these incidents or to bring good things out of them?

Sometimes people say we can’t risk loving our neighbor or being a “good Samaritan” because the world is so dangerous today. We forget that the world has always been dangerous, and is, in many ways, incredibly safe today. And very few people choose to live in "dangerous" areas - certainly they need love just as much as people who live if "safe" areas. What dangers have you risked in order to follow God? What dangers do you fear as you consider God’s call?

Ruth left everything she knew in order to be with Naomi and to follow Naomi’s God. For many of us, church is what we grew up with. Have you had to leave many things in order to be a Christian? If so, what has God given you in exchange? If not, what do you have from God that you think would be worth someone else leaving their family to gain?

Devotion

Ruth 1

Context
The story of Ruth is set in the time of the judges, after the people of Israel have left Egypt but before the time of David and the kings. Moab is the land east of the Dead Sea; the Moabites are descendants of Lot (Abraham's nephew), and they have rocky relations with the Israelites.
Most Hebrew names are also words in Hebrew (like "Baker" in English); "Naomi" is the word for "sweet", and "Mara" means "bitter".

Listening to the writer
The story begins in Bethlehem of Judah. Do you know any famous people who were born in Bethlehem? (The writer is not, of course, thinking about Jesus - who won't be born for another thousand years or so - but there is some connected foreshadowing going on here.)

A small family of Jews leaves Israel due to famine in the land. They seek sustenance in neighboring Moab. What happens there? (vv 3-5)

A rumor of food back in Judah sends poor Naomi back home. As an old woman with no husbands and no sons, she is in desperate straits. Of her two daughters-in-law, one decides to stay in Moab. Ruth decides to stay with Naomi and move to a foreign (to her) land with no relatives and no job prospects.

Who does Naomi say is responsible for her painful situation?

Listening to God
Naomi's family moves to a foreign land due to a famine. That's beyond most Americans' experience - though Grapes of Wrath reminds us it has happened - but perhaps your family has had to move to a strange place due to a job situation. If so, recall what it's like to leave friends and familiar surroundings.

The Moabites accept Naomi's family, at least to the extent of intermarriage. How do you feel about strangers coming in to "your" area of the world - migrant workers, international students, immigrants? How does God view them?

Ruth's love for Naomi is touching, and her words have been used countless times to symbolize complete devotion. But devotion to individuals can also cause heartache - or worse. Who are you currently devoted to? How does God view your devotion - as healthy, or as a source of potential trouble?

Naomi states God is the source of her trouble (v. 13). Her pain blinds her to the reality that she has not returned empty; she has Ruth, and the barley harvest foreshadows a time of plenty. How does your pain blind you to the resources God has created? How might you remind yourself of God’s love in times of calamity? Are there loving ways you can help someone else in pain see God’s love in the midst of hardship (without being like Job’s “friends”)?

Dig Deeper at Textweek.

We're Back

Sorry for the absence the last couple of weeks - I got caught up in a busy week and got out of the habit.