We are now in Hebrews chapter eight. The author is still talking about highpriest!Jesus. He tells the displaced Hebrews they do have a high priest. Their high priest sits at the right hand of god and serves in the true tabernacle, the one in heaven.
High priests have the job of offering gifts and sacrifices to deities. They offer up stuff other people give them. If Jesus were on earth, he wouldn't be a high priest, because there are already people doing that job. But the temple they work in is merely a shadow of the one in heaven. This is very similar to the Platonist theory of forms, where earthly objects are mere shadows of some perfect Form which exists in another dimension. Strictly speaking, Plato's perfect forms probably wouldn't be actual tangible objects that are part of a heavenly kingdom ruled over by a specific deity. The author of Hebrews just appears to be using the idea of earthly shadows of "heavenly" forms for his own purposes. When philosophies become popular and mainstream, they too become shadows of their true forms, if they could be said to have true forms.
Of course shadows are inferior to the real thing. So, the heavenly temple is superior to the earthly one. The heavenly high priest is superior to the earthly one. The ministry Jesus received is superior to the one Moses received. The covenant he is mediator of "is superior to the old , and founded on better promises." Wait. When god made the old covenant, it was supposed to be an everlasting covenant. Yahweh promised. How does one everlasting covenant supersede another? Unless...a covenant is just a human invention?
Were yahweh's first promises defective in some way? Is Yahweh not perfect? Well, according to the author of Hebrews, there was something wrong with the first covenant. If there wasn't, "no place would have been sought for another." (?!) The proof, says the author, is found in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
There, god said he will one day make a new covenant with the the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In other words, with the Hebrews, not with the Gentiles. The author of Hebrews was taking this passage in Jeremiah and saying that the new covenant god talked about making in the future was actually being made.
This new covenant was going to take god's laws and write them in the Israelites' hearts and minds, they wouldn't need to be taught them from other people. Everyone (Jews) would instinctively know god. This would eventually make the old covenant obsolete. Then after a while it would disappear as old things do. Pretty interesting. However, it seems that god is not doing that great a job of writing stuff on people's hearts and minds. Why else would the author have called them "slow to learn" back in 5:11.
We are now at chapter nine. Verses 1-4 list many of the physical objects that were placed in the original tabernacle that god requested the Israelites create. There were lamp stands, tables, curtains, an altar, the ark of the covenant, a jar of manna, Aaron's staff, etc. Surely each of those was a shadow of something heavenly. Do tell. Nope. The author says he can't discuss those things in detail right now. I don't think any new testament author ever gets around to explaining the heavenly meaning of all the temple/tabernacle paraphernalia. Next, we go back to comparing Jesus to the high priest.
Till then.
Showing posts with label laws. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laws. Show all posts
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
The sermon on the mount, part four
The next section of the sermon on the mount is Matthew 5:17-20. Here, Jesus says he did not come to abolish the law or the prophets, but to fulfill them. "Until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished." There are many disagreements in christendom as to what that means. Heaven and earth have not disappeared. Does that mean the law of moses is still in effect? Some would say yes. However, others would say Jesus accomplished everything/fulfilled the law when he died on the cross. Now there is a new law, the law of the heart. The old law is dead. What do you think is the true meaning of this passage?
Jesus goes on to say that anyone who breaks the commandments, or teaches someone else to break them, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. (But do they still get to be part of the kingdom?) "Whoever teaches and practices the commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven...I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the pharisees and teachers of the law, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (That answered my question.) It seems clear to me that Jesus wanted people to obey the law of Moses. Was that teaching just for those people there on the mountainside, or for everyone, for all time?
What about those pharisees and teachers of the law? My study bible says that they were excessively legalistic, following the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Frankly, I question the existance of a spirit of the law. It is not evident in the Old Testament. The phrase "spirit of the law" does not exist in the whole bible. Plus, isn't it even more legalistic for Jesus to insist that his followers become more righteous than even the Pharisees are? How is it less legalistic? He says you won't get into the kingdom of heaven otherwise! I wonder what those faith vs. works people think of this passage.
Luke slightly echoes this in 16:16-17, which is not part of the comparable sermon. It says, "The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John (the baptist). Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of god is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. (??? What does that mean? How can someone force their way into the kingdom?) It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law." This statement comes after Jesus has berated some pharisees, telling them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but god knows your hearts." Again, he has raised the standard. It is not enough to do right, you must think right as well.
As far as I can tell, this is not in Mark or John.
Jesus goes on to say that anyone who breaks the commandments, or teaches someone else to break them, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. (But do they still get to be part of the kingdom?) "Whoever teaches and practices the commandments will be called great in the kingdom of heaven...I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the pharisees and teachers of the law, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven." (That answered my question.) It seems clear to me that Jesus wanted people to obey the law of Moses. Was that teaching just for those people there on the mountainside, or for everyone, for all time?
What about those pharisees and teachers of the law? My study bible says that they were excessively legalistic, following the letter of the law, but not the spirit of the law. Frankly, I question the existance of a spirit of the law. It is not evident in the Old Testament. The phrase "spirit of the law" does not exist in the whole bible. Plus, isn't it even more legalistic for Jesus to insist that his followers become more righteous than even the Pharisees are? How is it less legalistic? He says you won't get into the kingdom of heaven otherwise! I wonder what those faith vs. works people think of this passage.
Luke slightly echoes this in 16:16-17, which is not part of the comparable sermon. It says, "The law and the prophets were proclaimed until John (the baptist). Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of god is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. (??? What does that mean? How can someone force their way into the kingdom?) It is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the law." This statement comes after Jesus has berated some pharisees, telling them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but god knows your hearts." Again, he has raised the standard. It is not enough to do right, you must think right as well.
As far as I can tell, this is not in Mark or John.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Jesus and Gentiles part 1
*In Galatians we see that the salvation of the Gentiles was Paul's mission in life, Peter's was to the Jews. Paul believed he was commissioned to go preach about Jesus to the Gentiles by Jesus himself, in visions and disembodied voices. He believed that following the law of moses couldn't make a person unsinful (righteous). Faith in Jesus is what did that. Therefore, no one, especially not Gentiles, was obligated to follow the law of moses, including circumcision. The gentile part was agreed upon by Peter, James and John after a council in Jerusalem, with no exceptions but remembering to take care of the poor. They agreed that they would go to the Jews and Paul and Barnabas would go to the Gentiles.
*In Acts, we see both Paul and Peter being commissioned by visions to go to the Gentiles. They both tell their stories to the Jews in Jerusalem, who accept them. Also in Acts 11:20, some Greeks are spreading the "good news" about Jesus to the Gentiles in Antioch. Then Barnabas is sent by the Jews in Jerusalem to check out the believers in Antioch. He was pleased by what he saw, so he went to Tarsus to fetch Paul, where he had presumably been staying since he was sent there by the Jerusalem Jews back in Acts 9:30, a different story than the one Paul tells in Galatians. Paul and Barnabas then worked together in Antioch teaching great numbers of people. Eventually, the circumcision question arises, Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem, a council is held, and it is agreed that Gentiles don't have to follow any of the law of moses...except for refraining from eating blood, meat sacrificed to idols, and engaging in sexual immorality.
*Here we have two versions of how Gentiles came to become believers in Jesus, along with many
Jews. Which version is the true one? Or did it happen a totally different way? We know for a fact it had to have begun somehow because the majority of christians today are Gentiles, yet christianity has its roots in Judaism. These stories led me to wonder, what would have happened if Paul and Peter had not supposedly claimed to have had personal revelations concerning the Gentiles? If Jesus actually existed, would his teachings as recorded in the gospels alone have been sufficient to create the worldwide phenomenon of Gentile christianity? What did Jesus have to say about and to Gentiles? Did he advocate eventual disposing of the law of Moses? Why was it necessary for Paul and Peter to get special messages? Was Jesus's message while he was alive not clear on the subject? Over the next few posts, we will look at Jesus's words in the gospel to se if we can answer some of these questions.
*In Acts, we see both Paul and Peter being commissioned by visions to go to the Gentiles. They both tell their stories to the Jews in Jerusalem, who accept them. Also in Acts 11:20, some Greeks are spreading the "good news" about Jesus to the Gentiles in Antioch. Then Barnabas is sent by the Jews in Jerusalem to check out the believers in Antioch. He was pleased by what he saw, so he went to Tarsus to fetch Paul, where he had presumably been staying since he was sent there by the Jerusalem Jews back in Acts 9:30, a different story than the one Paul tells in Galatians. Paul and Barnabas then worked together in Antioch teaching great numbers of people. Eventually, the circumcision question arises, Paul and Barnabas go to Jerusalem, a council is held, and it is agreed that Gentiles don't have to follow any of the law of moses...except for refraining from eating blood, meat sacrificed to idols, and engaging in sexual immorality.
*Here we have two versions of how Gentiles came to become believers in Jesus, along with many
Jews. Which version is the true one? Or did it happen a totally different way? We know for a fact it had to have begun somehow because the majority of christians today are Gentiles, yet christianity has its roots in Judaism. These stories led me to wonder, what would have happened if Paul and Peter had not supposedly claimed to have had personal revelations concerning the Gentiles? If Jesus actually existed, would his teachings as recorded in the gospels alone have been sufficient to create the worldwide phenomenon of Gentile christianity? What did Jesus have to say about and to Gentiles? Did he advocate eventual disposing of the law of Moses? Why was it necessary for Paul and Peter to get special messages? Was Jesus's message while he was alive not clear on the subject? Over the next few posts, we will look at Jesus's words in the gospel to se if we can answer some of these questions.
Friday, January 13, 2017
Galatians chapter 2 part 2
*Starting in verse 11 we learn that Peter had been in Antioch with Paul, had been eating with the Gentiles, and had been living like a gentile. In Acts, Peter is not said to have ever been to Antioch, indeed never very far from Jerusalem. In Acts 10, we find a story of Peter experiencing a vision from God which makes it clear that "God accepts men from every nation" including their eating habits. Then Peter goes to Jerusalem and explains his vision to the apostles and other believers. The "circumcised believers" drop all objections to accepting Gentiles. They praise God, saying "So, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." (Acts 11:18) That sounds like the gentile question is settled, right? This supposedly takes place before Paul and Barnabus go to
Jerusalem in Galatians.
*It is also interesting to note that Acts has Paul and Barnabus travelling to Jerusalem once before the circumcision question arose, in order to take money to the saints in Judea as famine relief during the time of Claudius, which had supposedly been prophesied in Antioch by a man named Agabus. (Acts 11:27-30) while writing Galatians, Paul seems to have forgotten that he had been to Jerusalem with Barnabus before.
*Getting back to Galatians, we see Paul saying that while Peter was in Antioch "certain men came from James." When these Jews arrived, Peter separated himself from the gentiles and attached himself to the Jews because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. Other Jews, and even Barnabas followed Peter's example. Paul rebuked Peter for his hypocrisy in front of everyone. Why was this even an issue if the passages in Acts 11 about Peter's vision and the Jerusalem Jews acceptance of the gentiles is true? Are these men from James the false brothers that Paul mentions in verse 4? And which James is this? In Acts 12, James the brother of John was executed, some time before the circumcision debacle and the following council in Jerusalem, found in Acts 15. Acts has Peter being bold and visionary, a friend and advocate of the Gentiles. Paul in Galatians has Peter being wishy-washy. There, Paul is the true friend and advocate of the Gentiles.
*The rest of the chapter, presented as part of Paul's speech rebuking Peter, is a doctrinal statement. Paul says no one will be justified by observing the law (of moses). Justification is by faith in Christ Jesus. But what is justification, and why is it necessary? Apparently, there are differing opinions on the subject, but they all seem to center around being made "righteous," after some kind of recognition that every individual is a sinner. Then we have to define righteous, which is another kettle of fish. Basically, we will think of it as unsinful.
*Verse 19 says,"through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God." Huh? Verse 20 begins a passage that has been familiarized in christian songs as a kind of mantra. " I have been crucified with Christ (?) and I no longer live, but christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I think it is normal to question Paul's sanity here. Is he speaking metaphorically, or does he believe that Jesus actually lives inside him? Is he speaking for himself or suggesting that this is the case for all believers? Remember that the only knowledge of Jesus that Paul claimed to have was through personal revelation by visions and disembodied voices.
*Last, Paul says he does not set aside the grace of God (christianese for a gift of mercy that you don't deserve), for if a state of unsinfulness could be reached by the law, christ died for nothing. Weeeellll.
First of all, you have assume that there is such a thing as a state of sinfulness to begin with. Then you have to believe that the death of a god born by a woman can fix that somehow. Of course, you must first believe that gods born by women can exist and that their deaths have the power to cancel out sins. Then you have to believe that one actually died. But, yeah, if a dude named Jesus died for the sins of the world, it may have been for nothing.
Jerusalem in Galatians.
*It is also interesting to note that Acts has Paul and Barnabus travelling to Jerusalem once before the circumcision question arose, in order to take money to the saints in Judea as famine relief during the time of Claudius, which had supposedly been prophesied in Antioch by a man named Agabus. (Acts 11:27-30) while writing Galatians, Paul seems to have forgotten that he had been to Jerusalem with Barnabus before.
*Getting back to Galatians, we see Paul saying that while Peter was in Antioch "certain men came from James." When these Jews arrived, Peter separated himself from the gentiles and attached himself to the Jews because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. Other Jews, and even Barnabas followed Peter's example. Paul rebuked Peter for his hypocrisy in front of everyone. Why was this even an issue if the passages in Acts 11 about Peter's vision and the Jerusalem Jews acceptance of the gentiles is true? Are these men from James the false brothers that Paul mentions in verse 4? And which James is this? In Acts 12, James the brother of John was executed, some time before the circumcision debacle and the following council in Jerusalem, found in Acts 15. Acts has Peter being bold and visionary, a friend and advocate of the Gentiles. Paul in Galatians has Peter being wishy-washy. There, Paul is the true friend and advocate of the Gentiles.
*The rest of the chapter, presented as part of Paul's speech rebuking Peter, is a doctrinal statement. Paul says no one will be justified by observing the law (of moses). Justification is by faith in Christ Jesus. But what is justification, and why is it necessary? Apparently, there are differing opinions on the subject, but they all seem to center around being made "righteous," after some kind of recognition that every individual is a sinner. Then we have to define righteous, which is another kettle of fish. Basically, we will think of it as unsinful.
*Verse 19 says,"through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God." Huh? Verse 20 begins a passage that has been familiarized in christian songs as a kind of mantra. " I have been crucified with Christ (?) and I no longer live, but christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." I think it is normal to question Paul's sanity here. Is he speaking metaphorically, or does he believe that Jesus actually lives inside him? Is he speaking for himself or suggesting that this is the case for all believers? Remember that the only knowledge of Jesus that Paul claimed to have was through personal revelation by visions and disembodied voices.
*Last, Paul says he does not set aside the grace of God (christianese for a gift of mercy that you don't deserve), for if a state of unsinfulness could be reached by the law, christ died for nothing. Weeeellll.
First of all, you have assume that there is such a thing as a state of sinfulness to begin with. Then you have to believe that the death of a god born by a woman can fix that somehow. Of course, you must first believe that gods born by women can exist and that their deaths have the power to cancel out sins. Then you have to believe that one actually died. But, yeah, if a dude named Jesus died for the sins of the world, it may have been for nothing.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Judges chapter 17
After reading chapter 17:
*This story surprised me. I don't remember ever having read it or heard about it before. I read on to the next couple of chapters and was even more amazed. It will become clear why no one ever talks about the next few stories. What is not clear is why they are in the book of Judges when they are not about individual judges. The one common thread is a phrase stating "these things happened before there was a king in Israel, when everyone did as they saw fit." It would appear that the stories were written after there was a king to show people who complained about being under the rule of a king that things could be worse. Or that statement could have been added to the original text to show disapproval of former religious practices.
*A man named Micah goes to his mother and says,"Mom, remember those 1,100 shekels (coincidentally the same amount Delilah was given to betray Samson) that got stolen and how you put a curse on the person who stole them? Well, that was me. Then his mother blessed him in the name of Yahweh, which is kind of odd, but maybe it was supposed to counteract the curse. The son returned the money, but the mother decided the silver would be consecrated to Yahweh for her son. So, she took 200 of the shekels to a silver smith who made them into an idol, presumably of Yahweh, which is against the law of Moses. However, this passage does not condemn her actions, even though my study bible commentary does. The mother and Micah don't appear to be aware of the laws against idols and their worship.
*Micah put the idol in his house. He also had other idols, a shrine and an ephod. Plus, he made his son a priest. A priest's duties were basically servicing the gods. They would perform ceremonial sacrifices, feed and wash and dress the idols, and other ritual acts of worship for the gods. We are told Micah did this because there was no king, and everyone did as he saw fit. The writers obviously believed in the power of government to control the standards of religious activity.
*A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, left home looking for a place to stay. We are not told why. That does not stop my study bible from speculating that the Levites probably lacked support from the other Israelites because the law of Moses was not being followed. Poor babies, they had to go out and earn a living just like everyone else. This Levite wandered on to Micah's property and Micah offered him the job of priest at ten shekels a year, plus room and board. What did his son/priest do then? He had to put up wth the Levite becoming just like another son in his father's eyes, and he didn't have a cushy job any more. However, Micah himself was thrilled. A Levite was his personal priest, which he thought meant that Yahweh would be extra good to him.
*This is the first we have heard about Levites in the book of judges.
*This story surprised me. I don't remember ever having read it or heard about it before. I read on to the next couple of chapters and was even more amazed. It will become clear why no one ever talks about the next few stories. What is not clear is why they are in the book of Judges when they are not about individual judges. The one common thread is a phrase stating "these things happened before there was a king in Israel, when everyone did as they saw fit." It would appear that the stories were written after there was a king to show people who complained about being under the rule of a king that things could be worse. Or that statement could have been added to the original text to show disapproval of former religious practices.
*A man named Micah goes to his mother and says,"Mom, remember those 1,100 shekels (coincidentally the same amount Delilah was given to betray Samson) that got stolen and how you put a curse on the person who stole them? Well, that was me. Then his mother blessed him in the name of Yahweh, which is kind of odd, but maybe it was supposed to counteract the curse. The son returned the money, but the mother decided the silver would be consecrated to Yahweh for her son. So, she took 200 of the shekels to a silver smith who made them into an idol, presumably of Yahweh, which is against the law of Moses. However, this passage does not condemn her actions, even though my study bible commentary does. The mother and Micah don't appear to be aware of the laws against idols and their worship.
*Micah put the idol in his house. He also had other idols, a shrine and an ephod. Plus, he made his son a priest. A priest's duties were basically servicing the gods. They would perform ceremonial sacrifices, feed and wash and dress the idols, and other ritual acts of worship for the gods. We are told Micah did this because there was no king, and everyone did as he saw fit. The writers obviously believed in the power of government to control the standards of religious activity.
*A young Levite from Bethlehem in Judah, left home looking for a place to stay. We are not told why. That does not stop my study bible from speculating that the Levites probably lacked support from the other Israelites because the law of Moses was not being followed. Poor babies, they had to go out and earn a living just like everyone else. This Levite wandered on to Micah's property and Micah offered him the job of priest at ten shekels a year, plus room and board. What did his son/priest do then? He had to put up wth the Levite becoming just like another son in his father's eyes, and he didn't have a cushy job any more. However, Micah himself was thrilled. A Levite was his personal priest, which he thought meant that Yahweh would be extra good to him.
*This is the first we have heard about Levites in the book of judges.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Joshua chapter 24 Part 1
After reading chapter 24:
* Then Joshua assembled all the tribes at Shechem. Is this literal or figurative? Did ALL the Israelites really leave their new homes and journey to Shechem? Who minded the land when they were gone? I just keep thinking of the logistics of all these supposed gatherings of over 2 million nomads. Can you imagine the mess (in more ways than one) they left behind when they went back home? It would take years for an area to recover from something like that. Also, is this a separate assembly from the one in chapter 23?
*Now Joshua again talks to all the tribal elders on behalf of Yahweh. He basically gives them an ancestral history starting with Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob, through to Moses and Aaron. He tells them that they saw with their own eyes what happened to the armies of Pharoah in the Red Sea. However, every one of the people he is talking to was younger than 20, or not born yet, during the exodus. I would venture a guess that only about half the people present could have been alive at the time of the exodus. All the adults from the exodus perished during the 40 year sojourn in the desert.
*Next, the Israelites are reminded of the battles on the east side of the Jordan, the crossing of the Jordan, and the battles with the nations on the west side of the Jordan. Yahweh claims that they didn't do it on their own with swords and bows, but that he sent his "hornet" ahead of them to drive the people out, whatever that means. He tells them that he is the one that gave them the land and good things that they are now enjoying, even though they did not work for them. Did you ever notice that Yahweh never hands out pats on the back? Except for favored individuals, and not always then, everyone is undeserving, no matter what they have done. It's the same story we are told today: "Whatever you have accomplished is only because God allowed you to accomplish it, without him you would be nothing. So be grateful."
*Now Joshua gives his famous ultimatum. They are to throw away the gods that their ancestors had worshipped in Egypt and worship Yahweh. (Wait a minute. Hadn't they already done that? Maybe not.)If they didn't want to worship Yahweh, they should choose that day who they will serve, the gods of Abraham's ancestors or the gods of the people of the land they were living in. (Did they really have a choice?)As for Joshua and his family, they would serve Yahweh. The people declared Yahweh was their God. Joshua declared them unable to serve Yahweh and doomed to destruction. The people protested that they were sincere. Joshua said okay, but get rid of all those other gods post haste. Apparently this monotheism stuff wasn't necessarily as popular with the Israelites as we might think. There was another covenant with laws drawn up and recorded in the book of the law. How many covenants does that make so far? Then Joshua set up a large stone under the oak near the holy place of Yahweh. (Apparently large trees were still associated with holy places, just as in Abraham's day.) The stone was to be a witness against the people if they went back on their promise to be true to Yahweh.
*Wait. Isn't the holy place of Yahweh now in Shiloh? Isn't that now supposed to be the only holy place of Yahweh? That's why the three eastern tribes were chewed out back in chapter 22. However, the beginning of this story say the Israelites were assembled in Shechem. In fact, that is where Abraham himself once built an altar to Yahweh near a great tree, back in Genesis chapter 12. That is also where Yahweh reiterated his covenant with Abraham. The descendants of Abraham appear to have come full circle. The authors just couldn't resist such a great literary device.
* Then Joshua assembled all the tribes at Shechem. Is this literal or figurative? Did ALL the Israelites really leave their new homes and journey to Shechem? Who minded the land when they were gone? I just keep thinking of the logistics of all these supposed gatherings of over 2 million nomads. Can you imagine the mess (in more ways than one) they left behind when they went back home? It would take years for an area to recover from something like that. Also, is this a separate assembly from the one in chapter 23?
*Now Joshua again talks to all the tribal elders on behalf of Yahweh. He basically gives them an ancestral history starting with Abraham, then Isaac and Jacob, through to Moses and Aaron. He tells them that they saw with their own eyes what happened to the armies of Pharoah in the Red Sea. However, every one of the people he is talking to was younger than 20, or not born yet, during the exodus. I would venture a guess that only about half the people present could have been alive at the time of the exodus. All the adults from the exodus perished during the 40 year sojourn in the desert.
*Next, the Israelites are reminded of the battles on the east side of the Jordan, the crossing of the Jordan, and the battles with the nations on the west side of the Jordan. Yahweh claims that they didn't do it on their own with swords and bows, but that he sent his "hornet" ahead of them to drive the people out, whatever that means. He tells them that he is the one that gave them the land and good things that they are now enjoying, even though they did not work for them. Did you ever notice that Yahweh never hands out pats on the back? Except for favored individuals, and not always then, everyone is undeserving, no matter what they have done. It's the same story we are told today: "Whatever you have accomplished is only because God allowed you to accomplish it, without him you would be nothing. So be grateful."
*Now Joshua gives his famous ultimatum. They are to throw away the gods that their ancestors had worshipped in Egypt and worship Yahweh. (Wait a minute. Hadn't they already done that? Maybe not.)If they didn't want to worship Yahweh, they should choose that day who they will serve, the gods of Abraham's ancestors or the gods of the people of the land they were living in. (Did they really have a choice?)As for Joshua and his family, they would serve Yahweh. The people declared Yahweh was their God. Joshua declared them unable to serve Yahweh and doomed to destruction. The people protested that they were sincere. Joshua said okay, but get rid of all those other gods post haste. Apparently this monotheism stuff wasn't necessarily as popular with the Israelites as we might think. There was another covenant with laws drawn up and recorded in the book of the law. How many covenants does that make so far? Then Joshua set up a large stone under the oak near the holy place of Yahweh. (Apparently large trees were still associated with holy places, just as in Abraham's day.) The stone was to be a witness against the people if they went back on their promise to be true to Yahweh.
*Wait. Isn't the holy place of Yahweh now in Shiloh? Isn't that now supposed to be the only holy place of Yahweh? That's why the three eastern tribes were chewed out back in chapter 22. However, the beginning of this story say the Israelites were assembled in Shechem. In fact, that is where Abraham himself once built an altar to Yahweh near a great tree, back in Genesis chapter 12. That is also where Yahweh reiterated his covenant with Abraham. The descendants of Abraham appear to have come full circle. The authors just couldn't resist such a great literary device.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Joshua chapter 8
After reading chapter 8:
*Now that the disobedient Achan is dead, Yahweh tells Joshua to take the whole army, approx. 600,000 men, (they only took 3,000 the last time) and destroy Ai. However, this time, Yahweh will generously let them take the plunder and livestock for themselves. What was different about this city that God let them break his prerranged rule of total destruction of life forms and saving the gold for the God?
*30,000 men were sent to hide behind the city to ambush it. Joshua and his men would attack from the front, then appear turn to tail and run, luring the fighting men away from the city in a chase. When that happens, the men in hiding are to rise up, take over the city, and then set it on fire. Things happened pretty much according to plan. The men of Ai were lured away from the city in pursuit of the Israelite army, supposedly leaving no fighting men left inside. At a signal from Joshua, the ambush began. The men of Ai saw they were trapped and the Israelite army turned back on them. There were no survivors of the Ai army except the king, who was brought to Joshua. Twelve thousand men and women of Ai were slaughtered that day. The plunder was taken, the city burned, and the king was hung on a tree then buried under a pile of rocks at the city gate.
*So, Ai was made a permanent heap of ruins, not because of anything they had done, but because they happened to be in the way of the Israelite's path to exclusive ownership of the land of Canaan.
*After that, Joshua built an altar to Yahweh on Mount Ebal as prescribed in the law of Moses. Then he carved the law of Moses on stones. The people stood half on Mount Ebal, half on Moubnt Gerizim and recited the blessings and curses as Moses had told them to do back in Deuteronomy 11. After that, Joshua read the entire book of the law of Moses to the assembled people.
*My study bible says there is a worrisome problem with this sequence of events. The Israelites would have had to conquer more people groups to be able to assemble peacefully between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerazim. The excuse made for this problem is that the narrator of the story wasn't being particularly chronological.
*Now that the disobedient Achan is dead, Yahweh tells Joshua to take the whole army, approx. 600,000 men, (they only took 3,000 the last time) and destroy Ai. However, this time, Yahweh will generously let them take the plunder and livestock for themselves. What was different about this city that God let them break his prerranged rule of total destruction of life forms and saving the gold for the God?
*30,000 men were sent to hide behind the city to ambush it. Joshua and his men would attack from the front, then appear turn to tail and run, luring the fighting men away from the city in a chase. When that happens, the men in hiding are to rise up, take over the city, and then set it on fire. Things happened pretty much according to plan. The men of Ai were lured away from the city in pursuit of the Israelite army, supposedly leaving no fighting men left inside. At a signal from Joshua, the ambush began. The men of Ai saw they were trapped and the Israelite army turned back on them. There were no survivors of the Ai army except the king, who was brought to Joshua. Twelve thousand men and women of Ai were slaughtered that day. The plunder was taken, the city burned, and the king was hung on a tree then buried under a pile of rocks at the city gate.
*So, Ai was made a permanent heap of ruins, not because of anything they had done, but because they happened to be in the way of the Israelite's path to exclusive ownership of the land of Canaan.
*After that, Joshua built an altar to Yahweh on Mount Ebal as prescribed in the law of Moses. Then he carved the law of Moses on stones. The people stood half on Mount Ebal, half on Moubnt Gerizim and recited the blessings and curses as Moses had told them to do back in Deuteronomy 11. After that, Joshua read the entire book of the law of Moses to the assembled people.
*My study bible says there is a worrisome problem with this sequence of events. The Israelites would have had to conquer more people groups to be able to assemble peacefully between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerazim. The excuse made for this problem is that the narrator of the story wasn't being particularly chronological.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Deuteronomy 31
After reading chapter 31:
*Moses says that he is now 120 years old and Yahweh told him he would not cross the Jordan. Yahweh will cross over the Jordon along with Joshua. Wait a minute, why does Yahweh need to cross the Jordan? Isn't Yahweh an omnipresent god, ruling over the entire earth? Apparently Moses and the authors of Deuteronomy didn't know that. So, the Israelite's God would deliver the people and the land into the hands of the Israelites and it would be their inheritance. They are not to be afraid, yet.
*Moses wrote down the laws and gave them to the Levite priests,to be read at the end of every seven years, during the feast of tabernacles. Everyone, men, women, and children, must hear and learn the law and learn to fear Yahweh as long as they live in the promised land.
*Then Yahweh told Moses his death was imminent. So, Joshua was commissioned at the tabernacle to be the replacement leader. Yahweh appeared over the tent as the pillar of cloud and told Moses it wouldn't be long before the people broke the covenant. Then Yahweh would be angry and the consequences would be bad. (Why was he angry if he already knew this would happen? Of what benefit are emotions in an eternal deity? How does he feel anger without a brain, body, cortisol, and adrenaline?) Moses wrote a song about the coming events of their destruction and taught it to the Israelites. The song appears in the next chapter.
*Again, we are told Moses wrote down the law and gave it to the Levites. They were to put the book of the law beside the Ark of the covenant where it would be a witness against the Israelites because they are so rebellious and provoking. The elders and officials were to be assembled so Moses could tell them how they would deserve what they had coming to them when they broke the covenant. Heaven and earth would also be witnesses. After all two or more witnesses are required in a legal proceeding. Before the Israelites even got to the promised land they were heaped with the guilt of their descendants.
*Moses says that he is now 120 years old and Yahweh told him he would not cross the Jordan. Yahweh will cross over the Jordon along with Joshua. Wait a minute, why does Yahweh need to cross the Jordan? Isn't Yahweh an omnipresent god, ruling over the entire earth? Apparently Moses and the authors of Deuteronomy didn't know that. So, the Israelite's God would deliver the people and the land into the hands of the Israelites and it would be their inheritance. They are not to be afraid, yet.
*Moses wrote down the laws and gave them to the Levite priests,to be read at the end of every seven years, during the feast of tabernacles. Everyone, men, women, and children, must hear and learn the law and learn to fear Yahweh as long as they live in the promised land.
*Then Yahweh told Moses his death was imminent. So, Joshua was commissioned at the tabernacle to be the replacement leader. Yahweh appeared over the tent as the pillar of cloud and told Moses it wouldn't be long before the people broke the covenant. Then Yahweh would be angry and the consequences would be bad. (Why was he angry if he already knew this would happen? Of what benefit are emotions in an eternal deity? How does he feel anger without a brain, body, cortisol, and adrenaline?) Moses wrote a song about the coming events of their destruction and taught it to the Israelites. The song appears in the next chapter.
*Again, we are told Moses wrote down the law and gave it to the Levites. They were to put the book of the law beside the Ark of the covenant where it would be a witness against the Israelites because they are so rebellious and provoking. The elders and officials were to be assembled so Moses could tell them how they would deserve what they had coming to them when they broke the covenant. Heaven and earth would also be witnesses. After all two or more witnesses are required in a legal proceeding. Before the Israelites even got to the promised land they were heaped with the guilt of their descendants.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Deuteronomy 30
After reading chapter 30:
*Verses 1-10 are supposedly prophetic. After all the blessings and cursings take place and the Israelites have been dispersed throughout the nations, they will have a change of heart and return to pure Yahweh worship. Then God will bring them back to the promised land and they will take possession of it again. (This prophecy will be very convenient as justification for future Israelite activities.) When they love God with all their hearts, he will deflect the curses onto their enemies, but only if they are obedient.
*In verses 11-20 the Israelites are basically told the laws are not rocket science. They are not out of the reach of mortals. They should have no trouble obeying. After all, the word is in their mouth and heart, whatever that means. Obedience is commanded for the umpteenth time. Blessings and cursings are emphasized again. The Israelites are encouraged to choose the blessings of obedience or life and prosperity, instead of the cursings of death and destruction.
*Verses 1-10 are supposedly prophetic. After all the blessings and cursings take place and the Israelites have been dispersed throughout the nations, they will have a change of heart and return to pure Yahweh worship. Then God will bring them back to the promised land and they will take possession of it again. (This prophecy will be very convenient as justification for future Israelite activities.) When they love God with all their hearts, he will deflect the curses onto their enemies, but only if they are obedient.
*In verses 11-20 the Israelites are basically told the laws are not rocket science. They are not out of the reach of mortals. They should have no trouble obeying. After all, the word is in their mouth and heart, whatever that means. Obedience is commanded for the umpteenth time. Blessings and cursings are emphasized again. The Israelites are encouraged to choose the blessings of obedience or life and prosperity, instead of the cursings of death and destruction.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Deuteronomy chapter 26 and 27
After reading chapter 26:
*After they conquer the people who lived in the promised land first, and take over their property, and set up a place to worship Yahweh, the Israelites have to perform a ceremony of giving first fruits, to show Yahweh how grateful they are. The third year, they have to give the tithe to the Levites, foreigners, widows , and orphans. It is repeat info, but this time they are given specific phrases to declare.
*The chapter ends with yet another exhortation to obedience and more rhetoric about the Israelites being special snowflakes.
Chapter 27:
*Here we find a lot of redundant and superfluous phraseology telling the Israelites that after they enter the promised land they are to go up on Mount Ebal (fascinating info on Wikipedia) set up some stones, cover them with plaster, and write the words of the law on them. Then they are to build an altar of uncut stone, and have a big BBQ party (Sacrifice and feast.) After that, they are to divide up into specific tribes. Some tribes will stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses, the rest will stand on Mount Gerazim to pronounce blessings, as mentioned in previous scriptures. Now, however, the exact words for the cursings are given. After each curse, the people are to say, Amen!" The curses contain an odd collection of rules regarding conduct.
*After they conquer the people who lived in the promised land first, and take over their property, and set up a place to worship Yahweh, the Israelites have to perform a ceremony of giving first fruits, to show Yahweh how grateful they are. The third year, they have to give the tithe to the Levites, foreigners, widows , and orphans. It is repeat info, but this time they are given specific phrases to declare.
*The chapter ends with yet another exhortation to obedience and more rhetoric about the Israelites being special snowflakes.
Chapter 27:
*Here we find a lot of redundant and superfluous phraseology telling the Israelites that after they enter the promised land they are to go up on Mount Ebal (fascinating info on Wikipedia) set up some stones, cover them with plaster, and write the words of the law on them. Then they are to build an altar of uncut stone, and have a big BBQ party (Sacrifice and feast.) After that, they are to divide up into specific tribes. Some tribes will stand on Mount Ebal to pronounce curses, the rest will stand on Mount Gerazim to pronounce blessings, as mentioned in previous scriptures. Now, however, the exact words for the cursings are given. After each curse, the people are to say, Amen!" The curses contain an odd collection of rules regarding conduct.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Deuteronomy chapter 25
After reading chapter 25:
*More miscellaneous rules and laws:
-Disputes are taken to court where judges will decide a suitable number of lashes with a whip for the guilty party. No more than forty lashes, or the person may be degraded. (What does degraded mean in this context?)
-Let your ox eat some of the grain it is treading while it is working.
-A widow must not marry outside her husband's family. She has to marry his brother, if he has one. Any children she has are considered the dead husband's, so his name will not be "blotted out." This is what is known as Levirate marriage. It was common practice in many parts of the East. However, if the brother doesn't want to marry the widow, she can accuse him in the presence of the village elders, take off his sandal, and spit in his face. Then his family will be called "the family of the unsandaled." Big whoop.
-If a woman's husband gets in a fight and the woman tries to help by grabbing the other man's private parts, she gets her hand cut off as punishment. Wow. This seems pretty harsh, but remember chapter 23 says that no one with damaged testicles could participate in the assembly of the lord. After all, Yahweh cares more about men's testicles than women's hands.
-Merchants must use accurate and honest weights.
-The Israelites are to remember their grudge against the Amalekites and destroy them when they take over the promised land.
*More miscellaneous rules and laws:
-Disputes are taken to court where judges will decide a suitable number of lashes with a whip for the guilty party. No more than forty lashes, or the person may be degraded. (What does degraded mean in this context?)
-Let your ox eat some of the grain it is treading while it is working.
-A widow must not marry outside her husband's family. She has to marry his brother, if he has one. Any children she has are considered the dead husband's, so his name will not be "blotted out." This is what is known as Levirate marriage. It was common practice in many parts of the East. However, if the brother doesn't want to marry the widow, she can accuse him in the presence of the village elders, take off his sandal, and spit in his face. Then his family will be called "the family of the unsandaled." Big whoop.
-If a woman's husband gets in a fight and the woman tries to help by grabbing the other man's private parts, she gets her hand cut off as punishment. Wow. This seems pretty harsh, but remember chapter 23 says that no one with damaged testicles could participate in the assembly of the lord. After all, Yahweh cares more about men's testicles than women's hands.
-Merchants must use accurate and honest weights.
-The Israelites are to remember their grudge against the Amalekites and destroy them when they take over the promised land.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Deuteronomy chapter 24
After reading chapter 24:
*More miscellaneous rules and laws:
-A man can give his wife a certificate of divorce and make her leave his house, if he finds something indecent about her. No definition of indecent. There is also no mention of a woman being able to do this, of course. The man owns the house. Anyway, if she gets married again, she becomes "defiled." Then, if the second man divorces her, the first guy is not allowed to remarry her. That would be detestable. However, there appears to be no reason a third guy couldn't have his turn.
-A newlywed man doesn't have to go to war for a year, so he can make his wife happy. (In other words, impregnate her.)
-Millstones cannot be taken as security for a debt because it would deprive the owner of a way to make a living. What do you know, a good rule!
-No kidnapping, enslaving, or selling fellow Israelites on penalty of death. Nothing is said about non-Israelites.
-Obey the Priest's rules about leprous diseases.
-Be considerate to the poor when they are offering a pledge.
-Do not take advantage of hired hands, Israelites or foreigners. Pay their wages on time.
-Children and parents cannot be put to death for each other's sins. Each is to die for his own sin. (If your child works on the sabbath, they die, not you. So, no worries, right?)
-Orphans, widows, and foreigners are to be treated justly.
-When harvesting, don't go back over the fields and vinyards a second time. Leave what was missed for the orphans widows and foreigners to glean.
*Well, some of today's laws weren't as strange or disturbing as usual. In fact many were downright compassionate.
*More miscellaneous rules and laws:
-A man can give his wife a certificate of divorce and make her leave his house, if he finds something indecent about her. No definition of indecent. There is also no mention of a woman being able to do this, of course. The man owns the house. Anyway, if she gets married again, she becomes "defiled." Then, if the second man divorces her, the first guy is not allowed to remarry her. That would be detestable. However, there appears to be no reason a third guy couldn't have his turn.
-A newlywed man doesn't have to go to war for a year, so he can make his wife happy. (In other words, impregnate her.)
-Millstones cannot be taken as security for a debt because it would deprive the owner of a way to make a living. What do you know, a good rule!
-No kidnapping, enslaving, or selling fellow Israelites on penalty of death. Nothing is said about non-Israelites.
-Obey the Priest's rules about leprous diseases.
-Be considerate to the poor when they are offering a pledge.
-Do not take advantage of hired hands, Israelites or foreigners. Pay their wages on time.
-Children and parents cannot be put to death for each other's sins. Each is to die for his own sin. (If your child works on the sabbath, they die, not you. So, no worries, right?)
-Orphans, widows, and foreigners are to be treated justly.
-When harvesting, don't go back over the fields and vinyards a second time. Leave what was missed for the orphans widows and foreigners to glean.
*Well, some of today's laws weren't as strange or disturbing as usual. In fact many were downright compassionate.
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Deuteronomy 23
After reading chapter 23:
*This chapter contains more miscellaneous rules and laws. The first are concerning who can not enter the assembly of the lord: no one with damaged testicles, no one in a forbidden marriage, no descendant of a forbidden marriage- to the tenth generation (They'll have to keep mighty good records for that one), no Ammonites or Moabites- to the tenth generation. Edomites and Egyptians are okay after the third generation, because Edomites are distant relatives and the Israelites used to live in Egypt.
*The army camps are to be kept "clean." Anyone with a nocturnal emission has to stay outside the camp for a day then wash themselves before they return in the evening. So who volunteered this information every morning? Was there an inspector? Excrement was to be buried so the lord wouldn't have to look at anything so indecent and unholy. Wait. Wasn't God supposed to have created human bodies to get rid of waste in this way? Doesn't God see everything at all times any way? Why didn't Yahweh say it was to prevent the spread of disease?
*If a slave takes refuge among the Israelites, they are not to turn him over to his master. They are to let him live among them and not oppress them. Someone should have read this to the colonial Americans.
*No Israelite is to become a shrine prostitute. Money from that profession is not to be given to the lord.
*Israelites can't charge each other interest, but they can charge foreigners.
*All vows to Yahweh must be quickly paid up.
*The Israelites could go in each other's vinyards or field and eat their fill. They just couldn't take any home.
*This chapter contains more miscellaneous rules and laws. The first are concerning who can not enter the assembly of the lord: no one with damaged testicles, no one in a forbidden marriage, no descendant of a forbidden marriage- to the tenth generation (They'll have to keep mighty good records for that one), no Ammonites or Moabites- to the tenth generation. Edomites and Egyptians are okay after the third generation, because Edomites are distant relatives and the Israelites used to live in Egypt.
*The army camps are to be kept "clean." Anyone with a nocturnal emission has to stay outside the camp for a day then wash themselves before they return in the evening. So who volunteered this information every morning? Was there an inspector? Excrement was to be buried so the lord wouldn't have to look at anything so indecent and unholy. Wait. Wasn't God supposed to have created human bodies to get rid of waste in this way? Doesn't God see everything at all times any way? Why didn't Yahweh say it was to prevent the spread of disease?
*If a slave takes refuge among the Israelites, they are not to turn him over to his master. They are to let him live among them and not oppress them. Someone should have read this to the colonial Americans.
*No Israelite is to become a shrine prostitute. Money from that profession is not to be given to the lord.
*Israelites can't charge each other interest, but they can charge foreigners.
*All vows to Yahweh must be quickly paid up.
*The Israelites could go in each other's vinyards or field and eat their fill. They just couldn't take any home.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
Deuteronomy chapter 22
After reading chapter 22:
*Verses 1-12 are a series of odd laws that seem to have nowhere else to go:
-Give lost animals and personal property back to their rightful owners. No "finders keepers."
-Help a fellow Israelite restore a fallen animal to its feet.
-Noone must wear the clothes of the opposite sex, God detests people who do that. (The obvious inference would be that some people did this at that time.)
-Wild bird eggs can be harvested from nests, but the mother birds must be left alone.
-A railing must be built around the edge of a roof, so that the owner of the house won't be liable if someone falls off the roof.
-Do not plant two kinds of seeds in a vinyard or the vinyard will be defiled.
-Do not yoke an ox and a donkey together.
-Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.
-Make tassels on the four corners of your cloak
*The rest of the chapter contains some rather barbaric marriage rules. Basically, if a man expects to be marrying a virgin, he better get one. If he doesn't like his wife, he can yell foul after the marriage and the bride's parents have to provide proof of the bride's virginity in the form of a cloth stained with blood from the wedding night. If there is no proof, the woman is to be stoned to death at the door of her father's house by the men of the town. If there is proof of her virginity, it is to be shown to the village elders and the accusing husband is to give his father- in- law 100 silver shekels. Then he can never divorce the woman. Poor woman.
-If a man sleeps with another man's wife, they must both die. No exceptions.
-If a man sleeps with a virgin in town, who was pledged to be married, they must both be stoned to death. 1. Because she belonged to another man. 2. Because she was in town and didn't scream. Um, how do they know this in advance? What if she was threatened with death if she screamed?
-If a man rapes a virgin in the countryside, who was pledged to be married, only the man is to be killed. After all, she screamed bloody murder and no one could hear her. That makes her innocent. Again, how do they know this? She could have been quite willing and no one would know the difference.
-If a man rapes a virgin who is not pledged to be married, he must give her father fifty shekels of silver and marry her. This marriage is for life, no divorce permitted. Poor woman. Unless, the two of them cook up this scheme so that the father could have no choice but to agree to the marriage.
-A man may not sleep with his father's wife. We would say "duh" but if this wasn't an issue, why is it mentioned? Reuben, son of Jacob (Israel), did this very thing in Genesis chapter 35.
Lesson: It's safer for a woman to be raped in the country, especially if she was already pledged to be married. Then she gets to live and won't have to marry her rapist.
*Verses 1-12 are a series of odd laws that seem to have nowhere else to go:
-Give lost animals and personal property back to their rightful owners. No "finders keepers."
-Help a fellow Israelite restore a fallen animal to its feet.
-Noone must wear the clothes of the opposite sex, God detests people who do that. (The obvious inference would be that some people did this at that time.)
-Wild bird eggs can be harvested from nests, but the mother birds must be left alone.
-A railing must be built around the edge of a roof, so that the owner of the house won't be liable if someone falls off the roof.
-Do not plant two kinds of seeds in a vinyard or the vinyard will be defiled.
-Do not yoke an ox and a donkey together.
-Do not wear clothes of wool and linen woven together.
-Make tassels on the four corners of your cloak
*The rest of the chapter contains some rather barbaric marriage rules. Basically, if a man expects to be marrying a virgin, he better get one. If he doesn't like his wife, he can yell foul after the marriage and the bride's parents have to provide proof of the bride's virginity in the form of a cloth stained with blood from the wedding night. If there is no proof, the woman is to be stoned to death at the door of her father's house by the men of the town. If there is proof of her virginity, it is to be shown to the village elders and the accusing husband is to give his father- in- law 100 silver shekels. Then he can never divorce the woman. Poor woman.
-If a man sleeps with another man's wife, they must both die. No exceptions.
-If a man sleeps with a virgin in town, who was pledged to be married, they must both be stoned to death. 1. Because she belonged to another man. 2. Because she was in town and didn't scream. Um, how do they know this in advance? What if she was threatened with death if she screamed?
-If a man rapes a virgin in the countryside, who was pledged to be married, only the man is to be killed. After all, she screamed bloody murder and no one could hear her. That makes her innocent. Again, how do they know this? She could have been quite willing and no one would know the difference.
-If a man rapes a virgin who is not pledged to be married, he must give her father fifty shekels of silver and marry her. This marriage is for life, no divorce permitted. Poor woman. Unless, the two of them cook up this scheme so that the father could have no choice but to agree to the marriage.
-A man may not sleep with his father's wife. We would say "duh" but if this wasn't an issue, why is it mentioned? Reuben, son of Jacob (Israel), did this very thing in Genesis chapter 35.
Lesson: It's safer for a woman to be raped in the country, especially if she was already pledged to be married. Then she gets to live and won't have to marry her rapist.
Saturday, February 6, 2016
Deuteronomy 21
After reading chapter 21:
*The first 9 verses are the rules for atoning for an unsolved murder with no eye witnesses. The elders of the nearest town take a heifer that has never been yoked, to a valley that has not been plowed, by a flowing stream. Then they break its neck, wash their hands over it, and declare their innocence. This will supposedly absolve them from the guilt of the shedding of innocent blood that is floating around that area. What a waste of a good heifer. Wait, the priests are there too. I'm sure they will find some use for that young cow carcass. Veal scaloppine.
*Verses 10 -15 are about captive wives acquired through war and conquest. Let's be clear. These were women taken away from their homes by force, and without their consent. If an Israelite is attracted to a beautiful captive, he can just take her for his "wife." First, her head must be shaved, her nails trimmed and her old clothes replaced. She is to be allowed to mourn for her father and mother for a month. How generous, considering they were probably murdered by the Israelites. After that the Israelite man can go to her and be her husband. In other words, he can sexually use her. If he doesn't like her, he can let her go wherever she wishes. In other words, he can abandon her. He can not sell her or treat her as a slave (?!) because he has dishonored did her. So, he can't make any money from her, but he can save money by getting rid of her. How do you think the "dishonored" woman would feel about that? Is there any limit to the number of throw away wives?
*If an Israelite man has two wives and loves one more than the other, he must still give priority of inheritance to his first born son, no matter which wife bore the son. The first born gets a double share.
*If an Israelite man has a rebellious, stubborn, disobedient, drunken son, he will be brought to the elders at the gate by his parents. All the men of the town will stone him to death. This will put fear into the rest of the Israelites. No kidding. I guess stoning dispenses with the need for jails.
*Last, if a guilty person has been hung, his body must not be left up overnight. He is to be buried the same day, because anyone who is hung is under God's curse and the curse can spread. We wouldn't want that to happen.
*The first 9 verses are the rules for atoning for an unsolved murder with no eye witnesses. The elders of the nearest town take a heifer that has never been yoked, to a valley that has not been plowed, by a flowing stream. Then they break its neck, wash their hands over it, and declare their innocence. This will supposedly absolve them from the guilt of the shedding of innocent blood that is floating around that area. What a waste of a good heifer. Wait, the priests are there too. I'm sure they will find some use for that young cow carcass. Veal scaloppine.
*Verses 10 -15 are about captive wives acquired through war and conquest. Let's be clear. These were women taken away from their homes by force, and without their consent. If an Israelite is attracted to a beautiful captive, he can just take her for his "wife." First, her head must be shaved, her nails trimmed and her old clothes replaced. She is to be allowed to mourn for her father and mother for a month. How generous, considering they were probably murdered by the Israelites. After that the Israelite man can go to her and be her husband. In other words, he can sexually use her. If he doesn't like her, he can let her go wherever she wishes. In other words, he can abandon her. He can not sell her or treat her as a slave (?!) because he has dishonored did her. So, he can't make any money from her, but he can save money by getting rid of her. How do you think the "dishonored" woman would feel about that? Is there any limit to the number of throw away wives?
*If an Israelite man has two wives and loves one more than the other, he must still give priority of inheritance to his first born son, no matter which wife bore the son. The first born gets a double share.
*If an Israelite man has a rebellious, stubborn, disobedient, drunken son, he will be brought to the elders at the gate by his parents. All the men of the town will stone him to death. This will put fear into the rest of the Israelites. No kidding. I guess stoning dispenses with the need for jails.
*Last, if a guilty person has been hung, his body must not be left up overnight. He is to be buried the same day, because anyone who is hung is under God's curse and the curse can spread. We wouldn't want that to happen.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Deuteronomy 19
After reading chapter 19:
*Here we read again about cities of refuge for persons who have killed unintentionally. The Israelites are to divide the land they will acquire into three parts. Each part is to have a centrally located city with easy access by roads. These cities are to be the cities of refuge, a place to escape the "avenger of blood", probably a relative of the deceased who is assigned the task of avenging the death. If god enlarges thier territory as he promised, they are to set aside three more cities. This is slightly different than Numbers 35 which tells them to set aside six towns to begin with. Numbers also says these are Levite towns, Deuteronomy does not. Intentional murderers cannot be given refuge, they are to be handed over to the avenger of blood.
*Verse 14 has a command not to move boundary stones, which has nothing to do with the verses before or after and seems totally out of place.
*Next we are again told that a criminal matter can only be established by the testimony of more than one witness. Judges must investigate and make sure witnesses are not malicious. A false witness is to be punished in the way he intended his victim to be punished. Show no pity. Life for life, hand for hand, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Extenuating circumstances don't matter. I guess that keeps things simple.
*Here we read again about cities of refuge for persons who have killed unintentionally. The Israelites are to divide the land they will acquire into three parts. Each part is to have a centrally located city with easy access by roads. These cities are to be the cities of refuge, a place to escape the "avenger of blood", probably a relative of the deceased who is assigned the task of avenging the death. If god enlarges thier territory as he promised, they are to set aside three more cities. This is slightly different than Numbers 35 which tells them to set aside six towns to begin with. Numbers also says these are Levite towns, Deuteronomy does not. Intentional murderers cannot be given refuge, they are to be handed over to the avenger of blood.
*Verse 14 has a command not to move boundary stones, which has nothing to do with the verses before or after and seems totally out of place.
*Next we are again told that a criminal matter can only be established by the testimony of more than one witness. Judges must investigate and make sure witnesses are not malicious. A false witness is to be punished in the way he intended his victim to be punished. Show no pity. Life for life, hand for hand, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Extenuating circumstances don't matter. I guess that keeps things simple.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Numbers chapter 35
After reading chapter 35:
*Now, Yahweh tells Moses to tell the Israelites that the Levites must be given their own towns in the promised land. They also get the surrounding land, 3,000 feet on each side of the town, for pasture. The Levites are to be given 48 towns in all. Six of them are to be cities of refuge, three on the east side of the Jordan, three on the west. The cities of refuge are places for Israelites and "foreigners" to hide in when they have accidentally killed someone and are waiting for trial. Otherwise, "the avenger" of the death may not let them live that long.
*At trial, a death is considered murder when it is caused by a blow with an iron object, a stone (except in the case of stoning ordered by God or the priests, of course.) or a lethal piece of wood. If the cause of death is shoving someone with malice a forethought, throwing something at a person with intent to harm, or hitting with fists, that is murder. Those who murder are to be put to death by "the avenger of blood" whenever he meets them.
*Suddenly shoving someone, unintentionally throwing something at someone, accidentally dropping a stone on someone, all done without hostility to a non- enemy are not considered murder. However that person is still in danger from the "avenger of blood", so the community must protect him by sending him back to the city of refuge in which he had been waiting before the trial. He has to stay there until the death of the current high priest. But if he leaves the city of refuge before the proper time, and the avenger finds him, he's toast. The avenger will not be guilty of murder if he kills the person, even if the person had been judged not guilty by the assembly. So, who is this avenger? Probably the nearest male relative. These are basically honor killings.
*In order for the assembly to judge someone a murderer, there must be at least two witnesses to the event. No one is to be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The murderer cannot be bought out of his death sentence. Even the person judged not guilty cannot be bought out of his term spent in the city of refuge before the death of the high priest. We also learn that bloodshed pollutes the land, and the only way to make the land happy again is to kill the person who did the killing, more bloodshed, go figure.
*So, use poison and don't let anyone see you. (You do realize this is a joke, right?)
*Now, Yahweh tells Moses to tell the Israelites that the Levites must be given their own towns in the promised land. They also get the surrounding land, 3,000 feet on each side of the town, for pasture. The Levites are to be given 48 towns in all. Six of them are to be cities of refuge, three on the east side of the Jordan, three on the west. The cities of refuge are places for Israelites and "foreigners" to hide in when they have accidentally killed someone and are waiting for trial. Otherwise, "the avenger" of the death may not let them live that long.
*At trial, a death is considered murder when it is caused by a blow with an iron object, a stone (except in the case of stoning ordered by God or the priests, of course.) or a lethal piece of wood. If the cause of death is shoving someone with malice a forethought, throwing something at a person with intent to harm, or hitting with fists, that is murder. Those who murder are to be put to death by "the avenger of blood" whenever he meets them.
*Suddenly shoving someone, unintentionally throwing something at someone, accidentally dropping a stone on someone, all done without hostility to a non- enemy are not considered murder. However that person is still in danger from the "avenger of blood", so the community must protect him by sending him back to the city of refuge in which he had been waiting before the trial. He has to stay there until the death of the current high priest. But if he leaves the city of refuge before the proper time, and the avenger finds him, he's toast. The avenger will not be guilty of murder if he kills the person, even if the person had been judged not guilty by the assembly. So, who is this avenger? Probably the nearest male relative. These are basically honor killings.
*In order for the assembly to judge someone a murderer, there must be at least two witnesses to the event. No one is to be put to death on the testimony of one witness. The murderer cannot be bought out of his death sentence. Even the person judged not guilty cannot be bought out of his term spent in the city of refuge before the death of the high priest. We also learn that bloodshed pollutes the land, and the only way to make the land happy again is to kill the person who did the killing, more bloodshed, go figure.
*So, use poison and don't let anyone see you. (You do realize this is a joke, right?)
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Leviticus 27
After reading Leviticus 27:
*I found this chapter a little confusing and had to read it multiple times, along with the study bible notes. Here is what it seems to be saying, at face value:
Things and people can be given (dedicated) to the lord by special vows. But the actual person or item doesn't have to be physically given, an amount of money equivalent to the gift can be given. Who do you think got the money? Did you say the priests? I'm thinking that would be a good guess. What would God do with money?
There are rules for each type of gift:
-A gift of a person (as though you can give people as gifts) is represented by a monetary amount based on their age and gender. The most valuable people were between twenty and sixty years of age. Young children were of the least value. Females were less valuable than males. Frankly, this appears to me to be a substitute for human sacrifice.
-A ceremonially clean animal gift to the lord is accepted outright and becomes holy.
-A ceremonially unclean animal gift to the lord must be presented to the priest who will judge it as good or bad. The priest will set a value for the animal. If the person wishes to give money in place of the animal, he must add a fifth to the value.
-A house dedicated to the lord is to be judged good or bad by the priest, who will set its value. If the person wishes to give money in place of the house, he must add a fifth to the value. It seems that, among other things, the priests would have controlled the market value of real estate.
-Family land dedicated to the lord is to have a monetary exchange value of the amount of seed it would take to plant on it, but only in the year of Jubilee. Its monetary value decreases during the years between Jubilees. The priests set the value, and if the person wishes to substitute money for the gift of land, he must add a fifth of the value. If he does not substitute money for the land, he doesn't get the land back at the Jubilee. It becomes holy land belonging to the priests, of course.
-Previously purchased, non-family land dedicated to the lord is valued by the priests according to how close to the Jubilee it is. In the year of the Jubilee it reverts to its family of origin.
-A first born animal may not be dedicated to the lord because it already belongs to him. If it happens to be unclean, he can buy it back at a fifth more than its value (determined by the priests) or the priests will sell it themselves.
The money used to redeem property is silver shekels. The standard is the sanctuary shekel.
Now, apparently, Devoting something to the lord is different than Dedicating something. People or property devoted to the lord cannot be redeemed monetarily. Everything devoted becomes holy, probably meaning it now belongs to the priests.
People devoted to destruction cannot be redeemed monetarily, they must be put to death. I take this to mean that anyone incurring the death penalty, because of breaking the aforementioned laws in Leviticus, cannot get out of their sentence by monetary redemption.
*Added to everything else, a tithe of everything that a person's land produces,of all food and livestock, must be given to the lord. (Read the priests) It can be monetarily redeemed by adding a fifth to its value, which was probably determined by the priests.
There ends the book probably written by priests, outlining laws, duties, responsibilities, plus priestly privileges and job benefits.
*I found this chapter a little confusing and had to read it multiple times, along with the study bible notes. Here is what it seems to be saying, at face value:
Things and people can be given (dedicated) to the lord by special vows. But the actual person or item doesn't have to be physically given, an amount of money equivalent to the gift can be given. Who do you think got the money? Did you say the priests? I'm thinking that would be a good guess. What would God do with money?
There are rules for each type of gift:
-A gift of a person (as though you can give people as gifts) is represented by a monetary amount based on their age and gender. The most valuable people were between twenty and sixty years of age. Young children were of the least value. Females were less valuable than males. Frankly, this appears to me to be a substitute for human sacrifice.
-A ceremonially clean animal gift to the lord is accepted outright and becomes holy.
-A ceremonially unclean animal gift to the lord must be presented to the priest who will judge it as good or bad. The priest will set a value for the animal. If the person wishes to give money in place of the animal, he must add a fifth to the value.
-A house dedicated to the lord is to be judged good or bad by the priest, who will set its value. If the person wishes to give money in place of the house, he must add a fifth to the value. It seems that, among other things, the priests would have controlled the market value of real estate.
-Family land dedicated to the lord is to have a monetary exchange value of the amount of seed it would take to plant on it, but only in the year of Jubilee. Its monetary value decreases during the years between Jubilees. The priests set the value, and if the person wishes to substitute money for the gift of land, he must add a fifth of the value. If he does not substitute money for the land, he doesn't get the land back at the Jubilee. It becomes holy land belonging to the priests, of course.
-Previously purchased, non-family land dedicated to the lord is valued by the priests according to how close to the Jubilee it is. In the year of the Jubilee it reverts to its family of origin.
-A first born animal may not be dedicated to the lord because it already belongs to him. If it happens to be unclean, he can buy it back at a fifth more than its value (determined by the priests) or the priests will sell it themselves.
The money used to redeem property is silver shekels. The standard is the sanctuary shekel.
Now, apparently, Devoting something to the lord is different than Dedicating something. People or property devoted to the lord cannot be redeemed monetarily. Everything devoted becomes holy, probably meaning it now belongs to the priests.
People devoted to destruction cannot be redeemed monetarily, they must be put to death. I take this to mean that anyone incurring the death penalty, because of breaking the aforementioned laws in Leviticus, cannot get out of their sentence by monetary redemption.
*Added to everything else, a tithe of everything that a person's land produces,of all food and livestock, must be given to the lord. (Read the priests) It can be monetarily redeemed by adding a fifth to its value, which was probably determined by the priests.
There ends the book probably written by priests, outlining laws, duties, responsibilities, plus priestly privileges and job benefits.
Leviticus 26
After reading Leviticus 26:
*It seems that we have reached the end of the law making. This chapter is about rewards and punishments for following or not following all those laws.
First we have the rewards for absolute obedience to Yahweh's commands:
-Rain
-Plentiful crops
-Peace in the land
-An absence of wild animals ( It appears God doesn't know this would hurt the ecosystem, not to mention cause an increase in small rodents.)
-An absence of war
-The ability to slaughter their enemies easily (What defines an enemy?)
-An increase in population (This can also backfire, too many people becomes a strain on the economy and the land. But that idea is contrary to tribal thinking.)
-God will live and walk among them, even though they will never personally see or hear him and they will have to take the priest's word for it.
Next we have consequences for failing to carry out all of god's commands, which will violate his covenant:
-Disease
-Famine
-Subjugation to enemies
-Imaginary fears
-Attacks by wild animals
-War in the land, which will cause plagues and deprivation
-They will eat their own children.
-God will tear down places of idol worship. (Well, not him personally, but his agents, the priests.)
-Cities will be ruined and the land will get an enforced Sabbath rest.
-They will waste away as captives in the lands of their enemies.
All these afflictions will be multiplied seven times over. But, after they are punished, if they confess their sins, the land will be waiting for them to return from their exile. God won't forget about them.
They will not be completely destroyed and he will remember his covenant with them.
Wow! This all eventually came true. Isn't it miraculous? Well, it might have been if these passages were actually written in the time of Moses. There is more reason to believe they were written after the Babylonian and Persian exiles. (See Leviticus.) Even if it was written beforehand, these kind of events happened with alarming frequency throughout the ancient world. Were the other conquered people's gods punishing them in the same way that Yahweh punished the Israelites? Since the Babylonians and Persians prospered against the Israelites, does that mean Yahweh favored them at the time, even though they worshipped other gods?
*It seems that we have reached the end of the law making. This chapter is about rewards and punishments for following or not following all those laws.
First we have the rewards for absolute obedience to Yahweh's commands:
-Rain
-Plentiful crops
-Peace in the land
-An absence of wild animals ( It appears God doesn't know this would hurt the ecosystem, not to mention cause an increase in small rodents.)
-An absence of war
-The ability to slaughter their enemies easily (What defines an enemy?)
-An increase in population (This can also backfire, too many people becomes a strain on the economy and the land. But that idea is contrary to tribal thinking.)
-God will live and walk among them, even though they will never personally see or hear him and they will have to take the priest's word for it.
Next we have consequences for failing to carry out all of god's commands, which will violate his covenant:
-Disease
-Famine
-Subjugation to enemies
-Imaginary fears
-Attacks by wild animals
-War in the land, which will cause plagues and deprivation
-They will eat their own children.
-God will tear down places of idol worship. (Well, not him personally, but his agents, the priests.)
-Cities will be ruined and the land will get an enforced Sabbath rest.
-They will waste away as captives in the lands of their enemies.
All these afflictions will be multiplied seven times over. But, after they are punished, if they confess their sins, the land will be waiting for them to return from their exile. God won't forget about them.
They will not be completely destroyed and he will remember his covenant with them.
Wow! This all eventually came true. Isn't it miraculous? Well, it might have been if these passages were actually written in the time of Moses. There is more reason to believe they were written after the Babylonian and Persian exiles. (See Leviticus.) Even if it was written beforehand, these kind of events happened with alarming frequency throughout the ancient world. Were the other conquered people's gods punishing them in the same way that Yahweh punished the Israelites? Since the Babylonians and Persians prospered against the Israelites, does that mean Yahweh favored them at the time, even though they worshipped other gods?
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Leviticus 25
After reading Leviticus 25:
*Verses 1-5 are instructions for the establishment of a sabbath year, once the Israelites take over the promised land. For six years they are to plant, prune, and harvest. On the seventh year they are to let the land rest, no planting, no pruning, no harvesting. They can't even reap or harvest what grows naturally. (Verse 5) So, what will the Israelites eat that year? Why, whatever the land produces of course! (Verse 6) This makes no sense to me. Maybe some sense can be squeezed out if it means all wild produce that grows on previously non-cultivated land is ok, like wild greens, nuts, and berries. Can we say massive starvation rates every seventh year? The study bible attempts to say that this practice is good for cultivated land, which makes it obviously divine. What it ignores is that there are better people -designed practices for improving the fertility of the land that don't include people not eating what grows naturally.
*Verses 8-54. On the fiftieth year, after seven times seven years, there is to be a jubilee year. What follows is a list of rules for that year. We will just hit the highlights.
-This is also a year of Sabbath rest for the land. Here, the question of what the Israelites will eat on Sabbath years is answered. Supposedly, on the sixth year, Yahweh will give them a huge bumper crop that would last for three years. So, no worries. I wonder how that worked out for them in reality.
-Yahweh owns the land, they will just be tenants. So the sale of land is never permanent. In the year of Jubilee, the possession of the land reverts to its original Israelite possessor if it was sold. All buying and selling of land is to be done with this understanding. Houses in walled cities don't count. There are exceptions to these rules for the Levites. (Read priests) All property originally owned by Levites must be returned at the Jubilee, even a house in a town. In fact, the pastureland surrounding a town owned by Levites must not ever be sold. It is their permanent possession. This is just another reason to consider that maybe the priests came up with these rules themselves.
-If another Israelite becomes poor, his countrymen are to loan the person money without charging interest and sell them food, without making a profit. This is so they can keep living in the land with other Israelites. If an Israelite sells himself to another Israelite because he is poor, he should not be treated as a slave, but as a hired worker. On the year of Jubilee he goes free, back to his own clan and property. Fellow Israelites must not be sold as slaves. Does that mean God is opposed to slavery? Read on.
-Israelites may buy and sell male and female slaves, as long as they are not other Israelites. When they buy such a slave, the slave becomes their property. They can will the slaves to their children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but they must not rule ruthlessly over other Israelites. Verse 46. By inference, it is okay to rule ruthlessly over anyone who is not an Israelite.
-If an Israelite becomes poor and sells himself to a rich foreigner living in their land, he is not a slave for life. He is to be treated as a hired worker by law. He and his relatives have the right to pay for his freedom. If he is not free by the time of the Jubilee, he and his children go free at that time. Wives of the Israelite servants are not mentioned in these passages.
-In this chapter we see Yahweh's clear preferential treatment of the Israelites, and especially the Levites, when it comes to human and civil rights.
*Verses 1-5 are instructions for the establishment of a sabbath year, once the Israelites take over the promised land. For six years they are to plant, prune, and harvest. On the seventh year they are to let the land rest, no planting, no pruning, no harvesting. They can't even reap or harvest what grows naturally. (Verse 5) So, what will the Israelites eat that year? Why, whatever the land produces of course! (Verse 6) This makes no sense to me. Maybe some sense can be squeezed out if it means all wild produce that grows on previously non-cultivated land is ok, like wild greens, nuts, and berries. Can we say massive starvation rates every seventh year? The study bible attempts to say that this practice is good for cultivated land, which makes it obviously divine. What it ignores is that there are better people -designed practices for improving the fertility of the land that don't include people not eating what grows naturally.
*Verses 8-54. On the fiftieth year, after seven times seven years, there is to be a jubilee year. What follows is a list of rules for that year. We will just hit the highlights.
-This is also a year of Sabbath rest for the land. Here, the question of what the Israelites will eat on Sabbath years is answered. Supposedly, on the sixth year, Yahweh will give them a huge bumper crop that would last for three years. So, no worries. I wonder how that worked out for them in reality.
-Yahweh owns the land, they will just be tenants. So the sale of land is never permanent. In the year of Jubilee, the possession of the land reverts to its original Israelite possessor if it was sold. All buying and selling of land is to be done with this understanding. Houses in walled cities don't count. There are exceptions to these rules for the Levites. (Read priests) All property originally owned by Levites must be returned at the Jubilee, even a house in a town. In fact, the pastureland surrounding a town owned by Levites must not ever be sold. It is their permanent possession. This is just another reason to consider that maybe the priests came up with these rules themselves.
-If another Israelite becomes poor, his countrymen are to loan the person money without charging interest and sell them food, without making a profit. This is so they can keep living in the land with other Israelites. If an Israelite sells himself to another Israelite because he is poor, he should not be treated as a slave, but as a hired worker. On the year of Jubilee he goes free, back to his own clan and property. Fellow Israelites must not be sold as slaves. Does that mean God is opposed to slavery? Read on.
-Israelites may buy and sell male and female slaves, as long as they are not other Israelites. When they buy such a slave, the slave becomes their property. They can will the slaves to their children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but they must not rule ruthlessly over other Israelites. Verse 46. By inference, it is okay to rule ruthlessly over anyone who is not an Israelite.
-If an Israelite becomes poor and sells himself to a rich foreigner living in their land, he is not a slave for life. He is to be treated as a hired worker by law. He and his relatives have the right to pay for his freedom. If he is not free by the time of the Jubilee, he and his children go free at that time. Wives of the Israelite servants are not mentioned in these passages.
-In this chapter we see Yahweh's clear preferential treatment of the Israelites, and especially the Levites, when it comes to human and civil rights.
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