A student, Sam Bussey, offers several sharp intertextual insights into Paul’s discussion of Spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14. First, 1 Corinthians 12:2’s reference to “dumb idols” hearkens back to the idol polemics of Psalm 115 and Isaiah 46. Isaiah 46 is in the midst of an exodus section of Isaiah, and the humiliation of Babylon’s idols in that passage draws on Exodus 12:12. In the light of Paul’s use of teh exodus story in 1 Corinthians 10, it is... Read more
INTRODUCTION History is meaningful, but its lessons sometimes take the form of riddles and allegories. Israel is supposed to have the eyes and ears to take the lesson to heart, and see in Babel’s story a parable (v. 4; Heb. mashal ) about rising and falling. THE TEXT “It shall come to pass in the day the Lord gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve, that... Read more
Revelation speaks several times of the “synagogue of Satan,” which is the Jewish synagogue in opposition to Jesus. Is there a corresponding synagogue of God? Austin Farrer thinks so: “heaven is the synagogue of God, where the Almighty sits at the head of the elders, and where the great act is the taking and ‘opening’ of the divine Law.” A Well, duh! moment, for Farrer explains at a stroke why the angelic figures in heaven are “elders,” links the opening... Read more
At the beginning of each “letter” to the seven churches, Jesus identifies Himself with a descriptive phrase that goes back to the original vision of John in 1:12-20. The churches are judged and evaluated by the ideal human, Jesus. The following lists the connections: 1. Ephesus: stars and lampstands, 1:13, 16, 20 2. Smyrna: first and last, dead and living, 1:18 3. Pergamum: mouth-sword, 1:16 4. Thyatira: eyes and feet, 1:14-15 5. Sardis: stars and spirits, 1:16 6. Philadelphia: key,... Read more
Proverbs concludes with the portrait of the “excellent wife” (31:10). The portrait reaches back to the beginning of Proverbs and the portrait of wisdom. Like Lady Wisdom, the excellent wife’s value is far above jewels (v. 10; cf. 3:15; 8:11). Like Lady Wisdom, the excellent wife offers food (31:15; cf. 9:2, 5). The excellent wife brings gain (31:11), like Wisdom (cf. 3:14). Wisdom begins from the fear of Yahweh, which is precisely what animates the excellent wife (31:30). The final... Read more
Jesus went away. What did He leave behind? The church, of course. But how? On the cross, Jesus is the new Adam, His side opened, and even after the resurrection still open. What comes out is not a rib but water and blood. What Jesus leaves behind is the water and the blood, baptism and Eucharist. So abide the Spirit, the water, and the blood – these three. And Spirit + water + blood = Bride. Read more
Verse 5 describes the results that follow if a king relaxes and rests before the battle is done, if a king indulges in drink too much or at the wrong time. While rejoicing with strong drink and wine is often associated with memorial and memory, in fact drink can cause loss of memory. Memory is essential to good rule. You need to remember the “statutes” ( chaqaq ) or boundaries, both the limits of the king’s authority and the limits... Read more
Isaiah 13 is framed by explicit references to Babylon (vv. 1, 19), but the structure extends into chapter 14. A new section begins in 14:4, with another reference to “Babylon” and the introduction to the taunt song over the king of Babylon. When we include 14:1-3, we get a neat sevenfold structure. Several sections are marked out by references to the Lord’s day: 1. v 1: Babel 2. vv 2-6: Yah musters army for His day 3. vv 7-9: everyone... Read more
Isaiah 13 moves forward in part by regular puns. One thread of wordplay works with the tzb- combination. When the Medes come, Isaiah says, men will scatter like roebucks, like tzebyi (v. 14). The very same word is translated as “glory” or “beauty” in verse 19. Babel is the roebuck among the kingdoms, but the glory of Babylon will skip away like a startled deer. And underlying this little pun is the repeated use of the word tsebaoth , “hosts”... Read more
Yahweh threatens to “visit on the world evil and on the wicked their iniquity” (Isaiah 13:11). When Yahweh comes for a visit, things get sorted. And things get shut down. The next clause of 13:11 says that the Lord will “cause to cease” the arrogance of the proud. The verb is the hiphil of shabat : The day of Yahweh is a “Sabbath” visitation, a day of ceasing. This is Yahweh’s form of Sabbath-keeping: Putting down the proud. No wonder... Read more
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