Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity Sunday, Proper 27, Year B
I regret that I must scale back my blog due to life circumstances. Inflation is cutting into my income dramatically and I am applying to many possible jobs in search of better pay. Job hunts take a lot of time.
The playlist of songs and hymns for this week is available on YouTube.
The Visual Commentary on Scripture has the page Widow's Mite.
Mark 12:38-44
CSB
He also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who want greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.” Sitting across from the temple treasury, he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had—all she had to live on.”
Who wrote Mark: Scholars are unsure because the book itself includes no attribution. Hippolytus of Rome (circa 170-235 CE/AD), in On the Seventy Apostles, distinguishes Mark the Evangelist (2 Timothy 4:11), John Mark (Acts 12:12, Acts 12:25, Acts 13:5, Acts 13:13, Acts 15:37, Acts 15:39), and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10; Philemon 1:24). There is also a Mark mentioned in 1 Peter 5:13. Other church fathers believed that all of these Marks were the same person. At all periods of Roman history, Marcus [Mark is the anglicized version of Marcus] was the third-most-popular praenomen, trailing only Lucius and Gaius, which would support the theory of multiple Marks, but thoroughly Latin and Greek names are less common in the New Testament. The African Memory of Mark by Thomas Oden provides evidence from ancient Coptic sources that the Evangelist Mark is the only Mark mentioned in the Bible and that he was a Levite born and raised in Cyrene (Libya) whose wealthy family immigrated to Jerusalem when he was a young adult, was a relative of the Apostle Peter's wife, was present at pivotal moments in Jesus' time on earth, traveled and evangelized with the Apostles Paul and Peter in Asia and Europe and then on his own throughout northern Africa, founded the church in Alexandria, Egypt and was the first bishop there, and was martyred in 68 CE/AD. I think that Dr. Oden's argument is quite plausible and likely true; my opinion is that modern scholars who casually discard ancient Coptic documentation do so based on their racism (for liberals) and their anti-anything-not-clearly-Protestant (for evangelicals). Mark's mother being one of the wealthy women who supported Jesus and the disciples/apostles and multiple members of the family being involved in the early Church just makes sense. The Memory of Mark gets 5 out of 5 stars from me.
Who Mark was written to: persecuted Gentile Christians who likely lived in Rome or another large city in the Roman Empire
When Mark was written: The current, widely but not entirely accepted theory is that Mark was the first Gospel to be written; evangelicals tend to place the date of writing between 55-65 CE/AD and others 2-10 years later. Dr. Oden says that based on Coptic tradition, the date would be 67-68 CE/AD.
The purpose of the book of Mark: to tell the story of Jesus specifically to Gentile/Hellenized audiences in an action-packed manner--note the frequent use of the word immediately--emphasizing Jesus as the Suffering Servant that the prophets foretold.
Things I noticed:
When Mark was written: The current, widely but not entirely accepted theory is that Mark was the first Gospel to be written; evangelicals tend to place the date of writing between 55-65 CE/AD and others 2-10 years later. Dr. Oden says that based on Coptic tradition, the date would be 67-68 CE/AD.
The purpose of the book of Mark: to tell the story of Jesus specifically to Gentile/Hellenized audiences in an action-packed manner--note the frequent use of the word immediately--emphasizing Jesus as the Suffering Servant that the prophets foretold.
Things I noticed:
38. He also said in his teaching, Beware of the scribes: The Greek word translated here as scribes is grammateus, which in the Bible means someone educated in the Torah and other Scripture texts who was qualified to render judgments on the interpretation of Torah, determining whether some action is permitted or prohibited. The scribes were members of the Sanhedrin. See also Matthew 7:15, Matthew 10:17, Matthew 23:1-7, Luke 20:45-47
who want to go around in long robes and who want greetings in the marketplaces: During a time period when fabric was handwoven with no mechanization, fabric was very, very, very expensive. A long, floor-length robe that used more fabric than a tunic reaching the mid-thighs was a luxury good. The same Greek word is used in Luke 15:22, Revelation 6:11, Revelation 7:9-14, and Revelation 22:14. Greek teachers would wear long white linen robes and it's possible that Jewish scribes did as well. The ancient custom was that the socially inferior were required to greet the socially superior in public with titles of honor. See also Matthew 6:5, Matthew 23:7, Luke 11:43, Luke 14:7-11, 3 John 1:9
39. the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets: see also Matthew 6:2, Matthew 23:2, Matthew 23:6, Luke 11:43, Luke 14:7, Luke 20:46, James 2:2-3
40. They devour widows’ houses:
He [Hillel] used to say: one who makes his name great causes his name to be destroyed; one who does not add [to his knowledge] causes [it] to cease; one who does not study [the Torah] deserves death; one who makes [unworthy] use of the crown [of learning] shall pass away. Pirkei Avot 1:13
Rabbi Ishmael his son said: He who learns in order to teach, it is granted to him to study and to teach; But he who learns in order to practice, it is granted to him to learn and to teach and to practice. Rabbi Zadok said: do not make them a crown for self-exaltation, nor a spade with which to dig. So too Hillel used to say, “And he that puts the crown to his own use shall perish.” Thus you have learned, anyone who derives worldly benefit from the words of the Torah, removes his life from the world. Pirkei Avot 4:5
Devouring widows' houses marks the scribes as no better than the unethical and greedy tax collectors. See also Mark 7:10-13, Exodus 22:22, Deuteronomy 10:18, Deuteronomy 14:29, Deuteronomy 24:17-21, Deuteronomy 26:12-13, Deuteronomy 27:19, Job 22:9, Job 24:3, Job 24:21, Job 29:13-18, Psalm 68:5, Psalm 94:6, Psalm 146:9 below, Proverbs 15:25, Isaiah 1:17, Isaiah 1:23, Isaiah 10:1-2, Jeremiah 7:6, Jeremiah 22:3, Ezekiel 22:7, Ezekiel 22:25, Micah 2:2, Micah 2:9, Micah 3:1-4, Zechariah 7:10, Malachi 3:5, Luke 20:47, Acts 6:1, 1 Timothy 5:3-16, 2 Timothy 3:6, James 1:27
and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment:
R. Hannin said in the name of R. Hannina: Whoever prolongs his prayer, his prayer will not return empty. Whence have we this? From Moses our teacher; as it is said, "And I prayed unto the Lord" (Deuteronomy 9:26), and it is afterwards written, "[Now I stayed in the mount... forty days and forty nights] and the Lord hearkened unto me that time also" (Deuteronomy 10:10). But it is not so! For R. Hiyya b. Abba has said in the name of R. Johanan: Whoever prolongs his prayer and calculates on it will eventually come to pain of heart; as it is said, "Hope deferred maketh the heart sick" (Proverbs 13:12). What is his remedy? Let him occupy himself with Torah; as it is said, "But desire fulfilled is a tree of life" (ibid.), and "tree of life" is nothing else than Torah, as it is said, "It is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon it" (Proverbs 3:18)! There is no contradiction; the latter teaching refers to one who prolongs his prayer and calculates on it, the former to one who prolongs his prayer without calculating on it. R. Hamma b. Hannina said: If a man sees that he prays and is not answered he should repeat his prayer; as it is said, "Wait for the Lord; be strong and let thy heart take courage; yea, wait thou for the Lord" (Psalm 27:14). Berakhot 32b:8-10
Several Jewish scholars of the time taught that public prayers should be short and private prayers should be long. All of the scholars agreed that God was more likely to listen to long prayers; what Jesus is criticizing are the motives for the long prayers. See also Deuteronomy 9:18-19, Ecclesiastes 5:2-3, Isaiah 10:1-2, Amos 2:7, Amos 8:4-10, Zechariah 7:10, Matthew 6:7, Matthew 11:22-24, Matthew 23:13, Matthew 23:33, Luke 5:33, Luke 12:47-48, Romans 13:2, James 3:1
41. Sitting across from the temple treasury: see also Matthew 27:6, Luke 21:2-4, John 8:20
he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums:
There were thirteen chests in the Temple and on them was inscribed [respectively]:“new shekels”;“New shekels” those for each year; “old shekels”;“Old shekels” whoever has not paid his shekel in the past year may pay it in the coming year; “bird-offerings”;“Bird-offerings” these are turtle-doves; “young pigeons for burnt-offerings”;“Young pigeons for burnt-offerings” these are young pigeons. “wood”; “frankincense”; “gold for the kapporet”; and on six, “freewill offerings”. Both [these two chests] are for burnt-offerings, the words of Rabbi Judah. But the sages say: “bird-offerings” one [half] is for sin-offerings and the other [half] for burnt-offerings, but “young pigeons for burnt-offerings” all goes to burnt-offerings. Mishnah Shekalim 6:5 (the rest of this passage provides a lot more information about how the treasury worked)
What may have been happening was that people would bring the value of their desired or necessary offering in coins. They would present the coins to a priest near the treasury chests. The priest would verify that the coins were valid and the correct amount for the offering that the worshipper was making. If the amount was insufficient, the priest would tell them how much more money was necessary. If the amount was sufficient, the priest may have loudly declared the type of offering being made so that a servant could bring that to the altar and then the priest or the worshipper would drop the coins into the chest. The thirteenth chest was for freewill offerings--offerings which were not designated for a sacrifice. See also Exodus 35:5, Exodus 35:22, Deuteronomy 16:17, Joshua 6:19, 2 Kings 12:9, 2 Kings 22:4, 2 Chronicles 24:8, Matthew 10:9, Matthew 27:6, Luke 21:1, 1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 9:7
42. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little: The Greek word translated as tiny coins is lepton, which was a very small brass or bronze coin--the smallest denomination of coin in the Greek world. The most common lepton in Jesus' day was the star and anchor type lepton struck by Alexander Jannaeus (Yehonatan), the Hasmonean King of Judaea from 103 to 76 B.C. The Greek word translated as "[worth] very little" is 1 kodrantes or quadrans, which was the smallest Latin (Roman) coin. Both of these coins were .5-4 grams of bronze. The fact that Mark defines the value of the Greek coin in terms of the Roman coin demonstrates that at least part of his intended readership lived in an area with majority Roman coins (like Rome or Italy) rather than Greek coins. See also Proverbs 19:22, Luke 12:59, Luke 21:2
43. Summoning his disciples, he said to them, Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others: It's possible that this widow was ridiculed for her small offering by a greedy priest. He might have told her that her gift was too small. See also Exodus 35:21-29, 1 Kings 17:15 below, Matthew 10:42, Luke 21:3, Acts 11:29, 2 Corinthians 8:2-3, 2 Corinthians 8:12, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
44. For they all gave out of their surplus: see also Mark 14:8, 1 Chronicles 29:2-17, 2 Chronicles 24:10-14, 2 Chronicles 31:5-10, 2 Chronicles 35:7-8, Ezra 2:68-69, Nehemiah 7:70-72, 2 Corinthians 8:2-3, Philippians 4:10-17
but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had—all she had to live on:
There was an incident involving a certain woman who brought a handful of fine flour, and the priest was disparaging her. He said: ‘Look at what they sacrifice. What is there to eat, what is there to sacrifice?’ The priest had a vision in a dream: Do not disparage her. It is as though she is sacrificing her soul. These matters can be derived a fortiori: If regarding one who does not sacrifice a soul, the term soul is written, for one who does sacrifice a soul, all the more so it is as though he is sacrificing his soul. Vayikra Rabbah 3:5 [soul could also be translated life]
See also Deuteronomy 24:6, Luke 21:2-4, 1 John 3:17
The literary structure of this passage is available here. I believe that the key to application of this passage is Mark 12:40. Jesus is shaming the scribes for oppressing this widow and not providing for her. In my research, this widow might have been able to purchase a small slice of bread with her 2 coins. [A one-pound loaf of bread would have cost about 2 ases, 4 quadrans equaled 1 as, and 2 leptons equaled 1 quadrans. So she would have needed 16 of her tiny coins just to buy a loaf of bread, which would have had less than 1000 calories. Bread is the cheapest food in any agrarian society.] This widow was starving to death if that is all of the money that she had. There is no indication that any of the scribes were lifting a finger to make sure that she was fed.
The consequences of the scribes' and priests' misdeeds are given in the 2 verses immediately following this passage: Mark 13:1-2. Beware of any religious leader who says that the practical application of this passage is that you should give all (or a painful percentage) of your money to them and their religious organization; compare that religious leader to Ezekiel 34 and run. Compare this passage to Mark 7:10-13. Note that Jesus does not say "Go and do likewise" when talking about the widow giving everything that she had, but he does tell the rich young ruler to sell all that he has and give it to the poor in Mark 10:17-31. The rich young ruler would have been able to continue earning a high wage after selling all of his possessions, but widows had to rely on their dowries, charity, and any children to provide support.
The Visual Commentary on Scripture has the page The Widow of Zarephath.
1 Kings 17:8-16
CSB
Then the word of the Lord came to him: “Get up, go to Zarephath that belongs to Sidon and stay there. Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there.” So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink.” As she went to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked—only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug. Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die.” Then Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said. But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me. Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son, for this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land.’” So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days. The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord he had spoken through Elijah.
Who wrote First and Second Kings: it should be noted that the book of Kings was originally one complete document and the authorship is traditionally ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah (Yirmiyahu)
Who First and Second Kings was written to: Jewish people who were in exile in Babylon from the Promised Land
When First and Second Kings was written: The time period of the events in the book spans from 970 to 562 BCE/BC, so the last words were written in 562 or later, and the return of the exilees is not mentioned, so it would have been completed before 538 BCE/BC.
The purpose of the book of First and Second Kings: The high point of the book is the ascension of Elijah into heaven (a favorite story of mine) and the ministry of the prophets is emphasized, though the overall goal of the book is to show how most of the kings failed to follow God and honor their covenant with God--basically providing evidence that the Jewish people deserved the curses portion of the covenant and that there was hope of the blessings to return.
Things I noticed:
Who First and Second Kings was written to: Jewish people who were in exile in Babylon from the Promised Land
When First and Second Kings was written: The time period of the events in the book spans from 970 to 562 BCE/BC, so the last words were written in 562 or later, and the return of the exilees is not mentioned, so it would have been completed before 538 BCE/BC.
The purpose of the book of First and Second Kings: The high point of the book is the ascension of Elijah into heaven (a favorite story of mine) and the ministry of the prophets is emphasized, though the overall goal of the book is to show how most of the kings failed to follow God and honor their covenant with God--basically providing evidence that the Jewish people deserved the curses portion of the covenant and that there was hope of the blessings to return.
Things I noticed:
8. Then the word of the Lord came to him: Context: Elijah is by the Wadi Cherith being fed by ravens when God speaks to him again (1 Kings 17:1-7). See also 1 Kings 17:2, 1 Kings 18:1, Genesis 22:14, Isaiah 41:17, Hebrews 13:6
9. Get up, go to Zarephath: Zarephath (ZAR-ih-fath) is also known as Sarepta; it is about 8.5 miles (13.5 km) south of Sidon and about 14 miles (23 km) north of Tyre. See also Obadiah 1:20, Luke 4:26
that belongs to Sidon and stay there: Sidon (SIGH-duhn) was a bustling Phoenician seaport. You can learn more about Sidon from Associates for Biblical Research. Sidon was the homeland of Queen Jezebel, whom Elijah is trying to avoid after he predicted a drought (1 Kings 16:29-33, 1 Kings 17:1-2). Sidon was also the center of Baal worship. The walk between Wadi Cherith and Zarephath was about 100 miles (160 km) as best as I can tell and theoretically would take more than 38 hours of walking. I would expect such a walk to take even longer during a time of drought and famine because more time would need to be spent obtaining food and water, unless God had the ravens continue to supply Elijah with food. See also Zechariah 9:2, Matthew 15:21-22
Look, I have commanded a woman who is a widow to provide for you there:
"Thou art a father to the fatherless, and a husband to the widow and a brother to the girl in need." Statement of the eloquent peasant in a message to the pharaoh in The Eloquent Peasant as translated by by Donald Mackenzie (written circa 1850 BCE)
"That the strong might not injure the weak, in order to protect the widows and orphans, I have in Babylon the city where Anu and Bel raise high their head, in E-Sagil, the Temple, whose foundations stand firm as heaven and earth, in order to bespeak justice in the land, to settle all disputes, and heal all injuries, set up these my precious words, written upon my memorial stone, before the image of me, as king of righteousness." The Code of Hammurabi
"The orphan was not delivered up to the rich man; the widow was not delivered up to the mighty man; the man of one shekel was not delivered up to the man of one mina." prologue of Code of Ur-Nammu
Widows were acknowledged to be a precarious place in ancient cultures and were supposed to be protected and provided with charity. See also 1 Kings 17:4, Judges 7:2-4, Matthew 10:11, Matthew 10:41, Matthew 21:3, Romans 4:17-21, 2 Corinthians 4:7
10. So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering wood. Elijah called to her and said, Please bring me a little water in a cup and let me drink: This widow is gathering twigs and small branches that had fallen off of the carts and wagons going through the gate. Due to starvation, she might have only had the energy to gather a small amount of branches for her cooking fire. Both in antiquity and the modern era, Middle Easterners expect to provide hospitality (water, food, and accomodations) to strangers along with friends and family. Requesting water during a drought might have required significant effort for the widow to provide; the bucket might have had to be lowered deeper into the well, or maybe it involved travelling to a more distant well that hadn't dried up. See also Genesis 21:15, Genesis 24:17, Judges 4:19, Ezekiel 12:19, John 4:7, 2 Corinthians 11:27, Hebrews 11:37, Hebrews 13:2
11. As she went to get it: see also Genesis 24:18, Genesis 24:19, Matthew 10:42, Matthew 25:35-40, Hebrews 13:2
he called to her and said, Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand: see also verse 9 above, 1 Kings 18:4, Genesis 18:5
12. But she said, As the Lord your God lives, I don’t have anything baked: Somehow she realizes that he is a Jew; it might have been due to his accent or his clothing or his hairstyle. It is not a statement of her belief in Elijah's deity, but a standard oath formula in Semitic languages at the time. See also 1 Kings 17:1, 1 Samuel 14:39, 1 Samuel 14:45, 1 Samuel 20:3, 1 Samuel 20:21, 1 Samuel 25:26, 1 Samuel 26:10, 2 Samuel 15:21, Jeremiah 4:2, Jeremiah 5:2
only a handful of flour in the jar and a bit of oil in the jug: The base of the Canaanite diet at this time were flatbreads fried in a little oil. See also 2 Kings 4:2-7, Matthew 15:33-34
Just now, I am gathering a couple of sticks in order to go prepare it for myself and my son so we can eat it and die: see also Genesis 21:16, Deuteronomy 28:16, Jeremiah 14:18, Lamentations 4:9, Ezekiel 12:18-19, Joel 1:15-16, Haggai 1:6, Matthew 4:4
13. Then Elijah said to her, Don’t be afraid; go and do as you have said: see also Exodus 14:13, 2 Kings 6:16, 2 Chronicles 20:17, Isaiah 41:10-13, Matthew 1:20, Matthew 28:5, Acts 27:24
But first make me a small loaf from it and bring it out to me: see also Genesis 22:1-2, Judges 7:5-7, Matthew 19:21-22, John 4:50, Hebrews 11:17, 1 Peter 1:7
Afterward, you may make some for yourself and your son: see also Proverbs 3:9, Malachi 3:10, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 10:37, Matthew 14:20, John 2:7
14. for this is what the Lord God of Israel says: see also 2 Kings 3:16, 2 Kings 7:1, 2 Kings 9:6
The flour jar will not become empty and the oil jug will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the surface of the land: Zarephath was known for its bountiful production of flour and olive oil; the drought and famine were severe if Zarephath had little production. God is providing food in the heart of the Baal-worshipping land to a widow who likely worshipped Baal. God provides for whom God chooses to provide. See also 1 Kings 17:4, 2 Kings 4:2-7, 2 Kings 4:42-44, Jeremiah 14:22, Matthew 6:34, Matthew 14:17-20, Matthew 15:36-38, Mark 8:8
15. So she proceeded to do according to the word of Elijah. Then the woman, Elijah, and her household ate for many days: see also Genesis 6:22, Genesis 12:4, Genesis 22:3, 2 Chronicles 20:20, Matthew 15:28, Mark 12:43 above, John 11:40, Romans 4:19-20, Hebrews 11:7-8, Hebrews 11:17
16. The flour jar did not become empty, and the oil jug did not run dry: see also Matthew 9:28-30, Matthew 19:26, Luke 1:37, Luke 1:45, John 4:50-51
according to the word of the Lord: see also 1 Kings 13:5
he had spoken through Elijah: see also verse 8 above
The literary structure of this passage is available here.
Psalm 146
CSB
Hallelujah!
My soul, praise the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing to my God as long as I live.
Do not trust in nobles,
in a son of man, who cannot save.
When his breath leaves him,
he returns to the ground;
on that day his plans die.
Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea and everything in them.
He remains faithful forever,
executing justice for the exploited
and giving food to the hungry.
The Lord frees prisoners.
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects resident aliens
and helps the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever;
Zion, your God reigns for all generations.
Hallelujah!
Who wrote this Psalm? unattributed in the Hebrew Bible, but Psalms 145 through 148 are attributed to "Haggai and Zechariah" in the Septuagint. Psalms 145-150 might have been merged into one song originally; they are certainly a cohesive unit.
Who was this Psalm written for? Jews to sing as a hymn of praise to God
When was this Psalm written? this was possibly created for the dedication of the Second Temple, circa 516 BCE/BC
What is the purpose of the book of Psalms? The Psalms are songs for worship, both public and private.
When was this Psalm written? this was possibly created for the dedication of the Second Temple, circa 516 BCE/BC
What is the purpose of the book of Psalms? The Psalms are songs for worship, both public and private.
Things I noticed:
1. Hallelujah! My soul, praise the Lord: Hallelujah (ha-luh-LOO-yuh) literally means praise God! See also Psalm 30:12, Psalm 63:4, Psalm 103:1, Psalm 103:22, Psalm 104:1, Psalm 104:35, Psalm 105:45, Psalm 148:1, Revelation 19:1
2. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live: see also Psalm 30:12, Psalm 52:9, Psalm 61:8, Psalm 63:4, Psalm 71:14-15, Psalm 86:12, Psalm 104:33, Psalm 145:1-2, 1 Chronicles 29:10, Nehemiah 9:5, John 16:22, Philippians 4:4, Revelation 7:9-17
3. Do not trust in nobles, in a son of man, who cannot save: see also Psalm 52:7, Psalm 60:11, Psalm 62:9, Psalm 108:12, Psalm 118:8-9, 2 Chronicles 16:7, Isaiah 2:22, Isaiah 31:3, Isaiah 37:6, Jeremiah 17:5-6
4. When his breath leaves him: see also Psalm 104:29, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 6:17, Job 12:10, Job 14:10, Job 17:1, Job 27:3, Daniel 5:23
he returns to the ground: see also Psalm 90:3, Genesis 3:19, Ecclesiastes 12:7
on that day his plans die: The death of a person brings death to that person's ability to enact his or her plans. You can make a will or a living trust or have your family and friends swear to carry out your plans, but they can always choose later to not follow those plans. See also Job 4:21, Job 14:21, Job 17:11, Proverbs 11:7, Ecclesiastes 9:6, Isaiah 2:22, Lamentations 4:20, 1 Corinthians 2:6
5. Happy is the one: The Hebrew word translated here as happy is esher, which means both happy and blessed. See also Psalm 33:12, Psalm 84:12, Psalm 144:15, Deuteronomy 33:29, Matthew 5:3, 1 Peter 4:14
whose help is the God of Jacob: see also Psalm 46:7, Psalm 46:11, Psalm 84:8, Psalm 132:2, Genesis 32:24-29, Genesis 50:17, Exodus 3:6
whose hope is in the Lord his God: see also Psalm 31:24, Psalm 32:10, Psalm 39:7, Psalm 71:5, Psalm 131:3, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Romans 8:24, 1 Corinthians 13:13, Hebrews 6:19, 1 Peter 1:21, 1 Peter 4:19
6. the Maker of heaven and earth: see also Psalm 33:6, Psalm 90:2, Psalm 115:15, Psalm 121:2, Psalm 124:8, Psalm 134:3, Psalm 136:5-6, Psalm 148:5-6, Genesis 1:1, Nehemiah 9:6, Isaiah 37:16, Jeremiah 10:11-12, Jeremiah 27:5, Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah 51:15, John 1:3, Acts 4:24, Acts 7:50, Acts 14:15, Colossians 1:16, Revelation 14:7
the sea and everything in them: "Heaven and earth and the sea and everything in them" is a synecdoche for the totality of the universe. See also Psalm 95:5, Exodus 20:11, Job 38:8-11, Proverbs 8:28-29, Jonah 1:9
He remains faithful forever: see also Psalm 89:2, Psalm 89:33, Psalm 98:3, Psalm 100:5, Deuteronomy 7:9, Deuteronomy 32:4, Lamentations 3:23, Daniel 9:4, Micah 7:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:24, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:18-19, 1 Peter 4:19
7. executing justice for the exploited: The Hebrew word translated as Maker in verse 6 above and translated here as executing is asah, so there is some symmetry here. See also Psalm 9:16, Psalm 10:14-15, Psalm 10:18, Psalm 12:5, Psalm 72:4, Psalm 103:6, Exodus 22:23, Exodus 23:3, Exodus 23:6, Deuteronomy 1:17, Proverbs 22:22-23, Proverbs 23:10-11, Isaiah 9:4, Jeremiah 9:24, Malachi 3:5
and giving food to the hungry: see also Psalm 107:9, Psalm 107:36, Psalm 136:25, Psalm 145:15-16, Genesis 1:29, Ruth 1:6, Jeremiah 31:14, Luke 1:53, Luke 9:17, 1 Corinthians 11:17-22
The Lord frees prisoners: This may be reference to debtors in debtors' prison being released in the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-13). See also Psalm 68:6, Psalm 69:33, Psalm 79:11, Psalm 102:20, Psalm 105:17-20, Psalm 107:10, Psalm 107:14-16, Psalm 142:7, Isaiah 42:7, Isaiah 49:9, Isaiah 61:1, Zechariah 9:11-12, Luke 4:18, Acts 5:19, Acts 12:7, Acts 12:17, Acts 16:26
8. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind: see also Exodus 4:11, Isaiah 35:5, Isaiah 42:7, Isaiah 42:16, Isaiah 42:18, Matthew 9:30, Matthew 11:5, Matthew 20:30, Mark 7:34-35, Mark 10:52, Luke 4:18, Luke 7:22, Luke 18:41-43, John 9:7-33; John 10:21, Acts 26:18, Ephesians 1:18, 1 Peter 2:9
The Lord raises up those who are oppressed: see also Psalm 12:5, Psalm 145:14, Psalm 147:6, Luke 13:11-13, 2 Corinthians 7:6
The Lord loves the righteous: The Hebrew word translated here as righteous is sadiq, which means both righteous and just. A righteous or just person will ensure that the disadvantaged are cared for and oppression is removed. See also Psalm 11:7, Deuteronomy 33:3, Proverbs 15:9, John 14:21-23, John 16:27
9. The Lord protects resident aliens and helps the fatherless and the widow: see also Psalm 10:14, Psalm 68:5, Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Deuteronomy 16:11, Proverbs 15:25, Jeremiah 49:11, Hosea 14:3, Malachi 3:5, Acts 9:41, 1 Timothy 5:3, James 1:27
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked: see also Psalm 1:6, Psalm 18:26, Psalm 83:13-17, Psalm 145:20, Psalm 147:6, 2 Samuel 15:31, 2 Samuel 17:23, Esther 5:14, Esther 7:10, Esther 9:25, Proverbs 4:19, Proverbs 15:9, Job 5:12-14, Amos 4:1, Amos 5:10-13, Amos 8:4-10, 1 Corinthians 3:19
10. The Lord reigns forever: see also Psalm 10:16, Psalm 145:13, Exodus 15:18, Isaiah 9:7, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 6:26, Daniel 7:14, Revelation 11:15
Zion, your God reigns for all generations. Hallelujah: Zion (ZIGH-uhn) was originally the name of a hill in Jerusalem but through synecdoche came to represent Jerusalem and then all of Israel. Hallelujah (ha-luh-LOO-yuh) literally means praise God! When the Lord returns, justice will return to Earth with the eternal reign of the Messiah. Oppression will end then. See also Psalm 147:12, Isaiah 12:6, Isaiah 40:9, Isaiah 52:7, Jeremiah 8:19, Lamentations 5:19, Joel 3:17
The literary structure of Psalms 146-150 is available here.
The Visual Commentary on Scripture has the page A Sanctuary Not Made with Hands.
Hebrews 9:24-28
CSBFor Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Who wrote Hebrews: unattributed; Paul, Luke, Barnabus, Apollos, Silas, and Aquila/Priscilla are all theoretical authors. The author had never met Jesus but knew eyewitnesses to Jesus (Hebrews 2:3) and knew Timothy (Hebrews 13:23). I am skeptical that Paul wrote Hebrews because he signed his name to every other book that is attributed to him and the book uses significantly different language, arguments, and interpretations compared to Pauline books, and Paul also classified himself as an eyewitness to Jesus. From Hebrews 13:24, it appears that either the author was in Italy or his/her fellow congregation members were from Italy. The author certainly was intimately familiar with Jewish culture and beliefs and had likely spent significant time in Jerusalem.
Who Hebrews was written to: there is no addressee in the book and the book name "Hebrews" was first applied by Clement of Alexandria (circa 150-215 CE/AD)
When Hebrews was written: before the destruction of the Second Temple, which happened in 70 CE/AD (Hebrews 5:1-4, Hebrews 8:3-5, Hebrews 9:24-25, and Hebrews 10:1-3 all indicate that the sacrifices and other Temple functions were still happening)
The purpose of the book of Hebrews: to persuade Jewish people that Jesus is the better high priest of the order of Melchizedek whose priesthood is eternal and whose better sacrifice is eternal
Things I noticed:
Who Hebrews was written to: there is no addressee in the book and the book name "Hebrews" was first applied by Clement of Alexandria (circa 150-215 CE/AD)
When Hebrews was written: before the destruction of the Second Temple, which happened in 70 CE/AD (Hebrews 5:1-4, Hebrews 8:3-5, Hebrews 9:24-25, and Hebrews 10:1-3 all indicate that the sacrifices and other Temple functions were still happening)
The purpose of the book of Hebrews: to persuade Jewish people that Jesus is the better high priest of the order of Melchizedek whose priesthood is eternal and whose better sacrifice is eternal
Things I noticed:
24. For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands: see also Hebrews 9:11, Mark 14:58, John 2:19-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1, Colossians 2:11
only a model of the true one:
"You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain and an altar in the city of your habitation, a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning." Wisdom of Solomon 9:8 NRSVUE
Reish Lakish said: There are seven firmaments, and they are as follows: Vilon, Rakia, Sheḥakim, Zevul, Ma’on, Makhon, and Aravot. The Gemara proceeds to explain the role of each firmament: Vilon, curtain, is the firmament that does not contain anything, but enters at morning and departs in the evening, and renews the act of Creation daily, as it is stated: “Who stretches out the heavens as a curtain [Vilon], and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:22). Rakia, firmament, is the one in which the sun, moon, stars, and zodiac signs are fixed, as it is stated: “And God set them in the firmament [Rakia] of the heaven” (Genesis 1:17). Sheḥakim, heights, is the one in which mills stand and grind manna for the righteous, as it is stated: “And He commanded the heights [Sheḥakim] above, and opened the doors of heaven; and He caused manna to rain upon them for food, and gave them of the corn of heaven” (Psalm 78:23–24). Zevul, abode, is the location of the heavenly Jerusalem and the heavenly Temple, and there the heavenly altar is built, and the angel Michael, the great minister, stands and sacrifices an offering upon it, as it is stated: “I have surely built a house of Zevul for You, a place for You to dwell forever” (1 Kings 8:13). And from where do we derive that Zevul is called heaven? As it is written: “Look down from heaven and see, from Your holy and glorious abode [Zevul]” (Isaiah 63:15). Ma’on, habitation, is where there are groups of ministering angels who recite song at night and are silent during the day out of respect for Israel, in order not to compete with their songs, as it is stated: “By day the Lord will command His kindness, and in the night His song is with me” (Psalm 42:9), indicating that the song of the angels is with God only at night. Chagigah 12b:5-7
King Solomon said to Hiram of Tyre: “Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the Lord my God, to dedicate it to Him, and to burn before Him incense of sweet spices, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Shabbatot, and on the New Moons, and on the Festivals of the Lord our God. This is an ordinance forever for Israel” (2 Chronicles 2:3). Since the Temple was eventually destroyed, what did Solomon mean when he said that it is “an ordinance forever”? Rav Giddel says that Rav says: This is referring to the altar that remains built in Heaven even after the earthly Temple was destroyed, and the angel Michael, the great minister, stands and sacrifices an offering upon it. Menachot 110a:9
“And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan…” (Numbers 7:1)] Rabbi Simon said: at the time when the Holy One told Israel to erect the Tabernacle, He hinted that when the Tabernacle below is erected, the Tabernacle above is erected, as it says “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (ibid.) It does not say ‘erecting the Tabernacle’ but rather ‘erecting this (et) the Tabernacle.’ This refers to the Tabernacle above. Pesikta Rabbati 5:1
Jeremiah 17:12 indicates that the Temple in Heaven was built before Creation. The Tabernacle and the Temple in Jerusalem were pale imitations of the realer than real Temple in Heaven. The fullness of God dwells in Heaven while the presence of God in the earthly Tabernacle and Temple was just an extension of dwelling in the Heavenly Temple. See also Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:23, Hebrews 3:5, Hebrews 8:2, Hebrews 11:19, Romans 5:14, 1 Peter 3:21
but into heaven itself: see also Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 4:14, Hebrews 6:20, Hebrews 7:26, Hebrews 8:2, Hebrews 8:5, Hebrews 12:2, Psalm 61:7, Psalm 68:18, Psalm 102:19, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, John 6:62, John 16:28, Acts 1:9-11, Acts 3:21, Ephesians 1:20-22, Ephesians 4:8-11, Colossians 3:2, 1 Peter 3:22
so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us: see also Hebrews 7:25, Exodus 24:2, Exodus 28:12, Exodus 28:29, Isaiah 53:12, Jeremiah 30:21, Daniel 7:13, Zechariah 3:1, Romans 8:33-34, 1 John 2:1-2, Revelation 8:3
25. He did not do this to offer himself many times: see also Hebrews 9:7, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 10:10
as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another: see also Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:19, Hebrews 10:4, Exodus 30:10, Leviticus 16:2-34, Numbers 29:11
26. Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world: see also Hebrews 4:3, Ezekiel 46:15, Matthew 25:34, John 17:24, 1 Peter 1:20, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8
But now he has appeared one time: see also Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 10:4, Hebrews 10:10, Leviticus 16:21-22, 2 Samuel 12:13, 2 Samuel 24:10, Job 7:21, Daniel 9:24, John 1:29, Romans 6:10, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:18, 1 John 3:5
at the end of the ages: The end of the ages here means the time that the Messiah arrives, the beginning of the Messianic age. See also Hebrews 1:2, Isaiah 2:2, Daniel 10:14, Micah 4:1, Matthew 13:39-40, Matthew 13:49, Matthew 24:3, Matthew 28:20, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Galatians 4:1, Galatians 4:4, Ephesians 1:10, 1 Peter 1:20, 1 Peter 4:7
for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself: see also Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:26, Isaiah 53:10-12, Romans 3:25, Ephesians 5:2, Titus 2:14, 1 John 3:5
27. And just as it is appointed for people to die once: Many, if not most, scholars view this as a rejection of reincarnation. See also Genesis 3:19, 2 Samuel 14:14, 1 Kings 2:2, Job 14:5, Job 21:33, Job 30:23, Psalm 49:10, Psalm 89:48, Ecclesiastes 2:16, Ecclesiastes 3:20, Ecclesiastes 6:6, Ecclesiastes 7:2, Ecclesiastes 9:5, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Ecclesiastes 12:5-7, Ezekiel 31:14, Zechariah 1:5, Romans 5:12
and after this, judgment: see also Hebrews 6:2, Hebrews 12:25-29, Job 19:25, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Ecclesiastes 12:14, Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:26-29, John 12:48, John 16:11, Acts 17:31, Acts 24:25, Romans 2:5, Romans 2:16, Romans 14:9-12, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Timothy 4:1, Jude 1:15, Revelation 11:18, Revelation 20:11
28. so also Christ, having been offered once: see also verse 25 above, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 10:10, Matthew 20:28, Romans 6:10, 1 Peter 3:18
to bear the sins of many: see also Exodus 28:38, Leviticus 7:18, Leviticus 10:17, Leviticus 16:22, Numbers 9:13, Numbers 18:1, Numbers 18:23, Isaiah 53:4-6, Isaiah 53:11-12, Ezekiel 4:4, Ezekiel 18:20, Matthew 26:28, John 1:29, Romans 5:15, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 John 3:5
will appear a second time: see also Zechariah 14:5, John 14:3, Acts 1:11, 1 Corinthians 11:26, Colossians 3:4, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 Timothy 6:14, 2 Timothy 4:1, 1 John 2:28, 1 John 3:2, Revelation 1:7, Revelation 22:20
not to bear sin: see also Romans 6:10, Romans 8:3, Hebrews 9:12
but to bring salvation: see also Isaiah 25:9, Isaiah 35:4, Romans 8:23, 1 Corinthians 15:54, Philippians 3:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 2 Thessalonians 1:10
to those who are waiting for him: see also Isaiah 8:17, Romans 8:18-25, 1 Corinthians 1:7, Philippians 3:20, 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 2 Timothy 4:8, Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 3:12, Revelation 22:20
The literary structure of this passage is available here.
O God, whose blessed Son came into the world that he might destroy the works of the devil and make us children of God and heirs of eternal life: Grant that, having this hope, we may purify ourselves as he is pure; that, when he comes again with power and great glory, we may be made like him in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
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