On Line Bible Study - For the week January 25-31, 2010

Lesson 424
Luke 3: ¹⁵The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. ¹⁶John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." ¹⁸And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.

¹⁹But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, ²⁰Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.

Two things to be aware of right off the bat in this text: First, the question as to whether John the Baptist was the Christ is asked rhetorically by Luke. From the way it is put it is obvious the answer is "No". The second thing is to acknowledge that the fact the issue comes up at all indicates some were hopeful that perhaps John was the "one".

John fends off their wondering by letting people know there were three things that were different between himself and Jesus:

1. Jesus is more powerful than John.
2. John's baptism is with water; Jesus will baptize with fire and the Holy Spirit.
3. Jesus has the authority to judge.

Luke tells the story with much the same language as Mark and Matthew - Mark does not have the judgment piece and makes no mention of 'fire'. John's teaching, says scholar Darrell Bock, is to prepare for rather than run parallel to the teaching of Jesus.

There are some interesting challenges as far as the text is concerned here. Some scholars wonder if John actually said anything about the "Holy Spirit" just prior to Jesus' baptism. When he arrived at Ephesus, Paul found "disciples" who had been baptized with John's baptism, and claimed to never have even heard there was a Holy Spirit". How is it, that that long after the crucifixion and resurrection "disciples" were still being baptized with John's baptism?

Chronology can really trip us up here. And so can the use of imagery. When we get to the Book of Acts we will run into some powerful imagery with regard to the work of the Holy Spirit. Care has to be taken not to try to make a literal picture out of metaphorical imagery.

The main point of John's teaching and baptism are summarized in verse 18 - John exhorted the people and preached good news to them.

The closing verses in this passage provide a brief summary with regard to the demise of John the baptist. The moral weight of John's message was for everyone - including the king. An interesting point here: apparently John was vocal not only with regard to Herod's adultery, but with regard to all the other evil Herod was responsible for.

Next time we will wade into the waters of Luke's genealogy.

On Line Bible Study - For the week January 18-24, 2010

Lesson 423

Luke 3: ¹⁰"What should we do then?" the crowd asked. ¹¹John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."

¹²Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?"
¹³"Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them.

¹⁴Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely—be content with your pay."

The difference between Matthew and Luke with regard to the description of John "welcoming" and baptizing the crowds is significant. In Matthew (Lesson 300) we are told it was Pharisees and Sadducees that came out, and John greeted them with the words: You brood of vipers ... In Luke, we are told it was "crowds" - with no designation regarding religious standing or status. In both gospels the message begins in the same way - Produce fruit in keeping with repentance ... But then, Luke digresses.

The crowds have a question for him: What should we do?

Perhaps some have seen the movie Rudy. Based on a true story of a young man who is neither scholastically nor athletically gifted, but who desperately wanted to go to Notre Dame and play football, after much hard work - both academically and physically, he finally gets in to the school, and the football coach lets him practice with the team. No one worked harder, longer, or gave as much of himself as did Rudy. But he never got to play ... until the last play of the last game of his college career, when against the coach's best efforts and intentions, the whole team and the entire Notre Dame student body was shouting his name, trying to force the coach's hand: Rudy! Rudy! Rudy! The coach had no choice but to put him in the game. As he is running out onto the field, Rudy was shouting: What do I do? Where should I go? What do I do?

The crowds have heard the message, and now they are looking for specific ways to "walk the talk" - What should we do?

Luke 3:8 tells us there is no point depending on our ancestry. What your grandmother believed doesn't count for you. And in the following verse John lets the listeners know that time is short: The ax is at the root of the trees ... It's now or never. If you are not producing fruit, not only are you cut down; you are cast into the fire. There are certainly eschatological - or "end-time" implications to this; but even if the Lord does not quickly return, the point is that we are making decisions that have an impact on our eternal fate. And this sets the stage for the question the crowds ask: What should we do?

Scholar Darrell Bock points out the following: John's reply is exceedingly practical. He does not call the crowd to his ascetic lifestyle, nor does he call for a commitment to a series of ritual religious acts, nor does he point to the sacrifices associated with the Jewish faith. Rather, he points to meeting the needs of others.

We might say that this practical response to the message reveals a great deal about what is in the human heart.

Tax collectors ask the same question. Taxes in the Roman Empire were an extremely complicated affair (and today is any different?). Darrell Bock explains: There were different ranks of collectors, and there were different taxes to collect. Wealthy individual would gain the right to collect, and then farm out the responsibility to "vendors" who would go out, collect the tax, and add a percentage to compensate them for their time. The system of multiple collectors, with various "surcharges" was most unpopular. John does not question the system of taxation; his advice to the tax collectors is as straight forward as his counsel to the crowds - Don't collect more than what people are required to pay.

Finally, "soldiers" ask the same question. We believe these are "Jewish" soldiers - perhaps those who provide protection for the tax collectors, a kind of Judean Police. John offers three responses:

1. Don't extort money. The Greek may mean something akin to: Don't shake people down!
   
2. Don't accuse people falsely. Don't be an 'informant', lying about others to make yourself look good. Don't intimidate people with your power or position.
   
3. Be content with your pay. The language used here is often used with reference to the military - be content with the provisions given to you.
   

Bock summarizes John's advice: Be compassionate, loving, fair, and don't take advantage of others for your own personal gain.

Rudy got himself to the line of scrimmage - Notre Dame playing defense - and when the ball was snapped, he broke through the line, found the guy with the ball, and tackled him hard for a significant loss.

We know what to do. With joy, generosity and faith, let's get busy and do it!

On Line Bible Study - For the week January 11 - 17, 2010

Lesson 422

Luke 3: ¹In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene— ²during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. ³He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

Scholar Darrell Bock points to the power of the opening verses of the chapter - somewhat reminiscent of the opening of Chapter 2 - that Luke wants to situate Jesus' ministry "in the midst of world history," and John's ministry "in the midst of Old Testament hope." We have a lot of material in this chapter that is unique to Luke's gospel. Matthew introduces John's ministry with the simple words: In those days ... In Mark, John simply "appears". Luke, on the other hand, gives us a litany of names telling us who is governor, tetrarch and high priest.
Is there any true "hope" apart from history? Isn't the Incarnation an indication that God intends to do the divine work in history, not separate from it or in some other world? Isn't it our history - that is, our everyday experience of injustice, grief, suffering - that is in need of redemption?
Luke 3: ⁴As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
"A voice of one calling in the desert,
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.
⁵Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
the rough ways smooth.
⁶And all mankind will see God's salvation.' "

Only Luke adds the language contained in verses 5 & 6 (Isaiah 40:4-5). In this gospel, John the baptist presents a message that is for "all mankind", thus paving the way for the good news to be brought to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. Every valley is going to be filled in. Immediately after this, we read what John is teaching:
Luke 3: ⁷... "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸Produce fruit in keeping with repentance..."
As you look at this, what is missing? There is no mention of John's clothing, appearance or diet. (Contrast this with Matthew 3:4.) In Luke, John the baptist is more approachable. This becomes obvious in the response of the crowds to his teaching:
Luke 3: ¹⁰"What should we do then?" the crowd asked.
Tax collectors and soldiers also engage John in conversation with regard to how they should respond to his message. In his commentary on Luke, Darrell Bock presents the various layers of taxes and collectors. It is, as he explains, a very complicated situation, with each layer of collection given free reign to charge whatever they wished in order to cover their expenses. Abuses were rampant, thus the disdain with which Jews held those who chose the profession. It is likely that there was a connection between the tax collectors and the "soldiers", with the latter offering protection to the former.
Next time we will consider John's response to the question: What should we do?

On Line Bible Study - For the week January 4-10, 2010

Lesson 421

Luke 2: ⁴¹Every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²When he was twelve years old, they went up to the Feast, according to the custom. ⁴³After the Feast was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."

⁴⁹"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" ⁵⁰But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Let's parse this text out a bit:

• Mary and Joseph are faithful to the traditions of their Jewish faith as they travel to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover. While many who traveled stayed only for 2 or 3 days, it appears this family stayed for the full 7 days of Passover.
• Jesus manages to escape both the presence and the notice of his parents.
• There is amazement at Jesus' understanding and that he would treat his parents as he did.
• Jesus demonstrates absolute clarity as to his priorities and mission - and his relationship to his Father.

There are many questions about this text, found only in Luke. Recalling the presentation of Jesus in the temple, referenced in the previous lesson, we find ourselves once again in the temple - Luke's "last stop" as it were before Jesus is baptized and begins his public ministry. Notice that this story of Jesus in the temple concludes very much like the previous one - he grows up and is "filled with wisdom" and God's grace is upon him.

This is the only Gospel reference to Jesus being taught by Jewish leaders. According to Luke, the speaking Jesus does is in the form of questions to those who were teaching, and responses he makes to the questions of the teachers. This question / answer approach was a style of instruction very common in the ancient world.

But the centerpiece of the story is Jesus' response to his parents, specifically to his mother. He is surprised at their "surprise". In spite of the stories of the angel visitation to Mary and the explanation given to her with regard to her son, she does not have inside knowledge here; or, if she does have inside knowledge, she still has much to learn about the mission Jesus has come to fulfill.

This is the point not only for Mary, but for all of us. Jesus, in these first words uttered by him in Luke's Gospel, is clear about what he is called to do. The "temple" may be a symbol not so much for a specific place as for the work of God that must be carried out in the world. Throughout the entire Gospel tradition Jesus has a powerful sense of his call; thus, his priorities are never in question, and he will not be distracted from his mission.

For those who have faith in Jesus, this single-mindedness is still very much in play. He is relevant today not because of any cultural predilections, but because of his single priority - to do God's will. What is the work of God in our time? How is it different, or the same as it was in Jesus' day? The resurrected Christ is still single minded. God is still the top priority.

What's yours?

On Line Bible Study - for the week December 28, 2009 - January 3, 2010

Lesson 420

The "simple" story of the birth of Jesus is one of the most complicated! Though it comprises a total of only four chapters in all of the Bible - two in Matthew and two in Luke - almost every verse is contested in one way or another. Who actually said what? Is the "Magnificat" of Mary (Luke 1:46-55) more appropriately the song of Elizabeth? Are various components of the story actually flashbacks that draw from both Israel's stories as well as other texts from pagan religions? Why does Matthew include the genealogy in his birth narrative, and Luke sandwich it between Jesus' baptism and his public ministry? Why does Matthew tell us that the angel visitations were to Joseph, and Luke tells us the angel visitations were to Mary? The clear implication in Matthew is that Mary and Joseph originally lived in Bethlehem, and then moved to Nazareth; Luke tells us the couple hailed from Nazareth, (Luke 2:39), traveled to Bethlehem to comply with the census, and then returned to Nazareth.

The disparities and differences and questions could go on and on, as evidenced by the 712 page commentary by Father Raymond Brown (The Birth of the Messiah, The Anchor Bible Reference Library), and the 500 + books and articles written since 1976 on these four chapters of Scripture. We would need far more than Twelve Days of Christmas to do any kind of justice to these texts! Without intending any disrespect to the details of Jesus' birth, we will move on to consider two of the scenes following his birth - one when Jesus was still an infant, and in our next lesson a scene (the only one in the Scriptures) of Jesus as an adolescent.

Luke 2: ²²... Joseph and Mary took [Jesus] to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord ... ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord ... ²⁵Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon ... ²⁶It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, ²⁸Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying:
²⁹"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised,
you now dismiss your servant in peace.
³⁰For my eyes have seen your salvation,
³¹which you have prepared in the sight of all people,
³²a light for revelation to the Gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel."

... ³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel ... ³⁵so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

³⁶There was also a prophetess, Anna ... She was very old ... She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

We will point out two aspects of the text - the tension between the Gentiles and the Jews, and the reality of suffering associated with the "Good News".

In his hymn of praise and thanksgiving, Simeon prays that this child will be a light to Gentiles and the glory of Israel. What is being done in Jesus is being done in the sight of all people. Anna will specifically point to the fact that this child is the answer to prayer for all who looked for Jerusalem's redemption. Recalling one of the four major themes of Luke's Gospel - the question of salvation and how it could be offered to Gentiles on an equal footing with God's chosen people, we see the tension almost immediately following the birth of Jesus. Who has he come for?

Though not so much an issue any more with regard to Jews or Gentiles, the issue still raises itself in the Christian Church - Who is Jesus here for? Who is excluded from the efficacy of his saving work, and on what basis? Usually, this debate is raised less from the perspective of race and more from the perspective of behavior.

Suffering is raised from two perspectives - that of the people of Israel who are going to have to choose, and that of Mary herself - a sword will pierce your own soul too. Perhaps the people who were looking for a messiah expected to have salvation handed to them. This is one of the Gospel paradoxes - that we are given salvation freely, and that it costs us everything.

Anna and Simeon - that is to say, women and men alike - are able to discern the truth of the matter - that truth does not treat us with kid gloves. Choices have to be made; suffering has to be endured. Yet, somehow, these two elderly people speak their words of gratitude, praise, and caution in an atmosphere of peace and hope. Though some of the lines have an ominous tone to them, taken as a whole, we read their words and perhaps can breathe a sigh of relief ourselves ... knowing that God's Christ has come.