Week 10: Apollos, Joseph, Ruth and Zoab, "Second Isaiah" and Jesus' Death and Resurrection

  Week 10: Apollos, Joseph, Ruth and Zoab, "Second Isaiah" and Jesus' Death and Resurrection

   Paul continues to caution the church in Corinth to avoid divisions within the church.  There has apparently been some who prefer Apollos to Paul, who founded the church.  Paul admonishes the Corinthians: "For as long as there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclination (1 Cor 3:3)?"  He  reminds them that God gives the growth to what is planted: "According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I built a foundation, and someone else is building on it (1 Cor 3:10)."  He reminds them also that that foundation is Jesus Christ and that most divisions prove harmful.  "We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ (1 Cor 4:2)."  Paul recommends unity in the church: "For the Kingdom of God depends not on talk but on power (1 Cor 4:20)."

   Genesis 36 is a straightforward outline of the lineage of Esau (Edom).  Chapters 37 through 39 begin the story of Joseph.  Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob "because he was the son of his old age (Gen 37:3)."  Jacob shows great favoritism towards Joseph and does not hide this from his other sons.  He even made him a special coat of many colors.  Joseph fans the flames of this intense sibling rivalry by reporting on two of his dreams.  In the first his brothers bow down to him "so they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words (Gen 37:8)."  In the second dream Joseph reports "Behold, the sun, the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me."  Karen Armstrong notes in her book that in those times dreams were seen as a revelation of a divinely perceived reality or of future events.  "Jacob would naturally have regarded his beloved son's dreams as a sign of divine election (p. 101)."  The brothers finally have had enough, throw Joseph into a pit and take his special coat.  Joseph is sold to passing Ishmaelites (either by his brothers or by Midianites who found him in the pit).   Joseph eventually is sold into slavery in Egypt and his brothers smear his coat with sheep's blood and tell Jacob that his favorite son must be dead.  Joseph's story is then interrupted by the story of Judah and Tamar in Chapter 38.  Judah has three sons, the first of which marries Tamar.  He dies before producing an heir, so the second son marries Tamar.  He meets a similar early demise and therefore, Judah will not let his third son marry Tamar.  She tricks Judah into sleeping with her and she conceives and bears twins, one of which is Perez who becomes the ancestor of the great King David.  Karen Armstrong points out that in this story Tamar, like Rebekah, "was forced to a desperate expedient to ensure that God's will was done (p. 105).  Chapter 39 picks up Joseph's story in Egypt.  He vecame very successful, achieving the role overseer in his master's (Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh) household.  Joseph shows his moral character by rebuffing sexual advances of Potiphar's wife.  She then accuses him of attacking her and is thrown into prison.  Armstrong notes that Joseph experienced real desolation in prison.  She notes that "faith does not insulate the characters of the Bible from the terrors of the human condition (p. 103)." 

Joseph and His Brothers

   The entire (four chapter) Book of Ruth is on the schedule for this week.  This book is placed after The Book of Judges, although consensus opinion has it being written later (post-Exile, but still before the establishment of the monarchy).  It is the story of one family, beginning with Elimelech and his wife Naomi.  They travel to the land of Moab to escape a famine with their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion.    The sons both marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah.  First Elimelech dies and then the two sons die, leaving three widows.  The famine in Judea eases and Naomi decides to return.  She tells her two daughters-in-law to stay in their homeland, but Ruth accompanies Naomi and supports her.  Back in Judea Ruth meets Zoab, a relative of Elimelech, who recognizes her loyalty to Naomi and her hard work.  Zoab tells Ruth: "The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward bhe given you by the Lord, God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge (Ruth 2"12)."  Naomi encouragaes Ruth in her relationship with Zoab and the two eventually marry, conceive a son and "They named him Obed, the father of Jesse, the father of David (Ruth 4:17)."  The Book of Ruth achieves two things.  First it presents a contradiction to the then popular thought that foreigners would contaminate Israel and second, the book legitimates the ancestry of David.

Elimelech, Naomi, Mahlon and Chilion leave for Moab

    Psalms 27 through 29 are more songs of praise.  Rather than being redundant, I find these to have a cumulative inspirational effect.  "One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after;  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life (Psalm 27:4)."  The psalmist asks God for guidance as well: "Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path (Psalm 27:11)."   In Psalm 28, the psalmist continues his praise and thanksgiving: "The Lord is my strength and my shield;  in him my heart trusts, and I am helped (Psalm 28:7)."  Finally, in the 29th Psalm, verse 10: "The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;  The Lord sits enthroned as King forever.  May the Lord give strength to his people!  May the Lord bless his people with peace!"

     Job answers Bildad in Chapter 19.  He states his belief that he will be redeemed, face God and  that justice will be recognized.  In verse 2 Job asks: "How long will you torment me, and break me in pieces with words?"  Later in the chapter he emphatically states: "For I know that my redeemer lives and that at the last he will stand upon the earth and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God (Job 19:25-26)."   Zophar then joins the chorus of castigators in Chapter 20 with more "fate of the wicked" talk: "God will send his fierce anger (Job 20:23)."  Job needs a better support group.

     Chapter 51 of Isaiah renews God's promise to Abraham for the salvation of Zion and asks the question what mortal can compete with God?  "I, I am he who comforts you;  why then are you afraid of a mere mortal who must die, a human being who fades like grass? (Is 51:12)"  Chapters 52 and 53 are the fourth "Servant Song" which has been used by later Christian scholars to refer to Jesus.  The servant in these chapters is described as rejected, suffering vicariously and quietly and bringing blessings to many.  These are the Messianic allusions.  Chapter 54 is another song of assurance to Israel: "For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name;  the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth he is called (Is 54:5)" and "My convenant of peace shall not be removed (Is 54:10)."  Asimov points out that the "Second Isaiah" portion of the Book of Isaiah ends with Chapter 55, a hymn of joy and triumph. 

     This week concludes the Gospel of Matthew in chapters 26-28.  The story of Jesus being anointed with precious oil.  When objections are raised regarding the expense of the oil, Jesus answers with the curious quote: "For you always have the poor with you, but you will nto always have me (Matthew 26:11)."  The celebration of the Last Supper occurs in Chapter 26 as well, followed in rapid fire succession by the prayers in Gethsemane, the betrayal by Judas Iscariot, Jesus' arrest, trial before Caiphas (the high priest) for blasphemy, Peter's denial of Jesus (three times) and finally Jesus' appearance before Pilate, the Roman governor.  Jesus is found guilty of treason and sentenced to death by crucifixion.  He is buried in a tomb provided by Joseph of Arimathea.  In chapter 28 Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" go to see the tomb "And suddenly there was a great earthquake;  for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it (Matthew 28:2)."  The resurrected Jesus then meets them and tells them to inform the Disciples.  Eleven disciples see Jesus on a mountain "and Jesus came and said to them "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizint them.  Ane remember I am with you always, to the end of the age (Mattew 28:18-20)."  Asimov points out that Matthew makes every effort to make the story appear to fulfill Old Testament prophecies, particularly those in Psalms 69 and 22 as well as Zehariah 11.